I felt her eyes on the side of my face; I resisted turning to look at her. Even as the pull was strong, I didn't want to engage or start another back in forth in the car with her. I focused on curling around the corners of the winding road that would carry us out onto the highway.
“I haven't been wrong about you Kit. I don't think I will be either.” her words were soft and sincere. She wasn't digging, prodding or trying to illicit a response. “Paco also told me that he is happy I have hired you, that we complement each other. Like fire and water.” I felt her gaze move away from me and when I stole a quick look, Claire was looking out the passenger window.
The silence that shortly filled the car ended the conversation. Claire returned to sorting through her phone and I kept my eyes on the road. My mind slowly dissecting why fire and water and not oil and water like I felt her and I had been from day one.
___________________
The University was bustling with students running to last minute classes and packing up cars to head home for the winter break. I had gotten out of the car first, walking to her side to open the door when it was pushed open. I was face to face with the senator as she stood up, “Kit, you don't need to open my doors. Remember what I said. You are my employee, not my servant.” She smiled and shut the door.
“It's habit.” I smoothed out my suit jacket and began scanning the crowd, “It's a little busier than I thought.”
She nodded, “I know this meeting was last minute, but I wanted to catch Annabeth before she left for the break.”
I could feel my slight anxiety build like it always would when I was protecting. It was building faster this time because I was actually sober and had been for a few days. Old fears of what could go wrong starting to creep its way in. I took a deep breath, looking at every set of eyes that were directed at the Senator. Scanning for threats.
“Annabeth is waiting for us over at the administration office.” Claire began taking steps towards the massive building in front of us, “She is a senior, studying political science and has been a great volunteer for my campaign and a huge supporter for my charity work. I am thinking of bringing her on board after graduation to assist with the re-election campaign.”
I half listened, still scanning every person that would look our way. Girls would glance and whisper, curious who the rich lady was. Boys would stare and smirk, curious who the hot rich lady was.
I kept by her side and would tap the holster on my waist to make sure the gun was still there. Nothing so far had tipped me off that anyone in this river of people flowing around us was an immediate threat.
Walking into the administration office I felt my anxiety rise at the sight of a small group of people who began clapping at the first sight of Claire. I moved to stand a step behind her as my instinctive training dictated.
I also watched Claire slip from the quiet woman who had been wearing faded V-necks and letting the wind be her hairdresser, to the strong Senator I had walked past a few times in the capital city. She stood straighter and tucked away her aviators, smiling brightly as she engaged the crowd of supporters with firm handshakes and chipper greetings.
I stayed a step back admiring the professional shift she had accomplished as well as the fact that for the first time in my life, I was working with a politician that actually had an on and off switch. All of my other details had always being egotistical assholes from day one and it never shut off. Even when they were screaming at me in their flannel pajamas about how they paid my salary.
Claire continued to talk and move through the small group of supporters with ease, keeping her attention on them. I scanned over all of them and did not pick up anything requiring me to keep a closer eye on. The group soon eased up and shifted to allow Claire space to talk to a young brunette that was obviously Annabeth. I could tell in the way the girl had big googly hero eyes for the Senator and basked in the glow Claire provided. I had seen it a million times when young people wanted to get into politics and had chosen a politician to support and pattern themselves after.
I kept scanning and turned to look outside the small office when something caught my eye. A younger man had stopped in the hallway outside of the glass encased office and was staring inside. Staring in a way that was more than just a curious wondering if there was a party or a celebrity signing up for spring classes.
He was staring in a way that unnerved me. I spotted the large black backpack on his shoulder and noted the way he gripped it, telling me that he was hiding something. It also struck my instincts that the young man seemed to have a laser focus on Claire and only Claire. His eyes moving with her every step of the way, making me feel even more uncomfortable about his possible intentions. I went to go step outside of the office and make contact when I heard Claire call for me, “Kit? I would like you to meet Annabeth.”
I turned to her voice; she was smiling and standing next to the brunette. I smiled tightly and nodded; turning back to the young man I saw that he had moved closer to the glass windows. I swallowed hard as my instincts began to tell me that this was not good.
I felt her hand on my arm, whispering, “Kit, what is it?”
I took a deep breath and turned to face Claire and Annabeth, putting on my best fake smile, “Nice to meet you Annabeth. Is there a room or an office we can head into? It's a little loud out here.”
Annabeth grinned, “Oh yes, of course. We can head into the copy room, it's a little quieter.” She held out her arm, directing Claire and I to the room that was across from us.
Claire looked in my eyes, searching for anything to clue her in on my thoughts. I smiled and out of instinct and habit I placed my hand on the small of her back, pressing her gently forward. I went to say something but instead I watched her breath catch the second my hand met her back and a slight blush creep up the bottom of her neck. It caught me off guard for a split second until I pressed again, pushing her, “Senator we should move into that room.”
Claire nodded, moving into the copy room. I took one last glance at the young man who I was now certain was here for the senator by the way he stared at her like she was the only person in the room.
Inside the copy room Annabeth began to chatter away excitedly. Claire could not stop looking at me, her eyes silently begging for me to tell her what had me concerned. I smiled and turned to Annabeth, “Excuse me Annabeth, but could you grab Senator Avondale and I a bottle of water? We had a bit of a dusty ride in.”
Annabeth issued a chirpy yes, and bounced out of the room. The second the door clicked shut I turned to Claire. “When she comes back in, have her call campus security. Tell them to meet me back out in the front parking lot as soon as possible.”
Claire's jaw clenched as she asked again, a little firmer, “What is it?”
I folded my arms, “I am about to find out. There is a young kid out there that is a far more interested in you than the usual hot rich lady stares you have been getting the moment you stepped out of the car.”
Claire's blush crept up further as she sat down in a chair by the giant copier. “Do we need to leave?” The tone in her voice told me that she had been in this position more than once.
I rolled my shoulders, “I don't think so. But I want to push this guy out of the way before we do have to leave. I don't like him.” I stepped to stand in front of her, “If anything happens, stay in this room. The doors are at least four inches thick with a metal core covered by a wood veneer, the deadbolts are bank rated and oddly enough they did a good job turning an active shooter shelter into a nondescript copy machine room.” I continued scanning the room, noting the other security features the university had hidden behind bland wall coverings and filing cabinets, “You will be safe in here.”
I looked down at Claire. Her hands were folded together on her lap, fidgeting in nervousness. The nervousness was mixed with fear in her eyes when she looked up at me, “Kit, we can call security and wait for them.”
I shrugged, “We could, but I would rather get this guy away f
rom you and the rest of your supporters.” For some reason, I bent down so I could be eye to eye to with the senator. Something about the fear I saw in her eyes bothered me in a way that I felt compelled to comfort her.
“This is what you hired me to do.” I smiled and squeezed her knee. I stood up quickly when I heard Annabeth turn the door handle.
Annabeth, cheery as ever, handed Claire and I the bottles of water. I set mine down on the small worktable behind me. “Excuse me again, Annabeth, but I need to take make a quick phone call.” I glanced at Claire, “The Senator here has something she would like to discuss with you.”
“Kit, please be careful.” Claire's voice was soft and genuine, unnerving me in the strangest way. I nodded again at Claire and walked out of the copy room in two steps. When I pulled the door shut, I heard Claire begin to tell the brunette to discreetly call campus security.
The young man had made his way into the office while we were in the copy room. I could hear him asking the admissions clerk and the other supporters where Senator Avondale had gone. A few of her supporters ignored him or tried to get him to sign up to be a campaign volunteer.
I stared at him and noticed that the black backpack he had clutched around his shoulder was now on the ground, tucked under a chair.
I took a deep breath, swallowing the fear and anxiety that was racing hard through my body. Trying to overcome my instincts and what I knew I had to do next. I blew out a breath, taking the few steps to the young man.
“Hi there, are you looking for Senator Avondale?”
The young man spun around and locked his determined brown eyes onto mine; I saw the smile of accomplishment creep around the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, I am. You know where she is?”
I nodded, “Of course I do. If you come with me I will take you right to her.” I held out my hand directing him to the door exiting the administration office, “We snuck her back outside; the crowd was getting too much for her.”
The young man grinned and went to the door; I called after him, pointing underneath the chair, “Don't forget your backpack.”
He paused and shot me a look; I began to see the sweat bead around his forehead. “Uh...I'll come back for it.”
I smiled, and grabbed it. Walking towards him, I shoved it into his chest, “I would hate for someone to think it was lost and found and take it to the security office on the other side of the campus.”
The young man nodded nervously, “Yeah, you're right.”
I held the door for him, “The Senator is right outside in the parking lot. Go ahead.”
He clicked back into his mission and smiled, taking the lead. I kept close to him and my hand close to my gun.
The moment we pushed through the double doors, stepping out into the bright afternoon sun, the campus security was waiting at the bottom of the concrete stairs. The young man froze in his steps, taking a moment before he turned, and shouting in anger my way. “You fucking lied!”
Before I could react, he charged me. Dropping the black backpack in the bushes next to us before slamming me up against the double doors. I let out a grunt as he pushed most of the air out of me on impact. His face was inches away from mine, fire red cheeks and almost foaming at the mouth with rage, “Where is she?! Senator Avondale needs to die for playing god like she does! Senator Avondale is not a god, I am a god and she must pay for her sins in using science instead of abiding by the lord's word!!”
As he continued to spew his anger, I used the double doors as a push off point. Leaning back before I head-butted the young man, smashing him in the forehead and earning the reward of a loud crack and him releasing me to free his hands so he could clutch at his bleeding forehead with one hand. He began reaching for something in his pocket that was shaped like a television remote with the free hand.
I scrambled to my feet, feeling fear surge through my bloodstream, and charged the young man before his hands wrapped around the remote. Our bodies connected in a heavy grunt as I used his body like a sled to ride him down the staircase.
When we came to a stop at the wide break in the staircase, he managed to throw a right hook that caught me under my left eye. Knocking me to the side, but not off of him, I continued to straddle him, using all of my weight to keep him pinned to the ground. I acted quick and pulled my gun, jabbing the barrel against his chest right above his heart. My hearing was still muted as I faintly heard the yells and jingling of keys and handcuffs of the campus security rushing to us.
The young man and I were both breathless, panting when our eyes locked in a stare of who would make the first move. I pushed the gun harder against his chest and whispered, “Move an inch, give me a reason.”
He didn't move or open his mouth. The stare down was roughly broken by security swarming him and I. Yanking me off of him as he was yanked onto his stomach and handcuffed. I was pushed back, helped up to my feet and escorted back inside the building.
The administration office and surrounding area had been cleared out. Only campus security and the local police department now occupying the office. A handful of paper towel was gently pressed into my hands by one of the police officers, “You're bleeding, ma'am, we have an ambulance on the way to come take a look at that.”
I pressed under my eye and felt the blood seep through the towel, also feeling the large split I knew the right hook had left me with. I cringed at the sting from pressing on an open wound and looked at the officer, “The Senator?”
He smiled, “She is safe, still in the copy room.”
He walked me to the copy room and when he opened the door, Claire spun around, making direct eye contact with me. Annabeth was standing next to her, pale faced and doing her best to hold in the panic begging to be released.
I smiled as best as I could, “The kid is in police custody. We had a minor disagreement about you, Senator Avondale.”
Claire was obviously fighting back her gut reaction to the situation. Whether it was to run to me, yell at me or cry, she was fighting it, “Are you okay, Kit?”
I shrugged, “They have an ambulance on the way. He took most of the brunt of the fall.” I closed my eyes, my adrenaline beginning to dump out of my bloodstream. My hands were beginning to tremble and the hold on my anxiety and bad memories was beginning to fade. Leaving me a few minutes away from a full on breakdown if I didn't get a drink in me or at least away from this copy room.
Claire walked over to me, taking notice that I was beginning to wobble. “Sit down, Kit.” Her voice doing its best to cover up her own adrenaline dissipating with every breath. “Annabeth, can you go get us more water?”
Annabeth hustled out of the room and before the door shut, a police officer pushed through it, “Excuse me Senator Avondale, but the FBI is on their way as well as the Secret Service. It seems the perp had a remote IED in his backpack. Seems he was determined to take out this entire office and you. He has been issuing terrorist claims in the backseat of the Chief's patrol car.”
The second I heard IED, the sound in the room fell away. The memories of Montreal came back like a tsunami, crashing through the walls my mind kept around certain memories. I stood up quickly, “I need a bathroom.”
Claire reached for my arm, I pulled away from her touch and looked at the police officer, “Can you take me to a bathroom now, I want to look at the damage.” I waved at my face, swallowing furiously to hold back the need to vomit before I lost it all over the carpet tile I stood on.
The officer nodded and held the door open, I heard Claire call out after me, but she was quickly cut off by an intense looking detective pushing into the room. Racing to tell her that his officers would keep her safe until they sorted everything out.
I was grateful the bathroom was around corner from the office and empty. I barely pushed the stall door out of my way before I threw up endlessly into the toilet. So much so I had dropped to my knees and clutched to the toilet seat. I began crying uncontrollably in between retching, Montreal blazing hard in my mind as well as the quick f
lashes of what I had just done. My hands shook on their own volition as I covered my face and let the sobs choke out of my body.
________________________
After a few moments of cradling the toilet, I was able to collect myself. I washed my face and had to close my eyes when I saw the blood swirling with the water before it spun down the drain. My new suit was stained with my blood and ripped in spots from when the scuffle. I knew it would have to be thrown out when I got home, another unnecessary casualty in my life. I took a deep breath and walked back out to the wall of law enforcement officers surrounding the admissions office. I curled my hands into balls to hide the fact they were still far from under my control and re-entered the copy room.
There I met with paramedics and Claire.
And Rebecca.
Rebecca was hovering around Claire like an overprotective girlfriend. Visibly concerned and whispering to Claire. When the door clicked shut behind me, the paramedics rushed over to start assessing my injuries. Claire glanced up at me, her eyes filled with so much emotion, even though she was doing an exceptional job of hiding behind her strong mask she had put on the moment the detective walked in.
But her eyes, her eyes would always tell a different story and I was learning that every moment I spent with her.
Rebecca looked in my direction and I was welcomed with a less than pleasant stare from the small brunette.
A female paramedic broke Rebecca and I staring each down when she began asking me questions while pressing around my eye socket, I flinched and groaned mumbling out answers to satisfy the paramedic. A few irritating personal questions later, I had gauze on my face and specific instructions to go to the hospital as soon as possible to get stitches. The paramedics left and the second they did, Rebecca filled the room with the expected lecture I could see on her the moment I spotted her next to Claire.
“I will be taking Claire home now. The FBI and Secret Service can brief her there. They do want to speak with you, Kit, about the incident and what occurred.” Every word she muttered had a knife attached to every syllable, “One question I want an answer to, why did you leave her side?”
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