Strange Disappearances

CHAPTER FOUR

I nod and smile slightly, before going back to my blank stare.

Gabriela is grinning widely now, she steps forward and shakes my hand excitedly. "Oh my god, wait you're Riley Miller? I've heard loads about you, if the rumours are true, me and my family are probably the safest people in the country!"

I raise an eyebrow at that. Safest in the country? And what rumours? I live without the internet or connections between my jobs, meaning I have no idea what's going on when I'm in the Institute so all I know is I just get more clients than everybody else. I guess people do like my work, even if it involves occasionally killing people.

"It is so refreshing to see a female in a primarily male role! Like, you don't know how refreshing it is! Eeee! How old are you? How long have you been workin? How long have you been training for? Would you die for me? My kids? How good are you at your job? Do you-" She starts questioning me while still over excitedly shaking my hand with both of hers.

"Gabby, give the girl a chance to answer, love." Mr. Alleato tells her, but I don't really mind. How can I mind when she's looking at me with more interest than anyone I've ever met? Well, except for Nora. But Nora's an exception. I think I'm going to like Gabriela.

"I'm twenty-two, I've been working since I was eighteen. I've been training since I was seven years old. I'll die for you and your kids if needed too, since it's a part of the job. I'd say I'm great at my job, but I am slightly biassed." I answer her questions, retrieving my hand from her grasp as she watches me with child-like excitement on her features, clearly entranced by my answers. She smiles slightly before going back to her husband and cuddling into his side. She seems content with me as her bodyguard but I can tell from the fire in her eyes that she is still likely to be having a conversation with him later.

Matthew gestures for me to follow him out of the room, and I do. The corridors are all highly decorated with expensive objects, and a red rug covers the wooden floors like a red carpet. It is also stapled to the floor and I can only guess that was put there when they had children. He leads past the expensive quarters, and we go down a stone staircase down into what seems to be the old servants quarters. Matthew then starts explaining my job.

"You will be accompanying Mrs Alleato and her three youngest children everywhere they go, we do want you to give them space as Mr Alleato still wants them to live their lives without someone looming over them. Anytime any of the kids is outside on the grounds without a parent, guard or older sibling within fifty metres you are required to be there. You will be working solo, and won't likely be interacting with your fellow co-worker. You will still be required to treat them with respect as they are permanent workers or guards here, while you are only hired until Mrs Alleato gives birth, which is expected to be in three months. There are more rules, but I will give them to you later on in the day. You officially start tomorrow. You will be informed on this page when the family is going out." He states, finishing by passing me a black device which is the pager.

He then goes on to explain that all the ordinary guards sleep in a building at the end of the gardens. I will be sleeping here since the children and wife are known for randomly wandering around unsupervised. He shows me around.

The downstairs appears to be straight out of Downton Abbey. He tells me I will be given a budget each week for supplies, and shows me the kitchens, the eating area ( again a copy of Downton Abbey ) and then the sleeping quarters. There are multiple rooms, but those are not for me but Matthew, and sometimes the cooks and drivers. I am in a room furthest from the doors to the kitchen. He gives me the key, but does warn me that he has the other copy and will use it if necessary. After that, he escorts me to the weapons room and the computer rooms ( which are still in the servants quarters ) where I am given a keycard which allows me to get into rooms, if it doesn't work on a room it means I'm not allowed access there. I have access to the weapons room, but most of them are in bulletproof glass cases that can only be opened by Matthew, some guards and members of the family.

I'm given the mandatory garter holsters and weapons. He asks if I have any weapons, and I show him my two ones. He takes ten minutes to inspect them to see if they have any added accessories that are not normal, before deciding they are okay for me to keep.

I'm not allowed to draw weapons around the children unless I'm protecting them from someone, the punishment for that is death. He gives me my weapons back, and multiple more knives, and two more guns. Another glock 19, and a glock 30. Matthew tells me that my uniform is perfect, but the top needs to go down to my waist which I have no problem with. My hair needs to be tied up always - what is this, primary school? - and that he will give me 'proper' running shoes in the morning.

I will be given a schedule each monday for when I am needed, but unplanned events are a regular thing. He tells me , again , that the kids are known to be wanderers at night and to tell him if I will need anything to keep an eye on them at night.

I know immediately what I will need.

"A tracker for bedtime, but it doesn't tell me where they are, only if they've left the building after their bedtimes or curfew." I tell him, and he agrees saying that this is reasonable and he will talk to Mr Alleato about this but it will most likely be a yes since it doesn't tell me exactly where they are in the building - which apparently according to Mr and Mrs Alleato would be an invasion of privacy.

Just before Matthew is about to leave, he adds one thing, "If you do well here, you will most likely be kept for when the baby is born. Remember that."

Kept? I could get a permanent job here? I can be free? Fuck yes. I will get hired here permanently, whether I have to kill a few people to do it - not literally, that probably won't go down well with the family.

I think I'm going to like it here.

I'm quoting Annie now?