She's My Bodyguard

One

"Romera! Still pretty as always!" He hugged me, and I returned it. I returned it, feeling my cold dead heart warm, just a bit.

"Hey, Johnson. Ready to go traveling already?" I teased him, letting him go.

"Nah, these old bones bought a lake house. The wife is happy, and is ready to finally see my face more often." I pat his shoulder as he let me in to the lavish house. "Mr. Clairmont's housekeeper, Agnes, sweet woman, just made dinner. Come, join us." I took in my surroundings. The house was very cozy. It was decorated like a log cabin, but had luxury to it. Following Johnson to the dining room, I saw him. "Mr. Clairmont, Agnes, this is Corporal Romera. She'll be your bodyguard 24/7 from the end of the week on out." I gave them a stiff nod of the head.

"Come and join us, please!" Agnes said cheerfully. "Chief Gunner called earlier and told us to expect you earlier." There was a place already set... and a glass of wine. I wasn't much of a wine drinker, and I never, ever drank on duty.

"Please, relax. The guards outside have everything handled. Very few people have been foolish to try anything in the past and it was years ago." His voice was a few octaves deeper that anything I'd been around, so it was a surprise to me.

"Thanks." Agnes had been kind enough to prepare a plate of steak, corn, mashed potatoes, garlic bread, and fried okra. It all smelled heavenly.

As soon as we began eating, I began to be questioned.

"So, Romera. What branch did you serve in? I didn't get a chance to read over your file."

"Marines, one tour." I swallowed the bite of steak I had put in my mouth.

"Did you decide to leave or did you not qualify for-"

"I am the only one alive from my squadron." I stopped him before he could finish.

"I see. My apologies. I don't doubt your qualifications for a moment, I just try to understand my bodyguards backgrounds a bit better."

"No offense taken." I returned to my meal.

"You are aware of the schedule, then?" He asked, sipping his glass of wine. I was itching for mine, but I would not reach for it.

"Around the clock. Outside of the house you will have double guards, three armed guards on this property at all times, five at your office during regular hours, two after hours. State of the art systems in each area. Monday to Friday it's nine to six at the office, Saturday ten to four. Sunday is whatever you choose it to be, and once a month is a trip out of the country, which I have federal clearance to be your guard in all of the places you have businesses in, and I speak the language of 4." He raised an eyebrow. "I speak nine."

"Impressive. The academy usually won't teach more than three."

"I took the lingual path in High school. The academy taught me Arabic, Hebrew, and Farsi." It was back and forth, but I asked him no questions. I needed to ask none.

"Well, I'll let you get settled into your new room. Agnes will show you to it."

"Does it have a gun safe in it?" He cursed.

"No, but I have a small spare-"

"I need at least a hundred pound empty." He blinked. "I was not leaving my arsenal at the employee housing. God knows what our new recruits would do with it."

"I can order one for you and have it delivered tomorrow." The guns would have to be locked in the closet for now, which would be fine. "The closet does have a lock on it, which Agnes can get you a key for." She showed me the way, where I put my first bag of items.