~Daniel~
He still relished the feeling of Malia's hand on him, even if it had been from a slap. He hated the fact that she hated him so much, but there wasn't anything he could do about that anymore.
Once she had left the classroom with the Prince, he had taken up his natural position at the back of every class that Henry took. He was a glorified watch dog, and he hated every second of it.
He wanted to be out and in the action, but he also still had to follow the rules...their rules.
They had told him to return to England and to find a position as a guard with the royals which hadn't been too hard considering Henry had hired him right away, although he was sure it had more to do with upsetting Louis than anything. Henry really didn't like that Prince.
Neither did he, the way he was always hanging all over Malia, like he had some stupid royal claim over her.
Daniel knew her first, had her love first, and he intended to get that love back. But first things first, he needed to get out of that gang to keep her safe, and his entire family.
The only question was how, considering what they did to traitors was more gruesome than being blown up by a missile launcher like some of the other guys had been on his deployment. He was lucky that they had recruited him, they said, although sometimes he wished he had just died for real in that damn desert. Maybe then, things wouldn't be so complicated...
Once he reached his destination after switching shifts as Henry's guard, he issued the official knock, two raps followed by a three second pause and then another five knocks, ending finally with one resounding bang with his closed fist against the metal door.
The steel creaked when it finally opened, the old hinges needing a thorough greasing, and then he was inside the room that he hated most, he almost referred to it as an evil lair, as that was the description most fitting for it.
The leader of the gang spent the majority of his time here, or so he'd heard. He'd never actually met him or seen him up close, but since the bombing, people were scattering more than usual.
There'd been more and more people leaving the gang than ever before, and just as Daniel was about to get out for good and just run away, he'd been sent an assignment to find employment as a guard with the royals and a picture of Malia and his family all together at a barbecue back home a lifetime ago was attached to the message, although the meaning was clear.
It was a message that said he either followed their directions or everyone he cared about would be killed. He knew it would happen, too. One of his buddies that he'd been recruited with tried to opt out of an assignment, an assassination of an ambassador from some small country in the middle east. He sent them a message and said that he wouldn't do it and they killed his sister first, sent him pictures of her body bleeding out from a gunshot wound in her head in their family home.
He went through with the assassination, although Daniel hadn't heard from him since.
The memory made him shiver in disgust but he made sure to remove any and all emotions from his face as soon as he began to see light.
He had to climb down the steps of the sewer into a manhole to reach his destination earlier, then followed by the steel door after he'd walked about a mile down in the underground tunnels.
The stench was almost unbearable, but he knew the reality of what would happen if he didn't come would be ten times worse than a nasty smell.
The halls were lit with a glow from multiple overhead LED lights and although the first time he had come he expected a dark dungeon, he was met with sterile white walls and white acrylic desk furniture and bright lights and the sweet scent of gardenias floating through the air to mask the scent of human defecation that attempted to permeate the walls.
The second time around was no different, although there was a set up to his left where they'd filmed the video taking credit for the bombing that matched the dark and eroding atmosphere of the rest of the sewage system beyond it.
One of his fellow recruits, Matt, walked up to him then in his army fatigues with a withdrawn look painted across his features.
"What's up man?"
His face turned grim, and Daniel felt a twisting nervousness in his gut.
"Nothing good, Dan. Nothing good. You'll see."
They walked a few more paces until they reached the sterile glass doors that led into the 'lair' as Daniel liked to call it in his head, and he saw that there were multiple people already in the office of their leader.
He didn't really have a name, but some people called him the King. He wanted to call him something much more fitting to his reputation...something like the Evil Overlord.
He was there, something that Daniel had not been expecting in the slightest.
The room was large, holding multiple seating areas that were filled with other members, some wearing skull masks covering their identity and some not bothering with it at all, wearing scowls across their faces as their masks.
At the center of the room was a large and imposing desk the size of a large conference table with a glass top, and behind it sat the Evil Overlord-or, the 'King'.
True to his nature, his head wasn't visible, instead covered with a skull mask, this one pure bone white, the intricate details impeccably realistic, and he wondered if he wore an actual skull over his own head.
Dressed in an all white robe standing beside him was none other than Robert Carmichael, Malia's step father. He remembered Robert as a nice man with terrible secrets in his closet that he learned of once he was on his first assignment to guard a wealthy businessman in his home state.
He had been so close to his family and Malia, but he couldn't reach out to them to risk them learning the truth.
While the man he was assigned to watch was out gambling, he had seen Robert playing every slot machine in the building and betting at every table. He'd even gotten a glimpse of Daniel but had winked and put a finger up to his lips as if to say he wouldn't tell anyone, and that was when he knew of Robert's connections to the gang.
Seeing him there, though, with the actual leader was jarring to say the least.
"Daniel McGinnis, Matthew Billingsley, you two have infiltrated the royal family as their personal guards. Tell us your updates."
Robert's voice filled Daniel's ears and couldn't believe that he was the one giving him orders. He cleared his throat but Matt went first.
"I am assigned to watch over Elizabeth Windsor, the second cousin to the heir apparent, and have gained access to her private home as well as her parent's."
"Good. And McGinness? How is my daughter behaving?"
Daniel wanted to slam a fist into Robert's face for how he spoke about Malia. Daniel knew about the abuse, but there was nothing he could have done to stop it. He was too weak, and Robert knew it.
"I have gained access to the heir apparent's first cousin, and she seems to be spending the majority of time with the heir apparent's son."
"Ah, Prince Louis. He will get in our way. His father is enough of a pain that we can't buy him off since he has everything he could ever want. No, they're going to have to be dealt with, in time. McGinness, you and Lady Spencer have a history yes?"
The Overlord was speaking directly to him in that moment, his voice changed through an automated modulator so that it came out like a robot, or like Siri on an iPhone.
"Yes sir," he said, not sure how he should have addressed him in that moment.
"Good. I'd like for you to get in between him and Lady Spencer, break up whatever relationship they have going on. I'll deal with the father."
Daniel thought for a moment about what the implications of his request meant. He still loved Malia, that he was positive of, and he hated that she was dating Prince Louis, especially since he was known for being such a player with girl's hearts.
Getting in between them and spending more time with her might just make her realize that she belonged with him all along.
"Now that, sir, I can do."
*******
Author's Note:
And so the plot THICKENS!
What did you think of this chapter from Daniels' perspective?!
What do you think will happen next?
What do yo WANT to happen next?
What is a favorite book that you're reading right now? Right now I'm reading the Elementals series by Brigid Kremmer (Hope I spelled that right) in my free time when I'm not taking care of my eight month old, or writing my booty off for you guys!
Please don't forget to comment and vote for this chapter, I LIVE for your hilarious and amazing comments!!!!
Until next time my lovely readers,
Kristen :)