president. ‘Here are Ash’s protection
requirements.’
Harvey scanned the document. He looked
shocked. ‘You don’t expect us to foot the bill for this, do you?
He’s not royalty, you know.’
Kay resolutely held his gaze.
‘Consideringhow much money Ash makes for your record company, he’s
royalty toyou. And, as per the contract I negotiated,
it’s part of tour support.’
Frowning, Harvey studied the document
again, then pointed to a particular line. ‘What’s this extra cost here
for?’
‘It’s for a company that
deals in specialized close protection,’ explained Kay. ‘They come highly
recommended bymy inside source on the military security circuit.’
‘Look who’s back!’ said
Jason, ditching his dumbbells and towelling the perspiration from his face.
The rest of the team stopped their
fitness training and turned to see Charley standingin the gym doorway. She was
dressed in a running top and jogging pants, her hair bunched behind in a ponytail,
face drawn and eyes ringed with tiredness.
‘How was Colombia?’ asked
Blake, leaving the treadmill to greet her with a sweaty hug.
‘Tough.’ Charley sighed. She
was exhausted after the long flight but glad to be back among the team again. It
seemed as if she’dbeen away on missions forever. Each time she’d
returned, Colonel Black had another lined up. Having completed five assignments in
as many months, Charley was looking forward to a break – especially after the
trouble she’d encountered in Colombia.
Jason eyeballed her. ‘Dislocate
anyone else’s fingers while you’ve been away?’ he growled.
Charley held his gaze. While the restof
the team’s respect for her had grown with each successive assignment –
asJody had predicted,
Prove yourself and you’ll earn
their respect
– Jason still hadn’t forgiven her for the
Gauntlet incident. ‘No, but I did break a man’s kneecap,’ she
replied.
José laughed. ‘You’re
one kick-ass bodyguard!’ he said, fist-bumping her.
Charley appreciated José’s
support,but it had been no laughing matter at the time. She and her Principal
Sofia, the daughter of the Colombian Minister for Justice, had been in her
father’s car when it was attacked by hit-men from a notorious drug cartel.
Charley had barely escaped with her own life. Sofia hadn’t been so fortunate
– as they’d fled, a stray bullet had hit her in the abdomen and she was
now inhospital in a critical condition.
Blake noticed the mournful look in
Charley’s eyes. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yeah,’ she lied.
‘I’m just a bit jet-lagged.’
‘I bet you’re hungry after
the long journey too,’ he said, putting a comforting arm round her shoulder.
‘Let’s go for lunch. That’ll make you feel better.’
After freshening up, the whole team
headed to the dininghall only to discover a queue.
‘Who are all these people?’
asked Charley, gaping at the unexpected line of kids.
‘New recruits,’ David
explained. ‘Buddyguard is expanding to meet demand.’
‘Yeah, fresh meat!’
sniggered Jason.
One of the new recruits, a petite Asian
girl with a bob of jet-black hair and a silver piercing through her left nostril,
glared over hershoulder at him. ‘At least we don’tsmell like rotten meat,’ she said, wafting a hand in front of her
nose.
Jason bristled at the insult.
‘Hey, pipsqueak, we just showered.’
‘With soap or manure?’
retorted the girl, and everyone laughed. Charley took an instant liking to her.
Jason clenched his fist. ‘Zip it,
newbie, unless you want a fat lip.’
The girl turned onhim. ‘And how
are you going to do that with your broken arm?’
Jason furrowed his brow in confusion.
‘I haven’t got a broken arm.’
‘Not yet, you
haven’t.’ She squared up to him, even though she was half his
height.
Jason puffed out his chest.
‘OK, let’s chill,’
said Charley, stepping between them and smiling at the girl. ‘What’s
your name?’
‘Ling,’ shereplied, her
dark
requirements.’
Harvey scanned the document. He looked
shocked. ‘You don’t expect us to foot the bill for this, do you?
He’s not royalty, you know.’
Kay resolutely held his gaze.
‘Consideringhow much money Ash makes for your record company, he’s
royalty toyou. And, as per the contract I negotiated,
it’s part of tour support.’
Frowning, Harvey studied the document
again, then pointed to a particular line. ‘What’s this extra cost here
for?’
‘It’s for a company that
deals in specialized close protection,’ explained Kay. ‘They come highly
recommended bymy inside source on the military security circuit.’
‘Look who’s back!’ said
Jason, ditching his dumbbells and towelling the perspiration from his face.
The rest of the team stopped their
fitness training and turned to see Charley standingin the gym doorway. She was
dressed in a running top and jogging pants, her hair bunched behind in a ponytail,
face drawn and eyes ringed with tiredness.
‘How was Colombia?’ asked
Blake, leaving the treadmill to greet her with a sweaty hug.
‘Tough.’ Charley sighed. She
was exhausted after the long flight but glad to be back among the team again. It
seemed as if she’dbeen away on missions forever. Each time she’d
returned, Colonel Black had another lined up. Having completed five assignments in
as many months, Charley was looking forward to a break – especially after the
trouble she’d encountered in Colombia.
Jason eyeballed her. ‘Dislocate
anyone else’s fingers while you’ve been away?’ he growled.
Charley held his gaze. While the restof
the team’s respect for her had grown with each successive assignment –
asJody had predicted,
Prove yourself and you’ll earn
their respect
– Jason still hadn’t forgiven her for the
Gauntlet incident. ‘No, but I did break a man’s kneecap,’ she
replied.
José laughed. ‘You’re
one kick-ass bodyguard!’ he said, fist-bumping her.
Charley appreciated José’s
support,but it had been no laughing matter at the time. She and her Principal
Sofia, the daughter of the Colombian Minister for Justice, had been in her
father’s car when it was attacked by hit-men from a notorious drug cartel.
Charley had barely escaped with her own life. Sofia hadn’t been so fortunate
– as they’d fled, a stray bullet had hit her in the abdomen and she was
now inhospital in a critical condition.
Blake noticed the mournful look in
Charley’s eyes. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yeah,’ she lied.
‘I’m just a bit jet-lagged.’
‘I bet you’re hungry after
the long journey too,’ he said, putting a comforting arm round her shoulder.
‘Let’s go for lunch. That’ll make you feel better.’
After freshening up, the whole team
headed to the dininghall only to discover a queue.
‘Who are all these people?’
asked Charley, gaping at the unexpected line of kids.
‘New recruits,’ David
explained. ‘Buddyguard is expanding to meet demand.’
‘Yeah, fresh meat!’
sniggered Jason.
One of the new recruits, a petite Asian
girl with a bob of jet-black hair and a silver piercing through her left nostril,
glared over hershoulder at him. ‘At least we don’tsmell like rotten meat,’ she said, wafting a hand in front of her
nose.
Jason bristled at the insult.
‘Hey, pipsqueak, we just showered.’
‘With soap or manure?’
retorted the girl, and everyone laughed. Charley took an instant liking to her.
Jason clenched his fist. ‘Zip it,
newbie, unless you want a fat lip.’
The girl turned onhim. ‘And how
are you going to do that with your broken arm?’
Jason furrowed his brow in confusion.
‘I haven’t got a broken arm.’
‘Not yet, you
haven’t.’ She squared up to him, even though she was half his
height.
Jason puffed out his chest.
‘OK, let’s chill,’
said Charley, stepping between them and smiling at the girl. ‘What’s
your name?’
‘Ling,’ shereplied, her
dark
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