Amir.
‘If only,’ replied Marc.
‘I reckon it’s far more serious than that.’
Jason and Ling joined them and they entered
the briefing room. Charley was already there, deep in discussion with the colonel. A
nervous anticipation gripped Connor when he caught sight of Charley’s stunned
expression. Whatever the colonel had to say, the news had evidently taken her by
surprise.
Hurriedly they found their seats. Colonel
Black finished talking with Charley and turned to them. His face wore a rare smile.
‘Alpha team’s leave is
postponed,’ he announced, not even bothering to soften the blow.
A groan of disappointment escaped
Amir’s lips.
The colonel disregarded this and continued,
‘Buddyguard has received a top-priority assignment. And a member of
this
team has been selected.’
‘Who?’ asked Ling, perching on
the edge of her seat in excitement.
The colonel’s steel-grey eyes fell on
Connor.
‘Me?’ said Connor, almost
breathless. As the realization sank in, he was unsure whether to be thrilled or
terrified at the prospect of his first assignment.
‘Yeah, why Connor? He’s the
newbie,’ argued Jason, puffing up his chest. ‘Next to Charley, I’m the
most experienced. It should be me.’
‘I admire your eagerness,
Jason,’ replied Colonel Black tactfully. ‘But, as with every assignment,
it’s not simply about an operation being available; it’s about the
buddyguard fitting the operation. This assignment is by order of the President of the
United States. He chose Connor personally.’
Connor was speechless. Surely he’d
misunderstood. ‘He chose me
specifically
. Why?’
‘That information wasn’t
disclosed,’ replied the colonel. ‘It’ll be up to President Mendez to
reveal his reasons, if he so wishes.’
‘It’s probably because of your
martial arts credentials,’ Charley suggested.
‘Well, it certainly can’t be for
anything else!’ mumbled Jason.
Connor let the comment pass, appreciating that
Jason was crestfallen at not being chosen himself.
‘So who’s Connor
protecting?’ asked Marc.
The colonel looked to Charley to
respond.
‘Alicia Rosa Mendez,’ she
revealed. ‘The President’s daughter.’
Marc whistled through his teeth in awe.
‘Rather you than me, Connor.’
‘Yeah,’ agreed Ling.
‘You’re going in at the deep end!’
Connor thought there had to be some sort of
mistake. ‘They’re right, Colonel. I haven’t even done a test operation
yet.’
The colonel looked him in the eye. ‘I
won’t lie to you, Connor. This is the highest-profile assignment Buddyguard has
ever been involved in. For us, we’re taking a huge gamble. For you, it will be a
baptism of fire. But I’ve watched your progress closely. You possess your
father’s ability to think on your feet. And, with any luck, his sixth sense to
foresee danger too.’
Connor was taken aback by the unexpected
comparison to his father. Their course had been so full-on he’d not had the
opportunity to talk with the colonel about his father’s past life. But clearly
Colonel Black had been noting the similarities. It was a boost to his confidence, but
Connor couldn’t help feeling a new pressure on his shoulders of having to live up
to the colonel’s high expectations.
‘Operation Hidden Shield will commence
forthwith,’ declared Colonel Black. ‘Charley, I want a full profile on the
Principal by 0900 hours tomorrow. Amir, prep aGo-bag with all the
appropriate tactical kit. Ling, Marc and Jason, you’re responsible for compiling
the operation folder. I want maps of all primary locations, threat assessments, sit reps
on known hostiles, key personnel and any other relevant information that might help
Connor in his task. Connor, come with me for further briefing.’
For a moment, Alpha team sat stock still in
their chairs, caught like rabbits in the headlights.
‘What are you waiting for?’
barked the colonel. ‘You have your orders.’
At his command, they rushed to
‘If only,’ replied Marc.
‘I reckon it’s far more serious than that.’
Jason and Ling joined them and they entered
the briefing room. Charley was already there, deep in discussion with the colonel. A
nervous anticipation gripped Connor when he caught sight of Charley’s stunned
expression. Whatever the colonel had to say, the news had evidently taken her by
surprise.
Hurriedly they found their seats. Colonel
Black finished talking with Charley and turned to them. His face wore a rare smile.
‘Alpha team’s leave is
postponed,’ he announced, not even bothering to soften the blow.
A groan of disappointment escaped
Amir’s lips.
The colonel disregarded this and continued,
‘Buddyguard has received a top-priority assignment. And a member of
this
team has been selected.’
‘Who?’ asked Ling, perching on
the edge of her seat in excitement.
The colonel’s steel-grey eyes fell on
Connor.
‘Me?’ said Connor, almost
breathless. As the realization sank in, he was unsure whether to be thrilled or
terrified at the prospect of his first assignment.
‘Yeah, why Connor? He’s the
newbie,’ argued Jason, puffing up his chest. ‘Next to Charley, I’m the
most experienced. It should be me.’
‘I admire your eagerness,
Jason,’ replied Colonel Black tactfully. ‘But, as with every assignment,
it’s not simply about an operation being available; it’s about the
buddyguard fitting the operation. This assignment is by order of the President of the
United States. He chose Connor personally.’
Connor was speechless. Surely he’d
misunderstood. ‘He chose me
specifically
. Why?’
‘That information wasn’t
disclosed,’ replied the colonel. ‘It’ll be up to President Mendez to
reveal his reasons, if he so wishes.’
‘It’s probably because of your
martial arts credentials,’ Charley suggested.
‘Well, it certainly can’t be for
anything else!’ mumbled Jason.
Connor let the comment pass, appreciating that
Jason was crestfallen at not being chosen himself.
‘So who’s Connor
protecting?’ asked Marc.
The colonel looked to Charley to
respond.
‘Alicia Rosa Mendez,’ she
revealed. ‘The President’s daughter.’
Marc whistled through his teeth in awe.
‘Rather you than me, Connor.’
‘Yeah,’ agreed Ling.
‘You’re going in at the deep end!’
Connor thought there had to be some sort of
mistake. ‘They’re right, Colonel. I haven’t even done a test operation
yet.’
The colonel looked him in the eye. ‘I
won’t lie to you, Connor. This is the highest-profile assignment Buddyguard has
ever been involved in. For us, we’re taking a huge gamble. For you, it will be a
baptism of fire. But I’ve watched your progress closely. You possess your
father’s ability to think on your feet. And, with any luck, his sixth sense to
foresee danger too.’
Connor was taken aback by the unexpected
comparison to his father. Their course had been so full-on he’d not had the
opportunity to talk with the colonel about his father’s past life. But clearly
Colonel Black had been noting the similarities. It was a boost to his confidence, but
Connor couldn’t help feeling a new pressure on his shoulders of having to live up
to the colonel’s high expectations.
‘Operation Hidden Shield will commence
forthwith,’ declared Colonel Black. ‘Charley, I want a full profile on the
Principal by 0900 hours tomorrow. Amir, prep aGo-bag with all the
appropriate tactical kit. Ling, Marc and Jason, you’re responsible for compiling
the operation folder. I want maps of all primary locations, threat assessments, sit reps
on known hostiles, key personnel and any other relevant information that might help
Connor in his task. Connor, come with me for further briefing.’
For a moment, Alpha team sat stock still in
their chairs, caught like rabbits in the headlights.
‘What are you waiting for?’
barked the colonel. ‘You have your orders.’
At his command, they rushed to
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