It was drizzling slightly. Shirley walked out of the car and took light steps towards the entrance of Pandora University. After one hell of a weekend, she wasn't exactly thrilled to be back in school that Monday. One of the bodyguards had an umbrella over her head as she walked.
Shirley Blakes was in her third year, studying Business Administration.
When she stepped into the lobby and started for the locker room, she halted when she realized that Mr. Bernad, the head bodyguard was still following her.
"You are probably going to follow me to class as usual, aren't you?" she said sarcastically, turning to face him.
"Umm, I am only obeying your father's orders," he said and she scoffed.
"Whatever," she blurted out as she spotted Emily. She started to approach her.
Shirley's father had been the one to personally enroll Emily in the university as soon as the girl started to work as Shirley's assistant, almost a year ago. Although she was in her first year and not in the same level as Shirley, it sure felt nice to Shirley, having someone to talk to, at least during lunch breaks, in the university.
Sometimes, Shirley couldn't believe just how extreme her father could be. Like having the bodyguard behind her, follow her about, even to her classes.
That was why she didn't have any friends. Who would talk to her when a frowning hefty man was always right behind her? Shirley was at least thankful that Emily went to the university with her now or it would have been really unbearable.
"Hey Shirley, seems like you didn't have much sleep last night. You have heavy bags under your eyes," Emily said, staring at Shirley with concern.
"I just couldn't stop thinking about what happened... I loved him, you know," Shirley said.
"I know," Emily said, reaching out to take Shirley's hand in hers.
"But you are going to be fine. It is that a**hole's loss. At least thankfully, your father was able to get back the drive," Emily added as both girls started walking towards the staircase.
"I don't even want to think about the means he used to get it back. It serves that family right. Using people is wrong, so wrong," Shirley said.
"Have you scheduled the photoshoot with JK Cosmetics?" Shirley asked as they started to climb up the stairs.
"I have. Another job came for you though. Mrs Loretha sent it this morning. She said I should ask you if you want her to accept it," Emily said.
"What brand?" Shirley asked.
"Showan clothesline," Emily replied.
"She shouldn't accept it. In fact, she shouldn't accept any more jobs in the meantime. My exams are fast approaching. I want to be fully focused," Shirley said.
"I understand," Emily said with a smile.
******
After excusing herself from her last lecture for the day, Shirley raced to the SUV that was already parked right in front of the university's entrance. Emily joined her barely a few seconds later.
"What happened to him?" Shirley asked, visibly panicking.
"I don't know much but we received information that he suddenly collapsed at work and was rushed to the nearest hospital," one of the bodyguards riding with them said.
"Can this thing go any faster!" Shirley turned to the driver and screamed.
Emily held Shirley's hand and when Shirley turned to look at her, she flashed her a comforting smile, which weirdly calmed her nerves a bit.
It had been during her last class for the day that a text had suddenly come in saying that her father had been rushed to the hospital. The text had been from her father's personal secretary.
"He will be fine. It is probably just the stress. You know he works too much. Running a company and still playing senator, that's a lot," Emily muttered, in a bid to comfort the anxious Shirley.
"I have told him a million times that he shouldn't work too hard. He doesn't even have to yet he does. He is so stubborn. Like a mule... I just..." her voice trailed off as there was a sudden screeching sound. The van lurched forward, propelling everyone forward, and then suddenly, there were gunshots.
Shirley screamed when a bullet hit Emily's chest. The van was swerving at this point. There were more gunshots before the van suddenly stopped.
Shirley looked behind her and gasped, the two bodyguards behind her had been shot.
Shirley's mouth moved to her hand to cover it as her side of the van's door was opened from outside.
"Come out," a not so friendly but definitely feminine voice rang out.
The person that had spoken was clothed in an all black apparel. She was even wearing a hood and her face was covered with a mask. She was pointing a gun at Shirley's head.
Shirley did as she was told and stepped out. Her body was shaking involuntary.
The lady grabbed Shirley's arm roughly and started for a van parked right across them. There were at least seven other armed people standing by the van the lady was dragging her towards.
"Am I going to die?" Shirley couldn't help but wonder.
When the lady reached the van, she spoke in Spanish to the others and one of them replied back in Spanish.
Shirley felt her heart pounding. She heard what they said. She did Spanish as an elective course...
The lady had said, "Contact her father. Tell him we have his precious daughter and if he doesn't give us want we want before midnight tomorrow, he will never see her again."
They shoved her roughly into the van and it sped off. Shirley was sandwiched between the lady that had first grabbed her and another person who from the build she could tell was a man.
Her hands and her feet had been tied closely together, it was hurting bad. They had even gagged her mouth.
Shirley drew a sharp breath as Emily's face popped in her head. They had shot her. They had shot all the bodyguards and even the driver? So, much for having bodyguards!
Emily would be fine, right? Someone would find them soon right? Tears poured out Shirley's eyes as she hoped. That was all she could do anyway, hope.
Maxwell hurried out of his car and rushed into the headquarters of the secret service he worked for. The director and a few of his colleagues were already inside, speaking solemnly about something."What is going on?" he asked the director.Mr. Thomas Finn, a well built man in his early forties, was the director of The Defense Intelligence Agency. He was a tall man."There is a situation. The senator's daughter has been kidnapped," he informed."The senator's daughter... Was that not Shirley Blakes, the nation's fairy?" he thought."Okay... But this isn't exactly in our jurisdiction, is it?" Max asked. It was taking all of his willpower to hide his anxiety and worry. Why was he so worried about this girl? He had no idea!Even though it was the senator's daughter that was kidnapped, they didn't usually take care of situations like this, hence his confusion.
"It doesn't make any sense," Max said in a voice so quiet. So quiet that the rest of his team almost didn't hear him.They were in the basement of Maxwell's villa. The basement was designed with high technology. The walls were not just soundproofed but bulletproofed as well. There was a warbrobe filled with different types of arms. Shawn was standing in front of it, running his fingers through one gun to the next."What doesn't make sense?" Amy asked. She was standing beside Maxwell, looking at the plan drawn by the director, on a big paper spread across the table. Maxwell was tracing something in the plan with his fingers."The terrorists know we are coming," he declared."What?" Shawn asked, leaving the guns and moving to the table to stand with the rest. He raised an eyebrow at Maxwell."The vandals know how big of a request they are making by asking for that USB drive and the
Shirley didn't know for how long Linda used her as a punching bag, only that her entire body was now numb yet Linda didn't stop. Closing her eyes, she heaved in a deep breath. "Is this how I am going to die? Being beaten to death?" Shirley's thoughts spurned. As she felt herself slowly losing consciousness, there was a sudden thud, like someone had knocked the door of the room off and stormed in. "Had help come?" Shirley wondered. But she knew better than to be relieved just yet. Next she heard gunshots. It was almost like a shotgun carnival. It made her ears start to ring and hurt at the same time. She was lying sprawled on the floor, on her side. Shirley heard Linda's scream, and then the gunshots stopped. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open as a result of the sinking sensation she felt, like she was sinking into her subconsciousness. And there was also the throbbing pain, which was literally emanating all over her body. She didn't know where she gathered the str
"Dad please! I just want him to be my personal bodyguard_ the man that saved me," Shirley's chirpy voice resonated in the house. Mr Lucas Blakes sighed, and then slowly started to put away his laptop. His daughter was at it again. Ever since she was discharged from the hospital three days ago, it was all she talked about. "Look, it isn't that easy," Mr Blakes stated. "But you are the senator, dad. You can make it happen. You can make anything happen," Shirley countered, her eyes boring into her father's. She was standing right in front of where he was seated, in his office space in the house. "That feels nice to my ears _ the part about me being able to make anything happen but it isn't exactly simple this time. The people that saved you are special agents, feds. They work for the government not private individuals," Mr Blakes tried to explain. He stood up slowly from his chair, creasing the lines on his forehead. "But you can at least find him... I just... I just want to see him
As soon as the last lecture for the day ended, Shirley dashed out of Pandora University. Her car was waiting for her right at the gate. Pandora University was one of the best private universities in western LA, Santa Monica. Shirley had lived in Santa Monica practically all her life. Although she did travel to other towns, states and countries every now and then since she was a prima ballerina and top super model, she never stayed away too long, it was always about work. As she approached the SUV, she craned her neck and caught a familiar figure standing just across the university gate. She blinked in disbelief and looked again but there was no one there. With a soft sigh, she got into the car, wondering why she was seeing him everywhere. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she just couldn't get him out of her head. *** "This is Monique, she is your new assistant," Loretha said, pointing to a rather tall red-haired girl whom Shirley was sure had dyed her hair. Shirley
The first rays of the morning sunlight seeped in through the half open curtains and kissed Shirley's sleepy face. She let out a sound that sounded like a groan and turned her face away from the window. Shirley's bedroom mixed soft pastel blue and pink with white accents to keep it feeling light and bright, and patterned accent pillows and a graphic pouf that added interest and sophistication to the room. It was typical Shirley. The room was the one thing her father had let her decorate to her taste. A curvy sofa beneath the window provided a dedicated place to relax and hang out, leaving the bed across the window for sleeping. Beside her bed was a bedside table and on it was a bedside lamp, an alarm clock and her smartphone. In a corner of the room was a reserved space for studying or working. There was a table and a chair, and on the table was her laptop and tablet. A book shelf was hung above the table with books arranged neatly in it. Inside the room were three doors, two on o
"Milady," Max muttered and even bowed slightly as he held the door open for Shirley to step out. "Really?" Shirley asked with a raised eyebrow. Maxwell chuckled and a smile formed on her face. It had been barely an hour since Maxwell started being her bodyguard and it was already feeling so natural. As they walked into the lobby of C-Perfect fashion brand, which was the Blakes' family business, Shirley couldn't help but crane her neck to look at Maxwell who was just right beside her. The company's building was made of glass, just like the house in which the Blakes lived in. In his plain clothes of a t-shirt on jean pants and boots, no one could have imagined that Maxwell was a badass military personnel. And his innocent handsome charming face didn't help matters much. Shirley was dressed in a formal knee length black gown on nude stilettos. She had a stylish coat draped over her shoulders and was holding a black purse. Her chocolate brown hair was held up in a messy bun. There
Of course she knew that she was pretty. After all, every cosmetics, beauty and fashion brand in the country and even abroad wanted her to model their products because of her beauty but hearing him call her pretty, now that was something pleasing to her ears... that sure warmed her heart. It made her feel strange _ warm and fuzzy at the same time. "What are your plans for lunch?" he suddenly asked, jerking her out of her train of thoughts. She looked up at him, he was standing so close to her, now looking at her. She could smell his cologne and aftershave. There was a hint of coffee embedded in his overall fragrance. It was weirdly refreshing to Shirley's senses. "I have no plans... Why?" Shirley lied through gritted teeth. Bashing her long eyelashes together as she eyed him. Maxwell smiled. On her way out, the secretary Sara, had made mention to him that she wanted to go buy lunch for Shirley. It was amusing, watching the lady he had only been able to admire from a tv screen, flus