The ProtectoR

Chapter One

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Nathan wasn't sure he was given the accurate location as he entered the walkway dressed in an oxford-pinstripe shirt and blue jeans.

He reached the tall metal gate where two guards dressed in black suits watched him in the glass-office checkpoint.

One of them, a brown haired, stoutly built man came out from the office with a metal detector pointed towards Nathan.

"Stop there!!" He bellowed.

Nathan stopped, wondering why he had to be so loud. "I'm here to see the owner of this place" He brought out the piece of paper with an address on it, in his pocket and held it out for him.

But the man ignored it, instead he screened the paper with the Garrett device, scrutiny on his face. "What's your name?"

Nathan could easily outmaneuver him, and his colleague--who was chewing gum absentmindedly in the office, and staring out through the glass window-- if he wished.

What did they think? That he could be an armed robber? a potential threat? Maybe he was. "Nathan. My name is Nathan"

"What are you here to see Mr.Swack for?"

"It's quite personal I must say. Sorry to disappoint you."

The man frowned and pushed him against the wall, screening him from his toe up.

Nathan took a deep breath. Right. He had to stand this embarrassment, because he really needed this job.

Dealing with them would create a wrong impression with the Lord of the house.

His supposed savior that he never met.

He still pondered about his master's visit the other night, and why suddenly after miserable months of getting his ass kicked and kicking other's asses for a living, just to get by, his Savior had then wished to see him.

The man shouldn't have saved him at the orphanage where his parents supposedly abandoned him, if he was going to make an appearance in his life after hellish years of living.

The other man in the office said. "Let him go, Gabriel, he's a young man, looks harmless enough "

"Right. As if they're not the most mischievous these days "

"He'll still be checked inside. We do not want to keep Mr.Swack waiting if indeed he is expecting the fellow "

The machine beeped and the man stopped. "So much for looking harmless eh. Why don't you bring it out now, whatever it is you have there. Don't make me say it again "

Screw these people.

He only brought a paper with him, and yet he had to deal with this?

"Why don't you check your device. Maybe it stopped working a long while back, but you were too heady to notice " Nathan said.

he was almost sure he saw the man swell with his feathers ruffled, like those of a turkey.

"What did you say?"

The other guy who kept chewing his gum snorted, apparently finding the whole scene funny.

Gabriel glared at his partner"I don't see how that was funny"

Nathan decided to try what he could, engage the other guy instead, maybe he'd let him go. "Hey, do you still have more of those? I'd like to keep myself busy if you don't mind."

The man briefly smiled and tossed one to him.

"Thanks"

Gabriel ran his hands over Nathan's trousers and shirt.

"Careful where you're touching dude" Nathan spat when the man came to his nethers

"Keep up with the attitude and I'll end up making your time here miserable." The man snapped.

The man was lucky, Gabriel or whatever his name was.

In another situation, somewhere he didn't need to put up a good attitude, to get a godforsaken job,

Nathan would have taken care of him, and his hands.

After the man seemed satisfied, he nodded at his colleague to open the gates.

There was a beep and metallic clanging as the gates swung open.

Nathan forced a smile he didn't mean. "Thanks" before stepping through the gates.

He walked towards the large grey stone-bricked villa that was situated at the end of the lane.

There were begonia flowers fenced off with stone on the walkway and red maple trees next to the greenery of lawn towards his left.

Two other security men stood at the facade, barricading the entrance to the front door when he'd neared them . They both wore black suits on white collared button down shirt.

Why did Mr. Echswack need him when he already had security men here? It irked at him, but he decided to focus instead on the beauty of the mansion.

The tinted glass doors, windows. The chimneys and fountains.

He took out the address paper in his pocket and showed it to one of them. A tanned man with skin-cut hair, and a mean look they both shared.

The man reluctantly took the paper and read it as if it'd explode. "State your purpose" He said, looking back at Nathan.

Nathan rolled his eyes.

How on earth was giving them a piece of paper signed by the owner of the house, with his address, not enough to screen him through?

"I'm here to see Mr. "Echswack". I have an appointment with him" Nathan said.

"He didn't mention he'll be seeing anyone today" The other man replied. He was dark skinned and tall with an ear device fixed to his left ear.

He reminded Nathan of his arena fight the other night. "Well, why don't you tell him the person he requested for the bodyguard Job, wishes to see him?"

The man with skin-cut gave him back the paper, sharing a look with his partner and frowning. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to ask you to leave "

"I'm afraid I can't do that" Nathan replied, putting it back in his jean pocket.

"If you do not wish to get harmed, leave now!" The man gritted his teeth.

Nathan scoffed.

Where did they get their training? to not realize a trained artist was in their midst? For all he knew, they could've been quacks, charlatans.

"For the record, I think this job doesn't suit you, if it did, you'd have had enough common sense to realize I'm unarmed..if that's your fear.

He was starting to become very impatient with these guards, and he'd already seen a future where they wouldn't be able to work together.

"And you'd have confirmed with Mr Echswack already, instead of being the skin-head that you are." He continued.

.

In a flash of movement, the man brought out the gun from his holster. " I will not ask again"

Nathan frowned. "I do not think you want to pull that trigger"

He'd barely finished, when the man fired.