It was a warm autumn day in Cambridge, warmer than usual this time of the the year. The few trees that stretched across the lush green courtyard offered little cover from the heat, and the slight breeze was like a hot breath instead of a refreshing wind.
It was the first day of the new college year in the University of Cambridge. The numerous students from all across the galaxy left the building in a hurry, a group of them running towards the large oak tree to find sanctuary from the heat. The marvelous tree stood like a symbol in front of the university, its spectacular size indicating that it was hundreds of years old. The other students dispersed and either went home or to the large library.
Holding her small, brown, leather bag over her shoulder, Alex walked down the entry stairs, her heeled sandals clicking on the stone walkway that adorned the university's entrance as she made her way towards the waiting car. She walked past a group of students that would either stare at her in awe and admiration, or give her a quick, envious once over and grumble something before looking away.
She was used to the attention; at a height of five feet eight, she had long legs that she loved to show. Her light blue shirt, that had a v-cut neckline in the front, was neatly tucked into her jean skirt. Older male students let out wolf whistles and cat-called after her as she walked past them. The older girls looked at her with eyes burning with envy, to which Alex just smiled, amused that she affected them so much.
Alex never felt the need to show off; her mere appearance was enough to silence a room and to get the attention of the most handsome men around. She knew her qualities, which made her appear vain to other people, but it wasn't vanity to know her own strengths.
Her friends admired the way she walked, talked and behaved, and they accepted her the way she was mostly because they were alike. Alex didn't count many people as her friends, and she considered only two to be her best friends, with whom she shared her secrets and thoughts. Others tried to squeeze themselves into their small circle, but nobody else was good enough to join them.
Running her hand through her blond hair, she sped up a little before she came to the waiting car and her chauffeur, Nicholas. The older man was dressed in a white shirt that was neatly tucked in his black trousers, his grey hair was styled back and hidden beneath the hat he wore. He bowed his head to her in greeting as he opened the door and held it open. Alex sat down on the rear black leather seats and seconds later, they were driving away.
"How was your day, Miss Adams?" asked Nicholas, his attention on the road as he politely started a conversation.
Alex was chewing on her gum and looking out the window as she replied, "The usual stuff. Nothing to report."
The rest of the ride was silent. Alex kept her gaze on the streets, enjoying the silence and thinking about the day's events. Alex was excited for the start of the new college year; she had been bored during the summer break, and she couldn't wait to get back to continuing her education. She was studying law, and dreamed about becoming one of the best lawyers in the galaxy.
The thought of being someone of great importance always excited her. Her ambition pushed her higher every year, and every year she was among the best students. She'd always wanted to be a lawyer, even when she was little. The lawyers in the numerous crime scene movies she watched always fascinated her and she was determined to become one.
Alex was wrapped up in her thoughts as she imagined herself carrying the title "Best lawyer on Earth" before she spotted her home not too far in the distance.
Her home was an architectural wonder. It looked similar to the Victorian mansions from the 19th century, though it was three times as big. Two large fountains were on either side of the stone road that led to the main door. Two statues of angels with swords in their hands stood guard at the black entry gate. Her family spared no expense when it came to security; her mother was an art collector, and she proudly presented her collections in the hallways of their large home. Paintings of ancient artists and statues lined the walls and corners throughout the mansion; almost everything that her mother had collected throughout the years was displayed for everyone to see. Only the rarest, most valuable pieces were stored in the basement that had the best security system in the galaxy.
Alex loved everything about her home, especially the huge pool they had in the wonderful backyard. The garden, that her mother alone tended to, reminded her of the mythological garden of Eden; though its main attraction was Michelangelo's David placed directly in the middle of it, surrounded by bushes of red roses and little fountains that glowed in the night.
The statue always caught Alex's breath; even centuries later, the statue was a work of wonder. Today's sculptors tried to mimic Michelangelo's technique, but they never succeeded in creating an exact copy. Her mother had paid a fortune to have the original piece placed in the middle of their garden.
Nicholas stretched his arm out of the window and slid the key through the terminal on the gate before it opened. They drove into the heavenly estate, once they were pulled up to the main door, Alex stepped out of the car and was greeted with their housemaid, Jeanne.
"Bonjour, Mademoiselle Alex," said the French maid as she bowed her head in greeting.
Alex gave her a smile before she entered the mansion, walking straight towards the spacious kitchen. The kitchen was white, tiny golden lines that weren't even visible from afar were engraved on the cabinet's doors. The tiles on the walls and floor were also white, making the room almost glow in the light of day. A large, dark wooden table stretched itself through the middle of the kitchen. Seated at the table were her mother and father, having a casual conversation before her father, Michael, spotted his daughter walking in.
"Ah, my wonderful daughter," he greeted. Alex walked to each of them and placed a quick kiss on their cheeks before taking her own seat.
"How was your first day, my dear?" asked her mother, Vivienne, as she sliced the lasagna on her plate.
Alex took her own piece of lasagna as she answered, "It's not my first day. I met the same people, went to the same class. Nothing exciting happened." annoyed that her mother was prodding.
"Ah, college," said her mother with a happy sigh, "Do you remember that time, honey?"
Michael chuckled before he sipped his wine. Gently placing the glass back on the table, he allowed the memories of his youth to emerge. "Of course. Your mother and I went to Cambridge and met near the large oak tree."
"It was love at first sight," finished Vivienne, before placing a quick kiss on her husband's lips.
Alex rolled her eyes at the small display of affection. She heard the story of how they'd met hundreds of times, and they never seemed to get tired talking about it, and reminding their captive audience just how perfect they were.
"Any new students in your class?" asked her mother waggling her eyebrows, a teasing note to her voice.
Alex watched her from underneath her eyelashes as she answered, "No, mother, no new students and the boys are the same as last year, and the year before." before she turned her attention back to the lasagna on her plate. It bothered her that her mother was always asking about boys and if she'd met someone new. Alex had other things to focus on, like studying for the humanities quiz her professor already had prepared.
"Ah, Alexandra, always so focused on learning," stated her father with a small laugh, knowing that he would hit a nerve.
Alex narrowed her eyes at her parents as she stabbed the fork a little too roughly into her lasagna, "Sorry, father, I don't plan to marry anytime soon."
Her father chuckled in amusement, before his gaze softened and he stated lovingly, "Whatever you decide, my dear, we will always support you."
"That's right. You are our little angel, and you are aunt Annie's moonpie, and uncle George's bunny." her mother added softly, though it was meant to tease her. Alex noticed the playfully teasing gleam in her mother's eyes.
Rolling her eyes in slight embarrassment, Alex muttered, "Whatever." before she ate the rest of her lasagna quickly. She pushed the chair back and looked from her father to her mother and back before she explained, "If you'll excuse me, I need to go change my clothes and get ready for my self-defense course." Not sparing her parents another glance, Alex started for the door, hoping to get out before any more embarrassing facts of her youth could leave her mouth.
"Alex," her mother called and pulled Alex to a stop before she could get past the doorway. She turned back to face her parents, letting out a sharp breath.
"Yes, mother?"
"There is something we need to discuss with you later. It's important." Her mother said before she turned her attention to the lasagna on her plate.
Alex rolled her eyes and left the kitchen, taking the stairs to the second floor that would lead to her room. The dark wooden paneling accompanied her throughout the stairwell, the huge dark red curtains spread open and allowing the light of day to illuminate the dark stairwell. Her room was just on the end of the hallway, and when she opened the door, she inhaled deeply and smiled.
Jeanne took care of the entire household and she did her job with perfection. Fresh flowers were placed in the vase on Alex's nightstand, fresh white sheets neatly placed on her bed. She could smell and almost taste the freshness of her room, which brought a content smile on her face. She lowered the bag on the bed and made her way towards the wardrobe. Alex owned her own bathroom and a huge balcony, which faced the beautiful garden in the backyard.
Her clothes and shoes were neatly placed in the wardrobe, thanks to her slightly meticulous nature. She couldn't stand the chaos and mess of disarranged clothes, so she always made sure that her clothes were in the right places. Alex was a perfectionist, but she wasn't obsessed with it; not as much others thought she was.
Sighing happily, she took her workout tights and sports bra, and placed them neatly in the sports bag before she changed into comfortable jeans, a shirt and sneakers. Taking the bag from her king sized bed, she left the room and said byes to her parents before she took the car and left for the gym.
She took the self-defense course after she had survived a terrible accident one year ago. Her body still shuddered at the mere thought of that horrid evening. People who aimed for easy money had kidnapped her and demanded a huge ransom from her father. The police and federal agents did their best to catch the culprits, but a few of them had managed to escape. Though it was a horrible thing to experience, she didn't allow herself to crumble under the weight of it; Alex was a fighter and what didn't kill her made her only stronger.
To prevent that from happening again, she decided to sign up for a self-defense course in the nearby gym. Her trainer, Erik, taught her everything she needed to know in order to defend herself. Alex wouldn't allow the same thing to happen again; she dared the kidnappers to attack her. This time, she would know how to defend herself.
Several minutes later, she pulled over and turned off the car before she took her bag and stepped out. This training was a perfect opportunity to blow off some steam and the stress she accumulated during the day.
####
Exactly two hours later, Alex was on her way back home, her sore muscles complaining about the additional strain of driving the car. She cursed inwardly for not telling Nicholas to drive her to the gym and back. The training was intense and tired her out. She couldn't wait to get home to take a long, hot, bubble bath and drink her favorite wine.
Luckily, the gym wasn't too far from her home, and she breathed out a sigh of relief when she finally reached the huge entry gate. Minutes later, she was greeted by Jeanne who opened the front door for her. Alex made a beeline for the stairwell to the second floor before she heard her father's voice calling for her. She hung her head and took a deep breath before she turned around and left for the living room. She noticed her mother and father sitting on the couch the moment she stepped through the doorway, drinking their tea and watching TV.
"Hello mother, father," said Alex politely as she sat down on the armchair facing them. "What is it?"
Her father turned off the TV before he stood up and walked around the couch to stand behind her mother. Vivienne crossed her hands in her lap as she smiled softly at their daughter. "Your father and I have been talking," she started softly, but then her smile fell a little. "It's been exactly one year since that terrible accident."
Swallowing hard, Alex eyes flickered from her mother to father and back. "Yes," she agreed quickly, "but I'm well and there is no need to bring that evening up again."
"Alexandra, my dear, you have to understand that that was a terrible experience for me and your mother. Not to forget the horrors you've been through." confessed Michael as he leaned his hands on Vivienne's shoulders. "We almost lost our only daughter."
Vivienne swallowed a hard as she forced a smile on her face, her eyes glinting with tears. "You're our angel, sweety, we couldn't imagine our life without you."
"Which forced us to come to a conclusion," stated her father before he started pacing again, his head lowered a little and his expression twisted in concern.
Alex narrowed her eyes as she followed her father's movements, anticipating whatever they had decided without her. "Your mother and I have talked and considered this for a long time," Alex felt anxious as she nervously readjusted in her seat. She didn't like the sound of her father's voice. He sounded so worried but authoritative that she didn't know what to expect of him.
Stopping behind the couch again, Michael took a deep breath before he said, "We decided to hire someone for your safety."
Baffled, her eyes ran from one parent to the other, her mind not able to comprehend their statement for a moment. Shaking her head free of the trance like state, she shut her mouth and narrowed her eyes at her parents as she finally found her voice to speak. "Someone for my safety?" she asked, shocked about the revelation of their plan. "You mean something like a personal guard?"
Michael nodded slowly, "Yes. With him, you can continue to live your life as if that evening never happened."
She couldn't believe that her parents were suggesting such a thing. She felt as though they had lost all faith in her, and now wanted to hire someone who would keep an eye on her and where she went.
Shocked by her father's suggestion, she rebuffed the idea immediately. "No!" stated Alex as she shot up from the armchair, her hands clenched into tight fists. "You want someone to keep an eye on me as if I am incapable of watching over myself! I'm old enough to know how to take care of myself!"
Michael rebutted her claim, "If you could watch over yourself none of that would have happened!" Right now, she was too angry to hear the desperation in her father's voice.
Alex snorted as she defended her claim, now feeling as though she were a lawyer defending her client. "They were four of them and they put a bag on my head! They attacked me from behind before they dragged me into some kind of van!" The memories of the kidnappers invaded her mind, reminding her of the fear she had felt at that moment when she couldn't see anything, but hear everything.
"Exactly!" confirmed her father as he rounded the couch, stepping a little closer to Alex. "Even if you learn how to defend yourself there is no way you could do anything if that were to happen again! They would overrun you and take you regardless of your skills!"
Raising her eyebrows, she pressed a finger to her chest and shouted, "So now I am incompetent as well?!" Her parents trust in her meant everything to her, and now she found out that they didn't trust her one bit.
Vivienne's voice interrupted their shouting as she stood up from the couch. "Nobody said that, my love. We just want you to be safe." Alex caught the sight of desperation on her mother's aged features. Still she couldn't shake off her anger and ignore their lack of trust.
"I AM safe!" retorted Alex, boring her furious gaze into her mother. "I don't need someone babysitting me and stalking me like I'm a mentally dysfunctional person! Besides, the police caught them; they wouldn't dare to go after me again!" She was convinced that the other kidnappers had learned their lesson and that they wouldn't dare to harm her again. Much to her irritation, her parents believed and feared the exact opposite.
"Some of them managed to escape," said her father, his voice surprisingly calm as he tried to reason with his stubborn daughter. "Maybe they would want revenge. Who knows what they will do to you if they catch you again!"
Ignoring her father's fears completely, Alex took her bag from the floor before she bore her angry eyes into him. "They won't catch me, so there's no need for you to hire some wanna-be guard to protect me if I can just as well protect myself."
Her father's expression suddenly shifted, all tolerance gone from his eyes and voice as he harshly warned, "This isn't up for debate, Alexandra." She wanted to cut him off and say what was on her mind, but he was faster to speak. "We have already hired the guard. He will escort you home tomorrow after your classes are finished."
Alex grit her teeth in anger, a tick in her jaw as she glared at her parents in disbelief. She felt as though they'd just stolen her privacy; the one thing that meant the world to Alex. The mere thought of someone following her every step, like a shadow, day in and day out, made her blood boil in anger.
Stepping closer to the couch, Alex's undivided attention was on her father as she warned through gritted teeth, "If you indeed hired him, I will make his life a living hell; that I can promise you."
"Alex-" Without waiting for her father to finish, she left the living room and stalked up the stairwell, furious. She understood that they were worried for her safety, but she was perfectly fine and she could take care of herself.
The idea of being forced to accept someone's protection was unacceptable. Alex never wanted to depend on someone other than herself, and now she would be forced to spend her days with someone who would follow her everywhere. She couldn't bear the thought of it, let alone live with whoever was to be her guard.
When she reached her room, she slammed the door shut and slammed her bag on the bed before she stepped into the on-suite bathroom. Even after she had eased herself into the steaming hot water, she couldn't tame the anger that now burned through her system like a lake of lava. Their decision to hire a guard to keep her safe hurt her pride immensely; she didn't want to come across as a damsel in distress that didn't know how to take care of herself. She didn't want to appear weak, and having someone watching out for her made her appear very weak.
She eased her head into the water as embarrassment flooded over her at the image of how the so-called bodyguard will escort her to the university and back; a show for everyone to see. Alex wished the ground would open and swallow her at the thought of the others seeing her walking around with a bodyguard. What a ridiculous idea.
####
The mansion was unlike anything he had ever seen before. He admired the statues of warrior angels that stood guard at the grand, black gate, as if guarding their sanctuary from the demons of the night. Beyond the gate led the white stone road towards the entrance of the mansion. The two fountains at each side of the road shot water in many different patterns and heights into the air.
Thane had been to many places across the galaxy, saw many homes, palaces and buildings that were considered architectural wonders. This mansion topped everything. Its elegance and beauty were unmatched, unlike anything the galaxy could offer. Asari architecture was breathtaking, but Thane always found their buildings to be cold. Human architecture was different, it was more welcoming and heartwarming, and now that he looked at the mansion, he knew why. He was very eager to see the inside of the huge mansion and see if its interior was as elegant as the exterior.
The grand gate opened and he stepped further in, relishing in the calm atmosphere and the soothing sounds of the fountains around him. At the door waited, who he guessed was, the housemaid. As he came closer, the housemaid politely bowed her head to him in greeting before she straightened her back.
"Sere Krios?" when Thane nodded, the maid smiled and pointed with her hand for him to come in. "Mister and Madame Adams are awaiting you."
"Thank you," he said politely and bowed his head to the maid, to which she blushed slightly before she nervously led him inside. The interior was even more breathtaking than the exterior. Paintings framed in exquisite old-fashioned frames lined the walls, statues of ancient times placed in each corner. Thane quickly scanned over the pieces of art that were in his line of sight, before he followed Jeanne to what he guessed was the living room.
The grandeur of the living room was as he thought it would be; the furniture was made of dark wood, same as the shelves, the walls and the coffee table placed in front of the huge, white couch. Dark red, floor length curtains cascaded down the large windows that allowed the light into the room. The bookcases were filled with numerous paper books, a few family pictures were placed on the many shelves on the walls, showing a happy blond haired girl and her parents.
A particular picture caught his attention. On the picture were Mister and Madame Adams, a castle in their background. Between them, a little girl with golden blond hair stood with her arms crossed, pouting. She was adorable and Thane couldn't help but smile softly at the image of a younger Alexandra.
Before he had accepted the contract, he dug out everything there was to know about Alexandra Adams, asking his contacts for anything he should be aware of. He was impressed when he scanned over the files on his data pad, showing him everything that could be of importance to him to keep her safe. He couldn't get a clear picture of her just yet so he was eager to meet the woman who was the top student at Earth's most demanding college.
The maid announced them, and both Mister and Madame Adams turned their attention from the books they were reading to her, before their eyes moved to him.
"Ah, Mister Krios," said Mister Adams in greeting as he crossed the distance between them, reaching his hand out to Thane. "How was the journey?"
Thane shook the older man's hand and smiled as he replied, "It was fine, thank you."
Madame Adams came to stand next to her husband and he leaned his arm around her waist lovingly before he introduced her to Thane. "Mister Krios, this is my wife Madame Vivienne Adams."
The older, brown haired woman reached her hand out to Thane, a beaming smile on her face. "I am so glad to finally meet you, Mister Krios." before he took her offered hand and gave it a quick, firm shake. "My husband speaks fondly of you."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Madame Adams," he returned politely before Mister Adams led them to the large couch.
They all sat down and the maid appeared with a tray in her hands. She placed the cups and teapot down on the dark coffee table before Madame Adams politely dismissed her. Once they were alone, both Madame and Mister Adams turned their attentions to their guest.
"We are extremely grateful that you agreed to take this job, Mister Krios. It means a lot to us to have one of the best guarding our daughter," stated Mister Adams, sounding utterly grateful.
Thane nodded in silent agreement as he admired the shape and color of the dark wooden coffee table. "I'm sure my husband has filled you in on the details," started Madame Vivienne, pulling Thane's gaze back to her. "We don't know if the kidnappers will strike again, but we don't want to take any chances. We want her to be safe."
"I understand," said Thane with a soft smile on his face. "I assure you, your daughter is in good hands."
"Good," stated Mister Adams with a sigh of relief. "Is there something you are not satisfied with in terms of the contract?"
Thane considered for only a second before he replied, "No, I am pleased with the terms."
"Please notify us if that changes in the future," stated Madame Adams. "We will happily consider your demands."
Mister Adams sighed as he glanced at the clock on the wall, "Well, you should be on your way, Mister Krios. Alexandra's classes will finish in about half an hour."
Thane pushed himself of the couch, and excused himself before he left the mansion. The family's chauffeur, Nicholas, greeted him at the entrance of the garage and handed him the keys of the car. He thanked the older man before he took the driver's seat. Minutes later, he drove away, and anticipated meeting Alexandra Adams with excitement. He knew only what he needed to know in order to protect her and didn't know the person behind the files. He was eager to meet her and see if she was as sharp as he thought she was.