Disclaimer: All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto
Chapter One
Lacing his fingers beneath his chin, Madara glanced down at the folder resting open on his desk.
"Our client Mr. Monroe wants us to protect his daughter." Izuna said. "That is if you want to take the case. I know you haven't been active in the field in five years."
Madara considered his brother. "Why me?"
"You built this security firm up from nothing, to be one of the most successful in the world. When you were in the field you were the best. Mr. Monroe is willing to pay double." Izuna added.
Jack Monroe was worth billions. He headed one of the largest technology companies in the world. They were working on some advance projects that would change the face of technology.
On his climb to the top, Monroe had made numerous enemies both in the political and business world. Which would make his daughter an attractive target for those to get the upper hand against the man.
Madara's company had taken on foreign clients in the past but he never enjoyed going overseas. The best of his resources were here in Japan. "I don't know."
"Will you at least thing about it? It would be good for you to get out from behind the desk. Be active again."
Madara flipped a few pages into the file where the woman's profile was. Adelaide Rose Monroe. Age 24. 6'0 130 lbs. Red hair and green eyes.
The photo looked like it had been taken at a party, she was dressed in an evening gown with a strand of pearls around her neck.
Izuna looked down at the photo. "Beautiful girl, wouldn't you agree?"
Madara scowled and pushed the folder across the desk. "How she looks isn't important."
"Hmm, you're right. But it would be a definite perk of the job to protect such a looker." His brother winked.
He sighed. Izuna was such a ladies' man. But he wasn't wrong. Madara had been growing restless with every year that passed. He liked being in charge of his own company but a part of him longed to be out there in the action again.
Madara held up the photo of the young woman. "Where does she live?"
"Honolulu, Hawaii." Izuna knew his brother was softening to the idea. "Not far at all."
Madara pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hope I'm not going to regret this, but I'll do it."
"Good. There's something you need to be aware of though." Izuna said.
"What?"
"Ms. Monroe hasn't spoken with her father since she graduated high school. It might be hard to convince her she needs your protection."
It wouldn't be the first time Madara had encountered a difficult client. "I can handle her."
Izuna raised his eyebrows. "Don't be so sure. I hear she's incredibly stubborn."
"So am I."
His brother smiled and then patted him on the shoulder. "Well, break a leg, Madara."
Madara spoke with Mr. Monroe before making travel arrangements. His driver pulled up outside the office building's doors.
"Your bags are in the trunk Mr. Uchiha." The driver said offering a respectful bow.
"Did you pack everything I asked for?"
"Yes."
"Excellent." Madara climbed into the back seat.
He slipped on a pair of black leather gloves and cracked his knuckles.
A sense of anticipation washed over him. Yes, maybe this is exactly what he needed to break up the ennui.
Adelaide flipped the omelet over in the pan, pressing it down until it let out a satisfying sizzle. Something soft and furry brushed against her leg.
She glanced down and saw her cat looking up at her with pleading eyes. The shitzu right next to the feline with the same expression.
"No, you already had your breakfast." She told Jet and Spotty.
Just as she was sprinkling red peppers into the melting cheese, her phone chimed on the counter. Heaving a sigh, she went to check the message, worried an emergency had cropped up at the veterinary clinic she worked at.
But, no. It was her father, sending a text.
Adelaide scowled. She hadn't spoken to him in six years. But he'd used his influence to get her number. After mistakenly answering the first call, she'd learn to ignore the others.
Now, he'd resorted to texting. Those weren't as easy to ignore with the words blaring up from her phone screen.
'Adelaide, pick up the phone and call me immediately!'
She rolled her eyes as another series of texts appeared.
'This is not a joke.'
'You are in danger.'
The last line sent a chill down her spine. In danger? From what?
Adelaide bit her lip.
This could be a ploy, a trick to get her to speak to him. She wouldn't put it past the ruthless businessman. He'd ruled her life with an iron fist until she escaped from under his thumb.
Now he wanted her back under his control.
Well, she hadn't worked hard to be free of his sphere of influence only to go back now.
She lived in a small clean apartment, paid for by her own money. Living on the island, she really didn't need a car so she saved some expenses there. Which is good, because she had a pile of student loans.
The scent of smoke filled her nostrils and Adelaide snapped back to reality. Whirling around, she cursed to see her omelet blackened and shriveled.
She turned off the stove. Great.
It would be a protein bar again before going out the door.
Adelaide scraped the mess into the garbage disposal and then grabbed her keys off the counter. "You be good you two. I'll come back at lunch to check on you."
Locking the door, she spun around, starting down the narrow corridor. Just as she reached the corner, her phone buzzed again.
'I'm sending a bodyguard to look after you.'
Adelaide pulled up short. If he was sending a bodyguard, he wasn't yanking her chain. She thumb-scrolled for his number. "What the hell is going on?"
"Good morning to you, Adelaide." Her father replied icily.
"What's this crap about a guard?" Despite how angry she was, she kept her voice low so as to not to wake the neighbors. "You had better tell me quickly. I have to get to work."
"I can't get into the details now. I have a meeting in five minutes. Your guard's name is Madara Uchiha. I'll send a photo of him so you recognize him." He said impatiently.
"Dad, I'm not going to accept this without any explanation. I don't need a guard-"
"For once in your life just do what you're told Adelaide!" He bellowed in her ear.
Wincing Adelaide held the phone away. "You can't make me. I stopped having to do what you told me to the moment you threw me out." Then she hung up.
The strength of the bad-blood between her and her father hadn't dimmed at all in six years. If anything it had intensified.
"Aloha, Addie, good morning." One of her neighbors was up and walking their dog.
She forced a smile. "Good morning Anwi."
The woman adjusted her hold on the leash. "Off to work?"
"Yeah."
"Have a good day."
"Thank you. You too."
As Adelaide arrived at the bus stop she checked the time on her phone. The bus would be here in five minutes.
She perched on the bench to wait.
A soft breeze drifted through the street carrying the scent of brine and the sweet scent of banana leaves. Adelaide inhaled deeply. She loved Honolulu, even in winter it wasn't really cold. It had become her home while going to college and she never felt like moving back to New York.
It had been an easy decision to make, to start over.
Why live in such a noisy and crowded city when she could live in paradise?
And she had never looked back.
A photo of a handsome Asian man with tan skin and long dark hair and eyes appeared on her phone screen.
The bodyguard.
No matter how hard her father tried to suck her back in, she wouldn't let it happen. Adelaide loved her life. Not everything was perfect, of course, but who ever lived a truly perfect life?
Madara's flight had landed late, thanks to an over-full runway. It was full dark by the time he hailed a cab.
He double-checked the address in the file before giving the driver instructions to the apartment complex.
The Paradise Apartments were a four-story complex that surrounded an open central courtyard.
The security guard was asleep at the desk when Madara slipped through the front gate. Already a not-so promising start. As the daughter of Jack Monroe he would have thought the woman would have more sense and select a place with tighter security.
He gazed around the buildings, noting the iron railing that lined every floor. The occupant of each apartment could step out onto their own balcony and look out over the sculpted gardens in the courtyard.
The tall flowering bushes and palm trees provided ample places for enemies to hide. Ms. Monroe would be a sitting duck on those balconies for any sniper.
This place wouldn't do at all.
Madara climbed the flight of stairs to the second floor. His condition for taking this job was that the woman would accompany him back to Japan. Mr. Monroe had agreed with his assessment of the situation.
Now he had to convince Adelaide.
Exiting the bathroom in a cloud of steam, Adelaide sighed with pleasure. It felt good getting clean after a day at the office. She had given a dog an enema and fixed two cats. Everything had gone smoothly, which wasn't always the case.
Drying her hair with a towel, she sat down on the couch and flipped on the news.
A storm was coming in tonight and she wanted to see how bad things were going to get. The waves could really roll if things were turbulent enough and her apartment was only a few blocks from the beach.
"We're expecting 3-5 inches of rain and winds will be in the 50 mph range. This system will have cloud to ground lightning so it's best to stay inside this evening."
Well, that didn't sound promising.
The doorbell rang.
Wondering if one of her neighbors needed something, Adelaide went to open the door. She froze when she saw the man on the other side. The man from the photo her father sent her.
Madara studied her closely. She looked several years older than the photograph in the file. It must have been taken the last time she'd been in public. Six years ago.
Her hair was wet as if she had just gotten out of the bath. She was wearing a t-shirt and flannel pajama pants. "Ms. Monroe, may I come in?"
"Listen Mr. Oohchicoochiebaba-" She began.
Oohchicoochiebaba? Was she for real? That wasn't even close.
Madara cut her off. "My name is Madara Uchiha. I suppose it's not unusual for a foreigner to pronounce it wrong." He spoke in perfect English.
Adelaide was annoyed. "I'm not the foreigner. This is my country. You're the one from outside the U.S."
From her perspective, Madara probably sounded like an idiot. "Foreign is just what we call people who aren't Japanese." He explained.
"I don't want to get into a screaming match and upset the neighbors." She moved out of the doorway. "Come in, but you're going to be disappointed with my answer."
"I hope I can persuade you otherwise." He replied, undeterred.
Adelaide closed the door and motioned for him to follow her into the living room. She slumped back onto the couch with a sigh. "Everything is fine here. I don't need a bodyguard. I'm nothing but a lowly resident at the vet clinic. Completely beneath anyone's radar."
"Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Your father is a well-known public figure and when you were growing up you were also in the public eye. Its known that you're his daughter."
She lifted her chin. "Not here it's not."
"You'd be surprised how easy it is to find out information. You're listed on the vet clinic's website and your credentials also include a photo. All anyone has to do is hack into the system and access your employment records which will include everything from your date of birth to your address." Madara crossed his arms over his chest. "Now do you understand why your father hired me?"
Adelaide wasn't convinced. "Well, that does make sense, but I don't see what my father's business has to do with me."
"I'm a security expert and I can promise you the best thing you can do is come with me. Now."
"Whoa, wait a minute. Dad said you were going to be my bodyguard, he didn't say anything about leaving Honolulu." She glared at him. "I can't. I have my patients to look after and I can't leave Jet and Spotty alone."
"Jet and Spotty?"
"My cat and dog."
Those were terrible pet names. Madara thought. But then again, who was he to judge? He'd never had any pets. "Please Ms. Monroe, don't make this more difficult than it has to be. I need you to get out of the country."
"I said no."
Madara closed his eyes for a moment. "Then you leave me no choice." He raised a gun loaded with tranquilizer darts.
Adelaide's eyes widened at the barrel of the strange looking gun pointed at her. "W-what are you going to do with that?" Heart beating wildly, she backed up, bumping into the wall. There was no way for her to escape from the small living room.
Madara was in the way of the only exit.
Breathing hard she held up her hands. "Please, don't kill me. My dad will pay any ransom you ask."
"I'm not going to kill you." He said in a smooth baritone.
"Then what are you going to do?" She demanded.
"Make you take a short nap. You'll wake up in a few hours." Madara pulled the trigger twice.
Adelaide felt two pinpricks in her shoulder as if she were being stabbed with a series of needles. Then her vision blurred.
Stumbling she fell forward to her knees. She tried to push herself up but her limbs had grown heavy as stone. The last thing Adelaide saw swimming before her was her bodyguard's face.
Then everything went black.
The storm provided Madara ample cover to get Adelaide out of the apartment without being noticed. However, it also prevented the private plane he arranged from taking off on time.
He settled the woman on the couch and sat back with his computer to get some work done.