Chapter two
Christian couldn't believe this was happening.
He ran his hands through his hair and looked across at Roz. His business partner had gone white and was shaking badly, dressed in her joggers and a vest. He instantly regretted bringing her now but she'd insisted she wanted to be a part of the charity work GEH was doing in the country; establishing ties with the government to begin the first stages of Christian's Feed The World campaign. This country would hopefully be the first benefiter of the scheme, the prototype, if they allowed GEH to build a school specifically for the education of girls. In this country, girls were often pushed aside in favour of boys so lost out on the ability to seek a good education and to gain the tools necessary to escape a life of poverty. It was an issue close to Roz's heart and Christian agreed, despite Jason's concerns, to bring her along.
He shouldn't have.
"Whoever that was is telling the other residents not to hide him. You need to get Grey out right now. And Roz too because she's a dead woman walking. Grey's the only one of value to them. You're all dead."
He wished he'd heeded Jason's warnings about coming here with only two bodyguards but Christian's priority was Ana and their unborn baby. With Luke ill, Reynolds had had to stay with her to make sure that, should anything happen, Ana would be safe. She was due to give birth in a few weeks but Christian couldn't cancel this trip. They needed to come to an agreement with the Government over the charity and, as a woman, Roz wasn't a good enough representative of GEH; they needed Christian. This trip was going to be his last overseas trip until the baby was born and settled at home but now he wasn't sure if they'd even manage to get home.
Suddenly, Christian wished that he was home, with his wife and son. Why the fuck had he agreed to come here? Heck, Jason had been so worried about coming that he'd whisked Gail off to city hall to have their marriage documented, no ceremony. They'd gone down in their jeans and come back married with the intention of holding a ceremony following Jason's safe return. They hadn't even had a hen party or stag do, Christian hadn't even known that that was why Jason had requested the day off.
"Thank you, Sawyer. We're going now," Jason said firmly, looking at Christian and then at Roz, Ryan running around in the background packing his rucksack with survival essentials; water, snack bars, money, scarves, paracetamol, condoms for some reason too.
"What else will we need?" Christian asked, looking over at the younger bodyguard. He wanted to be proactive too, his need to control the situation ever present. It annoyed Ana something rotten. It was perhaps why she hadn't been too bothered about his coming away on this business trip when she was so pregnant; he'd been annoying her and she needed a break from his overbearing intensities. Of course, he hadn't told her it was going to be a dangerous trip. He'd just focused on telling her about how he would be meeting the Government to organise a school for girls in exchange for being a benefactor of GEH's Feed The World campaign.
"Well, Roz needs to put her head scarf on and cover her shoulders," Ryan reminded her kindly, the young man like a boy scout, "And then we need you both to put Kevlar vests on, Mr Grey."
Christian nodded then looked over as Jason, his closest friend, tucked a hunting knife into his sock. He then stood up and quickly went to his gun case and popped the lid after dialling the correct combination code. He was meticulous when it came to his guns, Jason had seen him like this only a few times but it never failed to impress him. Heck, the OCD tendency Jason expressed over his weaponry was transferrable; his office was absolutely immaculate. Everything was in place, everything had a purpose. The joys of being a Navy man.
"Ryan, take the collapsible satellite dish and the sat phone. That's the only way we're going to get to communicate with Welch, Reynolds and Sawyer," Jason informed him then jumped towards Christian when yet another explosion sounded. He'd instinctively wrapped his arms around Christian, shielding him from danger. This explosion was close enough to knock the fixtures from the walls, a couple of glasses breaking, "We have to move."
"We should head for the roof? Maybe we could get a helocopter extraction for ourselves?" Christian informed him then frowned when Jason ignored his suggestion and instead threw over a Kevlar vest to him, Ryan giving one to Roz more politely.
"Why do I need this?" Roz asked after she finished wrapping herself up.
"It's bullet proof. Put it on," Jason ordered as he took the safety of his piece then slipped his feet into his trainers. He looked at Christian and smiled when he saw that he'd already put his sneakers on.
"Where's your vests?" Christian scoffed, taking off his shirt then sliding the material over his body. He rebuttoned quickly, hearing shouting downstairs again.
"We can't move as freely as we need to if we're wearing those vests," Jason explained coolly, handing Christian the bag, "Extra padding."
"What if you get shot?" Christian asked him then, realising that he himself wasn't any good with a gun. He could use one but not to the level he'd need to survive an uprising for long. If Jason took a bullet, Christian didn't think he'd be able to give him the medical attention he'd need and keep the man safe, let alone if both he and Ryan got shot.
"We wont," Ryan promised with that adorable trademark scout smile. How the hell did Jason ever end up employing this Boy Scout? He was so fresh-faced with a dashing of beauty spots on his jaw. He was probably the least threatening man Christian had ever met."We're going to keep our heads down and walk quickly to the American Embassy, get on their helocopter and we'll be out of here in no time."
"You're too optimistic," Roz growled, looking at Jason.
"He's right," Jason said, sticking up for Ryan, "Do what he says. I am the authority in this room right now and then it's Ryan. Understand?"
Christian knew the question was aimed at himself. Out of everyone, Christian was the least likely to relinquish control to anyone, not even Ana. However he knew that if he wanted to see Ana, their son and their unborn child, he'd have to give up control. His was not the wisest mind in this room at the given moment.
"Of course," Christian agreed and could see the relief in Jason's face.
"Right, Ryan you stick with Roz. I'm with Grey," Jason said to Ryan, "We're going to walk fast. Do not stop unless I say so. Do not run unless I say so. We're not going to draw attention to ourselves. We are going to briskly walk to the Embassy,"
Ryan took hold of Christian's shoulders and positioned him behind Jason, "Like this sir, Jason's body will block yours better like this."
Jason's body will block yours better like this…
As head of security with extra responsibilities attached to the job, Jason earned $75k a year, before taxes, with free health care for his family and free education for his daughter. Sawyer and Reynolds earned $68k and the same bonuses for their families. Ryan earned $48k a year because he was more inexperienced than the other men, though his wage was set to increase to $55k in the new financial year.
In that moment, Christian realised that what he was paying these men to do was be human shields. They would strive not to be shot at but if they were, Jason knew to stand in front of Christian and take a bullet for him. Was $75k the value of Jason's life in this moment? What about Ryan's $48k? Christian had marketing directors who earned more than Ryan did and none of those bastards would take a bullet of him or his family.
"Christian," Jason called, first naming him then to get his attention, "I need you to focus and be my eyes too, okay?"
"Sorry, Jason. I'm good," Christian said as Jason slowly opened the hotel room door and walked out with his gun risen. Christian followed behind him, sticking close and sweating like hell under the weight of the vest and the humidity of the country.
Ryan closed the door behind them, Roz following behind Christian so they were wedged between the bodies of both men.
Up ahead, they heard the sound of the man shouting and banging on doors again, spreading the word that Christian Grey was worth a fortune to the militia and his capture would be rewarded.
Jason cocked his gun and lifted it up slowly as they walked forward, Christian felt his stomach twist at the sight. He despised guns, hated that Jason carried one with them everywhere. Even in this instance, Christian wasn't happy to see it.
After all, they were just going to the Embassy to be evacuated. They didn't need to kill anyone-
Jason fired once, Roz let out a low shriek as the body of the man advertising for Christian's captivity slumped to the floor. Blood was gushing from a neat hole in his head, bits of skull and brain tissue lying behind him.
"Jesus, Jason!" Roz shouted, "He's just a kid!"
"Quiet," Jason insisted, keeping up his pace with his gun concealed once more.
"It's ok, Roz," Ryan said thoughtfully in the absence of compassion which Jason offered her then, "Just keep going."
They walked into the reception where two armed young men were stood carrying assault rifles. They were chatting to the hotel manager, Aarif, though their tones sounded angry and Aarif was clearly pleading with them not to come into his establishment.
"Ryan," Jason ordered in a low whisper, holding back from advancing further forward with Christian and Roz. Instead, he lowered himself to his knees and Christian and Roz copied, hiding in a crouch behind the reception desk as Ryan walked forward confidently out onto the foyer.
"Hey, Aarif? Everything okay?" Ryan asked curiously, friendly as always, "Whoah, Who are these guys? Is there any need for those guns? Two AK-47's. That's a lot of heat to be packing in a hotel."
Christian saw Jason's face drop a little at Ryan's announcement. Christian himself knew nothing about guns, didn't even know what type Jason or Ryan used, but judging by Jason's expression an 'AK-47' wasn't good news.
"Mr Ryan," Aarif said, sounding incredibly stressed and fearful which was a fucking shame because Aarif and his family ran this hotel and they put their hearts and souls into making it as welcoming as they could for Western guests. "Mr Ryan, these men are here to speak to Mr Grey. They are with the Namurr group, Mr Ryan. The group who are taking over the city."
"Namurr, huh?" Ryan smiled friendly, "I think I read about you in the inflight leaflet."
The men started shouting loudly and threateningly and Roz grabbed Christian's hand in fear. Jason glared at her and held a finger to his lips to indicate to both she and Christian that they had to be silent. Not that Christian needed told twice. Carefully, he wrapped Roz into his chest and held her protectively, the poor woman shaking with the tension.
"Sorry, asif, asif, sorry, I'll stop getting closer," Ryan apologised, "Aarif, can you translate for me?"
"Of course, Mr Ryan," Aarif said, speaking to the men quickly.
Ryan cleared his throat, "Mr Grey is downtown by the Square with Mr Taylor," he said politely. Even though they couldn't see the younger guard, they could hear him clearly and confidently and Christian was incredibly impressed with how unphased he was coming across, "I was about to go looking for him. There's an uprising going on and I didn't want him caught in it."
The hotel manager translated everything for Ryan to the armed young men. The armed men shouted back.
"Mr Ryan, they have been at the market square and can assure you that Mr Grey is not there and so they would like to go with you to your room to search for him," Aarif explained with a nervousness in his voice.
"Sure, by all means. Naam," Ryan replied and nodded, walking back towards where Jason, Christian and Roz were crouching out of sight. Aarif closed the hotel door by the sound of it, "Naam, naam," Ryan repeated, nodding and waving the men forward, "Upstairs? Uh, fawq? Fawq. Just come this way-"
Jason stood up with his gun and shot at the men, Ryan instinctively moving out of the way. Aarif shouted in shock as the two men holding rifles fell down with a heavy thump, their guns slamming hard on the tiled floor.
"Get their rifles," Jason ordered but Ryan was already doing that, picking up the guns and stripping their bodies of ammo, "Lets go."
"I can't," Roz said in fright, Christian behind Jason again.
"I've got you, I promise," Ryan said firmly, holding her hand, "One step at a time. We'll get to the embassy and have the best goddamn McDonalds of your life. Yes, ma'am?"
"O-okay," Roz nodded.
"Roz, take my hand," Christian said firmly, holding her wrist, "Come on."
"Ryan, you got my six?" Jason ordered.
"Yes sir," Ryan called.
Christian quickly handed Aarif a large wad of American notes, offering him a sympathetic smile, "shukraan," he said then followed Jason outside into the hostile city.