Hey guys, new chapter here.
Enjoy
Chapter Seven
"Excuse me, Mrs. Farron?" a voice asked.
I turned toward the voice finding a woman there. She was dressed in a light outfit, looking very similar to a maid outfit. She was holding a rucksack in her hands which I quickly recognized as mine. I had completely forgotten about it in Jhil`s car trunk.
"A blonde woman told me to give this back to you," she said.
"Ah, thank you er…?"
"Sylvia," she said, giving me a bow.
"Thanks Sylvia," she told me, "Er…can you direct me to where I will be staying."
Sylvia gave a soft nod and smile.
"Follow me," she said.
We walked up the stairs and unto the second floor of the house. I can see the long hallway which was decorated with paintings and the carpet underneath our feet muffled the sound of our footsteps as we walked down the hallway.
"You`ve worked here long?" I asked her.
Sylvia nodded.
"For fifteen years," she said, "I am still surprised at how long it had been since I first arrived here. Time fly by so fast."
"I guess you know the Dia family pretty well then," I suggested.
"I sure do," the maid told me, "Mr. and Mrs. Dia was happy when they came here to live with each other and little Vanille. The house was always lively with laughter and smiles as the time grew by. They were good while they lasted, thought when the Miss died; the laughter seems to have died with her."
I thought about my parents.
"Yeah, I know that feeling," I murmured.
"Here we are," Sylvia told me as she opened the door.
It was a spacious room. It was well kept with the sunlight coming from outside of the window and I could see the courtyard of the Mansion from there. I noticed a garden which was blooming with colors as a man, probably the gardener worked upon the area.
The bed was well kept covered in some blue covers.
"Someone used this room before I asked?"
"The previous bodyguards did," she told me as I removed the sunglasses from my face.
I put the rucksack on the ground beside the closet. I turned toward Sylvia who was still standing by the door looking at me probably waiting for my verdict.
"Well, I think I can live here," I told her, "Thanks for your help by the way."
Sylvia gave me a bow.
"Dinner will be ready at six," she said, "Unless you want it to be served in your room…unlike the last bodyguard?"
"Considering this is my first day here," I said, "I`ll eat at the dinner table in a sign of respect."
Sylvia nodded at me.
"Pardon my intrusion Miss…"
"Call me Claire," I interrupted her, "I am not the master of the house Sylvia."
Sylvia gave me a smile and a bow again, "Pardon my intrusion Claire, but are you from Cocoon?"
I gave her a critical glance.
"What gave it away?"
"Well, I had lived on Cocoon for a while," Sylvia told me, "and your accent is familiar and I couldn`t place on where I have heard it before. If it is so, then I welcome you to Pulse."
"Thanks," I told her giving a soft smile.
With a last bow, Sylvia walked out of the room closing the door behind her. I glanced around the room before pulling out some clothes from my bag and then went to take a quick shower. When I was done and freshened I pulled out my gun hoister and placed the gun Jhil had given me there and hung it on the side of the bed.
Well, I best go see that surveillance room, I thought to myself.
I stepped out of the room dressed in sneakers and jeans with a gray shirt. I went to the floor below the house and noticed that it was slightly colder here than above the floor and I walked until I reached a door at the very end of the corridor which read SECURITY
I knocked on the door and it slid open in front of me.
"I know you where coming," a voice floated from inside.
A man was seating in front of what looked like a dozen screens, which showed many parts of the house. He was dressed a blue jacket with his hair cut short and I can smell the stink of cigarette as I approached.
"You are Highwind aren't you?" I asked him.
"Yes," the man said turning his chair around so that I can see his face.
He had a light bear as he hold the cigarette in his between his teeth which looked dangerously close to burning his lips. His eyes stared straight at me, as if he was judging me.
"Well, who the fuck are you?" he asked.
"Claire Farron," I greeted, "I am the new bodyguard."
"So, you`re one of those Metals right?" he asked.
I stared at him surprised.
"How did you know?"
Highwind threw his thumb toward the screens behind him.
"Since I didn`t know who you were," he said, "I did a scan upon you from where I was and it showed that you have cybernetics inside you. I guess someone didn`t want you to die early and with a pretty face like yours I can see why."
I raised an eyebrow.
"My face has nothing to do with that decision."
Highwind shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, I don't give a fuck," he said, "I`m not a Pulsian like the rest of them."
"You`re not?"
"From Midgar, born and raised," he said, "used to be a pilot for an airship back in my youths. Heck, I had my son take over that business for me since these old bones didn`t have it in them anymore, and here I am, using my military experience for something and keeping this place safe."
I nodded at him as I watched the screens.
"Those are some good angles," I commented.
"Well, this place didn`t have them before Dia came here," Highwind said spinning his chair around to face the screens, "It took a good seven to eight weeks to install everything and since then. Never seen the point of having them in a big house like this but with the troubles that Dia had put himself in over the days, these things came in handy."
I was suddenly struck with an idea.
"Say, do you ever seen Mr. Dia argue with someone over those cameras before?" I asked, "A man that comes the same time every year in a black car."
Highwind nodded.
"Yeah, he came a few days ago," he said, "Mr. Dia talked with him in his office. That`s the first time I actually see the man actually yell at someone…Finally grew some balls."
"Can I have that tape?" I asked him.
"Why?" he asked, "You some kind of cop or something?"
I gave me a glance.
"Well, since I am the new bodyguard," I told him, "I have to know what`s going on. From what he told when he spoke to that man, he must have been tied to whoever is responsible for Vanille`s kidnapping today…and well, used to be a cop three years ago."
"Fine," he said, quickly typing on the keyboard in front of him.
When he was done, he pulled out a small USB from the computer before handing it toward me.
"Here is what you have asked for," he said, "Since you are a Metal, it will be best if you connect it upon your own CPU."
"Thanks," I told him taking the USB from him.
"Don`t mention it," he told me.
Then something on the screen drew my attention causing me to lean forward.
"Who is that?"
On one of the camera, the one that was at the front gate, a person on a hover bike just arrived in front of the gate and they let whoever it was in and I noticed the guard there gave a wave as the hover bike driver flew in.
From beside me, I heard the man chuckle.
"Well, I was wondering when she will show up," Highwind said.
I glanced at him, confused. "She?"
"Her name`s Fang," he told me, "She is Vanille`s best friend."
Fang?
The same Fang, the Ex-Pulsian Special Forces, the one that had her Father blackmailed by Ghost. I feel my own eyes narrow before straightening up.
"Thanks for the video," I told her.
"Hey, before you go," Highwind said, "Take one of those radios on the wall. That way if something happens, I can notify you since you`re part of the security here."
I glanced at where he was pointing finding the small communication device lined up there. I took one and put it in my ear. I noticed the number 0522 on the side of it.
"It has a number on it," I told him.
"Tell me."
"0522."
He nodded typing it in and a small blue light appeared around the number.
"Well, now your com is activated and I can contact you anywhere you are," he said.
I put the com in my ear before stepping out of the room and putting the USB I just received in my pocket before getting back on the upper level upon the house. I can hear conversations going on, a voice sounding like Vanille while the other was older…thought it had the Pulsian drawl which was more pronounced than Vanille`s.
I stepped inside the main living room and the duo who was talking turned toward me. Vanille gave me a soft smile in greetings which I returned with a small nod. Then my eyes returned toward Fang. She was taller than Vanille, her skin having a darker complexion than Vanille`s paler one. She had long dark hair looking different than the picture that I had seen back at PSICOM.
She was dressed in a blue jacket, with a black shirt underneath it. She had long blue jeans with boots in her feet. From her side, just below her breast, I can see the butt of a gun sticking out and since she was working for the Pulsian Security Regiment, she legally had the right to carry a gun and her badge was shining on her belt.
I returned my gaze toward her eyes which were a brilliant green and they were narrowed at me, probably examining me as I was doing to her. I must say she looked quite exotic like those super models I usually see in an underwear magazine.
"You`re the woman who saved Vanille right?" she asked me.
"Yes it is I," I answered her, stepping forward, "Claire Farron."
"Fang," she answered back, "Yun Fang."
I already know your name, I thought to myself giving her a nod in greetings.
She gave me one in return.
"Thank you for what you did," she told me, "I would never forgive myself if something had happened to her…"
Vanille let out a sigh.
"I told you, I am fine," she said.
"You two know each other long?" I asked casually.
"Since elementary school," Vanille answered, "Fang here was always protective of me back then…She had always being like an older sister to me back then…still is."
The older girl put a hand on Vanille`s shoulder and for a second, she made me think of Serah. In middle school, I used to beat up people who even looked at Serah the wrong way. From what I can see on Fang`s face, I am sure she might do the same for Vanille.
"T…That`s…that`s nice," I said, managing to keep my voice even despite what I was feeling inside.
"So what are you doing here anyway?" Fang asked me, the curiosity evident in her voice.
"I am Vanille`s new bodyguard," I told her, giving her a smile, "Well, I still have some work to do I will let you guys be. I hope you get some rest soon Vanille, and my offer to talk is still up."
I gave the orange haired girl a meaningful glance which she nodded at. Satisfied I turned my gaze toward Fang.
"It was nice meeting you Fang," I told her.
"Yea, you too," she answered me.
I then walked out of the room, leaving the two girls alone. I had a video to watch.
Fang POV
I must say, I am surprised with Vanille`s new bodyguard. She was nothing at what I expected. From the past years when Vanille`s bodyguards keep dying mysteriously, I was sure that no one would have wanted to take the job but that mysterious pink haired woman, Claire Farron had decided to work.
I must say, she was pale…too pale to be a Pulsian so she must be a foreigner, which I can tell from the accent she had, but I couldn`t tell from where. She was quite a looker too, with her deep husky voice, almost like a man`s voice, but it was distinctively female. But something about her eyes which were the most vivid blue I ever seen seemed odd…almost artificial in a way.
"I didn`t think your dad would have hired anybody," I told Vanille.
"Me neither," she said, shaking her head.
"What was that about?" I asked her, "With the talking thing?"
"She just wanted to talk to me about what happened today," Vanille told me, "She made it seems like those people who kidnapped me where watching me for the past days before I got kidnapped."
I was curious.
"But I don`t want to think about it anymore," she continued, "So can you please not ask any questions?"
I gave her a nod.
"Sure thing," she said, "Is she going to be following you around like the last guy done?"
"I don't know," Vanille shrugged, "Even thought…I can see you eying her Fang."
I raised an eyebrow.
"What? C`mon Vanille, she is your bodyguard," I told her, "Even so, I am not dating right now, not after what happened with that last guy you set me up with."
"What went wrong?" Vanille asked her, "You guys have the same interest, heck you even have the same personality sometimes."
"Vanille, as much as I love you," I said, "I will have to tell you that he was an asshole. Tried to cope a feel so I made sure he won`t be having any grandchildren."
"You kicked him in the balls and left the poor guy wincing on the ground didn't you?" Vanille told me.
"You know me so well," I said pinching her cheeks.
She pouted and I laughed before taking her into a little hug.
"I am glad that Farron was here to save your ass," I told her, "You really had me worried you know."
"I`m sorry," she said in my shoulder.
I smiled a little.
"I know," I told her.
I really am glad that Farron had saved her. I own her for that, and I am damn sure I will pay her back in some way. Even thought, the name sounded familiar in way…where have I heard it before?
I continued to spend the rest of the afternoon with Vanille but soon enough I had to get back to work considering the O.S.R. were called upon the shooting of Vanille`s bodyguards. Even if Vanille was safe for now, I was still worried about whoever was after Vanille will come back again. But we didn`t have any leads on what was happening and who were responsible.
The Guardian Corps were useless in the matter and Mr. Dia didn't trust them as far as he could throw them. I frowned to myself as I drove my hover bike down the road before pressing a button on the portable phone I had on the side of my ear.
"Alright Fang," a voice greeted on the other end of the line, "What do you want?"
"Hey, Scotch," I said, "Can you research a certain Claire Farron for me?"
"Sure I can, why?"
"She is Vanille`s new bodyguard," I told him.
"Okay so can do," he said before hanging up.
I will have to know what Farron can do if she is going to protect Vanille… even thought I had done it to the previous bodyguards…all of them were high classed people with impressive dossiers.
I want to know if Farron was part of that…but a nagging part of me keep telling me that the name was familiar…thought I still can`t figure out where.
Fang makes her first appearance in this story. Sorry for the absence.
Jacques0 out.
R&R.
