Piper arrives home a day later to find Polly camped out of the couch. "I'm dying here P. How'd it go. I wants details!" Polly says excitedly.
"Take it down a notch Pol." Piper retrieves a drink from the kitchen and settles down on the other end of the couch. "It was a total overload of thoughts, emotions, requests and dictates. I think my head is still trying to take it all in."
Staring impatiently at Piper. "So when do you get to ditch the security detail?"
"I don't Pol." a stunned look crosses the brunette's face.
"What?! What the hell Piper. You've been dealing with this shit for as long as I've known you." Polly's voice keeps getting higher and angrier. "How can he do this to do? Does he not give a shit about you ever having a social life?"
"Damn Pol. You're angrier than I've ever been. And I lived with this since I started preschool. Thought I'd be able to get out of it once I became an adult, but no luck on that part." A loud sigh leaves Piper's mouth.
"So you went all that way and got nothing but a big fat letdown? I'd be cussing nonstop."
"I did get a few concessions. My father is going to remind the team that their priority is my protection and to stop trying to intimidate anyone who tries to speak to me. They are only to get involved if the person is rude, uncomfortably handsy, or trying to harm me."
"That's a step in the right direction I guess P" Polly says in her most supportive tone.
"Yeah. But my biggest win is that I'll get to hand select my next security team. I can start watching them in their last few weeks of certification training. And hand pick whoever I want, just as long as they are in the top 20%. I also get to shrink the team to four, just as long as one was real-world experience. I only have to consider additional members if the threat level warrants it, and even those are from my list of possibles."
"Okay. What exactly will that accomplish P? Because I'm a little lost here." A look that certainly is all over her face, even if Polly hadn't voiced it.
"It means I say who's allowed near me. They still fill-out threat assessments and whatever, but I'll have a team that reports directly to me!"
"You sound excited by that."
"I am. I really am. I think this will make me feel a little more comfortable, especially with my body person." Piper's smile starts to brighten her face.
"Body person? That sounds a little dirty P" Polly winks
Laughter from Piper. "Oh, Pol. A body person is the once assigned closest to you. The one pulling you away or jumping in front of you when there's any sensed threat."
"Still, someone whose job sometimes involves pressing close to you. You can't say that's not dirty sounding, especially if it's someone attractive." Polly laughs along with Piper.
"Geez Pol. Are attractive guys all you think about?"
"No." Polly protests, but Piper knows better.
"Think of the fun we'll have finding you perfect body person." Polly bumps shoulders with Piper.
Shaking her head at her best friend. "What am I gonna do with you. Your a little too excited by this, especially since your the one with a boyfriend Pol."
Piper gets an email from Miranda as promised. The training class has entered it's last month. A list of those in the top 20% is present as well as the days and the hours for each training exercise. The date Piper can meet with the trainer is listed along with assurances that the requested video interviews are commencing this week.
'Sounds promising." Piper pulls out the boxes of files she took with her upon her visit home. She uses the new lists to figure out what is available for her within the top 20% members. At the moment it seems around 30 of them fit the criteria. 'A larger number than I thought I'd get. Let's see who is excelling in what areas.'
After sorting all the relevant files. Piper looks at the certification list. They include: weapons training and efficiency, hand to hand combat, threat assessment, situation disarmament, overall professionalism, willingness to learn differing ways of doing things, and personality style and fit.
'I see the need for most these qualities. But personality in particular will have a lot to do with who I select as my head team member/body person.' So she dives in, studying the files as if she was gonna have an exam on them. Checking the training schedule against her personal schedule. 'Glad I didn't take any summer classes. It would be next to impossible to balance work on my media project with security team selection, and school. I still need to get through the process quickly.' Piper decides to call the head of training and start observing after the weekend.
Polly strolls into the living room, where Piper has set herself up, and flipping through the stacks of files. "So is these the ones we get to pick from?"
Piper lifts her head to her roommate. "Yeah Pol. Just got the email and lists a couple of hours ago. Right now I'm trying to coordinate schedules for when I can go observe training. I'm shooting for going home sometime this weekend and start monitoring on Monday."
"So how many do you get to choose from and are there any cute ones?"
"Around thirty and I don't know. I'm trying to keeps looks outta the equation until I've at least watched them in several courses."
Polly laughs. "Your definitely have more willpower than me P. I'd go straight to the ones I wouldn't mind pressed to my body."
"Pol you know how many attractive assholes we've complained about over the years. I'm partly surprised that you didn't remember to take that into consideration." Piper raises her eyebrows at her friend.
"Don't try to take away my fun P. I know you wouldn't choose an asshole. But not every attractive guy is, ya know." She rolls her eyes at Piper, "so then what are we looking for?"
"I wanna watch how they handle scenarios. How they react to the trainers praise and criticism. Which areas they excel at. And what they're personalities are like. I'll be getting short interviews from each candidate about who they are and why they would want a long-term assignment over many shorter and perhaps more exciting assignments."
"You better let me see those so we can assess them together."
Piper shakes her head at her bff. "Sure Pol. You can voice your opinions. But my selections are going to be more along the line of who I feel comfortable with and to what degree I would let them be close to me physically or emotionally. Know it alls, overbearing types, and jackasses are definitely out of the running!"
"So what day are you leaving for your little project?"
"Saturday. I barely saw Cal last time. So I hope to get a little time with my baby bro. My father too. Mom I'd like to see as little as possible."
"Carol has always been a mega-bitch!"
"Don't I know it." Laughter erupting from Piper over how well Polly summed up her Mom. "I gets increasingly more difficult to pay nice with her. Dad might snatch back his concessions if I speak my mind and go off on her."
"Okay. So don't do that. We need every bit of semi-freedom you can get!"