Die for me - Post Malone

10

Austin does not think he has ever been more angry. Angel is completely insane, the woman has no self-control. She hands hugs out like candy and can never keep her thoughts to herself. It's his own fault. He let her cross a line when she climbed into his bed and he needs to put his foot down with her. He has broken many reckless cocky youths in his day when they arrive at the military and made solid men out of them. He will have to do the same with her. He finishes his interview with Matthew Finch who Angel had referred to as armleg and moved on to the two other men. They're all highly trained and skilled, but he only needs two and decides to release the curly-headed man even if he is the most skilled and experienced - his curly hair annoys him as it flops around when he talks, which is unprofessional.

He brings the remaining two, Mathew Finch and Lance Curry, into the dining room and sits them down. They're ex-military, built like ox, intimidating, and professional, Lance has previous bodybuilding experience while Mathew presents with tactical smarts. He is happy with them. "Miss Knite is whimsical, she has no sense of boundaries and likes to push her luck in every circumstance. Life is one big optical illusion to her," he says holding up the origami swan she had made out of Mathew's CV. "There is a list of rules I will send you on how you are to interact with her. But, there are two rules I will emphasize - first, you will not engage in any physical contact with her unless it is to remove her from a high-risk situation and I am not present, there are no exceptions," Austin says as the two men nod. He does not want either of them so much as attempting to touch her, if there is any touching it will be done by him. "Second, her life is more valuable than your own. You will offer your own to ensure her safety. If you can not assure me of that then this is not the assignment for you," he says and watches as both men shift slightly with their brows creased. He does not care, Angel's safety is the only thing that matters. He will kill both men if anything happens to her, he sits back in his chair and stills his face at the intrusive thought - he does not know when and why he has become so obsessed with her safety. It scares him a little as to how strongly he feels about it, its edges on desperation.

The two men agree and Austin has them sign their contracts, NDA, and other such documents. While they are busy Angel walks in with a defiant look on her face and her bird perched in her hand. Austin watches her as she looks at the two men then sits down on a chair opposite them with her palms placed flat on the table as she leans forward and glares at them. She is going to say something stupid, he can see it in her face. Austin sighs internally - why can't she just do as he instructs? She makes everything a fucking challenge.

"Men must and will follow into battle a man of great power. The driving power behind these men is not enthusiasm but discipline. They go with doubt and trembling, and with an awful fear tugging at their heartstrings that prompts the unspoken question, ‘What will she do next? Such men obey the letter of their orders, orders of devotion to their commander, of exalted enthusiasm which scorns personal risk, of their self-sacrifice to ensure her safety, they know nothing. Their legs carry them forward because their brain and their training tell them they must go. Their spirit...oh! Lia! Is it time to go? Come on everybody, shake those asses," she says and jumps up, grabbing Charlie, and rushing off to put him in his cage. Thankfully the men Austin chose are competent enough to ignore Angel's insanity and say nothing as they stand and follow him out to the cars. Why is she like this?

"Finch, you will ride up front in the vehicle that carries Miss Knite. Curry, you will follow in the vehicle behind and I will be on this motorbike," Austin explains. It's an unusual tactic, but if he is on a motorbike he will have the freedom of chasing someone down with ease. Mathew will have eyes on Angel at all times and Lance will have a tactical standpoint - it's the best for safety. The men agree and take up their positions. He has given them all earpieces and so they too will have constant communication.