The Oval Office ✓ (Book One)

Chapter Thirty Nine

                               James's P.O.V
                                3 years ago

The morning sun wakes me up, and I almost feel like punching my windows out because of it. My alarm clock read 8:35- Damnit, this was supposed to be my day off. I reach over to the other side of the bed, my arm automatically searching for Emily, but instead find her side cold and empty. Weird- she didn't have any client meetings today. After fighting myself for over an hour and trying to force my body to go back to sleep, I finally give up and stretch.

It's almost disorienting- having to constantly pay attention to detail, every single one. Protecting the First Lady of the United States is far from easy, so when I don't have to, I almost forget that I don't need to look around for the tiniest signs of any possible danger before doing anything. Even in my own apartment I forget- as it's pretty much engraved into my brain now.

Head of security's have to be prepared for every situation- and fully accept that your life may be in danger at any moment in time. We have bachelor's degrees in nursing, at least ten years of secret service training, combat training, knowledge of deadly pressure points that health officials don't tell the general public about, cyber security training, and are trained to never miss a target. Basically, as our job is to protect the president and their family- we're as deadly as it gets. As of now, there hasn't been a female one yet, though none of the programs are discriminatory. I think there was one woman in my final graduating class- that's simply a fact. It's also a fact that most women quit halfway through secret service training- nothing sexist about stating the truth.

It's partially due to us having to be able to take down somebody at least a hundred and fifty pounds heavier than ourselves regardless of your gender or weight. The secret service are far from sexist, but you have to be able to neutralize any target, preferably only using deadly force when necessary. If you can't restrain somebody heavier than you, you're out, plain and simple.

  I almost quit, but they reprogram your brain so much that quitting seems worse than the training, which has caused a couple of cases of ptsd. To me, having to get shot with real bullets twice a week until we could sit there with a completely straight face while it was happening wasn't fun, but it also wasn't traumatic. I've been told from the second I was born that I under-react to most things though, so I was among the few that reacted that way.

  I pour my cold brew from the fridge and microwave my leftovers from last night, taking my time. I take another look at the alarm- 10:47. I start to worry; Emily never leaves without saying goodbye, but she is generally busy, so it wouldn't be too far fetched for her to do so. Another hour passes, and my smart watch that beeps whenever there's activity in the apartment goes off.

  Instantly, my brain goes into danger mode. I grab the loaded gun that rests in a tape hammock under my table, silently walking to the living room. As I glance around the corner, ready to shoot- I notice a guy standing in front of the window, his back turned to me. Fuck. Normally, if there's an intruder on your property, you can murder them legally. Unless their back is turned to you or they're running away.

  "How the fuck did you get in here there's no balconies or fire escapes-"

  "I have my ways." He chuckles. "Tell me, James, your job is to protect the First Lady of the United States, right?"

  "That's none of your business."

  "Well let me save you the trouble- we already know everything about you."

  "What the fuck-"

  "And here's what's going to happen: you will do exactly what we say if you want your girlfriend to ever see the light of day again."

  "I don't know who you think you are but if you make one more threat directed at my girlfriend I will-"

  "Do exactly what I'm about to tell you?" He chuckles.

  "Eat shit."

  "Thanks for the compliment-" the guy chuckles like a maniac again. "First, you will tell us every bit of confidential information you have on the First Lady."

  "What did you do to Emily?"

  "Now now James, don't get all worked up-"

  "ANSWER ME YOU LITTLE SHIT!" I yell.

"We have her in our custody. As I've already told your neighbor, if you call the cops we will know- I can promise you that." He says.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Emily's a very private person. Nobody will notice she's gone. She has no real family- no real friends that would think to check up on her if they even noticed they hadn't talked in a while. She's a freelance artist who works under a pseudonym, uses our joint account, and my name's on the apartment. Her brother is still alive- but he's a missing serial killer, which is exactly why she's taken the precautions she has. Now, however- those precautions are making whatever the fuck this situation is worse. What scares me even more is that Kylie doesn't have anybody either-so she's genuinely just a shitty fucking person, then.

I glance up at one of my security cameras, and the blinking light that indicates it's on has completely stopped. "How the hell did you do that?"

"We have one of the best hackers in the world." He shrugs." Would you like to meet him?"

God I want to shoot him but I can't. Whoever "they" are would definitely date rme form the sound of it. Then he wouldn't be able to explain to me how the hell they got her. Where she is, and how I can get her back, because now they have me by the fucking ballsack. I hate myself. I hate myself for agreeing to whatever this is but I don't have a choice. "Okay. What do I have to do?"

"That's more like it-" He smiles like a psychopath. "First, you are going to put the gun down. Then, you are going to call your boss- excuse me, the First Lady, and tell her you have a stomach bug that's not severe enough to go to the hospital with but is severe enough that You'll need three to four days off, of course. Then, you're going to come with me." He steps too close for comfort, a menacing look on his face now. "And if you deviate at all, we'll kill both of them."