Chapter 5:
The Interview
With a quick flick of her hand, Terri
threw open the door and signaled impatiently for Xavier to follow. He stood in
the doorway and waited respectfully until she gestured for him to sit. He
closed the door behind him with exaggerated care and took a seat, careful not
to look her in the face.
"So, you’re the new hire," she
stated sourly.
Xavier looked up and gave her his most
humble smile. "Yes. I am so sorry to bother you. I know this is sudden;
I’m sure I must be inconveniencing you. Shall I come back at a later time,
ma’am?"
Terri was taken aback at his politeness.
The Midol began kicking in and she relaxed. "No, no. Now is fine,
Mr.?" she left the question hanging.
Xavier jumped up, pretending to act like a
nervous recruit. "Xavier, ma’am. Xavier Delgado." He shook her hand
ever so gently and Terri was amused at the way his hand trembled.
"Relax, Mr. Delgado. I won’t
bite."
"Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am."
"Please sit down."
Xavier sat quietly as she diligently
examined the file folder before her, lost in thought. He scanned the room
carefully, secretly, then stopped when he saw what he was looking for. The file
cabinets were off to one side and he tried not to smile. Bingo. He reached
slowly into his pants pocket and closed his hand around the small transmitter,
pressing the button firmly with his thumb.
"Okay." She laid down the file on
her desk and looked up, clasping her hands together under her chin. "Very
impressive. Your resume, I mean."
"Thank you." He gave her a shy
smile.
"What makes you think you can
bodyguard the Backstreet Boys?" she asked abruptly, her brow furrowed in
concern. Her direct question caught Xavier slightly off balance and he took a
moment to reply.
"Well, as you can see by my
credentials, I have guarded all types of people. I think music stars shouldn’t
be that much different. Guarding people is a difficult job, but no more
difficult than yours." Xavier tried to keep a straight face on the last
sentence.
Terri looked at him questioningly.
"You think my job is difficult?"
Xavier smirked inwardly. "Why yes,
Ma’am." He waved about her office. "All this responsibility, the
decisions you have to make on a daily basis regarding the Backstreet Boys and
such. Not everybody can do such a demanding job."
Terri looked at him a little skeptically
but was nevertheless flattered. "It can be challenging," she agreed.
"I’ll bet. Those guys should
personally thank you. I would if I were them." Xavier fumed inside. Dammit. He had pushed that button, what the hell was taking
so long?
"The Backstreet Boys thank me?"
She laughed at the idea.
"Yes, ma’am. I’d make them come here
and see you, to see just what it takes to make things run smoothly."
Terri gave Xavier a guarded smile.
"And just who do you think you’ll be guarding?" She tried to say it
nonchalantly but Xavier understood and went in for the kill.
"Not sure, probably that tall, dark
guy?"
"Kevin," she sighed.
"Yes."
Xavier could see the fantasies swirling
around in her mind. Come on, come on... he willed, angry at himself for hiring
such stupid help. He couldn’t take much more of complimenting this bitch.
Terri leaned back into her seat, relaxing.
"Well, you do come highly regarded, Mr. Delgado. Has my secretary given
you all the necessary information you need regarding your job, signed all the
paperwork?" Xavier nodded and waved the large envelope before her.
"Fine." She stood up to end the conversation, holding her hand out.
"Well, it’s been nice meeting..."
The wail of a siren cut off her last words
and she swirled to find the source of the noise.
"What the..." she trailed.
Finally! seethed Xavier as he moved into
action. He stood up swiftly, walked around her desk and grabbed her elbow, none
too gently.
"Come on. That’s a fire alarm. We
need to leave, quick."
Terri stammered, confused. "Ff, fire?
Are you sure?"
Xavier went into his bodyguard mode.
"Yes. Go! Get out, now! Don’t take the elevator, use the stairs."
Terri stood there frozen, scared a little
at Xavier’s change of behavior. She looked frantically around her office,
trying to decide what to do, what to lock up. Xavier sensed this and forced her
to the door.
"Go, Ms. Hamilton. Your life is more
important than documents."
"But..."
Xavier grabbed her hand and pulled her to
the hallway. Elaine, he noted, was already gone. Terri turned, panicked.
"My purse! I forgot my purse!" she yelled over the wail of the siren.
Xavier swore under his breath, ran back
into her office, grabbed it, then returned, shoving it
into her arms. "Go!"
"What about you?" she quavered.
"I’ll be down soon. I’m going to
check the other offices, see if I can help anyone."
Terri looked at Xavier in awe; he was so
calm, in control. He’ll make a good bodyguard she thought, as he led her to the
stairwell. She turned to look at him, unable to hear anything with the
vibrating scream of the alarm, but she saw him smile, mouth the word
"Go" and she obeyed.
Xavier didn’t wait to see the stairway
door close, he ran back into the room and slammed the door behind him, placing
a heavy chair behind it when he realized the door would only lock with a key.
He hurried into Terri’s office, yanking file after file drawer open until he
located what he wanted. He grabbed the manila files and spread them over her
desk, carefully scanning the info before him. Reaching into his pocket, he
pulled out a small camera and began clicking away with a fierce determination.
Terri Hamilton paced nervously outside the
building, annoyed that her secretary could look so relaxed. Elaine was leaning
up against the wall, smoking and chatting with the others who were waiting to
get the okay from the firemen to leave or go back to their offices. Terri
wished she could find out what the hell was going on. Everyone she had asked
merely shrugged and shook their heads. The glare of the sun was intense and she
was disappointed that she had forgotten her sunglasses again. A tap on her
shoulder caused her to turn around and squint. There stood the bodyguard and
she sighed with relief.
"What’s going on?" she asked
curiously.
Xavier wiped the sweat off his forehead
with the inside of his sleeve. "False alarm. Probably some kids." He
looked at her anxiously. "You’re okay, right?"
Terri smiled, touched at his concern.
"Yeah, fine. Just a hassle, though."
"When it comes to your safety, it’s
never a hassle, Ms. Hamilton."
Terri shook her head at the corny phrase.
"Thank you, Mr. Delgado. I hope this," she waved her hands at the
scene before him, "wasn’t too much of a problem."
Xavier gave her his first true smile.
"Believe me, it was no trouble."
***
