Relative Safety
My partners at the firm were surprised to see me come in with Ai.
Hiring a bodyguard cemented the reality that my life was in danger.
She kept a safe distance, mostly standing outside the glass walls but her presence was enough to make them uncomfortable.
No one followed me this much since that time in high school when boys who wanted my attention festered me like bugs.
They didn’t get what they wanted.
My father had a no-boys policy.
He didn’t need to worry about that.
I was not interested in boys anyway.
It was weird having someone following me around like a shadow.
I told myself this was for my protection.
The cops still hasn’t captured the suspect who attacked me.
For her part, Ai did her best to be inconspicuous.
It was not easy because she was noticed by everyone especially my assistant, Pang, who couldn’t keep her eyes off of my bodyguard.
I often caught her glancing by the glass walls where Ai was positioned quietly observing the people coming in and out of the office.
During lunch, I overheard the conversation between Pang and Ai.
She asked if Ai would like to get food from the cafeteria but she refused.
Pang was not pleased with the answer but when she returned, she gave Ai a brown paper bag.
Once again, Ai declined.
My assistant placed the bag on the floor and went to her office annoyed.
Ai picked up the bag and checked what’s inside.
She knocked on Pang’s office and the next thing I saw was a big smile on my assistant’s face.
I felt a hint of jealousy because if Ai-oon was indeed the person I met at the planetarium years ago, Pang should not be part of the equation.
The situation was complicated as it is.
***
My work days were usually long and very busy.
It was past nine o’clock when I wrapped up the case file I was reviewing about a politician’s son who was implicated in a drug raid.
His father went to the office begging us to take on the case.
It was obvious that his son was involved.
I made my decision not to accept.
Sacrificing my moral ethics when I took on Batman’s case was enough.
I had a personal stake on it and that was the only reason why I agreed to do it.
My attention was caught by the arrival of a food delivery driver.
Ai-oon approached the man and took the bag of food.
She pushed the door open and place the bag on the table.
I ordered dinner --sushi-- for both of us.
“Why don’t you join me?”
She turned around again.
“Ma’am?”
“Dinner.”
“I’m alright, Ma’am.”
“I insist,” I stood up and took the food containers out of the bag.
“I hope it’s not against your company policy to have dinner with your client.”
“No, Ma’am.”
“Do you eat sushi?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Good. Why don’t you pull up a chair so we can eat? I’m starving.”
Ai-oon pulled up a chair and sat across from me.
I watched as she carefully laid out the food container close to her, the napkin to her right and the chopsticks on top of it.
She lifted the plastic lid and took out the pack of soy sauce.
“My assistant likes you,” I said, breaking the silence between us.
“She’s just being nice,” Ai said without looking up from the sushi she dipped on the wasabi and soy sauce.
Three dips before she put it in her mouth.
“Pang is very picky with people.”
Ai finally looked up.
“Do you always work this late?” She changed the subject.
“This is actually early. Why? Do you have to be somewhere?”
“I told you. I’m with you 24/7.”
“You don’t really joke about these things don’t you?”
“It’s all part of the contract.”
“If I told you go take a day off, would you?”
“No.”
“Why not? I’m your client. I can demand anything.”
“You can but there’s a part of the contract that also says I can decline your request if I think that doing so would endanger your life.”
“Oof. I’m stuck with you then.”
“I’m afraid so.”
I picked up a dragon roll and observed Ai-oon.
She engaged in conversation with me compared to Pang who initiated their interaction.
Ai only replied with a nod and a smile.
“Was it part of your job to talk to me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw you with Pang. You didn’t say much while she was talking to you.”
“I have nothing to say to her.”
“Yet you have a lot to say when you’re talking to me?”
“I find you interesting. That’s all.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Am I right?”
“About what?”
“That you’re interesting?”
“What made you say that?”
“You got a scholarship to study abroad and you worked when you were in the US. Now, you’re a very successful lawyer. You started this practice after you passed the bar. You did everything you could to succeed in life. That’s very interesting to me.”
“You know a lot about me,” I was both intrigued and scared at the same time.
Did P’Ton provide this information to the security company?
“It’s our job to know about our clients.”
“Even if I didn’t consent to this?”
“We don’t need your consent when it comes to your protection.”
“I find that very intrusive. It’s frightening.”
“You don’t have to worry. The information we have about you is safe. We won’t share it with anyone else.”
“Until the right time comes.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh you know. Blackmail.”
Ai frowned but the creases slowly stretched until she was back to her usual pensive expression.
She placed the chopsticks on top of the bento box.
“Ma’am, forgive me for what I’m about to ask next.”
“Go ahead.”
“Is that what you have on my boss?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Your psychological profile was blank.”
“What about it?”
“It’s a violation of our protocol. It was the first time it happened. Do you have blackmail on him?”
“No.”
“How did you convince him to agree? That man is very stringent when it comes to policies and protocol.”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss.”
The light atmosphere when we started eating suddenly became charged.
I said something to dispel the tension.
“What about you, Ai?”
“What about me?”
“Are you interesting?”
“What do you think, Ma’am? If you don’t know me and you saw me across the street, would you say I’m interesting?” There was a glint in her eyes followed by a grin, the darkness in her eyes this morning replaced with light and warmth.
“No.”
I expected her to be offended instead the grin turned into a smile.
“The girl knows how to smile,” I quipped.
She pressed her lips together, cheeks turning pink from the remark.
I was right about my first impression.
Underneath that cold facade was another side of her personality waiting to run free.
“Are you going to keep working?” She placed the chopsticks inside the box and covered the food container with the plastic lid.
It snapped in place.
“No. We’re going home. Why do you ask?”
“I’m keeping track of your schedule.”
“Oh.”
“It’s best if you don’t follow a set routine.”
“Why?”
“The man who hurt you knew your pattern that’s why it was easy for him to get to you.”
I thought of the night of the attack and how the suspect knew what time I was done with work and which direction I take to get home.
“Why do you think it was a man?”
“Do you think it was a woman?”
“No. I’m sure that voice was masculine.”
“Is that all you can remember about the suspect?”
“Yes. I couldn’t see his face because of the helmet. Do you think he’ll come back for me?”
“It is a possibility. If it’s his intent to hurt you, he will try again. The news mentioned that you survived the attack. He probably knew about that already.”
The sushi I had for dinner floated in my stomach when I heard that.
Ai sensed my fear.
“You don’t have to worry. I’m here to protect you.”
Despite the reassurance, the words were stuck in my brain.
***
A few minutes after we exited the underground parking lot, Ai spoke.
“We’re being followed,” She glanced at the rearview mirror.
“What?”
I looked behind us.
There were four men on motorbikes tailing our car.
The loud sound of the engines hammered at my chest.
All I could think of was the night I was attacked.
My hands were suddenly sweaty but cold.
I felt disoriented.
“Are you alright?” Ai’s voice snapped me out of my fear.
When I looked at her, she was staring at me.
“I don’t think so.”
“Hold tight,” She stepped on the accelerator missing the red light on the turn.
I grabbed the handle and braced myself for what was about to happen.
My heart was beating so fast and the only thing I could think of was us getting out of this situation in one piece.
When I looked at Ai-oon, her expression was unreadable.
This was her job and she knew how to handle situations like these.
Under normal circumstances, I was usually fearless.
But tonight was not normal.
This was the second time someone followed me home.
I glanced behind me and saw that there were only two men behind us.
But before I could breathe a sigh of relief, Ai yelled.
“Get down,” She pushed my head down on the seat.
A bullet pierced through the glass and shattered the passenger window.
The sound pulsated inside the car.
My heart was beating double time I thought I was going to pass out.
I turned my head and saw Ai-oon grabbed her gun pointing it at the guy who was driving alongside us.
She pulled the trigger and I heard the scraping of metal against the pavement.
I could no longer hear the roaring sound of the engine.
But we weren’t safe yet.
There was another man catching up to us, his gun pointed at Ai-oon’s head.
I heard the zinging sound of the bullet, shattering the windshield.
I covered my face and felt soft shards of glass against my arms and feet.
Ai quickly turned her head, shooting the other person.
The motorcycle veered to the left side of the road.
I heard the screeching of metal against the pavement.
Ai was driving so fast I thought the tires weren’t touching the pavement anymore.
“They’re gone,” She spoke in a calm voice.
“Are...are you sure?” I could barely get the words out.
My body was shaking and I thought I peed my pants but it was just from sweat.
“Yes. Are you okay?”
I sat up and there were broken glass all over the dashboard, the floor and my hair.
“You have a cut,” I pointed to the side of her face.
Blood trickled down her chin and the sight of it made my stomach churn.
“I think I’m going to puke.”
As soon as I said it, I threw up inside the car I loathed so much.