Colonel Black raised an arch eyebrow. ‘I have to return to HQ and she volunteered.’
Connor was delighted by this news. It would be good to have a friend around, especially one who’d understand a little of what he’d been through. The US Government had been quick to suppress media reporting of his true role in protecting the First Daughter. He was just a casualty of the ‘crazed gunman’ and, due to the baseball cap and shades he’d been wearing, his identity hadn’t been revealed. Even his name had been changed on the hospital records. His own mother and gran didn’t know the whole story either. They’d been told he was involved in a mountain-biking accident while on his student exchange programme. The colonel had arranged a video call to reassure them. And although Connor didn’t like keeping his family in the dark he appreciated the need to do so – just like his father had when working for the SAS.
Connor put aside the card. ‘So what’s the news on the groundsman? Was he connected to the terrorists?’
Colonel Black shook his head. ‘No, it doesn’t appear so. Secret Service intercepted the missing terrorist yesterday, a man called Bahir, as he was trying to escape to Mexico under a false passport. The groundsman appears to be a lone wolf. They checked Alicia’s school locker on your suggestion and found a note threatening to kill her for “ignoring him”. It seems he had a fixation on her.’
Connor shuddered at the thought. If it hadn’t been for the water pistol incident at the prom, his original call-in might have been followed up by Secret Service. But at least all the terrorists had now been captured – that was reassuring news for both him and Alicia.
‘Tell me, did Secret Service find out any more about that double agent?’
‘Dead end,’ replied the colonel. ‘Agent Brooke’s apartment burnt down a few days back. The FBI are investigating. But there’s no need to concern yourself with that. Remember, you’re a bodyguard, not a spy. Talking of which …’
Colonel Black reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a winged Buddyguard shield.
‘For outstanding bravery in the line of duty,’ he declared, pinning the badge to Connor’s chest and saluting him.
Connor glanced down and saw that the winged badge was gold.
‘I was right to trust my daughter in the hands of a Reeves buddyguard,’ said President Mendez, making his personal farewell in the Blue Room of the White House Residence, along with his wife and Alicia. ‘You’re most certainly your father’s son. You’ve proven beyond doubt that you have his courage, dedication and strength of character.’
Connor smiled gratefully at the President’s words. The bruising on his chest had disappeared and his leg, although stiff, was almost fully healed. But now another wound was beginning to heal too – the one in his heart caused by his father’s death. Being compared to his father was as close as Connor could get to actually being with him again. And that meant a great deal.
‘I just did my duty, Mr President,’ replied Connor.
‘You went way beyond the call of duty,’ stated the First Lady, kissing him on the cheek and embracing him. ‘There are no words to express how thankful we are for you protecting our treasured daughter.’
‘This gift may go some way to helping you in the future,’ said President Mendez, handing Connor a dark blue passport. ‘In recognition of your services, I’ve granted you honorary citizenship of the United States. With this, you’ll be able to call on any of our government’s resources and gain consular protection from our embassies throughout the world.’
‘Thank you, Mr President,’ replied Connor, accepting the unique and powerful gift.
President Mendez and his wife now stepped aside to allow their daughter to come forward. Wearing a lilac summer dress, her long locks pinned back and a touch of make-up highlighting her natural beauty, Alicia was a far cry from the distraught and terrified hostage she had been the previous month.
‘We’ll leave you two together,’ said the President tactfully, as he led the First Lady out on to the south portico.
Alicia waited until the doors closed behind them, then turned to Connor.
‘I suppose this is really goodbye,’ she said, biting her lip and blinking back tears.
Connor nodded. He hadn’t been looking forward to this moment either. They’d been through so much together and shared a close, seemingly unbreakable bond. It felt wrong to part like this. But now that Alicia understood the necessity of Secret Service protection Kyle and his team could function 100 per cent effectively and Connor’s role was no longer required.
‘Thank you for protecting me,’ said Alicia. ‘Without you, I could never have survived being a hostage.’
‘Without you, I wouldn’t have survived either,’ admitted Connor.
Alicia gave him an affectionate smile. ‘Well, you’ll be pleased to know I’ve accepted my role as the First Daughter. I appreciate that while it offers me many unique opportunities, my freedom is limited – and for good reason. I won’t be running away from Secret Service again!’
Smiling ruefully, she glanced in Kyle’s direction. Kyle nodded, before discreetly leaving the room. Now truly alone, Alicia took a step towards Connor. She studied his face, seemingly trying to commit it to her memory.
‘I know you can’t stay …’ she whispered, ‘but this is to remember me by.’
Alicia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the lips. Connor’s breath was taken away and he became lost in the moment.
Suddenly the door to the room opened.
Alicia broke away. ‘Kyle, I asked not to be disturbed –’
‘Sorry, I didn’t get the message,’ replied Charley, wheeling herself in. She glanced at Connor who was guiltily rubbing away a faint smear of lipstick with the back of his hand.
‘Our car’s here,’ she stated pointedly.
Connor nodded, unable to meet her questioning stare.
‘Already?’ said Alicia, almost pleading for more time.
‘We’ve a plane to catch,’ Charley replied, breezily pivoting on the spot and heading for the door.
While Charley’s back was turned, Connor took Alicia’s hand and looked her in the eyes. ‘I definitely won’t forget you … or that kiss!’ he promised.
Then, with great reluctance, he hurried after Charley. At the threshold to the room, he glanced back. Alicia stood silhouetted by the window, gazing out across the south lawn.
‘Don’t worry, Connor, I’ll protect her,’ said Kyle, who stood sentry at the door.
Knowing she was in safe hands, Connor headed through the White House’s main entrance hall and out on to the driveway of the north portico. Charley was already waiting for him in the car.
‘Honestly, I didn’t make the first move,’ he explained, offering a sheepish grin as he clambered in next to her. ‘Besides, I’m no longer officially protecting her –’
‘It’s not important,’ said Charley, although Connor could tell that she was annoyed.
‘Surely you must’ve found yourself in similar situations,’ he pressed.
Charley gave him a look that he couldn’t quite read. Then her expression softened. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t tell the colonel.’
With that she placed a black folder on Connor’s lap. The folder was marked CONFIDENTIAL in red lettering and had a silver winged shield embossed on the cover.
‘Your next assignment.’
Connor stared at Charley in disbelief. ‘But I’ve barely got out of hospital. Besides, who’s to say I still want to be a buddyguard.’
‘The colonel,’ she replied, handing him a scratched key fob. ‘He says it’s in your blood … and he’s never wrong.’
As they drove away from the White House, his Principal safe and secure, Connor studied the key fob. His father’s face stared back at him and Connor thought he could discern the ghost of a proud smile.
Connor couldn’t deny the fact. It was in his blood. He was born to be a bodyguard.