The day began as a nightmare for Mia Patel. A dream that didn't bring peace. Instead, it brought torment and misery into her life. She would reach for her phone, press the email icon on the touch screen, and there would be a fresh letter from her stalker with photos.
The stalker was smart enough to route their message through enough servers to obscure their true identity. She'd change her email, but the stalker would continue his assault through messages. While on the surface, the letters seemed romantic, they created a sense of panic in Mia.
"My Dearest Mia,
I look forward to seeing you soon. I promise you will spend the rest of your life loved, cherished, kept safe. You will never doubt my love because you will always be by my side now and forever. I have been working out. Do you like the changes? I learned the guitar, and your native language isn't that exciting. I am preparing a castle worthy of your majesty and will come for your soon.
Love Always, Valraven"
Mia grew depressed and saw the stalker everywhere. Billions of dollars, the best security money could buy, and connections to the police department couldn't keep El Sombreron from finding her. Money could not save her from the imagination either.
The phone startled Mia. Pencils and papers flew everywhere and scattered across the floor. A trembling hand pressed the accept call icon, "Mia Patel's Phone, Mia speaking."
"Mia, it's your assistant, Max Finley." Max's upbeat sleazy tone was the last thing she wanted to hear.
"I got another email from him again," Mia bent down and began to gather up the pencils and paper. Her entire body still shook in fear.
"I sympathize with your plight, but you are supposed to be preparing to take over your father's company. Your absence is causing the board of directors to doubt you."
"Because they have a psychopath chasing them down?" Divya slapped the papers against her desk in frustration, "I can't go out because El Sombreron takes pictures of people I care about and then threatens to kill them, and my boyfriend Dale Essex is missing."
"I'll agree your situation is a bit dire..."
Mia grit her teeth and counted to ten, "I think we are past that point,"
Max chuckled nervously, "It will be okay. I have a suggestion..."
Mia rushed to the window of her room, threw back the curtains, opened the window, and shouted, "Hey everyone, it's going to be okay. Max has suggestions," She slammed the window closed.
"That was a little uncalled for."
He wasn't wrong. "I'm sorry, Max," Mia sat on the bed and ran her hand over the Egyptian cotton sheets and sighed, "The situation has me on edge, and I don't feel safe anywhere. I'd give up my fortune for one normal day."
Max cleared his throat, "I have a number for an elite bodyguard agency. I asked around. Some of the hottest stars in Tinsel Town said they were worth every penny."
"What are their qualifications?" Mia approached the suggestion with a bit of skepticism. She didn't need another ineffectual idiot on the payroll. She also didn't want some amorous idiot bent looking for another notch on their belt.
"They call themselves Guardian Angel Security. It's a small operation, two people. I did a deep dive into their pasts. Whisper Tallpines, age thirty-five, former FBI profiler, her clearance rate sat at a solid ninety percent. She specializes in electronics and computer programming."
A small ray of hope came into Mia's life. After an endless line of male bodyguards who claimed they could solve her problem, she'd welcome a woman's take on the situation, "You have my interest thus far."
"The other member is Seraphim Travis Jericho, age twenty-four. I don't have any info on him before the age of sixteen. He enlisted in the Canadian Army at eighteen. He spent the next six years with Joint Task Force Two. He earned the Victoria Cross for rescuing a well-known Diplomat from an ISIS camp by himself. Honorable discharge, by the way."
"What is Joint Task Force Two?"
"The most elite force Canada has to offer, they are new to the world stage, but they have some accolades, most special operatives like working with them. I find it strange they took someone so young into the fold. The average age in the group is thirty-seven."
"Give me their number. Max?"
"Yes, Mia?"
"Thanks for checking on me. I know I've been insufferable as of late."
"Given the circumstances, I'd think you've earned the right to be terrified."
Mia hung up and speedily dialed the number. For the first time in months, there was light in the dark tunnel of her life. The phone rang several times before a pleasant female voice answered.
"Guardian Angel Security, our prices are heavenly, Whisper Tallpines speaking."
Mia hesitated at first. Embarrassment permeated through her body, like a tidal wave swallowing a tiny island. She paused for so long Whisper followed up with, "Is this another prank caller? I'm going to hang up."
"My name is Mia Patel, and I am the victim of a vicious stalker..." for the next ten minutes, she poured her heart out over the phone to a stranger, "Every day I can feel my life shrinking into nothing. I want it back," she sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"You are a good candidate for our help. Let me confer with my partner," Whispers voice conveyed empathy without making Divya feel like she did something wrong. Whisper put her on hold.
Five minutes later, Whispers voice said, "We'll take the job. Do you have any events planned for today?"
"My parents are having an anniversary dinner tonight. I didn't plan on going..."
"You're going. We have to figure out how this guy is tracking you. I know it breaks all the rules of dealing with a stalker, but yours sounds criminally sophisticated."
"I can't show up without a date. My parents are concerned about my love life. I'm not sure what's worse, my parents or Valraven," Divya couldn't face the disappointment in her parent's faces if she went to another event without someone on her arm.
"Do they know about the stalker?" Whisper asked in a confused voice.
"They think if I ignore him long enough, he'll go away. That was two months ago. I think they are in denial."
"We'll talk to them. Travis Jericho will be your date...don't make that face," Whispers voice went from cheery to sharp growl in two seconds, "Excuse me," Mia heard the phone smack something solid, and silence for two minutes, "Give us the time and place, we'll be there. Make sure we are on the list."
Mia ended the call and immediately dialed her sister Lali, "Lali, I have a date tonight for Mom and Dad's anniversary. Can you help me pick out an outfit?" Her heart raced with excitement and worry
Lali worked in the fashion industry and knew the latest trends. She did a small girly scream, "Who is he? How did you meet? Is he handsome? What does he do?"
"His name is Travis, and he is a bodyguard."
