The Witness Protector

The Client

I walked out of my little yellow town home to find what I was confronted with every morning as I left for work. Mrs. Caroline's Yorke relieving his bladder in my bushes, Mr. Edward taking a stroll on the sidewalk with his lovely wife, and Cody, the boy next door, yelling at his brother to retrieve the football he had thrown into the woods. I unlocked and entered my old blue car with velvet seats that were stained with the smell of the owner before me, and pulled out of my narrow driveway. I found myself enjoying the beautiful magnolia trees on the drive to work, and even doing something I never did. Rolling down the window to smell them as I passed.
I pulled into the parking lot of the secure building, flashing my ID badge as I entered through the main gate. I parked my car and wove my way through the blue emergency posts upon reaching the entrance. After placing my hand on the digital recognition screen, I strolled through the automatically opening doorway, and toward the elevator shaft. I hovered my finger in front of the button for a few seconds, lighting it and signaling for the elevator to come. Enis greeted my with her normal "I have accomplished and will accomplish more than you as long as we shall work together" smile. And as a reflection of my character, I sincerely greeted her with a "good morning". It was hard being only 27 and working in a high tech witness protection assignment center with people ranging from my age to 65-70. all the same it was my passion, and what else could you ask for besides getting paid to travel the world. I was a personal safety lesion. I accompany each witness assigned to me, to their designated location, and return after about a week of helping them set up their identity properly. For example: enrolling in school, getting a job, a proper home, etc..
"Morning kathrine." My boss, Mason price, greeted me.
"Good morning sir"
"Meet me in my office in five"
"Yes sir"

I set down all of my stuff and unpacked the files I had taken home to work on last night. I took my hair down from its tight bun and shook my head, setting free the wild curls now flowing down my back. I fluffed it up a little and checked myself for any noticeable faults. I looked down at my white buttoned blouse, tucked into my black dress skirt, and red shoes. I checked my phone and locked it in my desk drawer.
Clink clink clink my heels sang as I walked down the long hall of office rooms. Mason arrived at the door, saw me, and turned his back to me to speak into the room.
"One minute gentalmen" he said behind him. Then he turned to me.
"you have a new client".
I walked in after him.
"Gentlemen this is Kathrine, and she will show you around the office."
"Very nice to meet you all. Anything before we get started?" I asked.
"Let's do it" said one of the men.
Before I could get out of the door after them, Mason pulled me in and said something under his breath.
"You get back to my office when your finished".
I spent about an hour showing the potential Sponsors around the office and answering their questions, each one more grieving than the next, until finally they were ready to take their information back to the office. I struck my heels against the floor signaling for Mason to hear me coming for him. Sure enough, when I got to the door, He was there to meet me.
"A new client will be here in about thirty minutes."
"Client. Just one?"
"Yes his name is in the file. Please read it over and file all of the essentials."
"Yes sir. Any clue as to where we're going?"
"Hawaii. do you have your to-go bag in your locker?"
"Yes sir. I'll read the file and have my stuff waiting by the back when he arrives. Do I need to check in before we leave?"
"I think you're good."
"Thank you sir. I'll be back as soon as we land."
I turned to walk away, but he stopped me.
"This is a high security case, take every precaution. This could be the hardest case you've have. I know that you will do well though. Off the record, I recommended you to the top floor for this one. I know you won't let us down."
"Yes sir, thank you." I smiled and left the office.
The top floor was a collection of head officers know as the committee. Everything goes through them and they have the power to promote you, or end your career. By far the most powerful people with the Bureau.
I went through the file. And tried to quickly memorize all the of essentials as I copied them down on a form.

Mark Dequo
30 Years of Age
Lawyer: present. 3 years running
Situation: was witness to a burial for the Jenson murder.

I quickly logged the rest and took the file down to the "library" for sorting. I went to my locker, grabbed my duffle and loaded on the jet. It took me about 5 minutes to get back to the building so that I could meet Mark at the transfer center. By the time I got there Spencer was already starting the debrief. It was too late for me to take over so I listened for any mistakes.
"This is Kathrine, she will be your guide to your new life. She will accompany you to your destination and and help you get settled. She has adequate training to protect you if anything goes wrong and will defend you with her life. After she returns home without out you, she will still be your communicate if anything goes wrong, you need help, or if you have any questions. She can repeat any of this if you need her to. Please follow her to the plain and have a safe flight."
He ushered him with me, because of course this was a time sensitive project. I introduced myself again because we would be spending a lot of time together over the next week or two, depending on what occurs.
"I'm kathrine, it's very nice to meet you. You will be safe with me and without me after we get you all settled in. The flight will take about 45 minutes and we can discuss your needs on the way."
"I'm Mark. It's nice to meet someone like me."
"What do you mean? I asked.
"Strong. independent. Single."
I giggled. "That's a big assumption."
"Are you?"
"You just happen to be right. I am currently single."
"Nice to know." he smirked.
We arrived at the plane and loaded everything on.
Once we were boarded, I went to have a small chat with the pilot, just to double check the coordinates like I always did.
"So tell me about yourself." I said. "There's not many character traits on a file. At least not the kind we get."
he smiled. "I'm not sure I know how to sum myself up in a conversation. I'd like to think that people are more complex than that."
"Ok. Fair enough" I said.
"I'm a lawyer. I guess you already knew that though."
"yes. I have an advantage." I smiled.
"Ok then. Tell me about yourself. do you like your job?"
"Love it. It's great. It does have it faults though, being secretive trying to make sure you never stand out even when you want to."
He laughed under his breath.
"What?" I asked.
"You caught my eye."
"Oh yeah right."
"You don't have to believe me"
"Good."
"And you like the traveling?"
"Adore it."
"Then I guess you chose the right job"
"I'd agree with you on that one."
"Would you like anything to drink? Soda? Water? Juice?"
"I'm good actually."
"Great well let me know if that changes."
We were sitting across from each other, a table in between us.
"I do know a little bit of magic though. that probably wasn't in your file." He said.
"Amaze me."
He held out his hands on the table in front of him, each hand containing one quarter.
"Let me see your hands." he said.
I put my hands close to his on the table. He grabbed them and put them on top of his. Then he placed the quarter in my palms and closed his hands around mine.
"It takes a while." he said.
"So what now?"
"We wait"
"Ok"
There was a silence.
"I actually tried magic when I was a kid." I said.
"Oh yeah? How did it go?"
"Once I realized it was all just a trick and here was actually no magic, I quit"
"That's not true." He said.
"What?"
"That there's no magic."
"Ok name it."
"Love."
"Love?"
"Love is the most magical thing this world can offer. See." He said opening his palms and mine to find that both quarters were gone.
"How did you do that?"
"Magic."
"Oh come on. just tell me."
"I just did"
"Come on."
"No I told you, love is a form of real magic. something must have happened between us"
I laughed. "Whatever you say."