Suicide Watch

Chapter 35

Isa POV

"Hey!" I yell out, knocking on the window of the campus security front desk.

The security guard that had been on duty is on duty once again, much to my relief. From the annoyed expression on his face, it's obvious that he doesn't feel this same relief. But I don't care about that right now, not when so much is at stake.

"Ma'am, if you break the glass you're going to have to pay," the officer says, annoyance clear in his voice.

"Officer Carole, right?" I say, ignoring him, "we met yesterday about moving one of your students, Temilola Adeola to a secure space to be monitored for the time being. I need to know where she is."

Officer Carole's annoyed expression seems to double.

"Yes, we discuss that, but then you canceled the request."

I pause then.

"What?"

"You canceled the request."

"No, the fuck I did not." My anger is growing, but so is something else. Fear. Immense fear.

Officer Carole full-on rolls his eyes at this point.

"Well, not you, but the guy you work with. He came a few minutes after you to say that there's been a change in plans and to cancel the initial request."

My heart seems to stop beating in my chest.

"What the fuck are you talking about? What guy do I work with?"

For the first time, the look of annoyance on Officer Carole's face disappears and is replaced by a slight panic.

"You know, the guy that was dressed in all black, I think he had dark hair, but I couldn't really see his face. He had on shades..."

Officer Carole trails off once he notices the look on my face. It's clear that he has finally caught on.

I don't wait to hear what he has to say next before I turn on my heels and start sprinting towards Temi's apartment. If what the officer said is true, then Temi's in trouble. Big trouble.

My heart is racing, and my head is spinning. I can't think straight, and I'm willing with everything inside of me that this is just some misunderstanding. That there is some confusion along the lines.

I make it to Temi's apartment in record time and knock on the door.

There's no response.

I knock again, holding my breath, willing to hear something.

Still nothing.

Cautiously, I reach for the door handle and turn it. The door isn't locked and opens easily. My heart falls instantly. All hope that I had previously had burns away at that moment.

"Temi!" I call out. As I expect, there is no response.

I make my way into the apartment, inspecting it. Everything seems in place. It looks fine, which is exactly the problem.

The apartment is neatly arranged with a few things out of order. A few crumbs here and there to make it appear lived in. To any ordinary person, it appears normal. Everything seems in place. But not to my trained eyes. It's staged.

My heart seems to pick up the pace, slamming hard in my chest even faster. My breathing becomes shallow as I desperately ransack my mind, trying to think of where the hell Temi could be.

I know the implications of this, and just how much trouble I can get into. Temi is still my assignment, after all. I am her bodyguard and she has gone missing under my protection. Not just that, she is in harm's way under my protection. But that's not even my concern right then. I don't care about Temi because it's my job to. I don't want to protect her just because I am her bodyguard.

I care about Temi because of who she is to me. I want to protect her because I care about her. I care so fucking much about her that I want to fall to the ground, bury my head in my arms, and just cry. But I know that isn't what is needed right then. In fact, that's the last thing Temi needs.

I suddenly remember the blonde woman from the other day. I had made a mental note to check out who she actually is, but never actually got round to doing so.

In a second, I'm out of the apartment once again and running across the campus. I know to students I might appear crazy, but they don't know what's going on. They don't know what's on the line right now.

I get to the politics building in record time and immediately burst into a classroom. A hundred eyes turn to me simultaneously. I am panting slightly, and I know I look crazy, but I don't care about that right then.

I turn my attention immediately to the Professor at the front of the class. She is a woman with graying hair and round-rimmed glasses perched at the tip of her nose. She is looking at me with an expression that I can only describe as being absolute horror.

"Professor Murphy," I pant out, "is there a Professor Murphy that works in this department?"

"What?" the woman responds.

"Professor Murphy," I say once again, "is there a Professor Murphy that teaches European Politics?"

"I have worked here for 30 years, there has never been a Professor Murphy in the politics department at this University, let alone one that teaches European Politics," the woman says, now looking at me with an expression of concern, "do you need some water, honey?"

I shake my head quickly. "No, thank you. Thanks for your help. Sorry for interrupting your class."

I'm out without another word, running across campus once more. This time, toward my hotel.

Just as I thought, Professor Murphy doesn't exist. It was all a cover. Whoever that blonde-haired woman is, she's clearly working with the man dressed in all black. They had clearly been targeting Temi for a while. But why?

It doesn't take more than a second for me to figure it out. Temi is a politician's daughter, after all. Not just that, her mother is running for New York State Governor, and her opponents will do anything that they can to make sure she doesn't win.

The second I get back into my hotel room, I get down to the business. I head straight to my weapons suitcase, put in the code, and unlock it. I almost feel silly to think that I really thought that I wouldn't have to make use of my weapons at all during this assignment.

I laugh to myself, but it's dry. There's absolutely no humor behind it. Just pain.

I put weapons into my clothes, moving with lightning speed: a knife in my left boot, a gun in my right boot, and another gun and knife at my waist. I keep going till I'm certain I have enough weapons. I do not know what I am about to walk into, and I'm determined to not be able to stand my ground, whatever the situation.

I don't waste a second longer before leaving the hotel and heading back to Temi's apartment. Every moment counts. I don't know what Temi might be going through right now, but I am trained to think of the worst-case scenario, and it sends chills down my spine.

Back at Temi's apartment, I feel I can think clearer.

No doubt there wasn't much of a struggle. For some reason, Temi had let the man into her apartment. She probably thought he was working with the University and was my replacement for the time being.

A feeling of guilt passes over me.

I know that there's no way I can figure this whole thing out by myself. I knew from the start that I would have to contact the bodyguard agency, and it appears the time has finally come.

"Isa?"

Simon's voice comes through loud and clear on the first ring.

"Sir, there's been an emergency. I need access to some surveillance footage."