Strike Softly

<p data-p-id="b4e6d4b67982a910a21854409d58f94c">

<p data-p-id="48f590aa898f18dd9abe7ff6541e5bd9">"Mr. Hale," the district attorney rises to receive him. "Thanks for coming."

<p data-p-id="9e45175ba576f382c1153a4be497852e">"Sir." Derek shakes his hand.

<p data-p-id="032eb4a9826b2f9ba69fd398d7378b5a">"Please, take a seat." Mr. Stilinski points at the seat in front of his table and Derek complies. "It's good to finally meet you in person."

<p data-p-id="e8fe1e14ab19b98a65304a6073820270">"Thank you for receiving me," Derek says as the man leans against his table, ankles crossed and hands on the edge. "My team is already working at your place, as we agreed."

<p data-p-id="1b409e867a055acabdee0ee748a62076">"Excellent," Mr. Stilinski nods.

<p data-p-id="4ae575140366eeb3725dc49e282e7775">Derek has always been good at this job. Efficient, discreet and lethal; exactly what people look for when they hire a security consultant.

<p data-p-id="bb227936b20cabbe4c3c22a50038a135">"I assume you know you're the third expert I've contacted in the last few months-"

<p data-p-id="1ab2bb9a162fa4994715bd2d32c4fab3">"In the last eight months, yes sir," Derek corrects. He's done his homework.

<p data-p-id="3b091e380a69cc319a1fc3aa30c8c9c5">"Eight months-" Mr. Stilinski pauses, his voice catching at the end. "Yeah, I guess that's right... After losing my wife, I- well, my son is all I have left, I just want to make sure he's safe."

<p data-p-id="c771df1d3a23bba8775807023da369e7">"Understandable," Derek comments. He's head security of his own company, and he always seems to know what each of his clients needs; it's like an instinct. This is not an exception. He had studied the case of Beacon Hills' district attorney before accepting the job. The man had started to work on the French mob case and shortly after, his wife and son were brutally attacked. You don't need to be a genius to understand what happened.

<p data-p-id="9142aac88a4b7d7066f732c42b3b9837">The man's current motivation after that is obvious. What started as his most promising case, turned into his worst nightmare. He had gotten the people he cared for the most hurt, and now he needs to fix his mistake and give closure to this episode. Derek can understand that.

<p data-p-id="0f74ce8797356661354267608a19183e">"They told me you're the best, Mr. Hale." The attorney regards him kind of skeptically. Derek is used to it, though. His age has always been a handicap in this job field. "If that's true, you must already know that the case I'm working on got my family into this. And I shouldn't have to explain why I can't stop working on this case until it's solved."

<p data-p-id="ba033ba93bc21e7f056a3e84f1b85910">"I understand, sir." Derek crosses his arms. "I'm familiar with the Argent family, my team has compiled a file over the years and we're studying them thoroughly for this case. We'll make sure your family is safe, sir."

<p data-p-id="30f1db625d561424783731f70e49c6e2">"Thanks, that's-"

<p data-p-id="b467d469f532e67198a65f4e3e76f663">"Dad, I was- hey," a gawky and tall boy bursts in without warning. He stops in his tracks when he sees Derek, though, trailing his eyes up and down his frame slowly before covering his reaction.

<p data-p-id="4230341d6cd9c8fed04cac0accdaac80">The boy grins mischievously. "Dad, did you get me a stripper?"

<p data-p-id="98635b526ade09eda53800a0785fbf52">"Stiles," the fiscal warns with his voice. "This is Mr. Hale, he's going to be your new bodyguard."