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She glanced up and beckoned him inside. “I'd like you to meet the men you'll be working with,” she said, her face tight and businesslike. “ Isaac Rose, ” she began, “this is Ed Hayes,” she gestured to a mountain of a man with a shaved head. He was tough, of that there can be no doubt, but he would certainly lose in a battle where speed mattered. “And this is Paul Kendrick,” she added, pointing to a shorter man, with a sleeker but still very muscular physique. He had blonde hair with far too much gel in it, and a pair of aviator sunglasses hanging out of the breast pocket of his jacket.
    'To cool for school', Rose silently noted. However, he stepped forward and offered his open hand to Ed and then Paul. “Nice to meet you, guys!” They shook hands.
    “ Likewise, ” Ed sized him up, looking him up and down. Within a matter of seconds, he smiled indicating that Isaac had met his prerequisites, whatever they were.
    Kendrick, on the other hand, was not quite so welcoming. “We'll show you around,” he groused, tipping his head to the door. “Then we need to get an earpiece fitted.”
    “I don't need an earpiece, and I'm sure I can show myself around.” Isaac spoke softly but with an undercurrent of independent determination.
    Raising an amused eyebrow, Kendrick stared at Rose. After several seconds, he turned to Ms. Soto. She was sitting at her desk, her eyes fixed on a piece of paper, apparently oblivious to what was happening in front of her.
    “I was here yesterday,” Rose added. “I've already familiarized myself with some of the building. Look, I'm not exactly new to the field,” he stated, as Kendrick’s obvious resentment was beginning to get on his nerves.
    “So you think you're going to protect the secretary single-handed?” scoffed the disgruntled bodyguard.
    “ No, ” Isaac shook his head. “You have a job to do; I have a job to do. . .We're working in tandem, but not together. I work alone.”
    “Who the fuck do you think you are?” Kendrick stepped forward aggressively.
    Ed Hayes lunged at his colleague's arm, but it was quickly shrugged off.
    “ Gentlemen! ” Soto yelled, jumping to her feet and moving around the table. Placing herself between the two men, who both stood head and shoulders taller than she was, looked from one to the other like a mother glaring at her naughty children. “What is going on here?”
    “Nothing,” Kendrick instantly backed down. “Just your Lone Ranger here thinks he's capable of working solo.”
    She stared at Rose, her eyes communicating something the other two men could not see. Realizing she'll get nowhere with him like this, she swivels back to her bodyguards. “Look,Mr. Rose is here to deal with a specific threat made against me. He will, of course, be sharing information with you and seeking your advice, but he'll also have his own lines of investigation and concern.”
    Kendrick and Hayes remained silent. “I'm sorry you feel as if you're being pushed to the sidelines,” she added, looking only at Kendrick. “To be honest, I don't like this any more than you do. . .”
    It's yet one more thing Rose is unfazed by. The ability to successfully complete his mission was not dependent upon his being liked...by anyone.
    “. . .However, I'm told it’s a necessity. And with a bit of luck it will all be over soon! Now, if you could just give me a moment with Mr. Rose,” she added, smiling warmly. In Emma Soto's world, being liked was important. She certainly didn't want the people who protected her to actually prefer she was dead.
    Ed Hayes nudged his partner with an elbow as it became apparent he was not eager to move. Continuing to glare at Rose, Kendrick slowly shuffled his feet toward the door. It's not until he was crossing the threshold that he eventually turned his head away.
    As the two entered the hallway, Hayes could be heard muttering words of reassurance to his colleague.
    Emma Soto stared at Rose. “You've got to be kidding me!