A lot has changed since 1947, especially for me.
When I think back to the few days after I merged with Volax, I realize how young and naive I was.
I was like a child learning to do new things, almost like swinging a baseball bat or riding a bike. Not to mention that I had it all figured out.
I can’t be right all the time.
The life of a superhuman couldn’t be better. I’m on top of the world. At least, that’s what I tell myself when I look in the mirror.
It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. However, it’s got its benefits too. I put a new plan into motion after merging with Volax, and it’s on track so far.
Planning makes perfect.
I’ve become a social media giant since I’m the only superhuman.
For a while, that was a good thing, but things change when people get jealous because they can’t do the things you can do. I couldn’t believe that people could be so cruel.
Here I am, saving the world, and then I get stabbed in the back.
Don’t think I haven’t considered moving to a better planet.
For a few decades, I was the best thing since sliced bread, and the people loved me. I couldn’t fly around the city without someone wanting my autograph or getting their picture taken with me.
Seriously, who wouldn’t want to get their picture taken with me? I’m awesome.
My favorite holiday was Halloween.
Why?
Because most kids would dress up like me when they went trick or treating, sometimes, I’d fly into a neighborhood or two and go door to door with them to give them a memory of a lifetime.
Those were the days. It’s funny how things change.
It was great until someone formed an organization called C.A.S.H.
A group of jealous people decided to get together and form a group that was against me using my abilities in public.
When I thought people couldn’t sink any lower, they go and do something like that.
C.A.S.H. stands for Citizens Against Super Humans, and it’s been a pain in my butt since it formed.
First, they demanded that I reveal my secret identity because they felt they had a right to know who I was. They said it was just in case someone was injured or killed while I was, as they say, gallivanting around as a superhuman.
Like that’s ever gonna happen.
They also demanded that any use of superhuman abilities be considered illegal unless the individual using them had a permit.
Okay, like, there’s a bunch of superhuman people out there or something.
The same people protesting me in the streets were the same individuals I’d be saving if something catastrophic happened.
Talk about your double standards.
On several occasions, I even volunteered my services to the military during war times to give us leverage when they needed it the most.
During one of these times, I used my abilities to capture the top leader of a terrorist group that had obtained a nuclear missile and planned to use it on our country.
I confiscated the warhead and turned it over to our government.
Did that stop CASH from hanging on my back like a bunch of screaming monkeys?
Nope.
They said I was a threat to humanity.
Are they kidding me right now? I’ll tell you what I’d like to do with those guys. I want to teleport them to the moon, but Volax won’t let me.
When I thought they couldn’t go any lower, they used the television networks to subpoena me.
They wanted to take me to court to decide if CASH had a valid argument. To say that I was fuming is an understatement.
Talk about confusing times.
My day in court arrived, and it lasted three weeks.
I was in my guardian suit defending myself in front of the Supreme Court. I thought about not showing up to court and never helping humanity again. I couldn’t do that.
After 13 hours of deliberation, it was decided that I could only use my abilities if I obtained a permit.
A freaking superhuman ability permit.
I showed them how I felt about that after the verdict was read. I teleported out of there and went home.
If they think I’m getting a permit, they’ve got another thing coming.
Who’s gonna stop me from using my abilities in public anyway, the police or the government? I’d like to see them try.
I never got a permit, but I laid low for a while to show the people of Pine Beach City what they’d be missing.
Sure, I’d show up occasionally to stop the everyday bank robberies or shootouts with law enforcement. Still, I’d leave before they could arrest me.
They were too scared to enforce the law even if I hung around.
So, you see, being a superhuman has its disadvantages.
I’ve been battling CASH legally for decades and don’t see it ending anytime soon.
CASH has it out for me so bad they plastered wanted posters of The Guardian Host on almost every telephone pole in the city like I’m an outlaw or something.
If I didn’t have morals, there’s no telling what I’d do to those guys.
It’s been 83 years since I learned what my new body was capable of, and I’m doing pretty good at the ripe old age of 108.
It’s 2030, and I still look the same as when I merged with Volax.
My life has changed so much that sometimes I find it hard to believe it’s real. The good thing is there’s nothing that can touch me or stop me.
Today’s going just as well as any other day.
I heard the gunshot behind me and felt my suit catch the bullet near the middle of my back.
Instinctively, the suit carried the bullet toward the floor with what looked like four tiny gray fingers. The bullet made a metallic sound as it was released from my suit and dropped to the bank’s marble floor.
As I said, it was a typical day for me.
I’ve developed a short fuse over the years, and if there’s one thing I hate, it’s being shot.
I was standing in the Pine Beach National Bank lobby, looking at the employees crouched on the floor beside the counter.
Three customers sprawled out on the floor with their hands covering their heads.
A small girl was crying as her mother used her body as a shield to protect her from stray bullets that could fly in her direction.
The entire scene pissed me off.
I heard a loud, demanding voice of a man behind me.
“Get down on the floor right now, or I’ll shoot you again!”
Two things confused me right away.
Number one, this guy should know I’m bulletproof, and number two, he just shot me, and nothing happened.
Why is he threatening to shoot me if it didn’t work the first time?
Now I’m pissed.
“Vincent, do you need to comply with this man’s request? I find it quite humorous that even after demonstrating your immunity to bullets, he still feels as if he is in control. By the way, you are breaking the law by operating your abilities without a permit.”
I let out a small chuckle at that last statement because I knew Volax was being serious.
I turned around with my hands up until I was facing the man.
I decided to humor him by letting him think he had the upper hand.
I almost laughed when I noticed that he wore a cheap version of my Guardian Host mask.
Is this guy for real?
I could see his hand shaking as he held the gun on me.
Not very confident. I’d be shaking, too, if I were him.
He stepped back and almost fell after tripping on his foot.
“Why don’t you just drop the gun, or I’ll have to show you what it takes to wear that mask,” I said as I cocked my head to the side.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
He fired four shots at me, and I could feel the suit catching them, one on my face and three in the chest.
Did he shoot me again?
I intended to take it easy on the man, but he ruined his chances.
If there’s one thing I hate, it’s being shot.
The sound of the gun going off was deafening, and I heard several women and the child scream each time he pulled the trigger.
Now he’s done it. He made that little girl scream.
I stepped forward and raised my right hand, pointing my gauntlet at him as I created an energy sphere.
I heard the bullets caught by my suit dropping to the floor as I prepared to release the sphere.
“Vincent, remember to control your temper. Take it easy on this one. Please decrease the intensity of your sphere. Murder does not suit you.”
Crap!
Volax was right.
I knew I made the sphere too intense, but I couldn’t help myself.
I decreased the intensity of the sphere, and before I could release it, something caught my eye in the distance.
I saw three other men run out of the vault carrying money bags and machine guns in one hand.
Great, there’s more. This day’s getting better by the second.
“What the hell are you doing out here, Damon?” I heard one of them yell.
I couldn’t believe this; they were all wearing Guardian Host masks. Not the expensive ones, either. I’m talking cheap enough to look like fifth graders made them.
I’m offended that they’d even go out in public with those ugly things on their faces. They made me look ugly.
It’s time to show them what I think about those stupid masks.
I let the energy sphere retract back into the gauntlet after I decided to take a different approach.
As Damon was about to answer, I teleported behind him. I grabbed him by the back of his collar as quickly as possible.
I lifted him over my head and slammed him to the ground behind me without letting go of his collar.
The force of the impact knocked him unconscious, and his gun slid across the floor and stopped when it hit the bank counter.
He’ll be fine, just knocked out. Besides, he’s wearing a bulletproof vest.
Slamming people to the ground is so much easier when they’re weightless.
“The other criminals have decided to engage in combat with you, Vincent.”
Oh really? This must be my lucky day.
I stood up and looked towards the vault to see that the three men had dropped their money bags and had trained their weapons on me.
Oh, come on.
“Come on guys, didn’t you see what happened to the last guy who shot at me,” I said as I stepped towards the three men.
As I determined the best course of action, I heard the rat-a-tat-tat of a machine gun.
I saw the barrel flash as I felt the suit catching the bullets.
I felt slight vibrations as the bullets hit my suit. I couldn’t believe he shot me.
I hate being shot.
The man on my left was shooting while the other two picked up their money bags and moved to my right.
I couldn’t understand their logic.
Were they living under a rock? Haven’t they ever seen videos of me in action before?
I was fuming mad because he shot me and used a machine gun.
I teleported directly in front of the shooter and ensured his face was only inches from mine when I emerged.
I wanted to make sure he had no time to react.
I growled at him just before I hit his arm, causing his gun to fly out of his hand and slam against the wall.
Not so tough without your little gun, are you?
I hit him with my elbow on the side of his head, knocking him down to the floor.
I knelt and pulled off his mask to see a dark-haired man in his twenties with his eyes closed. It was evident that he was unconscious.
I was disappointed at what I saw. This guy had his whole life ahead of him, and he threw it all away because he decided to rob a bank.
What a waste.
I stood up and turned around to get a visual of the other men.
I spotted them running across the lobby with their heavy bags.
They were more like stumbling because the bags were so heavy they banged against their knees with each step.
They’re not getting away that easy.
I teleported to the lobby and knelt on one knee.
I pointed my right gauntlet at the men and released two weak energy spheres at them.
I aimed for their feet, and I hit my targets.
Of course, I hit my target. I’m a great shot with the gauntlets.
The first sphere struck the slower man in the back of his left foot, throwing his leg out from under him. He fell on his back with a loud thud, causing him to drop the bag in his hand.
The sphere carried on and shattered the bank’s glass door, causing the women to scream again.
Oops. I didn’t mean to break the glass.
The second sphere hit the other man on his left ankle, throwing his leg forward and slightly to the right, causing it to hit his right leg.
He groaned as he fell on his side, landing on his bag. His gun flew out of his hand and slammed into the wall.
The first man was scrambling to grab his gun and get to his feet.
I teleported to him so that I was straddling him when I reappeared.
I picked him up by the back of his belt and kicked the gun away from him. I decided to get a little creative with this one.
I spun around with him in my hand and let him go, sliding him across the floor.
He slid towards the counter, knocking down the posts holding the rope barriers to organize the bank lines.
Did I mention I like bowling?
This was just as fun.
As soon as he hit the counter, I shot a tiny energy sphere at him, hitting him in the head and knocking him unconscious.
Bullseye! Night night, little guy.
“You have a gun to the back of your head, Vincent.”
Don’t do it, buddy. I hate being sh…
I heard the gunfire as I spun to my left and stood up.
He must have fired at least ten shots before I grabbed the gun barrel with my left hand.
I could feel the suit catching bullets all over my chest and neck, with a few hitting my stomach.
“Why’d you have to shoot me? I hate getting shot.”
With lightning speed, I put my palm on his chest and shot a dim energy sphere directly into him.
I knew I could shoot him with it because I’d noticed the bulletproof vest he was wearing as I grabbed the gun.
He instantly lifted off his feet and propelled backward through the other glass door, shattering it with a loud crash.
He landed on the sidewalk and rolled from his back to his chest. He came to rest with his face on the sidewalk with shattered glass all around him.
Now you know how it feels.
Crap. I broke the other glass door. Great, CASH is going to have a field day with this.
I dropped the gun to the floor and turned to face the hostages.
I hope everybody’s okay.
I heard the remaining bullets caught by the suit drop to the floor.
“Is everybody all right? Is anybody hurt?”
The people started to get to their feet as they looked around to survey the damage.
The bank manager, a bald man in his early forties, said, “I think we’re okay. Nobody seems to be hurt.”
He turned to the other people, “Are you guys okay?”
The mother grabbed her daughter, held her close, and nodded yes.
The daughter clung to her mother’s leg, sobbing, stopping momentarily to look at me and smile.
My heart melted at the sight of her smile.
I’m such a sucker for little girls.
It felt good to be appreciated by such an innocent little girl.
I heard police sirens screaming just a block or two away, and they were getting closer.
Now, the cavalry arrives? Thanks for nothing, you guys. Don’t worry, I did all the light work.
“Well done, Vincent. You’ve successfully saved these humans from being hurt. We should go before the local law enforcement arrives and requires you to show your permit.”
I waved goodbye to the little girl and teleported to the bank bathroom.
I’d gone to the bank to deposit a check before the four men took over the bank.
Luckily, I’d gone to the bathroom briefly before they drew guns on everybody.
“Ha, ha! Did you see what I just did back there? Was that awesome or what?”
I was pretty proud of myself and the way I handled those would-be bank robbers.
I was still upset at the cheap masks they picked out and also being shot so many times.
“You were very creative in your approach and executed tactical precision. I am impressed with your control and judgment, Vincent. However, you almost used a powerful sphere on one of the men.”
“Come on, Volax. I wasn’t going to shoot the guy with it. I just wanted to scare him.”
“That is debatable, Vincent.”
I retracted the suit into my body and was back in my blue dress shirt and black slacks.
I turned on the sink and splashed cold water on my face before looking in the mirror at my wild blue eyes.
I ran my wet fingers through my blonde hair to flatten any stray hairs as I began to talk myself down.
“Okay, just calm down. Get yourself together. You’re good now. You just saved some lives and took down some bad guys!”
I started calm, but my adrenaline got the better of me, and I almost yelled the last sentence.
The bathroom door flung open so fast that it hit the door stopper on the wall behind it. I turned to see a police officer with his gun drawn on me.
Now you show up?
“Keep your mental focus, Vincent. If you say something wrong, you could reveal your guardian identity..”
I raised my hands and pretended to be scared as I looked at the police officer.
“Who are you, and what are you doing in here?”
“Um, my name is Vincent. Vincent Vandraken. I came in here to use the bathroom, and I heard guns out there and decided to hide in one of the stalls.”
The officer approached me after lowering his gun.
He asked if I had any weapons on me. I told him I was unarmed.
It was only after he got closer to me that he recognized me. I’m famous now that I own a museum.
He quickly searched the bathroom and had me follow him to the lobby, where I saw the bank manager giving the police a statement.
I acted surprised when I saw the lobby of the bank.
I looked out the front doors, which used to have glass, and a large crowd gathered outside the bank to see what was happening.
Of course, there were members of CASH there yelling at the officers to arrest the Guardian Host for breaking the law.
I wanted to start blasting them with energy spheres, but I used my imaginary ones instead.
The officers did their best to ignore them, but that didn’t last long.
A few officers approached the group and threatened to arrest them, and they dispersed right away, fearing legal repercussions.
All talk and no action, that’s CASH for you.
Once the bank manager and other employees verified that I was in the bathroom the entire time and concluded my statement would be useless, they let me leave.
Sometimes, being a superhuman means that you have to act like a wimp. It’s worth it sometimes.
Walking outside the bank, I saw several police cars pulling away with the suspects in their back seats.
I managed to take down four bank robbers before 10:30 in the morning, and now it’s time to get back to the life of Vincent Vandraken.
I don’t know which life is more exciting.
Like I said before, a lot has changed for me since 1947.
After a few years as an archaeologist, I decided to open my museum and display artifacts collected worldwide.
My plan went perfectly.
Planning makes perfect.
I named it the Pine Beach Historical Museum.
I started using government grants and other outside funding to decrease costs.
It’s one of the most prominent museums in the country, and it draws tourists from all over the world.
I’m so proud of my museum. It’s like my baby. All that planning paid off big time.
My museum has dinosaur bone exhibits, ancient weapons and armor, priceless jewelry, and life-sized waxed statues of over a hundred historical figures, including William Wallace, Albert Einstein, and even The Guardian Host in the modern-day historical section.
I have an office upstairs that I work out of daily.
My office has one wall behind my desk chair, and the other three are one-way glass, so I can look down at any time throughout the day and gaze at the exhibits below me.
What can I say? I have it made. When I said I was on top of the world, I meant it.
The best part about having the glass walls is that the window to the left of my desk is level with the T-Rex skull of the dinosaur bone exhibit.
Talk about having one heck of a view.
I can look to my left any time and get a full view of the skull with its mouth open. I can’t think of anyone else who works in an office with a view like that.
It’s my idea of paradise.
The three glass walls jut out from the museum’s main wall, giving me the illusion of being suspended above the exhibits. It’s like levitating above the exhibits.
I planned the entire layout, paying close attention to how my office would look.
Planning makes perfect.
My office is the typical office with a desk, office chair, and three leather chairs in front of the desk for visitors to sit in.
A computer, printer, and a few decorative paintings are on the single wall behind me.
They’d lose their minds if CASH knew I had an office like this.
I only do a little work there because I’ve hired a staff of office workers to handle the books and appointments.
I wanted it to look as though I had an actual occupation so I could protect the citizens of Pine Beach.
See, excellent planning.
I usually spend most of the day overlooking the museum, watching families gawk at the exhibits. I especially like seeing the faces of children looking at things for the first time.
Their eyes get big, and their mouths usually gape open as they crane their neck to see how tall the dinosaurs are.
The marble floors of the museum give the exhibits better appeal and more of a modern feel. I’m pretty sure I thought of everything.
I’ve done well for myself over the past 78 years.
I’ve made several million dollars off investments and the museum.
I live in an upscale home in the better part of the city and drive a black S.U.V. because sports cars are stereotypical of a wealthy bachelor.
I don’t have any friends because all the people I grew up with are either in nursing homes or have passed away.
I prefer to be a loner, so I have no complications in my double life.
Besides, who wants people hanging around always getting in your way?
I’m content just having Volax to keep me company.
I made it to my office after saying the usual hellos to all the museum employees I encountered.
I shut the door, went to the window overlooking the T-Rex exhibit, and scanned the people walking around the museum.
I feel like a king looking out over his kingdom. I love watching the people interacting with the exhibits.
After a few minutes of watching people, I got bored and decided to stroll around the museum.
I levitated to my office door and landed before I opened it.
Levitating is the best way to get around the house and museum. Too bad I can’t do it all the time because it’s so much fun.
It’s easier to teleport or levitate everywhere, but it would draw too much.
I do things the usual way to stay under the radar.
How boring.
I walked through the office again, giving a casual nod or wave to the staff members who noticed me walking by.
I took the elevator down to the museum floor and tried to stomach the elevator music that was always playing.
I had to get the elevator music. I couldn’t get anything else.
How lame.
Once the doors opened, I stepped out and instantly felt right at home.
I love to see exhibits that I worked so hard to get.
As I walked past the T-Rex exhibit, I saw a woman looking at the Einstein statue in a glass case.
My kind of woman.
It Looks like she goes for brains instead of brawn. She looked cute, too.
I took a moment to admire the woman’s beauty as I slowed my pace and headed towards her.
She had shoulder-length blonde hair, tanned skin, and a lovely figure. I couldn’t see a lot because I was behind her, but I could see that she filled out the black skirt and ivory blouse she was wearing.
Oh, my goodness, I must sound like a creep.
She was bent over slightly, reading the information podium that explained the exhibit while tracing each word with her index finger.
Looks like she has a thing for intelligent men. I was sure I had a chance.
It’s time to give her the ol’ Vandraken charm.
“She is beautiful for an Earth woman, Vincent. Are you planning on making your move?”
“Shut up. Don’t ruin this for me, pal,” I whispered.
I approached her, stopped on the left side of the podium, and casually looked down as she intently read the information while mouthing the words silently.
Her lips looked perfect from where I was standing.
Keep it together, Vincent.
I smiled at the wax statue and said, “You know, for a smart guy, you’d think he’d know how to use a brush or something.”
She stopped reading, and then she gave the most perfect smile.
When she turned towards me, I was stunned by what I saw. Her eyes were olive green, her mouth was outlined in a soft maroon lipstick, and her teeth were perfectly in line and white as snow.
It was all I could do to keep myself together. Her beauty was intimidating.
She laughed softly and replied, “Yeah, I thought I had bad hair days, but I think his was on purpose.”
I chuckled and gave her my best smile.
She’s quick-witted, too.
I was interested.
“So, are you an Einstein fan?” I asked.
“Not really. I like how real these statues are, and I never read anything about Einstein before.”
She smiled as she rested her hand on the information podium.
Is she flirting with me?
“So, you’ve been here before?” I asked without sounding too forward.
“Yep. This is my third time here. How about you? Have you been here before?”
I was just about to tell her I owned the museum, but I wanted to avoid coming off like I would use my status to get a date.
I paused for a second and looked back at the statue.
“Oh yeah, I come here all the time. I love history, and seeing it like this fascinates me.”
“Well played, Vincent.”
I closed my eyes, trying to ignore Volax. When I opened them, I saw her beautiful face again.
She looked at me as if she were slightly confused.
“I must come when you’re not here because I don’t remember seeing you before.”
“Maybe we’ve never been in the same museum area together.”
“Maybe.”
I stuck out my hand to offer her a handshake.
“I’m sorry, my name’s Vincent. Sometimes, I get so caught up in looking at this stuff that I don’t notice other people in the museum.”
She grabbed my hand firmly, and I felt her soft, warm skin.
I almost didn’t want to let go, but I didn’t want to be creepy. She was amazing so far.
“My name’s Sky,” She said with a smile.
“I know the name’s weird, but that’s me.”
I smiled and leaned in a little bit as I shook her hand.
“It’s not a weird name. It’s wonderful.
We let go of each other’s hand, and I saw her blush as she smiled back at me.
Yes! I think Sky likes me.
I wanted to keep the momentum of the conversation going.
“So, do you live in the city?” I asked.
“Yep. I live a few blocks from here, and I’ve been living here for about three years now.”
“How about you?” She asked as she gestured towards me.
“Me? Yeah, I live close by, too. I’ve been living here for about ten years now.
She gave me that perfect smile again and was about to say something else when I jumped in.
“So, is there any other stuff you’d like to see here?”
“Well, You’re the expert. Why don’t you show me your favorite piece.”
I smiled. “Okay. Follow me.”
We walked through the museum and chatted about the exhibits and where we lived before moving to the city.
Things were going smoothly, which is a shocker considering I’m not great with women.
I’m finally catching a break.
I found out she was a waitress at the Mocha Java Cafe.
I found it interesting that I’d never been there before.
She asked me about my occupation, and I told her I was a businessman who dealt with antiquities.
“A businessman, huh?”
“Yep.”
“That’s interesting. Do you know who owns this place?”
I wasn’t sure if I should tell her yet, so I acted like I didn’t have a clue.
“Nope. I’m not sure who owns it, do you?”
Please don’t say my name.
She leaned in closer to me so nobody else could hear her reply.
“No, but whoever owns it is probably really old.”
What? Why would she say that?
I had to find out what her reasoning was.
“What makes you say that?”
“Because this place is technically a gigantic antique collection. So, the owner’s either old or a stuck-up rich guy who’s probably compensating for something. If you know what I mean.”
“Would you like to tell her now, Vincent?”
I could almost feel Volax smiling at me when he said that.
Very funny, Volax.
I couldn’t believe she said that.
Compensating for something?
I still liked her no matter what her opinion was of the museum.
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I replied with an uneasy chuckle.
“I’m assuming that you intend to tell her later.”
She changed the subject, and we continued to make small talk as I led her through the museum.
I wanted to take her to my favorite exhibit and see what she thought.
I was taking her to a particular exhibit, not because it was my favorite but because it was the furthest away from where we started. I wanted to spend as much time with her as I possibly could.
It just happened that the exhibit was none other than The Guardian Host exhibit.
When we finally arrived at the exhibit, I told her it was my favorite piece because it was one of a kind.
We talked about it for a minute or two. A security guard approached us as we commented on the statue and the information posted on the podium.
Not now.
Someone threw a monkey wrench in the middle when everything was going perfectly.
I knew that the security guard was there for me, and he was likely about to reveal that I owned the museum.
I had to try to play it off.
He stopped beside me and softly said, “Mr. Vandraken, Your secretary sent me to find you. You have a visitor in your office, sir.”
The security guard was an African-American man in his early 50s, and it was clear that he was slightly out of shape.
Although he had a bit of a belly, he looked like he could hold his own in a fight.
Thanks for nothing, Mr. Security Guard.
I turned to him and said, “Thanks. Give me a second, and I’ll be right there.”
I looked back at Sky, and she had a somewhat confused look on her face.
Oh God, this is it.
I smiled at her and said, “Listen, I’ve got something to take care of. It might take a few minutes. If you wait here, I could come back and...”
She cut me off in mid-sentence.
“I’ve got to be at work in a little bit, so I’ve got to go.”
“Do you own this museum?” she asked quickly.
I looked at her, and with a small smile, I said, “Yes, this is my museum. Listen, I know you’ve got to run, but let me give you my number,” I said as I reached into my pocket and pulled out a business card, holding it out for her to take.
In my mind, I was praying that she’d grab it.
I hope her discovering I owned the museum didn’t ruin my chances. Please take the card.
She reached out and grabbed the card.
Yes!
“Do you have another one of these and a pen?”
I immediately reached for another card and fumbled in my other pocket for a pen. Sky stood there impatiently with a slight smile.
I handed her the card and pen as quickly as I could.
She wrote her number on the back of the card and returned it to me.
“Here’s my number. If I don’t answer, leave a message, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
I nervously took the card, held it tight between my fingers, and placed the pen in my pocket with my other hand.
I looked down at the card, then back at her.
I got her number!
“Yeah, I’ll call you. We can get dinner sometime. If that’s okay with you, I mean,” I said without trying to sound too nervous.
She winked at me and smiled. It was the kind of smile that indicated that she was interested.
“Absolutely. I’d love that,” Sky replied as she gestured towards the security guard.
“It looks like your bodyguard is getting impatient. You’d better go take care of that thing.”
I reached out to shake her hand again, and when she grabbed mine, it felt awkward because I wanted to hug or kiss her on the cheek or something.
This was my first time asking a woman out, and I was confused about the next step.
“Great. I’ll call you when I finish my meeting. I mean, when I get a chance to,” I said as I let go of her hand.
“Great. I’ll be waiting,” Sky said as she chuckled.
I turned towards the security guard, who was not amused by what had happened. He was standing there with his arms crossed.
“Are you ready, Mr. Vandraken,” he asked annoyedly.
I nodded and walked towards him.
I turned around briefly to wave goodbye to Sky just before I followed the security guard around the corner.
Keep your cool, Vincent. Don’t fall apart now.
As soon as I was out of sight, I brought the card to my face and kissed it like a person would do to a gold coin they had just found.
I let out an excited, soft victory squeal as I put the card in my pocket.
Way to stay calm, buddy.
The security guard gave me a weird look, but I didn’t care what he thought. I finally got a number, and It felt strange because I didn’t plan it out.
“Well played, Vincent. She is quite intrigued by you and shows positive body language. Your chances of seeing her again are very high. I applaud you on your composure. You almost lost control briefly, but you recovered quite well.”
“Thanks, pal,” I said as I left the security guard and stepped inside the elevator.
I found myself singing the annoying song the elevator was playing because I was so excited.
When the elevator reached the office floor, I emerged from it, still humming the song that had been playing.
I smiled at the staff as I passed them and waved to those who watched me walk by.
I never smiled that much while walking through the office, and it showed on the confused faces of the office workers as I passed them.
Just before I reached my office door, Gail, my secretary, stepped in between me and the door.
She whispered, “Sir, there is a man in your office, and he said he’s from the government or something. He insisted on waiting in your office. I didn’t know what to do. He’s in there right now, and I’ve got to tell you, he’s creepy.”
My mood changed from being on top of the world to the reality of who could be behind the door.
I took it all in and spoke telepathically to Volax.
“Volax, nothing in my office links me to The Guardian Host, right?”
The answer came back almost immediately.
“Negative. We are cautious about incriminating evidence linking you to your Guardian life. I assure you, nothing in that office would indicate anything out of the ordinary.”
I felt very secure with that answer and placed my hand on Gail’s shoulder.
“You did the right thing. Thanks for the heads-up.”
She gave me a nervous smile as she stepped to the side. She glanced back at me again as she walked back towards her desk.
He must’ve left a bad impression on her.
What’s going on today?
So far, everything that happened was unplanned, and I was starting to feel like I was spinning out of control because of it.
It’s okay. I’ll get everything back on track as soon as I’m finished dealing with ‘Mr. Creepy’ in my office.
Once I finished getting rid of whoever was in my office, I would get things back in order just like they should be.
After all, planning makes perfect.
“You ready, Volax?”
“Affirmative.”
I grabbed the doorknob and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as I turned the knob and opened the door.
.
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