"Angela, you drive. Eadric, give the keys to her and rest on the passenger's seat until we arrive at your agency's branch here in Baguio."
"But, Congressman! I can—!"
Richard slammed the car's door at the back, paying no heed to Eadric's protest. He relaxed his back on his seat and waited for the two to get going. He knew how dedicated Eadric was, but he's not going to risk having a sleep-deprived chauffeur hold the steering wheel when they had to drive on a road full of cliffs.
The car started moving with Angela in the driver's seat, and Eadric settled beside her. Silence filled their journey out of El Cielo Lodges for a long time. They passed by empty, winding roads without any idle talks, until they neared the main highway.
"Congressman?" Eadric called out to him, his voice laced with concern
Richard lifted his chin and met Eadric's apprehensive gaze through the rear-view mirror. "What is it? I thought I told you to rest. Angela is as capable as you in driving and keeping watch for potential threats. Recharge your energy since we didn't know when you'll be needed. I can't have you looking like a zombie in case somebody tried to assault me."
Eadric's jaw slacked open, but no voice came out. Although he looked like he had something to say, he closed his mouth again and just looked outside the window. His tired face reflected on the tinted glass. Despite the dropping of his eyelids, his stubbornness kept him awake.
Yet another defiant brat.
Eadric should be around Yves' age if not a few years older. He didn't look half-bad with his short spiky hair, but not as exquisite as the man who caught Richard's attention. He was their all around driver and bodyguard, but his priority was to be Glenn's security when they're out of town.
"Congressman," Eadric called again. "Are you... going to replace me?"
Richard's thick brows lifted in surprise at the blatant question and met Eadric's expectant gaze. "What made you think that?"
"Yesterday... I failed to do my duty." Eadric lowered his head in shame, his hands balling into fists. "Protecting you and your family against threat is not a problem for me. That's what I am trained at. But when it comes to... people you're interested in, I am unsure how to handle them."
"Care to elaborate?"
"I mean, half of me wanted to incapacitate them at the slightest hint of aggression to make sure they won't cause any harm. But I know you wouldn't want them harmed as well, so the other part of me wanted to make sure they're handled with care."
"Oh?" Richard smirked, rubbing the stubble on his chin. "Are you saying you just held back because of that?"
"Yes!" Eadric took a deep, calming breath, then steeled his gaze. "So, if you'd tell me what you want me to do in case something like that happened again, I'll do it without hesitation. Please, don't replace me as one of your bodyguards. I really need this job."
Richard hummed as he tapped his index finger to his cheek. Although the purpose of his visit to the agency was not to find replacement but to find a potential addition to the team, Eadric's proposal sparked his interest.
Maybe an additional bodyguard was unnecessary, after all. Before he could give Eadric an answer, however, Angela announced that they had arrived.
Well, they already had an appointment. It would be rude to cancel it all of a sudden. He could at least meet the Michelle and the security personnel scheduled him to meet.
Richard stepped out of the car after Eadric opened the door for him. The worried gaze didn't leave him, so he smiled and patted Eadric's shoulder twice. "We'll be quick. Rest."
The Baguio Branch of Rigma Protection Agency was a three-story building painted in white. Their insignia—a heater-shaped shield with two kris swords in the middle—was embedded on top of the double door, guarded by two uniformed men.
After Angela confirmed their appointment, they led them inside and into the office of the branch's Operation Manager at the top floor. The office didn't look extravagant, but it was kept neat and tidy. It just had a few shelves, a mahogany desk, and some potted indoor plants at each corner.
The person they were supposed to meet was nowhere to be seen, but her secretary informed that the Michelle will be with them soon. Fortunately, they didn't wait for long. Only a minute after Richard occupied the empty seat in front of the table, the door opened and a woman with blonde-dyed pixie cut hair emerged.
Michelle grinned at him as she walked towards the table. "Hello, Richard. Oh, I'm sorry. I mean, Congressman Alonzo. Long time no see!"
"Yeah..." Richard trailed off, only giving Michelle a second glance before shifting his focus back to the boy standing by the doorway, looking as surprised as he was.
Michelle caught his line of sight and chuckled. "I heard from Angela that you are looking for another capable bodyguard, yes?"
"Yeah, I am." A mesmerized grin spread across Richard's cheeks as he stood up and approached the bespectacled man. He never thought he'd see his beautiful face so soon again. "Are you here to hire a bodyguard too?"
"N-Not really. No," Yves said, looking away as pushed his eyeglasses, before directing his gaze at Michelle. "Is he the client you mentioned?"
With another amused laughter, Michelle walked back towards the door and rested her arms over Yves' stiffed shoulder. "Oh, where are my manners? Yes, dear. He is the client I was talking about."
Richard could only frown in confusion as he stared at the two. "Can you explain to me what is going on here?"
"Congressman," Michelle started with a twinkle in her eyes. "I would like you to meet the security personnel that I scheduled a meeting with you. This is Yves Mallari—a genius fighter I scouted personally to join my agency."
Wait, what?