He was sitting in the mess, eating his meal when he saw some of the helpers rushing towards the rooms. He wasn't bothered and focused on his food.

This changed immediately as he saw father rushing behind the workers too.

Ok, this was something else. Something has seriously happened, otherwise father wouldn't have been concerned.

He left his food and followed behind them. Father and the helpers were in front of the room of 001.

Lucy's.

He stopped a few feet behind father and patiently waited.

The helpers struggled to open the door.

It wasn't locked. It couldn't be. Locks weren't there except in father's room and office.

She had blocked the door with some furniture. But why?

"Father should I help?" he asked.

He paused and turned to look at him, but before he could reply the helpers had already pushed the door just enough to get the blockage away and peeped inside.

The wall was smeared with blood which read, 'I will not do it ever'.

In the middle of the room, Lucy's body was hanging from the ceiling with a noose around her neck. Her wrist was cut and dripping blood, probably from which she used to write the words on the wall.

He peeped inside too.

"Father should I help?" he asked again.

"No, get ready and come to my office. You will go in Lucy's place now." he replied calmly.

He rushed to his room. He wore an exquisite three piece, black suit. A look which he completed with a black tie, leather gloves and formal shoes.

He checked himself in the mirror. He couldn't afford to look sloppy. Father's reputation was at stake after all.

'Why did she commit suicide in the most important day of her life though? Now all her training amounts to nothing.' he thought as he walked through the hallways.

There he saw the helpers putting her corpse in a body bag, he caught a glimpse of her tear stained face.

Was she crying in her final moments?

001? Lucy?

The thought was something impossible for him to wrap his mind around. But it was a fact, he could tell.

He rushed to father's office where he saw him pacing in front of the door impatiently.

"Good, boy you are here. Now from now on you are 001. Is that clear?" he asked calmly.

He nodded.

They entered his office only to find an old man, probably in his late 70s sitting inside.

He bowed to him respectfully.

"Good morning Mr Stone. As promised. This is 001." said father smiling.

"I though 001 was a woman." he said with a frown on his face.

"There seems to be an error in communication between us on the phone then. I said 001 is perfect for the client. You may have assumed that he would be a woman then." said father.

Mr. Stone sized him up. Even though he had a frame of 6'2, the old man still wasn't satisfied.

"Mind if I test the lad?" he asked father.

"Not at all. Test him all you want." he replied still smiling.

"Titan!" he shouted. Soon, the door of the office opened again and this time a mammoth of a man, almost 7'0 with bulging muscles and a nasty scar across his face entered. He looked down at the 6'2 man in black with a questioning look on his face which seemed to ask, 'what am I supposed to do with him?'.

001 stared back calmly. The titan was still unimpressed. The two stared at each other for a whole minute.

Father then noticed a look on 001's face and interjected, "No! Stop here. This fight will not happen in my office.".

"What do you mean stop here? All he did was stare back. I am paying $5 million for him. He needs to prove himself!" roared Mr Stone in anger.

"No sir, you misunderstand, this will ruin my carpets." began father.

"I will pay for your goddamn carpets." he yelled.

In a flash 001 lunged at the giant man, he stumbled backwards, his neck was caught in a cross collor choke. Gasping for air he fell on his back on father's display case,the glass shattered, plunging deep inside his back, he howled in pain and rammed himself forward in an attempt to shake 001 off but only to find him now on his back giving a triangle choke.

The grip was perfect. He felt his supply of air cut off, he flailed his arms at him in a desperate attempt to save himself only to find himself quickly losing consciousness and falling to the floor with a loud thud.

001 got off and brushed himself and mumbled an apology to father and Mr Stone.

Stone was speechless. He had seen so many fighters. Yet none were like him. He was truly the best. Perfect for the job.

"I will have my assistant wire the rest to you." he said.

Father smiled and shook his hand warmly.

"Pleasure doing business." he said.

001 followed Stone outside to his car and sat down beside him.

"Here, she is the one you will protect." he said handing him a cell phone with the photo of a beautiful woman.

"She is my grand daughter. I want, not even a single scratch on her."

"Only until you uphold all the terms of the contract Mr Stone." said 001 keeping the phone in his blazer's pocket.

Stone nodded.

He was prepared to go to any lengths to protect his grand daughter. Nothing was off limits.

"Do the best job. You give me nothing to complain. You will have no complaints either." he assured.

"I do everything down to the word Mr Stone. The contract reads complete protection. Death won't have her unless our contract expires. I will urge you to keep the terms of your side in mind." warned 001 again.

Stone nodded again. But his mind was preoccupied with the thoughts of his grand daughter. He didn't cared how much money he was spending in her protection, it would be all worth it if she is safe.