The Black Guard: Book II: Evolution (Black Guard Series 2) (27 page)

Afterward, we were led to a large conference room where
three people sat waiting.

"Welcome, Captain Sapir, I am Chairman Goebel. Along
with my colleagues, Mr. Trahan and Ms. Cabral, I manage the Draco War Games. Mr.
Trahan manages the wagering component, Ms. Cabral the Games and contestants,
and I handle visitors, staff, and security. Collectively, we evolve the rules,
policies, and procedures." He stopped to scan the Black Guard sitting around
the table. "Mr. Trahan and Ms. Cabral have given exemplary performances,
whereas I have had lapses in security which detract from the games'
integrity—"

"That's not fair—" Mrs. Cabral began.

"Fair or not, Almeta, it's a fact." He smiled
in her direction. "The War Games attract wagers approaching a trillion
credits. Consequently, the unscrupulous are willing to pay for an advantage. I
have experimented with security over the years but nothing I've tried has
worked. I'm hoping you're the answer."

"You understand that the Black Guard does not
arrest people for a variety of reasons relating to the safety of the people we
guard. If we perceive someone is a danger to a client, in this case a
contestant, we shoot him or her. And from what I understand, that may
conceivably be another contestant." I said to ensure they understood the
potential consequences of having the Guard for security.

"I actually hadn't thought of that …"

"The fact that we are assuming responsibility after
the second round should minimize that possibility, since the contestants at
that point should be legitimate contenders, but that is speculation."

"We will need to cover that possibility in an
addendum to the rules, Harold," Trahan said, looking off into space in
thought.

"The current head of security, Colonel Kesslar, has
been briefed. You will have full access from the start of the games, and he
understands his team will leave with the losers of the second round. They
aren't happy with you replacing them. Consequently, I wouldn't be surprised if
their presence during the first two rounds doesn't lead to trouble."

"I understand. You may want to warn them that the
Black Guard has a very low level of tolerance to interference."

When I thought about it later, I realized I should have
said
zero
tolerance.

* * *

We were the last people allowed to enter the War Games
building. Four security guards were stationed at the entrance, dressed in a gray
and black camouflage uniform with a shield-shaped patch on their left breast depicting
a white skull on a red background with a banner over and underneath the skull, which
had
Kesslar
and
Security
. Their uniforms had standard red chevrons for rank on
their sleeves.

A tall muscular man stood off to one side, glaring at
me. The three skull-pips on his collar probably meant he was the group's
commander, Colonel Kesslar. He didn't look happy to see me.

"Well, well. A freaking woman commands the
legendary Black Guard. Proves you can't trust rumors. I was expecting real kick-ass
men, not pansies taking orders from a woman." Kesslar's voice was almost a
shout and dripping with scorn. His troops were all smiles, but then so were the
Guards.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed in the Black Guard,
Colonel Kesslar. As I understand, the first games won't start for two days, so
I'd like to begin identifying everyone, but first we need to assume
responsibility for the eight contestants on my list." I said, enjoying the
introduction banter. Kesslar had something to prove—I didn't.

"Who the hell do you think you are, girly?" he
roared, his face red with anger.

"Colonel, you know who we are, you know the
instructions you were given, and you've let me know you are unhappy with the
current arrangements. But I'm afraid it's lost on my detail and me. We are
soldiers who have been given an assignment by our superiors. We didn't get to
vote on it, and neither you nor I can change it. So, I'd appreciate being taken
to the eight individuals without further delay," I said in a normal voice.
He wanted a confrontation—I didn't.

He didn't like it, but he knew he wasn't going to get
the fight he was looking for, so he waved and began walking, with us following.
He used the stairs to reach the second floor, and then stopped about half way
around the curved hallway, which circled the building.

"Rooms 205, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 17, and 20,"
Kessler said as he walked off.

I knocked on the door with the number 205 and the name
Lacroix below it and waited. At my nod, Elijah dispatched Judt and Catz's troops
to guard each of the other doors.

"What do you want?" An eight-foot monster of a
man stood blocking the doorway. His left hand held a hooked sword with a crescent
shaped knife, which acted as a guard for his hand. He didn't look happy.

"I'm Captain Sapir of the Black Guard to see Ms.
Lacroix."

"What if she doesn't want to see you?" His
knife rose pointing at my chest.

"Then I guess she will be disqualified from the War
Games—"

"Hermine, let him in," said a high soprano
voice.

Hermine moved to the side and I entered the large luxury
room, which could easily accommodate ten individuals and had doors to four
additional rooms, bedrooms from the diagram I had been shown.

A young woman sat stretched out on a couch in a long
silver gown that hugged her long thin body. "I'm contestant Lacroix, and
you are this year's security," she said while evaluating me. "These
games are getting to be more about avoiding accidents and assassination than
the actual War Games. And Colonel Kesslar is as always more concerned with his
authority than our wellbeing. What about you, Captain?"

"You will get what you're asking for." I couldn't
help an amused smile. "But you may not like what it takes to provide what
you ask."

"What's that?" She looked past me to where
Sergeant Mintz and two Guards stood.

"Senior Sergeant Mintz will be responsible for you.
He will assign two Guards to you, one of which will accompany you wherever you
go. He or she will have you in their sight at all times except when you are in
a room with only one entrance.

"What about Hermine?"

"He may accompany you, but please instruct him to
stay out of our way. You are our only concern. We will kill anyone that gets in
the way of us protecting you. That would include Hermine or anyone else in your
party."

"Fair enough. If you can keep me from worrying
about having an accident or being killed, maybe I can concentrate on
winning."

I left as Mintz was collecting identification
information from each individual: eye scan, fingerprints, DNA, and face and
full body pictures.

* * *

The contestant in Room 206 was a middle-aged man named
Amador. He was grossly overweight from head to foot. He sat sprawled on a
couch, dressed in loose-fitting silks of yellows and purples.

"I've heard much about the Black Guard. You're
called on when the client can't solve the problem or doesn't want his hands
soiled—loved when hired and hated when you leave. And you, Captain Sapir,
have a reputation for being the most ruthless of the Black Guard, judging by
Halo and most recently Blackwood."

"As you say, Mr. Amador, loved when hired but hated
when we leave. But better to be alive to hate us than dead and unable," I
said, enjoying the banter. I had recently come to terms with the impressions my
actions caused.

Amador laughed. "As is true of many things, it
depends on one's vantage point—client or assassin. Are the women as good
as the men?"

"I didn't bring any women guards. I'm fortunate to
have only Black Guard in my detail."

Amador laughed good-naturedly. "Very fortunate."

Room 207 had a virile but short young man named Chapa,
who looked to be in his early twenties. His security was a tall muscular man in
his late twenties with a gun strapped to each thigh and a knife in each boot.

"I don't want women guards. Petra could kick their
asses with one hand tied … probably the men too." He sneered for effect.

"Sorry, it's not optional. No Black Guard, no War Games.
I will have Colonel Kesslar escort you and your party out," I said, trying
to keep the amusement out of my voice.

"All right, but no women guards."

"I'm sure Petra is a fine bodyguard on your home
planet. But you are on Draco and asking to participate in their games. The
rules state the Black Guard will provide contestant security. Furthermore, in
the event of trouble, if Petra or anyone else gets in the way of the Black
Guard protecting you, he becomes a threat and will be killed." I said,
giving him the worst-case scenario, as it focused on the issue.

 
"You
pompous bitch! Let's see if you can draw that fancy gun before I shoot out both
eyes," Petra shouted with his hands resting on the handles of his
handguns.

"Mr. Chapa, even if your security is better than he
believes he is and kills me, one of these Black Guard with me will kill him,
since they couldn't trust him not to cause trouble in the future. That seems
like a waste of life."

"Petra, relax. You're no use to me dead."
Chapa said, waving his hand at the man to get his attention. When Petra nodded
and his arms relaxed, Chapa turned to me. "He could kill you easily."

"Interesting, Mr. Chapa. You know nothing about my
training, experience, or me, yet you claim to know the outcome of a match
between your security man and me. I'd wager you wouldn't make those kinds of
assumptions against your War Game opponents or I wouldn't be here assigned to
protect you." I waved to Cerff. "Senior Sergeant Cerff will be
responsible for your security." I left Cerff to do the introductions and
moved on to the next contestant.

* * *

Ms. Odetta was in room 211. A man as wide as he was tall
answered the door. He had a short and long sword in his waistband and a chain
wrapped around his waist. The chain looked to be about two plus meters long. He
said nothing but after a moment appraising me and the Guard with me, bowed and
stepped aside and said something in a language I didn't understand.

"Captain Sapir, I presume." A small
middle-aged woman stood and gave me a small bow, which I returned. Her black
hair was long, reaching to the middle of her back, and it was streaked with
white hair. "I'm Lady Wu."

"Good day, Lady Wu. Yes, I'm Captain Sapir. I've
come to introduce your two-man security detail and collect identification
information."

"What about my security guard?" she asked,
nodding to the man at the door.

"He should consider himself a last resort contingency
if your Black Guard are killed or incapacitated," I said looking to Wu.
She nodded to her man, who acknowledged her with a bow.

"Zhu will stay out of your way, Captain."

* * *

The next three rooms went relatively easy. The
contestant in Room 212 had a young body but an unusually large head and was unconcerned
with the Black Guard's presence. Room 213 had a teen-aged girl who also seemed
uninterested in security. Her companion and coach did all the talking, and both
were pleased that the War Games had hired the Black Guard. The contestant in
Room 217 was a middle-aged man in a wheelchair who talked via a computer
attached to his chair. He apparently had a wasting disease that paralyzed his
body but didn't affect his brain. He too was happy with the Black Guard
security.

However, the contestant in room 220 was a young woman in
her early teens who was accompanied by all women: a woman security guard, coach
and chaperone, and servant.

"Male security is not acceptable," said her
coach and chaperone Kaylee after I explained the security arrangements.
"Zenaida cannot have a man in her private area. Besides being socially unacceptable,
it would make her nervous."

"Senior Judt will assign women Guard in Zenaida's
private area, but men may be part of a detail when she is out," I said,
thinking it was a reasonable concession as it had a potential impact on the games
and did not require reconfiguring the teams.

* * *

Much to Colonel Kesslar's annoyance, we spent the next
two days getting everyone entered into our data base, touring the facility, and
making plans for when the second round finished.

"I know we have no contractual responsibilities
except for guarding the eight contestants until after the second round, but I
would like to us to mirror those duties in the interim. Look for weaknesses or
things we've overlooked, check the people you see against our database, and
learn the routine." I said on the morning of the third day as the Games
were officially opened. The first contests would begin that afternoon.

"Colonel Kesslar won't like that," Ceder said,
looking for clarification.

"Try not to incite a shootout with his men or him.
No one here has anything to prove, but that doesn't mean Colonel Kesslar or his
troops can direct our activities. Send them to me if there is a problem—you're
just abused enlisted following orders," I said to grins.

"What about us?" Elijah asked, trying to look
serious.

"You work for a tyrant," I shrugged to claps
and hoots.

I dismissed everyone and took my own advice and wandered
the building. The second floor was rooms dedicated to the contestants, their
designated guests, and the Black Guard. There was little activity, and I
imagined everyone was watching the opening ceremonies on one of the ubiquitous
monitors: hallways, lounges, cafeterias, bedrooms, and bathrooms. I saw only a
couple of security guards. They looked bored and didn't appear to have specific
responsibilities, whereas the Guard on unofficial duty were stationed at access
points to the second floor: elevators and stairs.

The first floor contained an exercise area with a
swimming pool, cafeteria, several lounges, and a separate wing for staff and
security. Again, except for the front entrance, which was barred shut, security
appeared to have no assigned position, relying on their presence to maintain
order. The Guard on the other hand had taken up positions for which they would
eventually be responsible.