Under His Protection

“Now that’s another ying-yang shit I am sure,” Jasmine said

“It's yin-yang. Darkness and light. It’s a Chinese philosophy that explains balance”

“You know I still find it difficult to understand how everything happened so fast. I find it nebulous that I was a few years ago, a young Harvard school graduate who was just trying to find my feet around, and suddenly my dad wants me to head the company. As if that was not enough, I am afraid everything is happening too fast: the financial success, the robust sales, and the colossal boom still frighten me. I fear that I would fail one day, that all this good fortune is being set by some certain malignant force of nature to tease me”

Cory chuckled lightly, it was understandable, her success scares her.

“Do you believe in yourself?” He asked

“No, I don’t”

“That’s where the whole phobia is coming from. You need to believe in the universal powers that nature has blessed us with to face our everyday struggles”

Jasmine squinted; she enjoyed his philosophizing. There was a lot she was learning these days. She felt Cory was more than a bodyguard. He was more of her teacher. She smiled and nudged him gently on his hands.

The flight continued, except for the silent hissing of the plane engines, silently. Cory stood still, His communicator in his hands buzzed as he tuned it to an active frequency. The Pilot announced sleepily that they would be landing in 40 minutes.

“Joe, come in, over,” Cory radioed.

“Joe’s in, over”

“What’s the situation over there at the airstrip,?”

“Except for some reporters, there are no threats”

“We would not risk anything, prep her double. Over”

“Copy that.”

Cory checked his wristwatch; they had less than 30 minutes now. He radioed the snipers.

“Damien, Lee; secure the perimeters, I repeat secure the perimeters”

“Copy that”

He checked his wristwatch again and radioed more security units.

“We would be using your double, too many reporters. Everyone already knows about the San Torino project. We would not land at your private airstrip, we would re-route the jet to the airport right away. The double should be en route to the airport in the other jet,” he briefed.

“That’s okay. I am not in the mood to explain why I am participating in a charity. I mean, I can’t tell anyone that I am doing it for soul searching,” She complained and Cory smiled.

“Lisa, book me for a video broadcast tomorrow by 4. I’d just do a random talk with a random TV and that’s all”

Jasmine took a long stare at Cory, she watched him give more orders to security, and she felt he was too serious, overworking.

“Cory, come have a drink with me”

“I need to be sober Jasmine; I am in the middle of something”

“Nobody told me pure lemonade was alcoholic. Join me, boy, it’s an order” she said smiling and Cory hesitated for a while before taking his seat beside her on one of the leather chairs in the plane.

“No, I meant to come closer,” Jasmine said and took her laptop off the chairs in front of her. She served him a glass and clinked. Cory chuckled lightly and sipped a little of the drink as if to make sure it was not alcoholic.

“We’d see a movie together tonight” She announced.

“Alright, where do you want to go? I can get you there as discreetly as I can. We can secure credentials and DOAs, we’d place cameras and get snipers on every building…..”Jasmine went into a charade of hysterical, throaty laughter.

“Oh! Come on, just you and I. We would buy out the whole cinema ticket and make it private. We can order fresh sea food and samaritans, we would watch and eat” Jasmine rattled on and on, and Cory for a split second thought the stress was taking its toll on her.

Soon, the tighten your seat belts sign came on, and the air hostesses went about helping the secretaries settle. The pilot descended the plane slowly until it touched the ground like a leaf gliding through the air from the tree.

“Joe, secure the perimeter, CEO’s coming out in 120 seconds”. Cory radioed as Jasmine prepared to come down. The motorcade of 6 Cadillac SUVs came in just in time. As if on cue, the doors were flung open just as Jasmine descended from the plane. They were on their way in full speed to Jasmine’s suburban mansion.

Later that evening, Cory was secretly discussing plans with the security team. Jasmine wanted a special time alone with him, devoid of all the protocols and shenanigans. She was becoming more obsessed with staying close to him. She allowed him to sit with her in executive meetings, in official assignments, and even when having briefings from her secretaries and while discussing with her father. They had recently gone to inspect a horse ranch with 30 horses, which had been put up for sale, and she had asked him what he felt about it.

Cory was enjoying the attention, but he decided he would not allow himself to be carried away by all the emotions, she was getting more powerful each day, and with more powers came more foes. She would need more protection even from herself. She was wild and careless; she still thought life was still as basic as it was when she was in college.

Cory drove her to the Cinema in a Dodge charger, he showed her his dexterity as he swerved off and on the lonely road. She cheered him loudly, jumping on her seat like a little child.