Code Name Sentinel (Jameson Force Security 2)

“She made the initial breakthrough on the research. Praemium snatched her up after I begged her to come to D.C. to be closer to us. What she’s doing is too important to the world not to use it for our government’s benefit.”

“Who’s this niece of yours?” Kynan asks, having fallen behind because I know more about Alexander’s family since I’d protected him for four years.

The president gives his attention to Kynan. “My niece is Barrett Alexander. She’s the one who got all the brains in our family. MIT educated with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and physics at the age of twenty, along with a master’s in electrical engineering and two PhDs, one in electrical engineering and one in physics by age twenty-six. She’s been in California the last six years, but she moved here to work for Praemium about four months ago.”

“The chatter pertained to her?” I hazard a guess.

He swallows hard. “Like I said… it was vague. Just her name and the research mentioned.”

“But why mention her name if it’s just the formulas they wanted?” I ponder.

“Nothing coming out of the Middle East should be taken lightly,” Kynan says with surety. “And if they said her name, you have to assume the plot is specifically against her.”

When he realizes we understand, the president’s expression turns relieved. “But it’s not enough to put military or further intelligence resources on it. Technically, this research is being conducted by a private organization. The government has to maintain some distance. But—”

“But it’s your niece, which makes it personal,” Kynan concludes.

The president nods, and I let my mind scroll backward to see what I remember about Barrett. I’d never met her. Just overheard conversations and seen some photos of her in the vice president’s house.

Her father—the president’s brother—died when she was really young—heart attack, I seem to remember. Her mom died when she was just heading off to college at the age of sixteen. That detail is easy to remember because she graduated high school two years early.

Jonathan Alexander—who was a U.S. Senator for the state of New Hampshire at the time—and his wife took her under their guardianship, but it was more in an advisory capacity as she was off at MIT expanding her brain pan with more knowledge. I struggle to recall what she even looks like. She was in California the entire time I had vice presidential detail with the Alexanders, so we never officially met.

Still, I heard enough during my time with the family to know he loves his niece like his own daughters, and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do to protect her.

“So this is off the books?” I ask.

“As far off the books as we can get,” he says. “I’ll be paying for this on my own, and very few people will know. Only my most trusted advisors in the White House.”

“The fewer the better,” Kynan suggests.

President Alexander locks his eyes on mine. Whatever he’s going to ask, I cannot say no to him.

“Cruce,” he begins, his voice slightly quavering. “I want you to be the one to personally protect her. She’s in a secure facility during the day as she works, but she’s vulnerable when not there. I want you stuck to her side when she’s not at work.”

I can do nothing but nod my agreement. This man I respect has just made it personal to me. While Kynan thinks the president is indebted to me, there’s an element that’s just the opposite. Once I became the man who saved his life, I became invested in his life as a whole. Besides, he’s a fantastic leader. He loves our country, and I believe in everything he stands for. And if it’s important to him that I keep his niece safe, then I’m going to oblige.

Kynan and Alexander start talking about what other resources he wants from Jameson. But I’ve already started thinking about what I’m going to need to adequately protect Barrett Alexander.

“She’s not going to like this,” the president says, the words catching my attention.

“What do you mean?” Kynan inquires.

Alexander blows out a huff of frustration. “Barrie is… well, she’s just super focused on her work. Always has been, to the point of being a bit antisocial. She’s also a little too independent, but worst of all… as independent as she is, she’s as equally naïve. Barrie won’t believe there’s a threat, or even if she does, she’ll push away efforts to protect her. She doesn’t like her routine being messed with.”

Kynan and I exchange a look. We’ve dealt with difficult people in our lines of work before, but we both know when protecting someone, they have to respect our position of authority over them so we can effectively do our jobs. For example, if I were to yell at the vice president to “get down” when I was on his protective duty, he should drop to the floor without a moment’s hesitation.