David had travelled out of the city for the sake of his daughter. He wanted to save his daughter and find a way to protect her from the incoming danger even though it meant that he wouldn’t be alive. Ava was all he had and he didn’t want to lose her to anyone and for any reason. When he got in contact with the gray-eyed young man, he knew that the man could protect her even though he was a killer. David wasn’t afraid that the gray-eyed man could harm his daughter. He was more afraid of the more dangerous people getting hold of his daughter. He had looked at the young man’s photo and booked a meeting with him for that afternoon and he came early so that he wouldn’t give a bad impression to the young man.
He sipped from his coffee and saw the young man walk into the coffee shop. He was exactly on time as they agreed and David was totally convinced that the young man could help him.
“It’s nice to meet you. I am David Hayes,” He said, stretching out his hand for a handshake.
“Philip Browne, it’s also nice to meet you,” the young man said with a slight smile, as he shook David’s hands.
They both sat down and David ordered an extra coffee for Philip. He was glad to have finally met the young man that he had been longing to see. “Thank you for agreeing to meet up with me,” David said.
“I have heard so many things about you, Mr. David. I really hope that the business that you want to discuss is worth my time here.”
“Of course, it is worth your time. It’s a long-term contract with you.”
“A long-term contract for what?” Philip asked as he sipped from the cup of coffee that had been brought to him by the waitress.
“It concerns something very important to me,” he said.
“What is it?”
“It’s my daughter,” he said, leaning closer with his elbows resting on the table.
“I am listening,” Philip said.
“A war that I have foreseen is coming and I want you to protect my daughter from it,” David didn’t know how Philip was going to react but he had a strong feeling that the young man would refuse his proposal.
“What you are asking me to do is impossible.” Philip said without mincing words. As disappointed as David was, he didn’t show it because he expected it to happen.
“You have seen them. You know what they can do.”
“I have seen them, yes and if they want someone, that’s the end of the matter.” Philip said. David knew that the young man was saying the truth but he wasn’t satisfied with the response. It was obvious that Philip could do the job of protecting Ava.
“That’s the reason I want you to protect her. She is the reason why I am still alive,” David said. “She is the only family I have left.”
“You knew who I was and what I do but you still insisted on calling for me.”
“You were the first person that he mentioned and by that, I knew that you were the perfect person for this job.”
“Mr. David, I kill. I don’t protect. I guess he didn’t tell you that.” Philip said while adjusting the ring on the middle finger of his right hand. Apart from the ring, David also noticed a black skeleton tattoo on his left neck. His eyes were pure gray and whenever he looked at something with a different color, his eyes would automatically adapt and change into that color. David didn’t know how dangerous Philip was, but he discovered that someone like Philip didn’t need to show it. It was obvious even by taking a look at him.
“Then kill to protect.” David said firmly. He watched as Philip’s gray eyes got in contact with his. There was this loneliness and anger that he could see in Philip’s eyes. It was connected to the fact that he was refusing to protect Ava.
“I already told you, Mr. Hayes. I can’t protect her,” Philip said and stood up from the chair, “I do hope that you find someone else who can do the job.”
“What if I don’t?” David said as soon as Philip started to walk away from him.
“Then know that you can’t protect her,” he replied, before walking out of the coffee shop.
David sighed out of disappointment and took out his phone, when he heard it ringing. “Yes, Ken.”
“She is sick again,” Ken said.
“Why? What happened to her?” He could feel the vibration of his own voice as he spoke. He didn’t want another bad news to add to another bad news.
“I think it happened at the party.”
“Send for the doctor and make sure that she is well taken care of. I still have some things to settle before heading back.”
“Did the meeting go well? ”
“He declined my proposal. I tried to convince him but he refused.”
“I think that she should be in Greene City,” Ken said.
“Bringing her here will be even more dangerous. This City is the home to most of those lethal gangs.”
“Among those gangs, you might see some that are ready to protect her. You can’t rely only on one person, besides he might never accept the job offer. ”
“I will think about it, Ken. Just…. take care of her for now.” David said and hung up. He had travelled all the way from his city to Greene City to meet Philip, and even though the young man refused his proposal, David wasn’t willing to give up.
*********
David opened the door to his room in a hotel and walked in with a troubled mind. As far as he was concerned, everything was wrong. Nothing was working properly and neither could he control those events. With his mind, still on the proposal he made to Philip, he reached for his phone in his pocket and dialled Tyler’s number. There was a buzzing voice in the background of the phone before the call was answered.
“Let me guess, it didn’t go well as you planned,” Tyler said bluntly over the phone.
“I didn’t know that he would refuse my offer,” David said.
“He refused your offer? ”
“Yes he did. That’s why I called you.”
“I thought he knew how to protect but clearly, he doesn’t. Maybe that’s why he refused your offer.”
“So what do I do? I can’t leave this city without getting what I came for.”
“Don’t be stubborn, David. Green City is a forest saturated with wild animals, not trees. You could get killed.”
“What do you propose I should do?” David asked in sincere frustration and there was silence between them for a while.
“Greene City is a dangerous place, David. Many innocent people have been killed but another fact is, if you want your daughter to be protected,” Tyler said, breaking the silence, “Then, she should be with you in Greene City.”
“You are speaking in riddles, Tyler.”
“There are some gangs that I could hire for you. They can protect her for the time being. But, Philip is the best option for you. For someone who knows how to kill as he does, he also knows how to protect,” Tyler said, “There must be a reason why he isn’t accepting your offer.”
“So do you propose I try to contact him again?”
“Do everything you can to get him to agree but first, your daughter must be by your side.”
David sighed and sat down on his bed, “I will prepare to bring Ava over, but I don’t want you to hire any gang for me. I will try my best to protect her while I negotiate with Philip.”
“If that’s what you want, then I won’t object,” Tyler said
“Goodbye, I need to sleep.” David said, before hanging up. The next thing he had to do was to bring his daughter over to Green City. He never planned to do such a thing, but he had to do what he had to do just to make sure that she was safe.