Chapter 600 Protecting the Princess
"Mr. Smith, I have a task for you," Rolf said straightforwardly.
James raised an eyebrow and asked, "What task?"
Rolf replied, "We need you to protect someone."
James paused, letting the silence hang for a moment before shooting back, "Mr. Tackett, thought my gig at the NSA was whipping your recruits into shape. Since when did I sign up to play babysitter?"
Rolf let out a wry smile. "Look, I know this is way above your pay grade. But the truth is, we're strapped for talent right now. We don't have the experts to pull this off, so we're turning to you. Think of it more as a favor than an assignment."
He was laying it on thick, appealing to James's sense of duty and emotion, which only made James frown harder.
James signed up to coach at the NSA to keep some distance. He knew the deal: once you get tangled up in national-level stuff, there's no easy way out.
On top of that, James had this gut feeling. Sunlandia looked peaceful on the surface, but something was simmering beneath. He could sense it—a storm brewing, just out of sight.
And then there was the NSA itself. Back in the day, it was stacked with talent, boasting several fourth-stage martial artists. But now? Only Rolf and the elusive head honcho. The reason was that, a few years back, the NSA had gone head-to-head with some shadowy group, and it didn't end well. A lot of good people didn't make it out.
The fact that Rolf was willing to break protocol and practically beg James told him one thing: this wasn't just some run-of-the-mill job. It was big. Messy. And probably dangerous.
Seeing James's silence, Rolf continued, "Look, James, I get it. You've always kept your distance from the NSA. You're a Smith, and I heard you're stepping up as the family head. I respect that. But this job—it's about someone critical to the agency. I'm asking you to think about the bigger picture here, even if it's just a straight-up business transaction."
James stared intently at Rolf, trying to see if he was acting.
Rolf met his gaze openly and honestly.
James could see that Rolf was serious. He asked, "Who is the person to be protected?"
Later that day, James returned to the City of Mysteries. It wasn't because he'd turned Rolf down—quite the opposite. He'd agreed to the job, but it was going to take a month. A whole damn month.
He needed to explain things to Jennifer before he left.
James spent three days in the City of Mysteries, making love to Jennifer more than ten times. By the time he left, Jennifer was completely worn out, and James wasn't exactly eager to go either.
Soon after, he boarded the NSA's private jet, bound for another bustling city.
This time, he was to protect a woman as a bodyguard.
Yes, Rolf wanted James to protect a princess from Frostreach's royal family who was visiting Sunlandia. Apparently, she'd become a target for some shady, dangerous group, and there was a real risk of her getting snatched.
Sunlandia didn't have a personal stake in her safety, but international politics emanded they keep her alive while she was on their turf. Once she left? Not their problem anymore.
Originally, Sidney was supposed to handle this gig, but after getting his butt handed to him by James and nursing his wounds, he'd flat-out refused and tossed James's name into the ring instead.
So, with no other options, Rolf had to swallow his pride and come crawling to James for help.
James learned from Rolf about the nature of this task. The princess had a domineering personality and had come to Sunlandia on her own whim.
To be honest, James had no interest in such a task. But since it was Rolf's request, he couldn't refuse.
Meanwhile, as James was still on his way, inside a ridiculously over-the-top mansion, the princess was already making her diva demands.
"I'm so bored I could scream! I didn't come to Sunlandia to be stuck in this gilded cage. There's a concert tonight, and I'm going, whether anyone likes it or not!" the tall, stunning woman barked, clearly not in the mood for excuses.
She was the target James was to protect, the princess of the Frostreach royal family.
Unlike most Frostreach women, she had a mixed-race vibe, with smoother, less textured skin than the usual Frostreach look.
She was stunning, the kind of beauty that turned heads. She looked young, maybe eighteen or nineteen. But Frostreach girls grow up fast, and at that age, she already had a killer figure.
Standing at 5'10", her legs were straight-up lethal—long enough to make anyone's jaw drop.
"Your Highness, the king made it clear—you're not to step out until the agent from Sunlandia gets here," Zaiden said, bowing slightly.
The princess rolled her eyes. "It's been ten hours, and still no one! Sounds like they're just stalling to keep me stuck in this place!"
"Your Highness, please, just hang tight. The agent should be here any minute. Sunlandia's pulling out all the stops this time—sending their top agent to keep you safe. Then you'll have the run of Sunlandia," Zaiden reassured her.
The princess scoffed. "Sunlandia's agents? Useless. They might as well send a damn tour guide!"
Behind the princess stood a Frostreach man, looking around forty years old. He sneered and said, "Sunlandia's agents are all trash, all show and no substance."
"Uncle Gray, will you protect me?" the princess asked, blinking her eyes.
The agent called Uncle Gray bowed respectfully, "Your Highness, with me here, no one can harm you."
Beside Gary were two other people, a man and a woman, also agents responsible for protecting the princess. They were both very strong, with sharp eyes. If James were here, he would see that these two were third-stage martial artists. And Uncle Gray was a fourth-stage martial artist.
The princess said, "Then why do we need to wait for Sunlandia's agents? It makes no difference whether they're here or not. Let's go out now. I want to try Sunlandia's food!"
"Your Highness," Zaiden tried to stop her, but the princess and the three agents were confident and decided to leave without waiting for the agents from Sunlandia.
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
Zaiden went to open the door and saw a young man with a backpack standing at the door. "Who are you?"
"My name is James, the agent sent by Sunlandia to protect the princess."
Yes, it was James.
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