Anything but love (closed)

"Yes, I am sure that Johan will be happy to get paid to escort you home. After all, he always wants the easy jobs. That is probably why he said he was delayed and couldn't get here in time."

Ryan returned to his room and began to pack his bag. He would vacate the premises as soon as Johan arrived. He wondered why he cared so much for her when she couldn't stand to be around him.
 
Her fathers words bounced around most unwelcome in her head.

You go after tough assignments and ask the tough question and yet... you don't treat what you want in life the same way.

Alarms began going off in the city and the sounds of weapons fire and mortars rattled the avenue their hotel suite was nestled on.
 
As he stood in his room after packing his bag, Ryan thought about her. He wondered why he could never get her out of his mind. As aggravating as she was, there was something about her that he found captivating.

The sound of gunshots and mortar rounds exploding snapped him from his daydream. He reacted immediately....grabbing his weapons and sprinting toward her suite. He didn't hesitate barging into her room. He grabbed her by the arm and told her to grab whatever she needed, and he began to drag her toward the door. He was going to take her to an interior room away from the gunshots and mortar explosions.
 
Guess you won't be able to just run away this time like you wanted.

She grabbed her gear and her true report article as she got dragged from the room deeper into the suite.

Why do you hate them hiring you?
 
"I had no intention of running away. I was simply giving the client what she wanted. You said you did not feel comfortable with me, so, I got somebody else for you." He closed the door behind them and took out the radio in an attempt to monitor local frequencies and see what he could ascertain.

"Why do I hate them hiring me? Well, I don't enjoy working with a client that is so hostile. It is bad enough that the people I am trying to protect you from are hostile, but then I have to deal with you constantly being a pain in my ass. You are always bitching about how I do my job. Your publishers know just one thing though.....when they hire me, you make it back alive"
 
Things need to be handled certain ways and they do not always include armed distrust of senior citizens and children. We have to come across better kinder more compassionate than the people killing them. Why don't you get that?

The occupying forces were trying to squash protesters no matter how peaceful they were with the destruction of ancient and or sacred sites. Told however to be careful of the clueless journalist and her American gorilla assistant. If they were to ask any questions the locals were to blame attack king soldiers with stolen weapons.
 
"You are the one that doesn't get it. It is not my job to be nice to anyone. My only job is to deliver the merchandise safely back to where it came from. When I am working with you, you are the merchandise. I am paid to protect you......I am not paid to be nice to anybody, to be diplomatic with anybody, nor to trust anybody."
 
You want to help me... you want to be around... and protect me better then when I need you to be less combative... just do it... you can be alert and all that without looking like the people that have been killing them
 
"You don't get to tell me how to do my job. Just like I don't tell you how to do your job. You go home alive from every assignment. That is my only concern. If that is not good enough for you, then you know what my answer is."
 
She just sat there if he would be less blatant about it everything would go much smoother and it would not take her as long to win over those she needs to talk to. and it wouldn't kill him to wear civilian clothes. He might actually look good in them. She hated thinking about him like that but those thoughts kept sneaking into her mind... but why. She glanced over at him before shifting her eyes to her stuff to see if she had everything.
 
He looked at her and his frustration made him grit his teeth. How could someone who he was attracted to make him so crazy? He admired her passion, but her thick headedness rove him crazy. Maybe it was because they were so much alike. He was as thick headed as she was...just about different things.

"I am not sure why you don't understand that I am not a diplomat. I am here for you. I will do anything to protect you and keep you safe......anything. Being nice, however, does not keep you safe. You want a bodyguard that plays nice with the locals. That is a recipe for disaster, because the bad guys have a tendency to disguise themselves as locals, or to recruit locals to do their dirty work..... Yes, that includes old women and children. They kill you just as dead as any soldier or guerrilla. So, if you want to get your pretty self home safely, you will follow my lead." He couldn't believe he said that, but it was too late...it was out.
 
She quickly looked back at him after he said that. It briefly reminded her that she had forgotten a crucial file in the other room and quickly ran to get it though part of her running was to put distance between herself and the words she heard him utter as it tugged at those infernal feelings she did not think and could not believe he could possibly share.
 
As she ran out of the room, he followed her with his AR-15 at the ready. He hated when she did shit like this, but he was pretty sure that his words were what drove her to run out of the room, so, he didn't say anything to her about running out.

The gunfire outside was not as frequent, and the mortar fire had stopped. He insisted, however, that she return to the inner room for a little longer. He wanted to make sure it was really safe before they remained outside of the inner room.
 
Finding the file she grabbed it putting it with the others and following him back to the inner room.

Can't let any of this get lost or ruined.

She looked to him still not sure what to make of what he said and not liking her mind going back to those feelings and thoughts.

Do you really hate me so much? Is it because of the kind of people I expose and the fact that you seem to always be one assignment choice away from being just like them or working for people like them?
 
"I have never said that I hate you. What I dislike is that you want to tell me how to do my job. I have one simple responsibility, and that is to keep you safe and get you back home. When I am doing my job, I am not concerned with being nice. It has nothing to do with the work you do. I have no ill feelings for the people you are trying to help, nor do I have any positive feelings for the people you are trying to expose. Until proven otherwise...EVERYONE is a threat to you"
 
I just don't see why you have to be such an ass all the time you can remotely act like you are having fun or even want to be here and helping me wouldn't kill you much less your attitude makes my job harder and makes it take longer... you want to get me home safe quicker... cheer up get over your ego and work with me.
 
"Oh, okay....now I am an ass for doing my job well. At least I am not putting people in danger just so I can feel good about how I treat people." He walked out of the room....frustrated with her. Standing against the wall beside the door he couldn't wait till this. Mission was over so he could get away from all of these conflicted emotions.
 
The noises of the attack had died down and moved on and she really just needed to get out and get some fresh air and clear her mind sick of the conflicted feelings and wanting him to be willing to be even remotely flexible she was already being flexible accepting him being there and armed all the time and overly protective. What changed... he used to help her before... why did that change. Nothing bad had happened because of it but now he was being an inflexible ass.
 
As he stood outside the inner room he thought about their history. He had become more and more protective of her as time went on. Was that because of his feelings for her? Was he more protective because he found her attractive? Did the fact that he cared for her influence the way he protected her? He didn't think so. He believed that he gave each of his clients the best possible service. His mind wandered and he thought more about it. Then, he heard the door open and turned to see her coming out of the room.
 
She did not stop till she was down stairs and out of the building. She looked around and began helping as she could. A soldier started to approach her till she turned to face him and he saw the tag around the camera strap and nodded but very blatently avoided any pictures.
 
This was the shit that drove him crazy. This was not mingling with old people and children. This was out in public.....out where anyone could be someone to hurt her. He saw the soldier approach her and he took aim until the soldier backed off when seeing the camera.

He went over to her. "What do you want me to do? How can I help you? The quicker we got this done the quicker I can get you back inside to safety." He hated doing this because it took his focus away from where threats might be coming from, but it would be quicker this way.
 
She whipped around seeing him there she just nodded.

Help me help these people or find out exactly who did this.

Her attention was quickly pulled away by a little child crying and tugging on her then on him pointing to what had been the awning and frontage of a cafe next door to their suite. The little girl kept saying something through her crying and she slowly got the child to calm down so she could understand her.

Nevermind all of that... rubble removal she thinks her sister is in there that is where her sister works lets go... NOW!

She had the little girl sit down next to a Dr who was trying to check everyone out and told her to stay there. The Dr was on vacation and staying in the same building as they were and recognized her from some of her past articles and reports. He tried to distract the little girl by getting her to be his helper.
 
He heard her say that the little girl's sister was trapped. He sprinted ahead. As he ran, he heard her say let's go. He reached the building and started pulling at the rubble. He dug into the debris searching for the girl. He was determined to find her. He worked furiously.....nothing else mattered......he had to find her.
 
She secured the camera behind her and began helping him as they uncovered other patrons and employees till they found the older sister trapped with her leg under the ancient stones that created the inner walls of what had once been a nice little coffee cafe.
 
He turned to her and yelled, "stand above her head and grab her under her arms. I am going to lift the stone. When I do, you pull her out and then I will carry her out of here."

He walked over to the stone and waited until she was in position. When she was, he attempted to move the stone. It didn't budge. He was not, however, going to let this girl stay like that. He wasn't sure if it was an extreme adrenaline rush, but his next attempt allowed him to lift the rock enough to free the girl's leg. When the girl's leg was clear, he dropped the stone, and went and picked up the girl and carried her out to receive medical attention.
 
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