The Rising Star

[ERedBoyd]

Axel Cadell, stood relaxed in a stool at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel bar in downtown Hollywood, sipping on a club soda and glancing about the room at the groups of other people all clustered in their proverbial groups talking quietly among themselves. There was a feeling of jittery nervousness that could felt throughout the room. He knew that each of these clusters of people were all there for the same reason as him. They were answering a call for a new security team to put on retainer for an up and coming starlet. The name of this woman had been intentionally withheld from the ads for obvious security reasons.

"So Axel what do you think so far?" A woman said who stood next to him, leaning on the bar and drinking a small glass of wine. He turned and looked at one of his own team named Jeanette Wilson. She had been one of his first hires that he had made as he had been assembling his team. She was a whiz when it came to computer security, multitiered network defense and network risk assessment and management. She wore a pinstripe suit and skirt that went down to just below her knees. Her hair was back in a bun and she carried a laptop case on her shoulder like a purse which held her system.

Axel glanced around the room slowly and said, "Well, this is the second round of interviews. Looks like we made it through, along with Sergeant Private Security, Lock PS, and Centurion. They have Napalm already in the back being interviewed." He turned towards Jeanette and spoke softly to her saying, "You have hacked into each of their systems right?"

She smiled and said, "Cakewalk all three times."

"Good. We are a shoe in. So relax. Drink your drink and relax." He said.

Feeling a bit more reassured, she sipped on her wine and checked her watch. Their team would be called any minute.

A man walked into the room, looking every bit of a battle hardened warrior wearing a grey suit and tie, light brown beard and military cut hair. Axel raised a hand and said, "Joel, over here."

Joel spotted Axel and quickly crossed the room to meet up with his boss. He said, "I am sorry boss. There was an accident on the interstate that backed traffic up some." Joel Lesnar was a former Navy SEAL, military instructor, weapons instructor, and in charge of his security team rotations. Joel was his second in command in his company Axel Security Services.

Axel himself, was a retired Major from Special Operations after 20 years of service. He and Joel often sparred together, honing each other's fighting techniques and ragging on each other about which elite forces were the best. Joel was possibly once of Axel's best friends on this planet. They trusted each other with their lives. He checked his watch saying, "We should be going in at any minute. Glad your here buddy."

Joel leaned in and said, "Any idea who the diva is who is hiring the team?"

Axel looked at Jeanette who looked a bit frustrated and shook her head. Axel did as well. He said, "Not yet."

Joel shook his head slightly and said, "Alright."

The three of them completed the recruitment team.

Just as Joel was about to pick up a beer for himself, a young black woman in a business suit stepped into the hallway as another team as the members of Napalm Security Services walked past her towards the lobby looking a bit admonished. Axel smiled. Napalm was a stupid name for a security service. She looked down at her clipboard and said, "Will the representatives of Axel Security follow me please?"

Axel looked at his two partners and said, "Well, here we go..." He grabbed his case and the three walked up to her and back to the conference room for their second round of interviews.

 

[PlayfulDevil192]

Taylor Pierce a rising starlet. She had landed her big break about a year and half ago by playing the survivor in a season of some horror series. She would have been in this position then, but seeing as she was still a minor, her guardians had made it very clear that she would finish out her schooling first. Sadly for them, she turned 18 over the summer and, no longer being a minor, had made arrangements to take her classes and assignments online whenever she wasn't filming. And yet being 18, didn't seem to matter. To anyone. Not her agent, not the directors...no one cared. She had expected to get a say in things, to have a voice. But choices were being made for her. Like now. Taylor had absolutely put a foot down on having a private security team. She still wanted to be normal. She still wanted to go out with friends, go to the movies, for fast food, to the mall for 'retail therapy' as a stress relief. But was anyone listening to her? Nope. No one. It was absolutely frustrating! To a point that Taylor wanted to shove her face into a pillow and scream if she knew she wasn't likely to just get lectured by the make up team for ruining their artwork on her face. So instead she sat there huffing and quietly browsing her phone.

She barely paid any attention as Christine walked the team she had been interviewing out and went to get the next ones. How much longer is this going to take? Taylor thought to herself, glancing to the top of her screen to see the time. We've been at this for hours! With a sigh, she fished out her ear pods from her purse and put them in and put on some music. Letting her phone sit on her lap with her hand on it as she turned her attention to gaze out the window. Bored and wishing she were anywhere but here. And she was hungry...and not in the mood to have another salad or some veggie dish shoved at her. She wanted something greasy. Pizza? Hmm...no, no. A chicken sandwich maybe? That did sound good. But not quiet. Her stomach grumbled and her arms wrapped around herself. A burger...she wanted a burger and fries. She then began to wonder what her chances of getting this meal would be or would she have to slip her detail again? That's what got you into this mess. That voice in the back of her head grumbled. It wasn't wrong, but she didn't want to hear it either. It wasn't her fault, well it was, her previous 'guards' had been easy to 'distract' by angling herself just right in their rearview mirrors while secretly slipping out her heels and into her sketchers. And red lights! Red lights had become her friends for slipping out of the car and booking it through the busy streets till she had lost them. It had been fun and she had never been so thankful for taking track in school.

Taylor looks over as Christine walked in with the new team...and perked up a bit. There was a woman among them! Well...That was a bonus. And it would be nice to have a girl around to talk to that may just sympathize with her. At least a little...Well, she hoped. "Taylor...Taylor." Christine huffed when she realized the teen couldn't hear her. She walked over and shook her shoulder. Taylor turned her music down a bit and took out one of her ear pods as she continued to scan the rest of the team till her baby blues settled on who she presumed to be the head of the team. "Come and say hi to Mr. Cadell and his team." He wasn't bad looking. He was for sure older than her. Like...enough so to be her dad or her uncle. She snorted a bit and rolled her eyes as she looked back out the window.

"I'm hungry. Can I PLEASE have a damn burger and some fries?" She grumbled. Christine only sighed and resisted to throw her hands up in frustration.

"Fine, but o-"

"I'm not settling for this, 'only once' crap! God..." And with that, Taylor put her ear pod back in and turned her music up as Christine groaned but made the call for the teens food before turning back to Axel.

 

[ERedBoyd]

Axel walked into the room with his team and found himself in a rather open conference room with a large oval table surrounded by wheeled chairs, a white board on one wall, neutral paint on the wall, and a few strategically chosen black and white photos of inspirational images and phrases on them. In other words, a typical conference room. At the table, a team of 4 people sat calmly looking through some paperwork. There had been two men and two women. Axel recognized one of the men almost immediately and smirked.

He also noticed one young woman in the corner with her ear buds in and looking pouty and sullen and figured it to be the starlet in disguise. Given the recent talk about her taking her first lead role in a new action movie that involved a particular young starlet that fit her description, suspected this to be Taylor Pierce herself. The problem was he had seen her tv series she had been in and the best he could have said about it despite all the critics raving about her performance and all the awards she was being nominated for because of the movie, the best review he could give her on her performance had been ... meh. It had been okay but not really seen what the fuss had been about. Truth was, he suspected that had Hollywood's number one producer and director of the picture Gregory Bay not been attached to the project, he suspected her little horror series might had slipped into the annals of history unnoticed. It had been the director that had gotten her the fame she had found, not her own talents. But then again, who was he to judge.

As they approached, the four at the table all stood up and the lady in the middle said, "Hello there! My name is Heather Brotherton, I represent the Talent Manager of the young lady who is retaining security services." She shook his hand, "This is my associate Kiana Scott" She had pointed to the black woman who had led them in. He also knew this woman was personal assistant of Miss Sommers which validated his theory. He shook her hand as well.

She pointed to the man he knew well and said, "Brett! Long time no see old friend!" They shook hands as though they had been friends a long time.

Heather said, "You two know each other?"

Axel said, "We served together. Saved each other's can more than a few times out there on assignment."

She glanced to Brett and eyed him saying, "Yes, he didn't mention that. Well, he represents our firm's security liaison who is review applicants with us. And this gentleman," She said pointing to the last man and said, "Is Caleb Gentry. He is our Human Resources liaison as well."

Axel smiled and shook his head too and noticed the woman again in the corner and had this odd feeling she was looking intensely at him for some reason. He ignored it for a time, introduced his own team and the seven adults sat down and began going through the interview. Jeanette walked through the cyber-security protocols for home security as well as online presence. Joel talked about the team he had hired on, provided the sleeves of each agent to the recruiting team to review as well. Axel himself sat back and answered questions as needed like a leader should, comfortable and calm.

After about 45 minutes, they completed the interview and all began to stand up... preparing to be dismissed out so the next team could come in to be interviewed. Heather made one glance over to Taylor to see if she wanted to add anything or say anything before they moved on. All seven sets of eyes turned to her...

 

[PlayfulDevil192]

When Jeanette began talking, Taylor took her ear pod out to listen as she went out about how protected her home security system would be. Taylor was...a little impressed at the woman before she put her ear pod back in. Tuning out the conversation as she waited for this whole thing to be over so she could go eat, though she had enjoyed watching the epic failure of the teams prior. Her eyes looked over to Jeanette and smirked a bit. I bet she had something to do with that. Taylor thought, chuckling to herself. She looked up briefly when she felt all the eyes on her. Sighing, she took her ear pods out, paused her music, and stuck the ear pods back into their charging case as she pocketed her phone. "They're doable....but I still didn't ask for this." She said before storming past and out of the room. She was relieved to be flagged by Christine with her food and led into another private room to eat.

Christine sighed at Taylor as she sat down in one of the seats as the blonde ate. Security at the door. "Taylor..." The blonde looked up. Looking the woman over. Christine was her, far as Taylor was concerned, her 'baby sitter'. She really wasn't. She was just one of the many assistants between Heather and Kiana. But Christine was also married and a mother of two girls. Taylor suppose she was chosen because Heather and Kiana thought the woman would be 'motherly' towards Taylor. Keep her tame.

"Don't start, Christine. I'm not in the mood to hear it." Taylor muttered, eagerly eating one of her fries.

"We're only trying to keep you safe, sweetie. LA can be dangerous for girls like you. Between the paparazzi and fans or stalkers...Not to mention the every day average criminals!"

"Are you saying that because you care..." Taylor looked at her, pointing a fry at her. "Or because that's what you're hired to tell me?" She snarked. Taylor did feel kinda bad for acting like a brat to the woman who worked her ass off, in the blonde's opinion. But she had warned the woman she wasn't in the mood for it. "If you're going to talk, then can you call the car around and take me home so I can eat in peace?" Christine relented and sat there quietly for the remainder of their time here. Allowing Taylor to eat.

 

[ERedBoyd]

Slowly, the team turned and looked back at Axel and said, "Well, thank you all for your time. We will be reaching a decision hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow."

Axel let his gaze stay on the starlet a moment before sliding back to the meeting and smiling warmly and offering his hand. Soon, his team was dismissed and the next team brought in for their interview.

~~~ Later that night ~~~

"Sir, we need to talk...." a young red headed woman of the age of 22 by the name of Adele Porter said as she looked up at Axel from his front door step. Adele was 5'1" tall, wearing thin green sundress and heels. She also wore a silver eternity collar on her neck which glistened and made her skin glow.

Axel glanced out towards the car sitting on the street by his home in the quiet little suburb he lived in. A young man in his mid 20's set there in the driver's seat looking a bit nervous stared over at the two of them. Axel and said, "Who is he?"

"The reason we need to talk sir." She said calmly as she glanced back to the young man and waved reassuringly.

"Come in." He stepped aside and waited as she stepped into the house and closed and locked the door behind him. She walked a knowing walk to the recliner which sat in the corner of the main living room. She reached up to the strap holding her dress on and began to undo it.

Axel said, "You may leave it on. I think I know what this is about." He walked to the chair and sat down, looking up at her with expectation.

Her face flushed slightly and then she lowered down to her knees in what the lifestyle would refer to as the Nadu slave position. Knees shoulder width apart, hands on her knees palm up, back straight, chest out, head forward and eyes down. It was clear she was very familiar with this pose though usually without clothing on. Axel waited a moment till she was in the correct pose and said, "Slave, you may now address your Master."

"Master. I... have fallen in love." She said hesitantly.

"I can see that." He said with a grin. He peeked out the window to the car and saw the guy looking nervous glancing at the door. He said, "What is his name?"

"Michael. He is amazing Master. I love him so much. I want to spend my life with him." She said eyes down but unable to hide a small glow as she spoke.

"You wish for me to release you from the collar then?" Axel asked calmly.

"If... it pleases you Master. I wish your blessing." She said and glanced up at him.

Axel smiled at her, leaned down and knuckled her chin to make her look up at him and said, "You look positively radiant. I am so happy for you!" He reached to a small box tucked away in the end table drawer and pulled out a hex wrench and said, "I grant your release baby... and you have my blessing!" He took the wrench to the collar, locating the small hex head bolt that held it all together and began to work it loose.

After a moment, the collar popped open and he removed it from her neck, then closed it and tightened the bolt back into the collar. He handed it to her with the wrench and said, "Will he be your new Master now?"

"I don't know sir." She said, "He is still kind of learning all about it."

"Well if he needs to learn about it, have him come see me. I will teach him whatever I can for you. You deserve happiness." Axel said calmly and stood up, offering a hand to her to help her to her feet.

As soon as she was on her feet, she flung herself into his big arms and said, "Thank you sir! Thank you for everything! I will never ever forget you."

Axel smiled and kissed her forehead and said, "Neither will I. Come on... before he has a heart attack." He led her to the front door and kissed her hand once more and watched as she headed back to her car. She waved once more and then they took off.

He turned and headed back into his house when his phone began to ring. He locked the door behind him and opened the phone. It was from Jeanette. He said, "Yes?"

"We got it! We got the gig! I just got the phone call boss! We are not the elite security team for Ruby Sommers!" She said with barely contained enthusiasm!

He looked at empty road once more through the peep hole. He was going to miss his little pain slut. He said, "That is great! When do we start?"

"Tomorrow morning 0800. I will send you the address and key code to get into her gates." She said.

Axel smiled to himself once more and said, "I will see you in the morning then. Sleep well." He hung up his phone and headed to bed.

 

[PlayfulDevil192]

Later that evening, Taylor sat there in her bed with her laptop situated in her legs. Her Facebook pulled up (now under a different name), and was looking through some photos. Staring at the faces of her friends and laughing at some of the good memories. Like one of them had her and two other girls posing with their best pouting, 'we're so hot' faces in a dressing mirror. They had been trying on cute dresses and outfits. Taylor shook her head, her blonde hair up in a messy bun for the evening. She missed simple, funny moments like that. Taylor sighed and eventually logged out of her social media and shut down her laptop for the night.

Climbing out of her four poster, canopy bed, dressed in a cute pair of pajama shorts and a tank top, the went over to her desk and plugged her laptop back in before going to the bathroom to apply her nightly facial mask. While she did this, her mind wondered back to her very long, and exhausting day. The first thing she had done upon getting home was make it clear that she was sick of being around people and wanted to be alone for the night. And with some protest from Kiana, Heather, and Christine, she eventually got her way after being informed her new security team would be here tomorrow morning at 8am sharp. Taylor had groaned and replied with, "Fine! But if I'm going to be up that early I want my Pumpkin Spice Latte and some blueberry muffins!" then stormed off for her room. She knew Christine would be here with the requested order. Anything to keep the starlet happy. Taylor rolled her eyes. If that were true, she wouldn't be in her current mess! Regardless, her desire for silence and being alone lasted for all of an hour before she had either her tv up loud or some music playing from a speaker while she lounged in a warm bubble bath.

Again, Taylor recalled that there would be a woman on her team. "Finally...someone to make going to the bathroom way less awkward!" She murmured to herself. That had always been one of her biggest pet peeves. One of her body guards had always tried to follow her into a restroom 'for her safety'. Like damn, couldn't a girl just go do her thing in peace! She hated having to put up a fight while needing to change her tampon or her pad or simply having to go to the damn bathroom! "Like, why is it so hard for them to shut up and wait outside!?" She growled to herself. At least with Jeanette it wouldn't be so bad. If someone had to follow her in, it would be her. Hands down.

Taylor quickly brushed her teeth, re-did her messy bun for the night, and applied her facial mask after giving her face a quick wash and a pat down. Turning off the lights she snuggled up into bed. Making sure her phone was on its charger and plugged in with her alarm set before her head hit the pillow. Her eyes closing as she fell asleep.

 

[ERedBoyd]

~~~~ 0700 hours ~~~~

The next morning, Axel met with Jeanette at the location she had given him. As he stepped inside a conference room on the ground floor of a gorgeous luxury condo. Jeanette and Joel, as well as about a half dozen of his security team (4 men and 2 women) stood inside the room Axel said, "What is going on here? I thought we are meeting Ruby today?"

She smiled and set up her laptop on the table and said, "You will in a little bit. Today is going to be an interesting day boss. We are helping her relocate to a new apartment. Her agent has made a series of recommendations which I looked over this morning around 3AM..."

Axel yawned and said, "Don't you ever sleep?"

"Plenty of time for that later. We got to make a good impression! So like I said, I went through the security details for this place and it has a LOT to be desired. For example, there is no kind of encryption on any of the traffic going in or out of this building. Encryption only takes place at the personal level. Don't they know who lives here?!?! They need encryption and don't get me started on the network speed of this play! Can you say this building has a running chance to steal the phrase snail mail from the post office!" She pulled up the laptop and booted it up.

Axel noticed she seemed jittery as she worked and talked and he said, "How many cups of coffee have you had this morning?"

Jeanette blushed slightly and pointed towards a mostly empty coffee pot sitting on a breakfast nook against the wall. Axel glanced at the men and they all seemed to say the same thing with their eyes. Too much. Axel smiled and said, "I see. Might want to switch to decaf for the rest of the day."

"Sure sure." She said dismissively and spun the laptop to him and said, "Now that we have the approval, I have all the contracts prepared for install the security feeds throughout the condo. We have been given the okay to take over this conference room for a meeting point for our security detail."

"Okay. Well, Day 1 ladies and gents. So for starters, I am going to take Rebecca and Sam with me to go pick her up and escort her about. Joel will set up the rotations for you. Two on site at all times. Before you break away, you will need to help her set up the security for the place. We intend on being as un-intrusive as humanly possible and still provide coverage 24/7. Alright, let's move."

 

[PlayfulDevil192]

Taylor frowned at all the empty rooms around her as she sipped on her coffee. Picking at the blueberry muffin. It wasn't that she hadn't been hungry, she was...but part of her actually felt nervous about today, and those nerve were wrecking havoc on her stomach. She had known this move day was coming for a while now. But it hadn't been till towards the end of last month, when the search began for her newly hired security, did stuff start getting packed up. Everything that wasn't packed and moved out over the last couple of days had been enough to get her through till today. Security or no. Taylor was sad to leave this place. She liked it here and there was nothing wrong with this place far as she was concerned. But again...it wasn't like anyone listened to her. "Taylor...sweetie, you need to eat." Christine's voice sounded from her shoulder. Taylor looked over then at the muffin before taking a bite. She wasn't awake enough to argue with the woman over a loss of appetite today. And the bite seemed to satisfy the woman. "I know you're nervous, and even a little sad, but you're going to love the condo Taylor, I promise." Christine assured her. I miss my own freedom. Taylor thought, keeping her mouth shut. Christine began to go over that day's plans, but all Taylor heard was that they were waiting on Axel and whoever came with him to get her. She had drowned out the rest of it. Content, at the moment, to sip on her coffee and force herself to eat the muffin she had demanded to have today.

Time seemed to move slowly for Taylor as they waited. When Axel showed up with Rebecca and Sam, again Taylor found herself rather happy to see a woman on this man's team! Taylor had at least flashed them a smile, perhaps a brighter one towards Rebecca, when Christina made the introductions for her and Sam. As Taylor listened to them all talk, she caught something about Jeanette and Joel meeting them at the Condo as the other woman was already at work on setting up the security system and wifi protections. Again, Taylor was impressed. Of course she understood there were other plans for today as well, not that Taylor had been listening...again. And she was sure Christine knew it too. Taylor downed the rest of her coffee and scarfed down the remainder of her muffin before walking over. Arms folded over her chest. Phone in her back pocket, her ear pod carrier hanging from its keychain on her jean belt loop. Her bag slung over her shoulder. Her blond hair up in a ponytail.

 

[ERedBoyd]

Axel smiled as he walked into the room where Taylor stood along with her entourage of staff and said, "Good morning. Everyone is gathered, I hope we are not late..."

Christine shook her head, stepping towards him and said, "Not at all sir. I don't think we really met, I am Christine Neddles, her personal assistant. I take care of all those little tasks that they don't get handled by the rest of them." She smiled warmly and twirled her hair once as she seemed to gaze upon Axel's firm shapely frame. There was no doubt he was she found him... appealing. She even did a small ankle shift in her flirty way.

Axel, on the other hand, remained professional and strong and offered his hand to her and shook it, "I am Axel. This is Jeanette my cybergirl and Joel my chief of security." He pointed towards the big two of his team. The rest were security officers and worked for Joel mostly. He looked at Taylor, nodded, and said, "Miss Pierce, it is a pleasure to get to serve you."

It didn't surprise him when she only shrugged. It was obvious this hadn't been her idea. Christine smiled and said, "She is looking forward to the additional security. Perhaps we should talk in private about the security .... plan... " Her eyes shifted to look at everyone else's face and began to blush. It was clear she was flirting now. Even Jeanette smirked and glanced to Joel. Axel had that effect on people sometimes.

Axel said, "I will be happy to provide you a copy of our security plan for you to review if it is okay with you ma'am." He looked towards Heather and Kiana who clearly didn't approve of Christine's flirty behavior.

Heather said, "We can discuss that later. I have read and reviewed the plan and we have signed off on it. While we are gone, your team will be installing the cameras and sensors right? How long will they need?"

Axel glanced to Jeanette and she took his cue and smiled to Taylor and said, "My team is ready to install the moment you party departs. I anticipate no more than 3 hours of time for the installation and another 2 hours for syncing everything up."

Axel glanced at his watch saying, "That would mean she should be done around one, providing we leave now."

Joel stepped up and said, "We will be posting outside your front door 24/7." He pulled a set of lanyards with security badges out and offered a small stack of them to Kiana saying, "These are your access badges that are synced with our system. Miss Pierce..." He offered her a badge that was her signature colors and said, "This one is for you. Nothing is restricted for you."

Heather smiled and took a badge and hung it around her neck saying, "These will do fine. Let us go." She begin working to move everyone out of the room towards the limo....