It was odd that Ms. Vilas had called it a day so early on. The sun was still a few hours from setting into that gorgeous blue ocean. Gary Pitt was never a man of luxury. He almost wished, however, he could soak in that beautiful blue. He took a four-hour break to rest and allowed Flynn and Hodge (another member of security) to take watch of Ms. Vilas luxury, thirty-four hundred square foot suite. It was detached and near the waterside: the best accommodation one could find at the resort. And the resort itself was almost the best one could find.
After the four hours, and exactly four hours, Gary returned to relieve Flynn, keeping Hodge on for the next four hours. Flynn would then return to relive Hodge, and then Hodge would return to relive Gary. Everything was tight and ran smoothly: all this for Gary knew if this daddy’s girl was lost or harmed, no matter how small of and offence or short a time, Gary would be shot. And shot if he was lucky. Most who failed the Vilas Family died much, much slower.
Gary walked through the sand, now changed back into his preferred black suit. His chest felt empty as he did the guilty deed of allowing his eyes to peer into Ms. Vilas’ suite. He told himself it was for security purposes and there was no way he could find such a horrid person attractive. She wasn’t using the attached pool or lounging on the deck watching the massive red fireball of the sun sink into the sea. She was sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen texting on her cellphone.
“What a waste,” Gary thought. “She’s always on that thing. Ain’t likely she’s got anyone she cares about on the other end.”
Flynn nodded to Gary as he approached.
“Anything, Flynn?”
“Nothing, Pitt. Just drinks and food. She texted me her order and Hodge brought it in. No one else has come near.”
“What was it like inside, Hodge?” Gary said this into his earpiece. Hodge was on the roof at that time ensuring the perimeter was clear of risks.
“Calm, sir. Quiet ‘n’ calm. She was just text’n.”
“Good. G’night, Flynn. See you at 0200.”
“Aye, Pitt.”
Gary took his stance by the door. He scanned everything he could see, which was most of the resort after he had checked it all with his eagle eyes. He returned his gaze to the ocean. To the sunset. Before he knew it, the sun was gone and the ground was lightly lit by a large moon overhead.
Suddenly, his ears could hear the sliding glass door open, leading to the deck and pool.
Splash. Gary made his way to the nearest place with regards to the pool outside the suite. He couldn’t actually see the pool, but he could hear what went on very well.
“It’s fine, Pitt.” Ms. Vilas’ voice called out as it bounced off the water. “I’m just swimming.”
Gary almost smiled at the fact that she knew he was there. He felt he was doing his job well, despite his disdain for the client.
“I want eyes on her, Hodge,” he whispered into his com.
“I’m just scanning the beach, I’ll be on the roof in two minutes.”
Hodge made his way back onto the roof with his shoes off so he wouldn’t be heard.
“She’s just doin’ laps, sir.”
“Keep your eyes on her, yeah?”
“Yes, sir.”
Gary took another breath. He smiled into the night. This was at least a peaceful watch. But he needed to remain vigilant. He scanned the resort again, and do his surprise he saw a woman walking through the main courtyard, toward the exit. The surprising part was that moonlight shone down to reveal long, flowing golden hair and tat this woman was quite tall.
Gary had watched Ms. Vilas walk from behind her countless of times: he knew this was her.
“Hodge! Do you still have eyes on her?”
“Yes, sir!” The outburst had startled Hodge but he remained unseen by the swimming woman below.
Gary had begun running toward who he believed to be Ms. Vilas.
“Chatterton,” he said, addressing another member of his team through his earpiece. “Track Ms. Vilas’ phone.”
“On it,” a fuzzy voice replied back. “She’s still in the suite, Pitt. Her phone hasn’t moved.”
“Shake her up, Hodge. Get down there,” Gary commanded.
Hodge slid his way down to where the pool was, dropping seven feet to the tiled flooring.
The woman stopped swimming and yelped from shock. Hodge shone a light on her face, an action that, if this were Ms. Vilas, would have upset her enough to have him fired. And a firing from the Vilas family meant a firing from life. But to Hodge’s relief and more so to his dismay, this was not Ms. Vilas.
“Negative, sir. This ain’t Vilas. We lost her,” he said, voice shaking. “Who are you?” he demanded as he drew his weapon.
Meanwhile, Gary was in pursuit of Ms. Vilas who had seemingly broken away from him and his security crew intentionally.
“Why didn’t our eyes in the sky see her leave? Why didn’t we see the other woman arrive?” he asked sternly, attempting not to yell for fear of being heard by Ms. Vilas.
“Our snipers never took their eyes off the suite. No one got in or out,” a man named Skinner said over the channel.
“She did!” Gary turned the first corner into the courtyard and saw the taillights of an SUV, on the other side of the locked resort gates, disappearing into the night.
“No!” he yelled. “Chatterton, track her phone again. Skinner, I need a bike and I need it ten minutes ago!”
“On it,” Chatterton said.
A few seconds passed before Skinner replied. “Best I got is a Vespa, to your right. Keys are in the restaurant bar. They should be near the register.”
“That’s your best?”
“Shut it and find our girl, Pitt!” Skinner was of equal rank to Garry but in the intelligence section of security.
Gary said nothing and began sprinting to the restaurant.