Bodyguard: Target by Chris Bradford

Author:Chris Bradford
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141363035
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2016-05-05T04:00:00+00:00

‘We need to go, Ash,’ said Charley as more and more fans descended on the cafe.

Wildlings seemed to be materializing from the woods in their thousands. As word spread, girls of all ages swarmed into the park. But that was the power of social media: instant communication, instant crowds.

Ash seemed oblivious to the growing numbers. He finished signing a girl’s T-shirt, then posed for a photo. Before Charley could pull him away, another girl leapt beside him with a camera and he dutifully smiled.

‘Come on!’ insisted Charley, taking hold of his arm.

‘Hey, I’m next,’ said a disgruntled fan, shoving Charley aside with an elbow to the ribs.

Briefly, Charley considered dropping the girl with a ridge-hand strike to her neck. But she remembered her unarmed combat instructor’s advice: Any self-defence must be necessary, reasonable and proportional to the attack. So Charley waited for the fan to have her photo with Ash before stepping sharply on the girl’s toes. A little twist of the heel ensured maximum impact.

‘Sorry,’ said Charley with an apologetic smile as the girl’s eyes widened and she gasped in pain.

‘Is she all right?’ asked a concerned Ash.

‘Yes,’ Charley replied breezily. ‘Just a little overcome at meeting you.’

Leaving the injured fan to limp over to the nearest chair, Charley escorted Ash away from the cafe.

‘Gotta go!’ called Ash, waving goodbye to his fans.

But that didn’t stop them following him. Like the Pied Piper, Ash led his ever-expanding flock through the park. All the time people snapped away with their cameras, filmed with their phones and demanded autographs. Even as he walked, Ash kept his trademark smile and turned his head towards each and every lens he could: the consummate professional.

‘Excuse me! Make way,’ Charley requested as several fans stood directly in his path.

‘Who do you think you are?’ challenged one of the girls, squaring up to her.

‘Let him through!’ ordered Charley, her gaze taking on a steely quality that convinced the girl to step aside.

With ever more fans demanding his attention, Charley had to be Ash’s eyes and ears as she shepherded him in the direction of the main gate. But it soon became apparent they’d never reach it. As the woods opened out on to a grass area, she spied a mass of people heading their way. The fans waiting at his hotel must have got word and rushed the four blocks down to find him. Where the hell was Rick? Without him or Vince to back her up, Charley was way out of her depth. She simply didn’t have the physical presence or authority to protect Ash among so many people. To those surrounding the rock star she was just another fan.

Charley reassessed their options. If she could get him to the main road, then perhaps they could dive into a taxi and get back to the hotel. ‘I hope you’ve got the energy for a final sprint,’ she whispered to Ash, pointing to a nearby side gate.

She rushed Ash towards the exit. But this only excited the fans more.

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