Jaguar: Chapter 1

Elliott Thompson, fresh out of the FBI academy, jumped out of the moving vehicle before it came to a complete stop. He did not wait for his friends to join him as he rushed into the building. Occupants of the Ashley Office Building were sparse on the weekends, however, the offices of The Thompson Protection Agency always had someone covering the phones in case of an emergency.

There was too much adrenaline pumping through his veins to wait on the elevator. Taking the steps to the left of the foyer, two at a time, Elliott reached the second floor and burst through the door of his father’s office, then stopped. The outer office was empty. No staff were on site, no computers were on, but the door was unlocked.

“Where the hell is everyone?” Elliott said to himself.

As he pulled his weapon, not certain what he was about to encounter, his eyes scanned the area. Something did not feel right. The office was never left unattended, or the doors unlocked. Adding to the urgent call from his father stating something was happening at the office, he had no idea what he was walking into. Since his father was out of the country, it was Elliott’s responsibility to watch over the family and the business until he returned. Until today, nothing out of the norm had ever come up and it wasn’t that often he had to step in for his father. Now, that had changed. Something was happening inside the office, and he had to handle it with as little discretion as possible. After all, his father represented the President of the United States. Everything they did would reflect back on POTUS if not handled correctly.

With that in mind, Elliott proceeded, swiping his weapon high and low checking behind every desk, as he slowly moved towards the office at the end of the room. Elliott heard a sound behind him. He turned quickly with his weapon ready to fire, to see his friend Calvin with his weapon drawn, enter the outer office area.

Lowering his weapon, he motioned with two fingers for Calvin, who was trained by the government, to check the offices on the opposite side of the room. Moving cautiously, his plan was to get to the back office without him or Calvin being attacked or shot by an intruder.

As they moved closer to the back office a light thumbing could be heard. The two stayed low, then stopped at one of the offices with the door closed. 

“You hear that?” Elliott inquired.

“I did,” Calvin nodded. “How do you want to handle this?”

“I’ll go high, you go low.” Elliott replied. He held up three fingers, then bent one at a time, counting down to none.

Calvin turned the knob of the office door then pushed it open. They both rushed inside swiping their weapons around the office. Seeing the place was empty, they glanced at each other. Sounds from the outer office put them on alert again. Their friends, James and JC ran into the office.

“What’s happening?” James asked.

“Not, sure,” Elliott replied as he put his weapon back into its holster. “Dad said something or someone was in the office. Which is a concern because he is out of the country and Magna Rivera, his second in command is on an assignment.” 

“It’s not like Uncle Brian or Magna to leave the office open,” James spoke as he looked around.

“No, it’s not,” JC acknowledged. “My detail is downstairs. Do you want me to have them check out the building.

JC was Jon-Christopher Harrison, the son of the President of the United States. James Brooks was the son of the Chief of Staff, James Brooks Sr. Both traveled with Secret Service detail regularly. JC, all the time, James, on occasion.

“No, not now. I’m sure Dad doesn’t want Secret Service involved in his business,” Elliott stated as he scanned around their office. “Something is off. I know we heard sounds coming from this office.”

“I heard it too,” Calvin nodded.

As if on cue, the sound began again. They all pulled their weapons out and pointed to the door in the room.

“What’s behind that door?” James asked.

“It’s a storage closet for supplies,” Elliott replied as he nodded to JC. “You stand back.”

“I got your back,” JC replied.

Elliott shook his head, “No, Calvin, over here with me. JC you open the door on my command.” The last thing he needed was for something to go wrong and JC was caught in the middle. Calvin walked over to the closet.

“Hold up,” Elliott commanded. “James, the other side with JC.”

Aiming his weapon at the door, along with Calvin and James, he looked at JC.

JC put his hands on the knob on the closet door then waited for a signal. Elliott nodded. JC swung the door open. All four stood in the doorway, weapons drawn looking into the small walk-in closet, with storage shelves, hangers, boxes, and a woman lying on the floor staring back at them.

Her feet and hands were tied up, and what looked to be a scarf was stuffed in her mouth.

“What in the hell?” Elliott frowned, somewhat confused at what he was seeing. Putting his weapon away, he reached inside to help get the woman out. The woman welcomed him with a kick to his upper thigh.

“Ouch,” Elliott leaped back, shaking his leg. “That was a little close to the caramel jewels. I’m trying to help you. Kick me again and I’m going to leave your ass in there. Are we clear?” The woman looked at him as if he had said nothing at all. A surge of sexual energy hit him the moment those deep brown eyes looked at him. Correction, deep brown furious eyes.

Clearing his mind of the sexual surge, Elliott cautiously reached for her again. Picking her up into his arms, sent a second feeling into his veins, possessiveness. That cause him to frown. He carried her out of the closet then quickly sat her on her feet, shaking his hands as if they were on fire.  

“Okay,” he held up his hand as if in surrender. “I can see that you are a little pissed, but keep in mind, I did not put you in the closet. I’m the one letting you out.” Elliott explained as those eyes glared at him. He shook off their impact. “Now, I’m going to untie your hands.”

“I’ll untie her feet,” James advised as he bent down.

“Be careful, she has a wicked kick,” Elliott warned as he removed the silk scarf that bond her mouth then began untying her hands.  The sizzle of her soft skin hit him every time he touched her. He stepped back from her the moment her hands were untied. “Who are you and why are you tied up in my father’s closet?”

“Do you think for one minute that I put myself in that damn closet?” The young woman said as she assisted with untying her hands. “What in the hell do you mean why was I in the closet?” The verbal assault, that was somewhat unintelligible, as it seemed she couldn’t decide whether to speak in English or Spanish, while walking back into the closet. When she came back out, she was carrying a large instrumental case and a large purse.

“What kind of question is, why are you in the closet? Do I look like R. Kelly to you? I think not. Do you think I wanted to be in your father’s closet?” She continued ranting as she walked over to the desk, leaned her instrument against it, sat her bag on top of it, then reached into her bag as if searching for something. “What kind of people live in a place where you come to get help and they tie your ass up, stuff some crap in your mouth…?”

“Hold up…hold up,” Calvin pulled his weapon as the woman reach into her purse.

The woman ignored him. “I don’t have time to hold up.” She continued digging inside her purse. “I’ve been held up in that damn closet long enough. I need some relief.”

Elliott watched as she pulled a small case from her purse. Was she about to light up a joint, he wondered.

“Umm excuse me. You can’t smoke anything in here.” He advised.

Just as before, she ignored him as she opened the small case. Inside the case were small round objects that looked like mini cymbals.

“You are just going to have to shoot me,” she said while placing the little objects on her fingers, “but right now, I need some relief.”

She sat on the floor, crisscrossed her legs, closed her eyes, then proceeded to strike the small instruments together.

Bing…the small cymbals sound filled the room.

“Hmmmmmmmmmmm” she began humming.

The guys glanced around at each other, all wondering what was happening.

Bing…the sound vibrated around the office again, followed by another, “Hmmmmmmmmmm.”

“What in the hell are you doing?” A startled Elliott stared down at the woman.

Bing…“Hmmmmmmmmmmm.”

“Umm, excuse me,” James approached the woman.

Bing…“Hmmmmmmmmmm.” She hummed louder.  “Hmmmmmmmmm.”

Elliott looked at JC. “This is your kind of thing. What is she doing?”

“Woosah…..damnit…..woosah.” she exhaled rather loudly. “I need a woosah moment here.” She struck the cymbals together again. Bing…“Hmmmmmmmmm.” 

“Give her a minute,” JC suggested. “This is her form of meditation, I think. After all she has been through a traumatic experience.”

“What damn traumatic experience?” Elliott gave him a sideways glance.

“She was locked in the closet,” Calvin explained with a shrug. “But I’m just guessing.”

“So what are we supposed to do while she is taking a woosah moment?” Elliott inquired in an agitated tone.

“Sit in the corner and have a damn coke, smoke a joint, anything that will keep you quiet long enough for me to get my nerves together. Please…and thank you.”

Bing…“Hmmmmmm.”

The guys glanced at each other again. The cymbals clashed again, this time leaving a lasting Bing………….vibrating around them.

“It’s the least we can do,” James stated. “I mean she was in the closet.”

“And we don’t know how long she was in there,” JC added.

Bing…………….Bing…………Bing…………….Bing. “Quiet!”

“Quiet my ass…” Elliott began but was stopped when the woman spoke.

“Bing, dammit! Bing!” 

“What in the hell is that supposed to mean?” Elliott hissed out.

“Calm down, Elliott,” Calvin interceded.

“Oh, that’s the beast’s name. Elliott. The Lord is my God. Elliotts are perceived to be natural leaders, with a strong moral compass. No where do I recall the name meaning rude, or arrogant…oh impatient one. When a girl says she needs a minute…she needs a minute.”

“Let’s just chill,” JC suggested as he sat on the floor with his legs crossed, the same as the woman. “Take a seat and give her a moment to get herself together.”

“For how long?” Elliott huffed standing with his feet braced apart and his arms folded across his chest.

“For as long as it takes for her to calm down enough to talk to us,” James responded as he leaned against the doorframe.

“We can do that,” Calvin stated as he walked behind the woman to the desk. He looked inside the purse.

Elliott raised an eyebrow to Calvin, who shook his head. Elliott took that to mean there were no weapons inside the bag. Calvin sat in the chair behind the desk then crossed his legs on the corner.

“There are no weapons in my bag,” the woman advised with her eyes still closed and the cymbals on her finger chiming with a little less force. “I’m upset, not stupid.”

Sensing that the woman was indeed calming down. Elliott bent down in front of her hoping to gather a little information.

“What’s your name?” He asked in as pleasant a voice as he could.

The woman took a deep breath, “Calley Annabella Rippatoe,” she replied while removing the cymbals from her fingers. She placed them back into the case then looked up into his eyes.

The intensity he saw in them made him take a pause. They were crystal clear to him. He saw anger for sure, but he also saw fear.

“My bisabuelo wanted to name me his beautiful Annabella, but my bisabuela wasn’t having it. So, she named me Calley which means beautiful voice, hence Calley Annabella…beautiful Annabella.”

That was a little more than he asked for, but Elliott was so captivated by her smooth rich voice he forgot to be pissed. As he continued to stare into her eyes, he determined her grandfather was right. She was beautiful.

“What is your great-grandmother’s name?”

“Annabella,” she smiled as she responded. “My great-grandmother’s name was Annabella.”

“Did she have a beautiful voice as well?” Elliott asked wanting to hear more of her voice without the humming or shouting.

She tilted her head to the side and gave him the most seductive smile he had ever experienced in his life. “Yes. And yes, to your next question. I have that voice as well.” She began singing the chorus to a song.

Elliott recognized the song as one sung by Roberta Flack, but he did not remember it sounding like this. The guys must have been as mesmerized as he was. Elliott, nor any of the other guys said a word for an expanded moment. Her voice was so mellow it sounded like a musical instrument.

She exhaled then asked. “Where is Mr. Thompson?”

“Technically, I am Mr. Thompson.” Elliott replied.

“No, you are Elliott. Your father has mentioned you several times,” She reached up to the desk to grab her purse. “Besides, your friend identified you. Again, I have to ask, where is your father?” She said while putting the small case back into her bag.

“He is out of the country.” Elliott replied. “Why are you looking for my father?”

She closed her eyes then exhaled. Reaching inside her bag, she pulled out a card. “He gave me this and said if I needed help to reach out. I reached out, was tackled to the floor, tied up, and placed inside a closet. Now, I don’t know where to go or who to turn to.”

“Who put you in the closet?” James asked.

“A short stocky simpleton of a man by the name of Ralph,” she said as her eyes narrowed.

“Why did he put you in the closet?” Calvin asked.

“He claimed he could not understand what I was trying to tell him. Every time I asked for Mr. Thompson he kept saying he was unavailable. He would not give me a straight answer and I went off on him.”

“I see,” Elliott stood understanding Ralph Springton’s position. Someone as spirited as Calley Annabella would scare that weasel of a man. Elliott often wondered why his father had hired Ralph. He certainly was not protection material.

“I don’t know what to do now.” Calley spoke.

“You can start by telling us why you need help from my father?” Elliott suggested.

Calley stood, “What’s the point? He’s not here.”

Placing her bag back on the desk, Elliott could not help but notice how well her black jeans fit her body. She was on the petite side with everything in the right place. As her body continued to unfold, he estimated her to be 5’3”, she might weigh all of 110 pounds, with shoulder length wavy hair. Pulling on her jacket he could not help but notice her creamy smooth skin that seemed to glisten as if the sun was beaming down on her. 

“Are you going to answer me or continue to stare at me?”

Elliott cleared his mind. He had been staring at her and apparently, she wasn’t the only one who noticed. He glanced at the guys and they were all looking at him as if they were expecting a response. He did his best to ignore the silly knowing grin James was giving him then cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I asked if you had any idea how long your father will be out of the country?”

“I have no idea,” Elliott replied. “Why don’t you tell us the problem. Maybe we can help.”

“Who let her out of the closet?”

They all turned to Ralph Springton and a pissed off Magna Rivera standing in the doorway.