1. The Driver


    Date: 7/31/2024, Categories: Occupations, Author: Obsolete_Fox

    Victor leaned against the car, his eyes scanning the other vehicles parked nearby. There were numerous men like him, men who maintained unreadable expressions while wearing tailored suits that concealed their shoulder holsters. Each was waiting for a student to emerge from the private school where classes had just ended not only for the day, but for the entire academic year. Victor realized he was the oldest of the drivers. At forty-eight, his once-dark hair was now mostly gray, and his face bore deep lines and scars. His nose was a little crooked as a result of being broken several times in his younger years. He was tall and thin, but still plenty strong. And he was an excellent shot. He didn't have the polish of the younger men around him, however.
    
    A rush of girls poured out of the school, their collective mood celebratory. As the din of their chatter drifted toward Victor, he spotted his charge. Phoebe was wearing the school's ridiculous uniform, which consisted of a pleated navy blue skirt and a white blouse. She even had on the knee socks to complete the outfit. Victor didn't understand why the girls weren't permitted to wear slacks. For Christ's sake, it was the early 1990s, with the world on the cusp of a new millennium.
    
    For her part, Phoebe didn't complain. She was at the top of her class and would be heading overseas in the fall to attend a prestigious university. As she now approached him, a breeze ruffled her dark, shoulder-length hair. Like her mother, ...
    ... Phoebe was buxom, with full breasts and curvy hips. Several of the other drivers gave her an appreciative once-over as she walked by. Phoebe wore a little smirk when her eyes met Victor's. She'd once been such a quiet girl, always with her nose in a book, but since her eighteenth birthday in February, she'd grown increasingly mouthy, challenging Victor's authority at every turn. He didn't understand the change in her. Maybe she could sense the freedom that awaited her when she left for college later in the year. Then she'd no longer be under her father's thumb. Phoebe was his youngest child and his only daughter.
    
    Her father was an extremely wealthy man, and Victor had worked for the family a long time. In their country, kidnappings for ransom were far from unheard of, so Victor's sole responsibility was to keep Phoebe safe. Her father knew Victor wouldn't hesitate to give his life in order to protect the girl.
    
    It had been a good job, Victor told himself, though he knew his role would soon be coming to an end. Phoebe would be attending university in a safer place, with no need of constant security. She would no longer require an armed driver to escort her everywhere. As of yet, there had been little discussion between Victor and Phoebe's father about what he would do once the girl left the country. It weighed on Victor's mind, the thought of suddenly being rendered useless. He had no wife, no family. He only had this job.
    
    As Phoebe waved goodbye to several friends, Victor ...
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