Warning: This story, Power Play, has some violent parts, which I discuss in a post about violence and a female protagonist.
The angry mob didn't intimidate Xavier Wheldon. Twenty men and women faced him under the hot August sun, their faces seething with anger. Young and old, large and small, they had numbers on their side. But Wheldon had Jake Rockford, his bodyguard, on his.
The two men stood in stark contrast to one another. Wheldon, with his black hair slicked back on his head and his neatly tailored suit hanging perfectly on his frame, was neither tall nor short, thin nor fat. At sixty years-old, his physical dimensions were average in every way. But the way he analyzed the surrounding events with piercing dark eyes and a hint of a smile on his face, suggested he was anything but average.
Jake Rockford's physical dimensions were not average. At six foot four-inches tall, with muscles straining under his black t-shirt, he caused some protestors to hesitate. And while Wheldon's dark eyes suggested subtle intelligence, Rockford's intense eyes shot blunt warnings in all directions.
As the crowd surged forward, the two men didn't turn and run or even break stride. Instead, Wheldon marched behind Rockford and headed directly toward the seething throng. These people wouldn't stop him from reaching the gate of the nuclear power plant. Not with Rockford leading his way.
"You're a little annoyed with me, aren't you, Jake?" Wheldon said as he glowered at the crowed with disdain, raising his voice enough so Rockford could hear him without taking his eyes off the crowd.
"Not at all, sir. Why would you say that?" Rockford asked in a calm voice, like he might inquire about dinner plans.
"Why? Because five minutes ago you told me we shouldn't walk into the nuclear power plant through the front gate."
"Only because I would have an easier time protecting you if we entered the grounds discreetly. Or, better yet, if we had bypassed this parking lot and driven directly through the gate."
Wheldon chuckled. "And give these rabble rousers an opportunity to dent my car? If we show them fear, Jake, they'll protest even more. We need to make a statement to these punks. Let them know they won't get in the way of this purchase. I need this plant."
"I understand, sir."
"You've got this, right?"
"Yes, sir. I've got this."
Wheldon and Rockford marched forward, coming closer to the crowd and the front gate. The cooling towers of the plant loomed above them, like sentries watching over the forested countryside. Rockford's muscles flexed in anticipation under his t-shirt, adding to his imposing presence.
"Traitor!" a voice yelled at Wheldon.
"I hope you're the first one to get it when this place melts down!" another voice cried out.
Wheldon sighed. Thirty-five years ago, at the height of nuclear power in the United States, this crowd would have been ten times larger. As the construction of new nuclear power plants had fizzled, the passion behind these protests had run out. Now only the crazed anti-nuclear fanatics remained.
But these people weren't here to protest nuclear power, since this plant already existed. They were here to protest him, the traitor. For decades he had been on their side, leading the anti-nuclear charge. First he had been the wunderkind CEO of the family energy business, and then a seasoned veteran of the industry. StarPrime had heavily invested in other sources of energy, thumbing its nose at nuclear power, and these protestors had loved him.
Alliances were made to be broken, though, and objectives changed. His desire to purchase this plant had thrown his former allies into a rabid frenzy. Why now, of all times, with nuclear power absent from legislators' push for a "New Green Deal"? The decision almost seemed intended to incite his former allies to riot.
He had moved to within spitting distance of the mob, and spitting is exactly what some enraged protesters did. He raised an arm to shield his face and winced in disgust. Rockford ignored the saliva landing on his own stubbled head and took Wheldon's arm, trying to shield his boss from the worst of it. All the while, though, the two men moved forward.
The voices grew louder and some in the crowd rushed forward, bloodlust in their eyes. The first of the fanatics to reach them discovered Rockford's abilities the hard way. There were six of them, seemingly so blinded by their anger they appeared intent on ripping Wheldon limb from limb. As they charged forward, swinging wild fists, Rockford stepped to meet them. He parried and struck back, moving with a ferocity and efficiency at which Wheldon could only marvel. Rockford didn't move much, preferring small and subtle turns and bobs to avoid blows, and directing compact, controlled attacks in return. His counterattacked with punches, jabs, and twisting of limbs, keeping himself between Wheldon and the six attackers. Within seconds all six were on the ground, writhing in pain. Some of them clutched broken noses, while others favored injured limbs and wrists.
The rest of the crowd lost its courage and stumbled back, like waves rolling back off of a beach. Rockford took Wheldon's arm again and they moved toward the gate. Wheldon didn't even glance at the crowd.
Wheldon wasn't worried about repercussions from the incident. People had brought civil claims against him before, and he had always made them regret it. Information was his tool of the trade, and with the right information he could get leverage over anyone.
He also wasn't concerned about any criminal repercussions from conflicts, either, at least not here near the power plant. Xavier Wheldon was prepared, if nothing else, and part of his preparation meant having friends in the right places.
With an air of nonchalance, Xavier Wheldon reached the front gate, Jake Rockford at his side. The huge metal gate swung open for them, creaking on its hinges, and they stepped through the opening. Wheldon smirked as the gate clanged shut behind them. This deal was going to get very interesting.
I want a bodyguard like Jake, man.....I'm weak as heck. Anyways, this seems like quite the prologue! Doesn't look like Wheldon has a 100% approval rating though.....then again, he seems suspicious as heck.