Page 2 of Guarding Salvation

The stranger grinned. It wasn’t so much as friendly but more that he’d expected his response. “Come on now, Bram, you can do better than that. I know what you did, and I know why.”

“I don’t regret it. He fucking deserved more than I gave him.”

“Agreed.”

Bram was taken aback by this man’s attitude. He’d been expecting a lecture on his behaviour and having more control. “What, no lecture on my lack of control?” Bram folded his arms in defence, trying to act like he wasn’t intimidated by this bloke.

“Oh, your control definitely needs work. It needs to be channelled correctly. All that lethal, raw aggression needs to be honed and moulded. I can give you that. I can give you purpose and a future other than the one facing you now.”

Bram shrugged. “It’s an assault charge. I don’t have a previous record. Worst I’ll get is a few years in the slammer. I don’t need a reference to inherit my title.”

The guy smirked. “Except it isn’t going to be an assault charge. Ray Walsh died twenty minutes ago. You’re now facing a murder charge.”

Fear, pure and unfiltered, pooled inside him and he saw his life flash before him. He’d spend the next twenty-five years in jail for defending his sister and putting some prick down for raping her. He began to breathe through his nose as the walls closed in on him and he tried not to puke.

“Breathe, Bram. Just breathe and listen to me. I can make all this go away.”

That got Bram’s attention from his predicament. “How and why?”

“I have the right contacts and can make sure this goes down as a random attack with an unknown assailant.”

“There was a pub full of people who saw me drag him out.”

“But only your friends saw you beat him, and they won’t talk. You’ll go into the army for a minimum of eight years and when you come out, you’ll be given a choice to join my team or to go your own way.”

“And what do you get out of this?”

“I get a highly trained elite soldier for my new team and someone who I know is willing to do what it takes to protect the innocent and isn’t afraid to break a few rules to get it done.”

“What makes you think I’d be any good at this? You don’t even know me.”

“I know you’re top of your class and passed all your A-levels with Highers. I know you hate sushi but love smoked salmon. I know you eat with your knife and fork in the opposite hands to what is considered normal. I also know that you’ve been taking motorbike lessons behind your family’s back and that you have a new tattoo of a birdcage on your left bicep. You also knew I was watching you and you’ve already clocked all the cameras in the room, including the one people aren’t meant to know about.”

Bram sat back, stunned into silence by the knowledge this man had and his observational skills.

“How did I do?”

“Who the fuck are you?”

“That doesn’t matter. What I need to know is, are you in or out?”

Bram knew he had no choice but was intrigued to know why. “Why me?”

“You remind me of someone. I see good in you but also the potential to be the best.”

“What about my sister?” Leaving Lana after everything she’d been through felt wrong.

“We’ll see to it that she gets the best care and counselling to help her heal from her ordeal.”

“I need to think about it.”

“No, when I leave this room the offer leaves with me.”

Bram had a chance to make his life right and to serve in the army, which had been a lifelong dream he’d thought would never be realised. His father was so set against it he’d stopped mentioning it and settled for his love of the outdoors as his passion; now his body was alight with the possibility of having a true purpose. Of making a difference to people’s lives and futures. “I’m in.”

The man nodded and stood, offering his hand to shake. “Welcome aboard. You can call me Jack.”

With that, Jack led him out of the room and down the back corridor, passing three officers. As they reached the fire exit, the detective from earlier rounded the corner. Bram froze, thinking he was about to be hauled back into a cell, but the detective just nodded once and kept going. His life was about to change for the second time in less than twenty-four hours but this time he felt confident it was for the better.