Chapter 6 – Fundraiser Gala Pt two

Harmoni

Once we reached the back door, the car was already running with both Benjamin and Logan in it. William helped me in and sat next to me. He immediately shut the door and ordered Benjamin to go.

That’s when everything that had just happened came crashing down.

“What just happened?” I asked no one in particular. My question was met with silence, making me angry. I had a right to know what had transpired and why I was suddenly forced to leave.

“What happened?” I asked again. This time my voice low and threatening. I would be getting answers one way or another.

“There’s been a breach of security,” Logan finally answered.

My eyes went wide. How could this have happened? My dad had upgraded the security since the last time this had occurred. Oh god. Just thinking about the last time made my breathing difficult. Five men had managed to infiltrate the building looking to murder my father. His bodyguards had only barely gotten him out in time.

“My dad,” I said, almost as a whisper.

“What was that?” I heard William ask from beside me.

“My dad?! Where is he?! Did he make it out?! Why isn’t he in the car?!” I started asking frantically. What if something happened, why wasn’t he here? Why weren’t they there helping him to get out of this alive? Why weren’t they assisting others in evacuating?

“Harmoni!” I could faintly hear someone calling me, but I was too far into my thoughts to care. I couldn’t lose my dad. He was the only person I had left. He couldn’t die. He couldn’t leave me. Was this it? Was this the end?

“Harmoni!” I heard someone call again. This time loud enough to make me look up, my eyes meeting concerned silver ones.

“Look at me, Harmoni,” I kept my eyes on him. “That’s it, now breathe Harmoni, breathe,” he instructed. I hadn’t even realized, but I had triggered a panic attack. Odd, right, seeing how used I was to getting them. Following his instructions, I tried breathing in and out, but I was still too worried to be able to focus entirely. I felt a hand reach out to my knee and tried focusing on the soothing circles they were drawing.

“In and out, in and out,” I heard him repeat, still not breaking our eye contact. At this moment, it was just him and me. After another few minutes, I had finally regained control of my breathing, but my hands were still shaking slightly.

“Your dad made it out as well; he is in the SUV behind us. We are headed home now,” he explained. Relief coursed through my veins as it finally sunk in that my dad was alive and safe.

I noticed William was still drawing circles on my knee, but it wasn’t uncomfortable or disturbing. It was calming and reassuring, and after the panic attack I had just had, I was glad for it. I settled in my seat and closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion from the day take over.

William

Harmoni was still asleep when the car came to a stop. Slowly opening my door, I gently lifted her into my arms and carried her out of the vehicle. Her father was running towards us, probably worried about his daughter’s unconscious state, but Logan placed his index finger over his mouth, motioning for James and the others to stay quiet. The panic attack must have exhausted her. They got the hint and didn’t utter a word as we entered the house.

“I’ll carry her to her room,” I told James silently. He simply nodded.

As I made my way towards the stairs, I felt her stir slightly.

“Dad?” she asked, sluggishly waking up. Her father came closer.

“I’m right here, sweetheart,” he answered, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.

When she finally opened her eyes, she couldn’t help the surprise from showing on her face after realizing our current position. I placed her back on her feet but kept a steady hand on her back. After all, she had only just woken up. As soon as she saw her father, she ran into his arms, crying.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” she screamed through her tears. James gently caressed her hair, soothing her gradually.

"I'm sorry, baby, I'm okay, I promise. See?" he said before turning on himself.

She wiped the remainder of her tears before sitting down on one of the couches in the living room. James sat across from her while Josef and I stayed in the room. Logan and Benjamin were currently checking the perimeter.

A few minutes of silence passed. Each of us was wary of what would come next.

"What happened?" she finally asked, for the third time this evening.

Her father hesitated before nodding to Josef.

"We were made aware that two men had managed to get past the security on the main floor and had reached the gala room. We didn't know what they looked like exactly or what they were after. All we knew was that they were armed. So we made the call to get both of you out,” Josef explained.

I remember the moment I received the information. I was already itching to get Harmoni out of that pervert's grip, but I stayed put. I didn't want to cause a scene. I knew she would make me regret it if I did. So, I silently watched her, looking for any kind of signal to interrupt.

I had just thought 'Fuck it' and was about to go ask if I could cut in their dance when a chill ran down my spine.

"We have two intruders on the main floor. They are armed. I repeat, two armed intruders on the main floor,” I heard through my earpiece.

By then, I was already halfway to her. I quickened my pace and made it just in time to pry her away and lead her to the car where Logan and Benjamin waited. Benjamin had gone straight to the vehicle while Logan was securing the path for us.

"Why were other people also leaving then?" she asked, snapping me out of my memories.

"To be honest, I think that the fact that you and Mr. Pearson were both being brought out by your bodyguards did not go unnoticed by other bodyguards. I think they just followed our lead without really knowing why we were leaving,” Josef admitted.

"Do we know why they were there?" she continued asking. All this time, she had not lifted her head and was focusing her attention on her hands.

"Turns out the two men were after the ruby and emerald necklace, the main item of the fundraiser. They were desperate enough to raise a gun on the people that still lingered in the exposition room. We just heard from SWAT when we arrived that the hostages are all safe and that the two men are in their custody,” he continued explaining.

Looking back, it was weird for me to rush out of the building instead of in like I would typically do when I was on SWAT. Yet, I had to admit that at that moment my only thought revolved around getting Harmoni out of there alive and unharmed.

"Good," she finally said, returning my focus to her. She was now looking up. "Was anyone injured?"

"No," Josef answered.

"I'm glad no one got hurt,” Although she was smiling, her voice was slightly monotone, which worried me.

"Are you alright?" I asked her, speaking for the first time since entering the house.

"I'm fine,” she sighed, looking at me "I just don't understand how low people are willing to stoop to try and rob a fundraiser. I mean the money was going to go for a good cause, but now it's ruined. The fundraiser didn't reach its end, and no money was collected.” She ran her hand through her hair, frustrated and defeated. "I just can't believe this happened.”

"We'll organize another fundraiser, sweetheart,” her father tried to reassure her.

"Sure, but do you honestly think everyone will show up after what happened tonight. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if some people decided to never come to this annual fundraiser again.” She did have a point. This kind of mental scarring and trauma, especially for those that were held hostage, would probably keep people from showing up due to the paranoia that it would happen again.

"I can just donate more," her father answered, hoping to lighten up his daughter's spirit.

“That’s not the point,” she answered calmly.

“I know, sweetheart, I know,” he seemed defeated as well.

“I’m going to go to bed,” she said. “You should call in the backups,” she continued, directing her request to her father. “Everyone deserved some rest after tonight’s event.”

It surprised me that although they were both in shock, their first thought went to the kids they wanted to help. Not to them or what could have happened to them but to the people that were hurt and the people they weren’t able to help. What astonished me as well was how thoughtful Harmoni was. I saw a completely different side of her.

After what had just happened, she was still thinking about us, asking her father to call in the backup bodyguards they always had at hand so that all of us could go rest instead of continuing our shift till morning. I couldn’t help but wonder which side of Harmoni was the real one.

Turns out guarding a teenager might not be as dull as I initially thought it would. Let’s hope the last few days of the week would go by uneventfully.