Anna stood in front of the large double doors the woman had led her to.
"Good luck," said the woman as she left Anna alone, not opening the doors for her.
Wrapping her hand around the sleek, silver handle of the door, Anna took a deep breath and opened it. She gasped at what she saw.
The door opened to reveal a vast office with high ceilings and decorated just as modern as the rest of the floor. The windows of the office were floor-to-ceiling and afforded a stunning view of Midtown Manhattan. A massive black desk sat in the back center of the room, and just to the side of it stood a suited man.
"Come in," he said in the deep, purring voice Anna recognized from the other room.
Anna entered, her eyes locked on the man. He stood with his back to Anna, his hands clasped behind him. His shoulders were broad and his waist trim, the dark suit fitting him perfectly. He didn't turn as Anna entered the room.
"Have a seat," he said.
Anna's eyes fell onto the pair of high-backed black chairs across from the desk. Walking carefully, as though she were intruding on something, Anna made her way to the chair on the left and slid into it. She felt small in the large chair, and couldn't help but notice how well-made and comfortable it was.
Once seated, Anna's gaze fell back to the man.
Who is this man? she wondered, still feeling out of sorts from the whole experience.
Before she could wonder any further, the man turned. It took all of Anna's restraint not to gasp right then and there.
The man was gorgeous, to put it lightly. Jet-black, slicked back hair sat upon a face of terrible beauty. His eyes were a stunning, piercing blue, his nose was slim and strong, and his lips were full and sensual. His features were framed by a face of hard angles and pronounced cheekbones, all working together to give him the appearance of a model. His immaculately-tailored suit hung on him in a manner that hinted at the strong, muscular body beneath it. A black tie and glossy black shoes completed the outfit. Anna realized he was likely the most attractive man she'd ever seen. And Anna couldn't quite make out his age, but he appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties.
The man then proceeded toward Anna, his movements slow and controlled. And despite his masculine look, there was almost a grace to the way he walked, as though he'd been trained physically in some way.
"So," he said, taking a seat in the chair behind the desk and sitting back. "You're the applicant."
"I suppose so," said Anna.
"You ‘suppose' so?" the man asked, raising his thick, dark eyebrows. "You're going to need to speak a little more assertively than that."
"Sorry," said Anna. "This whole process has just been…strange."
"Not what you expected from a nanny service?"
"Exactly," said Anna. "I was expecting to meet with a friendly, older woman in some little office in Brooklyn. Not interview for the Men in Black."
The man chuckled a bit, the corner of his lips raising just a bit. Then, he leaned forward.
"That's because this isn't your average nanny service, as Madeline explained."
"I can tell," said Anna. "Is…is there any way you can tell me just what all of this is about, then?"
"I can," said the man. "I think you'll be a good fit for the job. And you got Madeline's approval, which goes a long way. But first, is this job something that you'd be interested in?"
"It is," said Anna. "I'm ready to work."
"Good," said the man. "Then let me tell you about it. First of all, my name is Jason Shaw; I'll be the client for whom you'd be working. I have two children: Sophia, my daughter, and William, my son. They're six and eight, respectively. Both good kids; no trouble-makers. Well, beyond what you'd expect for children that age."
"No mother?" Anna asked.
Jason winced just a bit, and Anna felt as though she’d asked something she ought not have.
"No mother," he said. "Now, if you accept the position, then you'll be moving into my home on the Upper East Side. Your rent at your current accommodations will be covered, and your room at my place will be free of charge. All moving fees will be covered by me as well."
Anna welled with excitement at the idea of her rent money going right into her savings.
"However, the job I require has…odd hours, and often necessitates that I leave at a moment's notice. So, you'll be on-call at all hours."
"Sounds fine with me," said Anna.
"Good. Unfortunately, that's all I can tell you at this exact moment. If you wish to know more, there's something we must take care of first."
Anna's eyebrows raised.
"Oh?" she asked. "What might that be?"
Jason reached across the desk and pressed a button. Moments later, a pair of well-dressed professional men appeared in the room, a folder in one of their hands. The folder was placed on the desk in front of Anna, and a quick scan revealed to her that it was a non-disclosure agreement.
"Is…is this an NDA?" asked Anna.
"I see it's not the first one you've signed," said Jason.
"It's not…but I've never had to sign one during an interview."
"You'll soon find out why," said Jason. "Now, I'm sure you don't speak legalese, so I'll just tell you what's there. If you sign that, you're not agreeing to the job. What's there simply states that you will not be able to freely discuss anything from this interview with anyone else. You can say you had an interview, that it was with a nanny service, and that it went well or poorly. That's all. You're not to repeat the name of the service, my name, or any details about the office. And you're especially not to repeat what I'm about to tell you, should you sign the document."
A strange sense of foreboding overcame Anna. What could he possibly tell her that would require a document like this?
Jason picked up an expensive-looking pen from where it sat and slid it across the table to Anna.
"And if I don't sign?" she asked, her eyes on the pen.
"Then you don't get the job; simple as that," said Jason. "No hard feelings, of course; I know this is all quite strange for an interview like this. But you're perfectly free to get up and leave, right now, to go straight home and tell your roommates about the bizarre interview you just had."
Anna's eyes flicked back and forth from the pen to the NDA.
Now or never, she said to herself.
She picked up the pen and scrawled her signature on the indicated line.
"Now on the last page," said Jason.
Anna flipped to the last page, trying to make heads or tails of the document as she signed it. As far as she could tell, it was pretty standard stuff. She reached the last page and signed. As soon as she was done, one of the two professionals who'd been standing at her sides took the folder, closed it, and the two of them both left the room as quickly and silently as they'd come.
"Excellent," said Jason. "So, now that all the legalities have been taken care of, allow me to explain just who I am."
He rose from his seat, buttoning one button of his suit jacket as he did.
"My full name and title is Special Agent Jason Shaw. I work with a group known as Silver Dragons Security. This group is an elite mercenary force that operates internationally, typically in the service of a handful of employers. My job is dangerous and often requires me to be away for long periods of time. And, as such, I require the services of a skilled and discrete nanny who can watch after my children while I'm away. And I think you just might be the right fit for the job."
Anna's eyes widened as everything Jason said washed over her like a wave. She didn't know where to begin.
"Um, uh, a mercenary group?"
Jason nodded.
"And you, um, kill people?"
"That's…one way of putting it."
Anna wondered what another way would be.
"'Silver Dragons?" she asked. "That's…an interesting name."
A wry grin formed on Jason's features; Anna couldn't help but find his smile irresistibly attractive, despite how strange everything happening was.
"It is. But fitting."
Now, wondered Anna, what the hell does that mean?
"And this is the big secret, that you work for a mercenary company?" she asked. "Please tell me there's nothing more than that."
"There are…other details," he said. "But you'll learn them in time. But this particular aspect of your job is the one you ought to become acquainted with the soonest."
"So…does this mean that, if I take the job, I'll be in some kind of danger?"
Jason shook his head.
"No," he said. "Everything about my identity is a secret to those who might have an…issue with my line of work. And on top of everything, us Silver Dragons look out for one another; when one of us is out on a mission, the others make sure to look out for the families of the active agent. So far, in all of the years of our agency, we haven't had an issue."
It was all so strange to Anna.
"Then that's what all of this is about?" she asked, gesturing around her.
"More or less," said Jason. "Not all the clients of Ladon are mercenaries like myself, but we all have certain circumstances that require discretion. Not to mention, families."
A moment passed as Anna considered everything.
"Keep in mind, you're still free to leave at any time," said Jason. "You won't be able to tell anyone what I've just told you without harsh legal penalties, but you're not locked into anything. The choice is all yours."
Anna sat back in her seat and considered everything. The mercenary angle was something she hadn't expected, but Jason made it sound as though she might not even need to worry about it. And it certainly explained the lithe, powerful way he moved; the training she suspected was clearly for combat. She went back and forth for a bit, debating the pros and cons. However, she soon realized she had no good reason to say no; the benefits and money were just too good to pass up.
"You know what?" she said. "I'm on. If you think I'm good for the job, then I'm ready to get started."
Jason nodded approvingly.
"Then let's not waste any time," he said, pressing the button on his desk once again. "I'd like to get you moved in as soon as possible. Are there any loose ends you need to tie up?"
"Just with my roommates," she said. "I don't want to leave them high and dry."
Jason withdrew a notepad from his desk and slid it toward her.
"Write down your address and the names of your roommates, along with their phone numbers. I'll have everything taken care of by the time you finish signing the paperwork."
"I hope that doesn't mean you're going to kill them," said Anna, a little smirk on her face.
"I guess you'll have to wait and find out," said Jason, returning the look as he got up to leave.
Anna was alone for a brief moment before the two lawyers returned, now with multiple folders. For the next hour, they went over all the details about the job, including benefits, salary, living arrangements, and everything else Anna could think of. By the end of it, her wrist was sore from all the signing.
Soon, the lawyers were gone, and Jason was back. Instead of sitting, he leaned against the edge of his desk, across from Anna.
"All's taken care of with your roommates," he said. "Your rent's paid up for the next few months, and if you're still on board by then, I'll finish out the lease. And I made it very clear to them that they're not to rent out the room while you're gone."
"Oh, thanks," said Anna, surprised he was able to take care of everything with such ease.
"We can get the process of having your things sent over sorted out by the end of the day," he said. "But, for now, I think I'd like to get you over to the apartment and introduced to the kids. I'd like to have you settled in by the time I start my next op."
"Sounds good," said Anna.
"Then let's go," said Jason. "I'd prefer not to waste another second."
With that, he moved to the office doors and held them open for Anna. She left with him, and the two of them made their way down the long hallway. As they walked, Anna couldn't help but notice the looks the female employees of the office gave to Jason. Nearly all of the women, young and old, couldn't seem to keep their eyes off him.
Can't really blame them, Anna thought, her own eyes flicking to his rear end. Might be…distracting working with a boss like this.
She found her thoughts surprising; she never really thought she'd be attracted to an older man like Jason. But Anna couldn't resist. Not to mention, he was in better shape than most men her own age.
They continued through the hall, eventually reaching a small elevator. Stepping inside, Anna saw that there was only one button, labeled "H."
"Where does this go?" asked Anna as the doors slid shut.
Jason said nothing, simply pointing up.
Then, the elevator rose. After a quick flight up, the doors opened to reveal the roof of the building. Anna gasped as she stepped out, noticing, at once, that it was a helipad, a jet-black copter parked right in the center. She'd never been on a roof like this before, and her eyes went wide with excitement as she took in the three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view the space afforded her. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before.
As they approached the helicopter, the blades of the machine whirred to life, the sound quickly becoming deafening. Opening the door to the craft, Jason pulled out two pairs of headphones, handing one to Anna. She slipped it on over her ears and the sound of the blades mercifully quieted.
"Ever flown in one of these before?" asked Jason, his voice coming in tinny through the speakers.
"Nope," said Anna, still taking in the amazing view.
"Fastest way to get around," he said. "Well, one of the fastest."
But before Anna could even wonder what he meant by that comment, the helicopter lifted, and they were off.