Later that afternoon, after ordering Dan to assemble the entire security detail tasked with protecting Kari, Alex arrived to meet with them.  Every man in that room rose to their feet when Alex, along with Jimmy Hines and Alex’s own protection staff, walked in.  They were in an old office building that clandestinely headquartered his security operation in Apple Valley. Dan Drysdale, stood in the front of the group.

“The boss wants to say a few words, guys,” Dan said, “about what happened this morning.”

“I’ll be brief,” Alex said as soon as Dan stopped talking.  He looked hard at the security detail.  “You’re fired,” he said.

The men were shocked.  Some jumped to their feet.  Dan, who was leaned against the table up front, stood erect too.  He was as shocked as his men.  “Fired, sir?” he asked.

“Fired.  Every one of you.  Effective immediately.  A new team will take over as Security for Miss Grant.”

“But why, sir?” Dan asked.

Alex looked at him.  “Why? You’re asking me why?  Miss Grant was almost killed this morning and you’re asking me why?”

“But how were we to know who that woman was?” asked Jay Michaels, one of the crew members.  “She was just a random person outside of that diner talking with Miss Grant.  We didn’t know--”

“Did you take a photo and run her through the database?” Alex asked before Michaels could finish his sentence.

“Well, no, sir,” Dan responded for Michaels.  “But Mike’s right.  We can’t run every female we see through that database.”

Alex frowned.  “Why the fuck not?” he asked.  “When it comes to Miss Grant’s safety, why the fuck not?  I’m paying for it!”

“I realize that, sir, but--”

“You think I hired your asses, ordering you to give her blanket protection, as a joke?  You think I told you I would have zero tolerance for any mistakes and didn’t mean it?  She was almost killed today!  Killed!  This is no fucking joke!  You didn’t do your jobs.  You let her down.  This is a leaky-ass team and I’m putting a plug in it right now!”

“I don’t believe this shit!” Michaels yelled out.  “You’re firing us over her?  You’re firing us over some plain, dumbass bitch like her? I don’t know what’s the big damn deal!”

The room went still.  Even Dan knew his man had gone too far.  “He didn’t mean it, sir,” he began saying as Alex began moving toward Michaels.

“Sir, he was just mouthing off,” Dan added as he followed Alex.

But Alex would not be deterred.  He walked up to Michaels.  Stood toe to toe with him.  And then, as if out of nowhere, that viciousness Alex did everything in his power to keep in, came out.  He grabbed Michaels, lifted him up, and threw him so hard that he slammed against the wall, and put a hole in that wall the size of Michaels’ body.  Then Michaels fell to the floor.

The men, stunned, wanted to hurry over and assist him.  But they were afraid of Alex.

“Do you know what the big damn deal is now?” Alex yelled at Michaels.  “Motherfucker!”

Then Alex, after settling himself back down, looked at the rest of the crew.  “Pack up your shit and get the fuck out of Apple Valley,” he said.  “You’ll be given a severance package, but you will not work for any of my companies ever again.”  He began heading for the exit.  He looked at Jimmy Hines.  “I want them all out, and I want them out today,” he said.  “See to it.”

“Yes, sir!” Jimmy responded.  He knew Alex was a man who meant business, and any man who didn’t handle his business was going to be out.  Not semi-out.  Not almost-out.  Out.  No doubt in Jimmy’s mind.

Alex, still fuming, left the building.