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This was an era when America had just concluded the First Gulf War. With the reunification of Germany and the collapse of the northern Red Empire looming, U.S. soldiers of the time were basking in their sense of invincibility—utterly convinced that no one in the world could match their might.
Even if these soldiers hadn't personally taken part in that war, simply using the same equipment gave the impression that they could have. And honestly, that wasn't entirely an illusion—it was more or less true.
Even after discharge, a soldier's habits didn't just fade away from a few months of civilian life.
That said, Brian and his team didn't exude any aggressive sharpness. Instead, they were calm and restrained. To two veteran actresses who had seen all kinds of people in their lives, this kind of demeanor earned them a few extra points.
After all, someone who remains composed and steady under pressure is far more trustworthy than some hot-blooded rookie who charges in without thinking. The latter is far more likely to mess things up.
Even so, Audrey didn't give her trust lightly. After sitting down, she pulled a folder from her handbag and slid it across the table.
"This is the itinerary drafted by the UNICEF team," she said. "Take a look and let me know how your team could provide support for each location, or if there are any parts that might require adjustments. I'd appreciate a brief overview of your approach."
Neither of the Hepburn ladies were strangers to security teams—whether bodyguards or security escorts from film crews during cross-country publicity tours.
So Audrey used this itinerary as a test. Even if she didn't have professional training, after years of being the one under protection, she had developed a keen sense for who was capable and who wasn't.
If all the team did was stand around stiff as statues, their effectiveness would be questionable at best.
Fortunately, Brian Mills was an organized and thorough man. As he read through the schedule provided by the UN, he began explaining how his team would coordinate for each leg of the trip and what kind of deployment they would use.
He also pointed out gaps in the original plan and made suggestions for adjustments—each explained clearly, item by item.
To the non-experts in the room, Brian sounded very competent—like someone who genuinely knew what he was talking about.
Naturally, Audrey couldn't find any faults in Brian's assessment or corrections. She said,
"Mr. Mills, could you organize everything you just mentioned into a proper proposal?
"You understand—we'll need to justify any itinerary changes to UNICEF with clear reasons. It can't be some last-minute demand forcing others to accommodate us."
Brian Mills allowed himself a rare, somewhat shy smile.
"I suppose that means… we've got the job?"
"Of course. Welcome aboard," Audrey said, rising from her seat to shake his hand.
Brian added, "In that case, may I keep a copy of this itinerary for reference while I prepare the plan?"
"Of course. It's not a classified document," Audrey replied.
Immediately, one of the office assistants stepped forward and took the folder to be copied.
"I do apologize," Audrey added, "but time is tight. There aren't many days left before departure, so I'm afraid I'll have to ask your team to move quickly."
"We understand," Brian nodded. "How should we send over the proposal once it's ready?"
"Please hand it off to my new assistant—Henry Brown," Audrey replied.
Henry hadn't sat down with the rest; instead, he had been standing silently behind the two ladies. Upon hearing his name, he nodded in acknowledgment.
Audrey turned back to him with a question,
"Henry, do you have a fax machine?"
"I only have an answering machine. If I need to use a fax, I'll have to apply for a second phone line first."
In this era—when the internet was still just emerging and email barely existed—fax and postal mail were the main means of transmitting documents.
Fax machines were easy enough to buy at any appliance store, but to avoid clashing with the home phone line, you'd have to request a separate line—something that required scheduling installation with the phone company.
So Audrey turned to her insurance broker and asked,
"Wales, may I borrow your fax line?"
Brian quickly interjected, "Please, just call me Brian."
"All right, Brian. Then please call me Audrey," she smiled. "If you need to send over any documents, fax them to Mr. Ronnie here. If you need to schedule a meeting, contact Henry."
Henry jotted down a number by hand and passed it along.
"Apologies, I don't have business cards yet."
From a background actor to personal assistant of a global star, the leap was considerable. Henry hadn't had time to update all the trappings that came with his new identity.
Luckily, Brian wasn't a stickler. Taking the number, he asked,
"And how many people will be in the travel party? I'll need to know exactly who we're responsible for."
"UNICEF will send peacekeeping personnel for their own delegation. You'll mainly be responsible for me and my assistant, Henry."
While that bulletproof young man technically didn't need protection, Audrey had no intention of broadcasting that fact. Henry himself had asked her not to go around announcing it.
And in her understanding, Henry was only bullet-resistant—if he were left behind or outnumbered, he'd still be in danger.
Brian's gaze then fell upon the other star in the room—Katharine. Sensing it, she waved him off with a chuckle.
"Oh, please. You don't think an eighty-something-year-old woman is about to haul herself off to Africa, do you?
"Leave the dark continent adventures to you young folks. I came today just to tag along—to see what kind of people you all were. If you want to protect Audrey, don't send us some puffed-up rookies."
"And… do we pass?" Brian asked with a nervous smile. "Miss Hepburn?"
Katharine raised an eyebrow.
"Which Miss Hepburn are you asking?"
The two unrelated but now-inseparable Hepburns burst out laughing.
And it was then that Brian Mills finally showed his youthful side—he blushed and scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
His teammates, of course, didn't let him off easy. They started teasing him on the spot.
Thankfully, they still remembered they were in someone else's office—and in front of ladies, no less—so the teasing didn't get too wild. But they did mess up Brian's carefully combed hair, leaving him looking rather disheveled.
The two Hepburn ladies were now laughing even harder.
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