by Writing Shark

Choosing the bear
Everyone in the airport can see immediately that he is a soldier and it doesn’t matter if you are in Switzerland or the States, for a mountain of a man, the crowds on every continent on earth part.
For how impressive he is, it was surprisingly easy to summon him to you. To beg, as you remember, but men of his rank do not allow themselves to be ordered around by civilians. But that doesn’t worry you. A call to your father, an assurance later that the family name and fortune would not be affected, and your father allowed you to go your own way. He was even a little pleased when he heard the energy in your voice.
Getting the soldier to the airport was then just another call to your family’s security chief away. He was offended that you wanted to hire an ex-soldier, but had no objection to your money and sent you one name. Teddy.
Now, six hours later, the crowd in front of you parts and reveals Teddy, who looks not unlike a bloodthirsty grizzly bear and probably tears his victims to pieces in close combat instead of using his weapon. At least that’s what you think with your impressive military knowledge that barely goes beyond a round of CoD and a bit of MJ.
“Hello,” you greet the man who sits down next to you at the table in the restaurant without saying a word. People are walking around everywhere and you can’t imagine why he chose this public place of all places. An unusual dryness spreads in your mouth, completely different from the water that was running in it when you saw Hannah. Even before Teddy looks at you, it’s clear who’s in charge here. And that’s exactly how you want it.
“What should I do for you?” he asks without looking at you.
“Would you like something to drink?” you offer uncertainly, but the man with a long, unkempt beard and trucker cap on his head refuses your offer.
“My superior has already told me everything I need to know,” the man growls in a deep voice. “Tough guy. Combat experience. Weapons.” Then he looks at you. “And no qualms about killing.” Suddenly you are filled with fear and all you can do is nod. “I am all of that, kid,” the man growls again. “The question is why a high society wimp like you needs someone like me if he doesn’t want to go to war.”
“Well…” you mumble and consider backing out. Then you clench your teeth. “That’s exactly what I want to do.” Your eyes meet Teddy’s. “I want to go to war.” And then you reveal your plan to the elite soldier.
“I think I’ll have a beer,” the man says half an hour later and waves the waitress over while you sip your ‘gay little cocktail’. Silence spreads and you feel like a schoolchild who is terrified that his homework isn’t enough. Teddy gets his beer, drinks half of it in one gulp and then puts the mug down so hard that you flinch slightly.
“I’m sure I understand that correctly,” he says and burps quietly. He turns around on his bar stool and looks you over for the first time. “You want to go to a foreign city, preferably with a lot of crime. You want to find a hooker there. You want to get her to work for you and earn money. You want to take on the criminal underworld. You want to be a gangster. A boss. You want to be a pimp.”
“Yes” is all you say.
“And you need me to protect you.”
“Exactly. Me and my girl. I plan to keep my origins as secret as possible, but if necessary, I’ll point out that I come from a powerful weapons consortium. The police have to intervene if something happens to me.” Teddy grunts unimpressed into his beer.
“Well, at least you don’t think your status protects you from harm.” Then he says nothing more, stares from the bar at a TV showing football and thinks. You, on the other hand, are starting to feel unsure.
“Look here, kid,” he finally says. “How about I take you hunting with me, okay? You want adrenaline, I can give you that. But this…” He giggles, which sounds like the rumble of thunder. “That’s the stupidest idea in a long line of stupid ideas.”
Somehow you know that the elite soldier is right and you almost agree with him.
“But it’s my idea,” you say instead. “And I’d like it if you didn’t call me kid.” The man leans over to you and you can already see yourself lying on the floor with a broken neck while he teabagges you. Like in CoD.
“But you’re just a kid, kid,” he growls threateningly. “A child who has no idea what he’s letting himself in for and wants his daddy by his side to support him in his stupid things.”
“Yes,” you nod and blink fearfully. But you stand your ground. Because that’s exactly why you’re doing all this. “I’m just a child. And that’s terrible. I want to prove myself, but my father won’t let me drag the name of the company and the family through the mud with my attempts.” You would never be so open in front of Hannah or your friends. But in front of this man, who could just kill you… “I can only go this way and I will go it, with you or without you.” You swallow hard while Teddy looks at you intently. “But I’d rather you watch my back and tell me when I do something stupid. And I have no idea what I’m doing. I just know that I have to do something, something for myself, with my own hands, otherwise I’ll go crazy.”
“And you’re thinking about buying a woman and enslaving her?” You shake your head frantically.
“I have money already. And I don’t hate people. I want her to do it for me voluntarily.” That really throws Teddy off track and now it’s him who blinks at you.
“Voluntarily? Voluntary prostitution?” You nod and he looks at you, long, intently.
And then he laughs.
“Ha… Haha… Hahahahahahahaha…” You wait impatiently and worriedly while the bear next to you makes the hardwood counter vibrate and you’re almost worried that the bar stool might collapse under him. Some people look over at you but turn away when they see Teddy. “Fucking Hell Kid,” Teddy laughs, apparently really excited. “And you’re hiring me for a thousand dollars a day for that? You’re really retarded.” He wipes his eyes, howls in amusement and finishes his beer. “I’m in.”
“Yes?” you ask, surprised.
“Definitely.” Then he slaps you on the back so hard that you collapse at the bar. “If only to see how you screw it up. Shit… voluntary prostitution.” He shakes his head and then lets his hand fall from your back so that you can straighten up again. “But nothing will happen to you, I promise. You want to see life, that’s what I can offer you. And besides…”
“What?” you ask when he doesn’t say anything else. He looks at you, assesses you, and then continues. Apparently you’ve somehow convinced him.
“My old detachment got a similar assignment,” Teddy shrugs. “But that’s not for me. Schoolgirls, you understand?”
“No,” you mumble.
“It’s better that way. You don’t want to interfere with Caesar’s business.”
“Okay… So…” Teddy holds out his hand to you and you sign the contract like men, relying on mutual trust.
“Where do we start?”
