Chapter 11:

Authority

"My identity?" Her words cut like a knife, "My identity?"

She repeated, scoffing at them. I could see them now. Three security guards led by a gruff looking man. Their black armor covered their entire body save their heads. All wore a badge that said: I.A.S.

Ishikawa-Alden Security.

While not everyone would know who she was, despite being who she was, it was going too far to ask in such a way. At least, I thought so.

"Yes," The one in the lead ordered roughly, "And we'll need that man's identity as well. I got reports stating he is disturbing the other guests."

I never knew that the air could get cold from someone's reaction, but it did. The atmosphere changed as Cecelia, my wife, grew frigid.

"Oh? They did, did they?" Her gaze passed over the gathering crowd, "I see."

"Ma'am," The gruff looking man snapped, "Your attention on me. Show me your ID. Now. I won't ask again."

There was a moment of silence where, if I had a knife, I felt like I could cut the tension.

"U-Uhm, sir," One of the other security guards spoke up, a young woman, "I don't think that-"

"You're not paid to think, rookie!" He snapped at her, "You work in this industry, you have to be strict. You have to-"

"...Shut up," Cecelia's tone was dead cold, "Honestly..."

"Excuse me?" The man glared up at my wife, a mistake he'd regret making.

The man reached for his sidearm.

"Sir!" The woman exclaimed, fear running through her teal eyes, "That's-"

Cecelia held a hand up, and the woman froze. She held back her words.

"You have three seconds," The man ordered, "Show me your ID or I'll have to use force."

"...Dear," Cecelia called to me sweetly, "Show them your ID, will you?"

Despite her sweet tone, I could almost hear the guillotine being lifted. As she glanced back at me, I saw the look in her eye.

"This man is fucked," I thought.

Doing my best to quell my heart as it swooned for her, I obeyed. Running my finger along my glasses, the biometric scan accessed my identification. Appearing in my vision before I sent it over to him with a flick of my finger. The screen on his arm lighting up as it arrived to him.

"Tell me, Captain," My wife asked, turning her attention back on him, "Do you have family? Loved ones?"

"Excuse me?" He shot an angry look at her before turning his attention to the screen on his arm, "That's none of your-"

His words caught in his throat as his eyes went wide. A look of fear came over him as he took in what was on my ID.

Alexander John Williams Ishikawa-Alden.

"You realize now, don't you?" Cecelia walked forward, each step held power.

The closer she got, the more nervous he became. The guillotine rising higher and higher. His entire body went limp as his hand fell from his sidearm. His eye plastered to the screen on his arm.

"Th-This is...that's not..." He stuttered, mumbling to himself.

"Oh, it's very real," It was like watching a cat play with a mouse, "Now, Captain, what is your family going to say when they hear you've lost your job?"

Murmuring arose among the onlookers as the mood shifted. A look of uncertainty and fear passed over all of them. They were watching an execution, and just now realizing it.

"I-I can't lose this!" He began to beg, pleading, "P-Please, it was my mistake, I-"

"Yes, it was," She didn't raise her voice, but the effect was enough, cutting through his words with ease, "...You, what's your name?"

Her gaze shifted to the young woman who balked at the suddenness of being called out.

"M-Me?" She asked, pointing to herself, "Uhm, it's Lindsey Keane, Ma'am, b-but most just call me Lin..."

"Alright then, Lin," She smiled lightly, reaching for and ripping off the captain's badge on the man, "From today onwards, you're Captain now."

With ease, she made her way to the woman and placed the badge upon her uniform.

"Congratulations, you just got promoted," My wife held Lin's collar for a bit longer than needed, to prove a point, "Don't disappoint me now."

"O-Of course not, never ma'am," Lin gulped, breathing heavily as my wife walked away from her.

Leaning towards the man, she erased the data from his screen. Getting close enough where only the three of us could hear what she said.

"Now, be lucky it's only your job you're losing," The menacing whisper sent chills even through my blood, "I'm in a good mood because my husband here said some things that made me really happy. It's a shame you spoiled it. Now, thank him."

It was then that the guillotine fell with full force. All fight leaving the man. Standing up, she wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close.

"Sorry about that," She told me, smiling and stroking my head lovingly, "But thank you for going along with it."

"I-It's fine," I answered, suddenly feeling quite shy.

Her words may have sent chills throughout my blood, but what was more was what else she said about me.

"I made her happy? Hehe..." I found myself rather giddy at the thought of it, smiling dumbly, I tried to hide my blushing face with the back of my hand.

"S-Sorry sir," The man stood straight, bowing near parallel to the ground, "Thank you for your mercy!"

Shifting nervously, I simply nodded in response. I didn't know what to say, and this was all a bit too much attention for me. Cecelia wrapping her arms around mine was the only comfort I had. As she began to guide me away, she paused for a moment, glancing back towards Lin.

"Ah, right. Lin, dear," She called, "Your first order of business as the new Captain of Security here is to remove that man, and everyone else, from the premises."

The crowd began to murmur angrily. A man in his rage reaching out towards me.

"Y-You!" He fumed, trying to grab me by the collar, "Just who the hell do you think you are!"

I say tried, because Cecelia was ready. Before he could even reach me, she had grabbed his hand and twisted. The sound of bones breaking, and his cry of pain echoed through the area. He screamed in agony and was brought to his knees. A nearby woman yelled out in horror.

"He is my husband," Cecelia told him coldly, the deadly look in her eyes extremely attractive to me, "And you are not worthy to approach him like that."

"A-And just who the hell are you!" The man asked through gritted teeth, "You broke my fucking wrist!"

"I'll do more than that since none of you seem to get it," Her calm words laced with a deadly edge as she looked out over the crowd, "I am Cecelia Meredith Williams Ishikawa-Alden, Head of the Ishikawa-Alden Family. By my authority, you are all hereby banned from our buildings. Lin, make sure to see it done."

Lin saluted, fist over chest, before calling in backup. The surrounding crowd lost all color as the realization dawned on them. Their own guillotine falling upon their necks. Some murmuring that they thought she looked familiar. Others cursing themselves for not realizing it sooner.

They knew their mistake now, but it was too late. Some tried to escape before security arrived but were instantly stopped as tasers began to fly. The rest of security soon arrived to take care of the rest. My wife led me by the arm away from the chaos. Looking up at her, I was reminded of how amazing she was.

She made me wonder if she really needed to disguise herself when we first met. Despite being on so many magazines, there were still some who failed to recognize her. Yet, she handled it better than I ever could. My heart beat quickly in my chest.

"Gods, I love this woman..."

-----

Nikushimi

Cecelia is well known in the more professional world, but when out and about not many can recognize her. Only those keeping up on the latest trends and business would, and even then, it can be difficult. I wanted to clear this up because I wasn't sure how to get it across. With people probably asking "She's famous, yet people don't know her? Even her own employees?". It's not that people don't, but most are too preoccupied with their own lives to pay much attention. Like that show undercover boss. Even when they are revealed without makeup, most people don't know until they tell them. I hope that helps explain the strangeness of it.