Bodyguard: Target
Authors: Chris Bradford
Chris Bradford is a
true believer in ‘
practising what you preach
’. For his
award-winning Young Samurai series, he trained in samurai swordsmanship, karate,
ninjutsu and earned his black belt in Zen Kyu Shin Taijutsu.
For his new Bodyguard series, Chris
embarked on an intensive close-protection course to become a qualified professional
bodyguard. During his training,
he acquired skills in unarmed combat, defensive
driving, tactical firearms, threat assessments, surveillance, and even anti-ambush
exercises.
His bestselling books are published in
over twenty languages and have garnered more than thirty children’s book
awards and nominations.
Before becoming a full-time author, he
was a professional musician (who once performed for
HRH Queen Elizabeth II),
songwriter and music teacher.
Chris lives in England with his wife and
two sons.
To discover more about Chris go to
www.chrisbradford.co.uk
Bradford
order)
The Young Samurai series (in reading
order)
WARRIOR
SWORD
DRAGON
EARTH
WATER
FIRE
WIND
OF
SKY
Available as ebook
FIRE
To my goddaughter, Lucinda
–
Always there for you
BOOKS
Brilliant Book Award 2014 – Winner
Hampshire Book Award 2014 – Winner
‘Bone-crunching action adventure’
–
Financial Times
‘Breathtaking action … as real as it
gets’
– Eoin Colfer, author of the
bestselling Artemis Fowl series
‘Bradford has combined Jack Bauer, James
Bond, and Alex Rider to bring us the action-packed thriller’
–
Goodreads.com
‘Wholly authentic … the action and
pace are spot on. Anyone working in the protection
industry at a top level will
recognize that the author knows what he’s writing about’
– Simon, ex-SO14 Royalty Close
Protection
‘A gripping page-turner that children
won’t be able to put down’
–
Red House
‘Will wrestle you to the ground and leave
you breathless. 5 Stars’
–
Flipside
magazine
‘A gripping, heart-pounding novel’
–
Bookaholic
‘The best bodyguard
is the one nobody notices.’
With the rise of teen stars, the intense media focus
on celebrity families and a new wave of millionaires and billionaires, adults are no
longer the only target for hostage-taking, blackmail and assassination – kids
are too.
That’s why they need specialized protection
…
BUDDYGUARD
BUDDYGUARD is a secret
close-protection organization
that differs from all other security outfits by training and supplying only young
bodyguards.
Known as ‘buddyguards’, these highly
skilled teenagers are more effective than the typical adult bodyguard, who can
easily draw unwanted attention. Operating invisibly as a child’s constant
companion, a buddyguard provides the greatest possible protection
for any
high-profile or vulnerable young person.
In a life-threatening situation, a buddyguard is the
final
ring of defence.
The hot Californian sun glinted off the
SUV’s hubcaps as it cruised the quiet suburban street. The man behind the
wheel spotted a schoolgirl skipping along the sidewalk, his attention caught
by her
ponytail of golden-blonde hair flicking from side to side. Judging from the carefree
bounce in her step, she was no more than ten years old.
With a quick glance in his rear-view
mirror, the driver slowed down. He was almost alongside the girl when a voice cried
out, ‘Charlotte!’
She stopped and turned. Another girl,
petite with almond-shaped eyes, emerged from
the porch of a large house. Her pink
backpack rode high on her shoulders as she ran across the sun-baked lawn.
‘
Nǐ hǎo
,
Kerry!’ Charlotte called back.
Her friend smiled warmly, revealing a
set of braces. ‘Hey, your Chinese is getting good.’
‘I’ve been
practising,’ said Charlotte as the SUV continued past, unnoticed.
‘You want to learn some
more?’ Kerry asked.
‘Yeah,’
Charlotte replied eagerly. ‘We could use it as a secret code at
school.’
Kerry moved closer and whispered,
‘A best-friend language.’ She held up her little finger. ‘Friends
forever?’
Charlotte entwined her own little finger
round Kerry’s. ‘Friends forever.’
Then, hand in hand, they set off down
the road. At the junction the silver SUV with tinted
windows pulled up in front of
them, and the passenger door swung open.
‘Excuse me, girls,’ said the
driver with a forlorn look. ‘Can you help me? I’m a bit lost.’
They both stared at the man, taking in
his bald head, reddened cheeks and beginnings of a double chin. Intrigued by his
accent, Charlotte asked, ‘Are you from England?’
The man nodded. ‘On holiday.
I’m
supposed to meet my daughter at Disneyland, but I missed the junction off
the highway.’
‘You really are lost,’ said
Kerry. ‘Disneyland’s in Anaheim. You’re in North
Tustin.’
The man sighed and shook his head at the
map on the passenger seat. ‘American roads! They’re almost as wide as
they are long. Can you show me exactly where I am?’
‘Sure,’ said Kerry, leaning
in to look at the map.
The man’s eyes lingered briefly on
Charlotte. Then he turned his full attention to Kerry.
Charlotte noticed an illuminated screen
on the dashboard. ‘Why not use your satnav?’ she suggested.
The man responded with a tight smile.
‘Can’t work it for the life of me. Rental car.’
Charlotte’s
eyes narrowed. His explanation was unconvincing;
even her dad could work a satnav.
‘Kerry, I think we should be go–’
Before Kerry could move, the man rammed
a stun gun against her neck. Kerry shrieked, her body juddering with a million
volts. Her eyes rolled back and she fell limp. The man seized Kerry’s backpack
straps and, with a vicious tug, wrenched her body into the footwell.
Shocked by the speed of the attack,
Charlotte stood rooted to the spot. She didn’t try to grab Kerry, or even call
for help. She just watched as the door slammed shut on her best friend. Then the SUV
shot off, sped round a corner and disappeared.