The rest of their conversation passed by relatively uneventfully, consumed mostly by talk of how, exactly, he would be working for Charlotte. It had occurred to him that only a crazy person would willingly take a job with someone who had just been named at fault for an industrial accident that had killed someone, but then again he never considered himself fully sane anyway. Ethan preferred a life that had just a bit of danger in it, something that kept him on his toes, so to speak. Charlotte was smart and very quick, which presented a challenge that he was more than willing to face. She could keep up with him, and that carried a lot of weight in the ex-soldier's eyes.<br/><br/>Ethan was slightly disappointed when she mentioned 'company policy', but he did a very good job of not appearing to be bothered by it. Even if she did find herself attracted to him, she was, in her own way, saying that it wasn't going to happen. It pulled his spirit down a bit, but he treated it like any other situation and just rolled it off his shoulder. There was no sense in dwelling on it. Ethan was, however, persistent, and while he wouldn't actively pursue her, he wouldn't shut himself down on the notion completely. There was always a chance in the future for things to change.<br/><br/>When it came time to depart, Ethan asked the young woman to let him know when she arrived at home so he could plan to meet up with her to begin his training. After they exchanged their farewells and their information, Ethan went back up to his apartment and changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, deciding that what he needed to shake off his morning beat-down was a jog. Stretching wasn't really a thing anymore with the marked exception of his gluts, which he stretched extra. Lugging around limbs made of metal was a wearying task, and he knew he'd pay for it if he didn't pay attention to what his body needed.<br/><br/>Ethan ran for most of the afternoon; when he arrived at his apartment the sun was already setting. He went up the stairs and guzzled some water, then hung his head under the shower tap and ran the cool water. He'd shower later, after he'd eaten, but a thought had suddenly occurred to him. He'd never heard from Charlotte. Normally he wouldn't think anything of it, but considering how far her family was willing to go to force her to fall in line, it wouldn't be completely out of the question to suspect them of foul play. He reached for his phone and called her contact number.<br/><br/>Voicemail. He called again. Voicemail. After a third failed attempt to reach his new employer, worry began to set in. Wasting no time, he changed back into some decent clothes (jeans and a different t-shirt) and took off in his truck. The drive was long, compared to some of his other jobs, but when he pulled up to the swanky apartment, he chose to leave his truck hidden around the back, in case someone came looking for her.<br/><br/>Ethan made his way across the courtyard and to the front door, sticking to the street and any walking paths he could use. The last thing he wanted to do look like a criminal. When he reached the front door, he immediately noticed that it was not only unlocked, but swinging free on its hinges. The soldier reached for his firearm tucked against his back and quietly entered the home. He crouched slightly to present a smaller profile, though his large stature made that difficult to do. His eyes scanned his surroundings for movement, and for any signs of a confrontation. Finding nothing of notable importance, he continued his search.<br/><br/>A few minutes passed, though each second felt like an entire day. Adrenaline flowed through his veins evenly, slowing down time from his perspective as he crept through the upscale apartment. When he finally found Charlotte, her body limp on the floor and resting against the wall, he feared the worst. Resisting the urge to run to her, he took his time, carefully viewing his surroundings until he determined the area was safe. Ethan slid his gun back into his pants just as he came to Charlotte's body, checking first for a pulse. A wave of relief washed over him when he found it was stable. At first he did not move her, but inspected the rest of the rooms before giving it the 'all clear'. He then returned to her side, lifted her up, and carried her to her bedroom, where he laid her carefully on her bed before trying to rouse her.<br/><br/>"Char... wake up. Come on, wake up..!"