When the long black car pulled up
at the school near the playground, Ricky didn’t pay too much attention at
first. He was too involved in the kickball game. It wasn’t until some of the
other sixth graders stopped to stare that he noticed what was going on.
A man in a
black suit was striding across the grass with a black briefcase in his hand.
His dark sunglasses reflected the bright sunlight, and Ricky felt the
overwhelming urge to look away to escape the glare.
The man
walked right up to the teacher who was currently on playground duty and flashed
a card of some kind. They fell into a conversation, and the sixth graders lost
interest and went back to their game.
It was
Ricky’s turn to go up to home plate. The bases were loaded, and they had two
outs already. Bouncing up and down on his toes, he got into a kicking position,
waiting for the pitch. Staring down the pitcher, he signaled for him to throw
the ball.
The red
ball bounced and rolled as it got closer to Ricky. This was a perfect pitch! He
was going to kick that ball clear past the fence for a home run!
Someone
gripped Ricky’s arm just as he was about to smash the ball with his foot.
Startled, he whirled around and came face-to-face with the man holding the
briefcase. The dark sunglasses covered his eyes completely, but the rest of the
man’s face was stretched into a tight smile.
“Ricky?”
The man’s voice was firm and commanding.
“Uh, yeah,
that’s me.” Ricky tried to keep his voice calm and cool, but his obvious
nervousness about being tightly gripped by the arm made him fail.
“I was sent
here by your father. My name is Mr. Kline.”
“Dad sent
you?” Ricky’s nervousness was replaced with solid fear. “How did he do that?”
His dad had died suddenly in a car accident three years ago. Who was this man?
Refusing to
answer Ricky’s question, Mr. Kline guided him forcefully back to the sleek
black car.
“Um, I’m
not supposed to go anywhere with strangers,” Ricky said in a quivering voice.
Mr. Kline
didn’t reply until they were standing just outside the car doors. He retrieved
a small cell phone from his pocket and handed it over to Ricky, saying, “Call
your mom. She knows about this.”
Looking
dubiously back at the man, Ricky dialed his mom’s number. He had some questions
for her, but before he could say anything, she let loose a tidal wave of
questions of her own.
“Ricky? Is
that you? Are you with Mr. Kline? Are you safe? Where have you been?”
When Ricky
was allowed to answer, he said breathlessly, “I’m fine, Mom. I’ve just been at
school. Mr. Kline says I’m supposed to go with him. Is that okay?”
“Yes, yes.”
Mom’s voice was full of relief. “Go with him and he’ll explain everything.”
Before he
could ask any more questions, his mom ended the call, and he felt more confused
than before. He held the phone out to Mr. Kline, trying to give it back to him.
Mr. Kline shook his head. “It’s yours now.” Without another word, he opened the
door to the car, and Ricky climbed into the backseat, buckling himself in.
When Mr.
Kline settled himself into the front seat, he started the car, and they pulled
out onto the road.
“Where are
we going?” Ricky found himself pressed back into the seat as Mr. Kline drove
much faster than the speed limit. Streets and houses were flashing by, and
worry was growing inside him.
The big man
glanced once back at Ricky. “Somewhere safe. We’re too exposed out here. Your
mother’s going to meet us.”
A trickle
of relief was again covered with worry. What was happening? Hadn’t he been safe
enough at school? Had something happened to his mom? Was she okay? More and
more thoughts swirled around his head as they drove faster and faster down the
residential streets.
It wasn’t
until they reached the highway that Mr. Kline seemed to relax a little. “Okay,
now we can talk.”
Ricky
leaned forward, eager to hear what the man was going to say. He was completely
unprepared for what came next.
“Your dad’s
been on a covert mission for the last few years, and his cover’s been blown.
You and your family are in danger.”
Ricky
blinked, trying to process what he’d just heard. “M-my dad’s alive?”
Mr. Kline
nodded solemnly as he focused on the road. “Your mom knew, but I’m sorry that
we couldn’t tell you.”
Anger
burned unexpectedly in Ricky. “Who are you, really?”
Mr. Kline’s
voice was softer now. “I’m a friend. I’ve known your dad for a long time. His
job is a hard one, but he’s been trained really well, just like all our
operatives. Once we get you and your family safe, we’ll protect you from the
people who are now chasing your dad.”
Ricky’s
eyebrows raised higher and higher as he listened to this explanation. “Is my
dad some kind of spy?” he finally asked.
A shoulder
shrug from Mr. Kline was all the answer Ricky received at first. The silence
stretched out around them until he finally said, “You’ve heard of James Bond,
right?”
“Of
course.”
“Well,
James Bond doesn’t hold a candle to your dad. He’s one of our best
infiltrators.”
Ricky’s jaw
dropped. First, his dad was somehow still alive, and now he’s a better spy than
James Bond?
Mr. Kline
allowed Ricky to process this information before he nervously cleared his
throat and continued. “That’s not all. Your dad is part of a long line of
special operatives that goes back for centuries. Your family is very special,
and now it’s your turn.”
“My turn
for what?” Ricky held his breath, scared to hear what the answer would be.
A long sigh
came from the front seat. “You’re being called in, Ricky. Your dad needs
rescuing, and you’re in the best position to help him.”
Ricky’s
mouth went dry. “How?”
For the
first time, Mr. Kline’s eyes met Ricky’s as he turned around and told him, “You
and your dad are the last in a long line of ancient kings. For centuries, your
family has been in charge of the welfare of the people of the world.”
“Wait,
what?”
“Welcome to
the Protector’s Society.”
Just like
that, Ricky’s life changed as he took his place in his family’s empire. No
other agency or society affected the world like the Protector’s Society. They
were the ones who prevented countless terrorist acts from happening. They
manipulated natural events into outcomes that would have turned out differently
otherwise. Just like his ancestors before him and his descendants that would
come after him, he worked behind the scenes to make the world a better place.
