Horribly abused by his mother, Van eventually goes in search of his father. When he finds him, his life is radically changed. His father works for the FBI, and has contacts to a covert group, run by the Old Man, that goes after the worst of the worst criminals. Van is recruited to join both -- and does. Van handles every job he's sent on with cold efficiency, letting nothing stand in his way of gaining the information he seeks and stopping his foes. Eventually, he's offered a team of his own within the Old Man's organization. He accepts, with one caveat -- none of them can be female. Because of his mother, the only woman he has ever trusted is his handler, Makie. His attitude takes a hit when he meets Ginna, a cop, while on a job for the Old Man. When it's over, much to the shock of everyone involved, he requests that she be added to his team if she's willing -- which she is, as long as the organization can promise to keep her young son safe while she's on assignments. Ginna fits in well with the team, and though she is appalled at some of the tactics Van uses to gain information, she finds herself attracted to him. Can she break through the walls he's erected around his emotions? If so, then what? Only time will tell.

A Shattered Life

And he was right; one of the cans went flying, spewing the last of the soda all over the fence in the process. The boy laughed joyfully.


They spent the next half hour at it, the boy missing more than he hit but still happy just to be trying. Suddenly he stopped, looking anxiously at the sky. “I have to go, it’s late, I’m going to be late.”


“Sure kid. I understand. You gonna come back tomorrow and try again?”


“Can I?” The boy’s face said he desperately wanted to.


“Hey, I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t mean it. I’ll be around all day, so just show up. Okay?”


“Okay.” The boy nodded and the burst away across the lawn toward the trees as if all the demons of hell were after him, vanishing before Vance could say or do anything.


As Vance went to pick up the cans he growled angrily, “I’m going to get you away from whoever’s doing that to you kid, I swear I will.” He hoped he could keep that promise.


Chapter 18