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

“Are you the oldest?” he asked, his eyes still locked on the men in front of him. When she answered to the affirmative, he told her to make certain they were standing close together, holding each other’s hands. He heard movement from behind him and smiled tightly.


Suddenly he fired again, the bullet’s entry into one of the partner’s shoulders sending him stumbling against the wall.


“When I told you to search them,” Vance growled at Smith, “I did not mean you were to give them a weapon. Sit back down, now, or you’ll join the guards wherever they ended up. Probably in Hell if there’s any justice at all.”


During the brief flurry of activity, Carlyle had managed to separate himself from the others, trying to sidle unnoticed down the side wall, apparently intent on getting to the children.


Vance fired a bullet into the wall right beside the man. “Back where you were or the next one takes out a kneecap or elbow,” he spat out.


Chapter 41