Chapter 3
Mr. Pink
Jack and his brother, Max, were secret agents for the Global Protection Force, or GPF. Almost nightly, they were sent on missions around the globe to battle evil villains and protect the world’s most priceless treasures.
Normally, the boys would receive their assignments while at home. Each of them had a miniature globe in their room that gave them the location of their next mission. They also had a Magic Map that transported them there.
But on rare occasions, the GPF needed to send an agent somewhere close to where they already were. In these cases, the GPF sent a “handler.” The handler’s job was to take the agent from their current situation and deliver them to their mission location.
The text Jack had received said:
Mr. Pink was Jack and Max’s handler. Jack and Max had met Mr. Pink before at a top secret GPF orientation. The thing that Jack remembered most about the man was that he didn’t like being touched.
As Jack looked out the window, he saw a strange-looking person walking toward the hotel.
The man was wearing a finely tailored black suit and shiny brown shoes. His hair was slicked back with gel, and his face was chiseled and serious. Covering his eyes were dark sunglasses. But these weren’t ordinary sunglasses. These were the GPF’s “Camera Shades.”
The GPF’s Camera Shades could take photos or videos of unsuspecting people. The files could be downloaded to an agent’s Watch Phone. Or, sent directly to the GPF. Jack had no doubt that the man wearing the Camera Shades was Mr. Pink.
Mr. Pink entered the hotel and made his way to Ms. Humphries. She was scolding poor Daniel again, so her back was turned. Mr. Pink announced his presence by clearing his throat. Ms. Humphries didn’t appreciate the interruption.
“Can I help you?” she hissed, turning around.
“I’m here to collect my children,” he said in a wooden voice.
Jack and Max wanted to laugh. There was nothing cuddly about Mr. Pink.
Ms. Humphries’s eyebrows furrowed. Her lips pursed.
“And who are your children?” she asked.
Jack decided to help him out.
“Hi, Dad,” said Jack, giving Mr. Pink a friendly smack on the back. Mr. Pink winced.
“Whoops,” thought Jack to himself. He’d forgotten about Mr. Pink’s little issue.
“Hello,… son,” said Mr. Pink through gritted teeth. He smacked Jack on the back, shoving him a few feet forward.
Ms. Humphries’s eyes narrowed. She looked from Mr. Pink to the boys and back again. The man looked nothing like his “sons.” He didn’t even look like a typical dad.
“Our dad works for the government,” said Max. “That’s why he’s a bit serious.”
“I see,” said Ms. Humphries. “This is all so sudden.”
“I’m sorry for that,” said Mr. Pink. “Their mother has taken ill.”
Jack and Max knew this wasn’t true, but they decided to play along.
“Is it serious?” said Jack, wringing his hands.
“Is she going to be all right?” said Max, pretending to tear up.
Both boys had done at bit of acting at school. In fact, they were pretty good at it. Seeing Jack’s and Max’s reactions, Ms. Humphries’s became much more sympathetic.
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked.
“I’ll need to take the boys,” said Mr. Pink. “I’ll send someone by later to collect their things.”
Ms. Humphries quickly grabbed a clipboard from her bag.
“You’ll need to sign this,” she said. It was a parent’s sign-out sheet.
“Certainly,” said Mr. Pink. He pulled a pen from the inside of his jacket and put an “X” on the dotted line. He handed the clipboard back to Ms. Humphries.
She stared at the odd signature for a few moments.
“I guess—uh—this will be fine,” she said.
Ms. Humphries bent over to put the clipboard away. By the time she looked up again, the boys and Mr. Pink were gone.