The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront and Erik Reed Read Free Book Online Page A

will be available to you in the morning. Just call the front desk, and we’ll send them up.
    Anna placed the note back on the coffee table and smiled. “Hey, Vin, did you know that we are in some chick named Anderson’s room, and she has her own butler service?”
    “Just one of the perks, Anna.” Father Vin came out of the bedroom where he had been putting away his luggage. “You’re Ms. Anderson. You’ll find that a lot of times when you stay somewhere, you will have a different name. It’s one of the ways you can keep a low profile on the outside. Keeps you from having to watch over your shoulder so much. You will have to get used to it. And always remember the name you’re using. You don’t want to arouse suspicion if someone calls out that particular name and you don’t answer.”
    “Sounds like James Bond stuff to me.” Anna shrugged her shoulders and walked to the pantry. “I’m fixing something to eat. You want some?”
    “Speaking of James Bond—here.” He took off his shoulder bag and set it on the counter. Reaching inside, he pulled out four passports and handed them to her. “Now, give me your wallet.”
    Anna was stunned. All four passports had a current picture of her, originated from four different countries, and had stamps from a bunch of countries she had never been to. And each one bore a different name.
    “Your wallet please, Anna.” Vin stood there with his hand held out.
    “How did you get these?” Anna marveled at the fake documents.
    “You’d be surprised what you can do with a digital camera, a laptop, and as much money as you have. Your grandfather has had at least four identities for you ready to go since you were eighteen. Your wallet, Anna. Please.”
    She held up the third passport, an Australian one. Inside the name read Maggie Anderson. “So I guess this is me … Ms. Maggie Anderson.”
    Father Vin reached across the counter and grabbed Anna’s purse. He took out her wallet and began emptying its contents on the counter.
    “Hey!” Anna objected. “What are you doing?”
    Continuing to empty the leather pouch of its credit cards and identifications, Vin replied, “Anna, remember what I said? You are a ghost now. There can be no trace of your former life. You are no longer Anna Riley as far as the world is concerned. From now on you are one of these four people.” He held up the passports. “And when these four have been used up, there will be four more waiting.”
    He grabbed the small pile of plastic and paper now scattered on the counter and carried it over to the trash can in the kitchen area. Placing the contents inside, he carried the small metal basket out onto the private balcony. He struck a match he had retrieved from one of his pockets and set the pile on fire, erasing Anna’s identity.
    Anna stood there staring at the small fire. This was just one more reminder of how crazy all of this was. She knew she should feel cheated or violated in some way, seeing her identity literally go up in smoke. But for some odd reason she didn’t. The truth was, she was okay with it. If anything, it was kind of exciting. And scary. But mostly exciting.
    “Okay. Well, I guess that’s that,” she said. She picked up the new passports again and thumbed through them once more.
    Father Vin sat down on the couch. “I need to make a phone call. When I’m done, I think I will retire for the evening. We have a busy day tomorrow.” He reached into his shoulder pack, retrieved the satellite phone he had used on the plane, and started to punch in the numbers. “Ah yes, Martin. I need to speak to him. It’s important.” There was a pause then, “Hello, Your Holiness …. Yes, everything is fine …. I am safe …. Caracas, Venezuela …. I’m afraid Thomas has gone to be with our Lord …. Yes, I am with her now …. What’s that? … Oh yes, of course! Hang on one second.” Father Vin cupped the mouthpiece of the phone and turned his head toward her. “Anna, you have