The Forbidden Trilogy Read Online Free PDF Page B

that would serve my work, so it wasn't difficult to
push past the clutter in Mr. K's head to find the brightest image to draw. I
just had to stay away from the dark corners, the places where his thoughts
hadn't been tethered to the sane.
    My hand raced furiously over the page, as if on autopilot.
Time drifted into nothing and I became one with the art. Thirty minutes later
Mr. K opened his eyes to examine my work.
    "Remarkable. Sam, you've outgrown me in talent and
ability. I'm so proud of the artist you've become."
    I looked at the sketch in my hand and had to admit it
rocked.
    A wooden box, carved with the same symbol as the pin on my
new sketchbook, and detailed images of nature took up the whole page. The box
seemed to come alive, as if begging me to open it.
    Mr. K smiled and made a few notes on his evaluation form.
    I must have passed.
    ***
    The next morning I waited by the front gate with Old Charlie
and my very own bodyguard, who introduced himself as Gar. What kind of name
is Gar?
    Gar didn't talk much, but his rippled, veiny muscles, and a
jaw so square it looked cartoonish, made him look scary—perfect for a
bodyguard.
    I clutched my overnight bag to my chest and shivered in the
cool morning breeze. A limo arrived promptly at six and whisked me to the
secret airstrip we used to fly to all of our assignments. The drive only took
twenty minutes, and I never saw a highway or city sign, just trees and valleys
of nothing.
    Once there, Gar grabbed my overnight bag, but I strapped my
backpack to my shoulders, not wanting to lose control of my most precious
belongings. I boarded the Cessna Citation X, the world's fastest mid-sized jet,
and sank into one of the plush leather seats.
    I knew the drill: once we were airborne, Lollie, the
stewardess, came to my seat with a needle balanced on a silver tray. I closed
my eyes as she injected the drug into me, the one that would render me
unconscious for the duration of my trip. This was for my protection, so I'd
never be able to disclose the location of the Rent-A-Kid school. As always, it
quelled any nervousness I had about the assignment.
    My doubts and fears drifted away on a cloud, as darkness
overcame me.
    ***
    Something cool and soft tickled my forehead. My eyes pried
themselves open as my head attempted to clear itself of the drug-induced
fuzziness.
    Lollie had her small hand pressed against my skin.
"Time to wake up. We'll be at our destination in thirty minutes."
    She handed me a cup of orange juice and a turkey sandwich
and helped me get my seat into an upright position. The rush of sweet sugary
fruit gave me clarity and a burst of energy. I tackled the sandwich like a man
who hadn't eaten in a week—a common side effect of the drug.
    With a few minutes to spare, I used the bathroom and brushed
my teeth, then pulled my long brown hair into a bun. A quick touch-up to my lip
gloss and a bit of mascara to accent my blue eyes, and I was ready to roll.
    I went back to my seat and reviewed my file on the client
one last time, though I knew the whole thing by heart. New last name, new
identity. Each assignment we got a new name, but I didn't actually have a last
name of my own. Didn't need one, really. The target had a son, Tommy. I hated
assignments that involved kids, but what could I do? I pushed away my
reservations and rehearsed my cover story in my head.
    We landed at another private airstrip, where a middle-aged
driver in a tux waited for us. "Sam Tinsley? Mr. Dollinger is waiting for
you. Please come with me."
    I climbed into the back and Gar sat in the front with the
driver. The driver told us we were in Utah. This didn't register as anything
terribly exciting for me. Once the limo hit the highway, I pulled out my new
sketchbook and began drawing what I saw, which was mostly flatlands and farms,
until we pulled into a wealthy neighborhood with big, lumbering mansions that
looked out of place in their environment. Naturally, we beelined for the
biggest, gaudiest one of