Chapter II Ian Burton

John Banner's partner is introduced.

Ian walked into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. At twenty-eight he still had the lean, muscular body of a swimmer. He had been on the alternate team at the Olympics. When he returned to America, a CIA agent grilled him continuously for three days.

“What have you seen? Who did you talk to? Did anyone seem approachable?”

He wasn't able to give them much information, but he did get a job offer out of it. Ian Burton was now a secret agent. He didn't have anyone to spy on yet, but he was sure that would come. He wished he could tell Jenny about it. He was sure that would come someday.

Jenny lacked the modesty to wear a towel. She stood in front of the mirror completely naked, brushing her long brown hair. Ian admired her body and her willingness to show it. As most men, he was unaware of his own body but was extremely aware of hers. She was twenty-four and the kind of woman that would turn heads anywhere. Ian was proud of his wife and was not jealous when other men looked at her. To him, it was just confirmation of his good taste.

=Ian had to be back at headquarters at nine to find out what his next assignment was, or if there would be a next assignment. He hadn't been able to read Banner when they parted ways. He didn't know what kind of report he would file. In this line of work, your career could be over before it began. One case of the jitters and you could be benched for the season. He hoped Banner would overlook the boat incident in his report.

Ian and Jenny got dressed and walked out to their car. It was a beautiful day. A little girl was riding a tricycle on the sidewalk. As they reached the car Ian reached for the door handle. 

As he did, an explosion blasted the car completely off the ground. The broken tricycle came to rest twenty yards away. Ian and Jenny Burton were no more. Still, it was a beautiful day.