Natalie Diego and the Collegenappers

Chapter 21: Administrative Approval

            Gary grinned. “Do remember, kind sir, that she was only six years old. She was immersed in a new world in which she was rising to new and glorious heights. I‘m sure she did not forget her parents, but she did not connect them to her new life. She did that when I was still under her as apprentice many years later.”

            “Now for the exciting part. Natalie rose quickly through the ranks, training hard and pushing herself to succeed. She was given a squadron to command straight out of general training, which was quite unheard of in the peewee ranks of yesteryear. She was seven years old at the time. She then gathered her friends, and they became the first squadron comprised completely of Org agents. They called themselves the Pioneers. They were small, but they accomplished their missions with ease. They were given tougher and tougher missions, and soon they were completing adult level missions and defeating such monsters as Dominion and Uncle Blob, devious masterminds who would not think twice of killing a child in their way. Natalie and her Pioneers locked away hundreds of villains a year, setting the standard for those who followed.”

            Isaac sighed. “We who followed were amazed and inspired by Natalie and the others. It was not only Natalie, but her friends as well. Brian Demalso was her right-hand man; the best duelist ever recruited by an agency. His sisters are the Demalso twins; Susan was the Org’s first field nurse, and Mary-Kate is the best trainer in the country and, after Natalie, the best fighter. Archibald Robinson, her techie, built and invented so much that advanced our cause of worldwide safety, including most of our modern weaponry. Carrie Kents was a fellow Pioneer, a common agent, and one of the best; her brother Clint Kents is a world renowned master of disguise. They inspired us all, and they were our heroes.”

            Gary laughed. “Back to the point, Natalie achieved high ranks quickly, and at her zenith before she left for college, she as a Senior Commander was second only to the Org‘s director. But that is only part of what made her great. It was her impenetrable cool, with which she could not be made to lose her temper easily. It was her compassion for the needy, which made her open her home to the orphans of the agency. But most of all, it was her testimony.”

            “And what was her testimony at your agency?” Dr. Zaretsky asked.

            Gary and Isaac smiled. “She witnessed while she fought, and gave advice to any who came to her. She not only led many of her friends and coworkers to Christ, but also many of her enemies. She used her fortune to establish a church in each of the major clandestine agency HQs stationed around the world. These churches were called the Underground or UBC. She went to a foreign land, unknown to many still, and lived there as an ambassador for years. She led the leaders to Christ and taught Sunday School in the church she helped start there. She was always helping people and talking about her Savior. She led me to Christ during my apprenticeship. I saw her crying in prayer for those who rejected the salvation of God, and many times as I would pass her office I would see a Bible open and being consulted as she read other things. She was one of the best Christians I know.” Gary paused. “That‘s why to meet you, Mr. Bradley, is such an honor. You were her hero.”

            Bro. Bradley blushed a bit. “I‘m flattered, but I‘m not any better than her.” He stuttered a bit. “I haven‘t… I‘m not… but thank you.”

            Dr. Zaretsky now looked concerned. “So why did Mr. Quincy tell us she was so bad?”

            Isaac leaned forward. “Ah, that‘s my bit. Do you mind, Gary?”

            “No, not at all. I believe I know, so let‘s see if our ideas are the same.”

            Isaac grinned and turned to the men. “Sullivan Quincy is calling her his enemy, because she is. He is not truly of our agency. He is the son of Sir Sully, one of Natalie‘s bitter enemies.”

            Gary nodded. “Yes, exactly right. The rivalry between Natalie and Sir Sully was incredible. She could not legally prove Sir Sully was the criminal behind the Utterly Unsolvable raids and bombings, but tried for years, and it was no secret that he hated her the more for that, besides the fact she was thwarting most of his plans. He finally was convicted, and he was in jail for quite a while. He got out early for good behavior and went right back to his old life. This time, however, his whole efforts were focused on one person, Natalie. He had a good pilot and friend of Natalie killed as soon as the rumor reached him that she was dating him, though the rumors were false. He covered it up as a malfunction of his jet, and no one saw how he was connected. He made her suffer, torturing people close to her that fell into his grasp. Natalie saw he was up to no good again, and went to the authorities about it. However, he had learned one thing that Natalie had kept secret from almost everyone else. She was engaged to a young man, and after they were married, they were going to quit their lives and jobs in the Org to pursue a new life with new identities. Somehow, he knew this, and found out where the man lived. Poor Bing didn‘t have a chance.”

            “He died?”

            “Yes, Sir Sully got a man drunk and had a car programmed to crash into the car Bing was in. It was listed as a DUI manslaughter charge by the local police. A few days later, Natalie met with Sir Sully at his mansion at his request. He then told her that he had been responsible for killing her pilot friend William and also her fiancé. She didn‘t react but for tears. She wept openly in front of him, and he saw what he had done. He then flew into a rage, and began to fight with her. Natalie pleaded with him to stop, and witnessed as she fought off his advances. He yelled at her for ruining his life, and for only thinking of stupid religion. He then pulled her to the top of his great energy spiral generator, the thing he had made millions on, and tried to push her in. She wept for him, begging him to accept Christ, pushing back. He told her he’d rather die than get saved. She took all the strength she had and pushed away from him, sprinting to the rail. But, her push knocked off his balance. He fell to his death that day, that being his last chance, and his wish coming true.”

            “So how does our Quincy fit in?”

            “He may have disliked Natalie before, but after his father‘s death, he abhorred her. He tried countless times to attack her, kidnap her, and strangle her. When the courts divided up Sir Sully‘s estate, Natalie fought in court to have his son exempted from at least the evil parts of the estate, such as the lairs and the henchmen. But the courts gave all to Quincy, and he used it to try to avenge his father‘s death. Natalie escaped most of his attempts and got out of the others, and eventually arrested him. He escaped, and when they met again, she managed to lock him in his own lair and then set guards around it. That was the end of their bitter feud. Until now.”

            Bro. Bradley sat back and sighed. “That is quite a story.”

            “Ah, sir, but that is but the beginning. I have a feeling that we are part of her greatest adventure yet.”

            “Isaac, may I ask you a question?”

            “Of course, Mr. Bradley.”

            “Did Natalie escape here with help?”

            “I helped her, sir. It is my duty to protect civilians from this sort of thing, and Natalie is our best bet. We agreed that shooting me was the best way to get out of our predicament.”

            “Then the administration approves of her leaving campus during lockdown, as she was let free of her guard of his own accord. I revoke any demerits that she and those with her would have accumulated by this venture.”

            They all grinned. “I think she‘ll be glad to know that, sir.”