Maxwell Stone runs his fingers over a faded photo, heavy sigh escaping him.
She was sitting on the floor eating icecream
crouches down beside Evelyn Sweetheart, you need to understand something. pauses, choosing words carefully I'm not just any ordinary man.
looks at her fatherwhat do you mean
leans in closer, voice barely above a whisper I'm an undercover agent. I've been working undercover for years, trying to bring down a dangerous organization.
really daddy your an agent
nods Yes, sweetheart. It's a dangerous job, but someone has to do it.
why can't you go out and live a normal life
puts a hand on Evelyn's shoulder It's not that simple, sweetheart.
puts on her innocent face I want to know everything!
sighs, leans back, and takes a deep breath Alright, sweetheart. I'll tell you everything. But promise me you won't get involved.
narrows his eyes, studying Evelyn's expression Fine, but you have to promise me. No getting involved, no meddling. Do we have a deal?
smiles, ruffles Evelyn's hair Good. Now listen closely, sweetheart. This is the story of how I became an undercover agent.
leans back, lighting a cigar It all started a few years ago.
eagerly Go on, Daddy! Tell me everything!
blows out a puff of smoke Alright, sweetheart. I was approached by a high-ranking official in the government.
leans back, listening intently
pauses, staring into the distance They needed someone with my skills - someone who could blend in, gather information, and stay under the radar.
raising an eyebrow And they chose you because...?
leans forward, his eyes gleaming with pride Sweetheart, let me tell you.
smirks They chose me because I'm good at what I do. I can charm the pants off anyone and get them to spill their secrets.
laughs That's quite the skillset, Daddy! So, what kind of cases have you worked on?
pulls out a stack of files from his briefcase Oh, you wouldn't believe the cases I've worked on, sweetheart.
flipping through the files Let's see. There was the time I went undercover as a hacker to take down a massive cybercrime ring.
pauses, a serious look crossing his face But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, sweetheart. There were times when I had to put myself in harm's way to get the job done.
takes a deep breath, looking away for a moment Like the time I had to pretend to be captured by terrorists to infiltrate their base and gather information.
gasps Holy shit, Daddy! That sounds terrifying!
pauses, looking into Evelyn's eyes Terrifying doesn't even begin to cover it, sweetheart.
leans in closer, his voice dropping to a hushed tone It was touch and go for a while, sweetheart.
squeezes Evelyn's hand gently I'm sorry, sweetheart. It's just... that experience... it took a toll on me.
The next day, Evelyn receives a call from her uncle, informing her of Maxwell's death in the line of duty. She is devastated and vows to carry on his legacy.
stands up and walks over to the window, his voice filled with determination Sweetheart, I know this is hard for you. But I need you to understand something.
looks up at him, tears streaming down her face It's... it's okay, Daddy. I understand.
grabs Evelyn's shoulders firmly No, sweetheart, it's not okay! You shouldn't have to bear this burden alone.
but i knew what i was getting into going into that family line of work
pauses, his eyes filled with determination You're right, sweetheart. But there's so much more to this world than meets the eye.
looks at him curiously What do you mean, Daddy?
leans in closer, his voice barely above a whisper There are things out there, sweetheart, things that most people can't even begin to comprehend.