Agents of The Clone Wars (Book 1): The Clairvoyant Conspiracy

Purpose

April, 9, 2000

Victoria Hand sat across from an angry teenage boy with handsome features. He looked like a star quarterback for a high school football team. The glass separating them from each other and the heavy chains that wrapped around his wrist and ankles like a spider web alarmed her. This kid should sorting through his dozens of options for Junior Prom dates not thinking about how many years he would be locked up.
Grant Ward was only 16 but he was being treated like a serial killer.

Hand knew Ward was the son of a prominent United Republic Senator from Massachusetts/Correlia named Christian Ward Senior. She smiled because she knew from rumors that his wife Leslie Ward was the one that was in charge. Officially she was Senator Ward's chief of staff and advisor but secretly she was the one who truly controlled Massachusetts/Correlia. Hand had a feeling her controlling and abusive nature over himself and his siblings caused Grant to snap. Ward attempted to kill his mother in her sleep by burning the house down with her in it while the rest of the family went to visit a family friend.

"I'm not here to make your life difficult Grant. I want to give you a second chance. Your traumatic experience could be the beginning of the ability to stomach being in the same room as a horrible person and then turning the tables on them when they least expect it. That could make a huge difference in the world."

Hand sat in her seat relaxed as if she was a cool Aunt trying to reassure Grant that he'd overcome his fear of stage fright. Ward angered by this approach treated Hand with distrust.

"Does that apply to you?" Ward asked sarcastically

"Funny. I like that. No. It applies to people like your mother Leslie." Hand observed

"What do you know about my mom?" Ward questioned

"That she's a nasty piece of work like some people I know. That she has the skill of getting under someone's skin through abuse but the talent to make the outside observer think she's a kind soul who loves to smile." Hand said with a sardonic grin

"Are you a lawyer like she was? You here to try to convince me that you have a way to get me out of prison?" Ward asked

Hand laughed, "No. Not even close. I work for the government."

"Are you recruiting me to join some special forces military group? You want me to be a grunt?" Ward asked annoyed

"No. I represent an organization more powerful than the Judicials in the United Republic Military. I'm a high ranking member of Shield and I see potential in you Grant Ward. You can see past people's hyperspit. People like your mother exist within Shield. They act friendly and dedicated to the idea of justice but they are corrupt and up to no good. I need someone to root these people out while giving them the impression that you want to partake in their corruption."

"I haven't even finished high school. How am I supposed to do all of that?" Ward asked skeptical

"This plan will take years and it will require rigorous training and instruction. I will be your secret SO or supervising officer. I will equip you with the same infiltration skills as the famous Black Widow...Natasha Romanov. You will be my secret triple agent and you will exorcise your demons. You'll root out the bullies who take advantage of the weak." Agent Hand demanded

"You're serious about this. If it gets me out of this facility I'll take it. My family especially my mother think I'll be stuck in a place like this forever. They hate me and I feel the same way about them. Being a hero and saving the day would be sweet. The look on their faces when it's me whose done more for the innocents of the world than they can from the United Senate will be sweet." Ward boasted