2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets―i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man, a man who helps the truly desperate when no one else can. But now Evan's past in the Orphan Program is reaching out to him.

Someone at the very highest level of government has been trying to eliminate every trace of the Orphan Program by killing all the remaining Orphans and their trainers. After Evan's mentor and the only father he ever knew was killed, he decided to strike back. His target is the man who started the program and who is now the most heavily guarded person in the world: the President of the United States.

But President Bennett knows that Orphan X is after him and, using weapons of his own, he's decided to counter-attack. Bennett activates the one man who has the skills and experience to track down and take out Orphan X―the first recruit of the program, Orphan A.

With Evan devoting all his skills, resources, and intelligence to find a way through the layers of security that surround the President, suddenly he also has to protect himself against the deadliest of opponents. It's Orphan vs. Orphan with the future of the country―even the world―on the line.

Settings
Los Angeles, California
Washington, DC
Terre Haute, Indiana

Prologue
67 Chapters

Character List
(view spoiler)[
Recurring Characters
Evan Smoak: aka Orphan X. He’s a well trained former operative in the covert Orphan program. He left the program unsanctioned. He’s now operating as The Nowhere Man.
Jack Jones: Evan’s trainer and mentor who was recently killed.
Joey Morales: aka Vera. Former Orphan in training who escaped. Jack found her and, with her help, took down Orphan Y. She’s now in a Swiss boarding school under an alias. She has superior hacking skills.
Tommy Stojack: Specialist in weapons customization, supporting procurement and R&D for various government sanctioned black ops organizations. He’s Evan’s supplier.
Melinda Truong: Art restorer. She also creates forged documents for Evan.
Mia Hall: District Attorney and mother of son Peter. She’s a widow and one of Evan’s neighbors in his building, 12B. Her husband Roger is deceased.
Peter Hall: Mia’s 9-year old son.
Ida Rosenbaum: One of Evan’s neighbors in his building, 6G.
Joaquin: Security guard at Evan’s building.
Hugh Walters: One Evan’s neighbors in his building and HOA president.
Johnny Middleton: One Evan’s neighbors in his building, 8E.
Lorilee Smithson: One Evan’s neighbors in his building, 3F.
Pat Johnson: One Evan’s neighbors in his building, 12F.
Joey Delarosa: Accountant in the building across the street from Evan’s, 19H. Evan hacks into his WiFi.
Charles Van Sciver: aka Orphan Y.
Candy McClure: aka Orphan V. Assassin working with Van Sciver.
Jonathan Bennett: President of the United States.
Victoria Donahue-Carr: Vice President of the United States.
Jordan Thornhill: Orphan R who was working for Van Sciver. Evan killed him.
Jim Harville: Former Orphan J whose handler was Jack Johns. Thornhill killed him.
Orphan C: Formerly part of the program whose handler was Jack John’s. He was hiding out as a homeless man. Thornhill killed him.
Tim Draker: Orphan L whose handler was Jack Johns. He was hiding as an addict. Thornhill killed him.
Benito Orellano: Evan’s last client.

Non Recurring Characters
Naomi Templeton: Secret Service special agent in charge of Bennett’s detail. She’s 31-years old.
Jason Templeton: Naomi’s brother.
Robert (Robbie) Templeton: Naomi’s brother.
Hank Templeton: Naomi’s and her sibling’s father, a former revered Secret Service special agent who was in charge of the presidential protection detail.
Amanaki: Hank’s nurse.
Eddie Gonzalez: Secret Service director.
Demme: Secret Service agent.
Douglas Wetzel: Bennett’s deputy chief of staff.
Judd Holt: Orphan A. He was in a maximum security prison.
Trevon Gaines: Night watchman at SoCal First Bonded Warehouse.
Kiara Gaines: Trevor’s sister who is on a mission in Guatemala.
Wade Collins: aka Fury. Convicted murderer and rapist freed to help Holt.
Ricky Collins: aka Sound. Wade’s brother and also a convicted murderer and rapist.
Bo Clague: One of the men who murdered Trevon’s family. He’s the one who worked at the gym and was referred to as Muscley.
Terrance DeGraw: aka Raw One. One of the men who murdered Trevon’s family.
Russell Gadds: Kingpin who ordered the killing of Trevor’s family.
Danny Hurtada: Gadds’ right-hand man.
Oscar Esposito: Man Mia is prosecuting for domestic abuse.
Mystery Man: Man who recruited foster children for the Orphan program.
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(hide spoiler)]

Spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
The secret Bennett was hiding was Evan’s first mission, the unsanctioned political assassination of a foreign minister that was doing the bidding undercover for the US. That assassination changed the course of history. It allowed Milošević to elevate himself to president of Yugoslavia. They needed a war for arms demand, development and a base for testing. This would be considered treason.

Candy, Orphan V, helped Evan take down Bennett. (hide spoiler)]