John Cross is a former agent with the CIA.
He had been with the Agency for a number of years as a field operative and had amassed enough of a reputation as to become almost legendary in some parts of the building. Then, as one young newbie put it, he 'got religious' and walked away. He had been offered a position with an elite covert unit inside the department but has chosen to go a different route.
"I had an experience that changed my life. And meant I couldn't do my job the way I had been doing it. Unfortunately, that meant leaving the CIA altogether. Although they've obviously been trying to draw me back in however they can."
It was on one of those occasional draws that we meet Cross for the first time as he is sent into Jordan to rescue reporter Christine Lewis from beheading by yet another fringe group demanding something from the American President that they would never get. After a particularly harrowing trip to the rendezvous spot and then a very long return trip to Langley, Cross was in a hurry to conclude his debrief as he had another task already set for the next day.
He had a sermon to give.
After the experience that drove Cross to resign from fulltime employment with the CIA, he studied for and received accreditation to be a minister, doing the odd job for the Agency as needed. Even that infrequent foray was coming to an end, though, as he had found a new home with the Rural Grove Baptist Church. It was a good union; this small congregation could not afford to pay much and Cross was not looking to get rich, just to serve.
Unfortunately, when someone has a talent like Cross, it is hard to turn it off when people get into trouble and when someone like his old CIA boss knows how good he is, it is hard to not make just one more request.
Luckily for Cross, when he saves Lewis's life from that sword-wielding zealot, he made a life-long friend and someone to help share some of upcoming trouble.
Good Lines:
- Said by Cross concerning the adventurous life of a country minister, "Prayers of blessing over pregnant cattle can be harrowing".