Welcome to my blog series, where I introduce you to the vibrant characters from my upcoming book, "RED, Sophie Carter and the Lost Queen." This story brings a diverse cast to life, each character with their own unique backstory, encompassing humor, love, and war. As we approach the book's release, I'll be sharing glimpses into these characters' lives and personalities. I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as I enjoyed creating them! Stay tuned for exciting updates and character spotlights. You will not receive more than one email a month as we get closer to the release date.
Today we will meet Frank and Mr. Ebert
Frank and Mr. Ebert are brothers from different mothers and, in fact, different fathers. Despite this, they knew they were brothers from the moment they met.
Frank, who is 14 days older than Mr. Ebert (whose first name is Francis), took the lead in their work together.
They met in the school playground on a warm September day, the first day of school after the long summer holidays following kindergarten. They found themselves on the swings together during the first break of the day. "It's a lovely day, don't you think?" said Francis in the poshest possible British accent. Frank, not used to people talking to him without permission, replied, "Yeah, it's lovely." Francis swung higher. "Have you noticed how the world revolves around the sun at what can be perceived as a constant rate?" he asked.
Frank gave Francis an inquisitive look as he swung faster. "Er, no. I can honestly say I haven't noticed."
In the classroom, Francis sat at the front, soaking up knowledge, particularly in history, the classics and interior decoration. Frank claimed the back seat of the class as his domain, uninterested in the lessons. He spent his time practicing slang phrases like, "Will you take a butchers at that?" or "Get your daisies off the desk," testing the teachers' reactions. Eventually, the teachers ignored his mutterings and focused on the rest of the class.
At the end of the first day, they parted ways but knew they would be friends forever. On his way home, Francis encountered a gang of thugs who mocked his school uniform and manner of speaking. Despite his efforts to defend himself, the thugs hit Francis hard and he fell, striking his head on the sidewalk. The thugs fled, leaving Francis to be rushed to hospital.
A few days later, Francis returned to school with his head bandaged. Frank ran over and hugged him, asking, "You OK, Francis?" To his amazement, Francis responded in a deep baritone voice, "LEAVE IT OUT, FRANK, I AM OK. SOME KID WHACKED ME. THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN EVER AGAIN."
Frank jumped back. "What's wrong with your voice, Francis? It's so loud and deep."
Francis stood upright. "MY NAME IS NOT FRANCIS, FRANK. IT IS MR. EBERT TO EVERYONE. I WANT SOME RESPECT."
From that moment on, anyone who called Mr. Ebert by his first name risked a whack around the ear.
In London, they were known as "The Boys." People would say, "There go those Boys again," or "It's those Boys again," whenever something went wrong. Frank and Mr. Ebert embraced this name, proclaiming themselves as The Boys to anyone who asked.
During their formative years, their parents moved them to New York City. This new environment taught them how to fight for what was theirs—and often for what wasn't. They moved together across the country, building a reputation while avoiding the police.
One quiet evening, while breaking into a factory in New Orleans, they encountered a man who knew everything about them. "Good evening, gentlemen, or should I say, good evening, Boys."
Frank was the first to react. "What do you want, mate, and why are you addressing us like that?" Over the next few hours, the man offered The Boys a job: to locate a boy who had something he wanted. It would be in a strange place, but if they succeeded, they would receive a reward of twenty million dollars in clean-cut diamonds. This was more than either of The Boys had ever seen.
They took the job.
The rest is history.
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