Genial Curtis, 32, retires from baseball. A National Guard sergeant he’s sent to the Iraq war. He’s wounded three times his first day and sent home with three purple hearts. The media makes him a hero and avenging terrorists decide to kill him. Curtis and Nicole, a journals writing about him fall in love. Terrorists kill Curtis’ former girlfriend. To save Nicole’s life Curtis joins the Protection program. Nicole joins later. Superbly disguised, they don’t recognize each other when separately located on Pine Island by different agents. Grieving, Nicole is promiscuous; Curtis starts a relationship before both enter CIA training.