Robin King's Reviews > Remembrandt

“The ticket in my hand moved in the slight fall breeze as I staggered back onto my rock. My body shivered. I should have been shocked by the paper in my hand. I should have called Professor Golkov and asked him for answers or more information. I should have just gone back to my dorm and ignored the unfamiliar feeling rising through me. I should have done a lot of things, but I always did what I should. When the foreign feeling spread through me and filled my being, I finally realized what it was. Thrill. I felt like I held the answer to my life’s puzzle in my hands.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“The determination in me to set about on this unknown course of direction made me to smile. For the first time in a long while, life had meaning and excitement.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I didn’t realize this building had a basement,” I said.
“Basement might be a bit of an understatement.” He grinned over his shoulder. When I responded with a raised eyebrow, he said, “You’ll see.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I know this place, what we do, might seem a little . . .”
“Intriguing, adventuresome, dangerous,” I interjected, excitement pulsing through me.
“I was going to say overwhelming, but I can see Golkov might be right about you.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“Ms. Stewart, wait,” he said quietly, even though the old Marston building was empty.
I turned around to face him. His eyes stared straight into mine.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said gently as he reached out and took hold of my arm. “You can say no. Golkov trusts you. He would let you just walk away. You can have a normal life, graduate from Brown, have a career and a family. If you join us, things will become more complicated. You’ll have to keep this, what we do, from everyone around you, even the people you care about. Yes, there will be intrigue and excitement, but you need to understand that in committing to this cause, the good may not outweigh the dangers placed in your path.”
Who does he think he is? He doesn’t even know me and what I want or need. I don’t need someone to just waltz into my life and start giving me advice like he knows what is best for me. My anger toward him returned to a boil.
“Thanks for your concern, Mr. Daly,” I couldn’t help the acrid timbre that fell from my lips, “but I can take care of myself.” I shook my arm free and abruptly turned around to walk home.
Deep down I knew that I had already made my decision. I didn’t need the time to think about my choice. Mr. Daly’s unsolicited advice would not sway me. I was going to become a part of an organization whose mission was secretly protecting mankind. I was going to become part of The Company.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“Our minds and bodies are one,” said the sensei. “When we can conquer a troubled mind, we can focus on the workings of the body and do things we would have once thought impossible.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“No one can completely erase their minds of thoughts. You must focus on those things that bring peace and joy. In turn, other parts of your mind—especially those that house fear, confusion, and sadness—will begin to fade but not disappear. The clarity of a peaceful mind allows us to make accurate choices about our life and the reactions we have to life’s circumstances.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“Defense is not necessarily about overpowering your opponent. Outwitting them can be just as important.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I couldn’t skip what happened next or fast-forward through it. I knew what was coming and wanted to rewrite it and film a new scene, but I wasn’t the director of my memories.
There was nothing I could do but scream.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I trusted Golkov and Mr. Daly, but what if there was more to The Company than I knew? What if I was on the wrong side?”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“No one should have to . . . you shouldn’t have to . . . there are some things that are better left forgotten.”
His words soothed me. Somehow he saw past the novelty of what I could do, and comprehended the anguish that could be associated with perfect recall—remembering every embarrassment, harsh word, traumatic experience.
“You don’t always have to act so tough all the time. I’m here.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I wasn’t the violin out of tune anymore. It was like he suddenly came to the piano and played the A so I could tune my string. It felt so right to be next to him, so comfortable. My rapid-beating heart began to slow, and I let my exhausted body lean closer to him. I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. He stroked the side of my face until, at last, my mind and body gave up the fight of the last two days and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I’m glad you have enjoyed reading the classics. There are treasures hidden within them that many people have yet to discover and that others will never understand.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“Perfection is overrated,” my mom used to always say when things weren’t going my way. It never made sense when I was younger, but I was beginning to see that life had more meaning in its imperfections. Without the bad, how could we ever appreciate the good?”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.”
“André Berthiaume,” I said.
“What?” he asked.
“The French writer who said that.”
Mr. Daly smiled and leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by now that you’ve read that somewhere. What he meant is that being an operative is a mask we wear, a job we do. It’s not exactly who we are, but it’s always a part of us too. If I stopped being a handler tomorrow, some piece of me would always be on a mission.”
I thought about that for a minute. “So what you’re saying is now that I’m an operative, there’s no turning back?”
“No.” He sat up straight and leaned closer to the railing. His voice came out with a quiet intensity. “What I’m saying is that it was already a part of you before you even got here.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I stepped closer and studied the oil on canvas. The scene displayed ocean waves tossing a fisherman’s ship to and fro, a crewmember frantically pulling on the sail while twelve other petrified fishermen held onto the ship’s mast or ropes. The boat’s captain remained calm. Only one fisher’s eyes stared unafraid straight at me—the one that resembled the painter himself, like he knew the ending of the story before I did.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt

“I almost laughed when I realized I was more terrified about seeing William than I had been in the burning warehouse or hanging from the ledge, or having the gun barrel pointed in my direction. There really had to be something wrong with me.”
― Robin M. King, Remembrandt