John Case is an agent for the American Vice President.
It is not uncommon to be told the exploits of a black-ops agent working under the direction or auspices of the President of the United States but in the matter of John Case, it is for the Second Chair that this operative functions.
When we first meet him, he is getting a major beating from captors demanding he admit he is a CIA agent or more punishment will be administered. Case, hanging by his wrists while being pummeled, declares he is just a missionary, spreading love and peace, but the captor did not believe him. Certain hostilities ensued. It was afterwards that a newcomer showed up to offer Case a new job.
The story then picks up four years later.
A newly inaugurated President has as his running mate now the first elected female Vice President, Natalie Maccabee. It is arriving at her official residence that the President hands her the "official" key to the building. She notices an interesting etching on the large skeleton-ish key, similar to that eyed pyramid on the back of the $1 bill. Later that evening, she notices in the center of the fireplace in the den a similar image and in the center of it a triangular hole which she deduces is fit for the key she was given. Inserting it and turning it opens a panel.
At that point, the stately and very formal Chief Steward of the residence approaches and leads her to a basement room highly decorated with portraits of the former holders of her office. And it is then that Steward, Malcolm, points out an encased copy of the Constitution. He tells her that it is in fact the original and the only complete copy of the document that has five sections to Article II. When the V.P. points out that Article II has only 4 sections, she is corrected by Malcolm. She is then given a chance to read that hidden Section:
"An agent of unknown identity is hereby authorized to serve at the discretion of the VP for the purpose of aiding the Republic in time of dire peril."
Malcolm explains that the Founding Fathers understood that certain emergencies required the "judicious disregard for accepted legal formalities". Giving the Vice President the responsibility of handling this unknown agent afforded the President plausible deniability, some of the Fathers having been lawyers.
V.P. Maccabee understands she is therefore a "crisis manager of sorts".
The unknown agent to whom she is introduced is John Case.
John Case is a good looking man in excellent shape and with considerable training, nearing 40 years of age. He truly enjoys the action his covert work presents him and relishes each mission.
He has a interesting relationship with his ultimate boss, V.P. Maccabee, for whom he has considerable respect. He also shares an enjoyable-to-watch attitude with Malcolm, that Chief Steward, who acts as Case's handler.