The Protector: A Woman's Journey from the Secret Service to Guarding VIPs and Working in Some of the World's Most Dangerous Places : Mary Elizabeth Janke : 9781734667127 : 1734667125 : 30 Jun 2020 : Considered a "unicorn" in the dangerous and predominantly male world of international executive protection, Mary Beth Wilkas acquired a unique skill set over the course of her career that made her one of the most sought-after professionals in the field. But the road from bright-eyed trainee to top operator was anything but straight and narrow. In 1991, Mary Beth landed her dream job as a United States Secret Service agent. Ever level-headed, she thrived in the high-pressure position, conducting investigations, traveling with advance teams, and working protection details. But when the career path Mary Beth trained for took a radical turn, she was forced to carve out a new identity as a freelance protective agent. As a contractor, she was freed from the red tape of a federal agency but also,