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He turned his back while Coral opened the packet and unfolded three pieces of paper. She studied them.
"There's a note. Two pages are dossiers. Four men. The note says they're expensive freelance operatives that will work for nearly anyone."
"Nearly anyone…" Jimmy said. (2/4) #wss366

"Red Carlos," Jimmy mused. "I didn't know he was even still alive."
"Is he famous?" Coral asked.
"In certain circles. He was the best."
With his foot, he flipped the yellow packet to Coral. She caught it.
"See what it says," he said. (1/4) #wss366

I wonder if @tobadzistsini would like these guys… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantropa

I have calculated final grades for the last class of my career. Now I'm listening to Christone "Kingfish" Ingram play the blues while I lounge on my patio with a book.

Retirement has never felt more real. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXUI6d8hZwA

She fell on her #bottom.
He stepped back and raised his hands, palms out.
"You're the real deal," he said. "But your mom didn't train you."
"No," Coral said, sitting on the ground. "She got a guy named Carlos to do it."
Jimmy's eyes widened.
"Old guy? Missing a finger?"
Coral nodded. (3/3) #wss366

He blocked another, then danced back out of range.
"Quick hands," he observed. He raised a knee, then pivoted, shifting the attack from her head to a thigh. She took the kick, and struck at his other leg, aiming to sweep him. But he was ready, caught her ankle, and pulled up sharply. (2/3) #wss366

"Show me what you got, kid!" Jimmy said, dancing forward and back. He made a few quick feints and then threw a left jab.
Coral stood perfectly still, then, swaying to the side to evade his punch, she waded into him with a series of quick strikes at his midriff. One landed. (1/3) #wss366

"Wanna see what's in it?" he asked.
Coral reached toward it when Jimmy suddenly spun and kicked at her head. She slipped sideways. The kick missed by inches. Then she stood at ready, on the balls of her feet, with her hands raised.
"What's this about?" she said, looking at him levelly. (3/3) #wss366

Mist still clung to the trees with the sun still low. After they walked several hundred yards into the woods, he pulled the packet out of his pocket. It was wrapped in yellow plastic and had been affixed to the bottom of the bench with tape. He dropped it on the ground between them. (2/3) #wss366

After driving a short distance out of town, Jimmy parked next to small wooded area. He jumped down and beckoned to her.
"What's here?" Coral asked, sliding out of the truck.
"No cameras." Jimmy said.
He led her into the forest. There was a well maintained trail. (1/3) #wss366

"What is that?" Coral asked.
"Not here," he snapped.
He went the other way around the boarded up building to avoid going past the man laying on the sidewalk and returned to the truck. In moments, they were headed back down the street. (2/2) #wss366

Coral followed Jimmy as he walked through the run-down park in the early-morning light. He went to a bench that was covered with empty cans of cheap, premixed cocktails, reached underneath, and felt along the bottom. He pulled something off and pocketed it.
"Let's get outta here," he said. (1/2) #wss366

#WritersCoffeeClub May 13. Follow-up: if writing was not your "thing," what would your "thing" be?

Writing is not one thing. I've written fiction, non-fiction, and poetry — in multiple languages. And computer programming is a kind of writing too, I suppose. I also enjoy photography, drawing, and graphic design. Typography and page layout are fun. My first love is field biology, but I also found wetlands hydrology fascinating too (which marries botany, soil science, and water-table monitoring.)

A brief reflection on my retirement: Part n of a series. https://stevendbrewer.com/retiring-to-something/

Jimmy looked over at Coral who was brushing her hands. He put his handgun back in his waistband.
"What was that?" he asked.
"My #mother always said a girl should be able to defend herself," she said.
"No, I mean what style is that?"
"She said it was something like krav maga." (4/4) #wss366

She put her hands together and struck him brutally on the back of the neck. He crumpled to the ground.
Jimmy stepped back, pulled out his handgun, and drew a bead on the leader of the men.
The two men still standing put up their hands and started to back away, then turned and ran. (3/4) #wss366

The man smiled and casually threw an arm out to gather her in. At the last moment, she set herself on the balls of her feet, stepped inside his reach, and threw an elbow into his throat. He fell to his knees gagging and strangling, his larynx in spasm.(2/4) #wss366

Three large men, wearing loose-fitting athletic clothes came out from around the building. Two of the men squared off against Jimmy.
"Hitch!" barked one. "Get the girl!"
"Run, Coral!" Jimmy shouted. "Run!"
Coral stood, as through frozen, as one of the men charged at her. (1/4) #wss366

Got to go on an adventure with a boxer dog. #DogsOfMastodon

#WritersCoffeeClub What wisdom do you wish you could share with your younger self?

Winning lottery numbers? There's a lot of specific information that might have been very helpful. Wisdom is harder. I did many unwise things as a young person, but I don't think "sharing" wisdom with me would have been helpful.

Wisdom is generally hard won. It's not like I didn't know what I was doing even then. At some point, I realized it wasn't helpful to keep kicking myself when looking back. That helped.