Around the world in 12 days

I didn’t have any plans to travel this year. Last year I went to the UK but that trip was originally planned for 2020. Specifically the end of March 2020. As you recall, no organized trips took place outside the country at the end of March 2020. It was postponed twice and I finally was able to go on it last year. So, it was a no-brainer that I would not travel outside the US this year. But plans change and not only did I leave the country, I traveled all the way around the world without even knowing I was going to do it.

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Story behind the Post – The Hitman’s Retirement

It all started when I found a phone in the gutter. I wondered what the story could be. So, I put something together. As always happens to me, my eyes were bigger than my stomach or in this case, my writing aptitude. I thought I could easily make this a 10-chapter story. Turns out though, I just needed some better editing. But it was too late. I already committed to writing a 10-chapter story not just a normal 5-chapter story. So, I set about stretching it for two months. The story started in July and finished in September with a break in August.

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The Hitman’s Retirement – Chapter V

V. The New Plan

Tony was watching every single movement. It was now day eight, one day past the deadline, and he knew enough to know he should expect something. At least, that was all part of the plan. He was about to give a press conference. Even though he couldn’t see her, he knew Cheyenne was at her post keeping vigilant watch. Any movement caught his eye. Hopefully, this new plan would keep all of Cheyenne’s family members alive.

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The Hitman’s Retirement – Chapter IV

IV. The Kvasnak Family

Cheyenne took a deep breath and then started her story.

“My great-grandparents immigrated to Wyoming from Czechoslovakia during the coal mine population boom in 1920.  At that time, the town was a bit of a melting pot with different ethnicities coming in to work the mines.  No one thought any other name was that strange.  But my grandpa had other ideas.  As a businessman, he shortened the name to Kaye to make it easier to pronounce.  ‘If they can’t say the name, they won’t remember the name.  If they don’t remember the name, they won’t buy the product’ he would say.  So, our family became the Kayes.

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The Hitman’s Retirement – Chapter III

III. The Next Complication

Tony was still upset when he reached the door to the hotel room.  He had a bona fide situation on his hands.  First of all, his target slipped through his hands which never happens.  It had been a long time since he tasted failure and he did not like it one bit.  But now he had to do some scrambling.  He was going to have to postpone his trip a little longer so that he could finish the job.  In order to finish the job, he was going to have to ditch Cheyenne which meant more lying.  He shook his head because he really didn’t like that part.

After he did all that, he was going to have to track down the target again knowing the mayor had hired his own gun.  Which means the mayor must have known someone was coming for him.  Not as small town as Tony thought.  That showed a little sophistication Tony had not anticipated. 

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