Thursday, November 17, 2016

Quagmire: Day 15

Word Count: 90,003

Summary of Events:
Jesse went to the speakeasy, but didn't find Robbie, so he left a message with the waitress. He then attended the funeral of his fellow reporter and got into a discussion with the gangsters that his fellow reporter had been affiliated, which led to them taking him to one of their hideouts. At their hideout Jesse got into a discussion with a higher up who threatened to turn him in for reward money, but he convinced them to let him showcase his aim skills in hopes of convincing them not to . . .

Excerpt of the Day:
"Jesse walked over to the nearer wall of the warehouse. The leader stepped in front of him, holding out the penny between his fingers.
"You're too close," Jesse said.
"Too close?" the leader asked incredulously. "There's fifteen feet between us!"
"As far back as you can go," Jesse replied.
"There's no way you're going to hit it from there!" the leader protested.
The other gangsters murmured as well.
"That's where I want it," Jesse replied.
Although looking rather unsettled and reticent, the leader backed up all the way until he was against the other wall of the warehouse, holding out the penny between his fingers and as far to the right as his arm could reach.
Jesse fixed his gaze on the penny, which he could just make out — having a silhouette on a light background was a lot easier to pick out than a copper coin on a dark brick wall, although having the light fingers flanking the coin helped.
He drew out his gun and stretched his arm straight out, lining up the sighting notch with the penny. He braced his arm to keep it level and fired.
The leader jumped back after a moment and the assembled gangsters hurried over, one bringing something back to the severe-faced man. Jesse raised his eyebrows.
"Impressive," the severe man said after rolling the penny Jesse could tell from his position was obviously rather damaged in his fingers for some time.
"Based on the incredulity with which you and your men regarded that display I am assured that neither you nor any other man in this building, although he may attempt the feat, would necessarily be successful in accomplishing it," Jesse said.
"No surprise that you're English," he said. "You speak in the same fancy way they do and everything."
"I'm merely fond of utilising the greatest quantity of words contained within the dictionary, as I believe that meanings are well wise to be considered and the words appropriately used," Jesse replied.
"What are you saying?" he asked.
"None of your men are wont to challenge me and see if they have such exceptional aiming abilities as I," Jesse replied.
"I'm wont to," he said. "Get out another penny!"
The leader did so, although he looked even more uncertain than he had when it'd been Jesse's turn. Jesse smiled, but kept his mouth shut.
"And I don't even need to brace my arm to do it," he said.
Jesse leaned casually against the wall and watched as he lined up, although muttering curses under his breath, and then fired.
The leader cried out and clutched his hand to his chest. The other men hurried over, escorting the wounded leader, whose shirt cuff was stained red by the time they'd crossed the building.
"It's in my arm," the leader whispered, looking frightfully pained.
"I aimed for the coin," he said irritably.
"Here it is," one of the other men said, proffering an unscathed penny."

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