WRONG TARGET

AFTER TAKING A NAP, “LM” WOKE UP AND GRABBED $1500 IN CASH. HE REACHED FOR HIS BAG UNDER THE BED, PULLED OUT HIS BERETTA, AND ATTACHED THE SILENCER WITH PRACTICED PRECISION. ONCE ASSEMBLED, HE WAS READY TO HEAD OUT TO BUY A PHONE AND SOME NEW CLOTHES.“LM” STEPPED OUT OF HIS DOOR, BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS, HE TURNED BACK TO GRAB AN EXTRA MAGAZINE. AFTER LOCKING HIS DOOR, HE DISCREETLY PLACED A HIDDEN CAMERA IN A PLANT TUB SITTING IN THE CORNER OF THE CORRIDOR.UPON LEAVING THE BUILDING, HE IMMEDIATELY BOUGHT A MASK AND A CAP FROM A STALL RIGHT BESIDE THE ENTRANCE TO HIDE HIS FACE. HE HAILED A CAB.THE DRIVER ASKED: “SIR, WHERE TO?”LM REPLIED COLDLY: “TAKE ME TO THE NEAREST MALL.”THE DRIVER NODDED: “OKAY.”AFTER REACHING THE MALL, “LM” HANDED THE DRIVER CASH IN U.S. DOLLARS. IT WAS ODD FOR THE AREA, BUT BEFORE THE DRIVER COULD QUESTION IT, LM SAID: “KEEP THE CHANGE.” THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY NODDED AND DROVE OFF WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD.“LM” ENTERED THE MALL AND WALKED INTO A BOUTIQUE. AN EMPLOYEE GREETED HIM: “WELCOME TO OUR STORE, SIR! WE HAVE THE LATEST TRENDS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY SOMETHING ON?”LM ASKED: “DO YOU HAVE SUITS?”THE EMPLOYEE SAID: “YES, SIR. PLEASE, FOLLOW ME. THESE ARE OUR LATEST DESIGNS.”“LM” CHOSE A SLEEK BLACK SUIT. WHEN HE STEPPED OUT OF THE DRESSING ROOM, THE EMPLOYEE BLUSHED AT HIS STRIKING APPEARANCE.LM ASKED: “WHERE CAN I BUY A PHONE?”THE EMPLOYEE POINTED THE WAY WITH A SHY SMILE, AND “LM” NODDED BEFORE WALKING AWAY.AT THE PHONE STORE, HE BOUGHT AN S26 ULTRA. FEELING HUNGRY, HE ENTERED A NEARBY RESTAURANT AND TOOK A TABLE. A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WAITRESS NAMED YUNA (AGE 20) APPROACHED.YUNA ASKED: “SIR, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO EAT?”LM QUESTIONED: “WHAT IS THE SPECIALTY HERE?”YUNA REPLIED: “FRIED CHICKEN AND RAMYEON.”LM SAID: “I’LL TAKE THAT.”AS YUNA SERVED THE DISHES, SHE NOTICED THE OLD SCARS AND BULLET WOUNDS ON “LM’S” HANDS.YUNA ASKED CURIOUSLY: “ARE YOU A POLICE OFFICER, SIR?”LM REPLIED CALMLY: “THESE? THEY ARE FROM MY TIME IN THE MILITARY.”YUNA SAID: “OH, I SEE. PLEASE ENJOY YOUR MEAL, SIR.”WHILE “LM” WAS EATING, A GROUP OF LOCAL THUGS ENTERED. THEY STARTED MAKING A MESS AND DEMANDING FREE FOOD. THE RESTAURANT OWNER, YUNA’S FATHER, LEE, CAME OUT TO TELL THEM TO LEAVE. ONE THUG GRABBED LEE BY THE COLLAR RASHLY.THE THUG THREATENED: “YOU WANT YOUR SHOP TO STAY OPEN OR NOT?”“LM” WATCHED EVERYTHING FROM HIS TABLE. ONE OF THE THUGS SPOTTED HIM AND WALKED OVER.THE THUG BARKED: “HEY, HERO. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, HUH? BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE RAN AWAY AFTER SEEING US!”AS THE THUG SPOKE, “LM” CALMLY PUT HIS MASK AND CAP BACK ON. IN ONE FLUID MOTION, HE GRABBED THE THUG'S HAND, KICKED HIS LEG OUT FROM UNDER HIM, AND SLAMMED HIS NECK ONTO THE TABLE. HE SNATCHED A KNIFE FROM THE THUG'S OWN BACK POCKET AND STABBED HIM RIGHT IN THE BUM!BEFORE THE OTHERS COULD REACT, HE FLICKED THE KNIFE TOWARD ANOTHER THUG—THE BLADE LANDED PERFECTLY BETWEEN THE MAN'S LEGS, PINNING HIS PANTS TO THE FLOOR! TERRIFIED, THE REMAINING THREE THUGS GRABBED THEIR INJURED FRIENDS AND FLED THE RESTAURANT.“LM” SILENTLY LEFT HIS PAYMENT ON THE TABLE, WALKED OUT, AND DISAPPEARED INTO A NARROW ALLEYWAY...TO BE CONTINUED…