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Hard Place
It's not who you think...but maybe it is.
In this powerful short story about difficult choices...love or duty...Alan Parker's world is quickly coming unhinged. As the #2 contract assassin for an ultra-secret organization called The Company, he's already a possible target for elimination after an ill-fated job went horribly wrong in Morocco. Another mistake could be his last. As if that wasn't enough, his dying wife isn't responding to her experimental treatments and his next mark, a brilliant doctor who may have discovered a universal cure for cancer, disappears.
Things aren't what they seem as he scrambles to ensure the mission's success, but he faces a monumental decision; complete his assignment like a good employee should, or spare the doctor's life and ultimately risk the unforgiving wrath of The Company.
In this powerful short story about difficult choices...love or duty...Alan Parker's world is quickly coming unhinged. As the #2 contract assassin for an ultra-secret organization called The Company, he's already a possible target for elimination after an ill-fated job went horribly wrong in Morocco. Another mistake could be his last. As if that wasn't enough, his dying wife isn't responding to her experimental treatments and his next mark, a brilliant doctor who may have discovered a universal cure for cancer, disappears.
Things aren't what they seem as he scrambles to ensure the mission's success, but he faces a monumental decision; complete his assignment like a good employee should, or spare the doctor's life and ultimately risk the unforgiving wrath of The Company.
- GenresAmazon
49 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2013
6 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Ernie Lindsey
53 books184 followersErnie Lindsey grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia, working on the family farm and reading, and has spent his life telling stories to anyone that will listen. He currently works as a freelance writer and is the author of five Mystery & Suspense novels and numerous short stories. When he's not writing, you can find him tackling the gigantic To Be Read list on his Kindle or the never-ending stack of books in his office.
Ernie and his family live in Oregon, along with a multi-fingered Hemingway cat named Luna.
Head over to Ernie's site where you can pick up some free Kindle books. Join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ErnieLindseyFiction.
Ernie and his family live in Oregon, along with a multi-fingered Hemingway cat named Luna.
Head over to Ernie's site where you can pick up some free Kindle books. Join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ErnieLindseyFiction.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 18, 2024
This seems like a series I would enjoy. I plan to check it out. I rate this one 4 stars.
October 15, 2014
Published in 2013 as an e-book short story.
Approximate length: 46 pages.
Alan Parker is a professional killer who works for an employer called The Company. His wife also works for The Company but she is currently in the last stages of an unsuccessful fight with cancer.
It is not really clear if The Company is a government entity or not, but any way you slice it The Company has lots and lots of resources, including an impressive list of hired assassins. Parker (nicknamed "Boom") is one of the very best, but a series of mistakes made his last hit a failure and The Company rarely forgives failure.
So, "Boom" Parker knows that he cannot mess up his new assignment. He has been sent to kill a female scientist that is working on a bio-fuel that threatens the big oil companies.
But, this case starts out badly (it looks like someone has already killed his target or, at least, botched an attempt on her) and as he looks for her he finds out that she has been working on a side project and may have developed a cure for cancer. So, does he kill his target and doom his wife or does he save his target, save his wife and doom himself?...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/...
Approximate length: 46 pages.
Alan Parker is a professional killer who works for an employer called The Company. His wife also works for The Company but she is currently in the last stages of an unsuccessful fight with cancer.
It is not really clear if The Company is a government entity or not, but any way you slice it The Company has lots and lots of resources, including an impressive list of hired assassins. Parker (nicknamed "Boom") is one of the very best, but a series of mistakes made his last hit a failure and The Company rarely forgives failure.
So, "Boom" Parker knows that he cannot mess up his new assignment. He has been sent to kill a female scientist that is working on a bio-fuel that threatens the big oil companies.
But, this case starts out badly (it looks like someone has already killed his target or, at least, botched an attempt on her) and as he looks for her he finds out that she has been working on a side project and may have developed a cure for cancer. So, does he kill his target and doom his wife or does he save his target, save his wife and doom himself?...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/...
May 31, 2013
Interesting piece here. A hit man on assignment for The Company nervous because his last job was a disaster. Hit a scientist.
Only thing...when he got to her place, the only thing was a bloody flip flop.
The hard place happens when he learns the scientist is working on a promising cure for cancer...and his wife just happens to be terminal!
They call him Boom an d now he must make a decision. Don't complete this job, after the last mess-up, and The Company's next contract would be on him. They were unforgiving.
Author Ernie Lindsey has written a fine story in the style of an anti-hero hit man with a difficult decision.
Fine effort worth a look.
Only thing...when he got to her place, the only thing was a bloody flip flop.
The hard place happens when he learns the scientist is working on a promising cure for cancer...and his wife just happens to be terminal!
They call him Boom an d now he must make a decision. Don't complete this job, after the last mess-up, and The Company's next contract would be on him. They were unforgiving.
Author Ernie Lindsey has written a fine story in the style of an anti-hero hit man with a difficult decision.
Fine effort worth a look.
March 6, 2015
This is one of the best short stories I have read in a long time. I like suspense and this book has it. If you were a married assassin and your spouse had incurable form of cancer, what would you do. Boom is assigned to murder a scientist for an oil company because she has done all she can for them and of course the oil company doesn't want their competitors to get their secret. While Boom is setting up the hit he finds out that on her down time she has come up with a cure for cancer. What would you do?
April 12, 2015
Hard place is not a bad read. But I was glad it was short.
The cookie cutter formula of the story, Boom, your stereotypical assassin.
A dying wife.
It all lead up to a very predictable twisting end.
The writing was fine.
The plot and it's predictability was almost cozy.
The action and the scene descriptions were really cool.
The story could do with a minimal amount of fleshing out to remove the hard constant knocks. Give the reader a second to breath every now and then.
WaAr
The cookie cutter formula of the story, Boom, your stereotypical assassin.
A dying wife.
It all lead up to a very predictable twisting end.
The writing was fine.
The plot and it's predictability was almost cozy.
The action and the scene descriptions were really cool.
The story could do with a minimal amount of fleshing out to remove the hard constant knocks. Give the reader a second to breath every now and then.
WaAr
September 29, 2015
Short but intriguing
I definitely want to read more about Boom and Laurie. This was a nice little introduction to what may be a nice book series, and it is certainly not your average, ordinary mystery!
I definitely want to read more about Boom and Laurie. This was a nice little introduction to what may be a nice book series, and it is certainly not your average, ordinary mystery!
July 14, 2014
One assassin. One target.
Boom is a likable, troubled character.
A compelling plot, professionally written.
A good read.
Boom is a likable, troubled character.
A compelling plot, professionally written.
A good read.
August 24, 2014
Fun, quick read. I'd like a novel length story from Boom and The Ghost.
August 18, 2015
Ernie had me going in circles for awhile, trying to figure out who did what, when. Really kept me reading long after I should have been asleep.
Oh, the twists and turns...
Oh, the twists and turns...
December 23, 2014
A very interesting short story. What does a hired assassin do when his target can save his wife's life? There are twists here which I never saw coming. Well done.
January 14, 2015
A feel good comedy
Short story mystery written in a little comedy style, that was a easy and fast paced read just right following a extremely serious one
Short story mystery written in a little comedy style, that was a easy and fast paced read just right following a extremely serious one
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews