Quinn's Story
Copyright© 2026 by writer 406
Chapter 22
Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones arrived the day after Christmas.
Quinn came downstairs at his usual time and found them in the kitchen talking and laughing with Sullivan and the Colonel. Each of them had a cup of Maria’s coffee in front of them. There was a plate of her blueberry muffins in the middle of the table.
The strangers were both in their thirties or early forties, heavily bearded and dressed in identical gray sweatshirts and Levis. Quinn thought they looked remarkably like bandits just out of the hills. Mr. Smith was a Black man, lean and angular, with an air of sustained alertness. His eyes were constantly in motion, flickering from the doorway to the windows to the hallway. Jones was the bigger of the pair — calm and quiet, a listener. He was much more serious than Smith, who was laughing and joking with Sullivan, whom he called Gunny.
“Quinn,” the Colonel said, “I’d like you to meet Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones.” He pointed to each man. They looked at him and gave him mock salutes.
Quinn nodded to each man.
“You will be going with them. They’re going to teach you how to shoot and drive.”
“Yes, sir,” Quinn said. His first thought was, sweet, this is going to be fun. He figured they would be going to a shooting range for a couple of hours.
He glanced over at Maria. She hadn’t responded to his good morning. She was at the stove, stiff with disapproval. Odd. Maria did not lack for opinions and did not hold back from expressing them. But she had a line she would not cross, and apparently, this pair was on the other side of that line.
“You will be with them until they feel you are competent.” The Colonel handed him a book. “This book has volumes one to six of Euclid’s Elements. I want you to immerse yourself in this. I expect four letters discussing your understanding of the material—one every Friday for as long as you are there.”
Okaayy, so a lot longer than a couple of hours at a shooting range.
“Yes, sir.”
The Colonel shook hands with the men and walked back to his office.
“What should I bring?” he said to Mr. Smith.
“You’re good just the way you are. We have everything you will need at the range,” Smith said.
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