Carlos Hazday

Well, y'all spoiled me with the great reception you gave the story, so it's only fair I do a little spoiling myself.

“Buenos días, Infanta.” CJ panted the words. Not accustomed to Mexico City’s over 7,000 feet elevation, his pre-dawn jog had again left him gulping air. It was worse than his first strenuous activity in Vail had been years before. “Buen día, Señor CJ.” Having traded good mornings with Liebe’s nanny, he held the door for her, and they rode the elevator together. Infanta Romero, mother to half a dozen children, was found for him and Owen by Felicia Barrosa. With only a young gi

Not bad. Actually some of it is pretty close to what I was thinking when I outlined then wrote. Unless someone makes the first move, recruiters can never be sure how receptive their targets might be. Sure they might know if someone cheats on their spouse, or if they face financial difficulties, but even then it's a crapshot. I'm sure only a small percentage of attempts yield results.

Usually it takes a few chapters before people put 2 and 2 together and start guessing. You and another reader have gotten too close for comfort. LOL

I set a bunch of scenes in the park. If you split the image vertically in fourths, CJ and Owen's building would be in the second one from the left. There are so many I interesting spots, I only used a few for fear of turning the story into a commercial for VISIT CDMX. The sculpture could have been a decent choice for a cover/banner image. I decided to keep it simple by using a representation of the Mexican flag as background and a white script. The font's the same one I've used in every CJ banner except for Ripper Christmas.

Simmone reminds me of @Defiance19. Sure, go ahead and slap your boss around, but only after I get my wine. It's my cross to bear that those two meet cool people who deserve additional lines. Including some appearing in the next book, I now have nearly 450 named characters in the series. Some are forgettable, but I think I should go on a killing spree.

Actually, I don't think I have any of those in this story. No births, no weddings, and no deaths. Well, maybe...

Myr once praised my opening hook in a short story I suspect did not deal with something he would like. The idea of hooking readers with a good opening stuck with me. In this story, I tried to do it with the opening line about breasts overflowing a dress, and with the first 3 chapters by establishing a base of what their lives are like. I think Yevgeny and Stephen will both be a pain in the butt.

Yeah, life will get busier. But CJ and his charming husband should be able to handle it. They already have Simmone and Felicia but I think they need some male support. How about I bring back someone they already know in the next chapter. 😜 I mentioned to someone that giving them a kid forced me to imagine how they would navigate their social live from then on, let's see if I get it right.

I wonder what took them so long! LOL When I started writing, I did too many info dumps; these days I'd ratherdribble the details out in a more natural way. There should be a few more coming our way.

You're welcome! And vielen dank, Google. My German's non existant, which is why I had to ask for help from a fellow author when I have CJ use some of his. In response to this chapter, someone just sent me a video clip of a toddler saying they didn't like Trump. I was worried I may have gotten carried away, but it seems Liebe's not the only politically aware two-year-old.

Phrase isn't familiar, but I completely understand. I use a lot of American cultural references I realize some readers will not grasp, but sometimes it's unavoidable since my guys are so American. Even the damn Aussie's turning into a Yank!

Sounds like me with Embers. I read a chapter over now and then when people comment and I get a notification. There are some I truly enjoy. The Kardashians one has to be top five!

Thanks, bud

Gorgeous, ain't it? It kinda reminds me of Central Park in NYC. A zoo, athletic fields, museums, and what not.

I feel they'll be able to handle the parties. CJ has a healthy skepticism about people in authority and Owen's down to earth enough neither should be seduced by the invitations. But unlimited vodka and caviar would probably work with me!

I haven't been around a toddler in quite a few years, so I'm probably not getting her language skills right. My excuse is she's CJ's daughter and Harley's niece so of course she's gonna talk.

CJ and Owen don't need to work for a living, so I think they'll strive for balance between private life and their jobs. Something most of us would have a harder time doing. Liebe will benefit from them being around often.

While parents teach certain things (like sharing the guava juice) kids learn from listening to conversations too. She must have heard plenty of complaints aimed at the dictator wannabe from her parents, grandparents, and some of her uncles. Hell, even Brad turned against Agent Orange.

I can relate. Because some of my comments have gotten me in trouble before, I don't comment on what I read as often as I'd like. The reactions are often too limited and I have to expand in the comments section anyway. You got this.

@scrubber6620 I'm scared of you. That was one of the most insightful speculative comments I've ever received. Although Biden appointed Ken Salazar as ambassador to Mexico, I decided to go with a fictitious one. Because I'm writing in the near future, I've had a couple of mishaps when we reach the chapter's date. Relationships ending, restaurants closing, and similar events have left me gun shy. We'll meet the US ambassador in the next chapter and a couple others later on. All of them products of my imagination. We now have two potential antagonists: a Russian spy, and CJ's immediate supervisor. Unlike in previous stories of mine, I do not dispose of the 'bad guy' quickly. Both Domogarov and Northman will make multiple appearances. We know Yevgeny was invited to the reception because of being an acquaintance with the hostess, he might not known about CJ beforehand, so there may not have been much behind his chat. Your suggestion that he was feeling them out to see if there was potential for recruitment is good. Stephen sounds like the pompous ass CJ suggests. Someone drunk with the little power he has, brandishing his authority to aggrandize himself. You know, a dickhead. LOL I look forward to hearing your thought after CJ interacts with him and the ambassador in tomorrow's chapter. Thank you for reading and commenting.

Knowing what was coming, I've dreaded reaching this chapter. It's one of the reasons I slowed down my reading. I'm sobbing and that's not a good look for an old biker. The mark of a good author is the ability to reach and connect with readers through our characters; you, sir, have accomplished that. The fact I'm mourning someone's death is proof.

Having a toddler does change your life. We heard one modification to their life already; CJ admitted they don't drink themselves into a stupor the way most guys their age would. Having to coordinate babysitters and caretakers is now part of their daily life. I'll try to give a glimpse into their home life on a regular basis.

Off Topic: Simmone is named in honor of Nina Simone. I was listening to her when I created the character. You're right, she's been in Mexico a little longer and can provide gossip/info on the embassy and their fellow employees. Older than CJ and Owen, she has the practical experience CJ lacks. She'll be around for a while, and I think I'll use her again in future books. EDIT Forgot to mention Liebe. We already know she started speaking early (see Ripper Christmas) and as the story advances, I hope to show her vocabulary and her usage of both English and Spanish improving. With kids that age, changes come almost daily.

You have no idea how good it feels to be posting again and interacting with readers. Their entire time in Mexico will be but a building block for their future, but we do get to find out what the infamous event is. Come back tomorrow for another chapter, and I expect more comments.