"Hard Luck Penny," by Scott McKinnon, in The Yard, February 15, 2026.
I think this is the first time a first story made my best-of list since 2023.
“So,” Penny says, “do you guys get a commission every time you flash a weapon, or is it a contractual obligation?”
Penny has been kidnapped. She doesn't seem to be taking very seriously.
The three bad guys work for Moe and Moe is mad at her cousin.
Penny stares up at him. “Let me guess, bad Yelp review?”
Being suspenseful and funny at the same time is a good trick. Penny and McKinnon pull it off.
