A gentleman ran through the streets, his right hand holding an umbrella and the other a pistol

Could be a good start for an espionage story?

 

Truth is often stranger than fiction. Sometimes an umbrella is a gun.

 

Sure, if the first scene starts on some sort of action. Espionage usually is not so notorious on the streets.

 

Yes, or a sword.
And what looks like a gun is actually a lighter. Or, you know, a portal gun, or candy shooter, or something with a black hole stabilized into it.
So many possibilities!

But the umbrella has to be a sword

 

I'm imagining a flashback now, revealing how that gentleman happened to run around with a gun in hand. I'm always in for a good espionage story and a well dressed man with a weapon

 

The lengths he'd go to to stay dry. Mary Poppins lay dead in his wake, her point blank bullet wound oozing red into the rain-soaked pavement.

 

Here's the Cover & Title:

 

And sometimes that man is The Penguin, and he is fleeing Batman.

 

And if the umbrella isn't a weapon why not just drop it? Is the rain really your worry right now? drop the umbrella and run faster. Also, now you can hold the gun with both hands like your suppose to. Stupid spy.

 

Seems like a very good start since it stirs the reader's curiosity and motivates further reading so that the questions:

1 Who is this man?

2. Why is he runningg?

3. Why is he openly carrying a weapon?

4. Is he chasing someone or being chased?

5. Where is this happening?

will be answered.