I've used "man" and "guy" in my writing to specify gender. I'm writing in the 3rd person. I'm wondering if I should use "man" consistently. Here's a sample. Please tell me what you think, man or guy?
As Conte watched, the door flew open and a man he recognized from the slide show burst out. He had an automatic weapon at his side. Both men were caught by surprise. The guy didn’t expect to see Conte and Conte didn’t expect it to be this guy bursting out of the door. The surprise slowed the guy’s reflexes just enough for Conte to move in and deflect his gun hand.
Conte tried to hold the guy’s wrist and bring it behind him, but he was strong and quick. Conte brought the side of his other hand hard against the guy’s neck and his head snapped like a rubber band.
Conte had no time to reach in for his Glock. He had to move in close to prevent the guy from getting a shot off. He brought his elbow up hard into the guy’s midsection. The guy grunted as the air went out of him. He shoved Conte violently. Conte lost his footing and fell backward. He was about to watch the guy fire several rounds into his tired, old body, when the guy stepped back directly on the intervention tool and fell on his back. He was righting himself with his gun hand out when Conte managed to grab the tool and hurl it with all his might. It hit the guy pike end first in his left eye and stayed there while he dropped his gun and grabbed wildly for the pike with hands that had lost communication with his dying brain. He fell over backwards and started twitching. First his head jerked, then his legs. By the time Kerim showed up, only the pike was still twitching.
As Conte watched, the door flew open and a man he recognized from the slide show burst out. He had an automatic weapon at his side. Both men were caught by surprise. The guy didn’t expect to see Conte and Conte didn’t expect it to be this guy bursting out of the door. The surprise slowed the guy’s reflexes just enough for Conte to move in and deflect his gun hand.
Conte tried to hold the guy’s wrist and bring it behind him, but he was strong and quick. Conte brought the side of his other hand hard against the guy’s neck and his head snapped like a rubber band.
Conte had no time to reach in for his Glock. He had to move in close to prevent the guy from getting a shot off. He brought his elbow up hard into the guy’s midsection. The guy grunted as the air went out of him. He shoved Conte violently. Conte lost his footing and fell backward. He was about to watch the guy fire several rounds into his tired, old body, when the guy stepped back directly on the intervention tool and fell on his back. He was righting himself with his gun hand out when Conte managed to grab the tool and hurl it with all his might. It hit the guy pike end first in his left eye and stayed there while he dropped his gun and grabbed wildly for the pike with hands that had lost communication with his dying brain. He fell over backwards and started twitching. First his head jerked, then his legs. By the time Kerim showed up, only the pike was still twitching.
