Retro Kidman/Joe - Kidman/Joe

/waves lol. Joseph stepped back to observe the JDs try out the assortment of firearms at the range. He wondered briefly how they managed to bring in what looked to be a whole gun shop into the range but figured that each instructor had their own ways and means. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted one lone JD attempting to sneak away. Stealthily, he walked over to her. “Ahem, the gun range is in the other direction.” (tag) Kidman paused, then looked over the man’s shoulder as if the desert beyond him warranted her attention. “Yeah, I know. Not for me, so I figure I’ll just keep out of the way.” she replied nonchalantly. tag) As a former professional thief, Joseph Kerr had developed a pretty good ability to read others; one did not survive in the criminal underworld without being able to tell friend from foe at a glance. That ability, some what say instinct, kicked in as he perceived some fear from the young woman. Joseph knew better than to prod into what was probably a sensitive or traumatic issue for her so he opted for another tactic. “Hey, I don’t like using guns either, so you’re not the only one. But don’t you think it would be useful to at least know how to use them, just in case?” (tag) The girl softened slightly but still kept on guard. “I thought this place was for learning detective stuff, like fingerprints and evidence and that thing you said about reading criminals.” She narrowed her eyes at the shooting range, her teeth grit at the sound of echoing gunfire. Then she looked right at the man. “I wanted one once, but a friend of mine said that you should only touch one if you can handle killing something. Otherwise, leave it alone.” Kidman looked away. “I’m not up for that, so unless you can use that assualt rifle to detect stuff, I’ll just wait for the detecting part of this trip.” (tag) “That friend of yours is quite wise; Most people can’t handle the guilt of killing, and I hope you never have to experience it.” Pausing to smile warmly at the young girl, Joseph took out the chain around his neck to reveal a pair of custom dog tags. He showed her the inscription. Scientia Est Potentia “Speaking of wisdom, tell me, have you ever heard of this saying?” (tag) Kidman inspected the tags. “Science is potential?” She hazarded. “It sounds like something that would be on the front of a school.” It was an odd thing to put on a tag, especially next to the show of brute strength going on several meters away. She paused, then took a risk. “You don’t seem like the kind of person that would be into this.” The girl waved her hand out in the general vicinity. “Did they draft you too?” (tag) Joseph couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. “Loosely translated, the inscription means ‘Knowledge is Power’. It means that every bit of info that you know can be more useful than you realise. I was taught this lesson by someone I ran into when I was young; she used to work for ACME before I joined.” “This phrase has become one of my mottos in life and it has saved my life many a time. And if you let it, it can save yours too.” He paused as a particularly heavy volley of gunfire resounded for a brief moment. “If you don’t want to use a weapon when you become an agent, no one will force you to; I myself prefer not to use firearms if I don’t have to. However, even if you don’t ever physically use one in the field, having the knowledge of how to use various guns may still save your life and the lives of those around you.” (tag) Kidman bit her lip, now genuinely torn. “I promised someone I wouldn’t.” She said softly, now looking at the ground. Never try drugs, never try alcohol, never take a loan, never touch a gun. Jericho’s laws, she called them, after Jericho, one of the friendly neighborhood hobos. He also had dog tags. A forgotten soldier from Vietnam. She scuffed the ground, paced slightly, longed for a cigarette that she wasn’t allowed to have, then looked back at Mr. Kerr’s tags. It did sound familiar, actually. “The person who told me to come here said that. She said learn everything you can, but…” The sound of bullets rattled inside her skull. “I don’t know if she meant this.” “Knowledge itself is neither good nor evil; it’s how you use that knowledge that matters. As I mentioned before, we as ACME agents use our knowledge to protect, not to harm. And if you want to be an ACME agent, if you want to walk this path, then this knowledge is unfortunately something required. The range is designed to give you a safe environment to learn about guns, how to handle them, the limitations of each weapon and its strength. As an ACME agent, you may not use guns but that doesn’t mean the crooks you come across won’t. In such situations, being able to identify the weapon and knowing it’s ins and outs may save your life. Or what if you come across one as evidence, if you don’t know anything about it, will you be able to solve the crime and provide justice for the victim? Even if you don’t want to try firing a gun, you should listen to the conversations and observe everything; learn what you can.” (tag?) She paced a little more, then exhaled. They were both right. A compromise was in order. “I’ll watch and learn and stuff….” Kidman conceded. “But I’m not touching.” tag?) (i think we’re good) :-) You want to post? Sure. Give me a few mins.