Norbert watches the street as I frown, "Norbert? How old is she?" "She's Turning Sixteen in December." He leans in and sits, "I'm-" I suck air through my teeth, "I'm sorry." He sighs and takes out a picture, he holds it towards me, Rose smiles on Norbert's Shoulder, a Ferris Wheel in the background. This mercenary can smile? "That was two years ago." He just stares at that picture with a smile, "God, she loved that train ride at that big amusement park." I smile, "I was wrong about you. I thought you were like them, the army." He scoffs, "And I thought you were a small minded old man." "You're doing what I couldn't." "What's that?" I frown, "Raise a kid." Norbert stiffs up as Jack opens his mouth, only to be silenced by Dave laughing, "You guys kiss yet?" Norbert shakes away a thought, then we both raise a brow to him.
Jack looks up at me, "I'm sorry I caused you trouble." I sigh, "Don't do anything like this again." "I just want- Need to help." Norbert sighs, "You aren't cut out for this." Jack bangs against the car, "Those things are killing people." Dave yawns, "You're still a kid." I take out my pistol, "Fine, pay attention." I show him how to eject the magazine, clear the gun. I reload it and hold it out by the barrel. He just looks at it, "You want to help defend the people of this world, the galaxy?" Jack nods, "Take it and unload it." He takes it, "Why unload it?" Norbert smiles, "You only load it if you want to kill." He clicks the release and fumbles with the magazine. "Now cock back the gun." He slides it with all his might at his young age, the bullet pops out and he smiles.
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We roll to a stop and we all have him stand up on the car's roof. I give him the stance, "Only aim at what you want dead." He nods, "Right." I hold his hands and he pulls the trigger, he jumps at the recoil and the noise. This moment defines a man. He stares at the gun for a while until I ask, "You still want it?" I let go and he jerks the gun and pulls the trigger once, he calls out, "P in stop." A ping off in the distance, he hit a stop sign. He lowers the gun, "Have you shot before?" I take the gun. "No." Norbert pulls him aside, "Block this." He slaps his cheek lightly and Jack couldn't block him to save his life, he just falls onto the ground, "Stop it!" Norbert turns to me, "He's farsighted. Really bad." The screams draw nearer and Dave starts the car up. We lower him in and Norbert grabs my hand, "Age before Beauty." I laugh and slowly get in.
As we pass, our jaws hit the floor, in the middle of the p in stop, dead center in the circle. I shake Jack by the shoulder, "Kid, you got an eye!"