Merc'ing 101: How to Make It as a Mercenary and Still Stay in One Piece, Wed 8/20 Period 4

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

Murdock was looking very serious today as he strolled around the Danger Shop. "You ain't gonna be the only ones out there doin' this sorta work," he started off, "and someday, you might just wind up crossin' paths with another team." He stopped and looked over at each student. "It probably ain't gonna go well."

"Ever hear of the old adage 'honor among thieves'? Well, it don't apply to mercs. If the price is good enough, one team will have no qualms about takin' out another." He gave them all another swift glance. "Believe me, I know. The trick here isn't knowing when to be prepared, in this business that's always a given, but knowing how to get out of it. This is where your trust in your fellow teammates comes into play. 'Cause if you get caught," he crossed his arms over his chest, "chances are you ain't gettin' out on your own."

"So let's see what we can come up with, shall we?"

(ocd up!in a min)

Comments

The Details.

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

You might want to really pay attention to this one. Or you could still chatter and goof off, but don't expect him to have much sympathy when you fall for the doggie trick.

Re: The Details.

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

He started walking around once more, his speech punctuated by his hands. "Any good merc team is going to know some things about their target. That's a standard in any op, really. But moreso when you're dealing with another team 'cause you want as much of an edge as you can get. If you can nab 'em by surprise, even better."

"The best thing is to discover each man's weakness. And hit 'em there." He stopped and faced them once more, "And don't go foolin' yourself into thinkin' you ain't got no weakness. Everybody has a weakness, a flaw, an inherent Achilles Heel. Whether or not you admit to it is irrelevant, somebody's gonna find out about it. And they're goin' to use it to their advantage. Sucks, but there it is."

This part he wasn't so sure about, but given the background of at least two of his students...well, maybe it was best they thought about it now, in a safe, controlled setting. "Now I want you guys to do something," he began pacing again, his hands once more moving around, "it's going to be difficult, but it may help later on." And then he stopped and faced them. "I want you to think about what your weakness is. You don't have to tell anybody, and you certainly don't have to tell me, but ... at least think about it and be aware of it. In case..." he paused for a moment, "it ever comes up in a situation." Sometimes, he hated being a teacher.

"So, in the meantime, let's run through a scenario. Another team is out there, lookin' to take yours out. The most effective method is to take everyone out one by one. There's a number of ways that can be done, like distraction. Say for example, a pretty girl." He smirked a bit, guessing who might fall for that one. "Then there's the sad, wounded puppy trick." No, that wasn't an eyeroll right there, just ignore it. "Poor little fella got left at the roadside. Awww. But if you're of the big, strong type, a more indirect approach may be appropriate. Drugging, for example. Slip something into the guy's food or drink and he'll drop like a rock."

"The last one though," and Murdock grinned madly, "might cause some trouble. He's sneaky and just a bit harder to catch. He's the fella that's gonna be doin' his best to bust his buddies out. All you need ... is a plan."