What if I'm not fixable? What if I'm stuck like this? - Unknown
"I have to admit, you're the last person I expected to see. Especially after all this time."
"Yeah, well, I never expected to be here, either. It's not exactly my... style."
"So... why? What brought you here?"
"I guess you heard we got our pardons."
"About a year ago, right?"
"Yeah. We came back out here, set up shop. Doing the same thing, just legit this time."
"That had to be a change - a nice change. No more worrying about being thrown in prison. Or worse."
"That's what we all thought."
"But..."
"But being legit has a lot more... limits. Had to get permits to carry, licensed to do business at all. And the local cops frown on car chases, shooting up buildings - shooting, period."
"I can understand that."
"Yeah. I kinda figured we could still work around some stuff, if we stuck with the same mindset we had with the military. Just don't get caught doing the stuff we weren't supposed to do. But as a team, well, not everybody was on board with that. It caused... problems."
"So these problems - is that why you're here?"
"I guess. I really don't know what to do about it - this whole situation. And then I was told I couldn't change if I wanted to. Used to be a joke, you know? But this was said in anger. Dead serious."
"That bothered you."
"Yeah. I mean, we're all Adrenalin junkies. At least, we used to be. The others are working really hard to color inside the lines. I just... I can't. And I'm afraid the team's not going to survive. It's just not what I thought it would be like."
"Do you think you want to? Change, I mean."
"I don't know, Doc. I want to keep the team together. But I just... I want things to be the way they used to be."
"Running all the time, never being allowed a normal life, always watching your back, never -"
"Yeah, yeah, Doc, I know. We've all had those complaints, over the years. It's not those things I miss, believe me. It's the freedom. Seeing what needed to be done, and just... doing it."
"Maybe we need to look at this from a different perspective. Instead of dwelling on the things you aren't allowed to do, let's start looking at the alternatives. Consider what you would do if you were physically unable to participate in car chases, shoot outs, and all those other things. Now you don't have the law to blame. You just can't do those things, even if the others were willing to. And yet there are still things that need to be done. Things the cops can't do."
"I, uh, I don't think I've ever considered that. I mean, we've all been laid up over the years, but permanently... Damn, I don't know what I'd do."
"Tell you what. Why don't you think about that for a few days. And seriously. Take any of the cases you've dealt with in the past. Find an alternative. I know you can if you put your mind to it." Richter opened his calendar. "Come back Wednesday. I'll be done with my other clients by noon, and I'll keep the afternoon open. We'll have plenty of time to discuss things."
"Okay, Doc. I'll be here."
Richter walked him to the door, smiling. "Don't worry, Colonel. You'll come up with a plan. You always do."