"So, what you're saying, basically, is that you want something a bit more powerful?" the salesman asked rhetorically.
"You could say that."
The man pulled a well oiled M4A1 Colt from the back room and set it on the glass counter gently, "M4A1 Colt. Got it from a buddy of mine in the Marines back in '04. Even got the grenade launcher attachment. No grenades though so I don't have it attached."
"You've fired it?"
"Hell yeah. Only a couple times though. Trust me, there's no barrel stress or powder indentations. It's still perfect."
"To you."
"Come on man," the store clerk whined, "it won't give you a single problem. I swear."
"Sorry. I guess I'm looking for something special."
"Damn it," the clerk stated as he pulled the gun and set it below the counter. "Wait," he started, "you said you're looking for something special right?"
"Yeah."
"I know this guy. Brings in some high tech stuff every now and then. Makes good sales and he's pretty reliable. Not a real asshole about taking his cut. Well, what I'm saying is, he could probably hook you up with something very special."
"Really? And why are you referring me to him?"
"I scratch his back, he scratches mine."
"Alright, aside from the fantasies you have for this guy, what do you get out of it?"
The clerk was somewhat stunned at the insult but brushed it aside at his chance for a sale, "I get ten percent for referring you. I don't know, he just got an OICW in. If I can get a grand in my pocket for just telling you to get the fuck out of my store than I'm okay with it."
The man smiled and pulled off his sunglasses, setting them to the side on the counter. "What was that?"
"You heard me." The clerk reached below the counter and dropped a poorly made business card into the customer's hand. "Go see him and ask to look at the OICW, I think you'll like it."
"Like it?" the man asked, "OICW, Objective Individual Combat Weapon, made for the Land Warrior program during the late nineties. Released in '08 for the United States army, particularly the Rangers. Designed to fill the role of any weapon in any circumstance. Fires twenty millimeter high explosive air bursting ammunition or five point five six millimeter kinetic energy rounds. Add the fire control system which includes a night vision scope and it rounds out pretty well. The FCS can even gauge the distance of your target so you can set the ammunition to burst prior to impact for non-lethal takedowns." The man smiled slightly, "The first of many programs to design a better equipped and perfect soldier. Plan launched in '08 but was too expensive to be considered useful during peace time."
The customer nodded and smiled, "Great thing about it was you could nail someone hiding behind a bunker. Have the HE ammo explode directly over them. But the government had to piss and moan about cost. Why equip ten soldiers with perfect equipment when you can send one hundred with a bunch of crap? Guess the government didn't really care about saving lives."
Kavilor smiled, showing off a sharp set of canines, "Guess not. Makes sense though. I bet they pursued the idea in other places. Thanks for the card."
"No problem," the clerk said as Kavilor turned and walked out the door. Remembering, he shouted out after him, "Tell him Mark sent you!"
"You could say that."
The man pulled a well oiled M4A1 Colt from the back room and set it on the glass counter gently, "M4A1 Colt. Got it from a buddy of mine in the Marines back in '04. Even got the grenade launcher attachment. No grenades though so I don't have it attached."
"You've fired it?"
"Hell yeah. Only a couple times though. Trust me, there's no barrel stress or powder indentations. It's still perfect."
"To you."
"Come on man," the store clerk whined, "it won't give you a single problem. I swear."
"Sorry. I guess I'm looking for something special."
"Damn it," the clerk stated as he pulled the gun and set it below the counter. "Wait," he started, "you said you're looking for something special right?"
"Yeah."
"I know this guy. Brings in some high tech stuff every now and then. Makes good sales and he's pretty reliable. Not a real asshole about taking his cut. Well, what I'm saying is, he could probably hook you up with something very special."
"Really? And why are you referring me to him?"
"I scratch his back, he scratches mine."
"Alright, aside from the fantasies you have for this guy, what do you get out of it?"
The clerk was somewhat stunned at the insult but brushed it aside at his chance for a sale, "I get ten percent for referring you. I don't know, he just got an OICW in. If I can get a grand in my pocket for just telling you to get the fuck out of my store than I'm okay with it."
The man smiled and pulled off his sunglasses, setting them to the side on the counter. "What was that?"
"You heard me." The clerk reached below the counter and dropped a poorly made business card into the customer's hand. "Go see him and ask to look at the OICW, I think you'll like it."
"Like it?" the man asked, "OICW, Objective Individual Combat Weapon, made for the Land Warrior program during the late nineties. Released in '08 for the United States army, particularly the Rangers. Designed to fill the role of any weapon in any circumstance. Fires twenty millimeter high explosive air bursting ammunition or five point five six millimeter kinetic energy rounds. Add the fire control system which includes a night vision scope and it rounds out pretty well. The FCS can even gauge the distance of your target so you can set the ammunition to burst prior to impact for non-lethal takedowns." The man smiled slightly, "The first of many programs to design a better equipped and perfect soldier. Plan launched in '08 but was too expensive to be considered useful during peace time."
The customer nodded and smiled, "Great thing about it was you could nail someone hiding behind a bunker. Have the HE ammo explode directly over them. But the government had to piss and moan about cost. Why equip ten soldiers with perfect equipment when you can send one hundred with a bunch of crap? Guess the government didn't really care about saving lives."
Kavilor smiled, showing off a sharp set of canines, "Guess not. Makes sense though. I bet they pursued the idea in other places. Thanks for the card."
"No problem," the clerk said as Kavilor turned and walked out the door. Remembering, he shouted out after him, "Tell him Mark sent you!"
