Scene Five The Partner Tests McTiernan followed his partner with a begrudging obedience as he led him towards the motor pool. The motor pool was located in the large garage attached adjacently to the precinct and was home to several hundreds of cars. Though the walk was a short one, Stone still made sure he found enough time to ensure that any form of conversation was an unpleasant one. “Just so you know rookie, I don't like the idea of us being partners any more than you do. I'm a lone wolf, a lone ranger, a solo fucking artist and I don't play nicely with others.” “I know Stone,” the embittered response came. “I've read your file. Seven different partners in the last five years, all of them killed in action.” “Technically one of them is still alive.... well kinda. He’s nothing but a man-sized vegetable now, the poor son of a bitch. Tubes stuck up every hole in his body. It’s a fucking tragedy but he knew the risks when he signed up for this shit. We work a dangerous job. When we shoot at the bad guys, chances are that most of the time those mother fuckers are going to shoot back. Sometimes they’ll miss and sometimes they’ll hit. It's sad but it’s a goddamn fact, learn to deal with it. The bottom line is I’m not going to be putting my balls in the hands of some rookie partner who doesn’t …show more content…
“Lucky guess,” Stone responded in his rasping and somewhat bitter tone. “Come on, let’s go to work.” McTiernan was not surprised to find that when he opened the passenger side door he was greeted by an avalanche of emptied beer cans falling to the floor. “You do know drinking and driving is illegal, don’t you?” Joel lectured. “Of course I do, that’s why I do all my drinking when I’m parked,” Stone's nonchalant answer came, genuinely oblivious to the fact that drinking while stationary behind the wheel was the exact same thing in principle as drinking whilst quite literally