Mike smiled warmly. “Then you’ve only ever heard pessimists use it to describe something. Connor has a very eclectic background; it’s just not for me to say, and admittedly, mine is so different, I wouldn’t be able to do him justice. Thus: unique.” He knew some of the details, but his partner was generally tight-lipped about his affairs; something that Mike had always tried to respect.
Alex seemed to struggle with the idea of being sent out to use her abilities on someone unsuspecting; that the mere idea caused her discomfort was likely a good thing, in his book. If she’d been eager to go out and use it, he would have been concerned about her – unlike Carly Cassidy, Alex’s moral compass seemed to be pointing in the right direction.
“That’s part of why you’re here to train, though,” he added. “To make sure that you don’t use it accidentally, so you don’t have to shoulder that doubt. As for being sent out into the field to use that ability in particular…,” he rubbed his chin, considering. “You may have concerns about the ethics behind it, and I think that’s a good thing, but your ability could make the difference in a tough situation. You could neutralize someone on the brink of hurting themselves, or others, without any need for violence. Other people here only have the propensity for destruction – and through no fault of their own. And even that you would be able to neutralize – you might underestimate how many people around here need that, while they, too, try and get control over their abilities.”
His expression went somewhat sheepish as he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “Well – you’re not wrong,” he agreed. “That’s why so much about this place is hush-hush. Since I’ve been here, I’ve only seen one mission go overseas; and it was to retrieve an agent from the program who had been taken against her will.”