Quin announced she needed to diversify. The Ranger agreed, due to the fact she admitted Aikido was the only thing she'd ever really done. Not that Aikido was a bad martial art, it was just limited once you were fighting people who were trained in fighting.

"It definitely couldn't hurt. Hell, I could show y' a few things before I leave t' get y' started." If all her training was in Aikido he could show her a few takedowns and submissions to get her running. Maybe a few transitions that are useful for once she completes one of the Aikido moves so she can maintain a strong offensive.

"So where've you been? It's been awful quiet for a few years."

"I've been overseas. I spent the last several years poppin' aroun' the Middle-East and Africa. Lots of money in t' be made by those who can do what I do. Most probably didn' make the news. A few did, one was pretty nasty. I heard there was a big stink back here last year..." The Ranger trailed off. He couldn't say more, but he was heavily hinting to a report about a power plant that blew up in a small African country. The media painted it as a failure of US intelligence once it was discovered that there had been US involvement in it. The line was that it was the source of power for an impoverished area. In reality it was also hiding a nuclear enrichment program. It wasn't to scale for creating fissile material for a reactor or a warhead. The plan was to create dirty bombs.

"A few things would be good." Quin said, nodding her head at Michael's offer. It seemed silly now that she'd simply settled for being good at one thing, especially when she'd known the weaknesses that aikido had against other, more offensive styles. Things were crazy in New York sometimes, and it couldn't hurt to be prepared.

The Middle East and Africa, huh? It seemed like the type of place someone like Michael could get his skills on. Quin resisted the urge to ask him if he still used the ridiculous moniker he'd insisted on giving her one of the first times they'd met. It wouldn't do to be rude to someone who was offering to help you...and kicking your ass around the mat at the same time.

Still...he'd been there...things had gotten nasty. Some international incident was tickling at the back of Officer Archer's mind and she frowned.

"I can't say I'm surprised. You seem to have a talent for bringing explosions and mayhem with you wherever you go...which explains my earlier hesitancy."

People were still sparring, and they'd been talking for a while.

"Anyway...you said something about pointers?"

The Ranger smiled, after what he had said it seemed Archer did have a point. With a few exceptions though he hadn’t intended there to be explosions, which likely just made it all the worse that they happened.

”Than you might be surprised to hear about all my other work. For everythin’ you hear about, ten more things are smoothed over. Loud and flashy is the exception. I just happen to be such a shit-magnet.”

Archer brought up that he was going to show her pointers. ”Yeah, you seen to have a solid handle on Aikido. Let’s work on some’in a that’ll compliment it. Aikido will help you get someone to the ground, you need to know what to do once they’re there” Ranger went into an explanation of the ideas behind Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a martial art style that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. It would be perfect for Archer as it is a style where a smaller, weaker person can defend themselves against heavier opponents with proper technique.

The true emphasis of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was on its ground fighting. First he showed the primary positions. Side control, full mount, back mount, and guards. For this he moved himself and Archer into the positions and walked her through how each worked.

Quin didn't doubt that there had been plenty of times when Michael had been a part of missions, or operations, or even nights out on the town where nothing had exploded or been peppered with bullets...she just hadn't seen many of them.

It would have been rude to point that out though, and Quin reminded herself that she had just asked the man for help. Instead of running her dumb mouth, she smiled and nodded.

The redhead continued to listen as her sparring partner launched into the pointers he had offered. It was gratifying when he acknowledged her skill at aikido and she paid close attention as he taught her the basics of another, more offensive fighting style.

The sensei was less than pleased with the direction their collaboration had turned, but Quin let him stew a bit. It was good for people to shake things up every now and then.

After a while, Quin was starting to feel good about the basics. "Do you know anywhere local that trains in this style, or am I going to have to risk asking you to keep helping me out?"

She couldn't be too gracious all the time. It would simply be out of character.

"There are nine 'r ten places here in New York that are Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms exclusively. I'd recommend an MMA gym. They'll teach it an' other styles you should look into like Muay Thai an' Krav Maga." The Ranger rattled off a few names and addresses. "Risk askin' me? I'd be happy t' help, an' I'll keep the explosions to a minimum." He said the last art in jest. He honestly didn't have explosions going off everywhere he went, the city would be gone if that happened.

"Water break?" The Ranger asked before turning to head off the mat for a drink.They'd been at it a short while now, especially once they'd gone from sparring to BJJ instruction. It was time enough for some water.

MMA. Quin had never even thought about looking into something like that. She was painfully ignorant of the sport, and knew very little. Having spent so much time on a defensive discipline such as Aikido, MMA fighting seemed completely foreign. Still, if today had taught the redhead anything, it was that she could definitely benefit from the diversity that mixed martial arts could offer.

Michael suggested a water break and Quin nodded her head and made her way in the direction of the cooler that was perpetually located in the back corner of the dojo.

"I definitely wouldn't say no to a regular sparring partner. At least I'd know what to expect. Pick a time and place. I'm going out of town for a bit at some point, but I can make it work."

"I definitely wouldn't say no to a regular sparring partner. At least I'd know what to expect. Pick a time and place. I'm going out of town for a bit at some point, but I can make it work."

The Ranger nodded to her, "Before I leave I'll get y'r number. I can text y' a time once I look at my schedule." He'd trust her with a number not tied to his name, even though he would still withhold is middle and last name. She was a LEO still and if something happened again like the day they met, he'd rather her not be able to just show up and make things difficult. "I know I'll have some spare time nex' week around Thursday, mid-day."


The Ranger drank some of the water. The blessed cold water. Well, room temperature water but it was cold to him.

It was weird how things like this worked out. Uneasy partnerships were just that...uneasy, and Quin couldn't help but wonder just how long this was going to last. The things Michael said could easily have been true, some folks were simply shit magnets and where they went, trouble seemed apt to follow. In those situations, people had two choices, learn to protect themselves or constantly be a victim. It was obvious which he had chosen.

Quin was pragmatic and in serious danger of starting to see things from the vigilantes point of view. She needed some new skills though, and here was someone both able and willing to help.

This was deep for water cooler thoughts, and as Quin sipped her water she nodded her head. "Thursday should be fine."