The squads signing off on reports that evening actually stood and applauded as Grant walked through the Parade Room, with Watkinns' Glock bagged and tagged.

She smiled self-consciously and kept her eyes on the floor. She was uncomfortable with this kind of thing, hated being lauded for simply doing her job.

At the counter of the Evidence and Exhibits Unit, the young Citizen clerk beamed at her, Grant was becoming a hero, her actions exemplary, a true defender of Society.

She placed the weapon on the brushed steel counter and signed the screen.

'Agent Grant?'

She turned back to the lad.

'Yes, Citizen?'

He gestured to the Glock, 'Can I ask you a question?'

Here it comes, she thought, a very common question. At least for her.

She nodded and smiled gently, 'You're going to ask 'why?' Why carry firearms in a world without Crime, yes?'

She pointed to the rows of almost empty shelving behind him. A few ancient bottles of illicit hooch, fewer bagged and tagged weapons of varying descriptions.

'Why have an Evidence Room when there are no Crime Exhibits either?'

The young man blushed, he'd not meant to be clumsy, had only worked at the Agency for a few weeks, was eager to show he had a sharp mind, possibly even Agent material.

Instead, he'd asked the obvious.

'Hey, no worries, it's a very good question!'

She smiled again to reassure him, subconsciously noting his name tag - no way would she have him on her Squad. Ever.

Yeah, a very good question - if she was talking to a five-year-old!

'99.7%, that's if you remember your Citizenship classes in elementary school?'

She spared the young guy further embarrassment by quickly moving on.

'Those testing on or above are deemed a threat to Society and are subject to processing by this Agency.

'Yes, you with me? But, and here's the answer to that very, very common question, well, the question to the answer really!'

She gave him a 'you should really know this' smile.

'How can a Society, wherein everybody capable of lethal acts is removed from that Society at 180 days old, carry out processing of these EBs? With no-one left who is capable of pressing the button?

'Now, remember that 99.7%, well those on the borderline, currently 92 to 98%, are indexed at 180 days and, upon reaching adulthood, are recruited into the DDV Squads by the Agency. There's just enough vestige propensity to commit violence that we can function in the field if necessary, but low enough that we can safely control such antisocial behaviours.

Those who test at 90 to 92% (that's you!) are recruited as Agency Clerks and Techs, off the front line, but still capable of supporting Society in our ongoing determination to keep the planet crime free and safe for all Citizens. For the lives of the many Innocents will always outweigh the life of the one Deviant!'

She cringed as she realized she was directly quoting the Agency recruitment ads.

'And,' she sighed, (how often had she explained this now?) 'The remaining 1.7, that's 98 to 99.7% probability of DDV, are taken in and trained to be full Agents, and that's me!'

He nodded, trying to seem like he remembered this basic information.

'So….if we encounter resistance, and there are still sadly cases of Displaced Familial Protection Mental Imbalance, (you wouldn't believe how a small minority of parents still resist us processing their EBs, very antisocial!) …the right people have been trained, and are capable, to use force, even lethal force, if absolutely necessary to protect Society.

Now, if that's all, I have a very busy shift to finish, careful with that Glock, try not shoot yourself by accident!'

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