Mick

Legends...

Back at the shop and in the lab, they called him Mick. Not sure why, but that’s what they called him. Then there was Annalise and Pierre and Ramone, all fine specimens but not of Mick’s caliber.

Mick stood out for a number of reasons. Like the scientists who put the Six Million Dollar Man together after his horrific crash landing, the scientists evaluated everything Mick had gone through and wondered if they could rebuild him as others had done with the Steve Austin character.

Mick even set the record with 97 successful tests. Would he – could he – survive yet another test? The data they retrieved each time helped them with future tests. The tests became increasingly harder on Mick but he didn’t seem to mind.

No one would ever accuse of Mick of being handsome or dashing. Being associated with so many tests didn’t help his social life. With more scars and broken body parts than daredevil Evel Knievel, Mick was showing signs he was wearing down. In this game, the powers that be don’t just retire you and forget you ever existed.

No, Mick’s had one test too many. Those same scientists would reuse parts and protect the most important parts for the next victim to emerge from the shop. Ol’ Annalise, Ramone, and Pierre would never cut it as they only had retail time. Pierre and Ramone would fold like cheap suits just getting into a vehicle, and they could never withstand the extra data equipment. They just weren’t made for impact.

Annalise, on the other hand, was Gun and Fishing magazine’s go-to model. She was the G.I. Jane of models. Mick could her see taking his place if it weren’t for the violent nature of the crash test dummy business. But maybe she had more grit and guts and hardening than he thought.

Maybe.

But could she survive even one rear end collision, let alone the T-bone or head-on collisions she’d be expected to endure? Why anyone would choose that lifestyle is the stuff legends are made of.

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