Mil-Wilshire station.
We were sitting in the briefing room while a video of Lucy Nolan and Jackson played I was just happy I was not here for this abomination.
"L.A.'s finest." Grey said holding back a laugh getting laughs from everyone in the briefing room.
"Okay, guys, I know there were a few stumbles in there, yes, in the beginning, but this is Hollywood, right? They fix that stuff in the editing. I think this video's gonna make the department very proud." Nolan said trying to defend the video.
"Officer Bradford, would you like the honor?"
I sighed before putting my head down before cutting in loud enough for everyone to hear it.
"Nolan, yall got punked there is no promotional video."
Getting ohs from the other rookies in the room. Grey then proceeded to pull out popcorn and started playing the rest of the video. It wasn't long until it finished and Grey sent us to garage for processing to have someone teach us.
We walk in seeing Jessica with a vest on waiting for us to gather around her to start her talk.
"We're all gonna die. Right here. Right now. This bomb is packed with C4, ball bearings, screws, broken glass. When this thing goes off, this whole room is gonna turn into a blender. And guess what. If you don't die instantly, you're gonna suffer fatal, secondary infections because I soaked the shrapnel in my own filth. Now, you've all been taught to shoot on sight when you see a bomber, right? But you can't shoot me, because I'm holding a dead man's switch. I let it go, it detonates. So your only shot at survival is to talk me into giving up. But you only have ten words to do it." She then pointed to Jackson to start.
"U-Um, ma'am, you you don't want to do this." He started before getting interrupted by Jessica.
"Boom. It's a slaughterhouse in here." Then points to Lucy.
"Uh, my name is Lucy Chen, and -" getting interrupted by Jessica as well.
"Boom. They're IDing you through dental records." Before she could even pick a new person Tim lunged forward.
"Boom. You just got buried in a shoe box." When she finished and was about to pick a new person Nolan stepped forward and spoke up.
"I can only imagine the pain you're feeling right now." He said to her getting her to stop and she started to smile.
"You just got ten more words." After that we reconvened in the briefing room. Where she finished her talk.
"Okay, so what did you all do wrong? Officer West started mansplaining. Officer Chen wasted time by introducing herself. And Officer Bradford decided to skip words altogether." Tapping the desk in front of the two rookies then walking over to the table Tim sat at as he started to explain.
"They're overrated. If I'd been a hair quicker, you'd be singing my praises."
"But you weren't. So that means you fall into the fail category with everybody else except Officer Nolan. What did he do right?" finishing up slowly walking up to behind Nolan.
"He expressed empathy." Bishop answered her
"You mean he faked it." Tim added annoyed.
"It doesn't matter if it was real. The only thing that matters is how it comes across."
"Active listening plus empathy leads to a rapport, which leads to influence and ultimately behavioral change."
"Wow, you read my book." She sounded surprised.
"Twice."
"Oh. Okay, well, I read your file. Actually, I read all of your files, but, um, nothing in your past indicates an ability to communicate with people like that. So why do you think that you're so good at it?"
I spoke up before he could speak.
"His age. I mean he's been here since they discovered fire which means he has a rich life and communication skills." I said getting laughs from the other officers and a mock glare from the Nolan.
"Yes, he has what no one else in this room has seeing as he is the oldest rookie being out in life with out being a cop connecting with people."
We were dismissed from the briefing room after she finished the lesson. We were getting our gear and I had just grabbed it when everyone started running out the door when I asked Grey as he was jogging by.
"Sir, what's going on right now?"
"Prison transport crashed get gear for me and load up I ran back to the kit room getting another medical bag and one more war bag making it to the shop Grey was waiting in after I loaded it I got into the passenger seat and he peeled out of the garage with lights and sirens heading to the path.
After a 8 minute code 3 drive we got to the crash sight I ran back to the shop to grab medical supplies when a deputy walked up the hill seeing him Grey started to question him while I ran over getting gloves to start treating him.
"Hey, what happened here?"
"A coyote ran in front of the bus. Graham swerved. We went over."
"Sit down I don't need you falling." I cut in before Grey continued his questions after I got him sat down Grey continued.
"How many people on board?"
"20 prisoners, two other guards."
"Did any prisoners get away?"
"I think so." the deputy started to slur his words.
"Your not getting anymore from him he passed out." I spoke up while checking the man having helped him lay down.
"Hey. Hey, get down there! Get me a head count." Grey yelled at the others who were standing at the top of the hill staring at the bus.
"Control, this is 7-A-20 at scene of crash. I'm declaring a city-wide tactical alert. I need multiple RAs, scramble airships, and call additional units from Rampart and North Hollywood. I need a hard perimeter set around the crash; assume a ten minute head start."
After finishing with the deputy I work my way down pulling out triage tags to mark the dead and working on finding out the other injuries. I stop at the lone prisoner laying outside the bus after marking him dead I start working to the bus trying not to fall when I finally get there I see Lopez inside the bus I get there right when Jackson was heading in handing him some tags I head over to Nolan hearing his radio call.
" 7-Adam-15, I need an RA unit immediately 60 yards east of the crash. 50-year-old male, life-threatening injuries."
I get there seeing Nolan started to tourniquet a deputy with a severed leg with a belt I get over to them pulling out an actually tourniquet working on trying to stop the blood while Nolan was talking to him.
"I gotta get help. I gotta get help."
"Shh, shh. Help is here. Help is here. I'm right here. Hey, what's your name?"
"Uh, Graham."
"Graham, I'm John."
"Am I gonna die?"
I cut into their conversation while I continued working on his bleed.
"That is why we are here to try our best to keep you alive so I need you to keep talking to John."
"Okay. O-Okay."
"You're gonna be fine, okay? You're gonna be okay. You just hang on. All right? Okay? Hang on."
"Thank you. Thank you." Graham stuttered out in pain.
"7-Adam-15, where the hell is my ambulance?" Nolan yelled into his radio.
"Tell her - Tell her -"
"Tell who? Tell who?"
"T-Tell her I love her."
"Tell who? Graham, who do you want me to tell?"
"Beth." Graham sighs out. before he stops breathing. I sit back before standing up taking and throwing my gloves down stomping in anger.
Before we could do anything I get kicked by fugitive hitting my face knocking me down while the fugitive wraps the chain around Nolan's neck. Nolan getting dragged back into the bushes and tries to keep the chains from choking him. He manages to get out his pepper spray and sprays it backward over his head, giving his captor a face full. I get up and run over to Nolan tackle the Fugitive down and force him down to the ground getting the fugitive into handcuffs limiting his already limited range of motion. When Lopez and Jackson show up with Jackson running over to help me with the fugitive.
We get him under control ang back to a transport van when Grey calls us in for a briefing we show up right after Tim showed up with a fugitive in cuffs with our fugitive in cuffs.
"At this rate, I'd say we'd be home for dinner, but I know better. A prisoner on foot can sustain a pace of four miles per hour. And the clock started ticking 20 minutes ago. So we have a hard perimeter set up a mile out. If it was set up in time, it's just a matter of going door-to-door and running these fugitives down. If a fugitive gets past our perimeter, this turns from a recovery operation to a manhunt. And that puts the entire city at risk. So Bishop, Wong, Mitchell, Pileggi, your shops will fall back and man the perimeter. Bradford, Lopez, Keegan, and Willis, you'll join the grid search inside the zone Alverez get your gear and load up with Bishop and Nolan. Command will advise you on the identities of the guys you're chasing as soon as we get them, but for now, assume that they are all extremely dangerous. Let's go get 'em."
I run over to Grey's shop grab my warbag and what's left of my supplies moving them over to their shop before we left to join the perimeter searching cars as they leave. We were asking people to pop the trunk and show us their license and insurance making sure they weren't a fugitive in disguise having stolen a car. When we get to a beige car with a very nervous and sweaty man driving in the front seat when he pulls up Nolan asks the questions while I look in the car slowly heading to the back with Bishop to check the trunk when the man refused to open the trunk I walk over to Nolan to see what was going on when he whispered.
"Hostage."
Get them to follow the extra officer to the station we will follow them making a silent escort into the processing garage." I said and after I finished he nodded I ran over to our shop and pulled in front while Nolan handed the man the paper telling him to follow us. We get back to the station having him pull into the dark garage with us waiting out of sight when Nolan told the man to get his daughter and move fast to the side so we could arrest the man.
After that Grey called us back into the mobile command center.
"So, our good news first. Three more fugitives were apprehended, leaving just two at large. But those two are gonna be hell to catch. Which is why command asked Jessica Russo to assist us. Jessica?"
"Yeah, so at this point, we're gonna have to assume that these guys have gotten past the perimeter, which means that we're gonna have to get inside their heads to figure out where they're gonna go."
"Predictive analytics." Tim said sound like disapproved of the method
"You sound skeptical."
"No, ma'am. I just found the best way to catch a criminal is to hit the streets."
"Well, that's because you have no experience doing it any other way. Marcos Gibson. Only 24 years old, but he's been a member of the 54th Street gang for over a decade. He was recently sentenced to 12 years in Victorville for aggravated assault and attempted murder."
"The 5-4 will do everything they can to help him get away."
"Including spiriting him out of the state. "Bishop added to Grey thoughts.
"I've got a contact inside the five-four that might be able to give us some insight." Tim spoke up about his connection to the five-four.
"Go talk to him." Grey said sending them out of the command center before Jessica continued.
"Okay, good. Our next fugitive is Caleb Jost. He is, in my opinion, the more dangerous of the two. He is 44 years old, a former investment banker. Sentenced five years for securities fraud and another eight for biting off the nose of his Deputy AG during his arrest. He is testament to the fact that psychopaths can carry a briefcase as easily as a grab bag."
"The FBI believes Caleb hid significant resources before he was arrested." Grey added before Jessica continued talking.
"Which he's gonna need to avoid going back to prison."
"So we have to dig into the FBI leads and figure out the location of that money before he gets there." Nolan questioned while raising his hand.
"That's exactly right. Are you up for the challenge, Officer Nolan?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Okay, great, then you and Officer Bishop can stay with me while everybody else runs down more obvious leads. Okay? All right, here we go."
We sat down combing through information about Jost when Jessica came back up.
"Officer Bishop, any update on Caleb Jost?"
"Uniforms have visited his entire extended family. No one's seen or heard from him."
"If we believe they are telling the truth." I added with my two cents about what Bishop said about his reletives.
When Nolan stepped away distracted to talk to a deputy. I was searching through information about his closer family around the crash sight when Bishop pulled me away walking up to Nolan and Jessica.
"I think I might've found something. I ran a search of names from Caleb's life against recent dispatch calls. Discovered a wellness check that was called in for the aunt of Caleb's ex-wife. I guess she's a daily churchgoer, but she didn't show up today."
"She could have just gone to the movies, or maybe planned to go later."
"Maybe, or her routine was disturbed by a visit from our fugitive. Good work, Officer Bishop. Go check that out."
We load up and drive out to Jost's aunt's place to check the lead.
We arrive at the house parking down two houses as not to spook Jost if he is there.
"It's number 2354." Bishop spoke while we stepped out and started walking to a bush that hid us from view of the house.
"What's Caleb's connection to this place again?" Nolan asked us.
"His ex-wife's aunt lives here." I answered.
"Was the ex an ex before he went away to prison or after?"
"After, I think. What does it matter?" Bishop answered then asked confused by the line of questioning.
"Well, if they were still married when he went to prison, there's a good chance he hid some money here."
"Which would give him reason to come here after getting through our perimeter. This is the house. Okay, tactical recommendation. Knock or recon?" Bishop asked as we move forward to the house more before stopping right outside the yard's fence.
"Recon. This guy bites off noses. I don't want to get surprised by him. I'll go low." Nolan answered. We were walking to the house when Nolan spotted the door was broken before we even made it halfway to the house.
"Bishop, door jamb's busted." He said causing us to pull our guns. While Bishop radioed it in
"7-Adam-15, requesting backup at 2354 Sawyer. Location of possible fugitive suspect Caleb Jost."
We slowly walk into the house silently clearing the front rooms when we hear a woman whimpering in the back of the house along with some rustling. I move down the hallway with Bishop and Nolan goes down the other. We walk down the hall when we get to a room seeing Nolan and the aunt of Jost taped to a chair with a shotgun with a string tied to Jost taped to her head.
Nolan speaks first "It's over, Caleb."
"You know, I felt a little stupid taping up Aunt Sallie, but I'm feeling pretty good about it now." Jost responds looking back at Nolan before he sees Me and Bishop on the other side close to his aunt.
"Hey! Stay back or I am repainting the walls in here crimson." I back up and pull open my medical pouch pulling out the clothing scissors and hide them waiting a chance.
"Come on, Caleb. You're too smart a guy to be pulling that trigger. Right now, you're looking at aggravated assault. That might add a couple years to your sentence, but if you kill her -" Nolan tried talking him down before getting cut off by Jost when he started to talk.
"Stop. Stop trying to reason with me. I hate prison. If I got a shot at not going back, I'm gonna take it, so back the hell up and get me someone who can make a deal, or I am pulling this trigger."
After he said that we stepped back and waited while Nolan started talking to Jost.
"So how does someone go from financial crimes to this?"
"I'm an overachiever. Where's my negotiator?"
"On the way. You can talk to me while we wait."
"You're a nobody. I want a somebody with authority."
Right when Jost said that to Nolan Jessica and swat come into the house. When Jessica got settled she looked at Nolan and asked him.
"How you doing?"
"I'm a little stressed."
"Only a little? Well, then you're fine."
"Who are you?" Jost asked more confused and surprised by the new officers that had entered the room.
"Smart setup. SWAT can't shoot you through the windows, and we can't rush you from the doorways without you pulling the trigger." Jessica answered without answering the question trying to put Jost off.
"You my negotiator?"
"Nope." When she said that Nolan and her stepped back and started talking confused on what's going on.
While that was going on Jost looked over to us.
"You don't say much, do you?" He asked Bishop while she had her gun still trained on him.
"If you kill that woman, I'm gonna shoot you in the face. A lot."
"Good to know." Before he could ask me Nolan stepped back into the room looking more sure of him self.
"Okay, Caleb. Here's the thing. After a brief discussion with my associate, we've come to the conclusion that you're full of crap. You're not suicidal. You're a narcissist. Stuck in a chimney, with no chance for escape." Hearing this we step closer I holster my gun again and get ready with the scissors.
"Hey! Hey! S-Stay back!"
"The only way you get out of this room alive is if you give up right now."
Right when Jost let go of the slack in the string I step forward with my scissors and cut it before clearing the shotgun and helping Bishop get it off the aunt while Nolan arrested Jost.
"That took guts, Officer Nolan." Jessica spoke up as he arrested Jost.
"You said when push comes to shove, he'd surrender."
"Well, yeah. But I could've been wrong."
We clear and get back to the station with the fugitive. We got into the garage for the processing center as Jackson and Lopez walked out of the room when we were leaving we over heard of the deputy's names causing us to stop. I nodded to Nolan stepping back. while he turned around to the deputies.
"Elizabeth?"
"Yeah?"
"Why?"
"Did you know Graham? The deputy who passed away?"
"Well, yeah. We - We worked together for the last five years."
"We was with him when he died. He asked us to pass a message along to Beth."
"What message?"
"He told me to tell her he loved her."
"You're lying." She said tearing up with sadness filling the tone of her voice.
"No, that's the last thing he said. Is that you? Were you together?"
"He was, um my friend. There was a time that I, um I thought he'd ask me out. I wanted him to. He never did."
"Well, I think he regretted that in the end. I'm sorry for your loss." Nolan said as I stepped forward giving Elizabeth a hug and a pat before stepping back
"Thanks." She said thanking us before turning around to get into the van and leaving driving to the prison.
We stepped into the station and change. I headed home to just decompress hoping for an easier next shift.