Chapter 67 – "Light in the Dark"
10:47 p.m. — Koreatown, Los Angeles
The radio crackled inside patrol car 7-Adam-15.
"All units in the vicinity of Wilshire and Vermont, 10-66, possible home invasion with hostages. Residents heard screaming. Suspected armed men in location. Block cameras show suspicious movement. SWAT unavailable. Patrol to isolate until second tactical team arrives. End."
Angela and Gustavo exchanged glances. She was already turning on the discreet siren. Tension filled the air like a thick fog.
"That's ours, rookie," she said, her tone grave.
"We'll secure the perimeter and wait for backup… unless the situation escalates."
Gustavo was already holstering his newly configured Glock. The reflex sight was already activated, the red dot glowing subtly in the center. The flashlight was tested and attached to the lower rail.
— "If anything goes wrong, we'll hold it until SWAT gets here," he said, locking his bulletproof vest and checking his radio, pocketknife, and spare flashlights.
— "Keep calm, Silva. You may have elite aim, but this kind of dirty scene is all or nothing."
— "Understood, TO."
10:56 p.m. — Front of the house
The house was old, a duplex, with closed curtains and internal lights flickering irregularly. A half-closed iron gate and an unkempt garden indicated signs of a recent break-in.
Angela and Gustavo approached in double advance, one on each side of the gate. She signaled visually with two fingers: check the right side window.
Gustavo approached in silence. He heard a muffled scream. A woman's.
He whispered over the radio:
— "Confirm female voice in distress. Apparently gagged. No direct visual. Curtain blocking."
Angela answered softly:
— "Go to the side. Kitchen door. I'll cover the front. If anything happens, fall back and wait for support. Got it?"
— "Understood."
Gustavo took a deep breath. His body aligned, Glock steady, thumb on the button of the tactical flashlight. As he turned the side of the house, he noticed the back door ajar, the dim light inside flickering.
He heard hurried footsteps upstairs.
Carefully, he entered the kitchen, leaning his shoulder against the wall and the barrel of the Glock close to his face. The red dot of the scope guided him, calm, silent.
He climbed slowly, step by step, every muscle in absolute tension.
11:01 p.m. — Upstairs hallway
From behind a half-open door, he heard the crying again. A female voice. A man was shouting:
— "Be quiet! One more peep and I'll kill you!"
Gustavo heard the lock being engaged. The tension tripled.
With his finger on the flashlight button, he signaled on the radio:
— "Hostage confirmed. Weapon cocked. One man, possible 9mm. Requesting immediate backup. I'm five meters from the door."
From outside, Angela answered:
— "Accepted. I'm coming in."
Gustavo opened the hallway door slightly, enough to see inside. A woman was on her knees, tied up, with tape over her mouth. An armed man, clearly unstable, was pointing the pistol at her head.
— "Shit," Gustavo muttered. The position was terrible for a shot. Too much risk of hitting the victim.
Suddenly, a noise coming from the stairs caught the attacker's attention.
Angela.
He turned to shoot.
Gustavo acted on instinct: he activated the flashlight with a quick touch, blinding the attacker for milliseconds. The man screamed in surprise, staggering.
The red dot of the scope stabilized in the center of his forehead.
BAM!
The bang was dry. The assailant's body fell like a puppet without strings. A shot, direct, precise, lethal.
Angela ran up the steps and froze when she saw Gustavo still with the gun extended, breathing steadily.
— "Are you okay?"
— "Yes, I am. I need tape, the hostage is in shock."
She approached, saw the woman tied up, trembling.
— "You saved her... and you saved me."
Gustavo looked at the gun in his hand. The scope was still pulsing softly.
— "The flashlight gave me the seconds... and the dot gave me the center."
Angela took a deep breath, taking in the scene. She put her arm around the woman's shoulders as Gustavo bent down, carefully removing the tape.
Siren in the distance.
Reinforcements arriving.
00:22 — Outside, with SWAT vehicle already on site
The body had been removed. The woman was being treated by paramedics. Gustavo and Angela were sitting on the porch step, drinking bottled water. The mood was heavy, but there was gratitude in her eyes.
— "You did everything right."
— "It was instinctive. The training helped. The equipment... too."
Angela leaned forward a little, staring at him.
— "You know, when you said the scope and the flashlight, I thought you were exaggerating. Now? I saw with my own eyes why. If you hadn't blinded him in that second, he would have shot me."
Gustavo lowered his eyes.
— "I wouldn't let that happen."
She leaned her shoulder against his.
— "You saved a life today. Two, actually."
He nodded silently. It was the kind of moment that was no need for many words. Just understanding.
02:10 — Captain Zoe Anderson's Office
Angela and Gustavo presented the incident report. Zoe read the excerpt of the fatal shooting carefully.
— "Did you use the holographic sight and flashlight as per protocol?"
— "Yes, ma'am. The equipment was crucial in the decision to shoot. It reduced the risk to the hostage and Officer Lopez."
Zoe put down the papers and looked him in the eye.
— "Gustavo, your commitment to tactical improvement saved lives. The LAPD needs officers like you. And it needs you to share that knowledge."
She looked at Angela.
— "I think TO learned something today too, didn't he?"
Angela smiled proudly.
— "I learned to trust this rookie's instincts more."
Zoe nodded.
— "Very well. Now go home. You deserve some rest."
As they left, Angela nudged Gustavo's arm.
— "Hey... you know what that means, right?"
— "What?"
— "You're going to have to teach me all about that scope. And lend me your flashlight, too."
Gustavo laughed.
— "Deal. But first, let's go to sleep. Today was... intense."
She agreed.
— "But it was worth every second."
They walked in silence to the police car, under the Los Angeles night sky. A city that, as chaotic as it was, was a little safer that night. Thanks to a red dot, a bright light... and the courage of those who decided to make a difference.
Chapter 68 – "Confidence Upgrade"
08:37 — Saturday — Gustavo's Apartment, Los Angeles
The morning sun was already shining brightly through the windows when Angela Lopez arrived at Gustavo's apartment, dressed casually in jeans, sneakers, and a black T-shirt that said "Train Hard or Die Easy." She was holding a mug of coffee in her hand and a slightly ironic smile on her face.
— "Are you ready, tactical fashion agent?" — she joked when she saw Gustavo already with his cell phone in his hand, opening a browser tab with stores specializing in equipment.
— "You said you wanted to learn, TO. And today is the day of your initiation into the wonderful and expensive world of gear junkies," — Gustavo replied, laughing and handing her a glass of natural juice.
Angela looked at the table. There was already a ready-made list, handwritten, organized with columns, models, and observations.
— "You're not kidding, are you?"
— "Lopez, I took this seriously because you almost got shot the other day. If that flashlight and scope hadn't been there, maybe the story would have been different. Do you trust me?"
Angela looked into his eyes and nodded.
— "With my life."
Gustavo gave a slight, genuine smile.
— "Then let's go. First, let's show you what's worth the investment. Then, we'll put together your loadout."
10:02 AM — Tactical Store: TacPro Supply, Redondo Beach
The store was a true paradise for security enthusiasts and professionals. Right at the entrance, mannequins equipped with Ops Core helmets and multicam plate carriers greeted customers. The smell of rubber, steel and leather filled the air.
— "This looks like an undercover SWAT store," — Angela commented, scanning the aisles with backpacks, holsters, pouches and rifles.
Gustavo guided her firmly, but without rushing. She knew that this type of purchase required explanation, comparison and, above all, understanding each piece.
They stopped first in front of the holographic sights display.
— "This is the one I use." — He pointed to an EOTech EXPS3. — "Military-grade. Red dot, 65 MOA reticle, NVG compatible. Short range? It's perfect."
— "And what about the 'magnifier'? It's like a zoom, right?" — she asked, holding the box.
— "Exactly. This is the G33 Magnifier. With this set, you have the best of both worlds: CQB and medium range. The flip lever is light, you can switch in seconds."
Angela smiled.
— "Okay. First on the list. I already feel like I'm going to spend everything I have and then some."
They continued on to the tactical flashlights section.
Gustavo pointed out a SureFire X300U.
— "This is the one I use on my Glock. 1000 lumens. Impact and water resistant. Doesn't come loose easily on the rail, and is compatible with most holsters that accept accessories."
Angela tested the grip with a dummy pistol, and turned on the flashlight.
— "Wow. You could blind a bear with this."
— "Imagine being in a dark alley, with a suspect coming at you. A flashlight like this gives you time to think and act. And it saves lives."
After that, they moved on to the helmets.
— "Ops Core FAST SF." — Gustavo picked one up. — "Lightweight, with a modular rail, space for PTT, night vision if you need it in the future. It's expensive, but it's top of the line."
— "You've used this in the DOD, right?"
— "Yes. And SWAT uses it too. It's a life insurance policy, Lopez. You want the best? Here it is."
Angela put the helmet on her head and adjusted the straps.
— "Does it look good?"
— "Looks like a Tier 1 operator," — he joked.
They moved on to the plate carriers. Gustavo pointed out a Crye Precision JPC 2.0 model.
— "Lightweight, adjustable, excellent mobility. If chaos ever takes over, this is your armor."
— "Since we're going to spend anyway... let's go with the best."
The most sensitive part came next: the rifles.
— "You have authorization to buy as a police officer. Let's go with the HK416, the same standard used by Delta, SEALs, GIGN..."
— "You're convincing me too easily," — she said, examining the model with EOTech mounted.
Gustavo laughed.
— "I'm just showing you what can make a difference. And as you've seen... sometimes, we only get one shot."
Finally, they arrived at the display of combat knives.
— "This is mine." — He pointed to a K-Bar USSF TDI. — "Short, ergonomically curved, ideal for weapon retention or close combat."
— "You're going to teach me how to use this, right?"
— "In the next part of the day. Physical training. But first... let's go home and assemble all this."
Angela's eyes widened.
— "I'm already feeling muscle pain and we haven't even started."
2:43 p.m. — Gustavo's apartment
The floor was covered with boxes, foam, manuals and parts fresh from the store. Both of them, sitting on the carpet, carefully assembled their equipment, using Allen wrenches and tools.
Gustavo guided Angela patiently.
— "The scope is mounted here on the Picatinny rail. It fits firmly, but not too tight. The magnifier goes right behind it... yes, yes. It aligns with the center of the reticle. Perfect."
She took a deep breath, trying not to show the nervousness of assembling her own rifle.
— "How many times have you done this?"
— "More than fifty, at least. And not just the ones mine. I trained people who didn't even know the difference between a reticle and a front sight."
Then they moved on to the plate carrier.
— "Organization is everything. Put the IFAK kit here, on the side. Magazine holder in the front. The knife goes at this angle, here on the chest. Quick access."
Angela tested the fittings, adjustments, and moved around with the vest.
— "Now yes. I feel ready for anything."
Gustavo smiled.
— "You were already ready. Now you're just more equipped."
She looked at him seriously.
— "Thank you. Not just for today. For reminding me to never settle."
Gustavo was silent for a moment. Then he answered quietly:
— "We never know when the last call will be. It's better to be ready."
6:22 p.m. — Private Training Range outside LA
Gustavo set up human-shaped targets on a simulated course. Angela adjusted her ear protectors and loaded one of the magazines for the new HK416.
— "Remember: first shot, align the sight, then switch to the magnifier. Breathing. Control. Zero tension."
Angela stepped forward, activated the flashlight, and unloaded five shots in a row. Perfect grouping.
Gustavo clapped his hands quietly, satisfied.
— "Good. Better than most operators I've seen."
— "And are you still going to teach me how to use the knife?"
— "Now. Positioning, wrist protection, angle of entry. The goal is not to kill, but to neutralize with minimal movement."
He demonstrated techniques, repeating the gestures until she memorized them.
— "The knife never leaves your line of sight. Use the strength of your body, not your arm."
She tried a few thrusts, and Gustavo corrected her with gentle touches on her shoulders, arms, and wrists.
— "That's it. Now again. Breathe. Fast. Straight."
She hit the rubber torso with an elegant twist.
— "You learn so fast," he said, impressed.
Angela stared at him, breathing heavily.
— "You teach so well."
They both smiled. The sun was already setting on the horizon, painting the sky with shades of orange and purple.
They put away their equipment, silent, but with a mutual respect that only grew.
Tonight, Angela wasn't just an OT. She was a ready operator. And Gustavo wasn't just a rookie he was a brother in arms.
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