Chapter 69 — "Silent Influence"
09:46 — Mid-Wilshire Police Station — Officers' Break Room
The scent of strong coffee and reheated waffles hung in the air. The TV hanging on the wall silently played a local news channel, while the sounds of typing and radio filled the gaps between conversations.
Angela walked in carrying a rectangular black case with the EOTech logo printed in white. She wore dark jeans, combat boots, and a plain black T-shirt. She left the case on the coffee table in the break room, among the disposable cups and forgotten reports.
Tim raised an eyebrow as he sipped his coffee.
"Is that what I think it is?" he asked, pointing with his chin.
Angela smirked.
"An EOTech EXPS3. Assembled last night. With magnifier."
"You? Seriously?" Talia, across the room, widened her eyes. — "Lopez, you've always been the pragmatic one. You've never cared for that kind of equipment."
— "Yeah," — she said, opening the case and revealing the scope fitted to the top rail of her new HK416. — "But things change when you're patrolling with someone who saves your life thanks to one of those."
Sergeant Grey and Captain Zoe Anderson had just entered the room. They both stopped when they saw the gun on the table, held carefully by Angela. Zoe crossed her arms, looking at it curiously.
— "Interesting," — she said. — "That's the same setup the SWAT team has been using lately."
— "Yeah," — Lopez confirmed. — "With a few adjustments recommended by Gustavo."
Bradford frowned and moved closer, almost leaning over the rifle.
— "So it's true what I heard... Did you and he go shopping for personal equipment?"
— "Yes. Completely legal, certified, and everything registered in the system." — Angela answered without hesitation. — "And before anyone says anything, this is not tactical vanity. He showed me how each piece has a purpose. Every detail has a function."
Grey leaned over the table and picked up the manual that came with the scope.
— "Gustavo… Did he recommend this configuration to you?"
— "Not only did he recommend it, he trained me. On our day off. Step by step. Scope, flashlight, vest, knife, helmet, rifle."
Zoe exchanged a look with the sergeant. There was more than curiosity there — there was subtle admiration.
— "Did he take you to a specialty store?" — Zoe asked, pulling up a chair.
— "TacPro Supply, in Redondo Beach. We assembled everything together later. Then he took me to a training range to test it. I learned how to use everything in a simulated situation."
Talia approached slowly, looking at the assembled rifle with almost reverence.
— "Did he teach you how to use all this?"
— "Yes. With the same patience as an instructor. And you know what's even crazier? Every tip he gives has its origin. Either it was given to him by some SWAT guy or someone from JSOC that he met during his time at the DOD."
Zoe smiled slightly.
— "He never misses a chance to apply his knowledge."
Bradford crossed his arms, thoughtful.
— "We talk a lot about him as the brilliant recruit. But it's not just theory. The guy is a multiplier. He teaches, shares, improves the team."
Grey nodded.
— "He respects the hierarchy, but he knows where he can help. He never forces anything."
Talia, curious, asked:
— "And you... do you feel the difference? Like, on patrol, with this equipment?"
Angela paused for a second, looking around everyone before answering.
— "I felt it. I felt it when a tactical flashlight gave me the split second I needed to react. I felt it when a scope gave me precision in low visibility. I felt it when a knife positioned just right could save me if I was unarmed. We patrol with risk every day. And I figured the least I could do is prepare myself better."
— "You two are starting to look alike," Bradford said with a half smile. — "First he starts absorbing your street instincts. Now you absorb his training."
— "Maybe that's right," Angela shrugged. — "And it doesn't bother me."
Zoe raised her eyebrows, satisfied.
— "Most cops who stand out tend to want to shine alone. Gustavo does it differently. He brings people with him."
Grey looked at Zoe, speaking more quietly.
— "He's off today, isn't he?"
— "Yeah. Spending time with his parents and Hailey."
Talia laughed.
— "Still, it looks like he's here."
Angela put the rifle back in its case and slowly zipped it up.
— "Because, in a way, he is."
1:47 PM — Command Room — Mid-Wilshire Police Station
Later, Zoe was sorting through reports when she saw that Angela was still at the station, going through her gear and reporting the change of personal weapons.
— "Lopez," she called, knocking lightly on the open door. "May I?"
— "Sure, Captain."
Zoe walked in and sat across from her.
— "I was wondering… When you first joined the force, did you think you'd one day be using a Delta Force-spec rifle?"
Angela laughed, shaking her head.
— "Not at all. I just wanted to keep the streets safe and get home alive."
— "What now?"
— "Now I want to keep the streets safe… get back alive… and help others do the same."
Zoe smiled.
— "And Gustavo? Is he really all that?"
Angela looked at Zoe with a steady, calm gaze.
— "He's even more. And I think we've only just begun to see what he's capable of."
Zoe nodded, looking at the form on the table.
— "Good. Write it down. Approved equipment, duly registered. And…"
She paused for a second, looking out the window.
— "…when he gets back from his break, tell him I want to talk about an idea."
— "What idea?"
Zoe smiled mysteriously.
— "An idea that might involve him training more than just you."
Angela was silent for a moment, then smiled back.
— "Leave it to me. I'll pass on the message."
Chapter 70 – "Shared Knowledge"
08:12 – Mid-Wilshire Police Station – Captain Zoe Anderson's Office
The distinctive sound of the police station was beginning to gain strength. The coming and going of officers in the hallways, the keyboards typing reports, the radio calls echoing between the partitions and the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the cafeteria created the daily symphony of police life in Los Angeles.
Gustavo walked with firm steps down the main hallway. He was back on duty after a day off well spent with his parents and Hailey. He wore his uniform with pride, his Glock in his holster, his tactical flashlight mounted, and his gaze calm but attentive, as always. When he turned the corner to the administrative wing, he saw the door to the captain's office open.
Zoe was at the table with Sergeant Grey by her side, the two of them leafing through a blue folder with documents and a tablet next to it showing images of tactical equipment.
She looked up and gave a slight nod.
"Officer Silva. Come in for a minute."
Gustavo walked in, his posture straight but his usual friendly expression on his face.
"Good morning, Captain. Sergeant."
"Good morning, Silva," Grey replied, leaning back in his chair.
Zoe laced her fingers together on the table and took a deep breath before beginning.
"Lopez told us about your day off. About the equipment you bought, the setup, the training you gave her… and most importantly: the impact it had on her performance."
Gustavo nodded slightly, but remained silent, respecting the captain's pace.
— "She talked about how you not only recommended the equipment, but explained in detail the reasons for each choice. The functionality. The ergonomics. The tactical implications. And that you trained together. That she learned more that day than in several official trainings."
Gustavo finally spoke, humbly.
— "Angela is an excellent police officer. She already had the foundation, I just complemented it with techniques I learned from the operators I met during my time at the DOD. I thought it was worth passing on."
Grey crossed his arms and smiled slightly.
— "You know that this kind of initiative is exactly what impresses us, right? Not seeking the spotlight. Just applying knowledge to make colleagues safer."
Zoe leaned forward a little.
— "That's why we want to propose something to you."
Gustavo raised an eyebrow, interested.
— "Sure. I'm listening."
— "I want you to offer this same type of guidance to the rest of the police station. Not as an official instructor. Not yet. But as a community initiative, a volunteer. An open class for anyone who wants to learn more about setting up personal equipment: sights, flashlights, holsters, vests, rifles. Assembly, disassembly, alignment, maintenance. Including the fundamentals of tactical use."
Gustavo smiled genuinely.
— "It would be an honor, Captain."
Zoe smiled too, satisfied.
— "That's what I like to hear."
Grey added:
— "If you can put together a presentation, bring some of your equipment and organize a schedule, we can use the training room in the late afternoons, after regular business hours. We'll start with volunteers, then expand, if it works out."
— "I can do that today," Gustavo replied promptly. — "I have teaching materials, presentations I adapted from courses I took at the DOD, short demonstration videos, and I can bring some pieces to show the actual functionality of each item."
Zoe raised an eyebrow, impressed.
— "You really have this ready?"
— "I always kept everything. When I joined the LAPD, I thought I wouldn't use it anymore, but now I see that I was wrong."
Grey laughed with a respectful expression on his face.
— "You're like a walking vault of knowledge."
Gustavo smiled modestly.
— "I just believe that if knowledge is not shared, it is lost."
Zoe stood up, taking a paper from the table and handing it to him.
— "Then mark it down: next Tuesday, 6 p.m. First session in the training room. You can announce it on afternoon patrol. Lopez already said she'll be the first to sign up."
Gustavo took the paper carefully.
— "You can leave it to me. I promise it will be useful."
Zoe took a step forward, and for a moment her expression hardened slightly, as if she were saying something with a deeper meaning.
— "You're starting to make your mark here, Gustavo. And not just as an excellent police officer. But as someone who raises the bar for everyone around him. And that's rare."
Gustavo looked her in the eye, firmly.
— "I'm just giving back. This police station welcomed me. It gave me purpose. Now it's my turn to contribute."
Zoe nodded, with genuine pride in her eyes.
— "Then go ahead. We have work to do."
Gustavo turned to leave, but before he could cross the threshold, Grey spoke:
— "Oh, and Silva…"
He turned back around.
— "Also prepare some content on weapon maintenance and choosing holsters. There are a lot of recruits buying bad stuff out there."
Gustavo laughed.
— "You got it, Sergeant. I'll even show you examples of what not to buy."
Zoe nodded in approval.
— "This is going to be quite a lesson."
2:23 p.m. – Briefing Room – Police Station
At the end of the afternoon shift, Gustavo walked with Angela into the briefing room and used the microphone on the side.
— "Attention, everyone. Quick here."
The officers who were still there turned to him, some finishing reports, others setting up their equipment.
— "At the request of Captain Anderson and Sergeant Grey, I'm organizing a voluntary training session for anyone interested in learning more about personal equipment selection, advanced weapon configurations, sight adjustments, rifle assembly, and maintenance. We'll also cover the fundamentals of tactical combat with personal equipment."
Murmurs of curiosity began to echo.
— "The first class will be next Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. in the police station's training room. Bring your own equipment if you want help with it. If you don't have any, that's okay I'll bring some options for you to demonstrate."
Angela added, raising her hand:
— "I highly recommend you come. I took the training with him. It changed my view of patrol."
Bradford commented in a somewhat sarcastic tone, but with a smile:
— "Since when does Lopez recommend anything that doesn't involve a verbal beating?"
Angela laughed.
— "Since someone saved my life with an EOTech scope."
Everyone laughed, and little by little the murmurs turned into lively conversations about the event.
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