Chapter 34 – Teaching Is a Way to Stay
March 8, 2018 – 9:11 AM
Mid-Wilshire Police Station – Captain Anderson's Office
Morning light streamed in through the wide second-floor windows, reflecting off Captain Zoe Anderson's spotless glass desk. The room was quiet, as it always was when she conducted important meetings. The wall clock read 9:11 AM when Derek Davis entered after being summoned, his posture straight as ever, but his eyes alert, curious.
Zoe looked up from the tablet in front of her and indicated the chair with a brief nod.
"Sit down, Davis."
"Yes, ma'am."
He sat down, firm, attentive. It wasn't often that he was summoned for no apparent reason, and with Zoe, everything was purposeful.
She folded her hands on the desk and studied him for a second before speaking.
"You've been a pillar of this department since you completed your probationary period. Your name appears frequently in patrol reports, your colleagues speak of your efficiency, and your superiors... trust you."
Derek simply nodded, without vanity. He wasn't the type to seek recognition. He was more the type to accept it humbly.
Zoe continued:
"And so, I received a proposal from the LAPD Academy coordinator. They're revamping the advanced training module for recruits, especially in the areas of high-risk patrol, tactical response, and emotional control under pressure. And the name suggested to contribute to this... was yours."
Derek didn't react immediately. The proposal had taken him by surprise. Zoe noticed the silence and filled the pause clearly:
"You wouldn't leave patrol. It would be on your days off or when you weren't scheduled for a shift. The idea is simple: pass on what you know. Not just the technique, but the posture. The tactical thinking. The way you handle critical situations."
He finally spoke, his voice low and measured.
"Why me?"
"Because no one teaches better than someone who's seen the worst... and survived with integrity. Because you don't talk much, but when you do, everyone listens. And because... you have something that can't be taught in a textbook."
Derek took a deep breath. He thought. He'd been an instructor before—in Red Squadron, teaching allied teams, the FBI, intelligence. But this was different. It was teaching civilians about transformation.
"I accept, Captain. You can confirm."
Zoe nodded, satisfied.
"Good. They'll schedule an alignment meeting with you. And Davis..." she looked directly at him "...you'll change more lives than you know. Maybe even more than you've already saved."
He stood, nodded, and left the room.
9:47 AM – Patrol Car 7-Adam-15 – East Zone
Angela was behind the wheel that day, her left hand on the wheel, her right resting on the gearshift. Derek got in with a contemplative expression and fastened his seatbelt.
"What did Captain call you for?" she asked, bluntly, as usual.
"They invited me to teach at the gym," he answered matter-of-factly, but with a certain heaviness.
She looked away for a second, surprised.
"Really?"
"Yes. Tactical patrol module. Emotional control, response in a dangerous area. Only on days off or when I'm not on shift."
Angela smiled. A slight smile, but full of pride.
"You're going to be an incredible instructor, Derek. You have this thing... this look of someone who's seen it all, you know?"
"It's just your face," he replied, half-serious, half-laughing.
She laughed, then fell silent for a moment, staring straight ahead.
"But look..." she said then, her voice soft, almost mischievous.
She slid her right hand from the gearshift lever until it rested slowly on his thigh, firmly but gently. Her fingers glided lightly over the fabric of his uniform pants.
Derek looked at his hand, then back at her.
Angela smiled without taking her eyes off the street.
"It's a good thing no recruit is hitting on you..."
Derek arched an eyebrow.
"Really?"
She turned her head and, without letting go of his hand, replied in that tone of someone who wasn't joking:
"Because you're mine, Davis. Only mine."
Derek held her gaze for a second. Her dark, steady eyes, the confidence she exuded even when saying such personal things in the middle of a patrol shift. She was like that: controlled intensity. Fire under her skin.
"It's good they know that," he said, with a slight smile.
—"And if they forget... I remember." — She squeezed his thigh lightly and slowly removed her hand. —"With a little care... or without."
—"You're territorial."
—"You make me be."
11:05 AM – Patrol in a residential area
The patrol car drove through the tree-lined streets, now in comfortable silence. The radio was quiet, and for a moment, it felt like the world was breathing with them.
Derek looked out the window.
—"Sometimes I wonder if we'll last like this."
—"On patrol?"
—"In life. Both of us. This hiding thing. Holding back all the time."
Angela thought for a moment. Then she answered firmly.
—"Derek, if you haven't understood yet... we're not hiding. We just guarding. Protecting. There are things the world doesn't need to know. They just need to exist."
He watched her. And there, in that moment, he understood.
She was the only thing keeping him together after all.
And now, he was about to teach recruits how to survive the world without losing their humanity. Little did they know that the best lesson he carried... was the silent, steadfast love of that woman beside him.
6:33 PM – Angela's Apartment
The shift had ended. The sky was darkening outside, and inside the apartment, the lamplight warmed the room. Derek was sitting on the couch, wearing a simple t-shirt, looking at his phone with some academy documents on it.
Angela came out of the room in a loose sweatshirt and socks, her hair lazily tied back. She stopped behind the couch, resting her arms on his shoulders, her chin in her hands.
"Are you going to prepare class?"
"Start organizing the topics. It's weird to think I'll use all this... outside the street."
"It's perfect. You'll shape whoever's on the street. You'll be part of something bigger."
She leaned in and kissed his neck.
"And when you come back... I'll be here. Waiting for you."
He turned his face and kissed her, slowly.
"You're the best part of all this."
Angela smiled against his lips.
"And don't forget... you're mine alone. No recruit will change that."
"Not even if they try."
"Because if they try..." she laughed, pulling away and heading toward the kitchen. "...I'll teach them what 'tactical response' is."
Derek laughed.
And he knew, in that instant, that his new mission—teaching—began outside the street, but its true center...was her.
Always her.
Chapter 35 – Class Begins in Silence
LAPD Academy – Los Angeles
March 21, 2018 – 7:46 AM
The morning had that metallic glow typical of Los Angeles in early spring—not quite hot, but already hinting that the day would take its toll. The central courtyard of the LAPD Police Academy vibrated with the energy characteristic of young recruits trying to balance anticipation, anxiety, and discipline. Some did push-ups under the guidance of veteran instructors, others ran on the indoor circuits, but most were now seated on the metal bleachers of the outdoor auditorium.
The Academy Director, Captain Raymond Burnett, stood at the front, his posture erect, his uniform impeccable, his face full of the expression of someone who has watched generations upon generations of young men try to prove themselves.
Before him, about forty recruits—all newly enrolled in the academy's intensive program—waited with rapt attention. In the front row were three faces in particular: John Nolan, the oldest recruit there, with an attentive and focused gaze; Lucy Chen, disciplined, with a curious expression; and Jackson West, the son of a commanding officer, trying to maintain exemplary composure.
The captain looked at everyone and began, his voice clear and trained.
"Recruits. As you've already noticed, our training program isn't just about books, simulations, and days of target practice. The reality of the street demands more."
"That's why, from time to time, you'll have classes with guest instructors—active officers with specific experiences. Some of them came directly from patrol. Others from Homicide. Today, I want to introduce you to someone who has a different background. And an exceptional one."
Eyes turned expectantly. A few quiet whispers arose.
— "The officer I'm talking about is relatively new to the force: only three years of service. He currently works at the Mid-Wilshire station. But before that..."
Burnett paused slightly. And then let the words fall with weight:
"Before that, Officer Derek Davis served 13 years as a Navy SEAL. He was part of SEAL Team Three and, later, for eight years, he was part of the Navy's most select group: DEVGRU, also known as SEAL Team Six."
A hush fell over the auditorium.
The faces of Nolan, Lucy, and Jackson turned to each other in surprise. Jackson whispered:
"Did you hear that?"
"The guy was DEVGRU?" Lucy murmured, narrowing her eyes.
Nolan, experienced enough to recognize the weight of what he'd heard, merely murmured:
"That's not common. Not at all."
Burnett continued, impassive.
— "Twelve combat deployments. Decorations from the Armed Forces, and, most recently, acquitted in a military court after being wrongly accused of his conduct on duty."
— "Today, Officer Davis is a beacon of professionalism in his department and one of the most respected names among field officers. And starting this week, he will be one of your instructors in special modules on tactical response and decision-making under stress."
The side door to the courtyard opened with a discreet sound.
Derek Davis entered.
Dark blue LAPD uniform. Fitted uniform, badge on the chest. Expressionless. Steady walk. The look of someone who doesn't need to shout to be heard.
The recruits followed his movement in silence. Nolan straightened instinctively. Lucy adjusted her bun. Jackson crossed his arms, looking respectfully.
Derek stopped beside Burnett. The captain looked at him, then at the recruits.
"When he speaks, listen. When he acts, observe. And if you have doubts... take advantage. The kind of experience he brings is not in the books."
Derek stepped forward.
"My name is Derek Davis. Officer of the Mid-Wilshire. I served 13 years in the Navy. My job here isn't to impress anyone. It's to make sure you survive the streets. Because out there... there are no second chances."
The tone was calm. Almost low. But the entire courtyard heard.
"When I enter class with you, I'll present you with real situations. Some that I've experienced. Others that you'll yet experience. And my goal is for you to know how to react... with precision, with poise, and with humanity."
One of the younger recruits in the back row murmured something. Lucy turned her head discreetly and whispered to Nolan:
"Has he ever... killed anyone?"
Nolan didn't answer. But Derek, who had heard, even from afar, turned his face slightly in that direction.
"The answer is: yes," he said, without changing his tone.
Their gazes froze.
"And each time it happened, it was a decision I carry with me to this day. That's why I don't speak of it as a feat. But as a memory. The hardest of all."
The silence was total now.
Derek looked at the group. His gaze swept their faces methodically.
"I don't want you to be brave. I want you to be mindful. If you understand the difference between those two words... you've already learned more than many veterans I've known."
Burnett smiled and waved to the recruits.
"Class officially starts Friday at 7:00 AM. Be ready."
Derek silently descended the bleachers' steps and exited through the same door he'd entered.
The whispers began immediately.
"This guy is real."
"His energy is different."
"DEVGRU? That's... totally elite."
Nolan stood, still staring at the door Derek had exited through.
Lucy approached him, crossing her arms.
"What do you think of him?"
"I think we're going to learn more than we imagined."
Jackson came up behind him.
"Dude... we're going to have class with a DEVGRU operator. That's like... class with a Navy SEAL who survived everything."
Nolan smiled slightly.
"And now... he's going to teach us how to survive, too."
Later – Mid-Wilshire Police Station
Angela waited in the parking lot when Derek returned from the gym.
"How was it?" she asked.
Derek took off his cap and ran a hand through his hair thoughtfully.
"Intense. They listened. They really listened. You know when you walk in and everyone feels like they have to shut up?"
"Because you carry a presence. You don't have to shout. Just exist."
He smiled slightly, tired but satisfied.
"You'd be proud, Lopez."
Angela stepped forward, and with the courtyard empty, touched his shoulder with concealed affection.
"I always am."
Derek looked at her. And knew that now, besides being a police officer, he was a teacher.
But, above all, he was a role model.
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