Sensing the situation was escalating, John rushed forward.
"What the hell, how much does the bank pay you to risk your life like this?"
Jack mentally cursed the reckless security guard as he pulled out his Glock and followed.
"Don't fire your weapon. Two hostages are escaping," John shouted into his radio while moving forward. Jack took over the task of guiding the two fleeing hostages to safety, ensuring they didn't cross into the line of fire where Neila and Lucy were positioned across the street.
When Jack finally entered the bank, he saw the black security guard lying on the ground with a bloody head. He quickly scanned the scene. Thankfully, it appeared the guard had only been hit with the butt of a gun, causing a superficial wound.
John had his gun trained on a column in the lobby. The robber, his mask ripped off during the scuffle with the guard, was hiding behind it, clutching a money bag with one hand and pointing a small revolver at a terrified female bank teller who had fallen to the ground.
Jack's eyes narrowed slightly. At this range, he was confident he could shoot the gun out of the robber's hand.
"Stay back, or I'll shoot!" The robber was clearly agitated, his hand shaking violently as he held the gun.
After a long time, John's knack for negotiation was finally put to the test again.
"No, no, you don't want to shoot. Things have gotten out of hand, but we can work this out."
"No way! If you don't let me leave with this bag, she's dead!"
Jack found the situation peculiar. The robber appeared to be of Latino descent, but he was dressed in a Gucci leather jacket and wore a Hermès belt. Was he here to rob a bank or attend a business meeting? Could this be another middle-class person driven to desperation?
Feeling something was off, Jack decided to let John handle the talking for now. After all, it wasn't right to always steal the spotlight from the veteran.
"You go ahead and get the others out," Jack said as he helped the black security guard to his feet. The fewer people inside, the better, to minimize the risk of anyone getting hurt.
"Officer Harper, Officer Chen, be advised. The remaining hostages are leaving to avoid any accidental injuries," John reported over the radio. Once the last hostage was clear, Jack had a strange sensation, like someone was watching him.
He held the radio to his shoulder, pretending to speak while glancing subtly in the direction of his feeling. He noticed a dirty van parked by the steps where they had come in. There was a head in the driver's seat that quickly ducked into the back when he looked.
When they arrived, the van's driver's seat had been empty, so Jack hadn't paid much attention to it. But now, knowing someone was hiding and watching the bank from that suspicious spot, he couldn't ignore it.
Feigning ignorance, Jack nonchalantly turned to walk towards John, speaking softly into his radio.
"Harper, do you think that van at the curb with the 'Nonna Primo's Pizzeria' sign could be an accomplice's getaway vehicle?"
Harper's voice crackled back shortly, "Can you see someone inside? The windows are tinted from my angle; I can't see in."
"I noticed someone peeking out towards the bank. Any chance we can secure the area without alerting them?"
Jack couldn't be sure if the person in the van was truly an accomplice or just an overly curious bystander. But anyone sane wouldn't park in a spot with a direct line of sight to armed police officers and potential stray bullets.
Despite the fact that LA has its fair share of eccentrics, the average citizen has learned the basic "common sense" to avoid such situations after living through daily reports of gunfights.
"No problem. I'll have spike strips set up at both ends of the street. You and John be careful in there," Harper assured him.
Jack responded with an "OK" and moved closer to John, listening to him continue his verbal assault.
Perhaps it was his recent experience in the heat of battle, or maybe he just had confidence in the situation, but Jack found himself strangely calm, reflecting on how this world had truly toughened him up.
By now, John had not only gotten the robber's name but was also reminiscing about his own past.
"Hey, Cooper, funny thing, this isn't my first bank robbery. The last time was before I became a cop. I had just gotten divorced, and I had a lot of personal problems..."
"...stopping that bank robbery, or rather, trying to, was what gave me direction in life again. I got hurt, but no one else did. That's how I ended up becoming a cop. You still have a chance to stop this before anyone gets hurt. You don't want your family to be heartbroken over you, do you?"
John's knack for talking people down was something Jack doubted he could ever match, even if he became a master in psychology. Luckily, he knew another way to resolve things convincingly.
As long as his aim was precise and quick enough, he could "persuade" the enemy before they even had a chance to react.
The robber, Cooper, seemed moved by John's words. "Listen, I don't want to hurt anyone, but I have no choice. You understand? It's because of my family."
John responded with empathy, "I get it, but your family would want you to come out of this alive. Let the woman go first."
Cooper hesitated before saying, "Listen, if I do that, you have to let me go safely."
"Uh..." John replied honestly, "That's not likely. The place is surrounded by cops. More are on their way. Your best option is to put down the gun and end this."
"No, you don't understand." Desperation filled Cooper's eyes. "She can go, but you have to let me leave. My wife and daughter are waiting for me. Without this money, they'll die."
John was baffled, "Are they sick? Do they need money urgently?"
Jack hated cryptic talk. Misunderstandings in movies and shows often stem from vague explanations, making you wonder if the writers were either lacking in intellect or doing it on purpose. It insulted the audience's intelligence.
Impatient, he cut in, "Let the girl go first. We won't force you out, and we can talk things through. You can see John's a good guy, and I'm not too bad either. We'll do our best to help you."
Cooper wavered, then waved his revolver to signal the bank teller to leave. She scrambled to her feet and rushed out, bent over in relief.
The situation was unexpectedly under control, which brightened Jack's mood. Without a hostage, Cooper posed no real threat. Given his trembling grip on the gun, Jack was confident he could empty his Glock's magazine into Cooper before he could react.
With the immediate danger over, Jack allowed himself to relax a bit and even contemplated letting Cooper talk a bit more to understand his situation better.
Cooper, now isolated, was no longer a threat. Jack was sure he could neutralize him if necessary. He signaled to John to keep the conversation going, intrigued by what more they could learn.
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