Noah drove to the scene and from a distance saw that the crowd, alerted by the arriving police cars, had scattered like birds and beasts. By the time Noah got out of his car, there was not a soul in sight.
"Adam47 reporting, no suspect found on scene, cancel the alert."
"Jimmy, patrol is often like this. By the time we get there, the people have bolted. For non-major incidents, or if no emergency situation arises, we usually cancel the alert if no one is spotted."
"Yeah, APs don't get the chance to respond to calls alone anyway, just assist you guys."
"That's right, follow my orders. If I don't tell you to get out of the car, stay put and wait for me to give you your next instruction. Don't believe all the job content they talk about in training. Actually, the main thing APs can do on a call is set up cordons, help watch suspects who are already cuffed, and even the note-taking they talk about in training is done by the police. Got it?"
"No problem, I'll be the best little baby, the kind with a pacifier."
In these few months, Jimmy had also learned some local jokes and started to look more like a local rather than his past self.
The police car continued its aimless patrol on the streets. Thanksgiving should be a special day, with fewer alarms.
"Adam47, domestic violence alarm at 480 Grant Street. A neighbor called reporting loud noises and crying coming from their house."
"Adam47 received."
The police car immediately turned towards the target location.
"Jimmy, wait in the car," Noah instructed, then got out and walked into the yard.
"Plaskey County Police, open up," Noah continued to knock. The crying inside the house persisted. Noah drew his gun and kicked the door in without hesitation.
Jimmy watched from the car as Noah went in. In no time at all, he emerged escorting a handcuffed white male suspect, secured him in the backseat cage, and then got into the driver's seat to begin reporting.
"Adam47 reporting, situation handled, now taking the suspect back to the station."
On the way back to the station, Noah and Jimmy did not engage in any conversation. It wasn't until after the suspect was locked up in the detention cell that Jimmy had the chance to ask Noah what had happened in the room.
"The bastard was beating his wife and had smashed up the kitchen furniture. Go in, apprehend, bring out. Just that simple."
Well, he truly was an old cop—efficient and decisive in handling things.
"Are we continuing the patrol tonight?" "Of course, you still have an hour and a half to go. Let's move, Jimmy."
The patrol car hit the road again, and Jimmy took the opportunity to inquire about some of Noah's past cases. Time always flies when you're chatting, and soon it was 11:30 pm, nearly the end of Jimmy's shift, when Noah turned the car towards the station.
"All units be advised, gunfire reported on West 19th Street. Nearby officers respond immediately, I repeat, gunfire on West 19th Street. Nearby officers respond immediately."
"Adam47 received, heading to assist now."
"Jimmy, we're pulling overtime today." "OK, GO!"
Noah raced towards the scene with the siren blaring. It took just five minutes to arrive. Jimmy remained in the car while Noah got out and ran towards the other officers' positions. The walkie-talkie kept updating on the suspects' locations, but once Noah had left, Jimmy couldn't hear anything more.
Jimmy sat in the car looking around. Due to the gunshots and the sound of sirens, the residents had turned off their lights and hidden away. All that could be seen throughout the block were a few streetlights and the flashing lights of several police cars. Bored and unable to touch the stuff in the car, and with no smartphone to keep him entertained, Jimmy could only sit and space out.
Counting the number of windows and fence panels on the houses around him out of sheer boredom, Jimmy suddenly spotted a shadow on the roof of the house across the street. The figure was crouching and moving slowly towards the side where there was a storage rack, which seemed perfect for stepping down. The shadow slid down slowly, stood on the rack, and then leaped off and ran towards the back of the house.
Something felt off to Jimmy. With four police cars, flashing lights, and sirens, would a good person sneak down from the rooftop? But Noah had just taught him today that he was only to do simple tasks, and catching suspects was not one of them...
"AP105 reporting, at XXX on West 19th Street, spotted someone coming down from a rooftop, running south, opposite the direction police are searching."
"Dispatch received. Please wait for contact."
"AP105, can you still see the suspect now?"
"AP105 reporting, no, disappeared behind the house. Per officer's request, I am waiting in the car and cannot pursue."
"AP105, please wait at your current location."
"AP105 received."
After reporting, Jimmy breathed a sigh of relief. He had done everything he could, and now it was up to the police.
After waiting in the patrol car for half an hour, the officers gradually returned, having not found the suspect. It seemed there would be no catch tonight.
Noah started the patrol car, turned off the lights and siren, and began to head back to the station.
"Good job, Jimmy, for promptly reporting the suspect's location, well beyond my expectations for an AP."
"Ah, to encounter a gunfight on my first patrol, how thrilling. Too bad I couldn't see anything at all."
"If you want to see a gunfight, wait until you become a cop."
"A cop, for an AP? That's a dream. Seriously, Noah, have you ever seen an AP try out for the police?"
"In my years as an officer, not a single case."
"So, I'm not going to think too much about it. Applying to be a police officer is too hard. You know, the police academy training lasts six months. The uniform, gear, car—all of that I have to pay for myself, and I just don't have the money for it."
"Makes sense. Alright, put your equipment back, and I'll take you back to the restaurant. Also, to clarify something, the self-funded police academy you mentioned is if you enroll directly at the academy. If it's a police department recruitment, the department can fully reimburse you."
"OK, give me two minutes."
...
The thrilling evening passed, and Jimmy returned to the restaurant with no hint of sleepiness, completely unable to fall asleep.
His conversation with Noah had sparked some unrealistic thoughts in him.
After more than two months of living there, he felt he definitely couldn't be a waiter forever. As a Chinese in a community that was over 90% white, he felt somewhat uncomfortable. But without any special talent, high-intelligence and high-capital sectors like politics and business were out of his reach. Without the capital, even becoming a small business owner wasn't feasible. He needed a starting point.
However, whether being a police officer was a good career remained to be seen.
Moreover, from what he'd learned during this period, the technology in this world seemed to be slightly more advanced than in his original world. More precisely, it felt uneven. The technology accessible to the public seemed inferior to that of his previous world, yet he could glean some previously unimaginable information from the news and newspapers.
The idea of striking it rich with just one good idea was frankly wishful thinking.
For now, the plan was to support himself, save money, and then consider moving to a big city on the East Coast.
...
After Thanksgiving, the whole team gathered at the restaurant. Hearing that Jimmy had completed his first AP patrol, Jon happily announced an extra dish for Jimmy, and Jacob would prepare a special filet mignon for him in the afternoon.
The joyful first experience had come to an end, and Jimmy returned to his busy life as a waiter.