Prologue
Beep! Beep! Beep!
He fell asleep last night, forgetting to turn off his television. The last thing he remembered was watching some sort of documentary about old castles before he drifted off to sleep.
He was now wondering if he was still dreaming as he looked around his strange surroundings. He was still sitting on his two person couch, and the TV was still in front of him, but this time it appeared to be attached to a white smooth wall.
The floor was the same smooth white surface, along with the four walls and ceiling that surrounded him. He looked at his hands and gasped when he couldn't see his familiar skin.
"What the fuck?" He whispered, staring at his now translucent shape. He checked the rest of his body and realized he wasn't wearing anything at all and his body looked like a faded image of a person without any discernable details.
A chime from the TV attracted his attention and he narrowed his eyes at what he saw on the screen.
[Welcome to the Reincarnation System! Please select options.]
[Select World]
[Select Character Appearance]
[Select Character Traits – select 3 options from characters]
He pinched his arm, trying to wake up, but he couldn't even feel any sensation at all. After several tries he gave up and walked around the room, trying to figure out what was happening to him. There weren't any doors and windows in the white room, and he knew he was trapped.
The TV and his old couch were still there, and he sat back down, trying hard to think about his predicament. He wondered why he wasn't panicking since he hardly felt any anxiety or trepidation about his current condition. He knew he would have been freaking out right about now.
He looked back at the TV and the message it showed and realized he was in one of those situations he read in fantasy books and novels.
What the hell, he knew he might as well try and select options to see if this was all happening. He was curious though of what worlds would be available for him to be transported to and he suddenly felt a bit of excitement at the thought of appearing in Star Wars, or even Star Trek. There were several options, he was a sci-fi geek and enjoyed watching shows like Battlestar Galactica or Babylon V. He approached the TV and pushed on the [Select World] option, but there was no reaction from the TV screen. He tried several times and gave up on his lack of progress and sat down on the couch.
Right, he remembered his TV was an old and cheap Sony flat screen TV, it was a durable brand, but the old model meant it didn't have any touch screen capability or even wifi. He mostly relied on watching programs through cable or plugging in shows through the USB port.
He looked around and shifted in his seat, looking for the remote. He looked up again when he heard the chimes from the TV screen and realized he had sat on the remote control. The options tab for the world he could reincarnate in started to show its selection, scrolling down in rapid pace.
Wait! Fuck! He quickly sat up and pulled the remote from under his seat that was covered by his blanket, and realized a few of the buttons were stuck, and the plastic casing had a few cracks in it.
He immediately tried to whack the remote on his palm to release the buttons, but it only served to worsen his problem. A chime sounded and he saw a green square appear on a world called [The Rookie] and the option continued to his character design.
He wasn't able to focus back on the screen as he tried to pry off the cover for the remote's battery but he realized he was too late as the TV changed its screen.
[Congratulations on selecting your options!]
[Soul transfer commencing in 10 seconds.]
[Enjoy your new life!]
He watched the countdown as it reached zero, powerless to stop the process. He stared at the broken remote control in his hands and closed his eyes as the brightness in the room intensified.
What the fuck is The Rookie was his last thought.
Episode 1
"You okay?"
He opened his eyes to see the face of a woman, concern etched on her face as she leaned over him. He blinked and looked around and realized he was lying on the smooth floor, surrounded by dozens of police officers.
He tried to speak when a wave of memories flashed in his head and he closed his eyes in pain. He remembered the reincarnation process and more and more details came into his mind as he arrived in this new world.
His name was Jack Routh, yes the same surname as the Superman actor. He also had his appearance and was currently twenty-four years of age. He remembered a screen that appeared as he arrived in this world before he lost consciousness.
[Select World – The Rookie]
[Select Character Appearance – Brandon Routh Age: 24]
[Select Character Traits – select 3 options from characters, primary, secondary, tertiary]
[Jack Reacher]
[Charlie Puth]
[Lucy Worsley]
It was his first day here in Mid-Wilshire, transferred from Rampart after spending a week there. He had just graduated from the academy a few weeks ago. He was reassigned to the LAPD Mid-Wilshire police station and he had just entered through the doors to report for duty.
"You took a nasty fall." The woman replied. She was an attractive woman, in her thirties and wearing a suit over a white blouse with a matching knee-length gray skirt.
"I'm sorry." A policeman behind her apologized quickly. He was carrying what looked like stacks of boxes in his hands. On the floor beside him, he saw a box filled with books and papers and realized it was what hit him on the head.
The woman quickly produced a pen light and aimed it at his eyes, looking for signs of concussion.
"I'm alright, thank you." He quickly rose to his feet with the woman's help and picked up his bag and uniform. The woman was pretty strong and she had a strong grip.
"Check on your T.O. if you feel any signs of dizziness or visual impairment." The woman suggested and turned around and faced the other police officer. She had a nice view from behind as well and an attractive figure. "Quigley, you better be in my office when I get back there. We'll have a discussion on proper safety behavior in the workplace."
"Yes, captain!" The officer named Quigley rushed to pick up the remaining box and scampered off. He stared back at the woman who helped him and realized she was the station's captain.
"Officer Jack Routh, reporting for duty!" He snapped up to attention, nervous as he realized he was checking out the top boss. He hoped she didn't notice his staring.
It looked like she noticed, judging from the small smirk on her lips and the knowing look in her eyes. "You better hurry up Officer Routh, roll call is in fifteen."
"Yes, captain." He quickly nodded and rushed to the locker rooms. He was still trying to sort out his memories and ignored the stares he received as he hurried to get his gear stored.
The locker rooms were busy, but he was able to reach it without difficulty. The long sleeves of the uniform for rookie police officers were stifling, and he stared enviously at the short-sleeved uniforms worn by the senior officers.
"Jack Routh? Is that you?"
He turned around when he heard his name. He spotted a man, John Nolan as his new memories informed him wearing the same long-sleeved uniform as he was. The older policeman was in his forties, and he recalled he was one of the hardest working cadets in the academy.
He had to since he knew the man was unfairly targeted by a few of the instructors due to his age.
"Nolan." He greeted back and gave a quick handshake.
"Where's West?" He asked. He knew the man was close friends with their batch's overachiever and they had plans to join the same station with Chen. Jackson West always performed the best in exams and broke his famous father's records.
"There were some problems with Jackson." Nolan appeared uncomfortable as he answered. "Let's head to the roll call. The sergeant is pretty strict with punctuality."
He shrugged and followed his fellow rookie as they entered a large briefing room, with glass walls on three sides. He sat down beside his colleague and waited as he observed the officers starting to gather inside.
Nolan appeared to be in deep thought, so he refrained from asking more questions. He noticed a few eyes were observing him, but he ignored them and used the time to understand his reincarnation. He was curious about the character traits he had unknowingly selected and wondered how they would affect his new life in this world.
He was familiar with the first two names, but was surprised that he could select real-life characters as part of his options. Jack Reacher was of course a badass character in the books and TV show, and he hoped the character's traits would help him in his new job. If being a police officer didn't work out, he knew at least he had other options with the other two character traits he accidentally selected. Who was Lucy Worsley though?
Lucy Chen walked in, rousing him from his thoughts and he returned the nod of greeting, though he noted the uneasy expression on his fellow rookie's face.
"He's Jackson's replacement." He heard Nolan whisper to Chen. They both looked disappointed for some reason, and wondered what happened to their famous batch valedictorian.
"I just wish he told us what he was going through," Chen replied. "We're his friends. He shouldn't have to cut us off just like that."
Curious about what he was hearing, he was eager to learn more when he saw a bald older black man with sergeant stripes on his sleeves walk in, and the chatter in the room lessened.
"Before we begin, we have a new rookie here joining us this morning. I understand you went to the academy with Nolan and Chen, and you already saw action when you were assigned at Rampart for a week." The sergeant walked around their table, observing him with sharp eyes. "I'm sure you already received a speech from your sergeant over there, but you'll have to hear another from me. Stand up."
He quickly stood up and faced his fellow police officers, and he returned their assessing gazes.
"You've earned the right to be here, but you'll have to prove yourself to stay. The way we do things matters. Protocol and tradition are the metal from which every cop in this city is forged. Understand?"
"Yes sir." He replied with a nod.
"Sit down." The man, with the nametag Grey, stated as he returned to the podium. "Our new rookie here, Jack Routh will be assigned to Lopez as your Training officer to replace Jackson West."
A hand shot up beside him, and knew Nolan was about to ask a question. "Sir, what happened to Officer Jackson?"
"Let's just say there are some deficiencies in his training that his training officer discovered." Sergeant Grey replied.
"But sir, Jackson's the best in the academy." Lucy Chen piped in. "Even Jack can confirm he has the top marks in almost every exam."
"Academy training and exams cannot fully prepare you to face the real dangers we face every day Officer Chen." Sergeant Grey replied. "That's why the captain and I specifically requested a replacement who has proven himself already. You ran in to save your wounded T.O. on your second day while under fire, didn't you Routh? You managed to provide cover fire and incapacitated one of the suspects. I saw the bank robbery on the news."
"Yes sir." He replied with a nod. New memories continued to rush in, and he slowly started to understand his new situation. "The four suspects were taken into custody with no fatalities."
"Good work." Grey nodded. "Report to Lopez. That's all. Be safe out there."
Angela Lopez
She ignored the nudge from Talia as her boot stepped closer. Her friend was right. He was eye candy, with his athletic frame and handsome face. If she didn't know any better, she would have guessed he was some model for a police-themed photo shoot. It would certainly increase recruitment numbers for female officers.
"Quit it." She hissed to her friend and took a moment to compose herself.
The introductions went smoothly, and she kept a close watch as he prepared their equipment and shop. She ordered him to review the daily protocol when checking their equipment, and she nodded her approval as he recited every instruction perfectly as he performed the checks. It didn't hurt that she found his voice pleasing to listen to. It was rich and soothing and with a quiet strength behind it when required.
Damn, he really won the genetic lottery. "Why do you want to become a police officer, Routh?" She asked while they were on their way out of the station. She decided to give him the duty of driving, to test his awareness and driving skills.
"It was the only option I had." Routh replied, maintaining his eyes on the road.
She didn't believe his answer for a second and scoffed. "Don't give me that crap Routh. I'm your training officer, and I don't appreciate being lied to."
"I'm not lying." He insisted. "There was no other choice, I just have to accept it."
"Then what's your goal as a police officer?" She asked. "Any career path you want to take?"
"I was thinking of going to Metro." Routh admitted. "Maybe detective."
"I'm preparing for the detective exam." She shared. "If you continue with your performance like you did while you were in Rampart, then we'll have no issues. A good showing from you reflects on me as your T.O."
"I'll be happy to help you then, Officer Lopez." Routh briefly turned his gaze on hers with a smile on his face and she looked out the window to hide the flush on her cheeks. She was a no-nonsense cop, but her new rookie was too handsome. She knew it would be one of the difficulties she would face in dealing with him, but she didn't mind it. It was far better than trusting her back on a cowardly rookie who froze up in a gunfight.
She shared the incident with Captain Andersen, but she also discussed her worries of retaliation from West's father, the commander of internal affairs. Thankfully the captain had her full support, and assured her there was no political fallout after submitting her report after reviewing their body cam footage.
The short clip of Jackson West freezing up, refusing to discharge his weapon in a firefight to support her despite her pleas as he shook in fear was enough to convince the brass.
She remembered Commander Percy West's face as he reviewed the footage in its entirety. It included her conversation with Jackson in the shop as they returned back to the station, and his admission of his newfound fear and inability to deal with the danger he encountered. He begged her not to report the incident and asked for a second chance, but it was too serious to ignore. She could tolerate a lot of screw-ups from her boot, but courage in the line of fire was an essential part of being a police officer. Her life was more important than her aspirations to become a detective.
Jackson's father was stone-faced, his lips set in a tight line. He had thanked her for her discretion and the process for Jackson's replacement was quickly ramped up. He must have pulled some strings with the chief of police, as a replacement for his son was quickly found and reassigned to their station.
Their first report was about a possible burglary in process. It turned out to be a memorable one, as two female exhibitionists got their thrill breaking into other houses and having sex. She was annoyed when the two exhibitionists tried to have sex in the back of their shop, and it ended up with Routh having to use more restraints to control their suspects.
It was nearing lunch when they received an emergency. A toddler was left inside a vehicle, a gray Corolla. They quickly joined the other five vehicles in a grid pattern, the tension palpable in all their faces. She did not want to see or hear a report of a dead toddler. She could see Routh's jaws were clenched tight, and she knew he was feeling the same way.
"There." Their shop sped up and she saw what her rookie spotted. Nolan was desperately trying to smash open a car window with a baton to no avail. They quickly arrived on the scene, and before she could pull out her tool for breaking a car's laminated window, she noticed Routh walking towards the car as he started to remove his uniform.
Before she could even follow him, Routh had his uniform wrapped around his right hand, leaving him with his white undershirt. He threw a powerful punch, shattering the car window and unlocking the car from the inside. Nolan quickly rushed to the rear passenger and scooped out an unconscious toddler trapped in a car seat.
She let out a sigh of relief as the toddler started crying, while emergency vehicles started to converge in their location. Talia Bishop arrived next with her shop, and they watched as their two rookies handed the child to an ambulance.
"Did I just see that?" She heard Talia ask.
"Do you mean if you saw my rookie shattering a car window by punching it, then yes, yes you did." She replied while her eyes locked on to the Routh's muscular body. "Damn."
"Yeah damn. But they both panicked." Talia replied, holding up a breaker tool. She held the one in her hand and shook her head in amusement and relief.
"Your rookie used a baton, mine used his fists." Routh shook the glass shards in his uniform and started to wear it back.
"Wanna swap?" Talia offered.
"This one's mine." She replied with a proud smile.
After a stern lecture to her boot about panicking and reminding him about using the correct tools for emergencies, she allowed him to treat her to lunch, as was tradition. The steak burrito was adequate and she decided to give Routh some bonding time with his fellow rookies.
There was a problem though, as Routh appeared to be sitting on his own, away from Nolan and Chen.
"Do you think there's an issue there?" Talia asked as she put her tray of food on the table.
"Maybe they're not that close in the academy compared to Jackson." She mused and took a bite of her burrito.
"That's fine, but to eat on your own?" Talia replied. "I didn't peg him as the quiet and broody type."
Routh looked content sitting alone, and the contemplative expression on his face was enough to deter anyone from joining his table. She noticed a few women were tempted to join him, but veered away once they saw how serious he looked as he ate his meal.
"He got that mysterious, lone wolf appeal though, judging from those stolen selfies." She commented, spotting a few girls pretending to take selfies while in reality trying to get a picture of the hot cop in the background.
The rest of their shift ended more peacefully, and she realized she didn't have to watch him more closely since he was already on the force for a week in another station. He was already comfortable on the routine, as he turned in their equipment.
"Good work today." She gave a nod to Routh and headed to the lockers for a shower.
She was still intrigued by his unusual behavior during lunch and decided to ask his classmate in the academy for more information.
"Chen." She called out to Bradford's rookie. Tim was still recovering from his gunshot wound, and it would take a few more weeks for him to return to active duty.
"Yes, mam?" Lucy Chen replied, having just finished storing her belongings in her locker.
"What can you tell me more about Jack Routh?" She asked. "I noticed he didn't eat lunch with you and Nolan."
"That's just how he has been ever since I met him in the academy," Chen explained. "We called him the lone wolf. He doesn't get close to anyone, but he's a reliable partner in team training."
"So he's an introvert." She observed.
"Not all the time, he can choose to be charming if wants to. Problem is he doesn't want long-term relationships." Chen looked bitter for a moment, and she realized why she looked uncomfortable when she saw Routh appear that morning. That meant they had a history together, but she knew better than to pry.
"But at least he's honest about it." Chen continued. "He doesn't lead you on."
"I see."
"If you manage to get him drunk, try to make him sing," Chen added, this time looking mischievous. "He has a wonderful singing voice."
"I'll keep that in mind if the three of you don't wash out. So keep your focus on your job." She replied. "Thanks, Chen."
The next morning, she knew Sergeant Grey had something planned for their morning briefing, judging by the barely concealed smile he wore as he waited for the time to start.
"All right, settle down. I just got a disturbing video. I've never seen anything so horrific." Sergeant Grey began. The screen flickered to life, showing a body cam footage of someone running.
Talia groaned beside her, telling her who the footage belonged to. Nolan was running in pursuit of a suspect, the father of the boy who was left in the Corolla. He tried to cut through a parking lot, his breathing clearly labored as she struggled to maintain his pace. He tried to climb up a chain link fence, but got his foot stuck on the opening.
Laughter soon erupted around the room as he struggled to free himself, while in the background Chen gave a textbook flying tackle, pushing the drugged-out father off his feet and into the ground.
"Such grace and athleticism have never before been seen in the LAPD." Grey continued, ignoring the laughter in the room. "Is that a gazelle wearing the blues? Or a dinosaur from a long-forgotten age?"
The footage shifted, this time showing Nolan trying to break a car window with first his fists and then with a baton. The laughter in the room stopped, as they watched the serious situation that they all heard.
"This next video shows the importance of maintaining situational awareness. Panic and fear can interfere with rational behavior." Grey sounded more serious. The video continued and showed Routh approaching as Nolan turned to the voice that called out to him. Routh had finished wrapping his uniform around his fist, and she heard a few in the room let out exclamations of surprise as her rookie shattered the car window with a powerful punch.
"While this might be impressive, may I remind Officer Routh that we cannot solve all our problems with our fists?"
"Yes sir," Routh replied looking embarrassed.
"Alright, next is a BOLO for Lance Selby's associate, Carlson Floyd for parole violation." Grey started to distribute the information sheet on their suspect. "He's as dangerous as Selby, and we nearly lost Bradford because of his partner. Use extreme caution. Whoever gets him off the street, has a one day off. That's it"
"We better wear vests today." She suggested to Talia. She did not want to end up like Tim if their suspect was as violent as Selby.
Their patrol that morning was busy. A couple of calls for domestic disputes and a quick chase for a DUI. Their shift was about to end when they received a call from Talia Bishop.
"7-adam-15, requesting additional units to 1350 Bellview Street. Possible location of our BOLO suspect. We're en route."
"That's the same address." She muttered and quickly replied on the radio. "7-adam-07. Show us responding."
The atmosphere in the shop was tense, and she was tempted to tell Routh to increase his speed when she noticed he was already doing seventy. She was worried about Talia and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw their shop arriving near the address at the same time they did.
"How do you want to do this?" She asked as they parked a block away from the address and discussed the strategy on the sidewalk.
"C.I. said he might return to the address to recover a hidden cache of weapons." Talia replied.
She was about to reply when they spotted an old Bronco move out of the alley where Tim and Chen were ambushed. Three men were inside and the driver immediately spotted their location.
"Hey, isn't that…" Nolan trailed off as Floyd and his men turned their weapons out the window.
"Shit!" They all ran to the back of her shop as the men started to shoot at them.
"7-adam-07. Shots fired, in corner of Bellview and Clinton. Need backup." She heard Routh on the radio as she returned fire. They were outgunned, as Floyd and his associates used semi-automatic rifles and higher caliber ammunition.
All she heard were pings of bullets hitting her shop and flying past her. It was like déjà vu, she thought as she recalled another incident. She glanced at her boot and saw him returning fire on his side of the shop, preventing the men from encircling them. This time it was different though, she had covering fire and her boot wasn't paralyzed with fear.
Nolan and Bishop took turns to cover them, but they were all pinned down as her shop continued to amass dozens of bullet holes.
One of the gunmen suddenly stopped firing, followed by another. She peeked on her side of the shop and saw the driver slumped down on the steering wheel. The passenger beside the driver was leaning to the side, blood staining his side of the window. The remaining shooter jumped out of the Bronco and started running with a semi-automatic rifle in hand. He didn't get far, as he fell down with a well-aimed shot on the back.
She ran to the Bronco, her firearm ready in case of any movement from the driver and passenger, but lowered her weapon when she saw their state. Talia and Nolan had the remaining suspect in cuffs as he moaned in pain from the gunshot wound to his lower back.
She looked beside her to see Routh staring at the two dead men, both suffering from a gunshot wound to their heads. She was about to radio in their status when she saw Talia doing it for her.
"I think you'll need this." Routh offered his firearm to her as the sounds of sirens became louder.
"It will be fine." She replied and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Just follow the procedure, okay? Keep your weapon holstered."
"Yes. Thank you, mam." Routh remained still, staring at the dead men. It looked to her that Routh shot the driver with a bullet to the head, and judging by the exit wound the bullet also hit Floyd in the passenger seat. That was one hell of a shot.
"7-adam-07." She called to her radio. "Notify the watch commander that the primary suspect is deceased. Two fatalities and an injured third gunman in need of an ambulance."
"Copy."
"Time of death?" She asked.
"One seven three three hours."
She guided Routh to Talia's miraculously undamaged shop and sat him in the back seat. She winced in sympathy, she knew taking someone's life was one of the hardest experiences a police officer would ever get to experience in their careers. She secured the scene and returned to stand beside the Bronco, staying on guard to protect any evidence.
More vehicles and a few ambulances arrived on the scene, as the EMTs started to treat their third gunmen. Grey stepped out of his vehicle, with their captain following behind him. She met up with them halfway and stopped beside her bullet-ridden shop so that Routh wouldn't be able to hear their conversation.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Floyd and his crew started shooting as soon as they us." She reported. "We were discussing our plan to approach the house when their vehicle suddenly appeared out of that alley."
"We hid behind my shop, and were pinned down here." She pointed at the spot between the two parked police vehicles. "Routh called for back-up and we returned fire. They were all using high-caliber weapons."
She grimaced as she spotted the high-caliber rounds' destruction of her shop equipment. The vehicle was a write-off by now, from what she was seeing. She did not want to imagine what would have happened to her and Routh if the shooting started while they were still inside their vehicle.
"You were lucky." Captain Zoe Andersen added.
"We were." She agreed. "We would have been dead if we didn't consult with Bishop and Nolan first on the sidewalk."
"Who shot the gunmen?" Grey asked.
"Routh." She turned back and glanced at her boot for a moment before she continued. "He was on my right, returning fire to prevent the gunmen from surrounding us. It happened so fast."
"It looks like a single bullet killed both of them." Grey observed the scene. Investigators started to gather evidence and photographs of the deceased gunmen. "Hell of a shot."
"That's what I thought too." She replied.
"How is he?" Andersen asked.
"He's in shock. Haven't said more than a few words before you arrived."
"Understandable." Andersen nodded her head. "I'll take care of him."
She watched as the captain entered Talia's shop from the other side and sat beside Routh. She could see them talking and turned around when Grey spoke to her.
"You did good. You exercised proper caution, and because of that all of you are walking out of here without any injury." Grey stated. They both turned to Bishop and Nolan as the pair approached their position.
"The third gunman will be rushed for surgery." Talia reported. "EMT thinks he's going to make it."
"Who took down the third gunman?" She asked.
"Routh." Nolan replied. "I saw him take one final shot and saw our gunman fall down soon after."
"Good." Grey replied. "If our gunman lives, it will be even better for Routh's investigation."
"Sir?" Nolan looked confused. "Why is Jack being investigated?"
"It's a homicide, Officer Nolan." Grey replied in a somber tone. "And at this moment, Routh is the suspect."
She was slightly irritated when the captain returned and informed her that she wasn't chosen as his companion officer. She was already thinking about the procedures and the process to guide him through the investigation.
"Captain, he's my boot." She protested.
"It's his choice, Lopez." Andersen replied.
"Who did he pick?" She asked.
"Me." Andersen replied.
"Wise choice." Grey observed, giving her a warning look. Andersen didn't know she also had experience with taking a life but the sergeant was warning her to keep her mouth shut. "The captain has experience in these types of situations. I think Routh would benefit from a police companion who experienced the same thing he has."
"That's what I told him." Andersen replied. They watched as Routh got out of Talia's shop and started walking towards their group. "He looks like he's managing well. I'm taking him to the station."
She watched as Routh followed the captain in her unmarked car and sat inside the passenger seat. They soon left the scene as more investigators arrived and she joined Nolan and Bishop in securing the area from onlookers who already had their phone cameras out to take pictures and videos.