Chapter 43 – Reconnaissance of the Ground
Mid-Wilshire Police Station – Tuesday, 6:15 a.m.
The routine was beginning to take shape in Gustavo's body and mind. It was no longer just the "first day." Now, each morning carried with it a mix of adrenaline, technical preparation, and the silent weight of responsibility.
In the instruction room, he no longer felt out of place. He recognized faces. He received dry but respectful greetings. He knew that true respect came with time, with actions, and not with diplomas even if his was from Harvard.
Angela was already waiting for him, leaning against the doorframe with a cup of coffee in her hands.
"Silva," she said, without taking her eyes off her cell phone. "Yesterday's report was praised. Captain Zoe asked me to tell you that if everyone wrote like this, prosecutors would sleep less in court."
Gustavo gave a discreet smile.
— "Good to know I'm helping prosecutors lose sleep."
She looked at him over her phone and laughed.
— "Maybe you were born for this, whiz kid."
Coffee Area – 6:30 AM
During his break before patrol, Gustavo approached the small coffee area of the police station. There were the other two TOs with their respective rookies: Talia Bishop, with a hard expression and impeccable posture, and Tim Bradford, a man with broad shoulders, short blond hair and eyes of a constant observer.
Gustavo approached with his coffee in hand.
— "Good morning, officers."
Talia responded with a curt nod. Bradford just looked up.
— "You're the guy from Harvard, right?"
— "Silva, yes," Gustavo replied, extending his hand.
Bradford shook it firmly. Too firmly. Gustavo held his gaze, unblinking.
— "Bradford."
The two studied each other in silence for a second. A kind of silent scanning that soldiers and special operators do without realizing it. Gustavo noticed the way Bradford moved, the way he scanned the environment, even when standing still. The G-Shock watch on his left wrist. His upright posture, with his weight always slightly on his toes.
Ex-military. And not just any old guy.
Gustavo didn't comment right away. Instead, he let the conversation flow.
— "And where did you train?" he asked, neutrally.
Bradford answered bluntly.
— "Army. Combat Infantry. Two tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Then I came back and went straight to the police academy."
Gustavo nodded.
— "Did you join the Rangers?"
Bradford's gaze hardened, just for a moment. Talia, next to him, frowned slightly.
— "Do you know?"
— "I had contact with some of the operators when I was an intern at DOD. I was handling legal reports on sensitive operations. I could always spot a Ranger just by looking at their posture."
Bradford raised an eyebrow in surprise, but didn't speak right away. He just turned away and took a sip of his coffee.
— "You're a good observer, Harvard."
— "DOD teaches you a thing or two."
Talia laughed for the first time.
— "Well, at least you're more useful than just a diploma hanging on the wall."
First Patrol with Integration – 8:00 AM
Later that day, there was a joint patrol simulation—the three rookies and their respective TOs were assigned to cover an area with a history of frequent domestic violence.
The idea was to see how the rookies gelled and how they would react with multiple officers on the scene. Gustavo and Lopez were in the lead vehicle. Bishop and Bradford followed in backup vehicles.
During the ride, Angela said casually:
— "You did well today with Bradford."
— "I thought he was going to test me."
— "He did. But he didn't knock you down. And that's rare. Usually he breaks newbies with just a look."
Gustavo looked out the window and smiled.
— "Maybe he just needs to see someone who can handle the pressure. Ex-military people respect those who have also been on the battlefield… even if mine was inside a courtroom."
Angela didn't answer right away. But the admiration grew silent, as it should be in a police environment.
Scene 2 – Incident of Domestic Violence – 9:15 AM
Arriving at the scene, a woman of about 35 years old was outside the building, with visible bruises on her arm. She was shaking, holding her cell phone and talking quickly to someone.
Angela and Gustavo approached.
— "LAPD, ma'am. We're here to help you. Can you talk to us?"
She nodded, her eyes brimming with tears.
— "He… he's still inside. My husband. I only got out because he went to take a shower later…"
Angela nodded. She looked at Gustavo.
— "Silva, what do we do now?"
It was a test. He understood immediately.
— "Set up a perimeter. Request tactical support, since he may be armed. Isolate the victim and take him to a safe location."
Angela smiled.
— "Good. Continue."
Gustavo picked up the radio.
— "This is 7A45, requesting immediate support at 815 S. Burlington. Possible 273.5 PC. Potentially armed assailant. Victim safely removed."
Within minutes, Bradford and Bishop arrived. Bradford approached Gustavo.
— "You called well. Clear radio. Direct"
tivo."
Gustavo nodded in thanks.
Angela concluded:
— "Let's go in. Bishop, cover the rear. Bradford, with me and Silva in front."
Incident Resolution – 9:30 AM
The entry was quick. Gustavo stayed in the rear, covering the stairs while Angela and Bradford went up. When they found the attacker in the bathroom, he tried to run — but was quickly restrained by Bradford, who immobilized him with a precise armbar.
After restraining him, Angela looked at Gustavo:
— "Observations?"
— "Signs of drunkenness, erratic behavior. Use of force was proportionate, considering his resistance. He should be booked for domestic assault, threats and resisting arrest."
Angela looked at Bradford. He nodded.
— "He's good. Cold at the right time."
Gustavo just took notes in silence.
Lunch at the Police Station – 12:30 p.m.
In the police station cafeteria, the group gathered. Talia kept her composure, but her eyes scanned everyone. Bradford, arms crossed, looked at Gustavo with a new kind of respect.
— "You should have been an operator, Harvard," he said.
— "I think everyone has their battlefield," Gustavo replied.
Angela laughed, taking a bite of her burrito.
— "Well, you're fighting your war the right way."
Closing – 5:30 p.m.
On the way out, Angela followed Gustavo to the parking lot.
— "You know it's not normal for a newbie to make a good impression on Bradford on the third day, right?"
Gustavo nodded.
— "I'm just me. I try to do it right. The rest is a consequence."
Angela stopped and looked at him seriously.
— "You're going far, Silva. Just don't forget that out here… books won't save you."
Gustavo smiled.
— "Out here, it's instinct that keeps you alive."
She pointed at him with her finger.
— "Exactly."
Chapter 44 – Home Street
Los Angeles – Mid-Wilshire District
Thursday | 11:12 AM
Car 7A45 glided along Wilshire Boulevard with the elegance of someone who knew every curve of the urban concrete. Gustavo was behind the wheel that morning Lopez let him drive whenever she thought he could absorb more of the city from the driver's seat. They were on routine patrol, responding to minor calls, checking in with local businesses, and maintaining a visible presence in the community.
The morning was clear, with an almost unreal blue sky, typical of a mild winter in Los Angeles. As she turned the corner of La Brea and 3rd Street, Lopez's watchful eyes fixed on a stylized, minimalist and elegant storefront, with clean glass, gold lettering, and artfully dressed mannequins in the window.
"Wow," she murmured, leaning slightly toward the passenger side. "That store… I've heard of it. Expensive as hell, but they say it's worth every penny."
Gustavo glanced at it, instantly recognizing it.
— "Oh, that's Haley's store."
Angela turned her face to him, curious.
— "Haley? That best friend of yours you always talk about when you're trying to prove you still have a life outside of work?"
Gustavo smiled.
— "That's right. I helped her create this store, can you believe it? From scratch. It was just digital at first, I worked on the business plan, accounting, marketing… I even encouraged her to create her Instagram. Now it's turned into this."
Angela raised her eyebrows, genuinely impressed.
— "You're also an entrepreneur, huh? Harvard, DOD, LAPD… Now an entrepreneur? Let me know when you're going to launch the rocket into space, Gustavo."
He laughed, slowing down the patrol car and signaling to the right.
— "Do you want to come in? Say hi? I can introduce you. Maybe she'll give you a lifetime discount."
Angela looked out the window and then at her watch.
— "Well… we have fifteen minutes before the next check-in, and I've always wanted to come in there. Let's go."
Inside the Store – 11:17 AM
The store exuded sophistication. Light-colored walls with matte gold trim. The scent of lavender in the air. Soft background music playing Norah Jones. Haley was behind the counter, organizing a spreadsheet on her iPad, wearing a sober and elegant dress she had evolved along with the growth of the store.
When she heard the door bell, she looked up and her face immediately lit up.
— "Gustavo!" — she practically ran to him and hugged him tightly. "You didn't say you were going to stop by today!"
— "I was patrolling, the patrol car brought me to you."
Haley laughed and looked at Angela, surprised by the police uniform.
— "And this is…?"
Gustavo turned to them both, with that formal and friendly air that he carried so well.
— "Haley, this is my TO, official Angela Lopez. Angela, this is the famous Haley Dunphy founder, CEO and star of this store that you said was too expensive."
Hailey extended her hand to Lopez with a sincere smile.
— "Nice to meet you! It's a great pleasure to finally meet the person who's been taking care of our Gustavo on the streets."
Angela shook her hand firmly.
— "It's my pleasure. And congratulations on the store, it's gorgeous. I'd heard about it before, but in person it's even more impressive."
Haley blushed a little.
— "Oh, thank you! The truth is that Gustavo had a huge hand in this. I always say that this store only exists because he believed in me when no one else took me seriously."
Angela turned to Gustavo, arching her eyebrow in that usual mocking tone.
— "You helping someone set up a fashion store? That's unexpected."
Gustavo shrugged.
— "Body language, persuasion, accounting, and marketing. I left the fashion to her."
Haley laughed out loud.
— "He kept saying that my pieces had to 'sell attitude.' I thought he was crazy, but look at that…"
Haley walked to the counter and picked up two bottles of water. She handed one to Angela.
— "Look, since you're Gustavo's TO… you get a lifetime discount here. You don't even need to ask."
Angela's eyes widened in surprise.
— "Seriously?"
— "Seriously. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be so well-shaped as a police officer. That's worth more to me than a thousand advertisements. And besides, anything that involves Gustavo, I'm in."
Gustavo laughed, a little embarrassed, but happy with the affection.
— "You see, Lopez? There are advantages to being with me."
Angela took a sip of water and shook her head.
— "Best patrol of the month. That alone was worth it."
Alternating Scenes – Store in Motion
While they were talking, a customer entered the store. Haley greeted her with the professional demeanor she had developed over the years. Angela watched with a certain hidden pride.
— "She's good," Angela commented, turning to Gustavo. "She knows how to talk to people. She reads the customer quickly. And you can see that she's firm, but kind."
Gustavo nodded.
— "She was seen as the reckless brat of the family. But she always had vision. She just needed someone to tell her it was possible."
Angela looked at him for a few seconds in silence.
— "You are loyal, Gustavo."
— "It's the least I can do for those who believe in me."
Leaving the Store – 11:35 AM
With time running out, Angela and Gustavo said goodbye to Haley.
— "It was a pleasure, Haley. And thanks for the discount… I'll use it. Often."
— "Come back whenever you want. And take good care of him, okay?"
Angela smiled sincerely.
— "Don't worry. He's in good hands."
On the sidewalk, as Gustavo walked around to the driver's side, Angela said casually but directly:
— "She really likes you."
— "Haley? Of course. She's my best friend."
— "No. I mean… she likes you."
Gustavo looked ahead, smoothly putting the car in reverse.
— "I know."
Angela turned her head, surprised.
— "And you?"
Gustavo smiled calmly, with a touch of melancholy.
— "Sometimes life isn't about what we feel… it's about what we need to protect."
Angela was silent for a moment, looking out the window.
— "You have too many layers, Silva."
— "And you haven't seen anything yet, TO."
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