Chapter 10: An Unpleasant Arrest

Chapter 10: An Unpleasant Arrest

There was no pain, no enlightenment. The world before Jack felt like frosted glass being removed, instantly becoming clear. It was the most fitting metaphor he could think of.

Every smell in the air, every sound from the street outside, and every corner of the room could be distinguished, heard, and observed with utmost clarity, as long as he concentrated.

Taking a sip of the cold water on the table, Jack furrowed his brow slightly. He could tell that Hannah's tap water pipe, equipped with a high-end water purifier and boiled water, needed the filter element replaced, purely based on his improved sense of taste.

This reminded Jack of a movie he watched in his previous life, where the protagonist swallowed a small pill called NZT48, and his five senses and IQ were significantly enhanced, making him seem almost omnipotent—quite similar to his current state.

Filled with excitement, Jack rushed to the attic, retrieving a calculus problem from his old college textbooks that had puzzled him for a long time, and began to write and scribble. However, after 10 minutes, Jack dropped the pen and gave up.

He realized that the improvement in mental strength didn't necessarily equate to an increase in IQ. It seemed that conquering the mountain of mathematics in this lifetime might be an unattainable goal.

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After the three-day administrative vacation, Jack returned to the police station, clocking in for work every day, and practicing shooting after hours. He also observed the crumbling relationship between John and Lucy with a cold eye. Their secret affair couldn't be hidden any longer.

Finally, one night, a month later, during a forced drinking session, Jack witnessed the official breakup between the two of them.

"If it's not working, why not take a temporary break? Once the rookie period is over, one of you can apply for a transfer to another division in a different police station," Jack suggested, unable to tolerate their hypocrisy any longer.

Then, in front of their dumbfounded expressions, he spread his hands and said, "Drink up; I didn't say anything."

After downing a bottle of Budweiser, Jack was about to get up and order a few more bottles when he suddenly heard the rapid alarm sound from the American herbal medicine store across the street. Three guys with grim faces rushed out.

"Stop! LAPD! Don't move," Jack shouted, pulling out his Glock and rushing out of the bar, followed by John and Lucy.

The three robbers were caught off guard by encountering the police immediately after their heist and ran away in fright. Within 200 meters, two of them were tackled by John and Lucy. The leader, holding the cash box, dashed toward the subway entrance. Jack turned to say a quick farewell before chasing after him. Such a gift of experience points couldn't be ignored.

As luck would have it, a subway train arrived just as the panicked robber reached the platform. The thief jumped onto the train, and Jack managed to slip in as the doors closed, shouting "LAPD" to identify himself as he continued the chase.

Though the carriage wasn't crowded, the small space and fear of harming innocent bystanders kept the robber from carrying any weapons. Jack holstered his Glock and prepared to apprehend him without using any weapons.

After several carriages of pursuit, the robber finally ran out of steam and fell to the ground. The money bag he was holding flew out and landed at the feet of a thin, white man standing near the door.

As Jack approached to make the arrest, the thin man swiftly snatched up the bag and disappeared into the crowd.

"I can't believe someone would be foolish enough to steal stolen goods in front of a policeman, fearing they wouldn't go to jail," Jack discussed with Angela at work the next day, finding it inexplicable.

"People who are confused or desperate, perhaps? The economy has been in recession for the past few years. I heard Manhattan Beach is almost overrun by homeless people," Angela suggested.

Jack snorted. His mental power had surpassed 20, greatly enhancing his observational abilities. Though it was only a brief glimpse, the white man who seemed to have taken the bag didn't look like a destitute homeless person. Jack had handed the thief over to the police the night before.

As expected, that morning, while patrolling a few times with Angela, the command center sent them the address of the suspected thief who stole the stolen goods.

The bag of money contained a day's business earnings from the American herbal medicine store, with the largest bill being no more than $5, amounting to less than $2,000 in total. The police detective team couldn't be bothered with such a trivial task, but Jack had some connections, so he received the assignment as a favor.

It had been an unexpected stroke of luck to apprehend the three robbers the night before. The experience points had seemingly fallen from the sky. But having the key evidence snatched from under his nose resulted in Superintendent Gray mocking him in front of everyone during the morning briefing.

While this kind of teasing was already a daily occurrence aimed at the three rookie officers, and often came from good intentions, Jack couldn't help but feel embarrassed as a LAPD rookie.

Based on the address provided by the command center, Jack parked the car in front of a small, white, two-story building, noticing a child's bicycle leaning against the porch wall, which made him frown.

Angela signaled Jack to provide cover while she approached the front steps, placing one hand on her holster and knocking hard on the door with the other, "LAPD, open up!"

The thin white man emerged from the back room, raising his hands and looking terrified at the door.

Continuing to shout, Angela said, "Sir, I saw you, don't force me to break in!"

The skinny man hurriedly opened the door, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm very sorry."

Angela entered the room first, drawing her pistol and pointing it at him, "Please raise your hands."

Jack followed closely behind, avoiding Angela's line of fire, and circled around behind the man. At the same time, he ordered, "Hold your head with your hands, and interlock your fingers."

Seeing no weapon, Jack shook his head at Angela, and she holstered her pistol.

"Sir, where is the money you took?" With the cooperative suspect, Jack stayed beside him and asked.

"I swear, I wanted to pay it back. The money... I, uh..." The thin man stuttered, leading them into the living room, where a bag full of small change sat on the table.

"Did you use some of the cash?" Angela asked sternly, while Jack examined the bag, confirming that it contained the scattered banknotes from the American herbal medicine store.

"I bought some daily necessities and paid the water bill. I can't be without water at home. I'm sorry, and I will definitely pay it back." The thin man's words were incoherent, and tears filled his eyes.

"Life has been really tough lately. My wife passed away last year. I recently lost my job..." he continued, emotionally distressed.

"I've always been a law-abiding citizen; I've never even parked illegally."

Feeling a little helpless, Jack took out the handcuffs, preparing to use them. However, at that moment, a clear child's voice came from the stairs, "Daddy?"

Turning around, Jack saw a five or six-year-old boy standing there timidly, observing everyone in bewilderment.

The thin man froze for a few seconds and panicked, "Jacob, go back to your room."

Jack discreetly put the handcuffs back on his belt, interrupted the man, and gestured, "It's alright; let him come over."

Following the man's invitation, the little boy ran into his arms.

The man looked at Jack, helplessness evident in his eyes. "What's going to happen to my son?"

Angela interjected, "Children's services will come to take your son away. Do you have any relatives in the city? You should notify them so they can pick him up later." "Uh, yes, my wife's sister," the man replied, flustered.

"Then provide her contact information, and we'll enter it into the system to ensure that children's services can get in touch with her promptly."

"But right now, please cooperate with the police and come with me. I want to spare your son the sight of seeing you handcuffed." Jack motioned for the man to follow him.

"Please, don't do this, please," the man begged tearfully.

"I'm sorry, but you have to say goodbye to your son," Angela stated firmly, her hands on her hips.

As Jack witnessed the father and son tearfully embracing each other, he felt a deep sense of unease. However, as a rookie patrolman, he had no authority to decide otherwise. Perhaps, if he were a police detective, he could find a way to handle the situation differently. But for now, all he could do was hear the heart-wrenching cries of the little boy as Angela hugged and comforted him.

"What have I done? Everything I had was ruined by me."

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