Chapter 20: Bronson Building (Part 2)

Angela went to check the inner room while Jack pressed his ear to the door, listening to the loud voices outside.

"Vance said no witnesses. You two watch the entrance, and leave two more to guard the basement. The rest of you, come with me upstairs."

Angela returned and whispered, "No one inside, windows are barred, and there's no landline. We're trapped here."

Jack stepped away from the door. "I heard them mention Vance Marcus is in the building. There are a lot of them. We've stirred up a hornet's nest."

"We need to restore communication and call for backup. It looks like we stumbled into their hideout. No wonder they have body armor and signal jammers," Angela said anxiously. The gunfire intervals upstairs were getting longer, which was a bad sign.

Jack's mind raced. "I heard them say they're guarding the basement. Do you think the signal jammer might be there?"

Angela's eyes lit up. "Even if it's not, the power distribution room is down there. If we cut the power, the signal jammer will go down."

"So, we need to get to the basement." Jack's eyes fell on the kitchen. He walked in and lightly tapped the wall with his gun handle, producing hollow sounds.

"Drinking with John had its benefits. He loved talking about his old job. I remember him mentioning that buildings like this usually have several ventilation shafts that run up and down."

"Next time, bring me along for drinks," Angela said, patting his shoulder and motioning him aside before smashing the wall with a hammer.

With two gunshots, they reached the basement and simultaneously shot two guards from behind. Angela stepped forward and kicked the signal jammer, breaking it. She picked up the radio and called out.

"This is car 7-A-14. Urgent need for police support at Bronson Building. Over ten armed suspects. Situation critical."

Jack also used the radio to call the other two teams. The situation on the second and third floors was dire. Officer Bishop was down, and Hannah was dragging her into a resident's home, with three assailants trying to break in.

Tim and Lucy were trapped in Cesia Olivo's apartment. The pregnant woman's water had broken, and Lucy was helping her deliver the baby while Tim was in a standoff with Vance Marcus and several of his men.

"They can't wait for reinforcements. It's up to us now," Angela's fiery temper flared. She glared at Jack, ready to go alone if he didn't come along.

Jack handed her his Glock and spare magazines. "I remember you showed off your dual-wielding skills. I'll handle the ones in body armor; you take care of the rest." He then drew his Python revolver.

On the second floor, Hannah leaned against the wall by the entrance, pointing her gun at the door, which was riddled with bullet holes. In the hallway, three drug dealers hurled insults and fired sporadically, bullets punching through the wooden door and plaster walls, creating clouds of white dust from the concrete.

"Hey, babe, surrender now. I've never had a cop as pretty as you before. Don't worry, we won't hurt you."

Ignoring their taunts, Hannah mentally counted her ammo, occasionally firing a shot to thwart their attempts to break in.

"Hey, Hannah, catch." Bishop, lying by the bedroom door, tossed her spare magazine across the living room. Her abdomen was a mess of blood and flesh from a point-blank shotgun blast; her bulletproof vest only stopped some of the pellets.

The elderly white couple, the apartment owners, tried to stem Bishop's bleeding with gauze and towels, but she was already losing too much blood.

"Save a bullet for me. These bastards will do anything," Bishop said before slipping into unconsciousness.

As Hannah's emotions neared a breaking point, Jack's voice came over the radio. "Hannah, we're here. Find a way to distract them. Angela and I will take them from behind."

Relief washed over her. Nothing was more encouraging than her hero arriving like a deity. She took a deep breath to clear her head and waited. When the assailants fired again, she screamed and kicked over a wooden vase stand, smashing it on the floor.

The three men outside exchanged glances, then leered. One, wearing body armor and holding a shotgun, cautiously moved to the door, ready to break in. Suddenly, a shout came from behind them, "LAPD, hands up!"

Before they could react, Jack's Python shattered the head of the one by the door, spraying gore. Angela's dual-wielding Glocks turned the other two into Swiss cheese.

Jack didn't hesitate, putting a bullet in each downed attacker to ensure they were dead. "Hannah, the entrance is clear. We're coming in."

Seeing him, Hannah, who had been holding on, slid down the wall, which scared Jack. He rushed to her and began healing her with his powers.

"I'm fine, just too tense. Check on Talia; she took a shot to the abdomen," Hannah said, waving off his concern.

Jack sighed in relief and went to the bedroom. The elderly wife, trying to stop Bishop's bleeding, looked at him tearfully. "Please help her. I can barely feel her pulse."

Though not close to Bishop, Jack couldn't let a colleague bleed out. He took out his emergency kit, which included naloxone for shock and overdoses.

But his healing power was crucial. He repaired the main vessels injured by the pellets, stopping the bleeding. Relieved, he knew a night's rest would recover his energy, but avoiding medical suspicion was tricky.

As Bishop regained consciousness, the sounds of urgent sirens and gunfire reached them from outside. Reinforcements had arrived.

Angela, anxious at the door, peeked in. "Jack, how's Talia? Tim's calling for help; Vance Marcus's baby is born, and he's after it."

"Bishop is safe for now, just lost a lot of blood." Jack thanked the elderly couple. "Thank you for your help. Please take care of her. Our colleagues will be here soon."

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