Chapter 57 Custom T-Shirt

Jack's most confident plan now involved mastering psychology at a proficient level along with achieving master-level healing. To do this, he needed five more system coins. He felt assured he could earn these by acquiring two internal LAPD awards within three months. Even without major cases, he was confident in securing the five additional system coins.

Jack customized a set of silver needles for acupuncture in Chinatown and visited a traditional Chinese medicine clinic. Posing as a foreigner interested in Chinese medicine, he inquired about some basic acupuncture books. He then drove to Zoe's house.

This visit was brief because some things couldn't be discussed over the phone and needed to be communicated in person. He shared the intelligence he had obtained from the accountant and combined it with his own suspicions to inform Zoe. The person behind the attempts to target Zoe and Hannah likely had connections with the Kleiner Group.

Zoe agreed with Jack's assessment, believing her private investigations in recent years had alarmed them. She called her grandfather, Old Anderson, and relayed their suspicions. Known for his fiery temper despite being a politician, Old Anderson cursed vehemently over the phone and promised to handle the matter personally.

After leaving Zoe's house, Jack reminisced about the plot of "Jack Reacher." The storyline was typical of an old-fashioned detective show, and what initially drew him in were the action scenes and the female lead's exquisite figure. In the sea of overly politically correct American shows, it stood out as a rare gem.

Upon reflection, the Kleiner Group seemed too easy to deal with, as the protagonist trio managed to wipe them out. However, remembering that Jack Reacher's brother was killed by them at the beginning of the plot gave Jack a headache. Any criminal group daring to directly target a DHS agent from the USSS had to be formidable, considering the USSS's roles in combating counterfeit currency and protecting the President.

Before the USSS became part of DHS, it was under the Treasury Department, known for its powerful IRS. This was why Jack had been cautious about using Abby's hacking skills to investigate the Kleiner Group. Who knew what formidable entity was backing them? Now, he felt more reassured. Since they only dared to incite the "Southern Front" gang to target Zoe and Hannah, failing even in that, their influence hadn't penetrated California deeply enough to clash directly with Zoe's local family power.

For the next few days, Jack's routine involved his usual training and studies, while also busy with house renovations. His mind was occupied with figuring out how to deal with the Kleiner Group. He preferred to act before Hannah completed her FBI training and resumed her private investigation, potentially drawing further retaliation.

Without relying on the protagonist's plot armor, Jack considered bringing in the accountant to help. With a long-range fighter and himself as a melee fighter and healer, they could manage even without Jack Reacher's tank-like presence. This instance might be worth a try.

He also wanted to improve his rifle shooting skills and get closer to the accountant, hoping to receive some guidance. After all, every warrior dreams of becoming a sniper. If he could shoot from a distance, who would want to risk close combat?

Vacation time flew by, and Jack had to return to work at the precinct with his kitchen renovations barely halfway done. Something felt off as soon as he entered the precinct. Everyone gave him strange looks, and several pretty female officers working in administrative roles walked by, giggling behind their hands.

Feeling puzzled, Jack changed into his uniform in the locker room and ran into Lucy. Lucy's smile was especially bright today. Standing in front of Jack, she started unbuttoning her uniform, startling him. He quickly covered his eyes with his fingers spread apart.

Seeing her wearing a T-shirt underneath, Jack lowered his hands and noticed the photo printed on it was of him disguised as Ginny.

"Was this Angela or Tim's idea?" Jack asked, feeling a bit irritated.

"We pooled our money together, and Angela found a custom shop. This one's for you," Lucy replied with a grin.

Tim walked by with a big smile, wrinkles deepening on his face, and threw a T-shirt at Jack.

"Every day-shift officer got one, even Sergeant Grey," he said.

"Damn it," Jack muttered, feeling both angry and helpless against these pranksters.

Life for the patrol officers was uneventful but busy as hell. With Christmas approaching, all sorts of issues kept cropping up on the streets, keeping everyone busy.

Zoe had submitted her resignation to the Chief, suggesting Grey as her successor. Rumor had it that Grey was being considered for a promotion to match his new position, ending his midlife crisis and retirement dilemma.

The handover process between Zoe and Grey would take four months, meaning it would be complete by March next year. Zoe would then officially enter politics and run for LA City Council.

Zoe also formally came out, announcing her engagement to Maureen after Christmas. Seeing them take such a big step, Jack felt a mix of emotions.

Angela became a trainee detective, and Grey still assigned Jack to assist her, giving him the opportunity to participate in real crime investigations.

This was the benefit of having connections. Everyone knew this arrangement meant a lot for a rookie officer.

However, when Angela was in the office receiving training from seasoned detectives, Jack still had to patrol the streets. His partners varied, sometimes even including Sergeant Grey, who couldn't stand sitting in the office.

With all the personnel changes and upcoming awards, everyone was excited. Even rookies John and Lucy might take their exams early, following Jack's footsteps and finishing their probation six months ahead of schedule.

Jack wasn't surprised. In the original series, the three rookies went through numerous shootouts and major events before completing their one-year probation. It was an absurd situation. People outside the frontline would never understand how short-staffed the LAPD was. New recruits would soon fill the gaps in this precinct.

With less than a week until Christmas, fellow loners Tim and John invited Jack to spend the holiday together. Jack, smiling on the outside, agreed but secretly planned a little payback for his friends, especially Tim.

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