Chapter 19: Brunson Building (Part 1)

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Chapter 19: Brunson Building (Part 1)

"Haha, I just can't imagine how you'll draw that pistol when you need it," Jack joked without any restraint, as he was now very familiar with Angela.

The Beretta 950 had an adorable design; this mini pistol seemed more suited for women's self-defense, which didn't match Angela's tough tomboy image.

"If you like it, I wouldn't mind exchanging it with your Python, and I'll teach you how to draw a gun then," Angela said casually, not treating Jack as a stranger.

"Maybe one day when I wear a skirt, I'll come to you for a loan," Jack replied, thinking he was being humorous.

Three police cars entered the building's parking lot, and six officers got out and prepared their equipment. Tim tossed a bulletproof insert to Lucy, gesturing for her to equip it. Seeing everyone on high alert, Lucy seemed a bit confused.

"Do we really need such a grand setup?" Lucy asked, struggling to put the insert into her bulletproof vest.

Tim asked her seriously, "Do you know why people call this place the 'Brunsons Building'?"

"Isn't it just named after someone named Brunson?"

Angela, who had also equipped her insert, looked at Jack, who had a speed loader filled with bullets at his waist, and then back at innocent Lucy, shook her head slightly, and explained, "No, have you seen the old movie 'Death Wish' from the 70s? It was filmed based on the story here, and the protagonist's name was Charles Brunson. So, for a long time, any cop who dares to respond here is regarded as the movie's protagonist." (thank you,orden1399 for the correction)

"This year, Bruce Willis starred in a remake of that movie. You should check it out; it's a pretty good action film," Tim shrugged and closed the trunk of the police car.

The six of them left the parking lot and headed toward the building's entrance. The most experienced, Tim, took charge and assigned roles to everyone, "Lucy and I, we'll start searching from the third floor. Stephens and Talia will take the second floor. Tyler and Lopez, check the first floor. Keep in touch via radio and stay alert."

"Is our search really going to be effective?" Jack couldn't help but ask, feeling the soul-searching torment. He knocked on the doors of five or six residents in a row, only to find them either shutting the door directly upon seeing the police or staring back at him in silence.

They had no search warrant, and the residents in this building were mostly low-income people with a strong aversion to the police, which made the situation quite difficult.

Angela rolled her eyes, signaling him to continue. She had no better ideas either; they could only hope for some stroke of luck.

Before long, a call came over the radio. Lucy and Tim had found Cecilia Oliver, the mistress of drug trafficker Vance Marcus, in room 365 on the third floor. Angela let out a sigh of relief, preparing to head to the elevator, while Jack's nerves began to tense up. His hand reached for his Glock at his waist, as he knew things wouldn't be that simple.

Sure enough, before Angela could touch the elevator button, a burst of intense gunfire came from upstairs - the sound of automatic rifles mixed with crisp Glock retaliations.

Jack's heart tightened as he recognized the gunshots were coming from the second floor, where Hannah and Bishop were in danger.

Angela picked up the radio and called, "Hannah, we heard gunfire. What's the situation over there?" However, all they heard from the radio was chaotic electronic noise; no one answered. She turned to look at Jack.

"The radio's blocked, and there's no signal on the phones," Jack said, shaking his phone.

"Darn it. Their firepower upstairs is too strong. Let's go up the stairs and support them," Angela decided without hesitation, pulling out her sidearm. Taking the elevator would make them sitting ducks if someone blocked the door.

As they turned around the hallway corner, the staircase was just ahead when Jack promptly pulled Angela back. "Be careful."

Before he finished speaking, two figures appeared on the opposite corridor, and a burst of bullets hit the corner of the wall, sending concrete debris flying.

Since the sound of gunfire started coming from upstairs, Jack's adrenaline had been pumping. With heightened focus, he observed everything around him, from every blade of grass to every piece of wood.

When he turned the corner, he sensed something amiss with the light and shadows on the opposite corridor. Clearly, two people were lying in wait on both sides. He acted decisively to protect Angela.

After a fierce exchange of gunfire, they heard the sound of empty rounds hitting metal from the opposite side. Jack cautiously leaned out and fired five or six shots.

"Darn it, they're wearing body armor," Jack couldn't help but swear. The opponents also had bulletproof vests, and he had shot too accurately.

Although he managed to take down one of the attackers trying to approach, they were still attempting to reload the Uzi submachine gun.

Luckily, Angela, crouched on the ground, quickly leaned out and shot, hitting the attacker right between the eyes, ending the threat.

The other attacker, witnessing his companion's demise, screamed in fear, firing wildly while retreating backward, seeking cover behind the corridor.

The Uzi submachine gun had a terrifying rate of fire, which was both an advantage and a drawback. This inexperienced attacker emptied the rest of the magazine in less than two seconds.

Jack and Angela acted swiftly, and together they took him down at the corner of the corridor.

"Reload," Jack pulled out the three remaining rounds from his magazine and replaced it with a new one, while Angela covered him.

After reloading, as Jack was about to peek again, Angela pulled him back. "Bang!"

Several steel balls grazed his cheek, forming an irregular half-circle on the side wall. He was terrified; the attackers had reinforcements.

Angela blind-fired an empty magazine and then pulled Jack back. "We need to find a way out of this corridor; they have more shotguns on the other side."

Jack nodded. Facing off with shotguns in the corridor was too scary; bulletproof vests couldn't protect the head, limbs, or lower body. He immediately turned around and moved toward the other end of the corridor.

This building had many rooms on each floor, and the corridors twisted and turned like a maze. The two of them carefully covered each other as they turned several corners, temporarily avoiding their pursuers.

"Cover me," Angela crouched at the doorway at the end of the corridor and took out two small wire-like tools from her body, fiddling with the lock.

"You have this skill? You have to teach me" Jack was amazed; American police officers were truly multi-talented.

"Let's get out of here alive first, and then I'll teach you," Angela said, matter-of-factly, as she successfully opened the door.

They entered the room, and just as Jack gently closed the door, they heard chaotic footsteps from the corridor.

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