Sensing the situation was escalating, Nolan rushed forward.
"What the hell? Does the bank pays you so much a month, why are you risking your life like this?"
Jack cursed the idiot security guard inwardly, quickly drawing his Glock and following.
"Don't shoot, two hostages have escaped," Nolan reported into the walkie-talkie as he rushed in. Jack could only guide the two escaped hostages to safety, avoiding entering Nyla and Lucy's shooting range across the street.
When Jack rushed into the bank, the black security guard lay on the ground covered in blood. He glanced at him; thankfully, it was just a scratch from being hit by the butt of his gun.
Nolan was pointing his gun at a pillar in the lobby. The robber's hood had been pulled off by the black security guard during the struggle; he was hiding behind the pillar, clutching his money bag, his small revolver pointed at a female bank teller who had fallen to the ground in shock.
Jack's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. At this distance, he was confident he could shoot the gun-wielding hand.
"Get out of the way, or I'll shoot." The robber was extrely nervous, his hand holding the gun trembling violently.
After a long hiatus, Nolan's verbal sparring finally ca alive again.
"No, no, you won't shoot. The situation is getting out of control, but we can figure out a way to resolve it."
"Impossible. If you don't let leave with this bag, she's dead."
Jack was puzzled. Although the robber looked Latino, his leather jacket was Gucci, and his belt was Hers. Was he dressed like that to rob soone or to attend a eting? Was this another middle-class person driven to desperation?
Sensing sothing strange, Jack decided to observe and let Nolan spar for a while. The older man hadn't had a chance to shine in a while, and it wouldn't be good to keep stealing his spotlight.
"You go out first, and take the others with you." Jack helped the black security guard up from the ground. The fewer people there were, the better, to avoid any accidents later.
"Officer Harper, Officer Chen, attention, the remaining hostages have left to avoid friendly fire."
After giving the report over the radio and standing at the door escorting all the hostages out, Jack suddenly felt a vague sense of unease, as if soone was watching him.
He rested the walkie-talkie on his shoulder and pretended to continue speaking, glancing out of the corner of his eye in that direction. He noticed a head vaguely retracting into the back seat of a dirty van parked by the roadside near the steps he had just co up from. He hadn't paid much attention to the van's driver's seat when he ca over, but now that he sensed soone spying on him, the location of the van was suspicious.
Jack pretended not to notice anything, casually turning to walk towards Nolan while whispering a question over the radio.
"Harper, do you think that van with the Nonna Primo Pizza sign outside could be part of the getaway team?"
A short while later, Harper's voice ca through: "Can you see anyone inside? The windows are tinted dark; I can't see inside from here."
"I noticed soone inside peeping into the bank. Is there a way to prevent them from escaping without alerting them?"
Jack couldn't tell if the person was really an accomplice or just a particularly curious bystander, but from that position, he could only see a small part of the bank entrance, and there were police officers with guns pointed at them. Anyone with a modicum of sense wouldn't choose to stay in a position where they could be hit by stray bullets at any mont.
Although there are plenty of eccentric characters in LA, after living through gunfights every day for so long, ordinary citizens should possess this basic "common sense."
"No problem, I'll have so spike strips set up at both ends of the street. You and Nolan, be careful inside," Harper replied.
Jack replied with an OK, walked over to Nolan, and listened to his continued rant.
Perhaps it was because he had just experienced a large-scale gunfight, or perhaps it was because he was confident in controlling the current situation, but Jack felt a lack of basic tension. He thought to himself, 'This world really tests people.'
At this mont, Nolan not only asked for the other person's na but even began reminiscing about the past.
"Hey, Cooper, it's funny, this isn't the first ti I've encountered a bank robbery. The last one was before I beca a cop, back when I had just gotten divorced and had a bunch of other problems."
"It was precisely because I successfully prevented that bank robbery — well, not exactly successful — that no one was hurt except , who got hit a couple of tis."
"It was this experience that helped find the right direction in middle age and beco a cop. You're the sa; while no one's hurt yet, and while there's still ti to stop, you don't want your family to be heartbroken, do you?"
Nolan's persuasive skills were probably sothing Jack could never hope to match, even if he later mastered psychology, Jack thought to himself. Fortunately, he also possessed the knack of persuasion.
As long as his marksmanship was accurate and fast enough, he could completely convince the enemy before they could even react.
Nolan's words finally moved the robber. "Listen, I don't want to hurt anyone, but I have no choice, you know? Because of my family."
Nolan appealed to his emotions: "I understand, but your family also wants you to get out of here alive, so let this girl go first."
The robber, Cooper, finally relented. "Listen, if I do, you have to let escape safely."
"Uh," Nolan said honestly, "That's unlikely. You know there are police everywhere outside, and more will be coming soon. It's co to this, I suggest you put down your gun and let it all end."
"No, you don't understand." Despair filled Cooper's eyes. "She can go, but you have to let go. My wife and daughter are waiting for . Without this money, they'll die."
Nolan was completely bewildered. "They're sick? They desperately need money?"
Jack hated riddle-solving people. So many tragedies in movies and TV shows were caused by misunderstandings due to unclear communication. It was an insult to one's intelligence.
Therefore, he impatiently interjected, "Let that girl leave first. We won't force you out. We can talk things out slowly. You can see Nolan is a good person, and I'm alright too. We'll help you as much as we can."
Cooper hesitated for a mont, then waved his revolver. The bank clerk on the ground, as if granted a reprieve, quickly got up and scurried out of the bank.
Things went unexpectedly smoothly. Jack's bad mood from missing lunch improved considerably, and he decided to let the guy say a few more words.
Without a hostage, this guy nad Cooper was no longer a threat. Judging from the way he was trembling while holding the gun, Jack was absolutely confident he could empty his Glock's magazine before the guy could make a move.
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