On a Thursday morning, the rookies and TO's are all gathered up doing a training exercise outside.
Officer Jessica Russo is speaking to them. She's wearing a suicide bomb vest and holding a detonator.
"We're all gonna die. Right here. Right now. This bomb is packed with C4, ball bearings, screws, broken glass. When this thing goes off, this whole room is gonna turn into a blender. And guess what. If you don't die instantly, you're gonna suffer fatal, secondary infections because I soaked the shrapnel in my own filth. Now, you've all been taught to shoot on sight when you see a bomber, right? But you can't shoot me, because I'm holding a dead man's switch. I let it go, it detonates. So your only shot at survival is to talk me into giving up. But you only have ten words to do it." Officer Russo starts.
She turns to Jackson. "go." Russo instructs.
"U-Um, ma'am, you you don't want to do this." Jackson says.
"Boom. It's a slaughterhouse in here. " Russo says, releasing the plunger on the detonator mockup.
"Go." Russo says, turning to Lucy.
"Uh, my name is Lucy Chen, and -" Lucy starts.
"Boom. They're IDing you through dental records." Russo says, releasing the plunger once again.
Bradford lunges for her but Russo releases the plunger before he can.
"Boom. You just got buried in a shoe box." Russo responds, releasing the plunger again.
"Cupcake, go" Russo says.
Ana is taken back for a second, not sure how Russo - who Ana has never met before - knows that nickname. She decides not to dwell on it.
"Hi, um... I can't imagine what you're going through right now" Ana starts, softly, looking up at Russo.
"Ten more words, cupcake" Russo grins.
Ana tilts her head. "You put a lot of work into this didn't you?"
"Ten more words" Russo encourages.
"You must've gone to quite a length to find the C4 needed and covering the shrapnel in your own fluids... you want to do this" Ana says, softly.
"that was more than ten" Talia speaks up.
"ssh" Russo says, turning back to Ana.
"you know? I respect you for it" Ana says, softly, daring to take a step closer.
"Having that kind of dedication, to be planning your own death... it's brave" Ana continues, softly.
"and heartbreaking" Ana says, softly.
"you... you feel so strongly about ending your own life" Ana says, softly.
"and I'm sorry" Ana offers, softly, taking another step closer.
"I'm sorry that the world hurt you so much that you went to such lengths to end your life" Ana continues, softly.
"and I'm sorry that I could't help you" Ana frowns, softly.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't help you in the past, but I'm right here now" Ana says, softly.
"let me help you" Ana continues, softly. "I've been in a similar position, but I do know that pulling that plunger is going to be the hardest thing you've ever done in your life. Because no matter how much you want to do it, it's against human instinct to be killed."
"Please, let me help you, because not pulling that plunger is also going to be incredibly difficult. But if you do, if you put your hands up right now, then I'll be here to help you and to protect you from the cruelties of the world... please?" Ana begs, softly, her eyes widening in shock when Russo raises her hands.
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Altruism | Part One : Trust
Action"Let me be your light at the end of the tunnel" - Ana Cabrera Ana Cabrera is a Cuban immigrant. She lives in a three bedroom apartment with her grandparents and is a rookie starting in the LAPD. (Season One) Part Two is now up, to find it follow thi...
