Chapter 20 – Echoes in the Command Room
October 4, 2015 – 3:26 PM
Mid-Wilshire Police Station – Captain Anderson's Office
The afternoon sun streamed in slanted streaks through the large windows on the second floor of the station. In the administrative hallway, the footsteps of Angela Lopez and Derek Davis echoed softly as they made their way to Captain Zoe Anderson's office, at her request. Nothing urgent had been mentioned—just an informal invitation for "a quick chat about protocol and patrol observations."
Angela knocked on the glass door, and Zoe's clear voice answered from inside:
"Come in."
As she pushed open the door, Angela smiled when she saw Zoe sitting behind her desk, her posture always impeccable even in less formal moments. Beside her, standing with a folder in hand, was Sergeant Wade Grey, already wearing his trademark expression of impatient, yet present, weariness.
"Captain, Sergeant," Angela said, entering.
Derek followed close behind, his gaze already automatically scanning the room—not out of suspicion, but out of habit. It was then that he saw it. A small detail, discreet, but impossible to miss.
On the dark wood shelf to the left of the captain's desk, between a trophy for administrative excellence and a photo of her at an LAPD ceremony, was a small Marine Corps flag—the red and gold emblem, with the globe, anchor, and American eagle.
Derek paused for a second. He leaned in slightly.
"Captain... excuse me. That flag..."
Zoe followed his gaze, then smiled—something she rarely did, but which now seemed sincere.
"Yes. I served."
Angela turned her head, surprised. "Really? Marine?"
Zoe nodded, still smiling slightly.
— "Not long, actually. I enlisted right after college. I wanted structure. Discipline. I graduated from law school, but I felt I needed to... test myself. I served four years. MOS 5803—military law enforcement officer."
Derek, who rarely showed surprise, inclined his head respectfully.
"So you didn't just serve... you were an active duty lawyer."
"Exactly. And then I transferred to a position at the Pentagon, in homeland security. There, I worked on counterintelligence policy and base security. I never saw combat, nor was I ever deployed to a war zone. But I was in high-level meetings... with a lot of people in uniform."
She paused, looking directly at Derek.
"And that's where I might know you from before."
Angela frowned.
"Do you know each other?"
Zoe rested her elbows on the table and laced her fingers together.
—"Years ago, 2010, maybe 2011. There was a meeting at the Pentagon about integration structures between JSOC and civilian departments. I was still a retired lieutenant, and I was the legal representative for the Homeland Protection Task Force."
She looked at Derek carefully.
"And among the guests… there was a group of high-level operators. Dress uniforms. All with grim faces. One of them was you."
Derek thought. His eyes fixed on a vacant spot for a second.
"At that time, I was ordered to attend a presentation on rules of engagement in allied territory. The session was on the third floor, C wing. Restricted auditorium."
Zoe smiled.
"Exactly. I was in the back of the room. You and five other operators, all from Red Squadron. McRaven was at the head table."
Angela leaned back in her chair in disbelief.
"You've actually seen each other before? This is surreal."
Grey cleared his throat, opening the folder.
"It's even more surreal to imagine Captain Anderson in full dress uniform. I've never seen a picture of that."
Zoe gave a wry look.
"And you never will."
Derek let out a short laugh. It was rare. But here, it was genuine.
"I remember that day. You were wearing a navy blue blazer, your hair tied back like it is now. And you asked a pointed question about the legal limitations of JSOC's operations in countries without a formal declaration of war."
Zoe blinked. Then she laughed.
"I thought no one had heard my question."
"We all heard. And we all knew the question was necessary. Even if it was uncomfortable."
Angela looked at them both, alternating her eyes as if watching a chess match between masters.
"So you two were behind the scenes of the war, each on your own side."
Zoe nodded.
"And now here we are. Different, but in sync."
Grey closed the folder with a soft click.
"The behind-the-scenes story of this precinct would make a movie. It just needs someone to write it."
Angela laughed.
"Or Derek can narrate it. He talks like he's reading from a tactical memoir."
Derek stared at Angela, smiling with a hint of irony.
"And you're the most exciting chapter, without a doubt."
She gave a slight theatrical bow.
"I accept it as a compliment."
Zoe then stood.
"I asked for this conversation to say this: you two have been more than effective. You're making a difference. Not just in numbers, but in real impact. The community feels it."
Angela and Derek looked at each other for a second. There was something there that didn't need to be said.
Zoe continued:
"And Derek, it's good to see you still carry all this with honor. And without hiding. You're discreet, but you don't hide. That's rare."
"I've learned to balance weight with purpose. And now, the purpose is here."
Zoe nodded.
"I'm glad our paths crossed again. This time, without dress uniform. But with more substance."
4:03 PM – Main Corridor of the Police Station
As they left the office, Angela looked at Derek.
"So… you basically met the captain before everyone else. And in dress attire."
"It was a formal event. Mandatory."
"And now you're like… two veterans exchanging confidential memories."
"No." We're two people who were close to the epicenter. And survived."
She stopped, placed her hand on his arm.
"You remember everything. Details. Clothes. Questions. That... that amazes me."
"In the field, everything you record can save your life. And sometimes... it saves others."
Angela nodded.
"And now... you're saving mine. In a way you might not realize."
Derek looked at her, his usual intensity softened by understanding.
"The reciprocity of this is mutual, Lopez."
And they walked down the hallway, side by side, under the warm afternoon light, walking like someone who carries the past but chooses every day to live in the present—and protect it with everything they are.
Chapter 21 – Between Men and Protocol
October 5, 2015 – 8:17 AM
Mid-Wilshire Police Station – Administrative Corridor
The police station was unusually busy for a Monday morning. There was a subtle buzz in the hallways, a kind of quiet tension that seasoned officers recognized from afar: something big was about to happen, but hadn't yet been officially announced.
Angela Lopez walked beside Derek Davis, holding a clipboard with a list of incidents from the last night's patrol. They were both on their way to the briefing room when they passed through the glass door to the administrative corridor and, ahead, saw something out of the ordinary.
In the tactical briefing room, with the door ajar, stood Captain Zoe Anderson, Sergeant Wade Grey, and two men in suits clearly federal. One of them, wearing sunglasses on his collar and a discreet earpiece, stood erect, scanning the room as if evaluating every possible escape route. The other man was gesturing softly, folders open and a map of Los Angeles on the table.
Angela looked at Derek curiously.
"Secret Service?"
Derek's eyes were already fixed on the taller man, with his close-cropped dark blond hair and broad shoulders. For a second, he glanced down the hallway as if he'd sensed someone's presence.
Their gazes met.
And then... the federal agent smiled.
Not a formal smile. But a smile of recognition. Like someone who sees a brother lost in time.
Derek stopped in the middle of the hallway.
"It can't be..." he muttered, already walking toward the living room.
Angela stayed behind, watching in disbelief.
The agent smiled even wider.
"Derek 'Ghost' Davis, damn... it's been a while."
Derek approached with his usual steady gait, but with a gleam in his eyes that Angela rarely saw. He extended his hand, but the agent pulled him straight into a tight, forceful hug.
"Damn, Colt. You're still at it?"
"You're the one who disappeared off the radar, man. I heard you'd returned to the civilian world, but I never thought I'd see you here."
Angela finally approached, stopping in the doorway.
Zoe and Grey watched the scene with a mix of surprise and... curiosity.
"Captain, Sergeant," Derek said, turning. "This is Agent Cole 'Colt' Harrington. Secret Service, CAT."
Cole extended his hand to Zoe and Grey firmly and respectfully.
"Nice to meet you. And yes, CAT. Counter Assault Team."
Angela entered the room, still trying to piece things together.
"Where do you two know each other from?"
Derek replied, still with that rare smile on his face.
"For a period in 2010, our squadron at Red Squadron was assigned to assist with forward protection missions. We were embedded with the Secret Service during a series of presidential trips. I was on the perimeter security detail for President Obama's visit to Germany, then in Oslo and Santiago."
Colt added:
"Derek and I shared numerous tactical briefings, simulations, and some cold nights on European rooftops. He was quiet but lethal. We called him 'Ghost' because he was always the first one in and the last one out, and no one heard him coming."
Zoe raised an eyebrow.
"So you served the president personally?"
Derek nodded.
"Technically, yes. I was part of the counter-assault support team. Our job was to secure alternate routes, neutralize potential threats before deployment, and reinforce blind spots on the perimeter. It was never in front of the press or the public. But it was real. And demanding."
Angela crossed her arms, impressed.
"And you never mentioned it."
"You never asked," he replied simply.
Colt turned to Zoe.
"Captain, I apologize for the unplanned interruption. But having Davis here changes everything. Knowing CAT protocol and having operated with us before, he could be an invaluable asset in this support."
Zoe exchanged a look with Grey. The sergeant nodded, half in disbelief, half in approval.
"Of course Davis has a history with the Secret Service. Of course."
Zoe naturally regained control of the room.
"Agents, you may continue the presentation. And Derek, stay. You understand the dynamics and can help clarify any questions for our team."
8:52 AM – Briefing Room – Secret Service Briefing
Colt and the second agent identified as Peter Nash, Western Section's tactical coordinator began the presentation.
— "President Barack Obama will make a short visit to Los Angeles next Thursday. It's a closed, limited stopover, expected to last six hours. The agenda includes a visit to an educational organization and a meeting with community leaders downtown."
Peter added:
— "Security will be managed by the Secret Service, but we need logistical and operational support. This includes road closures, patrols in adjacent areas, and a deterrent presence at strategic points."
Colt looked at the map.
"Davis knows this part well. He's been on more than ten presidential security deployments. He's worked with contingency, extractor protection, and, in some cases, redundant communications backup."
Zoe looked at Derek, now with a different look.
"Have you ever been on one of these operations on domestic soil?"
"Twice. In DC and Denver. But most of them were international."
Angela approached the table, curious.
"And what's it like being there, knowing that any mistake could... compromise everything?"
Derek replied calmly.
"It's living in a second. Everything is a second. Looking, reacting, moving. And trusting the other person as if your life depended on them. Because it does."
Angela held his gaze for a moment longer.
"It must be good to see someone from your world here again."
Derek smiled.
— "Yeah. But even better is seeing that there's a purpose in everything you've experienced. Even after the silence."
10:04 AM – Police Station Parking Lot
Derek and Colt stood next to the patrol car, reliving memories between muffled laughs and technical comments. Angela watched them from afar, impressed to see Derek so relaxed.
When Colt said goodbye, squeezing Derek's shoulder tightly and saying, "It was good to see you again, brother. You still have that same look in your eyes. It never changes," Angela approached.
— "So... you really were a 'Ghost'."
Derek laughed.
— "I was. But now... I think I'm going back to being just Derek."
She smiled.
— "That's what I like about working together."
And there, under the clear LA sky and between presidential protocols and unexpected reunions, Derek Davis proved, once again, that past and present can walk side by side as long as the mission remains firm: to serve, to protect, and to never forget who one is.
Merry Christmas to all, I hope you spend it with your families, may it be a very nice time for everyone.
[email protected]/SHADOWGHOST07
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