The real life of an American police officer: Winning over others with virtue

Chapter 199 Decisive Escape
Eric and the others had been busy for a while, and before they knew it, it was 6:30.

At this point, the last rays of daylight were rapidly receding westward, leaving only a thin layer of orange-gold embers clinging to the distant treetops, like the last flickering embers of a campfire unwilling to be extinguished.

At this moment, the sky was cloudless, and the sky was a deep, velvety blue-gray.

In any case, it was inevitable that it was already dark.

The clearing in the woods about thirty meters away from the cabin is just the right distance from where the cabin can remain in sight.

Leaning casually against the RV, Eric crossed his arms and looked away from Jenny and Steve.

Ahead, Tifa was talking on a satellite phone.

As someone who lacks a sense of security, he would naturally prepare essential equipment such as satellite phones, and he would have everything that might come in handy.

Moreover, it's not that there's no signal here, it's just that the signal is unstable, and the call audio will be distorted and intermittent, as if the signal is being interfered with.

So the photos and recordings of the mischievous children, taken using a laptop with a built-in SIM card, had already been sent out.

-

Quantico.

Marine Corps Air Base.

A multi-seater SUV that has just arrived here.

Aaron, the BAU team leader who answered the phone, looked helpless.

"Tifa, we were just about to set off when you gave me a big surprise?"
Child abuse? Fourteen related cases? Dozens of victims? Cult involvement?

He glanced at Spyther, the data analyst who had received all the photos and recordings.

Spaisser's face darkened as he turned his laptop toward Aaron.

As a data analyst with a reputation for genius, he saw far too much.

"What have you encountered?" Aaron asked in a low voice, looking at the photos of the scene.

“We just happened to run into a group of demons trying to harm us during our journey,” Tifa said softly.

"Aaron, are you interested in shifting your focus and stopping by here on your way?"

Aaron looked up and exchanged glances with the members in the car. After exchanging a look, he said:
"Of course."

Compared to Tifa, Boston can actually be controlled remotely.

In comparison, Tifa's side is clearly more interesting.

“We have the suspect under control and are just waiting for you to arrive,” Tifa said.

"However, there seems to be the shadow of some unknown cult here, so this matter is far from over."

“I understand.” Aaron’s expression hardened.

"We will bring a team over as soon as possible. Please be careful."

“OK,” Tifa said, hanging up the phone.

"I'm waiting for you."

The car fell silent. Aaron and the other members in the car exchanged glances and said helplessly.

"Tifa has given us a difficult task."

"Sitting in the back of the car, Derek, who was in charge of operational support and role-playing, said in a deep voice."

"Is Tifa alright?"

Although he had given up on the idea, it didn't stop him from worrying about it as a colleague.

“It’s nothing,” Aaron said, glancing at Derek again.
"It seems her boyfriend is quite capable; he easily brought the situation under control."

“However, we still need to prepare as soon as possible,” Spyser said in a deep voice.

"According to Tifa, this unknown cult is deeply involved here."

Aaron nodded: "Let's tell Quintus first."

He paused for a moment, his tone somewhat self-deprecating: "In the end, our BAU is just an assisting department, not a frontline operations department." Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, then shrugged helplessly.

BAU sounds impressive, but to put it nicely, it's a team of behavioral science experts; to put it bluntly, it's just a supporting role.

Their operational authority is severely restricted; they lack independent command and cannot decide to initiate arrests or searches on their own. They must coordinate operations through the FBI Field Office or Joint Task Force (JTTF) to which the case pertains.

In cases like the Boston case, they only provided strategic advice, while the actual arrests and evidence searches were carried out by the FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), local SWAT teams, or local police.

Simply put, they mostly provide analysis reports behind the scenes, while the actual operational leadership always rests with the FBI field office in the jurisdiction responsible for the case.

Therefore, they need to notify the FBI's local field offices.

The director of the field office in this area is Quintus, whom Aaron mentioned, and he oversees several state regions.

The location provided by Tifa is within its jurisdiction.

Importantly, Quintus was also one of Aaron's friends.

This means that the BAU can work alongside them and assist them.

As Aaron spoke, he got out of the car.

-

at the same time.

After hanging up the phone, Tifa came over.

"How is it?" Eric went to greet him.

“They will come,” Tifa said.

"I just don't know when."

Eric's lips twitched. The United States is vast and sparsely populated, and its law enforcement powers are a mess, independent of each other, with differences only in resources, and no clear superior-subordinate distinction in status.

In cases like this, normally the police wouldn't report it to the FBI, but rather call 911 to contact the sheriff's office or report it to the local police department or state police.

So even if they notify the FBI now, given the situation here, it should only trigger an inter-agency collaboration mechanism.

In other words, the FBI can only integrate state and county police resources to form a joint action group.

As the saying goes, any coercive action that does not exceed the scope of emergency self-defense must wait for the arrival of the law enforcement entity with jurisdiction.

That's unsolvable. It will definitely take a long time, and who knows when the FBI will be able to get through to this whole line and coordinate the forces of all parties.

Eric shook his head inwardly, looking up at the deepening night:
"I'm thinking, there must be some vantage point on the other side of the lake, right?"

Tifa's pupils contracted slightly. Theo Stuart always rescued people at just the right time, so he was likely secretly watching the troublemakers and even precisely knowing when they would commit their crimes.

If he takes advantage of the cover of night and arrives at the lake beach at the right time, he will naturally be suspicious of the lake beach where nothing has happened.

Then it became clear that the mischievous children had disappeared and the operation had failed.

“It’s alright.” Eric gave a reassuring smile and took Tifa’s hand.

"I am here."

Tifa took a deep breath, nodded, and gave a slight smile.

Eric smiled, glanced back at Jenny and Steve, who were still in shock, and then thought of the shadow lurking over Ravenbrook. Suddenly, he felt a wave of weariness.

Both of these are drags on.

“Darling, what are you planning to do?” Tifa asked.

"Before the FBI arrives with their men, for our safety, we naturally have to run away first," Eric said decisively.

If he were alone, or even with Jenny and Steve, he might consider staying.

But with Tifa around, he didn't want to take any risks. He was as conservative as possible, adopting the most conservative strategy: an immediate retreat.

It's only +0.5 attribute points; there will be more later.

(End of this chapter)