"Wake up, you ingrate," Captain Erik shouted, slapping the arm of the then unconscious Jensen.
"What happened?" Jensen said as he regained consciousness. "Right, the girl. Someone must have knocked me out," he thought as he recollected the events prior to his current situation.
He was surrounded by officers who didn't look like normal policemen. They wore black uniforms that were made to fit with red collars. Their presence filled the room with an air of mystery, each one watching the two converse through the side of their eyes.
"I thought you were smarter, Jensen. When the other officers called you stupid, I thought otherwise. But attacking another policeman over some girl?" the captain said, placing his arm over his forehead and looking down in disappointment.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I won't stand and watch a woman get assaulted, officer or not," Jensen said, standing up from the chair he sat on and looking his captain dead in the eye.
"Would you do the same if it was a man?" the captain replied, tapping Jensen's chest with every word.
"Yes, and if you don't see the problem with beating on a civilian, then maybe the people aren't wrong to hate the police," Jensen stated, looking at his captain from head to toe and shaking his head.
"Who does he think he is?" Captain Erik thought to himself, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. "I should smack this boy," he thought.
For a moment, the two said nothing but stared each other down.
"You're lucky, Jensen," the captain stated, breaking the air of silence surrounding them. "Head up those stairs," he said, pointing at the staircase behind him.
"What's up there, sir?" Jensen said, squinting his eyes to make out what awaited him.
"The correct reply is 'yes, sir,'" Captain Erik said, folding his arms.
"It's best I don't test my luck while I still have my job," Jensen thought to himself. He walked slowly towards the stairs while placing his palm over his eyes, but the light pierced through his fingers, causing pain where he was hit.
As he emerged, the cheers of a crowd rang through his ears. He was blinded for a moment; all he could see was white. "What's going on? I can't see a thing," he shouted, waving his arms across the air.
"Bring him to me," a commanding voice uttered. He felt a hand on his back. His vision came back to him, and at his front stood a man who looked calm and welcoming. The man smiled at him before speaking powerfully into a microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the definition of a police officer." A loud applause and cheer followed those words.
"Whoa! I did not expect to be on a stage," Jensen said, his eyes wide open and jaw dropping. "They all look at me like I'm some sort of icon. Only moments ago, I got the look of disgust like every other policeman. Wait, this man must be the mayor," he thought to himself as he looked at the man, wondering what he was doing up there.
As he stared at the mayor, he noticed the alluring presence of the young lady he saved. She stood on the other side of the mayor. "Now I'm more curious about what's going to happen," he said to himself.
"Settle down, everyone. There are more important matters to be addressed; that's why you're here, after all," the mayor said, staring at the crowd passionately. "The recent murders that occurred have left us in a state of fear. You don't trust your police anymore, but you can trust this man," he said, pointing his finger at Jensen. "And you can trust each other. That's why I'm creating a group of both police and civilians tasked with finding the culprit, and these two will be at the front of it," he spoke, pointing at both Jensen and the young woman.
The crowd cheered him on, clapping and chanting his name, "Isaac," like they were in a trance. Jensen was in a trance of his own; he couldn't help but stare at the young lady, and neither could she.
"Maybe West brook isn't so bad," Jensen thought to himself.