Chapter 429: Reid's Spring (Part 7)

"I really like this job, honestly," John said with satisfaction, taking a long puff from his cigar.

The moonlit night was beautiful, and the beach even more so. Jack and John each lounged in a chair, gazing at the group of handsome men and women shivering on the shore, their bodies huddled together to fight off the cold.

"You know," John began, "back in college, I almost followed a talent scout's advice to pursue a career in Hollywood. He told me there was a perfect role for me in Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan."

Jack gave him a strange look. "Did he want you to play Private Ryan, the guy who gets saved?"

John looked surprised. "Uh, close guess. Actually, I was almost cast as the other Ryan—the one with the same name that they mistake for the real Private Ryan. Had a lot of screen time too."

"Wow," Jack feigned amazement, secretly amused at how reality in this world seemed to blend with the memories of an actor from his previous one.

"Do you regret not taking the offer?" Jack asked.

"Not at all," John replied confidently. "I'm happy with the life I have now. Galis and I have been talking about having a child."

"Whoa!" Jack's surprise was genuine this time. "Didn't you say you already have a son who's almost my age from your first marriage?"

John rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, we haven't made a final decision yet. You know, Galis is only a year younger than me, so there are some risks with pregnancy at our age."

"Leave it to me—uh, I mean, I can help… I mean, I can help her with her health, you know, prepping for pregnancy." Jack fumbled over his words, nearly choking on his own spit under John's suspicious gaze.

In the distance, the filming seemed to be wrapping up for the moment. Lila, wrapped in a thick robe, was walking back towards the set. Reid, who had been standing by the whole time, quickly handed her a steaming cup of coffee.

"Did you teach him that?" John nodded in their direction.

Jack shrugged. "Who else?"

The coffee was, in fact, made by Jack himself—top-notch quality, too. No need for Reid to wash it down with cola this time.

That was as far as Jack's guidance could go. Reid's problem wasn't a lack of emotional intelligence; rather, he had simply missed out on normal experiences with his peers, given that he'd graduated high school at 12. Most kids don't have romantic entanglements when they're that young, especially when trying to avoid bullying in school.

Still, Jack's role here was just to help Reid get his footing. The rest was up to him and Lila. What happened next was their business, and Jack couldn't intervene any further.

"Hey, thanks for all your help tonight." Lila approached Jack and John, her expression sincere as she thanked them.

"We're just doing our jobs," John said, standing up and extinguishing his cigar. "My shift's up."

John rotated shifts with another officer, one staying inside while the other patrolled outside the set.

"The director heard about my situation and moved my last scene up to the next slot. So, that means I'll be done working tonight," Lila said happily.

Jack checked the time. It was already past midnight. Based on his observations, a scene typically took two to three hours to film. At most, Lila would be done by 3 a.m.

He nodded in understanding. "When you're finished, we'll take you home. You'll need to stay at home for a few days, but it won't be long. My colleagues and I will catch the suspect soon."

As expected, the shoot wrapped up before dawn. John led the way in a police car, while Jack drove his "Mammoth" like a chauffeur, taking Lila and Reid to her house in a hillside neighborhood in West Hollywood.

Lila's house wasn't large, but it was modern and chic, with a scenic backyard that included a heated infinity pool overlooking the city lights. 

It was too early in the morning for Jack to enjoy the view properly, but he took a quick look around the property, marking a few spots that would need extra attention—particularly the tall trees that could be used to climb over the wall.

After inspecting the house and ensuring everything was safe, John and his colleague returned to their patrol car. Their shift wasn't over yet, but they would be relieved by another team soon.

"Nice place," Jack commented as he walked back into the living room.

"Mike helped me rent it. When I first moved here from Houston, I didn't have steady income yet. I remember Mike spending hours in this very living room negotiating with the realtor," Lila said with a smile. "He's really been like family to me."

Jack couldn't help but start liking this girl. She was straightforward, open, and her personality seemed to complement Reid's well.

"Would you like something to drink? Earl Grey or chrysanthemum tea?" Lila asked, visibly more relaxed now that she was home. She headed into the kitchen and started boiling water with an electric kettle.

"Red tea for me, thanks," Jack replied before turning to Reid, who had been staring at a large artwork on the wall since they arrived.

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"It looks like a collage made up of lots of individual photographs," Reid said thoughtfully.

"I love art like this. It's kind of like life—blurry and tough to navigate," Lila said, emerging from the kitchen as she began tidying up the couch.

"Just clean up one couch for Reid. He'll be staying with you while I head out," Jack said, but his words were cut short by the sudden ringing of his phone.

"Jack, help! I'm in trouble!" Garcia's voice was panicked on the other end of the line.

"Stay calm, Garcia. What's going on?" Jack's heart skipped a beat as he stepped outside onto the porch.

"Emily—Emily just got shot! And Lila's manager too! They've both been rushed to Central Hospital!"

Jack hadn't even ended the call when John walked out of the patrol car, phone in hand.

"Jack, Galis just called me. Your friend's been taken to the hospital, but don't worry—she was wearing a bulletproof vest. The bullet didn't penetrate."

John's wife, Galis, was the head of the emergency room at Central Hospital and knew Emily well.

"Okay, Garcia. No need to panic. I've got confirmation from the hospital—Emily's fine. Tell the team to meet us at the hospital," Jack said, hanging up the phone before turning to John. "What about the other person? How's he doing?"

John relayed the latest update. "The bullet hit his collarbone. He's lost a lot of blood, but it's not life-threatening."

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