Jimmy reloaded his bullets. The robbers weren't firing under the vehicle, suggesting that although they knew someone was taking potshots from the side, they couldn't spare the effort to blindly shoot underneath. This was a positive sign—the pressure from the police seemed great enough that they dared not relax their suppression of the cops at both ends.
Another gain had been made: clearing his chamber earlier had resulted in two people getting shot in the legs, ensuring that several robbers definitely couldn't run away anymore. What remained to be seen was how to wipe them out or if they would surrender.
Jimmy's current position on the side and the formation of a triangle with the FBI and LRPD on both sides meant there was a certain angle—so there was no need to worry about crossfire. However, if he continued to approach the armored car, he would definitely enter the firing range of friendly forces. Crossfire would become inevitable, so Jimmy had to abandon his plan to neutralize the robbers by getting closer.
He moved a bit closer to the police position, his eyes steadfastly on the robbers behind the armored car. Finally, someone came into the middle of the vehicle again. Jimmy lay down and opened fire. Luck was on his side—a second person also arrived in the middle of the vehicle. Jimmy shot both their legs, and as the two fell to the ground with leg wounds, Jimmy promptly "harvested" their heads.
Only one robber was left behind the armored car, with another in a spot Jimmy couldn't see. He got up and this time circumvented to the rear of the LRPD.
The gunfire from the robbers' side suddenly ceased, followed by their loud shouts: "Ceasefire, ceasefire, we surrender."
The robbers shouting their surrender from behind the car, and on Jimmy's approach, Harten started yelling, "Ceasefire, ceasefire."
Soon, the shootout between the cops and robbers stopped. The two robbers laid down their weapons and gradually emerged from behind cover, then lay on the ground with their hands flat on the surface.
This time, it wasn't the LRPD that went forward to handcuff them, but FBI agents who stepped up, cuffed both persons, and took them to their vehicle.
Seeing that all the robbers were apprehended, Harten also holstered his weapon and walked toward Jimmy.
Approaching Jimmy, Harten said, "Jimmy, let's get our story straight. We discovered a lead on the robbers and asked you to monitor their hideout in the suburbs. Then we followed them into the city where a shootout occurred during their robbery of the armored car."
Harten spoke quietly, clarifying the procedure in just a few sentences.
With this narrative, the credit would definitely go to Harten and his team, with Jimmy simply brought in to assist.
For Jimmy, credit wasn't an issue—he had no bonus to collect. Besides, Harten was helping him with an internal recommendation, so showing a little goodwill was fine. He nodded, "Got it, don't worry."
Harten patted Jimmy's arm and walked towards the LRPD officers. The chaotic scene ultimately had to be cleaned up by the LRPD, of course under the command of the FBI.
The casualties from this armored car heist were significant: six robbers, four dead, and the remaining two injured. The robbers were wearing heavy Bullet-Proof Vests and carrying M16 rifles, which all had a taste of the Los Angeles bank robbery about it. For the police force, unpleasant memories were stirred up, and it was no surprise if the LRPD was considering beefing up their armaments again.
Eight FBI agents, one county policeman, dozens of LRPD officers, and two SWAT teams—the case had made too much noise, especially with the battleground being within the city. It was covered instantly by television and various radio stations as a breaking news story, all waiting for more details on the case to follow up.
After cleaning up the scene, the FBI and LRPD held a brief press conference at the LRPD station where the FBI outlined the scenario of the armored car heist, but since the robbers had not been interrogated yet, there was a lot of information that remained unconfirmed, and the news agencies would have to follow up with the FBI later.
It's worth noting that Jimmy didn't appear in the press briefing because it didn't involve the initial investigation. With the shootout not lasting long and journalists having no live footage, for the time being, no one noticed the only yellow uniformed county policeman at the scene.
Harten was the one who shone brightest this time. The FBI can appear on camera, and such opportunities for face time are especially infrequent for someone like Harten who was in charge of the case.
Another face-saving highlight in the news was that from the FBI to the LRPD, SWAT, innocent bystanders, and the guards in the armored vehicle, there was not a single injury despite the robbers' heavy firepower. Perhaps they didn't actually intend to kill, or maybe their level really was that poor. Regardless, while the police cars used as shields were riddled with bullet holes, not a single person was hit.
Jimmy observed the press conference from the sidelines. Watching Harten being interviewed by media outlets and not having time to chat, he left the LRPD station and returned to the county police headquarters.
Jimmy first completed an incident report and also listed his ammunition usage to be filed, as the rifle bullets were provided by the county police and needed to be reported. Although the revolver bullets were his own, since they had injured several robbers, failure to report them could lead to trouble later.
As the FBI was still busy with the aftermath, Jimmy didn't want to leave them anything that could be held against him in case it messed up his internal recommendation.
While Jimmy dealt with his reporting, Harten finally found some time. He called Jimmy and, upon learning of a riverside villa previously visited by the robbers, immediately took his team there. Since the robbers had prepared so thoroughly, there were undoubtedly other gains to be had in the house—it was urgent to act before it could be cleared out by others.
Putting aside Harten's efforts to clear out the villa, Jimmy now faced trouble of his own. With the armored car heist being the biggest case in Little Rock lately, James made the rare move of rushing back from home to the county police station, cutting his day off in half.
With James, there was no need for Jimmy to cover for Harten. He laid out the search over the past two days and the anomalies he found today leading up to the heist to James in detail.
Jimmy didn't embellish excessively, but he did emphasize his role in killing four of the robbers—a matter deserving special mention. Out of six, he had taken out four, leaving the dozens of FBI and LRPD officers to capture only two. This showcased the advantage Jimmy brought as a top-tier combatant.
After searching the villa, Harten returned to the FBI office to write a comprehensive report to be filed and archived. But before writing the report, he needed to communicate the complete details to his superior, especially those elements not suitable for the official record.