“The suspect’s name is Timothy Johnson. He has no legitimate job, drinks heavily, and is not in good financial shape—wants to make some quick cash.”

Luke Johnson recalled the arrest last night. Timothy Johnson did reek of alcohol, so he confirmed, “Did he have an alibi for the previous two ‘Taser robbery cases’?”

Marcus Johnson yawned. “I checked overnight. During the second Taser robbery, he was at his girlfriend’s place, working out.

His girlfriend is actually a Black girl, with quite a figure.” Marcus Johnson gestured with his hands. “I really can’t figure out why she’d go for a guy like that…”

Susan Smith cut Marcus Johnson off. “I’ll say this again, and it’s the last time: from now on, no one is allowed to accept media interviews without my permission. I don’t want to see any more copycat cases, understood?”

“Yes, Madame.”

Susan Smith continued, “Although the cases aren’t directly connected, the suspects all used Tasers. Detective Raymond Johnson, please introduce the weapon the suspect used.”

Raymond Johnson Bocca was of Mexican descent and an expert in all kinds of firearms.

Unlike Luke Johnson, David Smith, and Marcus Johnson, he was calm and rarely smiled, fitting the image of a reliable cop in the eyes of Los Angeles residents.

Raymond Johnson put down his burrito and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “The suspect used a Taser X26-C model, manufactured by Taser.

The X26-C can fire two wires and is extremely powerful. According to the manufacturer, this model can knock down a person with ill intent from 15 meters away.

Once hit, the target will be incapacitated for 10 to 30 seconds.”

Luke Johnson thought for a moment. “But from what I observed, the Taser the suspect used was even more powerful. The victim was knocked out for at least several minutes, and was still groggy afterward.”

“Exactly, that’s the problem. The Taser the suspect used was modified. The original X26-C fires a 50,000-volt shock, but the suspect’s weapon reached 100,000 volts.

A modified Taser is much more dangerous, causes longer unconsciousness, and has a higher fatality rate.” Raymond Johnson paused, picked up a photo from the table,

“And the magazine was also modified. Standard Taser magazines eject over forty colorful confetti pieces after use, each printed with the weapon’s serial number. The suspect’s magazine didn’t have that.”

“Bingo, that’s exactly what I was going to say.” Deputy Vincent Johnson snapped his fingers and continued,

“The previous two ‘Taser robbery’ scenes also had no confetti; the victims were unconscious for several minutes, clearly more powerful than a regular Taser.

This suggests the suspect may also have used a modified Taser.

Even if the two suspects aren’t directly connected, the modified Tasers they used might have been bought from the same place.

According to last night’s suspect, he bought his gun at the Joe Wei Gun Store.”

Susan Smith ordered, “Raymond Johnson, Marcus Johnson, you two go check out that gun store.”

Deputy Vincent Johnson walked over and quietly suggested, “I recommend sending David Smith and Luke Johnson to investigate. They’re the most efficient.”

“I know, but they’re also the most likely to cause trouble. Can you guarantee they won’t mess up?”

Deputy Vincent Johnson shrugged. “Can’t worry about that now. It’s Friday—there’s a chance the suspect will strike again.”

Chapter 7: Divergence

Joe Wei Gun Store.

A Dodge Challenger pulled up in front of the store. Two men got out—one bald white guy, one young man with black hair.

They were David Smith and Luke Johnson from the ‘Robbery-Homicide Division.’

The two entered the gun store one after the other.

The place was filled with all kinds of guns: pistols, rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, and more.

Luke Johnson was dazzled by the selection. He walked up to the counter and flashed his badge. “Who’s the owner?”

A bearded middle-aged man was wiping down a rifle on the counter. “I’m the owner. What’s the problem?”

“I’m Detective Luke Johnson, and this is Detective David Smith.” Luke Johnson pulled out a photo of the suspect, Timothy Johnson. “Have you seen this man?”

The owner glanced at it. “No.”

Luke Johnson then took out a picture of a modified Taser. “Does this gun look familiar?”

The owner put down his cloth and glanced at it. “That’s a Taser X26-C. I’ve got a few in the store.

Sir, if you want one, I can give you a five percent discount.”

“This isn’t a regular Taser. The voltage and magazine have been modified, making it much more powerful than a standard Taser.

Last night, the man in the photo used this gun to commit a robbery. According to him, he bought it from your store.

How many modified Tasers do you have in your store? I need a list of customers who bought this type of gun.”

The owner was silent for a moment, then shook his head. “I just sell guns, and I run a legal business. There are no modified Tasers in my store. You’re looking in the wrong place.”

Luke Johnson looked around and pointed to the camera above. “Pull up the surveillance footage. I want to take a look.”

“Sir, I’d be happy to cooperate—if you have a search warrant.”

David Smith was getting impatient and leaned in over the counter. “Hey, if I have to come back with a warrant, it won’t just be to check the cameras.

Would you rather shut down your business or come down to the station for a chat?”