“Hi there.” Marcus waved his hand at Gloria, who came in apparently on some level of alert: “Yht a friend. What’s the occasion?”

  “This is Kevin, he’s our forensic tei, and our intel analyzer off payroll because we ’t afford to pay extra.” Marcus patted Kevin’s shoulder: “You trust him.”

  “Yeah, maybe nht now. I’m still deg if I trust you.” Gloria shook her head before she sat down on the opposite side of the table.

  “Ouch.” Mid Brian Sai said at the same time.

  “I uand.” Marcus chuckled: “Which is why I e here bearing some offers of goodwill. First - is this.” He pulled out a thick folder, put it oable and pushed it tloria: “The case files you wao steal - I mean see. I added some of our internal notes, not the most secret stuff, but should be enough generalized information and enough details. If you want to look into it more, you’d be wele to. Just - you’d o vince our captain.”

  “I see. ” Gloria flipped open the folder and raised her brows: “Is this it?”

  “Like I told you, it’s just what I offer yht now. I’m not g or demanding anything else.” Marcus shrugged: “And - perhaps you’d like to know this, but we firmed that the remaining member of this unfortueam was, at least very likely a transpnt - not the usual kind, but ohat used to live in the Northern Distrid moved to South Western and falsified ay.”

  “That’s - curious, and - you’re sure there’s only one remaining?” Gloria looked up from the files.

  “Yes, we’re pretty sure. We tacted the pany and got their on-call schedule.” Kevin nodded: “The details check out. We think he’s probably still alive, and in hiding. There are no suspicious exit records at the city’s s, but there’s no guarantee he wouldn’t try soon. With the 15 year cycle…” Before he could go on, Marcus tapped his elbow and interrupted him.

  “15 year cycle…” Gloria’s eyes narrowed and fixed on Kevin’s face: “Why’d you mention that? Wait - how did you know about this? What do you know?”

  “It’s just some urban legends. I’d not pay it any mind if I were you.” Marcus shook his head and poi his ears, indig to Gloria that someone’s listening: “The important thing is, we want to focus on the case of the reparations team. Shall we?”

  “Okay - so…” Gloria frowned, atitude immediately became slightly distant: “I guess I would o make my tribution as well then? Well - if you’ll have to know, I was at the se, before any police presence was there.”

  “Oh?” Marcus and Kevin opeheir eyes with surprise at the same time.

  “What’d you see?” Marcus asked with visible eagerness, “If you feel fortable in sharing this, of course.” Kevin became nervous with anticipation. Even outside, Brian Sai and Mick leaned in close to the speaker to which they were listening.

  “Nothing I would mind telling you, since you’ve been through - well.” Gloria shook her head with a ile: “The thing is - I don’t know much about what was going oher. As police officers, have you heard about Blood Rainbows?”

  Marcus almost cracked his tea cup if it weren’t for the fact that Kevin was by his side and he was still on the s with the other two officers, one of whom was still mostly in the dark about their attempts at crag the paranormality-reted cases.

  “So - you know?” Gloria chuckled and sipped her tea: “Okay, but it’s just an urban legend right? I’m sure there’s not much to worry about. Just like the woman I saw u, who almost scratched my face off.”

  “What woman?” Marcus forced himself to be calm, and asked.

  “A woman with messy hair and kinda messed up face, I could barely see what she looks like.” Gloria picked up her cup and watched Marcus and Kevin from over it: “She ambushed me when I went to check out the rainbow that came out of nowhere, because I was curious and kind of a dumbass. She reeked of water, and was clearly delusional or - or s. She kept pesterio go with her.”

  “Then - then what happened?” Kevin immediately asked: “Did she - did she say something? What did she look like? What was she wearing? Any - anything that stood out?”

  “I ’t recall too much actually - she was just - a mess, and - kinda messed up and - and boney.” Gloria could not help but chuckle at how much she had to ge her own words or sor herself just so that her story would not draw too much attention to her or the detective sitting oher side of the table. “But - I felt that something was not quite right with the se, I saw that car. I tried to take a closer look but couldn’t. And - thank you for the dot, I think I finally start on the right path to some questions.”

  “... okay, maybe another quick question.” Marcus weighed his words, then looked Gloria in her eyes: “Do you happen to know some family members of the reparation team members’ ?”

  Gloria sighed. She was just remihat it was time she went and checked on the widow and child of Ling li, who entrusted his things to her. After a while, she nodded: “Yeah - kinda.”

  “I see.” Marodded, waved his hand at the waiter of the tea house and looked Gloria in her eyes: “Do you have some time ter? I think it would be beneficial for us and you that we take a quick sweep at the se. It’s not thhly ed up yet, because the workers at the panies are refusing to work there. So there could still be something to find.”

  Gloria looked Marcus in the eye, then nodded: “Okay, I spare some time. What do you say? Later today? Evening?”

  “At your venience. But evening’s better.”

  Only two chapters this week - I've been quite busy this week and only got two chapters done. week will probably be busy too so I may not get the ce to upload. Apologies!

  - Egao