“So - you go to the tral Sout-Western District often?” Sitting on the passenger seat, Mick asked Detective Brian Sai, the you and possibly the quietest one of the detectives.

  “Not since I made detective.” Brian Sai smiled and shook his head: “I used to walk a beat on the border of the South-Eastern and South-Western Districts, and it was only a few streets away from the Northern District. It was quite an experience. Safe, but kinda b and - there’s so much politics. I hated it. After I transferred, things ged. I do miss an occasional craft coffee though.”

  “Oh, man. I agree.” Mick chuckled as he leaned ba his seat: “When I was still in my old prect, there’s this one where the owner has his own special bean roaster. He has es to some out of city supplier who provided him with a kind of especially fragrant beans. And he only sold those to known ers or family and friends. My captain knew him and got those for us once a month, and man that was some good coffee.”

  “I should really get back there some time, you got my caffeihdrawal ag up.” Brian Sai ughed out loud: “I had this usual spot I used to frequent. But just a few months before my trahey shut down out of nowhere. And the boss is o be found. I got some bags of beans on clearance, and too bad, I’ve never been able to find them again.”

  “Bang!” Just when they drove past a crossroad, two young men in hoodies broke out of aronic store and rushed into an alleyway on the side. In eae’s arms tucked two expensive looking thin and fts monitors.

  The pedestrians close by just stepped away from their path and the store itself, the on with their day.

  “Things have ged quite a bit, huh?” Brian Sai looked around and did not see w enfort anywhere. “Should we - should we go after them?”

  “This is not a good area.” Mick seemed embarrassed: “Don’t worry, someone will che them. ”

  “You’re sure? There’s no patrol cars or police stands around.” Brian Sai sighed and shook his head, if not for their being already a bit te and his not being familiar with the road he would have gotten off the car and pursued those two hooligans.

  “It’s okay. You’ll get used to it. People here are much more rexed about things like this.” Mick shrugged, then poi a turn in front of them: “Here, turn right, then tur at the first er and you see a parking lot.”

  “Alright, if you say so.” Brian Sai shrugged. He was never a good pursuer anyway. He was always more of a desk-bound, evidehering and analysis focused detective.

  The parking lot was only half full. One side of it was occupied by street food vendors, food trucks and people lining up in front of them. They pulled into ohat was just outside of the entrao a tall building.

  “This is the building of their prect? It looks too - too ercial.” Detective Brian Sai asked.

  “Nah, it’s a newly built shoppier.” Mick chuckled: “The prect building is behind it. Somehow the previous captain chose a good spot.”

  “And this - this Sergeant Fu will be meeting us here?” Brian Sai looked up at the metallic building Signia, sighed and shook his head: “I mean, I guess I am regretting my transfer now.”

  “It’s okay. I’ve got some cheap vouchers and dist codes.” Mick chuckled and pulled out a small pile of shiny cards, some were of official print, some were just printed out using their normal printing mae.

  “That’s - so great.” Brian Sai chuckled.

  The arranged meeting pce was a a looking coffee house. The prices were not as ridiculous as the exterior and interior decorations would suggest. Even without the vouchers and dist codes, Brian Sai could still afford it.

  “Hey, hey. ” Befoing in, Mick came to the barista: “ you do me a favor? I’d really appreciate it if you do.”

  “Sure, what’s up?” The barista was one wearing a n with a full left arm of tattoos.

  “ I store these coupons and vouchers at your pce? So whatever we order ter, you just apply them?” Mick slid over a small bill of ten dolrs: “I want to meet with a friend of - select taste. And we don’t want to embarrass ourselves. If you could help us, that would be great.”

  “Sure.” The barista covered up her ughs and she accepted the bills: “You don’t know hoeople have this kind of requests. So, I got you sir.”

  “Uncle Fu!” Mick’s ear and pin face immediately put a facade of eborate friendliness aement: “How have you been?”

  “Little Mick! ” Sergeant Fu was a slightly chubby man in a pair of frameless gsses with light brown lenses, he greeted Mick with open arms and a simir smile on his face. “Oh boy, you sure have grown quite a bit. How’s your new prect treating you?”

  “Good! Good, I’ve been learning a lot, and seen quite a bit of a.” Mick showed a wry smile: “How have you been? How are things with you? Still living that peaceful life?”

  “Meh, you know, that same old, same old.” Sergeant Fu shrugged and led Mid Brian to their seats. He then turo Brian: “You must be Detective Sai! I’ve heard quite a bit about you. You’re quite the expert in solving some obscure cases, huh? Pleased to meet you!”

  “Pleased to meet you as well.” Brian Sai shook hands with the sergeant: “And thank you for making time for us.”

  “No problem. Any friend of Mick is a friend of mine.” Sergeant Fu shook his head and waved to a waiter: “Hey, we get some matcha tte here? And not the usual kind, your craft kind, with a little butter and icecream on top?”

  “On it.” The waitress nodded.

  Mick let out a sigh of relief. Sergeant Fu was indeed a man of expeaste. The first thing he ordered was from the secret menu with three times the average price.