Keryn and Mick both turo Kevin and fixed their eyes on him, fht now he was the only one who would have the ability to distinguish whether the captain was lying. Kevin, oher hand, examihe torn cloth and the stain on it with his eyes narrowed.

  “... you took away a curse from him.” Kevin put the cloth down bato the sofa: “That’s - that’s the only expnation. But with what?”

  “Keen observation, Mr. Loo.” Captain Ko chuckled: “I should write another letter to the city and ask for more funding to support your promotion to a forensic stist.”

  “Don’t even - captain.” Kevin raised his hand aed with a stern tone: “I’ve been in this business for enough time. I love what I do. Don’t you dare defile that.”

  “Alright - alright.” Captain Ko let out a sigh and backed off with his hands raised: “And you’re right. I guess since you and Keryn were right there when we discussed the business with Brooklyn Payne, you know I’m not lying.”

  “Brooklyn Payhe infamous ex-cop PI?” Mick frowned.

  “Yes. ” Kevin sighed: “We ran into him when Marcus was running an iigation, I went along as well. He was in a very bad state. And he made a deal with Captain Kh the pohne. We didn’t know what the deal was about. But I guess we know now.” He then fixed his eyes on Captain Ko: “But then there’s something I don’t uand - how could you help? Marcus did not know how. I tried looking into it and there were no definitive solutions anywhere.”

  “It’s very simple, meically.” Captain Ked: “Curses are usually bound to a person’s blood and flesh. So - with the help of some - special rituals, I just drive the energy of the curse to certain areas, then draw blood, cut off some flesh to get rid of it.”

  “Okay.” Kevin nodded, without saying anything else.

  “Okay?” Keryn was surprised at Kevin’s attitude at first. But after a short moment of sideration, she sighed aed: “Okay - I think this - I think this makes sense.”

  “Captain. We need your help.” Seeing that both Keryn and Kevin accepted the captain’s expnation, Mick decided to ge topics: “Actually - there are two things we need your help with - ”

  “Like we said, Tyler Khan brought some men and attacked our prect. And we have reason to believe that they have pnted bugs in our prect.” Keryn scratched her jaws: “And there’s ahing - Marcus went to the Lanmian Forest to look into something and he hasn’t tacted Kevin since, as per their agreement.”

  “And - and I should add, Marcus went there because something Tyler Khaioned.” Kevin added: “In fact, it’s pretty evident now that Tyler Khan said those things about the food festival on purpose, in order to test who’s oail - ”

  “Food festival? So that’s what that’s about.” Captain Ko hen sighed: “But - ”

  “Mareeds our help right notain.” Kevin stepped forward: “Please, we o send some people to the Lanmian Forest - ”

  “Lanmian Forest is uhe jurisdi of the unity collective. You know we ’t just send people over.” Captain Ko shook his head: “And we ’t really send people in without raising major alerts.”

  “I don’t care! Marcus is in danger right now - ”

  “He’ll be fine. He’s Marcus, the Stoiger.” Captain Ko cut Kevin off: “Plus, I think he would bring someone along with him. Our off the book sultant from the South-Eastern District, I assume?”

  “Yes, but - ” Kevin stammered, not having the energy to parse why the captain would know about Gloing with Marcus: “He told me when he sorts out everything he would call me. So something must have happened - no, I ’t sit here and wait. I must go to the forest myself - ”

  “NO! NO!” Captain Ko blocked Kevin’s way: “You ’t go ht now. At least not until sunrise.”

  “What - why?”

  “This entire house is some kind of ritualistic building, right captain?” Keryn’s ice cold voice sent chills down Kevin’s spine.

  “Yes. And I’m surprised you didn’t tell, Kevin.” Captain Ko shook his head: “You’re ed. I get it. But if you go ht now, well - I’d say a death would be the more preferable oute should that ever to happen.”

  “What - ” Kevin immediately looked around the interior of the house. The embedded wooden frames, the red threads along the beams, the inse burners in the ers, and the talismans stuto some of those wooden frames and beams, all of them were clear indication that the entire house was fashioned into some kind of ritualistic array. “What the hell - what the fuck is this, capatin?”

  “That’s not something you o know.” Captain Ko shook his head: “Just know this - you, and I mean all three of you, ot leave before sunrise. Or it would be very nasty for all of us. Aive Lance - ” He fixed his eyes on Keryn: “You start ag Kevin’s girlfriend. My wife would not be happy if I had a single end the night in our house.”

  Kevin started stammering: “Sir, this is - ”

  “Okay, what else should we know?” Keryn interrupted Kevin.

  “I think it’s time that y Miboard for some of the things we’ve been looking into. He’s more experienow, but he’s still new.” Captain Ko Mick: “Young officer, I imagine you have a ton of questions. And I appreciate your uanding.”

  “But - what about Marcus? He needs help!” Kevin raised his voice.

  “We ’t do anything right now. If Tyler Khan is really bold enough to attack our prect, then I’d take it that he would have plenty of es to powerful people iy. So - we could only wait here.” Captain Ko sighed: “I will make some calls and see what I do. Oh, here’s ahing: don’t use your cellphones while in my house before su won’t work, and it could be a source of… hazard.”

  “Oh - captain?” Mick raised his hand.

  “Yes?”

  “What if they found us here? If we’re not able to call - ”

  “Then we’ll deal with them when they e.”