Chapter Twenty-Three

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I slouched back into the lab, picking up my mask and goggles on the way. One of the scientists was sweeping the swollen powder from the spill area. The rest of the group had gathered at the far end of the lab, away from the fumes. Su-jin was putting the finishing touches on a bandage wrapped around Dr Russell’s thigh wound. The biologist was looking a little pale, but she was alert. She glanced at me as I came in, then looked away, eyes downcast.

I couldn’t find it in myself to be angry at her. I hadn’t been able to shoot her, and I didn’t even care about her all that much. How could I expect her to sacrifice the rest of her family?

Su-jin glanced up and gave me a questioning look. I shook my head once. She got the picture. We were screwed.

None of the other scientists met my eye. I could tell they were scared of me. Suited me fine. I wasn’t in much of a talking mood anyway.

When Su-jin finished bandaging Dr Russell, she came over and leaned beside me on a lab bench. The sling on her arm was now stained with the biologist’s blood.

“He got away,” I said quietly, so only Su-jin would hear. “He must’ve had a car to get Dasari out of the area so fast.”

“We can find him,” Su-jin said.

I shook my head. “Why bother?”

“He had a reason for taking the handler. We need to understand why—”

“Jesus,” I said. “Drop it, will you? It’s done. Don’t you see?” I waved my hand at the patch of acid-soaked powder in the corner. “That was all we had. You understand that? We have nothing that will kill Tempest now. The war is going to begin again. And we already lost it. Right here, in this room.”

“You are a soldier then?”

“What?” Sometimes Su-jin’s English was a bit off.

“Are you a soldier?”

“Of course I’m not.”

“Then why do you care about war? War is not your business.”

I sighed. “Jesus. Let it go, Su-jin.” I dug the pack of smokes out of my pocket and put one between my lips.

Su-jin grabbed it out of my mouth and tossed it into the corner.

I slammed my fist down. “Goddamn it. What? What do you want from me?”

“I want you to do your job, detective.”

I tilted my head back and silently asked God to strike me down and save me from this bullshit. “You’re going to give me the same speech I gave Lindsey, is that it? Guess what, Su-jin? Lindsey fucked off. You know why?” I tapped the side of her skull. “Because she’s the only one of us that has any damn brains.”

Su-jin’s good arm darted up and snatched my finger as I tapped her temple once more. She twisted and pulled it down, almost to the point of breaking. I grunted. Her face remained calm, but her voice took on a metallic edge.

“You are a pathetic man,” she said. “A poser. You care for yourself, for glory, for congratulations. I have always disliked you.” She released my finger. “But today you showed one aspect of yourself I can respect. Tempest killed our people. Good people, good detectives. Do you know what happens when a police detective is killed in the line of duty? Every police officer in the city will help hunt down the person responsible. They do not stop until they find that person. That person will learn what it means to kill a policeman. Tempest needs to learn what happens when he kills our people. The other Maydays, they are nothing. We break Tempest, they will fall.”

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