Captain Ko’s house was just as lonely and spacious as Kevin remembered. The house had a few brick walls, and some stained wooden frames. It had been a while since he last came here, and with the knowledge and experience he had gained since then, it was definitely one built with some ritualistic intent.

 

“This is - Captain Ko’s place?” Mick looked around, shivered and held his own arms: “Feels chilly - somehow.”

 

“Yeah. Don’t get used to it.” Keryn scoffed: “The captain doesn’t like visitors, like - at all. Last time we came here he made us wait outside and handed us umbrellas for the scorching sun.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Don’t know. And maybe we shouldn’t ask. He’s also forbidden us from coming here after sundown - but I guess we don’t have a choice.” Kevin knocked on the door of the house. “Captain Ko? Captain Ko I know you’re in there! We have an emergency! We have an emergency! ”

 

He waited for a while, but there was no answer.

 

“Hey, Captain!” Kevin knocked on the door once again: “Please open up! Captain Ko! Open up!”

 

“Holy fucking shit.” Keryn stomped forward. Kevin ducked to the side and let her take her turn. With Qi on her palms, the frame of the door shook along with the door itself under her slams. If it was any other door, it would surely be dented if not broken. But right now, the door barely showed any signs of damage. “Captain! Open up! We have an emergency! The precinct’s under attack! ”

 

“Captain! Open up! If not Keryn’s gonna break your door down!” Kevin raised his voice.

 

“Captain! Open up! If not I’m gonna break your fucking door down!” Keryn also raised her voice, as she focused her Qi on her arms: “I’m gonna count to three! One, TWO - ”

 

“What the FUCK?!” The captain finally opened the door, tired, frustrated and visibly furious, much more so than any time they’ve seen before: “Are you out of your mind?”

 

“Yeah, maybe a little, but not as out as fucking Tyler Khan.” Keryn put her arms down: “He fucking attacked the precinct!”

 

“He what?!”

 

“And he is also chasing us. So - we need a place to lay low and figure out what’s going on. And we need people backing us up so we can fight back. ” Kevin said: “So sir - we really need your help here. Please, right now the situation is - ”

 

“ - dire, I understand. But - look, you couldn’t have chosen a worse time.” Captain Ko spoke through his teeth, and his hands were slightly trembling. Though he tried his hardest to hide his exhaustion, it was pretty clear to even Mick. “I - well, come on in then, my place is the place to hide - and you don’t have a choice. Come on, haven’t got all night!”

 

The inside of the captain’s house was even chillier than outside. There were only a few faint orange lights on the wooden panels embedded in the walls, plus some paper lanterns with actual candles inside dangling from some overhead wooden beams. Keryn looked around a few times, frowning. Before long, she whispered to Kevin: “This place - this place is kinda strange, be careful.”

 

“Sit, in the dining room. And don’t touch anything. And I mean ANYTHING. ” Captain Ko walked into the kitchen: “You want something to drink? I made some tea. Or do you want hot water? I don’t have soda or coffee. ”

 

Mick shivered and breathed in through his teeth: “It’s freaking cold in here, man. Captain, don’t you have heat in your place? My apartment is a fucking shithole and even they have heat.”

 

“Sorry, the heat’s - the heat’s broken. And it may take a while to fix.” Captain Ko answered from the kitchen.

 

Mick shivered, walked around while rubbing his own upper arms. Keryn and Kevin sat in two chairs, finally trying to take a moment to breathe and think about what happened and what they should do next.

 

“Okay - just a minute.” The captain sighed while still being in the kitchen: “The water boiler is - is not working properly and it may need a bit.”

 

“Umm - guys?” Mick asked with a trembling voice.

 

Keryn and Kevin turned towards Mick, who was standing by a sofa at the intersection between the living room and the dining room. They went to Mick’s side with lightened steps and followed Mick’s pointing finger. Tucked between the armrest of the sofa and its cushion, was a piece of torn up cloth with dark stains on it.

 

Kevin immediately took out a pair of spare rubber gloves in his pocket and picked the cloth up, examining the sofa while he did it. More stains remained on the sofa, wet, reeking of a slightly salty and rotten smell.

 

“Blood. Human blood, still fresh.” Kevin lifted the cloth up before his eyes and said with a frown: “And - ”

 

“And corrupted, thus the strange smell.” Keryn’s eyes glowed in a light green light: “And this looks like a piece from a shirt?”

 

Kevin turned around, just in time to meet Captain Ko’s eyes: “Captain? What is this?” 

 

Captain Ko sighed and paused for a moment, before continuing his way with a tray of three cups of tea in his hand: “Like I said, you guys couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

 

“Captain, what happened?” Keryn stood between Kevin, Mick and the captain. “Whose blood is that?”

 

“Brooklyn Payne.” Captain Ko sighed.

 

This answer shocked all three of them. None of them could pose another question for a moment.

 

“You were curious what kind of deal Brooklyn Payne made with me. This is it.” Captain Ko put the tray on the dining table: “Don’t worry, he’s not dead. And I didn’t kill him. If I wanted to do it I’d let him out there and NOT make this deal.”