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As Marcus reached the door, he heard a young man's voice from inside, mixed with Mindy's laughter.
"Mindy, Mindy! Sing the Kung Fu Song. Watch Dragon Claw, Lotus Drift, Scorpion Palm, Kangaroo Jump, Twin Winds to the Ears, Head Smash Walnut closely…"
Damon's voice followed immediately.
"Jimmy! Stop right there. If I catch you teaching Mindy this nonsense again, I'll really have you smashing walnuts with your head!"
Mindy, on the other hand, was laughing happily. She even mimicked Jimmy's movements, chanting excitedly.
"Mouse Steals Cheese, Antelope Leap, Flying Kick, Supernova Burn, Flamingo Step, Buffalo Hits Mouse, Jackal Catches Rabbit, Giant Axe Chops Tree…"
She suddenly looked up.
"Uncle Marcus!"
Jimmy, who was already fleeing in panic, shouted back, "Mindy, you got that wrong. There's no move called 'Uncle Marcus'!"
"Marcus?" Damon stopped chasing Jimmy when he saw Marcus standing at the door in a full police uniform. His expression turned serious. "Why are you here?"
At that moment, Jimmy glanced at the man whose gun, despite being holstered at his waist, had failed to trigger even a hint of danger in his instincts.
"Hello, officer," Jimmy said politely. "Our warehouse is legally leased. All paperwork is in order, taxes are paid, and we've even made donations to the precinct. Is there something you need?"
"Oh, you've misunderstood," Marcus replied calmly. "I'm here to see Damon. We're friends."
"All right," Jimmy nodded. "Then enjoy your conversation, I should head home."
He rubbed Mindy's head gently.
"Goodbye, Mindy, Goodbye, Damon."
Then he turned and left.
…
"He is…?" Marcus asked quietly.
"I'd advise you not to be curious," Damon replied. "He's my boss, A writer."
He paused, then added, "He also has an uncle named Tony, Tony Stark."
"He's far more dangerous than Frank," Damon continued flatly. "And he's also one of the people your department serves."
"Come on, let's talk inside."
…
Inside the room, Damon poured Marcus a cup of coffee and added three cubes of sugar.
"Marcus," Damon said, "why did you still come? I don't believe you're here just to see Mindy."
Marcus looked around the room.
"This place is nice," he said slowly. "Feels like a home."
He took a sip of the coffee.
It was exactly how he liked it.
And that made everything feel even more wrong.
This was Damon's workplace.
How could it look like a home?
Even if Damon wanted to, no employer would allow it.
And Damon had just claimed that the young man was his boss?
Yes, Marcus had felt a moment of pressure earlier but that didn't make him stupid.
If that man truly held such a status, why would he let an employee chase him around?
And if he were really that important, why would he help Damon at all?
Rich people.
Rich people had no conscience.
…
"Of course, things are different when you meet a wealthy boss," Damon replied calmly. "How's life at the precinct? Should be pretty good, right?"
"Frank must be donating plenty to the department."
"With that kind of funding, the Christmas tree probably grows another meter taller every year."
That thinly veiled sarcasm only strengthened Marcus's suspicion.
The one retaliating against Frank…
It was almost certainly Damon.
"Damon!"
"What?"
"We were partners for so many years," Marcus said firmly. "I know you as well as I know my own hands. You don't need to act like this."
"I know it was you."
"But do you have any idea?" Marcus continued. "He's gone insane."
"Frank going crazy has nothing to do with me," Damon replied coldly. "It's not like it's because of me…"
Damn it.
The moment Damon said that, he knew he had slipped.
"I didn't say who," Marcus replied calmly, looking straight at Damon.
Damon fell silent.
Marcus continued, his voice firm.
"You should stop this, Damon. Do you have any idea what Frank is doing right now?"
"He's made a list, Everyone who ever crossed him, or whom he crossed, is on it. And he's retaliating one by one."
"He's gone insane."
"You don't need to do anything. At this rate, he'll drag himself straight into the abyss."
"Marcus," Damon snapped, "are you even a cop anymore?"
"Do you realize how many innocent people will be hurt if he keeps retaliating like this?"
"How can you say something like that?"
"You're asking me?" Marcus shot back.
"Vigilantism, Extrajudicial killings."
"Give me a break, what you're doing isn't any better than what I am."
"I stay on the force so there can be one less dirty cop."
"And you? You hate evil so much, yet you still dragged your family down with you and ruined your own life."
He paused, then softened his tone slightly.
"Sometimes, being too rigid and too persistent isn't a good thing."
"You can't fight crime if you can't even protect yourself."
"And if you can't protect yourself, how do you plan to fight crime at all?"
Marcus exhaled.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring this up."
"But have you thought about Mindy?"
"If something happens to you, what happens to her?"
Marcus spoke out of genuine concern.
"That's why we're different," Damon replied quietly.
"Thank you for your concern, but it's time for you to leave."
"Finish your coffee. After today, you don't need to come looking for me again."
"Mindy and I are doing just fine."
Marcus looked at Damon for a long moment, then shook his head helplessly.
Before leaving, he glanced outside at Mindy playing.
"You'd better be careful," he warned. "Frank D'Amico has completely lost it."
"And Gigante is helping him."
"For Mindy's sake, watch yourself."
Marcus turned and left.
Damon watched him go, then shook his head.
"You choose self-preservation."
…
Soon after, Jimmy received a message from Damon.
To prevent Frank D'Amico's retaliation from continuing to harm innocents, they were preparing a full-scale assault.
They would end Frank D'Amico once and for all.
But before that, they needed everyone gathered in one place.
A single, decisive strike.
The opportunity came quickly.
The fifteenth of the month.
Frank's meeting day.
By tradition, everyone would be present.
When the time came, all they needed to do was fight from the first floor to the top.
Once Frank fell, his entire organization would collapse.
The only problem—
Too many people.
Damon hesitated, wondering whether they should thin the numbers beforehand.
Jimmy smiled and waved it off.
"No problem."
"All you need to do is monitor from the building across the street."
"Block the signals. Cut all phone lines and network cables."
"That's it."
"Charging straight in," Jimmy said lightly, "is what I'm best at."
Hearing this, Damon hesitated instead.
"Maybe you should stay outside," he said slowly. "I'll go in."
"If I don't make it out…"
"Please take care of Mindy for me."
"Or send her to Marcus."
Jimmy stared at him.
'What is this, a last will? I'm not your Nanny, take care of your own kid'
"Relax," Jimmy said confidently. "I haven't been fooling around all this time."
"I've improved. A lot."
He clenched his fist and flexed his arm.
"Oh, right. We've got one more teammate this time."
"Horus, come here."
A red eagle glided in silently and landed on Jimmy's shoulder.
Damon's expression darkened.
"Jimmy," he said seriously, "I'm not part of any animal protection organization."
"But in a hail of bullets…"
"You're really bringing an eagle into this?"
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