Adrian took a sip from the small whiskey flask-like bottle that Julian had handed him. He savored the fiery drink, letting its rich warmth linger on his palate. Glancing at Julian behind the wheel of the Crow, he noted the young detective's cautious approach to driving. Julian, clearly new to the experience, gripped the large steering wheel tightly and proceeded with deliberate slowness. Adrian resisted his instinct to intervene, allowing Julian to learn and make his own mistakes. After all, the PD covered any damages to the vehicle, as long as they occurred during official duty.
As Julian navigated the vehicle, his inexperience evident in the occasional hesitant turn and honked horn at a slow-moving horse-drawn carriage, Adrian restrained himself from offering unsolicited advice. Instead, he settled into his seat, noting that his own relaxed demeanor contrasted with Julian's nervousness.
"So, tell me about the 'Fat Beaver' attack. Did your team find anything noteworthy there?" Adrian asked, adjusting his posture to a more upright position, realizing that he had been sitting far too casually in front of Julian.
Julian replied without taking his eyes off the road, his focus on the path ahead. "Honestly, Mr. Belinsky, it was rather unremarkable. Broken furniture, shattered glass," he paused as he executed a sharp turn, "I'm not entirely sure why we were sent there. None of the eyewitnesses were willing to cooperate with the police."
"Well," Adrian began, reaching for a cigarette, "I thought that if the Alderians were behind the attack, there might have been a message they wanted to convey. But from your description, it sounds more like a typical skirmish between rival gangs."
Julian, noticing Adrian's intention to light up, promptly rolled down his window, allowing the evening breeze to infiltrate the car. "'Fat Beaver' was just one of the establishments hit last night, and all the others also belonged to Cliffnail. So, you might be onto something; it could be an internal gang conflict."
"Were Niko or Irina Cliffnail present at the scene?" Adrian inquired, exhaling a plume of smoke.
"Yes, Niko was there," Julian confirmed, "He was engaged in a heated argument with Mr. Orlin." Julian hesitated before continuing, "Forgive me for saying this, but Vincent seemed utterly defeated, enduring Niko Cliffnail's insults as if he were his subordinate, not a representative of the Department. It's not a good look for us."
Adrian couldn't help but smile at the news. "When I first joined the Department fifteen years ago, I, too, had a rather skewed perception of our capabilities," he admitted, taking another puff of his cigarette, releasing a cloud of smoke into the car. Julian, struggling with the smoke, leaned closer to his open window, gasping for fresh air. "Back in my day, the situation was dire. But now, I'm not entirely certain what we've become—essentially a glorified security service for the wealthiest gangs."
"And it appears we're not even excelling at that," Julian remarked, managing a chuckle. "I suppose Niko Cliffnail has every right to be upset... as a valued customer, of course."
Adrian burst into laughter. "You're absolutely right, Julian."
"Regarding the Alderians," Julian continued, "I have a theory. In their previous attacks on gangs, they left behind posters, propaganda bulletins, and graffiti as their signature. None of that was present at the 'Fat Beaver' or the other targeted establishments."
"Excellent observation, kid," Adrian acknowledged, tossing his cigarette out the window, "but we can't rule out the possibility that they hired another gang to carry out this operation."
"Do you think they enlisted another gang's help?" Julian asked surprised.
"It's entirely possible. In the past, the Alderians had strong connections with E.C.H.O. group until they had a falling out over political ideologies."
"E.C.H.O.? I've never heard of them," Julian admitted.
"Yes, it stands for 'Epoch of Change, Hope, and Opposition.' They largely went underground after we apprehended their ideological leader, Viktor Voss, who's now serving time in a distant prison."
Julian shook his head in disbelief. "Why do these underground movements always have such convoluted names?"
Adrian chuckled. "Perhaps they believe it makes them sound more intelligent." He shifted his gaze outside the car window and pointed to a three-story building with an exquisite dark emerald facade adorned with hints of gold. Tall, imposing windows reflected the warm glow of streetlights.
"We've arrived," Adrian declared. "Park in front of this building."
Julian, stepping out of the Crow, closed the door with utmost care—quite the contrast to Adrian's more casual approach. "So, this is the Central Library?"
"Yes, a marvelous piece of architecture. They don't construct buildings like this anymore," Adrian remarked, gesturing toward the structure. He then pointed across the street to another imposing building. "And over there, my young friend, is the medical school—the same one Alina Kopsky and Johnny Terenkin attended."
"Shall we go in?" Julian asked, adjusting his brown hat.
"Absolutely. Let's proceed," Adrian replied, and together they headed toward the Central Library, ready to uncover more about Johnny Terenkin's past and any possible connections to the Alderian Labor League.
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