Lan Zhan checked his watch again. It had been over thirty minutes since his brother had called for a new room.

No word. Nothing.

He was done waiting. There was a corpse in the corner. An assassin handcuffed at the end of a bed

This was no place for the boys or Wei Ying.

He stood just as Nie Mingjue arrived back.

"Watch them for me." Lan Wangji said with determination.

Nie Mingjue grabbed his uninjured arm.

"Where are you going?" he asked rather reasonably.

"I'm getting Wei Ying and the boys out of here. It's too much, and they're taking too long." His voice was almost a growl.

"Have you looked at yourself lately? You have blood on the remains of your shirt, and you look half crazed. If anyone sees you wandering the halls, they're going to be terrified." he sighed. "I agree with you, though. We have to get those kids out of here. You stay here. I'll see if there's an empty room nearby."

The detective was surprised, but he nodded.

"Just hurry." He looked seriously at Nie Mingjue. "Please.

"I will."

As he started to walk to the nurse's station,Nie Mingjue thought about the recovery room and his brother. He had stayed for a few moments after Yu Bin had been taken back for surgery.

"You okay." he had somberly asked his brother.

"No. Not really. Yu Bin had to kill to save me... but I saw it. The Warrior Angel, Da-ge." Nie Huaisang's voice was raw.

Nie Mingjue hugged his little brother.

"You did well, di-di." he whispered.

Huaisang nodded then moved away. He was looking at the floor.

"Can you go back and make sure the others are ok?" His voice was quiet. Still as his body was.

Mingjue knew his brother well. He needed time to deal with this his own way.

"If you need me, just call." he said softly as he turned to leave.

"Thank you, Da-ge." There was a wealth of words in that simple phrase.

Mingjue nodded and smiled slightly as he slipped through the doors.

He knew he'd have to check up on Huaisang soon. Just to be sure.

A call on his walkie-talkie broke him from his reminisces.

"Inspector?"

'Steve Chen?' he wondered.

"Yes. ID, please."

"It's Steve. I need your help."

Mingjue grunted and listened carefully.

Ten minutes later, the inspector was back in the room with a pile of warmed blankets.

"We're leaving." Mingjue announced. "I won't say anything else because there are ears here. You first, Wei Wuxian."

He had Wei Ying stand. He wrapped him in a blanket and scooped him from the floor as if he were a child. There was a startled squawk, but no sounds of pain.

"I'll be back."

Outside the room was Steve Chen and a large, wheeled, industrial laundry cart.

"Your carriage awaits, sir." he grinned.

Before he knew it, Wei Ying was carefully deposited in the laundry bin on top of piles of towels.

"I'll bring the boys. We thought they'd do better if they knew you were waiting for them." Mingjue explained as Steve handed the Inspector a doctor's coat.

"Good idea." Wei Ying agreed.

In moments, a fully swathed A'Yuan joined his Baba in the laundry cart.

"You can look now, A'Yuan." Mingjue said.

Slowly uncovering his head, A'Yuan nervously peered out.

"Baba!" he said in a relieved voice.

"Shhh, Little Lion. We are hiding." Wei Ying said softly. He smiled as the boy snuggled closer.

"'Kay, Baba." the child whispered back.

Nie Mingjue didn't waste any time coming back with Sizhui equally wrapped. He was determined that neither boy would see the blood and gore. They had enough fodder for nightmares.

Lan Zhan joined them in the hall. Dressed in the doctor's coat, he had his and Nie Huaisang's bags in his right hand.

"I have your pictures and other items." he said quietly to A'Yuan, who smiled at him.

"Thank you, Uncle." was the soft response.

The bags were deposited next to Sizhui, who had uncovered his head as soon as he felt himself put down.

"We're going to cover you up so you look like laundry. Less questions." Steve mentioned as he placed a single blanket over them and then dumped a few in lumps and piles on top of it.

Together, the three men started down the empty hallway. Escorting the laundry cart and its precious contents away from the crime scene.

------

Sergeant Liu Tingyu was a busy woman. She had set up an impromptu desk in a corner of the Command Center. She'd been there less than an hour when one of the regular center officers had quietly given her access to everything.

Jiang Cheng had more than one reason for placing her where he did.

Tingyu was one of those nice people who it was easy to talk to, and before anyone knew it, she had whole life stories, clues to crimes, or access to places she most likely shouldn't.

Like now.

She had spent the night feeding information to Jiang Cheng and working out three different escape routes she kept a watchful eye on to make sure they stayed clear. She wasn't sending her brethren through a gauntlet if she could help it.

Her phone rang, and she answered without thinking.

"Inspector, the three routes are still open, and the recent computer estimate is approximately sixty-eight percent of the crowd has dispersed."

"I'm sure Jiang Cheng will be pleased to know that, Sergeant."

Liu Tingyue started and looked at her phone.

"Inspector Nie?"

"Good morning."

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"I have two requests for you. One I will save for later, but I read your file. You had interrogation training and experience earlier in your career. How would you like to utilize that training?"

"On who, sir, and I can't leave my post until my unit stands down."

"On an assassin that tried to kill Jiang Cheng's brother and possibly his nephew."

Her breath caught in her throat.

"Are they okay?"

"Yes, they are, thank the gods."

She suddenly felt like she could breathe again.

"Where are you?"

"Gusu Lan Hospital."

"You should know I've been up all night. This will not be my best work. Traffic is becoming more fluid as the night progresses, but it will still take some time to move them. How will you get them here?" Her voice was all business.

"I'm not. I want you to come here. They will have several chances to tell me what I need. You will give them these chances. Then, I will step in. At that point, the nice is over." His voice was strained and tight. There was fury being masked by the thinnest veneer of civility.

She swallowed.

"There are limitations, sir. I will not cross them nor allow you to." There was no disputing her stance.

"That's what I'm hoping for, Sergeant."

There was a moment of silence.

"Accepted. I will tell my inspector, though."

"Agreed."

"Does he know what happened?"

"No. We have been taking care of our injured." His voice was thick with anger again.

"Who was hurt, sir? Will everyone be okay?"

"Yu Bin, Lan Wangji and Peng Zhan. They will all be fine in time."

"Yu Bin? That sweet boy?" The Sergeant was shocked.

"I need to tell Jiang Cheng. Where is he?"

"On the riot line outside City Hall, sir."

"I don't want to distract him while he's on a riot line. Can you let me know as soon as they are released?"

"Of course, sir. Is there anything else?"

"Come dressed in civilian clothes. I will wait for your call."

The line went dead, leaving the Sergeant with a lot to think about.
-----
Huaisang tapped his favorite fan on his chin until he remembered it was bloody.

"Fucking hell!" he snarled on his way to the bathroom to rinse his face.

He looked at himself in the mirror. Blood smeared around on his chin with flecks of dried blood for accent.

He carefully washed his face. Trying to focus on the feel of the water running over his hands. The cool splash on his face. The rough texture on the paper towel on his skin.

Feeling a little more centered, he reached for his phone and placed a call.

He looked at the fan in his hand. It was the fourth 'favorite fan' he had bought in eleven years.

The call was answered.

Without preamble, The Spider announced, "I need a new favorite fan. Send six."
~♡~♡~♡~
Sorry it is so short. I'll try for longer next time!

Huge Hugs for All!

❤️🍫🫖❤️