The door to the chief's office clicked shut behind Li Jie, cutting off the faint hubbub from the hall outside. Bob all but scrambled behind his broad desk, dropping his heavy bulk into a leather swivel chair that groaned under the strain. He stuck a cigarette between his lips, clicking his lighter several times before it caught.
"Quick! Tell me! What have you got?" He lowered his voice, as though afraid some hidden bug might overhear him. "You know our regular budget can't even cover Kevlar helmets for the whole department, never mind dealing with those things crawling out of... out of whatever Azarath is! We need heavy firepower, specialized equipment, a goddamn vault full of money!"
"Boss, while I was on leave, did anyone... from Star City contact us?"
"Star City?" The sudden question caught Bob off guard, and he frowned. "Oh... I think there was something like that. A few days ago, the office of some charitable foundation in Star City sent an official letter. Something about sending a representative over to arrange a handover ceremony for a charitable donation."
"I figured it was another windfall you'd brought in, but the details in their letter were vague. I didn't want to say the wrong thing, so I gave them the official line. Said we'd make all the necessary preparations and they were welcome anytime."
Bob spread his hands. "Well? What's going on?"
"Actually... it's nothing much." Li Jie grinned. "I passed through Star City while I was on leave and attended a charity dinner. Someone wanted me to give a speech, so I picked up three million dollars from those rich folks while I was at it."
"Ha! They wanted you to give a speech? That reminds me of when The Roman... Three million!!!"
At that cry of