"So that's the situation."
Li Jie tipped his chair back, propped both feet on the table, and spread a hand toward Nygma.
"Two A.R.G.U.S. agents. Prisoners, I guess? Informants? Or... something else? Waller fitted them with remote-controlled bombs. Can you remove those? Then turn them while you're at it, and have them get us some good stuff from Waller."
"Christmas is still seven months away, Jay. You don't need to start making wishes this early." Nygma looked down from the second-floor window. Harkness was reporting to Waller.
"...Nothing yet. We're at the very bottom right now..." Harkness spoke into his communicator with a miserable expression. "We haven't officially joined the police department. We're just temporary...
"What kind of work? Uh... right now we're handling some... interrogation support...
"What? That's not up to us. We're not in the same office area as that Otis guy... That's all for now. Someone's coming. Harkness out."
He put away his communicator, stood up, and thanked the officer handing out meals. "Thanks. Seriously, the food at your department is really good. Makes me want to stay a few more days."
The officer walked off, looking speechless. Upstairs, Nygma gestured toward Harkness. "What use do you think a guy like that could possibly be?"
"Maybe none." Li Jie lowered his legs, stood, and walked over. "But... I did share a meal with him, at least. Besides..."
He thought for a moment. "We should always try to make more friends and fewer enemies."
"All right." Nygma smiled. "Unfortunately, though, I might not be able to do it."
He returned to the table and pulled out a sketch. "We might find a way to deal with the bombs, but..."
He paused. "You know forensic pathology is my specialty, right? If I do it, they'll die on the dissection