Bob McGinnis's office sat at the end of the hallway in the East End Police Department's new building, its window overlooking the expanded parking lot out back. When Li Jie pushed the door open, Bob stood at the window with his back to the door, staring blankly at the freshly washed patrol car below.
"Hey, boss."
"Sit."
Bob turned and returned to his desk, sitting down across from Li Jie. He took out a cigarette and lit it, then slipped the lighter back into his pocket.
"Trouble?"
"Tch..."
Bob took a drag, his expression hard to describe. He wasn't happy, but he wasn't sad either.
"What's wrong?" Li Jie asked. "You look like your... uh... sorry..."
"No need to apologize. It's not like you only started disrespecting me yesterday. Besides, my mother's been dead for years."
Bob sighed and stubbed out the cigarette after barely two drags. "There's something I need to tell you."
"Mm." Li Jie nodded. "I'm all ears, boss."
"I went to a meeting at City Hall today," Bob said, looking at him. "The council members, including the mayor, think you've done a good job."
"Oh?" Li Jie raised his eyebrows. "And? Are they giving me a bonus?"
"Tch. It's worse than that." Bob smacked his lips. "They want to promote you to police lieutenant."
"Huh? Police lieutenant?" Li Jie paused. "With my abilities, isn't that only natural?"
"Fair enough." Bob snorted. "But don't forget, the ones who criticized you for being too violent before were... them."
"Them? You mean..."
"I can't be sure..." Bob said, looking pained. "The real problem is that idiot Sarah agreed to it."
"Huh?" Li Jie was startled. "Sarah? She's with the Court of Owls too?"
"Impossible. If Gotham has two decent people left, they're the Gordons. People like them would never