[Jake's POV]
The message was delivered, but the underlying problem remained.
The penthouse of the Golden Koi was dark. Floor-to-ceiling windows made the room feel like it was floating above Macau. Outside, the city buzzed with neon and traffic, but inside it was quiet. Too quiet.
The only light came from a secure tablet on the glass table. It cast a cold blue glow across my face and across the polished surface. Every time I swiped, the screen made a soft hiss.
I was reviewing the municipal police deployment maps. Red lines and blue dots moved slowly under my finger. The tablet was warm from use.
Li sat across from me. A cup of tea rested untouched in front of her. Steam rose from it in a thin white curl, then disappeared into the cold air. The room smelled faintly of jasmine and dust.
The air conditioning blew down from a vent above us. It was too strong. It raised goosebumps on the back of my neck and made the papers on the table shift slightly.
