TURNER
Talk. Your boss—does he know anything about Older Brother? Were they working together?
You talk in Fake Chinese to Fatty Choy, and he pretends to answer in some gibberish he’s making up as he goes along. Then in real Cantonese he says he’s not telling you shit. You turn to Green and Turner.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
He says he doesn’t know anything.
WOMAN (O.S.)
He’s lying.
You turn toward the woman, surprised.
GREEN
Wu, this is Detective Karen Lee. Although looks like you two have already met.
You turn to look at her, trying not to faint. Her cheekbones. Her earlobes. Her hair! Her hair should be on a commercial.
Karen Lee shakes your hand with an iron grip, flashes a smile, and that’s when you realize where you’ve seen her before: she’s the woman from the poster. Floating behind Black and White.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
Thanks.
LEE
For what?
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
Uh, for saving my life?
LEE
I know. I just wanted to hear you say it. Pretty good footwork back there, Will. We might be able to use a guy like you in undercover vice.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
You mean, like, a full-time role? Like—
LEE
Kung Fu Guy? Maybe. Anything is possible.
She looks at her hand, which you’re still holding. You let it go. She smiles and leans in. She smells so good.
She whispers to you: Let me do the talking. You nod, unsure why you’re going along with her, oh yeah, you are probably in love with her already, that’s why. She turns back to Green.
LEE
He knows something. But he’ll never snitch.
TURNER
(nods, clenches)
Honor is very important to these people.
LEE
Sure. Also, they’ll kill his family.
GREEN
(to Lee)
You learn anything?
LEE
You mean before you crashed my investigation and let the perp get away? Did I learn anything before all that shit happened?
GREEN
I’m sorry it went down like that, Karen. But we’ll get him.
TURNER
Fong’s probably halfway to Hong Kong by now. The money got away.
Lee holds up an Hermès bag.
LEE
Nope. Here’s the money.
Turner takes it, opens it, turns it over.
TURNER
Empty.
LEE
Not in the bag. The money is the bag.
GREEN
(getting it)
Counterfeit?
LEE
Fong was running fake luxury goods. Chinatown’s number one export.
GREEN
So what’s our next move?
LEE
(turns to you)
I bet you know where they make those bags.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
I do?
LEE
You do.
And then you understand. It’s the bridge into the next scene, how Black and White works, the plot humming along from clue to clue. You’re along for the ride, part of the story now. Just follow along, and she’ll keep you safe.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
Right. I do.
LEE
Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go.
Karen looks at you as if to say, you and me, we’re in this together. The way she looks at you makes you melt a little bit and then you realize your back is wet, and you wonder if maybe you are actually melting? You touch your shirt, which is soaked with sweat from the fight, except it’s only on your right side, and you look at your hand and see it’s covered in blood, just like the floor under you. A lot of blood. Your blood. Which is when your legs give out, and then you fall down.
GREEN
No!
(to a patrolman)
Get a medic here—this, uh, Asian Man has been shot.
Turner takes a knee, crouching low to talk to you.
TURNER
You helped our investigation.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
Now you nice to me?
GREEN
I won’t forget this. We won’t forget it. You have brought honor on your family.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
Wait, what?
TURNER
You’re dying, man.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
What? Already? Are you sure?
TURNER
I’m sure.
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
I don’t understand. How can I be dying? I just made it.
(to Karen)
I just met you.
Detective Lee looks resigned, but unsurprised.