It was dark when Zanya stepped out of the entrance to the Medicaid clinic the blood bank was part of. She'd changed into jeans and a leather jacket over a dark sweater. She turned and started down the busy street, catching glances from the groups of men hanging out and doing their macho. The sidewalk was lined with discount stores and repair shops. Fast-food smells drifted around her.

Across the street, the shadowy figure of Strasser stepped out of a tenement's recessed doorway. He paused before following a course parallel to Zanya's, hanging back a little, keeping parked cars and street traffic between them. He kept her in sight until two blocks down she turned a corner and disappeared.

He jogged across the street, dodging traffic, and ran to catch up. Stopped at the corner and eased his head around the bodega there. Caught a glimpse of her passing under a streetlight. She was heading for a section of darkened industrial buildings, far enough ahead of him so he could follow her again without being seen.

But he found himself having to jog again, because for every stride Zanya took he had to take at least two. It was like she was gliding, no effort, and he had to double-time to keep up. Who the hell is this?

After another few blocks, Strasser glad he was in halfway decent shape, they were surrounded by abandoned factories, the sidewalks now dark and deserted.

Zanya stopped beside a derelict warehouse, its loading bays piled with years of junk, and looked up at the fire escape. The lowest landing was at least twenty feet off the ground, its ladder pulled up so it couldn't be accessed from the street.

Strasser sidestepped into a narrow alley, peered out at Zanya who was checking the murky sidewalk. All clear, she lined herself up with the fire escape, flexed her knees and sprang upward. Vaulted straight up and landed without effort on the first landing's railing. She sprang off that and flew up to the next one, kept going up and up, railing to railing.

Strasser stared from the alley. "My blood did that?"

He watched until Zanya reached a landing that was two stories down from the top. She yanked open the landing's window and disappeared inside, Strasser thinking that was an interesting private entrance she had.

He stepped out from the alley to get a better look, stood staring up at the window, trying to think how to play this.

Suddenly he was lit by approaching car lights.

He whipped around, caught in the beams, the only ones on the street.

He stepped aside as the car pulled up and the driver's window rolled down.

"Hello, Strasser."

He knew the voice. "Sergeant Lagnese..."

The man behind the wheel was Detective Sergeant Mario Lagnese, Strasser's squad supervisor and chief antagonist. Strasser could see the lower half of Lagnese's partner, Detective First Grade Paul Finnerty, sitting in the shotgun seat.

"We saw you turn off the boulevard back there," Lagnese said. "Thought for a minute you were onto something."

"If I was, I'm not now," Strasser said. "Us running our mouths in the open like this."

"Watch your tone, Detective."

"Actually, I was just getting in some practice, Sergeant. You know, keeping my edge."

"Ah, right, edge."

Strasser saw him glance up at Zanya's building.

"What's up?" Strasser said, wanting the Sergeant's attention back on him. "You got something for me?"

Lagnese shook his head. "No, just checking. We'll let you know when we do."

"Good."

"Just wanted to make sure you're happy."

"Happy?"

"You know – your new situation."

"I'm ecstatic," Strasser said. "Thank you for asking."

"No need to be sarcastic, Detective."

"Not my style, Sergeant."

"Good." Lagnese held him with a narrow look. "You just keep working on that edge of yours, being new to the neighborhood."

"I will."

"You never know when you'll need it."

The window rolled up and the car pulled away. Strasser watched it drive off.

Inside, Finnerty shifted around in the passenger seat. "No wonder they transferred his ass, friggin' wiseguy."

Lagnese glanced in the rearview. "Be interesting to find out what really went down."

"Be interesting to see what he's up to right now."

Lagnese glanced over.

Finnerty shrugged. "I mean, he wasn't standing there just playing with himself."

Lagnese turned his eyes back ahead, thinking.

Finnerty said, "Why don't we take the next street and I get out. See what I can see and let you know on the phone."

Lagnese stayed quiet, came to the corner and made the turn. Drove another couple of hundred feet and pulled over.

Finnerty unclipped his seatbelt and opened the door.

Lagnese said, "Don't let him see you." 

"Not to worry," Finnerty said, and got out.