The line outside the Dancing Duck Tea House was already long when me and Gyn arrived. Regulars were ready with their tiffin boxes, each one eager to take home hefty servings of claypot rice and wonton mee. KanBo, the madam's nephew, was busy behind the counter dividing noodles into portions. Gyn didn't need to be told, she donned an apron and joined the crew.

Bags in hand, I made my way upstairs to the room I once shared with KanBo. The old "Do- All Jins" shop sign stood behind the door, gathering dust. I wondered if that thing will see the sunlight again. It seemed likely with what just happened a while ago. I shrugged off the sad thought as I absentmindedly made my way down the stairs that led to the kitchen, not noticing a man carrying a tray of grub.

"Oi, AJ! Heads up!" The man shouted. It was Xiao, one of Madame Yu's trusted lieutenants. He was anything but his name.

"Hey, Xiao. Sorry about that... Someone with the flu?" I asked, helping him with the tray of food. It was a bowl of congee, a mantou bun and yellow tea. Sick bed fare.

"Nope. A sap stumbled in our territory last night. Wong's group found him wandering about Temple Street. Gave him a beating. We know he's one of McGinty's goons but he's clammed up as to what he's doing there. If the Aces are daring enough to cross boundaries then McGinty's missus must be declaring war."

"They never learn, do they? Do they want to go back to the days before the peace treaties?" BG City's streets will run red again if what Xiao said turns out to be true. "Tsk... Ahpo seen him yet?"

"Not yet. I'm giving him until tomorrow to talk. Then she will see him. Think you're up to deliver some black- dot meat buns to the Irish?"

"Count me out of your troubles, Xiao. I'm not a member of the Tong, and I never will be. Can I see him? Maybe I know him."

"Sure." he answered.

I followed him to the room at the end of the hallway where a man named Ping stood guard. Ping unlocked the door to let us in.

A man slept on the dirty mattress on the floor. His blonde hair was matted with dried blood, and his mug looked like it was trampled on by a hundred speakeasy fiends on the lam.

"Wake up! You've got a guest!" Xiao shouted. I saw the man flinch.

"Bruce Buchanan, meet AJ. AJ, meet Bruce."

Poor guy. I put the tray beside his mattress and took a good look at his face. All I could see were his blue eyes and the sorry mulch he now calls his face.

'Well? Recognize him?"

I searched my head if I've ever met him before. He seemed familiar but I wasn't sure. "Nope, Xiao. I don't think so." I turned to leave the room and gave the man a piece of advice. "You better tell them what they want to hear, Bruce. You don't want to go home in a dimsum box, do you?"

********

"You're looking younger, ahpo." I greeted the old lady as I entered the kitchen. Madame Yu was busy mincing fish meat with her cleavers, while the crew buzzed around with trays of food. I joined her at the table and began to make siumai.

"And I told you to come for lunch. You're late." she said, her eyes meeting mine as her hands automatically chopped meat.

"Ai... There was some trouble earlier."

"By the look in your face, I could tell it's about Loren. This has something to do with the raid last night?"

The old lady has her roots firmly planted in the city, so it didn't come as surprise she knew about that raid. I nodded and told her everything that happened. Madame Yu listened quietly up to the part where Gyn and I hopped on Satchel's scooter and drove away. She dropped what she was doing then lit up her pipe. After taking a long drag, she blew the smoke right into my face. Next thing I knew, the old woman gave my head a good knocking. It reminded me why she was the boss of the NoLuks.

"I hope that hurts, Leung JinLi, because your ancestors can be sure I'd do it again to knock some sense on you!" She spat. "How could you leave that poor girl alone when she needs you most?"

I was about to speak out but the old woman didn't give me a chance. "You left her and your Boss! Alone! When you just told me a Spanish woman warned her that her life was in danger!" Her eyes rolled in anger. "You of all people, should know better than to leave two women, with a threat to their safety, alone in a big building like that! What if something happens to them tonight?"

I knew she was right. And I saw her hand coming but I made no effort to ditch it. I expected it to land smack right on my cheek, but instead it landed firmly on my shoulder.

"Oi, oi." she sighed. "I didn't raise an idiot, boy. Those two women have been nothing but good to you. Especially Loren. She deserves more than that." Her voice suddenly turned mellow. "and I trust you know what to do."

I took a deep breath. The old lady was right. I fished the scooter's keys from my pocket and was ready to go when the madam asked me to wait. "You can't go empty handed." She filled an ornate tiffin carrier to the brim with chicken rice and noodles and handed it to me. "I think I know that woman who gave Myna a visit. Don't worry for now. You need to go and do what you must."

I gave Madame Yu a bow and headed for the door. With the tiffin carrier secure in my hand, I sped through the streets of BG City, hoping to hear Loren's voice before this day is through.