Luke woke up with a bit of a hangover and staggered to the bathroom, filling the tub with hot water.
While the water was running, he brewed a pot of tea and started bathing while sipping tea.
Lying in the bathtub, Luke thought about last night's wrestling match.
All those bikini beauties on stage, battling it out. Busty, slim-waisted, long-legged; you could see everything clearly.
Luke really wanted to ask them where they bought their razors, so clean and pretty.
The atmosphere was electric, with cheers and applause going back and forth.
Luke was also feeling a bit stirred up, wanting to find a girl to practice wrestling with.
After the match, Luke called Daisy, wanting to invite her to practice wrestling in the evening.
However, Daisy planned to work today and needed to rest early last night, so she declined Luke's request.
Leaving him somewhat frustrated, in short, he was just pent-up.
Luke was quite busy at work and had met someone even busier in Daisy. They didn't have much time to meet, and at his vibrant age, he was bound to feel unsatisfied.
The best solution would be to find a new fling.
Orty was pretty, had great temperament, and a model's figure, which seemed a good choice, but unfortunately, was a bit out of touch.
Let it be fate; maybe one day he'd meet a suitable one.
Last night, after watching the match with John, the two went to a bar, drank until midnight, and enjoyed the nightlife of Los Angeles…
After the bath, Luke's hangover wore off, making him feel revitalized and hungry.
He changed into a new set of clothes and prepared to find a restaurant to eat.
Luke drove to a nearby breakfast shop, run by a Chinese family. The son kneaded dough, the old man fried dough sticks, the old lady served rice, and the daughter-in-law was a waitress. The small shop was bustling with business, packed with customers, mostly Chinese but some white people too.
Luke ordered a serving of tofu pudding, two dough sticks, a tea egg, and a small plate of pickled vegetables. Don't underestimate the pickles; it's just a simple spicy cabbage shred, but the taste was really nice, something ordinary homes couldn't quite achieve.
The fragrant dough sticks paired with the pickles were perfect for getting rid of the greasiness.
"Ring ring…" Luke's phone rang.
"Hello, this is Reid."
"Chief, how was your Christmas?"
"Haven't you seen the news?"
"No." Luke had just gotten over his hangover and wasn't in the mood to watch news.
"Last night, a night patrol officer was killed on Mahave Street.
The police department's higher-ups are paying a lot of attention to this case. The chief hopes the Robbery and Murder Department will take over this case, and I will personally oversee it, so I want Squad One to take over the case," Reid added,
"I know you're on vacation, but this case is very important and crucial.
You are my most trusted subordinates."
A fellow officer being killed, Luke couldn't just stand by, "Chief, I'll gather everyone back."
Except for Port who was on vacation with his family, everyone from Squad One returned to the station.
Inside Squad One's office.
It had been a few days since everyone last met and they should have been chatting about Christmas fun, but learning of the officer's murder, the atmosphere was a bit solemn.
Blackie asked, "Did you watch the news?"
The deputy replied, "Of course, I'm used to watching news while having breakfast, have been doing it for decades.
The one killed was a young white night patrol officer, very excellent, very unfortunate."
Blackie pressed, "Was he killed while on duty?"
The deputy nodded, "That's what the news said, but it doesn't seem that simple to me. Every year there are patrol officers shot while on duty, most are attacked by suspects. In such cases, the patrol district usually handles it themselves, either shooting the attacker on the scene or launching a city-wide hunt; they don't hand over the case to the Robbery and Murder Department lightly."
Jackson nodded, "The deputy's right, from what I know of the patrol department, they do prefer to avenge their colleagues themselves, they're very united in this aspect."
Blackie looked at Jackson, "Weren't you going to Hawaii with your family? Why didn't you go?"
Jackson shrugged, "Not me, but someone else bailed on me."
The office door opened.
Reid entered the office and handed a document to Luke, "Guys, I'm sorry to end your vacation early.
The reason you all know.
A patrol officer from the Southern District was shot dead, and we haven't identified the killer yet, this incident has attracted the attention of the police department's high-ranking officers. After much thought, I feel the best to handle this is you guys.
After all, you are the best 'fighters' in all of Los Angeles."
The deputy waived, "Reid, cut the crap.
It's because there are other duty colleagues maintaining Los Angeles' order that we can take vacations and spend Christmas with family.
Now a duty officer is killed and we're only losing a few days of rest, what's to grumble about?"
Jenny echoed, "The deputy's right, we'll catch that bastard."
Jackson said, "It's our duty."
"I'll blow his head off directly, like a watermelon, splat…" Blackie pouted, and the sound effect was vivid.
Reid spread his hands, "OK, then I'll get right to the point and talk about the case."
Reid signaled Luke to put the materials on the projector, introduced, "The crime occurred around eleven last night.