Leaving Jesse's apartment building, Carlos didn't head straight home. He circled the nearby streets several times, and only when he was sure no one was tailing him did he walk toward the block where Old Joseph lived.
When he pressed the doorbell at Old Joseph's place again, the old man's voice carried a note of puzzlement: "Who is it?"
"Mr. Joseph, it's me again—Patrol Officer Carlos."
The door opened.
Old Joseph looked at Carlos, who had returned so soon, his face showing confusion.
Carlos didn't step inside; he simply handed the silver-plated pocket watch to the old man right there in the doorway.
"Is this it?"
Old Joseph froze. He reached out trembling, took the watch gently, and popped the lid. When he saw the familiar photo inside, his eyes reddened.
"It's her! Mary…"
Clutching the watch, the old man said excitedly, "Thank you… thank you, officer! God bless you! I thought I'd never see it again!"
"It's our job, Mr. Joseph," Carlos replied calmly. "Be more careful when you go out from now on."
"I will! I'll never take it out of the house again!" the old man nodded repeatedly.
Carlos didn't linger. After saying goodbye, he turned and left.
As he descended the stairs, a system prompt rang out in his mind:
[Ding!]
[Side quest: "Lost Pocket Watch" completed.]
[Quest rating: B. Item successfully recovered and returned to owner.]
[Rewards issued: 50 points; Old Joseph's favor; small increase in precinct reputation.]
[Current points: 50.]
Fifty points in hand. The rating was only a B, but points were points.
With the side quest done, Carlos felt a weight lift.
Back in his own apartment, he tossed the jacket that still smelled of Jesse's place into the washer, then took a shower.
He spent the rest of the afternoon studying the system mall.
Fifty points wasn't much, and Carlos had no high hopes for what it could buy, but what interested him more was this: the mall, unchanged for days, had updated the moment the fifty points arrived.
The once-gray skill card [Basic Stealth (30-min Limited Time Offer)] had regained a soft, enticing glow.
However, the time limit had dropped from thirty minutes to fifteen.
"So it's not really a new skill card at all!"
Carlos took a swig of beer, leaned back on the sofa, and kept scrolling.
Where the grayed-out item card [desert eagle (unlimited ammo)] had been, there now appeared [Lockpicks]. The image showed an open black leather pouch containing an array of small metal tools—some looked like ear picks, others like multi-purpose knives, about five in total:
[Note: Its biggest plus is that it can be stored in the system space.]
Carlos shook his head in boredom; the note was spot-on—those were the only perks the card offered.
Something like this could be bought online for a few dozen dollars. Spending fifty points, though not a fortune, was a lousy deal.
[Attribute Point: Strength +0.5]
That one was thoughtful; the enhancement scaled with the points you had.
Lastly, a new attribute card appeared:
[Attribute Point: Agility +0.5]
Carlos was tempted—Agility was the weak link in his base stats—but after a moment's hesitation he suppressed the urge and left the fifty points untouched.
What if he needed more strength soon?
The second day off dawned bright and clear.
Carlos took the initiative and called Sarah, arranging to meet at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Since restarting their relationship, the two got along better than before.
Back in their six months at the academy they'd been a couple but bickered constantly. Now, with fewer cloying sweet nothings, they had more tacit understanding.
After a short walk they picked a Mexican restaurant overlooking the river. The food was mediocre, but the view was superb: the East River sparkled in the sunlight, and the skyline of Lower Manhattan across the water stood crystal-clear.
"What are you looking at?" Sarah followed Carlos's gaze, sipping a spoonful of soup.
"Nothing—just zoning out."
Carlos pulled his eyes away.
He couldn't tell her that every time he saw Stark Tower he was gauging how dangerous this World was and how fast he needed to grow stronger.
Sarah shrugged and didn't pry, instead complaining again about how dull desk duty was.
"I told you, at least it's safe—actually pretty nice… but if you're interested, I can take you to the range next day off."
"Sure."
Sarah nodded.
"If you ever run into danger, you'll be able to protect yourself," Carlos said.
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Gangs would have to be idiots to hit an NYPD precinct, but yeah, I should train. I've seen plenty of homicides lately—ugh, forget it."
She grimaced, clearly shaken.
After eating, they strolled along the riverbank.
A little way along, Sarah said she wanted to check out a new Art District nearby.
Carlos wasn't particularly interested, but he didn't object.
The Art District had been converted from old factories and Warehouses; the streets were narrow, walls covered in graffiti. In front of a retro magic-themed shop, Sarah was drawn to an unusual necklace and went inside.
Carlos waited by the window, idly glancing toward the park—and suddenly froze.
Beside an old bookstore, at the mouth of an alley, a figure he recognized slipped out furtively.
It was a skinny young man in a conspicuous green old jacket, greasy hair, shifty eyes.
Carlos recognized him at once: Jesse.
The idiot hadn't even bothered with a hat.
Jesse glanced left and right, pressed the bulging pocket of his jacket, and, head down, melted into the thin stream of pedestrians.
A moment later, a bearded man stepped out of the alley. He wore a gray hoodie, hood up, his face wary and haggard.
He eyed the direction Jesse had taken, then warily checked the street-corner camera, crossed the road, and slipped into the park.
Carlos understood at once: to feed his habit, Jesse had moved past petty theft and into dealing.
[Ding!]
[Host has uncovered a key clue; side quest "Scour the Den" updated.]
[Target has two active sites: Jesse's apartment complex is the main stash; the Warehouse off the Art District alley beside the park is for repackaging and sales, possibly watched and rigged with crude alarms. Clearing the Warehouse first is advised for higher completion rating and bonus rewards.]
[Objective: wipe out the ring, seize contraband, appropriate cash.]
[Reward:?? points, Patrol Officer reputation boost, attention from Detective Bureau and ESU.]
[Time limit: 200 hours.]
A mere side-quest minion like Jesse had accidentally kicked off the main storyline.
After reading the prompts, Carlos exhaled in relief.
The generous timer meant that, if things got messy, he could still handle it on his next off-day.
"What're you staring at?" A pale, slender hand waved in front of him; Sarah's voice came from behind.
Carlos wiped every emotion from his face and turned to see her holding a paper shopping bag.
"Nothing—just spotted a familiar junkie fresh from a deal. Had no idea they were this blatant… mmph—"
Before he could finish, a warm arm hooked his neck and soft lips cut off his words.
Sarah let him go, grinning. "Come on—even if this isn't a date, you're still off duty. Hmm… let's go to my place."
"Huh? This early?"
Carlos blinked.
Sarah shot him a sideways glare. "You said no Sunday nights—but I don't want to go to your place either."
Carlos shrugged. "Fair, my bad. And yeah, I'm sick of that apartment too; house-hunting as we speak. Got something tonight, but it's not another woman—scout's honor."
"Mm-hmm. Well, I'm seeing another woman—ha! Look at that face; jealous?"
Carlos rolled his eyes.
Sarah giggled. "Relax, it's just girls' night. You know I'm not into chicks—though how far we'll go is anyone's guess. If I call begging for rescue, you'd better come. Might be getting gang-molested by those bitches…"
"Stop—so long as it's not guys, I'm fine. And if you ever want a girlfriend, invite me along."
Sarah flipped him the bird. "Move. Roommate's out—perfect time to hit my place. Prepare to be amazed, Muggle."
Minutes later, in Sarah's apartment, Carlos discovered the source of the "amazement."
At the vintage shop the little vixen hadn't just bought the necklace—she'd also snagged two wizard robes: one pristine, one "battle-damaged."
An hour later, on the pink king-bed,
Sarah's mind was still fireworks; her teasing had backfired gloriously.
Carlos stood on wobbly legs, grateful he hadn't blown his last 50 system points on a strength boost in the heat of the moment.
When he was half-dressed, Sarah finally resurfaced. "Jerk! I'm not a rag doll, you animal!"
Carlos, already sore, managed a smirk. "I'll take that as praise, witch."
Back in his own place, he chugged a can of coffee, crashed on the bed, and by dusk bounded out again, fully recharged.
He drove near Brooklyn Bridge Park, parked, and strolled along the river pretending to listen to music.
The angle gave him no view of the "Warehouse," only the alley where hand-offs happened. He circled behind the Art District and found a spot two blocks away.
On foot he reconnoitered approaches and exits, sketching mental routes in and out.
After nightfall he left the car in a busy late-night block, hailed a cab, and doubled back.
Leave it parked here and odds were it'd be gone when he returned.
Dark civvies, stick-on beard, ball-cap: he re-entered the Art District for a close look at the Warehouse and its guards.
Night deepened; the daytime buzz of the Art District had faded.
Well rested, Carlos ghosted behind the old bookstore into a narrower, quieter lane—every gate and courtyard locked tight.
Without pause he threaded onward through alleys, triangulating where the Warehouse must lie.