Thosewhocouldaffordabetterlifehadlongsincemovedawaywiththeirfamilies.Mostunitsinthisbuildingwerehollowshellsnow,inhabitedonlybystraycats,dogs,ortheoccasionalchildbraveenoughtosneakin.Homelessdrifterssometimessquattedfhtortwo,buthemstayed.
Luhadclimbedtheranksquicklyinhisearlyyears,butaftermakingcaptain,hiscareerftlined.Everyoneknewwhy:noes,nobag.Thiswasasfarashewouldevergo.
Eventually,hegotusedtoit.
Itwasn''''''''tthatLuhadhoughtaboutsettlingdown.Itwasthatnowomaninherrightmindwouldwanthim.
Beingahomicidedetectivewasdangerous,exhaustingwork.Butsomeoodoit.Hisoldcoll
Hefoughtcrime,upheldjustice,hadadetfadrightastheycame.Sowhycouldn''''''''thendagirlfriend?Atleastifhediedinthelineofduty,theywouldburyhimiyrs''''''''cemetery.Thegoverwouldcutaheftycheck—forthefamilyhedidn''''''''thave.
Moxioftenteasedhim:"Ifyou''''''''dbeensmart,youshould''''''''vegorafficorpatrol.Anythingbuthomicide."
OnlyLu,thehomicidecaptain,remained.
Andreally,whocaredabouthistoryanymore?
lition.Theirjagged,soot-stainedrooftopsofthesecrumblingstructureshuogetherinthecrampedskyline,dwarfedbythesapphire-blueskyscrapersglitteringiaheirgssmonolithsglitteringlikegemstones.
Sure,younggirlswouldgushoverhim,callinghim"BrotherLu"withthatmixofaweandgirlishfantasy.Butthatwasallitwas—fantasy.Noonewasfoolishenoughtothemselvestoamanlikehim.Womeoosmartforthatnow.
Weird,hethought.Evensecurityguardsflirtingwithnannieshadbetterluckthanhim.
Whenhewasyounger,Luhadhalf-heartedlytrieddating.
Hehadnomoney,nofamily.Sowhatdiditmatterwherehelived?Thisoldapartmeohimbyhisparents,wasstillstanding.Aslongasthepowerstayedon,theroofdidn''''''''tleak,andnoonecametoevicthim,hewouldstayhere.Maybeuntilthedayhedied.
TheapartmentitselfwaslikearottingbamboosliptossedamongapileofDVDs.Outofpce,fragile,quietlywhisperingitsownhistory.
Noattatsmeanthewasalwaysfree.Noparents,ives,nopressuretocarryonthefamilyline.hometoworryabout,sohecouldthrowhimselfintoeverycasewithouthesitation.