Red Light

100

City at Night: Part 4

Jiang Cheng received a text.

It was their assignment.

City Hall.

The buses were waiting.

He looked at his people. Sergeant Liu Tingyu stood in front. He thought of what could happen to her on the riot line and his heart cringed.

"Sergeant?"

"Yes, Inspector?"

"You will run the office and communications. Once we're out there, communication can falter from our commanders. When you get news, you will convey it to me asap using the chat between you, Feng Mingjing and myself. It should still work even if it's difficult to get phone reception." A slight grimace. "Use the office chat group if we're scattered. We may need escape routes back to a station. "

Liu Tingyu gently took off her helmet. The look between them revealed she knew exactly what he was doing.

"I will be ready, sir. I will be in the main comms. That should give me more information faster."

He nodded with a small smile. "We're in good hands then."

He shifted his gaze to include all his people.

"Keep your phones on you. If this goes to hell, use the info on the office chat group. Sergeant Liu will feed us escape routes if necessary. Grab other officers and bring them with you." He paused. "Now that we have a back up plan, we have been given City Hall as our assignment. They are using three different stations for this because it will be the focus of the protests."

He solemnly looked at the faces of his people.

"We are the front line. City Hall. We have the left flank. We have done riot line exercises so remember your SOP. We are professionals and we will stand firm."

He looked at over a hundred people as they stood ready to do their duty. More were still trickling in.

"I believe in each of you. We can do this and we will fulfill our duty. Understood?"

His voice was strong and commanding. He had no doubts.

"Yes, Inspector."

The officers looked at their Inspector. Bruised face but his eyes were clear and determined. He believed in them.

"Understood?"

"Yes, Inspector!"

"Load up!"
-----

Yu Qing was between patients in the Emergency Room when she took a moment to check her silenced phone for messages.

One from Nie Huaisang saying Yu Bin wasn't doing well. Her eyebrows furrowed.

Leaning over the desk, she told the nurse she was taking lunch and headed to see Yu Bin. As she walked, she scanned her other messages.

Jiang Cheng?

She read it and wondered. What the hell was going on that she would need a back up plan?