Manhattan Reborn 1978

new York.

Early morning~

Wildfire Bar, 42nd Street, Manhattan.

Black Mike, who had been following Polly out early and back late recently, sat at the small table by the bar, eating breakfast and looking up at the morning news being played on the TV.

Mengo, the steel-toothed dog sitting at the small table at the entrance of the bar, swallowed the last bit of sandwich in his mouth and smiled at the street sweeper Old Hawk.

"I heard... your grandson, Little Hawk, often helps look after the cars of diners at Wildfire Restaurant, but he is unwilling to accept tips from others?"

"Yes~"

"He has been grudged by those bad boys..." Old Hawke tidied the table in front of him and said with a careless smile.

Menge also put some of the garbage at hand into a bag. Some of the words he said had already reached his lips, but he swallowed them back. .

Old Hawk seemed to notice something, smiled and changed the topic and said: "Old Bobby's deli has not been open for two days."

"I called his home, but no one answered."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"I'm a little worried about him and want to go over and have a look~"

"Old Bobby..." Menge, the steel-toothed dog, scratched his chin with his hand. He couldn't remember his home address for a while. .

Black Mike, who had just finished breakfast, used the remote control to turn down the TV volume and shouted to Old Hawke.

"You want to go to old Bobby's house?"

"Yes~"

"Wait a minute, come with me~ I'll take you there."

"Ok!"

"I'll lock the car and I'll be back soon~"

As Old Hawke spoke, he picked up the satchel he had brought, turned around, walked to the door of the bar, and walked out.

But when he just walked out of the bar, he saw a girl standing quietly on the street outside. .

Old Hawk looked at her carefully, smiled at this beautiful strange girl and asked, "Do you want to go in?"

"..Um!"

"Thank you!" The girl hesitated for two seconds, nodded to Old Hawke to thank him, and quickly walked into the bar from the position he gave up.

in the bar.

Menge, the steel-toothed dog, was facing the door of the bar. When he saw the girl walking in, he spread his hands and said, "We haven't started business yet~"

"You have one more hour..."

"Ruby?!" Before Menge could finish speaking, Black Mike shouted to the girl in surprise.

After Menge heard the name, he blinked quickly and quickly remembered who she was. .

The ex-girlfriend of this bar owner David Coleman, Ruby Scarvelli!

"Hi~ Good morning, Mike!" Ruby raised her hand and took off the scarf around her neck, with an unnatural smile on her lips, and waved to Black Mike.

"You are early too!"

Black Mike turned around and took out a cup from the bar, strode up to Ruby, and asked Menge who was watching the excitement.

"Do you have any hot coffee?"

"Um...yes!"

Menge stood up, limped with the coffee pot, poured a large cup of hot coffee for Ruby, then slowly returned to his original position, quietly raised his ears and began to "eat melon". .

Black Mike pushed the coffee cup to Ruby and chatted with her in a low voice~

. . .

About two 10 minutes later.

Old Rhett, who came to take over from the apartment upstairs, pushed the door and walked into the bar with a small bag in his hand.

He saw Ruby and Black Mike, the two were chatting and laughing, a hint of curiosity flashed across their faces~

Menge, the steel-toothed dog, took the initiative to follow Old Red to the bar, winked at him and whispered a few words.

Old Rhett nodded suddenly, and when he looked at Ruby, his eyes were filled with tears unconsciously. .

Emm. .

Menge saw all this, curled his lips and changed the subject, saying.

"The drink list that needs to be restocked today, Erica put it in the usual place."

"That guy Mike Bai didn't come back last night, and Erica was a little crazy..."

"So, I asked the bartender Bruce Willis to take Erica and Martha out for breakfast~"

"Hehe~"

Old Rhett took out the list from the drawer familiarly, looked at it a few times, and smiled.

"When I came in just now, I saw old Hawke teaching a few bad boys who bullied his grandson at the entrance of the alley in the distance."

"Did you say anything to him?"

"..Tsk~"

Menge bared his big silvery white teeth, tilted his mouth and muttered: "That old guy..."

"..." Old Rhett, who was also the "old guy" in his mouth, gave him a helpless look and said again.

"Why hasn't Polly come down today?"

"Is she going to be late for work?"

"Eh~ Yes!"

Menge, the steel-toothed dog, turned his head and glanced at the wall clock, then turned and waved to Old Red.

"The ledger and change from last night are all in the same place."

"I'll go upstairs and take a look."

"..." Old Rhett watched the furious Menge walk out of the bar, then glanced at Black Mike who seemed to be conscious, and shook his head gently.

. . .

After a few minutes.

Mengo the steel-toothed dog did not return.

Superintendent Oston, the person in charge of the Auxiliary Police Office diagonally opposite the Wildfire Bar, led a middle-aged man in.

Black Mike recognized the person at first sight, but he didn't show much emotion. He just waved to the person and said hello.

In the bar.

Old Rhett, who was wearing a pair of reading glasses and checking accounts with his head lowered, glanced at the two of them and felt that the people coming were familiar, without even saying hello. .

Superintendent Allston invited Ezra Cremo, head of the CIA's New York branch, to sit down in a corner of the bar and asked.

"You want to know about that Queens case?"

"Yes!"

Claymore nodded with a smile and gestured upward with his finger: "That's the Chasida who works upstairs!"

"..Hmm~"

Auston sat back in his chair, looked at the smiling Ezra Claymore, thought for a while and said.

"My subordinate Far Pocchivino is most familiar with this case..."

"He was involved in almost all police investigations and arrests."

"However, after the FBI took over this case, many clues and files have been handed over from us~"

Claymore smiled and nodded: "I have made an appointment with Harold to discuss this matter in his office later."

"But for this kind of case that involves transnational investigation and pursuit, the FBI can only cooperate with the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) headquartered in Europe and report the case."

"As for how ICPO will investigate the case, what step it can take, and whether there will be a clearer result in the end..."

"No one can say for sure~"

"So..." Ezra Cremo closed his mouth and looked at Auston quietly, the rest of his meaning being self-evident.

Of course, Auston also understood that the complexity of this case was far beyond his authority and ability, and he nodded slowly.

"I will arrange for Farr Pochivino to cooperate with all your investigations..."

"Second me!"

Claymore suddenly said: "We will issue a temporary loan letter and let Farr come over to help me for a while. How about it?"

"Of course!"

"When this case is over, Farr still wants to go back..."

"Okay!" Auston waved to interrupt Claymo, stood up, straightened his coat, stretched out his right hand to him, and whispered.

"Far Pocchivino will be in your office before lunch."

"Thank you!" Claymore shook hands with Auston very politely, with a smile in his eyes.

"Um.."

Auston looked at him deeply, waved his hand, and walked out of the Wildfire Bar.

Claymore stood there and paused for a moment, then followed his footsteps and walked out of the bar.

Black Mike, who had been silently paying attention to the conversation between the two, glanced down at his watch and smiled at Ruby, who was in deep conversation.

"I'm going to work.."

"It may be a few days before David returns from vacation~"

"If you want to contact him, I can help you!"

"No need~"

The smile on Ruby's lips slowly faded, and she said softly: "I rented in a downtown area near New York University, signed up for a night school cram school, and prepared to take the college entrance exam again in a few months."

"When he comes back, please tell him for me."

"Can you please help me again...thank you!"

"Uh... ok!"

"Ok~ Then I'm leaving!"

"Bye, Mike!"

"Goodbye, Ruby..."

. . .

Ruby left very happy.

Black Mike stood at the door of the bar, watching her disappearing figure in the distance, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Ruby is still the optimistic, cheerful and lovely girl she was before, full of youthful vigor.

Where is David?

David is no longer the dull, introverted and quiet boy he used to be.

----

Wall Street.

Stanley's fourth floor, in Sam Rogers' office.

Sam put a cup of coffee on the table and smiled at Bob R. Rockefeller, who had been busy investigating the domestic high-fructose syrup market for the past two months.

"I've already read your report~"

“Excellent!”

"Today is the weekend, you go back and have a good rest."

"After I speak to David and report this matter to him, we will..."

"Ok!"

Bob, who was full of youthful energy, showed no signs of fatigue and smiled.

"It just so happens that I made an appointment to meet with a factory owner near Buffalo this weekend."

"I'll come back and report to you on Monday?"

"..Ok, I will wait for you!"

"I'm leaving."

"We'll see you on Monday!"