City of Tiny Lights Page #3

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and he winds up dead.

You know, I'm just

playing dot-to-dot.

Feel free to jump in

whenever you want.

No need for panic buttons.

There's no need for panic.

I don't know what you're

up to and I don't care.

I'm just looking for the girl.

Like I said, I can't help you.

There is a war going on.

And you don't even realize it.

The war for our souls.

I am prepared.

Are you?

Dyb dyb dyb

Brother!

As-salamu alaykum, brother.

Long time, no see, huh?

- I never met you before, mate.

- C'mon, man give me a hug.

No offense, if you

lot gonna do this,

you really gotta get some

brothers in the team.

- I don't know what you're talking about, mate.

- All right? Equal opportunities, man.

Ask for some CV's

Yo, is that a detective?

Yeah, the cover's been blown.

Double Turk. No ice.

I wasn't sure you'd come.

You're paying me.

Of course, I'll come.

People pay me.

I don't come.

You're drunk.

Yes, but tomorrow,

I will be beautiful.

What about tonight?

A date.

Oh.

Some call it the uh,

"The Girlfriend Experience", yeah?

So they say.

Yeah, well, what do they know.

What about you?

Nobody special?

When someone goes missing,

they say the first 24 hours...

On TV, I mean.

Firstly, that's missing kids.

Second and worse, TV.

I'm on it.

Okay, let's say

Natasha didn't do it.

Okay? Somebody could've

followed them that night, so.

Who else was there,

at the Tunnel?

- I told you.

- I know what you told me.

I'm talking about

doormen, bar staff, whatever...

Tunde.

Okay, who's Tunde?

He's a dealer.

He's there most nights.

He's just, you know, some...

Some what?

Choc ice.

Okay. Anyone else?

No.

No one I could talk to?

No.

I have to go.

Double Turk, no ice.

Drinking bourbon?

That's my drink.

Everyone tells me you

guys drink warm beer.

Seems to me it's European

lager and American whiskey

all the way with you Londoners.

I'm just sayin'.

Expectations.

I mean, take you.

You were at the hotel.

And then you called the cops

on that phone, right there.

A small-time private eye.

Not what I was expecting.

You take anything

from that hotel room?

You know the uh, the

worst thing about Londoners?

They're not very friendly,

not to strangers.

You need to stay out of this,

Mr. Akhtar.

I'm just a...

what's the expression?

Dipping the wick.

I love that.

You have a nice day.

- I want 20's innit.

- No, I don't got it.

- Hey you, man!

- Catch him!

- And don't embarrass me.

- Tommy, man.

So, what's the mission, bruv?

All I want you to do is go in

the youth league and listen.

Ah, Swear.

I need to find out why the

mullah fell out with Rana.

- Sick, fam. That's sick.

- All right, take it easy.

What you say, grandpa?

What you say? Good, yeah?

The main thing is listen, Avid.

Black geezers a threat,

white geezers a threat.

But Pakis can be invisible,

even to each other.

You need to ease up on that "Paki"

sh*t. It's not cool, you know.

All right, so listen, tomorrow

at 5, yeah? Somali cafe.

Watch and listen.

Remember, you're undercover.

Aight, man.

So, hold it down.

Say nuttin.

What the f***, man!

I warned you, blud!

It's what's gonna happen here.

Let me show you the interiors, yeah?

F*** me. Tommy!

Thought I'd come around

and have a look for myself.

How'd you pay for all this?

Business is nice, bruvah.

Look. What do you think, huh?

24 apartments and townhouses.

2 and 3 beds. 40 minutes

from the sea, yeah?

American architecture.

Swedish interiors.

- Polish pullers.

- Yeah.

Hey, man, our manor's going down.

This the regeneration, yeah?

You got to get the drugs

off the street for that.

Oh, hopefully this will get

the drugs off the street.

'Cause we're trapped in a

better class of person, Tommy.

Better than you and me?

F***, no, sorry, man.

You found the Russian girl?

No, but I wanted

to show you this.

- What am I looking at?

- Look a bit closer.

- Is that Raven Rec?

- Yeah.

F*** me, man.

Raven Rec.

That brings back memories.

I reckon her sister

is on the estate.

- F***.

- I'm on it. All right?

- We need to go. Very sorry.

- Good to meet you.

- Gentlemen.

- I'll be in touch. All right?

- Get home safe, yeah?

- Okay.

- Hey, you gonna sort me out one of them?

- Yeah.

- Maybe.

- I'll hold you to that.

- Yes, Tommy man! You made it.

- There you are, Lovely.

Come on, Tommy.

We got burgers, we got hotdogs,

beer, whatever you want.

- Where's Shelley?

- Oh, there's Tommy.

Stuart gonna go crazy

if they see you together.

Lay off, man.

Double Turk, no ice.

Tunde, right? You know

a pro named Natasha?

- Comes here a lot. Russian.

- Who the f*** are you?

DS Saha. Special branch.

You're not a cop. Stick

fancy dilly's fake ID's a cop.

No, Brixton Market.

I'm a friend of Melody's.

F*** off. Before I have

your legs broken.

There's a good chap.

Hi, where's Tunde?

- Sorry?

- Tunde, this is his table.

Sorry, this is our table.

Have a seat.

You all right, mate?

Save me some.

You taking the f***ing piss?

What do you want?

- Mate, I just wanna talk.

- I don't wanna talk.

- You know a Natasha?

- Yeah.

You know a Melody.

They come in here a lot?

- So who else was here that night?

- I don't know.

Oh, another dude.

I... ask Melody. I seen

him with her before.

One of her regulars.

Waster!

Take that!

Case closed, Akh!

Hey!

Hey!

Are you okay?

Can you get my fags

out of my pocket?

That looks bad. You should go

to hospital for that.

I can't.

I've got a date.

Hey.

Tommy.

Wild Turkey. I got it

from my dad's cupboard.

I think it's whiskey.

Are you drunk?

A little bit.

I love it out here.

No one giving you grief.

Telling you who

you're supposed to be.

She got with him. He's

going out with her. She's a...

slag. He...

Whatever.

I'm cold.

Do you want my jacket?

Put your arm around me.

Um, excuse me sir,

can I help you?

Yeah, I'm here to see

Shelley Stevens.

It's okay, it's okay.

Jesus, Tommy.

Sorry, I'm late.

What hap...

Come in here. Sit down.

Can't say I don't

make an effort.

No.

You're gonna need space where

you need to get that stitched.

I'll be all right.

Do you feel confused?

Not more than usual.

Look at us.

What?

- We're old.

- Oi, speak for yourself.

What happened to us?

I dunno, you left.

- What was I supposed to do?

- I dunno. Stay?

Miss Stevens?

Yeah, it's okay, I'll lock up.

Thanks.

Where did that come from?

'97

It's confusing. This way.

You don't have a clue, do you?

You don't even work here.

I do work here.

I've been here for months.

I know exactly what I'm doing.

Come on.

- I don't have a key. Do you?

- No, I've got it.

Oh, it's the wrong thing...

Okay, this is it.

- We're gonna go wake 'em up.

- No, no, no, it's fine.

- Nice.

- Yeah.

- Wow.

- Yeah.

Is this how you roll, then?

This is how I roll now.

- You know, right?

- I know.

I can't. Stuart.

You've got to break off first.

I told you, you're a strange boy.

- I'm sorry.

- No.

It's why I like you.

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