Constable Albert Flight was walking home in the evening. He was still working as a policeman, because officially the H-division had nothing to charge him with. Without any justified cause, they couldn't just kick him out either. If that was to happen, rumour had it his past criminal records would end up in the hands of a certain one-eared journalist, and Edmund Reed's career would be in the bog. They all still hated him, but he was a stubborn sort who was determined to prove himself to them once again. He was starting to get disheartened that it was taking four years, though.

Suddenly he felt two strong hands around his neck, and he was pulled into an alley. There, in the darkness, he could see two green, glowing eyes like some sort of evil cat. But it was much worse than that, actually.

"Albert, my boy…" hissed a gravelly voice. "Long time, no see. I thought you had forgotten your old buddy."

"In…spector Shine!" said Albert, when his heart started beating again. "How very… nice to see you again!"

Inspector Shine laughed hollowly. "If I didn't know you were a brave man, son, I'd have said you were scared of old Jed," he said. "Don't worry, I'm not out to snuff ya. Not tonight, at least. "

"That's great, I guess," replied Albert. "What is it you want?"

"Now let me think," said Shine, scratching his head. "After Sergeant Drake pulled a dirty ace on me, my brilliant memory hasn't been what it once was. I have amongst other things all but forgotten how you tried to kill me in cold blood last time we met."

"I'm Sorry about that, sir," said Albert, and almost meant it.

"I know you are," said Shine. "You're too sensitive a soul to relish in the thrill of the kill. That's you, son. A good man. Not like that sanctimonious bastard you've spent the past four years groveling to."

"Inspector Reed is a good man, sir!" Albert protested. "He's a better man than either of us could ever hope to be if we never did anything villainous again for the rest of our lives, and started doing charity work for the poor."

"Oh, I'm doing a lot for the poor," hissed Shine, pulling Albert up by the collar until his bushy mustache tickled Albert's nose. "I took care of you, I seem to remember!"

"That you did, sir" admitted Albert, not feeling completely on top of the situation there. "And I will always be grateful to you for giving me a chance. But not for making a monster out of me."

Shine let go of Albert's coat, and he fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"I mean it!" Albert said. "I would rather you strangled me with your beloved piano wire than working for you again, after what I saw you do!"

Inspector Shine started laughing quietly.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" he chuckled. "For old Jed to make you a martyr in the eyes of Saint Edmund of Leman Street? He would finally forgive you, realize that you had it in you all along."

Albert got to his feet, and dusted himself off, giving Inspector Shine what he hoped was a defiant look in the mean time.

"You want to be a good man," Inspector Shine continued, "But the great and honourable Inspector Reed does not see you as one. He's too caught up in his own crumbling self worth to be forgiving of the missteps of others. But I know you are a good man, son. Just remember that, if the time should come when your loneliness becomes too much to bear."

And with that, Inspector Shine was off, strolling down the street like he owned it, which he probably did.

Albert suppressed a shudder, and continued on his way home. He knew very well that Inspector Shine was not the sort of chap to stop for a jovial chat with an old protégé just to wish him all the best in the future. He wanted something, and Albert was pretty sure he knew exactly what it was. Shine had hatched a new plan, hadn't he, a plan to take down Inspector Reed and H-Division? And what could Albert do about it? Would Inspector Reed even believe him if he told him about it? Or maybe that was exactly what Inspector Shine wanted him to do? In that case, he wasn't going to tell Reed anything. After all, he probably constantly suspected Shine of being up to no good. It was not exactly as if Albert was privy to those conversations anymore.

Sometimes Albert wished he'd been deported off to Australia after that whole tragic gin-situation. Life was probably a lot simpler down there.