TO HON-FU WITH LOVE, BONNE JENET
Part 2: Unlucky Star

Hon-Fu's ears were still ringing from the yelling and screaming the police chief, Cheun-Nam, had done.

It probably hadn't helped that Hon-Fu had offered the broken remaints of a bicycle and a high heel shoe up to Cheun-Nam, either.

"GET OUT! AND TAKE THOSE WITH YOU!" the chief raged, before snatching up a cigarette and starting to smoke.

Hon-Fu decided it wasn't the time to bring up the No Smoking policy, and got out of the office.

As he trudged back to his desk, a bicycle wheel popped off from the frame and rolled partway down before rattling down against the floor.

"Tough break, eh, Hon-Fu?" Kam-bo, a beat cop, called out.

"At least it's only what, a thousand dollars this time?" Linchun, his partner, called out, before the duo broke out in laughter.

"Ha, ha," Hon-Fu said, lifting his chin. "But I had Bonne Jenet in my hands!"

"I'd love to be able to say that, buddy!" Gang-ming, a fellow detective, chimed in, wagging his eyebrows. "And I'd do a lot more than arrest her!"

Hon-Fu frowned, wagging a finger. "Hey, show some respect to a lady. Even if she is a criminal."

"Don't mind him, it's not like he's gonna even get close enough to one! At least you've -got- that flight attendant," Kam-bo called out.

"Not exactly," Hon-Fu waved a hand.

"The on-off relationship with Brenda's off again?" Linchun asked, shaking his head woefully.

"Yeah. I mean, I -tried- hard, but..."

Kam-bo shook his head. "Man, the date you missed while chasing Yamazaki was the last straw? You should just let it go, there're other fishes in the sea."

"Yeah," Hon-Fu's shoulders slumped, as he sat down at his desk, letting the bicycle frame clatter against the floor. "But I -really- liked that fish."

"Well, sooner or later, her flight's gonna come back in, so maybe you can still fix things," Linchun chimed in.

Hon-Fu's eyes lit up. "Yeah, that's right...! She should be back soon!"

"Well there you go, meet her with flowers and your best puppy dog face," Linchun said, giving a thumbs up.

"Like this?" Hon-Fu made an abject face, lower lip stuck out and quivering.

"Best puppy dog face, not pathetic face," Kam-bo mocked.

"Aw, but pathetic's the best!" Linchun chimed in, causing Hon-Fu to roll his eyes.

"... by the way, why do you have a woman's shoe?" Gang-ming asked, pointing at the high heel in Hon-Fu's hand.

Hon-Fu knew he was going to regret answering, but did anyway. "Uh, it's Jenet's."

"Oh how nice, you can play Prince Charming," Kam-bo said, clasping his hands together and bringing them to a cheek as he fluttered his eyelashes in an outrageous imitation of a maiden.

"One princess's enough," Linchun said. "Better get the princess out of the castle before some bowser takes her away."

Standing up, Hon-Fu grabbed his jacket from the chair, putting the shoe down on top of his desk. "Har har. I'm going to go see if I can meet Brenda at the airport. And set dinner plans."

"Good luck!"

Hon-Fu flashed a thumbs up and a wide grin, and walked off.

Gang-ming slid over on his wheeled chair to pick up the high heel. "Mmmm... I'd crawl over broken glass to lick her toes..."

A hand reached out and grabbed the high heel. "I think I'd better hold on to this," Hon-Fu said, a disappointed look on his face. "As for you, review Section 8, Article 4. Conduct befitting an officer. I expect you to write that section out 100 times and have it on my desk by noon. HANDWRITTEN."

He stormed off, leaving a gaping Gang-ming in his wake.

"Welcome back, boss," Lao greeted Bonne as she boarded the Mary Read, the Lillien Knights' pirate ship/submarine. He eyed her change in clothes, but said nothing. The crew was -well- equipped by now to know that the Boss was not to be questioned if she didn't open the floor for discussion, -especially- about her personal life and the things she was up to on her own time.

Bonne yanked the baseball hat off of her head, shaking her free from its confines, as she dropped the shopping bag she was carrying onto the floor. "I had a crappy day, let's leave it at that. Are things ready for tonight?"

"Yep, the guys who signed up to be waiters at the Jumbo have been in place for a few weeks now."

"Good." Bonne pulled up her laptop, and checked the pictures sent by the men. "Right then... while they're busy with the mahjong finals, that's when we strike..."

Cheng Sinzan slurped up the last bit of noodles at his desk in downtown Hong Kong.

He did love his ramen, and usually ordered a bowl at least once a week, despite being one of the richest men in Hong Kong. Where he'd gotten to, he'd gotten to on his hard work, and willingness to turn a blind eye to some... questionable legalities.

But he'd never forgotten what it was like to start from the bottom, which is why, when his personal phone rang with a message from Hon-Fu, he answered it immediately.

"My friend! I haven't heard anything about Yamazaki in the past week or so. Lying low for now, I think, since the last time you disrupted his smuggling operation."

Cheng frowned slightly, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "No, there's no opium trade coming in... come on now, would I do that?" He listened, then laughed. "Oh fine, I would, but if you asked, I'd tell you! Now, if you did't call to ask about Yamazaki, what are you calling for?"

He leaned back in his office chair, letting one hand rest on his rotund belly. "Oh. You want a table at the Jumbo Kingdom? Tonight? That's truly last minute, especially considering that I'm hosting a mahjong tournament tonight."

He tilted his head. "Your relationship's -off- again? Hon-Fu, you really need to stop -meddling- in business that doesn't concern you, -especially- mine..."

Cheng sat up straight. "Now, now, I didn't say you couldn't... are you crying? Stop! I can't stand to hear a grown man cry! Especially over a woman... oh, fine, fine, I'll get you a table, just get yourself onboard. But this time, make sure you hold on to her! Which one do you want to eat at, Tai Pak or Jumbo? Ok, Jumbo it is. Good, good, the mahjong tournament is booked for one of the rooms, so you can stop by and say hello after you eat. I'd love to say hello to the lovely Brenda!"

Cheng Sinzan hung up, and sighed, as he clicked the speed dial for the Jumbo Floating Restaurant.

Ah well, Hon-Fu needed all the help he could get.

The man must have been born under an unlucky star.

END Part 2