"'Five minutes,'" Ohato Bando said. "That's what you said, right Eiji? 'Fine minutes, in and out, no sweat.'"
"Uhhhhh…." Eiji Suzuki answered.
"Ok. So, where do we start?"
"Uhhh…."
"Thought so."
Bando and Suzuki stood at the entrance to Tokyo's Cyber Market. More than a week had past since Suzuki's cases against Sei had come to an abrupt and disastrous end. While neither they nor Captain Kobayashi had been fired, the captain had made good his threat to keep them on a tight leash. Still, Bando and Suzuki had behaved themselves well enough to gain enough good will to leave work in the afternoon and run a quick errand for Suzuki's daughter, once the captain had called the girl and verified the story.
Now confronted with the Cyber Market's bewildering signs and colors and displays of all manner of technology, Suszuki privately wondered if he shouldn't have used that good will for something else, but his male ego would not allow him to admit it…even if his long time partner already knew he was thinking it.
He took a half step forward. "Well, no, it's easy…I'll go down this side, and you-"
"Even for you, this is lame," a familiar girl's voice said behind them. "Or maybe you just want to be fired?"
Suzuki and Bando turned to see Amy and Leo standing behind them, both with arms folded, both looking none to pleased.
Suzuki said, "No, Amy, we're not here about you. I promised my daughter I'd find a new video card for her desktop computer."
"Really," Amy said.
"Really."
"You expect me to believe that?"
Suzuki crouched down in front of the pint-sized genius. "Amy, I won't lie to you. I don't like Sei, and I want to run her out of Tokyo. But I let my personal feelings cloud my judgment, and I shouldn't have. I was wrong, and I'm sorry. So let me make it up to you. You know that little ice cream place around the corner?"
"Uh-huh."
"I used to take my daughter there; that's how I know where the Cyber Market is. You help me find a new video card, and I'll buy you an ice cream cone."
"Sei doesn't like us to have sweets. I can get in trouble."
"I've read your rap sheet, Amy. You're no stranger to trouble."
"Maybe, Suzuki." Still, the offer had tempted her, but she wasn't biting…not yet. "But what about you? I don't want you walking away fresh as a daisy."
"No? All right then. Our tech guy hates your guts. He has a dart board with your picture on it-"
Amy grinned. "Arihiro is just mad because I told him his gaming handle is lame."
"Be that as it may," Suzuki went on, "if you and I have ice cream cones, and my partner e-mails him a picture of us together, best buddies without me arresting you, he'll go through the roof, and you can bet I'll get yelled at when my captain finds out abut it."
Amy thought for a few seconds. "I choose the toppings."
"Done."
"What make and model computer we talking about?"
"Thinking Machines."
"What model?"
"Uh-"
"How old is it?"
"Um, two, three years."
"You were right to come here. The manufacturer no longer supports it. You have to go after market. Follow me."
"But you don't know what model it is."
Amy looked at Suzuki as if he was a complete idiot.
Suzuki stood up. "After you."
The cops fell in step behind Amy and Leo.
Bando said, "That as smooth."
"Say what you will about my skill as a cop," Suzuki said softly. "If it's one thing I know how to do, it's bribe a little girl."