Buy a drink or I'm kicking you out too

"It was crazy I tell ya. We were only there 'cause we were parked nearby after investigating somethin' else. When a report about domestic violence came in, we were the nearest ones available so they asked us to check it out. We were like 'yeah okay sure, we're on break right now but sure'. We go there and after walkin' five feet away from the car, bam! Out of nowhere two dozen gangsters start shooting like woah."

Detective Herge is in front of me explaining why he was walking with a limp when he entered the bar. Dahlia is next to me preparing the Dahlia Special he had ordered. After a few minutes of exaggerated story-telling, his partner Detective Kudo arrives and takes the seat next to him.

"How's the leg?"

"Ehh, still feels weird. Doesn't hurt as much but mechanical limbs are just so... unnatural, y'know?"

Detective Kudo doesn't answer. Instead he cocks his head slightly sideways towards me. Detective Herge turns to me and his bushy brows raise in realization.

"Oh. I meant no offense."

"None taken. I've lost a few limbs in the past so I'm familiar with what it's like getting used to replacement limbs. Of course, I imagine switching from organic to mechanical is quite challenging."

"Hey, if you don't mind me askin', can you feel things? I mean like, when you touch stuff."

"I can, yes. Texture, temperature, pressure..."

Dahlia hands Herge his drink. She taps her index finger against the glass twice, making a clinking sound with her metallic hand.

"If you're wondering why you can't feel any of those, it's because you got one of the more standard ones like this."

She lets go of the drink then presents her hand, opening and closing her palm as if testing it out.

"You want to feel with that part of your body again, you go for the expensive stuff."

"And be too broke to buy a drink?"

Herge takes his drink and after three gulps gives a satisfied 'ahh'.

"You learn to live, as they say, eh Kudo?"

"It's 'live and learn', Herge."

Detective Kudo pulled out a box of cigarettes from his coat's inner pocket and put a stick in his mouth. He seemed like he was about to pull out a lighter as well but Dahlia clears her throat to catch his attention and pointed to a 'no smoking' holo-sign on the wall with her thumb.

"Oh, sorry, forgot about that."

Kudo takes the cigarette out of his mouth and puts it back in his coat.

"You alright there Kudo? You've been smokin' a lot more recently."

"I'm fine. Just a bit stressed with everything that's been going on."

Dahlia chimes in with a raised eyebrow.

"Gangsters?"

Detective Kudo sighs and shakes his head.

"It's been one thing after another with them. Worst thing about it is that four out of five cases we don't have enough hard evidence to lock them up for good."

"And one out five ends up in this."

Detective Herge gives his prosthetic limb a gentle slap. At that moment, the front door bursts open and a familiar, panicked face rushes in.

"Please help."

Caliber, the man with the scar and topknot, seems to have a habit of being on the run.

"Under the counter."

Dahlia's voice is calm yet commanding. Caliber immediately complies and stuffs himself under the cabinet hastily. It didn't take long for his pursuers to arrive: the same five people as before, led by the man with the red faux hawk and face tattoos.

"Where is that little shit."

"Haven't we been here before?"

"It's the synth bar he ran to last time."

Dahlia, with arms crossed, raises her voice.

"There a problem, gentlemen?"

"Fucking right there is, where is he?"

"Where is who?"

Dahlia strikes a nerve and the man's eye twitches before he starts stomping impatiently towards the bar.

"You know damn well who you dried up old b-"

As he got closer, he seems to have noticed the two other figures facing away from them. Their navy blue trench coats are, after all, attire specific to a certain authority in the city. The man stops dead in his tracks when Detective Kudo turns his head to make eye contact.

"A-hem!"

The rest of the gangsters turn around to find Jak holding the door open. Admittedly he would have been much more intimidating if not for the fact that none of us could see him behind the group due to his stature.

It immediately becomes apparent on the leader's face that he's having second thoughts about his next choice of words. His jaw seems to clench as he turns back to his companions.

"Let's get out of this shithole."

They march out one by one without another word. Jak makes way and holds the door open for them while taunting them with the smuggest smirk.

"Please come again, dear customers!"

One of them spits near his feet in response.

"...Are they gone?"

I open the cabinet to let Caliber out and he gets back on his feet, clothes disheveled.

"Hey thanks again! Wow, this bar's pretty cool."

"Buy a drink or I'm kicking you out too."

"Yes ma'am."

Caliber quickly leaves our side of the counter and takes a seat next to Detective Kudo.

"Does this happen often?"

Herge looks to Dahlia with his drink in hand.

"At least once a month."

"What about that?"

Herge points at the woman two seats away from him. She's fast asleep, her glasses barely staying on her face with the side of her head against the counter. A half-finished glass of BitterSweet is right next to her hand. For some reason however, her black laptop is balanced on top of her head.

"Happens every time she's here."