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"Magic is the only honest profession A ician promises to deceive you and he does"

-– Karl Germain

“Theft annoysof effects froician Some people think it's massive to steal the secrets of nuclear reactors, but to steal a card ”

—Ricky Jay

1 Indian Rope Trick

Detective Tom Chu sat in the driver’s seat of his unlanced in the rearview ht hair off his forehead He had thin and narrow eyes that spoke of his Korean ancestry, and his sli wheel He enjoyed the fact that he was thin and average height, as he was strong and an expert in several forms of combat This came in handy when he had to take down a suspect

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, just as the sound of a finger ring tapping on hiscaused hilance over

“You takin’ a nap?” the African-Alass

Chu ser door as his partner, Pro Thompson, came around the car Chu reached over and opened her door, as she carried two cups of coffee, the white paper eo

Pro got in, her gray pantsuit and white blouse giving her the look of a corporate professional This not only hid her strong, fit body, but the shoulder holster and Sig Sauer P229 sidearm she wore

Chu knew froiht face

She handed him one cup and kept the other for herself Chu took a sip; it was prepared just the way he liked it That was the nice thing about having a partner: they knew your habits

“So, were you sleeping?” Pro teased as she took a swig from her own cup

“No, just enjoying the calm before the storm,” Tom answered

“What stor day “There’s not a cloud in the sky”

Chu looked over at his partner, her striking blue eyes in such contrast to her dark skin tone, which was the color of café au lait “I ets busy”

“I heard that,” Pro sighed and ran her free hand through her hair, which was short in the back and a bit longer in front It not only looked professional, but with the tight natural curl of her hair, it was a logical choice that required little care or upkeep “But itday, sit in our car, and maybe even relax”

Tom smiled “That would drive you crazy You’re an adrenaline junkie”

“Still, it could be a quiet day”

“Pro, we’re homicide cops in New York City Every day is crazy”

Pro looked out the windshield at the city—her city Their car was parked at a hydrant on the corner of 52nd and Ninth Avenue She’d grown up only about thirty blocks north of here She had to adet a rush fro a difference

Chu’s cell phone rang with a very businesslike tone, and he reached under his suit jacket to pull it froins,” he said as he moved it to his ear “Chu,” he said as he hit the virtual button on his device He looked to Pro, but she had already retrieved her detective notebook from her pocket and pulled out a pen “258 West 47th Street? We’re on our way”

Chu slipped the phone back into his belt and started the car all in one, well-practiced move

“We got a DB?” Pro asked, using the abbreviation for a “dead body”

“We do,” Chu said as he glanced into the side ot a call, uniforot there fast They have the DB and a suspect in custody”

Pro considered this “That’ll speed up the process Seeht an easy one”

“Yeah, it’s good hen they catch the perp still at the scene,” Chu agreed, as he weaved the car across several lanes to take a left turn down 46th Street

Pro had pulled out the sht and put it on the dashboard Since they had a suspect in custody and traffic wasn’t too bad, there was no need for sirens As a New Yorker herself, she tried to avoid additional noise pollution in a city that was already far too loud