Ava's desk was a fortress of clutter—photographs, scribbled notes, and a towering coffee cup threatening to topple. She didn't mind the chaos; it mirrored the mess she was trying to untangle in Ravenhurst's criminal underworld. The cartel case had her full attention.
"This guy," she muttered to herself, tapping a grainy photo of a minor player in the cartel. "He's the weak link."
"Talking to yourself again?" Caspian's voice floated over her shoulder as he leaned against the edge of her desk. "You know, people will start thinking you've lost it."
"Let them," Ava retorted, not looking up. "They've already decided I'm crazy for chasing this lead."
"They have a point. You know you're not going to arrest the cartel kingpin in one night, right?" Caspian chuckled.
Ava didn't look up, her pen scratching against the paper. "I don't need to arrest the kingpin—yet. I just need one of the threads to start pulling."
Caspian smirked, slouching in the chair across from her. "And you think this 'thread' won't lead to someone tying you up and dumping you in the river?"
Before Ava could retort, another voice cut in from the other side of the bullpen. "He's not wrong."
Ava turned to see Helen Choi, Minjun's partner, standing with her arms crossed. Helen was petite but radiated an intimidating energy, her sharp eyes missing nothing.
"Ahh detective Choi," she greeted curtly, "here to offer more unsolicited advice?"
"Unsolicited, sure," Helen said, strolling over to her desk, her tone as calm as ever. "But advice nonetheless. Do you even know who you're poking at? Because these guys don't just file a complaint when you mess with their operation—they bury people. Literally."
Ava leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Thanks for the warning, detective Choi, but I didn't come to Ravenhurst to tiptoe around criminals."
Caspian raised a hand like a student in class. "For the record, I'd like to tiptoe. I'm really good at it. No rivers for me, thanks."
"I'll take my chances," Ava replied, snapping the file shut. "I'm not here to play it safe."
Helen sighed, stepping closer. "Look, I get it. You want to make a difference. But this cartel isn't just some street gang. You dig too deep, and you're not just putting yourself in danger—you're putting everyone in this precinct in their crosshairs."
Ava raised an eyebrow. "So, what? I'm supposed to ignore a lead because it's inconvenient?"
Helen's eyes narrowed. "No, you're supposed to be smart about it. There's a reason we don't go kicking hornets' nests without backup."
Caspian, sensing the tension, clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's all take a deep breath. Helen, Ava's not stupid—reckless, sure, but not stupid. Ava, maybe take Helen's advice and don't do anything too suicidal, okay?"
Ava rolled her eyes but said nothing, turning back to her files.
Later that evening, Ava and Caspian found themselves parked outside a run-down laundromat that doubled as the suspect's meeting spot. The neon sign flickered, casting eerie shadows on the cracked pavement.
"This is it," Ava said, checking her notes.
Caspian glanced around. "You sure? Looks more like the kind of place that gives you a rash, not drug deals."
Ava shot him a look. "Focus."
They waited, tension thick in the air, until a familiar figure emerged from the laundromat. The suspect—Martin De Veyra, a low-level courier for the cartel. He carried a duffel bag that practically screamed evidence.
"Showtime," Ava whispered, stepping out of the car.
They followed De Veyra down a side street, keeping their distance. When he ducked into an alley, Ava signaled for Caspian to circle around and cut off his escape.
As Ava approached, D Veyra froze, his eyes darting like a cornered animal.
"Police!" Ava called out, drawing her weapon. "Drop the bag and put your hands up!"
De Veyra bolted.
"Of course," Ava muttered, taking off after him.
Caspian's voice crackled over her earpiece. "You're not seriously chasing him, are you? This guy looks like he's been training for marathons."
"Shut up and cut him off!" Ava snapped.
Caspian, grinning despite himself, intercepted De Veyra at the end of the alley, blocking his path. "Going somewhere?"
De Veyra skidded to a stop, panting. He dropped the bag, raising his hands. "Alright, alright! Don't shoot!"
Ava cuffed him while Caspian inspected the bag. "Jackpot," he said, pulling out several neatly wrapped packages of what was unmistakably heroin.
Back at the precinct, De Veyra sat in an interrogation room, sweating under the fluorescent lights. Ava stood behind the one-way glass, watching as Helen joined her.
"Nice collar," Helen admitted. "But you've just painted a target on your back."
"Let them come," Ava said firmly. "I'm not afraid of these guys."
Helen shook her head. "You should be. These cartels don't play fair, Ava. You've scratched the surface of something much bigger, and they won't just let it slide."
Before Ava could respond, Minjun entered the observation room, his expression unreadable. "You really don't know when to quit, do you?" he said, addressing Ava.
Ava bristled. "I didn't realize you were the expert on quitting."
Minjun stepped closer, his tone sharp. "You think this is a game? You have no idea what you're getting into. These guys will destroy you, and they won't stop there. They'll come for anyone close to you—your colleagues, your friends, anyone who gets in their way."
Ava met his glare, refusing to back down. "I know the risks, Detective Kim. But I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."
Minjun stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head. "Stubborn as hell. Just don't expect anyone to save you when it all goes south."
With that, he walked out, leaving Ava and Helen in tense silence.
Caspian popped his head in moments later, breaking the mood. "Well, that was dramatic. You two good, or should I call HR?"
Ava sighed, brushing past him. "I've got a report to write."
Helen watched her go, a hint of worry in her eyes. "She's going to get herself killed," she muttered.
Caspian grinned. "Yeah, but at least she's fun to watch while she's at it."
As the precinct buzzed with activity, Ava couldn't shake the feeling that this case was just the beginning. She had made her move, but the cartel wasn't going to take it lying down. And for the first time, she wondered if Helen and Minjun were right.