“Tell the nice people your name, hun.”

 

Not even a flicker of recognition was to be found in the girl’s large, vapid eyes. Her expression glazed, her mouth just barely agape indicated that she wasn’t fully here, and that perhaps never really would be, anymore. Her soft lips pulled into a slight smile.

 

“I’m, uh! Uhmm…” Her eyebrows knit together briefly before lifting in recognition. “Broken!” The girl looked up with vacant pride at her companion, who chuckled softly at the endearing mistake.

 

“She misspoke, madam. But if you have any questions, you can always ask me.” She extended a gloved hand and nodded along with a firm handshake. “The name’s Dee.”

 

“Dee, is it?” The officer fought back her disdain as she politely withdrew her hand. “You can call me Detective Knight.” She turned her head to the nameless girl hanging off of Dee’s shoulder, staring back at the officer with vague upset and jealousy. “If you don’t mind me asking, who is she?”

 

Dee waved a hand flippantly. “Don’t you worry about her, she’s just a bit clingy. One of my little projects, but we’ll get her in good shape in no time.”

 

“Projects?” The officer muttered through gritted teeth. “That’s how you see people?”

 

“Apologies for the vocabulary, madam,”

 

“Detective.”

 

“Detective,” Dee continued. “But what we’re doing is materially helping out these people - forgive me if I don’t use your preferred wording of choice while I help out the community.”

 

“Amber.” Detective Knight’s enforcement partner nudged her shoulder from behind, turning to whisper into her ear. “We don’t have a warrant, or anything. We’re technically not even supposed to be here yet. Don’t rock the boat.”

 

“But—”

 

“Wrap it up.”

 

“One last thing, Dee,” Amber replied, curt. “Who exactly is ‘we’, and what are you doing?”

 

“Well, hardly all of us, but some of our club members see those downtrodden in society, those who aren’t protected by the establishment…” Dee raised an eyebrow. “…and take them in. We have the space for it, after all.”

 

“Take them in and do what?” Amber spat, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. “Turn them into the girl clinging onto you now? Barely dressed, not even all here?”

 

“She came to us like this!” Dee scoffed. “Battling addiction, without prospects, and you insult the clothes off her back. Maybe if there were any useful programs at all in the city, she’d be able to find help anywhere else but the whorehouse you so clearly think we are.”

 

“Thank you, Miss Dee, for the hospitality. We understand.” The quiet officer raised their voice, a glare piercing through Amber. They motioned towards the exit.

 

“…Thank you, Dee. We’ll be back to talk more soon.” Amber said icily. Taking in as many of the sights as she could before leaving, she turned back towards the exit and examined the staircase, the flooring, the neon sign…she knew there was something going on here, and she was going to get down to the bottom of it.

 

Unbeknownst to her, her partner turned and winked at Dee.

 

Unbeknownst to her, Dee winked back.