Chapter 26: Honest Jimmy

Most people assume that in America, every major city is filled with towering skyscrapers. In truth, that's not always the case. But that's beside the point—at least in the New York where Ma Jun currently found himself, skyscrapers did indeed dominate the landscape.

On the bustling streets, a riveting scene was unfolding.

A Chinese taxi driver, in a rush to meet the woman of his dreams, neglected to check his rearview mirror before opening his car door. As fate would have it, a burly and unlucky white man came cycling by and crashed headlong into the open door, somersaulting onto the pavement.

The cyclist, fierce-looking with two rings hanging from his brows, was clearly not someone you’d want to cross. He sprang to his feet, pinned the Chinese driver’s head against the car door, and barked, “You damned bastard!”

The driver was quick-witted. He pressed the window button, trapping the man’s arm between the glass.

The cyclist howled in pain, then smashed the window with a single punch—a testament to his impressive strength.

The Chinese man retreated inside the cab, while the cyclist, cursing, reached for him. In the chaos, the driver slipped out through the opposite window, and even managed to smile and wave at his dream girl, who was watching the spectacle from the crowd.

But the cyclist wasn’t about to let him off so easily. He gave chase, forcing the driver to crawl under the car. The angry man jumped onto the roof, bouncing and shouting like a clown, “Damn you, little midget! Where are you hiding? Get out here!”

The Chinese driver was none other than Mr. Jimmy Tang, the original protagonist of the tailcoat. All of this played out under Ma Jun’s watchful gaze; he sat inside a car across the street.

“It’s time for me to make my entrance!”

Dressed in a black suit, Ma Jun donned a pair of sunglasses, shut his car door with flair, and strode across the street.

“Hey, sir, please get off the roof. This isn’t a trampoline at an amusement park!” Ma Jun smiled as he addressed the cyclist.

“You want to meddle, huh?” The man jumped down, shouting at Ma Jun, and swung a punch.

Ma Jun sidestepped, seized the man's wrist with his right hand, shifted his feet, and slammed the cyclist face-first onto the car window.

By now, a crowd had gathered, and a black police officer approached.

“All right, buddy, maybe you’ve got places to be. I won’t keep you,” Ma Jun said, releasing the man.

The cyclist glared angrily at Ma Jun, then picked up his bicycle and rode off.

Ma Jun helped Jimmy Tang up, smiling. “Your driving skills are impressive, but clearly you’re no Bruce Lee!”

Jimmy Tang managed a smile and shrugged. “Thank you, but how did you know I was a good driver?”

“I know you. In fact, I came here just to see you!” Ma Jun smiled mysteriously. “You’ll soon receive a much better-paying job. Remember: your top priority is to protect your employer!” With that, Ma Jun crossed the street and drove away.

Jimmy Tang pondered for a moment, then greeted his black friend. Making a fool of himself in front of his dream girl was far from ideal. He needed to get back to work.

When he opened the rear door and restored the car’s roof, Jimmy Tang found a customer waiting inside—a woman.

“Can you take me to 70 Fleming Street? Get me there before I finish my makeup, and I’ll pay you double.”

“No problem!” With a customer like this, Jimmy Tang was delighted, and he was confident in his driving skills.

Thus began a wild chase through the city streets. Upon reaching the destination, the woman offered him a job paying two thousand dollars a week, which made Jimmy Tang ecstatic. He was eager to take the position, and thought again of Ma Jun, who seemed to him an enigmatic figure.

Back at his hotel room, Ma Jun changed out of his suit, pulled out a cigarette in high spirits. “Xiaohua, how did I do? Was my performance as a mysterious agent up to par? For this operation across dimensions, I’ll be like a 007 agent!”

“Show-off!”

Days later, night had fallen over the city, its lights shimmering. In a small alley, a car exploded in a spectacular scene.

Luckily, the occupants escaped before the blast: Jimmy Tang, the driver, and a man named Deverin, director of the intelligence bureau.

Both men dove to safety some distance away, avoiding the explosion—or so it seemed.

After a moment, Jimmy Tang was the first to stand, completely unscathed. Deverin followed, staggering and bleeding from his forehead.

Before losing consciousness, Deverin managed two things: he concealed his real name on his identification using a piece of high-tech gadgetry, and he left Jimmy Tang with a final message—or perhaps, a warning.

As Jimmy Tang anxiously awaited the ambulance, a Ford car sped up and stopped before him. The man who stepped out looked familiar.

“You’re the gentleman who helped me the other day?” Jimmy Tang asked. “What are you doing here?”

Ma Jun, looking grave, crouched to inspect Deverin’s injuries. Deverin’s face was familiar to Ma Jun—it resembled the actor who played Malfoy’s father in Harry Potter.

“It seems Mr. Tang has forgotten my advice! Mr. Deverin has gotten himself into trouble!” Ma Jun said in a low voice, eyes fixed on Jimmy.

“You know Mr. Deverin!” Jimmy said, delighted. Truthfully, he was at a loss as to how to handle his employer’s predicament.

“Mr. Deverin’s assistant is dead. We suspect an inside job, and I’m in charge of investigating it!” Ma Jun improvised. “But clearly, the enemy is formidable.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What should I do now?”

“Take Mr. Deverin to the hospital. Don’t tell anyone about his injuries!” Ma Jun frowned. “And from this moment, I am Mr. Deverin! After you drop him off, go straight to his home. Since no one knows his identity, he’ll be safer there!”

“So this is to lure the enemy out, right? I know that strategy!” Jimmy said, pleased.

“I can’t stay here. I have to leave first!” Ma Jun glanced around. “Give me Mr. Deverin’s watch. I’ll wait outside his house for you!”

“Uh…” Jimmy hesitated. He remembered Deverin’s warning before fainting—to trust no one. Still, this man must be Deverin’s colleague; he knew Jimmy would become Deverin’s driver.

“Here you go!” In the end, Jimmy handed over the watch.

“Excellent!” Ma Jun was thrilled, though he kept his composure. He turned and walked away.

“Ha! The key to the high-tech tailcoat is mine!” Ma Jun muttered with satisfaction as he drove off. “Jimmy is so easy to fool. It seems my early approach was the right move. Oh, and the villain’s high-tech gadgets are impressive too—I’ll get my hands on those in due time!”