报社这几天像是嗅到了血的鲨鱼，马丁给我打了好几次电话，语气急得像热锅上的蚂蚁："卢卡斯，卡尔·罗森失踪了，这可是大新闻！你不是跟这案子有牵连吗？再给点内幕，稿费翻倍！"我坐在沙发上，手里攥着手机，犹豫了半天。"你为什么会知道卡尔失踪的事情？我没和你说过。"
The newspaper these days was like a shark that had smelled blood. Martin called me several times, his tone as urgent as ants on a hot pan: "Lucas, Karl Rosen has disappeared, this is big news! Aren't you connected to this case? Give us more inside information, double the fee!" I sat on the sofa, clutching my phone, hesitating for a long time. "Why do you know about Karl's disappearance? I never told you."
"老弟，眼观六路，耳听八方。我总不能天天只靠你吃饭！双倍报酬，老弟！十万元让你后半生衣食无忧了老弟。"
"Brother, I keep my eyes and ears open everywhere. I can't rely on you for food every day! Double the payment, brother! A hundred thousand yuan will ensure you're well-fed for the rest of your life, brother."
最近我的思绪混乱，没有多想。卡尔跑了，案子乱成一团，我手里的确有些东西能点把火。想来想去，我决定把卡尔的失踪和大桥袭击联系起来，写成一篇模糊又耸人听闻的匿名稿，标题拟了个《失踪富商与雇佣兵阴谋：梅罗德暗流涌动》。文章没提具体证据，只抛了几个"内部消息"的钩子，打算引蛇出洞。
My thoughts had been chaotic lately, so I didn't think too much. Karl was gone, the case was a mess, and I indeed had some information that could start a fire. After much consideration, I decided to connect Karl's disappearance with the bridge attack, writing a vague yet sensational anonymous article titled "Missing Tycoon and Mercenary Conspiracy: Undercurrents in Melrod." The article didn't present specific evidence, just threw out a few hooks about "internal information," intending to draw the snake out of its hole.
稿子一发出去，第二天就上了头版，媒体和市民炸了锅。街头巷尾都在议论，有人说卡尔是幕后黑手，有人猜他被灭口，社交媒体上更是骂声一片，指责警局无能。报社赚得盆满钵满，可我心里却有点虚，尤其是想到艾琳。
Once the article was published, it made the front page the next day, and the media and citizens were in an uproar. People on the streets were all discussing it; some said Karl was the mastermind, others guessed he'd been silenced, and social media was filled with criticism, accusing the police station of incompetence. The newspaper was making money hand over fist, but I felt somewhat uneasy inside, especially when I thought of Erin.
她还不知道我干了什么。这几天她情绪低落，眼底总带着点倦意，像在压着什么。我每晚都陪着她，我们挤在家里的小床上，灯光昏黄，彼此释放着欲望和激情，像要把所有的空白都填满。她靠在我怀里，喘息着说："卢卡斯，有你在，我什么都不怕。"我吻着她的额头，心里却像被针扎了一下。她开心得像个孩子，我们深深爱着彼此，可这份爱像在火药桶上跳舞。
She still didn't know what I had done. These days, she had been in low spirits, with a hint of weariness in her eyes, as if suppressing something. I stayed with her every night; we squeezed onto the small bed at home, under dim yellow light, releasing desire and passion, as if trying to fill all the emptiness. She leaned in my arms, breathing hard, saying, "Lucas, with you here, I'm not afraid of anything." I kissed her forehead, but my heart felt like it had been pricked by a needle. She was as happy as a child; we loved each other deeply, but this love was like dancing on a powder keg.
警局和特勤局被舆论搞得焦头烂额。购买过卡尔麾下股票的市民的不满像潮水一样涌来，因为牵涉了本地的富豪，一些议员动议市政厅并且听说检察院也因为民众的不信任，已经准备对警局提起不信任起诉。勃利德找到莱门斯警告他后果和所要承担的责任，波尔也公开指责了莱门斯没有管理妥善。莱门斯坐不住了，他在办公室里抽着雪茄，突然想起了我。他把科尔叫过去，低声说："那篇头条，八成是卢卡斯干的。这小子一直在记者堆里混，又跟案子沾边，肯定是他捅的娄子。"科尔皱了皱眉，没吭声，可眼底已经燃起了火。
The police station and Special Services Bureau were overwhelmed by public opinion. The discontent of citizens who had purchased stocks under Karl's companies surged like a tidal wave. Because a local tycoon was involved, some council members motioned for the city hall, and it was rumored that the prosecutor's office, due to public distrust, was already preparing to file a no-confidence lawsuit against the police station. Breed found Lemons to warn him of the consequences and responsibilities he would bear, and Paul also publicly criticized Lemons for not managing properly. Lemons couldn't sit still; he was smoking a cigar in his office when he suddenly thought of me. He called Cole over and said in a low voice, "That headline, it's eighty percent likely Lucas did it. This kid has been mixing with reporters all along and is connected to the case; he definitely stirred up this mess." Cole frowned but remained silent, though fire had already ignited in his eyes.
当天晚上，科尔找到我家门口，敲门声重得像擂鼓。我刚打开门，他就冲进来，二话不说一拳砸在我脸上。我踉跄着摔在沙发上，嘴角渗出血，懵了半秒才反应过来："你他妈干嘛？"科尔红着眼，揪住我衣领又是一拳："你还装？你那破文章打草惊蛇，还把警局推到风口浪尖！你知不知道我们在查什么？"我没承认也没否认，捂着脸低声说："我没说是谁写的。"可他压根不听，喘着粗气，像头被激怒的牛。
That evening, Cole found his way to my doorstep, knocking as heavily as a drum. I had just opened the door when he rushed in, without a word, landing a punch on my face. I staggered and fell onto the sofa, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth, stunned for half a second before reacting: "What the fuck are you doing?" Cole, with reddened eyes, grabbed my collar and threw another punch: "You're still pretending? Your crappy article alerted our targets and pushed the police station into the spotlight! Do you have any idea what we're investigating?" I neither admitted nor denied, covering my face and saying in a low voice, "I didn't say who wrote it." But he didn't listen at all, breathing heavily, like an enraged bull.
艾琳从房间里跑出来，看见这场面，吓得喊了声："住手！"她扑过来拉开科尔，挡在我面前。科尔这才松手，喘着气扫了眼屋子，看到我们同居的痕迹——她的衣服挂在椅背上，我的鞋扔在门口。他冷笑一声，指着我俩说："真是一对快活男女，去你们的！操。"艾琳紧张得手都在抖，可还是硬撑着回："你走吧，我们的家不欢迎你。"
Erin ran out from the bedroom, saw this scene, and screamed in fright: "Stop!" She rushed over to pull Cole away, standing in front of me. Only then did Cole let go, panting and scanning the room, noticing traces of our cohabitation—her clothes hanging on the chair back, my shoes thrown at the doorway. He sneered, pointing at both of us: "What a happy couple, go to hell! Fuck." Erin was so nervous her hands were shaking, but she still managed to retort: "Leave, you're not welcome in our home."
科尔瞪了我一眼，转身摔门走了。艾琳扶我起来，拿毛巾给我擦脸上的血，低声说："他怎么这样……"她眼眶红了，照顾我时却温柔得像水。我拉住她的手，低声说："没事，别怕。"她点点头，靠在我肩上，沉默了一会儿，突然说："我想写篇实习论文，痛斥这个城市的警察的私刑和制度腐朽。这城市太烂了，我想说点什么。"
Cole glared at me, then turned and slammed the door as he left. Erin helped me up, using a towel to wipe the blood from my face, saying softly: "How could he do this..." Her eyes welled up, yet she was as gentle as water when caring for me. I held her hand and said quietly: "It's alright, don't be afraid." She nodded, leaned on my shoulder, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "I want to write an internship paper, condemning the police brutality and institutional decay in this city. This city is too rotten; I want to say something."
我愣了下，看着她眼里的倔强，心里既感动又不安。我抱着她，安慰着她，并让她打消这个念头。
I was stunned for a moment, looking at the stubbornness in her eyes, feeling both touched and uneasy. I held her, comforting her, and persuaded her to drop the idea.