The attitude of my "Agent Smith" is unfortunately not that unusual in the law enforcement community. All too accustomed to dealing with the dregs of society in their daily encounters with members of the public, they often tend to expect deference from those members of the public and react with suspicion, even aggression, when it isn't forthcoming.
Even so, I'm afraid I refuse to join the ranks of the cop-bashers who've become so widely popular of late. These men and women put their lives on the line daily for the preservation of our society and social order. Yes, there are bad apples, as in any field you may care to name, but so far as I can tell they're the exception, not the rule. As "Smith" is in my tale. Later on he'll show up even worse than he does in this chapter, but, once again, I don't present him as typical.
Meantime, for the moment, Asmedogh remains safe from discovery while Nick and Camilla pursue their musical careers.