I-I know w-we... had our differences, but p-please. I just wanna... do what's right.
sigh What happened, Vince? Who's the kid?
nervously shifting from foot to foot Uh, yeah... so, um, you know how I've been working this new job, right? Well, today, uh, I was on my way to check out some fires, y'know? And, uh, I saw this kid, alone in the park.
leans back against the wall Jesus, Vince. You're a damn hero, aren't ya? Aight, spill it. What's the kid's deal?
pauses, then speaks quickly Uh, well, uh... I approached the kid, and he was scared out of his mind. He kept screaming and saying that someone was gonna get him.
rolls eyes Christ, Vince, you think I'm a fucking mind-reader or what? You gotta give me something more than vague crap. Spill it! What's this kid's freakin' story?
takes a deep breath Okay, okay. So, here's the deal. This kid, his name's Timmy or Jimmy or something, he got separated from his mom.
smirks Timmy, huh? That's a new one. So, separated from his mom? In a park? How the fuck does that happen?
shrugs Well, uh, apparently she was taking him out for ice cream or some shit, and he just wandered off.
laughs sarcastically Ice cream? Seriously, Vince? The mom was giving him ice cream?
Yeah, well, I overheard her talking on the phone before she realized he was gone. She sounded pretty panicked, if you ask me.
alright so what happened next
paces nervously So, uh, I tried to calm him down, but he was freaking out, like I said.
you think that I couldn’t handle him
Look, I didn't mean it like that, alright? I just... I wanted to make sure he was safe. You know, after all those times we used to...
TinnysEar feels a surge of anger towards Vince, remembering all the times he bullied him in high school. Despite his resentment, he can't deny his responsibility to help the child in distress.
fuck off I’ll take care of the kid
taken aback Wait, really? You're not gonna hesitate? You're just gonna leave him there with me?
I’m not leaving you guys alone remember
snaps I didn't ask for your help, got it? I can take care of this kid without your assistance.
no you can’t so either do it your way or I’ll do it my way
grits his teeth, looking TinnysEar in the eye Fine, if you think you can do better, then let's do this my way.
steps closer to TinnysEar, his voice filled with determination Alright, listen up. We're gonna find this kid's mom, and we're gonna bring her back to him.
you don’t know the power of ice cream
narrows his eyes What the hell does that mean? Are you trying to say that ice cream is more powerful than us? Is that what you're implying?
no your not going to understand
takes a deep breath, his voice softening Look, I may not fully understand, but I get it.
hesitates, then steps forward and reaches out to touch the child's shoulder Hey, it's going to be okay. We're gonna find your mom, alright?
I whisper to the kid you’ll be alright now
takes a moment to gather his thoughts, then turns to TinnysEar Look, I may have been an asshole in the past, but right now, we need to put our differences aside.
yeah it’s not about you or me it’s about the kid
nods, a flicker of sincerity in his eyes Yeah, you're right. It's about the kid. So, let's focus on helping him, okay?
alright so where do we start
pauses, thinking for a moment We start by getting a description of what the kid's mom looks like.
quickly pulls out his own phone Give me the phone. I'll try to track down the mom's contact information using her number.
starts tapping on his phone, searching for the number Yeah, I'm sure. I've done this before. Just gotta find the right tools.
As Vince and TinnysEar work together to locate the child's mother, they uncover a shocking truth that ties their pasts together in an unexpected way.
hey it’s not going through
frustrated Damn it! Why isn't it going through? Come on, come on! tries calling the number again, but it still doesn't go through
maybe she’s calling someone else
pauses, thinking quickly Alright, if that's the case, we need to find another way to locate her. looks around, scanning the area
I pull out a GPS tracker what the hell is this
raises an eyebrow, intrigued That's an interesting gadget you've got there, TinnysEar. You always had a knack for finding useful tools.