'𝘽𝙍𝙄𝙏𝙏𝙇𝙀 𝘽𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙎 𝙉𝙄𝘾𝙆𝙔' || 𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙔 𝘽𝙍𝙊𝙈𝙁𝙄𝙀𝙇𝘿

i. run-in with the law

Billy leapt back as the metal shutter swiftly descended. It hit the ground with a resonant clunk, and in a swift motion, Billy lunged forward, delivering a swift kick to secure the lock.

"Open this up right now, kid!" Billy playfully waved at the officer, who was banging against the glass door.

"Billy, hurry up!" Lucia hissed urgently, prompting the boy to swiftly join her. Billy darted away from the door without a second thought.

"That's a federal offense, kid. You can't do that!" The man's stern warning fell on deaf ears as the duo disregarded him, making a beeline for their car. "Do not get in that car." Once again, they brushed off the officer, defiantly entering the vehicle with Lucia taking the driver's seat and Billy settling into the passenger side.

Leaning in, Lucia fixed her gaze on the laptop screen and then turned her attention to Billy, deftly retrieving a pen and book from his green backpack. "Numberplate?" She quipped hastily.

"C-7-8-A-X-2-9"

Lucia keyed in the digits, a triumphant grin lighting up her face, prompting a cheerful laugh from Billy. She navigated to the search bar and entered the last name 'BATSON.' The results flooded in a sea of people with the same surname. Lucia scanned the names, her focus unwavering even as the officers continued their desperate pleas in the background.

"Very good, very funny. Very funny. That's great. That's hilarious." The male officer, adopting a sarcastic tone, interjected.

"Hope?" Lucia asked.

"Yep," Billy confirmed with a nod.

"Cora?"

"uh... Yes." Billy clicked his tongue.

"Amy?"

"Mhm." Billy hummed.

"Rachel?"

Billy's eyes sparked while leaning over to see the screen, "We don't have a Rachel yet," Lucia clicked on Rachel's information, scrolling until she unearthed the address and read it out.

"Twenty-one... Hoffman Street—" Billy acknowledged the older teen with a nod, and the two swiftly made their exit from the car.

"Uh, Dispatch, we need backup at the Laurelwood shopping centre, please." The officer's voice crackled over the radio attached to his vest as Lucia prepared to leave. However, she halted when she noticed Billy reclining back into the vehicle.

"Billy, let's move!—" She gestured urgently, bending down into the car.

"Dispatch, cancel that request." Billy imitated the officer, "Some kid stole our walkie-talkies."

Lucia facepalmed, straightening up just in time to catch the dispatcher's incredulous response, "Walkie-talkies? How old are you?'

Billy took a sharp inhale at the failed imitation and began to step out of the car, but his attention shifted abruptly to a steaming meal on the dashboard.

"No, no, no—" The officer inside pleaded, but Billy snatched the meal, "That's my lunch, kid!"

"Quick! Run!" Billy bolted with the pilfered lunch, swinging his bag onto his back. Lucia guided him down an alley, retrieving her backpack hidden behind the pawnshop's building before they sprinted away.

"I can't believe you nicked his lunch!" Lucia chuckled, securing her bag straps and extending her fist toward Billy, "Nice one!" Their fists connected before they broke off, the distant wail of sirens prompting them to quicken their pace.

☠

Dropping a fry into her mouth, Lucia dusted her salty fingers against her torn jeans. She gazed into the bag to see nothing left of the meatball sandwich the two split and only a few fries remaining. She lifted the damp box due to the bag's condensation, plucking one for herself before focusing on Billy.