13. Captain McGee

"So you're telling me some sort of pig slash man attacked you?" The man asked again, not looking up from his notepad.

"But before all that, he broke into not one, but two of your homes. And you're only just now reporting any of this?" The officer rubbed his bushy mustache thoughtfully, as though really wanting to get the details of this particular part jotted down correctly.

"That's right," Zack said impatiently. Look, you've asked these same questions a hundred times. Are you going to go find this guy and arrest him or what?"

The cop looked at him quizically, as though totally clueless as to why he might be feeling impatient.

"Well, it's really just your word against his at this point. This Danver, you didn't happen to attack him, did you? Are you sure you didn't provoke all of this in some way?" He asked. "It's important to understand both sides of the story, obviously."

Zack sighed. They'd been going around in circles like this for the better part of half an hour.

"Hey, are you going to help us or not?" Todd interjected, surprising Zack with the abruptness of his uncharacteristic anger.

"Am I not helping you to your satisfaction, young man?" The cop asked, closing his notepad abruptly.

"You've literally done nothing but contradict us and flip our words around since you got here." Todd challenged. "What's your name? Are you even a real cop?"

"My name?" The man asked, startled as though he hadn't expected to be the one answering questions. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he blurted: "Captain…McGee."

It sounded made up. And Zack fought the urge to ask to see a badge or a business card or some sort of credentialing. But the guy had shown up in a state cruiser, and he was wearing the uniform…

"Anyway, thanks for your call. We'll be sure to look into this as soon as the storm passes," McGee said bluntly.

"That's it? That's all you're going to do about all of this?" Todd implored, waving around at all the shards of broken glass and specks of blood.

"Son, for all I know, you got into a fight with your brother here. It sounds like you two have a pretty complicated relationship. If I were you, I'd keep stories like this one to yourselves from now on." He tipped his hat to them, making to leave.

"Oh, and if you do make it to the other side, I really hope you learn some fucking manners."

Zack looked at Todd in horror, wishing desprately he could rewind time and take them down a path that led them anywhere but here.

"Still think it's going to be okay?" Todd asked.

"No." Zack answered truthfully. "I think we'd better head home. It's time to call Mom and Dad."