Tommy is used to patrolling the city late at night. He makes sure there aren’t any criminals on the streets during his night shift. But he noticed that there was a boy in front of the same house every day during his shift. The boy prayed outside every night for weeks, but when Tommy didn’t see him outside one night, he decided to investigate.
He didn’t expect what he would find inside the boy’s house…
Call For Assistance
Tommy’s boss slammed the door in his face when he asked for backup on the search mission. He no longer cared about what his coworkers thought, he had to find out if the boy was safe. He made a rash decision to go out on a limb and visit the house himself with whoever would join him.
Checking The House
Tommy and 10 of his fellow officers stepped inside the house looking for the boy. They immediately handcuffed the man who answered the door and told him that it was for his own good. Tommy checked for the boy in every room of the house but didn’t find any trace of him. What happened to the kid?
What’s Inside
He opened the boy’s room and was stunned at what he found. Now he understood why the boy wasn’t outside to pray that night.
But why was Tommy so sure that something was wrong? And what did he find in the boy’s room that made him sure that his suspicions were correct?
His Job Was His Life
Tommy had been working as a police officer for almost 20 years. His work was his main focus in his life and he enjoyed the respect that it earned him. His biggest goal was to help people who were in danger. But little did he know that doing so might be the hardest part of the job.
Tough Neighborhood
Tommy was assigned to work nights in a dangerous neighborhood. The tough schedule hurt his personal life, but he knew that he had to stick to it to put dangerous criminals behind bars. And there were plenty of criminals in this part of town. Tommy’s colleagues thought that he would be the best person on the force to handle the area.
They Started To Respect Him
At first, Tommy struggled to get along with the neighborhood residents. But after a while, it got easier. He met people and created relationships with the neighborhood. One person caught his attention in particular.
Who Is He?
Every day during his usual route, a boy prayed outside on the streets. Tommy admired the kid because of his loyalty. The child never failed to pray at the same times each day. Also, the kid greeted Tommy every day. But that would soon change…
He Didn’t See This Coming
Tommy wanted to talk to the kid and get to know him. Maybe he had some information about the neighborhood as well. But when he approached the child, the situation escalated very quickly. Tommy didn't see that coming.
Dangerous Situation
Suddenly, many of the boy's neighbors came out of their houses, running towards Tommy and his colleague. At first, Tommy thought they were friendly. But it became clear that this was not the case. But what did he do wrong?
Act Quickly
Tommy didn't know what he did wrong, but he knew he had to act quickly to save himself and his colleague. They ran back to the car as fast as possible and drove off safely. But Tommy didn't want to let the situation go away.
Searching For Him
He took his colleague back to the police station. After that, he himself returned to the neighborhood alone. He wanted some answers from the neighborhood and tried to find out who the kid was. But when he came back, he was shocked.
He Needs Answers
The child was nowhere to be seen. It seemed as if he had disappeared. But this could not be the case. Tommy knew where the boy lived, so he went to the house. He wanted answers.
Investigation
But when Tommy knocked on the door, there was no answer. No one answered the door. But what did that mean? Did he endanger the child? He knew he had to investigate. So he started right away.
Where Was He?
At first, Tommy drove around the neighborhood for a day, looking for the boy. But he was not out at any time. But where did the boy pray now? Tommy checked the church, but he wasn't there either. So Tommy started another mission.
Searching The Database
He started the investigation from his office. Luckily he had some experience working behind a desk, so he knew where to start his research. Tommy started with the police database. He held the answers to almost everything in their town. He could search the house, the owners, the neighbors, the history, everything.
The House’s History
After searching the address in the database, Tommy discovered that the house had been purchased almost 50 years ago. The owner of the house had died 25 years ago and had left the house to one of her children, a son.
A Mountain Of Questions
But the strange thing was that it seemed very unlikely to Tommy that this family was the same as the one living there now. It didn't make sense. So where was the son who actually owned the place? Did he sell it already? Tommy still had more questions, but not the answers he was looking for.
It’s Time For Answers
He checked the name again but came up with the same information. Doing a quick search on the Internet, he discovered that the man had never been in contact with the law, filed no government requests, and had no social media presence. He was off the grid. But that still didn't explain the current family living there. So Tommy took matters into his own hands.
Undercover
He went to the neighborhood again, but incognito. He didn't want people to recognize him. He tried to take photos of the family who lived in the house and run them through the database. But that wasn't exactly legal.
Unexpected
But Tommy was determined to get the answers he needed. Besides, there may still be a child at risk. He hadn't seen him since he tried to meet him. Tommy felt a lot of guilt about this. But the night shift didn't go as he expected.
Getting Closer
The family, again, was nowhere to be seen. And next to that, other people still recognized Tommy and even ran towards him. Tommy once again found himself in a truly dangerous situation. Luckily he managed to escape. But the questions remain unanswered. But that would soon change.
But more trouble was coming his way…
Suspicious
When Tommy got home, he was disappointed to find no answers. But when he returned home, his wife Annie was angry. Where did Tommy go so late at night? Where had he been? And Annie had good reason to be so suspicious.
She Checked His Phone
The marriage between Tommy and Annie was not what it was years ago. At first, Annie thought it was stress at work. But Tommy started coming home late every night. He worried. Then she checked his phone.
Hiding Something
What Annie found on Tommy's phone shocked her. He saw messages from a certain “Person X" and immediately feared the worst. They were mainly talking about meeting in a restaurant. Anna was pretty sure Tommy was cheating on her, but she was afraid to confront him until she got home that night…
Who Is She?
Annie immediately asked, "Are you cheating on me?" Tommy was surprised by this question. He didn't see this coming. So he immediately denied it. Because, of course, Tommy didn't cheat on her. But then Annie asked about this 'X' person..
He Couldn’t Tell Her
It all made sense to Tommy because Annie was so fixated on him cheating on her. But, unfortunately, this was all a big misunderstanding. Person X was an informant for Tommy. For privacy reasons, he obviously couldn't tell who it was, but he assured Annie that he wasn't cheating on her. Annie believed him and this problem was solved between them. But the next day, more issues were coming.
Knock, Knock
Early in the morning, Tommy heard a loud knock on the door. Tommy didn't know who it was. Who knocked on his door at 5 in the morning? So Tommy went downstairs to see who it was. But they weren't exactly the people he was hoping for.
Unexpected Guest
His colleagues stood in front of his door! At first, he thought he was needed for an investigation or an emergency call. But it wasn't like that. They were actually very cold. Tommy couldn't understand why, but after a few seconds, it all became clear.
Come Downtown
"Tommy, you have to come with us to the police station," said his colleague. Was Tommy in trouble? Why did he have to come to the station with them so early in the day? What was so urgent? They seemed very serious about it.
What Will Happen?
In the car to the police station, his colleagues did not speak to Tommy. This seemed so strange to him. What was happening? Was this some kind of bad joke? Especially after the fight he had with his wife, he didn't want any trouble. Besides, he still wanted to find the boy.
Interrogation Room
When they arrived at the police station, they led Tommy to the interrogation room. Everything was so strange to Tommy. But they seemed very serious about it. They wanted to question Tommy for doing something that was not allowed during his work time. Tommy knew what they were talking about…
Tough Decision
He immediately knew it was about that night in the neighborhood where he went incognito to find the young boy. Tommy was about to make a tough decision, was denying the whole night the best option? Or should he be honest? Being honest could mean losing his job.
Caught Red-Handed
Tommy chose to deny it at first. Maybe that meant he would be allowed to keep his job. But his colleagues were having none of it. In fact, they came back with shocking data. Tommy was photographed by some of the bystanders. After seeing this, Tommy couldn't hold back his tears.
His Side of The Story
He told his colleagues that he didn't want it to go that way. He just wanted to find the boy. Maybe he was in danger. Of course, he didn't want to do anything illegal, but it came from a good heart. After telling his side of the story, his boss entered.
Talk to the Boss
His boss wanted to speak to him alone. Tommy was hoping for good news, but deep down he knew it wasn't going to happen. His boss said he was only allowed to work in the office from now on. Tommy was disappointed but understood the decision. But he was still worried about the boy…
His Only Choice
Tommy tried his best from behind his desk to locate the boy without success. Still, he was desperate to find him. So he took the only chance he had left. But this was not without risk, again.
Call For Help
Tommy called the FBI, asking if they had any information on the neighborhood. Maybe they could help track him down. But his boss instructed him not to look for the boy again, as it was his colleagues' responsibility to do so.
A Clue
Unfortunately, the FBI didn't want to help Tommy. They were quite vague about the situation. But after a week of finding nothing, his colleagues found something! It was a small lead, but Tommy was excited to hear all about it.
One Step Closer
Apparently, they saw the child's mother driving around. So instead of asking her about his whereabouts, they decided to follow the mother to the location she was heading to. After that, reinforcements were called. Tommy's entire team was allowed to leave, but he also wanted to go.
Shocking Request
His boss said that Tommy was allowed to go too, as he started the case. Tommy was paired with a rookie as he could learn a lot from Tommy. They led the rest of the team to work together. After they joined, the rookie made a request that shocked Tommy.
Trusting the Rookie
The rookie insisted he wanted in on the plan. He trusted Tommy's instincts and promised to be on the lookout to make sure no one left the house while Tommy and his team explained the situation to the other officers. Within 15 minutes, they were all gathered and preparing to storm the house where the mother drove up. But one problem remained…
Leading the Team
There was no warrant yet. Some of Tommy's friends were a little hesitant to break the rules so blatantly and enter the house without a warrant. Tommy swore there was someone in distress inside and there wouldn't be time to get him. He knew he was putting his job and reputation on the line, especially after what had happened. With a deep breath and began to lead the group forward.
Nervous
The police entered the formation at the end of the street, where he was still outside the house. Everyone understood the plan, but Tommy was nervous that he might be missing some important detail. But there was no turning back. At his signal, they rushed into the property and forced their way in through the front door.
Arrested
The first person they saw was the man in the suit who had opened the door earlier. One of the officers cuffed him while the others spread out into the other rooms. There was another person there, a well-dressed man in expensive clothes. But so far, there was no sign of the boy.
Locating the Boy
While the officers questioned the men about what they were doing, Tommy rushed upstairs to see if he could spot the boy. He checked several rooms before seeing the door, which indicated it was a boy's bedroom. When he turned the handle, it was unlocked. Slowly, he opened the door.
Totally In Shock
Tommy walked into the room and was immediately surprised by what he found. It took him a moment to collect his thoughts and calm down. Then he looked over his shoulder, double-checking that he was in the right place.
Not A Speck Of Dirt
The room was bare. There was not a single sign that anyone had lived there for years. The only unusual part is that it was so clean that Tommy couldn't find a single speck of dirt or dust. What had happened there? Frantic, Tommy searched the other rooms, hoping for a clue.
Same Scenario
In each room, Tommy found the same. It was emptier than a house for sale, with no picture hanging on any wall. The sight of the empty rooms turned his stomach. Flustered, Tommy headed downstairs to see if the two men had given any information about the boy.
Surprise
But when Tommy cleared the ground floor landing, he saw that the men were no longer in handcuffs. Instead, his friends were apologizing to them. They looked almost embarrassed. Tommy stepped forward, unsure how to feel about the situation. What the hell was going on?
In His Pocket
One of the men stepped forward and put his hand in his pocket. Sebastian tensed, wondering what the man was doing. None of the other officers seemed the least bit concerned. The man then took an object out of his jacket and held it up for Tommy to see. The color drained from Tommy's face.
Get The FBI
The well-dressed man in the suit held an FBI badge. Tommy knew he was probably in serious trouble, but he couldn't stop asking questions about why the men were there in the first place. Unfortunately, it turns out that the FBI also had some questions for Tommy.
We Need An Explanation
The FBI agents heard Tommy's excuse for entering the house from the other officers. They wanted to know what had made him suspicious in the first place. The agents respected his willingness to trust his instincts and even put his career on the line to help someone in danger. Because of this, they decided to tell Tommy the truth.
Another Suspect
The FBI agents asked the other officers to give them some privacy. They explained that they weren't there for the boy when they were alone with Tommy. Instead, they put his father in mind. It turned out there was a lot more to the family than meets the eye.
Witness Protection Program
The man in question had been placed under witness protection for his safety. So many people sought him out that he hardly ever left the house. The same was true of his son, who often stayed upstairs and watched the neighborhood from his window. But recently, their routine has changed drastically.
Case Closed
After the dust settled, the FBI asked Tommy and his colleague to keep this situation secret. The boy and the father were transported to another city and lived a happy life together again.
The events of this story are entirely fictional and are products of the author’s imagination. Images included are meant for illustration purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.