Inside the patrol car, tension was palpable as Officer James drove toward the police station. Officer McCarthy, sitting in the passenger seat, occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror, watching the three boys in the back. The twins, Ray and Jay, were clearly nervous. But the odd one out was Noah, who kept his gaze fixed on the window, his expression unreadable. He seemed detached from everything, as if this situation was just a mere formality.
The sound of an order coming through the intercom broke the silence, but it was quickly ignored when James turned into a fast food drive thru. "We're going to stop for a moment, boys," James said casually. "I know you're hungry."
A few minutes passed as the officer ordered three burgers. When they were handed to him, he passed them to the brothers as they continued on their way to the station. "Boys, when we get to the station, we want to hear what's going on with you. I promise nothing bad will happen, but we need to know the truth," Emily said, her voice gentle yet firm.
Ray and Jay nodded timidly, while Noah said nothing, not even taking his eyes off the scenery rushing past the window.
Upon arriving at the station, the officers got out of the car, and the boys followed in silence. The fluorescent lights inside made them feel even more uncomfortable, as if they were being watched. Without saying much, they were led to a small break room, where they were given their food and then guided to some showers to freshen up.
As the water poured down, Ray and Jay remained silent, both staring at the ground with a mix of exhaustion and regret. They were far from home, in a foreign country, with no one to trust. Noah, sharing the shower with them, tried to break the tension with a light comment.
"Well, at least we ate something today, right?" he said with a crooked smile.
The twins forced a laugh, though they didn't feel like it. Ray finally broke the silence in a more serious tone.
"I'm really sorry, this was a shitty plan. I shouldn't have dragged us into this," Ray murmured, his head hanging low.
Noah shook his head as he stepped out of the shower, quickly drying off.
"There's nothing to apologize for, Ray. We're brothers. We always have been, and we always will be. Together till the end, no matter what."
Jay, who had remained quiet too, nodded, echoing his older brother's words.
"Together till the end."
Before they could say anything else, the voice of a police officer sounded from outside the showers.
"Boys, finish up. There's someone who wants to speak with you."
The three brothers exchanged tense looks but complied. They dressed in their worn-out clothes and stepped out, where Emily and James were waiting for them. Emily, holding a folder in her hand, gave them a small smile while James stood firmly beside her.
"I'm Emily McCarthy, and I'll be handling your case from now on. And this is James Morgan, my partner," she said, gesturing to the officer next to her.
The boys nodded in silence. Emily motioned for them to follow her, leading them to a room on the second floor where a simple table with three chairs awaited.
"Sit down, please," James said, indicating the chairs.
They swallowed hard and sat down, one in each chair, awaiting the questions. Emily sat across from them while James stood by the door.
"First of all," Emily began, "I need you to tell me what you were doing alone on the streets of Los Santos at two in the morning."
Ray exchanged a glance with Noah, seeking his approval. Noah nodded, giving him the green light to speak. Ray took a deep breath and began to talk.
"We're from an orphanage in Puerto Rico. Supposedly, a family here in the U.S. was going to adopt us, and they sent us to an orphanage here while the paperwork was completed," Ray explained. "But suddenly, the family backed out without any reason. The orphanage was planning to send us back to Puerto Rico, but we didn't want to go back, so we decided to run away."
Emily listened attentively, nodding occasionally, though her face showed concern.
"I understand your situation, but three minors can't be out on the streets alone. It's far too dangerous," she said, her voice laced with worry.
Ray and Jay seemed increasingly scared at the gravity of her words, but Noah, as always, maintained his cold and calculated demeanor.
"I'm 19," Noah said seriously. "I can take care of my brothers. We don't need to go back to any orphanage."
Emily looked him straight in the eye and shook her head.
"In the United States, legal adulthood is reached at 21, Noah. You can't assume legal responsibility for your brothers yet."
Silence filled the room as Emily's words sank into the minds of the three. Jay and Ray were visibly disheartened, knowing that their plan hadn't worked and that they now faced a much harsher reality.
Suddenly, Emily stood up from her seat, a serious expression on her face.
"I want you to give more details to James. I have to make an important call, but I'll be back in a few minutes," she said, quickly leaving the room as she pulled out her phone.
Once she left the interrogation room, Emily walked to a corner of the hallway, leaning against a wall as she took out her phone. She checked the time: 3:15 AM. She sighed deeply and dialed a number. As the phone rang on the other end, she began to feel a little nervous. Finally, a groggy voice answered.
"Emily, what the hell is going on? It's three in the morning, for God's sake!" Jane, her cousin, growled.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry for waking you, Jane, but I need you to come to the station. It's important," Emily said quickly, trying to sound calm but with urgency.
Jane snorted on the other end of the line. "What could possibly be so important at this hour? I have work tomorrow!"
Emily took a deep breath. She knew Jane wouldn't be in a good mood, but she had to tell her this.
"I have an opportunity for you. The opportunity you've been waiting for, for years," Emily said in a lower, more serious tone.
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
"The opportunity I've been waiting for?" Jane asked, now much more awake.
"Yes," Emily confirmed. "Here, at the station. I need you here as soon as possible. I can't give you all the details over the phone, but trust me, at least give it a chance."
The silence stretched for only a second before Jane responded with determination.
"I'm on my way. I'll be there in 20 minutes."
Emily smiled, knowing she had achieved what she wanted. She hung up the phone, sent a message to James to explain to the boys that someone wanted to meet them and might be able to help them, and then went outside to wait for her.