Triple Point

Chapter 70: Past Meets Present

14 MAR 34AE, 1015 PT

Downtown Los Angeles

Once the jewelry store's alleged robber was securely in the custody of the police, Camilla let the kids handle the remaining administrative work with the store employees. Officially, it was to get them to practice the basics of field work that they had missed before they were suddenly thrown into warzones. In reality, Camilla just wanted a chance to browse the store uninterrupted.

She didn't think Elsie was a huge fan of jewelry, but she was running out of time and options for what to get her as a birthday present. Camilla loved the key that Elsie had gotten her back in November, and as cheesy as it had been, she still carried it in her uniform's pocket whenever she was working. Not only was it meaningful but it was also convenient, especially on the rare occasions that Camilla's key card broke during a scuffle.

"Are you window shopping or are you a potential customer?" Mack asked as he walked up to stand beside her.

"Not sure yet," Camilla muttered, frowning. "I need a birthday present for Elsie."

"Oh, right!" Mack grimaced. "That's in... what, two weeks?"

Camilla cringed. "Don't remind me."

"So she likes jewelry?" Mack asked.

"I'm keeping my options open," Camilla replied, avoiding the question.

"That's a no then," Mack concluded. "Well, you know what that means then?"

Camilla turned to him, confused, but slightly optimistic that Mack had some brilliant idea.

"It means you have to give a gift from the heart," he said dramatically, gently tapping his chest above his own heart.

Camilla stared at him for a few seconds, impassive, before she spoke again.

"So you don't have anything a little more specific than that?" she asked, slightly irritated.

Mack shook his head sadly. "Absolutely no idea."

Camilla let out a long sigh and headed back out to the street. A few minutes later, Nakia and Finn finished up, and Mack led them outside to meet up with Camilla before they all piled into the LUV.

They were just passing Pershing Square when a strange energy caught Camilla's attention, and she ordered Mack to pull over. As soon as he stopped, she jumped out of the vehicle, following the energy like a trail of breadcrumbs. She knew her squad was confused as they followed her without question, but she also knew they trusted her judgement.

Sure enough, once she was in the middle of the square, she spotted two children standing in front of a meek looking playground, both of them crying. The younger one was bawling so hard that her scrunched up face had turned a bright red, and the older one looked like he wanted to do the same, but was trying to hold it in as much as possible. They were garnering the attention of all of the passersby, and a group of college students even stopped by to try and help. But judging by the way the kids only began to cry harder, that wasn't working out too well.

"You got this one, right Cap?" Mack asked tentatively when he caught up to her.

"Why, you don't?" she asked.

"Are you kidding?" Mack asked incredulously. "Kids hate me. They think I look scary." He pouted like he was thirty years younger than he actually was. "It's heartbreaking."

"Oh my god," Camilla muttered, and she began heading over to the kids. "Then keep our kids with you, okay?"

"With pleasure," Mack complied easily, even taking a few steps back.