PART 2 — THE PHONE CALL
The young men stayed around Frank.
They continued laughing as he collected the torn pages.
Derek crossed his arms.
"That's it?"
Frank didn't respond.
"You don't have anything to say?"
Nothing.
Derek stepped closer.
"You know, you should probably be thanking us."
Frank slowly looked at him.
Derek smiled.
"We just made your boring afternoon interesting."
The others laughed again.
Frank looked down at the pages.
He picked up another one.
Then another.
His movements were slow.
But strangely calm.
There was no panic in his face.
No desperation.
No fear.
One of the young men noticed this.
His smile faded slightly.
Something about Frank's calmness felt unusual.
Derek, however, wasn't concerned.
He thought the old man was simply too frightened to respond.
Then Frank finished collecting the pages he could reach.
He placed them neatly on the bench.
He adjusted his military jacket.
Then he reached inside his pocket.
Derek watched.
"What are you doing?"
Frank pulled out a smartphone.
The group laughed.
"Seriously?"
Derek shook his head.
"You calling the cops?"
Frank didn't answer.
He unlocked the phone.
His fingers moved across the screen.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
He entered a number.
The young men continued watching.
One of them chuckled.
"Maybe he's calling his grandson."
Another laughed.
"Maybe he's calling someone to come carry him home."
Frank ignored them.
He pressed the call button.
The ringing tone began.
For the first time, the atmosphere around the bench changed.
The laughter became quieter.
Frank stood there with the phone in his hand.
His posture was completely different now.
His shoulders straightened.
His eyes became focused.
The sadness that had been on his face moments earlier seemed to disappear.
Derek noticed it.
"Who are you calling?"
Frank didn't answer.
The call connected.
Frank lifted the phone to his ear.
He listened.
Then he spoke calmly.
"I need the team."
The young men looked at each other.
Derek frowned.
Frank continued.
"Veterans' emergency protocol."
A pause.
Then Frank gave them his location.
"Send everyone to the park."
He ended the call.
Silence.
The young men stared at him.
Derek tried to laugh.
But this time, nobody joined him.
He looked around.
"Who exactly did you call?"
Frank slowly lowered the phone.
He looked directly at Derek.
"My brothers."
Derek smirked nervously.
"Your brothers?"
Frank said nothing.
A distant sound suddenly reached the park.
At first, it was barely noticeable.
Then it became louder.
Vehicles.
Several vehicles.
May you like
Derek turned toward the parking lot.
His smile disappeared.
