After several long minutes of crying
The asset asks
Why did they think I was a cop?
Raffie says
Idk man
I kept tryin to listen to them talk
Maybe someone saw you at the park and then saw you again later
The asset asks
Have you ever heard of a Spanish gang
The Mafia of 51st Street or the brothers?
Raffie says you mean los hermanos ?
Yes
Yes
Do you know them
Yeah
Carlos rolls with them sometimes
Shit
He puts his head in his hands
What?
Raffie this really is my fault
I'm so sorry
They think I'm a cop because they caught me in the hotel
I was trying to --
Well they caught me sneaking around and trying to monitor their network traffic
...
A guy from los hermanos works as an enforcer at the hotel
...
That's the only thing I can think of
But they think I roll with the mafia
That's probably the gang they're blaming the drive-by on
..
They probably think I'm undercover with the mafia of 51st Street and trying to take them all down
Raffie jumps up
Who the fuck are you, freak?
I'm not a cop
And you ain't own a hotel do you
... No
I don't
Then who are you?
I work with an organization
What kind of fucking organization?!
Oh fuck you man
You're a fed!
Fucking pig man!
Raffie starts running away
The asset chases him and tackles him
Stop!
I'm not a fed!
Ok?
I'm not a cop
I work for a private sector
Yo what the fuck does that even mean?!
It means I don't work for the government and I don't work for cops
That's all you need to know
...
But I do need to take you to the cops
I knew it!
R-raffie screams and starts trying to wriggle away
You gonna betray me
EVERYONE BETRAYS ME!
no Raffie
No
But I can't just let you run around here and get shot
And I certainly can't just keep you
I need to take you somewhere safe
You lie
You just want to dump me off and make me a snitch
No that's not it!
...
I had an idea but I'm not sure
What?
Raffie stops struggling
I take you to a different state and drop you off at an orphanage
You play dumb
You don't remember your name
You don't know your parents
You get a fresh start and a new life as long as you're not already in a system
They won't find you
They can look
But it won't get anywhere
Raffie will be forgotten
You'll fall through the cracks
Find a way to get a new birth certificate
...
They'll call you John Doe
You can have it legally changed to whatever you want when you're older
...
Are you in the system?
I don't think so
Have you ever been fingerprinted?
Been arrested?
Had a mugshot?
No
You're sure?
Yes
Did you even go to school?
I went to kindergarten and first grade but at the end of second grade moms stopped taking me
No one ever made me go back
Well you're already forgotten
Raffie almost starts crying again
Oh god no
I mean
Yeah that sucks kid
But it's good because you can use it
This is your most powerful weapon
You're a ghost
...
I wish I was like you
Well in that regard
...
I wish I could completely disappear without anyone looking for me
Why?
Because people are looking for me
And I can change my name
But it all leaves a trail
And people recognize my face
You didn't even grow into yours yet
In a few years you'll look different
I'm kinda stuck with what I have for another 30 years
Then what happens
Raffie asks
It starts sagging and falling off
Raffie laughed
That's good kid
Laugh
There's always humor
There's always some tragic irony we can twist into a sick joke
Yeah I guess so
So why is your name Raffie
My real name is Raphael
My moms said that God was healing her through me so she named me after the archangel
But that --
It's a cool name kid
Do you mind if I call you Raphael for a while
Until we part ways
Yeah I guess
But I don't want to leave just yet
Well we gotta keep moving
Ok but I'm not ready to go to an orphanage yet
Ok kid
We'll make the best of our situation
I don't know how yet
But we will