Rudy assumed if he teleported to the tunnel and made it look like the kids were playing or had gotten lost inside, the parents wouldn't freak out as much. Of course, the kids who had experienced everything would most likely tell their parents, but sometimes parents wouldn't believe unimaginable things.
Regardless, Rudy didn't truly care, even if his powers or existence were revealed. He could simply wipe everyone's memories and make it look like nothing ever happened.
However, when they left the tunnel, Rudy let out a weary sigh after seeing the cops and their cars all around the park.
'It didn't even take me two minutes to get the kids back. But they were missing for quite a while, so it makes perfect sense that they called the cops.'
SIGH!
'I can already guess where this is going,' he uttered inwardly and casually kept walking.
The kids rushed to their parents as they shouted their names.
"Jessica! Lilim!" Elena also rushed to them and hugged them with teary eyes. "I am glad you are okay!"
Rudy smiled after watching them, but it didn't last long.
"Raise your hand and turn around!" the cops yelled as they surrounded Rudy from all the sides.
Rudy slowly turned around without raising his hand and said, "This is a misunderstanding."
"That's what they all say!"
They all aimed their guns at Rudy and slowly closed their distance from him.
"Put your hands on your back and get on your knees!"
"That's a nice line. I will use it someday."
"Do you not understand what I just said?! If you do not cooperate, we will have to do it by force."
Rudy furrowed his brows and uttered, "Which part of 'this is a misunderstanding' do you not understand? Maybe the kids wouldn't have been kidnapped if you were better at doing your job. Perhaps if a guard had been patrolling around the park, especially the children's playground, everything would have been okay.
Look, I understand it's your job and whatever. And I understand, really. I don't blame you if you suspect me. That's what it looks like. But it wasn't me. You can either believe me, or I can make you believe.
The choice is yours. I don't want to play the bad guy here. But if you dare to press the trigger when these kids are around, there will be consequences."
"Daddy, stop!" One of the girls Rudy had saved came forward and stood in front of Rudy.
'This is the smart girl who asked me how I knew where their home was.'
The chief police lowered his gun after seeing the girl and asked, "Cassandra? What the hell are you doing here? And get away from that man! He is dangerous!"
'Cassandra? Isn't that the name of the hot chick who was the head chief in 2008?' Rudy wondered. 'Don't tell me…'
"No. This person helped us escape! He is not a bad person!" Cassandra shouted.
"Cassandra, move! You don't know anything!"
Suddenly, the boy with Cassandra stepped forward and said, "She is telling the truth. This person saved us all!"
"John?! You are here too? Why are you two here? Didn't your father send you home like an hour ago? Where is that driver?!"
The chief was now angry about something else.
'I knew it! So this boy is John, huh? No wonder I felt like I had seen his face before. But still… his face hasn't changed even after eighteen years. It's so easily recognizable. And… fuck me!
I remember John had mentioned that he and Cassandra were kidnapped when they were kids, and someone saved them. And ever since then, she decided to become a cop. So it was all because of me?
Argh… seriously! Fuck all this! All this was supposed to happen?! Once again, why the fuck am I even trying, then? All the time I have spent in this timeline, I worry about messing it up and changing the future, but almost all the things that happened because of me were supposed to happen.
How can all this be a coincidence? The fact that I was time-traveled to the 1989 timeline and so many things were related to me… I don't think it was a coincidence. The wallet indeed triggered the time-travel, but who was behind it?'
While Rudy was lost in his thoughts, Cassandra was continuously yelling at her father.
"Fine. Kid's testimonies aren't considered in a statement, but fine. Even if he just threatened the police, it's fine!" the chief said remarked with a judging glare at Rudy.
He then ordered his men to retreat and continued glaring at Rudy.
"Are you okay, mister?" Cassandra asked Rudy.
Rudy smiled at her and patted her head before saying, "Yes. You saved me."
"I did?"
"Yes. I am sure you will become one of the greatest and smartest detectives of all time."
Cassandra pointed her finger at John and asked, "Will he come one too?"
"Yes. I am sure he will too."
"Excuse me, mister hero." The chief called out to Rudy and said, "You would have to come to the precinct to give your statement."
"Oh, believe me. My statement would be the most ridiculous thing you would have ever heard in your entire career. So I think it would be better if you handled this on your own," Rudy shrugged with a sigh.
"Do you have an ID with you?" the chief then asked.
"I don't carry it with me. Now, if you would excuse me, I have more important things to do."
Rudy nonchalantly walked away and went to Elena, who was waiting for Rudy at the bench with Jessica and Lilim.
"Are you okay?" Elena asked with a concerned look on her face.
"Yes. And… I see you didn't go to the mall to get your dress."
"Did you seriously think I would go buy a cake while Jessica and Lilim were in danger?"
"Makes sense. I just wanted to get it off your head. But now that everything is settled let's go and do what's due. I also have a meeting with a wannabe god."
