(As Flare and Focus walk ahead to reach the town in the horizon, they suddenly hear the rustling sound of leaves, which puts them on high alert. They look around with sharp and wary expressions, but then the rustling is followed by the sound of footsteps, further alerting them.)

  Flare: (chuckling nervously) It’s only the wind, right?

  Focus: (unamused) Then how would you explain the footsteps?

  (Flare and Focus immediately head for a nearby bush and hide there, glancing at their surroundings in anticipation. Just as they probably expected, it’s none other than the Iron Response Unit, the soldiers sweeping the jungle in search of them and only them. They’ve got their weapons in hand, slowly walking around and aiming at their surroundings, a flashlight attached underneath the muzzle to light the way for them.)

  IRU Soldier 1A: (firmly) We’re spreading out. They gotta be somewhere in this forest. And remember, if you see the targets, do not engage until the boss gets there.

  (The other soldiers nod and promptly split up into numerous teams of dozens of men, as if each team is a full-on battalion. The teams inspect every bush and possible hiding spot they can find as they spread across the jungle. Meanwhile, Gauntlet stands on top of a thick branch on a tree, glancing at his communicator and anticipating whatever signal he receives. This leaves only a single battalion of IRU soldiers close to Flare and Focus’s actual location in the bush, carefully inspecting the surrounding area, and the duo watch in anticipation. Flare lights up her palms with a faint smirk, as if getting ready to pounce on the soldiers, but Focus grabs her arm and stops her, shaking his head and signaling her not to engage. Flare raises an eyebrow at this in bafflement, but seeing Focus’s urgent expression, she stands down and remains in hiding inside the bush.)

  Focus: (whispering to Flare) We’ll be found out if we stay here. We have to go, and carefully.

  (Flare nods at this, and the moment the soldiers look away and focus elsewhere, the duo carefully move out of the bush, blending in with the darkness as much as possible and careful not to make a sound. They use the lush forest for cover as they find their way around the IRU soldiers.)

  Flare: (quietly singing, walking on the tips of her toes with a playful grin) Tippy toes, tippy toes. They can’t hear my tippy toes.

  Focus: (whispering in annoyance) Be quiet!

  (However, the duo are shocked to see a group of IRU soldiers right in front of them searching elsewhere and just about to turn their way, and they panickedly hide in a bush, alerting them. The soldiers warily and slowly approach their location, specifically the exact bush in which Flare and Focus are hiding. The duo glance at this with grim expressions, gritting their teeth at the inevitable confrontation. However, just when they are about to get found out, someone intervenes.)

  ???: (with an Irish accent) Can I lend ye a hand with anythin’?

  (The IRU soldiers turn away from the branch they were approaching and turn right at him, alerted by the man’s words. They find an old lumberjack in his mid-50s wearing an old-fashioned red shirt with a denim jacket. He’s got a thick beard and disheveled, shoulder-length grey hair, carrying an old backpack along as he casually approaches the IRU soldiers, who meet him with baffled expressions. He momentarily glances at the bush Flare and Focus are hiding in, possibly having already noticed them, and then turns to the soldiers once again, as if deliberately interrupting them.)

  IRU Soldier 1A: (baffled) Who are you? What’re you doing here, old man?

  Mr. Gallagher: I’m Seanán Gallagher. Don’ ye mind me now. Just comin’ home af’er a few late errands. Sure ye know yerself how it is. An’ what about yerself?

  IRU Soldier 1B: We’re looking for a bunch of outlaws. Surely you’ve heard of them.

  Mr. Gallagher: They’re sure a right big deal lately, aren’t they? I haven’t laid me eyes on a soul meself.

  (Flare and Focus glance at that exchange inside their bush in bafflement, surprised by Mr. Gallagher’s intervention, but with the guards distracted, they see a chance to get out of here, slowly and quietly getting out of the bush and crouching as they walk through the forest and make a run for it. Mr. Gallagher momentarily glances at them as they leave and then glances back at the IRU soldier.)

  Mr. Ghallagher: I’ll be lettin’ ye know if I clap eyes on somethin’. Ye might as well be lookin’ elsewhere. This forest is bleedin’ massive, and these two could be anywhere at all. Right, I gotta be headin’ back now. It’s gettin’ late.

  (The IRU soldiers do nothing to stop Mr. Gallagher, who turns around and heads off, leaving the soldiers to resume their own search for Flare and Focus, who managed to make their escape during the exchange. The duo carefully traverse the forest, looking around to make sure that they’re clear. After making sure no one is around to spot them, they head off once again into the town they previously saw on the horizon.)

  Flare: (baffled) Who was that old geezer?

  Focus: He helped us, and I’m certain it was on purpose. After all, he did notice us hiding.

  Flare: But why did he do that?

  Focus: My guess is as good as yours.

  (Flare shrugs at this and keeps on walking hurriedly along with Focus, both still baffled by what happened. Meanwhile, Gauntlet glances at the watch on his wrist, realizing that it’s late in the night, and with no signal coming from any of the IRU soldiers, he uses a grappling hook coming out of his gauntlets and swings across the trees, all while linking up with his soldiers using his communicator.)

  Gauntlet: (via communicator) Lemme guess: you’ve got nothing.

  IRU Soldier 1A: (via communicator) We’re still trying, sir.

  Gauntlet: Yeah, yeah, sure. Keep trying. See if it works. By the time you complete your little stroll around the forest, I’m gonna pull off yet another carry job.

  IRU Soldier 1A: (baffled) Um… sir?

  Gauntlet: Peace out.

  (Gauntlet ends the transmission and continues swinging across trees using his gauntlets, a faint smirk on his face. Meanwhile, Flare and Focus finally arrive near the rural town, glancing at it from a platform, but then, to their surprise, Mr. Gallagher catches up to them and comes between them.)

  Focus: It’s you again.

  Mr. Gallagher: (firmly) Ye two look like ye could use a roof over yer heads for the night.

  (During this night, Mr. Gallagher invites Flare and Focus over to his small, empty house, the duo acting rather warily around him, Focus doing so in bafflement and Flare doing so in pure cynicism. After a while, he ends up preparing a classic Irish dinner for the two guests inside a candle-lit room with an old TV set around. Flare and Focus are rather awed by this dinner: it contains a pie made out of tender minced beef with carrots, peas, and onions, topped with creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, with Irish potato pancakes and pudding on the side.)

  Mr. Gallagher: I’ll be fetchin’ ya somethin’ in a jiffy. Tuck in.

  (Mr. Ghallagher leaves the duo to have their dinner while he picks something up, and after he leaves, Flare and Focus glance at the food laid on the table with blank expressions. Despite the inviting aroma of the food, Flare still remains cynical, as if fearful, but Focus is slightly less reluctant about the matter, slowly taking a spoonful of pudding. He glances at it for a while and then eats from the spoon, raising his eyebrows at that, as if it left a good taste on his mouth. Seeing Focus taking a bite baffles Flare, who remains hesitant and distrusting, and she bows her head. Mr. Gallagher comes back to the candle-lit room, carrying two cups of coffee and handing them over to the duo, and upon realizing what that is, Focus’s eyes widen, and he hurriedly grasps the cup in awe.)

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  Focus: (in an almost hypnotized manner) Coffeeeeeeeee.

  (Mr. Gallagher is rather baffled by how hurriedly Focus grabbed the cup, as if satiating a lingering desire within himself. Focus slowly drinks from the cup, closing his eyes as he basks in the flavor, the warmth, and the scent of this drink. He starts daydreaming about driving a fancy convertible in the evening, that very cup of coffee in hand. In this wild imaginative world, he clutches it with a satisfied smile, getting ready to sip on that cup of coffee, but he quickly snaps back to reality with a stunned expression when Mr. Gallagher chuckles at.)

  Mr. Gallagher: (chuckling) Begorrah, ye do be lovin’ yer coffee as much as meself. What’s yer usual?

  Focus: (firmly, while glancing at the cup) A quad shot, half-decaf, oat milk flat white with very specific parameters to ensure perfection. This one’s good enough, though. You’ve undoubtedly got impeccable taste in coffee, sir.

  Mr. Gallagher: So do you.

  Focus: (standing up and bowing his head to him in reverence) Thank you for this cup of coffee, sir! I have no idea how I would’ve survived this night without it!

  Mr. Gallagher: (grinning) ‘Aisy now, lad. (glancing to Flare, baffled) I see ye aren’t takin’ a bite, darlin’. Somethin’ the matter?

  Flare: (snapping out of her trance) Oh, it’s… it’s nothing.

  (Focus glances at Flare with a baffled frown, who remains unwilling to eat comfortably and unable to even hide her distrust, side-eyeing Mr. Gallagher with a skeptical and an almost bitter expression. The Irishman is taken aback by this, unable to find the words to respond to her. Focus glances at the plate of pudding ahead of her as he taps his finger at the table and promptly takes her spoon, to her surprise. He takes a spoonful of pudding and extends it to her.)

  Focus: (firmly) Here you go. Start with the pudding.

  Flare: (flustered) W-W-Wait, what?!

  Focus: That’s your spoon, isn’t it? So go on.

  Flare: B-B-But — !

  Focus: (deadpan) No ifs, no buts. Now say ahh.

  Flare: (thinking to herself, flustered) He even said the magic words!

  (Focus firmly nods at her while holding the spoon, and Flare is rather surprised by this. She slowly opens her mouth and eats from the spoon, her pupils widening. She immediately grabs the spoon from Focus and takes another bite of the pudding, making a low groaning sound as she enjoys the flavor.)

  Flare: (in awe, while munching on the pudding) This thing’s… awesome. (glancing at Mr. Gallagher, apologetically) I’m sorry… if I upset you or anything.

  Mr. Gallagher: (amiably) Ah, don’t ye mind me. I’m just chuffed yer relaxin’ a wee bit.

  Flare: (acting a bit friendlier, forming a faint smile) Oh, and I’m Flare. Thanks for inviting us over.

  Focus: And I’m Focus. For this cup of coffee, I shall forever be indebted to you.

  Mr. Gallagher: (chuckling) Yer takin’ coffee way too seriously, me lad.

  Flare: (muttering) Ain’t that the truth?

  Focus: (his eyes narrowing) You wouldn’t understand, infidel.

  Mr. Ghallagher: Wait, ye don’t drink coffee, do ya?

  Focus: She doesn’t, which says a lot about her taste.

  Flare: I just don’t like coffee, okay?! And why do you drink coffee at night anyway?!

  Focus and Mr. Ghallagher: (in unison) Force of habit.

  Focus: Well, if you’re not gonna drink that, then… (taking the cup of coffee away from Flare and handing it over to Mr. Ghallagher) Here you go, sir. You deserve this blessing way more than that ignorant ingrate does.

  Mr. Ghallagher: (chuckling) Alright, I s’pose

  Flare: (blankly) Why do I feel offended?

  Focus: (while sipping on his coffee) So… Mr. Seanán Gallagher, is that it?

  Mr. Gallagher: (while sipping on his coffee as well) Everyone just calls me Shay.

  Focus: Why did you help us anyway?

  Mr. Gallagher: Ah, no real reason. I just spotted ye gettin’ into a bit of a pickle with them soldiers, and I figured I’d trust ye more than those other blokes, y’know? An’ let’s be honest, if ye two were caught, who can say what’d happen to the other folks around here?

  Focus: Sounds fair enough.

  Flare: (still rather reserved) The town looks nice at night, not gonna lie. Feels relaxing in a way.

  Mr. Gallagher: (grinning) That’s Larkspur fer ya. Y’know, I’ve been meanin’ to take ye two fer a wee stroll ‘round th’ town. Aye, too bad it’s gettin’ late. I s’pose I’ll have t’ settle fer mornin’, then.

  (Flare and Focus calmly nod at this as Shay passes slices of Irish beef pie into their plates. As the duo continue eating, Flare reaches for a glass of water and momentarily glances at a small picture of a grown woman, possibly in her late-20s, with long black hair and a soft smile, which intrigues her.)

  Flare: (pointing at the picture) Who is that woman?

  Mr. Ghallagher: (fondly glancing at the picture) Ah, that’s Maura. She was... the only woman I ever had in me life. (his smile wavering) She passed on... a long time ago now... and left me to mind the boys all on me lonesome.

  Flare: (frowning) Oh, I’m… I’m sorry.

  Mr. Ghallagher: (faintly smiling) It’s grand, lass. I like it when folks remind me of ’er. Keeps ’er memory alive.

  Focus: So… how did you meet? (frowning) It’s okay, really, if you don’t wanna talk about it.

  Mr. Ghallagher: (as if feeling nostalgic) I wasn’t always one for this kind o’ life, ye know. I had me own life as a lumberjack in one o’ them big cities. I was haulin’ a load o’ timber somewhere, but then me motor conked out on this highway, and I had to sort it somehow. That’s when I stumbled upon this town.

  Flare: Woah. You’ve got quite a story there.

  Mr. Ghallagher: (faintly smiling) A kind old fella saw me wanderin’ ‘round the forest, kinda like what ye were doin’ a while back, and took me in. I got to know his family… and his daughter as well, and that’s when it all began. She took after her father’s kind heart, and it was that warmth that made me fall in love with her. A bit o’ time passed, an’ I saw for meself the comfort an’ beauty of this town. I then made up me mind… an’ proposed to her. The moment she said yes, I felt inside me a feelin’ of gratitude that’s beyond measure, for she blessed me with the happiest moments of me life. Ever since then, I’ve been here in this wee town… and never looked back at me old life. I didn’t need to. With Maura, I had all I ever needed.

  Flare: (teasingly) Woah, calm down, Romeo! You’re too old for this!

  Mr. Ghallagher: (chuckling) That’s how it works in real life, ye little rascal. Just two souls findin’ comfort in one another. Maura was always there t’ pick me up whenever I’d stumble. She didn’t need t’ do anythin’… or even say a word. The fact she was around… with her bright, warm smile… that alone was enough t’ cheer me up. Ye know, we used t’ argue all the time who was the better cook. ’Twas her. It’s always been her.

  Flare: (grinning) Hey, you’re not so far off yourself, Shay!

  Shay: (chuckling faintly) Don’t be daft now, young lass. I’m sure ya would’ve agreed too.

  Focus: So… what about your boys?

  Mr. Gallagher: Ah, them? I made sure to hold ’em dear. I guided the lads whenever I could and watched ‘em blossom into fine, ambitious young men. And when they fancied movin’ out and doin’ their own thing, I couldn’t bring meself to hold ‘em back. Not everyone’s keen on this life, mind ya. (letting out a low chuckle) I wasn’t either at the start. Last I heard, they’re workin’ at a lumber company together, earnin’ a grand livin’ for themselves. It’s always been their dream since I showed ’em the ropes when they were but wee ones. They’re so busy with their own work, it’s tough for ’em to pop by often, if at all.

  Focus: (frowning) So they just… left you alone?

  Mr. Ghallagher: (smiling) Ah, it’s grand, lad. I’m dead proud o’ them! ‘Tisn’t like they’re not makin’ the effort. They pop in fer a visit whenever they can, sure enough. They even got me one o’ those fancy phones to keep in touch, but I don’t use it much, only when they’re ringin’. I do hope I can make it to their weddings when the time rolls ‘round, maybe see me grandkids before I take me leave from this life. Besides that, I feel right fulfilled. Never once did I look back on me life with regret, an’ that’s what truly matters… knowin’ ye did all ye could an’ what ye wanted to achieve. I know that when death comes a-knockin’, I’ll greet it with a smile.

  (Flare and Focus glance at Mr. Gallagher in aw upon hearing those words, and the two can’t help but smile at this; even Focus has a small half-smile on his lips as he finishes his cup of coffee. Flare holds her spoon and fork and continues to eat, but she ends up figuring out that she and Focus have already been done with their meals while listening to Shay’s words. She chuckles nervously at this, and Shay smiles warmly in reaction. The trio then stand up, having finished up their dinner, and carry the plates together, Flare and Focus following Shay to his old-fashioned kitchen and placing them on the counter next to the sink, with Focus looking lost in thought. However, he regains his sharp expression soon, as if making up his mind.)

  Focus: (firmly) Thanks again for having us over. You really didn’t have to.

  Mr. Gallagher: (grinning) Ah, no bother at all, wee ones. It’s the least bit o’ courtesy I can give. I’ve got yer guest room all set up with yer own mattresses. Do try to catch some shut-eye, will ya?

  Focus: Actually… (turning to Flare and addressing her) I’ve got something I need to talk to you about.

  Flare: (raising an eyebrow, baffled) What is it?

  Focus: (turning again to Shay) Mr. Gallagher, can you take us somewhere open? Somewhere that isn’t too deep into the forest.

  Mr. Gallagher: (baffled) This late in the night? (sighing deeply) Alright, I suppose.

  (Mr. Ghallagher leads Flare and Focus to the front door and heads out with them, taking them to an open, abandoned area as Focus requested, with Flare being rather baffled as she glances at Focus’s razor-sharp expression. After a while, Focus finally addresses her.)

  Focus: (firmly) Tell me, Flare. What was that back at the bar?