Billy Batson's limited brain realized he hadn't fully grasped the situation.
"Sir, are you absolutely certain? Are you sure you saw these two individuals?"
The museum director asked again, his tone cautious.
That skeptical attitude made Billy Batson frown in irritation.
"I'm telling the truth! Do you think I'd joke about something like this? I wouldn't joke about this at all."
He was a kid, after all—innocent and sincere. A kid would never make jokes about something like this.
Annoyed, he turned toward Lorien beside him. "The boss was there too! He saw with his own eyes how bravely I dealt with those two thieves!"
Lorien gave a faint nod but didn't echo Billy Batson's claim of "heroic actions."
The museum director, who had been visibly anxious, felt some of his worry fade at that confirmation.
His excitement reignited. "Since we now know where those thieves were last seen—and that you actually encountered them—tracking them down shouldn't be too difficult. Where exactly did you run into them? I can include that information when I contact the police."
"Gotham City," Billy said earnestly. "I ran into them downtown. I was outside a psychological clinic when I heard people shouting, 'Thieves! Thieves!' I didn't think much about it and rushed in to help."
"If they were thieves, you must have handed them over to the police, right?"
At the mention of Gotham, the museum director's expression turned grim, though he still forced himself to ask.
"They were just small-time thieves. I thought they still had a chance to turn over a new leaf. So after catching them, I didn't turn them in. I gave the victim back a black package, gave the thieves a little lecture, and then let them go!"
Billy felt there was nothing wrong with what he'd done—but as he saw the museum director staring at him, doubt crept in. Maybe it hadn't been the best decision after all.
Sure, criminals should be handed to the police... but people could change, couldn't they?
"If it happened in Gotham, finding those two thieves won't be easy. What we need to determine now is whether the stolen item was in that black package. If it was, we'll need to locate the victim too."
Lorien thought the matter, which had seemed simple at first, had suddenly grown far more complicated.
Now there were more people to find.
"Do you still remember what that victim looked like?"
The museum director, who had lost all optimism by this point, pressed his temples with a sigh. Such an important painting had been stolen—how could he possibly retrieve it now?
Perhaps he really didn't expect anything anymore.
"Let Bruce Wayne know about this. With his resources, finding one or two people shouldn't be difficult. We only have the portraits of the two thieves, though."
Wanda folded her arms and sighed softly.
"I... I'm sorry. If it weren't for me..."
Billy lowered his head, embarrassed that he'd turned a simple matter into such a mess.
"What does this have to do with you? Why are you blaming yourself?"
Gwen looked at him in confusion.
Learning that this adult-looking man was actually a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy transformed was hard for her to wrap her head around.
She deliberately softened her tone, speaking to him as she would to a child.
But it felt strange—unnaturally so—and that oddness made her uncomfortable.
This guy was literally a child in an adult's body.
He was completely different from the young version of Clark they'd known before.
"I remember what the victim looked like. I can draw him."
While the others continued discussing, Lorien stood silently, deep in thought.
When he said he could sketch the man's face, the museum director and Billy both looked doubtful, though Gwen and Wanda remained composed.
Despite his skepticism, the museum director handed Lorien a sheet of paper and a pen. Maybe the man really could do it.
After all, he was someone sent by Bruce Wayne—he deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Under the expectant gazes of everyone around him, Lorien began to draw swiftly, outlining a rough form before filling in the details with steady precision.
He worked with complete focus, barely pausing for thought.
At first, everyone waited nervously, but soon they realized their concern had been unnecessary.
The anxious museum director's expression shifted abruptly when he saw the finished sketch. "I recognize this man!"
As soon as Lorien set down the pen, the director snatched up the paper eagerly. He examined it closely, his face growing darker by the second.
Lorien took the opportunity to ask, "So, under these circumstances, can you take care of everything from here?"
Their outing had already been delayed far too long, and Lorien was eager to leave the museum.
"Of course. We can handle everything that follows."
The director's shoulders relaxed visibly.
If he'd been worried before, that concern was now gone.
"This man works here. He suddenly stopped coming in a few days ago. We don't know why—he didn't resign, and we haven't been able to reach him. With all the chaos from the theft, we hadn't had time to look into it. I didn't expect it might actually be an inside job involving outside accomplices!"
The museum director still looked uneasy, but much less than before.
"Since it's resolved, we won't stay any longer."
Lorien stood and prepared to leave.
"Wait a moment!" the museum director called out quickly. "Could you leave a contact method?"