Jeff was in his room when Mike came home, at least, he thought it was Jeff. He hadn't paid too much attention as he walked in the house, announced his presence and got a call back. No! It was Jeff! he's going through puberty but his voice isn't as deep as that man's, not yet at least!
Mike looked over his son's room, backpack discarded on the bed, computer chair pushed out and facing the doorway. Mike was trying not to panic, maybe Jeff was going to a friend's house... But they had plans to watch the game, but Jeff doesn't really care for the game... Maybe Jeff called out and Mike didn't hear because the game was on... Maybe Jeff didn't encounter that weird naked man and isn't missing.
Mike was here for one reason and that was to find his son's friends and a way to contact them. Jeff's cell phone was on the computer desk but the lock screen was a formidable foe. Mike sat at the computer, moderately concerned that Jeff will resent this breach of privacy should it turn out Jeff was safe all along.
Mike moved the mouse and the monitor sparked to life. There was a timer counting down and Mike naturally clicked on it. 'Apply profile Jeffrey Hodges to Jeffrey Hodges' in 2:15:38. "Yes!" A profile is a step away from a contact list! But how to get there?
Mike saw the plus sign and as he clicked it, the emitter flashed and on the bottom of the screen Michael Hodges appeared in a box... "Rats!" He was trying to add a friend, not a new profile... but maybe if he dragged one profile on top of the other, the machine might open the friends list.
As Michael did so a window offering to copy "Final Result Temp 01" profile popped up. Mike selected immediate and permanent, realizing he should be, and will be more aware of his son's friends. There where options for physical and mental, Mike assumed this meant location services and status update notifications where people pick an emoji for how they currently feel or something like that. He selected both. The alter reality setting confused Mike until he clicked the dropdown and could glean it was setting the level of friendship publicity, he rapidly selected no one aware realizing he could snoop without Jeff knowing or needing to explain! Finding the save button Mike clicked it ready to make his profile friends with his son's.
Jeff blinked confused why this 2 hour 5 minute timer appeared. He had just gotten home from school, set up the device, and scanned himself to make a profile... He can see his profile, but the timer must be an estimate of how long until his data is fully processed and ready to go?
A heavy knock came from downstairs. Jeff noticed the living room tv was on and making noise which was really strange because he didn't even go to the living room when he came in and didn't recall it being on. The person at the door was more important.
Jeff, opened the door to see a police officer who seemed equally shocked to see Jeff.
"Is Mike Hodges available? Actually, who are you? Are you one of Jeff's friends?"
Jeff was taken aback, "My dad won't be home till like, 5 or so and I am Jeff Hodges. Why do you want my dad?"
The officer cocked his head, "Um, its 6:05. Your dad reported you missing, do you have a school ID or something? Where is he?"
Jeff's jaw dropped as he checked the time on his phone, and handed over his School ID. "Dad! Did you call the cops on me?" Jeff stepped away from the door ushering the cop inside, "Dad? An officer wants to talk to you. Hey Dad?"
Jeff made his way toward the living room but paused as he noticed chips on the floor, some having been stepped on, "Officer?" Jeff's alarm was rising. He glanced into the living room trying to get the whole picture. A dent in the doorframe and meat and cheese strewn about, it looks like a charcuterie board was used as an attack frisbee. A puddle of beer was pooled around a bottle on the floor, there was a similar shaped dent in the wall. "What happened here?"
The officer questioned Jeff's recollection of the last hour which was finishing school, coming home and going to his room. Jeff confirmed "It should be like 330-400 max," from his perspective. He didn't hear this skirmish, see a naked man, see his dad, go to a friend's house, or sneak off to do any drugs. The officer asked him to come outside as he called off the search at which point Jeff realized his shoes were missing and his dad's were there.
Outside, Jeff's ID was passed around as he was questioned and his memory gap was prodded fully. His father's absence was unnerving, but since a kid was no longer missing the manhunt for a kidnapper was downgraded to some guy disturbing the peace, trespassing, and if they are lucky they might get to slap on public nudity. Meaning the police force in the area quickly diminished, and as Jeff was 16 he was old enough to be left alone.
Jeff went back inside expecting his dad to show up at any second, and started cleaning up the living room. Jeff stole the last two gulps that were in the beer bottle, tried to find all the meat and cheese bits, vacuumed the pulverized chips that were ground into the floor, after sweeping the big chips... Jeff used paper towels to pull up the beer in the carpet and a carpet cleaning spray to hopefully neutralize some of the smell.
Jeff decided he was done trying to clean his dads mess shortly after 7pm and was confused how it could be so late and he wasn't starving yet. Upstairs, 53 minutes remained on adult Jeff's countdown.