Daniel's voice was strained.
His face remained turned sideways against the black hood. His breathing was heavier now, and his expression showed frustration and discomfort.
Ryan tightened his posture.
RYAN: "Stay down!"
Daniel stopped moving for a moment.
He looked toward Ethan, hoping the younger officer would recognize that something was wrong.
DANIEL: "I'm not resisting. I was just trying to help my father."
Ethan looked toward Samuel again.
The elderly man was still on the gravel, attempting to push himself upward with his hands.
His plaid shirt was dusty, and one knee was bent beneath him.
The older woman remained near the entrance of the house.
She had not moved from the doorway.
Both hands were held close to her chest, and her eyes followed every movement in the driveway.
ETHAN: "Why is the elderly man on the ground?"
Ryan briefly glanced toward Samuel.
RYAN: "He got involved when I was dealing with his son."
Ethan frowned.
He took another step closer.
ETHAN: "What happened before that?"
Ryan shifted his weight and looked at Ethan.
RYAN: "The situation escalated. The son came outside and started interfering with my work."
Daniel heard the explanation.
His eyebrows tightened.
DANIEL: "That's not what happened."
Ryan immediately turned his head toward him.
RYAN: "I didn't ask you to speak."
DANIEL: "I came outside because you were grabbing my father!"
Daniel tried to lift his head slightly, but Ryan maintained his position above him.
Ethan raised one hand.
ETHAN: "Both of you, calm down."
The younger officer looked at Ryan again.
He was clearly trying to understand why the situation had reached this point.
Ethan had seen disagreements between officers and residents before. He knew that tense situations could develop quickly, especially when emotions became involved.
But what he was seeing now made him uncomfortable.
An elderly man was on the ground.
Another man was pinned against a vehicle.
And Ryan was standing over him.
ETHAN: "Ryan, explain exactly what happened."
Ryan took a breath.
He adjusted his stance but continued keeping Daniel restrained.
RYAN: "I was speaking with Samuel. Then this guy came out of the house and started confronting me. I told him to stay back, but he refused."
Daniel shook his head slightly.
DANIEL: "I asked you why you were grabbing him. That's all."
RYAN: "You approached me aggressively."
DANIEL: "I walked toward you with my hands up. Look at the situation!"
Ethan looked at Daniel's arms.
Both hands were still visible on the hood.
The position of his body suggested that he had been pushed forward and restrained.
Ethan then glanced at Samuel.
The elderly man had managed to move onto both hands and one knee.
He was breathing heavily.
His movements were slow, and he appeared to be struggling to stand.
The older woman finally stepped forward from the doorway.
She moved one foot onto the porch, then stopped.
Her hands remained raised near her chest.
WOMAN: "Please, someone help him."
Her voice was shaky.
She looked directly at Ethan.
WOMAN: "That old man is hurt. He needs help getting up."
Ethan turned toward her.
ETHAN: "Ma'am, please stay where you are for a moment."
The woman hesitated.
She looked at Samuel again.
WOMAN: "He's been trying to get up. Nobody is helping him."
Ryan rolled his eyes slightly.
RYAN: "He's fine."
Samuel heard the comment.
He lifted his head.
SAMUEL: "I'm not fine."
His voice was weak but clear.
The elderly man placed one hand against his knee and tried to raise his upper body.
He managed to lift himself slightly before stopping.
His face tightened.
He looked toward Daniel.
SAMUEL: "Daniel..."
Daniel immediately turned his head toward his father.
DANIEL: "Dad, stay still. Don't try to get up too quickly."
Ryan looked irritated by the exchange.
RYAN: "You need to stop talking and stay where you are."
Daniel's expression changed.
His eyes narrowed, and he looked directly at Ryan.
DANIEL: "He's my father. He's on the ground, and you're still holding me down."
Ethan stepped closer to the pickup truck.
He looked at Ryan's hands.
ETHAN: "Ryan, ease up for a second."
Ryan did not immediately respond.
RYAN: "I said I've got it under control."
ETHAN: "I'm asking you to ease up."
A brief silence followed.
The younger officer maintained eye contact with Ryan.
Daniel remained against the hood.
Samuel continued kneeling on the gravel.
The older woman watched from the porch.
For the first time since Ethan had arrived, Ryan appeared uncertain about what to say.