Original subtitles

Troy!

What? Got a customer.

Oh, hey.

How you doing, kid?

Uh, the popcorn?

Take it. It's on the house.

All right.

Mom, can we go home now?

Hi, baby. What's wrong?

Nothing. I'm just tired.

Yeah, okay.

Looks like Sully's not coming anyway.

Let's go home.

Yeah?

Talk Sullivan.

Who sent you?

Therefore, what I would ask... Therefore... Thus. Thus.

Uh-oh.

Maggie's mumbling again.

I'm not mumbling. I'm writing.

And good morning. Still perfecting that speech?

Well, perfecting is a big word, but... Yeah, I mean, this is my only shot at

getting Mateo's sentence reduced to tomorrow's hearing. I still can't

believe he's facing any time at all. I mean, those kidnappers were clearly

blackmailing him. Blackmail or not, he could still get ten years for hacking

the NCIS database.

I mean, I agree, yeah, there needs to be...

consequences but come on this is a decade of his life yeah so this speech

has got to be good the speech has to be great which is exactly why i emailed all

of you last night so you could you know take a look at it give me notes anyone

read it got notes for me or no oh you know what i mean i think i i think i

passed out kind of early and i think i missed it but i can get to it right now

yeah i saw it pretty late myself but i i think you made some good points Great

points. And very well written.

Oh, of course.

It goes without saying.

Extremely well written.

But I'm sensing a but.

What but? No buts. Not for me.

But, but... But nothing.

Duty calls.

Got a dead marine in Silver Spring.

Yeah, you know, I'd still really like to know what you guys think. What I think

is you are a great dad.

The best dad. So I'll give it another read and I'll get back to you. Yeah, me

too. Yeah, me three. If I can find it. My emails are acting weird.

It's not like it's a bad speech.

Not at all.

It reads fine.

Yeah, but is fine good enough to get a judge to reduce material science? It's

the mitigating circumstances stuff. It's so formal. Yeah, and all that young man

led astray stuff. It's way too sappy. All right, too formal, too sappy, too

much. Would you all mind saving your speech reviews until I've had a chance

to read it? Okay, thanks. Also, McGee is on your six.

All right, victim has been ID'd as Sergeant Michael Sullivan, 34th Station

at Marine Barracks, Washington.

Bus driver that discovered him also found this under the bench. It's a cell

phone. That poor driver must have thought he was just waking up a sleeping

commuter when he... Whoa! Whoa!

Hey! Ow!

Hello. Oh, man, what is that? Let's see. It's clear.

There's no scent.

Maybe it's just... Water coming out of his trachea, nasal cavity. Like he

drowned? Did it bust him?

I'm afraid it's worse than that. With these bloody bruises, ligatures around

his wrists, it's more likely that he was waterboarded.

As much as I hate to say it. It's not like they went through much trouble to

hide the body.

They wanted him to be found. Yeah, they definitely were sending a message, but

to who?

Maybe Monica.

No last name, but she was the last three calls to Sullivan yesterday afternoon.

All right, let's see if the number gives us her full name.

Monica also left a voicemail after the third call.

Hey, Sully, I got your messages.

I'll meet you over there at 5.

Just be careful, okay?

Please? Meet him over where?

Yeah, and be careful from what? Whoever did that to him? That Monica knows. Got

her full name and address. Monica Sims, 36 Tompkins Street, Silver Spring,

Maryland.

If this Monica met up with our victim, I sure hope she didn't end up like him.

For now, let's just hope she's home.

I think we should be honest with McGee about his speech.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, but with the hearing tomorrow morning, you

don't want to rattle his confidence.

Build him up.

Absolutely. It's just a matter of finding the right words to tell him. He

hasn't found the right words?

Yet.

Someone's not answering.

NCIS! Monica Sims?

Trying to get away.

NCIS!

Looks like Monica has a kid.

Hello? Monica?

Anyone?

Clear.

Clear.

Is that our victim?

Doesn't look like him.

I'm gonna try calling her number.

Hi.

It's okay. We're not going to hurt you.

My name is Jess.

What's yours?

Are you Chloe?

It's a beautiful name.

You're all right, Chloe.

We're the police. We're here to help, okay?

My mom told me to call you.

Why call us?

Mom was too scared.

Where is your mom?

Gone.

Since when?

Last night.

Um, hey, Chloe, why don't you come out of there? It can't be too comfortable.

We're going to find your mom.

Okay, Knight's got the kid down at Casey's, calling child service.

Did the kid give you her name?

Yeah, Chloe.

Last name Sims, like her mother, seven years old. She and Mom went to meet

Mom's friend Sully at the store late yesterday.

Our victim, Sullivan.

Yeah, who never showed up.

So they walked home, they had pizza, and middle of the night, mom wakes up, gives

Chloe her cell, and tells her to call 911 if she's not back in an hour.

That's how many hours ago?

At least seven, give or take.

Still no sign of mom. What do we know about her? We know she's no ordinary

mom. Former Marine Staff Sergeant Monica Sims.

She served three tours in Afghanistan with Sullivan's unit before receiving a

hardship discharge two years ago. What hardship? Family welfare.

Husband Paul Sims was killed shortly before then in a car accident.

That explains whose photos were taped to the fridge.

Did Chloe say what store they were walking back from yesterday?

Yeah, she called it the clown store.

The name's not listed anywhere, and she couldn't help us find it, but apparently

it's where Chloe buys her snacks.

So a convenience store.

Yeah, narrows it down a little bit. Well, it's within walking distance of

the apartment. I bet we can find it. All right, grab a warrant. Keep me posted.

I'm going to check on our victim with Jimmy.

Call me back if anything changes, okay?

Thank you.

Do you want the good news or the bad news?

Uh, dealer's choice.

Well, the bad news is Child Protective Services can't get anyone out here until

tonight.

Possibly tomorrow.

So she's with us till then.

Well, the good news is she's so darn cute.

Though I haven't talked to anyone shorter than me in years.

Are seven-year-olds usually this quiet?

Not that I know of. My niece was a chatterbox by this age.

Chloe's barely said a word since she left that apartment. She's probably

traumatized after her mom left her all alone.

Or maybe she's just shy.

Parker told me about our guest.

Not talking, huh? No.

Any tips, Superdad?

You have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Though with seven-year-olds, we might not be able to get her to stop talking

once I get her started.

If it helps us find her mom, I am all for it. Work your magic, old wise one.

Good day, milady. I don't talk to strangers.

So much for magic.

Well, I did get her to start talking.

Good day, milady. Okay.

Look, Nick, I'm not asking for, like, a full-fledged review here. I just want to

know if you think my speech will work. Of course it will work, man. What judge

can resist your...

honesty your sincerity you clown we clown no i think we found the clown

story

science

is open but no luck let's go check her on the back

Door is barely closed.

Somebody left in a hurry.

NCIS, search warrant.

Does it smell like bleach?

Sure sign of a hasty cleanup.

Well, maybe too hasty.

Hmm, a piece of rope.

I think there's a little dry blood in here.

You want to bet it's Sullivan's?

Clown stores seen better days. And this is the head clown.

These guys have explaining to do.

Now all we gotta do is find him.

Well, that might help.

It's a pretty old security system. Yeah, like everything else in that place.

That's our owner, Troy Topekian. No sign of him or anyone else when we got there.

Their business is hardly booming.

Say, McGee, stop right there. You go back real quick.

And that's her victim.

There is Gunny Sullivan, still alive and well.

And there goes Troy, leading him right into our crime scene.

Looks like we found our killer. Yeah, no longer they're in there, the guiltier

Troy looks.

Hold on, we got another customer here.

That's our girl, Chloe.

Wait, wait, wait. Who the hell is that?

Mickey, can you screen grab them?

No, just one of them, but not very cleanly.

And here comes Troy again.

Without Gunny Sullivan.

That's it, Chloe. Get out of there.

Okay, then. I guess Troy is not our killer.

Anything you remember, Chloe, could really help us.

That's right. Anything at all.

Do you know those two guys?

What about that guy?

Do you know him?

Yeah, that's the clownster guy.

What's he saying to you there?

He gave me that popcorn for free.

Back to these two men again.

They look like they're arguing.

Do you remember what they were saying?

I remember they were Chinese.

Or maybe Japanese or Korean.

No, it was Chinese.

You mean like... Chloe,

do you speak Mandarin?

So who

taught

you how to speak Mandarin?

My dad.

Mine too.

Your dad's dead, too?

No, mine is, um... I'm sorry to hear about your dad.

I'm sorry, too, Chloe.

But these two men here, did your mom know about them?

I wish she didn't.

So she saw them, too?

No, I told her. I wasn't gonna, but then I had a bad dream about those men and

what they were saying.

Maybe if I didn't tell her about them, she wouldn't have left.

Chloe, your mom didn't leave because of you.

And we are going to find her, believe me.

So, um, what did they say exactly?

They said something like... If

the military man doesn't talk, he dies.

Gunny Sullivan.

You mean Sully?

That's my mom's friend.

Yeah,

that's right.

He was a very good friend.

But he wasn't there.

So what else did those guys say?

They said something like... Then we'll

handle Long Toe.

What's Long Toe?

That translates to dragon head.

In Chinese gang culture, it's what the triads use to refer to their leader.

Chinese mob?

Mm-hmm.

So Longtao basically means a mob boss.

Uh, can you give us a second, Chloe?

What the hell got Sullivan and Monica mixed up with Chinese gangs?

I always thought they were more of a New York thing, but they could be making a

move south.

Well, I could have the New York office send us their Chinese gang database.

Maybe we should show Chloe. See if any of the mugshots ring a bell.

I don't know.

She's already been through so much without us making her look at gangster

faces. No, I haven't.

I know those guys if I saw them again.

Are you sure?

You heard her case.

Let's get that New York database as soon as we can.

Well, only take a minute.

In the meantime, are you hungry?

You want to go down to the commons? We can get a muffin or a matcha. My mom

says I'm too young for matcha, but you got any popcorn?

Hmm.

So your boss really lets you use his machine whenever you want? Not only is

he very generous that way, but Mrs. Boss has asked me to watch his intake.

So you and I are doing a very good deed by depleting his supply.

Those are the mug shots from Casey.

Okay, are you sure you're up for this? Why not? It's just people.

Okay.

We can stop anytime you want.

No, I want to find my mom.

Okay.

So, does mom speak Mandarin, too?

No, just Dad.

Mom always thought we were talking about her.

My mom thought the same thing.

I, uh... So your dad was Chinese, too? Still is.

Mine was only half, but he wanted to pass his mom's language on to me.

Same again.

You know, my dad and I still speak it every single time we talk, which isn't

really often enough.

So... What about your mom and Sully?

Do they talk a lot?

That means it's ready!

Okay. Well, I will get that, and you stay here, and you keep looking at these

scary photos.

Be my usual, Audrey, and I guess whatever you'd make for a seven-year-old

girl. I've got 17 varieties of matcha back here. Take your pick.

Actually, matcha, no.

Um, anything else. Just something good. That narrows it down.

Hang tight.

Hey, so I got some fresh intel on our victim Sullivan that may be of interest.

You had me at intel. Seems that he overcame a rough childhood. He ran with

the street gang. Turned his life around when he joined the Marines.

Then he became kind of an anti-gang ambassador.

Worked with youth programs, community outreach.

Which may have put him in the path of our Chinese gang.

Yeah, that and his friend Monica.

Turns out that the accident that killed her husband, Paul, was actually two

gangbangers speeding away from a drive-by shooting.

Poor dude just picked the wrong time to cross the street. Which I'm sure gave

Monica plenty of gang issues of her own.

Well, that makes two of us. What do you got? So I showed these guys to some

business owners near the clown store, and they were afraid to talk. But I got

some to admit that they were being shaken down for protection money.

Protection from who?

Whatever Chinese gang these guys are a part of. No one was willing to name

names. Or willing to go to the police? I think it's too risky. They'd rather pay

than ask for trouble.

One usual and one iced coconut chai latte for a seven-year-old. Thanks,

Audrey. And, oh, just take care of my friends here.

Machas are on me.

Thanks, Parker, but, uh... Machas?

Got 17 varieties back here. Name your matcha.

Just the guy we're looking for.

Glad to be found.

Chloe, I got you a, uh, iced coconut something, if you're interested.

Yes, please. Thank you.

You're welcome.

Yeah, she needs it to wash down all of that popcorn.

Hey, Chloe, would you mind waiting at the desk? I'll be over there in a

minute.

So, uh, how'd it go at the mugshot?

Uh, no luck.

She didn't recognize anyone.

How about you? Looks like Monica and Sullivan both had personal reasons to

want to take down this gang.

Hmm, because gangs love when you try taking them down. Oh, yeah, they love

that.

Parker, we really need to find her.

Monica's all Chloe has left.

Where'd you go?

Chloe, don't disappear on me like that.

What is it?

Remember that shot? It's from that smuggling bus with MPD about three years

ago. Him.

What? Who?

From the clown store.

That's one of the guys.

it kind of looks like one of them but it's a dc cop he's a detective that's

him i know it is detective thomas lau retired from

metro pd last year but no disrespect to chloe but we gotta be sure this guy was

a veteran cop he retires and a year later he's running around waterboarding

people sure a veteran but uh not a very good one according to his exit review

Oh, this is my D.C. Cub buddy calling back.

You guys keep talking.

Lowe was reprimanded six times for excessive force and twice for drinking

on the job, all in his last three years of duty. Not exactly going out on a high

note. Oh, no, no. Apparently things were so bad that he was facing dismissal and

opted for early retirement instead.

Thanks.

Well, he is retired permanently.

Cops just found Thomas Lowe stabbed to death in his car.

First of all, we have this very telling stab wound just below Detective Lau's

ribcage next to his existing surgical scar.

Telling as in cause of death?

Well, that and the pattern matches a standard-issue Marine Corps knife. Also,

if you look closely at the bruising around the wound, it indicates that the

knife was thrust in up to the hilt, much the way that Marines are trained to do.

Which would imply that Chloe's mother might not only be alive, but... Also a

vigilante? Out to avenge her husband's death?

Eh, that's...

Certainly a possibility.

Anything else telling?

I don't know about telling, but this is curious.

Look at this tattoo of a dragon's head here.

Didn't you translate a word for Chloe with the same meaning?

Yeah, long tall, which means dragon head. Or head of a crime family? These

symbols here, does that say the same thing? Part of it. The second word is

dragon, and that first word is ghost.

Ghost dragons.

Is that, uh, what, a gang name?

Let me check our database.

Hmm.

Okay, is it just me, but does this tattoo look really bright and new? Yeah,

I was gonna say the same thing. It couldn't be more than a couple weeks old

tops. So if this guy is a new Ghost Dragons member... That's a pretty quick

ascension to their mob boss.

All right, here it is. Ghost Dragons.

One of several branches of China's triad operates out of Baltimore.

Torres and Parker are already showing his photo around Silver Spring.

Well, it's a short hop to Baltimore.

I'll make a call.

So, Tim, you excited for tomorrow morning's Mateo hearing?

No, I don't know if I'd say excited, but... Oh, wait, did I not ask you about

my speech?

No, you did not.

And I loved it. Really?

No.

But what I loved was the effort. The delivery I found to be sort of dry,

wordy, and way too technical.

See? I knew it. I had a feeling you did. I had a feeling everyone else did, too,

but they were being too nice to tell me. Sometimes honesty's not nice.

No, it's not. But you know what? I don't need nice right now. What I need is

help.

I just, I can't seem to find the right words to, you know, say what I want to

say. Okay, all right. Well, then, uh, just say it.

What is it you want most from Mateo?

I mean, it's simple. I want him to have a chance to turn his life around.

Then just keep it that simple.

And with this speech, maybe approach it less as a writer, more as a dad.

Nice.

Excuse me.

Gentlemen.

NTIS. Just need a moment.

Any of you know this guy?

Then why would we tell you?

It's a bad way to start, my friend.

So we're friends now.

Okay, look, uh, nobody's in trouble. We're just asking around the

neighborhood. So go find another neighborhood, NCIS.

We're a little busy here. Okay, you're a little busy, huh?

Busy bumming around some Chinese market?

What would you expect, a pizzeria?

Well, maybe you prefer a taco stand.

Mm-hmm.

Taco stand.

Wow! What are you doing? Jack, back off. Back off. Back off.

I'm just with you. Are you insane, man? What the hell do you think you're doing?

I'm gonna give him a taco stand.

I got your chocolate over here.

All right, we're clear.

You're on the job, aren't you?

Thanks for not blowing my cover, guys.

We're friends, man.

Next time, maybe try pulling your punches a little. Come on, man. You

don't have to make it look good.

So who are you with, the FBI?

Baltimore PD, Kenny Chang, Organized Crime Division.

I've been Donnie Brasco-ing the Ghost Dragons for over a year now. We got a

former D.C. cop who just turned up dead sporting a brand new Ghost Dragon

statue. Tom is loud.

Do you know him? I was gonna say I do.

But the guys I've been running with would sure hate to hear about anyone

using their name.

Especially an ex-cop.

So no chance the Ghost Dragons are making a move to Silver Spring?

Seriously?

Ghost dragons couldn't find Silver Spring on a map. What about DC?

Not a chance. All I heard about DC lately is somebody down there recruiting

ex-cons to serve as muscle for a new operation.

Do you know what somebody?

Or what operation?

No to both, but I can ask around as soon as you get me back.

Back to the market? Only that's gotta look real good, too.

Maybe drive past real fast and push me out without stopping.

That's a good idea. That's good.

All right. All right, you got it, Parker. Drive safe.

So Thomas Lau and his partner are using the Ghost Dragon name to shake down

businesses. While possibly also recruiting more muscle to expand their

brand. Knockoff brand, that is.

What time is Mateo's hearing?

8 a.m. I'm good.

You sure?

It's getting kind of late.

Good night's sleep might do you good.

Oh, how would you sleep leaving everyone in the middle of a case?

I know you went and spoke to Jimmy earlier.

I'm sorry if we... Well, if I...

It was too nice to be honest about your speech.

Well, no need to apologize.

Imagine if we were all painfully honest with each other all the time.

No, thank you.

No, no.

I mean, honesty's important, but nice is nice.

Hey, guys.

Oh, hey. I was just about to go check on Chloe. She's still awake?

Funny enough, she was asleep in the comfy chair while I was analyzing Lau's

wound, which was caused by a Marine-issue Mark II fighting knife, by

the way. And I looked up to find her kind of gone.

Gone? No, not gone, gone. Security would never let her leave, especially not

holding evidence.

She took evidence?

Or her mother's cell phone is missing. Not missing, missing. Wait.

I have an idea where she might be.

Oh, thank God.

Chloe?

Gotta say, I didn't expect to have to pay a toll.

I guess if I want to get in the tent.

I'm not that hungry.

He had us worried.

First we couldn't find you, then we couldn't find your mom's phone.

I promised her I'd keep it close.

You know how to keep a promise.

We're gonna find her, Chloe.

Hearing those men made me think of my dad.

I haven't heard a Mandarin in such a long time.

That had to be hard.

If I forget Mandarin, do you think I'll forget him too?

Chloe, no.

She won't.

It's ringing.

Do you know that number? No, but just answer it. Okay.

God, baby, you're okay.

Yeah, I'm with Jess.

She's okay, Monica.

This is NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight.

Thank God.

Just listen. I can't talk for long.

Where are you, Monica? Please just keep my baby safe until I finish what I

started. You can be finished now. Come in and let us help you. You want to

help? Send some agents to Troy's place.

Long Toll will be waiting for you there.

I love you, Chloe Bear.

Stay safe.

Monica?

That means she's all right, right?

Yeah, Chloe, she's okay.

Troy's Place.

Is that the clown store?

Mom calls it Troy's Place, and Troy's the clown store guy.

That's CIS.

Don't shoot, please.

I thought she was gonna kill me.

We thought you were already dead.

Monica said we'd find Long Tall here.

Instead, we get this guy? This whole thing's gotten out of hand.

What thing? Where's Longtoe? They call me that as a joke.

There is no Longtoe.

It's just me.

And Monica?

Where is she?

I don't know.

But wherever she ends up, it won't be good.

Business was terrible. I tried to keep it going for years.

Stupid baits. Okay, all right. Enough trying to justify yourself.

Just tell us about your friends again. Like I said, nobody's friends anymore.

At first, it was just me and this old cop buddy of mine pretending to be

Chinese gangsters shaking businesses down for protection money. This cop

buddy of yours was the late Thomas Lau.

He was having money troubles of his own.

And then his cousin Fred got out of prison.

Found him. Fred Young.

Did a dime at Indian Creek.

Assault. Armed robbery.

Pulled six months ago. That's the lunatic.

He came to us, mapped out the targets, and they went and hit up all these

trendy new stores to, you know, contribute a little.

Contribute. A couple hundred bucks a week from each spot, and the cash was

decent. Even split three ways.

You three ghost dragons.

We needed a name, so why not one with a built-in reputation?

Trouble is...

It went straight to their heads.

Tattoos, more muscle. Yeah, that's all Fred trying to expand.

And when that Sullivan guy came sniffing around, these guys really went off the

rails. These guys?

Come on, Troy, we've got video from your own store showing you luring Sullivan

into that back room. You knew what was waiting for him back there. I had no

idea he was gonna get killed, okay?

Again, that's all Fred. It's always been Fred.

And where can we find Fred?

Hell if I know.

Special Agent Torres.

Oh, yeah. How you doing?

When I got squeezed out, Fred called that cop and he disappeared.

No honor amongst thieves and all that.

So it wasn't Monica?

Lady Rambo?

No.

She damn almost near killed me before you guys showed up. So you really have

no idea where she went or where she could be found?

Well, I mean, if it can help my cause, I might have a pretty good guess.

Can we make a deal?

What? What?

Wait! Where are you going?

I just got a call from Kenny Chang.

Nick's undercover guy. Baltimore.

What'd he say?

He was right. The Ghost Dragons don't like it when somebody uses their name,

so they're sending a crew down here to take it back.

Down here where?

Rockway Mill Lumber Company. How did the Dragons find out where they'd be? He

said that they send their recruits actual addresses of where to meet.

Stupid and arrogant. By the way, if Monica gets that address, she could be

in the middle of a gang war. Now get us some backup.

Hey, nice turnout.

How you doing?

Welcome aboard.

I don't like these odds.

Where's that backup we asked for?

It's on the way. Just sit tight.

Wait a minute, is that Monica?

I guess you got the address.

Yeah, it walked right into a trap.

You happy now, lady?

You found us.

You're gonna pay for killing Sully.

How is that so?

Can we really keep waiting?

Not anymore.

Everybody good to go? Good to go, baby.

All right.

We move in three, two, one.

SCI! SCI! Federal agents!

Weapons down now!

Let's see some hands!

I'll be crashing my party, NCIS.

You're outnumbered. Party's over.

You all think you've been recruited by the Ghost Dragons?

These guys are not the real deal.

This guy, Fred here?

He's a gang of one right now.

You shut the hell up.

I think I'm losing him. You want to step in here and give me a hand?

And they're not happy.

Can

you

tell a few more to go? I was hoping.

Look, genius, we'll stay here all day. I don't care if it is eight against three.

Make that four.

I

got

him. Cover

me.

Don't shoot!

Don't shoot!

We give up.

Weapons on the ground now.

There's our cavalry.

Just in time.

Nice.

Worked for me.

Night, you good?

Yeah. All good, Parker.

You?

All good.

Kenny Chang says thank you. As soon as the cop car showed up to the mill, the

Ghost Dragons headed back to Baltimore.

No gang wars today, kids.

Any word from McGee on the Taylor's court case? Uh, not from him.

All Jimmy said was they're on their way back.

We are back.

Oh, I was starting to wonder. Yeah, and worry.

So, uh, let it go.

Well, I just went for moral support, but Tim here sure didn't need it. So, speech

go well?

Oh, forget that speech.

No, Tim just threw that right out.

Spoke from the heart.

So what'd you say?

You know, I just talked about people I know that have, um, turned their lives

around. You know, like our victim Sullivan.

He overcame gangs.

You, Parker.

You too, Nick. You guys overcame rough childhoods to do some good in the world.

And people like Mateo, who I just know could make that same turn if given a

second chance.

Man, he said all that and more.

I'm telling you, there was not a dry eye in that courthouse.

And the judge, what'd she say? Well, as luck would have it, the judge, she

overcame a pretty rough childhood of her own, so... So she offered Mateo a one

-time alternative to jail.

Yeah.

Looks like I'm gonna be a Navy dad.

Oh, okay.

There you go.

I knew leaving her was wrong.

But I was who brought Sully into this mess.

So once Chloe told me what those men said, I had to try and save him.

And you lived to tell the tale?

Thanks to all of you.

Sorry it doesn't quite cut it, Jess, but I swear I'll never leave Chloe again.

I believe you.

Well, it's about time. We're about to OD on popcorn.

There's my Chloe bear.

Mommy! Oh, my baby.

Don't ever leave me like that again.

I won't.

I promise.

You're okay?

Yeah. It's great here. They've got a popcorn machine and everything.

Chloe made herself quite at home here.

That's my girl.

She and her dad spent hours camping in our living room, chatting away in

Mandarin. Not about you, Mommy.

That's what you always told me.

Only good stuff.

Guess it's time for me to learn Mandarin.

Well, I'm sure Chloe could teach you.

And Chloe, if you ever want to practice, you can just call me.

So you'll never forget.

A gift from your dad.

Hi, old mama.

Also your mom.