Shrunk In The Suburb

         Pete Napier is an average twelve year old, on an average Saturday in early Summer. He is clad in only his swim trunks, a pair of sandals on his feet. He has his towel over his shoulders, his goggles and snorkel and swim flippers in a plastic bag.
         Pete is walking along the sidewalk towards his friend Charles’ house, and they plan to walk from there to the public pool. The place has lockers, but Pete figures there is no reason to carry his phone the short distance. The boys’ families know of their plans, and since it’s the start of summer vacation from school, they are expected to show up by dinner at the latest.
         Pete is happy to see Charles is ready on time for a change, and the two young friends start the walk towards the pools. They are already in view of the pools and can hear other kids laughing and splashing. The boys barely pay any attention to the sedan that pulls up alongside them and are gob smacked when a window rolls down and a beam is aimed at them, suddenly reducing the boys in size, smaller-and-smaller! Pete and Charles are screaming at each other even as the door of the sedan opens and men in suits jump out with nets!
         Now a mere six inches tall in the midst of their swimsuits and gear, Pete and Charles make a desperate attempt to run from the strangers. Poor Charles is caught, but Pete catches a break when a car pulls up behind the sedan and starts honking their horn for the sedan to get moving again. Pete gets decent looks at the shrink ray creeps before they are forced to leave without him. Two goons and an attractive-but-mean-looking woman driving.
         But Pete is sure they’ll probably try to circle around, and knows he needs to think of a hiding place quick! Even if he could figure out how to get back to his true size, Pete has been left buck naked and shrunk in suburbia.

However, as luck would have it, Pete encounters-