A scrawny man is seized by thugs who accuse him of stealing dogs and demand to know who sent him. They taunt that only Bay City's rival 'second branch' would dare, threaten brutal justice, and begin roughing him up. The man breaks free and flees, leaving the attackers stunned. Mr. Lauren, who hasn't smiled since his parents died, unexpectedly grins and admits he feels 'butterflies.' In the chaos one person demands, 'By your rules, shouldn't you marry me?' while another insists he saved them too, leaving a mutual debt and an unresolved obligation.