The ICE officer was too focused on intimidating the child to notice the sudden hush that had fallen over the crowd, or the literal giant stepping up directly behind him.
The titan didn't speak. He didn't issue a warning. He simply reached out with arms as thick as tree trunks and grabbed the thick straps of the officer's tactical vest.
With a raw, guttural exertion of power, the giant heaved backward.
The officer’s feet left the pavement. He was lifted entirely into the air, completely detached from gravity, his hands ripped away from Jamal’s jersey. For a split second, the officer flailed helplessly in the sky, suspended by the sheer brute strength of the man holding him.
And then, the titan slammed him down.
CRACK.
The officer hit the hard asphalt flat on his back. The impact knocked the wind out of him in a violent whoosh, his tactical gear clattering harshly against the ground. He writhed, his face contorting in pain, a sharp groan escaping his lungs as he desperately tried to catch his breath.