Ethan, an 11-year-old, wins the school science Olympiad but is disappointed when his work-focused mother, Maria, fails to attend. As he walks home alone, he encounters a van and a man named Bill claiming Maria is in the hospital. Skeptical, Ethan stalls by engaging in conversation, subtly calling his mom for help. Bill kidnaps Ethan, tying him up in the van with a dog, Dablo.
