"I miss you, Louna."
Dad's whisper drifted through the air like a ghost.
A brief, silent smile passed between us.
I turned and asked softly, "You okay, sir?"
"Yeah… thanks to you, lady," he said with a crooked smirk.
Then a voice cut through the quiet.
"Hey, hey, heyyy—what's going on? Dad? Mom? Don't you recognize each other?"
Nancy tilted her head, frowning.
We froze—awkward, sweating.
I quickly spun toward her.
"Of course we did! We were just… joking. Haha…"
"Yeah, just teasing," Dad chimed in with an uneasy chuckle.
"Let's head home now. Hey, darling, want to ride with me?"
"No thanks, dear!" I waved with forced cheer.
And before they could say more, I vanished into the shadows.
Back home, I changed into clean black jeans and a simple top. The "normal" me.
Meanwhile, in the car:
"You know what, Dad?" Nancy giggled.
"What's that?"
"Mom looked amazing! That tight black pantsuit… high-heeled boots… gloves… goggles… a scarf over her mouth… and that slick ponytail! Oh. My. Mother."
"Yeah…" Dad chuckled under his breath.
He knew.
She had dyed her hair black.
Because it used to be Prussian blue—back when she was Ariadne, the adopted girl. But when she vanished and reappeared in Belgium, she came back with a new face, a new name… a new life.
"Who is she really, Dad?" Nancy had once asked, confused.
"Uhh… she's your sister. Ariadne."
"What?! Don't joke! She—"
"She had surgery. To look prettier. Understand now?"
"Reaaaaally…?"
That day, I stood there—expression blank, eyes flicking between them.
"Yes," I'd said finally.
"I was working in Belgium. But Dad told me how much you cried for me… so I left it all. To be with you again."
"YAYYY!" she squealed, throwing her arms around me.
Then she'd asked the question I feared most:
"But Dad… why don't you call Mom, too? I really miss her."
He paused.
"Well… she's busy. Working on a superhero show. Playing the anti-hero in secret."
"But I've never seen her in any show…"
"Of course not! She's an anti-hero. They're not supposed to be seen."
"Ooooooooh…"
She bought it.
For now.
"And Dad? Today… Mom revealed her Batwoman-style costume!"
She giggled excitedly.
"Absolutely, dear!" Dad replied, with a grin full of caprice.
Later that evening…
"Hey, Ariii!"
"Heyyy!"
We hugged tight.
"You okay, sweetheart?"
"Yeah! Mom came and saved me!"
"Really? That's amazing."
"She said she'll always come whenever I call her."
"That's wonderful. Now, let's get you to bed."
"Okay!"
I tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and quietly stepped out.
Back in my room, I pulled off my top and reached for my sleepwear.
But then—
"At least knock before entering, Mr. Thomas," I scowled, covering myself.
"Oh really?" he smirked from the doorway.
Thankfully, I still had my black undersleeve on.
"Let it be," I muttered. "Did Crimson Night chase you?"
"No… but she already hacked your tracker. Through my laptop. She knows your location now."
"What?! But I was careful—wait…"
I lunged toward the laptop. The screen flickered.
RED ALERT: VIRUS DETECTED.
"Dad—knife."
"Take it," he said, handing it over instantly—like he'd expected this.
I didn't hesitate.
I gritted my teeth and plunged the blade into the base of his palm. Blood welled up. I dug deeper, fingers trembling, until I felt the tiny chip.
It blinked softly.
I plucked it out—held it between my fingers.
Snap.
Sparks burst as I crushed it.
Quickly, I wrapped his bleeding hand in a clean cloth, tightening the knot.
The screen cleared.
Virus removed. Tracker destroyed.
We looked at each other.
Exhausted. Bleeding. Alive.
There would be more to come.
But tonight…
For now—
We were safe.