"I miss you, Louna."
Dad's whisper drifted softly.
A silent smile passed between us.
I turned and asked gently, "I hope you're okay, sir?"
"Yeah… thanks to you, lady," he said, forcing a smirk.
"Hey, hey, heyyy—what's going on? Dad, Mom… didn't you recognise each other?"
Nancy tilted her head, confused.
We both froze—blank, sweating.
I quickly turned to her.
"Of course we did! We were just joking. Hahaha…"
"Yeah, just teasing," Dad added nervously.
"Let's go home now. Hey darling, want a ride with me?" he smiled.
"No thanks, dear!" I waved. In a second, I vanished from the spot—swooshed into the shadows.
Back home, I changed quickly. Clean black jeans. Plain top. Normal me.
In the car, Nancy giggled, "You know what, Dad?"
"What?"
"Mom looked amazing! That black tight pant… and black synthetic full-sleeved top tucked in perfectly… black high-heeled boots… gloves… big black goggles… a black scarf over her mouth… and her ponytailed black hair! Oh. My. Mother!"
"Yeah…" Dad chuckled quietly.
"She dyed her Prussian blue hair to black, didn't she?"
He thought to himself.
He was right. I had blue hair after being adopted, but when I disappeared and shifted to Belgium, I changed my appearance—surgery, new face, new name, new life. When I returned, Nancy didn't recognise me.
"Hey Dad! Who is she really?" Nancy had asked back then.
"Umm… she's your sister. Ariadne," he replied awkwardly.
"What?! Don't make me laugh! She—"
"She had surgery… to look prettier. You get it now?"
"Realllly…?"
I stood there that day, expression blank, eyes shifting between them.
"Yes. 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," I said finally.
"Yayyy!" Nancy squealed, hugging me.
"But Dad… why don't you call Mom too? I really miss her."
"Well… she's very busy. Working on a superhero show… playing the anti-hero in secret," he answered.
"I've never seen her in any show…"
"Of course not. She's an anti-hero. They're not supposed to be seen easily."
"Oooooooh…"
She finally got it.
"You know, Dad? Mom revealed her batwoman-style costume today!"
Nancy grinned excitedly.
"Absolutely, dear!" Dad said, pretending surprise, capricefully.
Later that evening…
"Hey, Ariii…!"
"Oh? Heyyy…!"
We hugged tightly.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?"
"Yeah! Mom came and saved me!"
"Really? That's amazing."
"She told me she'll be back whenever I need her."
"That's wonderful. Now let's get you to bed."
"Okay!"
I tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and left her room.
Back in my room, I began removing my shirt.
Then suddenly—
"At least knock before entering, Mr. Thomas," I scowled.
"Oh really?" he smirked from the doorway.
Thankfully, I still had my black inner sleeve on.
"Let it be," I muttered. "But didn't Crimson Night try to chase you?"
"No… but she already hacked your tracker from my laptop. She knows your location now."
"What?! But I was careful—wait…"
I rushed to my laptop. The screen flickered.
Red warning sign. VIRUS detected.
"Dad… knife!"
"Take it." He handed it to me instantly, like he'd been expecting this.
I didn't hesitate. I dug the knife into the base of his hand—deeper, until I reached the hidden chip. My fingers trembled. Carefully, I plucked it out, fragile and blinking.
I crushed it between my thumb and forefinger. Sparks flew.
Grabbing a clean cloth, I wrapped his bleeding hand tightly.
Finally, the virus warning vanished.
Threat removed. Tracker destroyed.
We exchanged one look.
There would be more coming.
But tonight, for now—
We were safe.