"Wuhu—!"
Dam's shout tore through the rushing wind as his long golden hair whipped wildly behind him. He threw his head back, completely immersed in the thrill, his laughter carried away by the roaring track beneath them.
Beside him, Locke sat steady and unmoved, his gaze fixed calmly ahead. One of his hands remained firmly wrapped around a much smaller one, his grip steady and reassuring despite the violent motion of the ride.
Emily, on the other hand, had her eyes squeezed shut, her face pale as she braced herself against the relentless drops and turns. Her fingers clutched Locke's hand tightly, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.
The roller coaster climbed slowly up its final incline before plunging downward again.
Dam let out another excited roar, completely unbothered by the speed or the height.
This was their first stop—Boston Central Amusement Park.
As the ride began to slow, Locke felt the tension in his hand ease slightly. He turned his head, glancing at Emily, and was a little surprised to see her cautiously opening her eyes.
A faint shimmer of excitement flickered within them, mixed with lingering fear.
He raised a brow slightly.
Her adaptability was… impressive.
By the time the coaster came to a full stop, Dam practically leapt out of his seat, his face flushed with excitement as if the ride hadn't been enough.
"Lin! So? Wasn't that incredible?" he asked, grinning widely.
Locke didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he glanced sideways at Emily, who was now looking at him with bright, expectant eyes. After a brief pause, he smiled faintly and gave a small nod.
Since acquiring his vampiric abilities, even a fall from several stories high wouldn't stir panic in him. A roller coaster like this barely registered.
"Let's hit the haunted house next!" Dam declared eagerly, already moving ahead.
Unlike Locke, this was his first time experiencing something like this, and his enthusiasm showed no signs of fading. Emily, now fully recovered, followed close behind, her earlier fear replaced with excitement.
The two of them chattered nonstop, their energy contagious in its own way.
Locke simply followed at a steady pace, watching them from behind.
…
By the time night fell, the three of them were driving slowly through Boston's brightly lit streets.
"The vibe here is amazing," Dam said, leaning back as he looked out at the lively surroundings. "No constant gloom, no random crimes happening every five minutes. Maybe we should just move here for good."
His tone carried a rare sense of ease.
"…I want to protect my bar," Emily replied firmly, her small face set with determination.
Dam blinked, caught off guard, and didn't immediately know how to respond.
Locke, sitting quietly, looked ahead at the road stretching into the distance. Laughter from children echoed faintly from nearby streets, blending into the warm night atmosphere.
"No place in this world is truly peaceful," he said calmly.
His voice was low, but it carried weight.
Before long, they arrived at a large shopping mall, its bright lights standing in stark contrast to the darker corners of Gotham they were used to. The moment they stepped inside, Emily's eyes lit up as she rushed toward the nearest displays.
Dam made a beeline for the snack section, his focus entirely locked onto the rows of food.
Locke remained near the entrance, watching them both with quiet amusement.
"Ah—there's a robbery!"
A sudden shout shattered the calm.
The bustling mall erupted into chaos as people turned in alarm, voices rising in confusion. Locke stepped forward slightly, his curiosity piqued as he moved toward the railing and looked down at the lower level.
A man wearing a cap pushed through the crowd at high speed, clutching a leather bag tightly in his hands. His movements were frantic, his expression wild.
The disturbance quickly drew more attention.
Dam and Emily both noticed the commotion and hurried over, joining Locke at the edge.
"That guy actually robbed someone in broad daylight?" Dam muttered, clearly baffled.
Locke's gaze flicked toward the staircase nearby. Instinctively, his body tensed, ready to move.
He jumped down from the stairs without hesitation.
Gasps rose from the surrounding crowd—
—but before he could act, a golden blur cut through the scene.
A single figure shot forward at incredible speed and slammed into the fleeing man with a powerful punch, knocking him flat onto the ground.
The moment she appeared, the entire mall seemed to erupt.
"Wonder Woman!"
"Oh my God—he's done for!"
Locke's steps halted abruptly.
A sharp sense of danger surged through him, instinctive and undeniable. His body tensed as his heightened perception locked onto the figure before him.
A powerful life force radiated from her.
It was overwhelming.
The woman stood tall, her figure perfectly proportioned, clad in armor that gleamed with a faint golden light. Her presence alone commanded attention, her confidence evident in every movement.
Locke's eyes narrowed slightly.
Wonder Woman.
Diana.
Without hesitation, Diana moved again. As the downed man struggled, she struck once more, sending him skidding across the floor just as he attempted to draw a weapon.
The pistol flew from his grasp.
But the situation escalated instantly.
Several accomplices burst from the surrounding crowd, weapons raised as they opened fire in an attempt to overwhelm her.
The mall erupted into screams.
Yet what followed left everyone stunned.
Diana moved like a streak of golden light, weaving effortlessly through the incoming fire. Her bracers rose, deflecting bullet after bullet with precise, controlled movements.
The metallic clashes echoed sharply through the air.
One ricocheted round veered off course—
straight toward Locke.
He reacted instantly, his body shifting—
—but she was faster.
Diana appeared in front of him in a flash, her arms crossing as she blocked the shot cleanly. The bullet deflected harmlessly away, and before Locke could even process it, she had already moved past him, reengaging the attackers.
For a split second, he stood still.
He had just been… protected.
Across the hall, Dam grabbed Emily's hand, pulling her along as they rushed down from the upper level. Their expressions were filled with excitement as they quickly reached Locke's side.
"Is she even human?" Dam asked, staring wide-eyed at the armored figure cutting through the criminals. "She's blocking bullets like it's nothing!"
Godlike.
Locke didn't say it out loud, but the thought was clear.
Diana, daughter of the Amazons and Zeus, possessed power that rivaled the gods themselves.
A heavy metallic crash rang out as she struck another attacker, dropping him instantly. One by one, the criminals fell, completely unable to resist her overwhelming strength.
Security personnel hovered at a distance, none of them daring to step in.
Within moments, it was over.
Under the awed gazes of the crowd, Diana approached a small girl nearby, her expression softening as she gently ruffled the child's hair.
Then, without warning, she turned.
A golden lasso appeared in her hand, gleaming under the mall lights as she swung it upward. With a fluid motion, she launched herself forward, her figure cutting through the air above the crowd.
In the next instant, she was gone.
The mall erupted into cheers and disbelief.
Some people even rushed toward the exit, hoping to catch one last glimpse of her.
"…Yeah, I take it back," Dam said after a moment, his voice dry. "Maybe Boston's not as peaceful as I thought."
If someone like that existed here, then the threats lurking beneath the surface must be just as terrifying.
Emily, however, barely paid attention to any of that.
Her eyes remained fixed on Locke, scanning him anxiously to make sure he hadn't been hurt.
Locke suppressed the lingering unease in his chest, pushing down the instinctive warning his body had given him moments ago. Without another word, the three of them turned and left the mall together.
Behind them, security finally moved in to take control of the captured criminals.
The night market outside was lively, filled with people enjoying the evening.
They walked slowly toward their hotel.
Unnoticed by any of them, high above on a distant rooftop, a lone figure sat perched at the edge of a tall building.
Her gaze was fixed entirely on Locke's retreating back.
"Strange aura…"
....
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