Pebbles tumbled down the riverbank under Dio's feet.
"Dad—Dad!!"
The boy's hoarse scream shattered the eerie silence after the explosion, laced with raw despair.
Behind him, the golden silhouette of The World flickered violently, mirroring his near-breaking emotions.
His nails dug deep into his palms, blood trickling through his fingers, but Dio didn't notice. His crimson eyes were locked on the blazing inferno that had swallowed his father.
"Dio!"
A gruff shout pierced through the thick smoke and ringing in his ears.
Splash!
The dark coastal waters behind him erupted.
A drenched, muscular figure, built like forged steel, clambered ashore, water spraying everywhere.
Steam rose from his body as he panted heavily, his chest heaving. The grueling swim had left even his wolf-like muscles trembling.
He'd seen the towering flames from afar and knew something was terribly wrong, sprinting here at a life-burning pace.
But…
The acrid smell of gunpowder told him he was too late.
"Kid! Stop!"
Logan's roar was drowned out by the explosion's aftermath, but Dio charged toward the fire without hesitation.
"Damn it!"
Clang!
Six gleaming claws shot out, slicing through concrete like butter.
In just three leaps, Logan scaled the twenty-meter coastal highway.
Smoke stung his eyes, making them water.
And there, beside the charred wreckage of a car reduced to ash, he saw a figure kneeling, nearly fused with the blackened debris—
The ever-reliable farmer, now scorched black, cradling a baby protectively in his arms.
"Lock?" Logan froze mid-step.
He saw the horrific burns on his friend's body, the melted remnants of chains scattered on the ground, and then…
His gaze locked onto the baby's eerily calm face.
"What the hell is going on?!" Logan's voice was low and heavy, simmering with suppressed rage.
Lock looked up, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
"Take… us… to Luthor…"
Before he could finish, his body, still shielding the baby, gave out, collapsing forward.
"Lock!" Logan's pupils shrank. He lunged forward.
His clawed hand narrowly avoided the baby's face, while his other arm steadied Lock's falling shoulder and chest.
"Hold on! What happened? And this kid…"
His eyes flicked back to the unnervingly calm baby, confusion etched on his face.
"When I… wake up… I'll…"
Lock coughed up a small spurt of frothy blood, his eyelids drooping heavily. "Logan… so… tired…"
"Hey! Don't sleep! Lock, you son of a—"
Logan's curse was cut off by the sound of frantic, stumbling footsteps through the smoke at the highway's end.
Covered in dirt and scratches, a disheveled Dio burst out, his Stand's silhouette so faint it nearly dissolved into the air.
"Dad!"
Seeing his father still breathing, Dio's taut heart loosened, overwhelmed with joy.
But when he noticed the unfamiliar baby in his father's arms…
His mind reeled.
"Who's this?"
The night wind swept through, carrying scorched dollar bill fragments between them.
In the distance, police sirens grew louder, closing in.
The baby suddenly giggled, tiny hands patting Lock's bloodstained shirt.
Handing the baby to Dio, Lock managed a weak, pained smile. "Hold him tight."
Dio instinctively caught the soft, unfamiliar life, his arms stiff and unsure.
"Listen, Dio," Lock said, forcing his eyes open and gripping his son's trembling shoulders. "Protect yourself. Protect him."
"Dad, you—?!"
Dio's voice cracked.
His father's sudden, will-like command sent a chill through him.
But before he could process it—
Whomp!
The roar of helicopter blades drowned out the distant sirens.
A black helicopter bearing the Luthor Corporation logo tore through the night sky, its spotlight slicing through the smoke like a sword.
Dio looked up, squinting against the blinding light, his blond hair whipping in the turbulent airflow.
He tightened his grip on the baby, who remained oddly quiet in the chaotic din.
The cabin door slid open, revealing Grey Gina Hutchinson's figure in the harsh light.
Dressed in a sharp secretary's outfit, her gold-rimmed glasses glinted coldly.
But when she saw the devastation on the highway, her usually composed face paled.
"Good God," Grey gasped, covering her mouth, though her professionalism quickly suppressed her shock. "Mr. Lock! Dio! Get on board, quick!"
"Damn it, Lock!" Logan grumbled, hoisting Lock up. "Don't you dare die on me!"
"This is your Luthor? A lady?!" Logan barked. "You got a girlfriend now?! Hey, Lock, I sneaked a peek at your safe's code last time! Is it your birthday?!"
Logan was throwing out every provocative quip he could, trying to keep Lock conscious with noise and irritation.
But Lock couldn't hear anymore.
The mental toll of overusing his Stand had plunged him into unconsciousness, leaving him limp as Wolverine dragged him toward the helicopter.
Dio's red eyes flickered in the firelight, lost in thought.
Until the baby in his arms reached out, grabbing his collar as if silently urging him on.
"Tch."
Dio spat sharply, then strode toward the helicopter, clutching the baby.
Grey stepped aside, pulling Dio aboard. Her gaze lingered on the baby for a moment, her brow furrowing as she opened her mouth to ask about the child.
Dio's head snapped up, his icy, knife-like glare cutting into her with an unmistakable warning and a hint of buried anxiety.
Grey's heart skipped a beat. She swallowed her question, gave the baby one last deep look, and turned to help secure them.
"Let's go!" Logan shouted at the pilot. "Move it before the cops show up!"
Boom!
The helicopter tilted sharply, climbing fast.
Below, belated police cars swarmed the highway, but they could only watch as the black shadow vanished into the clouds.
---
Morning.
Sunlight, like molten gold, spilled slowly over the gothic spires of Luthor Manor.
Perched on a cliff overlooking Metropolis, the manor's gray-white stone walls were draped in ivy, its pointed arch windows reflecting cold light.
This was Lionel Luthor's kingdom.
An island forged from wealth.
In the east wing's guest room, sunlight slipped through the heavy velvet curtains, casting a thin golden line across the oak floor. The air carried a mix of antiseptic and aged wood, with the fireplace's lingering ashes hinting at someone keeping watch all night.
On the bedside table sat a cold cup of coffee next to a neatly folded Metropolis Daily.
Lock jolted awake in the quiet.
He sat up, instinctively running his hands over his body.
Broken ribs, burn scars—wait.
Lock froze. His skin was… completely fine?
His injuries were healed?!
"Dad?!"
A sharp voice came from the bedside, the chair scraping harshly against the floor.
Dio's blond hair was a mess, dark circles heavy under his eyes, clearly having stayed up all night.
"You're finally awake."
Dio's voice trembled as he threw himself into Lock's arms.
"We're both fine, aren't we?" Lock said gently, resting a hand on Dio's hair. "It's over. You should be happy."
Dio's throat bobbed, his red eyes swirling with complex emotions. He swatted Lock's hand away. "Don't give me that!"
"You think I'm three or something? Last night, that—"
"That monster nearly burned you to a crisp!"
The chirping of birds outside grew clearer. Lock looked at his son's tense profile and let out a soft chuckle. "You were scared I'd die?"
"No way."
"I just… just…"
Dio's gaze drifted to where Lock's wounds should have been, his voice softening. "Fine. You promised you wouldn't die."
The words stabbed Lock's heart like a small knife.
Only now did he realize, with piercing clarity, how his near-suicidal resolve last night had terrified and hurt this rebellious yet deeply dependent boy.
"Dio!" Lock gripped his son's shoulders, forcing him to meet his eyes, his voice firm and resolute. "Your dad's not going anywhere!"
"I keep my promises!"
"You mean it?" Dio looked up, his tone lightening with a hint of mischief and probing. "Promise?"
"Yup, I said it!" Lock declared. "That's the way of a father!"
Dio blinked, a sly, testing glint in his eyes. "So, does that mean we can spend a week in Metropolis? You promised! Your words!"
Lock's warm expression froze, his lips curling into a chilling smirk. "No way."
"Why not?!"
"Who told you to sneak after me?" Lock grumbled, tugging Dio's ear. "You little punk, I almost forgot about that! Disobeying orders and now trying to negotiate?!"
"If I'd stayed put, you'd be barbecue right now!" Dio squirmed, grinning through the pain. "Dad, have you turned into an ungrateful old man?!"
"Hmph!"
Lock let go, watching Dio rub his red ear. The familiar bickering seemed to ease the boy's worry and fear, and Lock let out a quiet sigh of relief. Wait—
A key question hit him, and he frowned curiously. "By the way, Dio…"
"How did you find me back there?"
That location wasn't somewhere a kid could just stumble upon.
Dio paused, then, with a deliberate, mysterious tone laced with mimicry, said, "My dear father…"
"Do you believe in gravity?"
---
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