Hawk picked up his whiskey glass; the ice cubes clinked softly, making a crisp sound.
Silence? My dear Mayor, I simply transferred my 'enthusiasm' for fighting crime to another battlefield for a while—like crushing a competitor's stock price or just enjoying my pleasant time on campus.
He certainly wouldn't say that out loud. Instead, he calmly agreed, "It is worrying, indeed. But a city can't rely solely on costumed vigilantes to maintain order."
"Couldn't have said it better!" Mayor Dunn sounded like he had found a kindred spirit. "We need a more systemic, more powerful force! For example, increasing police investment, upgrading equipment..." He then shifted his focus, looking at Hawk pointedly. "Of course, we also need the strong support of socially responsible companies like Lane Capital. The charity gala is the first step in consolidating that power. Hawk, that sponsorship… what do you say?"
Hawk set his glass down, tapping the document with his finger. "Lane Group is willing to accept its social responsibility. That figure is not a problem." He agreed to the astronomical sum with such ease, as if signing a regular check. This made Mayor Dunn's smile even brighter.
"Excellent! Decisive!" Mayor Dunn personally refilled Hawk's drink, his tone becoming more familiar. "Hawk, looking at you, I'm reminded of myself when I was young, full of drive and ambition. For a man, prioritizing career is good. However…" He adopted a parental, almost sales-pitch demeanor. "Life needs balance too. Look at my Olivia: smart, independent, determined—an elite Columbia student just like you. She admires you, you know. You young people should interact more… Business and romance don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive."
Hawk smiled, with the perfect amount of politeness. "Olivia is an outstanding student and Uncle Dunn's pride. It's an honor to have her appreciation. But as you know, my father, John Lane, is slowly handing the Lane Group over to me. It's a long process, and my energy really needs to be highly focused. I even have to rely on donating a multimedia classroom just to accumulate enough credits. Matters of the heart, I'm afraid, will have to be put on hold for now." He raised his glass. "I hope the Mayor understands."
A flash of imperceptible disappointment crossed Dunn's eyes, and he didn't have the audacity to suggest that his daughter help with the Lane Group handover. His face was quickly covered by a practiced smile. "Understood. Of course, understood. Ambition is a good thing in a young man. Then… to the Lane Group's continued success under your leadership! Cheers to a smooth partnership!"
"Cheers to a smooth partnership." The two glasses clinked again, the crisp sound echoing the mingling of power and money in the private room.
....
After bidding Dunn farewell, the night was deep. Hawk yawned; he had one last social engagement. He drove toward the address Emily Chen had sent—a popular jazz bar located on the border of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Hawk vaguely recalled the spot; he'd been there with classmates. The atmosphere was intimate, the music smooth, but it was close to the relatively unstable parts of town.
Hawk parked his car. As he reached the corner of the bar street, he saw Emily stumble out of a dimly lit back alley, her face terrified, her carefully styled curly hair messy. Seeing Hawk, she screamed and lunged at him as if he were a savior. "Hawk! Run! They… they have guns!"
Before she finished speaking, two heavily built, fierce-looking men chased her out of the alley's depths, conspicuously brandishing shining pistols. One bald, tattooed man cursed menacingly, "Bitch! You dared to spy on the deal! You're dead!"
Terrified, Emily clung tightly to Hawk's arm. Hawk's brows furrowed. He instantly shielded her behind him.
His movement was lightning-fast. The moment the first drug dealer raised his gun to aim, Hawk shifted his body and precisely grabbed the man's wrist, twisting hard! "CRACK!" A wince-inducing snap of bone sounded, followed by a pig-like shriek. The pistol fell to the ground.
The second dealer, shocked and enraged, immediately raised his gun and fired.
Bang! Bang!
Hawk quickly dodged, pulling Emily with him. The bullets struck the wall and a garbage can, sending sparks flying. He shoved Emily behind an abandoned car and was just considering a subtle way to handle the situation—
"KEEEYAH!!"
"Lets go!!"
"Turtle Power!!"
Several powerful, strangely inflected roars came from the direction of the fire escape above the alley and a manhole cover!
Immediately following, four massive figures, clad in worn, makeshift capes, descended like cannonballs. Their movements were incredibly swift, carrying a damp, sewer-specific smell and a faint hint of… cheese?
The tallest and most muscular figure, wearing a red mask and gripping a sai in each hand, moved with immense power. He roared, "Hey! Scumbags! You dare mess around in Raphael's territory?!"
Before the words were out, his twin sais flashed like electricity, instantly knocking the second dealer's gun away. He followed up with an elbow strike that violently slammed the man against the wall, knocking him unconscious.
Another figure, wearing a purple mask and wielding a wooden bo staff, was the most fluid and agile. He spun the staff into an impenetrable blur, easily intercepting the first dealer's counterattack (the one Hawk had just disarmed) and subduing him with a precise pressure point strike. "Donatello, nice move, brother! Don't scare the civilians!"
The third, wearing an orange mask, was the most hyperactive, wielding nunchaku. He excitedly shouted, "Cowabunga, dudes! It's butt-kicking time!" While shouting, he used his dazzling nunchaku to trip and disarm the other fleeing dealer, his movements smooth as flowing water.
The last one, wearing a blue mask and a katana, had a calmer demeanor. He didn't directly engage in the fight but scanned the alley entrance vigilantly, guarding the rear, and calmly directed, "Michelangelo, control your strength. Leonardo, watch the right side. Raphael… don't be too rough. There are civilians present!"
These four giant, humanoid turtles moved with electric speed and seamless teamwork. In just a few breaths, they had taken down and knocked out all the armed drug dealers, their actions clean, full of raw power, and an utterly weird street style.
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