With a genuine smile, Damian said his goodbyes to Isabella, feeling a sense of gratitude for their chance encounter amidst the chaos of Empire City.

As he began to walk away, concern for Isabella's safety due to the city's situation prompted him to turn back. He couldn't resist the urge to help her and provide her with a secure way of survival in the trying times that would come soon.

"Wait," Damian said, approaching her again. "I heard from a friend in the military that they're planning a lockdown for Empire City and it’s already in progress. It might get a bit chaotic in a few days, and I don't want you to get caught up in that. So you should find a safe place to stay, stock up on food, and let your friends and family know."

Isabella's concern was evident as she absorbed this information, and she nodded in understanding. "Thank you for telling me. I'll get in touch with everyone and make sure they're safe. You're a good person. That’s not really something you share with a stranger you just met. Why did you?"

“Who knows why? I just felt like it so I did it,” answered Damian as he was about to leave. Isabella called out to him and asked for his phone number. She handed Damian her phone and he entered his number while assuring her, "Call me if you ever need help or if things get too rough. Stay safe, I hope to see more of your art in the future."

Isabella accepted his number with a warm smile. "So your name’s Damian mine’s Isabella. Thank you, Damian. You've been a bright spot in this crazy day. I hope we meet again soon."

“You too Isabella. Bye, take care.” said Damian as he walked away realizing that most likely due to seeing the screen and knowing her name he might have appeared overly familiar with Isabella. In a normal conversation, he should have introduced himself and asked for her name but he failed to do so.

As he walked Damian quietly said to himself, “I hope she survives. After all, it would be a shame for such an interesting power to remain undeveloped. Including Cole and Amanda, she makes the third conduit I’ve come across. I believe it took Cole four days to discover his power due to being unconscious. I wonder when she’ll discover hers.”

Damian's thoughts drifted back to the ongoing challenges of finding the Blast Cores. He understood that time was of the essence, especially with the impending lockdown and the rise of powerful gangs on the horizon. The abilities he had acquired so far provided him with a unique arsenal of skills, but finding the Blast Cores remained a top priority.

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As he released a sonar pulse, he relied on the echolocation skill he had gained from the bats to navigate the environment and hopefully locate a Blast Core. The area around the zoo provided a somewhat quieter and less chaotic environment compared to the rest of the city, making it a suitable place for such an attempt.

However, as the sonar pulse reverberated, Damian realized that the noise from the ongoing fires and chaos in the city made it challenging to pick out any distinctive patterns. As Damian used his echolocation and thermal vision abilities to survey the area, the ongoing fires in the city indeed posed a significant challenge. The overwhelming heat and destruction made it difficult to distinguish any specific sources of energy, let alone pinpoint the elusive Blast Cores.

It was clear that the current situation in Empire City was far from ideal for this task. Damian realized that he needed to wait for the fires to subside and the city's chaos to lessen if he hoped to use his newfound powers effectively to locate the Blast Cores.

In the meantime, he decided to return to the makeshift clinic for now. With nothing to do it would be best to return there after his home had been destroyed. Cole was the focal point in this world so it would be best to keep him close.

As Damian made his way back towards the makeshift clinic, he unexpectedly crossed paths with Trish. He greeted her and inquired about her presence in the midst of the chaos.

"Hey Trish, what are you doing out here?" Damian asked.

Trish recognized Damian from their earlier interactions and replied, "Oh, umm, Damian, right? I was on my way to that shop Amanda told me about. They admitted a few more people, and supplies are running low."

Seeing an opportunity to lend a helping hand and get closer to Trish, Damian offered his assistance. "Hmm, well, I'm on my way to the clinic anyways, so allow me to go with you and help carry some supplies back."

Trish's smile revealed her gratitude for the offer. "Thanks," she said, "Normally I'd use a car, but the streets are pretty bad right now. Any extra hands I can get helps a lot."

“No problem”, said Damian as he followed behind Trish as they headed for the Neon District. Damian looked around intrigued as in three days' time, this area would be controlled by the Reapers faction led by Sasha.

As Damian and Trish arrived at the Smith Fountain and entered a nearby building called Oscar's Medical, they were met with a tense situation. A man inside the building, armed with a shotgun, immediately confronted them and assumed the worst.

"What do you want? If you're looters, then you best keep on moving," he warned.

In response, Damian took a step forward, placing himself in front of Trish as a protective gesture. He calmly introduced themselves, "Hello, we're not looters. She's Trish, and I'm Damian. I believe Amanda told you she would be coming today."

The man with the shotgun appeared somewhat relieved upon hearing Damian's explanation. He lowered his weapon but still maintained a watchful stance. "Yeah, Amanda did mention someone was coming to pick up some supplies," he said, his tone softening. "We're just a bit on edge these days, you understand. Too many people looting nowadays. Name's Oscar. What can I do for you?"

Trish listed out all the medical supplies she needed, carefully detailing the items like syringes, bandages, alcohol wipes, and other essentials. Oscar listened attentively, noting down the order with precision. After finishing the list, he disappeared into the back of the clinic to retrieve the requested supplies.

As Oscar returned with two boxes filled with the medical items, Trish began to prepare to pay for the supplies. However, to her surprise, Oscar stopped her and offered a generous gesture, saying, "I owe Amanda a favor, so this time's on the house."

Trish was grateful for Oscar's kindness and nodded in appreciation. "Thank you, Oscar. Your help means a lot during these tough times." Damian, who had been observing the exchange, offered a friendly smile.