Daughter of Zeus ✔

21.4

"You're...different. Who are you?"

He was slow to respond. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He shook his head, licked his lips, and tried to speak again. "I'm still Brontes Moretz, but you can call me Dad."

He moved to hug Ada, who scrambled away as if he was infectious. She was shaking. Instinctually, she went to Shylar's side and took his hand in hers.

The physical contact with him lent her some strength. When she sapped enough of it, she let go of his soft grip and crossed her arms.

Darcy was crying, smoothing down her father's displaced hair. "Stay away from my dad until you can forgive him."

"Then I'll never be able to be around him," Ada said.

"You all need to leave. You can't..." He coughed, and they were deep, racking spasms. Just when it seemed he would pass out, he continued speaking, "...have me slowing you down. Just go."

"Dad, no!" Darcy cried even harder.

Shylar flexed his fingers, his face holding a perplexed expression even as she asked, "Aren't you coming with us, sir?"

With great effort, Moretz shook his head. "It'll be faster if you go without me."

The old Moretz had an accent, but the new one had a lilt, like his father. Kressick hadn't just altered his son, but somehow put part of himself in his consciousness. Ada knew as much from hearing his voice, seeing his physical transformations, and checking his electronic vibration. Before, he was grating and jagged. Now, he was smoother, similar to the vibration Kressick emitted. Not the exact vibration, but definitely a cousin to the frequency.

"He didn't talk like that before," Shylar said, which was what Ada had also been thinking.

Ada sought to explain the transformation, internally and aloud to those she cared about.

"Kressick's tweaks to a personality can evolve over time. The drugs or whatever else the Sammies did to Moretz must have triggered the rest of his conversion."

"Did you hear what Dad said?" Darcy asked. "We have to go. And we're not leaving without him."

Yes we are. Ada swallowed the words. Her personality hadn't gone through the luxury of being converted, and being selfish came naturally. She had been putting herself first for almost a year, well, admittedly longer than that. If she was honest, she would have told everyone she was leaving without any of them.

"Leave me." Moretz was saying in a quiet voice.

"No, we're not leaving without...whoever you are." She didn't look at her father. "Let's get to the fucking car before I realize what I'm getting into."