Daughter of Zeus ✔

5.4

"Why didn't you let me pay?"

"Why are you complaining? I saved you money."

They were in their suite, going through their bags in preparation for separate showers. Initially, Kressick offered to pay for the room. His money had been one of Ada's stipulations for his continued company, and he meant to be of use. When it came time for him to prove his usefulness, she had tricked the machine into thinking they paid for the room when they hadn't.

He was aware of her abilities so there was no reason for her to hide anymore. But Kressick knew better. By indiscriminately using her power, the girl was maximizing her chances of being seen. If a Prominent witnessed her mutation, she would be reported to the Sammies immediately, and Kressick wasn't cut out for work at the camps.

From the living room, Ada zapped a beam through the open bathroom door. The shower interface responded with a cascade of water from the overhead tap. Another flurry of electricity at the wall interface and the television panel lit up. The channel was set to a news broadcast, but after further maneuvering, she set the channel to an old movie. Characters on-screen debated whether or not their boss was dead or merely playing a mean prank.

"Where is he?" One character walked around the jungle in search of someone.

A second character looked at the exploded human remains that surrounded the area. "Looks to me like he's all over the place."

"Turn off," Kressick said. The unit powered off. "Just because I know about your abilities doesn't mean you have to flaunt it."

"Shut up." She pointed to turn the wall interface on for a second time.

But he was not shutting up and spoke over the increasing volume of the television. "What you did earlier was an unnecessary display, one that could gain us notice."

"When I comped us this room? No one was even there."

No one cares what I do, because they don't know. Ada's words were the echo of another, older version of herself. Kressick's daughter, Adina, had been as reckless. She hadn't started out that way, but as her abilities had progressed, so had her instability. Partly, Kressick had been to blame. Adina had been hesitant to use her abilities. As her father and mentor, he had insisted.

Her abilities had manifested earlier than Ada's, at thirteen. Kressick had caught her overturning her mother's mind to get what she wanted. He had dismissed the first time as an anomaly, but after several wayward incidents, he had taken action.

Like Adina, Ada wasn't thinking at all lately, merely taking things she wanted. Her selfish nature was easy to manipulate, but it also jeopardized his mission.

"You can't be sure who was watching, unless your ability includes fortunetelling."

"Why do you care who sees me? You're tagging along, for economic and entertainment purposes only. Step outside of your main purpose, and I might forget to wake you up in the morning."

She sent a zap at the wall, and the interface chattered away. If she thought she was being intimidating, she was wrong. Let her think that her little light show impresses me. So long as she keeps me around, that's all that matters.

"Can you quit going all Zeus on the electronics?" Kressick nodded at the television panel, which released ribbons of blue smoke. "I'd rather one of your lightning bolts didn't miss and accidentally turn my heart into a lump of bloody coal."

She stalked over to the table and grabbed a plastic bucket.

"I'm going to get some ice." Near the door, she said, "If I hit your heart, it wouldn't be by accident."

When she was gone, he wondered if he would have to deal with her as he had with Adina.

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