Daughter of Zeus ✔

13.4

As Shylar watched the two of them interact, he was happy to be on a committed path. The old Shylar might have read into their familiar glances. The old Shylar might have been bothered by their flirty conversations. Lastly, the old Shylar most definitely would have gotten jealous over the quick kiss the pair shared.

He forced detached awareness to prevail as he surveyed Ada and Phennell. He wasn't meant to feel anything anymore, except faith in the mission and faith in his superior. Still, whenever Phennell spoke, Shylar narrowed his eyes, and his mouth creased into a thin line at the moment Ada and Phennell touched lips.

She lingered on the kiss, but he pulled away from it like a blushing schoolgirl. Shylar thought the move was amusing, as he could infer the implications behind it. Phennell was playing coy, because the more he drew away, the more she wanted him near.

From his expert execution, he had used a similar technique on other women. A glance at his wristlet reminded Shylar of Phennell's history with women. Kressick had sent his grandson's file, along with the files of the entire Moretz family. All of their secrets belonged to him. He had Ada's file too. Sometimes, Shylar read it over and over, even thought he had memorized each fact. Subject has graduate degree in historical literature. Subject married for ten years. Subject hates frogs. He wondered about some of the facts, like why she hated frogs.

Often, he wondered why she blamed anyone for the demise of her husband. It had been an accident. Someone should have told her that by now.

None of it mattered. His personal assessment had no bearing on his current assignment, as the re-wired parts of his brain reminded him yet again.

Watching the tiny images on his arm gave him a headache. To ease the strain, he tapped an option, bringing out a three- dimensional display of the surveillance stream. Miniature versions of Ada and Phennell popped up in front of him. Mini-Ada leaned over to speak intimately with mini-Phennell. Her pixilated one-inch hand extended to caress his arm.

Shylar frowned. From her file and everything he watched in the interim, she was a cold-hearted woman, nearly like a Prominent when it came to affection. She wasn't always so. He had read how she used to mentor underprivileged students, how she loved attending basketball games, and her love of rescuing animals from the local shelter. Her recent attitude was a by-product of her powers, and the accidental maiming of August.

On a few observations, Ada's treatment of men had been horrible, with one notable case involving her instruct a man to "fuck off and die" after he had handed her his communication acronyms. Phennell received the opposite treatment. She could have an angle, but really, Shylar didn't think there was one.

"You still tailing the love birds?"

Shana leaned in the doorway, smiling. Her entrance to Shylar's hideout was undetectable, a specialty of hers.

He told her earlier where he might be, but changed venues last minute. She managed to find him anyway, and sneak up on him too. His admiration for her grew.

She tapped her interface to his. The file transfer took seconds, and he quickly scanned through them. "You got all of this in one day?"

"I may be young and hungry all the time, but I'm not incompetent."

He tossed an apple her way, which Shana caught without blinking.

She appraised the piece of fruit the way one might a piece of fine jewelry. "This modulated or is it real? I never know with you."

He checked on his charge, who was still chatting up her stepbrother. Phennell touched the side of her cheek briefly, and she smiled. Shylar wanted to vomit.

"It's real."

Shana whistled. "You sure are set up. I still don't see why you need me to follow that Sammie around. She's not even messing with your girl."

While shadowing his target, Shylar had noticed a common figure. When a woman with dark hair and glasses had shown up in more than one location, he knew her appearance was more than a coincidence. After employing Shana to watch the watcher, they learned she was a Sammie.

A Sammie hanging around translated to bad news, and Shylar meant to be careful. "She might be trouble later. Keep on her and get back to me." He handed her a bag of apples, and Shana whooped with delight.

"Thanks, man. Good luck with that." She winked at the hologram surveillance.

"Yeah. See ya later." He did a double take and shook his head. His goodbye had been for naught, because she was already gone. She was a show-off sometimes.