Daughter of Zeus ✔

15.4

Though Ada didn't want to admit it, she had taken Kressick's advice to heart. She started dismissing Phennell's messages. He wasn't worth the nausea their time together managed to induce. Instead, she focused on tracking down the youngsters she re-wired.

She found their location by combing State satellites, o-planes, and interface networks.  She accomplished this by using memory retrieval techniques and hacking algorithms Kressick taught her. The tactics would've come in handy in finding Moretz, but Ada swallowed her bitterness for the time being and went on with her new search. Eventually, her personal wristlet transmitted the three young faces she remembered. The downloaded coordinates placed their wristlets in a N.A. neighborhood downtown.

Before approaching them, Ada observed for days. She followed the group, learning their habits. The surveillance failed to tell her what she wanted to know. Once again, she hacked the interface network, establishing a connection with the young girl's wristlet.

"Is that me ringing?" Fumbling, then, "Who the hell are you?" A young, dark face glared at Ada via holograph.

"A friend, of sorts." She cringed internally at how cryptic she sounded, like Kressick. "We met at Moretz's estate, twice now. My name is Ada. Don't you remember me?"

Confusion and annoyance colored the girl's features. "I don't remember you, no."

The holograph disappeared, and the line of communication closed.

The abrupt action didn't discourage Ada. She was used to rudeness, even though she was usually the one to dish it out. The girl's memory erasure was her fault. It would be days or weeks until it reversed.

A face to face meeting was in order. The next afternoon, Ada left a food modulator on the youngster's doorstep. She waited. A young boy opened the door, looked around, shrugged, and brought the modulator inside.

Minutes later, Ada rang the young girl's wristlet. The line connected, and girl immediately protested, threatening to disconnect the line. Despite her attempts otherwise, the line stayed open.

"Piece of shit." She tapped the screen, gritting her teeth.

"Won't work. I'm overriding your commands," Ada said.

"Hacker piece of shit," she amended. "I'll have to get a new interface, thanks jerkwad."

"Or you could say thanks for the modulator and know that more are on the way," Ada drawled.

The girl started to speak, then stopped. She glanced off- screen, chewed her lip, and nodded. "What do you want?"

"Friendship." Ada donned a winning smile. "And intel."

"Three more modulators, unlocked," the girl stressed the last word, "and we have a deal."

"Sounds like a deal. I'll contact you soon."

As Ada procured the other three modulators, she reflected on the needs of the rebels. Instead of asking for money or power, their leader requested unlimited food sources. She flashed back to her life in Colorado, endlessly searching empty kitchen cabinets and realized how much she liked this new group, even without knowing much about them.

"Wrap them up for me," Ada requested of the clerk.

Inside the tech store, several electronic wonders hovered above white pedestals. One of the lights below a display flickered, and the interface disappeared. She examined the pedestal next to her, her hand going straight through the modulator.

"Holographs," the clerk laughed. "I have to get the real thing from the back room. Three modulators, right?" He whistled. "You must have a lot of mouths to feed."

He leaned on the store interface, a clear invitation for her to pay.

"Hurry up," Ada snapped. She reached out invisible fingers and flipped a switch on the clerk's circuit board. He shook his head, stood up straight, and thanked her for making a swift payment.

"I'll go and get your modulators, ma'am." His bright tone suggested nothing was amiss.

Post-purchase, she drove back to the N.A. neighborhood, the faded phrase on the building drawing a chuckle as she walked up to the front door. The corniness of the words reminded her of Gemina.

Take care of us, and we'll take care of you!