Page 76 of Ezra
Dad scoffs. “Well, now I know I’m on the right track, if they want tokillme to keep us silent. I’m not even convinced it was TerraPura. Maybe the government, pretending to be them.”
“And here we go.” Mom sighs. “Really, Bobby, your conspiracy theories.”
“What?” Dad says. “It’s true.”
Mom redirects him with a stern sort of affection that I haven’t seen her use on him in some time. “We aren’t here to talk about Humanity First,” she reminds him. “Anyway, we used the access code you gave us for emergencies. Sorry, not sorry. But we have important news, and we thought we should tell you in person.”
“What news?”
They exchange glances. Mom takes Dad’s hand as he lifts her hand to his lips and plants a kiss on her knuckles.
There’s so much love in that single glance.
Mom’s manners take a somewhat bashful turn, like she’s a teenager asking me permission to go out. “After everythingthat’s happened, we’ve been talking a lot, and we’ve decided to move to Belmont County.”
“Humanity First has grown so large, there’s no need for me to be in the fray as often as I have been,” Dad says. “I’m going to do what I should’ve been doing this whole time and focus on family. I’ll step back from the limelight after we’ve finished our fundraising. Let younger leaders take up the cause and keep Humanity First alive.”
“Dad, that’s amazing!” I exclaim. “You’re making the right decision. Truly. What made you decide to do this?”
“Well, when someone takes a shot at you,” Dad replies, “you start thinking about things a little differently.” He leans forward. “I know you’ve got plans of your own, Kat, but you’re my daughter. I wanted to offer it to you first. If you want to take up the mantle, Humanity First is yours.”
My mouth drops open. “Dad . . . I?—”
A sudden loud knock on the door startles all three of us. The power behind it instantly puts us all on edge.
Dad frowns at me. “Were you expecting company, Kat?”
“No,” I reply. Mom is tense as she goes to the door quietly and peers through the peephole, then turns to me. “It’s the android detective from the precinct.”
“Ezra?” My body is instantly on pins and needles. He came to see me? But—no, no, I can’t get excited. We said our piece. There’s nothing more to discuss, really. “Maybe there’s been a development in the case, something he wants to tell me about in person. Or it could just be about the pancake event.”Right. That has to be it.
I open the door, gazing up into his bright white eyes. “Ezra, hi. What are you?—”
“Before you say anything,” Ezra declares, “I want you to know that when it comes to you, I?—”
“Hello, Detective,” I say a little louder than I probably need to. “So nice of you to stop by and check on me.”
Ezra stares at me. “What?”
I make a subtle motion behind me, mouthing,My parents. I give him an imploring look.
He rolls his eyes and pinches his brow, then begrudgingly plays along. “Yes, my...handlerthought it best I check in from time to time to ensure you’re safe and that there aren’t any suspicious characters skulking about.”
“Not bad,” I whisper. I can’t resist; I have to rib him, just a little. “Did you just lie?”
Ezra almost looks offended. “I exaggerated.”
“Good of them to send you,” Dad declares and tries to stand. “I suppose this was always going to happen. Let me take a look at you, Ezra.”
Ezra steps inside, standing uncomfortably straight as my father approaches. He glances at me. I can’t blame him in the slightest. I imagine every man knows that standing in front of a woman’s father is harder than standing in front of a firing squad.
“You’re certainly not a tin can,” Dad remarks. “Dr. Lewis made a masterpiece.”
“Thank you. I think,’” Ezra replies. I’m astonished Dad is actually speaking with an android at all. He usually refuses. Even if there aren’t cameras about. “Everything about me is state of the art.”
This exchange isn’t horrifying, but I’m not sure if I should be relieved just yet as my father continues. “I don’t doubt it. Dr. Taylor sees to you, I trust?”
“Yes.”
