greek gods in new york

19

As far as I can remember, Fernando moved a lot.

Although he has lived in New York for a long time, he does not often go home to live. The few times he visits his home as a guest, he changes places every time.

This time is no exception.

I simply packed up my things and got into Fernando's car with my dad and Joe.After driving out of a familiar block, the vehicle turns in a completely new direction.

Sure enough, he changed his residence again.

It's just that whether he changes his residence or not doesn't make a big difference in my opinion.

Fernando's newly rented house is in a fairly good location, surrounded by middle-class people, and the interior is very spacious. Because of this, there is not much furniture in it, which makes it feel particularly empty.

The living room is big enough for the little ones to run around, nothing but a sofa, a table and a few chairs.

Fortunately, there are beds in several bedrooms, so it is not necessary to sleep on the floor.

I put my personal belongings in the bedroom, then quietly comforted BB in the suitcase, and walked into the empty living room.

Fernando sat on the sofa, while Xiao Ke obediently lay at his feet.

Seeing me go out, I handed over the unopened Coke: "Drink something?"

"Where's my dad?" I asked.

"He said he was very tired," Fernando pointed to another bedroom, "I'm going to rest first."

So it is a tiring thing to use divine power to repel the outer gods.

But Loki didn't have such a big reaction.

Probably because my dad is the first time to get started?

I took a step forward and sat next to Fernando.

Fernando, who is at home, is similar to my dad. After taking off his jacket, he wears a dark plaid shirt inside. His thick, black hair is messy. Coupled with his appearance of always sleeping, he is simply a slovenly bachelor. .

Only those eyes revealed a bit of sharpness and indifference that did not belong to ordinary people.

"What's going on," he asked softly, "what's wrong with your dad, chica?"

I sighed.

"I……"

Things about "that thing", things about Meryl, and things about my dad came to mind.

For the first time, I felt tired like never before.

"I don't know where to start." I replied.

Fernando, who was sitting next to me, leaned back slightly.

He frowned, but looked at me with a smile that was not a smile, as if this was the first time we met.

Knowing that Fernando was playing tricks, I couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Only after I asked the question did he loosen the frown between his eyebrows, and stuffed the Coca-Cola into my palm.

"It feels like the girl went to Los Angeles once," Fernando said, "It's different."

"Just less than a month!"

"Leaving me and Ares for the first time is very fresh, it's better not to let Loki take advantage."

"...Fernando!"

I was answered by Fernando's teasing laughter.

As soon as he interrupted, the oppressive atmosphere was swept away.

"Go ahead."

Fernando slowly got to the point: "What's going on?"

I looked down at the Coke in my hand.

The drink is cold and cold, and there is a layer of water droplets on the can.Of course Fernando doesn't have the habit of drinking Coke, he must have bought it for me because he wanted to pick me up.

"'That thing' came to the door, and Loki wasn't there, so I gave my dad the energy stored in the BB in desperation." I said.

"Then?"

"Then...my dad has divine power, so, just..."

I couldn't say it.

But Fernando already understood the second half of my sentence.

His baritone voice is very gentle: "Let me guess, Ares regained his sanity?"

I nodded.

Fernando said nothing more.

He just silently took the Coke in my hand and pulled the tab off the can for me.

"Then it seems that Zeus did not lie to you about this," said Fernando. "If you have divine power, Ares can return to his original form."

"and also……"

"Go ahead, Nicole."

"I found out that Meryl is a human possessed by 'that thing'."

"..."

When my voice fell to the ground, even Fernando fell silent for a rare moment.

The moment I said it, I felt as if I had spit out something dirty myself.

This matter has been held back in my heart for a few days, and I really can’t find anyone to tell it——Locky is not here for the time being, and my father can’t understand it. The pressure of digesting this fact alone is heavier than I imagined .

"So I want to ask you, Fernando, my mother back then, was she... was she human or something else?"

I know that possessed humans have minds and consciousnesses of their own.

But is it really not affected by "that thing"?

If it is affected, then my neighbor Meryl, Meryl who has always been my friend, is it because of me that I am my friend, or is it because I was born with "that thing"?

If it's the latter, I really don't think I can afford it.

"Nicole."

Fernando scratched at his hair, which was messy enough on its own.

"I think no matter how I answer you, I will bring you harm," he lowered his voice as much as possible, "but fortunately, even if Meryl is possessed by 'that thing', she is still human .”

"you mean?"

"Your mother once said to the researchers of the Lazarus Project that being possessed by 'that thing' is like being parasitized by some kind of bacteria." Fernando raised his hand and gestured in the void, "It's like your body It also has Escherichia coli, it exists and co-exists with humans, which may cause discomfort, but generally speaking, it’s like your phone has been turned on by someone, and it doesn’t affect the phone itself.”

"Then Meryl is still an ordinary person."

"She's just a normal person."

Fernando reassured me: "It's just that 'the thing' has been looking at you through her eyes all these years."

evil.

It would be better not to explain it!

This description gave me chills.

No wonder Loki said he had eyes on me and thought there was something wrong with Meryl.

but……

This reassures me somewhat.

"Will she be back to normal?"

I spoke in a low voice, not asking Fernando: "Even if there is no influence, I don't want Meryl to be possessed."

"I don't know, chica," Fernando replied truthfully, "You should know better than me about this."

Can it return to normal?

So the problem went around and around, and it went back to the original point.

Whether it's for Meryl to get rid of "that thing", for my dad to be sane, or even to find that traitor in the old god camp, I just need to do one thing.

That is to repel "that thing" completely.

Fernando re-handed me the Coke that had been pulled off the tab.

"Girl." He said.

"what?"

"Cry when you're sad," Fernando said, "No one is forcing you to be strong."

I turned my head and looked at my godfather.

He leaned on the back of the sofa chair and tilted his head slightly. The warm light in the room made his face full of stories look very kind.

"it does not matter."

Fernando always speaks slowly, and his voice is unexpectedly soft compared to his occasional aggressive aura.

"None of this is your fault," he said, "Ares wouldn't blame you if it didn't work out."

I took the Coke from him.

The shadow of Fernando in his sight was gradually covered with mist.

I held back, hoping to hold back my tears, but Fernando just silently patted the back of my hand.

At that moment, I still couldn't hold back, and the tears couldn't stop falling.

Ever since I was used to hearing people say "Your dad is an idiot," I've learned that crying doesn't do me any good.

Ordinary children cry, there will be a father to protect and comfort.

I do not have.

Going home with depression and sadness has no meaning except to add troubles to Dad that even he doesn't understand.

So I seldom cried since I was a child.

But now, just now, my dad gave me a big hug and said to me, "Thank you, my daughter".

"He won't blame me."

I choked out, "But I'll blame myself."

If possible, I don't want to cry so ugly.

But I couldn't control my sobbing and crying.

The tears couldn't stop falling, and I couldn't wipe them clean.

"Why me, Fernando," I think I must be humiliating and ugly as I sob and mutter now, "I don't, I don't want to be the savior of the world, I just want daddy and friends to be well— My biggest wish is that you and my dad can take me out for a meal together, take me to watch ball games and concerts, just like ordinary kids."

This is normal daily life for anyone.

Why am I the only one who has to pay so much in order to live such a life?

Fernando didn't give me any response.

Thank goodness he didn't. If he said something innocuous and comforting, I might be so ashamed and angry that I would run away from the door.

My godfather just got up and got a tissue and sat aside.The little Ke at his feet whimpered and put his head on my lap.

The two men, one person and one dog, cried silently with me for a long time.

Until my mood gradually calmed down, my tears and snot were wiped off, and I stopped sobbing, Fernando broke the silence.

"Sometimes I think you are too precocious, chica," he laughed, "you look like a child when you cry like that."

"I'm not a child anymore."

shameful.

I covered my face with a tissue, and I was too embarrassed to look up at him: "You didn't see anything just now!"

"Good good."

Through the gap in the tissue paper, I saw Fernando making a zip gesture to his mouth: "Leave it open, how about it?"

I breathe a sigh of relief.

The emotions that had been pent up for a long time finally found an outlet, and I felt much better after crying.

I put down the tissue and leaned on the sofa: "Thank you, Fernando."

Fernando: "It's an honor, Nicole. Have you figured out what to do next?"

Theoretically speaking, as long as I continue to wait for the results of the God of New Media, wherever there is a clue of "that thing", it is better to go to collect energy.

But when is this a head?

The existence of "that thing" is so scattered that I have to catch it all when I catch it.

I'd rather face a big boss than a hundred thousand small soldiers.

Big Boss...

As my thoughts raced, I folded the tissue that was soaked with tears.

Fernando's living room didn't even have a trash can, so I shoved the tissues back in my pocket in embarrassment.

Immediately afterwards, I touched a card that had been in the pocket of my trousers.

card?

I took out the piece of paper in my pocket, it was a business card.

The pattern is old and simple, and it reads "Karl Wisden - Gun Shop Owner".

I don't recognize the name, but this card was given to me by Odinse.

And it says that his storefront is in El Paso, on the U.S.-Mexico border, bordering Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Fernando," I asked, "Where was the project base of Project Lazarus?"

"In Texas, what's going on?"

I showed him Odin's business card.

Even if I think about it with my toes, my current appearance must be extremely ugly: the eye sockets must be red, and my voice is a little hoarse.But that's why it's possible that pleading is particularly moving, especially to my godfather.

"I want to go here," I said, "Can you take me?"