Drew gazed at Robin in the backseat of the roadster, still frozen so stiffly into position.  

The car was making its way along the dirt road at a decent clip, and the bumps did nothing to jar Robin, taking much of the fun out of the ride.  

"Robin," Drew said, finally. "I don't know how much further I can follow you down this road you're on. I know you're convinced the truth shall set you free. But-" 

"The truth shall set you free?" Toby said. "All due respect, sir, that's just not the Harding way. We believe fervently that lies are the glue that holds society together. We worship denial." 

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Drew said, as he took a hit of vermouth off his flask. 

Toby said, "Maybe you need to go further down the road you're on, sir."  

Drew glared at him. Then the lights went on in his head as if he had been caught in the middle of an air raid, and no amount of darkness was going to keep out the blinding flashes of the bombardment outside. "Out of the mouth of babes." 

"Not you, too." Toby said. "I have enough people hitting on me." 

Drew kept a firm hand on Robin so she wouldn't be bounced out of the car, and dialed his cell phone with the other.  

"Who are you calling?" Toby asked. 

"One of my girlfriends." 

"You live a double life?" Toby surveyed Robin's current state by craning his neck. "I guess that isn't such a surprise as all that. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, eh?" 

"Yes, it does," Drew said, waiting for Sereana to pick up. 

Seeing that Robin didn't fly too close to the sun and, like Icarus, burn up in the process, was proving a Herculean task beyond Drew's mortal abilities. Time for his own transformational regimen. Maybe then, he could pull off what was being asked of him.  

He prayed the other women he kept close to him would prove powerful enough catalysts to procure his transformation.  

Considering what truths Robin had dug up already, moreover, tapping her infinite potential, Drew could only hope he wasn't the only one getting religion this late in the game.  

He had to hope the man-to-god metamorphosis was a more widespread, even global, phenomenon.