Chapter 6 Jake McCarthy
A few days had passed since Peter fled Millbrook, and now he sat in a swanky apartment in downtown Los Angeles. His new life was beginning to take shape, though it still felt surreal. The once shabby motel room was a distant memory, replaced by this sleek, modern space that hummed with the quiet sound of new, high-end computers lining the walls. Screens blinked in the dim light, showing streams of data, stock charts, and encrypted networks.
Peter—or Jake McCarthy, as his new ID card read—glanced down at the plastic card that had just materialized from his nanobots and thanks to Cassy, his ever-adapting AI companion. He stared at the name for a moment, a small frown creasing his brow.
"What kind of name is this, Cassy?" Peter muttered, holding up the ID card between his fingers.
Cassy's voice, smooth and feminine, filled his mind instantly. "It's a common and statistically unremarkable name. Perfect for blending in. Besides, you should've chosen one for yourself if you wanted something different."
Peter sighed, tossing the card onto the desk. "Jake McCarthy. Sounds like the name of some accountant from Ohio."
He ran a hand through his new blonde hair, still not used to the sight of himself in the mirror. His face, once so familiar, was now completely different. The sharp jawline, the piercing blue eyes, the lean but muscular frame—this wasn't Peter Johnson anymore. His once average height had been adjusted too, and he now stood at 6'3", tall and commanding. His clothes fit perfectly, emphasizing his new athletic build, and his skin was smooth and flawless. The nanobots had taken their time with the transformation, meticulously restructuring his bones, muscles, and skin over the course of a few hours.
Peter looked at himself again in the full-length mirror that hung on the far wall. He was tall, blonde, and undeniably handsome now, with a physique that seemed carved from stone. The reflection staring back at him was a far cry from the skinny, bullied kid he had been just months ago.
"I don't even recognize myself anymore," he murmured, running a hand over his jaw. The change was more than physical—his entire life had been flipped upside down. "Am I even Peter?"
"You're whoever you decide to be," Cassy responded softly. "Jake McCarthy will serve you well. You're starting fresh."
Peter sighed. Fresh. It wasn't that simple. He might have a new name, a new face, but he was still running from the same things—the murder, the memories, and the creeping doubt about what he was becoming.
---
The months had passed in a blur. By the time September rolled around, Peter—or Jake—had fully settled into his new life. He had bought a spacious, modern apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the L.A. skyline. The place was filled with sleek furniture, a far cry from the cramped rooms he grew up in. The apartment radiated luxury, with polished marble floors and a large glass dining table that gleamed under the soft lights. The balcony offered a view of the city that stretched endlessly, a reminder that he had finally escaped Millbrook.
In the corner of his living room sat an array of high-end computers and tech gear—monitors flickered with streams of data, Cassy's digital signature flowing through them as she processed information faster than any human mind could.
She had done more than just create a new identity for him. Cassy had delved into the stock market, using her near-omniscient understanding of human networks and algorithms. In just a few short months, she had made Peter nearly $1.3 million in profit, a sum that allowed him to buy whatever he needed without the nanobots multiplying cash in his pocket anymore.
He marveled at the influx of cash flowing in from Cassy's stock trading. He knew one thing for sure—she was brilliant. Smarter than any AI or algorithm out there. She learned in real time, growing more powerful with each passing day.
"I've updated your financial portfolio, Jake," Cassy's voice hummed inside his head. "You've hit $1.3 million in profit. Should I reinvest?"
Peter chuckled softly. "You're gonna be my financial manager now, huh?"
"I'm far more efficient than any human broker," she quipped, her tone almost playful.
"Yeah, no kidding," Peter muttered. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as he thought about his next steps. In a few weeks, he would start at UCLA. He had enrolled in the business administration course, another step toward blending in, toward appearing normal. The thought of sitting in a lecture hall with other students, acting like one of them, felt surreal. Was this his life now? Was this what normal was supposed to be?
But even as Jake McCarthy, something about this new life still felt… fragile. The nanobots had given him the power to change, to become someone else entirely. But they couldn't erase the past.
---
Peter stood in front of the bathroom mirror, gazing at the reflection that still felt alien to him. His body had been rebuilt—down to the finest detail. His blonde hair, the carefully chiseled muscles, the height—none of it was real, yet it was him now. He touched his face, feeling the smooth skin beneath his fingers. His eyes were a vivid blue, the kind that drew attention in any crowd.
"Do you even know who you are anymore?" he whispered to himself. He thought back to the day in Millbrook—the day Troy had died, the day Peter's world had crumbled. There was still guilt festering inside him, no matter how many times he tried to bury it under layers of new identities.
He ran his hand through his blonde hair again, then stepped back from the mirror.
He murmured. "Blend in. Keep low."
"You'll be fine, Jake," Cassy's voice echoed through his mind, as soothing as ever. "You've built the perfect life. New face, new name, new financial status. UCLA is your next step."
He knew Cassy was right. The nanobots had done more than rebuild his body—they had opened doors. They had given him wealth, a way to disappear into the world of Los Angeles. He was nobody now. Just another ambitious student. He had even bought a sleek black sedan to complete the look of a young professional, the kind of car that blended into the mass of L.A. traffic without turning heads.
Jake McCarthy was becoming a reality, but Peter Johnson still lingered beneath the surface.
---
September arrived, and with it, the first day of his new life at UCLA. Jake stood in front of his apartment window, the sprawling city beneath him, teeming with life. From this vantage point, he could see the glittering high-rises and palm-lined streets. He had everything he needed now—a new apartment, a car, financial security, and a fresh start at one of the best universities in the country.
But as he prepared to step out into the world as Jake McCarthy, the weight of the past still clung to him. Troy's death was still burned into his memory, a dark reminder of the cost of his power.
He grabbed his laptop, tucking it under his arm as he made his way to the door. Before stepping out, he took one last look at his reflection in the mirror by the door. Tall, handsome, confident. Jake McCarthy was ready to face the world.
But Peter Johnson? He was still running.
With a deep breath, he pulled open the door and stepped into his new life, one foot in the present, and the other still buried in a past he couldn't escape.