The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution Book 1)

by Brian Terenna

  “Let’s hope so,” says Americus, “but we’ll be ready to.”

  “That reminds me of your old joke,” says Gerald. “What was it? Join the Marines, meet interesting people, then kill them.”

  Americus chuckles. “That was it.”

  “You used to have such a dark sense of humor,” says Gerald.

  Americus grunts. “Don’t have much of one at all now. Send all the data to Alexander and me. I want to review everything.”

  Gerald gives them the code to access the documents.

  Americus reviews them, nodding as he does so. “What do you think, Alexander?”

  Alexander studies the plan. “It looks sound, Boss. Just make sure you bring enough weapons.”

  “Zill, show me the location on the map,” says Americus.

  A holographic map projects from Americus’ q-link. An indicator blinks about twenty miles outside of town.

  “What about the military checkpoints and drone surveillance of the town’s border?” asks Americus.

  “We have a tunnel,” says Gerald.

  Americus nods. “And transportation once we’re out?”

  “I have another contact that will leave us a cloaked car past the checkpoint.”

  I know that Gerald was a high-level employee at the NIA, but how did he get this info? I also wonder who this other contact is. We should really check them out too.

  I look up at Americus, knowing I should say something, but his unforgiving eyes and the deep lines between his eyebrows keep me silent.

  “We can’t afford to screw this one up, Fae,” says Americus. “Sunny must stay back.”

  I suddenly feel even smaller. “He will.”

  Americus grunts. “I’m serious. Make sure he does. We’ll bring nine-millimeters with suppressors and wear vests under our clothes. Each of us will have a battery pack and two q-links to cloak with if things go wrong. We’ll leave half an hour after we get our uniforms and cards. Gerald, get us the supplies.”

  I groan inwardly. That’s so soon. I’m still reeling from our last encounter, my nerves crumbling like an outdated firewall.

  I touch the chain around my neck that Americus gave me. It holds a small glass vial, containing our former prisoner’s Evo. Even though I’d never install it, I had Sunny remove the brain shredding barbs.

  It’s crazy how something so tiny can have such a huge impact. The exponential speed would make me a hacking god. Of course, I’d just as likely be turned into a puppet.

  ☼☼☼

  Not long after, I leave for Alexander’s room.

  “Astrid and Yumi, Mom,” he says. “I’m not sure if I can do this anymore.”

  I stop at the doorway to listen. The smell of gun solvent drifts around me, familiar and welcoming. It’s not that it smells nice. It just reminds me of Alexander.

  “You’re a Fiore, a natural hero. You have the blood of kings, Alexander. I don’t ever want to hear you doubt yourself again. Just keep reading the book I recommended.”

  Natural hero…blood of kings…now it all makes sense. I can’t believe he doubts himself, though. He always seems supremely confident.

  “Sorry, Mom. You’re right. I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”

  Awww. That’s sweet.

  “Love you, Son. Make me proud.”

  I wait a second and then enter the doorway.

  Alexander lounges back in his bed, propped against pillows and rotates his dad’s gold medal. “Oh hey, Sprite.”

  I sit on the end of his bed. “I’m worried about this rescue.”

  “I can see why. You won’t have me to watch your back,” he says, his usual grin returning.

  “You’re right,” I say, wanting him to be like he usually is. “Will you help me make some extra tactical plans?”

  He sits up and puts his medal in his pocket, his lips stretching into a giant smile. “Commander Luna, you’re back. Finally, we plan our first mission together.”

  His smile is infectious, and I turn away. He’s such a goofball.

  “Should we get Americus?” he asks.

  I shake my head. “I’d rather it just be us. We can fill him in after.”

  “Alright, Boss. What are you thinking? It can’t be too bulky, or it will give you away.”

  I’m nodding. “Right. But something that would help me escape if things go wrong.”

  “Flashbang grenades always come in handy,” he says. “It’s much easier to escape a bunch of blind, dazed people.”

  He’s right. I used to use them in Silent City when breaching a room. “What about sonic nauseators?”

  His face screws up. “What’s that?”

  Too bad I didn’t have Sunny make some earlier. “Nothing. Do you have dazzlers? Those lasers that blind people? Those are helpful too.”

  Alexander purses his lips, the scar on his cheek moving with the motion. “I wish. If Americus wasn’t spending all of my money on words, we could get some.”

  I wonder about his scar again. I’m not sure if I should ask, but I go for it anyway. “Sorry if this is rude, but where’d you get that scar on your face?”

  He touches his cheek and smiles. “I can’t believe I didn’t tell you. We were at a Xyphotech protest a couple of years ago, and I jumped in front of a baton strike for Americus. He still gives me props for it.”

  Maybe that’s why he always fist-bumps back. “How come you didn’t get it fixed?”

  “No way. Every time I look at it, I get reminded of what a boss I am.”

  I chuckle.

  “Where’d you get that burn scar on your wrist?”

  I cross my arms. “It’s nothing…but I just had this great idea. The lasers that generate the holograms from my q-link would be able to create a dazzler effect. I’d just have to build the program and disengage the safety mechanisms.” It would drain my battery like crazy, though.

  “That’s smart. You sure have a mind on you.”

  I look away with a smile.

  “You should take smoke grenades too. That’s a third great way to escape. You’ll just have to wear those glasses that Americus has to see through the smoke. They probably have them too, but you’ll have time while they switch modes. What weapons are you going to take?”

  “The Torg since it’s easy to conceal, but I can still have high capacity magazines.”

  “Right, right,” he says, nodding. “What about that amazing trick when you took over the laser turrets? It’s another prison. Maybe you can do it again.”

  “They probably updated the code, but maybe not. I’ll have to prepare a program to hack the doors too. I’ll ask Nav about it since she did the hack. Or maybe they’re the same as the prison Nav and I escaped.”

  “How did you manage that anyway? I don’t even know if I could pull that off.”

  Hell, that’s the most modest thing I’ve ever heard him say. “It took Nav, Sunny, and then you to succeed. So in a way, you did pull it off.”

  “I’m glad I did. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have you here,” he says with a wink.

  I lower my head.

  “It still seems wild that you were in jail. You’re so gentle.”

  It’s mostly an act. “That was actually the second time I was in jail.”

  “Really? What was the first time?”

  “I was caught stealing money for food at nine. They kept me in detainment for two nights. I remember my cold sweat as the older and crueler kids harassed me. Unfortunately, when I returned home, my punishment was the cherry on top of a rotted cake.”

  He lowers his eyebrows. “I wish I could have been there to help you.”

  Aww. I wish he were too.

  “Sounds like you had a rough childhood,” he says.

  “It was, but because of my experience, I’ll be able to help people avoid what I went through. When this is over, of course.”

  “Good attitude. I’m still surprised Americus didn’t want me on this mission.” Alexander stands from the bed, looking determined. “You and I would
be unstoppable. A dashing, bold, and deadly secret agent teamed with the greatest hacker the world has ever known.”

  A giggle escapes my lips. I shake my head and roll my eyes. I’d prefer him as my partner too, though. Americus is certainly a capable fighter, but Alexander is deadlier with guns. I picture myself back behind the dumpster, a mass of drones targeting me. My mind flew through computations and patterns, and my words built the code. But I was too slow.

  I had been prepared to die. Then Alexander whipped around the corner, his long hair illuminated by the sunny backdrop, his face in shadows. He fired, and drones fell like flies to a flamethrower.

  “We should put a tracking device on you. We could hide it under your hair. That mop will hide anything,” he says with a smirk.

  I push at his shoulder. “Hey.” He’s right, though. If things go wrong, he’d be able to find me. We can use Sunny’s new design so it’s not detected.

  “I’m sure you won’t need it, though, since you’re…you. But if necessary, I’ll rescue you.”

  I smile at him, admiring him for his kind words, but then for his rugged bone structure, his long wavy hair, and his sharp, vibrant eyes.

  “You’ll be fine with Americus,” he says as if knowing my worry. “I saw him come down on you hard, but he was just upset about losing Yumi and Astrid.”

  I stare at the ground, all of my worries and failures returning to haunt me.

  We discuss contingency plans and strategies for a while longer, until Alexander asks, “What do you want most out of life?”

  I rest my chin on my knuckles as I ponder the question. “I want connections with people. I’ve always been so isolated.”

  “I’m close to my mom,” he says. “She’s really supportive. And Americus, he’s super interesting and knowledgeable. But otherwise, I distance myself from most people by keeping things light.”

  All his boasting and jokes. “What do you want most?”

  “To be a famous legend like my dad and to impress my mom. You only get to live once. I want to make it grand so people will talk about me like they do about General Briggs.”

  I should have guessed.

  “But it’s more than that,” he says, surprising me. “I want to help people get back the freedoms they deserve.”

  So it’s not just for himself. “I can relate to that. I’d like to be admired too, but what I really want is to come up with technological ways to make things better for people. I think I can make a difference. It’s more my style than fighting in battles and being shot at.”

  “I find battles to be exciting. You don’t have to worry about dying if you believe you’ll succeed.”

  Nav enters the door, with Sunny at her heels.

  “So this is it,” says Nav. “You guys are planning?”

  “We’ve devised some tactical brilliancies,” says Alexander. “We’ll be remembered as two of the most gifted tacticians in history.”

  “I’m sure Americus and Fae will get most of the praise,” says Nav.

  He looks at her side-eyed and shakes his head as if he doesn’t believe her.

  “What do you guys think about this mission?” I ask, trying to decide if I should voice my doubts.

  “Yumi and Astrid gave their lives for this information, so it’s fitting that this will be the NIA’s end,” says Nav. “I may have differences with my father, but he made the right call here, and he has keen instincts.”

  Sunny nods, and I sense determination in his brighter eyes.

  “You’ll be with Americus,” says Alexander. “You can’t lose. He was one of the most decorated Marine Majors in history. He’s a hardened fighter and a resourceful leader. I’d trust my life to him over anyone.”

  Diablo. How can I say something now? Two older, more experienced people have faith in Americus and the plan. Who am I compared to Americus? I’m a homeless seventeen-year-old orphan who didn’t even graduate high school. I killed Nav’s husband. I couldn’t save Barbra. And I created Sunny, who lead to Astrid and Yumi’s deaths. Americus has known Gerald for decades and trusts him.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” asks Nav. “If you have concerns, you should tell Americus. You’ve always made clever plans and had good intuition. Just because it was in-game, doesn’t mean it wasn’t real. Trust yourself.”

  But I don’t trust myself. And Americus would probably flip out if I said anything. I pull at my tank top. “I’m sure it will work out.”

  “If anyone can do this, it’s you, Fae,” says Sunny. “According to my brain scans, you’re significantly smarter than anyone here. It’s not even close.”

  My jaw drops, and I look side to side as I process what he said. Yep. He really said it. My lips curl up, and then laughter spills out from me.

  Alexander squints from Sunny to me, shaking his head, then chuckles.

  Nav laughs, her cheeks full.

  I pat Sunny’s head. “Did I ever tell you how smooth you are?”

  He tilts his head, his mouth straight. “I do work hard to keep my metal polished. I appreciate you noticing.”

  I roll my eyes. “How are you so self-assured all the time, Alexander?”

  “I just believe in myself and tell myself to be confident.”

  So it’s his belief that makes him confident? Nav changes her body language, and Alexander changes his thinking. Interesting.

  “Didn’t you guys ever hear about the law of attraction?” he asks.

  Nav and I shake our heads.

  “I’m surprised that you haven’t, Naveha, since you’re into meditation. It’s based on this book my mom gave me, The Kybalion, and the Seven Hermetic Principles.”

  She shrugs. “Sounds fascinating.”

  “So the law of attraction is where you can change your vibration from negative to positive, and it brings more positivity. It’s what people started calling the third hermetic principle, Vibration. Nothing rests; everything moves; everything…what was it?” he asks and rubs his stubble. “Oh, yeah. Everything vibrates, duh.”

  Hmm. I suppose that’s true. All atoms and particles vibrate.

  “Anyway, the first principle, Mentalism, is where it’s at. At least from what I can tell so far. It says the All is mind. The universe is mental.”

  Nav nods but looks confused.

  He continues, “So the All is supposed to be everything in the universe, and if everything is just thought or mind, then you can create whatever reality you want through thought. But that takes a lot of practice.”

  He probably tells himself he’s a god every day. I chuckle inwardly.

  “So I tell myself I’m the best and a great hero, and now, I’m becoming a legend. You see?”

  I meet Nav’s eyes as the corners of her lips pull up. I giggle, and she joins in.

  “Seriously, it works. My mom became a pro soccer player with this,” he says, his long hair swaying with his energy. “You can remember it like this. Imagine it, believe it, do it.”

  Nav looks at me mischievously. “I’m going to create a voluntarist society.” She snaps her fingers and swirls her metal hand, light twinkling off its surface.

  “Impressive. I’m going to take back America,” I say. I snap my fingers and wave them up and down. “And it’s so.”

  Nav raises her hand for a high-five, “You did it. Wow, that’s amazing. I knew you could.”

  I slap her hand with a grin, enjoying the smooth touch of her skin.

  Alexander chuckles and runs a hand through his long wavy hair. He steps up and puts his warm arms around our shoulders. He looks at Nav and then down at me. “What would I do without you?”

  It looks like he’s talking to me when he says it, and I can’t help but melt at his closeness. I look up at his broad smile and wish he’d hold me closer or bend down and press his—

  “Did you hear me?” he asks, waving a hand in front of my face.

  Oops. “Wh—what?” I stammer.

  He shakes his head, his grin wide. I pull away from his magnetic eyes, not
wanting to get caught.

  “I said, imagine what you want and a path to get there, then do it. You can make yourself and your life into whatever you wish.”

  Could I finally be confident in myself? Very interesting. I’ll have to think more about this.

  ☼☼☼

  We stand in the main hall with the other Loyalists. Americus and I wear our badges and guard uniforms, with vests and supplies hidden underneath them.

  I ask Sunny to hand me my dad’s letter, then take out my mother’s picture. Wish me luck, Mom. I return it to him, and he puts it back inside his compartment.

  “Here, take this too.” I hand him the amethyst bracelet that Nav gave me. “I don’t want anything to happen to it.”

  Alexander steps up to Americus. “You got this, Boss.”

  Americus pats the slimmer man on the back. “Make sure you take care of Ron Paul while I’m gone.”

  “You know I will,” says Alexander as he glances at the raven on the nearby bench.

  Americus nods and holds out his hand to Nav. I roll my eyes, then make sure no one saw. Nav shakes his hand, her expression dejected.

  He touches her shoulder. “I know that we don’t always agree on things, but I value your opinion. You’ve been a tremendous help to our liberation cause. You’ve turned out to be a remarkable woman, an excellent hacker, and a better daughter than I deserve. I love you.”

  I nearly faint at the words.

  Nav’s eyes widen, then a huge smile breaks out on her lips. “I love you too, Dad.” She hugs him.

  He looks dumbfounded for a second and then wraps his arms around her. “When I get back, I want us to spend more time together.”

  She grins even wider.

  He pulls back to address the room. “We’ll have services for Yumi and Astrid when we return. President Toscano and Vice President Garza are patriots. They’ve served us well, and we’re going to repay them. In doing so, we’ll save all Americans and take back this country. This ends today!”

  The Loyalists cheer, clap, and whistle.

  Alexander pumps his fist to us. Asher waves, his nunchucks tucked under his arm, and everyone else wishes us well.

  Before long, Gerald, Americus, and I are driving to the tunnel in silence. About twenty minutes later, we park, then hike through a dark and musty tunnel, our flashlights the only illumination.