Sparks by Kit Mallory

Author:Kit Mallory [Mallory, Kit]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kit Mallory Books
Published: 2020-07-02T16:00:00+00:00

27

Compass

“So,” Hahn said, later that afternoon. “What’ve you got?”

Angel, well aware her every movement was still under scrutiny, handed Hahn the paper she’d been scribbling on. Hahn squinted at it. “If I were being generous, I’d say this looked like a genogram.”

“It is, sort of. Of the South’s big players. They all have Board enforcers moonlighting for them. If we can split the enforcers’ loyalties, that’ll be a good start. And once the public cotton on, that’ll undermine confidence in the Board even more.”

“We’re talking about millions of people who just sat and let them commit atrocities,” Mackenzie said. “Are they really gonna give a shit?”

Angel shook her head. “Southerners aren’t evil. They’re no worse than anyone anywhere else. They just got pushed, an inch at a time. And once you’re on that path, there’s never a good time to speak up, is there? The Board got stronger and scarier, and by the time people realised how messed up everything was, there was no way to fight back.”

Kimura nodded. “Everyone likes to think that when it happens on their doorstep, they’ll do the right thing. Unfortunately, if this job’s taught me anything, it’s that people are endlessly disappointing.”

“What a heartwarming sentiment,” Hahn said dryly.

He shrugged. “Tell me it’s not true.”

Mackenzie rubbed his eyes. The heat had gone out of him since earlier; now he was subdued, dejected. Angel understood. The magnitude of what they were trying to achieve was so vast, so overwhelming, that holding all that gnawing hopelessness at bay was a full-time job in itself. “The thing is, if the Board goes, what replaces it? And how do we know whatever does will be any better?”

“It could hardly be worse,” Skyler pointed out.

“Things can always get worse.”

“It’s a gamble,” Hahn agreed. “But I’d say the odds favour the unknown.”

Mackenzie sighed. “I bloody hope so.”

“Course they do,” Skyler said. “Anyway. We need to do something about the internet. It’s censored. If we make it easier for people to communicate, share as much information as possible, the Board’ll crumble way quicker.”

“You think you can do something about the firewalls?” Hahn asked.

“It’ll be hard.”

“Impossible?”

Skyler grinned. “Nothing’s impossible.”

“Of course not,” Kimura said. “That would mean she’d have to pass up an opportunity to show off.”

Skyler raised an eyebrow. “Don’t go getting jealous, Kimura. I can teach you some stuff when all this is over.”

She was magnetic when she was determined. There was a light in her eyes, a steel to the way she held herself, that made it seem like nothing could stand in her way. Angel could have watched her all day. There would never be enough time.

Mackenzie dragged his hands through his hair. “And if we just provoke the Board into bombing the North?”

“They won’t.” Kimura sounded confident, at least. “Once they realise you’re not up there, they’ll know it would be a huge waste of effort for far too high a price.”

“They were worried enough before to build a biological weapon,” Mackenzie muttered.

“Well, once we get started, they’ll have bigger problems.

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