The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution Book 1)

by Brian Terenna

Nav and I also worked on creating a program that could crack the NIA’s cybersecurity, which is ten times stronger than even Xyphotech’s. Nav had some interesting ideas to try, but nothing we did worked. If I can’t figure out how to hack them, we can’t show the world their crimes or destroy them.

  The rest of the time, I relaxed with my three friends and Brandon, who arrived two days ago. I also had some private conversations with Alexander about our childhoods and futures. The more I get to know him, the more I admire his drive, dedication, and even-tempered nature.

  I glance at Sunny, who sits on the floor, playing with his hologram, Bean. At least someone can have fun. I prop up my pillow to lean back, then shut my eyes and focus on the present. As I slowly exhale, I consciously relax my body, letting go of the tension in my stiff muscles.

  My recent capture and Alexander’s accident try to push themselves into my mind, but I force them out and focus on the NIA. How can we defeat them?

  They have at least twenty Mark2 security bots, two thousand operatives, missile turrets, sniper turrets, and the Air Force’s Liberator and Executioner drones only twenty minutes away.

  If I can’t hack the NIA network from the outside, I’ll need to figure out how to get something inside. Unfortunately, the building has armor powerful enough to withstand all of our weapons. Even if they open the outer door to send out security bots, they have an inner door, which shuts before they open the outer one. They also scan all agents for unwanted tech daily. On top of that, Nav wants to save everyone who has the Evo.

  The Obliterator suit would be excellent against the NIA’s Mark2 robots but couldn’t withstand their missile turrets.

  The tank would have helped, but their missiles would probably blow that up too. I also don’t see how I can hack them or their non-networked robots. So what can we do?

  Maybe if I try to meditate, I’ll come up with something. It seems to help Nav. I concentrate on my breathing, slowing my inhalations, and relaxing my muscles with every exhalation. I continue to breathe slowly, only focusing on the present moment until a calm serenity envelops me. Eventually, I let my mind wander.

  Images of the base’s defenses and ideas on how to attack them drift through my head. I’m not sure how much time passes as I sit there when, finally, a complex plan forms in my brain. I smile to myself and step out of the tent.

  Brandon sits at a camping table, tinkering with his wrist drone. Sunny watches. Alexander, who’s free from bandages, and Nav stand toe to toe, looking heated. Alexander shaved the burned side of his head, which is mostly healed thanks to our quick medical attention and the advanced healing patches. He looks like a Viking or pirate with his old facial scar, eye patch, and unique hairstyle.

  “That’s crazy. We should find another group to join. We can attack them together,” says Nav.

  “I agree,” says Sunny. “We need to increase the probability of victory.”

  Alexander throws his hands up. “That will take forever. They know we’re on to them. They’ll improve their defenses. Navin Briggs would seize this opportunity.”

  “He wasn’t nearly that dumb,” says Nav, raising her voice.

  “You’re calling me dumb?” he asks, tapping his chest, incredulity plain on his face. “We have a Corefense Obliterator suit, tons of other weapons, and two strategically brilliant minds.” He indicates him and me. “We’ll win.”

  “I don’t think it’s enough,” says Nav. “Maybe we should leave for another country to get help. I want America freed as much as anyone, but we don’t have a chance without more people and more serious weapons.”

  “Makes sense,” chimes in Brandon.

  Alexander eyes him as he lets out a frustrated breath. “If we had those RX9 missiles, we could have breached the walls. I still can’t believe we got duped.” He scowls. “A bunker-buster bomb would work if we could get one.”

  “We won’t be saving anyone from a vaporized headquarters at the bottom of a thirty-foot crater,” says Nav. It doesn’t matter anyway, we have no money for new weapons, and there’s no way we could pull a fifty-one percent attack after their new countermeasures. Besides, all of our contacts, including the weapons dealer, were compromised when my father was tortured into giving them up.”

  “I know we can figure out a way,” says Alexander, shaking his head. “If you’d just work with me.”

  “You’re the one who’s impossible!”

  With Americus gone, there’s a power vacuum, just like when I joined my guild in Silent City. As caring as Nav is and as fearless as Alexander is, I can’t have them making the decisions. We’ll lose if they do. They both supported Americus’ plan that ended in disaster, and they’ve made too many other critical mistakes.

  Without me, we never would have discovered that the NIA expanded the Evo’s distribution, hacked them, and then overthrew our government. It’s time to believe in myself. If I had earlier, Americus would still be alive. I won’t deny my friends’ tremendous contributions and skills. I’d be dead without them, but I won’t be subservient anymore.

  I’ve pledged myself to them, and I’m determined to meet their goals, but if we’re going to obliterate the NIA, I need to command, and the only way people will listen is if I’m StarFeather.

  Alexander had said that the universe is mental. I can be whatever I want to be. Imagine it, believe it, do it.

  I imagine myself as StarFeather, tall and dominant. I could do anything. I remember the time that my enemies pointed a hundred guns at my face, and I maintained my supreme confidence.

  I smiled as I threw myself off a rusted railing on top of a skyscraper. The wind ripped at my clothes and then caught in my expandable wing, letting me glide to safety. I waved to my stunned enemies just before I detonated the Airburner bomb at their feet.

  Believe it. I’ve escaped certain death and military prisons. I’ve breached impossible firewalls and saved my friends’ lives. I’ve dominated people’s minds like a god, all while being tormented by the ever-present demons of my past. And although I broke, I’m reborn with purpose.

  Do it. I have always been StarFeather. I was born to lead. I plant my legs, facing the others, then push my shoulders back and lift my chin, like I did as the commander of FreedomFire so many times.

  I breathe in slowly and feel energy surge inside me as if by changing my stance, I opened myself up to the power. I breathe out, my confidence now bolstered, and my drive resolute.

  “Listen up,” I say, projecting my voice from my diaphragm.

  They cut off from their arguments with a start and turn to me as if they forgot I was here.

  I lock onto Nav’s eyes, holding them prisoner until she looks down. I meet Alexander’s sharp eye. Although I’m uncomfortable, I force myself to hold his gaze until he looks away as well.

  “I’ve hesitated to speak up at times, but those days are over,” I say. “We need each other to become whole and powerful. Alexander, your endless knowledge about famous battles and military tactics put us on par with the enemy. And your brilliant shooting skills top their best,” I say as I rest my hand on his shoulder.

  He glances at my hand, then beams, his eye radiating strength.

  “Nav,” I say, taking her hand. “You’ll find a way to help us save many people, and your wise coding skills are invaluable. Plus, you can punch through a brick wall with that arm.”

  She nods, the set of her jaw and her furrowed brow showing a fierce determination.

  “Sunny, your ingenuity, engineering skills, and big heart have saved the day more than once. And you’re the best friend a girl could have,” I say and rub his head. “And Brandon, you’ve accomplished more than most, and those experiences will help guide us. We’ve been through a lot, and yes, we’ve made mistakes. But that’s what we needed to happen in order to win. Together, we’ll destroy the NIA and break their illegal hold over our government. And I know exactly how to do it.”

  Alexander gazes at me proudly, his eye holding mine. “Commander Luna! You’ve
awoken.”

  I grin at him. When I first saw Alexander, he was a cocky, thin nobody, but now he’s an accomplished, athletic champion. His scar and stubble that had made him look rough now make him look heroically rugged, especially with that eyepatch.

  When he rescued me, he charged in like an over-powered gamer, his confidence a shield, thrashing noobs all over the place. The recklessness of it both thrilled and terrified me.

  It was that last-second rescue and his near incineration that made me realize something…or at least accept it. I have a thing for Alexander.

  I kept the truth from myself because the risk of losing him is so high. When this is over, though, who knows? Maybe I’ll take a chance.

  “Welcome back, Fae,” says Sunny. “I’ve seen you win hundreds of battles in your game and know you can do this.”

  “I fought with you in those battles, and I agree,” says Nav, “FreedomFire forever.”

  “FreedomFire. Is that our new name?” asks Alexander. “Because it’s boss.”

  “FreedomFire?” asks Brandon. “That’s funny because I used to play this game Silent City and that was my guild name.”

  Nav eyes him, and then she gasps. “TigerShadow?”

  “Wait…Blaze? I can’t believe I didn’t see it. You look just like your avatar. Maybe that’s why I thought you were pretty.”

  She swats at him. “You flatterer.”

  I can’t believe that it’s him. Now, he has that going for him too.

  “And you also played, Fae?” asks Brandon.

  “Yeah, guess who?”

  “Then that would make you…wait…it can’t be.” His eyes widen. “StarFeather?”

  I grin and nod.

  “Commander. I can’t believe it!” he says. “Now I know we’ll win.”

  “So what’s the plan?” asks Nav. “You figured out how to free the compelled people from the Evo?”

  “I did,” I say.

  “And deal with the military?” asks Alexander.

  “Sure did. Also, a way to breach their walls and hack their network.”

  The three of them nod, looking hopeful.

  “Couldn’t we just steal their data and leave their destruction to someone else?” asks Sunny.

  “No. This is personal,” says Nav. “The NIA killed my husband, my dad, and many other innocents.”

  “I agree,” says Alexander. “I want to be the one to avenge Americus and free America.”

  Ron Paul shifts his feet on Alexander’s shoulder and says, “Free America.”

  “Plus, we need to get them back for what they did to Fae.”

  I favor Alexander with a smile. “I understand where you’re coming from, Sunny. I don’t like the risk, but any agency we go to might be working with the NIA. We can’t trust anyone. Besides, they killed Barbra, chased away my dad, and made me kill Americus.” And even if they didn’t commit those crimes, I’d support my friends’ goals no matter what.

  Sunny frowns but nods.

  “So what are you thinking, Commander Luna?” asks Alexander.

  “First, we’re going to need Gabriel and his Knights of Christ,” I say.

  Nav scowls at the name. “We don’t need that scumbag. He can’t be trusted.”

  “I agree with Nav on this,” says Alexander. “He’s a loose cannon.”

  Says the other loose cannon.

  “I’m with them,” says Brandon. “He killed our prisoner against orders.”

  They’re right, but we need him. “He wouldn’t be my first choice, or second, or even hundredth. But he has the same goals as us, and he has things I need.”

  “He tried to kill me,” says Sunny.

  He said he accepted Sunny into his heart. For some reason, I believe him. “He won’t do it again.”

  Nav narrows her eyes at me.

  “He won’t,” I say. “Or he’ll suffer the same fate as anyone trying to hurt my friends.”

  Nav frowns but nods. “I’ll tolerate him if we need him.”

  The others agree.

  “Alexander, do you have his contact info?” I ask.

  “Americus gave it to me before he left.”

  “Call him,” I say. “We’ll probably have to convince him to join us after what happened.”

  Alexander calls on speakerphone.

  “What do you want, boy?” asks Gabriel.

  Not a great start.

  “We need your help,” says Alexander.

  “I don’t follow Americus’ orders anymore. He couldn’t even call me himself?”

  “He’s dead,” says Alexander.

  Silence on the other end.

  “Are you still there?”

  “What happened?” asks Gabriel, his voice suddenly brittle.

  “Director Tempton of the NIA killed him,” says Alexander, leaving out my part. “We also have credible evidence that they’re responsible for the Evo takeover.”

  Gabriel groans. “Those heathens will burn in hell for this, but first, they’ll face my wrath. I can bring fifty Knights and whatever else you need. Know this, though. I’m going to kill anyone who took the mark of the beast.”

  Alexander agrees, his fingers crossed behind his back. I detail the plan to Gabriel, and we hang up.

  “Alexander, I need your help planning the finer details of this mission,” I say, knowing he’ll love it and needing his expertise.

  Alexander pumps his fist. “The tactical geniuses saving the day again!”

  Ron Paul caws, then flies to a table. He snatches a beetle and gobbles it down.

  I grin. “Nav, I’ll need your help devising a Trojan horse.”

  “I’ve made quite a few in my day,” she says. “Sounds fun.”

  “Brandon, practice with your sniper rifle tonight. You’ll need to make a critical shot tomorrow.”

  “I’m on it, Commander,” says Brandon.

  “And Sunny,” I say, “I need you to build an electrical device for the Obliterator suit.”

  “Give me the details, and I’ll get to work.”

  I look between them and couldn’t be happier with who I ended up with. Although the stakes are high for the country, I’m still more concerned about my friends. “Tomorrow, the five of us are going to take on the entire NIA establishment. They’re a powerful organization, but we will win, and they will pay.”

  Alexander’s eye burns with determination. “Even though we’re massively outnumbered, like the legend Simon Montfort in the battle of Muret, I will devastate the NIA.”

  ☼☼☼

  We park our cloaked military truck on the outskirts of the NIA compound. Everyone but Sunny and I leaps out and readies their AK710s, sidearms, and various grenades. I take a moment to review my plans for any last-minute alterations, always the perfectionist. My mind whirls through countless possibilities and solutions until my nerves start to choke me.

  “This is a good plan, right Sunny?”

  “It is. Plus, since you delayed the military with your faulty intel, we’ll have the time we need to pull it off.”

  I nod, feeling bolstered. He’s right. We join the others and peek over the hill at the massive black cube that houses the NIA headquarters.

  “Our taxpayer dollars put to good use,” says Brandon as he adjusts the strap of his three-oh-eight sniper rifle.

  “Enslaving us with our own money,” says Nav.

  “They won’t be around much longer when Sunny and I are done with them,” says Alexander as he pats Sunny’s back.

  Sunny extends his electric gun and nods, an extra battery strapped to his body.

  I fidget with my q-link as I examine the ominous structure. It has smooth, black, windowless walls and a flat roof. It looks more like something out of a dystopian sci-fi novel than a real government building.

  I stand tall and fix my eyes on each of my companions in turn. “This is for everything. If we succeed here, we break the chains enslaving America. If we fail, the people will be choked by them for a thousand years. We won’t fail
.”

  Alexander thumps his chest. “Four heroes risk everything to achieve the impossible. That will be the tagline of our movie.”

  I shake my head. “Five, and don’t forget about Gabriel’s fifty.

  Alexander dismisses that with a flick of his hand.

  “Are you ready, Brandon?” I ask.

  The brawny man gives me a quick nod and adjusts his sniper rifle. “Ready, Commander.”

  Commander Luna. I suppose it’s official now. “Don’t shoot until the robots fire to mask the sound.”

  “Activate your hearing protection, everyone,” says Alexander.

  I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so into protecting his friends’ hearing. Good call, though. I activate mine.

  Alexander frowns at Brandon, who holds the sniper rifle.

  I know it’s killing him that he can’t take the shot, and I’m sure he hates it even more that it’s Brandon who will, but Alexander said it himself, his good eye isn’t a hundred percent.

  A murmur of distant voices catches my attention. A large group of protestors, holding crosses and signs, march toward the NIA structure.

  As they get closer, Deacon Gabriel Ignatius O’Brien III preaches to them, his voice booming and passionate, “They have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image. We will cleanse the earth of their foul presence, for God is our champion, and we cannot lose.”

  His followers cheer and hold up signs that read: ‘The NIA is the Antichrist,’ ‘The No Intelligence Agency,’ and ‘Stop Devil Worshipers.’

  Alexander clenches a fist. “Here we go.”

  I harden myself for the coming conflict. It’s something I’ve done a thousand times in-game, but none of them compare to this moment. This is for everything.

  “This is an illegal protest,” comes from a speaker on the NIA building. “Protests have been banned under the National Defense Authorization Act. Additionally, trespassing on NIA property is a capital offense. Turn around immediately or face summary execution.”

  Diablo!

  “And people think I’m crazy because I don’t want psycho politicians in charge,” says Nav. “I wish my dad were here to see us take down these scum.”

  “You have ten seconds to depart,” comes from the speaker. “This is your last warning before we open fire.”