The Asshole App (Expanded Version) ✅ Wattys2023

𝟤𝟪 𝖴𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝖤𝗇𝖼𝗅𝖺𝗏𝖾

There are many fates worse than death, the primary one being living without honor. -Anonymous

"You created a failsafe system to override the military's surveillance capacity?" Evelyn held her chin as she contemplated her former boss in a new light. Raymond tried to interpret the astonishment on her face.

Is she more impressed or dismayed?

"What else can you do with that damned device?" Vincent stared at the Armageddon app, intrigued by the software's necromancer potential.

"This software's not just for surveillance. With my Industrial Computer Application Retrieval Utility System, I can stop-gap the military's entire defense system. Like Daedalus, tried to reign in his son before his ego got him killed." Proudly, he exhibited ICARUS's winged icon which flapped on his phone.

"My God," Evelyn's eyes widened. "That phone has the potential to kill us or save us at the push of a button. Did it ever occur to you that you might be Icarus, flying too close to the sun, Ray?"

"I know these people, Evie. They're power-hungry psychopaths." He put his phone away. "My company helped create this monster. If it can't be fixed, then it needs to be destroyed." He saw the concern in her eyes. "Don't worry; I don't have a God complex."

Not an insurmountable one.

"That's great, but now we're gonna glow more than the CIA," Vincent said. "We're the ones who're gonna get irradiated once they go full scorched earth on us."

"They can't trace ICARUS. It's virtually undetectable." Raymond argued.

"Virtually?" Vincent rolled his eyes.

"Why didn't you disable all of their satellites when they were attacking us?" Evelyn asked.

Raymond held her gaze, "If I didn't leave some defense and communications systems in place, then the country would be completely vulnerable to attack. There's just as many power-hungry maniacs across  the world as there are here."

Vincent nodded in agreement. "Kid's right. The whole geopolitical grid's a damned Gordian knot."

"I wish I didn't know about all this potential Judgement Day destruction," Evelyn said.

Raymond gently touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry you and your friends were dragged into this mess, Evie. I'm going to figure this out. I promise." He looked into her cocoa-colored eyes and felt his heart stir.

Vincent looked in the rearview mirror. "What'd I say about touching, keep your hands to yourself." He swiveled around and glared at Raymond, his meaty hand crushing the headrest.

The CEO met his angry gaze. "Relax, Vince. I'll guard Evie with my life. I won't let anything happen to her." Vince frowned unhappily, but didn't say anything.

As twilight waned into night, the sky turned a deep purple, then midnight blue. Deedee pulled into a twenty-four hour truck stop, lit up like a cheap brothel with colorful neon lights. Navigating with her headlights off, she parked the Tesla between two big rigs. Digging into her bodice, she pulled out Agent Mercer's cell phone, still warm after being nestled between her corpulent breasts. "I'll be right back," she said.

Walking between the lines of tractor-trailers, she carefully scanned their licenses. "This rig's goin' cross country," she murmured. She chose a semi with New Jersey plates. "Let the Glowies have fun chasing down Bigfoot's phone for a while." Seeing nobody was around, she opened the eighteen wheeler's door and slid agent Mercer's phone under the floor mat. The inactivated phone made a barely perceptible lump under the rubber matting. Walking back to the Tesla, she jumped back into the driver's seat and smiled. "All set," she announced.

~~~~~~~~~~

After two hours of non stop driving, they arrived in San Diego. The SUV turned off the highway and headed north following Interstate 5, traveling parallel to the Pacific. They heard the ocean long before they reached San Onofre's State Beach.

Evelyn read the signs with growing concern. "San Onofre Power plant? Why are we headed there?" As she spoke, the eerie, decommissioned nuclear generating station came into view. Posted along the road were orange and black radiation hazard signs.

"What are those?" Alarmed, she pointed to the warning notices.

"I may be retired, but I still have contacts in the military. Don't worry, this mothballed power plant has been offline for about five years now. It's off the grid," Vincent said. "Ray can hang out with some freelance hackers and enjoy a safe haven for the moment."

Driving into a loading dock, they found a concrete incline leading to the base of the facility. They parked the Tesla under an overhanging concrete arch. "Are you sure they can't trace this beast?" Vince asked.

Raymond shook his head. "I designed the computer chips myself. They're clean."

"Let's hope," Vince said.

"This place is a hideous blight on the landscape," Evelyn announced as she noted all the concrete. As she exited the SUV, she expected to see cigarette  butts, beer cans and COVID related paraphernalia strewn about the abandoned exterior, but the entrance landing was clear with a few fluorescent lights leading to a propped-open metal door.