My team is happy with the deal I cut with Lexi, assuming that I won't honor my end of it when the time comes. They're confident we'll be able to replicate the antidote by then, or find new ammunition to threaten her with to keep me out of Strand's hands.
But I know from my terrible vision that the sequence of events leading to my demise are already unstoppably in motion. I need to use this time to make sure that my friends are in the best position possible when I'm gone. If I can do that, then at least my death will mean something.
Over the next few weeks, I throw myself into the reality series with everything I've got, pushing to script and film as many episodes as possible. At night, I meet up with Harriet and Marie, who are leading the tactical side of taking Strand down and getting the main players locked up.
Harriet is having Aft lead a team to pursue the legal side of things—figuring out what proof we need to take Strand down in court.
Marie is heading up a team dedicated to hacking into Strand's intranet, behind all their firewalls. Much to my dismay, Addie is her partner in this, because she's now firmly embedded in the company, posing as one of the cleanup crew.
It's my idea to take over the Chrysalis and bring it back to life. The number of people treated by the Annex who are looking to be a part of our rebellion keeps growing, and Hautey organizes several floors to be turned into sleeping and living quarters. Almost everyone is happy to be out of the dark, cramped quarters of the Bunker, though I still get chills every time I enter the building.
By every measure, our rebellion is gaining momentum. After the events of Day Zero, I believed that any change would be a long, long time coming. But now there are signs of progress every day—Evolved who are publicly expressing their support of our fight after seeing Leo's viral video and the follow-up news articles. Clinics popping up all over the country to disconnect Throwbacks from Strand's control. Lawsuits in nearly every state protesting the treatment of Throwbacks in the workplace. Change is so palpable in the air that you can almost touch it.
Now that I take the antidote for H2IV every other day, I only suffer from a few nosebleeds and headaches—nothing I can't handle. But my visions seem less intense as well, making me wonder if I delayed taking my antidote by a few hours if I might see a little farther into the future so that I could learn something that would help my friends. It's a risk, though, so for now I take my medicine on time like a good girl.
The productive rhythm of my life is turned on its head when the Bunker receives an urgent comm from the Governor, E. Since it's one of the nights where everyone is either filming or planning in the Chrysalis, I'm down here alone. I'm three hours away from my next dose of the H2IV antidote, and I don't want my friends seeing me coughing blood, so I elected to do research on the Bunker's computers.
The message from E comes to our team's old email handle, the one we used before we upgraded our systems at the Chrysalis for security purposes.
An old Seattle Secondary schoolmate of yours is getting booked downtown, Joseph Macks. We plan to formally arrest him for charges related to Day Zero, but he's barely coherent. Keeps saying he wants to talk to Joan. Send her over—Officer Benjamin Davies will be waiting.
My stomach heaves when I read the message. Joseph is violent and unpredictable. Crew used those parts of his personality to maximum advantage, and I've seen him spill blood up close.
Before I can message Harriet to see what she thinks we should do, one of my visions comes over me. This one knocks me on my ass, and I collapse to the ground.
YOU ARE READING
Joan Ascends
Science FictionSeason 3 of The Throwbacks The outlook for Throwbacks in Seattle - and across America - has never been bleaker. If Joan and her friends want to have any chance at building a more just future, they will have to expose the inhumanity of their enemies...
