Kyle Blood and the Vigilante Underworld

Entry #28

February 9, 2309

Entry #28

Dead End

So there I was the other day, eating in the mess hall with the gang. It was early in the morning. We wanted to make sure we'd be done eating before noon because we had a full day ahead of us. Not the usual sitting around for 24 hours in a cramped prison cell — sleeping, exercising in any way possible, the occasional mucky water break, taking a shit where everyone can see you (privacy isn't exactly an option here) — plus a food break every three days. Three days. And I use the term food loosely. Yeah, this day was another story entirely.

So I asked Charmer what all the fuss was about. Seems like I'm getting some more ground in the group, and I'm not just talkin' about Charmer. They seem to respect what I have to say now more than ever, maybe because I'm getting more experience. Or maybe... maybe I'm becoming one of them. That's... uh, scary to think. A prison-hardened rebel to the government. Hmm. Yeah, not what I imagined myself to be. Still, I'm just glad I'm accepted into the pack, for better or worse.

But either way, Charmer made it clear that things were about to go from bad to way, way worse. He said they were onto us. Well, not they. Rather, it was. The A.I. It took some new countermeasures to stop prisoners like us from escaping, which is probably our doing. And obviously, nobody outside the gang could say for sure it was us messing with it the whole time, and actually we're still off the hook. I, uh... I only wonder how long that'll last at this rate. All the A.I. knows is that someone's been dismantling equipment and offing guards. I mean, that's all it could know. Ghostboy knows his way around computers, after all.

Catching the A.I. system off guard is essentially all we've ever really done, and our job is to exploit that — break the system. And the thing is, well, we'd gone about it all wrong since day one. Breaking the system from the inside was never really in the cards, not for us at least. We'd need some serious firepower, and even then, we'd get nowhere since that would only put more attention on us as terrorists of H.U.C. Heck, even H.U.U. barely made it out alive, and one of them... wasn't so lucky.

And the system never vanished because it's always been there, just defenseless. Until now. Because now, we have a whole new system to worry about. An upgraded system designed by the guy who came up with the superhuman restriction laws. Brendon Chase. And I'm sure you've heard of the guy. I mean, he, uh, he practically destroyed the Earth and got away with it. Shoutout to you, government. Good call, letting the guy run free. And I mean, just try to imagine if he had superpowers, oh man! He would've been torn to pieces. I hear Chase made the system years back, and it's had time to evolve, which means we're in a whole lotta trouble.

Pig asked Charmer what this all means for the future. The future of the corrupt system we're fighting, and the future of our lives. Charmer didn't know the answer. I'd never seen him like that before. Thinking back, he always knew what the situation was and what we needed to do. But not this time. He, uh, said we'd all need to wait in the dark for answers, and no one knew what's coming.

Being in the dark. There was a time when that would've scared me, but I'd like to think I've outgrown my cowardness. And whether that's true, I... uh... I guess I don't know. But on the other hand, I've always thought of fear as part of human nature. So... yeah, maybe it's okay to feel scared sometimes. Maybe... I— well, maybe that's just who we are. But in that moment, all I could feel and all I wanted to feel was anger. Anger towards the system I've come to hate. And towards the helpless... situation. And anger... towards myself, for the one being helpless again.

I... just couldn't stand seeing Charmer like this. I mean, I've always turned to him for answers, and now he's the one giving in. But he tried to explain that he wasn't giving up but rather, being patient. But that's just... it's bullcrap, honestly. Doesn't matter why he's not doing something proactive because the result is the same either way. Because waiting around isn't good till you're dead. That's what I've learned here. That's— that's what he's taught me. So, I reminded him of that fact.