Price, Utah: December 22, 2089
4:52 PM
It had been two weeks, four hours, and fifty two minutes since she had underwent the operation that gave her the chip. It was ten hours and twenty minutes since two unrecognizable files turned up on it. One had a firewall around it, but she didn’t mind those all that much. A chip firewall sent a jolt of pain throughout the entire body that lasted thirty seconds. It hurt, but it could be worse. The other was completely unlocked and just waiting to be read. She already knew what it would say.
It would be dangerous to wait any longer, but the selfish part of her wanted to finish the day with her family before she left. But, if she stayed, they could be hurt in another’s effort to get to her. Reluctantly, she opened the file.
Owner of chip 35861(Aalia Barrett),
You have been randomly selected to transport Republican information to a waiting base. It is located at 42 degrees 45 feet and 22 inches N, 105 degrees 23 feet and 4 inches W (Douglas, Wyoming). We will be awaiting your arrival. If you do not make it to the city by January 17th, we will assume that you have been taken and that you have failed. From there, we will proceed to inform your family members that you are dead and work to recover your body. If it is discovered that you have not arrived of your own choosing, you will be tracked down and the information will be extracted.
Walla-Walla, Washington: December 22, 2089
5:34 PM
Warren Fischer locked the door to his room and began to pack a bag. Even though his decision was not yet made, he at least needed to get out of here. His family couldn’t be hurt due to his stubbornness. Even though he did not agree or trust his government, he did not doubt that they would find him if it was deemed necessary. He would leave a note and head to whichever town was closest to Douglas. Before he did any of those, though, he decided it would be best to at least pretend he planned on going through with this. Everyone else would have read the full instructions, and as he was meant to be playing the part, he re-opened the file and skipped past the introduction which he had already read.
First, find the others. The varying skill sets might prove useful. The other two carriers can be found at 39 degrees 36 feet and 0 inches N, 110 degrees 48 feet and 24 inches W(Price, Utah) along with 40 degrees 48 feet and 7 inches N, 124 degrees 9 feet and 49 inches W(Eureka, California). If you cannot find your fellow carrier(s), making it to the base by the deadline is still the priority. Give up on your search with ample time to arrive before the deadline. Once you have arrived, we shall send out people to search for your carrier and rescue or punish them if need be.
He cringed. Everyone must be idiots if they weren’t questioning this system. Carriers disappearing… Where did they think they were going? Some top secret government base where they would be protected? They were idiots if they believed that. And there’s another reason he had to go; he had to figure out exactly what was happening to everyone and, if possible, protect the other carriers.
In all honesty, the easiest thing would be to get out of the country. Washington was right on the border. He could head north. Canada had always sounded nice. Sure, he might cross into the middle of the snow and mountains, but at least he wouldn’t be killed helping the government. Zipping up his bag, he went to write his note. It needed to be simple and to the point. He knew his mom would get emotional over it no matter how he wrote it, but it would be easier on him and his dad if it was straightforward.
Mom, Dad, Dylan, and Cal,
Well, it’s time for them to pick carriers again, and I got the files. I can’t tell you where I’m going, but I promise that I will let you know if I get there alright. I hope your Christmas goes well. Your presents are in my closet. I haven’t had time to wrap them yet, but you’ll know whose is whose.
Stay Safe,
Warren
After folding it and placing it, first on his cluttered desk before thinking better of it, on his bed, he headed downstairs and out of the house. He had to find the others, and the easiest way to do that was to get moving. Things would be a bit easier if he was given names, but they would all be heading for the same place. They couldn’t be that hard to track.
Eureka, California: December 22, 2089
9:22 PM
Cassidy steeled herself against the tears that were threatening to fall. Sitting on the bus, she was taken farther and farther away from her home… Her family… Her friends… Everything. Still, she had to do this. If she was successful, she had no doubt that she would be rewarded. That’s how it was supposed to work, wasn’t it? The person transported the information to the base, they transferred the information to the people at the base, and they were sent home. All she had to do was find the others and get there safely. Of course, that was easier said than done.
She decided that she needed to investigate any disappearances in the towns mentioned. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t be broadcasted until the next morning. Until then, the best thing to do was to head towards Walla-Walla. Price was closer to the final destination, so it would make sense to head there last.
As if the firewall wasn’t enough incentive, the instructions had made it very clear that the second file was not to be opened under any circumstances. To do so would be to risk giving up the information should she be captured and interrogated. Keeping it a secret was the logical thing to do. She just hoped her companions had the same opinion. She wasn’t sure if it would be safe to associate with them once they had opened it.
Speaking of safe, she needed to adjust her appearance as soon as possible. If she was being tracked by the other governments, she needed to make it difficult. There wasn’t much she could do, but… Altering your appearance wasn’t that hard. A new haircut, hair dye, eyeliner to adjust her eyes’ shape, some concealer… She could be an entirely different person. Hopefully, that would be enough.
