Hacking the Sun [Old Version]

Chapter 23 The Best Minds

The ever-present symbol of Sub Terra was a fist rising out of Earth. Defiance had been stitched on every uniform, every banner, and emblazoned on a gargantuan, widescreen television monitor jury-rigged to include a screensaver, mounted over a platform mere feet above the floor. The platform convexed outward like a stage, to a hall full of diligent uniforms: the arms and eyes of a rebel gallery.

Jessica wondered how rebellion might work in reality. Banner and banner to the left and right, the mark of resistance was weighted by the promise of sacrifice. She caught a glimpse of it in the forest, and it was dour... mildly put. Reality had placed hundreds more men and women on the bottom of the underground base, chins upturned to the platform in anticipation. They may have already known sacrifice, and thus served a cause of interconnected resolve. 

Nothing less could have drawn them to this life.

Wherever there was a cause, resistance had authority—why Jessica carried her gaze to Monarch. Alongside him, on the sturdy platform, a few notable characters presented themselves before the crowd. Sub Terra's insignia at their backs helped project their gravitas. By acquaintance or deduction, she could guess every single one of their identities.

Monarch: commander of the New Sumer cell, possibly the biggest cell in the territory. He still sported a Sicario suit, tying himself to the grunts below. A soldier first and foremost, yet he wore a greater stature than most. Hence, he passively exuded an air of clout.

A mystery man stood next to Monarch. The shallow creases of his sun-tanned complexion placed a wizened soul, yet not as wise as one could go. Like the incongruity of their surroundings, he had an unkempt brown beard, but his blue eyes appeared sharp, like the dark-collared uniform that embraced his lean figure. So far as the atmosphere concerned itself, there was nothing more formal. And as far as Jessica could guess, this was Commander Wessex.

Then there was Amon, still wearing sunglasses inside. He had to be more important than Jessica originally conceived. Despite his playful behavior, he had a very controlled gait and poise, both of which came naturally. He had the quirks of a hacktivist in conjunction with a warrior's presence. Those sunglasses might have been the prop to an act... or maybe they saw through clothes.

On a stool, apart from the Sun-Terra higher-ups, sat a stranger wrapped in a trench coat, sunglasses, and endless bandages. There may have been skin under his coverings, but aside from his tallness, his features blended into the background.

Together, the leaders' esteem reflected in the stance of Sub Terra. Approximately half of the cliques from the previous tunnel mob had assembled into perfect columns that put their surrounding symmetry to shame. Lines of clean green comprised the engineers; red and grime were the hues of hard labor: logistics workers; and dark blues and greys were the men and women in battle-ready suits. At the behest of the columns, next to the platform edge, several officers formed a line. Among them stood Raptor, Beelz, and Boros.

Many more Sub Terrans anxiously waited near the one-way tunnel, those who belonged to other cells. Theirs were the familiar faces Jessica met underneath the city: The motley crew, the eager troop from the nexus, Chris, Dissent, and more. Contrary to them and everyone else, Jessica sat cross-legged, back to the wall, inconspicuously spectating off the flank of one column. Her little corner where she tried but failed to avoid the stereotypical introvert role, made worse by the absent look in her eye. With all essential personnel present, Monarch commenced.

"Let's get right down to it. At roughly 0100 hours yesterday, a batch of groundbreaking intel fell into our hands."

That's one way of putting it.

"Observe."

On the large screen, detailed isometric renderings of New Sumer spun before the rebel throng. 8,000 Pixels of architectural precision. Within that detailed panorama, several strokes of holographic red pulsed."Asgard has started filtering into the city after fear spread throughout the otherwise clean air. The city is still reeling from the Fourth of July, which would explain why people have accepted the changes haphazardly. Maybe, they believe it's temporary. Unfortunately, the build-up isn't confined to New Sumer."