Life With Their Rules

Chapter 3: His Plan for Rebellion

Dell's house wasn't that big, but it's not like that's much of a surprise. The houses in Red Ring Brook are all small. They're meant to house one or maybe even two people in them. The rooms in Dell's house were kind of messy, and full of various broken, half-put-together pieces of technology. I guess he wasn't lying about his hobby of building computers.

"Sorry the place is such a mess..." he said. Did he know what I was thinking?

"N-no, It's okay," I assured, hoping not to make him feel ashamed or anything, "My house is pretty much the same way."

He smiled shyly, "Heh. That's a good thing. If anyone were to try to look through your stuff without permission, they'd have no idea where to find anything. Since you're the only one who can navigate through this mess."

I was glad to not have hurt his feelings, but what he said was mildly cryptic. Why would anyone want to search through his belongings?

"Alright. Let's get some fake collars so we don't get in trouble." He said, once again breaking my train of thought.

"Okay, but why wouldー"

Before I could ask him why anyone would search his house, he ran upstairs. Is he worried about someone coming for him? I mean, I understand if he is. We live in a society where everyone is against us. But, then again, does he not trust me?

He came back and put a collar around my neck. It look nearly identical to the other one I had earlier.

I smiled. "Thank you."

He didn't say anything.

"Um... Dell?"

"...do you trust me?"

"What?" That was a bizarre and random question. "Of course I trust you. You're the only person I know I can trust. Why do you ask? Do you not trust me?"

"I just want to know if we can trust each other. Because I have something planned. And I'll need your help with it."

I honestly had no idea what on earth he was talking about. A plan? Trust? Does he want to form some sort of team? What are we going up against? Still though, despite my confusion, I chose to reassure him. All will be explained at some point, right?

"You can trust me," I said.

"Good," he held out his hand, "Then let's shake on it."

I shook his hand. It was confirmed. We formed an alliance. We formed a friendship. We formed a team.

"Now, what's this thing you have planned?"

"Here, let me show you." He grabbed my hand and guided me upstairs to a small room. Don't worry. He didn't drag me to his bedroom. Dell's a good person. On a desk in the room, there were multiple papers, computers, and TV screens, almost like he'd been researching something.

"Welcome to Home Base," he said.

"What have you been doing up here...?"

"Research. On Them. I accessed Their files. I'm a bit of a hacker."

"You hacked into the government's files!?"

He put his hand over my mouth.

"Don't yell that out. Someone could hear you."

I nodded. So he's trying to get information of Them. That's why he wanted to know if he could trust me. To know if I could keep a secret.

"So you're plan is to... learn more about Them?"

"Not just regular information. Blackmail. Find Their secrets, spread the word, form a team, start a revolution."

"But how are we gonna revolt if it's just the two of us?"

"Simple," he pulled back a curtain in front of a window, revealing a perfect overview of the neighborhood, "We gotta convince everyone else."

I stood there in silence. He's pretty determined, isn't he? He was going to get all of the residents of Red Ring Brook to revolt against the government and Their prejudice of "corruption."

"How are we gonna convince them though?" I asked, after staring in disbelief out the window.

"I may not be the smartest person, but I do know one thing, at least," he paused, giving me a smug smile, "And what I know is that I'm not the only one who hates Them. You do too. And I'm sure everyone else under Their biased government does too. With enough angry people, and with the help of more research and hacking, reasons to be angry, it has to work."

"I guess you do have a point. But how would we fight Them? We have no way of defending ourselves."

"Everyone has their own talents. I know They say people like us don't, but as we discussed earlier, that's wrong."

"What are you getting at?"

"You're a writer and artist. I'm an inventor and tech geek. We have our own abilities. We have skills, talents, potential, et cetera. We can do things just like the 'normal' ones can."

"That's not what our barcodes saidー"

"To hell with Their barcode system! It's wrong! And we ourselves are the evidence to back up that claim! Don't you see? If we, the residents of Red Ring Brook, team up and shows everyone else that we have power and ability, and spread the news that They're spreading biased lies, Their empire will crumble."

"I guess that's true... but how would our talents help in damaging Their reputation?"

"Easy. I'm a hacker, you're a writer. I provide you with facts and undeniable evidence, and you spread the news. Their reputation will get damaged, and more people will join our rebellion."

"Me?!" He wants me to recruit people?

"Yes, you. I can't do this alone. We can't do this alone."

"Me though? I'm nothing."

"Don't say that. You're something. We gotta show Them that."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I am. Now are you in on this?"

I hesitated. Was I really ready to do something like this? With someone I just met? Then again, he makes a strong argument. Maybe I am something, but I just can't see it yet.

"I'm in."

He smiled and hugged me. I couldn't help but do the same. We we're gonna work together to overthrow Them. Yeah. We can do this!