The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution Book 1) Brian Terenna (best novels to read to improve english txt) 📖

She swats at him. “You flatterer.”

I can’t believe that it’s him. Now, he has that going for him too.

“And you also played, Fae?” asks Brandon.

“Yeah, guess who?”

“Then that would make you…wait…it can’t be.” His eyes widen. “StarFeather?”

I grin and nod.

“Commander. I can’t believe it!” he says. “Now I know we’ll win.”

“So what’s the plan?” asks Nav. “You figured out how to free the compelled people from the Evo?”

“I did,” I say.

“And deal with the military?” asks Alexander.

“Sure did. Also, a way to breach their walls and hack their network.”

The three of them nod, looking hopeful.

“Couldn’t we just steal their data and leave their destruction to someone else?” asks Sunny.

“No. This is personal,” says Nav. “The NIA killed my husband, my dad, and many other innocents.”

“I agree,” says Alexander. “I want to be the one to avenge Americus and free America.”

Ron Paul shifts his feet on Alexander’s shoulder and says, “Free America.”

“Plus, we need to get them back for what they did to Fae.”

I favor Alexander with a smile. “I understand where you’re coming from, Sunny. I don’t like the risk, but any agency we go to might be working with the NIA. We can’t trust anyone. Besides, they killed Barbra, chased away my dad, and made me kill Americus.” And even if they didn’t commit those crimes, I’d support my friends’ goals no matter what.

Sunny frowns but nods.

“So what are you thinking, Commander Luna?” asks Alexander.

“First, we’re going to need Gabriel and his Knights of Christ,” I say.

Nav scowls at the name. “We don’t need that scumbag. He can’t be trusted.”

“I agree with Nav on this,” says Alexander. “He’s a loose cannon.”

Says the other loose cannon.

“I’m with them,” says Brandon. “He killed our prisoner against orders.”

They’re right, but we need him. “He wouldn’t be my first choice, or second, or even hundredth. But he has the same goals as us, and he has things I need.”

“He tried to kill me,” says Sunny.

He said he accepted Sunny into his heart. For some reason, I believe him. “He won’t do it again.”

Nav narrows her eyes at me.

“He won’t,” I say. “Or he’ll suffer the same fate as anyone trying to hurt my friends.”

Nav frowns but nods. “I’ll tolerate him if we need him.”

The others agree.

“Alexander, do you have his contact info?” I ask.

“Americus gave it to me before he left.”

“Call him,” I say. “We’ll probably have to convince him to join us after what happened.”

Alexander calls on speakerphone.

“What do you want, boy?” asks Gabriel.

Not a great start.

“We need your help,” says Alexander.

“I don’t follow Americus’ orders anymore. He couldn’t even call me himself?”

“He’s dead,” says Alexander.

Silence on the other end.

“Are you still there?”

“What happened?” asks Gabriel, his voice suddenly brittle.

“Director Tempton of the NIA killed him,” says Alexander, leaving out my part. “We also have credible evidence that they’re responsible for the Evo takeover.”

Gabriel groans. “Those heathens will burn in hell for this, but first, they’ll face my wrath. I can bring fifty Knights and whatever else you need. Know this, though. I’m going to kill anyone who took the mark of the beast.”

Alexander agrees, his fingers crossed behind his back. I detail the plan to Gabriel, and we hang up.

“Alexander, I need your help planning the finer details of this mission,” I say, knowing he’ll love it and needing his expertise.

Alexander pumps his fist. “The tactical geniuses saving the day again!”

Ron Paul caws, then flies to a table. He snatches a beetle and gobbles it down.

I grin. “Nav, I’ll need your help devising a Trojan horse.”

“I’ve made quite a few in my day,” she says. “Sounds fun.”

“Brandon, practice with your sniper rifle tonight. You’ll need to make a critical shot tomorrow.”

“I’m on it, Commander,” says Brandon.

“And Sunny,” I say, “I need you to build an electrical device for the Obliterator suit.”

“Give me the details, and I’ll get to work.”

I look between them and couldn’t be happier with who I ended up with. Although the stakes are high for the country, I’m still more concerned about my friends. “Tomorrow, the five of us are going to take on the entire NIA establishment. They’re a powerful organization, but we will win, and they will pay.”

Alexander’s eye burns with determination. “Even though we’re massively outnumbered, like the legend Simon Montfort in the battle of Muret, I will devastate the NIA.”

☼☼☼

We park our cloaked military truck on the outskirts of the NIA compound. Everyone but Sunny and I leaps out and readies their AK710s, sidearms, and various grenades. I take a moment to review my plans for any last-minute alterations, always the perfectionist. My mind whirls through countless possibilities and solutions until my nerves start to choke me.

“This is a good plan, right Sunny?”

“It is. Plus, since you delayed the military with your faulty intel, we’ll have the time we need to pull it off.”

I nod, feeling bolstered. He’s right. We join the others and peek over the hill at the massive black cube that houses the NIA headquarters.

“Our taxpayer dollars put to good use,” says Brandon as he adjusts the strap of his three-oh-eight sniper rifle.

“Enslaving us with our own money,” says Nav.

“They won’t be around much longer when Sunny and I are done with them,” says Alexander as he pats Sunny’s back.

Sunny extends his electric gun and nods, an extra battery strapped to his body.

I fidget with my q-link as I examine the ominous structure. It has smooth, black, windowless walls and a flat roof. It looks more like something out of a dystopian sci-fi novel than a real government building.

 I stand tall and fix my eyes on each of my companions in turn.