Chapter 9: Game Time

Blaze's POV

"I'm really sorry, mate. That girl is really kind, maybe you did something that—" Neron immediately cuts his words when I sharply look at him.

"I didn't even get a chance to do something, Neron. I told you, I was smacked on my head the moment I came in."

"So, you were planning to do something after all?" Donovan teasingly asks.

"Argh! Are you really my best friend?"

"Oh, I didn't know you are that kind of person. What were you planning to do, you naughty Zac?"

I slapped Wyn's hand that was roaming on my chest. I can't believe they are my friends. They were worried at first when they saw the band-aid on my forehead but after I told them what happened, they started teasing me.

"Geez! Stop!"

They all laugh at my reaction and sit back comfortably on their seats. The boys and I are on the hub after receiving our very first mission as members of the Society.

I am busy treating my thumped head after my first uncivil encounter. That girl is really aggressive and rude, she didn't even offer to help in treating the lump on my skull even though she knows she's at fault.

I look at her bedroom door where she has gone to after I introduced myself to her. Clearly, she doesn't like the idea of having a visitor.

I tossed out the used cotton ball when I felt my phone vibrate, signaling a new message. I lazily pick it up and read its content. I immediately straighten my back upon identifying the sender.

"The day has come for the 133rd General Assembly of the Society. Tonight at 2000 hours the meeting will begin. Are you ready for your first mission?"

My heart vehemently races upon reading the message sent by the Anonymous. It didn't even take a good minute before my friends started to call on our group chat.

We all stare quietly at the big digital clock in front of us. We look like high school kids waiting for summer break on that one musical movie, counting every second that is passing by. I'm so nervous and excited at the same time, and I know my friends are feeling the same thing. Oh damn! I think it's been a long time since I felt this kind of anticipation for anything.

"Ten more minutes!" Wyn states the obvious.

We are going to join the meeting using separate gadgets and our own accounts, but we also decided to convene so that we can have each other's opinions while the meeting is ongoing.

We already set up our accounts and are just waiting for the exact meeting hours and for a link to show up. Maybe it's a good thing that I left home a while ago, it would've been difficult for me to hide since my grandparent's mansion is full of bugs and cameras.

No one dares to speak when the time hits 11PM, we just click the link individually. It brings us into a secret server where everyone aside from the H1 leader has an open cam. The H1 leader is the highest leader throughout the Society inside of Huxley. Every country has their own respected TA leaders. We can only see them when a mission needs assistance from a foreign sector of the Society.

One thing that we learned during our first week as a member is the ranking system among the Anonymous. The one that civilians always see behind the camera is the spokesperson of the Society. They belong to the top associates which they refer to as the Gramma Line. These associates are composed of the founder, the group leaders of each country and community sector, the patronizer, and the spokesperson. Aside from them, the rest belongs to the Fellow Line.

Actually, I find it very ironic. Everyone knows that The Anonymous promotes fairness and justice, but here inside the Society we have a new way to classify a person. However, they reasoned out that these classes are needed for it to be more organized and systematic, so I just shrugged it off.

"Welcome to the 133rd General Assembly of the Anonymous. As you all know, we already sent our warning and voiced our disapproval for the Citizen Division Restriction I.D. Bill 3024 by the Zolim Administration. However, we did not see any response from the government of Huxley after two weeks of the censure. With that said, we are now proceeding on the first mission of the Fellow Line."

The hooded masked figure didn't even beat around the bush, he concisely explains the agenda for this meeting.

"The Society is aiming to hack the system of the newly developed scanners that will be used to try out the effectiveness of the CDRID. Each member will receive their individual tasks after the meeting. The planning and deadline of the first mission will vary on the corresponding team that each member will be assigned to. Thank you and may luck be on our sides."

With that, the server automatically closes and a new message on my cryptosite account appears. I open it and carefully peruse my role for this mission.

"Bro... That was fast!" Wyn comments.

"Yeah. I thought that the meeting would take at least an hour or so, but it's already over in just ten minutes," Xeno replies.

We closed our laptops to face each other to avoid any distractions.

"What's your task guys?" Neron asks.

"Well, I have to investigate this 'someone' that will help our Line find the master system that connects all the mini systems of every scanner around M25 to M30," Wyn says.

"I'll be on the team that will create a similar CDRID that can access the hacked system. We will give those to the commoners to show some counter attack," Neron relays.

"Same with Wyn, but in M1-10," Xeno says.

"I'll be hacking the system scanner of M11-24," Donovan states.

They all look at me, waiting for me to share my given task.

"I'm one of the lead hackers that will aim for the head system of the whole CDRID dry run." They all look at me like fathers that are for their son. I chuckle and shake my head because of their reaction.

This is it, I can now truly feel that I'm a member of the Anonymous. Since this is my very first task and I already got into the prime group for this mission, I know I can't mess things up.

That night, we didn't waste any time on working on our individual tasks. Wyn and Xeno immediately left to investigate and research about that "someone." They went to the respective messiers on which they were assigned, while we remained in the hub with our computers in front of us.

The hub became unusually quiet, even Wyn looked so serious before leaving earlier. It seems he is really eager to do well and achieve his goal. I can relate to him since the outcome of this project will depend on how successful we will be at our given tasks. We all don't plan to hold back, we will surely give our 100%.

"What do you think?"

Donovan and I turn back to look at Neron, who just came out of the game room, holding a holographic blueprint on his hand.

"It looks the same, right?"

Donovan snatches the holographic blueprint while I remain standing beside him, eyeing the image curiously. Damn, it really looks the same. "Woah, this looks so identical even though this is just a mere blueprint. I'm curious as to how it will look after you make it."

"Well, it will look just like our ID but I made some modifications. It took me quite some time to come up with it, especially since I took a lot of precautions so that even if the government gets a hold of one of these modified IDs, no one will be able to know who, where, and when it's made."

"So, what are the modifications?" I ask while rotating the hologram.

Neron smirks as he zooms in the image.

"You put a GPS on the ID? How is that supposed to make us anonymous?" Shock is written all over Donovan's face. I look at Neron with a quizzical look, Donovan's question playing in my mind as well.

"I know that GPS can be tracked easily, but I have this method called the double negative effect."

Donovan and I both glance at each other in confusion. I furrow my eyebrows upon gazing at the hologram, then to Neron who's smirking proudly.

"Come here, I'll show you." He motions us to the game room. I grab my laptop and Donovan also collects his stuff before entering the doors of the room. "Alexis, show us the modified blueprint and make it larger please."

"Affirmative, your majesty." The room lights up and Neron's blueprint covers half of the entire room.

"So, as I was saying, the double negative effect. I know that putting GPS on the ID is a foolish act and will give us a negative outcome, but two negatives create a positive. Weeks ago, I was working on these data chips that I stole for fun. There I discovered how burner phones work and that's what I put on this ID."

"Burner phones? Like the old illegal phones way back then?" Donovan asks.

"Yes. That's it, my friend."

"I think I'm kinda getting the idea," I say as I continuously stare at the hologram.

"Enlighten me, please." Donovan stares at me with anticipation.

"I'm not sure if I'm right, but is it the MVNO?"

"That's kinda complicated, Zac, and MVNO are used on mobile devices. This IDs not a mobile device."

Neron's right, MVNO is more complicated. "So what is it?"

"Hold up! Hold it right there. What the hell is MVNO?" Donovan questions narkly.

Neron laughs and I stifle a smile. "It's a mobile virtual network operator. Some burner phones used those so that they can't be traced."

"Oh, really? I think I should start reading about old stuff to learn more." We both nod at him.

"So, what is this double negative effect, Neron? C'mon, spill the beans so that we can continue our work." I'm starting to get impatient. My curiosity is killing me and at the same time, I'm ecstatic to know what Neron did. The blueprint looks amazing so I'm sure the outcome will be really great.

"I used GPS against itself. You see, my dear friends, GPS doesn't work when you put it above each other. I'm giving GPS the taste of it's own medicine. Double GPS means no trace, no trace means no clue, and no clue means anonymity. The great double negative effect."

I'm in great awe. Our mouths are agape in pure amazement. The blueprint is awesome, and the modification is far greater. It's like we're the super squad. I chuckle at my thoughts.

After praising Neron countless times, Donovan and I both decide to continue working. Neron is almost done with his work. I'm also halfway done, I just need to make sure that there will be no holes left since I'm the last touch of the hacking. I mustn't leave any traces that they can track, I won't be able to bear it if I will be the one responsible for the failure of this project.

I press the keys on the board continuously as I encounter the hard part of my task, the firewall of the system. I was undetected moments ago but I didn't expect the malware to be the spyware of their system.

"Shit!" I loudly cursed as they almost got me. I'm not even blinking as I glance at each code and binary in haste. Almost there, Zac, c'mon!

I become very eager to complete my task as soon as I can. I want those who are at the top to experience what the people underneath feel. I want them to understand. I want them to see. We have to make sure this mission is a success; it has to be seen, since we can't be heard. I still have hope that our country can be better for its citizens. We all deserve to be treated fair and to exercise the same rights. No matter the status in life, I believe we are all still equal. Huxley may not be the type of country that is always seen on international news for the angry uproars of its citizens, but we know that the system inside screams problems.

"Yes!" I punch in the air as I celebrate my success.

Seconds later, Donovan suddenly claps as he stands from his chair. We both look at each other and smile, already aware that we both accomplished our missions. Neron bursts out of his room holding the finished product of the ID.

The three of us gather around with our laptops in front of us, polishing our works, when the hub's front door suddenly opens.

"Ayo, guys! We're back!" Wyn's loud voice already gave us a hint that they also successfully finished their task. Xeno walks coolly and grabs an apple before settling down and gawking at the laptop's monitor. Wyn is still smiling ear-to-ear as he sits down.

I look at my friends and we look around each other. A smirk forms on my lips, knowing that I'm not alone in this fight; my bros are with me.

"It's game time!" Wyn cheerfully shouts.