The weeks after were good. We were treated as heroes and a shared belief that we could do anything took hold. Things were going well for the resistance, we were gaining ground and recruits daily. The government kept increasing security all over the country but we kept avoiding them. It felt like we were invincible.
Oh I got a promotion as well. Everyone was impressed at how I had handled the situation. Tenacity stepped down and I replaced him as new group leader. He grumbled, but mostly for show and afterwards we both got so drunk we couldn't walk and spent the evening talking about the good old days before the war. I don't really remember what we said, but it was fun.
Then, about a month or so later, they took down a sister cell of ours. A leak probably, they were all shot instantly or captures and within the week tried and found guilty of treason. They were all executed. It killed the good mood that had been going around.
ooo
After that we started to limit the information we took in and also started to move regularly. That was simply the easiest way of trying to keep a step ahead of the army and the Technomancers.
I did a few more small raids, water mostly, and helped plan a few others. None of the others were successes in the same way, but we got by and lived on. Although, another cell managed to raid the city archive and steal a lot of identity documents, these then got circled around the resistance, fake IDs are always useful for people like us.
So far I had not managed to get Roy invited into the resistance, and to be fair I don't think he wanted in. Not much of a group player really. Instead he had taken to supplying us information. He knew a lot of people all over town and outside, all who owed him for this and that. So he picked things up and made sure to throw them our way.
When I heard from Roy this time I hadn't seen him for two months and our meeting before that had been brief to say the least. That time I had insisted to rendezvous with him. He had left an oral message with a facilitator that he had something for us. Normally someone else would meet him and pick it up, but I argued and sulked until I could go myself.
It had only been brief. We passed each other by in the crowded market; two strangers brushing close as they made their way between stalls selling scrap metal and food. Our hands clasped for a brief second as Roy slipped a note into my hand as we passed. The rough texture of his fingertips brushing against the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist as he pulled away; I could see his lips mouth "Hi kid," and then he was gone.
I had to force myself not to turn around and look as he walked away; heart pounding in my chest.
This time Pride sent me. Roy had requested a face to face. Apparently he was on to something big.
"You be careful," she said looking at me, "Ties outside, they can be dangerous. Both for us and the ones we care about…" She quieted.
I just hummed in agreement, too excited to stand still. Whatever she was trying to say I didn't care. I really deserved a night off. Well technically I was supposed to be working, gathering intel from Roy but it felt like a night off. I wanted to have a drink, talk nonsense and not think about the state of the world for a few hours.
I even washed before I left.
ooo
I made my way across town, not really paying attention, simply enjoying my good mood.
In the back of the bar where we had first made contact with the resistance I found Roy.
He was sitting at the same table we had waited at all those months ago. His dark hair was in its usual tussle yet longer than when I had seen him last. It was long enough that he had tucked a few strands behind his ears. The few grey hairs he had were also more clearly visible. Even from where I was standing I could see his differently coloured eyes and I felt that familiar thug in my stomach. He looked tired, I thought.
As soon as I sat down my mirth died away. He looked too serious, something was wrong.
"What is it?" I said, breath catching.
"Not even a hi before we get down to business?" he said, but there was no real humour in it.
"I know that look, something very bad has happened."
He sighed and finished his drink in one go. I waited while he poured himself another one and added one for me.
He started several times, then stopped and the longer it took the worse I felt.
Finally he said, "I found out what happened to your parents," he stopped there.
"Oh," was all I could say. I had long since prepared myself for this, had known it would come. I had no illusions the news were good.
"Turns out it was Wisdom acting on his own, he took control of the army and ordered the attack." The rest of the government would never have supported it. Likely he knew it, but after it was done, no one dared oppose him anymore."
He handed me a list, it was tattered and torn, like it had spent a lot of time in someone's pocket.
It was a directory, a written order with a list of names. I scanned the list but I knew I would fine the names before I did.
Moderation and Consideration Smith, both had a 'marked for execution' in a neat column after their names. In the third column were the dates. It was all very proper, bureaucratic and orderly. At the bottom was a signature, President Wisdom Andersson it said.
I wanted to tear the paper apart, burn it to cinders. Instead I carefully smoothed it out on my knee and refolded it, hands shaking as I did. I hid it inside my shirt, close to my heart. Where I had once carried a letter from my parents around. Many years ago in what felt like a different life, a different world.
"My sources also say he initiated the war you know, ordered the attack on an Abundance water plant."
"You sure?" I said.
"I would not have shared this with you unless I was a hundred percent sure."
I rolled the idea around in my head. It felt like the truth. All I had seen of that man's actions spoke of a self-serving megalomaniac of the worst kind. He would have ordered the war, it had given him the presidency after all. He had suspended further elections as soon as the war broke out and as it ended had managed to get the suspension extended. Everything to keep himself in power. Including killing my parents.
"This is why we need this revolution," I said, voice firm, "Men like him, they need to be stopped so that the rest of us can remake this guild the way it was supposed to be. A place for all men and women to be equal, where we can feel safe at night."
He looked at me sideways, "You sure have come a long way," he said.
"I guess I have," I replied. I didn't really know what he meant but I agreed anyway.
I rose; I hadn't even touched my drink yet but a night off suddenly seemed ridiculous, a childish thing.
"I need to go."
"I know," he said and got up to stand in front of me. I could tell he wanted to say something else, to say he was sorry for my parents. I didn't want him to say anything though, I was holding together just fine, the only thing that had happened was that what I already knew had been confirmed.
"You should come with me. You could tell the rest of us all this and join us properly," I said to keep him from speaking.
He shook his head, "No point kid, they are afraid me. Just like all people are. There is a reason technomancers keep to themselves."
I looked at him, really looked, but all I could see was quiet resignation. A life not chosen, forced on him, but lived anyway.
"I'm not afraid," I said eventually.
"I know. Why is that?" He looked like he really wanted to know, he looked young again. Like that time when I found out what he was and I suppressed an intense need to hug him, hold him close and tell him it would be alright.
"Because I trust you," I said but meant something else.
He looked at me, that uncertain look in his eyes. Then he took a step closer, hand almost rising from his side like he wanted to touch me. I felt myself tense with anticipation, but then he hesitated.
"Come on kid, time to be off. Back to your resistance," he turned away and the moment passed. Disappointment filled me until I thought I would burst and all I could do was hum in agreement.
