Riley had just finished putting her groceries into her car when she received a text from Marcus.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡOK8WA4AlCP
You have a moment to meet? Something I'd like to discuss.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzsn6pSt9c
She struck a confused face, placing the bags of bread and eggs on top of everything else so they wouldn't be crushed. Shutting the trunk of her car, she wheeled the shopping cart over to the designated return area. On the way back to her car, she sent a quick reply.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMEMTocDet
I'm just finishing up some shopping. I'll drop this off at home and we can talk. Any place in mind?copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3dtZOyz9a
Part of her was worried. Had she done something wrong? Had her first post not been up to their expectations? They hadn't asked for her help again in the past few days, could they be questioning their arrangement? The other half of Riley knew that she was probably just overreacting and this was all a big assumption on her part. She climbed into the driver's seat and turned on the engine, reversing out of the parking spot and heading towards home.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVKRiQhbkq
Her phone pinged, alerting her to a text, but she was in the middle of driving and didn't want to risk an accident. Phone tucked between her thighs as she drove, Riley meant to reply at the next red light she hit. A few streets later and the opportunity arose.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡncc2Y5raJG
Union Square, if you can.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4JRxIG6iP
Yeah, should take me about 20 minutes.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHK0y3RPfb
Riley sent the message just as the light changed, and she set the phone down to drive again. Thankfully traffic today was lighter. Sundays tended to mean less people on the road, just because most wanted to stay home rather than go anywhere. It was a solid concept. The brunette normally liked being lazy on Sundays too, but she was critically low on food for herself and Pants. If she accidentally ran out for him, well, suffice to say she wouldn't hear the end of it.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCnsFmy6xh
Once making it home, Riley spent the arduous task of walking up three flights of stairs several times because of the amount of food she'd bought. Her arms were sore and aching by the end of it, and Pants was freely perusing the bags she'd set on the ground to search for anything that was designated for him. Bringing the last of the bags up with her, she shut the door with her foot, then dropped the bags onto the floor gratefully.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡMblw3TeJZw
"Shoo, it's not time to eat yet." She said, gesturing the cat away with her hand. Pants wasn't feeling so inclined to go anywhere. Giving up because she was tired and he was stubborn, she quickly sorted and put away the food into their proper places. Nonperishables went in the pantry, and everything else went in the fridge.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfdjgMn7BD
With that taken care of, she knelt down and patted the cat's head affectionately a few times. "Alright, buddy. I'm leaving again, so guard the apartment while I'm gone." He purred and rubbed up against her hand. She knew full well he could easily be persuaded should an intruder feed him, so he'd be a useless protector.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRgFjV2R1z
Giving Pants a quick kiss, she stood and grabbed her purse, heading back out the door and locking it.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OKukNnzwm
Riley parked in one of the only parking spots left on the street. Despite it being a Sunday, Union Square was one of those places that was always busy no matter what. A commerce and social hub, Riley honestly hadn't had much reason before to visit. Of course, when she'd originally set up in San Fransisco to begin her assignment, she'd staked out many of the more popular locations in the city. This had been one of them, but there hadn't been any reason for her to come back very often.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65CjpS5N0H
People milled across the concrete square. Some walked or ran with dogs on leashes. Other played guitar, the cases open to implicate tips were welcome. Some had set up blankets in the grassy areas to sit in the grass, laptops and books stealing their attention. Covered tables lined the square, and most were occupied.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡqizGYTC1LD
She walked slowly through the center of the square, not quite sure what to look for. Marcus hadn't been too specific with the instructions to meet here, so she just looked around hoping something would become apparent.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUskoN8MmE
Someone sitting at one of the tables started waving in her direction, and she saw it was a dark-skinned man. He was wearing one of those snapback hats and carried the same messenger bag as Marcus did. She smiled, walking towards him.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sKLM9ESXE
"Nice to see you again, Riley." He greeted when she approached. He held up his fist, and she bumped hers against it.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnX94W2GXN
"You too." She sat in the chair facing him, shrugging off her purse and placing it in her lap. "All going well?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxHNS6A0SX
"You know it."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1qpMdzq5w
"Nice. So, what did you need me for?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FU2PZYRFW
Marcus leaned casually back in the metal chair, eyes glancing around at the milling crowd. "I've been talking with the others, and we've decided that we can trust you. What do you say we have you meet the rest of the team?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0tnNmuomm
"Oh." Riley sat back, surprised. This had been the last of her expectations. Marcus sensed the surprise in her tone and smirked at her.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1oMrbZ0C4
"You don't want to?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHKsJzrIr7
Riley hastily shook her head, trying to recover. "No, nothing like that! I just know how cautious DedSec is when it comes to the people they work with and trust. I hadn't thought I'd earned that yet."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡE778vUuZiR
"Heh, Wrench said something to you about earning our trust, didn't he?" Marcus laughed with humor. Not wanting to lie, but also not wanting to get Wrench in trouble either, Riley shrugged with a small pout. "Don't worry about it. He was part of the discussion too."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡmETKqlVpmx
"Well, I'm grateful." Riley smiled, feeling a surge of warmth. This was exactly what her investigation needed. That close trust would gain her access to most of DedSec's information. It would also gain her some valuable friends, too. Of which Riley currently had few.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUefmYPNHh
"So, ready to see the hackerspace?" Marcus clapped his hands together in excitement, leaning forward. Riley was still overwhelmed by how quickly this was progressing, but she was also extremely curious as to the inner workings of DedSec.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmo2uTXZTf
"Sure."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfULZl6VLs
Marcus stood and Riley followed suit. He gestured to follow, and she did so. He weaved through the people in the square, going slow enough not to lose Riley in the crowd. They were headed in the opposite direction to where Riley entered, but she wasn't concerned. This was one of the few places that there weren't any parking meters along the street.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgmHvJGkxn
They continued until the street was in sight. Marcus was headed towards a nondescript, white van. Riley raised a brow and laughed. "You know, this all seems very serial killer-esc."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsK0ueUreO
"Oh, really? How so?" Marcus glanced back at her as they approached the vehicle, amusement evident in his smile.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡH63CR3XYYI
She counted off on her fingers. "A vague text asking me to meet you, a white van, not telling me exactly where we are going…what's next, a blind fold?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrYN9uwQP4
Marcus had opened the passenger door to the van, then paused. He looked over his shoulder at her, shrugging apologetically when he showed her the blindfold in his hand. "Well, about that…"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡerwYs0dnsr
The brunette stared down at the cloth with a sigh, smiling despite herself. "You trust me enough to know your identities, but not the location of your base, is that right?" She took the blindfold and gave Marcus a look.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡbayeMphJng
He rubbed at the back of his neck, laughing hesitantly. "It's nothing personal…don't get me wrong, we do trust you. It's just-"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOIrCSV9IK
"No need to explain, I understand." She waved away his attempt at answering, giving a reassuring smile. "We only just started working together. I'd be a little wary too."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWbJVDK80c
Her words seemed to relieve Marcus a bit, and he nodded happily. "Great to hear. Now, let's get you in the seat before putting that on."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbm8q9xISV
She climbed inside while Marcus went to the other side. She slammed the door shut and strapped on her seatbelt. She aligned the blind fold with her eyes, then wrapped it around her head so she couldn't see. The driver side door opened and Marcus climbed inside while she tried tying it behind her head. The angle was awkward, and she couldn't quite see the knot or anything. He must have seen that she was struggling.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlJHMlzHuh
"Here, let me." He offered, taking the two sides from her hands.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHeDr9gbih
"Thanks."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡnStK0UTyCM
The cloth tightened around her head, but not painfully so, and then a second knot secured it there. Riley heard the engine start up, and she settled into the seat. This was all a bit thrilling. Being blindfolded, and taken to an unknown location. She really should be more concerned about her safety. After all, she'd only ever Marcus once before. Logically, she shouldn't be able to trust him this much yet. But he was DedSec. And Riley trusted DedSec. That was all she needed to know.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡtB7diTzRA3
The van lurched into drive, and began to move. Not being able to see while they moved was a bit disorienting, but Riley quickly adjusted and held onto the handle on the door. She intentionally started distracting her thoughts with song lyrics so she wouldn't unconsciously start keeping track of turns and distances as they drove. They trusted her not to know where they operated, and she'd keep that trust sacred.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82LmFcwWnO
"So, any questions for me before we get there?" Marcus asked. Riley smiled, jostled by a particularly bad pot hole in the road.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLHHwHBpge
"Not really. Is there anything I need to know before meeting everyone?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKPjY7cxYN
She heard him laugh from beside her. "We might not be what you're expecting, so don't be surprised if DedSec is a little…different."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6Pmtvy0rW
"Different?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFHwndeZDu
"Lots of people call us misfits for a reason."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPf28d9lK7
Riley couldn't keep back the snort of amusement. "I've met Wrench already. Surely none of you are stranger than him?" If they were, maybe Riley was in for a lot more than she had bargained for.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9leYHIufIV
"True. He does stand out a bit more than most. If you can handle him, you'll be fine."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxBT3Z7hYK
That was reassuring. But it wasn't like Wrench was all that ridiculous. In fact, he seemed almost normal. Hmm, although she didn't know that much about him. He certainly was interesting. Riley looked forward to getting to know him a bit more.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbA1eIfo4Z
"So, what's your story?" She asked Marcus, turning in his general direction out of instinct. "What got you into DedSec?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdkKc2tGhb
She heard a scoff. "Awhile back, Blume's new algorithm tagged me as the most likely suspect in a high tech equipment theft. Only problem is, I didn't do it."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtJdnNcu5b
"Ah yeah, I've heard that system was massively discriminatory." Riley added, nodding in understanding.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRnPTBx8ZC
"Right?" He agreed, then continued on. "They put me in community service, but no one believed that I was innocent after that. Made life a lot harder."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vPtg1vJHM
"I can imagine."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjgExDrK7x
Marcus sighed gently. "I wasn't gonna take that shit lying down, though. Started working on computers, figuring out how they worked, exposing small leaks here and there. Made myself more of a nuisance than anything." He explained, taking them into a left turn. Riley had no idea where in the city they were at this point. "DedSec noticed what I was doing, and offered me a spot if I could erase my ctOS profile."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmoiciUJrT
Riley paused, suddenly nervous. "Am I gonna have to do that?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzpb3FdyoV
"Nah, nothing like that." He chuckled with humor, amused by her nervousness. "It was just a trial to prove my skills to the rest of the group. You won't have to, since you're mainly going to be helping Sitara with getting our name out there."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡljfBYMfqwn
"Cool." She said, feeling a bit better.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrKmKWFEG6
It seemed they'd arrived wherever they were going, because Marcus slowed the van to a stop. The brakes squealed in slight protest underneath them. He threw it into park and turned off the engine. Riley unbuckled her seatbelt but then sat there, unsure of what he wanted her to do.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2GXdJCrh1
"Do I still have to keep this on?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡmClBejnuKU
"Yeah, just for a little while longer." He said, opening the driver's side door and closing it after him. He walked around to her side and opened her door, gently guiding her to jump down to the sidewalk. At least, she assumed it was a sidewalk. It felt like concrete under her shoes.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHmC46yJLe
The door was slammed shut behind her, and Marcus lead her forward with a hand on her back. She cautiously moved forward, one hand extended slightly in front of her just in case she bumped into anything. Even if she trusted Marcus wouldn't let that happen, her lack of vision made it impossible not to worry about it.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjhvgvfTWw
The concrete under her feet became a short carpet, and the sound from outside was muffled as they entered a building. It was much quieter inside, and Riley began to feel a bit ridiculous. Were there a lot of people in here? How many of them were staring at her, wearing a blindfold and being lead by someone? She could feel her cheeks growing red.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi9gUoAhTk
"Just a little further." Marcus said quietly, patiently leading her again.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡcK2ym6FVPr
They walked to what she assumed was the back of the room, then took an immediate left, before Marcus halted her with a hand.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FKqb0VqUS
"One second." She heard faint tapping sounds, before some sort of lock disengaged.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPa754vFmo
Riley couldn't help but laugh. "This is feeling more and more like a real life spy movie."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡZz917w8NrX
"Heh, I know. It's pretty sick." Marcus took her arm and pulled her forward, a bit slower this time. "There's a set of stairs here, so take it slow."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBCZ2NZXeU
Riley did as instructed, thankful for Marcus' guidance and patience. There wasn't a handrail to help, so she just trailed her hand down along the wall to keep her balance. It was made of concrete as well. This felt like a basement of some kind.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbJ0iO5Our
The sound of computer keys, and some newly released song faintly playing overhead came into her hearing. She nearly tripped up getting down the final step, but Marcus caught her just in time.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu0nw8TEWl
"Alright, you can take that off now." He said, helping to untie it from behind her head.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbWeaY2aWg
Riley slid it off of her face, blinking a few times to get used to the light again. The brunette jumped backwards into Marcus upon seeing Wrench's mask a few inches from her face. It flashed two X's at her.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LrNMKCRz6
"Fucking-!" Riley cried, causing the masked man to laugh openly. Her heart was racing a million times a minute, and she raised a brow. "Really?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMAj96s3Lp
"I couldn't help it. Ha ha, you should have seen your face!" He doubled over in an attempt to contain his amusement. It wasn't working.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡomAkBKjDUf
"Obviously you've met Wrench. A bit of forewarning: he can be an ass sometimes." Marcus chuckled good-naturedly.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡUY1mMN6oFF
"Clearly…" She muttered. Riley shook her head and collected herself, examining her surroundings.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYs6iCdLFY
She was standing in a concrete basement, as she'd guessed, but it was so much more than that. As soon as you entered, bright and vibrant colors assaulted your eyes, but she was enthralled with it rather than offended. The DedSec name was graffitied all over the place, their logo and symbols everywhere.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4lKpWvIAp
To her right was a sectional couch and small living area, complete with lockers and a vending machine. Past that was mostly open space, a few desks spaced out against the walls at intervals. And towards the center of the room was a large wall of over a dozen computer or tv screens. All in all, Riley was impressed.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuoZQbNXzs
"Sitara, Josh! Come on over and meet Riley."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5r5bKIovo
A woman, whom she assumed was Sitara, met them first. Her outfit was just as loud and colorful as the greeting wall, but tastefully so. The purple hair, off-the-shoulder cardigan and thigh-high socks were actually pretty stylish together. Not something Riley would have thought of, but still appealing nonetheless.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFsIqSEVAf
"Ah, our newest recruit." Sitara said, standing across from her and cocking her hip. "It's nice to meet you finally. Loved the blog post, by the way."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzJJyAUmyu
"Glad you liked it." Riley said, genuinely meaning it. She always enjoyed hearing that others liked her work. "Have you seen any sort of difference since it was published?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbzghL0Zaw
She gestured to a laptop on the closest desk. "Hell yeah. Our app downloads have increased about 15%, and I was able to source them from your post."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxbQfBIUxj
"How so?" Riley couldn't see how that would be possible to track.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SSTBruwN2
A man in a green hoodie approached next, just behind Riley causing her to jump from fright when he spoke. "We tracked the source coding from your blog post and sequenced it with those phone IP's that have our app data. It wasn't that difficult."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CdATvmUuw
"Damn, are you guys all trying to kill me from fright?" She asked, placing a hand over her heart. His expression didn't really seem all that concerned.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡqS3CIidrdL
"Sorry." He said simply, standing there awkwardly. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmDDfe4JKS
"It's alright. I'm assuming you're Josh?" He nodded neutrally, almost inspecting her closely without being overly intrusive.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLv0mpvIj0
"Yeah."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJShmBAA3O
"Well, I'm Riley." She cast her glance around the small circle of people, nodding with a smile. "I'm thrilled to meet all of you, officially, by the way. You've certainly been making a name for yourselves, I didn't know what to expect coming here."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNaYrqcwaX
"We're not all that bad." Wrench said, shrugging his crossed arms. "Well…sometimes."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWJUW5jsND
"Riley wouldn't have started working with us if she thought we were bad people." Sitara pointed out.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1nljJXUj0
Marcus jumped in with a laugh. "You'll learn to love us eventually. Weird quirks and all."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEOTCfkPLu
"I'm sure I will." Riley agreed, looking around at the odd bunch of faces. Josh just watched the conversation quietly. From what she knew of him, he wasn't much of a talker anyways.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡMarv5nBoQo
Sitara cleared her throat, gesturing to the set-up of paper and colors and graffiti at the foot of the stairs. "Now that we've got introductions out of the way, we'll give you a run-down of our operations here, but let's start with my station. You know, since you and I will be working together on spreading the word."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iqpEK8CFr
"Sure." Riley followed after her, glancing around to see the others go back to what she assumed were their own personal work spaces. Marcus wandered over to the couch and lounged. Josh returned to a computer further in, and Wrench stood next to the 3D printer in the center.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡCo5rhHGBws
"This is where the magic happens." Sitara opened her arms wide, indicating all of the artwork and equipment in her area. "Like I said before. I've spent a long time working on DedSec, making it into the army we need to take down these big corporations."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jDxPIVq7L
Riley inspected the various logos and artwork on the walls and floor. "DedSec is your baby?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡO94fyIZHlF
"Oh yeah. Guess you could call it my life's work. I've put blood, sweat, and tears into building it from the ground up." Sitara admired her own handiwork, a proud smile settling on her lips. Riley had no doubt that she'd done just that.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8X3eplW5Xt
"What is it exactly that you'd like me to focus on?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3McACVv23
Sitara turned back to the brunette. "Getting people to download the app, mostly. But also just waking people the fuck up to what's happening." The hacker shrugged and took on a incredulous expression. "Honestly, it's easier getting all this data to expose to the world than it is changing people's minds about it."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRcl6L46tp
Riley nodded slowly, thinking about it. "People don't like realizing that something they'd previously supported or believed in is wrong. Humans are prideful. They don't like being wrong."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBnPPMaLS7
"No kidding." Sitara smirked, turning back to the printer to show her how it was done.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡerb1DLDyhG
Riley spent the next half hour or so learning from Sitara the inner workings of DedSec's 'marketing' campaign, so to speak. She explained the process of graffitiing certain billboards in specific locations, or covering specific messages that would get the most attention. How all of this affected the fans, the dissenters, and just the general public who didn't know what to think of them. The journalist was surprised that Sitara had thought so far ahead and so thoroughly about this, but then again, the woman had been doing this a long time. She'd had a lot of time to learn.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡByxOUEAYL3
Riley in turn brought up good points of interest for online supporters, and ways to better integrate their art on the web. Most of the information Riley couldn't tell if it actually would help or not, but Sitara was at least polite enough to listen anyway. The brunette honestly couldn't tell how much of a help she was being. Sitara seemed to have everything covered already.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxFLnvxygq
After going over everything she could think of, Sitara lead her over to Josh's desk, where he was busy tapping away at keys and going through lines of code. "I'll let you meet with the others and they can tell you about what they do. We want you to get to know all of us around here."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvRRxuCb3U
"Awesome." Riley said, watching as she returned to her workstation. Then the brunette turned back towards Josh, watching as he intently did whatever it was he was doing. "What's all this?" She asked, pointing towards the screen.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFtoun34mO
Without missing a beat, eyes glued to the computer, he responded. "Rewriting the security codes for the Haum robots. They could come in handy later, and this will make it much easier to hack into one."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KmNwJi3hz
"Nice." She said, watching for a few more seconds. He didn't say anything after that, and she tried finding something else to say. "So, what is it that you do for DedSec?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡtX5kODPrOS
He gave her a small glance, before focusing on the screen once more. "The others say my coding is superior to theirs. I do a majority of the long-distance hacks."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFyP42d76A
"I can see why." She leaned closer and pointed to some strings of code he'd already typed up. "Some of this I don't understand at all where you're going with it. A lot more complicated than I'm used to. But it must have a purpose right?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfki2Q2lUk
He nodded, but didn't explain it. Riley gave him some space again, awkwardly biting on her lip as another silence persisted. God, she wasn't very good at this conversation thing was she? Why did she have to be so awkward?copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoh0J6Ezys
"Where did you learn to code?" He asked out of the blue, fully looking at her this time. She crossed her arms and leaned up against the corner of the desk.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡsV80Kc2Yk9
"A friend of mine was really into hacking. He taught me most of what he knew. Went by the name of Cyph3r."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhoTzrKCME
"Cyph3r. I've heard that name." Josh said, frowning as he thought to himself. "He isn't from San Fransisco."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡWI3eJNlnmT
Riley shook her head. "No, we lived in New York. I'm not originally from around here, so…"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOOXOzaQyu
"I know. I read your file." He said bluntly. That neutral expression never seemed to change. Riley pursed her lips.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6Lo0lPKYC
"That's…slightly ominous. But I guess I should have known you guys already knew everything about me."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUks94gurC
"Not everything." Josh was quick to correct, shaking his head and looking at her again. "Just what's on the web. Despite what people might think, you can't know everything about a person from their ctOS profile alone. Lots of things can't be measured by a computer."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhrcfgMp6k
Riley cocked her head. "Like what?"copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6qGur2kb0
"Self-worth. Loyalty. Trustworthiness. Creativity, and other things. The human part of what makes us human. Not everything can be put into a statistic."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAVh34lkyN
Riley opened her mouth but couldn't find anything to say to that. His words were unexpectedly and satisfyingly deep. She'd never thought of it that way. And it was strangely comforting. They were more than just a number and face on a screen. She smiled at him.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡWW4o8kEUKL
"You're right. That's never occurred to me before." Josh must not have known what to say to that, because he just went back to typing at the codes on the screen. Riley took that as a sign that she'd overstayed her welcome. "I'll let you get back to it, but I'm glad we'll be working together, Josh."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡfERGlm7oHi
"Sure thing." He said, flashing her a small, quick smile. It looked very sweet and cute on him. Josh was just…cute all around. So innocent and genuine. Patting his shoulder gently, she wandered over to where Wrench was tinkering with the 3D printer.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDTkVWphhX
Riley tried walking as quietly as possible to sneak up on him, suddenly popping up beside him out of nowhere. "Whatcha got going on over here?" She asked, hoping to see him jump from fright like she had earlier. However, he only laughed and his mask took on an amused expression.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dU9C3tgYe
"Ah, so much to learn, young padawan. I could hear you coming from across the room."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dTTTeg0CX
She smirked, then shrugged. "Well, it was worth a shot. But really, what's all this?" Riley spread her hands to indicate the machine.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1Bcmx9LOq
"This," Wrench said, introducing the machine with a flurry of his hands, "is our amazing-shit-making device."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡISED2gGwwE
The brunette raised a brow, unimpressed. His mask turned into three dots, and she made a dismissive gesture. "The name's a work in progress. Anyway," he waved her closer to inspect it, "as long as we have the epoxy, we can make whatever the fuck we want."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡKySDsLSJMv
"What do you normally make with it?" She smiled at the image of a unicorn adorning the front.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5wihTPqEE
"Eh, you know. We've got this cool jumper car that gets us into hard-to-access places. And a flying drone to scout around with. But oh ho ho," he rubbed his hands together diabolically, "the weapon plans I've got in store? That shit's gonna make some really cool explosions."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnwv0zLH5i
Riley laughed, unable to help herself. This Wrench was very different from the one she'd met on the previous few occasions. Before, he was distant. Guarded and cautious. The contrast was almost staggering. And kind of cute. This Wrench was so weird and…well, dorky. "I'd love to see them when they're done."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQReuj0m2M
"Oh, trust me, you'll see them. They'll be huge explosions."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJRp29iRAW
Riley shook her head with mirth, and looked along Wrench's workspace. He had various blueprints and diagrams posted along the board. Some were obviously weapons and guns, while others were a bit more vague and unassuming. Perhaps they were bombs? Who knew.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrj2WjCH0H
Intermingling with the designs were posters and printed out memes, solidifying her earlier assessment of him being a big dork. In fact, from what she could discern, the entire DedSec team were big dorks. But that was just fine, because so was Riley. In fact, she was itching to use that 3D printer to the fullest extent. Of course, perhaps they wouldn't want her using it to print off figurines of Batman and Darth Vader, but the retail prices on those things were hella expensive, and she could just print them herself with the right design plans for almost nothing.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0myRB2bBod
She'd have to ask later.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡngXfGZpYRZ
"Are you the engineer of the group?" She guessed, seeing tools and various computer parts stuffed in boxes on the shelf beneath the desk. Wrench leaned against it casually, his eyes turning into X's again.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnqdqnw25x
"Yup. You need something taken apart or put back together, I'm your guy."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5UiWvk86J
She glanced around at the hackerspace again, taking in everything. "Huh. It's cool that you've all got separate strengths. Sounds like the team works well together."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡlu0iKGi9E9
"Oh yeah, haven't come across a problem we couldn't fix." Wrench replied proudly. He stuck a thumb towards the rest of the hackerspace. "Sitara's gave us the face and name, Josh is the brains, Marcus is the brawn, and I get shit done." He summarized jovially, mask indicating his good mood.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yxzMXWj01
Riley couldn't help but reflect his positivity about it. "I'd love to see how you all work together. For such huge information leaks, you're such a small team."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK7L34gncn
Wrench shrugged. "We do call on our supporters on occasion, but yeah, it's pretty much just us in San Fransisco."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xS8QCP9Mt
"Do you ever feel overwhelmed? I mean, you're basically taking on the technological backbone of America. Silicon Valley isn't small." She'd been wondering about how a group of four people could do all this damage. They were only human after all. Surely the pressure got to them.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡjU2QuPOq8O
"Hell no, this is the kind of shit I live for." The masked hacker picked up a tool from behind him and waved it around as he spoke. "You'll see. Just wait until we've got ourselves another target."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZzzKCD00P
Riley nodded, taking his word for it. He knelt and picked up the remains of a motherboard for a computer, various wires and cables sticking out of it.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7nggeS5nE
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I've gotta finishing taking this baby apart. You can stay and watch if you really want to, but it might get boring." He added with a shrug, not wanting to be rude.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGzCx4rlvz
She took a step back. "I'll leave you to it then."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XyIxjlbjl
He started tear away at the cables and wires, dismantling the motherboard piece by piece. Riley turned and glanced around again at the hackerspace. She was extremely impressed so far. This small group of 20-somethings was able to make serious hits against all these companies with a few computers and some hacking skills? Incredible. The journalist couldn't help but imagine an entire news station with resources and people skilled like this. With the right focus and motivations, a team like that could have the potential to hack across the whole country.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ItoYJCRP0
There wasn't anyone new to talk to, so Riley wandered around, gazing at the walls and posters plastered everywhere. Most were memes or DedSec graffiti. She slowly walked through the giant room, taking in all there was to see. The others let her wander, giving her space to look around.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoG50d9szF
Marcus had been right. They weren't what she expected, but not in an unpleasant way. In her mind, she'd conjured up this dark den with dozens of people tapping away at keyboards. For some reason her mental image had them all wearing black hoodies. Huh. What a cliche.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ICBraUMle
In reality, DedSec was open and friendly, and welcoming. Just a handful of people trying to make a difference. Trying to get people to care about their privacy and security. Trying to stop those with power from exploiting the rights of the people. Riley could get behind a group like that.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lWBKUlnLa
Her wandering brought her over to an empty desk at the far end of the room. The wall in front of it was decorated with dozens of pictures of another man she hadn't met before. Riley glanced down at the desk, seeing dust beginning to gather on the keys and screen. Whoever this was hadn't used this workspace for awhile.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhz4nAix2R
Marcus sauntered up beside her, looking up at the wall himself. They both took a few moments to look over the pictures, before he quietly spoke. "That's Horatio. He was our operations coordinator, and a good friend."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4AOF1YzOj
Riley saw the solemness in his expression and kept silent, not wanting to ruin the reverie. He paused but eventually started up again. "The Tezcas kidnapped him and questioned him for information on DedSec. He wouldn't give us up. So they killed him."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWFKyqETNq
"Oh my god…" Riley murmured, horrified by the truth. Past that, she wasn't sure how to respond. Marcus apparently didn't expect anything more, because he nodded slowly.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aHDe4dwBg
"We made sure the Tezcas payed for what they did, but Horatio is still gone…He gave up so much for DedSec, believed in it with everything he had…We can't let that mean nothing." Marcus finished with determination. He turned to Riley then. "DedSec isn't just a movement. It's so much more to us than that."copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNkXC0ZBzO
He gestured to the others who were busy working away at their various tasks. Riley thought she caught Wrench looking away quickly when she glanced over, but she couldn't tell for sure. The brunette sighed deeply, beginning to understand that perhaps she was thinking too superficially in terms of what DedSec was.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnLB7j1MdO
"I'm coming to realize that." She said eventually, meeting Marcus' eye. They shared a brief moment of understanding, of mutual respect, and of shared pain. Riley may not have known Horatio personally, but the care and love that went into memorializing him here was painstaking and obvious. And any loss of life was sobering.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡchZUVeZ9KB
She had a feeling this was what Wrench had referred to when he'd threatened her before. Of course, the reality was a bit more surreal than she'd imagined, but now she understood his caution in trusting her. He didn't want to see any more of his friends be hurt or killed. Understandable.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8pK61K6Dk
Riley was left looking up at the photos, smiles and laughs and silly faces in each picture. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you, Horatio. You seem like a good person.copyright protection195ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyHF9PZbCc
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