Two weeks had gone by since Forrester had discovered Damon’s identity as the hacker. He hadn’t left a trail for her to follow.  He grew more paranoid by the day as he watched Source Point ramp up its marketing for a new launch to come soon.  In addition, they were also beginning to open lower grade technology at cheaper prices for the poor to finally be upgraded.  Chairman Faust, Source Point’s poster child and a wizard at publicity, had his image displayed across every possible space in Baltimore.  Every glance at the posters caused a moment of anger for Damon.

Faust had made Damon an outcast, forcing him to leave everything and everyone he loved behind.  Damon’s rage had been simmering for almost 13 years, but these past few months had been especially rough.  V.i.C. his personal A.I., had died, he left his base of operations, he was found out by Forrester and now he was forced to choke down more of Forrester than he could bear.

No.  Not anymore, he fumed.  There was no point in hiding now that they knew what to look for.  He was backed into a corner.  Faust held a personal grudge against Damon and was likely employing vast resources to hunt him down. That was just the private sector.  While a citywide manhunt hadn’t been declared yet, Damon knew police were actively searching for him.  All it would take was a generous donation from Faust and he would be delivered to Source Point, no questions asked.

Source Point was set to make their announcement of distributing new technology at their flagship headquarters in New York City, but the cheaper older versions were being sold at super discounted prices, with on-site installations already taking place.

Damon wasn’t going to New York—he had something better in mind.

“V.i.V?” he asked. “Find Santos.”

“Tracking…facial recognition match.  Pulling up cameras.”

A holo-map with a pulsing blue dot showed Damon’s location. The city grid snapped on in front of him.  A red arrow flickered on and a remote camera feed began playing, showing a very peculiar scene.  The camera belonged to a bank ATM Santos was busy ransacking.

Speaking into his mic, Damon chuckled.

“I thought you were better than that, Santos.”

Santos froze.  A disembodied voice had just reprimanded her.  She looked around and saw a glowing red recording camera above him.

“Yeah that’s right.  Smile, you’re on camera.  Leave the cash and get over to 5th and Charles Street.  I need your help.”

Santos was initially incensed, but she became more receptive after being talked down with some drinks.

“What do you need, Damon?”

“A new identity.”

“Anything else?”

“Just hold onto this,” Damon said, handing him a flash drive.

Santos took the flash drive. She began looking over Damon’s requisitions, glaring at Damon.

“Do you really want to go through with this, Damon?”

“You don’t think we need to do something?  We should have acted 13 years ago, Santos.  It wasn’t enough. We stole fire from the gods.  We should have shared it with the rest of the world.  I thought I could keep V.i.C. and the team safe by sending them all away, but look at what’s happened.  Three team members dead in the last eight years, and I was nearly killed too!  We’ve been lucky enough that we haven’t been killed so far.  But they’ve picked up my trail…”

“Then go underground again!  Find a new city and go deep on them.  Don’t give them a target.  Stop making yourself so high profile! Hacking Source Point all the time?  You could have stayed that way.  But your damn pride wouldn’t let you.  You got us all involved in your plan.  You’re the reason I have to rob ATMs, steal Social Security cards and live like this.  You turned me into this!”

Santos slammed her fist against a locker.

Sitting up in his chair, Damon spoke in a humble tone.

“Santos, I’m truly sorry for how this all turned out.  But Source Point?  They will hunt us all down.  They don’t want us to know the truth, or tell other people what the truth is.”

Santos rounded on his heel.

“What does it matter?” he questioned sharply.

Damon was stunned.

“What does it matter?  Santos, we can’t let them broadcast their lies in place of what’s really going on! The truth-“

“And who decides what the truth is, Damon?” Santos interjected.  “You?  You suddenly get to play God?  What makes your truth more real than Forrester’s and Source Point’s?  You won’t let this go, will you?  You asked us all to throw away our lives for some ‘greater good,’ but you of all people refuse to abide by your own rules: lay low, cease all communication and above all—sever all ties with Source Point!  But you?  You can’t get over it.  You never will.  And one of these days, it’s going to get you killed.”

Damon understood.  Quietly, he asked, “Can I rely on you still?”

Santos held open the door, but spoke with finality.

“Your papers, visa and passport will be in the mail.  Once they arrive, they’re good for only 24 hours.”

“Thanks, Santos.  It…it means a lot.”  Damon exited the building.

“Hey Damon!” Santos shouted.

Damon turned around.

“Good luck.”  Santos closed the door as he walked away.

Read part six here.

Read part eight here.