Freedom TM

“This is the future. It makes no bloody sense to transport parts thousands of miles. Creating them to-order like this from raw materials—metal powders or Arboform granules—that’s the market, mate. There are other machines that can produce circuitry from printed, flexible material. It’s a bloody third Industrial Revolution, isn’t it?”
    Sebeck saw Jon Ross approaching from the shop’s open-bay entrance. Ross passed a D-Space object to Sebeck and nearby Laney Price. It appeared as an aerial photo floating next to them.
    Bruce was still talking, apparently unable to see their private layer. “I’m no bloody tree-hugger. I have no intention of living in an effing yurt and milking cows each morning. Just look up at that colossal energy whore in the sky and tell me there’s an energy shortage. The sun uses up more energy in a second than mankind has used in all its history. We just need to get at it.” He ticked off items on his hands. “Solar carpet—replacing expensive platinum catalysts with metal oxides—gallium solar paint—copper indium gallium selenide—”
    “Sergeant …” Price frowned as he examined the aerial photo.
    “Excuse us, Bruce. I think something’s come up.”
    Bruce extended his hand and shook Sebeck’s and Price’s enthusiastically. “Brilliant! Best of luck on your quest, and don’t forget if any darknet reporter asks you, we’re going to be replicating this shop in Queensland come December. Cheers, mate!”
    Price pulled Sebeck away and they joined up with Ross near the doorway.
    Sebeck shrugged. “What’s going on?”
    Ross jabbed at the photo that was following them around in D-Space. “Just look. They’re encircling us.”
    “Who is?”
    “Serious people.”
    Sebeck studied the image. “Where did you get this?”
    We have two security drones orbiting this county, and we’ve come under aerial surveillance ourselves.”
    “What am I looking at?”
    “Let’s find a more private place to talk.” Ross motioned for them to follow. They exited the micro-fabrication shop and moved along the crowded sidewalk. Everyone looked busy on some private errand, but even as they walked, they could see news was traveling quickly through the townspeople. Photos, videos, and messages were flying through the darknet.
    Ross stopped in mid-sidewalk. “News travels fast.”
    Sebeck could see the feed alert appear in his HUD display:
Greeley Blockaded by Security Forces.
It was a highest priority alert, quickly getting upvoted. He knew that soon the system would automatically put someone in charge of dealing with it. “We’ve been surrounded?” He more closely examined the virtual photo floating in D-Space.
    Ross pointed at creeks, rivers, and roads at the edge of the county. “Three-mile radius. They’re setting up checkpoints on all roads, and they’ve got unmanned surveillance drones watching the terrain. They’re cutting power lines, communications—all connection to the outside world. And we’re not the only ones.…”
    Ross presented a digital map of the Midwestern U.S. “There are news feeds reporting similar blockades of towns in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Indiana.… It’s a carefully orchestrated campaign to isolate darknet communities.”
    Sebeck studied the map. “And we’re at the center of it.”
    Ross tilted his head. “So we are.” He looked up. “Does that mean the Daemon had advance notice of this?”
    “You mean because the Thread was keeping me here?”
    Price shook his head sadly. “Dude, why the hell wouldn’t it just warn us? Now we’re trapped here—surrounded by …?” He looked to Ross.
    “Corporate military would be my guess.”
    Sebeck was at a loss. “But they can’t just—”
    “Check your history, Pete. This wouldn’t be the first time corporate combinations attacked people in the United States. Based on the brain scans of that so-called insurgent you brought in, and the scans of others captured elsewhere, it looks like we’re facing a who’s who of mercenary companies that have supported repressive regimes around the world.” Ross was clicking on D-Space, examining feeds and quickly reading. “Here’s a high-rep journo with pictures of armored cars coming in by train, at night under tarpaulins. Light attack helicopters …”
    Sebeck leaned in to look. “How can they get away with this? Where the hell is the U.S. military? Where is the government?”
    Price leaned in as well. “Check out the media blitz