CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/1

LittleBrother
CoryDoctorow doctorow@craphound.com
READTHISFIRST ThisbookisdistributedunderaCreativeCommonsAttribution NonCommercialShareAlike3.0license.Thatmeans: Youarefree:

andcomepouringoutofmyfingertips,nosweatandfussbutit wasn'tnearlyasmuchfunasI'dthoughtitwouldbe.Therewere dayswhenIwrote10,000words,hunchingovermykeyboardin airports,onsubways,intaxisanywhereIcouldtype.Thebook wastryingtogetoutofmyhead,nomatterwhat,andImissedso muchsleepandsomanymealsthatfriendsstartedtoaskifIwas unwell. Whenmydadwasayounguniversitystudentinthe1960s,he wasoneofthefew"counterculture"peoplewhothought computerswereagoodthing.Formostyoungpeople,computers representedthedehumanizationofsociety.Universitystudents werereducedtonumbersonapunchcard,eachbearingthelegend "DONOTBEND,SPINDLE,FOLDORMUTILATE," promptingsomeofthestudentstowearpinsthatsaid,"IAMA STUDENT:DONOTBEND,SPINDLE,FOLDORMUTILATE ME."Computerswereseenasameanstoincreasetheabilityof theauthoritiestoregimentpeopleandbendthemtotheirwill.

toSharetocopy,distributeandtransmitthework toRemixtoadaptthework

WhenIwas17,theworldseemedlikeitwasjustgoingtoget morefree.TheBerlinWallwasabouttocomedown.Computers whichhadbeengeekyandweirdafewyearsbeforewere Underthefollowingconditions: everywhere,andthemodemI'dusedtoconnecttolocalbulletin boardsystemswasnowconnectingmetotheentireworldthrough Attribution.Youmustattributetheworkinthemanner theInternetandcommercialonlineserviceslikeGEnie.My specifiedbytheauthororlicensor(butnotinanywaythat lifelongfascinationwithactivistcauseswentintooverdriveasI suggeststhattheyendorseyouoryouruseofthework). sawhowthemaindifficultyinactivismorganizingwas gettingeasierbyleapsandbounds(Istillrememberthefirsttime Noncommercial.Youmaynotusethisworkforcommercial Iswitchedfrommailingoutanewsletterwithhandwritten purposes. addressestousingadatabasewithmailmerge).IntheSoviet Union,communicationstoolswerebeingusedtobring ShareAlike.Ifyoualter,transform,orbuilduponthiswork, informationandrevolutiontothefarthestflungcornersof youmaydistributetheresultingworkonlyunderthesame thelargestauthoritarianstatetheEarthhadeverseen. orsimilarlicensetothisone. But17yearslater,thingsareverydifferent.ThecomputersI Foranyreuseordistribution,youmustmakecleartoothers lovearebeingcoopted,usedtospyonus,controlus,snitchon thelicensetermsofthiswork.Thebestwaytodothisis us.TheNationalSecurityAgencyhasillegallywiretappedthe withalinkhttp://craphound.com/littlebrother entireUSAandgottenawaywithit.Carrentalcompaniesand masstransitandtrafficauthoritiesarewatchingwherewego, Anyoftheaboveconditionscanbewaivedifyougetmy sendingusautomatedtickets,finkingusouttobusybodies,cops permission andbadguyswhogainillicitaccesstotheirdatabases.The TransportSecurityAdministrationmaintainsa"nofly"listof peoplewho'dneverbeenconvictedofanycrime,butwhoare Moreinfohere:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/byncsa/3.0/ neverthelessconsideredtoodangeroustofly.Thelist'scontents aresecret.Therulethatmakesitenforceableissecret.The criteriaforbeingaddedtothelistaresecret.Ithasfouryearolds Seetheendofthisfileforthecompletelegalese. onit.AndUSsenators.Anddecoratedveteransactualwar heroes. INTRODUCTION The17yearoldsIknowunderstandtoanicetyjusthow dangerousacomputercanbe.Theauthoritariannightmareofthe IwroteLittleBrotherinawhitehotfurybetweenMay7,2007 1960shascomehomeforthem.Theseductivelittleboxesontheir andJuly2,2007:exactlyeightweeksfromthedayIthoughtitup desksandintheirpocketswatchtheireverymove,corralthemin, tothedayIfinishedit(Alice,towhomthisbookisdedicated,had systematicallydeprivingthemofthosenewfreedomsIhad toputupwithmeclackingoutthefinalchapterat5AMinour enjoyedandmadesuchgooduseofinmyyoungadulthood. hotelinRome,wherewewerecelebratingouranniversary).I'd alwaysdreamedofhavingabookjustmaterialize,fullyformed, What'smore,kidswereclearlybeingusedasguineapigsfora

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/2 newkindoftechnologicalstatethatallofuswereonourwayto,a worldwheretakingapicturewaseitherpiracy(inamovietheater ormuseumorevenaStarbucks),orterrorism(inapublicplace), butwherewecouldbephotographed,trackedandlogged hundredsoftimesadaybyeverytinpotdictator,cop,bureaucrat andshopkeeper.Aworldwhereanymeasure,includingtorture, couldbejustifiedjustbywavingyourhandsandshouting "Terrorism!9/11!Terrorism!"untilalldissentfellsilent. Wedon'thavetogodownthatroad. Ifyoulovefreedom,ifyouthinkthehumanconditionis dignifiedbyprivacy,bytherighttobeleftalone,bytherightto exploreyourweirdideasprovidedyoudon'thurtothers,thenyou havecommoncausewiththekidswhosewebbrowsersandcell phonesarebeingusedtolockthemupandfollowthemaround. Ifyoubelievethattheanswertobadspeechismorespeech notcensorshipthenyouhaveadoginthefight. Ifyoubelieveinasocietyoflaws,alandwhereourrulershave totellustherules,andhavetofollowthemtoo,thenyou'repart ofthesamestrugglethatkidsfightwhentheyarguefortheright toliveunderthesameBillofRightsthatadultshave.

Yourstories:I'mcollectingstoriesofpeoplewho'veused technologytogettheupperhandwhenconfrontedwithabusive authority.I'mgoingtobeincludingthebestoftheseinaspecial afterwordtotheUKedition(seebelow)ofthebook,andI'llbe puttingthemonlineaswell.Sendmeyourstoriesat doctorow@craphound.com,withthesubjectline"Abusesof Authority". GREATBRITAIN I'maCanadian,andI'velivedinlotsofplaces(includingSan Francisco,thesettingforLittleBrother),andnowIlivein London,England,withmywifeAliceandourlittledaughter, Poesy.I'velivedhere(offandon)forfiveyearsnow,andthoughI loveittotinypieces,there'sonethingthat'salwaysbuggedme: mybooksaren'tavailablehere.Somestorescarriedthemas specialitems,importedfromtheUSA,butitwasn'tpublishedby aBritishpublisher.

That'schanged!HarperCollinsUKhasboughttheBritishrights tothisbook(alongwithmynextyoungadultnovel,FORTHE WIN),andthey'republishingitjustafewmonthsaftertheUS edition,onNovember17,2008(thedayafterIgetbackfrommy Thisbookismeanttobepartoftheconversationaboutwhatan honeymoon!). informationsocietymeans:doesitmeantotalcontrol,orunheard ofliberty?It'snotjustanoun,it'saverb,it'ssomethingyoudo. Update,November27,2008:Andit'sonshelvesnow!The HarperCollinsedition'saknockout,too! I'msogladaboutthis,Icouldbust,honestly.Notjustbecause they'refinallysellingmybooksinmyadoptedhomeland,but becauseI'mraisingadaughterhere,dammit,andthesurveillance Thisbookismeanttobesomethingyoudo,notjustsomething andcontrolmaniainthiscountryisstartingtoscareme youread.Thetechnologyinthisbookiseitherrealornearlyreal. bloodless.Itseemsliketheentirepoliceandgovernancesystem Youcanbuildalotofit.Youcanshareitandremixit(seeTHE inBritainhasfalleninlovewithDNAswabbing,fingerprinting COPYRIGHTTHING,below).Youcanusetheideastospark andvideorecordingeveryone,ontheoffchancethatsomeday importantdiscussionswithyourfriendsandfamily.Youcanuse youmightdosomethingwrong.Inearly2008,theheadof thoseideastodefeatcensorshipandgetontothefreeInternet, ScotlandYardseriouslyproposedtakingDNAfromfiveyear evenifyourgovernment,employerorschooldoesn'twantyouto. oldswhodisplay"offendingtraits"becausethey'llprobablygrow uptobecriminals.Thenextweek,theLondonpoliceputup Makingstuff:ThefolksatInstructableshaveputupsomekiller postersaskingusalltoturninpeoplewhoseemtobetaking HOWTOsforbuildingthetechnologyinthisbook.It'seasyand picturesoftheubiquitousCCTVspycamerasbecauseanyone incrediblyfun.There'snothingsorewardinginthisworldas whopaystoomuchattentiontothesurveillancemachineis makingstuff,especiallystuffthatmakesyoumorefree: probablyaterrorist. http://www.instructables.com/member/w1n5t0n/ Americaisn'ttheonlycountrythatlostitsmindthisdecade. Discussions:There'saneducator'smanualforthisbookthatmy Britain'srightthereinthenuthousewithit,dribblingdownits publisher,Tor,hasputtogetherthathastonsofideasfor shirtfrontandpointingitsfingerattheinvisiblebogeymenand classroom,readinggroupandhomediscussionsoftheideasinit: screaminguntilitgetsitsmeds. http://www.tor forge.com/static/Little_Brother_Readers_Guide.pdf Weneedtobehavingthisconversationallovertheplanet. DOSOMETHING Defeatcensorship:Theafterwordforthisbookhaslotsof WanttogetacopyintheUK?Surething! resourcesforincreasingyouronlinefreedom,blockingthesnoops http://craphound.com/littlebrother/buy/#uk andevadingthecensorwareblocks.Themorepeoplewhoknow aboutthisstuff,thebetter.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/3 forapieceoftheaction.I'minaprettygoodpositionwhenit comestonegotiatingwiththesecompanies:I'vegotagreatagent andadecade'sexperiencewithcopyrightlawandlicensing (includingastintasadelegateatWIPO,theUNagencythat makestheworld'scopyrighttreaties).What'smore,there'sjustnot thatmanyofthesenegotiationsevenifIsellfiftyorahundred differenteditionsofLittleBrother(whichwouldputitintop millionthofapercentileforfiction),that'sstillonlyahundred negotiations,whichIcouldjustaboutmanage. Ihatethefactthatfanswhowanttodowhatreadershave alwaysdoneareexpectedtoplayinthesamesystemasallthese hotshotagentsandlawyers.It'sjuststupidtosaythatan elementaryschoolclassroomshouldhavetotalktoalawyerata giantglobalpublisherbeforetheyputonaplaybasedononeof mybooks.It'sridiculoustosaythatpeoplewhowantto"loan" theirelectroniccopyofmybooktoafriendneedtogetalicense todoso.Loaningbookshasbeenaroundlongerthanany publisheronEarth,andit'safinething. IrecentlysawNeilGaimangiveatalkatwhichsomeoneasked himhowhefeltaboutpiracyofhisbooks.Hesaid,"Handsupin theaudienceifyoudiscoveredyourfavoritewriterforfree becausesomeoneloanedyouacopy,orbecausesomeonegaveit toyou?Now,handsupifyoufoundyourfavoritewriterby walkingintoastoreandplunkingdowncash."Overwhelmingly, theaudiencesaidthatthey'ddiscoveredtheirfavoritewritersfor free,onaloanorasagift.Whenitcomestomyfavoritewriters, there'snoboundaries:I'llbuyeverybooktheypublish,justto ownit(sometimesIbuytwoorthree,togiveawaytofriendswho mustreadthosebooks).Ipaytoseethemlive.Ibuytshirtswith theirbookcoversonthem.I'macustomerforlife. Neilwentontosaythathewaspartofthetribeofreaders,the tinyminorityofpeopleintheworldwhoreadforpleasure,buying booksbecausetheylovethem.Onethingheknowsabout everyonewhodownloadshisbooksontheInternetwithout permissionisthatthey'rereaders,they'repeoplewholovebooks. Peoplewhostudythehabitsofmusicbuyershavediscovered somethingcurious:thebiggestpiratesarealsothebiggest spenders.Ifyoupiratemusicallnightlong,chancesareyou're oneofthefewpeopleleftwhoalsogoestotherecordstore (rememberthose?)duringtheday.Youprobablygotoconcertson theweekend,andyouprobablycheckmusicoutofthelibrarytoo. Ifyou'reamemberoftheredhotmusicfantribe,youdolotsof everythingthathastodowithmusic,fromsingingintheshower topayingforblackmarketvinylbootlegsofrareEastern Europeancoversofyourfavoritedeathmetalband. Samewithbooks.I'veworkedinnewbookstores,used bookstoresandlibraries.I'vehungoutinpirateebook ("bookwarez")placesonline.I'mastoneusedbookstorejunkie, andIgotobookfairsforfun.Andyouknowwhat?It'sthesame peopleatallthoseplaces:bookfanswhodolotsofeverything thathastodowithbooks.Ibuyweird,fuglypirateeditionsofmy favoritebooksinChinabecausethey'reweirdandfuglyandlook

OTHEREDITIONS Myagent,RussellGalen(andhissubagentDannyBaror)didan amazingjobofpresellingrightstoLittleBrotherinmany languagesandformats.Here'sthelistasoftoday(May4,2008). I'llbeupdatingitasmoreeditionsaresold,sofeelfreetograb anothercopyofthisfile (http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download)ifthere'san editionyou'rehopingtosee,orsee http://craphound.com/littlebrother/buy/forlinkstobuyallthe currentlyshippingeditions.

AudiobookfromRandomHouse: http://www.randomhouse.com/audio/littlebrotheraudiobo ok AconditionofmydealwithRandomHouseisthat they'renotallowedtoreleasethisonservicesthatuse "DRM"(DigitalRightsManagement)systemsintended tocontroluseandcopying.Thatmeansthatyouwon't findthisbookonAudibleoriTunes,becauseAudible refusestosellbookswithoutDRM(eveniftheauthor andpublisherdon'twantDRM),andiTunesonlycarries Audibleaudiobooks.However,youcanbuytheMP3file directfromRandomHouseormanyotherfineetailers, orthroughthiswidget: http://www.zipidee.com/zipidAudioPreview.aspx? aid=c5a8e946fd2c4b9ea748f297bba17de8

Myforeignrightsagent,DannyBaror,haspresoldanumberof foreigneditions:

Greece:Pataki Russia:ASTPublishing France:UniversePoche Norway:DetNorskeSamlaget

Nopublicationdatesyetforthese,butI'llkeepupdatingthisfile asmoreinformationisavailable.Youcanalsosubscribetomy mailinglistformoreinfo.

THECOPYRIGHTTHING TheCreativeCommonslicenseatthetopofthisfileprobably tippedyouofftothefactthatI'vegotsomeprettyunorthodox viewsaboutcopyright.Here'swhatIthinkofit,inanutshell:a littlegoesalongway,andmorethanthatistoomuch. Ilikethefactthatcopyrightletsmesellrightstomypublishers andfilmstudiosandsoon.It'snicethattheycan'tjusttakemy stuffwithoutpermissionandgetrichonitwithoutcuttingmein

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/4 greatnexttotheeightornineothereditionsthatIpaidfullfreight forofthesamebooks.Icheckbooksoutofthelibrary,google themwhenIneedaquote,carrydozensaroundonmyphoneand hundredsonmylaptop,andhave(atthiswriting)morethan 10,000oftheminstoragelockersinLondon,LosAngelesand Toronto. IfIcouldloanoutmyphysicalbookswithoutgivingup possessionofthem,Iwould.ThefactthatIcandosowithdigital filesisnotabug,it'safeature,andadamnedfineone.It's embarrassingtoseeallthesewritersandmusiciansandartists bemoaningthefactthatartjustgotthiswickednewfeature:the abilitytobesharedwithoutlosingaccesstoitinthefirstplace. It'slikewatchingrestaurantownerscryingdowntheirshirtsabout thenewfreelunchmachinethat'sfeedingtheworld'sstarving peoplebecauseit'llforcethemtoreconsidertheirbusiness models.Yes,that'sgonnabetricky,butlet'snotlosesightofthe mainattraction:freelunches! Universalaccesstohumanknowledgeisinourgrasp,forthe firsttimeinthehistoryoftheworld.Thisisnotabadthing. longformworksonthosescreensthat'sbecausecomputer literatepeopledomorethingswiththeircomputers.WerunIM andemailandweusethebrowserinamilliondiverseways.We havegamesrunninginthebackground,andendlessopportunities totinkerwithourmusiclibraries.Themoreyoudowithyour computer,themorelikelyitisthatyou'llbeinterruptedafterfive tosevenminutestodosomethingelse.Thatmakesthecomputer extremelypoorlysuitedtoreadinglongformworksoffof,unless youhavetheironselfdisciplineofamonk. Thegoodnews(forwriters)isthatthismeansthatebookson computersaremorelikelytobeanenticementtobuytheprinted book(whichis,afterall,cheap,easilyhad,andeasytouse)thana substituteforit.Youcanprobablyreadjustenoughofthebook offthescreentorealizeyouwanttobereadingitonpaper. Soebookssellprintbooks.EverywriterI'veheardofwho's triedgivingawayebookstopromotepaperbookshascomeback todoitagain.That'sthecommercialcasefordoingfreeebooks.

Incasethat'snotenoughforyou,here'smypitchonwhygiving Now,ontotheartisticcase.It'sthetwentyfirstcentury.Copying awayebooksmakessenseatthistimeandplace: stuffisnever,evergoingtogetanyharderthanitistoday(orifit does,it'llbebecausecivilizationhascollapsed,atwhichpoint Givingawayebooksgivesmeartistic,moralandcommercial we'llhaveotherproblems).Harddrivesaren'tgoingtogetbulkier, satisfaction.Thecommercialquestionistheonethatcomesup moreexpensive,orlesscapacious.Networkswon'tgetsloweror mostoften:howcanyougiveawayfreeebooksandstillmake hardertoaccess.Ifyou'renotmakingartwiththeintentionof money? havingitcopied,you'renotreallymakingartforthetwentyfirst century.There'ssomethingcharmingaboutmakingworkyou Formeforprettymucheverywriterthebigproblemisn't don'twanttobecopied,inthesamewaythatit'snicetogotoa piracy,it'sobscurity(thankstoTimO'Reillyforthisgreat PioneerVillageandseetheoldetimeyblacksmithshoeinga aphorism).Ofallthepeoplewhofailedtobuythisbooktoday, horseathistraditionalforge.Butit'shardly,youknow, themajoritydidsobecausetheyneverheardofit,notbecause contemporary.I'masciencefictionwriter.It'smyjobtowrite someonegavethemafreecopy.Megahitbestsellersinscience aboutthefuture(onagoodday)oratleastthepresent.Artthat's fictionsellhalfamillioncopiesinaworldwhere175,000 notsupposedtobecopiedisfromthepast. attendtheSanDiegoComicConalone,you'vegottofigurethat mostofthepeoplewho"likesciencefiction"(andrelatedgeeky Finally,let'slookatthemoralcase.Copyingstuffisnatural.It's stufflikecomics,games,Linux,andsoon)justdon'treallybuy howwelearn(copyingourparentsandthepeoplearoundus).My books.I'mmoreinterestedingettingmoreofthatwideraudience firststory,writtenwhenIwassix,wasanexcitedretellingofStar intothetentthanmakingsurethateveryonewho'sinthetent Wars,whichI'djustseeninthetheater.NowthattheInternet boughtatickettobethere. theworld'smostefficientcopyingmachineisprettymuch everywhere,ourcopyinginstinctisjustgoingtoplayoutmore Ebooksareverbs,notnouns.Youcopythem,it'sintheirnature. andmore.There'snowayIcanstopmyreaders,andifItried,I'd Andmanyofthosecopieshaveadestination,apersonthey're beahypocrite:whenIwas17,Iwasmakingmixtapes, intendedfor,ahandwroughttransferfromonepersontoanother, photocopyingstories,andgenerallycopyingineverywayIcould embodyingapersonalrecommendationbetweentwopeoplewho imagine.IftheInternethadbeenaroundthen,I'dhavebeenusing trusteachotherenoughtosharebits.That'sthekindofthingthat ittocopyasmuchasIpossiblycould. authors(should)dreamof,theproverbialsealingofthedeal.By makingmybooksavailableforfreepassalong,Imakeiteasyfor There'snowaytostopit,andthepeoplewhotryendupdoing peoplewholovethemtohelpotherpeoplelovethem. moreharmthanpiracyeverdid.Therecordindustry'sridiculous holywaragainstfilesharers(morethan20,000musicfanssued What'smore,Idon'tseeebooksasasubstituteforpaperbooks andcounting!)exemplifiestheabsurdityoftryingtogetthefood formostpeople.It'snotthatthescreensaren'tgoodenough, coloringoutoftheswimmingpool.Ifthechoiceisbetween either:ifyou'reanythinglikeme,youalreadyspendeveryhour allowingcopyingorbeingafrothingbullylashingoutatanything youcangetinfrontofthescreen,readingtext.Butthemore hecanreach,Ichoosetheformer. computerliterateyouare,thelesslikelyyouaretobereading

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/5 QUOTES Arousingtaleoftechnogeekrebellion,asnecessaryand dangerousasfilesharing,freespeech,andbottledwaterona plane. ScottWesterfeld,authorofUGLIESandEXTRAS IcantalkaboutLittleBrotherintermsofitsbravurapolitical speculationoritsbrilliantusesoftechnologyeachofwhich makethisbookamustreadbut,attheendofitall,I'mhaunted bytheuniversalityofMarcus'sriteofpassageandstruggle,an experienceanyteentodayisgoingtograsp:themomentwhen youchoosewhatyourlifewillmeanandhowtoachieveit. StevenCGould,authorofJUMPERandREFLEX

DONATIONSANDAWORDTOTEACHERSAND LIBRARIANS EverytimeIputabookonlineforfree,Igetemailsfromreaders whowanttosendmedonationsforthebook.Iappreciatetheir generousspirit,butI'mnotinterestedincashdonations,because mypublishersarereallyimportanttome.Theycontribute immeasurablytothebook,improvingit,introducingittoan audienceIcouldneverreach,helpingmedomorewithmywork. Ihavenodesiretocutthemoutoftheloop. Buttherehastobesomegoodwaytoturnthatgenerosityto gooduse,andIthinkI'vefoundit.

Here'sthedeal:therearelotsofteachersandlibrarianswho'd lovetogethardcopiesofthisbookintotheirkids'hands,but don'thavethebudgetforit(teachersintheUSspendaround $1,200outofpocketeachonclassroomsuppliesthattheirbudgets I'drecommendLittleBrotheroverprettymuchanybookI'veread won'tstretchtocover,whichiswhyIsponsoraclassroomat IvanhoeElementaryinmyoldneighborhoodinLosAngeles;you thisyear,andI'dwanttogetitintothehandsofasmanysmart13 yearolds,maleandfemale,asIcan. canadoptaclassyourselfhere: http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/). BecauseIthinkit'llchangelives.Becausesomekids,maybe justafew,won'tbethesameafterthey'vereadit.Maybethey'll Therearegenerouspeoplewhowanttosendsomecashmyway changepolitically,maybetechnologically.Maybeit'lljustbethe tothankmeforthefreeebooks. firstbooktheylovedorthatspoketotheirinnergeek.Maybe they'llwanttoargueaboutitanddisagreewithit.Maybethey'll I'mproposingthatweputthemtogether. wanttoopentheircomputerandseewhat'sinthere.Idon'tknow. Ifyou'reateacherorlibrarianandyouwantafreecopyofLittle Itmademewanttobe13againrightnowandreadingitforthe firsttime,andthengooutandmaketheworldbetterorstranger Brother,emailfreelittlebrother@gmail.comwithyournameand orodder.It'sawonderful,importantbook,inawaythatrenders thenameandaddressofyourschool.It'llbepostedto http://craphound.com/littlebrother/donate/bymyfantastichelper, itsflawsprettymuchmeaningless. OlgaNunes,sothatpotentialdonorscanseeit. NeilGaiman,authorofANANSIBOYS IfyouenjoyedtheelectroniceditionofLittleBrotherandyou wanttodonatesomethingtosaythanks,goto http://craphound.com/littlebrother/donate/andfindateacheror librarianyouwanttosupport.ThengotoAmazon,BN.com,or yourfavoriteelectronicbooksellerandorderacopytothe classroom,thenemailacopyofthereceipt(feelfreetodelete youraddressandotherpersonalinfofirst!)to freelittlebrother@gmail.comsothatOlgacanmarkthatcopyas sent.Ifyoudon'twanttobepubliclyacknowledgedforyour generosity,letusknowandwe'llkeepyouanonymous,otherwise we'llthankyouonthedonatepage. LittleBrotherisascarilyrealisticadventureabouthowhomeland securitytechnologycouldbeabusedtowrongfullyimprison innocentAmericans.Ateenagehackerturnedheropitshimself againstthegovernmenttofightforhisbasicfreedoms.Thisbook isactionpackedwithtalesofcourage,technology,and demonstrationsofdigitaldisobedienceasthetechnophile'scivil protest." BunnieHuang,authorofHACKINGTHEXBOX

Ihavenoideaifthiswillendupwithhundreds,dozensorjusta CoryDoctorowisafastandfuriousstorytellerwhogetsallthe fewcopiesgoingoutbutIhavehighhopes! detailsofalternaterealitygamingright,whileofferinga startling,newvisionofhowthesegamesmightplayoutinthe highstakescontextofaterroristattack.LittleBrotherisa DEDICATION brilliantnovelwithaboldargument:hackersandgamersmight justbeourcountry'sbesthopeforthefuture. ForAlice,whomakesmewhole JaneMcGonical,Designer,ILoveBees

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/6 myhands,andchangedmylifeforever.BythetimeIwas18,Iwas workingatBakkaItookoverfromTanyawhensheretiredto writefulltimeandIlearnedlifelonglessonsabouthowand whypeoplebuybooks.Ithinkeverywritershouldworkata JohnScalzi,authorofOLDMAN'SWAR bookstore(andplentyofwritershaveworkedatBakkaoverthe years!Forthe30thanniversaryofthestore,theyputtogetheran anthologyofstoriesbyBakkawritersthatincludedworkby MichelleSagara(AKAMichelleWest),TanyaHuff,Nalo It'saboutgrowingupinthenearfuturewherethingshavekept goingonthewaythey'vebeengoing,andit'sabouthackingasa Hopkinson,TaraTallanandme!) habitofmind,butmostlyit'saboutgrowingupandchangingand lookingattheworldandaskingwhatyoucandoaboutthat.The BakkaPhoenixBooks:http://www.bakkaphoenixbooks.com/697 QueenStreetWest,TorontoONCanadaM6J1E6,+1416963 teenagevoiceispitchperfect.Icouldn'tputitdown,andIloved 9993 it. Therightbookattherighttimefromtherightauthorand,not entirelycoincidentally,CoryDoctorow'sbestnovelyet. JoWalton,authorofFARTHING I'masenioratCesarChavezhighinSanFrancisco'ssunny Missiondistrict,andthatmakesmeoneofthemostsurveilled peopleintheworld.MynameisMarcusYallow,butbackwhen thisstorystarts,Iwasgoingbyw1n5t0n.Pronounced"Winston." AworthyyoungersiblingtoOrwell's1984,CoryDoctorow's Notpronounced"Doubleyouoneennfiveteezeroenn" LITTLEBROTHERislively,precocious,andmostimportantly,a unlessyou'reacluelessdisciplinaryofficerwho'sfarenough littlescary. behindthecurvethatyoustillcalltheInternet"theinformation BrianKVaughn,authorofY:THELASTMAN superhighway." "LittleBrother"soundsanoptimisticwarning.Itextrapolates fromcurrenteventstoremindusoftheevergrowingthreatsto liberty.Butitalsonotesthatlibertyultimatelyresidesinour individualattitudesandactions.Inourincreasingly authoritarianworld,Iespeciallyhopethatteenagersandyoung adultswillreaditandthenpersuadetheirpeers,parentsand teacherstofollowsuit. Iknowjustsuchacluelessperson,andhisnameisFred Benson,oneofthreeviceprincipalsatCesarChavez.He'sa suckingchestwoundofahumanbeing.Butifyou'regoingto haveajailer,betteracluelessonethanonewho'sreallyonthe ball.

"MarcusYallow,"hesaidoverthePAoneFridaymorning.The PAisn'tverygoodtobeginwith,andwhenyoucombinethatwith Benson'shabitualmumble,yougetsomethingthatsoundsmore DanGillmor,authorofWE,THEMEDIA likesomeonestrugglingtodigestabadburritothanaschool announcement.Buthumanbeingsaregoodatpickingtheirnames outofaudioconfusionit'sasurvivaltrait. ABOUTTHEBOOKSTOREDEDICATIONS IgrabbedmybagandfoldedmylaptopthreequartersshutI didn'twanttoblowmydownloadsandgotreadyforthe Everychapterofthisfilehasbeendedicatedtoadifferent inevitable. bookstore,andineachcase,it'sastorethatIlove,astorethat's helpedmediscoverbooksthatopenedmymind,astorethat's "Reporttotheadministrationofficeimmediately." helpedmycareeralong.Thestoresdidn'tpaymeanythingforthis Ihaven'teventoldthemaboutitbutitseemsliketheright Mysocialstudiesteacher,MsGalvez,rolledhereyesatmeand thingtodo.Afterall,I'mhopingthatyou'llreadthisebookand decidetobuythepaperbook,soitonlymakessensetosuggesta Irolledmyeyesbackather.TheManwasalwayscomingdown onme,justbecauseIgothroughschoolfirewallslikewet fewplacesyoucanpickitup! kleenex,spoofthegaitrecognitionsoftware,andnukethesnitch chipstheytrackuswith.Galvezisagoodtype,anyway,never holdsthatagainstme(especiallywhenI'mhelpinggetwithher Chapter1 webmailsoshecantalktoherbrotherwho'sstationedinIraq). ThischapterisdedicatedtoBakkaPhoenixBooksinToronto, Canada.Bakkaistheoldestsciencefictionbookstoreinthe world,anditmademethemutantIamtoday.Iwanderedinfor thefirsttimearoundtheageof10andaskedforsome recommendations.TanyaHuff(yes,theTanyaHuff,butshe wasn'tafamouswriterbackthen!)tookmebackintotheused sectionandpressedacopyofH.BeamPiper's"LittleFuzzy"into MyboyDarrylgavemeasmackontheassasIwalkedpast. I'veknownDarrylsincewewerestillindiapersandescaping fromplayschool,andI'vebeengettinghimintoandoutof troublethewholetime.Iraisedmyarmsovermyheadlikea prizefighterandmademyexitfromSocialStudiesandbeganthe perpwalktotheoffice.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/7

Iwashalfwaytherewhenmyphonewent.Thatwasanotherno nophonesaremuyprohibidoatChavezHighbutwhyshould thatstopme?Iduckedintothetoiletandshutmyselfinthe middlestall(thefurtheststallisalwaysgrossestbecausesomany peopleheadstraightforit,hopingtoescapethesmellandthe squickthesmartmoneyandgoodhygieneisdownthemiddle). IcheckedthephonemyhomePChadsentitanemailtotellit thattherewassomethingnewuponHarajukuFunMadness, whichhappenstobethebestgameeverinvented.

Heshookhisheadatmeandlookeddown,anothertell.Any secondnow,hewasgoingtostartshoutingatme."Listen,kiddo! It'stimeyoucametogripswiththefactthatweknowaboutwhat you'vebeendoing,andthatwe'renotgoingtobelenientaboutit. You'regoingtobeluckyifyou'renotexpelledbeforethismeeting isthrough.Doyouwanttograduate?" "MrBenson,youstillhaven'texplainedwhattheproblemis"

Heslammedhishanddownonthedeskandthenpointedhis Igrinned.SpendingFridaysatschoolwastehsuckanyway,and fingeratme."Theproblem,MrYallow,isthatyou'vebeen Iwasgladoftheexcusetomakemyescape. engagedincriminalconspiracytosubvertthisschool'ssecurity system,andyouhavesuppliedsecuritycountermeasurestoyour IambledtherestofthewaytoBenson'sofficeandtossedhima fellowstudents.YouknowthatweexpelledGraciellaUriartelast waveasIsailedthroughthedoor. weekforusingoneofyourdevices."Uriartehadgottenabadrap. She'dboughtaradiojammerfromaheadshopnearthe16th "Ifitisn'tDoubleyouoneennfiveteezeroenn,"hesaid. StreetBARTstationandithadsetoffthecountermeasuresinthe FredrickBensonSocialSecuritynumber545032343,dateof schoolhallway.Notmydoing,butIfeltforher. birthAugust151962,mother'smaidennameDiBona,hometown Petalumaisalottallerthanme.I'marunty5'8",whilehe "AndyouthinkI'minvolvedinthat?" stands6'7",andhiscollegebasketballdaysarefarenoughbehind himthathischestmuscleshaveturnedintosaggymanboobsthat "Wehavereliableintelligenceindicatingthatyouarew1n5t0n" werepainfullyobviousthroughhisfreebiedotcompoloshirts. again,hespelleditout,andIbegantowonderifhehadn't Healwayslookslikehe'sabouttoslamdunkyourass,andhe's figuredoutthatthe1wasanIandthe5wasanS."Weknowthat reallyintoraisinghisvoicefordramaticeffect.Boththesestartto thisw1n5t0ncharacterisresponsibleforthetheftoflastyear's losetheirefficacywithrepeatedapplication. standardizedtests."Thatactuallyhadn'tbeenme,butitwasa sweethack,anditwaskindofflatteringtohearitattributedto "Sorry,nope,"Isaid."IneverheardofthisR2D2characterof me."Andthereforeliableforseveralyearsinprisonunlessyou yours." cooperatewithme." "W1n5t0n,"hesaid,spellingitoutagain.Hegavemeahairy "Youhave'reliableintelligence'?I'dliketoseeit." eyeballandwaitedformetowilt.Ofcourseitwasmyhandle,and hadbeenforyears.ItwastheidentityIusedwhenIwasposting Hegloweredatme."Yourattitudeisn'tgoingtohelpyou." onmessageboardswhereIwasmakingmycontributionstothe fieldofappliedsecurityresearch.Youknow,likesneakingoutof "Ifthere'sevidence,sir,Ithinkyoushouldcallthepoliceand schoolanddisablingthemindertraceronmyphone.Buthedidn't turnitovertothem.Itsoundslikethisisaveryseriousmatter, knowthatthiswasmyhandle.Onlyasmallnumberofpeopledid, andIwouldn'twanttostandinthewayofaproperinvestigation andItrustedthemalltotheendoftheearth. bythedulyconstitutedauthorities." "Um,notringinganybells,"Isaid.I'ddonesomeprettycool stuffaroundschoolusingthathandleIwasveryproudofmy workonsnitchtagkillersandifhecouldlinkthetwoidentities, I'dbeintrouble.Nooneatschoolevercalledmew1n5t0noreven Winston.Notevenmypals.ItwasMarcusornothing. "Youwantmetocallthepolice." "Andmyparents,Ithink.Thatwouldbeforthebest."

Westaredateachotheracrossthedesk.He'dclearlyexpected metofoldthesecondhedroppedthebombonme.Idon'tfold.I Bensonsettleddownbehindhisdeskandtappedhisclassring haveatrickforstaringdownpeoplelikeBenson.Ilookslightlyto nervouslyonhisblotter.Hedidthiswheneverthingsstartedtogo theleftoftheirheads,andthinkaboutthelyricstooldIrishfolk badforhim.Pokerplayerscallstufflikethisa"tell"something songs,thekindswiththreehundredverses.Itmakesmelook thatletyouknowwhatwasgoingonintheotherguy'shead.I perfectlycomposedandunworried. knewBenson'stellsbackwardsandforwards. Andthewingwasonthebirdandthebirdwasontheeggand theeggwasinthenestandthenestwasontheleafandtheleaf "Marcus,Ihopeyourealizehowseriousthisis." wasonthetwigandthetwigwasonthebranchandthebranch "Iwilljustassoonasyouexplainwhatthisis,sir."Ialwayssay wasonthelimbandthelimbwasinthetreeandthetreewasin thebogthebogdowninthevalleyoh!Highhotherattlin'bog, "sir"toauthorityfigureswhenI'mmessingwiththem.It'smy thebogdowninthevalleyoh owntell.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/8 IfiredupIMParanoid,thesecretinstantmessengerthatIused whenIwantedtohaveanofftherecorddiscussionrightinthe middleofclass.Darrylwasalreadyloggedin. > The game's afoot! Something big is going down with Harajuku Fun Madness, dude. You in? > No. Freaking. Way. If I get caught ditching a third time, I'm expelled. Man, you know that. We'll go after school. > You've got lunch and then study-hall, right? That's two hours. Plenty of time to run down this clue and get back before anyone misses us. I'll get the whole team out.

"Youcanreturntoclassnow,"hesaid."I'llcallonyouoncethe policearereadytospeaktoyou." "Areyougoingtocallthemnow?" "Theprocedureforcallinginthepoliceiscomplicated.I'd hopedthatwecouldsettlethisfairlyandquickly,butsinceyou insist" "Icanwaitwhileyoucallthemisall,"Isaid."Idon'tmind." HetappedhisringagainandIbracedfortheblast. "Go!"heyelled."Getthehelloutofmyoffice,youmiserable little"

Igotout,keepingmyexpressionneutral.Hewasn'tgoingtocall thecops.Ifhe'dhadenoughevidencetogotothepolicewith,he HarajukuFunMadnessisthebestgameevermade.IknowI wouldhavecalledtheminthefirstplace.Hehatedmyguts.I alreadysaidthat,butitbearsrepeating.It'sanARG,anAlternate figuredhe'dheardsomeunverifiedgossipandhopedtospookme RealityGame,andthestorygoesthatagangofJapanesefashion intoconfirmingit. teensdiscoveredamiraculoushealinggematthetemplein Harajuku,whichisbasicallywherecoolJapaneseteenagers Imoveddownthecorridorlightlyandsprightly,keepingmy inventedeverymajorsubcultureforthepasttenyears.They're gaitevenandmeasuredforthegaitrecognitioncameras.These beinghuntedbyevilmonks,theYakuza(AKAtheJapanese hadbeeninstalledonlyayearbefore,andIlovedthemfortheir mafia),aliens,taxinspectors,parents,andarogueartificial sheeridiocy.Beforehand,we'dhadfacerecognitioncameras intelligence.Theysliptheplayerscodedmessagesthatwehaveto coveringnearlyeverypublicspaceinschool,butacourtruled decodeandusetotrackdowncluesthatleadtomorecoded thatwasunconstitutional.SoBensonandalotofotherparanoid messagesandmoreclues. schooladministratorshadspentourtextbookdollarsontheseidiot camerasthatweresupposedtobeabletotelloneperson'swalk Imaginethebestafternoonyou'veeverspentprowlingthe fromanother.Yeah,right. streetsofacity,checkingoutalltheweirdpeople,funnyhand bills,streetmaniacs,andfunkyshops.Nowaddascavengerhunt Igotbacktoclassandsatdownagain,MsGalvezwarmly tothat,onethatrequiresyoutoresearchcrazyoldfilmsandsongs welcomingmeback.Iunpackedtheschool'sstandardissue andteenculturefromaroundtheworldandacrosstimeandspace. machineandgotbackintoclassroommode.TheSchoolBooks Andit'sacompetition,withthewinningteamoffourtakinga werethesnitchiesttechnologyofthemall,loggingevery grandprizeoftendaysinTokyo,chillingonHarajukubridge, keystroke,watchingallthenetworktrafficforsuspicious geekingoutinAkihabara,andtakinghomealltheAstroBoy keywords,countingeveryclick,keepingtrackofeveryfleeting merchandiseyoucaneat.Exceptthathe'scalled"AtomBoy"in thoughtyouputoutoverthenet.We'dgottentheminmyjunior Japan. year,anditonlytookacouplemonthsfortheshininesstowear off.Oncepeoplefiguredoutthatthese"free"laptopsworkedfor That'sHarajukuFunMadness,andonceyou'vesolvedapuzzle themanandshowedaneverendingparadeofobnoxiousadsto ortwo,you'llneverlookback. boottheysuddenlystartedtofeelveryheavyandburdensome. CrackingmySchoolBookhadbeeneasy.Thecrackwasonline withinamonthofthemachineshowingup,andtherewasnothing toitjustdownloadaDVDimage,burnit,stickitinthe SchoolBook,andbootitwhileholdingdownabunchofdifferent keysatthesametime.TheDVDdidtherest,installingawhole bunchofhiddenprogramsonthemachine,programsthatwould stayhiddenevenwhentheBoardofEddiditsdailyremote integritychecksofthemachines.EverynowandagainIhadto getanupdateforthesoftwaretogetaroundtheBoard'slatest tests,butitwasasmallpricetopaytogetalittlecontroloverthe box. > No man, just no. NO. Don't even ask. > I need you D. You're the best I've got. I swear I'll get us in and out without anyone knowing it. You know I can do that, right? > I know you can do it > So you're in? > Hell no

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/9 > Come on, Darryl. You're not going to your deathbed wishing you'd spent more study periods sitting in school > I'm not going to go to my deathbed wishing I'd spent more time playing ARGs either > Yeah but don't you think you might go to your death-bed wishing you'd spent more time with Vanessa Pak? Van was part of my team. She went to a private girl's school in the East Bay, but I knew she'd ditch to come out and run the mission with me. Darryl has had a crush on her literally for years -- even before puberty endowed her with many lavish gifts. Darryl had fallen in love with her mind. Sad, really. > You suck > You're coming? Helookedatmeandshookhishead.Thenhenodded.Iwinked athimandsettoworkgettingintouchwiththerestofmyteam. # Iwasn'talwaysintoARGing.Ihaveadarksecret:Iusedtobea LARPer.LARPingisLiveActionRolePlaying,andit'sjustabout whatitsoundslike:runningaroundincostume,talkinginafunny accent,pretendingtobeasuperspyoravampireoramedieval knight.It'slikeCapturetheFlaginmonsterdrag,withabitof DramaClubthrownin,andthebestgamesweretheoneswe playedinScoutCampsoutoftowninSonomaordownonthe Peninsula.Thosethreedayepicscouldgetprettyhairy,withall dayhikes,epicbattleswithfoamandbambooswords,casting spellsbythrowingbeanbagsandshouting"Fireball!"andsoon. Goodfun,ifalittlegoofy.Notnearlyasgeekyastalkingabout whatyourelfplannedondoingasyousataroundatableloaded withDietCokecansandpaintedminiatures,andmorephysically activethangoingintoamousecomainfrontofamassively multiplayergameathome.

Let'sjustleaveitatthat,OK? # Classendedintenminutes,andthatdidn'tleavemewithmuch timetoprepare.Thefirstorderofbusinesswerethosepeskygait recognitioncameras.LikeIsaid,they'dstartedoutasface recognitioncameras,butthosehadbeenruledunconstitutional. AsfarasIknow,nocourthasyetdeterminedwhetherthesegait camsareanymorelegal,butuntiltheydo,we'restuckwiththem. "Gait"isafancywordforthewayyouwalk.Peoplearepretty goodatspottinggaitsnexttimeyou'reonacampingtrip,check outthebobbingoftheflashlightasadistantfriendapproaches you.Chancesareyoucanidentifyhimjustfromthemovementof thelight,thecharacteristicwayitbobsupanddownthattellsour monkeybrainsthatthisisapersonapproachingus. Gaitrecognitionsoftwaretakespicturesofyourmotion,triesto isolateyouinthepicsasasilhouette,andthentriestomatchthe silhouettetoadatabasetoseeifitknowswhoyouare.It'sa biometricidentifier,likefingerprintsorretinascans,butit'sgota lotmore"collisions"thaneitherofthose.Abiometric"collision" iswhenameasurementmatchesmorethanoneperson.Onlyyou haveyourfingerprint,butyoushareyourgaitwithplentyother people. Notexactly,ofcourse.Yourpersonal,inchbyinchwalkis yoursandyoursalone.Theproblemisyourinchbyinchwalk changesbasedonhowtiredyouare,whatthefloorismadeof, whetheryoupulledyourankleplayingbasketball,andwhether you'vechangedyourshoeslately.Sothesystemkindoffuzzes outyourprofile,lookingforpeoplewhowalkkindoflikeyou. Therearealotofpeoplewhowalkkindoflikeyou.What's more,it'seasynottowalkkindoflikeyoujusttakeoneshoe off.Ofcourse,you'llalwayswalklikeyouwithoneshoeoffin thatcase,sothecameraswilleventuallyfigureoutthatit'sstill you.WhichiswhyIprefertoinjectalittlerandomnessintomy attacksongaitrecognition:Iputahandfulofgravelintoeach shoe.Cheapandeffective,andnotwostepsarethesame.Plus yougetagreatreflexologyfootmassageintheprocess(Ikid. Reflexologyisaboutasscientificallyusefulasgaitrecognition).

Thethingthatgotmeintotroubleweretheminigamesinthe hotels.Wheneverasciencefictionconventioncametotown,some LARPerwouldconvincethemtoletusrunacoupleofsixhour Thecamerasusedtosetoffanalerteverytimesomeonethey minigamesatthecon,piggybackingontheirrentalofthespace. didn'trecognizesteppedontocampus. Havingabunchofenthusiastickidsrunningaroundincostume lentcolortotheevent,andwegottohaveaballamongpeople Thisdidnotwork. evenmoresociallydeviantthanus.

Thealarmwentoffeverytenminutes.Whenthemailmancame Theproblemwithhotelsisthattheyhavealotofnongamersin by.Whenaparentdroppedin.Whenthegroundspeoplewentto them,tooandnotjustscifipeople.Normalpeople.Fromstates workfixingupthebasketballcourt.Whenastudentshowedup thatbeginandendwithvowels.Onholidays. wearingnewshoes. Andsometimesthosepeoplemisunderstandthenatureofa game. Sonowitjusttriestokeeptrackofwho'swhereandwhen.If someoneleavesbytheschoolgatesduringclasses,theirgaitis

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/10 checkedtoseeifitkindasortamatchesanystudentgaitandifit does,whoopwhoopwhoop,ringthealarm! ChavezHighisringedwithgravelwalkways.Iliketokeepa couplehandsfulofrocksinmyshoulderbag,justincase.I silentlypassedDarryltenorfifteenpointylittlebastardsandwe bothloadedourshoes. addresseswearen'tallowedtovisit,andtheaddressesofthe nodeschangeallthetimenowaycouldtheschoolkeeptrackof themall.FirefoxandTORtogethermademeintotheinvisible man,impervioustoBoardofEdsnooping,freetocheckoutthe HarajukuFMsiteandseewhatwasup.

Thereitwas,anewclue.LikeallHarajukuFunMadnessclues, ithadaphysical,onlineandmentalcomponent.Theonline ClasswasabouttofinishupandIrealizedthatIstillhadn't componentwasapuzzleyouhadtosolve,onethatrequiredyouto checkedtheHarajukuFunMadnesssitetoseewherethenextclue researchtheanswerstoabunchofobscurequestions.Thisbatch was!I'dbeenalittlehyperfocusedontheescape,andhadn't includedabunchofquestionsontheplotsindojinshithoseare botheredtofigureoutwherewewereescapingto. comicbooksdrawnbyfansofmanga,Japanesecomics.Theycan beasbigastheofficialcomicsthatinspirethem,butthey'realot IturnedtomySchoolBookandhitthekeyboard.Theweb weirder,withcrossoverstorylinesandsometimesreallysilly browserweusedwassuppliedwiththemachine.Itwasalocked songsandaction.Lotsoflovestories,ofcourse.Everyoneloves downspywareversionofInternetExplorer,Microsoft'scrashware toseetheirfavoritetoonshookup. turdthatnooneundertheageof40usedvoluntarily. I'dhavetosolvethoseriddleslater,whenIgothome.Theywere IhadacopyofFirefoxontheUSBdrivebuiltintomywatch, easiesttosolvewiththewholeteam,downloadingtonsof butthatwasn'tenoughtheSchoolBookranWindows dojinshifilesandscouringthemforanswerstothepuzzles. Vista4Schools,anantiqueoperatingsystemdesignedtogive schooladministratorstheillusionthattheycontrolledthe I'djustfinishedscrapbookingalltheclueswhenthebellrang programstheirstudentscouldrun. andwebeganourescape.Isurreptitiouslyslidthegraveldown thesideofmyshortbootsanklehighBlundstonesfrom ButVista4Schoolsisitsownworstenemy.Therearealotof Australia,greatforrunningandclimbing,andtheeasyslip programsthatVista4Schoolsdoesn'twantyoutobeabletoshut on/slipofflacelessdesignmakesthemconvenientatthenever downkeyloggers,censorwareandtheseprogramsrunina endingmetaldetectorsthatareeverywherenow. specialmodethatmakestheminvisibletothesystem.Youcan't quitthembecauseyoucan'tevenseethey'rethere. Wealsohadtoevadephysicalsurveillance,ofcourse,butthat getseasiereverytimetheyaddanewlayerofphysicalsnoopery Anyprogramwhosenamestartswith$SYS$isinvisibletothe allthebellsandwhistleslullourbelovedfacultyintoatotally operatingsystem.Itdoesn'tshowuponlistingsoftheharddrive, falsesenseofsecurity.Wesurfedthecrowddownthehallways, norintheprocessmonitor.SomycopyofFirefoxwascalled headingformyfavoritesideexit.Wewerehalfwayalongwhen $SYS$FirefoxandasIlaunchedit,itbecameinvisibleto Darrylhissed,"Crap!Iforgot,I'vegotalibrarybookinmybag." Windows,andsoinvisibletothenetwork'ssnoopware. "You'rekiddingme,"Isaid,andhauledhimintothenext NowIhadanindiebrowserrunning,Ineededanindienetwork bathroomwepassed.Librarybooksarebadnews.Everyoneof connection.Theschool'snetworkloggedeveryclickinandoutof themhasanarphidRadioFrequencyIDtaggluedintoits thesystem,whichwasbadnewsifyouwereplanningonsurfing binding,whichmakesitpossibleforthelibrarianstocheckout overtotheHarajukuFunMadnesssiteforsomeextracurricular thebooksbywavingthemoverareader,andletsalibraryshelf fun. tellyouifanyofthebooksonitareoutofplace. TheanswerissomethingingeniouscalledTORTheOnion Router.AnonionrouterisanInternetsitethattakesrequestsfor webpagesandpassesthemontootheronionrouters,andonto otheronionrouters,untiloneofthemfinallydecidestofetchthe pageandpassitbackthroughthelayersoftheonionuntilit reachesyou.Thetraffictotheonionroutersisencrypted,which meansthattheschoolcan'tseewhatyou'reaskingfor,andthe layersoftheoniondon'tknowwhothey'reworkingfor.Thereare millionsofnodestheprogramwassetupbytheUSOfficeof NavalResearchtohelptheirpeoplegetaroundthecensorwarein countrieslikeSyriaandChina,whichmeansthatit'sperfectly designedforoperatingintheconfinesofanaverageAmerican highschool. TORworksbecausetheschoolhasafiniteblacklistofnaughty Butitalsoletstheschooltrackwhereyouareatalltimes.Itwas anotherofthoselegalloopholes:thecourtswouldn'tletthe schoolstrackuswitharphids,buttheycouldtracklibrarybooks, andusetheschoolrecordstotellthemwhowaslikelytobe carryingwhichlibrarybook. IhadalittleFaradaypouchinmybagthesearelittlewallets linedwithameshofcopperwiresthateffectivelyblockradio energy,silencingarphids.Butthepouchesweremadefor neutralizingIDcardsandtollboothtransponders,notbookslike "IntroductiontoPhysics?"Igroaned.Thebookwasthesizeofa dictionary.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/11 Allweneededwasamicrowave. "Giveitanothertwominutesandtheteacher'sloungewillbe empty,"Isaid. Darrylgrabbedhisbookatheadedforthedoor."Forgetit,no way.I'mgoingtoclass." Isnaggedhiselbowanddraggedhimback."Comeon,D,easy now.It'llbefine." "Theteacher'slounge?Maybeyouweren'tlistening,Marcus.If Igetbustedjustoncemore,Iamexpelled.Youhearthat? Expelled." "Youwon'tgetcaught,"Isaid.Theoneplaceateacherwouldn't beafterthisperiodwasthelounge."We'llgointhebackway." Theloungehadalittlekitchenetteofftooneside,withitsown entranceforteacherswhojustwantedtopopinandgetacupof joe.Themicrowavewhichalwaysreekedofpopcornandspilled soupwasrightinthere,ontopoftheminiaturefridge. Darrylgroaned.Ithoughtfast."Look,thebell'salreadyrung.if yougotostudyhallnow,you'llgetalateslip.Betternottoshow atallatthispoint.Icaninfiltrateandexfiltrateanyroomonthis campus,D.You'veseenmedoit.I'llkeepyousafe,bro." Hegroanedagain.ThatwasoneofDarryl'stells:oncehestarts groaning,he'sreadytogivein. "Let'sroll,"Isaid,andwetookoff. Itwasflawless.Weskirtedtheclassrooms,tookthebackstairs intothebasement,andcameupthefrontstairsrightinfrontof theteachers'lounge.Notasoundcamefromthedoor,andI quietlyturnedtheknobanddraggedDarrylinbeforesilently closingthedoor. Thebookjustbarelyfitinthemicrowave,whichwaslooking evenlesssanitarythanithadthelasttimeI'dpoppedinhereto useit.IconscientiouslywrappeditinpapertowelsbeforeIsetit down."Man,teachersarepigs,"Ihissed.Darryl,whitefacedand tense,saidnothing. Thearphiddiedinashowerofsparks,whichwasreallyquite lovely(thoughnotnearlyasprettyastheeffectyougetwhenyou nukeafrozengrape,whichhastobeseentobebelieved). Now,toexfiltratethecampusinperfectanonymityandmake ourescape.

Chapter2 ThischapterisdedicatedtoAmazon.com,thelargestInternet booksellerintheworld.Amazonisamazinga"store"where youcangetpracticallyanybookeverpublished(alongwith practicallyeverythingelse,fromlaptopstocheesegraters),where they'veelevatedrecommendationstoahighart,wheretheyallow customerstodirectlycommunicatewitheachother,wherethey areconstantlyinventingnewandbetterwaysofconnectingbooks withreaders.Amazonhasalwaystreatedmelikegoldthe founder,JeffBezos,evenpostedareaderreviewformyfirst novel!andIshoptherelikecrazy(lookingatmyspreadsheets, itappearsthatIbuysomethingfromAmazonapproximatelyevery sixdays).Amazon'sintheprocessofreinventingwhatitmeansto beabookstoreinthetwentyfirstcenturyandIcan'tthinkofa bettergroupofpeopletobefacingdownthatthornysetof problems. Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0765319853/downand outint20 "I'mthinkingofmajoringinphysicswhenIgotoBerkeley," Darrylsaid.HisdadtaughtattheUniversityofCaliforniaat Berkeley,whichmeanthe'dgetfreetuitionwhenhewent.And there'dneverbeenanyquestioninDarryl'shouseholdabout whetherhe'dgo. "Fine,butcouldn'tyouresearchitonline?" "MydadsaidIshouldreadit.Besides,Ididn'tplanon committinganycrimestoday." "Skippingschoolisn'tacrime.It'saninfraction.They'retotally different." "Whatarewegoingtodo,Marcus?" "Well,Ican'thideit,soI'mgoingtohavetonukeit."Killing arphidsisadarkart.Nomerchantwantsmaliciouscustomers goingforawalkaroundtheshopfloorandleavingbehinda bunchoflobotomizedmerchandisethatismissingitsinvisible barcode,sothemanufacturershaverefusedtoimplementa"kill signal"thatyoucanradiotoanarphidtogetittoswitchoff.You canreprogramarphidswiththerightbox,butIhatedoingthatto librarybooks.It'snotexactlytearingpagesoutofabook,butit's stillbad,sinceabookwithareprogrammedarphidcan'tbe shelvedandcan'tbefound.Itjustbecomesaneedleinahaystack.

Thatleftmewithonlyoneoption:nukingthething.Literally. Darrylopenedthedoorandbegantomoveout,meonhisheels. 30secondsinamicrowavewilldoinprettymucheveryarphidon Asecondlater,hewasstandingonmytoes,elbowsjammedinto themarket.Andbecausethearphidwouldn'tansweratallwhenD checkeditbackinatthelibrary,they'djustprintafreshoneforit mychest,ashetriedtobackpedalintotheclosetsizedkitchen we'djustleft. andrecodeitwiththebook'scataloginfo,anditwouldendup cleanandneatbackonitsshelf. "Getback,"hewhisperedurgently."Quickit'sCharles!"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/12 eachofthemsendatextmessageorvoiceoverIPcallto Charles'sphone,whosenumberI'dextractedfromastickynoteon Benson'sdeskduringonefatefulofficevisit. Needlesstosay,Charles'sphonewasnotequippedtohandle this.FirsttheSMSesfilledthememoryonhisphone,causingit tostartchokingontheroutineoperationsitneededtodothings likemanagetheringerandlogallthoseincomingcalls'bogus returnnumbers(didyouknowthatit'sreallyeasytofakethe returnnumberonacallerID?Thereareaboutfiftywaysofdoing itjustgoogle"spoofcallerid"). Charlesstaredatitdumbfounded,andjabbedatitfuriously,his thickeyebrowsknottingandwigglingashestruggledwiththe demonsthathadpossessedhismostpersonalofdevices.Theplan wasworkingsofar,buthewasn'tdoingwhathewassupposedto bedoingnexthewassupposedtogofindsomeplacetosit downandtrytofigureouthowtogethisphoneback. Darrylshookmebytheshoulder,andIpulledmyeyeaway fromthecrackinthedoor. "What'shedoing?"Darrylwhispered. "Itotaledhisphone,buthe'sjuststaringatitnowinsteadof movingon."Itwasn'tgoingtobeeasytorebootthatthing.Once thememorywastotallyfilled,itwouldhaveahardtimeloading thecodeitneededtodeletethebogusmessagesandtherewas nobulkerasefortextsonhisphone,sohe'dhavetomanually deleteallofthethousandsofmessages. Darrylshovedmebackandstuckhiseyeuptothedoor.A momentlater,hisshouldersstartedtoshake.Igotscared,thinking hewaspanicking,butwhenhepulledback,Isawthathewas laughingsohardthattearswerestreamingdownhischeeks. "Galvezjusttotallybustedhimforbeinginthehallsduring classandforhavinghisphoneoutyoushouldhaveseenher tearintohim.Shewasreallyenjoyingit." Weshookhandssolemnlyandsnuckbackoutofthecorridor, downthestairs,aroundtheback,outthedoor,pastthefenceand outintotheglorioussunlightofafternoonintheMission. ValenciaStreethadneverlookedsogood.Icheckedmywatch andyelped. "Let'smove!Therestofthegangismeetingusatthecablecars intwentyminutes!"

CharlesWalkerandIdon'tgetalong.We'reinthesamegrade, andwe'veknowneachotheraslongasI'veknownDarryl,but that'swheretheresemblanceends.Charleshasalwaysbeenbig forhisage,andnowthathe'splayingfootballandonthejuice, he'sevenbigger.He'sgotangermanagementproblemsIlosta milktoothtohiminthethirdgradeandhe'smanagedtokeep fromgettingintroubleoverthembybecomingthemostactive snitchinschool. It'sabadcombination,abullywhoalsosnitches,takinggreat pleasureingoingtotheteacherswithwhateverinfractionshe's found.BensonlovedCharles.Charleslikedtoletonthathehad somekindofunspecifiedbladderproblem,whichgavehima readymadeexcusetoprowlthehallwaysatChavez,lookingfor peopletofinkon. ThelasttimeCharleshadcaughtsomedirtonme,ithadended withmegivingupLARPing.Ihadnointentionofbeingcaught byhimagain. "What'shedoing?" "He'scomingthiswayiswhathe'sdoing,"Darrylsaid.Hewas shaking. "OK,"Isaid."OK,timeforemergencycountermeasures."Igot myphoneout.I'dplannedthiswellinadvance.Charleswould nevergetmeagain.Iemailedmyserverathome,anditgotinto motion. Afewsecondslater,Charles'sphonespazzedoutspectacularly. I'dhadtensofthousandsofsimultaneousrandomcallsandtext messagessenttoit,causingeverychirpandringithadtogooff andkeepongoingoff.Theattackwasaccomplishedbymeansof abotnet,andforthatIfeltbad,butitwasintheserviceofagood cause. Botnetsarewhereinfectedcomputersspendtheirafterlives. Whenyougetawormoravirus,yourcomputersendsamessage toachatchannelonIRCtheInternetRelayChat.Thatmessage tellsthebotmastertheguywhodeployedthewormthatthe computersaretherereadytodohisbidding.Botnetsare supremelypowerful,sincetheycancomprisethousands,even hundredsofthousandsofcomputers,scatteredalloverthe Internet,connectedtojuicyhighspeedconnectionsandrunning onfasthomePCs.ThosePCsnormallyfunctiononbehalfoftheir owners,butwhenthebotmastercallsthem,theyriselikezombies todohisbidding.

# TherearesomanyinfectedPCsontheInternetthatthepriceof hiringanhourortwoonabotnethascrashed.Mostlythesethings Vanspottedusfirst.Shewasblendinginwithagroupof workforspammersascheap,distributedspambots,fillingyour Koreantourists,whichisoneofherfavoritewaysof mailboxwithcomeonsforbonerpillsorwithnewvirusesthat camouflagingherselfwhenshe'sditchingschool.Eversincethe caninfectyouandrecruityourmachinetojointhebotnet. truancymoblogwentlive,ourworldisfullofnosyshopkeepers andpecksniffswhotakeituponthemselvestosnapourpiccies I'djustrented10seconds'timeonthreethousandPCsandhad andputthemonthenetwheretheycanbeperusedbyschool

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/13 administrators. Shecameoutofthecrowdandboundedtowardus.Darrylhas hadathingforVansinceforever,andshe'ssweetenoughto pretendshedoesn'tknowit.Shegavemeahugandthenmoved ontoDarryl,givinghimaquicksisterlykissonthecheekthat madehimgoredtothetopsofhisears. Thetwoofthemmadeafunnypair:Darrylisalittleonthe heavyside,thoughhewearsitwell,andhe'sgotakindofpink complexionthatgoesredinthecheekswheneverherunsorgets excited.He'sbeenabletogrowabeardsincewewere14,but thankfullyhestartedshavingafterabriefperiodknowntoour gangas"theLincolnyears."Andhe'stall.Very,verytall.Like basketballplayertall. ageplyingtheirtradeinthe'Loin.) "Lookonthebrightside,"Isaid."Theonlytimeyouwanttogo uparoundthereisbroaddaylight.Noneoftheotherplayersare goingtogonearituntiltomorrowattheearliest.Thisiswhatwe intheARGbusinesscallamonsterheadstart." Jolugrinnedatme."Youmakeitsoundlikeagoodthing,"he said. "Beatseatinguni,"Isaid. "Wegoingtotalkorwegoingtowin?"Vansaid.Afterme,she washandsdownthemosthardcoreplayerinourgroup.Shetook winningvery,veryseriously.

Meanwhile,Vanishalfaheadshorterthanme,andskinny,with Westruckout,fourgoodfriends,onourwaytodecodeaclue, straightblackhairthatshewearsincrazy,elaboratebraidsthat winthegameandloseeverythingwecaredabout,forever. sheresearchesonthenet.She'sgotprettycopperyskinanddark eyes,andshelovesbigglassringsthesizeofradishes,which # clickandclacktogetherwhenshedances. Thephysicalcomponentoftoday'scluewasasetofGPS "Where'sJolu?"shesaid. coordinatestherewerecoordinatesforallthemajorcitieswhere HarajukuFunMadnesswasplayedwherewe'dfindaWiFi "Howareyou,Van?"Darrylaskedinachokedvoice.Healways accesspoint'ssignal.Thatsignalwasbeingdeliberatelyjammed ranastepbehindtheconversationwhenitcametoVan. byanother,nearbyWiFipointthatwashiddensothatitcouldn't bespottedbyconventionalwifinders,littlekeyfobsthattoldyou "I'mgreat,D.How'syoureverylittlething?"Oh,shewasabad, whenyouwerewithinrangeofsomeone'sopenaccesspoint, badperson.Darrylnearlyfainted. whichyoucoulduseforfree. Jolusavedhimfromsocialdisgracebyshowingupjustthen,in anoversizeleatherbaseballjacket,sharpsneakers,anda meshbackcapadvertisingourfavoriteMexicanmaskedwrestler, ElSantoJunior.JoluisJoseLuisTorrez,thecompletingmember ofourfoursome.HewenttoasuperstrictCatholicschoolinthe OuterRichmond,soitwasn'teasyforhimtogetout.Buthe alwaysdid:nooneexfiltratedlikeourJolu.Helikedhisjacket becauseithungdownlowwhichwasprettystylishinpartsof thecityandcoveredupallhisCatholicschoolcrap,whichwas likeabullseyefornosyjerkswiththetruancymoblog bookmarkedontheirphones. "Who'sreadytogo?"Iasked,oncewe'dallsaidhello.Ipulled outmyphoneandshowedthemthemapI'ddownloadedtoiton theBART."NearasIcanworkout,wewannagouptotheNikko again,thenoneblockpastittoO'Farrell,thenleftuptowardVan Ness.Somewhereinthereweshouldfindthewirelesssignal." Vanmadeaface."That'sanastypartoftheTenderloin."I couldn'targuewithher.ThatpartofSanFranciscoisoneofthe weirdbitsyougointhroughtheHilton'sfrontentranceandit's alltouristystufflikethecablecarturnaroundandfamily restaurants.Gothroughtotheothersideandyou'reinthe'Loin, whereeverytrackedouttransvestitehooker,hardcasepimp, hissingdrugdealerandcrackeduphomelesspersonintownwas concentrated.Whattheyboughtandsold,noneofuswereold enoughtobeapartof(thoughtherewereplentyofhookersour We'dhavetotrackdownthelocationofthe"hidden"access pointbymeasuringthestrengthofthe"visible"one,findingthe spotwhereitwasmostmysteriouslyweakest.Therewe'dfind anothercluelasttimeithadbeeninthespecialofthedayat Anzu,theswankysushirestaurantintheNikkohotelinthe Tenderloin.TheNikkowasownedbyJapanAirlines,oneof HarajukuFunMadness'ssponsors,andthestaffhadallmadea bigfussoveruswhenwefinallytrackeddowntheclue.They'd givenusbowlsofmisosoupandmadeustryuni,whichissushi madefromseaurchin,withthetextureofveryrunnycheeseanda smelllikeveryrunnydogdroppings.Butittastedreallygood.Or soDarryltoldme.Iwasn'tgoingtoeatthatstuff. IpickeduptheWiFisignalwithmyphone'swifinderabout threeblocksupO'Farrell,justbeforeHydeStreet,infrontofa dodgy"AsianMassageParlor"witharedblinkingCLOSEDsign inthewindow.Thenetwork'snamewasHarajukuFM,soweknew wehadtherightspot. "Ifit'sinthere,I'mnotgoing,"Darrylsaid. "Youallgotyourwifinders?"Isaid. DarrylandVanhadphoneswithbuiltinwifinders,whileJolu, beingtoocooltocarryaphonebiggerthanhispinkyfinger,hada separatelittledirectionalfob.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/14 "OK,fanoutandseewhatwesee.You'relookingforasharp dropoffinthesignalthatgetsworsethemoreyoumovealongit." Itookastepbackwardandendedupstandingonsomeone's toes.Afemalevoicesaid"oof"andIspunaround,worriedthat somecrackhowasgoingtostabmeforbreakingherheels. Instead,Ifoundmyselffacetofacewithanotherkidmyage. Shehadashockofbrightpinkhairandasharp,rodentlikeface, withbigsunglassesthatwerepracticallyairforcegoggles.She wasdressedinstripedtightsbeneathablackgrannydress,with lotsoflittleJapanesedecorertoyssafetypinnedtoitanime characters,oldworldleaders,emblemsfromforeignsodapop. Sheheldupacameraandsnappedapictureofmeandmycrew. "Cheese,"shesaid."You'reoncandidsnitchcam." "Noway,"Isaid."Youwouldn't" Someonehadjustblownupsomething,inabigway. Thereweremorerumblesandmoretremors.Headsappearedat windowsupanddownthestreet.Wealllookedatthemushroom cloudinsilence. Thenthesirensstarted. I'dheardsirenslikethesebeforetheytestthecivildefense sirensatnoononTuesdays.ButI'donlyheardthemgooff unscheduledinoldwarmoviesandvideogames,thekindwhere someoneisbombingsomeoneelsefromabove.Airraidsirens. Thewooooooosoundmadeitalllessreal. "Reporttosheltersimmediately."ItwaslikethevoiceofGod, comingfromallplacesatonce.Therewerespeakersonsomeof theelectricpoles,somethingI'dnevernoticedbefore,andthey'd allswitchedonatonce.

"Reporttosheltersimmediately."Shelters?Welookedateach "Iwill,"shesaid."Iwillsendthisphotototruantwatchinthirty otherinconfusion.Whatshelters?Thecloudwasrisingsteadily, secondsunlessyoufourbackofffromthisclueandletmeandmy spreadingout.Wasitnuclear?Werewebreathinginourlast friendshererunitdown.Youcancomebackinonehourandit'll breaths? beallyours.Ithinkthat'smorethanfair." Thegirlwiththepinkhairgrabbedherfriendsandtheytoreass Ilookedbehindherandnoticedthreeothergirlsinsimilargarb downhill,backtowardtheBARTstationandthefootofthehills. onewithbluehair,onewithgreen,andonewithpurple."Who areyousupposedtobe,thePopsicleSquad?" "REPORTTOSHELTERSIMMEDIATELY."Therewas screamingnow,andalotofrunningaround.Touristsyoucan "We'retheteamthat'sgoingtokickyourteam'sassatHarajuku alwaysspotthetourists,they'retheoneswhothink FunMadness,"shesaid."AndI'mtheonewho'srightthissecond CALIFORNIA=WARMandspendtheirSanFranciscoholidays abouttouploadyourphotoandgetyouinsomuchtrouble" freezinginshortsandtshirtsscatteredineverydirection. BehindmeIfeltVanstartforward.Herallgirlsschoolwas notoriousforitsbrawls,andIwasprettysureshewasreadyto knockthischick'sblockoff. Thentheworldchangedforever. "Weshouldgo!"Darrylholleredinmyear,justbarelyaudible overtheshriekingofthesirens,whichhadbeenjoinedby traditionalpolicesirens.AdozenSFPDcruisersscreamedpastus. "REPORTTOSHELTERSIMMEDIATELY."

Wefeltitfirst,thatsickeninglurchofthecementunderyour "DowntotheBARTstation,"Ihollered.Myfriendsnodded. feetthateveryCalifornianknowsinstinctivelyearthquake.My Weclosedranksandbegantomovequicklydownhill. firstinclination,asalways,wastogetaway:"whenintroubleorin doubt,runincircles,screamandshout."Butthefactwas,we werealreadyinthesafestplacewecouldbe,notinabuildingthat Chapter3 couldfallinonus,notouttowardthemiddleoftheroadwhere bitsoffallingcornicecouldbrainus. ThischapterisdedicatedtoBorderlandsBooks,SanFrancisco's magnificentindependentsciencefictionbookstore.Borderlandsis Earthquakesareeerilyquietatfirst,anywaybutthiswasn't basicallylocatedacrossthestreetfromthefictionalCesar quiet.Thiswasloud,anincredibleroaringsoundthatwaslouder ChavezHighdepictedinLittleBrother,andit'snotjustnotorious thananythingI'deverheardbefore.Thesoundwassopunishingit foritsbrilliantevents,signings,bookclubsandsuch,butalsofor drovemetomyknees,andIwasn'ttheonlyone.Darrylshookmy itsamazinghairlessEgyptiancat,Ripley,wholikestoperchlike armandpointedoverthebuildingsandwesawitthen:ahuge abuzzinggargoyleonthecomputeratthefrontofthestore. blackcloudrisingfromthenortheast,fromthedirectionofthe Borderlandsisaboutthefriendliestbookstoreyoucouldaskfor, Bay. filledwithcomfyplacestositandread,andstaffedbyincredibly knowledgeableclerkswhoknoweverythingthereistoknowabout Therewasanotherrumble,andthecloudofsmokespreadout, sciencefiction.Evenbetter,they'vealwaysbeenwillingtotake thatspreadingblackshapewe'dallgrownupseeinginmovies. ordersformybook(bynetorphone)andholdthemformetosign

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/15 whenIdropintothestore,thentheyshipthemwithintheUSfor free! BorderlandsBooks:http://www.borderlandsbooks.com/866 ValenciaAve,SanFranciscoCAUSA94110+18888934008 WepassedalotofpeopleintheroadonthewaytothePowell StreetBART.Theywererunningorwalking,whitefacedand silentorshoutingandpanicked.Homelesspeoplecoweredin doorwaysandwatcheditall,whileatallblacktrannyhooker shoutedattwomustachedyoungmenaboutsomething. platforms,butitwascleartomethatthiswasn'tgoingtohavea happyending. "Wanttotakeourchancesuptop?"IsaidtoDarryl. "Yes,hellyes,"hesaid."Thisisvicious." IlookedtoVanessatherewasnowayshe'dhearme.I managedtogetmyphoneoutandItextedher. >We'regettingoutofhere

ThecloserwegottotheBART,theworsethepressofbodies Isawherfeelthevibefromherphone,thenlookdownatitand became.Bythetimewereachedthestairwaydownintothe thenbackatmeandnodvigorously.Darryl,meanwhile,hadclued station,itwasamobscene,ahugebrawlofpeopletryingto Joluin. crowdtheirwaydownanarrowstaircase.Ihadmyfacecrushed upagainstsomeone'sback,andsomeoneelsewaspressedintomy "What'stheplan?"Darrylshoutedinmyear. back. "We'regoingtohavetogoback!"Ishoutedback,pointingat Darrylwasstillbesidemehewasbigenoughthathewas theremorselesscrushofbodies. hardtoshove,andJoluwasrightbehindhim,kindofhangingon tohiswaist.IspiedVanessaafewyardsaway,trappedbymore "It'simpossible!"hesaid. people. "It'sjustgoingtogetmoreimpossiblethelongerwewait!" "Screwyou!"IheardVanyellbehindme."Pervert!Getyour handsoffofme!" Heshrugged.Vanworkedherwayovertomeandgrabbedhold ofmywrist.ItookDarrylandDarryltookJolubytheotherhand IstrainedaroundagainstthecrowdandsawVanlookingwith andwepushedout. disgustatanolderguyinanicesuitwhowaskindofsmirkingat her.ShewasdigginginherpurseandIknewwhatshewas Itwasn'teasy.Wemovedaboutthreeinchesaminuteatfirst, diggingfor. thensloweddownevenmorewhenwereachedthestairway.The peoplewepassedwerenonetoohappyaboutusshovingthemout "Don'tmacehim!"Ishoutedoverthedin."You'llgetusalltoo." oftheway,either.Acouplepeoplesworeatusandtherewasa guywholookedlikehe'dhavepunchedmeifhe'dbeenabletoget Atthementionofthewordmace,theguylookedscaredand hisarmsloose.Wepassedthreemorecrushedpeoplebeneathus, kindofmeltedback,thoughthecrowdkepthimmovingforward. buttherewasnowayIcouldhavehelpedthem.Bythatpoint,I Upahead,Isawsomeone,amiddleagedladyinahippiedress, wasn'teventhinkingofhelpinganyone.AllIcouldthinkofwas falterandfall.Shescreamedasshewentdown,andIsawher findingthespacesinfrontofustomoveinto,ofDarryl'smighty thrashingtogetup,butshecouldn't,thecrowd'spressurewastoo strainingonmywrist,ofmydeathgriponVanbehindme. strong.AsInearedher,Ibenttohelpherup,andwasnearly knockedoverher.Iendedupsteppingonherstomachasthe WepoppedfreelikeChampagnecorksaneternitylater, crowdpushedmepasther,butbythenIdon'tthinkshewas blinkinginthegreysmokylight.Theairraidsirenswerestill feelinganything. blaring,andthesoundofemergencyvehicles'sirensastheytore downMarketStreetwasevenlouder.Therewasalmostnooneon IwasasscaredasI'deverbeen.Therewasscreaming thestreetsanymorejustthepeopletryinghopelesslytoget everywherenow,andmorebodiesonthefloor,andthepressfrom underground.Alotofthemwerecrying.Ispottedabunchof behindwasasrelentlessasabulldozer.ItwasallIcoulddoto emptybenchesusuallystakedoutbyskankywinosand keeponmyfeet. pointedtowardthem. Wewereintheopenconcoursewheretheturnstileswere.Itwas Wemovedforthem,thesirensandthesmokemakingusduck hardlyanybetterheretheenclosedspacesentthevoicesaround andhunchourshoulders.Wegotasfarasthebenchesbefore usechoingbackinaroarthatmademyheadring,andthesmell Darrylfellforward. andfeelingofallthosebodiesmademefeelaclaustrophobiaI'd neverknownIwasproneto. WeallyelledandVanessagrabbedhimandturnedhimover. Thesideofhisshirtwasstainedred,andthestainwasspreading. Peoplewerestillcrammingdownthestairs,andmorewere Shetuggedhisshirtupandrevealedalong,deepcutinhispudgy squeezingpasttheturnstilesanddowntheescalatorsontothe side.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/16 hewaswhitefacedandpanting.Van'ssweaterwassoakedin blood. Iwassickofcarsdrivingrightpastme.Thenexttimeacar appeareddownMarketStreet,Isteppedrightoutintotheroad, wavingmyarmsovermyhead,shouting"STOP."Thecarslewed toastopandonlythendidInoticethatitwasn'tacopcar, ambulanceorfireengine. ItwasamilitarylookingJeep,likeanarmoredHummer,onlyit didn'thaveanymilitaryinsigniaonit.Thecarskiddedtoastop justinfrontofme,andIjumpedbackandlostmybalanceand endedupontheroad.Ifeltthedoorsopennearme,andthensaw aconfusionofbootedfeetmovingcloseby.Ilookedupandsawa bunchofmilitarylookingguysincoveralls,holdingbig,bulky riflesandwearinghoodedgasmaskswithtintedfaceplates.

"Someonefreakingstabbedhiminthecrowd,"Jolusaid,his handsclenchingintofists."Christ,that'svicious." Darrylgroanedandlookedatus,thendownathisside,thenhe groanedandhisheadwentbackagain. Vanessatookoffherjeanjacketandthenpulledoffthecotton hoodieshewaswearingunderneathit.Shewaddeditupand pressedittoDarryl'sside."Takehishead,"shesaidtome."Keep itelevated."ToJolushesaid,"Gethisfeetuprollupyourcoat orsomething."Jolumovedquickly.Vanessa'smotherisanurse andshe'dhadfirstaidtrainingeverysummeratcamp.Sheloved towatchpeopleinmoviesgettheirfirstaidwrongandmakefun ofthem.Iwassogladtohaveherwithus.

Wesatthereforalongtime,holdingthehoodietoDarryl'sside. Hekeptinsistingthathewasfineandthatweshouldlethimup, Ibarelyhadtimetoregisterthembeforethoserifleswere andVankepttellinghimtoshutupandliestillbeforeshekicked pointedatme.I'dneverlookeddownthebarrelofagunbefore, hisass. buteverythingyou'veheardabouttheexperienceistrue.You freezewhereyouare,timestops,andyourheartthundersinyour "Whataboutcalling911?"Jolusaid. ears.Iopenedmymouth,thenshutit,then,veryslowly,Iheldmy handsupinfrontofme. Ifeltlikeanidiot.Iwhippedmyphoneoutandpunched911. ThesoundIgotwasn'tevenabusysignalitwaslikeawhimper Thefaceless,eyelessarmedmanabovemekepthisgunvery ofpainfromthephonesystem.Youdon'tgetsoundslikethat level.Ididn'tevenbreathe.Vanwasscreamingsomethingand unlessthere'sthreemillionpeoplealldialingthesamenumberat JoluwasshoutingandIlookedatthemforasecondandthatwas once.Whoneedsbotnetswhenyou'vegotterrorists? whensomeoneputacoarsesackovermyheadandcinchedit tightaroundmywindpipe,soquickandsofiercelyIbarelyhad "WhataboutWikipedia?"Jolusaid. timetogaspbeforeitwaslockedonme.Iwaspushedroughlybut dispassionatelyontomystomachandsomethingwenttwice "Nophone,nodata,"Isaid. aroundmywristsandthentightenedupaswell,feelinglike balingwireandbitingcruelly.Icriedoutandmyownvoicewas "Whataboutthem?"Darrylsaid,andpointedatthestreet.I muffledbythehood. lookedwherehewaspointing,thinkingI'dseeacoporan paramedic,buttherewasnoonethere. IwasintotaldarknessnowandIstrainedmyearstohearwhat wasgoingonwithmyfriends.Iheardthemshoutingthroughthe "It'sOKbuddy,youjustrest,"Isaid. mufflingcanvasofthebag,andthenIwasbeingimpersonally hauledtomyfeetbymywrists,myarmswrenchedupbehindmy "No,youidiot,whataboutthem,thecopsinthecars?There!" back,myshouldersscreaming. Hewasright.Everyfiveseconds,acopcar,anambulanceora Istumbledsome,thenahandpushedmyheaddownandIwas firetruckzoomedpast.Theycouldgetussomehelp.Iwassuchan insidetheHummer.Morebodieswereroughlyshovedinbeside idiot. me. "Comeon,then,"Isaid,"let'sgetyouwheretheycanseeyou andflagonedown." Vanessadidn'tlikeit,butIfiguredacopwasn'tgoingtostop forakidwavinghishatinthestreet,notthatday.Theyjustmight stopiftheysawDarrylbleedingthere,though.Iarguedbriefly withherandDarrylsettleditbylurchingtohisfeetanddragging himselfdowntowardMarketStreet. Thefirstvehiclethatscreamedpastanambulancedidn't evenslowdown.Neitherdidthecopcarthatwentpast,northe firetruck,northenextthreecopcars.Darrylwasn'tingoodshape "Guys?"Ishouted,andearnedahardthumponmyheadformy trouble.IheardJolurespond,thenfeltthethumphewasdealt, too.Myheadranglikeagong. "Hey,"Isaidtothesoldiers."Hey,listen!We'rejusthighschool students.Iwantedtoflagyoudownbecausemyfriendwas bleeding.Someonestabbedhim."Ihadnoideahowmuchofthis wasmakingitthroughthemufflingbag.Ikepttalking."Listen thisissomekindofmisunderstanding.We'vegottogetmyfriend toahospital" Someonewentupsidemyheadagain.Itfeltliketheyuseda

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/17 batonorsomethingitwasharderthananyonehadeverhitmein neitherroughnorcarefuljust...impersonal.Likesomeoneat theheadbefore.MyeyesswamandwateredandIliterally McDonald'sputtingtogetherburgers. couldn'tbreathethroughthepain.Amomentlater,Icaughtmy breath,butIdidn'tsayanything.I'dlearnedmylesson. ThelightintheroomwassobrightIhadtosqueezemyeyes shut,butslowlyIwasabletoopenthemtoslits,thencracks,then Whoweretheseclowns?Theyweren'twearinginsignia.Maybe allthewayandlookaround. theywereterrorists!I'dneverreallybelievedinterroristsbefore Imean,Iknewthatintheabstracttherewereterrorists Wewereallinthebackofatruck,abig16wheeler.Icouldsee somewhereintheworld,buttheydidn'treallyrepresentanyrisk thewheelwellsatregularintervalsdownthelength.Buttheback tome.Thereweremillionsofwaysthattheworldcouldkillme ofthistruckhadbeenturnedintosomekindofmobilecommand startingwithgettingrundownbyadrunkburninghiswaydown post/jail.Steeldeskslinedthewallswithbanksofslickflatpanel Valenciathatwereinfinitelymorelikelyandimmediatethan displaysclimbingabovethemonarticulatedarmsthatletthembe terrorists.Terroristskilledalotfewerpeoplethanbathroomfalls repositionedinahaloaroundtheoperators.Eachdeskhada andaccidentalelectrocutions.Worryingaboutthemalwaysstruck gorgeousofficechairinfrontofit,festoonedwithuserinterface measaboutasusefulasworryingaboutgettinghitbylightning. knobsforadjustingeverymillimeterofthesittingsurface,aswell asheight,pitchandyaw. SittinginthebackofthatHummer,myheadinahood,my handslashedbehindmyback,lurchingbackandforthwhilethe Thentherewasthejailpartatthefrontofthetruck,furthest bruisesswelleduponmyhead,terrorismsuddenlyfeltalot awayfromthedoors,thereweresteelrailsboltedintothesidesof riskier. thevehicle,andattachedtothesesteelrailsweretheprisoners. Thecarrockedbackandforthandtippeduphill.Igatheredwe wereheadedoverNobHill,andfromtheangle,itseemedwe weretakingoneofthesteeperroutesIguessedPowellStreet. IspottedVanandJolurightaway.Darrylmighthavebeeninthe remainingdozenshackledupbackhere,butitwasimpossibleto saymanyofthemwereslumpedoverandblockingmyview.It stankofsweatandfearbackthere.

Nowweweredescendingjustassteeply.Ifmymentalmapwas right,wewereheadingdowntoFisherman'sWharf.Youcouldget Vanessalookedatmeandbitherlip.Shewasscared.SowasI. onaboatthere,getaway.Thatfitwiththeterrorismhypothesis. SowasJolu,hiseyesrollingcrazilyintheirsockets,thewhites Whythehellwouldterroristskidnapabunchofhighschool showing.Iwasscared.What'smore,Ihadtopisslikearace students? horse. Werockedtoastopstillonadownslope.Theenginediedand thenthedoorsswungopen.Someonedraggedmebymyarmsout ontotheroad,thenshovedme,stumbling,downapavedroad.A fewsecondslater,Itrippedoverasteelstaircase,bashingmy shins.Thehandsbehindmegavemeanothershove.Iwentupthe stairscautiously,notabletousemyhands.Igotupthethirdstep andreachedforthefourth,butitwasn'tthere.Inearlyfellagain, butnewhandsgrabbedmefrominfrontanddraggedmedowna steelfloorandthenforcedmetomykneesandlockedmyhands tosomethingbehindme. Moremovement,andthesenseofbodiesbeingshackledin alongsideofme.Groansandmuffledsounds.Laughter.Thena long,timelesseternityinthemuffledgloom,breathingmyown breath,hearingmyownbreathinmyears. # Iactuallymanagedakindofsleepthere,kneelingwiththe circulationcutofftomylegs,myheadincanvastwilight.My bodyhadsquirtedayear'ssupplyofadrenalinintomy bloodstreaminthespaceof30minutes,andwhilethatstuffcan giveyouthestrengthtoliftcarsoffyourlovedonesandleapover tallbuildings,thepayback'salwaysabitch. Iwokeuptosomeonepullingthehoodoffmyhead.Theywere Ilookedaroundforourcaptors.I'davoidedlookingatthemup untilnow,thesamewayyoudon'tlookintothedarkofacloset whereyourmindhasconjuredupaboogeyman.Youdon'twant toknowifyou'reright. ButIhadtogetabetterlookatthesejerkswho'dkidnappedus. Iftheywereterrorists,Iwantedtoknow.Ididn'tknowwhata terroristlookedlike,thoughTVshowshaddonetheirbestto convincemethattheywerebrownArabswithbigbeardsandknit capsandloosecottondressesthathungdowntotheirankles. Notsoourcaptors.Theycouldhavebeenhalftimeshow cheerleadersontheSuperBowl.TheylookedAmericaninawayI couldn'texactlydefine.Goodjawlines,short,neathaircutsthat weren'tquitemilitary.Theycameinwhiteandbrown,maleand female,andsmiledfreelyatoneanotherastheysatdownatthe otherendofthetruck,jokinganddrinkingcoffeesoutofgocups. Theseweren'tAyrabsfromAfghanistan:theylookedliketourists fromNebraska. Istaredatone,ayoungwhitewomanwithbrownhairwho barelylookedolderthanme,kindofcuteinascaryofficepower suitway.Ifyoustareatsomeonelongenough,they'lleventually lookbackatyou.Shedid,andherfaceslammedintoatotally differentconfiguration,dispassionate,evenrobotic.Thesmile vanishedinaninstant.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/18 "Inyougo,"theguysaid. "Hey,"Isaid."Look,Idon'tunderstandwhat'sgoingonhere, butIreallyneedtotakealeak,youknow?" Shelookedrightthroughmeasifshehadn'theard. "I'mserious,ifIdon'tgettoacansoon,I'mgoingtohavean uglyaccident.It'sgoingtogetprettysmellybackhere,you know?" Sheturnedtohercolleagues,alittlehuddleofthreeofthem, andtheyheldalowconversationIcouldn'thearoverthefans fromthecomputers. Sheturnedbacktome."Holditforanothertenminutes,then you'lleachgetapisscall." "Idon'tthinkI'vegotanothertenminutesinme,"Isaid,letting alittlemoreurgencythanIwasreallyfeelingcreepintomyvoice. "Seriously,lady,it'snowornever." SheshookherheadandlookedatmelikeIwassomekindof patheticloser.Sheandherfriendsconferredsomemore,then anotheronecameforward.Hewasolder,inhisearlythirties,and prettybigacrosstheshoulders,likeheworkedout.Helookedlike hewasChineseorKoreanevenVancan'ttellthedifference sometimesbutwiththatbearingthatsaidAmericaninawayI couldn'tputmyfingeron. Hepulledhissportscoatasidetoletmeseethehardware strappedthere:Irecognizedapistol,atazerandacanofeither maceorpepperspraybeforeheletitfallagain. "Notrouble,"hesaid. Ijerkedmywrists."Taketheseoff,please?"Myfingersfeltlike purplesausagesfromthehoursofbondageintheplasticcuffs. Theguydidn'tmove. "Look,"Isaid,tryingnottosoundsarcasticorangry(itwasn't easy)."Look.Youeithercutmywristsfreeoryou'regoingto havetoaimforme.Atoiletvisitisnotahandsfreeexperience." Someoneinthetrucksniggered.Theguydidn'tlikeme,Icould tellfromthewayhisjawmusclesgroundaround.Man,these peoplewerewiredtight. Hereacheddowntohisbeltandcameupwithaverynicesetof multipliers.Heflickedoutawickedlookingknifeandsliced throughtheplasticcuffsandmyhandsweremyownagain. "Thanks,"Isaid. Heshovedmeintothebathroom.Myhandswereuseless,like lumpsofclayontheendsofmywrists.AsIwiggledmyfingers limply,theytingled,thenthetinglingturnedtoaburningfeeling thatalmostmademecryout.Iputtheseatdown,droppedmy pantsandsatdown.Ididn'ttrustmyselftostayonmyfeet. Asmybladdercutloose,sodidmyeyes.Iwept,cryingsilently androckingbackandforthwhilethetearsandsnotrandownmy face.ItwasallIcoulddotokeepfromsobbingIcoveredmy mouthandheldthesoundsin.Ididn'twanttogivethemthe satisfaction.

Finally,Iwaspeedoutandcriedoutandtheguywaspounding onthedoor.IcleanedmyfaceasbestasIcouldwithwadsof toiletpaper,stuckitalldownthejohnandflushed,thenlooked "None,"Iagreed. aroundforasinkbutonlyfoundapumpbottleofheavyduty handsanitizercoveredinsmallprintlistsofthebioagentsit Hetouchedsomethingathisbeltandtheshacklesbehindmelet workedon.Irubbedsomeintomyhandsandsteppedoutofthe go,myarmsdroppingsuddenlybehindme.Itwaslikehewas john. wearingBatman'sutilitybeltwirelessremotesforshackles!I guesseditmadesense,though:youwouldn'twanttoleanover "Whatwereyoudoinginthere?"theguysaid. yourprisonerswithallthatdeadlyhardwareattheireyelevel theymightgrabyourgunwiththeirteethandpullthetriggerwith "Usingthefacilities,"Isaid.Heturnedmearoundandgrabbed theirtonguesorsomething. myhandsandIfeltanewpairofplasticcuffsgoaroundthem. Mywristshadswollensincethelastpairhadcomeoffandthe Myhandswerestilllashedtogetherbehindmebytheplastic newonesbitcruellyintomytenderskin,butIrefusedtogivehim strapping,andnowthatIwasn'tsupportedbytheshackles,I thesatisfactionofcryingout. foundthatmylegshadturnedintolumpsofcorkwhileIwas stuckinoneposition.Longstoryshort,Ibasicallyfellontomy Heshackledmebacktomyspotandgrabbedthenextperson faceandkickedmylegsweaklyastheywentpinsandneedles, down,who,Isawnow,wasJolu,hisfacepuffyandanuglybruise tryingtogetthemundermesoIcouldrockuptomyfeet. onhischeek. TheguyjerkedmetomyfeetandIclownwalkedtothevery backofthetruck,toalittleboxedinportajohnthere.Itriedto spotDarrylonthewayback,buthecouldhavebeenanyofthe fiveorsixslumpedpeople.Ornoneofthem. "AreyouOK?"Iaskedhim,andmyfriendwiththeutilitybelt abruptlyputhishandonmyforeheadandshovedhard,bouncing thebackofmyheadoffthetruck'smetalwallwithasoundlikea clockstrikingone."Notalking,"hesaidasIstruggledtorefocus myeyes.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/19 wasshowingtheerrormessageyougotifyoukepttryingtoget intoitsdatawithoutgivingtherightpassword.Itwasabitofa rudemessageananimatedhandgivingacertainuniversally recognizedgesturebecauseIlikedtocustomizemygear. "AmIunderarrest?"Irepeated.Theycan'tmakeyouanswer anyquestionsifyou'renotunderarrest,andwhenyouaskif you'reunderarrest,theyhavetoansweryou.It'stherules. "You'rebeingdetainedbytheDepartmentofHomeland Security,"thewomansnapped. "AmIunderarrest?" "You'regoingtobemorecooperative,Marcus,startingright now."Shedidn'tsay,"orelse,"butitwasimplied. "Iwouldliketocontactanattorney,"Isaid."Iwouldliketo knowwhatI'vebeenchargedwith.Iwouldliketoseesomeform ofidentificationfrombothofyou." Thetwoagentsexchangedlooks. "Ithinkyoushouldreallyreconsideryourapproachtothis situation,"SevereHaircutwomansaid."Ithinkyoushoulddothat rightnow.Wefoundanumberofsuspiciousdevicesonyour person.Wefoundyouandyourconfederatesnearthesiteofthe worstterroristattackthiscountryhaseverseen.Putthosetwo factstogetherandthingsdon'tlookverygoodforyou,Marcus. Youcancooperate,oryoucanbevery,verysorry.Now,whatis thisfor?" "YouthinkI'materrorist?I'mseventeenyearsold!" "JusttherightageAlQaedalovesrecruitingimpressionable, idealistickids.Wegoogledyou,youknow.You'vepostedalotof veryuglystuffonthepublicInternet." "Iwouldliketospeaktoanattorney,"Isaid. SeverehaircutladylookedatmelikeIwasabug."You'reunder themistakenimpressionthatyou'vebeenpickedupbythepolice foracrime.Youneedtogetpastthat.Youarebeingdetainedasa potentialenemycombatantbythegovernmentoftheUnited States.IfIwereyou,I'dbethinkingveryhardabouthowto convinceusthatyouarenotanenemycombatant.Veryhard. Becausetherearedarkholesthatenemycombatantscan disappearinto,verydarkdeepholes,holeswhereyoucanjust vanish.Forever.Areyoulisteningtomeyoungman?Iwantyou tounlockthisphoneandthendecryptthefilesinitsmemory.I wantyoutoaccountforyourself:whywereyououtonthestreet? Whatdoyouknowabouttheattackonthiscity?" "I'mnotgoingtounlockmyphoneforyou,"Isaid,indignant. Myphone'smemoryhadallkindsofprivatestuffonit:photos, emails,littlehacksandmodsI'dinstalled."That'sprivatestuff."

Ididn'tlikethesepeople.Idecidedrightthenthattheywould payapriceforallthis. Onebyone,alltheprisonerswenttothecan,andcameback, andwhentheyweredone,myguardwentbacktohisfriendsand hadanothercupofcoffeetheyweredrinkingoutofabig cardboardurnofStarbucks,Isawandtheyhadanindistinct conversationthatinvolvedafairbitoflaughter. Thenthedooratthebackofthetruckopenedandtherewas freshair,notsmokythewayithadbeenbefore,buttingedwith ozone.InthesliceofoutdoorsIsawbeforethedoorclosed,I caughtthatitwasdarkout,andraining,withoneofthoseSan Franciscodrizzlesthat'spartmist. Themanwhocameinwaswearingamilitaryuniform.AUS militaryuniform.Hesalutedthepeopleinthetruckandthey salutedhimbackandthat'swhenIknewthatIwasn'taprisoner ofsometerroristsIwasaprisoneroftheUnitedStatesof America. # Theysetupalittlescreenattheendofthetruckandthencame forusoneatatime,unshacklingusandleadingustothebackof thetruck.AscloseasIcouldworkitcountingsecondsoffin myhead,onehippopotami,twohippopotamitheinterviews lastedaboutsevenminuteseach.Myheadthrobbedwith dehydrationandcaffeinewithdrawal. Iwasthird,broughtbackbythewomanwiththeseverehaircut. Upclose,shelookedtired,withbagsunderhereyesandgrim linesatthecornersofhermouth. "Thanks,"Isaid,automatically,assheunlockedmewitha remoteandthendraggedmetomyfeet.Ihatedmyselfforthe automaticpoliteness,butithadbeendrilledintome. Shedidn'ttwitchamuscle.Iwentaheadofhertothebackof thetruckandbehindthescreen.Therewasasinglefoldingchair andIsatinit.TwoofthemSevereHaircutwomanandutility beltmanlookedatmefromtheirergonomicsuperchairs. Theyhadalittletablebetweenthemwiththecontentsofmy walletandbackpackspreadoutonit. "Hello,Marcus,"SevereHaircutwomansaid."Wehavesome questionsforyou." "AmIunderarrest?"Iasked.Thiswasn'tanidlequestion.If you'renotunderarrest,therearelimitsonwhatthecopscanand can'tdotoyou.Forstarters,theycan'tholdyouforeverwithout arrestingyou,givingyouaphonecall,andlettingyoutalktoa lawyer.Andhooboy,wasIevergoingtotalktoalawyer. "What'sthisfor?"shesaid,holdingupmyphone.Thescreen

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/20 "Whathaveyougottohide?" "I'vegottherighttomyprivacy,"Isaid."AndIwanttospeak toanattorney." strainingagainstthechainsholdingmywrists.

Thenweweremovingagain,andthistime,itwasn'tlikedriving inatruck.Thefloorbeneathmerockedgentlyandvibratedwith heavydieselenginesandIrealizedIwasonaship!Mystomach "Thisisyourlastchance,kid.Honestpeopledon'thave turnedtoice.IwasbeingtakenoffAmerica'sshoresto anythingtohide." somewhereelse,andwhothehellknewwherethatwas?I'dbeen scaredbefore,butthisthoughtterrifiedme,leftmeparalyzedand "Iwanttospeaktoanattorney."Myparentswouldpayforit. wordlesswithfear.IrealizedthatImightneverseemyparents AlltheFAQsongettingarrestedwereclearonthispoint.Just againandIactuallytastedalittlevomitburnupmythroat.The keepaskingtoseeanattorney,nomatterwhattheysayordo. bagovermyheadclosedinonmeandIcouldbarelybreathe, There'snogoodthatcomesoftalkingtothecopswithoutyour somethingthatwascompoundedbytheweirdpositionIwas lawyerpresent.Thesetwosaidtheyweren'tcops,butifthiswasn't twistedinto. anarrest,whatwasit? Butmercifullyweweren'tonthewaterforverylong.Itfeltlike Inhindsight,maybeIshouldhaveunlockedmyphoneforthem. anhour,butIknownowthatitwasamerefifteenminutes,and thenIfeltusdocking,feltfootstepsonthedeckingaroundmeand feltotherprisonersbeingunshackledandcarriedorledaway. Whentheycameforme,Itriedtostandagain,butcouldn't,and Chapter4 theycarriedmeagain,impersonally,roughly. ThischapterisdedicatedtoBarnesandNoble,aUSnational Whentheytookthehoodoffagain,Iwasinacell. chainofbookstores.AsAmerica'smomandpopbookstoreswere vanishing,BarnesandNoblestartedtobuildthesegigantic Thecellwasoldandcrumbled,andsmelledofseaair.There templestoreadingallacrosstheland.Stockingtensofthousands oftitles(themallbookstoresandgrocerystorespinnerrackshad wasonewindowhighup,andrustedbarsguardedit.Itwasstill stockedasmallfractionofthat)andkeepinglonghoursthatwere darkoutside.Therewasablanketonthefloorandalittlemetal toiletwithoutaseat,setintothewall.Theguardwhotookoffmy convenienttofamilies,workingpeopleandotherspotential hoodgrinnedatmeandclosedthesolidsteeldoorbehindhim. readers,theB&Nstoreskeptthecareersofmanywritersafloat, stockingtitlesthatsmallerstorescouldn'tpossiblyaffordtokeep Igentlymassagedmylegs,hissingasthebloodcamebackinto ontheirlimitedshelves.B&Nhasalwayshadstrongcommunity outreachprograms,andI'vedonesomeofmybestattended,best themandintomyhands.EventuallyIwasabletostand,andthen topace.Iheardotherpeopletalking,crying,shouting.Ididsome organizedsigningsatB&Nstores,includingthegreateventsat the(sadlydeparted)B&NinUnionSquare,NewYork,wherethe shoutingtoo:"Jolu!Darryl!Vanessa!"Othervoicesonthecell blocktookupthecry,shoutingoutnames,too,shoutingout megasigningaftertheNebulaAwardstookplace,andtheB&N inChicagothathostedtheeventaftertheNebsafewyearslater. obscenities.Thenearestvoicessoundedlikedrunkslosingtheir mindsonastreetcorner.MaybeIsoundedlikethattoo. BestofallisthatB&N's"geeky"buyersreallyGetItwhenit comestosciencefiction,comicsandmanga,gamesandsimilar Guardsshoutedatustobequietandthatjustmadeeveryone titles.They'repassionateandknowledgeableaboutthefieldandit yelllouder.Eventuallywewereallhowling,screamingourheads showsintheexcellentselectionondisplayatthestores. off,screamingourthroatsraw.Whynot?Whatdidwehaveto BarnesandNoble,nationwide: lose? http://search.barnesandnoble.com/LittleBrother/Cory Doctorow/e/9780765319852/?itm=6 # Theyreshackledandrehoodedmeandleftmethere.Along timelater,thetruckstartedtomove,rollingdownhill,andthenI washauledbacktomyfeet.Iimmediatelyfellover.Mylegswere soasleeptheyfeltlikeblocksofice,allexceptmyknees,which wereswollenandtenderfromallthehoursofkneeling. Thenexttimetheycametoquestionme,Iwasfilthyandtired, thirstyandhungry.Severehaircutladywasinthenewquestioning party,aswerethreebigguyswhomovedmearoundlikeacutof meat.Onewasblack,theothertwowerewhite,thoughonemight havebeenhispanic.Theyallcarriedguns.ItwaslikeaBenneton's adcrossedwithagameofCounterStrike.

HandsgrabbedmyshouldersandfeetandIwaspickeduplikea sackofpotatoes.Therewereindistinctvoicesaroundme. They'dtakenmefrommycellandchainedmywristsandankles Someonecrying.Someonecursing. together.Ipaidattentiontomysurroundingsaswewent.Iheard wateroutsideandthoughtthatmaybewewereonAlcatrazit Iwascarriedashortdistance,thensetdownandreshackledto wasaprison,afterall,evenifithadbeenatouristattractionfor anotherrailing.Mykneeswouldn'tsupportmeanymoreandI generations,theplacewhereyouwenttoseewhereAlCapone pitchedforward,endinguptwistedonthegroundlikeapretzel, andhisgangstercontemporariesdidtheirtime.ButI'dbeento

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/21 Alcatrazonaschooltrip.Itwasoldandrusted,medieval.This placefeltlikeitdatedbacktoWorldWarTwo,notcolonialtimes. "Wewanttobesurethatyou'rewhatyouseemtobe.Thisis aboutyoursecurity,Marcus.Sayyou'reinnocent.Youmightbe, thoughwhyaninnocentmanwouldactlikehe'sgotsomuchto Therewerebarcodeslaserprintedonstickersandplacedon hideisbeyondme.Butsayyouare:youcouldhavebeenonthat eachofthecelldoors,andnumbers,butotherthanthat,therewas bridgewhenitblew.Yourparentscouldhavebeen.Yourfriends. nowaytotellwhoorwhatmightbebehindthem. Don'tyouwantustocatchthepeoplewhoattackedyourhome?" Theinterrogationroomwasmodern,withfluorescentlights, ergonomicchairsnotforme,though,Igotafoldingplastic gardenchairandabigwoodenboardroomtable.Amirror linedonewall,justlikeinthecopshows,andIfiguredsomeone orothermustbewatchingfrombehindit.Severehaircutladyand herfriendshelpedthemselvestocoffeesfromanurnonaside table(Icouldhavetornherthroatoutwithmyteethandtakenher coffeejustthen),andthensetastyrofoamcupofwaterdownnext tomewithoutunlockingmywristsfrombehindmyback,soI couldn'treachit.Hardyharhar. It'sfunny,butwhenshewastalkingaboutmygetting "privileges"itscaredmeintosubmission.IfeltlikeI'ddone somethingtoendupwhereIwas,likemaybeitwaspartiallymy fault,likeIcoulddosomethingtochangeit.

ButassoonassheswitchedtothisBSabout"safety"and "security,"myspinecameback."Lady,"Isaid,"you'retalking aboutattackingmyhome,butasfarasIcantell,you'retheonly onewho'sattackedmelately.IthoughtIlivedinacountrywitha constitution.IthoughtIlivedinacountrywhereIhadrights. You'retalkingaboutdefendingmyfreedombytearinguptheBill "Hello,Marcus,"SevereHaircutwomansaid."How'syour'tude ofRights." doingtoday?" Aflickerofannoyancepassedoverherface,thenwentaway. Ididn'tsayanything. "Somelodramatic,Marcus.Noone'sattackedyou.You'vebeen detainedbyyourcountry'sgovernmentwhileweseekdetailson "Thisisn'tasbadasitgetsyouknow,"shesaid."Thisisas theworstterroristattackeverperpetratedonournation'ssoil.You goodasitgetsfromnowon.Evenonceyoutelluswhatwewant haveitwithinyourpowertohelpusfightthiswaronournation's toknow,evenifthatconvincesusthatyouwerejustinthewrong enemies.YouwanttopreservetheBillofRights?Helpusstop placeatthewrongtime,you'reamarkedmannow.We'llbe badpeoplefromblowingupyourcity.Now,youhaveexactly watchingyoueverywhereyougoandeverythingyoudo.You've thirtysecondstounlockthatphonebeforeIsendyoubacktoyour actedlikeyou'vegotsomethingtohide,andwedon'tlikethat." cell.Wehavelotsofotherpeopletointerviewtoday." It'spathetic,butallmybraincouldthinkaboutwasthatphrase, "convinceusthatyouwereinthewrongplaceatthewrongtime." Thiswastheworstthingthathadeverhappenedtome.Ihad never,everfeltthisbadorthisscaredbefore.Thosewords, "wrongplaceatthewrongtime,"thosesixwords,theywerelikea lifelinedanglingbeforemeasIthrashedtostayonthesurface. "Hello,Marcus?"shesnappedherfingersinfrontofmyface. "Overhere,Marcus."TherewasalittlesmileonherfaceandI hatedmyselfforlettingherseemyfear."Marcus,itcanbealot worsethanthis.Thisisn'ttheworstplacewecanputyou,notbya damnedsight."Shereacheddownbelowthetableandcameout withabriefcase,whichshesnappedopen.Fromit,shewithdrew myphone,myarphidsniper/cloner,mywifinder,andmymemory keys.Shesetthemdownonthetableoneaftertheother. Shelookedatherwatch.Irattledmywrists,rattledthechains thatkeptmefromreachingaroundandunlockingthephone.Yes, Iwasgoingtodoit.She'dtoldmewhatmypathwastofreedom totheworld,tomyparentsandthathadgivenmehope.Now she'dthreatenedtosendmeaway,totakemeoffthatpath,andmy hopehadcrashedandallIcouldthinkofwashowtogetbackon it. SoIrattledmywrists,wantingtogettomyphoneandunlockit forher,andshejustlookedatmecoldly,checkingherwatch. "Thepassword,"Isaid,finallyunderstandingwhatshewanted ofme.Shewantedmetosayitoutloud,here,whereshecould recordit,whereherpalscouldhearit.Shedidn'twantmetojust unlockthephone.Shewantedmetosubmittoher.Toputherin chargeofme.Togiveupeverysecret,allmyprivacy."The password,"Isaidagain,andthenItoldherthepassword.God helpme,Isubmittedtoherwill.

"Here'swhatwewantfromyou.Youunlockthephoneforus today.Ifyoudothat,you'llgetoutdoorandbathingprivileges. You'llgetashowerandyou'llbeallowedtowalkaroundinthe exerciseyard.Tomorrow,we'llbringyoubackandaskyouto Shesmiledalittleprimsmile,whichhadtobehericequeen decryptthedataonthesememorysticks.Dothat,andyou'llgetto equivalentofatouchdowndance,andtheguardsledmeaway.As eatinthemesshall.Thedayafter,we'regoingtowantyouremail thedoorclosed,Isawherbenddownoverthephoneandkeythe passwords,andthatwillgetyoulibraryprivileges." passwordin. Theword"no"wasonmylips,likeaburptryingtocomeup, butitwouldn'tcome."Why?"iswhatcameoutinstead. IwishIcouldsaythatI'danticipatedthispossibilityinadvance andcreatedafakepasswordthatunlockedacompletely innocuouspartitiononmyphone,butIwasn'tnearlythat

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/22 paranoid/clever. patchofskyoverhead,anditsmelledliketheBayArea,but beyondthat,IhadnocluewhereIwasbeingheld.Noother YoumightbewonderingatthispointwhatdarksecretsIhad prisonerswerevisibleduringmyexerciseperiod,andIgotpretty lockedawayonmyphoneandmemorysticksandemail.I'mjusta boredwithwalkingincircles.Istrainedmyearsforanysound kid,afterall. thatmighthelpmeunderstandwhatthisplacewas,butallIheard wastheoccasionalvehicle,somedistantconversations,aplane ThetruthisthatIhadeverythingtohide,andnothing.Between landingsomewherenearby. myphoneandmymemorysticks,youcouldgetaprettygood ideaofwhomyfriendswere,whatIthoughtofthem,allthe Theybroughtmebacktomycellandfedme,ahalfapepperoni goofythingswe'ddone.Youcouldreadthetranscriptsofthe piefromGoatHillPizza,whichIknewwell,uponPotreroHill. electronicargumentswe'dcarriedoutandtheelectronic Thecartonwithitsfamiliargraphicand415phonenumberwasa reconciliationswe'darrivedat. reminderthatonlyadaybefore,I'dbeenafreemaninafree countryandthatnowIwasaprisoner.Iworriedconstantlyabout Yousee,Idon'tdeletestuff.WhywouldI?Storageischeap, Darrylandfrettedaboutmyotherfriends.Maybethey'dbeen andyouneverknowwhenyou'regoingtowanttogobacktothat morecooperativeandhadbeenreleased.Maybethey'dtoldmy stuff.Especiallythestupidstuff.Youknowthatfeelingyouget parentsandtheywerefranticallycallingaround. sometimeswhereyou'resittingonthesubwayandthere'snoone totalktoandyousuddenlyremembersomebitterfightyouhad, Maybenot. someterriblethingyousaid?Well,it'susuallyneverasbadasyou remember.Beingabletogobackandseeitagainisagreatwayto Thecellwasfantasticallyspare,emptyasmysoul.Ifantasized remindyourselfthatyou'renotashorribleapersonasyouthink thatthewalloppositemybunkwasascreen,thatIcouldbe youare.DarrylandIhavegottenovermorefightsthatwaythanI hackingrightnow,openingthecelldoor.Ifantasizedaboutmy cancount. workbenchandtheprojectstheretheoldcansIwasturninginto aghettosurroundsoundrig,theaerialphotographykitecamI Andeventhat'snotit.Iknowmyphoneisprivate.Iknowmy wasbuilding,myhomebrewlaptop. memorysticksareprivate.That'sbecauseofcryptography messagescrambling.Themathbehindcryptoisgoodandsolid, Iwantedtogetoutofthere.Iwantedtogohomeandhavemy andyouandmegetaccesstothesamecryptothatbanksandthe friendsandmyschoolandmyparentsandmylifeback.Iwanted NationalSecurityAgencyuse.There'sonlyonekindofcrypto tobeabletogowhereIwantedtogo,notbestuckpacingand thatanyoneuses:cryptothat'spublic,openandcanbedeployed pacingandpacing. byanyone.That'showyouknowitworks. # There'ssomethingreallyliberatingabouthavingsomecornerof yourlifethat'syours,thatnoonegetstoseeexceptyou.It'salittle TheytookmypasswordsformyUSBkeysnext.Thoseheld likenudityortakingadump.Everyonegetsnakedeveryonceina someinterestingmessagesI'ddownloadedfromoneonline while.Everyonehastosquatonthetoilet.There'snothing discussiongrouporanother,somechattranscripts,thingswhere shameful,deviantorweirdabouteitherofthem.ButwhatifI peoplehadhelpedmeoutwithsomeoftheknowledgeIneededto decreedthatfromnowon,everytimeyouwenttoevacuatesome dothethingsIdid.Therewasnothingonthereyoucouldn'tfind solidwaste,you'dhavetodoitinaglassroomperchedinthe withGoogle,ofcourse,butIdidn'tthinkthatwouldcountinmy middleofTimesSquare,andyou'dbebucknaked? favor. Evenifyou'vegotnothingwrongorweirdwithyourbody Igotexerciseagainthatafternoon,andthistimetherewere andhowmanyofuscansaythat?you'dhavetobepretty othersintheyardwhenIgotthere,fourotherguysandtwo strangetolikethatidea.Mostofuswouldrunscreaming.Mostof women,ofallagesandracialbackgrounds.Iguesslotsofpeople uswouldholditinuntilweexploded. weredoingthingstoearntheir"privileges." It'snotaboutdoingsomethingshameful.It'saboutdoing somethingprivate.It'saboutyourlifebelongingtoyou. Theygavemehalfanhour,andItriedtomakeconversation withthemostnormalseemingoftheotherprisoners,ablackguy aboutmyagewithashortafro.ButwhenIintroducedmyselfand Theyweretakingthatfromme,piecebypiece.AsIwalked stuckmyhandout,hecuthiseyestowardthecamerasmounted backtomycell,thatfeelingofdeservingitcamebacktome.I'd ominouslyinthecornersoftheyardandkeptwalkingwithout brokenalotofrulesallmylifeandI'dgottenawaywithit,byand everchanginghisfacialexpression. large.Maybethiswasjustice.Maybethiswasmypastcoming backtome.Afterall,IhadbeenwhereIwasbecauseI'dsnuck Butthen,justbeforetheycalledmynameandbroughtmeback outofschool. intothebuilding,thedooropenedandoutcameVanessa!I'd neverbeenmoregladtoseeafriendlyface.Shelookedtiredand Igotmyshower.Igottowalkaroundtheyard.Therewasa grumpy,butnothurt,andwhenshesawme,sheshoutedmyname

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/23 andrantome.WehuggedeachotherhardandIrealizedIwas shaking.ThenIrealizedshewasshaking,too. "AreyouOK?"shesaid,holdingmeatarms'length. "I'mOK,"Isaid."Theytoldmethey'dletmegoifIgavethem mypasswords." "TheykeepaskingmequestionsaboutyouandDarryl." Therewasavoiceblaringovertheloudspeaker,shoutingatus tostoptalking,towalk,butweignoredit. "Answerthem,"Isaid,instantly."Anythingtheyask,answer them.Ifit'llgetyouout." "HowareDarrylandJolu?" "Ihaven'tseenthem."

Ibarkedalaughatthetable."Itoldhertoansweryour questions.Itoldhertocooperate." "Sodoyougivetheorders?" Ifeltthebloodsinginmyears."Ohcomeon,"Isaid."Weplay agametogether,it'scalledHarajukuFunMadness.I'mtheteam captain.We'renotterrorists,we'rehighschoolstudents.Idon't giveherorders.Itoldherthatweneededtobehonestwithyouso thatwecouldclearupanysuspicionandgetoutofhere." Shedidn'tsayanythingforamoment. "HowisDarryl?"Isaid. "Who?"

"Darryl.Youpickedusuptogether.Myfriend.Someonehad stabbedhiminthePowellStreetBART.That'swhywewereupon Thedoorbangedopenandfourbigguardsboiledout.Twotook thesurface.Togethimhelp." meandtwotookVanessa.Theyforcedmetothegroundand turnedmyheadawayfromVanessa,thoughIheardhergettingthe "I'msurehe'sfine,then,"shesaid. sametreatment.PlasticcuffswentaroundmywristsandthenI wasyankedtomyfeetandbroughtbacktomycell. MystomachknottedandIalmostthrewup."Youdon'tknow? Youhaven'tgothimhere?" Nodinnercamethatnight.Nobreakfastcamethenextmorning. Noonecameandbroughtmetotheinterrogationroomtoextract "Whowehavehereandwhowedon'thavehereisnot moreofmysecrets.Theplasticcuffsdidn'tcomeoff,andmy somethingwe'regoingtodiscusswithyou,ever.That'snot shouldersburned,thenached,thenwentnumb,thenburned somethingyou'regoingtoknow.Marcus,you'veseenwhat again.Ilostallfeelinginmyhands. happenswhenyoudon'tcooperatewithus.You'veseenwhat happenswhenyoudisobeyourorders.You'vebeenalittle Ihadtopee.Icouldn'tundomypants.Ireally,reallyhadtopee. cooperative,andit'sgottenyoualmosttothepointwhereyou mightgofreeagain.Ifyouwanttomakethatpossibilityintoa Ipissedmyself. reality,you'llsticktoansweringmyquestions." Theycameformeafterthat,oncethehotpisshadcooledand goneclammy,makingmyalreadyfilthyjeanssticktomylegs. Theycameformeandwalkedmedownthelonghalllinedwith doors,eachdoorwithitsownbarcode,eachbarcodeaprisoner likeme.Theywalkedmedownthecorridorandbroughtmetothe interrogationroomanditwaslikeadifferentplanetwhenI enteredthere,aworldwherethingswerenormal,where everythingdidn'treekofurine.Ifeltsodirtyandashamed,andall thosefeelingsofdeservingwhatIgotcamebacktome. Severehaircutladywasalreadysitting.Shewasperfect:coifed andwithjustalittlemakeup.Ismelledherhairstuff.She wrinkledhernoseatme.Ifelttheshameriseinme. "Well,you'vebeenaverynaughtyboy,haven'tyou?Aren'tyou afilthything?" Shame.Ilookeddownatthetable.Icouldn'tbeartolookup.I wantedtotellhermyemailpasswordandgetgone. "Whatdidyouandyourfriendtalkaboutintheyard?" Ididn'tsayanything. "You'relearning,that'sgood.Now,youremailpasswords, please." Iwasreadyforthis.Igavethemeverything:serveraddress, login,password.Thisdidn'tmatter.Ididn'tkeepanyemailonmy server.Idownloadeditallandkeptitonmylaptopathome, whichdownloadedanddeletedmymailfromtheserverevery sixtyseconds.Theywouldn'tgetanythingoutofmymailitgot clearedofftheserverandstoredonmylaptopathome. Backtothecell,buttheycutloosemyhandsandtheygaveme ashowerandapairoforangeprisonpantstowear.Theyweretoo bigformeandhungdownlowonmyhips,likeaMexicangang kidintheMission.That'swherethebaggypantsdownyourass lookcomesfrom,youknowthat?Fromprison.Itellyouwhat,it's lessfunwhenit'snotafashionstatement. Theytookawaymyjeans,andIspentanotherdayinthecell. Thewallswerescratchedcementoverasteelgrid.Youcouldtell,

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/24 becausethesteelwasrustinginthesaltair,andthegridshone throughthegreenpaintinredorange.Myparentswereoutthat window,somewhere. Theycameformeagainthenextday. "We'vebeenreadingyourmailforadaynow.Wechangedthe passwordsothatyourhomecomputercouldn'tfetchit." Well,ofcoursetheyhad.Iwouldhavedonethesame,nowthat Ithoughtofit. "Wehaveenoughonyounowtoputyouawayforaverylong time,Marcus.Yourpossessionofthesearticles"shegesturedat allmylittlegizmos"andthedatawerecoveredfromyour phoneandmemorysticks,aswellasthesubversivematerialwe'd nodoubtfindifweraidedyourhouseandtookyourcomputer.It's enoughtoputyouawayuntilyou'reanoldman.Doyou understandthat?" Ididn'tbelieveitforasecond.There'snowayajudgewould saythatallthisstuffconstitutedanykindofrealcrime.Itwasfree speech,itwastechnologicaltinkering.Itwasn'tacrime. Butwhosaidthatthesepeoplewouldeverputmeinfrontofa judge. "Weknowwhereyoulive,weknowwhoyourfriendsare.We knowhowyouoperateandhowyouthink." Itdawnedonmethen.Theywereabouttoletmego.Theroom seemedtobrighten.Iheardmyselfbreathing,shortlittlebreaths. "Wejustwanttoknowonething:whatwasthedelivery mechanismforthebombsonthebridge?" Istoppedbreathing.Theroomdarkenedagain. "What?" youknowthatwealwaysgetwhatwe'reafter." Therewasagibberingsoundinthebackofmymind.They wereinsane.Ipulledmyselftogether,workinghardtostopthe tears."Listen,lady,thisisnuts.You'vebeenintomystuff,you've seenitall.I'maseventeenyearoldhighschoolstudent,nota terrorist!Youcan'tseriouslythink" "Marcus,haven'tyoufiguredoutthatwe'reseriousyet?"She shookherhead."Yougetprettygoodgrades.Ithoughtyou'dbe smarterthanthat."Shemadeaflickinggestureandtheguards pickedmeupbythearmpits. Backinmycell,ahundredlittlespeechesoccurredtome.The Frenchcallthis"espritd'escalier"thespiritofthestaircase,the snappyrebuttalsthatcometoyouafteryouleavetheroomand slinkdownthestairs.Inmymind,Istoodanddelivered,telling herthatIwasacitizenwholovedmyfreedom,whichmademe thepatriotandmadeherthetraitor.Inmymind,Ishamedherfor turningmycountryintoanarmedcamp.Inmymind,Iwas eloquentandbrilliantandreducedhertotears. Butyouknowwhat?Noneofthosefinewordscamebacktome whentheypulledmeoutthenextday.AllIcouldthinkofwas freedom.Myparents. "Hello,Marcus,"shesaid."Howareyoufeeling?" Ilookeddownatthetable.Shehadaneatpileofdocumentsin frontofher,andherubiquitousgocupofStarbucksbesideher.I founditcomfortingsomehow,areminderthattherewasareal worldouttheresomewhere,beyondthewalls. "We'rethroughinvestigatingyou,fornow."Sheletthathang there.Maybeitmeantthatshewaslettingmego.Maybeitmeant thatshewasgoingtothrowmeinapitandforgetthatIexisted. "And?"Isaidfinally.

"AndIwantyoutoimpressonyouagainthatwearevery "Thereweretenchargesonthebridge,allalongitslength.They seriousaboutthis.Ourcountryhasexperiencedtheworstattack weren'tincartrunks.They'dbeenplacedthere.Whoplacedthem evercommittedonitssoil.Howmany9/11sdoyouwantusto there,andhowdidtheygetthere?" sufferbeforeyou'rewillingtocooperate?Thedetailsofour investigationaresecret.Wewon'tstopatanythinginoureffortsto "What?"Isaiditagain. bringtheperpetratorsoftheseheinouscrimestojustice.Doyou understandthat?" "Thisisyourlastchance,Marcus,"shesaid.Shelookedsad. "Youweredoingsowelluntilnow.Tellusthisandyoucango "Yes,"Imumbled. home.Youcangetalawyeranddefendyourselfinacourtoflaw. Therearedoubtlessextenuatingcircumstancesthatyoucanuseto "Wearegoingtosendyouhometoday,butyouareamarked explainyouractions.Justtellusthisthing,andyou'regone." man.Youhavenotbeenfoundtobeabovesuspicionwe'reonly releasingyoubecausewe'redonequestioningyoufornow.But "Idon'tknowwhatyou'retalkingabout!"IwascryingandI fromnowon,youbelongtous.Wewillbewatchingyou.We'llbe didn'tevencare.Sobbing,blubbering."Ihavenoideawhatyou're waitingforyoutomakeamisstep.Doyouunderstandthatwecan talkingabout!" watchyouclosely,allthetime?" Sheshookherhead."Marcus,please.Letushelpyou.Bynow "Yes,"Imumbled.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/25

"Good.Youwillneverspeakofwhathappenedheretoanyone, ever.Thisisamatterofnationalsecurity.Doyouknowthatthe deathpenaltystillholdsfortreasonintimeofwar?" "Yes,"Imumbled.

Thehoodwentovermyheadandcinchedtightatmyneck.I wasintotaldarknessandtheairwasstiflingandstale.Iwas raisedtomyfeetandwalkeddowncorridors,upstairs,ongravel. Upagangplank.Onaship'ssteeldeck.Myhandswerechained behindme,toarailing.Ikneltonthedeckandlistenedtothe thrumofthedieselengines.

"Goodboy,"shepurred."Wehavesomepapershereforyouto sign."Shepushedthestackofpapersacrossthetabletome.Little Theshipmoved.Ahintofsaltairmadeitswayintothehood.It postitswithSIGNHEREprintedonthemhadbeenstuck wasdrizzlingandmyclotheswereheavywithwater.Iwas throughoutthem.Aguardundidmycuffs. outside,evenifmyheadwasinabag.Iwasoutside,intheworld, momentsfrommyfreedom. Ipagedthroughthepapersandmyeyeswateredandmyhead swam.Icouldn'tmakesenseofthem.Itriedtodecipherthe Theycameformeandledmeofftheboatandoveruneven legalese.ItseemedthatIwassigningadeclarationthatIhadbeen ground.Upthreemetalstairs.Mywristswereunshackled.My voluntarilyheldandsubmittedtovoluntaryquestioning,ofmy hoodwasremoved. ownfreewill. Iwasbackinthetruck.Severehaircutwomanwasthere,atthe "WhathappensifIdon'tsignthis?"Isaid. littledeskshe'dsatatbefore.Shehadaziplocbagwithher,and insideitweremyphoneandotherlittledevices,mywalletandthe Shesnatchedthepapersbackandmadethatflickinggesture changefrommypockets.Shehandedthemtomewordlessly. again.Theguardsjerkedmetomyfeet. Ifilledmypockets.Itfeltsoweirdtohaveeverythingbackinits "Wait!"Icried."Please!I'llsignthem!"Theydraggedmetothe familiarplace,tobewearingmyfamiliarclothes.Outsidethe door.AllIcouldseewasthatdoor,allIcouldthinkofwasit truck'sbackdoor,Iheardthefamiliarsoundsofmyfamiliarcity. closingbehindme. Aguardpassedmemybackpack.Thewomanextendedher Ilostit.Iwept.Ibeggedtobeallowedtosignthepapers.Tobe handtome.Ijustlookedatit.Sheputitdownandgavemeawry soclosetofreedomandhaveitsnatchedaway,itmademeready smile.Thenshemimedzippingupherlipsandpointedtome,and todoanything.Ican'tcountthenumberoftimesI'veheard openedthedoor. someonesay,"Oh,I'dratherdiethandosomethingorother" I'vesaiditmyselfnowandagain.ButthatwasthefirsttimeI Itwasdaylightoutside,grayanddrizzling.Iwaslookingdown understoodwhatitreallymeant.Iwouldhaveratherdiedthango analleytowardcarsandtrucksandbikeszippingdowntheroad.I backtomycell. stoodtransfixedonthetruck'stopstep,staringatfreedom. Ibeggedastheytookmeoutintothecorridor.ItoldthemI'd signanything. Mykneesshook.Iknewnowthattheywereplayingwithme again.Inamoment,theguardswouldgrabmeanddragmeback inside,thebagwouldgoovermyheadagain,andIwouldbeback Shecalledouttotheguardsandtheystopped.Theybroughtme ontheboatandsentofftotheprisonagain,totheendless, back.Theysatmedown.Oneofthemputthepeninmyhand. unanswerablequestions.Ibarelyheldmyselfbackfromstuffing myfistinmymouth. Ofcourse,Isigned,andsignedandsigned. ThenIforcedmyselftogodownonestair.Anotherstair.The # laststair.Mysneakerscruncheddownonthecraponthealley's floor,brokenglass,aneedle,gravel.Itookastep.Another.I Myjeansandtshirtwerebackinmycell,launderedandfolded. reachedthemouthofthealleyandsteppedontothesidewalk. Theysmelledofdetergent.Iputthemonandwashedmyfaceand satonmycotandstaredatthewall.They'dtakeneverythingfrom Noonegrabbedme. me.Firstmyprivacy,thenmydignity.I'dbeenreadytosign anything.IwouldhavesignedaconfessionthatsaidI'd Iwasfree. assassinatedAbrahamLincoln. Thenstrongarmsthrewthemselvesaroundme.Inearlycried. Itriedtocry,butitwaslikemyeyesweredry,outoftears. Theygotmeagain.Aguardapproachedmewithahood,like thehoodI'dbeenputinwhentheypickedusup,wheneverthat was,daysago,weeksago. Chapter5 ThischapterisdedicatedtoSecretHeadquartersinLosAngeles,

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/26 mydropdeadalltimefavoritecomicstoreintheworld.It'ssmall andselectiveaboutwhatitstocks,andeverytimeIwalkin,Iwalk outwiththreeorfourcollectionsI'dneverheardofundermy arm.It'sliketheowners,DaveandDavid,havetheuncanny abilitytopredictexactlywhatI'mlookingfor,andtheylayitout formesecondsbeforeIwalkintothestore.Idiscoveredabout threequartersofmyfavoritecomicsbywanderingintoSHQ, grabbingsomethinginteresting,sinkingintooneofthecomfy chairs,andfindingmyselftransportedtoanotherworld.Whenmy secondstorycollection,OVERCLOCKED,cameout,theyworked withlocalillustratorMartinCenredatodoafreeminicomic basedonPrintcrime,thefirststoryinthebook.IleftLAabouta yearago,andofallthethingsImissaboutit,Secret Headquartersisrightatthetopofthelist. SecretHeadquarters:http://www.thesecretheadquarters.com/ 3817W.SunsetBoulevard,LosAngeles,CA90026+1323666 2228 ButitwasVan,andshewascrying,andhuggingmesohardI couldn'tbreathe.Ididn'tcare.Ihuggedherback,myfaceburied inherhair. "You'reOK!"shesaid. "I'mOK,"Imanaged. Shefinallyletgoofmeandanothersetofarmswrapped themselvesaroundme.ItwasJolu!Theywereboththere.He whispered,"You'resafe,bro,"inmyearandhuggedmeeven tighterthanVanessahad. Whenheletgo,Ilookedaround."Where'sDarryl?"Iasked. Theybothlookedateachother."Maybehe'sstillinthetruck," Jolusaid. Weturnedandlookedatthetruckatthealley'send.Itwasa nondescriptwhite18wheeler.Someonehadalreadybroughtthe littlefoldingstaircaseinside.Therearlightsglowedred,andthe truckrolledbackwardstowardsus,emittingasteadyeep,eep, eep.

VanessaandJolugotmetomyfeetandmovedmealittleways upthestreet.TherewasaMunibusstopwithabenchandtheysat meonit.Theywerebothcryingtoo,andweheldeachotherfora while,andIknewwewerecryingforDarryl,whomnoneofus everexpectedtoseeagain. # WewerenorthofChinatown,atthepartwhereitstartsto becomeNorthBeach,aneighborhoodwithabunchofneonstrip clubsandthelegendaryCityLightscounterculturebookstore, wheretheBeatpoetrymovementhadbeenfoundedbackinthe 1950s. Iknewthispartoftownwell.Myparents'favoriteItalian restaurantwashereandtheylikedtotakemehereforbigplatesof linguineandhugeItalianicecreammountainswithcandiedfigs andlethallittleespressosafterward. Nowitwasadifferentplace,aplacewhereIwastasting freedomforthefirsttimeinwhatseemedlikeaneternity. Wecheckedourpocketsandfoundenoughmoneytogetatable atoneoftheItalianrestaurants,outonthesidewalk,underan awning.Theprettywaitresslightedagasheaterwithabarbeque lighter,tookourordersandwentinside.Thesensationofgiving orders,ofcontrollingmydestiny,wasthemostamazingthingI'd everfelt. "Howlongwereweinthere?"Iasked. "Sixdays,"Vanessasaid. "Igotfive,"Jolusaid. "Ididn'tcount."

"Whatdidtheydotoyou?"Vanessasaid.Ididn'twanttotalk aboutit,buttheywerebothlookingatme.OnceIstarted,I couldn'tstop.Itoldthemeverything,evenwhenI'dbeenforcedto pissmyself,andtheytookitallinsilently.Ipausedwhenthe waitressdeliveredoursodasandwaiteduntilshegotoutof "Wait!"Ishoutedasitacceleratedtowardsus."Wait!What earshot,thenfinished.Inthetelling,itrecededintothedistance. aboutDarryl?"Thetruckdrewcloser.Ikeptshouting."What Bytheendofit,Icouldn'ttellifIwasembroideringthetruthorif aboutDarryl?" Iwasmakingitallseemlessbad.Mymemoriesswamlikelittle fishthatIsnatchedat,andsometimestheywriggledoutofmy JoluandVanessaeachhadmebyanarmandweredraggingme grasp. away.Istruggledagainstthem,shouting.Thetruckpulledoutof thealley'smouthandreversedintothestreetandpointeditself Jolushookhishead."Theywerehardonyou,dude,"hesaid. downhillanddroveaway.Itriedtorunafterit,butVanandJolu Hetoldusabouthisstaythere.They'dquestionedhim,mostly wouldn'tletmego. aboutme,andhe'dkeptontellingthemthetruth,stickingtoa plaintellingofthefactsaboutthatdayandaboutourfriendship. Isatdownonthesidewalkandputmyarmsaroundmyknees Theyhadgottenhimtorepeatitoverandoveragain,butthey andcried.Icriedandcriedandcried,loudsobsofthesortI hadn'tplayedgameswithhisheadthewaytheyhadwithme.He'd hadn'tdonesinceIwasalittlekid.Theywouldn'tstopcoming.I eatenhismealsinamesshallwithabunchofotherpeople,and couldn'tstopshaking. beengiventimeinaTVroomwheretheywereshownlastyear's

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/27 blockbustersonvideo. Vanessa'sstorywasonlyslightlydifferent.Aftershe'dgotten themangrybytalkingtome,they'dtakenawayherclothesand madeherwearasetoforangeprisonoveralls.She'dbeenleftin hercellfortwodayswithoutcontact,thoughshe'dbeenfed regularly.ButmostlyitwasthesameasJolu:thesamequestions, repeatedagainandagain. "Theyreallyhatedyou,"Jolusaid."Reallyhaditinforyou. Why?" Icouldn'timaginewhy.ThenIremembered. Youcancooperate,oryoucanbevery,verysorry. "ItwasbecauseIwouldn'tunlockmyphoneforthem,thatfirst night.That'swhytheysingledmeout."Icouldn'tbelieveit,but therewasnootherexplanation.Ithadbeensheervindictiveness. Mymindreeledatthethought.Theyhaddoneallthatasamere punishmentfordefyingtheirauthority. Sausalito,whereallthecutesywinecountrytownsarewiththeir scentedcandleshopsandartgalleries.It'spicturesqueashell,and it'spracticallythesymbolforthestateofCalifornia.Ifyougoto theDisneylandCaliforniaAdventurepark,there'sareplicaofit justpastthegates,withamonorailrunningoverit. SonaturallyIassumedthatifyouweregoingtoblowupa bridgeinSanFrancisco,that'stheoneyou'dblow. "Theyprobablygotscaredoffbyallthecamerasandstuff," Jolusaid."TheNationalGuard'salwayscheckingcarsatboth endsandthere'sallthosesuicidefencesandjunkallalongit." PeoplehavebeenjumpingofftheGoldenGatesinceitopenedin 1937theystoppedcountingafterthethousandthsuicidein 1995.

"Yeah,"Vanessasaid."PlustheBayBridgeactuallygoes somewhere."TheBayBridgegoesfromdowntownSanFrancisco toOaklandandthencetoBerkeley,theEastBaytownshipsthat arehometomanyofthepeoplewholiveandworkintown.It's oneoftheonlypartsoftheBayAreawhereanormalpersoncan Ihadbeenscared.NowIwasangry."Thosebastards,"Isaid, affordahousebigenoughtoreallystretchoutin,andthere'salso softly."Theydidittogetbackatmeformouthingoff." theuniversityandabunchoflightindustryoverthere.TheBART goesundertheBayandconnectsthetwocities,too,butit'sthe JolusworeandthenVanessacutlooseinKorean,somethingshe BayBridgethatseesmostofthetraffic.TheGoldenGatewasa onlydidwhenshewasreally,reallyangry. nicebridgeifyouwereatouristorarichretireelivingoutinwine country,butitwasmostlyornamental.TheBayBridgeiswas "I'mgoingtogetthem,"Iwhispered,staringatmysoda."I'm SanFrancisco'sworkhorsebridge. goingtogetthem." Ithoughtaboutitforaminute."Youguysareright,"Isaid. Jolushookhishead."Youcan't,youknow.Youcan'tfightback "ButIdon'tthinkthat'sallofit.Wekeepactingliketerrorists againstthat." attacklandmarksbecausetheyhatelandmarks.Terroristsdon't hatelandmarksorbridgesorairplanes.Theyjustwanttoscrew # stuffupandmakepeoplescared.Tomaketerror.Soofcourse theywentaftertheBayBridgeaftertheGoldenGategotallthose Noneofusmuchwantedtotalkaboutrevengethen.Instead,we camerasafterairplanesgotallmetaldetectoredandXrayed."I talkedaboutwhatwewoulddonext.Wehadtogohome.Our thoughtaboutitsomemore,staringblanklyatthecarsrolling phones'batteriesweredeadandithadbeenyearssincethis downthestreet,atthepeoplewalkingdownthesidewalks,atthe neighborhoodhadanypayphones.Wejustneededtogohome.I cityallaroundme."Terroristsdon'thateairplanesorbridges. eventhoughtabouttakingataxi,buttherewasn'tenoughmoney Theyloveterror."ItwassoobviousIcouldn'tbelieveI'dnever betweenustomakethatpossible. thoughtofitbefore.Iguessthatbeingtreatedlikeaterroristfora fewdayswasenoughtoclarifymythinking. Sowewalked.Onthecorner,wepumpedsomequartersintoa SanFranciscoChroniclenewspaperboxandstoppedtoreadthe Theothertwowerestaringatme."I'mright,aren'tI?Allthis frontsection.Ithadbeenfivedayssincethebombswentoff,but crap,alltheXraysandIDchecks,they'realluseless,aren't itwasstillalloverthefrontcover. they?" Severehaircutwomanhadtalkedabout"thebridge"blowing up,andI'djustassumedthatshewastalkingabouttheGolden Gatebridge,butIwaswrong.Theterroristshadblownupthe Baybridge. Theynoddedslowly.

"Worsethanuseless,"Isaid,myvoicegoingupandcracking. "Becausetheyendedupwithusinprison,withDarryl"Ihadn't thoughtofDarrylsincewesatdownandnowitcamebacktome, "WhythehellwouldtheyblowuptheBaybridge?"Isaid."The myfriend,missing,disappeared.Istoppedtalkingandgroundmy GoldenGateistheoneonallthepostcards."Evenifyou'venever jawstogether. beentoSanFrancisco,chancesareyouknowwhattheGolden Gatelookslike:it'sthatbigorangesuspensionbridgethatswoops "Wehavetotellourparents,"Jolusaid. dramaticallyfromtheoldmilitarybasecalledthePresidioto

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/28 "Weshouldgetalawyer,"Vanessasaid. Ithoughtoftellingmystory.Oftellingtheworldwhathad becomeofme.Ofthevideosthatwouldnodoubtcomeout,of meweeping,reducedtoagrovelinganimal. "Wecan'ttellthemanything,"Isaid,withoutthinking. "Whatdoyoumean?"Vansaid. "Wecan'ttellthemanything,"Irepeated."Youheardher.Ifwe talk,they'llcomebackforus.They'lldotouswhattheydidto Darryl." "You'rejoking,"Jolusaid."Youwantusto" lane,andparkeddownthewholelengthofMarketStreetwere big,nondescript18wheelersliketheonethathadcarriedus, hooded,awayfromtheship'sdocksandtoChinatown. Eachonehadthreesteelstepsleadingdownfromthebackand theybuzzedwithactivityassoldiers,peopleinsuits,andcops wentinandoutofthem.Thesuitsworelittlebadgesontheir lapelsandthesoldiersscannedthemastheywentinandout wirelessauthorizationbadges.Aswewalkedpastone,Igota lookatit,andsawthefamiliarlogo:DepartmentofHomeland Security.Thesoldiersawmestaringandstaredbackhard,glaring atme. Igotthemessageandmovedon.Ipeeledawayfromthegangat VanNess.Weclungtoeachotherandcriedandpromisedtocall eachother.

"Iwantustofightback,"Isaid."IwanttostayfreesothatIcan dothat.Ifwegooutthereandblab,they'lljustsaythatwe'rekids, ThewalkbacktoPotreroHillhasaneasyrouteandahard makingitup.Wedon'tevenknowwherewewereheld!Noone route,thelattertakingyouoversomeofthesteepesthillsinthe willbelieveus.Then,oneday,they'llcomeforus. city,thekindofthingthatyouseecarchasesoninactionmovies, withcarscatchingairastheysoaroverthezenith.Ialwaystake "I'mtellingmyparentsthatIwasinoneofthosecampsonthe thehardwayhome.It'sallresidentialstreets,andtheold othersideoftheBay.Icameovertomeetyouguysthereandwe Victorianhousestheycall"paintedladies"fortheirgaudy, gotstranded,andjustgotloosetoday.Theysaidinthepapersthat elaboratepaintjobs,andfrontgardenswithscentedflowersand peoplewerestillwanderinghomefromthem." tallgrasses.Housecatsstareatyoufromhedges,andthereare hardlyanyhomeless. "Ican'tdothat,"Vanessasaid."Afterwhattheydidtoyou,how canyoueventhinkofdoingthat?" ItwassoquietonthosestreetsthatitmademewishI'dtaken theotherroute,throughtheMission,whichis...raucousis "Ithappenedtome,that'sthepoint.Thisismeandthem,now. probablythebestwordforit.Loudandvibrant.Lotsofrowdy I'llbeatthem,I'llgetDarryl.I'mnotgoingtotakethislying drunksandangrycrackheadsandunconsciousjunkies,andalso down.Butonceourparentsareinvolved,that'sitforus.Noone lotsoffamilieswithstrollers,oldladiesgossipingonstoops, willbelieveusandnoonewillcare.Ifwedoitmyway,people lowriderswithboomcarsgoingthumpathumpathumpadown willcare." thestreets.Therewerehipstersandmopeyemoartstudentsand evenacoupleoldschoolpunkrockers,oldguyswithpotbellies "What'syourway?"Jolusaid."What'syourplan?" bulgingoutbeneaththeirDeadKennedysshirts.Alsodrag queens,angrygangkids,graffitiartistsandbewilderedgentrifiers "Idon'tknowyet,"Iadmitted."Givemeuntiltomorrow tryingnottogetkilledwhiletheirrealestateinvestments morning,givemethat,atleast."Iknewthatoncethey'dkeptita matured. secretforaday,itwouldhavetobeasecretforever.Ourparents wouldbeevenmoreskepticalifwesuddenly"remembered"that IwentupGoatHillandwalkedpastGoatHillPizza,which we'dbeenheldinasecretprisoninsteadoftakencareofina mademethinkofthejailI'dbeenheldin,andIhadtositdown refugeecamp. onthebenchoutfrontoftherestaurantuntilmyshakespassed. ThenInoticedthetruckupthehillfromme,anondescript18 VanandJolulookedateachother. wheelerwiththreemetalstepscomingdownfromthebackend.I gotupandgotmoving.Ifelttheeyeswatchingmefromall "I'mjustaskingforachance,"Isaid."We'llworkoutthestory directions. ontheway,getitstraight.Givemeoneday,justoneday." Ihurriedtherestofthewayhome.Ididn'tlookatthepainted Theothertwonoddedglumlyandwesetoffdownhillagain, ladiesorthegardensorthehousecats.Ikeptmyeyesdown. headingbacktowardshome.IlivedonPotreroHill,Vanessalived intheNorthMissionandJolulivedinNoeValleythreewildly Bothmyparents'carswereinthedriveway,eventhoughitwas differentneighborhoodsjustafewminutes'walkfromone themiddleoftheday.Ofcourse.DadworksintheEastBay,so another. he'dbestuckathomewhiletheyworkedonthebridge.Mom well,whoknewwhyMomwashome. WeturnedontoMarketStreetandstoppeddead.Thestreetwas barricadedateverycorner,thecrossstreetsreducedtoasingle Theywerehomeforme.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/29

EvenbeforeI'dfinishedunlockingthedoorithadbeenjerked outofmyhandandflungwide.Therewerebothofmyparents, lookinggrayandhaggard,bugeyedandstaringatme.Westood thereinfrozentableauforamoment,thentheybothrushed forwardanddraggedmeintothehouse,nearlytrippingmeup. TheywerebothtalkingsoloudandfastallIcouldhearwasa wordless,roaringgabbleandtheybothhuggedmeandcriedandI criedtooandwejuststoodtherelikethatinthelittlefoyer,crying andmakingalmostwordsuntilweranoutofsteamandwentinto thekitchen.

"Areyouhurt?"Momsaid."Hungry?" "Sleepy?" "Yeah,alittleofallthat.AlsoDopey,Doc,Sneezyand Bashful."WehadafamilytraditionofSevenDwarfsjokes.They bothsmiledalittle,buttheireyeswerestillwet.Ifeltreallybad forthem.Theymusthavebeenoutoftheirmindswithworry.I wasgladforachancetochangethesubject."I'dtotallyloveto eat."

IdidwhatIalwaysdidwhenIcamehome:gotmyselfaglassof "I'llorderapizzafromGoatHill,"Dadsaid. waterfromthefilterinthefridgeanddugacouplecookiesoutof the"biscuitbarrel"thatmom'ssisterhadsentusfromEngland. "No,notthat,"Isaid.TheybothlookedatmelikeI'dsprouted Thenormalcyofthismademyheartstophammering,myheart antennae.InormallyhaveathingaboutGoatHillPizzaasin,I catchingupwithmybrain,andsoonwewereallsittingatthe cannormallyeatitlikeagoldfisheatshisfood,gobblinguntilit table. eitherrunsoutorIpop.Itriedtosmile."Ijustdon'tfeellike pizza,"Isaid,lamely."Let'sordersomecurry,OK?"Thank "Wherehaveyoubeen?"theybothsaid,moreorlessinunison. heaventhatSanFranciscoistakeoutcentral. Ihadgiventhissomethoughtonthewayhome."Igottrapped," Momwenttothedraweroftakeoutmenus(morenormalcy, Isaid."InOakland.Iwastherewithsomefriends,doinga feelinglikeadrinkofwateronadry,sorethroat)andriffled project,andwewereallquarantined." throughthem.Wespentacoupleofdistractingminutesgoing throughthemenufromthehalalPakistaniplaceonValencia.I "Forfivedays?" settledonamixedtandoorigrillandcreamedspinachwith farmer'scheese,asaltedmangolassi(muchbetterthanitsounds) "Yeah,"Isaid."Yeah.Itwasreallybad."I'dreadaboutthe andlittlefriedpastriesinsugarsyrup. quarantinesintheChronicleandIcribbedshamelesslyfromthe quotesthey'dpublished."Yeah.Everyonewhogotcaughtinthe Oncethefoodwasordered,thequestionsstartedagain.They'd cloud.Theythoughtwehadbeenattackedwithsomekindof heardfromVan's,Jolu'sandDarryl'sfamilies(ofcourse)andhad superbugandtheypackedusintoshippingcontainersinthe triedtoreportusmissing.Thepoliceweretakingnames,but docklands,likesardines.Itwasreallyhotandsticky.Notmuch thereweresomany"displacedpersons"thattheyweren'tgoingto food,either." openfilesonanyoneunlesstheywerestillmissingafterseven days. "Christ,"Dadsaid,hisfistsballinguponthetable.Dadteaches inBerkeleythreedaysaweek,workingwithafewgradstudents Meanwhile,millionsofhaveyouseensiteshadpoppedupon inthelibraryscienceprogram.Therestofthetimeheconsultsfor thenet.AcoupleofthesiteswereoldMySpaceclonesthathad clientsinthecityanddownthePeninsula,thirdwavedotcoms runoutofmoneyandsawanewleaseonlifefromallthe thataredoingvariousthingswitharchives.He'samildmannered attention.Afterall,someventurecapitalistshadmissingfamilyin librarianbyprofession,buthe'dbeenarealradicalinthesixties theBayArea.Maybeiftheywererecovered,thesitewouldattract andwrestledalittleinhighschool.I'dseenhimgetcrazyangry somenewinvestment.Igrabbeddad'slaptopandlookedthrough nowandagainI'devenmadehimthatangrynowandagain them.Theywereplasteredwithadvertising,ofcourse,and andhecouldseriouslyloseitwhenhewasHulkingout.Heonce picturesofmissingpeople,mostlygradphotos,weddingpictures threwaswingsetfromIkeaacrossmygranddad'swholelawn andthatsortofthing.Itwasprettyghoulish. whenitfellapartforthefiftiethtimewhilehewasassemblingit. IfoundmypicandsawthatitwaslinkedtoVan's,Jolu's,and "Barbarians,"Momsaid.She'sbeenlivinginAmericasinceshe Darryl's.Therewasalittleformformarkingpeoplefoundand wasateenager,butshestillcomesoverallBritishwhenshe anotheroneforwritingupnotesaboutothermissingpeople.I encountersAmericancops,healthcare,airportsecurityor filledinthefieldsformeandJoluandVan,andleftDarrylblank. homelessness.Thenthewordis"barbarians,"andheraccent comesbackstrong.We'dbeentoLondontwicetoseeherfamily "YouforgotDarryl,"Dadsaid.Hedidn'tlikeDarrylmuch andIcan'tsayasitfeltanymorecivilizedthanSanFrancisco, oncehe'dfiguredoutthatacoupleinchesweremissingoutofone justmorecramped. ofthebottlesinhisliquorcabinet,andtomyenduringshameI'd blameditonDarryl.Intruth,ofcourse,ithadbeenbothofus, "Buttheyletusgo,andferriedusovertoday."Iwas justfoolingaround,tryingoutvodkaandCokesduringanall improvisingnow. nightgamingsession.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/30 comfortable,likegettinghuggedbymyparents. Ipoweredupmylaptopandpunchedabunchofpillowsinto placebehindmeatthetopofthebed.Iscoochedbackand openedmycomputer'slidandsettleditontomythighs.Itwasstill booting,andman,thoseiconscreepingacrossthescreenlooked good.Itcameallthewayupandthenitstartedgivingmemore "No,"Isaid,theliegrowing."No,hewassupposedtomeetus lowpowerwarnings.Icheckedthepowercableagainand butwenevermetup.He'sprobablyjuststuckoverinBerkeley.He wiggleditandtheywentaway.Thepowerjackwasreallyflaking wasgoingtotaketheBARTover." out. "OhmyGod,"mymomsaid.Shesqueezedherhandstogether. "Wejustassumedwhenyoucamehomethatyou'dallbeen together." Mommadeawhimperingsound.Dadshookhisheadand closedhiseyes."Don'tyouknowabouttheBART?"hesaid. Ishookmyhead.Icouldseewherethiswasgoing.Ifeltlike thegroundwasrushinguptome. "Theyblewitup,"Dadsaid."Thebastardsblewitupatthe sametimeasthebridge." Thathadn'tbeenonthefrontpageoftheChronicle,butthen,a BARTblowoutunderthewaterwouldn'tbenearlyaspicturesque astheimagesofthebridgehangingintattersandpiecesoverthe Bay.TheBARTtunnelfromtheEmbarcaderoinSanFranciscoto theWestOaklandstationwassubmerged. # IwentbacktoDad'scomputerandsurfedtheheadlines.Noone wassure,butthebodycountwasinthethousands.Betweenthe carsthatplummeted191feettotheseaandthepeopledrownedin thetrains,thedeathsweremounting.Onereporterclaimedto haveinterviewedan"identitycounterfeiter"who'dhelped "dozens"ofpeoplewalkawayfromtheiroldlivesbysimply vanishingaftertheattacks,gettingnewIDmadeup,andslipping awayfrombadmarriages,baddebtsandbadlives. Dadactuallygottearsinhiseyes,andMomwasopenlycrying. Theyeachhuggedmeagain,pattingmewiththeirhandsasifto assurethemselvesthatIwasreallythere.Theykepttellingme theylovedme.ItoldthemIlovedthemtoo. WehadaweepydinnerandMomandDadhadeachhada coupleglassesofwine,whichwasalotforthem.Itoldthemthat Iwasgettingsleepy,whichwastrue,andmoocheduptomy room.Iwasn'tgoingtobed,though.Ineededtogetonlineand findoutwhatwasgoingon.IneededtotalktoJoluandVanessa. IneededtogetworkingonfindingDarryl. Infact,itwassobadthatIcouldn'tactuallygetanythingdone. EverytimeItookmyhandoffthepowercableitlostcontactand thecomputerstartedtocomplainaboutitsbattery.Itookacloser lookatit. Thewholecaseofmycomputerwasslightlymisaligned,the seamsplitinanangulargapethatstartednarrowandwidened towardtheback. Sometimesyoulookatapieceofequipmentanddiscover somethinglikethisandyouwonder,"Wasitalwayslikethat?" Maybeyoujustnevernoticed. Butwithmylaptop,thatwasn'tpossible.Yousee,Ibuiltit. AftertheBoardofEdissuedusallwithSchoolBooks,therewas nowaymyparentsweregoingtobuymeacomputerofmyown, eventhoughtechnicallytheSchoolBookdidn'tbelongtome,and Iwasn'tsupposedtoinstallsoftwareonitormodit. Ihadsomemoneysavedoddjobs,Christmasesandbirthdays, alittlebitofjudiciousebaying.PutitalltogetherandIhad enoughmoneytobuyatotallycrappy,fiveyearoldmachine. SoDarrylandIbuiltoneinstead.Youcanbuylaptopcasesjust likeyoucanbuycasesfordesktopPCs,thoughthey'realittle morespecializedthanplainoldPCs.I'dbuiltacouplePCswith Darrylovertheyears,scavengingpartsfromCraigslistandgarage salesandorderingstufffromcheapcheapTaiwanesevendorswe foundonthenet.Ifiguredthatbuildingalaptopwouldbethebest waytogetthepowerIwantedatthepriceIcouldafford. "Hewasn'twithus,"Isaid.Thelietastedbitterinmymouth.

Tobuildyourownlaptop,youstartbyorderinga"barebook" amachinewithjustalittlehardwareinitandalltherightslots. Thegoodnewswas,onceIwasdone,Ihadamachinethatwasa wholepoundlighterthantheDellI'dhadmyeyeon,ranfaster, andcostathirdofwhatIwouldhavepaidDell.Thebadnewswas Icreptuptomyroomandopenedthedoor.Ihadn'tseenmyold thatassemblingalaptopislikebuildingoneofthoseshipsina bedinwhatfeltlikeathousandyears.Ilaydownonitand bottle.It'sallfinickyworkwithtweezersandmagnifyingglasses, reachedovertomybedstandtograbmylaptop.Imusthavenot tryingtogeteverythingtofitinthatlittlecase.Unlikeafullsized pluggeditinallthewaytheelectricaladapterneededtobe PCwhichismostlyaireverycubicmillimeterofspaceina jiggledjustrightsoithadslowlydischargedwhileIwasaway.I laptopisspokenfor.EverytimeIthoughtIhadit,I'dgotoscrew pluggeditbackinandgaveitaminuteortwotochargeupbefore thethingbacktogetherandfindthatsomethingwaskeepingthe tryingtopoweritupagain.Iusedthetimetogetundressedand casefromclosingalltheway,andit'dbebacktothedrawing throwmyclothesinthetrashIneverwantedtoseethemagain board. andputonacleanpairofboxersandafreshtshirt.Thefresh launderedclothes,straightoutofmydrawers,feltsofamiliarand SoIknewexactlyhowtheseamonmylaptopwassupposedto

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/31 lookwhenthethingwasclosed,anditwasnotsupposedtolook likethis. shoulder:theDepartmentofHomelandSecurityhadjoinedthem.

Ialmosttookthebugout.ThenIfiguredthatwhoeverputit Ikeptjigglingthepoweradapter,butitwashopeless.Therewas therewouldknowthatitwasgone.Ileftitin.Itmademesickto nowayIwasgoingtogetthethingtobootwithouttakingitapart. doit. Igroanedandputitbesidethebed.I'ddealwithitinthemorning. Ilookedaroundformoretampering.Icouldn'tfindany,butdid # thatmeantherehadn'tbeenany?Someonehadbrokenintomy roomandplantedthisdevicehaddisassembledmylaptopand Thatwasthetheory,anyway.Twohourslater,Iwasstillstaring reassembledit.Therewerelotsofotherwaystowiretapa attheceiling,playingbackmoviesinmyheadofwhatthey'd computer.Icouldneverfindthemall. donetome,whatIshouldhavedone,allregretsandesprit d'escalier. Iputthemachinetogetherwithnumbfingers.Thistime,the casewouldn'tsnapshutjustright,butthepowercablestayedin.I Irolledoutofbed.IthadgonemidnightandI'dheardmy booteditupandsetmyfingersonthekeyboard,thinkingthatI parentshitthesackateleven.Igrabbedthelaptopandcleared wouldrunsomediagnosticsandseewhatwaswhat. somespaceonmydeskandclippedthelittleLEDlampstothe templesofmymagnifyingglassesandpulledoutasetoflittle ButIcouldn'tdoit. precisionscrewdrivers.Aminutelater,Ihadthecaseopenand thekeyboardremovedandIwasstaringatthegutsofmylaptop.I Hell,maybemyroomwaswiretapped.Maybetherewasa gotacanofcompressedairandblewoutthedustthatthefanhad cameraspyingonmenow. suckedinandlookedthingsover. I'dbeenfeelingparanoidwhenIgothome.NowIwasnearly Somethingwasn'tright.Icouldn'tputmyfingeronit,butthen outofmyskin.ItfeltlikeIwasbackinjail,backinthe ithadbeenmonthssinceI'dhadthelidoffthisthing.Luckily,the interrogationroom,stalkedbyentitieswhohadmeutterlyintheir thirdtimeI'dhadtoopenitupandstruggletocloseitagain,I'd power.Itmademewanttocry. gottensmart:I'dtakenaphotoofthegutswitheverythingin place.Ihadn'tbeentotallysmart:atfirst,I'djustleftthatpicon Onlyonethingforit. myharddrive,andnaturallyIcouldn'tgettoitwhenIhadthe laptopinparts.ButthenI'dprinteditoutandstuckitinmymessy Iwentintothebathroomandtookoffthetoiletpaperrolland drawerofpapers,thedeadtreegraveyardwhereIkeptallthe replaceditwithafreshone.Luckily,itwasalmostemptyalready. warrantycardsandpinoutdiagrams.Ishuffledthemthey Iunrolledtherestofthepaperanddugthroughmypartsboxuntil seemedmessierthanIrememberedandbroughtoutmyphoto.I IfoundalittleplasticenvelopefullofultrabrightwhiteLEDsI'd setitdownnexttothecomputerandkindofunfocusedmyeyes, scavengedoutofadeadbikelamp.Ipunchedtheirleadsthrough tryingtofindthingsthatlookedoutofplace. thecardboardtubecarefully,usingapintomaketheholes,then gotoutsomewireandconnectedthemallinserieswithlittle ThenIspottedit.Theribboncablethatconnectedthekeyboard metalclips.Itwistedthewiresintotheleadsforaninevolt tothelogicboardwasn'tconnectedright.Thatwasaweirdone. batteryandconnectedthebattery.NowIhadatuberingedwith Therewasnotorqueonthatpart,nothingtodislodgeitinthe ultrabright,directionalLEDs,andIcouldholdituptomyeye courseofnormaloperations.Itriedtopressitbackdownagain andlookthroughit. anddiscoveredthattheplugwasn'tjustbadlymountedthere wassomethingbetweenitandtheboard.Itweezeditoutand I'dbuiltoneoftheselastyearasasciencefairprojectandhad shonemylightonit. beenthrownoutofthefaironceIshowedthattherewerehidden camerasinhalftheclassroomsatChavezHigh.Pinheadvideo Therewassomethingnewinmykeyboard.Itwasalittlechunk camerascostlessthanagoodrestaurantdinnerthesedays,so ofhardware,onlyasixteenthofaninchthick,withnomarkings. they'reshowingupeverywhere.Sneakystoreclerksputthemin Thekeyboardwaspluggedintoit,anditwaspluggedintothe changingroomsortanningsalonsandgetpervywiththehidden board.Itotherwords,itwasperfectlysituatedtocaptureallthe footagetheygetfromtheircustomerssometimestheyjustputit keystrokesImadewhileItypedonmymachine. onthenet.Knowinghowtoturnatoiletpaperrollandthree bucks'worthofpartsintoacameradetectorisjustgoodsense. Itwasabug. Thisisthesimplestwaytocatchaspycam.Theyhavetiny Myheartthuddedinmyears.Itwasdarkandquietinthehouse, lenses,buttheyreflectlightlikethedickens.Itworksbestina butitwasn'tacomfortingdark.Therewereeyesoutthere,eyes dimroom:starethroughthetubeandslowlyscanallthewallsand andears,andtheywerewatchingme.Surveillingme.The otherplacessomeonemighthaveputacamerauntilyouseethe surveillanceIfacedatschoolhadfollowedmehome,butthis glintofareflection.Ifthereflectionstaysstillasyoumove time,itwasn'tjusttheBoardofEducationlookingovermy around,that'salens.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/32 doeseverythingitcantokeepyourcommunicationsand documentsasecret.Iteventhrowsupabunchof"chaff" communicationsthataresupposedtodisguisethefactthatyou're doinganythingcovert.Sowhileyou'rereceivingapolitical messageonecharacteratatime,ParanoidLinuxispretendingto surftheWebandfillinquestionnairesandflirtinchatrooms. Meanwhile,oneineveryfivehundredcharactersyoureceiveis yourrealmessage,aneedleburiedinahugehaystack. I'dburnedaParanoidXboxDVDwhentheyfirstappeared,but I'dnevergottenaroundtounpackingtheXboxinmycloset, findingaTVtohookituptoandsoon.Myroomiscrowded enoughasitiswithoutlettingMicrosoftcrashwareeatup valuableworkspace.

Therewasn'tacamerainmyroomnotoneIcoulddetect, anyway.Theremighthavebeenaudiobugs,ofcourse.Orbetter cameras.Ornothingatall.Canyoublamemeforfeeling paranoid? Ilovedthatlaptop.IcalledittheSalmagundi,whichmeans anythingmadeoutofspareparts. Onceyougettonamingyourlaptop,youknowthatyou'rereally havingadeeprelationshipwithit.Now,though,IfeltlikeIdidn't wanttoevertouchitagain.Iwantedtothrowitoutthewindow. Whoknewwhatthey'ddonetoit?Whoknewhowithadbeen tapped? Iputitinadrawerwiththelidshutandlookedattheceiling.It waslateandIshouldbeinbed.TherewasnowayIwasgoingto sleepnow,though.Iwastapped.Everyonemightbetapped.The worldhadchangedforever.

Tonight,I'dmakethesacrifice.Ittookabouttwentyminutesto getupandrunning.NothavingaTVwasthehardestpart,but eventuallyIrememberedthatIhadalittleoverheadLCD projectorthathadstandardTVRCAconnectorsontheback.I connectedittotheXboxandshoneitonthebackofmydoorand "I'llfindawaytogetthem,"Isaid.Itwasavow,Iknewitwhen gotParanoidLinuxinstalled. Iheardit,thoughI'dnevermadeavowbefore. NowIwasupandrunning,andParanoidLinuxwaslookingfor Icouldn'tsleepafterthat.Andbesides,Ihadanidea. otherXboxUniversalstotalkto.EveryXboxUniversalcomes withbuiltinwirelessformultiplayergaming.Youcanconnectto Somewhereinmyclosetwasashrinkwrappedboxcontaining yourneighborsonthewirelesslinkandtotheInternet,ifyouhave onestillsealed,mintinpackageXboxUniversal.EveryXboxhas awirelessInternetconnection.Ifoundthreedifferentsetsof beensoldwaybelowcostMicrosoftmakesmostofitsmoney neighborsinrange.TwoofthemhadtheirXboxUniversalsalso charginggamescompaniesmoneyfortherighttoputoutXbox connectedtotheInternet.ParanoidXboxlovedthatconfiguration: gamesbuttheUniversalwasthefirstXboxthatMicrosoft itcouldsiphonoffsomeofmyneighbors'Internetconnections decidedtogiveawayentirelyforfree. andusethemtogetonlinethroughthegamingnetwork.The neighborswouldnevermissthepackets:theywerepayingforflat LastChristmasseason,there'dbeenpoorlosersoneverycorner rateInternetconnections,andtheyweren'texactlydoingalotof dressedaswarriorsfromtheHaloseries,handingoutbagsof surfingat2AM. thesegamemachinesasfastastheycould.Iguessitworked everyonesaystheysoldawholebuttloadofgames.Naturally, Thebestpartofallthisishowitmademefeel:incontrol.My therewerecountermeasurestomakesureyouonlyplayedgames technologywasworkingforme,servingme,protectingme.It fromcompaniesthathadboughtlicensesfromMicrosofttomake wasn'tspyingonme.ThisiswhyIlovedtechnology:ifyouused them. itright,itcouldgiveyoupowerandprivacy. Hackersblowthroughthosecountermeasures.TheXboxwas crackedbyakidfromMITwhowroteabestsellingbookabout it,andthenthe360wentdown,andthentheshortlivedXbox Portable(whichweallcalledthe"luggable"itweighedthree pounds!)succumbed.TheUniversalwassupposedtobetotally bulletproof.ThehighschoolkidswhobrokeitwereBrazilian Linuxhackerswholivedinafavelaakindofsquatter'sslum. Mybrainwasreallygoingnow,runninglike60.Therewerelots ofreasonstorunParanoidXboxthebestonewasthatanyone couldwritegamesforit.AlreadytherewasaportofMAME,the MultipleArcadeMachineEmulator,soyoucouldplaypractically anygamethathadeverbeenwritten,allthewaybacktoPong gamesfortheApple][+andgamesfortheColecovision,games fortheNESandtheDreamcast,andsoon.

Neverunderestimatethedeterminationofakidwhoistimerich Evenbetterwereallthecoolmultiplayergamesbeingbuilt andcashpoor. specificallyforParanoidXboxtotallyfreehobbyistgamesthat anyonecouldrun.Whenyoucombineditall,youhadafree OncetheBrazilianspublishedtheircrack,weallwentnutson consolefulloffreegamesthatcouldgetyoufreeInternetaccess. it.Soonthereweredozensofalternateoperatingsystemsforthe XboxUniversal.MyfavoritewasParanoidXbox,aflavorof AndthebestpartasfarasIwasconcernedwasthat ParanoidLinux.ParanoidLinuxisanoperatingsystemthat ParanoidXboxwasparanoid.Everybitthatwentovertheairwas assumesthatitsoperatorisunderassaultfromthegovernment(it scrambledtowithinaninchofitslife.Youcouldwiretapitall wasintendedforusebyChineseandSyriandissidents),andit youwanted,butyou'dneverfigureoutwhowastalking,whatthey

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/33 weretalkingabout,orwhotheyweretalkingto.Anonymousweb, lethaljetblackcoffeemud. emailandIM.JustwhatIneeded. Ipulledoutmydebitcardtopayandhemadeaface."Nomore AllIhadtodonowwasconvinceeveryoneIknewtouseittoo. debit,"hesaid. Chapter6 "Huh?Whynot?"I'dpaidformycoffeehabitonmycardfor yearsattheTurk's.Heusedtohasslemeallthetime,tellingmeI wastooyoungtodrinkthestuff,andhestillrefusedtoserveme atallduringschoolhours,convincedthatIwasskippingclass. Butovertheyears,theTurkandmehavedevelopedakindof gruffunderstanding.

ThischapterisdedicatedtoPowell'sBooks,thelegendary"City ofBooks"inPortland,Oregon.Powell'sisthelargestbookstore intheworld,anendless,multistoreyuniverseofpaperysmells andtoweringshelves.Theystocknewandusedbooksonthesame Heshookhisheadsadly."Youwouldn'tunderstand.Goto shelvessomethingI'vealwayslovedandeverytimeI've school,kid." stoppedin,they'vehadaveritablemountainofmybooks,and they'vebeenincrediblygraciousaboutaskingmetosignthe There'snosurerwaytomakemewanttounderstandthantotell storestock.Theclerksarefriendly,thestockisfabulous,and meIwon't.Iwheedledhim,demandingthathetellme.Helooked there'sevenaPowell'satthePortlandairport,makingitjust likehewasgoingtothrowmeout,butwhenIaskedhimifhe aboutthebestairportbookstoreintheworldformymoney! thoughtIwasn'tgoodenoughtoshopthere,heopenedup. Powell'sBooks:http://www.powells.com/cgibin/biblio? isbn=97807653198521005WBurnside,Portland,OR97209 USA+18008787323 Believeitornot,myparentsmademegotoschoolthenextday. I'donlyfallenintofeverishsleepatthreeinthemorning,butat seventhenextday,myDadwasstandingatthefootofmybed, threateningtodragmeoutbytheankles.Imanagedtogetup somethinghaddiedinmymouthafterpaintingmyeyelidsshut andintotheshower. Iletmymomforceapieceoftoastandabananaintome, wishingferventlythatmyparentswouldletmedrinkcoffeeat home.Icouldsneakoneonthewaytoschool,butwatchingthem sipdowntheirblackgoldwhileIwasdragassingaroundthe house,gettingdressedandputtingmybooksinmybagitwas awful. I'vewalkedtoschoolathousandtimes,buttodayitwas different.Iwentupandoverthehillstogetdownintothe Mission,andeverywherethereweretrucks.Isawnewsensors andtrafficcamerasinstalledatmanyofthestopsigns.Someone hadalotofsurveillancegearlyingaround,waitingtobeinstalled atthefirstopportunity.TheattackontheBayBridgehadbeen justwhattheyneeded. Itallmadethecityseemmoresubdued,likebeinginsidean elevator,embarrassedbytheclosescrutinyofyourneighborsand theubiquitouscameras. TheTurkishcoffeeshopon24thStreetfixedmeupgoodwitha gocupofTurkishcoffee.Basically,Turkishcoffeeismud, pretendingtobecoffee.It'sthickenoughtostandaspoonupin, andithaswaymorecaffeinethanthekiddeepopslikeRedBull. Takeitfromsomeonewho'sreadtheWikipediaentry:thisishow theOttomanEmpirewaswon:maddenedhorsemenfueledby "Thesecurity,"hesaid,lookingaroundhislittleshopwithits tubsofdriedbeansandseeds,itsshelvesofTurkishgroceries. "Thegovernment.Theymonitoritallnow,itwasinthepapers. PATRIOTActII,theCongresspassedityesterday.Nowtheycan monitoreverytimeyouuseyourcard.Isayno.Isaymyshopwill nothelpthemspyonmycustomers." Myjawdropped. "Youthinkit'snobigdealmaybe?Whatistheproblemwith governmentknowingwhenyoubuycoffee?Becauseit'soneway theyknowwhereyouare,whereyoubeen.WhyyouthinkIleft Turkey?Whereyouhavegovernmentalwaysspyingonthe people,isnogood.ImoveheretwentyyearsagoforfreedomI nohelpthemtakefreedomaway." "You'regoingtolosesomanysales,"Iblurted.Iwantedtotell himhewasaheroandshakehishand,butthatwaswhatcame out."Everyoneusesdebitcards." "Maybenotsomuchanymore.Maybemycustomerscomehere becausetheyknowIlovefreedomtoo.Iammakingsignfor window.Maybeotherstoresdothesame.IheartheACLUwill suethemforthis." "You'vegotallmybusinessfromnowon,"Isaid.Imeantit.I reachedintomypocket."Um,Idon'thaveanycash,though." Hepursedhislipsandnodded."Manypeoplessaythesame thing.IsOK.Yougivetoday'smoneytotheACLU." Intwominutes,theTurkandIhadexchangedmorewordsthan wehadinallthetimeI'dbeencomingtohisshop.Ihadnoidea hehadallthesepassions.Ijustthoughtofhimasmyfriendly neighborhoodcaffeinedealer.NowIshookhishandandwhenI lefthisstore,IfeltlikeheandIhadjoinedateam.Asecretteam.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/34 # winifweactallafraidandputcamerasintheclassroomsandall ofthat?"

I'dmissedtwodaysofschoolbutitseemedlikeIhadn'tmissed muchclass.They'dshuttheschoolononeofthosedayswhilethe Therewassomenervoustittering.Oneoftheothersputhis cityscrambledtorecover.Thenextdayhadbeendevoted,it handup.ItwasCharles.MsGalvezcalledonhim. seemed,tomourningthosemissingandpresumeddead.The newspaperspublishedbiographiesofthelost,personal "Puttingcamerasinmakesussafe,whichmakesuslessafraid." memorials.TheWebwasfilledwiththesecapsuleobituaries, thousandsofthem. "Safefromwhat?"Isaid,withoutwaitingtobecalledon. Embarrassingly,Iwasoneofthosepeople.Isteppedintothe schoolyard,notknowingthis,andthentherewasashoutanda momentlatertherewereahundredpeoplearoundme,pounding meontheback,shakingmyhand.AcouplegirlsIdidn'teven knowkissedme,andtheyweremorethanfriendlykisses.Ifelt likearockstar. Myteacherswereonlyalittlemoresubdued.MsGalvezcried asmuchasmymotherhadandhuggedmethreetimesbeforeshe letmegotomydeskandsitdown.Therewassomethingnewat thefrontoftheclassroom.Acamera.MsGalvezcaughtme staringatitandhandedmeapermissionsliponsmearyXeroxed schoolletterhead. TheBoardoftheSanFranciscoUnifiedSchoolDistricthad heldanemergencysessionovertheweekendandunanimously votedtoasktheparentsofeverykidinthecityforpermissionto putclosedcircuittelevisioncamerasineveryclassroomand corridor.Thelawsaidtheycouldn'tforceustogotoschoolwith camerasallovertheplace,butitdidn'tsayanythingaboutus volunteeringtogiveupourConstitutionalrights.Thelettersaid thattheBoardweresurethattheywouldgetcompletecompliance fromtheCity'sparents,butthattheywouldmakearrangementsto teachthosekids'whoseparentsobjectedinaseparatesetof "unprotected"classrooms. Whydidwehavecamerasinourclassroomsnow?Terrorists. Ofcourse.Becausebyblowingupabridge,terroristshad indicatedthatschoolswerenext.Somehowthatwasthe conclusionthattheBoardhadreachedanyway. IreadthisnotethreetimesandthenIstuckmyhandup. "Yes,Marcus?" "MsGalvez,aboutthisnote?" "Yes,Marcus." "Isn'tthepointofterrorismtomakeusafraid?That'swhyit's calledterrorism,right?" "Isupposeso."Theclasswasstaringatme.Iwasn'tthebest studentinschool,butIdidlikeagoodinclassdebate.Theywere waitingtohearwhatI'dsaynext. "Terrorism,"Charlessaid.Theotherswerenoddingtheirheads. "Howdotheydothat?Ifasuicidebomberrushedinhereand blewusallup" "MsGalvez,Marcusisviolatingschoolpolicy.We'renot supposedtomakejokesaboutterroristattacks" "Who'smakingjokes?" "Thankyou,bothofyou,"MsGalvezsaid.Shelookedreally unhappy.Ifeltkindofbadforhijackingherclass."Ithinkthat thisisareallyinterestingdiscussion,butI'dliketoholditoverfor afutureclass.Ithinkthattheseissuesmaybetooemotionalfor ustohaveadiscussionaboutthemtoday.Now,let'sgetbackto thesuffragists,shallwe?" Sowespenttherestofthehourtalkingaboutsuffragistsandthe newlobbyingstrategiesthey'ddevisedforgettingfourwomen intoeverycongresscritter'sofficetoleanonhimandlethimknow whatitwouldmeanforhispoliticalfutureifhekeptondenying womenthevote.ItwasnormallythekindofthingIreallyliked littleguysmakingthebigandpowerfulbehonest.ButtodayI couldn'tconcentrate.ItmusthavebeenDarryl'sabsence.Weboth likedSocialStudiesandwewouldhavehadourSchoolBooksout andanIMsessionupsecondsaftersittingdown,abackchannel fortalkingaboutthelesson. I'dburnedtwentyParanoidXboxdiscsthenightbeforeandI hadthemallinmybag.IhandedthemouttopeopleIknewwere really,reallyintogaming.They'dallgottenanXboxUniversalor twotheyearbefore,butmostofthemhadstoppedusingthem. Thegameswerereallyexpensiveandnotalotoffun.Itookthem asidebetweenperiods,atlunchandstudyhall,andsangthe praisesoftheParanoidXboxgamestothesky.Freeandfun addictivesocialgameswithlotsofcoolpeopleplayingthemfrom allovertheworld. Givingawayonethingtosellanotheriswhattheycalla"razor bladebusiness"companieslikeGillettegiveyoufreerazor bladehandlesandthenstiffyoubychargingyouasmallfortune fortheblades.Printercartridgesaretheworstforthatthemost expensiveChampagneintheworldischeapwhencomparedwith inkjetink,whichcostsallofapennyagallontomakewholesale.

Razorbladebusinessesdependonyounotbeingabletogetthe "Soaren'twedoingwhattheterroristswantfromus?Don'tthey "blades"fromsomeoneelse.Afterall,ifGillettecanmakenine

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/35 bucksonatendollarreplacementblade,whynotstarta competitorthatmakesonlyfourbuckssellinganidenticalblade: an80percentprofitmarginisthekindofthingthatmakesyour averagebusinessguygoalldroolyandroundeyed. SorazorbladecompanieslikeMicrosoftpouralotofeffort intomakingithardand/orillegaltocompetewiththemonthe blades.InMicrosoft'scase,everyXboxhashadcountermeasures tokeepyoufromrunningsoftwarethatwasreleasedbypeople whodidn'tpaytheMicrosoftbloodmoneyfortherighttosell Xboxprograms. ThepeopleImetdidn'tthinkmuchaboutthisstuff.They perkedupwhenItoldthemthatthegameswereunmonitored. Thesedays,anyonlinegameyouplayisfilledwithallkindsof unsavorysorts.Firsttherearethepervswhotrytogetyouto comeouttosomeremotelocationsotheycangoallweirdand SilenceoftheLambsonyou.Thentherearethecops,whoare pretendingtobegulliblekidssotheycanbustthepervs.Worstof all,though,arethemonitorswhospendalltheirtimespyingon ourdiscussionsandsnitchingonusforviolatingtheirTermsof Service,whichsay,noflirting,nocussing,andno"clearor maskedlanguagewhichinsultinglyreferstoanyaspectofsexual orientationorsexuality." I'mno24/7horndog,butI'maseventeenyearoldboy.Sex doescomeupinconversationeverynowandagain.ButGodhelp youifitcameupinchatwhileyouweregaming.Itwasareal buzzkill.NoonemonitoredtheParanoidXboxgames,because theyweren'trunbyacompany:theywerejustgamesthathackers hadwrittenforthehellofit. Sothesegamekidslovedthestory.Theytookthediscs greedily,andpromisedtoburncopiesforalloftheirfriends afterall,gamesaremostfunwhenyou'replayingthemwithyour buddies. WhenIgothome,Ireadthatagroupofparentsweresuingthe schoolboardoverthesurveillancecamerasintheclassrooms,but thatthey'dalreadylosttheirbidtogetapreliminaryinjunction againstthem. # Idon'tknowwhocameupwiththenameXnet,butitstuck. You'dhearpeopletalkingaboutitontheMuni.Vancalledmeup toaskmeifI'dheardofitandInearlychokedonceIfiguredout whatshewastalkingabout:thediscsI'dstarteddistributinglast weekhadbeensneakernettedandcopiedallthewaytoOakland inthespaceoftwoweeks.Itmademelookovermyshoulder likeI'dbrokenaruleandnowtheDHSwouldcomeandtakeme awayforever. beingtracked.SomeoneonXnetpostedalinktoanElectronic FrontierFoundationwhitepaperonthewaysthatthesethings couldbeusedtotrackpeople,andthepaperhadtinystoriesabout littlegroupsofpeoplethathadprotestedattheBARTstations. IusedtheXnetforalmosteverythingnow.I'dsetupafake emailaddressthroughthePirateParty,aSwedishpoliticalparty thathatedInternetsurveillanceandpromisedtokeeptheirmail accountsasecretfromeveryone,eventhecops.Iaccessedit strictlyviaXnet,hoppingfromoneneighbor'sInternetconnection tothenext,stayinganonymousIhopedallthewayto Sweden.Iwasn'tusingw1n5tonanymore.IfBensoncouldfigure itout,anyonecould.Mynewhandle,comeupwithonthespurof themoment,wasM1k3y,andIgotalotofemailfrompeoplewho heardinchatroomsandmessageboardsthatIcouldhelpthem troubleshoottheirXnetconfigurationsandconnections. ImissedHarajukuFunMadness.Thecompanyhadsuspended thegameindefinitely.Theysaidthatfor"securityreasons"they didn'tthinkitwouldbeagoodideatohidethingsandthensend peopleofftofindthem.Whatifsomeonethoughtitwasabomb? Whatifsomeoneputabombinthesamespot? WhatifIgothitbylightningwhilewalkingwithanumbrella? Banumbrellas!Fightthemenaceoflightning! Ikeptonusingmylaptop,thoughIgotaskincrawlyfeeling whenIusedit.WhoeverhadwiretappeditwouldwonderwhyI didn'tuseit.IfiguredI'djustdosomerandomsurfingwithit everyday,alittlelesseachday,sothatanyonewatchingwould seemeslowlychangingmyhabits,notdoingasuddenreversal. MostlyIreadthosecreepyobitsallthosethousandsofmy friendsandneighborsdeadatthebottomoftheBay. Truthbetold,Iwasdoinglessandlesshomeworkeveryday.I hadbusinesselsewhere.IburnednewstacksofParanoidXbox everyday,fiftyorsixty,andtookthemaroundthecitytopeople I'dheardwerewillingtoburnsixtyoftheirownandhandthem outtotheirfriends. Iwasn'ttooworriedaboutgettingcaughtdoingthis,becauseI hadgoodcryptoonmyside.Cryptoiscryptography,or"secret writing,"andit'sbeenaroundsinceRomantimes(literally: AugustusCaesarwasabigfanandlikedtoinventhisowncodes, someofwhichweusetodayforscramblingjokepunchlinesin email). Cryptoismath.Hardmath.I'mnotgoingtotrytoexplainitin detailbecauseIdon'thavethemathtoreallygetmyheadaround it,eitherlookituponWikipediaifyoureallywant.

Buthere'stheCliff'sNotesversion:Somekindsof mathematicalfunctionsarereallyeasytodoinonedirectionand They'dbeenhardweeks.TheBARThadcompletelyabandoned reallyhardtodointheotherdirection.It'seasytomultiplytwo cashfaresnow,switchingthemforarphid"contactless"cardsthat bigprimenumberstogetherandmakeagiantnumber.It'sreally, youwavedattheturnstilestogothrough.Theywerecooland reallyhardtotakeanygivengiantnumberandfigureoutwhich convenient,buteverytimeIusedone,IthoughtabouthowIwas primesmultiplytogethertogiveyouthatnumber.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/36 interceptlotsofNaziradiomessages,whichshouldn'thavebeen thatbigadeal,sinceeverycaptainhadhisownsecretkey.Since theAlliesdidn'thavethekeys,havingthemachineshouldn'thave helped. Here'swheresecrecyhurtscrypto.TheEnigmacipherwas flawed.OnceTuringlookedhardatit,hefiguredoutthattheNazi cryptographershadmadeamathematicalmistake.Bygettinghis handsonanEnigmaMachine,Turingcouldfigureouthowto crackanyNazimessage,nomatterwhatkeyitused. ThatcosttheNazisthewar.Imean,don'tgetmewrong.That's goodnews.TakeitfromaCastleWolfensteinveteran.You wouldn'twanttheNazisrunningthecountry. Afterthewar,cryptographersspentalotoftimethinkingabout this.TheproblemhadbeenthatTuringwassmarterthantheguy whothoughtupEnigma.Anytimeyouhadacipher,youwere vulnerabletosomeonesmarterthanyoucomingupwithawayof breakingit. Andthemoretheythoughtaboutit,themoretheyrealizedthat anyonecancomeupwithasecuritysystemthathecan'tfigure outhowtobreak.Butnoonecanfigureoutwhatasmarterperson mightdo. Youhavetopublishaciphertoknowthatitworks.Youhaveto tellasmanypeopleaspossiblehowitworks,sothattheycan thwackonitwitheverythingtheyhave,testingitssecurity.The longeryougowithoutanyonefindingaflaw,themoresecureyou are. Whichishowitstandstoday.Ifyouwanttobesafe,youdon't usecryptothatsomegeniusthoughtoflastweek.Youusethe stuffthatpeoplehavebeenusingforaslongaspossiblewithout anyonefiguringouthowtobreakthem.Whetheryou'reabank,a terrorist,agovernmentorateenager,youusethesameciphers.

Thatmeansthatifyoucancomeupwithawayofscrambling somethingbasedonmultiplyinglargeprimes,unscramblingit withoutknowingthoseprimeswillbehard.Wickedhard.Like,a trillionyearsofallthecomputerseverinventedworking24/7 won'tbeabletodoit. Therearefourpartstoanycryptomessage:theoriginal message,calledthe"cleartext."Thescrambledmessage,called the"ciphertext."Thescramblingsystem,calledthe"cipher."And finallythere'sthekey:secretstuffyoufeedintothecipheralong withthecleartexttomakeciphertext. Itusedtobethatcryptopeopletriedtokeepallofthisasecret. Everyagencyandgovernmenthaditsownciphersanditsown keys.TheNazisandtheAlliesdidn'twanttheotherguystoknow howtheyscrambledtheirmessages,letalonethekeysthatthey couldusetodescramblethem.Thatsoundslikeagoodidea, right? Wrong. Thefirsttimeanyonetoldmeaboutallthisprimefactoring stuff,Iimmediatelysaid,"Noway,that'sBS.Imean,sureit's hardtodothisprimefactorizationstuff,whateveryousayitis. Butitusedtobeimpossibletoflyorgotothemoonorgetahard drivewithmorethanafewkilobytesofstorage.Someonemust haveinventedawayofdescramblingthemessages."Ihadvisions ofahollowmountainfullofNationalSecurityAgency mathematiciansreadingeveryemailintheworldandsnickering. Infact,that'sprettymuchwhathappenedduringWorldWarII. That'sthereasonthatlifeisn'tmorelikeCastleWolfenstein, whereI'vespentmanydayshuntingNazis. Thethingis,ciphersarehardtokeepsecret.There'salotof maththatgoesintoone,andifthey'rewidelyused,theneveryone whousesthemhastokeepthemasecrettoo,andifsomeone changessides,youhavetofindanewcipher.

Ifyoutriedtouseyourowncipher,there'dbethechancethat someoneouttherehadfoundaflawyoumissedandwasdoinga TheNazicipherwascalledEnigma,andtheyusedalittle Turingonyourbutt,decipheringallyour"secret"messagesand mechanicalcomputercalledanEnigmaMachinetoscrambleand chucklingatyourdumbgossip,financialtransactionsandmilitary unscramblethemessagestheygot.Everysubandboatandstation secrets. neededoneofthese,soitwasinevitablethateventuallytheAllies wouldgettheirhandsonone. SoIknewthatcryptowouldkeepmesafefromeavesdroppers, butIwasn'treadytodealwithhistograms. Whentheydid,theycrackedit.Thatworkwasledbymy personalalltimehero,aguynamedAlanTuring,whopretty # muchinventedcomputersasweknowthemtoday.Unfortunately forhim,hewasgay,soafterthewarended,thestupidBritish IgotofftheBARTandwavedmycardovertheturnstileasI governmentforcedhimtogetshotupwithhormonesto"cure"his headeduptothe24thStreetstation.Asusual,therewerelotsof homosexualityandhekilledhimself.Darrylgavemeabiography weirdoshangingoutinthestation,drunksandJesusfreaksand ofTuringformy14thbirthdaywrappedintwentylayersof intenseMexicanmenstaringatthegroundandafewgangkids.I paperandinarecycledBatmobiletoy,hewaslikethatwith lookedstraightpastthemasIhitthestairsandjoggeduptothe presentsandI'vebeenaTuringjunkieeversince. surface.Mybagwasemptynow,nolongerbulgingwiththe ParanoidXboxdiscsI'dbeendistributing,anditmademy NowtheAllieshadtheEnigmaMachine,andtheycould shouldersfeellightandputaspringinmystepasIcameupthe

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/37 street.Thepreacherswereatworkstill,exhortinginSpanishand EnglishaboutJesusandsoon. Thecounterfeitsunglasssellersweregone,butthey'dbeen replacedbyguyssellingrobotdogsthatbarkedthenational anthemandwouldlifttheirlegsifyoushowedthemapictureof OsamabinLaden.Therewasprobablysomecoolstuffgoingon intheirlittlebrainsandImadeamentalnotetopickacoupleof themupandtakethemapartlater.Facerecognitionwaspretty newintoys,havingonlyrecentlymadetheleapfromthemilitary tocasinostryingtofindcheats,tolawenforcement. fullstomach.Igotabucketofhorchata,too,anicecoldricedrink that'slikewatery,semisweetricepudding(betterthanitsounds). Isatdowntoeat,andaprofoundcalmfelloverme.Iwasabout togotojailformy"crimes,"orIwasn't.Myfreedomsincethey'd takenmeinhadbeenjustatemporaryholiday.Mycountrywas notmyfriendanymore:wewerenowondifferentsidesandI'd knownIcouldneverwin.

ThetwoguyscameintotherestaurantasIwasfinishingthe burritoandgoinguptoordersomechurrosdeepfrieddough withcinnamonsugarfordessert.Iguessthey'dbeenwaiting Istarteddown24thStreettowardPotreroHillandhome,rolling outsideandgottiredofmydawdling. myshouldersandsmellingtheburritosmellswaftingoutofthe restaurantsandthinkingaboutdinner. Theystoodbehindmeatthecounter,boxingmein.Itookmy churrofromtheprettygrannyandpaidher,takingacoupleof Idon'tknowwhyIhappenedtoglancebackovermyshoulder, quickbitesofthedoughbeforeIturnedaround.Iwantedtoeatat butIdid.Maybeitwasalittlebitofsubconscioussixthsense leastalittleofmydessert.ItmightbethelastdessertIgotfora stuff.IknewIwasbeingfollowed. long,longtime. Theyweretwobeefywhiteguyswithlittlemustachesthatmade ThenIturnedaround.TheywerebothsocloseIcouldseethe methinkofeithercopsorthegaybikerswhorodeupanddown zitonthecheekoftheoneontheleft,thelittleboogerupthenose theCastro,butgayguysusuallyhadbetterhaircuts.Theyhadon oftheother. windbreakersthecolorofoldcementandbluejeans,withtheir waistbandsconcealed.Ithoughtofallthethingsacopmightwear "'Scuseme,"Isaid,tryingtopushpastthem.Theonewiththe onhiswaistband,oftheutilitybeltthatDHSguyinthetruckhad boogermovedtoblockme. worn.BothguyswerewearingBluetoothheadsets. "Sir,"hesaid,"canyoustepoverherewithus?"Hegestured Ikeptwalking,myheartthumpinginmychest.I'dbeen towardtherestaurant'sdoor. expectingthissinceIstarted.I'dbeenexpectingtheDHSto figureoutwhatIwasdoing.Itookeveryprecaution,butSevere "Sorry,I'meating,"Isaidandmovedagain.Thistimeheputhis Haircutwomanhadtoldmethatshe'dbewatchingme.She'dtold handonmychest.Hewasbreathingfastthroughhisnose,making meIwasamarkedman.IrealizedthatI'dbeenwaitingtoget theboogerwiggle.IthinkIwasbreathinghardtoo,butitwas pickedupandtakenbacktojail.Whynot?WhyshouldDarrylbe hardtotelloverthehammeringofmyheart. injailandnotme?WhatdidIhavegoingforme?Ihadn'teven hadthegutstotellmyparentsorhiswhathadreally Theotheroneflippeddownaflaponthefrontofhis happenedtous. windbreakertorevealaSFPDinsignia."Police,"hesaid."Please comewithus." Iquickenedmystepsandtookamentalinventory.Ididn'thave anythingincriminatinginmybag.Nottooincriminating,anyway. "Letmejustgetmystuff,"Isaid. MySchoolBookwasrunningthecrackthatletmeIMandstuff, buthalfthepeopleinschoolhadthat.I'dchangedthewayI "We'lltakecareofthat,"hesaid.Theboogeronesteppedright encryptedthestuffonmyphonenowIdidhaveafakepartition upclosetome,hisfootontheinsideofmine.Youdothatinsome thatIcouldturnbackintocleartextwithonepassword,butallthe martialarts,too.Itletsyoufeeliftheotherguyisshiftinghis goodstuffwashidden,andneededanotherpasswordtoopenup. weight,gettingreadytomove. Thathiddensectionlookedjustlikerandomjunkwhenyou encryptdata,itbecomesindistinguishablefromrandomnoise Iwasn'tgoingtorun,though.IknewIcouldn'toutrunfate. andthey'dneverevenknowitwasthere. Therewerenodiscsinmybag.Mylaptopwasfreeof incriminatingevidence.Ofcourse,iftheythoughttolookhardat myXbox,itwasgameover.Sotospeak. IstoppedwhereIwasstanding.I'ddoneasgoodajobasI couldofcoveringmyself.Itwastimetofacemyfate.Istepped intothenearestburritojointandorderedonewithcarnitas shreddedporkandextrasalsa.Mightaswellgodownwitha Chapter7 ThischapterisdedicatedtoNewYorkCity'sBooksofWonder,the oldestandlargestkids'bookstoreinManhattan.They'relocated justafewblocksawayfromTorBooks'officesintheFlatiron BuildingandeverytimeIdropintomeetwiththeTorpeople,I alwayssneakawaytoBooksofWondertoperusetheirstockof new,usedandrarekids'books.I'maheavycollectorofrare

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/38 editionsofAliceinWonderland,andBooksofWonderneverfails toexcitemewithsomebeautiful,limitededitionAlice.Theyhave tonsofeventsforkidsandoneofthemostinvitingatmospheres I'veeverexperiencedatabookstore. BooksofWonderhttp://www.booksofwonder.com/18West18th St,NewYork,NY10011USA+12129893270 Theytookmeoutsideandaroundthecorner,toawaiting unmarkedpolicecar.Itwasn'tlikeanyoneinthatneighborhood wouldhavehadahardtimefiguringoutthatitwasacopcar, though.OnlypolicedrivebigCrownVictoriasnowthatgashad hitsevenbucksagallon.What'smore,onlycopscoulddouble parkinthemiddleofVanNessstreetwithoutgettingtowedbythe schoolsofpredatorytowoperatorsthatcircledendlessly,readyto enforceSanFrancisco'sincomprehensibleparkingregulationsand collectabountyforkidnappingyourcar. Boogerblewhisnose.Iwassittinginthebackseat,andsowas he.Hispartnerwassittinginthefront,typingwithonefingeron anancient,ruggedizedlaptopthatlookedlikeFredFlintstonehad beenitsoriginalowner. "Marcus.Anythingyouwanttotellme?" "Likewhat?AmIunderarrest?" "You'renotunderarrestrightnow,"Boogersaid."Wouldyou liketobe?" "No,"Isaid. "Good.We'vebeenwatchingyousinceyoulefttheBART.Your FastPasssaysthatyou'vebeenridingtoalotofstrangeplacesata lotoffunnyhours." Ifeltsomethingletgoinsidemychest.Thiswasn'taboutthe Xnetatall,then,notreally.They'dbeenwatchingmysubwayuse andwantedtoknowwhyithadbeensofreakylately.Howtotally stupid. "SoyouguysfolloweveryonewhocomesoutoftheBART stationwithafunnyridehistory?Youmustbebusy."

"Noteveryone,Marcus.Wegetanalertwhenanyonewithan uncommonrideprofilecomesoutandthathelpsusassess whetherwewanttoinvestigate.Inyourcase,wecamealong becausewewantedtoknowwhyasmartlookingkidlikeyouhad BoogerlookedcloselyatmyIDagain."Wejustwanttoaskyou suchafunnyrideprofile?" afewroutinequestions." NowthatIknewIwasn'tabouttogotojail,Iwasgetting "CanIseeyourbadges?"Isaid.Theseguyswereclearlycops, pissed.TheseguyshadnobusinessspyingonmeChrist,the butitcouldn'thurttoletthemknowIknewmyrights. BARThadnobusinesshelpingthemtospyonme.Wherethehell didmysubwaypassgetoffonfinkingmeoutforhavinga Boogerflashedhisbadgeatmetoofastformetogetagood "nonstandardridepattern?" lookatit,butZitinthefrontseatgavemealonglookathis.Igot theirdivisionnumberandmemorizedthefourdigitbadge "IthinkI'dliketobearrestednow,"Isaid. number.Itwaseasy:1337isalsothewayhackerswrite"leet,"or "elite." Boogersatbackandraisedhiseyebrowatme. Theywerebothbeingverypoliteandneitherofthemwas tryingtointimidatemethewaythattheDHShaddonewhenI wasintheircustody. "AmIunderarrest?" "You'vebeenmomentarilydetainedsothatwecanensureyour safetyandthegeneralpublicsafety,"Boogersaid. Hepassedmydriver'slicenseuptoZit,whopeckeditslowly intohiscomputer.Isawhimmakeatypoandalmostcorrected him,butfigureditwasbettertojustkeepmymouthshut. "Isthereanythingyouwanttotellme,Marcus?Dotheycall youMarc?" "Marcusisfine,"Isaid.Boogerlookedlikehemightbeanice guy.Exceptforthepartaboutkidnappingmeintohiscar,of course. "Really?Onwhatcharge?" "Oh,youmeanridingpublictransitinanonstandardwayisn'ta crime?" Zitclosedhiseyesandscrubbedthemwithhisthumbs. Boogersighedaputuponsigh."Look,Marcus,we'reonyour sidehere.Weusethissystemtocatchbadguys.Tocatch terroristsanddrugdealers.Maybeyou'readrugdealeryourself. Prettygoodwaytogetaroundthecity,aFastPass.Anonymous." "What'swrongwithanonymous?Itwasgoodenoughfor ThomasJefferson.Andbytheway,amIunderarrest?" "Let'stakehimhome,"Zitsaid."Wecantalktohisparents." "Ithinkthat'sagreatidea,"Isaid."I'msuremyparentswillbe anxioustohearhowtheirtaxdollarsarebeingspent"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/39 I'dpushedittoofar.Boogerhadbeenreachingforthedoor handlebutnowhewhirledonme,allHulkedoutandthrobbing veins."Whydon'tyoushutuprightnow,whileit'sstillanoption? Aftereverythingthat'shappenedinthepasttwoweeks,it wouldn'tkillyoutocooperatewithus.Youknowwhat,maybewe shouldarrestyou.Youcanspendadayortwoinjailwhileyour lawyerlooksforyou.Alotcanhappeninthattime.Alot.How'd youlikethat?" Ididn'tsayanything.I'dbeengiddyandangry.NowIwas scaredwitless. "I'msorry,"Imanaged,hatingmyselfagainforsayingit. BoogergotinthefrontseatandZitputthecaringear,cruising up24thStreetandoverPotreroHill.Theyhadmyaddressfrom myID. Momansweredthedooraftertheyrangthebell,leavingthe chainon.Shepeekedaroundit,sawmeandsaid,"Marcus?Who arethesemen?" "Police,"Boogersaid.Heshowedherhisbadge,lettingherget agoodlookatitnotwhippingitawaythewayhehadwithme. "Canwecomein?" Momclosedthedoorandtookthechainoffandletthemin. TheybroughtmeinandMomgavethethreeofusoneofher looks. "What'sthisabout?" "Isee,"Momsaid,foldingherarms.Foldingherarmswasa badsign.Itwasbadenoughshehadn'tofferedthemacupoftea inMomland,thatwaspracticallylikemakingthemshout throughthemailslotbutonceshefoldedherarms,itwasnot goingtoendwellforthem.Atthatmoment,Iwantedtogoand buyherabigbunchofflowers. "Marcusheredeclinedtotelluswhyhismovementshadbeen whattheywere." "Areyousayingyouthinkmysonisaterroristbecauseofhow heridesthebus?" "Terroristsaren'ttheonlybadguyswecatchthisway,"Zitsaid. "Drugdealers.Gangkids.Evenshoplifterssmartenoughtohita differentneighborhoodwitheveryrun." "Youthinkmysonisadrugdealer?" "We'renotsayingthat"Zitbegan.Momclappedherhandsat himtoshuthimup. "Marcus,pleasepassmeyourbackpack." Idid. Momunzippeditandlookedthroughit,turningherbacktous first.

"Officers,Icannowaffirmthattherearenonarcotics, explosives,orshopliftedgewgawsinmyson'sbag.Ithinkwe're donehere.Iwouldlikeyourbadgenumbersbeforeyougo, Boogerpointedatme."Wewantedtoaskyoursonsomeroutine please." questionsabouthismovements,buthedeclinedtoanswerthem. Wefeltitmightbebesttobringhimhere." Boogersneeredather."Lady,theACLUissuingthreehundred copsontheSFPD,you'regoingtohavetogetinline." "Isheunderarrest?"Mom'saccentwascomingonstrong.Good oldMom. # Mommademeacupofteaandthenchewedmeoutforeating dinnerwhenIknewthatshe'dbeenmakingfalafel.Dadcame Shegavehimalookthatcouldhavestrippedpaint."Ishoream, homewhilewewerestillatthetableandMomandItookturns hyuck,"shesaid,inabroadsouthernaccent."AmIunderarrest?" tellinghimthestory.Heshookhishead. "Lillian,theywerejustdoingtheirjobs."Hewasstillwearing theblueblazerandkhakisheworeonthedaysthathewas Zittookthefore."Weseemtohavegottenofftoabadstart.We consultinginSiliconValley."Theworldisn'tthesameplaceit identifiedyoursonassomeonewithanonstandardpublictransit waslastweek." usagepattern,aspartofanewproactiveenforcementprogram. Whenwespotpeoplewhosetravelsareunusual,orthatmatcha Momsetdownherteacup."Drew,you'rebeingridiculous.Your suspiciousprofile,weinvestigatefurther." sonisnotaterrorist.Hisuseofthepublictransitsystemisnot causeforapoliceinvestigation." "Wait,"Momsaid."Howdoyouknowhowmysonusesthe Muni?" Dadtookoffhisblazer."Wedothisallthetimeatmywork.It's howcomputerscanbeusedtofindallkindsoferrors,anomalies "TheFastPass,"hesaid."Ittracksvoyages." andoutcomes.Youaskthecomputertocreateaprofileofan averagerecordinadatabaseandthenaskittofindoutwhich Thetwocopsexchangedalook. "AreyouaUnitedStatescitizen,ma'am?"Zitsaid.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/40 recordsinthedatabasearefurthestawayfromaverage.It'spartof somethingcalledBayesiananalysisandit'sbeenaroundfor ItwaswhatDadhadsaid:Youaskthecomputertocreatea centuriesnow.Withoutit,wecouldn'tdospamfiltering" profileofanaveragerecordinadatabaseandthenaskittofind outwhichrecordsinthedatabasearefurthestawayfromaverage. "Soyou'resayingthatyouthinkthepoliceshouldsuckashard TheXnetwassecurebecauseitsusersweren'tdirectly asmyspamfilter?"Isaid. connectedtotheInternet.TheyhoppedfromXboxtoXboxuntil theyfoundonethatwasconnectedtotheInternet,thenthey Dadnevergotangryatmeforarguingwithhim,buttonightI injectedtheirmaterialasundecipherable,encrypteddata.Noone couldseethestrainwasrunninghighinhim.Still,Icouldn't couldtellwhichoftheInternet'spacketswereXnetandwhich resist.Myownfather,takingthepolice'sside! oneswerejustplainoldbankingandecommerceandother encryptedcommunication.Youcouldn'tfindoutwhowastying "I'msayingthatit'sperfectlyreasonableforthepoliceto conducttheirinvestigationsbystartingwithdatamining,andthen theXnet,letalonewhowasusingtheXnet. followingitupwithlegworkwhereahumanbeingactually ButwhataboutDad's"Bayesianstatistics?"I'dplayedwith intervenestoseewhytheabnormalityexists.Idon'tthinkthata computershouldbetellingthepolicewhomtoarrest,justhelping Bayesianmathbefore.DarrylandIoncetriedtowriteourown betterspamfilterandwhenyoufilterspam,youneedBayesian themsortthroughthehaystacktofindaneedle." math.ThomasBayeswasan18thcenturyBritishmathematician thatnoonecaredaboutuntilacouplehundredyearsafterhedied, "Butbytakinginallthatdatafromthetransitsystem,they're creatingthehaystack,"Isaid."That'sagiganticmountainofdata whencomputerscientistsrealizedthathistechniquefor statisticallyanalyzingmountainsofdatawouldbesuperuseful andthere'salmostnothingworthlookingatthere,fromthe forthemodernworld'sinfoHimalayas. police'spointofview.It'satotalwaste." "Iunderstandthatyoudon'tlikethatthissystemcausedyou someinconvenience,Marcus.Butyouofallpeopleshould appreciatethegravityofthesituation.Therewasnoharmdone, wasthere?Theyevengaveyouaridehome." Theythreatenedtosendmetojail,Ithought,butIcouldsee therewasnopointinsayingit. Here'ssomeofhowBayesianstatswork.Sayyou'vegotabunch ofspam.Youtakeeverywordthat'sinthespamandcounthow manytimesitappears.Thisiscalleda"wordfrequency histogram"andittellsyouwhattheprobabilityisthatanybagof wordsislikelytobespam.Now,takeatonofemailthat'snot spaminthebiz,theycallthat"ham"anddothesame.

Waituntilanewemailarrivesandcountthewordsthatappear "Besides,youstillhaven'ttolduswheretheblazinghellsyou've init.Thenusethewordfrequencyhistograminthecandidate messagetocalculatetheprobabilitythatitbelongsinthe"spam" beentocreatesuchanunusualtrafficpattern." pileorthe"ham"pile.Ifitturnsouttobespam,youadjustthe "spam"histogramaccordingly.Therearelotsofwaystorefinethe Thatbroughtmeupshort. techniquelookingatwordsinpairs,throwingawayolddata butthisishowitworksatcore.It'soneofthosegreat,simple "Ithoughtyoureliedonmyjudgment,thatyoudidn'twantto spyonme."He'dsaidthisoftenenough."Doyoureallywantme ideasthatseemsobviousafteryouhearaboutit. toaccountforeverytripI'veevertaken?" It'sgotlotsofapplicationsyoucanaskacomputertocount thelinesinapictureandseeifit'smorelikea"dog"line # frequencyhistogramora"cat"linefrequencyhistogram.Itcan findporn,bankfraud,andflamewars.Usefulstuff. IhookedupmyXboxassoonasIgottomyroom.I'dbolted theprojectortotheceilingsothatitcouldshineonthewallover AnditwasbadnewsfortheXnet.Sayyouhadthewhole mybed(I'dhadtotakedownmyawesomemuralofpunkrock Internetwiretappedwhich,ofcourse,theDHShas.Youcan't handbillsI'dtakendownofftelephonepolesandgluedtobig tellwho'spassingXnetpacketsbylookingatthecontentsofthose sheetsofwhitepaper). packets,thankstocrypto. IpowereduptheXboxandwatchedasitcameontothescreen. Whatyoucandoisfindoutwhoissendingway,waymore IwasgoingtoemailVanandJolutotellthemaboutthehassles encryptedtrafficoutthaneveryoneelse.ForanormalInternet withthecops,butasIputmyfingerstothekeyboard,Istopped surfer,asessiononlineisprobablyabout95percentcleartext,five again. percentciphertext.Ifsomeoneissendingout95percent Afeelingcreptoverme,onenotunlikethefeelingI'dhadwhen ciphertext,maybeyoucoulddispatchthecomputersavvy equivalentsofBoogerandZittoaskthemifthey'reterroristdrug Irealizedthatthey'dturnedpooroldSalmagundiintoatraitor. dealerXnetusers. Thistime,itwasthefeelingthatmybelovedXnetmightbe broadcastingthelocationofeveryoneofitsuserstotheDHS.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/41 ThishappensallthetimeinChina.Somesmartdissidentwill gettheideaofgettingaroundtheGreatFirewallofChina,which isusedtocensorthewholecountry'sInternetconnection,by usinganencryptedconnectiontoacomputerinsomeother country.Now,thePartytherecan'ttellwhatthedissidentis surfing:maybeit'sporn,orbombmakinginstructions,ordirty lettersfromhisgirlfriendinthePhilippines,orpoliticalmaterial, orgoodnewsaboutScientology.Theydon'thavetoknow.All theyhavetoknowisthatthisguygetswaymoreencryptedtraffic thanhisneighbors.Atthatpoint,theysendhimtoaforcedlabor campjusttosetanexamplesothateveryonecanseewhat happenstosmartasses.

"Iwantyoutostopputtingyourselfatrisk,M1k3y."Thehairs onthebackofmyneckstoodup.Sure,wealwaysusedourteam handlesatteammeetings,butnowthatmyhandlewasalso associatedwithmyXnetuse,itscaredmetohearitsaidaloudin apublicplace. "Don'tusethatnameinpublicanymore,"Isnapped. Vanshookherhead."That'sjustwhatI'mtalkingabout.You couldendupgoingtojailforthis,Marcus,andnotjustyou.Lots ofpeople.AfterwhathappenedtoDarryl"

Sofar,IwaswillingtobetthattheXnetwasundertheDHS's "I'mdoingthisforDarryl!"Artstudentsswiveledtolookatus radar,butitwouldn'tbethecaseforever.Andaftertonight,I andIloweredmyvoice."I'mdoingthisbecausethealternativeis wasn'tsurethatIwasinanybettershapethanaChinesedissident. toletthemgetawaywithitall." IwasputtingallthepeoplewhosignedontotheXnetinjeopardy. Thelawdidn'tcareifyouwereactuallydoinganythingbad;they "Youthinkyou'regoingtostopthem?You'reoutofyourmind. werewillingtoputyouunderthemicroscopejustforbeing They'rethegovernment." statisticallyabnormal.AndIcouldn'tevenstopitnowthatthe Xnetwasrunning,ithadalifeofitsown. "It'sstillourcountry,"Isaid."Westillhavetherighttodothis." Iwasgoingtohavetofixitsomeotherway. IwishedIcouldtalktoJoluaboutthis.Heworkedatan InternetServiceProvidercalledPigspleenNetthathadhiredhim whenhewastwelve,andheknewwaymoreaboutthenetthanI did.Ifanyoneknewhowtokeepourbuttsoutofjail,itwouldbe him. Vanlookedlikeshewasgoingtocry.Shetookacoupleofdeep breathsandstoodup."Ican'tdoit,I'msorry.Ican'twatchyoudo this.It'slikewatchingacarwreckinslowmotion.You'regoingto destroyyourself,andIloveyoutoomuchtowatchithappen."

Shebentdownandgavemeafiercehugandahardkissonthe cheekthatcaughttheedgeofmymouth."Takecareofyourself, Marcus,"shesaid.Mymouthburnedwhereherlipshadpressed Luckily,VanandJoluandIwereplanningtomeetforcoffeethe it.ShegaveJoluthesametreatment,butsquareonthecheek. nextnightatourfavoriteplaceintheMissionafterschool. Thensheleft. Officially,itwasourweeklyHarajukuFunMadnessteam meeting,butwiththegamecanceledandDarrylgone,itwas JoluandIstaredateachotheraftershe'dgone. prettymuchjustaweeklyweepfest,supplementedbyaboutsix phonecallsandIMsadaythatwent,"AreyouOK?Diditreally Iputmyfaceinmyhands."Dammit,"Isaid,finally. happen?"Itwouldbegoodtohavesomethingelsetotalkabout. Jolupattedmeonthebackandorderedmeanotherlatte."It'll # beOK,"hesaid. "You'reoutofyourmind,"Vanessasaid."Areyouactually, totally,really,forrealcrazyorwhat?" Shehadshownupinhergirl'sschooluniformbecauseshe'd beenstuckgoingthelongwayhome,allthewaydowntotheSan Mateobridgethenbackupintothecity,onashuttlebusservice thatherschoolwasoperating.Shehatedbeingseeninpublicin hergear,whichwastotallySailorMoonapleatedskirtanda tunicandkneesocks.She'dbeeninabadmoodeversinceshe turnedupatthecafe,whichwasfullofolder,cooler,mopeyemo artstudentswhosnickeredintotheirlatteswhensheturnedup. "Whatdoyouwantmetodo,Van?"Isaid.Iwasgetting exasperatedmyself.Schoolwasunbearablenowthatthegame wasn'ton,nowthatDarrylwasmissing.Alldaylong,inmy classes,Iconsoledmyselfwiththethoughtofseeingmyteam, whatwasleftofit.Nowwewerefighting. "You'dthinkVan,ofallpeople,wouldunderstand."Halfof Van'sfamilylivedinNorthKorea.Herparentsneverforgotthat theyhadallthosepeoplelivingunderacrazydictator,notableto escapetoAmerica,thewayherparentshad. Jolushrugged."Maybethat'swhyshe'ssofreakedout.Because sheknowshowdangerousitcanget." Iknewwhathewastalkingabout.TwoofVan'suncleshad gonetojailandhadneverreappeared. "Yeah,"Isaid. "Sohowcomeyouweren'tonXnetlastnight?" Iwasgratefulforthedistraction.Iexplaineditalltohim,the Bayesianstuffandmyfearthatwecouldn'tgoonusingXnetthe

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/42 waywehadbeenwithoutgettingnabbed.Helistened thoughtfully. "Iseewhatyou'resaying.Theproblemisthatifthere'stoo muchcryptoinsomeone'sInternetconnection,they'llstandoutas unusual.Butifyoudon'tencrypt,you'llmakeiteasyforthebad guystowiretapyou." "Yeah,"Isaid."I'vebeentryingtofigureitoutallday.Maybe wecouldslowtheconnectiondown,spreaditoutovermore peoples'accounts" "Won'twork,"hesaid."Togetitslowenoughtovanishintothe noise,you'dhavetobasicallyshutdownthenetwork,whichisn't anoption." "You'reright,"Isaid."Butwhatelsecanwedo?" "Whatifwechangedthedefinitionofnormal?" AndthatwaswhyJolugothiredtoworkatPigspleenwhenhe was12.Givehimaproblemwithtwobadsolutionsandhe'd figureoutathirdtotallydifferentsolutionbasedonthrowing awayallyourassumptions.Inoddedvigorously."Goon,tellme." "WhatiftheaverageSanFranciscoInternetuserhadalotmore cryptoinhisaveragedayontheInternet?Ifwecouldchangethe splitsoit'smorelikefiftyfiftycleartexttociphertext,thenthe usersthatsupplytheXnetwouldjustlooklikenormal." "Buthowdowedothat?Peoplejustdon'tcareenoughabout theirprivacytosurfthenetthroughanencryptedlink.Theydon't seewhyitmattersifeavesdroppersknowwhatthey'regoogling for." "Yeah,butwebpagesaresmallamountsoftraffic.Ifwegot peopletoroutinelydownloadafewgiantencryptedfilesevery day,thatwouldcreateasmuchciphertextasthousandsofweb pages." "You'retalkingaboutindienet,"Isaid. "Yougotit,"hesaid. indienetalllowercase,alwayswasthethingthatmade PigspleenNetintooneofthemostsuccessfulindependentISPsin theworld.Backwhenthemajorrecordlabelsstartedsuingtheir fansfordownloadingtheirmusic,alotoftheindependentlabels andtheirartistswereaghast.Howcanyoumakemoneybysuing yourcustomers? Pigspleen'sfounderhadtheanswer:sheopenedupadealfor anyactthatwantedtoworkwiththeirfansinsteadoffighting them.GivePigspleenalicensetodistributeyourmusictoits customersanditwouldgiveyouashareofthesubscriptionfees basedonhowpopularyourmusicwas.Foranindieartist,thebig problemisn'tpiracy,it'sobscurity:nooneevencaresenough aboutyourtunestosteal'em. Itworked.Hundredsofindependentactsandlabelssignedup withPigspleen,andthemoremusictherewas,themorefans switchedtogettingtheirInternetservicefromPigspleen,andthe moremoneytherewasfortheartists.Insideofayear,theISPhad ahundredthousandnewcustomersandnowithadamillion morethanhalfthebroadbandconnectionsinthecity. "Anoverhauloftheindienetcodehasbeenonmyplatefor monthsnow,"Jolusaid."Theoriginalprogramswerewritten reallyfastanddirtyandtheycouldbemadealotmoreefficient withalittlework.ButIjusthaven'thadthetime.Oneofthehigh markedtodoitemshasbeentoencrypttheconnections,just becauseTrudylikesitthatway."TrudyDoowasthefounderof Pigspleen.ShewasanoldtimeSanFranciscopunklegend,the singer/frontwomanoftheanarchofeministbandSpeedwhores, andshewascrazyaboutprivacy.Icouldtotallybelievethatshe'd wanthermusicserviceencryptedongeneralprinciples. "Willitbehard?Imean,howlongwouldittake?" "Well,there'stonsofcryptocodeforfreeonline,ofcourse," Jolusaid.Hewasdoingthethinghedidwhenhewasdigginginto ameatycodeproblemgettingthatfarawaylook,drumminghis palmsonthetable,makingthecoffeesloshintothesaucers.I wantedtolaugheverythingmightbedestroyedandcrapand scary,butJoluwouldwritethatcode. "CanIhelp?" Helookedatme."What,youdon'tthinkIcanmanageit?" "What?" "Imean,youdidthiswholeXnetthingwithouteventellingme. Withouttalkingtome.Ikindofthoughtthatyoudidn'tneedmy helpwiththisstuff." Iwasbroughtupshort."What?"Isaidagain.Joluwaslooking reallysteamednow.Itwasclearthatthishadbeeneatinghimfor alongtime."Jolu" HelookedatmeandIcouldseethathewasfurious.HowhadI missedthis?God,Iwassuchanidiotsometimes."Lookdude,it's notabigdeal"bywhichheclearlymeantthatitwasareallybig deal"it'sjustthatyouknow,youneverevenasked.Ihatethe DHS.Darrylwasmyfriendtoo.Icouldhavereallyhelpedwith it." Iwantedtostickmyheadbetweenmyknees."ListenJolu,that wasreallystupidofme.Ididitatliketwointhemorning.Iwas justcrazywhenitwashappening.I"Icouldn'texplainit.Yeah, hewasright,andthatwastheproblem.Ithadbeentwointhe morningbutIcouldhavetalkedtoJoluaboutitthenextdayor thenext.Ihadn'tbecauseI'dknownwhathe'dsaythatitwasan uglyhack,thatIneededtothinkitthroughbetter.Joluwasalways

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/43 figuringouthowtoturnmy2AMideasintorealcode,butthe Mostofuswillneverbuildacar.Prettymuchnoneofuswill stuffthathecameoutwithwasalwaysalittledifferentfromwhat evercreateanaviationsystem.Designabuilding.Layoutacity. I'dcomeupwith.I'dwantedtheprojectformyself.I'dgotten totallyintobeingM1k3y. Thosearecomplicatedmachines,thosethings,andthey'reoff limitstothelikesofyouandme.Butacomputerislike,tentimes "I'msorry,"Isaidatlast."I'mreally,reallysorry.You'retotally morecomplicated,anditwilldancetoanytuneyouplay.Youcan right.Ijustgotfreakedoutanddidsomethingstupid.Ireallyneed learntowritesimplecodeinanafternoon.Startwithalanguage yourhelp.Ican'tmakethisworkwithoutyou." likePython,whichwaswrittentogivenonprogrammersan easierwaytomakethemachinedancetotheirtune.Evenifyou "Youmeanit?" onlywritecodeforoneday,oneafternoon,youhavetodoit. Computerscancontrolyouortheycanlightenyourworkifyou "OfcourseImeanit,"Isaid."You'rethebestcoderIknow. wanttobeinchargeofyourmachines,youhavetolearntowrite You'reagoddamnedgenius,Jolu.Iwouldbehonoredifyou'd code. helpmewiththis." Wewrotealotofcodethatnight. Hedrummedhisfingerssomemore."It'sjustYouknow. You'retheleader.Van'sthesmartone.Darrylwas...Hewasyour secondincommand,theguywhohaditallorganized,who Chapter8 watchedthedetails.Beingtheprogrammer,thatwasmything.It feltlikeyouweresayingyoudidn'tneedme." ThischapterisdedicatedtoBorders,theglobalbooksellinggiant thatyoucanfindincitiesallovertheworldI'llneverforget "Ohman,Iamsuchanidiot.Jolu,you'rethebestqualified walkingintothegiganticBordersonOrchardRoadinSingapore personIknowtodothis.I'mreally,really,really" anddiscoveringashelfloadedwithmynovels!Formanyyears, theBordersinOxfordStreetinLondonhostedPatCadigan's "Allright,already.Stop.Fine.Ibelieveyou.We'reallreally monthlysciencefictionevenings,wherelocalandvisitingauthors screweduprightnow.Soyeah,ofcourseyoucanhelp.Wecan wouldreadtheirwork,speakaboutsciencefictionandmeettheir probablyevenpayyouI'vegotalittlebudgetforcontract fans.WhenI'minastrangecity(whichhappensalot)andIneed programmers." agreatbookformynextflight,therealwaysseemstobea BordersbrimmingwithgreatchoicesI'mespeciallypartialto "Really?"Noonehadeverpaidmeforwritingcode. theBordersonUnionSquareinSanFrancisco. "Sure.You'reprobablygoodenoughtobeworthit."Hegrinned andsluggedmeintheshoulder.Jolu'sreallyeasygoingmostof Bordersworldwide thetime,whichiswhyhe'dfreakedmeoutsomuch. http://www.bordersstores.com/locator/locator.jsp Ipaidforthecoffeesandwewentout.Icalledmyparentsand letthemknowwhatIwasdoing.Jolu'smominsistedonmaking ussandwiches.Welockedourselvesinhisroomwithhis computerandthecodeforindienetandweembarkedononeof thegreatalltimemarathonprogrammingsessions.OnceJolu's familywenttobedaround11:30,wewereabletokidnapthe coffeemachineuptohisroomandgoIVwithourmagiccoffee beansupply. Iwasn'ttheonlyonewhogotscrewedupbythehistograms. Therearelotsofpeoplewhohaveabnormaltrafficpatterns, abnormalusagepatterns.Abnormalissocommon,it'spractically normal.

TheXnetwasfullofthesestories,andsowerethenewspapers andtheTVnews.Husbandswerecaughtcheatingontheirwives; wiveswerecaughtcheatingontheirhusbands,kidswerecaught Ifyou'veneverprogrammedacomputer,youshould.There's sneakingoutwithillicitgirlfriendsandboyfriends.Akidwho nothinglikeitinthewholeworld.Whenyouprogramacomputer, hadn'ttoldhisparentshehadAIDSgotcaughtgoingtotheclinic itdoesexactlywhatyoutellittodo.It'slikedesigningamachine forhisdrugs. anymachine,likeacar,likeafaucet,likeagashingeforadoor usingmathandinstructions.It'sawesomeinthetruestsense:it Thosewerethepeoplewithsomethingtohidenotguilty canfillyouwithawe. people,butpeoplewithsecrets.Therewereevenmorepeople withnothingtohideatall,butwhoneverthelessresentedbeing Acomputeristhemostcomplicatedmachineyou'lleveruse.It's pickedup,andquestioned.Imagineifsomeonelockedyouinthe madeofbillionsofmicrominiaturizedtransistorsthatcanbe backofapolicecaranddemandedthatyouprovethatyou'renota configuredtorunanyprogramyoucanimagine.Butwhenyousit terrorist. downatthekeyboardandwritealineofcode,thosetransistorsdo whatyoutellthemto. Itwasn'tjustpublictransit.MostdriversintheBayAreahavea FasTrakpassclippedtotheirsunvisors.Thisisalittleradio

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/44 based"wallet"thatpaysyourtollsforyouwhenyoucrossthe bridges,savingyouthehassleofsittinginalineforhoursatthe tollplazas.They'dtripledthecostofusingcashtogetacrossthe bridge(thoughtheyalwaysfudgedthis,sayingthatFasTrakwas cheaper,notthatanonymouscashwasmoreexpensive).Whatever holdoutswereleftafterwarddisappearedafterthenumberof cashlaneswasreducedtojustoneperbridgehead,sothatthe cashlineswereevenlonger. Soifyou'realocal,orifyou'redrivingarentalcarfromalocal agency,you'vegotaFasTrak.Itturnsoutthattollplazasaren'tthe onlyplacethatyourFasTrakgetsread,though.TheDHShadput FasTrakreadersallovertownwhenyoudrovepastthem,they loggedthetimeandyourIDnumber,buildinganevermore perfectpictureofwhowentwhere,when,inadatabasethatwas augmentedby"speedingcameras,""redlightcameras"andallthe otherlicenseplatecamerasthathadpoppeduplikemushrooms. Noonehadgivenitmuchthought.Andnowthatpeoplewere payingattention,wewereallstartingtonoticelittlethings,like thefactthattheFasTrakdoesn'thaveanoffswitch. itsaysthey'veputdozensofthemawaysincethisallstarted. Rememberwhenthosedruggiesrobbedyou?Ifwedon'tbust theirdealers,it'llonlygetworse."I'dbeenmuggedtheyear before.They'dbeenprettycivilizedaboutit.Oneskinnyguywho smelledbadtoldmehehadagun,theotheroneaskedmeformy wallet.TheyevenletmekeepmyID,thoughtheygotmydebit cardandFastPass.Ithadstillscaredmewitlessandleftme paranoidandcheckingmyshoulderforweeks. "Butmostofthepeopletheyholduparen'tdoinganything wrong,Dad,"Isaid.Thiswasgettingtome.Myownfather!"It's crazy.Foreveryguiltypersontheycatch,theyhavetopunish thousandsofinnocentpeople.That'sjustnotgood." "Innocent?Guyscheatingontheirwives?Drugdealers?You're defendingthem,butwhataboutallthepeoplewhodied?Ifyou don'thaveanythingtohide" "Soyouwouldn'tmindiftheypulledyouover?"Mydad's histogramshadproventobedepressinglynormalsofar.

"I'dconsideritmyduty,"hesaid."I'dbeproud.Itwouldmake Soifyoudroveacar,youwerejustaslikelytobepulledoverby mefeelsafer." anSFPDcruiserthatwantedtoknowwhyyouweretakingso manytripstotheHomeDepotlately,andwhatwasthatmidnight Easyforhimtosay. driveuptoSonomalastweekabout? # Thelittledemonstrationsaroundtownontheweekendwere growing.FiftythousandpeoplemarcheddownMarketStreetafter Vanessadidn'tlikemetalkingaboutthisstuff,butshewastoo aweekofthismonitoring.Icouldn'tcareless.Thepeoplewho'd smartaboutitformetostayawayfromthesubjectforlong.We'd occupiedmycitydidn'tcarewhatthenativeswanted.Theywerea gettogetherallthetime,andtalkabouttheweatherandschool conqueringarmy.Theyknewhowwefeltaboutthat. andstuff,andthen,somehow,I'dbebackonthissubject.Vanessa wascoolwhenithappenedshedidn'tHulkoutonmeagain OnemorningIcamedowntobreakfastjustintimetohearDad butIcouldseeitupsether. tellMomthatthetwobiggesttaxicompaniesweregoingtogivea "discount"topeoplewhousedspecialcardstopaytheirfares, Still. supposedlytomakedriverssaferbyreducingtheamountofcash theycarried.Iwonderedwhatwouldhappentotheinformation "Somydadsays,'I'dconsideritmyduty.'Canyoufreaking aboutwhotookwhichcabswhere. believeit?Imean,God!Ialmosttoldhimthenaboutgoingtojail, askinghimifhethoughtthatwasour'duty'!" IrealizedhowcloseI'dcome.Thenewindienetclienthadbeen pushedoutasanautomaticupdatejustasthisstuffstartedtoget WeweresittinginthegrassinDoloresParkafterschool, bad,andJolutoldmethat80percentofthetraffichesawat watchingthedogschasefrisbees. Pigspleenwasnowencrypted.TheXnetjustmighthavebeen saved. Vanhadstoppedathomeandchangedintoanoldtshirtforone ofherfavoriteBraziliantecnobregabands,CariocaProibido Dadwasdrivingmenuts,though. theforbiddenguyfromRio.She'dgottentheshirtataliveshow we'dallgonetotwoyearsbefore,sneakingoutforagrand "You'rebeingparanoid,Marcus,"hetoldmeoverbreakfastone adventuredownattheCowPalace,andshe'dsproutedaninchor dayasItoldhimabouttheguysI'dseenthecopsshakingdown twosince,soitwastightandrodeuphertummy,showingherflat onBARTthedaybefore. littlebellybutton. "Dad,it'sridiculous.They'renotcatchinganyterrorists,are they?It'sjustmakingpeoplescared." "Theymaynothavecaughtanyterroristsyet,butthey'resure gettingalotofscumbagsoffthestreets.Lookatthedrugdealers Shelaybackintheweaksunwithhereyesclosedbehindher shades,hertoeswigglinginherflipflops.I'dknownVansince forever,andwhenIthoughtofher,IusuallysawthelittlekidI'd knownwithhundredsofjanglybraceletsmadeoutofslicedup sodacans,whoplayedthepianoandcouldn'tdancetosaveher

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/45 life.SittingoutthereinDoloresPark,Isuddenlysawherasshe was. Shewastotallyh4wtthatistosay,hot.Itwaslikelookingat thatpictureofavaseandnoticingthatitwasalsotwofaces.I couldseethatVanwasjustVan,butIcouldalsoseethatshewas hellapretty,somethingI'dnevernoticed. Ofcourse,Darrylhadknownitallalong,anddon'tthinkthatI wasn'tbummedoutanewwhenIrealizedthis. "Youcan'ttellyourdad,youknow,"shesaid."You'dputusall atrisk."Hereyeswereclosedandherchestwasrisingupand downwithherbreath,whichwasdistractinginareally embarrassingway.

Shepickedupspeed,makingmeruntocatchupwithher. "Van,whatthehell,"Isaid,catchingherarm.Shejerkedit awaysohardIpunchedmyselfintheface. "You'repsycho,Marcus.You'regoingtoputallyourlittleXnet buddiesindangerfortheirlives,andontopofit,you'regoingto turnthewholecityintoterrorismsuspects.Can'tyoustopbefore youhurtthesepeople?" Iopenedandclosedmymouthacoupletimes."Van,I'mnotthe problem,theyare.I'mnotarrestingpeople,jailingthem,making themdisappear.TheDepartmentofHomelandSecurityarethe onesdoingthat.I'mfightingbacktomakethemstop."

"Yeah,"Isaid,glumly."ButtheproblemisthatIknowhe'sjust "How,bymakingitworse?" totallyfullofit.Ifyoupulledmydadoverandmadehimprovehe wasn'tachildmolesting,drugdealingterrorist,he'dgoberserk. "Maybeithastogetworsetogetbetter,Van.Isn'tthatwhatyou Totallyofftherails.Hehatesbeingputonholdwhenhecalls weresaying?Ifeveryonewasgettingpulledover" abouthiscreditcardbill.Beinglockedinthebackofacarand questionedforanhourwouldgivehimananeurism." "That'snotwhatImeant.Ididn'tmeanyoushouldgeteveryone arrested.Ifyouwanttoprotest,jointheprotestmovement.Do "Theyonlygetawaywithitbecausethenormalsfeelsmug somethingpositive.Didn'tyoulearnanythingfromDarryl? comparedtotheabnormals.Ifeveryonewasgettingpulledover, Anything?" it'dbeadisaster.Noonewouldevergetanywhere,they'dallbe waitingtogetquestionedbythecops.Totalgridlock." "You'redamnedrightIdid,"Isaid,losingmycool."Ilearned thattheycan'tbetrusted.Thatifyou'renotfightingthem,you're Woah. helpingthem.Thatthey'llturnthecountryintoaprisonifwelet them.Whatdidyoulearn,Van?Tobescaredallthetime,tosit "Van,youareatotalgenius,"Isaid. tightandkeepyourheaddownandhopeyoudon'tgetnoticed? Youthinkit'sgoingtogetbetter?Ifwedon'tdoanything,thisis "Tellmeaboutit,"shesaid.Shehadalazysmileandshe asgoodasit'sgoingtoget.Itwillonlygetworseandworsefrom lookedatmethroughhalfliddedeyes,almostromantic. nowon.YouwanttohelpDarryl?Helpmebringthemdown!" "Seriously.Wecandothis.Wecanmessuptheprofileseasily. Gettingpeoplepulledoveriseasy." Shesatupandpushedherhairoffherfaceandlookedatme.I feltalittleflipinmystomach,thinkingthatshewasreally impressedwithme. "It'sthearphidcloners,"Isaid."They'retotallyeasytomake. JustflashthefirmwareonatendollarRadioShackreader/writer andyou'redone.Whatwedoisgoaroundandrandomlyswapthe tagsonpeople,overwritingtheirFastPassesandFasTrakswith otherpeople'scodes.That'llmakeeveryoneskewallweirdand screwy,andmakeeveryonelookguilty.Then:totalgridlock." VanpursedherlipsandloweredhershadesandIrealizedshe wassoangryshecouldn'tspeak. "Goodbye,Marcus,"shesaid,andgottoherfeet.BeforeI knewit,shewaswalkingawaysofastshewaspracticallyrunning. "Van!"Icalled,gettingtomyfeetandchasingafterher."Van! Wait!" Thereitwasagain.Myvow.NottogetDarrylfree,buttobring downtheentireDHS.Thatwascrazy,evenIknewit.Butitwas whatIplannedtodo.Noquestionaboutit. Vanshovedmehardwithbothhands.Shewasstrongfrom schoolathleticsfencing,lacrosse,fieldhockey,allthegirls schoolsportsandIendeduponmyassonthedisgustingSan Franciscosidewalk.ShetookoffandIdidn'tfollow. # > The important thing about security systems isn't how they work, it's how they fail. That was the first line of my first blog post on Open Revolt, my Xnet site. I was writing as M1k3y, and I was ready to go to war. > Maybe all the automatic screening is supposed to catch terrorists. Maybe it will catch a terrorist sooner or later. The problem is that it catches us too,

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/46 even though we're not doing anything wrong. > The more people it catches, the more brittle it gets. If it catches too many people, it dies. > Get the idea? appliestoterrorism: Terroristsarereallyrare.InacityoftwentymillionlikeNew York,theremightbeoneortwoterrorists.Maybetenofthemat theoutside.10/20,000,000=0.00005percent.Onetwenty thousandthofapercent.

That'sprettyrareallright.Now,sayyou'vegotsomesoftware thatcansiftthroughallthebankrecords,ortollpassrecords,or IpastedinmyHOWTOforbuildinganarphidcloner,andsome publictransitrecords,orphonecallrecordsinthecityandcatch tipsforgettingcloseenoughtopeopletoreadandwritetheirtags. terrorists99percentofthetime. Iputmyownclonerinthepocketofmyvintageblackleather motocrossjacketwiththearmoredpocketsandleftforschool.I Inapooloftwentymillionpeople,a99percentaccuratetest managedtoclonesixtagsbetweenhomeandChavezHigh. willidentifytwohundredthousandpeopleasbeingterrorists.But Itwaswartheywanted.Itwaswarthey'dget. # Ifyoueverdecidetodosomethingasstupidasbuildan automaticterrorismdetector,here'samathlessonyouneedto learnfirst.It'scalled"theparadoxofthefalsepositive,"andit'sa doozy. Sayyouhaveanewdisease,calledSuperAIDS.Onlyoneina millionpeoplegetsSuperAIDS.YoudevelopatestforSuper AIDSthat's99percentaccurate.Imean,99percentofthetime,it givesthecorrectresulttrueifthesubjectisinfected,andfalseif thesubjectishealthy.Yougivethetesttoamillionpeople. OneinamillionpeoplehaveSuperAIDS.Oneinahundred peoplethatyoutestwillgeneratea"falsepositive"thetestwill sayhehasSuperAIDSeventhoughhedoesn't.That'swhat"99 percentaccurate"means:onepercentwrong. What'sonepercentofonemillion? 1,000,000/100=10,000 OneinamillionpeoplehasSuperAIDS.Ifyoutestamillion randompeople,you'llprobablyonlyfindonecaseofrealSuper AIDS.Butyourtestwon'tidentifyonepersonashavingSuper AIDS.Itwillidentify10,000peopleashavingit. Your99percentaccuratetestwillperformwith99.99percent inaccuracy. onlytenofthemareterrorists.Tocatchtenbadguys,youhaveto haulinandinvestigatetwohundredthousandinnocentpeople.

Guesswhat?Terrorismtestsaren'tanywherecloseto99percent accurate.Morelike60percentaccurate.Even40percent accurate,sometimes. WhatthisallmeantwasthattheDepartmentofHomeland Securityhadsetitselfuptofailbadly.Theyweretryingtospot incrediblyrareeventsapersonisaterroristwithinaccurate systems. Isitanywonderwewereabletomakesuchamess? # IsteppedoutthefrontdoorwhistlingonaTuesdaymorningone weekintotheOperationFalsePositive.Iwasrockin'outtosome newmusicI'ddownloadedfromtheXnetthenightbeforelots ofpeoplesentM1k3ylittledigitalgiftstosaythankyoufor givingthemhope. Iturnedonto23dStreetandcarefullytookthenarrowstone stepscutintothesideofthehill.AsIdescended,IpassedMr WienerDog.Idon'tknowMrWienerDog'srealname,butIsee himnearlyeveryday,walkinghisthreepantingwienerdogsup thestaircasetothelittleparkette.Squeezingpastthemallonthe stairsisprettymuchimpossibleandIalwaysenduptangledina leash,knockedintosomeone'sfrontgarden,orperchedonthe bumperofoneofthecarsparkednexttothecurb. MrWienerDogisclearlySomeoneImportant,becausehehasa fancywatchandalwayswearsanicesuit.Ihadmentallyassumed thatheworkeddowninthefinancialdistrict.

That'stheparadoxofthefalsepositive.Whenyoutrytofind somethingreallyrare,yourtest'saccuracyhastomatchtherarity ofthethingyou'relookingfor.Ifyou'retryingtopointatasingle TodayasIbrushedupagainsthim,Itriggeredmyarphidcloner, pixelonyourscreen,asharppencilisagoodpointer:thepencil whichwasalreadyloadedinthepocketofmyleatherjacket.The tipisalotsmaller(moreaccurate)thanthepixels.Butapenciltip clonersuckeddownthenumbersoffhiscreditcardsandhiscar isnogoodatpointingatasingleatominyourscreen.Forthat, keys,hispassportandthehundreddollarbillsinhiswallet. youneedapointeratestthat'soneatomwideorlessatthe tip. Evenasitwasdoingthat,itwasflashingsomeofthemwith newnumbers,takenfromotherpeopleI'dbrushedagainst.Itwas Thisistheparadoxofthefalsepositive,andhere'showit likeswitchingthelicenseplatesonabunchofcars,butinvisible

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/47 andinstantaneous.IsmiledapologeticallyatMrWienerDogand continueddownthestairs.Istoppedatthreeofthecarslong enoughtoswaptheirFasTraktagswithnumberstakenoffallof thecarsI'dgonepastthedaybefore. YoumightthinkIwasbeingalittleaggrohere,butIwas cautiousandconservativecomparedtoalotoftheXnetters.A couplegirlsintheChemicalEngineeringprogramatUCBerkeley hadfiguredouthowtomakeaharmlesssubstanceoutofkitchen productsthatwouldtripanexplosivesniffer.They'dhadamerry timesprinklingitontheirprofs'briefcasesandjackets,then hidingoutandwatchingthesameprofstrytogetintothe auditoriumsandlibrariesoncampus,onlytogetflyingtackledby thenewsecuritysquadsthathadsprungupeverywhere. Otherpeoplewantedtofigureouthowtodustenvelopeswith substancesthatwouldtestpositiveforanthrax,buteveryoneelse thoughttheywereoutoftheirminds.Luckily,itdidn'tseemlike they'dbeabletofigureitout. IpassedbySanFranciscoGeneralHospitalandnoddedwith satisfactionasIsawthehugelinesatthefrontdoors.Theyhada policecheckpointtoo,ofcourse,andtherewereenoughXnetters workingasinternsandcafeteriaworkersandwhatnottherethat everyone'sbadgeshadbeensnarledupandswappedaround.I'd readthesecuritycheckshadtackedanhourontoeveryone'swork day,andtheunionswerethreateningtowalkoutunlessthe hospitaldidsomethingaboutit. Afewblockslater,IsawanevenlongerlinefortheBART. Copswerewalkingupanddownthelinepointingpeopleoutand callingthemasideforquestioning,bagsearchesandpatdowns. Theykeptgettingsuedfordoingthis,butitdidn'tseemtobe slowingthemdown. Igottoschoolalittleaheadoftimeanddecidedtowalkdown to22ndStreettogetacoffeeandIpassedapolicecheckpoint wheretheywerepullingovercarsforsecondaryinspection. they'dhadtheiraccountsfrozenforsuspiciousactivity(that'sthe dangerofwiringyourcheckingaccountstraightintoyourFasTrak andFastPass!). Igothomeandmademyselfasandwichandloggedintothe Xnet.Ithadbeenagoodday.Peoplefromallovertownwere crowingabouttheirsuccesses.We'dbroughtthecityofSan Franciscotoastandstill.Thenewsreportsconfirmeditthey werecallingittheDHSgonehaywire,blamingitallonthefake ass"security"thatwassupposedtobeprotectingusfrom terrorism.TheBusinesssectionoftheSanFranciscoChronicle gaveitswholefrontpagetoanestimateoftheeconomiccostof theDHSsecurityresultingfrommissedworkhours,meetingsand soon.AccordingtotheChronicle'seconomist,aweekofthiscrap wouldcostthecitymorethantheBayBridgebombinghad. Mwahahaha. Thebestpart:Dadgothomethatnightlate.Verylate.Three hourslate.Why?Becausehe'dbeenpulledover,searched, questioned.Thenithappenedagain.Twice. Twice! Chapter9 ThischapterisdedicatedtoCompassBooks/BooksInc,theoldest independentbookstoreinthewesternUSA.They'vegotstoresup anddownCalifornia,inSanFrancisco,Burlingame,Mountain ViewandPaloAlto,butcoolestofallisthattheyrunakiller bookstoreinthemiddleofDisneyland'sDowntownDisneyin Anaheim.I'mastoneDisneyparkfreak(seemyfirstnovel,Down andOutintheMagicKingdomifyoudon'tbelieveit),andevery timeI'velivedinCalifornia,I'veboughtmyselfanannual Disneylandpass,andonpracticallyeveryvisit,Idropby CompassBooksinDowntownDisney.Theystockabrilliant selectionofunauthorized(andevencritical)booksaboutDisney, aswellasagreatvarietyofkidsbooksandsciencefiction,and thecafenextdoormakesameancappuccino.

Schoolwasnolesswildthesecurityguardsonthemetal detectorswerealsowandingourschoolIDsandpullingout studentswithoddmovementsforquestioning.Needlesstosay,we allhadprettyweirdmovements.Needlesstosay,classeswere CompassBooks/BooksInc: startinganhourormorelater. http://www.booksinc.net/NASApp/store/Product;jsessionid=abcF ch09pbU6m7ZRrLr?s=showproduct&isbn=0765319853 Classeswerecrazy.Idon'tthinkanyonewasableto concentrate.Ioverheardtwoteacherstalkingabouthowlongit HewassoangryIthoughthewasgoingtopop.YouknowIsaid hadtakenthemtogethomefromworkthedaybefore,and I'donlyseenhimlosehiscoolrarely?Thatnight,helostitmore planningtosneakoutearlythatday. thanheeverhad. ItwasallIcoulddotokeepfromlaughing.Theparadoxofthe "Youwouldn'tbelieveit.Thiscop,hewaslikeeighteenyears falsepositivestrikesagain! oldandhekeptsaying,'Butsir,whywereyouinBerkeley yesterdayifyourclientisinMountainView?'Ikeptexplainingto Sureenough,theyletusoutofclassearlyandIheadedhome thelongway,circlingthroughtheMissiontoseethehavoc.Long himthatIteachatBerkeleyandthenhe'dsay,'Ithoughtyouwere aconsultant,'andwe'dstartoveragain.Itwaslikesomekindof linesofcars.BARTstationslineduparoundtheblocks.People sitcomwherethecopshavebeentakenoverbythestupidityray. swearingatATMsthatwouldn'tdispensetheirmoneybecause

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/48

"What'sworsewashekeptinsistingthatI'dbeeninBerkeley todayaswell,andIkeptsayingno,Ihadn'tbeen,andhesaidI hadbeen.ThenheshowedmemyFasTrakbillinganditsaidI'd driventheSanMateobridgethreetimesthatday! "That'snotall,"hesaid,anddrewinabreaththatletmeknow hewasreallysteamed."TheyhadinformationaboutwhereI'd been,placesthatdidn'thaveatollplaza.They'dbeenpollingmy passjustonthestreet,atrandom.Anditwaswrong!Holycrap,I mean,they'respyingonusallandthey'renotevencompetent!" I'ddrifteddownintothekitchenasherailedthere,andnowI waswatchinghimfromthedoorway.Mommetmyeyeandwe bothraisedoureyebrowsasiftosay,Who'sgoingtosay'Itold youso'tohim?Inoddedather.Shecoulduseherspousular powerstonullifyhisrageinawaythatwasoutofmyreachasa merefilialunit.

I'ddonethattohim.He'dbeenhappybefore,confidentthathis taxdollarswerebeingspenttokeephimsafe.I'ddestroyedthat confidence.Itwasfalseconfidence,ofcourse,butithadkepthim going.Seeinghimnow,miserableandbroken,Iwonderedifit wasbettertobecleareyedandhopelessortoliveinafool's paradise.ThatshametheshameI'dfeltsinceIgaveupmy passwords,sincethey'dbrokenmereturned,leavingmelistless andwantingtojustgetawayfrommyself. MycharacterwasaswabbieonthepirateshipZombieCharger, andhe'dwounddownwhileI'dbeenoffline.IhadtoIMallthe otherplayersonmyshipuntilIfoundonewillingtowindmeup. Thatkeptmeoccupied.Ilikedit,actually.Therewassomething magicaboutatotalstrangerdoingyouafavor.Andsinceitwas theXnet,Iknewthatallthestrangerswerefriends,insomesense. > Where u located?

The character who wound me up was called Lizanator, and it "Drew,"shesaid,andgrabbedhimbythearmtomakehimstop was female, though that didn't mean that it was a girl. Guys had stalkingbackandforthinthekitchen,wavinghisarmslikea some weird affinity for playing female characters. streetpreacher. "What?"hesnapped. "IthinkyouoweMarcusanapology."Shekepthervoiceeven andlevel.DadandIarethespazzesinthehouseholdMom'sa totalrock. > San Francisco I said. > No stupe, where you located in San Fran?

Dadlookedatme.Hiseyesnarrowedashethoughtfora > Why, you a pervert? minute."Allright,"hesaidatlast."You'reright.Iwastalking aboutcompetentsurveillance.Theseguysweretotalamateurs.I'm That usually shut down that line of conversation. Of course sorry,son,"hesaid."Youwereright.Thatwasridiculous."He every gamespace was full of pedos and pervs, and cops stuckhishandoutandshookmyhand,thengavemeafirm, pretending to be pedo- and perv-bait (though I sure hoped there unexpectedhug. weren't any cops on the Xnet!). An accusation like that was enough to change the subject nine out of ten times. "God,whatarewedoingtothiscountry,Marcus?Your generationdeservestoinheritsomethingbetterthanthis."When heletmego,Icouldseethedeepwrinklesinhisface,linesI'd nevernoticed. > Mission? Potrero Hill? Noe? East Bay? > Just wind me up k thx?

IwentbackuptomyroomandplayedsomeXnetgames.There She stoppedwinding. wasagoodmultiplayerthing,aclockworkpirategamewhereyou hadtoquesteverydayortwotowindupyourwholecrew's > You scared? mainspringsbeforeyoucouldgoplunderingandpillagingagain. ItwasthekindofgameIhatedbutcouldn'tstopplaying:lotsof > Safe -- why do you care? repetitivequeststhatweren'tallthatsatisfyingtocomplete,alittle bitofplayerversusplayercombat(scrappingtoseewhowould > Just curious captaintheship)andnotthatmanycoolpuzzlesthatyouhadto figureout.Mostly,playingthiskindofgamemademehomesick Iwasgettingabadvibeoffher.Shewasclearlymorethanjust forHarajukuFunMadness,whichbalancedoutrunningaroundin curious.Callitparanoia.IloggedoffandshutdownmyXbox. therealworld,figuringoutonlinepuzzles,andstrategizingwith yourteam. # ButtodayitwasjustwhatIneeded.Mindlessentertainment. Mypoordad. Dadlookedatmeoverthetablethenextmorningandsaid,"It lookslikeit'sgoingtogetbetter,atleast."Hehandedmeacopy oftheChronicleopentothethirdpage.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/49 "TheBillofRightswaswrittenbeforedatamining,"hesaid. Hewasawesomelyserene,convincedofhisrightness."Theright tofreedomofassociationisfine,butwhyshouldn'tthecopsbe allowedtomineyoursocialnetworktofigureoutifyou're hangingoutwithgangbangersandterrorists?" "Becauseit'saninvasionofmyprivacy!"Isaid. "What'sthebigdeal?Wouldyouratherhaveprivacyor terrorists?" Agh.Ihatedarguingwithmydadlikethis.Ineededacoffee. "Dad,comeon.Takingawayourprivacyisn'tcatchingterrorists: it'sjustinconveniencingnormalpeople." "Howdoyouknowit'snotcatchingterrorists?" "Wherearetheterroriststhey'vecaught?" "I'msurewe'llseearrestsingoodtime.Youjustwait." "Dad,whatthehellhashappenedtoyousincelastnight?You werereadytogonuclearonthecopsforpullingyouover" "Don'tusethattonewithme,Marcus.What'shappenedsince lastnightisthatI'vehadthechancetothinkitoverandtoread this."Herattledhispaper."Thereasontheycaughtmeisthatthe badguysareactivelyjammingthem.Theyneedtoadjusttheir techniquestoovercomethejamming.Butthey'llgetthere. Meanwhiletheoccasionalroadstopisasmallpricetopay.This isn'tthetimetobeplayinglawyerabouttheBillofRights.Thisis thetimetomakesomesacrificestokeepourcitysafe." Icouldn'tfinishmytoast.Iputtheplateinthedishwasherand leftforschool.Ihadtogetoutofthere. # TheXnettersweren'thappyaboutthesteppeduppolice surveillance,buttheyweren'tgoingtotakeitlyingdown. SomeonecalledaphoneinshowonKQEDandtoldthemthatthe policewerewastingtheirtime,thatwecouldmonkeywrenchthe systemfasterthantheycoulduntangleit.Therecordingwasatop Xnetdownloadthatnight.

> A Department of Homeland Security spokesman has confirmed that the San Francisco office has requested a 300 percent budget and personnel increase from DC What? > Major General Graeme Sutherland, the commanding officer for Northern California DHS operations, confirmed the request at a press conference yesterday, noting that a spike in suspicious activity in the Bay Area prompted the request. "We are tracking a spike in underground chatter and activity and believe that saboteurs are deliberately manufacturing false security alerts to undermine our efforts." Myeyescrossed.Nofreakingway. > "These false alarms are potentially 'radar chaff' intended to disguise real attacks. The only effective way of combatting them is to step up staffing and analyst levels so that we can fully investigate every lead." > Sutherland noted the delays experienced all over the city were "unfortunate" and committed to eliminating them. IhadavisionofthecitywithfourorfivetimesasmanyDHS enforcers,broughtintomakeupformyownstupidideas.Van wasright.ThemoreIfoughtthem,theworseitwasgoingtoget. Dadpointedatthepaper."Theseguysmaybefools,butthey're methodicalfools.They'lljustkeepthrowingresourcesatthis problemuntiltheysolveit.It'stractable,youknow.Miningallthe datainthecity,followinguponeverylead.They'llcatchthe terrorists." Ilostit."Dad!Areyoulisteningtoyourself?They'retalking aboutinvestigatingpracticallyeverypersoninthecityofSan Francisco!"

"ThisisCaliforniaLiveandwe'retalkingtoananonymous calleratapayphoneinSanFrancisco.Hehashisowninformation abouttheslowdownswe'vebeenfacingaroundtownthisweek. "Yeah,"hesaid,"that'sright.They'llcatcheveryalimonycheat, Caller,you'reontheair." everydopedealer,everydirtbagandeveryterrorist.Youjust "Yeah,yo,thisisjustthebeginning,youknow?Imean,like, wait.Thiscouldbethebestthingthateverhappenedtothis country." we'rejustgettingstarted.Letthemhireabillionpigsandputa checkpointoneverycorner.We'lljamthemall!Andlike,allthis "Tellmeyou'rejoking,"Isaid."Ibegyou.Youthinkthatthat's crapaboutterrorists?We'renotterrorists!Givemeabreak,I whattheyintendedwhentheywrotetheConstitution?Whatabout mean,really!We'rejammingupthesystembecausewehatethe theBillofRights?" HomelandSecurity,andbecauseweloveourcity.Terrorists?I can'tevenspelljihad.Peaceout."

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/50 two new cops came in and bawled out the two cops who were there all like wtf? aren't you doing anything here. They had a real fight and then the two old cops left and the new cops sat down at their desks and whispered to each other for a while. > Then one cop stood up and started shouting EVERYONE JUST GO HOME JESUS CHRIST WE'VE GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN BOTHER YOU WITH MORE QUESTIONS IF YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG JUST DON'T DO IT AGAIN AND LET THIS BE A WARNING TO YOU ALL. > A bunch of the suits got really pissed which was HILARIOUS because I mean ten minutes before they were buggin about being held there and now they were wicked pissed about being let go, like make up your minds! > We split fast though and got out and came home to write this. There are undercovers everywhere, believe. If you're jamming, be open-eyed and get ready to run when problems happen. If you get caught try to wait it out they're so busy they'll maybe just let you go. > We made them that busy! All those people in that truck were there because we'd jammed them. So jam on! IfeltlikeIwasgoingtothrowup.ThosefourpeoplekidsI'd nevermettheynearlywentawayforeverbecauseofsomething I'dstarted. BecauseofsomethingI'dtoldthemtodo.Iwasnobetterthana terrorist. # TheDHSgottheirbudgetrequisitionapproved.ThePresident wentonTVwiththeGovernortotellusthatnopricewastoo highforsecurity.Wehadtowatchitthenextdayinschoolat assembly.MyDadcheered.He'dhatedthePresidentsincetheday hewaselected,sayinghewasn'tanybetterthanthelastguyand thelastguyhadbeenacompletedisaster,butnowallhecoulddo wastalkabouthowdecisiveanddynamicthenewguywas. "Youhavetotakeiteasyonyourfather,"Momsaidtomeone nightafterIgothomefromschool.She'dbeenworkingfrom homeasmuchaspossible.Mom'safreelancerelocationspecialist whohelpsBritishpeoplegetsettledininSanFrancisco.TheUK HighCommissionpayshertoansweremailsfrommystified Britishpeopleacrossthecountrywhoaretotallyconfusedbyhow

Hesoundedlikeanidiot.Notjusttheincoherentwords,butalso hisgloatingtone.Hesoundedlikeakidwhowasindecently proudofhimself.Hewasakidwhowasindecentlyproudof himself. TheXnetflamedoutoverthis.Lotsofpeoplethoughthewas anidiotforcallingin,whileothersthoughthewasahero.I worriedthattherewasprobablyacameraaimedatthepayphone he'dused.OranarphidreaderthatmighthavesniffedhisFast Pass.Ihopedhe'dhadthesmartstowipehisfingerprintsoffthe quarter,keephishoodup,andleaveallhisarphidsathome.ButI doubtedit.Iwonderedifhe'dgetaknockonthedoorsometime soon. ThewayIknewwhensomethingbighadhappenedonXnet wasthatI'dsuddenlygetamillionemailsfrompeoplewho wantedM1k3ytoknowaboutthelatesthaps.ItwasjustasIwas readingaboutMrCan'tSpellJihadthatmymailboxwentcrazy. Everyonehadamessageformealinktoalivejournalonthe Xnetoneofthemanyanonymousblogsthatwerebasedonthe Freenetdocumentpublishingsystemthatwasalsousedby Chinesedemocracyadvocates. > Close call > We were jamming at the Embarcadero tonite and goofing around giving everyone a new car key or door key or Fast Pass or FasTrak, tossing around a little fake gunpowder. There were cops everywhere but we were smarter than them; we're there pretty much every night and we never get caught. > So we got caught tonight. It was a stupid mistake we got sloppy we got busted. It was an undercover who caught my pal and then got the rest of us. They'd been watching the crowd for a long time and they had one of those trucks nearby and they took four of us in but missed the rest. > The truck was JAMMED like a can of sardines with every kind of person, old young black white rich poor all suspects, and there were two cops trying to ask us questions and the undercovers kept bringing in more of us. Most people were trying to get to the front of the line to get through questioning so we kept on moving back and it was like hours in there and really hot and it was getting more crowded not less. > At like 8PM they changed shifts and

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/51 freakyweAmericansare.SheexplainsAmericansforaliving, andshesaidthatthesedaysitwasbettertodothatfromhome, whereshedidn'thavetoactuallyseeanyAmericansortalkto them. iteither.Hewasoutofhismind.He'djustsitatthistableand curseandcurseandcurse.Vilewords,wordsI'dneverheardhim say.Onedaythethirddaysomeonecalledandhewassureit wasyou,butitwasawrongnumberandhethrewthephoneso harditdisintegratedintothousandsofpieces."I'dwonderedabout Idon'thaveanyillusionsaboutBritain.Americamaybewilling thenewkitchenphone. totrashitsConstitutioneverytimesomeJihadistlookscrosseyed atus,butasIlearnedinmyninthgradeSocialStudies "Somethingbrokeinyourfather.Helovesyou.Webothlove independentproject,theBritsdon'tevenhaveaConstitution. you.Youarethemostimportantthinginourlives.Idon'tthink They'vegotlawstherethatwouldcurlthehaironyourtoes:they yourealizethat.Doyourememberwhenyouwereten,whenI canputyouinjailforanentireyearifthey'rereallysurethat wenthometoLondonforallthattime?Doyouremember?" you'reaterroristbutdon'thaveenoughevidencetoproveit.Now, howsurecantheybeiftheydon'thaveenoughevidencetoprove Inoddedsilently. it?How'dtheygetthatsure?Didtheyseeyoucommitting terroristactsinareallyvividdream? "Wewerereadytogetadivorce,Marcus.Oh,itdoesn'tmatter whyanymore.Itwasjustabadpatch,thekindofthingthat AndthesurveillanceinBritainmakesAmericalooklike happenswhenpeoplewholoveeachotherstoppayingattention amateurhour.TheaverageLondonerisphotographed500timesa forafewyears.Hecameandgotmeandconvincedmetocome day,justwalkingaroundthestreets.Everylicenseplateis backforyou.Wecouldn'tbearthethoughtofdoingthattoyou. photographedateverycornerinthecountry.Everyonefromthe Wefellinloveagainforyou.We'retogethertodaybecauseof bankstothepublictransitcompanyisenthusiasticabouttracking you." youandsnitchingonyouiftheythinkyou'reremotelysuspicious. Ihadalumpinmythroat.I'dneverknownthis.Noonehadever ButMomdidn'tseeitthatway.She'dleftBritainhalfway toldme. throughhighschoolandshe'dneverfeltathomehere,nomatter thatshe'dmarriedaboyfromPetalumaandraisedasonhere.To "Soyourfatherishavingahardtimerightnow.He'snotinhis her,thiswasalwaysthelandofbarbarians,andBritainwould rightmind.It'sgoingtotakesometimebeforehecomesbackto alwaysbehome. us,beforehe'sthemanIloveagain.Weneedtounderstandhim untilthen." "Mom,he'sjustwrong.Youofallpeopleshouldknowthat. Everythingthatmakesthiscountrygreatisbeingflusheddown Shegavemealonghug,andInoticedhowthinherarmshad thetoiletandhe'sgoingalongwithit.Haveyounoticedthatthey gotten,howsaggytheskinonherneckwas.Ialwaysthoughtof haven'tcaughtanyterrorists?Dad'salllike,'Weneedtobesafe,' mymotherasyoung,pale,rosycheekedandcheerful,peering butheneedstoknowthatmostofusdon'tfeelsafe.Wefeel shrewdlythroughhermetalrimglasses.Nowshelookedalittle endangeredallthetime." likeanoldwoman.Ihaddonethattoher.Theterroristshaddone thattoher.TheDepartmentofHomelandSecurityhaddonethat "Iknowthisall,Marcus.Believeme,I'mnotafanofwhat's toher.Inaweirdway,wewereallonthesameside,andMom beenhappeningtothiscountry.Butyourfatheris"Shebroke andDadandallthosepeoplewe'dspoofedwereontheotherside. off."Whenyoudidn'tcomehomeaftertheattacks,hethought" # Shegotupandmadeherselfacupoftea,somethingshedid whenevershewasuncomfortableordisconcerted. Icouldn'tsleepthatnight.Mom'swordskeptrunningthrough myhead.Dadhadbeentenseandquietatdinnerandwe'dbarely "Marcus,"shesaid."Marcus,wethoughtyouweredead.Do spoken,becauseIdidn'ttrustmyselfnottosaythewrongthing youunderstandthat?Weweremourningyoufordays.Wewere andbecausehewasallwoundupoverthelatestnews,thatAl imaginingyoublowntobits,atthebottomoftheocean.Dead Qaedawasdefinitelyresponsibleforthebombing.Sixdifferent becausesomebastarddecidedtokillhundredsofstrangersto terroristgroupshadclaimedresponsibilityfortheattack,butonly makesomepoint." AlQaeda'sInternetvideodisclosedinformationthattheDHSsaid theyhadn'tdisclosedtoanyone. Thatsankinslowly.Imean,Iunderstoodthatthey'dbeen worried.Lotsofpeoplediedinthebombingsfourthousandwas Ilayinbedandlistenedtoalatenightcallinradioshow.The thepresentestimateandpracticallyeveryoneknewsomeone topicwassexproblems,withthisgayguywhoInormallylovedto whodidn'tcomehomethatday.Thereweretwopeoplefrommy listento,hewouldgivepeoplesuchrawadvice,butgoodadvice, schoolwhohaddisappeared. andhewasreallyfunnyandcampy. "Yourfatherwasreadytokillsomeone.Anyone.Hewasoutof TonightIcouldn'tlaugh.Mostofthecallerswantedtoaskwhat hismind.You'veneverseenhimlikethis.I'veneverseenhimlike todoaboutthefactthattheywerehavingahardtimegettingbusy

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/52 withtheirpartnerseversincetheattack.Evenonsextalkradio,I couldn'tgetawayfromthetopic. Iswitchedtheradiooffandheardapurringengineonthestreet below. Mybedroomisinthetopfloorofourhouse,oneofthepainted ladies.Ihaveaslopingatticceilingandwindowsonbothsides oneoverlooksthewholeMission,theotherlooksoutintothe streetinfrontofourplace.Therewereoftencarscruisingatall hoursofthenight,buttherewassomethingdifferentaboutthis enginenoise. Iwenttothestreetwindowandpulledupmyblinds.Downon thestreetbelowmewasawhite,unmarkedvanwhoseroofwas festoonedwithradioantennas,moreantennasthanI'deverseen onacar.Itwascruisingveryslowlydownthestreet,alittledish ontopspinningaroundandaround. AsIwatched,thevanstoppedandoneofthebackdoors poppedopen.AguyinaDHSuniformIcouldspotonefroma hundredyardsnowsteppedoutintothestreet.Hehadsome kindofhandhelddevice,anditsblueglowlithisface.Hepaced backandforth,firstscoutingmyneighbors,makingnotesonhis device,thenheadingforme.Therewassomethingfamiliarinthe wayhewalked,lookingdown Hewasusingawifinder!TheDHSwasscoutingforXnet nodes.Iletgooftheblindsanddoveacrossmyroomformy Xbox.I'dleftitupwhileIdownloadedsomecoolanimationsone oftheXnettershadmadeofthePresident'snopricetoohigh speech.Iyankedtheplugoutofthewall,thenscurriedbackto thewindowandcrackedtheblindafractionofaninch. Theguywaslookingdownintohiswifinderagain,walking backandforthinfrontofourhouse.Amomentlater,hegotback intohisvananddroveaway. IloggedbackinandthereIwas,stillonthedeckoftheZombie Charger,waitingforsomeonetowindmeup.Ihatedthispartof thegame. > Hey you Itypedtoapassingpirate. > Wind me up? Hepausedandlookedatme. > y should i? > We're on the same team. Plus you get experience points. Whatajerk. > Where are you located? > San Francisco Thiswasstartingtofeelfamiliar. > Where in San Francisco? Iloggedout.Therewassomethingweirdgoingoninthegame. Ijumpedontothelivejournalsandbegantocrawlfromblogto blog.IgotthroughhalfadozenbeforeIfoundsomethingthat frozemyblood. Livejournallerslovequizzes.Whatkindofhobbitareyou?Are youagreatlover?Whatplanetareyoumostlike?Which characterfromsomemovieareyou?What'syouremotionaltype? Theyfilltheminandtheirfriendsfilltheminandeveryone comparestheirresults.Harmlessfun.

ButthequizthathadtakenovertheblogsoftheXnetthatnight IgotoutmycameraandtookasmanypicturesasIcouldofthe waswhatscaredme,becauseitwasanythingbutharmless: vananditsantennas.ThenIopenedtheminafreeimageeditor calledTheGIMPandeditedouteverythingfromthephotoexcept What'syoursex thevan,erasingmystreetandanythingthatmightidentifyme. IpostedthemtoXnetandwrotedowneverythingIcouldabout thevans.TheseguysweredefinitelylookingfortheXnet,Icould tell. NowIreallycouldn'tsleep.

Whatgradeareyouin? Whatschooldoyougoto? Whereinthecitydoyoulive?

Thequizzesplottedtheresultsonamapwithcoloredpushpins Nothingforitbuttoplaywinduppirates.There'dbelotsof forschoolsandneighborhoods,andmadelamerecommendations playersevenatthishour.Therealnameforwinduppirateswas forplacestobuypizzaandstuff. ClockworkPlunder,anditwasahobbyistprojectthathadbeen createdbyteenageddeathmetalfreaksfromFinland.Itwas Butlookatthosequestions.Thinkaboutmyanswers: totallyfreetoplay,andofferedjustasmuchfunasanyofthe $15/monthserviceslikeEnder'sUniverseandMiddleEarthQuest Male andDiscworldDungeons.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/53

12 ChavezHigh PotreroHill

WeboftrustisoneofthosecoolcryptothingsthatI'dread aboutbutnevertried.Itwasanearlyfoolproofwaytomakesure thatyoucouldtalktothepeopleyoutrusted,butthatnooneelse couldlistenin.Theproblemisthatitrequiresyoutophysically meetwiththepeopleinthewebatleastonce,justtogetstarted. > I get it sure. That's not bad. But how you going to get everyone together for the key-signing? > That's what I wanted to ask you about -- how can we do it without getting busted? Jolu typed some words anderased them, typed more and erased them. # > Darryl would know I typed. > God, this was the stuff he was great at. Jolu didn't type anything. Then, > How about a party? he typed. > How about if we all get together somewhere like we're teenagers having a party and that way we'll have a readymade excuse if anyone shows up asking us what we're doing there? > That would totally work! You're a genius, Jolu. > I know it. And you're going to love this: I know just where to do it, too > Where? > Sutro baths! Chapter10 ThischapterisdedicatedtoAnderson'sBookshops,Chicago's legendarykids'bookstore.Anderson'sisanold,oldfamilyrun business,whichstartedoutasanoldtimeydrugstoreselling somebooksontheside.Today,it'sabooming,multilocation kids'bookempire,withsomeincrediblyinnovativebookselling practicesthatgetbooksandkidstogetherinreallyexcitingways. Thebestoftheseisthestore'smobilebookfairs,inwhichthey shiphuge,rollingbookcases,alreadystockedwithexcellentkids'

Therewereonlytwopeopleinmywholeschoolwhomatched thatprofile.Mostschoolsitwouldbethesame.Ifyouwantedto figureoutwhotheXnetterswere,youcouldusethesequizzesto findthemall. Thatwasbadenough,butwhatwasworsewaswhatitimplied: someonefromtheDHSwasusingtheXnettogetatus.TheXnet wascompromisedbytheDHS. Wehadspiesinourmidst.

I'dgivenXnetdiscstohundredsofpeople,andthey'ddonethe same.IknewthepeopleIgavethediscstoprettywell.Someof themIknewverywell.I'velivedinthesamehouseallmylifeand I'vemadehundredsandhundredsoffriendsovertheyears,from peoplewhowenttodaycarewithmetopeopleIplayedsoccer with,peoplewhoLARPedwithme,peopleImetclubbing, peopleIknewfromschool.MyARGteamweremyclosest friends,buttherewereplentyofpeopleIknewandtrusted enoughtohandanXnetdiscto. Ineededthemnow. IwokeJoluupbyringinghiscellphoneandhangingupafter thefirstring,threetimesinarow.Aminutelater,hewasupon Xnetandwewereabletohaveasecurechat.Ipointedhimtomy blogpostontheradiovansandhecamebackaminutelaterall freakedout. > You sure they're looking for us? In response I sent himto the quiz. > OMG we're doomed > No it's not that bad but we need to figure out who we can trust > How? > That's what I wanted to ask you -- how many people can you totally vouch for like trust them to the ends of the earth? > Um 20 or 30 or so > I want to get a bunch of really trustworthy people together and do a key-exchange web of trust thing

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/54 books,directtoschoolsontrucksvoila,instantbookfair! Anderson'sBookshops http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/search.php? qkey2=doctorow+little+brother&sid=5156&imageField.x=0&im ageField.y=0123WestJefferson,Naperville,IL60540USA+1 6303552665 Whatwouldyoudoifyoufoundoutyouhadaspyinyourmidst? Youcoulddenouncehim,puthimupagainstthewallandtake himout.Butthenyoumightendupwithanotherspyinyour midst,andthenewspywouldbemorecarefulthanthelastone andmaybenotgetcaughtquitesoreadily. Here'sabetteridea:startinterceptingthespy'scommunications andfeedhimandhismastersmisinformation.Sayhismasters instructhimtogatherinformationonyourmovements.Lethim followyouaroundandtakeallthenoteshewants,butsteamopen theenvelopesthathesendsbacktoHQandreplacehisaccountof yourmovementswithafictitiousone.Ifyouwant,youcanmake himseemerraticandunreliablesotheygetridofhim.Youcan manufacturecrisesthatmightmakeonesideortheotherreveal theidentitiesofotherspies.Inshort,youownthem. Thisiscalledthemaninthemiddleattackandifyouthink aboutit,it'sprettyscary.Someonewhomaninthemiddlesyour communicationscantrickyouinanyofathousandways. Ofcourse,there'sagreatwaytogetaroundthemaninthe middleattack:usecrypto.Withcrypto,itdoesn'tmatterifthe enemycanseeyourmessages,becausehecan'tdecipherthem, changethem,andresendthem.That'soneofthemainreasonsto usecrypto. Youprotectitwithyourlife.Youneverletanyoneeverknowwhat itis.That'scalledyour"privatekey."(Duh.) Nowsayyou'reaspyandyouwanttotalkwithyourbosses. Theirpublickeyisknownbyeveryone.Yourpublickeyisknown byeveryone.Nooneknowsyourprivatekeybutyou.Noone knowstheirprivatekeybutthem. Youwanttosendthemamessage.First,youencryptitwith yourprivatekey.Youcouldjustsendthatmessagealong,andit wouldworkprettywell,sincetheywouldknowwhenthemessage arrivedthatitcamefromyou.How?Becauseiftheycandecrypt itwithyourpublickey,itcanonlyhavebeenencryptedwithyour privatekey.Thisistheequivalentofputtingyoursealorsignature onthebottomofamessage.Itsays,"Iwrotethis,andnooneelse. Noonecouldhavetamperedwithitorchangedit." Unfortunately,thiswon'tactuallykeepyourmessageasecret. That'sbecauseyourpublickeyisreallywellknown(ithastobe, oryou'llbelimitedtosendingmessagestothosefewpeoplewho haveyourpublickey).Anyonewhointerceptsthemessagecan readit.Theycan'tchangeitandmakeitseemlikeitcamefrom you,butifyoudon'twantpeopletoknowwhatyou'resaying,you needabettersolution. Soinsteadofjustencryptingthemessagewithyourprivatekey, youalsoencryptitwithyourboss'spublickey.Nowit'sbeen lockedtwice.Thefirstlocktheboss'spublickeyonlycomes offwhencombinedwithyourboss'sprivatekey.Thesecondlock yourprivatekeyonlycomesoffwithyourpublickey.When yourbossesreceivethemessage,theyunlockitwithbothkeys andnowtheyknowforsurethat:a)youwroteitandb)onlythey canreadit.

It'sverycool.ThedayIdiscoveredit,DarrylandIimmediately exchangedkeysandspentmonthscacklingandrubbingourhands Butremember:forcryptotowork,youneedtohavekeysforthe asweexchangedourmilitarygradesecretmessagesaboutwhere peopleyouwanttotalkto.Youandyourpartnerneedtosharea tomeetafterschoolandwhetherVanwouldevernoticehim. secretortwo,somekeysthatyoucanusetoencryptanddecrypt yourmessagessothatmeninthemiddlegetlockedout. Butifyouwanttounderstandsecurity,youneedtoconsiderthe mostparanoidpossibilities.Like,whatifItrickedyouinto That'swheretheideaofpublickeyscomesin.Thisisalittle thinkingthatmypublickeywasyourboss'spublickey?You'd hairy,butit'ssounbelievablyeleganttoo. encryptthemessagewithyourprivatekeyandmypublickey.I'd decryptit,readit,reencryptitwithyourboss'srealpublickey Inpublickeycrypto,eachusergetstwokeys.They'relong andsenditon.Asfarasyourbossknows,noonebutyoucould stringsofmathematicalgibberish,andtheyhaveanalmostmagic havewrittenthemessageandnoonebuthimcouldhavereadit. property.Whateveryouscramblewithonekey,theotherwill unlock,andviceversa.What'smore,they'retheonlykeysthatcan AndIgettositinthemiddle,likeafatspiderinaweb,andall dothisifyoucanunscrambleamessagewithonekey,you yoursecretsbelongtome. knowitwasscrambledwiththeother(andviceversa). Now,theeasiestwaytofixthisistoreallywidelyadvertiseyour Soyoutakeeitheroneofthesekeys(itdoesn'tmatterwhich publickey.Ifit'sreallyeasyforanyonetoknowwhatyourreal one)andyoujustpublishit.Youmakeitatotalnonsecret.You keyis,maninthemiddlegetsharderandharder.Butyouknow wantanyoneintheworldtoknowwhatitis.Forobviousreasons, what?Makingthingswellknownisjustashardaskeepingthem theycallthisyour"publickey." secret.Thinkaboutithowmanybillionsofdollarsarespenton shampooadsandothercrap,justtomakesurethatasmany Theotherkey,youhideinthedarkestreachesofyourmind. peopleknowaboutsomethingthatsomeadvertiserwantsthemto

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/55 know? There'sacheaperwayoffixingmaninthemiddle:thewebof trust.SaythatbeforeyouleaveHQ,youandyourbossessitdown overcoffeeandactuallytelleachotheryourkeys.Nomoreman inthemiddle!You'reabsolutelycertainwhosekeysyouhave, becausetheywereputintoyourownhands. admitted." Jolulookedatmeoverhiscoffee."You'rejoking,right?Youtell peoplethat,andthey'llbringextrafriends." "Argh,"Isaid.IspentanightaweekatJolu'sthesedays, keepingthecodeuptodateonindienet.Pigspleenactuallypaid meanonzerosumofmoneytodothis,whichwasreallyweird.I neverthoughtI'dbepaidtowritecode.

Sofar,sogood.Butthere'sanaturallimittothis:howmany peoplecanyouphysicallymeetwithandswapkeys?Howmany hoursinthedaydoyouwanttodevotetotheequivalentofwriting "Sowhatdowedo?Weonlywantpeoplewereallytrustthere, yourownphonebook?Howmanyofthosepeoplearewillingto andwedon'twanttomentionwhyuntilwe'vegoteveryone'skeys devotethatkindoftimetoyou? andcansendthemmessagesinsecret." Thinkingaboutthislikeaphonebookhelps.Theworldwas onceaplacewithalotofphonebooks,andwhenyouneededa number,youcouldlookitupinthebook.Butformanyofthe numbersthatyouwantedtorefertoonagivenday,youwould eitherknowitbyheart,oryou'dbeabletoasksomeoneelse. Eventoday,whenI'moutwithmycellphone,I'llaskJoluor DarryliftheyhaveanumberI'mlookingfor.It'sfasterandeasier thanlookingituponlineandthey'remorereliable,too.IfJoluhas anumber,Itrusthim,soItrustthenumber,too.That'scalled "transitivetrust"trustthatmovesacrossthewebofour relationships. JoludebuggedandIwatchedoverhisshoulder.Thisusedtobe called"extremeprogramming,"whichwasalittleembarrassing. Nowwejustcallit"programming."Twopeoplearemuchbetterat spottingbugsthanone.Astheclichegoes,"Withenough eyeballs,allbugsareshallow." Wewereworkingourwaythroughthebugreportsandgetting readytopushoutthenewrev.Itallautoupdatedinthe background,soourusersdidn'treallyneedtodoanything,they justwokeuponceaweekorsowithabetterprogram.Itwas prettyfreakytoknowthatthecodeIwrotewouldbeusedby hundredsofthousandsofpeople,tomorrow!

Aweboftrustisabiggerversionofthis.SayImeetJoluand gethiskey.Icanputitonmy"keyring"alistofkeysthatI've "Whatdowedo?Man,Idon'tknow.Ithinkwejusthavetolive signedwithmyprivatekey.Thatmeansyoucanunlockitwithmy withit." publickeyandknowforsurethatmeorsomeonewithmykey, anywaysaysthat"thiskeybelongstothisguy." IthoughtbacktoourHarajukuFunMadnessdays.Therewere lotsofsocialchallengesinvolvinglargegroupsofpeopleaspart SoIhandyoumykeyringandprovidedthatyoutrustmeto ofthatgame. haveactuallymetandverifiedallthekeysonit,youcantakeit andaddittoyourkeyring.Now,youmeetsomeoneelseandyou "OK,you'reright.Butlet'satleasttrytokeepthissecret.Tell handthewholeringtohim.Biggerandbiggertheringgrows,and themthattheycanbringamaximumofoneperson,andithasto providedthatyoutrustthenextguyinthechain,andhetruststhe besomeonethey'veknownpersonallyforaminimumoffive nextguyinhischainandsoon,you'reprettysecure. years." Whichbringsmetokeysigningparties.Theseareexactlywhat theysoundlike:apartywhereeveryonegetstogetherandsigns everyoneelse'skeys.DarrylandI,whenwetradedkeys,thatwas kindofaminikeysigningparty,onewithonlytwosadandgeeky attendees.Butwithmorepeople,youcreatetheseedoftheweb oftrust,andthewebcanexpandfromthere.Aseveryoneonyour keyringgoesoutintotheworldandmeetsmorepeople,theycan addmoreandmorenamestothering.Youdon'thavetomeetthe newpeople,justtrustthatthesignedkeyyougetfromthepeople inyourwebisvalid. Sothat'swhyweboftrustandpartiesgotogetherlikepeanut butterandchocolate. # "Justtellthemit'sasuperprivateparty,invitationalonly,"I said."Tellthemnottobringanyonealongortheywon'tbe Jolulookedupfromthescreen."Hey,"hesaid."Hey,that wouldtotallywork.Icanreallyseeit.Imean,ifyoutoldmenot tobringanyone,I'dbeall,'Whothehelldoeshethinkheis?'But whenyouputitthatway,itsoundslikesomeawesome007stuff." Ifoundabug.Wedranksomecoffee.Iwenthomeandplayeda littleClockworkPlunder,tryingnottothinkaboutkeywinders withnosyquestions,andsleptlikeababy. # SutrobathsareSanFrancisco'sauthenticfakeRomanruins. Whenitopenedin1896,itwasthelargestindoorbathinghousein theworld,ahugeVictorianglasssolariumfilledwithpoolsand tubsandevenanearlywaterslide.Itwentdownhillbythefifties, andtheownerstorcheditfortheinsurancein1966.Allthat'sleft isalabyrinthofweatheredstonesetintothesereclifffaceat OceanBeach.ItlooksforalltheworldlikeaRomanruin,

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/56 crumbledandmysterious,andjustbeyondthemisasetofcaves thatletoutintothesea.Inroughtides,thewavesrushthroughthe Ismiledandwavedathimasthoughhewaswalkingbacktohis cavesandovertheruinsthey'veevenbeenknowntosuckinand truck,whichheshouldhavebeendoing.Heeventuallygotthe drowntheoccasionaltourist. hintanddroveaway.Hissmileneverfaltered. OceanBeachiswayoutpastGoldenGatepark,astarkcliff linedwithexpensive,doomedhouses,plungingdowntoanarrow beachstuddedwithjellyfishandbrave(insane)surfers.There'sa giantwhiterockthatjutsoutoftheshallowsofftheshore.That's calledSealRock,anditusedtobetheplacewherethesealions congregateduntiltheywererelocatedtothemoretouristfriendly environsofFisherman'sWharf. Afterdark,there'shardlyanyoneoutthere.Itgetsverycold, withasaltspraythat'llsoakyoutoyourbonesifyouletit.The rocksaresharpandthere'sbrokenglassandtheoccasionaljunkie needle. Itisanawesomeplaceforaparty. Bringingalongthetarpaulinsandchemicalglovewarmerswas myidea.Jolufiguredoutwheretogetthebeerhisolder brother,Javier,hadabuddywhoactuallyoperatedawhole underagedrinkingservice:payhimenoughandhe'dbackupto yoursecludedpartyspotwithicechestsandasmanybrewsas youwanted.Iblewabunchofmyindienetprogrammingmoney, andtheguyshoweduprightontime:8PM,agoodhourafter sunset,andluggedthesixfoamicechestsoutofhispickuptruck anddownintotheruinsofthebaths.Heevenbroughtaspare chestfortheempties. "Youkidsplaysafenow,"hesaid,tippinghiscowboyhat.He wasafatSamoanguywithahugesmile,andascarytanktopthat youcouldseehisarmpitandbellyandshoulderhairescaping from.Ipeeledtwentiesoffmyrollandhandedthemtohimhis markupwas150percent.Notabadracket. Helookedatmyroll."Youknow,Icouldjusttakethatfrom you,"hesaid,stillsmiling."I'macriminal,afterall." Iputmyrollinmypocketandlookedhimlevellyintheeye.I'd beenstupidtoshowhimwhatIwascarrying,butIknewthat thereweretimeswhenyoushouldjuststandyourground. "I'mjustmessingwithyou,"hesaid,atlast."Butyoubecareful withthatmoney.Don'tgoshowingitaround." "Thanks,"Isaid."HomelandSecurity'llgetmybackthough." Hissmilegotevenbigger."Ha!They'renotevenrealfiveoh. Thosepeckerwoodsdon'tknownothin'." Ilookedoverathistruck.Prominentlydisplayedinhis windscreenwasaFasTrak.Iwonderedhowlongitwouldbeuntil hegotbusted. "Yougotgirlscomingtonight?Thatwhyyougotallthebeer?" Joluhelpedmehidethecoolersintherubble,workingwith littlewhiteLEDtorchesonheadbands.Oncethecoolerswerein place,wethrewlittlewhiteLEDkeychainsintoeachone,soit wouldglowwhenyoutookthestyrofoamlidsoff,makingit easiertoseewhatyouweredoing. Itwasamoonlessnightandovercast,andthedistantstreetlights barelyilluminatedus.Iknewwe'dstandoutlikeblazesonan infraredscope,buttherewasnochancethatwe'dbeabletogeta bunchofpeopletogetherwithoutbeingobserved.I'dsettlefor beingdismissedasalittledrunkenbeachparty. Idon'treallydrinkmuch.There'sbeenbeerandpotandecstasy atthepartiesI'vebeengoingtosinceIwas14,butIhated smoking(thoughI'mquitepartialtoahashbrownieeverynow andagain),ecstasytooktoolongwho'sgotawholeweekendto gethighandcomedownandbeer,well,itwasallright,butI didn'tseewhatthebigdealwas.Myfavoritewasbig,elaborate cocktails,thekindofthingservedinaceramicvolcano,withsix layers,onfire,andaplasticmonkeyontherim,butthatwas mostlyforthetheaterofitall. Iactuallylikebeingdrunk.Ijustdon'tlikebeinghungover,and boy,doIevergethungover.Thoughagain,thatmighthavetodo withthekindofdrinksthatcomeinaceramicvolcano. Butyoucan'tthrowapartywithoutputtingacaseortwoof beeronice.It'sexpected.Itloosensthingsup.Peopledostupid thingsaftertoomanybeers,butit'snotlikemyfriendsarethe kindofpeoplewhohavecars.Andpeopledostupidthingsno matterwhatbeerorgrassorwhateverareallincidentaltothat centralfact. JoluandIeachcrackedbeersAnchorSteamforhim,aBud Liteformeandclinkedthebottlestogether,sittingdownona rock. "Youtoldthem9PM?" "Yeah,"hesaid. "Metoo." Wedrankinsilence.TheBudLitewastheleastalcoholicthing intheicechest.I'dneedaclearheadlater. "Youevergetscared?"Isaid,finally. Heturnedtome."Noman,Idon'tgetscared.I'malwaysscared. I'vebeenscaredsincetheminutetheexplosionshappened.I'mso scaredsometimes,Idon'twanttogetoutofbed."

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/57 "Ihatetosayit,butyou'rewhite.I'mnot.Whitepeopleget caughtwithcocaineanddoalittlerehabtime.Brownpeopleget Hesmiled."Aboutthat,"hesaid."MaybeIwon't,notformuch caughtwithcrackandgotoprisonfortwentyyears.Whitepeople longer.Imean,it'sbeengreathelpingyou.Great.Really seecopsonthestreetandfeelsafer.Brownpeopleseecopsonthe excellent.Idon'tknowwhenI'vedoneanythingsoimportant.But streetandwonderifthey'reabouttogetsearched.Thewaythe Marcus,bro,Ihavetosay..."Hetrailedoff. DHSistreatingyou?Thelawinthiscountryhasalwaysbeenlike thatforus." "What?"Isaid,thoughIknewwhatwascomingnext. Itwassounfair.Ididn'tasktobewhite.Ididn'tthinkIwas "Ican'tdoitforever,"hesaidatlast."Maybenotevenfor beingbraverjustbecauseI'mwhite.ButIknewwhatJoluwas anothermonth.IthinkI'mthrough.It'stoomuchrisk.TheDHS, saying.IfthecopsstoppedsomeoneintheMissionandaskedto youcan'tgotowaronthem.It'scrazy.Reallyactuallycrazy." seesomeID,chanceswerethatpersonwasn'twhite.Whatever riskIran,Joluranmore.WhateverpenaltyI'dpay,Joluwould "YousoundlikeVan,"Isaid.Myvoicewasmuchmorebitter paymore. thanI'dintended. "Idon'tknowwhattosay,"Isaid. "I'mnotcriticizingyou,man.Ithinkit'sgreatthatyou'vegot thebraverytodothisallthetime.ButIhaven'tgotit.Ican'tlive "Youdon'thavetosayanything,"hesaid."Ijustwantedyouto mylifeinperpetualterror." know,soyoucouldunderstand." "Whatareyousaying?" "I'msayingI'mout.I'mgoingtobeoneofthosepeoplewho actslikeit'sallOK,likeit'llallgobacktonormalsomeday.I'm goingtousetheInternetlikeIalwaysdid,andonlyusetheXnet toplaygames.I'mgoingtogetoutiswhatI'msaying.Iwon'tbea partofyourplansanymore." Ididn'tsayanything. "Iknowthat'sleavingyouonyourown.Idon'twantthat, believeme.I'dmuchratheryougiveupwithme.Youcan't declarewaronthegovernmentoftheUSA.It'snotafightyou're goingtowin.Watchingyoutryislikewatchingabirdflyintoa windowagainandagain." Hewantedmetosaysomething.WhatIwantedtosaywas, JesusJolu,thankssoverymuchforabandoningme!Doyou forgetwhatitwaslikewhentheytookusaway?Doyouforget whatthecountryusedtobelikebeforetheytookitover?But that'snotwhathewantedmetosay.Whathewantedmetosay was: "Iunderstand,Jolu.Irespectyourchoice." Hedranktherestofhisbottleandpulledoutanotheroneand twistedoffthecap. "There'ssomethingelse,"hesaid. "What?" "Iwasn'tgoingtomentionit,butIwantyoutounderstandwhy Ihavetodothis." "Jesus,Jolu,what?" Icouldseepeoplewalkingdownthesidetrailtowardus.They werefriendsofJolu's,twoMexicanguysandagirlIknewfrom around,shortandgeeky,alwayswearingcuteblackBuddyHolly glassesthatmadeherlookliketheoutcastartstudentinateen moviewhocomesbackasthebigsuccess. Joluintroducedmeandgavethembeers.Thegirldidn'ttake one,butinsteadproducedasmallsilverflaskofvodkafromher purseandofferedmeadrink.Itookaswallowwarmvodka mustbeanacquiredtasteandcomplimentedherontheflask, whichwasembossedwitharepeatingmotifofParappathe Rappercharacters. "It'sJapanese,"shesaidasIplayedanotherLEDkeyringover it."Theyhaveallthesegreatboozetoysbasedonkids'games. Totallytwisted." Iintroducedmyselfandsheintroducedherself."Ange,"she said,andshookmyhandwithhersdry,warm,withshortnails. Joluintroducedmetohispals,whomhe'dknownsincecomputer campinthefourthgrade.Morepeopleshowedupfive,then ten,thentwenty.Itwasaseriouslybiggroupnow. We'dtoldpeopletoarriveby9:30sharp,andwegaveituntil 9:45toseewhoallwouldshowup.Aboutthreequarterswere Jolu'sfriends.I'dinvitedallthepeopleIreallytrusted.EitherI wasmorediscriminatingthanJoluorlesspopular.Nowthathe'd toldmehewasquitting,itmademethinkthathewasless discriminating.Iwasreallypissedathim,buttryingnottoletit showbyconcentratingonsocializingwithotherpeople.Buthe wasn'tstupid.Heknewwhatwasgoingon.Icouldseethathe wasreallybummed.Good. "OK,"Isaid,climbinguponaruin,"OK,hey,hello?"Afew peoplenearbypaidattentiontome,buttheonesinthebackkept onchatting.Iputmyarmsintheairlikeareferee,butitwastoo dark.EventuallyIhitontheideaofturningmyLEDkeychainon "Thenwhydoyoudoit?"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/58 andpointingitateachofthetalkersinturn,thenatme. Gradually,thecrowdfellquiet. tomakeitgoawayforeverit'snotstoredonthediskatall.Then itwillshowyouyourpublickey.Atthatpoint,youcalloverall thepeoplehereyoutrustandwhotrustyou,andtheytakea Iwelcomedthemandthankedthemallforcoming,thenasked pictureofthescreenwithyoustandingnexttoit,sotheyknow themtocloseinsoIcouldexplainwhywewerethere.Icouldtell whosekeyitis. theywereintothesecrecyofitall,intriguedandalittlewarmed upbythebeer. "Whenyougethome,youhavetoconvertthephotostokeys. Thisisgoingtobealotofwork,I'mafraid,butyou'llonlyhaveto "Sohereitis.YouallusetheXnet.It'snocoincidencethatthe doitonce.Youhavetobesupercarefulabouttypingthesein XnetwascreatedrightaftertheDHStookoverthecity.The onemistakeandyou'rescrewed.Luckily,we'vegotawaytotellif peoplewhodidthatareanorganizationdevotedtopersonal you'vegotitright:beneaththekeywillbeamuchshorternumber, liberty,whocreatedthenetworktokeepussafefromDHSspooks calledthe'fingerprint'.Onceyou'vetypedinthekey,youcan andenforcers."JoluandIhadworkedthisoutinadvance.We generateafingerprintfromitandcompareittothefingerprint, weren'tgoingtocoptobeingbehinditall,nottoanyone.Itwas andiftheymatch,you'vegotitright." waytoorisky.Instead,we'dputitoutthatweweremerely lieutenantsin"M1k3y"'sarmy,actingtoorganizethelocal Theyallboggledatme.OK,soI'daskedthemtodosomething resistance. prettyweird,it'strue,butstill. "TheXnetisn'tpure,"Isaid."Itcanbeusedbytheotherside justasreadilyasbyus.WeknowthatthereareDHSspieswho useitnow.Theyusesocialengineeringhackstotrytogetusto revealourselvessothattheycanbustus.IftheXnetisgoingto succeed,weneedtofigureouthowtokeepthemfromspyingon us.Weneedanetworkwithinthenetwork." Ipausedandletthissinkin.Joluhadsuggestedthatthismight bealittleheavylearningthatyou'reabouttobebroughtintoa revolutionarycell. "Now,I'mnotheretoaskyoutodoanythingactive.Youdon't havetogooutjammingoranything.You'vebeenbroughthere becauseweknowyou'recool,weknowyou'retrustworthy.It's thattrustworthinessIwanttogetyoutocontributetonight.Some ofyouwillalreadybefamiliarwiththeweboftrustand keysigningparties,butfortherestofyou,I'llrunitdownquickly "WhichIdid. "NowwhatIwantfromyoutonightistomeetthepeoplehere andfigureouthowmuchyoucantrustthem.We'regoingtohelp yougeneratekeypairsandsharethemwitheachother." Thispartwastricky.Askingpeopletobringtheirownlaptops wouldn'thaveworkedout,butwestillneededtodosomething hellacomplicatedthatwouldn'texactlyworkwithpaperand pencil. IheldupalaptopJoluandIhadrebuiltthenightbefore,from thegroundup."Itrustthismachine.Everycomponentinitwas laidbyourownhands.It'srunningafreshoutoftheboxversion ofParanoidLinux,bootedoffoftheDVD.Ifthere'satrustworthy computerleftanywhereintheworld,thismightwellbeit. "I'vegotakeygeneratorloadedhere.Youcomeuphereand giveitsomerandominputmashthekeys,wigglethemouse anditwillusethatastheseedtocreatearandompublicand privatekeyforyou,whichitwilldisplayonthescreen.Youcan takeapictureoftheprivatekeywithyourphone,andhitanykey

Chapter11 ThischapterisdedicatedtotheUniversityBookstoreatthe UniversityofWashington,whosesciencefictionsectionrivals manyspecialtystores,thankstothesharpeyed,dedicatedscience fictionbuyer,DuaneWilkins.Duane'sarealsciencefictionfan IfirstmethimattheWorldScienceFictionConventioninToronto in2003anditshowsintheeclecticandinformedchoiceson displayatthestore.Onegreatpredictorofagreatbookstoreis thequalityofthe"shelfreview"thelittlebitsofcardboard stucktotheshelveswith(generallyhandlettered)staffreviews extollingthevirtuesofbooksyoumightotherwisemiss.Thestaff attheUniversityBookstorehaveclearlybenefitedfromDuane's tutelage,astheshelfreviewsattheUniversityBookstoreare secondtonone. TheUniversityBookstore http://www4.bookstore.washington.edu/_trade/ShowTitleUBS.taf? ActionArg=Title&ISBN=97807653198524326UniversityWay NE,Seattle,WA98105USA+1800335READ Jolustoodup. "Thisiswhereitstarts,guys.Thisishowweknowwhichside you'reon.Youmightnotbewillingtotaketothestreetsandget bustedforyourbeliefs,butifyouhavebeliefs,thiswillletus knowit.Thiswillcreatetheweboftrustthattellsuswho'sinand who'sout.Ifwe'reevergoingtogetourcountryback,weneedto dothis.Weneedtodosomethinglikethis." SomeoneintheaudienceitwasAngehadahandup, holdingabeerbottle. "SocallmestupidbutIdon'tunderstandthisatall.Whydoyou wantustodothis?"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/59

Jolulookedatme,andIlookedbackathim.Ithadallseemed soobviouswhenwewereorganizingit."TheXnetisn'tjustaway toplayfreegames.It'sthelastopencommunicationsnetworkin America.It'sthelastwaytocommunicatewithoutbeingsnooped onbytheDHS.Forittoworkweneedtoknowthattheperson we'retalkingtoisn'tasnoop.Thatmeansthatweneedtoknow thatthepeoplewe'resendingmessagestoarethepeoplewethink theyare. "That'swhereyoucomein.You'reallherebecausewetrust you.Imean,reallytrustyou.Trustyouwithourlives." Someofthepeoplegroaned.Itsoundedmelodramaticand stupid. Igotbacktomyfeet. "Whenthebombswentoff,"Isaid,thensomethingwelledupin mychest,somethingpainful."Whenthebombswentoff,there werefourofuscaughtupbyMarketStreet.Forwhateverreason, theDHSdecidedthatmadeussuspicious.Theyputbagsoverour heads,putusonashipandinterrogatedusfordays.They humiliatedus.Playedgameswithourminds.Thentheyletusgo.

"What'sworse,they'returningintoadultsyoungerandyounger outthere.Backintheday,theyusedtosay'Nevertrustanyone over30.'Isay,'Don'ttrustanybastardover25!'" Thatgotalaugh,andshelaughedtoo.Shewaspretty,ina weird,horseyway,withalongfaceandalongjaw."I'mnotreally kidding,youknow?Imean,thinkaboutit.Whoelectedtheseass clowns?Wholettheminvadeourcity?Whovotedtoputthe camerasinourclassroomsandfollowusaroundwithcreepy spywarechipsinourtransitpassesandcars?Itwasn'ta16year old.Wemaybedumb,wemaybeyoung,butwe'renotscum." "Iwantthatonatshirt,"Isaid. "Itwouldbeagoodone,"shesaid.Wesmiledateachother. "WheredoIgotogetmykeys?"shesaid,andpulledouther phone. "We'lldoitoverthere,inthesecludedspotbythecaves.I'll takeyouinthereandsetyouup,thenyoudoyourthingandtake themachinearoundtoyourfriendstogetphotosofyourpublic keysotheycansignitwhentheygethome."

"Allexceptoneperson.Mybestfriend.Hewaswithuswhen Iraisedmyvoice."Oh!Onemorething!Jesus,Ican'tbelieveI theypickedusup.He'dbeenhurtandheneededmedicalcare.He forgotthis.Deletethosephotosonceyou'vetypedinthekeys!The nevercameoutagain.Theysaytheyneversawhim.Theysaythat lastthingwewantisaFlickrstreamfullofpicturesofallofus ifweevertellanyoneaboutthis,they'llarrestusandmakeus conspiringtogether." disappear. Therewassomegoodnatured,nervouschuckling,thenJolu "Forever." turnedoutthelightandinthesuddendarknessIcouldsee nothing.Gradually,myeyesadjustedandIsetoffforthecave. Iwasshaking.Theshame.Thegoddamnedshame.Joluhadthe Someonewaswalkingbehindme.Ange.Iturnedandsmiledat lightonme. her,andshesmiledback,luminousteethinthedark. "OhChrist,"Isaid."YoupeoplearethefirstonesI'vetold.If "Thanksforthat,"Isaid."Youweregreat." thisstorygetsaround,youcanbetthey'llknowwholeakedit.You canbetthey'llcomeknockingonmydoor."Itooksomemore "Youmeanwhatyousaidaboutthebagonyourheadand deepbreaths."That'swhyIvolunteeredontheXnet.That'swhy everything?" mylife,fromnowon,isaboutfightingtheDHS.Withevery breath.Everyday.Untilwe'refreeagain.Anyoneofyoucould "Imeantit,"Isaid."Ithappened.Inevertoldanyone,butit putmeinjailnow,ifyouwantedto." happened."Ithoughtaboutitforamoment."Youknow,withall thetimethatwentbysince,withoutsayinganything,itstartedto Angeputherhandupagain."We'renotgoingtoratonyou," feellikeabaddream.Itwasrealthough."Istoppedandclimbed shesaid."Noway.IknowprettymucheveryonehereandIcan upintothecave."I'mgladIfinallytoldpeople.AnylongerandI promiseyouthat.Idon'tknowhowtoknowwhototrust,butI mighthavestartedtodoubtmyownsanity." knowwhonottotrust:oldpeople.Ourparents.Grownups.When theythinkofsomeonebeingspiedon,theythinkofsomeoneelse, Isetupthelaptoponadrybitofrockandbooteditfromthe abadguy.Whentheythinkofsomeonebeingcaughtandsenttoa DVDwithherwatching."I'mgoingtorebootitforeveryperson. secretprison,it'ssomeoneelsesomeonebrown,someone ThisisastandardParanoidLinuxdisc,thoughIguessyou'dhave young,someoneforeign. totakemywordforit." "Theyforgetwhatit'sliketobeourage.Tobetheobjectof suspicionallthetime!Howmanytimeshaveyougottenonthe busandhadeverypersononitgiveyoualooklikeyou'dbeen garglingturdsandskinningpuppies? "Hell,"shesaid."Thisisallabouttrust,right?" "Yeah,"Isaid."Trust."

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/60 Iretreatedsomedistanceassheranthekeygenerator,listening tohertypingandmousingtocreaterandomness,listeningtothe crashofthesurf,listeningtothepartynoisesfromoverwherethe beerwas. Shesteppedoutofthecave,carryingthelaptop.Onit,inhuge whiteluminousletters,wereherpublickeyandherfingerprint andemailaddress.Sheheldthescreenupbesideherfaceand waitedwhileIgotmyphoneout. "Cheese,"shesaid.Isnappedherpicanddroppedthecamera backinmypocket.Shewanderedofftotherevelersandletthem eachgetpicsofherandthescreen.Itwasfestive.Fun.Shereally hadalotofcharismayoudidn'twanttolaughather,youjust wantedtolaughwithher.Andhell,itwasfunny!Wewere declaringasecretwaronthesecretpolice.Whothehelldidwe thinkwewere? felloff,exposingthemotherboardandtheharddrive.Crash!I aimedsquarefortheharddrive,hittingitwitheverythingIhad.It tookthreeblowsbeforethecasesplit,exposingthefragilemedia inside.Ikepthittingituntiltherewasnothingbiggerthana cigarettelighter,thenIputitallinagarbagebag.Thecrowdwas cheeringwildlyloudenoughthatIactuallygotworriedthat someonefaraboveusmighthearoverthesurfandcallthelaw. "Allright!"Icalled."Now,ifyou'dliketoaccompanyme,I'm goingtomarchthisdowntotheseaandsoakitinsaltwaterfor tenminutes." Ididn'thaveanytakersatfirst,butthenAngecameforwardand tookmyarminherwarmhandandsaid,"Thatwasbeautiful,"in myearandwemarcheddowntotheseatogether.

Itwasperfectlydarkbythesea,andtreacherous,evenwithour keychainlights.Slippery,sharprocksthatweredifficultenough Soitwent,throughthenexthourorso,everyonetakingpictures towalkonevenwithouttryingtobalancesixpoundsofsmashed andmakingkeys.Igottomeeteveryonethere.Iknewalotof electronicsinaplasticbag.IslippedonceandthoughtIwas themsomeweremyinviteesandtheotherswerefriendsof goingtocutmyselfup,butshecaughtmewithasurprisingly mypalsormypals'pals.Weshouldallbebuddies.Wewere,by stronggripandkeptmeupright.Iwaspulledinrightclosetoher, thetimethenightwasout.Theywereallgoodpeople. closeenoughtosmellherperfume,whichsmelledlikenewcars.I lovethatsmell. Onceeveryonewasdone,Joluwenttomakeakey,andthen turnedaway,givingmeasheepishgrin.Iwaspastmyangerwith "Thanks,"Imanaged,lookingintothebigeyesthatwerefurther him,though.Hewasdoingwhathehadtodo.Iknewthatno magnifiedbyhermannish,blackrimmedglasses.Icouldn'ttell matterwhathesaid,he'dalwaysbethereforme.Andwe'dbeen whatcolortheywereinthedark,butIguessedsomethingdark, throughtheDHSjailtogether.Vantoo.Nomatterwhat,that basedonherdarkhairandolivecomplexion.Shelooked wouldbindustogetherforever. Mediterranean,maybeGreekorSpanishorItalian. Ididmykeyanddidtheperpwalkaroundthegang,letting everyonesnapapic.ThenIclimbeduponthehighspotI'd spokenfromearlierandcalledforeveryone'sattention. Icroucheddownanddippedthebaginthesea,lettingitfill withsaltwater.Imanagedtoslipalittleandsoakmyshoe,andI sworeandshelaughed.We'dhardlysaidawordsincewelitout fortheocean.Therewassomethingmagicalinourwordless silence.

"Soalotofyouhavenotedthatthere'savitalflawinthis procedure:whatifthislaptopcan'tbetrusted?Whatifit'ssecretly recordingourinstructions?Whatifit'sspyingonus?Whatif Atthatpoint,Ihadkissedatotalofthreegirlsinmylife,not JoseLuisandIcan'tbetrusted?" countingthatmomentwhenIwentbacktoschoolandgotahero's welcome.That'snotagiganticnumber,butit'snotaminuscule Moregoodnaturedchuckles.Alittlewarmerthanbefore,more one,either.Ihavereasonablegirlradar,andIthinkIcouldhave beery. kissedher.Shewasn'th4wtinthetraditionalsense,butthere's somethingaboutagirlandanightandabeach,plusshewas "Imeanit,"Isaid."Ifwewereonthewrongside,thiscouldget smartandpassionateandcommitted. allofusallofyouintoaheapoftrouble.Jail,maybe." ButIdidn'tkissher,ortakeherhand.Insteadwehadamoment Thechucklesturnedmorenervous. thatIcanonlydescribeasspiritual.Thesurf,thenight,thesea andtherocks,andourbreathing.Themomentstretched.Isighed. "Sothat'swhyI'mgoingtodothis,"Isaid,andpickedupa Thishadbeenquitearide.Ihadalotoftypingtodotonight, hammerI'dbroughtfrommyDad'stoolkit.Isetthelaptopdown puttingallthosekeysintomykeychain,signingthemand besidemeontherockandswungthehammer,Jolufollowingthe publishingthesignedkeys.Startingtheweboftrust. swingwithhiskeychainlight.CrashI'dalwaysdreamtof killingalaptopwithahammer,andhereIwasdoingit.Itfelt Shesighedtoo. pornographicallygood.Andbad. "Let'sgo,"Isaid. Smash!Thescreenpanelfelloff,shatteredintomillionsof pieces,exposingthekeyboard.Ikepthittingit,untilthekeyboard "Yeah,"shesaid.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/61

Backwewent.Itwasagoodnight,thatnight. # Joluwaitedafterforhisbrother'sfriendtocomebyandpickup hiscoolers.Iwalkedwitheveryoneelseuptheroadtothenearest Munistopandgotonboard.Ofcourse,noneofuswasusingan issuedMunipass.Bythatpoint,Xnettershabituallycloned someoneelse'sMunipassthreeorfourtimesaday,assuminga newidentityforeveryride. Itwashardtostaycoolonthebus.Wewereallalittledrunk, andlookingatourfacesunderthebrightbuslightswaskindof hilarious.Wegotprettyloudandthedriverusedhisintercomto tellustokeepitdowntwice,thentoldustoshutuprightnowor he'dcallthecops. Thatsetustogigglingagainandwedisembarkedinamass beforehedidcallthecops.WewereinNorthBeachnow,and therewerelotsofbuses,taxis,theBARTatMarketStreet,neon litclubsandcafestopullapartourgrouping,sowedriftedaway. IgothomeandfiredupmyXboxandstartedtypinginkeys frommyphone'sscreen.Itwasdull,hypnoticwork.Iwasalittle drunk,anditlulledmeintoahalfsleep. IwasaboutreadytonodoffwhenanewIMwindowpopped up. > herro! I didn't recognize the handle -- spexgril -- but I had an idea who might be behind it. > hi I typed, cautiously. > it's me, from tonight Then she paste-bombed a block of crypto. I'd already entered her public key into my keychain, so I told the IM client to try decrypting the code with the key. > it's me, from tonight It was her! > Fancy meeting you here I typed, then encrypted it to my public key and mailed it off. > It was great meeting you I typed.

> You too. I don't meet too many smart guys who are also cute and also socially aware. Good god, man, you don't give a girl much of a chance. My heart hammered in my chest. > Hello? Tap wasn't born dying here. waitresses, all week. I laughed aloud. > I'm here, I'm here. Laughing too hard to type is all > Well at least my IM comedy-fu is still mighty Um. > It was really great to meet you too > Yeah, it usually is. Where are you taking me? > Taking you? > On our next adventure? > I didn't really have anything planned > Oki -- then I'll take YOU. Saturday. Dolores Park. Illegal open air concert. Be there or be a dodecahedron > Wait what? > Don't you even read Xnet? It's all over the place. You ever hear of the Speedwhores? I nearly choked.That was Trudy Doo's band -- as in Trudy Doo, the woman who had paid me and Jolu to update the indienet code. > Yeah I've heard of them > They're putting on a huge show and they've got like fifty bands signed to play the bill, going to set up on the tennis courts and bring out their own amp trucks and rock out all night IfeltlikeI'dbeenlivingunderarock.HowhadImissedthat? TherewasananarchistbookstoreonValenciathatIsometimes tap? This thing here folks, but Don't forget to they work hard. on? I'm tip I'm I sure your here

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/62 passedonthewaytoschoolthathadaposterofanold revolutionarynamedEmmaGoldmanwiththecaption"IfIcan't dance,Idon'twanttobeapartofyourrevolution."I'dbeen spendingallmyenergiesonfiguringouthowtousetheXnetto organizededicatedfighterssotheycouldjamtheDHS,butthis wassomuchcooler.AbigconcertIhadnoideahowtodoone ofthose,butIwasgladsomeonedid. weeks.Ithadhoppedfromblogtoblog,turningintoafullblown movementwithoutmynoticing.AndtheconcertwascalledDon't TrustAnyoneOver25. Well,thatexplainedwhereAngegotit.Itwasagoodslogan. #

AndnowthatIthoughtofit,Iwasdamnedproudthattheywere Mondaymorning,IdecidedIwantedtocheckoutthatanarchist usingtheXnettodoit. bookstoreagain,seeaboutgettingoneofthoseEmmaGoldman posters.Ineededthereminder. # Idetoureddownto16thandMissiononmywaytoschool,then ThenextdayIwasazombie.AngeandIhadchattedflirted uptoValenciaandacross.Thestorewasshut,butIgotthehours until4AM.Luckyforme,itwasaSaturdayandIwasableto offthedoorandmadesuretheystillhadthatposterup. sleepin,butbetweenthehangoverandthesleepdep,Icould barelyputtwothoughtstogether. AsIwalkeddownValencia,Iwasamazedtoseehowmuchof theDON'TTRUSTANYONEOVER25stufftherewas.Halfthe Bylunchtime,Imanagedtogetupandgetmyassoutontothe shopshadDON'TTRUSTmerchinthewindows:lunchboxes, streets.IstaggereddowntowardtheTurk'stobuymycoffee babydolltees,pencilboxes,truckerhats.Thehipsterstoreshave thesedays,ifIwasalone,Ialwaysboughtmycoffeethere,like beengettingfasterandfaster,ofcourse.Asnewmemessweepthe theTurkandIwerepartofasecretclub. netinthecourseofadayortwo,storeshavegottenbetterat puttingmerchinthewindowstomatch.Somefunnylittleyoutube Ontheway,Ipassedalotoffreshgraffiti.IlikedMission ofaguylaunchinghimselfwithjetpacksmadeofcarbonated graffiti;alotofthetimes,itcameinhuge,lusciousmurals,or waterwouldlandinyourinboxonMondayandbyTuesdayyou'd sarcasticartstudentstencils.IlikedthattheMission'staggers beabletobuytshirtswithstillsfromthevideoonit. keptrightongoing,underthenoseoftheDHS.Anotherkindof Xnet,Isupposedtheymusthaveallkindsofwaysofknowing ButitwasamazingtoseesomethingmaketheleapfromXnet whatwasgoingon,wheretogetpaint,whatcamerasworked. totheheadshops.Distresseddesignerjeanswiththeslogan Someofthecamerashadbeenspraypaintedover,Inoticed. writtenincarefulhighschoolballpointink.Embroidered patches. MaybetheyusedXnet! Goodnewstravelsfast. Paintedintenfoothighlettersonthesideofanautoyard's fencewerethedrippywords:DON'TTRUSTANYONEOVER ItwaswrittenontheblackboardwhenIgottoMsGalvez's 25. SocialStudiesclass.Weallsatatourdesks,smilingatit.It seemedtosmileback.Therewassomethingprofoundlycheering Istopped.Hadsomeoneleftmy"party"lastnightandcome abouttheideathatwecouldalltrusteachother,thattheenemy herewithacanofpaint?Alotofthosepeoplelivedinthe couldbeidentified.Iknewitwasn'tentirelytrue,butitwasn't neighborhood. entirelyfalseeither. Igotmycoffeeandhadalittlewanderaroundtown.Ikept MsGalvezcameinandpattedherhairandsetdownher thinkingIshouldbecallingsomeone,seeingiftheywantedtoget SchoolBookonherdeskandpowereditup.Shepickedupher amovieorsomething.That'showitusedtobeonalazySaturday chalkandturnedaroundtofacetheboard.Wealllaughed.Good likethis.ButwhowasIgoingtocall?Vanwasn'ttalkingtome,I naturedly,butwelaughed. didn'tthinkIwasreadytotalktoJolu,andDarryl Sheturnedaroundandwaslaughingtoo."Inflationhashitthe Well,Icouldn'tcallDarryl. nation'ssloganwriters,itseems.Howmanyofyouknowwhere thisphrasecomesfrom?" Igotmycoffeeandwenthomeanddidalittlesearchingaround ontheXnet'sblogs.Theseanonablogswereuntraceabletoany Welookedateachother."Hippies?"someonesaid,andwe authorunlessthatauthorwasstupidenoughtoputhernameon laughed.HippiesarealloverSanFrancisco,boththeoldstoner itandtherewerealotofthem.Mostofthemwereapolitical, kindswithgiantskankybeardsandtiedyes,andthenewkind, butalotofthemweren't.Theytalkedaboutschoolsandthe whoaremoreintodressupandmaybeplayinghackysackthan unfairnessthere.Theytalkedaboutthecops.Tagging. protestinganything. Turnedoutthere'dbeenplansfortheconcertintheparkfor "Well,yes,hippies.Butwhenwethinkofhippiesthesedays,

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/63 wejustthinkoftheclothesandthemusic.Clothesandmusic thatyear,likerunningapigcalledPigasusforthepresidential wereincidentaltothemainpartofwhatmadethatera,thesixties, nomination.Thepoliceandthedemonstratorsfoughtinthestreets important. they'ddonethatmanytimesbefore,buttheChicagocopsdidn't havethesmartstoleavethereportersalone.Theybeatupthe "You'veheardaboutthecivilrightsmovementtoend reporters,andthereportersretaliatedbyfinallyshowingwhat segregation,whiteandblackkidslikeyouridingbusesintothe reallywentonatthesedemonstrations,sothewholecountry Southtosignupblackvotersandprotestagainstofficialstate watchedtheirkidsbeingreallysavagelybeatendownbythe racism.Californiawasoneofthemainplaceswherethecivil Chicagopolice.Theycalledita'policeriot.' rightsleaderscamefrom.We'vealwaysbeenalittlemorepolitical thantherestofthecountry,andthisisalsoapartofthecountry "TheYippieslovedtosay,'Nevertrustanyoneover30.'They whereblackpeoplehavebeenabletogetthesameunionfactory meantthatpeoplewhowerebornbeforeacertaintime,when jobsaswhitepeople,sotheywerealittlebetteroffthantheir AmericahadbeenfightingenemiesliketheNazis,couldnever cousinsinthesouthland. understandwhatitmeanttoloveyourcountryenoughtorefuseto fighttheVietnamese.Theythoughtthatbythetimeyouhit30, "ThestudentsatBerkeleysentasteadystreamoffreedomriders yourattitudeswouldbefrozenandyoucouldn'teverunderstand south,andtheyrecruitedthemfrominformationtableson whythekidsofthedayweretakingtothestreets,droppingout, campus,atBancroftandTelegraphAvenue.You'veprobablyseen freakingout. thattherearestilltablestheretothisday. "SanFranciscowasgroundzeroforthis.Revolutionaryarmies "Well,thecampustriedtoshutthemdown.Thepresidentofthe werefoundedhere.Someofthemblewupbuildingsorrobbed universitybannedpoliticalorganizingoncampus,butthecivil banksfortheircause.Alotofthosekidsgrewuptobemoreor rightskidswouldn'tstop.Thepolicetriedtoarrestaguywhowas lessnormal,whileothersendedupinjail.Someoftheuniversity handingoutliteraturefromoneofthesetables,andtheyputhim dropoutsdidamazingthingsforexample,SteveJobsandSteve inavan,but3,000studentssurroundedthevanandrefusedtolet Wozniak,whofoundedAppleComputersandinventedthePC." itbudge.Theywouldn'tletthemtakethiskidtojail.Theystood ontopofthevanandgavespeechesabouttheFirstAmendment Iwasreallygettingintothis.Iknewalittleofit,butI'dnever andFreeSpeech. heardittoldlikethis.Ormaybeithadnevermatteredasmuchas itdidnow.Suddenly,thoselame,solemn,grownupstreet "ThatgalvanizedtheFreeSpeechMovement.Thatwasthestart demonstrationsdidn'tseemsolameafterall.Maybetherewas ofthehippies,butitwasalsowheremoreradicalstudent roomforthatkindofactionintheXnetmovement. movementscamefrom.BlackpowergroupsliketheBlack PanthersandlatergayrightsgroupslikethePinkPanthers,too. Iputmyhandup."Didtheywin?DidtheYippieswin?" Radicalwomen'sgroups,even'lesbianseparatists'whowantedto abolishmenaltogether!AndtheYippies.Anyoneeverhearofthe Shegavemealonglook,likeshewasthinkingitover.Noone Yippies?" saidaword.Weallwantedtoheartheanswer. "Didn'ttheylevitatethePentagon?"Isaid.I'donceseena documentaryaboutthis. Shelaughed."Iforgotaboutthat,butyes,thatwasthem! Yippieswerelikeverypoliticalhippies,buttheyweren'tserious thewaywethinkofpoliticsthesedays.Theywereveryplayful. Pranksters.TheythrewmoneyintotheNewYorkStock Exchange.TheycircledthePentagonwithhundredsofprotestors andsaidamagicspellthatwassupposedtolevitateit.They inventedafictionalkindofLSDthatyoucouldsprayontopeople withsquirtgunsandshoteachotherwithitandpretendedtobe stoned.TheywerefunnyandtheymadegreatTVoneYippie,a clowncalledWavyGravy,usedtogethundredsofprotestorsto dressuplikeSantaClaussothatthecameraswouldshowpolice officersarrestinganddraggingawaySantaonthenewsthatnight andtheymobilizedalotofpeople. "TheirbigmomentwastheDemocraticNationalConventionin 1968,wheretheycalledfordemonstrationstoprotesttheVietnam War.ThousandsofdemonstratorspouredintoChicago,sleptin theparks,andpicketedeveryday.Theyhadlotsofbizarrestunts "Theydidn'tlose,"shesaid."Theykindofimplodedalittle. Someofthemwenttojailfordrugsorotherthings.Someofthem changedtheirtunesandbecameyuppiesandwentonthelecture circuittellingeveryonehowstupidthey'dbeen,talkingabouthow goodgreedwasandhowdumbthey'dbeen. "Buttheydidchangetheworld.ThewarinVietnamended,and thekindofconformityandunquestioningobediencethatpeople hadcalledpatriotismwentoutofstyleinabigway.Blackrights, women'srightsandgayrightscamealongway.Chicanorights, rightsfordisabledpeople,thewholetraditionofcivilliberties wascreatedorstrengthenedbythesepeople.Today'sprotest movementisthedirectdescendantofthosestruggles." "Ican'tbelieveyou'retalkingaboutthemlikethis,"Charles said.Hewasleaningsofarinhisseathewashalfstanding,and hissharp,skinnyfacehadgonered.Hehadwet,largeeyesand biglips,andwhenhegotexcitedhelookedalittlelikeafish. MsGalvezstiffenedalittle,thensaid,"Goon,Charles."

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/64 "You'vejustdescribedterrorists.Actualterrorists.Theyblewup buildings,yousaid.Theytriedtodestroythestockexchange. Theybeatupcops,andstoppedcopsfromarrestingpeoplewho werebreakingthelaw.Theyattackedus!" MsGalveznoddedslowly.Icouldtellshewastryingtofigure outhowtohandleCharles,whoreallyseemedlikehewasready topop."Charlesraisesagoodpoint.TheYippiesweren'tforeign agents,theywereAmericancitizens.Whenyousay'They attackedus,'youneedtofigureoutwho'they'and'us'are.When it'syourfellowcountrymen" "Crap!"heshouted.Hewasonhisfeetnow."Wewereatwar then.Theseguysweregivingaidandcomforttotheenemy.It's easytotellwho'susandwho'sthem:ifyousupportAmerica, you'reus.Ifyousupportthepeoplewhoareshootingat Americans,you'rethem." "Doesanyoneelsewanttocommentonthis?" Severalhandsshotup.MsGalvezcalledonthem.Somepeople pointedoutthatthereasonthattheVietnamesewereshootingat AmericansisthattheAmericanshadflowntoVietnamand startedrunningaroundthejunglewithguns.Othersthoughtthat Charleshadapoint,thatpeopleshouldn'tbeallowedtodoillegal things. EveryonehadagooddebateexceptCharles,whojustshoutedat people,interruptingthemwhentheytriedtogettheirpointsout. MsGalveztriedtogethimtowaitforhisturnacoupletimes,but hewasn'thavinganyofit. IwaslookingsomethinguponmySchoolBook,somethingI knewI'dread. Ifoundit.Istoodup.MsGalvezlookedexpectantlyatme.The otherpeoplefollowedhergazeandwentquiet.EvenCharles lookedatmeafterawhile,hisbigweteyesburningwithhatred forme. "Iwantedtoreadsomething,"Isaid."It'sshort.'Governments areinstitutedamongmen,derivingtheirjustpowersfromthe consentofthegoverned,thatwheneveranyformofgovernment becomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistherightofthepeopleto alterorabolishit,andtoinstitutenewgovernment,layingits foundationonsuchprinciples,andorganizingitspowersinsuch form,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirsafetyand happiness.'" Chapter12 intact.ForbiddenPlanetreallyleadsthepackinbringingthe giganticaudienceforTVandmoviesciencefictionintocontact withsciencefictionbookssomethingthat'sabsolutelycritical tothefutureofthefield. ForbiddenPlanet,UK,DublinandNewYorkCity: http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk MsGalvez'ssmilewaswide. "Doesanyoneknowwhatthatcomesfrom?" Abunchofpeoplechorused,"TheDeclarationof Independence." Inodded. "Whydidyoureadthattous,Marcus?" "Becauseitseemstomethatthefoundersofthiscountrysaid thatgovernmentsshouldonlylastforsolongaswebelievethat they'reworkingforus,andifwestopbelievinginthem,we shouldoverthrowthem.That'swhatitsays,right?" Charlesshookhishead."Thatwashundredsofyearsago!"he said."Thingsaredifferentnow!" "What'sdifferent?" "Well,foronething,wedon'thaveakinganymore.Theywere talkingaboutagovernmentthatexistedbecausesomeoldjerk's greatgreatgreatgrandfatherbelievedthatGodputhimincharge andkilledeveryonewhodisagreedwithhim.Wehavea democraticallyelectedgovernment" "Ididn'tvoteforthem,"Isaid. "Sothatgivesyoutherighttoblowupabuilding?" "What?Whosaidanythingaboutblowingupabuilding?The Yippiesandhippiesandallthosepeoplebelievedthatthe governmentnolongerlistenedtothemlookatthewaypeople whotriedtosignupvotersintheSouthweretreated!Theywere beatenup,arrested" "Someofthemwerekilled,"MsGalvezsaid.Sheheldupher handsandwaitedforCharlesandmetositdown."We'realmost outoftimefortoday,butIwanttocommendyouallononeofthe mostinterestingclassesI'veevertaught.Thishasbeenan excellentdiscussionandI'velearnedmuchfromyouall.Ihope you'velearnedfromeachother,too.Thankyouallforyour contributions.

ThischapterisdedicatedtoForbiddenPlanet,theBritishchain ofsciencefictionandfantasybook,comic,toyandvideostores. "Ihaveanextracreditassignmentforthoseofyouwhowanta ForbiddenPlanethasstoresupanddowntheUK,andalsosports littlechallenge.I'dlikeyoutowriteupapapercomparingthe outpostsinManhattanandDublin,Ireland.It'sdangeroustoset politicalresponsetotheantiwarandcivilrightsmovementsin footinaForbiddenPlanetrarelydoIescapewithmywallet

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/65 theBayAreatothepresentdaycivilrightsresponsestotheWar onTerror.Threepagesminimum,buttakeaslongasyou'dlike. I'minterestedtoseewhatyoucomeupwith." Thebellrangamomentlaterandeveryonefiledoutofthe class.IhungbackandwaitedforMsGalveztonoticeme. "Yes,Marcus?" "Thatwasamazing,"Isaid."Ineverknewallthatstuffabout thesixties." "Theseventies,too.Thisplacehasalwaysbeenanexciting placetoliveinpoliticallychargedtimes.Ireallylikedyour referencetotheDeclarationthatwasveryclever." "Thanks,"Isaid."Itjustcametome.Ineverreallyappreciated whatthosewordsallmeantbeforetoday." breaking the law? > Fair point > LOL Ifeltalittlepremonitionofnervousnessthough.Imean,Iwas takingthisperfectlyawesomegirloutonadatethatweekend well,shewastakingme,technicallytoanillegalravebeing heldinthemiddleofabusyneighborhood. Itwasboundtobeinterestingatleast. # Interesting.

PeoplestartedtodriftintoDoloresParkthroughthelong Saturdayafternoon,showingupamongtheultimatefrisbee "Well,thosearethewordseveryteacherlovestohear,Marcus," playersandthedogwalkers.Someofthemplayedfrisbeeor walkeddogs.Itwasn'treallyclearhowtheconcertwasgoingto shesaid,andshookmyhand."Ican'twaittoreadyourpaper." work,buttherewerealotofcopsandundercovershanging around.Youcouldtelltheundercoversbecause,likeZitand # Booger,theyhadCastrohaircutsandNebraskaphysiques:tubby IboughttheEmmaGoldmanposteronthewayhomeandstuck guyswithshorthairanduntidymustaches.Theydriftedaround, itupovermydesk,tackedoveravintageblacklightposter.Ialso lookingawkwardanduncomfortableintheirgiantshortsand loosefittingshirtsthatnodoubthungdowntocoverthe boughtaNEVERTRUSTtshirtthathadaphotoshopofGrover chandelierofgearhungaroundtheirmidriffs. andElmokickingthegrownupsGordonandSusanoffSesame Street.Itmademelaugh.Ilaterfoundoutthattherehadalready DoloresParkisprettyandsunny,withpalmtrees,tenniscourts, beenaboutsixphotoshopcontestsforthesloganonlineinplaces andlotsofhillsandregulartreestorunaroundon,orhangout likeFarkandWorth1000andB3taandtherewerehundredsof on.Homelesspeoplesleepthereatnight,butthat'strue readymadepicsfloatingaroundtogoonwhatevermerch everywhereinSanFrancisco. someonechurnedout. Momraisedaneyebrowattheshirt,andDadshookhishead andlecturedmeaboutnotlookingfortrouble.Ifeltalittle vindicatedbyhisreaction. AngefoundmeonlineagainandweIMflirteduntillateat nightagain.ThewhitevanwiththeantennascamebackandI switchedoffmyXboxuntilithadpassed.We'dallgottenusedto doingthat. ImetAngedownthestreet,attheanarchistbookstore.Thathad beenmysuggestion.Inhindsight,itwasatotallytransparent movetoseemcoolandedgytothisgirl,butatthetimeIwould haveswornthatIpickeditbecauseitwasaconvenientplaceto meetup.ShewasreadingabookcalledUpAgainsttheWall MotherfuckerwhenIgotthere. "Nice,"Isaid."Youkissyourmotherwiththatmouth?"

"Yourmamadon'tcomplain,"shesaid."Actually,it'sahistory Angewasreallyexcitedbythisparty.Itlookedlikeitwasgoing ofagroupofpeopleliketheYippies,butfromNewYork.They tobemonster.Thereweresomanybandssigneduptheywere allusedthatwordastheirlastnames,like'BenMF.'Theidea talkingaboutsettingupaBstageforthesecondaryacts. wastohaveagroupoutthere,makingnews,butwithatotally > How'd they get a permit to blast sound unprintablename.Justtoscrewaroundwiththenewsmedia. Prettyfunny,really."SheputthebookbackontheshelfandnowI all night in that park? There's houses wonderedifIshouldhugher.PeopleinCaliforniahugtosay all around there helloandgoodbyeallthetime.Exceptwhentheydon't.And sometimestheykissonthecheek.It'sallveryconfusing. > Per-mit? What is "per-mit"? Tell me more of your hu-man per-mit. Shesettleditformebygrabbingmeinahugandtuggingmy > Woah, it's illegal? headdowntoher,kissingmehardonthecheek,thenblowinga fartonmyneck.Ilaughedandpushedheraway. > Um, hello? You're worried about

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/66 "Youwantaburrito?"Iasked. "Isthataquestionorastatementoftheobvious?" "Neither.It'sanorder." IboughtsomefunnystickersthatsaidTHISPHONEIS TAPPEDwhichweretherightsizetoputonthereceiversonthe payphonesthatstilllinedthestreetsoftheMission,itbeingthe kindofneighborhoodwhereyougotpeoplewhocouldn't necessarilyaffordacellphone. Wewalkedoutintothenightair.ItoldAngeaboutthesceneat theparkwhenIleft. "Ibettheyhaveahundredofthosetrucksparkedaroundthe block,"shesaid."Thebettertobustyouwith." "Um."Ilookedaround."Isortofhopedthatyouwouldsay somethinglike,'Aw,there'snochancethey'lldoanythingabout it.'" throatclosedandmyeyeswatered. "Whatthehellareyoudoingtothatpoor,defenselessburrito?" Shegavemeawickedsmile."I'maspicyfoodaddict,"shesaid. "Thisiscapsaicinoilinamister." "Capsaicin" "Yeah,thestuffinpepperspray.Thisislikepepperspraybut slightlymoredilute.Andwaymoredelicious.ThinkofitasSpicy CajunVisineifithelps." Myeyesburnedjustthinkingofit. "You'rekidding,"Isaid."Youaresonotgoingtoeatthat." Hereyebrowsshotup."Thatsoundslikeachallenge,sonny. Youjustwatchme."

Sherolledtheburritoupascarefullyasastonerrollingupa joint,tuckingtheendsin,thenrewrappingitintinfoil.She "Idon'tthinkthat'sreallytheidea.Theideaistoputalotof peeledoffoneendandbroughtituptohermouth,poisedwithit civiliansinapositionwherethecopshavetodecide,arewegoing justbeforeherlips. totreattheseordinarypeopleliketerrorists?It'salittlelikethe jamming,butwithmusicinsteadofgadgets.Youjam,right?" Rightuptothetimeshebitintoit,Icouldn'tbelievethatshe wasgoingtodoit.Imean,thatwasbasicallyanantipersonnel SometimesIforgetthatallmyfriendsdon'tknowthatMarcus weaponshe'djustslatheredonherdinner. andM1k3yarethesameperson."Yeah,alittle,"Isaid. Shebitintoit.Chewed.Swallowed.Gaveeveryimpressionof "Thisislikejammingwithabunchofawesomebands." havingadeliciousdinner. "Isee." "Wantabite?"shesaid,innocently.

Missionburritosareaninstitution.Theyarecheap,giantand "Yeah,"Isaid.Ilikespicyfood.Ialwaysorderthecurrieswith delicious.Imagineatubethesizeofabazookashell,filledwith fourchiliesnexttothemonthemenuatthePakistaniplaces. spicygrilledmeat,guacamole,salsa,tomatoes,refriedbeans, rice,onionsandcilantro.IthasthesamerelationshiptoTacoBell Ipeeledbackmorefoilandtookabigbite. thataLamborghinihastoaHotWheelscar. Bigmistake. ThereareabouttwohundredMissionburritojoints.They'reall heroicallyugly,withuncomfortableseats,minimaldecorfaded Youknowthatfeelingyougetwhenyoutakeabigbiteof MexicantouristofficepostersandelectrifiedframedJesusand horseradishorwasabiorwhatever,anditfeelslikeyoursinuses Maryhologramsandloudmariachimusic.Thethingthat areclosingatthesametimeasyourwindpipe,fillingyourhead distinguishesthem,mostly,iswhatkindofexoticmeattheyfill withtrapped,nuclearhotairthattriestobatteritswayout theirwareswith.Thereallyauthenticplaceshavebrainsand throughyourwateringeyesandnostrils?Thatfeelinglikesteamis tongue,whichIneverorder,butit'snicetoknowit'sthere. abouttopouroutofyourearslikeacartooncharacter? Theplacewewenttohadbothbrainsandtongue,whichwe didn'torder.Igotcarneasadaandshegotshreddedchickenand weeachgotabigcupofhorchata. Thiswasalotworse. Thiswaslikeputtingyourhandonahotstove,onlyit'snotyour hand,it'stheentireinsideofyourhead,andyouresophagusall thewaydowntoyourstomach.Myentirebodysprangoutina sweatandIchokedandchoked.

Assoonaswesatdown,sheunrolledherburritoandtooka littlebottleoutofherpurse.Itwasalittlestainlesssteelaerosol canisterthatlookedforalltheworldlikeapeppersprayself defenseunit.Sheaimeditatherburrito'sexposedgutsandmisted Wordlessly,shepassedmemyhorchataandImanagedtoget themwithafineredoilyspray.Icaughtawhiffofitandmy thestrawintomymouthandsuckhardonit,gulpingdownhalfof

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/67 itinonego. "Sothere'sascale,theScovillescale,thatwechilifanciersuse totalkabouthowspicyapepperis.Purecapsaicinisabout15 millionScovilles.Tabascoisabout50,000.Peppersprayisa healthythreemillion.Thisstuffisapuny200,000,aboutashotas amildScotchBonnetPepper.Iworkeduptoitinaboutayear. Someoftherealhardcorecangetuptoamillionorso,twenty timeshotterthanTabasco.That'sprettyfreakinghot.AtScoville temperatureslikethat,yourbraingetstotallyawashin endorphins.It'sabetterbodystonethanhash.Andit'sgoodfor you." Iwasgettingmysinusesbacknow,abletobreathewithout gasping. "Ofcourse,yougetaferociousringoffirewhenyougotothe john,"shesaid,winkingatme. Yowch. "Youareinsane,"Isaid. "Finetalkfromamanwhosehobbyisbuildingandsmashing laptops,"shesaid. "Touche,"Isaidandtouchedmyforehead. "Wantsome?"Sheheldouthermister. "Pass,"Isaid,quicklyenoughthatwebothlaughed. WhenwelefttherestaurantandheadedforDolorespark,she putherarmaroundmywaistandIfoundthatshewasjustthe rightheightformetoputmyarmaroundhershoulders.Thatwas new.I'dneverbeenatallguy,andthegirlsI'ddatedhadallbeen myheightteenagedgirlsgrowfasterthanguys,whichisacruel trickofnature.Itwasnice.Itfeltnice. Whatever.ItwasmorepeoplethanI'deverstoodamong,aspart ofanunscheduled,unsanctioned,illegalevent. Wewereamongtheminaninstant.Ican'tsweartoit,butI don'tthinktherewasanyoneover25inthatpressofbodies. Everyonewassmiling.Someyoungkidswerethere,10or12,and thatmademefeelbetter.Noonewoulddoanythingtoostupid withkidsthatlittleinthecrowd.Noonewantedtoseelittlekids gethurt.Thiswasjustgoingtobeagloriousspringnightof celebration. Ifiguredthethingtodowaspushintowardsthetenniscourts. Wethreadedourwaythroughthecrowd,andtostaytogetherwe tookeachother'shands.Onlystayingtogetherdidn'trequireusto intertwinefingers.Thatwasstrictlyforpleasure.Itwasvery pleasurable. Thebandswereallinsidethetenniscourts,withtheirguitars andmixersandkeyboardsandevenadrumkit.Later,onXnet,I foundaFlickrstreamofthemsmugglingallthisstuffin,pieceby piece,ingymbagsandundertheircoats.Alongwithitallwere hugespeakers,thekindyouseeinautomotivesupplyplaces,and amongthem,astackof...carbatteries.Ilaughed.Genius!That washowtheyweregoingtopowertheirstacks.FromwhereI stood,Icouldseethattheywerecellsfromahybridcar,aPrius. Someonehadguttedanecomobiletopowerthenight's entertainment.Thebatteriescontinuedoutsidethecourts,stacked upagainstthefence,tetheredtothemainstackbywiresthreaded throughthechainlink.Icounted200batteries!Christ!Those thingsweighedaton,too. There'snowaytheyorganizedthiswithoutemailandwikisand mailinglists.Andthere'snowaypeoplethissmartwouldhave donethatonthepublicInternet.Thishadalltakenplaceonthe Xnet,I'dbetmybootsonit.

Wejustkindofbouncedaroundinthecrowdforawhileasthe bandstunedupandconferredwithoneanother.IsawTrudyDoo fromadistance,inthetenniscourts.Shelookedlikeshewasina Weturnedthecorneron20thStreetandwalkeduptoward cage,likeaprowrestler.Shewaswearingatornwifebeaterand Dolores.Beforewe'dtakenasinglestep,wecouldfeelthebuzz. herhairwasinlong,fluorescentpinkdreadsdowntoherwaist. Itwaslikethehumofamillionbees.Therewerelotsofpeople Shewaswearingarmycamouflagepantsandgiantgothyboots streamingtowardthepark,andwhenIlookedtowardit,Isawthat withsteelovertoes.AsIwatched,shepickedupaheavy itwasaboutahundredtimesmorecrowdedthanithadbeenwhen motorcyclejacket,wornasacatcher'smitt,andputitonlike IwenttomeetAnge. armor.Itprobablywasarmor,Irealized. Thatsightmademybloodrunhot.Itwasabeautifulcoolnight andwewereabouttoparty,reallyparty,partyliketherewasno tomorrow."Eatdrinkandbemerry,fortomorrowwedie." Itriedtowavetoher,toimpressAngeIguess,butshedidn'tsee meandIkindoflookedlikeaspazzsoIstopped.Theenergyin thecrowdwasamazing.Youhearpeopletalkabout"vibes"and "energy"forbiggroupsofpeople,butuntilyou'veexperiencedit, youprobablythinkit'sjustafigureofspeech.

Withoutsayinganythingwebothbrokeintoatrot.Therewere lotsofcops,withtensefaces,butwhatthehellweretheygoingto do?Therewerealotofpeopleinthepark.I'mnotsogoodat It'snot.It'sthesmiles,infectiousandbigaswatermelons,on countingcrowds.Thepaperslaterquotedorganizersassaying everyface.Everyoneboppingalittletoanunheardrhythm, therewere20,000people;thecopssaid5,000.Maybethatmeans shouldersrocking.Rollingwalks.Jokesandlaughs.Thetoneof therewere12,500. everyvoicetightandexcited,likeafireworkabouttogooff.And youcan'thelpbutbeapartofit.Becauseyouare.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/68 LOUD. Bythetimethebandskickedoff,Iwasutterlystonedoncrowd vibe.TheopeningactwassomekindofSerbianturbofolk,which Icouldn'tfigureouthowtodanceto.Iknowhowtodanceto exactlytwokindsofmusic:trance(shufflearoundandletthe musicmoveyou)andpunk(basharoundandmoshuntilyouget hurtorexhaustedorboth).ThenextactwasOaklandhiphoppers, backedbyathrashmetalband,whichisbetterthanitsounds. Thensomebubblegumpop.ThenSpeedwhorestookthestage, andTrudyDoosteppeduptothemic. "MynameisTrudyDooandyou'reanidiotifyoutrustme.I'm thirtytwoandit'stoolateforme.I'mlost.I'mstuckintheold wayofthinking.Istilltakemyfreedomforgrantedandletother peopletakeitawayfromme.You'rethefirstgenerationtogrow upinGulagAmerica,andyouknowwhatyourfreedomisworth tothelastgoddamnedcent!" Thecrowdroared.Shewasplayingfastlittleskitterynervous chordsonherguitarandherbassplayer,ahugefatgirlwitha dykeyhaircutandevenbiggerbootsandasmileyoucouldopen beerbottleswithwaslayingitdownfastandhardalready.I wantedtobounce.Ibounced.Angebouncedwithme.Wewere sweatingfreelyintheevening,whichreekedofperspirationand potsmoke.Warmbodiescrushedinonallsidesofus.They bouncedtoo. "Don'ttrustanyoneover25!"sheshouted. Weroared.Wewereonebiganimalthroat,roaring. "Don'ttrustanyoneover25!" "Don'ttrustanyoneover25!" "Don'ttrustanyoneover25!" "Don'ttrustanyoneover25!" "Don'ttrustanyoneover25!" "Don'ttrustanyoneover25!" # IdanceduntilIwassotiredIcouldn'tdanceanotherstep.Ange dancedalongsideofme.Technically,wewererubbingoursweaty bodiesagainsteachotherforseveralhours,butbelieveitornot,I totallywasn'tbeingahorndogaboutit.Weweredancing,lostin thegodbeatandthethrashandthescreamingTAKEITBACK! TAKEITBACK! WhenIcouldn'tdanceanymore,Igrabbedherhandandshe squeezedminelikeIwaskeepingherfromfallingoffabuilding. Shedraggedmetowardtheedgeofthecrowd,whereitgot thinnerandcooler.Outthere,ontheedgeofDoloresPark,we wereinthecoolairandthesweatonourbodieswentinstantly icy.Weshiveredandshethrewherarmsaroundmywaist."Warm me,"shecommanded.Ididn'tneedahint.Ihuggedherback.Her heartwasanechoofthefastbeatsfromthestagebreakbeats now,fastandfuriousandwordless. Shesmelledofsweat,asharptangthatsmelledgreat.IknewI smelledofsweattoo.Mynosewaspointedintothetopofher head,andherfacewasrightatmycollarbone.Shemovedher handstomyneckandtugged. "Getdownhere,Ididn'tbringastepladder,"iswhatshesaid andItriedtosmile,butit'shardtosmilewhenyou'rekissing. LikeIsaid,I'dkissedthreegirlsinmylife.Twoofthemhad neverkissedanyonebefore.Onehadbeendatingsinceshewas 12.Shehadissues. NoneofthemkissedlikeAnge.Shemadeherwholemouth soft,liketheinsideofaripepieceoffruit,andshedidn'tjamher tongueinmymouth,butsliditinthere,andsuckedmylipsinto hermouthatthesametime,soitwaslikemymouthandhers weremerging.IheardmyselfmoanandIgrabbedherand squeezedherharder. Slowly,gently,weloweredourselvestothegrass.Welayonour sidesandclutchedeachother,kissingandkissing.Theworld disappearedsotherewasonlythekiss.

Shebangedsomehardchordsonherguitarandtheother guitarist,alittlepixieofagirlwhosefacebristledwithpiercings, Myhandsfoundherbutt,herwaist.Theedgeofhertshirt.Her jammedin,goingwheedledeewheedledeedeeuphigh,pastthe warmtummy,hersoftnavel.Theyinchedhigher.Shemoanedtoo. twelfthfret. "Nothere,"shesaid."Let'smoveoverthere."Shepointed "It'sourgoddamnedcity!It'sourgoddamnedcountry.No acrossthestreetatthebigwhitechurchthatgivesMission terroristcantakeitfromusforsolongaswe'refree.Oncewe're DoloresParkandtheMissionitsname.Holdinghands,moving notfree,theterroristswin!Takeitback!Takeitback!You're quickly,wecrossedtothechurch.Ithadbigpillarsinfrontofit. youngenoughandstupidenoughnottoknowthatyoucan't Sheputmybackupagainstoneofthemandpulledmyfacedown possiblywin,soyou'retheonlyoneswhocanleadustovictory! tohersagain.Myhandswentquicklyandboldlybacktohershirt. Takeitback!" Islippedthemupherfront. "TAKEITBACK!"weroared.Shejammeddownhardonher guitar.Weroaredthenotebackandthenitgotreallyreally "Itundoesintheback,"shewhisperedintomymouth.Ihada bonerthatcouldcutglass.Imovedmyhandsaroundtoherback,

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/69 whichwasstrongandbroad,andfoundthehookwithmyfingers, whichweretrembling.Ifumbledforawhile,thinkingofallthose jokesabouthowbadguysareatundoingbras.Iwasbadatit. Thenthehooksprangfree.Shegaspedintomymouth.Islipped myhandsaround,feelingthewetnessofherarmpitswhichwas sexyandnotatallgrossforsomereasonandthenbrushedthe sidesofherbreasts. That'swhenthesirensstarted. TheywerelouderthananythingI'deverheard.Asoundlikea physicalsensation,likesomethingblowingyouoffyourfeet.A soundasloudasyourearscouldprocess,andthenlouder. "DISPERSEIMMEDIATELY,"avoicesaid,likeGodrattling inmyskull. "THISISANILLEGALGATHERING.DISPERSE IMMEDIATELY." Thebandhadstoppedplaying.Thenoiseofthecrowdacross thestreetchanged.Itgotscared.Angry. IheardaclickasthePAsystemofcarspeakersandcar batteriesinthetenniscourtspoweredup. "TAKEITBACK!" Itwasadefiantyell,likeasoundshoutedintothesurfor screamedoffacliff. "TAKEITBACK!" Thecrowdgrowled,asoundthatmadethehairsonthebackof myneckstandup. "TAKEITBACK!"theychanted."TAKEITBACKTAKEIT BACKTAKEITBACK!" Thepolicemovedininlines,carryingplasticshields,wearing DarthVaderhelmetsthatcoveredtheirfaces.Eachonehada blacktruncheonandinfraredgoggles.Theylookedlikesoldiers outofsomefuturisticwarmovie.Theytookastepforwardin unisonandeveryoneofthembangedhistruncheononhisshield, acrackingnoiseliketheearthsplitting.Anotherstep,another crack.Theywereallaroundtheparkandclosinginnow. "TAKEITBACK!"thecrowdanswered,andtheyboiledoutof theparkatthepolicelines. I'veneverbeeninawar,butnowIthinkIknowwhatitmustbe like.Whatitmustbelikewhenscaredkidschargeacrossafield atanopposingforce,knowingwhat'scoming,runninganyway, screaming,hollering. "DISPERSEIMMEDIATELY,"thevoiceofGodsaid.Itwas comingfromtrucksparkedallaroundthepark,trucksthathad swungintoplaceinthelastfewseconds. That'swhenthemistfell.Itcameoutofthechoppers,andwe justcaughttheedgeofit.Itmadethetopofmyheadfeellikeit wasgoingtocomeoff.Itmademysinusesfeelliketheywere beingpuncturedwithicepicks.Itmademyeyesswellandwater, andmythroatclose. Pepperspray.Not200thousandScovilles.Amillionandahalf. They'dgassedthecrowd. Ididn'tseewhathappenednext,butIheardit,overthesoundof bothmeandAngechokingandholdingeachother.Firstthe choking,retchingsounds.Theguitaranddrumsandbasscrashed toahalt.Thencoughing. Thenscreaming. Thescreamingwentonforalongtime.WhenIcouldseeagain, thecopshadtheirscopesupontheirforeheadsandthechoppers werefloodingDoloresParkwithsomuchlightitlookedlike daylight.EveryonewaslookingatthePark,whichwasgood news,becausewhenthelightswentuplikethat,weweretotally visible. "Whatdowedo?"Angesaid.Hervoicewastight,scared.I didn'ttrustmyselftospeakforamoment.Iswallowedafew times. "Wewalkaway,"Isaid."That'sallwecando.Walkaway.Like wewerejustpassingby.DowntoDoloresandturnleftandup towards16thStreet.Likewe'rejustpassingby.Likethisisnone ofourbusiness." "That'llneverwork,"shesaid.

"It'sallI'vegot." "DISPERSEIMMEDIATELY,"thevoiceofGodsaidagain. Therewerehelicoptersoverheadnow.Nofloodlights,though.The "Youdon'tthinkweshouldtrytorunforit?" infraredgoggles,right.Ofcourse.They'dhaveinfraredscopesin thesky,too.IpulledAngebackagainstthedoorwayofthe "No,"Isaid."Ifwerun,they'llchaseus.Maybeifwewalk, church,tuckingusbackfromthecopsandthechoppers. they'llfigurewehaven'tdoneanythingandletusalone.Theyhave alotofarreststomake.They'llbebusyforalongtime." "TAKEITBACK!"thePAroared.ItwasTrudyDoo'srebelyell andIheardherguitarthrashoutsomechords,thenherdrummer Theparkwasrollingwithbodies,peopleandadultsclawingat playing,thenthatbigdeepbass. theirfacesandgasping.Thecopsdraggedthembythearmpits, thenlashedtheirwristswithplasticcuffsandtossedthemintothe

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/70 truckslikeragdolls. "OK?"Isaid. "OK,"shesaid. likeitwashisbirthdayandhe'dbeengiventhebestpresentinthe world. Iputmyhandup.

"Whynot?" Andthat'sjustwhatwedid.Walked,holdinghands,quicklyand businesslike,liketwopeoplewantingtoavoidwhatevertrouble "It'sBoardpolicynottodiscussemployeematterswithanyone someoneelsewasmaking.Thekindofwalkyouadoptwhenyou excepttheemployeeandthedisciplinarycommittee,"hesaid, wanttopretendyoucan'tseeapanhandler,ordon'twanttoget withoutevenbotheringtohidehowmuchheenjoyedsayingit. involvedinastreetfight. "We'llbebeginninganewunittoday,onnationalsecurity.Your Itworked. SchoolBookshavethenewtexts.Pleaseopenthemandturntothe firstscreen." Wereachedthecornerandturnedandkeptgoing.Neitherofus daredtospeakfortwoblocks.ThenIletoutagaspofairIhadn't TheopeningscreenwasemblazonedwithaDHSlogoandthe knowI'dbeenholdingin. title:WHATEVERYAMERICANSHOULDKNOWABOUT HOMELANDSECURITY. Wecameto16thStreetandturneddowntowardMissionStreet. Normallythat'saprettyscaryneighborhoodat2AMona IwantedtothrowmySchoolBookonthefloor. Saturdaynight.Thatnightitwasareliefsameolddruggiesand hookersanddealersanddrunks.Nocopswithtruncheons,nogas. # "Um,"Isaidaswebreathedinthenightair."Coffee?" "Home,"shesaid."Ithinkhomefornow.Coffeelater." "Yeah,"Iagreed.ShelivedupinHayesValley.Ispottedataxi rollingbyandIhailedit.Thatwasasmallmiraclethereare hardlyanycabswhenyouneedtheminSanFrancisco. "Haveyougotcabfarehome?" "Yeah,"shesaid.Thecabdriverlookedatusthroughhis window.Iopenedthebackdoorsohewouldn'ttakeoff. "Goodnight,"Isaid. I'dmadearrangementstomeetAngeatacafeinher neighborhoodafterschool.IjumpedontheBARTandfound myselfsittingbehindtwoguysinsuits.Theywerelookingatthe SanFranciscoChronicle,whichfeaturedafullpagepostmortem onthe"youthriot"inMissionDoloresPark.Theyweretutting andcluckingoverit.Thenonesaidtotheother,"It'slikethey're brainwashedorsomething.Christ,wereweeverthatstupid?" Igotupandmovedtoanotherseat. Chapter13

ThischapterisdedicatedtoBooksAMillion,achainofgigantic bookstoresspreadacrosstheUSA.IfirstencounteredBooksA Sheputherhandsbehindmyheadandpulledmyfacetoward MillionwhilestayingatahotelinTerreHaute,Indiana(Iwas her.Shekissedmehardonthemouth,nothingsexualinit,but givingaspeechattheRoseHulmanInstituteofTechnologylater somehowmoreintimateforthat. thatday).ThestorewasnexttomyhotelandIreallyneededsome readingmaterialI'dbeenontheroadforasolidmonthandI'd "Goodnight,"shewhisperedinmyear,andslippedintothe readeverythinginmysuitcase,andIhadanotherfivecitiestogo taxi. beforeIheadedhome.AsIstaredintentlyattheshelves,aclerk askedmeifIneededanyhelp.Now,I'veworkedatbookstores Headswimming,eyesrunning,aburningshameforhavingleft before,andaknowledgeableclerkisworthherweightingold,so allthoseXnetterstothetendermerciesoftheDHSandtheSFPD, Isaidsure,andstartedtodescribemytastes,namingauthorsI'd Isetoffforhome. enjoyed.Theclerksmiledandsaid,"I'vegotjustthebookfor you,"andproceededtotakedownacopyofmyfirstnovel,Down # andOutintheMagicKingdom.Ibustedoutlaughing,introduced myself,andhadanabsolutelylovelychataboutsciencefiction Mondaymorning,FredBensonwasstandingbehindMs thatalmostmademelatetogivemyspeech! Galvez'sdesk. "MsGalvezwillnolongerbeteachingthisclass,"hesaid,once BooksAMillionhttp://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books? we'dtakenourseats.HehadaselfsatisfiednotethatIrecognized &isbn=0765319853 immediately.Onahunch,IcheckedoutCharles.Hewassmiling

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/71 "Whowouldn'tlistentoM1k3y?" Iputdownmycoffee.Ipickedupmyphoneandslippeditinto mypocket.Istoodup,turnedonmyheel,andwalkedoutofthe cafe.Ipickedadirectionatrandomandkeptgoing.Myfacefelt tight,thebloodgoneintomystomach,whichchurned. Theyknowwhoyouare,Ithought.TheyknowwhoM1k3yis. Thatwasit.IfAngehadfigureditout,theDHShadtoo.Iwas doomed.IhadknownthatsincetheyletmegofromtheDHS truck,thatsomedaythey'dcomeandarrestmeandputmeaway forever,sendmetowhereverDarrylhadgone. Itwasallover.

"They'retotalwhores,"Angesaid,spittingthewordout."Infact, that'saninsulttohardworkingwhoreseverywhere.They're, they'reprofiteers." Wewerelookingatastackofnewspaperswe'dpickedupand broughttothecafe.Theyallcontained"reporting"onthepartyin DoloresParkandtoaone,theymadeitsoundlikeadrunken, druggyorgyofkidswho'dattackedthecops.USAToday describedthecostofthe"riot"andincludedthecostofwashing awaythepeppersprayresiduefromthegasbombing,therashof asthmaattacksthatcloggedthecity'semergencyrooms,andthe costofprocessingtheeighthundredarrested"rioters." Noonewastellingourside.

ShenearlytackledmeasIreachedMarketStreet.Shewasout "Well,theXnetgotitright,anyway,"Isaid.I'dsavedabunchof ofbreathandlookedfurious. theblogsandvideosandphotostreamstomyphoneandIshowed themtoher.Theywerefirsthandaccountsfrompeoplewho'd "Whatthehellisyourproblem,mister?" beengassed,andbeatenup.Thevideoshowedusalldancing, havingfun,showedthepeacefulpoliticalspeechesandthechant Ishookheroffandkeptwalking.Itwasallover. of"TakeItBack"andTrudyDootalkingaboutusbeingtheonly generationthatcouldbelieveinfightingforourfreedoms. Shegrabbedmeagain."Stopit,Marcus,you'rescaringme. Comeon,talktome." "Weneedtomakepeopleknowaboutthis,"shesaid. Istoppedandlookedather.Sheblurredbeforemyeyes.I "Yeah,"Isaid,glumly."That'sanicetheory." couldn'tfocusonanything.Ihadamaddesiretojumpintothe pathofaMunitrolleyasittorepastus,downthemiddleofthe "Well,whydoyouthinkthepressdoesn'teverpublishour road.Bettertodiethantogoback. side?" "Marcus!"ShedidsomethingI'donlyseenpeopledointhe "Yousaidit,they'rewhores." movies.Sheslappedme,ahardcrackacrosstheface."Talktome, dammit!" "Yeah,butwhoresdoitforthemoney.Theycouldsellmore papersandcommercialsiftheyhadacontroversy.Alltheyhave Ilookedatherandputmyhandtomyface,whichwasstinging nowisacrimecontroversyismuchbigger." hard. "OK,pointtaken.Sowhydon'ttheydoit?Well,reporterscan barelysearchregularblogs,letalonekeeptrackoftheXnet.It's notasifthat'sarealadultfriendlyplacetobe." "Yeah,"shesaid."Well,wecanfixthat,right?" "Huh?" "Writeitallup.Putitinoneplace,withallthelinks.Asingle placewhereyoucangothat'sintendedforthepresstofinditand getthewholepicture.LinkittotheHOWTOsforXnet.Internet userscangettotheXnet,providedtheydon'tcareabouttheDHS findingoutwhatthey'vebeensurfing." "Youthinkit'llwork?" "Well,evenifitdoesn't,it'ssomethingpositivetodo." "Whywouldtheylistentous,anyway?" "NooneissupposedtoknowwhoIam,"Isaid."Ican'tputit anymoresimply.Ifyouknow,it'sallover.Onceotherpeople know,it'sallover." "Ohgod,I'msorry.Look,Ionlyknowbecause,well,becauseI blackmailedJolu.AfterthepartyIstalkedyoualittle,tryingto figureoutifyouweretheniceguyyouseemedtobeorasecret axemurderer.I'veknownJoluforalongtimeandwhenIasked himaboutyou,hegushedlikeyouweretheSecondComingor something,butIcouldhearthattherewassomethinghewasn't tellingme.I'veknownJoluforalongtime.Hedatedmyolder sisteratcomputercampwhenhewasakid.Ihavesomereally gooddirtonhim.ItoldhimI'dgopublicwithitifhedidn'ttell me." "Sohetoldyou." "No,"shesaid."Hetoldmetogotohell.ThenItoldhim somethingaboutme.SomethingI'dnevertoldanyoneelse."

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/72 "What?" Shelookedatme.Lookedaround.Lookedbackatme."OK.I won'tswearyoutosecrecybecausewhat'sthepoint?EitherIcan trustyouorIcan't. "Lastyear,I"shebrokeoff."Lastyear,Istolethe standardizedtestsandpublishedthemonthenet.Itwasjusta lark.Ihappenedtobewalkingpasttheprincipal'sofficeandIsaw theminhissafe,andthedoorwashangingopen.Iduckedintohis officethereweresixsetsofcopiesandIjustputoneintomy bagandtookoffagain.WhenIgothome,Iscannedthemalland putthemuponaPiratePartyserverinDenmark." "Thatwasyou?"Isaid. Sheblushed."Um.Yeah." "OK,Icanlivewiththis.Butthere'soneotherthing." "What?" "There'snowaytosaythiswithoutsoundinglikeajerk,soI'll justsayit.Peoplewhodateeachotherorwhateveritiswe're doingnowtheysplitup.Whentheysplitup,theygetangryat eachother.Sometimesevenhateeachother.It'sreallycoldto thinkaboutthathappeningbetweenus,butyouknow,we'vegotto thinkaboutit." "Isolemnlypromisethatthereisnothingyoucouldeverdoto methatwouldcausemetobetrayyoursecret.Nothing.Screwa dozencheerleadersinmybedwhilemymotherwatches.Make melistentoBritneySpears.Ripoffmylaptop,smashitwith hammersandsoakitinseawater.Ipromise.Nothing.Ever."

"Holycrap!"Isaid.Ithadbeenhugenews.TheBoardof Iwhooshedoutsomeair. EducationsaidthatitsNoChildLeftBehindtestshadcosttensof millionsofdollarstoproduceandthatthey'dhavetospenditall "Um,"Isaid. overagainnowthatthey'dhadtheleak.Theycalledit"edu terrorism."Thenewshadspeculatedendlesslyaboutthepolitical "Nowwouldbeagoodtimetokissme,"shesaid,andturned motivationsoftheleaker,wonderingifitwasateacher'sprotest, herfaceup. orastudent,orathief,oradisgruntledgovernmentcontractor. # "ThatwasYOU?" M1k3y'snextbigprojectontheXnetwasputtingtogetherthe "Itwasme,"shesaid. ultimateroundupofreportsoftheDON'TTRUSTpartyat DoloresPark.Iputtogetherthebiggest,mostbadasssiteIcould, "AndyoutoldJoluthis" withsectionsshowingtheactionbylocation,bytime,bycategory policeviolence,dancing,aftermath,singing.Iuploadedthe "BecauseIwantedhimtobesurethatIwouldkeepthesecret. wholeconcert. Ifheknewmysecret,thenhe'dhavesomethinghecoulduseto putmeinjailifIopenedmytrap.Givealittle,getalittle.Quid ItwasprettymuchallIworkedonfortherestofthenight.And proquo,likeinSilenceoftheLambs." thenextnight.Andthenext. "Andhetoldyou." "No,"shesaid."Hedidn't." "But" > M1k3y "ThenItoldhimhowintoyouIwas.HowIwasplanningto totallymakeanidiotofmyselfandthrowmyselfatyou.Thenhe toldme." Icouldn'tthinkofanythingtosaythen.Ilookeddownatmy toes.Shegrabbedmyhandsandsqueezedthem. "I'msorryIsqueezeditoutofhim.Itwasyourdecisiontotell me,ifyouweregoingtotellmeatall.Ihadnobusiness" "No,"Isaid.NowthatIknewhowshe'dfoundout,Iwas startingtocalmdown."No,it'sgoodyouknow.You." "Me,"shesaid."Li'lol'me." > I have been watching your Xnet experiment with great interest. Here in Germany, we have much experience with what happens with a government that gets out of control. > One thing you should know is that every camera has a unique "noise signature" that can be used to later connect a picture with a camera. That means that the photos you're republishing on your site could potentially be used to identify the photographers, should they Mymailboxoverflowedwithsuggestionsfrompeople.They sentmedumpsofftheirphonesandtheirpocketcameras.ThenI gotanemailfromanameIrecognizedDrEeevil(three"e"s), oneoftheprimemaintainersofParanoidLinux.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/73 later be picked up for something else. > Luckily, it's not hard to strip out the signatures, if you care to. There's a utility on the ParanoidLinux distro you're using that does this -- it's called photonomous, and you'll find it in /usr/bin. Just read the man pages for documentation. It's simple though. > Good luck with what you're doing. Don't get caught. Stay free. Stay paranoid. > Dr Eeevil IdefingerprintizedallthephotosI'dpostedandputthemback up,alongwithanoteexplainingwhatDrEeevilhadtoldme, warningeveryoneelsetodothesame.Weallhadthesamebasic ParanoidXboxinstall,sowecouldallanonymizeourpictures. Therewasn'tanythingIcoulddoaboutthephotosthathad alreadybeendownloadedandcached,butfromnowonwe'dbe smarter. ThatwasallthethoughtIgavethematterthatnight,untilIgot downtobreakfastthenextmorningandMomhadtheradioon, playingtheNPRmorningnews. "ArabicnewsagencyAlJazeeraisrunningpictures,videoand firsthandaccountsoflastweekend'syouthriotinMission Dolorespark,"theannouncersaidasIwasdrinkingaglassof orangejuice.Imanagednottosprayitacrosstheroom,butIdid chokealittle. "AlJazeerareportersclaimthattheseaccountswerepublished onthesocalled'Xnet,'aclandestinenetworkusedbystudents andAlQuaedasympathizersintheBayArea.Thisnetwork's existencehaslongbeenrumored,buttodaymarksitsfirst mainstreammention." Momshookherhead."Justwhatweneed,"shesaid."Asifthe policeweren'tbadenough.Kidsrunningaround,pretendingtobe guerrillasandgivingthemtheexcusetoreallycrackdown." "TheXnetweblogshavecarriedhundredsofreportsand multimediafilesfromyoungpeoplewhoattendedtheriotand allegethattheyweregatheredpeacefullyuntilthepoliceattacked them.Hereisoneofthoseaccounts. "'Allweweredoingwasdancing.Ibroughtmylittlebrother. Bandsplayedandwetalkedaboutfreedom,abouthowwewere losingittothesejerkswhosaytheyhateterroristsbutwhoattack usthoughwe'renotterroristswe'reAmericans.Ithinktheyhate freedom,notus. "Wedancedandthebandsplayedanditwasallfunandgood andthenthecopsstartedshoutingatustodisperse.Weall shoutedtakeitback!MeaningtakeAmericaback.Thecops gasseduswithpepperspray.Mylittlebrotheristwelve.He missedthreedaysofschool.Mystupidparentssayitwasmy fault.Howaboutthepolice?Wepaythemandthey'resupposedto protectusbuttheygassedusfornogoodreason,gasseduslike theygasenemysoldiers.' "Similaraccounts,includingaudioandvideo,canbefoundon AlJazeera'swebsiteandontheXnet.Youcanfinddirectionsfor accessingthisXnetonNPR'shomepage." Dadcamedown. "DoyouusetheXnet?"hesaid.Helookedintenselyatmyface. Ifeltmyselfsquirm. "It'sforvideogames,"Isaid."That'swhatmostpeopleuseit for.It'sjustawirelessnetwork.It'swhateveryonedidwiththose freeXboxestheygaveawaylastyear." Hegloweredatme."Games?Marcus,youdon'trealizeit,but you'reprovidingcoverforpeoplewhoplanonattackingand destroyingthiscountry.Idon'twanttoseeyouusingthisXnet. Notanymore.DoImakemyselfclear?" Iwantedtoargue.Hell,Iwantedtoshakehimbytheshoulders. ButIdidn't.Ilookedaway.Isaid,"Sure,Dad."Iwenttoschool. # AtfirstIwasrelievedwhenIdiscoveredthattheyweren'tgoing toleaveMrBensoninchargeofmysocialstudiesclass.Butthe womantheyfoundtoreplacehimwasmyworstnightmare. Shewasyoung,justabout28or29,andpretty,inawholesome kindofway.Shewasblondeandspokewithasoftsouthern accentwhensheintroducedherselftousasMrsAndersen.That setoffalarmbellsrightaway.Ididn'tknowanywomenunderthe ageofsixtythatcalledthemselves"Mrs." ButIwaspreparedtooverlookit.Shewasyoung,pretty,she soundednice.ShewouldbeOK. Shewasn'tOK. "Underwhatcircumstancesshouldthefederalgovernmentbe preparedtosuspendtheBillofRights?"shesaid,turningtothe blackboardandwritingdownarowofnumbers,onethroughten. "Never,"Isaid,notwaitingtobecalledon.Thiswaseasy. "Constitutionalrightsareabsolute." "That'snotaverysophisticatedview."Shelookedather seatingplan."Marcus.Forexample,sayapolicemanconductsan impropersearchhegoesbeyondthestuffspecifiedinhis warrant.Hediscoverscompellingevidencethatabadguykilled yourfather.It'stheonlyevidencethatexists.Shouldthebadguy gofree?"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/74 whattheBillofRightsissupposedtoprevent.Theywerea revolutionaryarmyandtheywantedasetofprinciplesthat everyonecouldagreeto.Life,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness. Therightofpeopletothrowofftheiroppressors." "Yes,yes,"shesaid,wavingatme."Theybelievedintheright ofpeopletogetridoftheirKings,but"Charleswasgrinning andwhenshesaidthat,hesmiledevenwider.

Iknewtheanswertothis,butIcouldn'treallyexplainit."Yes," Isaid,finally."Butthepoliceshouldn'tconductimproper searches" "Wrong,"shesaid."Theproperresponsetopolicemisconduct isdisciplinaryactionagainstthepolice,notpunishingallof societyforonecop'smistake."Shewrote"Criminalguilt"under pointoneontheboard. "OtherwaysinwhichtheBillofRightscanbesuperseded?"

"TheysetouttheBillofRightsbecausetheythoughtthat havingabsoluterightswasbetterthantheriskthatsomeone wouldtakethemaway.LiketheFirstAmendment:it'ssupposedto Charlesputhishandup."Shoutingfireinacrowdedtheater?" protectusbypreventingthegovernmentfromcreatingtwokinds ofspeech,allowedspeechandcriminalspeech.Theydidn'twant "Verygood"sheconsultedtheseatingplan"Charles.There tofacetheriskthatsomejerkwoulddecidethatthethingsthathe aremanyinstancesinwhichtheFirstAmendmentisnotabsolute. foundunpleasantwereillegal." Let'slistsomemoreofthose." Sheturnedandwrote,"Life,libertyandthepursuitof Charlesputhishandupagain."Endangeringalawenforcement happiness"onit. officer." "We'regettingalittleaheadofthelesson,butyouseemlikean "Yes,disclosingtheidentityofanundercoverpolicemanor advancedgroup."Theotherslaughedatthis,nervously. intelligenceofficer.Verygood."Shewroteitdown."Others?" "Theroleofgovernmentistosecureforcitizenstherightsof "Nationalsecurity,"Charlessaid,notwaitingforhertocallon life,libertyandthepursuitofhappiness.Inthatorder.It'slikea himagain."Libel.Obscenity.Corruptionofminors.Childporn. filter.Ifthegovernmentwantstodosomethingthatmakesusa Bombmakingrecipes."MrsAndersenwrotethesedownfast,but littleunhappy,ortakesawaysomeofourliberty,it'sOK, stoppedatchildporn."Childpornisjustaformofobscenity." providingthey'redoingittosaveourlives.That'swhythecops canlockyouupiftheythinkyou'readangertoyourselforothers. Iwasfeelingsick.ThiswasnotwhatI'dlearnedorbelieved Youloseyourlibertyandhappinesstoprotectlife.Ifyou'vegot aboutmycountry.Iputmyhandup. life,youmightgetlibertyandhappinesslater." "Yes,Marcus?" "Idon'tgetit.You'remakingitsoundliketheBillofRightsis optional.It'stheConstitution.We'resupposedtofollowit absolutely." "That'sacommonoversimplification,"shesaid,givingmea fakesmile."Butthefactofthematteristhattheframersofthe Constitutionintendedittobealivingdocumentthatwasrevised overtime.TheyunderstoodthattheRepublicwouldn'tbeableto lastforeverifthegovernmentofthedaycouldn'tgovern accordingtotheneedsoftheday.Theyneverintendedthe Constitutiontobelookedonlikereligiousdoctrine.Afterall,they cameherefleeingreligiousdoctrine." Someoftheothershadtheirhandsup."Doesn'tthatmeanthat theycandoanythingtheywant,iftheysayit'stostopsomeone fromhurtingusinthefuture?" "Yeah,"anotherkidsaid."Thissoundslikeyou'resayingthat nationalsecurityismoreimportantthantheConstitution." Iwassoproudofmyfellowstudentsthen.Isaid,"Howcanyou protectfreedombysuspendingtheBillofRights?" Sheshookherheadatuslikewewerebeingverystupid."The 'revolutionary'foundingfathersshottraitorsandspies.They didn'tbelieveinabsolutefreedom,notwhenitthreatenedthe Republic.NowyoutaketheseXnetpeople"

Ishookmyhead."What?No.Theyweremerchantsandartisans Itriedhardnottostiffen. whowereloyaltotheKinguntilheinstitutedpoliciesthatwere againsttheirinterestsandenforcedthembrutally.Thereligious "thesesocalledjammerswhowereonthenewsthismorning. refugeeswerewayearlier." Afterthiscitywasattackedbypeoplewho'vedeclaredwaronthis country,theysetaboutsabotagingthesecuritymeasuressetupto "SomeoftheFramersweredescendedfromreligiousrefugees," catchthebadguysandpreventthemfromdoingitagain.Theydid shesaid. thisbyendangeringandinconveniencingtheirfellowcitizens" "AndtheBillofRightsisn'tsupposedtobesomethingyoupick "Theydidittoshowthatourrightswerebeingtakenawayin andchoosefrom.WhattheFramershatedwastyranny.That's thenameofprotectingthem!"Isaid.OK,Ishouted.God,shehad

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/75 mesosteamed."Theydiditbecausethegovernmentwastreating everyonelikeasuspectedterrorist." "Thatwasn'tteaching,itwaspropaganda.Shetoldusthatthe Constitutiondidn'tmatter!"

"Sotheywantedtoprovethattheyshouldn'tbetreatedlike "No,shesaiditwasn'treligiousdoctrine.Andyouattackedher terrorists,"Charlesshoutedback,"sotheyactedliketerrorists?So likesomekindoffundamentalist,provingherpoint.Marcus,you theycommittedterrorism?" ofallpeopleshouldunderstandthateverythingchangedwhenthe bridgewasbombed.YourfriendDarryl" Iboiled. "Don'tyousayagoddamnedwordabouthim,"Isaid,theanger "OhforChrist'ssake.Committedterrorism?Theyshowedthat bubblingover."You'renotfittotalkabouthim.Yeah,I universalsurveillancewasmoredangerousthanterrorism.Look understandthateverything'sdifferentnow.Weusedtobeafree atwhathappenedintheparklastweekend.Thosepeoplewere country.Nowwe'renot." dancingandlisteningtomusic.Howisthatterrorism?" "Marcus,doyouknowwhat'zerotolerance'means?" Theteachercrossedtheroomandstoodbeforeme,looming overmeuntilIshutup."Marcus,youseemtothinkthatnothing Ibackeddown.Hecouldexpelmefor"threateningbehavior."It haschangedinthiscountry.Youneedtounderstandthatthe wassupposedtobeusedagainstgangkidswhotriedtointimidate bombingoftheBayBridgechangedeverything.Thousandsofour theirteachers.Butofcoursehewouldn'thaveanycompunctions friendsandrelativesliedeadatthebottomoftheBay.Thisisa aboutusingitonme. timefornationalunityinthefaceoftheviolentinsultourcountry hassuffered" "Yes,"Isaid."Iknowwhatitmeans." Istoodup.I'dhadenoughofthis"everythinghaschanged" crapola."Nationalunity?ThewholepointofAmericaisthat we'rethecountrywheredissentiswelcome.We'reacountryof dissidentsandfightersanduniversitydropoutsandfreespeech people." IthoughtofMsGalvez'slastlessonandthethousandsof Berkeleystudentswho'dsurroundedthepolicevanwhenthey triedtoarrestaguyfordistributingcivilrightsliterature.Noone triedtostopthosetruckswhentheydroveawaywithallthe peoplewho'dbeendancinginthepark.Ididn'ttry.Iwasrunning away. Maybeeverythinghadchanged. "Ithinkyouowemeanapology,"hesaid. Ilookedathim.Hewasbarelysuppressinghissadisticsmile.A partofmewantedtogrovel.Itwantedtobegforhisforgiveness forallmyshame.ItampedthatpartdownanddecidedthatI wouldrathergetkickedoutthanapologize. "Governmentsareinstitutedamongmen,derivingtheirjust powersfromtheconsentofthegoverned,thatwheneveranyform ofgovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistherightof thepeopletoalterorabolishit,andtoinstitutenewgovernment, layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciples,andorganizingitspowers insuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheir safetyandhappiness."Iremembereditwordforword.

"IbelieveyouknowwhereMrBenson'sofficeis,"shesaidto Heshookhishead."Rememberingthingsisn'tthesameas me."Youaretopresentyourselftohimimmediately.Iwillnot understandingthem,sonny."Hebentoverhiscomputerandmade havemyclassesdisruptedbydisrespectfulbehavior.Forsomeone someclicks.Hisprinterpurred.Hehandedmeasheetofwarm whoclaimstolovefreedomofspeech,you'recertainlywillingto BoardletterheadthatsaidI'dbeensuspendedfortwoweeks. shoutdownanyonewhodisagreeswithyou." "I'llemailyourparentsnow.Ifyouarestillonschoolproperty IpickedupmySchoolBookandmybagandstormedout.The inthirtyminutes,you'llbearrestedfortrespassing." doorhadagaslift,soitwasimpossibletoslam,orIwouldhave slammedit. Ilookedathim. IwentfasttoMrBenson'soffice.CamerasfilmedmeasIwent. "Youdon'twanttodeclarewaronmeinmyownschool,"he Mygaitwasrecorded.ThearphidsinmystudentIDbroadcastmy said."Youcan'twinthatwar.GO!" identitytosensorsinthehallway.Itwaslikebeinginjail. Ileft. "Closethedoor,Marcus,"MrBensonsaid.Heturnedhisscreen aroundsothatIcouldseethevideofeedfromthesocialstudies classroom.He'dbeenwatching. Chapter14 "Whatdoyouhavetosayforyourself?" ThischapterisdedicatedtotheincomparableMysteriousGalaxy inSanDiego,California.TheMysteriousGalaxyfolkshavehad

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/76 meintosignbookseverytimeI'vebeeninSanDiegofora conferenceortoteach(theClarionWriters'Workshopisbasedat UCSanDiegoinnearbyLaJolla,CA),andeverytimeIshowup, theypackthehouse.Thisisastorewithaloyalfollowingofdie hardfanswhoknowthatthey'llalwaysbeabletogetgreat recommendationsandgreatideasatthestore.Insummer2007,I tookmywritingclassfromClariondowntothestoreforthe midnightlaunchofthefinalHarryPotterbookandI'venever seensucharollicking,awesomelyfunpartyatastore. MysteriousGalaxy http://mysteriousgalaxy.booksense.com/NASApp/store/Product? s=showproduct&isbn=97807653198527051ClairemontMesa Blvd.,Suite#302SanDiego,CAUSA92111+18582684747 TheXnetwasn'tmuchfuninthemiddleoftheschoolday,when allthepeoplewhouseditwereinschool.Ihadthepieceofpaper foldedinthebackpocketofmyjeans,andIthrewitonthe kitchentablewhenIgothome.Isatdowninthelivingroomand switchedontheTV.Ineverwatchedit,butIknewthatmyparents did.TheTVandtheradioandthenewspaperswerewherethey gotalltheirideasabouttheworld. Thenewswasterrible.Thereweresomanyreasonstobe scared.Americansoldiersweredyingallovertheworld.Notjust soldiers,either.Nationalguardsmen,whothoughttheywere signinguptohelprescuepeoplefromhurricanes,stationed overseasforyearsandyearsofalongandendlesswar. Americashouldn'tprotectherself. "Takethisslogan,DON'TTRUSTANYONEOVER25.What betterwaytoensurethatnoconsidered,balanced,adult discussioniseverinjectedintoyourproterroristmessagethanto excludeadults,limitingyourgrouptoimpressionableyoung people? "Whenpolicecameonthescene,theyfoundarecruitmentrally forAmerica'senemiesinprogress.Thegatheringhadalready disruptedthenightsofhundredsofresidentsinthearea,noneof whomhadbeenconsultedintheplanningofthisallnightrave party. "Theyorderedthesepeopletodispersethatmuchisvisible onallthevideoandwhentherevelersturnedtoattackthem, eggedonbythemusiciansonstage,thepolicesubduedthem usingnonlethalcrowdcontroltechniques. "Thearresteeswereringleadersandprovocateurswhohadled thethousandsofimpressionisticyoungpeopletheretochargethe policelines.827ofthemweretakenintocustody.Manyofthese peoplehadprioroffenses.Morethan100ofthemhadoutstanding warrants.Theyarestillincustody. "Ladiesandgentlemen,Americaisfightingawaronmany fronts,butnowhereissheinmoregravedangerthansheishere, athome.Whetherwearebeingattackedbyterroristsorthosewho sympathizewiththem."

Areporterheldupahandandsaid,"GeneralSutherland,surely Iflippedaroundthe24hournewsnetworks,oneafteranother,a you'renotsayingthatthesechildrenwereterroristsympathizers paradeofofficialstellinguswhyweshouldbescared.Aparade forattendingapartyinapark?" ofphotosofbombsgoingoffaroundtheworld. "Ofcoursenot.Butwhenyoungpeoplearebroughtunderthe Ikeptflippingandfoundmyselflookingatafamiliarface.It influenceofourcountry'senemies,it'seasyforthemtoendup wastheguywhohadcomeintothetruckandspokentoSevere overtheirheads.Terroristswouldlovetorecruitafifthcolumnto HaircutwomanwhenIwaschainedupintheback.Wearinga fightthewaronthehomefrontforthem.Iftheseweremy militaryuniform.ThecaptionidentifiedhimasMajorGeneral children,I'dbegravelyconcerned." GraemeSutherland,RegionalCommander,DHS. Anotherreporterchimedin."Surelythisisjustanopenair "Iholdinmyhandsactualliteratureonofferatthesocalled concert,General?Theywerehardlydrillingwithrifles." concertinDoloresParklastweekend."Heheldupastackof pamphlets.There'dbeenlotsofpamphleteersthere,I TheGeneralproducedastackofphotosandbegantoholdthem remembered.WhereveryougotagroupofpeopleinSan up."Thesearepicturesthatofficerstookwithinfraredcameras Francisco,yougotpamphlets. beforemovingin."Heheldthemnexttohisfaceandpaged throughthemoneatatime.Theyshowedpeopledancingreally "Iwantyoutolookattheseforamoment.Letmereadyoutheir rough,somepeoplegettingcrushedorsteppedon.Thenthey titles.WITHOUTTHECONSENTOFTHEGOVERNED:A movedintosexstuffbythetrees,agirlwiththreeguys,twoguys CITIZEN'SGUIDETOOVERTHROWINGTHESTATE.Here's neckingtogether."Therewerechildrenasyoungastenyearsold one,DIDTHESEPTEMBER11THBOMBINGSREALLY atthisevent.Adeadlycocktailofdrugs,propagandaandmusic HAPPEN?Andanother,HOWTOUSETHEIRSECURITY resultedindozensofinjuries.It'sawonderthereweren'tany AGAINSTTHEM.Thisliteratureshowsusthetruepurposeof deaths." theillegalgatheringonSaturdaynight.Thiswasn'tmerelyan unsafegatheringofthousandsofpeoplewithoutproper IswitchedtheTVoff.Theymadeitlooklikeithadbeenariot. precaution,oreventoilets.Itwasarecruitingrallyfortheenemy. IfmyparentsthoughtI'dbeenthere,they'dhavestrappedmeto Itwasanattempttocorruptchildrenintoembracingtheideathat mybedforamonthandonlyletmeoutafterwardwearinga

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/77 trackingcollar. Speakingofwhich,theyweregoingtobepissedwhenthey foundoutI'dbeensuspended. # Theydidn'ttakeitwell.Dadwantedtogroundme,butMom andItalkedhimoutofit. "YouknowthatviceprincipalhashaditinforMarcusfor years,"Momsaid."Thelasttimewemethimyoucursedhimfor anhourafterward.Ithinktheword'asshole'wasmentioned repeatedly." Dadshookhishead."Disruptingaclasstoargueagainstthe DepartmentofHomelandSecurity" visitedsincethebombswent. Iwasreallyexcitedattheprospectofseeingheragain.Every nightsincetheparty,I'dgonetobedthinkingoftwothings:the sightofthecrowdchargingthepolicelinesandthefeelingofthe sideofherbreastunderhershirtasweleanedagainstthepillar. Shewasamazing.I'dneverbeenwithagirlas...aggressiveasher before.Ithadalwaysbeenmeputtingthemovesonandthem pushingmeaway.IgotthefeelingthatAngewasasmuchofa horndogasIwas.Itwasatantalizingnotion. Isleptsoundlythatnight,withexcitingdreamsofmeandAnge andwhatwemightdoifwefoundourselvesinasecludedspot somewhere.

Thenextday,Isetouttoworkonmypapers.SanFranciscoisa goodplacetowriteabout.History?Sure,it'sthere,fromtheGold RushtotheWWIIshipyards,theJapaneseinternmentcamps,the "It'sasocialstudiesclass,Dad,"Isaid.Iwasbeyondcaring inventionofthePC.Physics?TheExploratoriumhasthecoolest anymore,butIfeltlikeifMomwasgoingtostickupforme,I exhibitsofanymuseumI'veeverbeento.Itookaperverse shouldhelpherout."WeweretalkingabouttheDHS.Isn'tdebate satisfactionintheexhibitsonsoilliquefactionduringbigquakes. supposedtobehealthy?" English?JackLondon,BeatPoets,sciencefictionwriterslikePat MurphyandRudyRucker.Socialstudies?TheFreeSpeech "Look,son,"hesaid.He'dtakentocallingme"son"alot.It Movement,CesarChavez,gayrights,feminism,antiwar mademefeellikehe'dstoppedthinkingofmeasapersonand movement... switchedtothinkingofmeasakindofhalfformedlarvathat neededtobeguidedoutofadolescence.Ihatedit."You'regoing I'vealwayslovedjustlearningstuffforitsownsake.Justtobe tohavetolearntolivewiththefactthatweliveinadifferent smarterabouttheworldaroundme.Icoulddothatjustby worldtoday.Youhaveeveryrighttospeakyourmindofcourse, walkingaroundthecity.IdecidedI'ddoanEnglishpaperabout butyouhavetobepreparedfortheconsequencesofdoingso.You theBeatsfirst.CityLightsbookshadagreatlibraryinanupstairs havetofacethefactthattherearepeoplewhoarehurting,who roomwhereAlanGinsbergandhisbuddieshadcreatedtheir aren'tgoingtowanttoarguethefinerpointsofConstitutionallaw radicaldruggypoetry.Theonewe'dreadinEnglishclasswas whentheirlivesareatstake.We'reinalifeboatnow,andonce HowlandIwouldneverforgettheopeninglines,theygaveme you'reinthelifeboat,noonewantstohearabouthowmeanthe shiversdownmyback: captainisbeing." Isawthebestmindsofmygenerationdestroyedbymadness, starvinghystericalnaked, Ibarelyrestrainedmyselffromrollingmyeyes. "I'vebeenassignedtwoweeksofindependentstudy,writing onepaperforeachofmysubjects,usingthecityformy backgroundahistorypaper,asocialstudiespaper,anEnglish paper,aphysicspaper.Itbeatssittingaroundathomewatching television." Dadlookedhardatme,likehesuspectedIwasuptosomething, thennodded.Isaidgoodnighttothemandwentuptomyroom.I firedupmyXboxandopenedawordprocessorandstartedto brainstormideasformypapers.Whynot?Itreallywasbetterthan sittingaroundathome. # draggingthemselvesthroughthenegrostreetsatdawnlooking foranangryfix, angelheadedhipstersburningfortheancientheavenly connectiontothestarrydynamointhemachineryofnight... Ilikedthewayheranthosewordsalltogether,"starving hystericalnaked."Iknewhowthatfelt.And"bestmindsofmy generation"mademethinkhardtoo.Itmademerememberthe parkandthepoliceandthegasfalling.TheybustedGinsbergfor obscenityoverHowlallaboutalineaboutgaysexthatwould hardlyhavecausedustoblinkaneyetoday.Itmademehappy somehow,knowingthatwe'dmadesomeprogress.Thatthings hadbeenevenmorerestrictivethanthisbefore.

IendedupIMingwithAngeforquiteawhilethatnight.She Ilostmyselfinthelibrary,readingthesebeautifuloldeditions wassympatheticabouteverythingandtoldmeshe'dhelpmewith ofthebooks.IgotlostinJackKerouac'sOntheRoad,anovelI'd mypapersifIwantedtomeetherafterschoolthenextnight.I knewwhereherschoolwasshewenttothesameschoolasVan beenmeaningtoreadforalongtime,andaclerkwhocameupto checkonmenoddedapprovinglyandfoundmeacheapedition anditwasallthewayoverintheEastBay,whereIhadn't

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/78 thathesoldmeforsixbucks. Shetookthebookandreadthepassageagainforherself."Wow, dingledodies!Iloveit!Isitalllikethis?"

IwalkedintoChinatownandhaddimsumbunsandnoodles withhotsaucethatIhadpreviouslyconsideredtobeprettyhot, ItoldheraboutthepartsI'dread,walkingslowlydownthe butwhichwouldneverseemanythinglikehoteveragain,notnow sidewalkbacktowardthebusstop.Onceweturnedthecorner, thatI'dhadanAngespecial. sheputherarmaroundmywaistandIslungminearoundher shoulder.Walkingdownthestreetwithagirlmygirlfriend? Asthedayworeontowardtheafternoon,IgotontheBART Sure,whynot?talkingaboutthiscoolbook.Itwasheaven. andswitchedtoaSanMateobridgeshuttlebustobringme Mademeforgetmytroublesforalittlewhile. aroundtotheEastBay.IreadmycopyofOntheRoadanddug thescenerywhizzingpast.OntheRoadisasemi "Marcus?" autobiographicalnovelaboutJackKerouac,adruggy,hard drinkingwriterwhogoeshitchhikingaroundAmerica,working Iturnedaround.ItwasVan.InmysubconsciousI'dexpected crummyjobs,howlingthroughthestreetsatnight,meetingpeople this.Iknewbecausemyconsciousmindwasn'tremotely andpartingways.Hipsters,sadfacedhobos,conmen,muggers, surprised.Itwasn'tabigschool,andtheyallgotoutatthesame scumbagsandangels.There'snotreallyaplotKerouac time.Ihadn'tspokentoVaninweeks,andthoseweeksfeltlike supposedlywroteitinthreeweeksonalongrollofpaper,stoned months.Weusedtotalkeveryday. outofhismindonlyabunchofamazingthings,onething happeningafteranother.Hemakesfriendswithselfdestructing "Hey,Van,"Isaid.Isuppressedtheurgetotakemyarmoffof peoplelikeDeanMoriarty,whogethiminvolvedinweird Ange'sshoulders.Vanseemedsurprised,butnotangry,more schemesthatneverreallyworkout,butstillitworksout,ifyou ashen,shaken.Shelookedcloselyatthetwoofus. knowwhatImean. "Angela?" Therewasarhythmtothewords,itwasluscious,Icouldhearit beingreadaloudinmyhead.Itmademewanttoliedowninthe "Hey,Vanessa,"Angesaid. bedofapickuptruckandwakeupinadustylittletown somewhereinthecentralvalleyonthewaytoLA,oneofthose "Whatareyoudoinghere?" placeswithagasstationandadiner,andjustwalkoutintothe fieldsandmeetpeopleandseestuffanddostuff. "IcameouttogetAnge,"Isaid,tryingtokeepmytoneneutral. Iwassuddenlyembarrassedtobeseenwithanothergirl. ItwasalongbusrideandImusthavedozedoffalittle stayinguplateIMingwithAngewashardonmysleepschedule, "Oh,"Vansaid."Well,itwasnicetoseeyou." sinceMomstillexpectedmedownforbreakfast.Iwokeupand changedbusesandbeforelong,IwasatAnge'sschool. "Nicetoseeyoutoo,Vanessa,"Angesaid,swingingmearound, marchingmebacktowardthebusstop. ShecameboundingoutofthegatesinheruniformI'dnever seenherinitbefore,itwaskindofcuteinaweirdway,and "Youknowher?"Angesaid. remindedmeofVaninheruniform.Shegavemealonghugand ahardkissonthecheek. "Yeah,sinceforever." "Helloyou!"shesaid. "Hiya!" "Whatchareading?" I'dbeenwaitingforthis.I'dmarkedthepassagewithafinger. "Listen:'Theydanceddownthestreetslikedingledodies,andI shambledafterasI'vebeendoingallmylifeafterpeoplewho interestme,becausetheonlypeopleformearethemadones,the oneswhoaremadtolive,madtotalk,madtobesaved,desirous ofeverythingatthesametime,theonesthatneveryawnorsaya commonplacething,butburn,burn,burnlikefabulousyellow romancandlesexplodinglikespidersacrossthestarsandinthe middleyouseethebluecenterlightpopandeverybodygoes "Awww!"'" "Wassheyourgirlfriend?" "What?No!Noway!Wewerejustfriends." "Youwerefriends?" IfeltlikeVanwaswalkingrightbehindus,listeningin,though atthepacewewerewalking,shewouldhavetobejoggingto keepup.Iresistedthetemptationtolookovermyshoulderforas longaspossible,thenIdid.Therewerelotsofgirlsfromthe schoolbehindus,butnoVan. "ShewaswithmeandJoseLuisandDarrylwhenwewere arrested.WeusedtoARGtogether.Thefourofus,wewerekind ofbestfriends." "Andwhathappened?"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/79 piledhighwithbooksandcomics,soweendedupsittingonher bed,whichwasOKbyme. TheawkwardnessfromseeingVanhadgoneawaysomewhat andwegotherXboxupandrunning.Itwasinthecenterofanest ofwires,somegoingtoawirelessantennashe'dhackedintoit andstucktothewindowsoshecouldtuneintheneighbors'WiFi. Somewenttoacoupleofoldlaptopscreensshe'dturnedinto standalonemonitors,balancedonstandsandbristlingwith exposedelectronics.Thescreenswereonbothbedsidetables, whichwasanexcellentsetupforwatchingmoviesorIMingfrom bedshecouldturnthemonitorssidewiseandlieonhersideand they'dberightsideup,nomatterwhichsideshelayon. Webothknewwhatwewerereallytherefor,sittingsidebyside proppedagainstthebedsidetable.Iwastremblingalittleand superconsciousofthewarmthofherlegandshoulderagainst mine,butIneededtogothroughthemotionsofloggingintoXnet andseeingwhatemailI'dgottenandsoon. Therewasanemailfromakidwholikedtosendinfunny phonecamvideosoftheDHSbeingreallycrazythelastone hadbeenofthemdisassemblingababy'sstrollerafterabomb sniffingdoghadshownaninterestinit,takingitapartwith screwdriversrightonthestreetintheMarinawhilealltheserich peoplewalkedpast,staringatthemandmarvelingathowweirdit was. I'dlinkedtothevideoandithadbeendownloadedlikecrazy. He'dhosteditontheInternetArchive'sAlexandriamirrorin Egypt,wherethey'dhostanythingforfreesolongasyou'dputit undertheCreativeCommonslicense,whichletanyoneremixit andshareit.TheUSarchivewhichwasdowninthePresidio, onlyafewminutesawayhadbeenforcedtotakedownallthose videosinthenameofnationalsecurity,buttheAlexandria archivehadsplitawayintoitsownorganizationandwashosting anythingthatembarrassedtheUSA.

Idroppedmyvoice."Shedidn'tliketheXnet,"Isaid."She thoughtwewouldgetintotrouble.ThatI'dgetotherpeopleinto trouble." "Andthat'swhyyoustoppedbeingfriends?" "Wejustdriftedapart." Wewalkedafewsteps."Youweren't,youknow, boyfriend/girlfriendfriends?" "No!"Isaid.Myfacewashot.IfeltlikeIsoundedlikeIwas lying,eventhoughIwastellingthetruth. Angejerkedustoahaltandstudiedmyface. "Wereyou?" "No!Seriously!Justfriends.Darrylandherwell,notquite, butDarrylwassointoher.Therewasnoway" "ButifDarrylhadn'tbeenintoher,youwouldhave,huh?" "No,Ange,no.Please,justbelievemeandletitgo.Vanessa wasagoodfriendandwe'renotanymore,andthatupsetsme,but Iwasneverintoherthatway,allright? Sheslumpedalittle."OK,OK.I'msorry.Idon'treallyget alongwithherisall.We'venevergottenalonginalltheyears we'veknowneachother." Ohho,Ithought.ThiswouldbehowitcametobethatJolu knewherforsolongandInevermether;shehadsomekindof thingwithVanandhedidn'twanttobringheraround.

Shegavemealonghugandwekissed,andabunchofgirls passedusgoingwooooandwestraightenedupandheadedforthe busstop.AheadofuswalkedVan,whomusthavegonepast ThiskidhishandlewasKameraspiehadsentmeaneven whilewewerekissing.Ifeltlikeacompletejerk. bettervideothistimearound.ItwasatthedoorwaytoCityHall inCivicCenter,ahugeweddingcakeofabuildingcoveredwith Ofcourse,shewasatthestopandonthebusandwedidn'tsay statuesinlittlearchwaysandgiltleavesandtrim.TheDHShada awordtoeachother,andItriedtomakeconversationwithAnge secureperimeteraroundthebuilding,andKameraspie'svideo alltheway,butitwasawkward. showedagreatshotoftheircheckpointasaguyinanofficer's uniformapproachedandshowedhisIDandputhisbriefcaseon TheplanwastostopforacoffeeandheadtoAnge'splaceto theXraybelt. hangoutand"study,"i.e.taketurnsonherXboxlookingatthe Xnet.Ange'smomgothomelateonTuesdays,whichwasher ItwasallOKuntiloneoftheDHSpeoplesawsomethinghe nightforyogaclassanddinnerwithhergirls,andAnge'ssister didn'tlikeontheXray.HequestionedtheGeneral,whorolledhis wasgoingoutwithherboyfriend,sowe'dhavetheplaceto eyesandsaidsomethinginaudible(thevideohadbeenshotfrom ourselves.I'dbeenhavingpervythoughtsaboutiteversincewe'd acrossthestreet,apparentlywithahomemadeconcealedzoom madetheplan. lens,sotheaudiowasmostlyofpeoplewalkingpastandtraffic noises). Wegottoherplaceandwentstraighttoherroomandshutthe door.Herroomwaskindofadisaster,coveredwithlayersof TheGeneralandtheDHSguysgotintoanargument,andthe clothesandnotebooksandpartsofPCsthatwoulddigintoyour longertheyargued,themoreDHSguysgatheredaroundthem. stockingfeetlikecaltrops.Herdeskwasworsethanthefloor, Finally,theGeneralshookhisheadangrilyandwavedhisfinger

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/80 attheDHSguy'schestandpickeduphisbriefcaseandstartedto walkaway.TheDHSguysshoutedathim,buthedidn'tslow.His bodylanguagereallysaid,"Iamtotally,utterlypissed." Thenithappened.TheDHSguysranafterthegeneral. Kameraspieslowedthevideodownhere,sowecouldsee,in framebyframeslomo,thegeneralhalfturning,hisfacealllike, "Nofreakingwayareyouabouttotackleme,"thenchangingto horrorasthreeofthegiantDHSguardsslammedintohim, knockinghimsideways,thencatchinghimatthemiddle,likea careerendingfootballtackle.Thegeneralmiddleaged,steely greyhair,linedanddignifiedfacewentdownlikeasackof potatoesandbouncedtwice,hisfaceslammingoffthesidewalk andbloodstartingoutofhisnose. TheDHShogtiedthegeneral,strappinghimatanklesand wrists.Thegeneralwasshoutingnow,reallyshouting,hisface purplingunderthebloodstreamingfromhisnose.Legsswished byinthetightzoom.Passingpedestrianslookedatthisguyinhis uniform,gettingtiedup,andyoucouldseefromhisfacethatthis wastheworstpart,thiswastheritualhumiliation,theremovalof dignity.Theclipended. "OhmydearsweetBuddha,"Isaidlookingatthescreenasit fadedtoblack,startingthevideoagain.InudgedAngeand showedhertheclip.Shewatchedwordless,jawhangingdownto herchest. "Postthat,"shesaid."Postthatpostthatpostthatpostthat!" Ipostedit.IcouldbarelytypeasIwroteitup,describingwhat I'dseen,addinganotetoseeifanyonecouldidentifythemilitary maninthevideo,ifanyoneknewanythingaboutthis. Ihitpublish. Wewatchedthevideo.Wewatcheditagain. Myemailpinged. > I totally recognize that dude -- you can find his bio on Wikipedia. He's General Claude Geist. He commanded the joint UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti. Icheckedthebio.Therewasapictureofthegeneralatapress conference,andnotesabouthisroleinthedifficultHaitimission. Itwasclearlythesameguy. Iupdatedthepost. andfiledthemaway.Angekeptcomingupwithnewsearchterms formetotryandbythetimehermomgothome,mynew categoryhadseventyposts,headlinedbyGeneralGeist'sCity Halltakedown. # IworkedonmyBeatpaperallthenextdayathome,readingthe KerouacandsurfingtheXnet.IwasplanningonmeetingAngeat school,butItotallywimpedoutatthethoughtofseeingVan again,soItextedheranexcuseaboutworkingonthepaper. Therewereallkindsofgreatsuggestionsfor AbusesOfAuthoritycomingin;hundredsoflittleandbigones, picturesandaudio.Thememewasspreading. Itspread.Thenextmorningtherewereevenmore.Someone startedanewblogcalledAbusesOfAuthoritythatcollected hundredsmore.Thepilegrew.Wecompetedtofindthejuiciest stories,thecraziestpictures. ThedealwithmyparentswasthatI'deatbreakfastwiththem everymorningandtalkabouttheprojectsIwasdoing.Theyliked thatIwasreadingKerouac.Ithadbeenafavoritebookofbothof theirsanditturnedouttherewasalreadyacopyonthebookcase inmyparents'room.MydadbroughtitdownandIflipped throughit.Therewerepassagesmarkedupwithpen,dogeared pages,notesinthemargin.Mydadhadreallylovedthisbook. Itmademerememberabettertime,whenmyDadandIhad beenabletotalkforfiveminuteswithoutshoutingateachother aboutterrorism,andwehadagreatbreakfasttalkingaboutthe waythatthenovelwasplotted,allthecrazyadventures. Butthenextmorningatbreakfasttheywerebothgluedtothe radio. "AbusesofAuthorityit'sthelatestcrazeonSanFrancisco's notoriousXnet,andit'scapturedtheworld'sattention.CalledA ohA,themovementiscomposedof'LittleBrothers'whowatch backagainsttheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity'santi terrorismmeasures,documentingthefailuresandexcesses.The rallyingcryisapopularviralvideoclipofaGeneralClaude Geist,aretiredthreestargeneral,beingtackledbyDHSofficers onthesidewalkinfrontofCityHall.Geisthasn'tmadea statementontheincident,butcommentaryfromyoungpeople whoareupsetwiththeirowntreatmenthasbeenfastandfurious.

"Mostnotablehasbeentheglobalattentionthemovementhas received.StillsfromtheGeistvideohaveappearedonthefront pagesofnewspapersinKorea,GreatBritain,Germany,Egyptand Theoretically,thiswasAnge'sandmychancetomakeout,but Japan,andbroadcastersaroundtheworldhaveairedtheclipon thatwasn'twhatweendedupdoing.WecrawledtheXnetblogs, primetimenews.Theissuecametoaheadlastnight,whenthe lookingformoreaccountsoftheDHSsearchingpeople,tackling BritishBroadcastingCorporation'sNationalNewsEvening people,invadingthem.Thiswasafamiliartask,thesamethingI'd programranaspecialreportonthefactthatnoAmerican donewithallthefootageandaccountsfromtheriotsinthepark.I broadcasterornewsagencyhascoveredthisstory.Commenters startedanewcategoryonmyblogforthis,AbusesOfAuthority, ontheBBC'swebsitenotedthatBBCAmerica'sversionofthe

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/81 newsdidnotcarrythereport." Theybroughtonacoupleofinterviews:Britishmedia watchdogs,aSwedishPiratePartykidwhomadejeeringremarks aboutAmerica'scorruptpress,aretiredAmericannewscaster livinginTokyo,thentheyairedashortclipfromAlJazeera, comparingtheAmericanpressrecordandtherecordofthe nationalnewsmediainSyria. Ifeltlikemyparentswerestaringatme,thattheyknewwhatI wasdoing.ButwhenIclearedawaymydishes,Isawthatthey werelookingateachother. # "Holdapressconference,"iswhatAngesaid,aswesatinthe cafenearherplacethatevening.Iwasn'tkeenongoingouttoher schoolanymore,gettingstuckonabuswithVanagain. "What?Areyoucrazy?" "DoitinClockworkPlunder.Justpickatradingpostwhere there'snoPvPallowedandnameatime.Youcanloginfrom here."

Dadwasholdinghiscoffeecupsohardhishandswereshaking. PvPisplayerversusplayercombat.PartsofClockworkPlunder Momwaslookingathim. wereneutralground,whichmeantthatwecouldtheoretically bringinatonofnoobreporterswithoutworryingaboutgamers "They'retryingtodiscreditus,"Dadsaidfinally."They'retrying killingtheminthemiddleofthepressconference. tosabotagetheeffortstokeepussafe." "Idon'tknowanythingaboutpressconferences." Iopenedmymouth,butmymomcaughtmyeyeandshookher head.InsteadIwentuptomyroomandworkedonmyKerouac "Oh,justgoogleit.I'msuresomeone'swrittenanarticleon paper.OnceI'dheardthedoorslamtwice,IfiredupmyXboxand holdingasuccessfulone.Imean,ifthePresidentcanmanageit, gotonline. I'msureyoucan.Helookslikehecanbarelytiehisshoeswithout help." > Hello M1k3y. This is Colin Brown. I'm a producer with the Canadian Broadcasting Weorderedmorecoffee. Corporation's news programme The National. We're doing a story on Xnet "Youareaverysmartwoman,"Isaid. and have sent a reporter to San Francisco to cover it from there. Would "AndI'mbeautiful,"shesaid. you be interested in doing an interview to discuss your group and its actions? "Thattoo,"Isaid. I stared at the screen. Jesus. They wanted to interview me about "my group"? > Um thanks no. I'm all about privacy. And it's not "my group." But thanks for doing the story! A minute later, another email. > We can mask you and ensure your anonymity. You know that the Department of Homeland Security will be happy to provide their own spokesperson. I'm interested in getting your side. Ifiledtheemail.Hewasright,butI'dbecrazytodothis.For allIknew,hewastheDHS. IpickedupmoreKerouac.Anotheremailcamein.Same request,differentnewsagency:KQEDwantedtomeetmeand recordaradiointerview.AstationinBrazil.TheAustralian BroadcastingCorporation.DeutscheWelle.Allday,thepress requestscamein.Allday,Ipolitelyturnedthemdown. Ididn'tgetmuchKerouacreadthatday. Chapter15 ThischapterisdedicatedtoChapters/Indigo,thenational Canadianmegachain.IwasworkingatBakka,theindependent sciencefictionbookstore,whenChaptersopeneditsfirststorein TorontoandIknewthatsomethingbigwasgoingonrightaway, becausetwoofoursmartest,bestinformedcustomersstoppedin totellmethatthey'dbeenhiredtorunthesciencefictionsection. Fromthestart,Chaptersraisedthebaronwhatabigcorporate bookstorecouldbe,extendingitshours,addingafriendlycafe andlotsofseating,installinginstoreselfserviceterminalsand stockingthemostamazingvarietyoftitles. Chapters/Indigo:http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Little BrotherCoryDoctorow/9780765319852item.html IbloggedthepressconferenceevenbeforeI'dsentoutthe invitationstothepress.Icouldtellthatallthesewriterswantedto makemeintoaleaderorageneralorasupremeguerrilla commandant,andIfiguredonewayofsolvingthatwouldbeto haveabunchofXnettersrunningaroundansweringquestionstoo.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/82 makethembugoutwhenshewantedtomakemelaugh,ormake ThenIemailedthepress.Theresponsesrangedfrompuzzledto themsoftandsad,orlazyandsleepyinawaythatmadememelt enthusiasticonlytheFoxreporterwas"outraged"thatIhadthe intoapuddleofhorniness. galltoaskhertoplayagameinordertoappearonherTVshow. Therestofthemseemedtothinkthatitwouldmakeaprettycool That'swhatshewasdoingrightnow. story,thoughplentyofthemwantedlotsoftechsupportfor signingontothegame Isatupslowlyandhuggedher.Shehuggedmeback.Wekissed. Shewasanamazingkisser.IknowI'vealreadysaidthat,butit Ipicked8PM,afterdinner.Momhadbeenbuggingmeabout bearsrepeating.Wekissedalot,butforonereasonoranotherwe alltheeveningsI'dbeenspendingoutofthehouseuntilIfinally alwaysstoppedbeforeitgottooheavy. spilledthebeansaboutAnge,whereuponshecameoverallmisty andkeptlookingatmelike,mylittleboy'sgrowingup.She NowIwantedtogofarther.Ifoundthehemofhertshirtand wantedtomeetAnge,andIusedthatasleverage,promisingto tugged.Sheputherhandsoverherheadandpulledbackafew bringheroverthenextnightifIcould"gotothemovies"with inches.Iknewthatshe'ddothat.I'dknownsincethenightinthe Angetonight. park.Maybethat'swhywehadn'tgonefartherIknewIcouldn't relyonhertobackoff,whichscaredmealittle. Ange'smomandsisterwereoutagaintheyweren'trealstay athomeswhichleftmeandAngealoneinherroomwithher ButIwasn'tscaredthen.Theimpendingpressconference,the Xboxandmine.Iunpluggedoneofherbedsidescreensand fightswithmyparents,theinternationalattention,thesensethat attachedmyXboxtoitsothatwecouldbothloginatonce. therewasamovementthatwascareeningaroundthecitylikea wildpinballitmademyskintingleandmybloodsing. BothXboxeswereidle,loggedintoClockworkPlunder.Iwas pacing. Andshewasbeautiful,andsmart,andcleverandfunny,andI wasfallinginlovewithher. "It'sgoingtobefine,"shesaid.Sheglancedatherscreen. "PatcheyePete'sMarkethas600playersinitnow!"We'dpicked Hershirtslidoff,herarchingherbacktohelpmegetitoverher PatcheyePete'sbecauseitwasthemarketclosesttothevillage shoulders.Shereachedbehindheranddidsomethingandherbra squarewherenewplayersspawned.Ifthereportersweren't fellaway.Istaredgoggleeyed,motionlessandbreathless,and alreadyClockworkPlunderplayersha!thenthat'swhere thenshegrabbedmyshirtandpulleditovermyhead,grabbing they'dshowup.InmyblogpostI'daskedpeoplegenerallyto meandpullingmybarechesttohers. hangoutontheroutebetweenPatcheyePete'sandthespawngate anddirectanyonewholookedlikeadisorientedreporteroverto Werolledonthebedandtouchedeachotherandgroundour Pete's. bodiestogetherandgroaned.ShekissedallovermychestandI didthesametoher.Icouldn'tbreathe,Icouldn'tthink,Icould "WhatthehellamIgoingtotellthem?" onlymoveandkissandlickandtouch. "Youjustanswertheirquestionsandifyoudon'tlikea question,ignoreit.Someoneelsecananswerit.It'llbefine." "Thisisinsane." Wedaredeachothertogoforward.Iundidherjeans.Sheundid mine.Iloweredherzipper,shedidmine,andtuggedmyjeansoff. Ituggedoffhers.Amomentlaterwewerebothnaked,exceptfor mysocks,whichIpeeledoffwithmytoes.

"Thisisperfect,Marcus.IfyouwanttoreallyscrewtheDHS, ItwasthenthatIcaughtsightofthebedsideclock,whichhad youhavetoembarrassthem.It'snotlikeyou'regoingtobeableto longagorolledontothefloorandlaythere,glowingupatus. outshootthem.Youronlyweaponisyourabilitytomakethem looklikemorons." "Crap!"Iyelped."Itstartsintwominutes!"Icouldn'tfreaking believethatIwasabouttostopwhatIwasabouttostopdoing, Ifloppedonthebedandshepulledmyheadintoherlapand whenIwasabouttostopdoingit.Imean,ifyou'daskedme, strokedmyhair.I'dbeenplayingaroundwithdifferenthaircuts "Marcus,youareabouttogetlaidforthefirstesttimeEVAR,will beforethebombing,dyingitallkindsoffunnycolors,butsince youstopifIletoffthisnuclearbombinthesameroomasyou?" I'dgottenoutofjailIcouldn'tbebothered.Ithadgottenlongand theanswerwouldhavebeenaresoundingandunequivocalNO. stupidandshaggyandI'dgoneintothebathroomandgrabbedmy clippersandbuzzeditdowntohalfaninchallaround,whichtook Andyetwestoppedforthis. zeroefforttotakecareofandhelpedmetobeinvisiblewhenI wasoutjammingandcloningarphids. Shegrabbedmeandpulledmyfacetohersandkissedmeuntil IthoughtIwouldpassout,thenwebothgrabbedourclothesand Iopenedmyeyesandstaredintoherbigbrowneyesbehindher moreorlessdressed,grabbingourkeyboardsandmiceand glasses.Theywereroundandliquidandexpressive.Shecould headingforPatcheyePete's.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/83 most likely to effect their safety and happiness. > I didn't write that, but I believe it. The DHS does not govern with my consent. > Thank you I'd written this the day before, bouncing drafts back and forth with Ange. Pasting it in only took a second, though it took everyone in the game a moment to read it. A lot of the Xnetters cheered, big showy pirate "Hurrah"s with raised sabers and pet parrots squawking and flying overhead.

# Youcouldeasilytellwhothepresswere:theywerethenoobs whoplayedtheircharacterslikestaggeringdrunks,weavingback andforthandupanddown,tryingtogetthehangofitall, occasionallyhittingthewrongkeyandofferingstrangersallor partoftheirinventory,orgivingthemaccidentalhugsandkicks. TheXnetterswereeasytospot,too:weallplayedClockwork Plunderwheneverwehadsomesparetime(ordidn'tfeellike doingourhomework),andwehadprettytrickedoutcharacters withcoolweaponsandboobytrapsonthekeysstickingoutofour backsthatwouldcreamanyonewhotriedtosnatchthemand leaveustowinddown.

Gradually, the journalists digested it too. The chat was running past fast, so fast you could barely read it, lots of Xnetters saying WhenIappeared,asystemstatusmessagedisplayedM1K3Y HASENTEREDPATCHEYEPETE'SWELCOMESWABBIE things like "Right on" and "America, love it or leave it" and "DHS go home" and "America out of San Francisco," all slogans that WEOFFERFAIRTRADEFORFINEBOOTY.Alltheplayers had been big on the Xnet blogosphere. onthescreenfroze,thentheycrowdedaroundme.Thechat exploded.Ithoughtaboutturningonmyvoicepagingand > M1k3y, this is Priya Rajneesh from the grabbingaheadset,butseeinghowmanypeopleweretryingto BBC. You say you're not the leader of talkatonce,Irealizedhowconfusingthatwouldbe.Textwas any movement, but do you believe there mucheasiertofollowandtheycouldn'tmisquoteme(hehheh). is a movement? Is it called the Xnet? I'dscoutedthelocationbeforewithAngeitwasgreat Lots of answers. Some people said there wasn't a movement, campaigningwithher,sincewecouldbothkeepeachother some said there was and lots of people had ideas about what it woundup.Therewasahighspotonapileofboxesofsaltrations was called:Xnet, Little Brothers, Little Sisters, and my personal thatIcouldstandonandbeseenfromanywhereinthemarket. favorite, the United States of America. > Good evening and thank you all for coming. My name is M1k3y and I'm not the leader of anything. All around you are Xnetters who have as much to say about why we're here as I do. I use the Xnet because I believe in freedom and the Constitution of the United States of America. I use Xnet because the DHS has turned my city into a police-state where we're all suspected terrorists. I use Xnet because I think you can't defend freedom by tearing up the Bill of Rights. I learned about the Constitution in a California school and I was raised to love my country for its freedom. If I have a philosophy, it is this: > Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem They were really cooking. I let them go, thinking of what I could say. Once I had it, I typed, > I think that kind of answers your question, doesn't it? There may be one or more movements and they may be called Xnet or not. > M1k3y, I'm Doug Christensen from the Washington Internet Daily. What do you think the DHS should be doing to prevent another attack on San Francisco, if what they're doing isn't successful.

More chatter. Lots of people said that the terrorists and the government were the same -- either literally, or just meaning that they were equallybad. Some said the government knew how to catch terrorists but preferred not to because "war presidents" got re-elected.
> I don't know I typed finally. > I really don't. I ask myself this

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/84 question a lot because I don't want to get blown up and I don't want my city to get blown up. Here's what I've figured out, though: if it's the DHS's job to keep us safe, they're failing. All the crap they've done, none of it would stop the bridge from being blown up again. Tracing us around the city? Taking away our freedom? Making us suspicious of each other, turning us against each other? Calling dissenters traitors? The point of terrorism is to terrify us. The DHS terrifies me. > I don't have any say in what the terrorists do to me, but if this is a free country then I should be able to at least say what my own cops do to me. I should be able to keep them from terrorizing me. > I know that's not a good answer. Sorry. > What do you mean when you say that the DHS wouldn't stop terrorists? How do you know? > Who are you? > I'm with the Sydney Morning Herald. > I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. Even so, I figured out how to make an Internet that they can't wiretap. I figured out how to jam their person-tracking technology. I can turn innocent people into suspects and turn guilty people into innocents in their eyes. I could get metal onto an airplane or beat a no-fly list. I figured this stuff out by looking at the web and by thinking about it. If I can do it, terrorists can do it. They told us they took away our freedom to make us safe. Do you feel safe? > In Australia? Why yes I do Thepiratesalllaughed. Morejournalistsaskedquestions.Someweresympathetic, somewerehostile.WhenIgottired,Ihandedmykeyboardto AngeandletherbeM1k3yforawhile.Itdidn'treallyfeellike M1k3yandmewerethesamepersonanymoreanyway.M1k3y wasthekindofkidwhotalkedtointernationaljournalistsand inspiredamovement.Marcusgotsuspendedfromschooland foughtwithhisdadandwonderedifhewasgoodenoughforhis kickassgirlfriend. By11PMI'dhadenough.Besides,myparentswouldbe expectingmehomesoon.Iloggedoutofthegameandsodid Angeandwelaythereforamoment.Itookherhandandshe squeezedhard.Wehugged. Shekissedmyneckandmurmuredsomething. "What?" "IsaidIloveyou,"shesaid."What,youwantmetosendyoua telegram?" "Wow,"Isaid. "You'rethatsurprised,huh?" "No.Um.It'sjustIwasgoingtosaythattoyou." "Sureyouwere,"shesaid,andbitthetipofmynose. "It'sjustthatI'veneversaiditbefore,"Isaid."SoIwasworking uptoit." "Youstillhaven'tsaidit,youknow.Don'tthinkIhaven't noticed.Wegirlspickuponthesethings." "Iloveyou,AngeCarvelli,"Isaid. "Iloveyoutoo,MarcusYallow." WekissedandnuzzledandIstartedtobreathehardandsodid she.That'swhenhermomknockedonthedoor. "Angela,"shesaid,"Ithinkit'stimeyourfriendwenthome, don'tyou?" "Yes,mother,"shesaid,andmimedswinginganaxe.AsIput mysocksandshoeson,shemuttered,"They'llsay,thatAngela, shewassuchagoodgirl,whowouldhavethoughtit,allthetime shewasinthebackyard,helpinghermotheroutbysharpening thathatchet." Ilaughed."Youdon'tknowhoweasyyouhaveit.Thereisno waymyfolkswouldleaveusaloneinmybedroomuntil11 o'clock." "11:45,"shesaid,checkingherclock. "Crap!"Iyelpedandtiedmyshoes. "Go,"shesaid,"runandbefree!Lookbothwaysbefore crossingtheroad!Writeifyougetwork!Don'tevenstopfora hug!Ifyou'renotoutofherebythecountoften,there'sgoingto betrouble,mister.One.Two.Three." Ishutherupbyleapingontothebed,landingonherandkissing heruntilshestoppedtryingtocount.Satisfiedwithmyvictory,I

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/85 poundeddownthestairs,myXboxundermyarm. Hermomwasatthefootofthestairs.We'donlymetacouple times.Shelookedlikeanolder,tallerversionofAngeAnge saidherfatherwastheshortonewithcontactsinsteadof glasses.Sheseemedtohavetentativelyclassedmeasagoodguy, andIappreciatedit. "Goodnight,MrsCarvelli,"Isaid. "Goodnight,MrYallow,"shesaid.Itwasoneofourlittle rituals,eversinceI'dcalledherMrsCarvelliwhenwefirstmet. Ifoundmyselfstandingawkwardlybythedoor. "Yes?"shesaid. "Um,"Isaid."Thanksforhavingmeover." "You'realwayswelcomeinourhome,youngman,"shesaid. "AndthanksforAnge,"Isaidfinally,hatinghowlameit sounded.Butshesmiledbroadlyandgavemeabriefhug. "You'reverywelcome,"shesaid. Thewholebusridehome,Ithoughtoverthepressconference, thoughtaboutAngenakedandwrithingwithmeonherbed, thoughtabouthermothersmilingandshowingmethedoor. apparentlyshownupanyway,andwhodevotedatenminute commentarytous,talkingaboutour"criminaltreason."Herkiller line,repeatedoneverynewsoutletIfound,was: "Theysaytheydon'thaveaname.I'vegotoneforthem.Let's callthesespoiledchildrenCalQuaeda.Theydotheterrorists' workonthehomefront.Whennotif,butwhenCalifornia getsattackedagain,thesebratswillbeasmuchtoblameasthe HouseofSaud." Leadersoftheantiwarmovementdenouncedusasfringe elements.OneguywentonTVtosaythathebelievedwehad beenfabricatedbytheDHStodiscreditthem. TheDHShadtheirownpressconferenceannouncingthatthey woulddoublethesecurityinSanFrancisco.Theyheldupan arphidclonerthey'dfoundsomewhereanddemonstrateditin action,usingittostageacartheft,andwarnedeveryonetobeon theiralertforyoungpeoplebehavingsuspiciously,especially thosewhosehandswereoutofsight. Theyweren'tkidding.IfinishedmyKerouacpaperandstarted inonapaperabouttheSummerofLove,thesummerof1967 whentheantiwarmovementandthehippiesconvergedonSan Francisco.TheguyswhofoundedBenandJerry'soldhippies themselveshadfoundedahippiemuseumintheHaight,and therewereotherarchivesandexhibitstoseearoundtown.

Butitwasn'teasygettingaround.Bytheendoftheweek,Iwas gettingfriskedanaverageoffourtimesaday.Copscheckedmy Mymomwaswaitingupforme.Sheaskedmeaboutthemovie IDandquestionedmeaboutwhyIwasoutinthestreet,carefully andIgavehertheresponseI'dworkedoutinadvance,cribbing eyeballingtheletterfromChavezsayingthatIwassuspended. fromthereviewithadgottenintheBayGuardian. Igotlucky.Noonearrestedme.ButtherestoftheXnetweren't AsIfellasleep,thepressconferencecameback.Iwasreally solucky.EverynighttheDHSannouncedmorearrests, proudofit.Ithadbeensocool,tohaveallthesebigshotjournos "ringleaders"and"operatives"ofXnet,peopleIdidn'tknowand showupinthegame,tohavethemlistentomeandtohavethem hadneverheardof,paradedonTValongwiththearphidsniffers listentoallthepeoplewhobelievedinthesamethingsasme.I andotherdevicesthathadbeenintheirpockets.Theyannounced droppedoffwithasmileonmylips. thatthepeoplewere"namingnames,"compromisingthe"Xnet network"andthatmorearrestswereexpectedsoon.Thename # "M1k3y"wasoftenheard. Ishouldhaveknownbetter. XNETLEADER:ICOULDGETMETALONTOAN AIRPLANE DHSDOESN'THAVEMYCONSENTTOGOVERN XNETKIDS:USAOUTOFSANFRANCISCO Dadlovedthis.HeandIwatchedthenewstogether,him gloating,meshrinkingaway,quietlyfreakingout."Youshould seethestuffthey'regoingtouseonthesekids,"Dadsaid."I've seenitinaction.They'llgetacoupleofthesekidsandcheckout theirfriendslistsonIMandthespeeddialsontheirphones,look fornamesthatcomeupoverandover,lookforpatterns,bringing inmorekids.They'regoingtounravelthemlikeanoldsweater."

IcanceledAnge'sdinneratourplaceandstartedspendingeven Thosewerethegoodheadlines.Everyonesentmethearticlesto moretimethere.Ange'slittlesisterTinastartedtocallme"the blog,butitwasthelastthingIwantedtodo. houseguest,"asin"isthehouseguesteatingdinnerwithme tonight?"IlikedTina.Allshecaredaboutwasgoingoutand I'dblownit,somehow.Thepresshadcometomypress partyingandmeetingguys,butshewasfunnyandutterlydevoted conferenceandconcludedthatwewereterroristsorterrorist toAnge.Onenightasweweredoingthedishes,shedriedher dupes.TheworstwasthereporteronFoxNews,whohad handsandsaid,conversationally,"Youknow,youseemlikeanice

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/86 guy,Marcus.Mysister'sjustcrazyaboutyouandIlikeyoutoo. ButIhavetotellyousomething:ifyoubreakherheart,Iwill trackyoudownandpullyourscrotumoveryourhead.It'snota prettysight." IassuredherthatIwouldsoonerpullmyownscrotumovermy headthanbreakAnge'sheartandshenodded."Solongaswe're clearonthat." "Yoursisterisanut,"IsaidaswelayonAnge'sbedagain, lookingatXnetblogs.Thatisprettymuchallwedid:foolaround andreadXnet. "Didsheusethescrotumlineonyou?Ihateitwhenshedoes that.Shejustlovestheword'scrotum,'youknow.It'snothing personal." Ikissedher.Wereadsomemore. "Listentothis,"shesaid."Policeprojectfourtosixhundred arreststhisweekendinwhattheysaywillbethelargest coordinatedraidonXnetdissidentstodate." Ifeltlikethrowingup. "We'vegottostopthis,"Isaid."Youknowtherearepeoplewho aredoingmorejammingtoshowthatthey'renotintimidated? Isn'tthatjustcrazy?" "Ithinkit'sbrave,"shesaid."Wecan'tletthemscareusinto submission." "What?No,Ange,no.Wecan'tlethundredsofpeoplegoto jail.Youhaven'tbeenthere.Ihave.It'sworsethanyouthink.It's worsethanyoucanimagine." "Ihaveaprettyfertileimagination,"shesaid. "Stopit,OK?Beseriousforasecond.Iwon'tdothis.Iwon't sendthosepeopletojail.IfIdo,I'mtheguythatVanthinksI am." "Marcus,I'mbeingserious.Youthinkthatthesepeopledon't knowtheycouldgotojail?Theybelieveinthecause.Youbelieve inittoo.Givethemthecredittoknowwhatthey'regettinginto. It'snotuptoyoutodecidewhatriskstheycanorcan'ttake." "It'smyresponsibilitybecauseifItellthemtostop,they'll stop." "Ithoughtyouweren'ttheleader?" "I'mnot,ofcourseI'mnot.ButIcan'thelpitiftheylooktome forguidance.Andsolongastheydo,Ihavearesponsibilityto helpthemstaysafe.Youseethat,right?" "AllIseeisyougettingreadytocutandrunatthefirstsignof trouble.Ithinkyou'reafraidthey'regoingtofigureoutwhoyou are.Ithinkyou'reafraidforyou." "That'snotfair,"Isaid,sittingup,pullingawayfromher. "Really?Who'stheguywhonearlyhadaheartattackwhenhe thoughtthathissecretidentitywasout?" "Thatwasdifferent,"Isaid."Thisisn'taboutme.Youknowit isn't.Whyareyoubeinglikethis?" "Whyareyoulikethis?"shesaid."Whyaren'tyouwillingtobe theguywhowasbraveenoughtogetallthisstarted?" "Thisisn'tbrave,it'ssuicide." "Cheapteenagemelodrama,M1k3y." "Don'tcallmethat!" "What,'M1k3y'?Whynot,M1k3y?" Iputmyshoeson.Ipickedupmybag.Iwalkedhome. # > Why I'm not jamming > I won't tell anyone else what to do, because I'm not anyone's leader, no matter what Fox News thinks. > But I am going to tell you what I plan on doing. If you think that's the right thing to do, maybe you'll do it too. > I'm not jamming. Not this week. Maybe not next. It's not because I'm scared. It's because I'm smart enough to know that I'm better free than in prison. They figured out how to stop our tactic, so we need to come up with a new tactic. I don't care what the tactic is, but I want it to work. It's stupid to get arrested. It's only jamming if you get away with it. > There's another reason not to jam. If you get caught, they might use you to catch your friends, and their friends, and their friends. They might bust your friends even if they're not on Xnet, because the DHS is like a maddened bull and they don't exactly worry if they've got the right guy. > I'm not telling you what to do.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/87 > But the DHS is dumb and we're smart. Jamming proves that they can't fight terrorism because it proves that they can't even stop a bunch of kids. If you get caught, it makes them look like they're smarter than us. > THEY AREN'T SMARTER THAN US! We are smarter than them. Let's be smart. Let's figure out how to jam them, no matter how many goons they put on the streets of our city. Ipostedit.Iwenttobed. ImissedAnge. # AngeandIdidn'tspeakforthenextfourdays,includingthe weekend,andthenitwastimetogobacktoschool.I'dalmost calledheramilliontimes,writtenathousandunsentemailsand IMs. NowIwasbackinSocialStudiesclass,andMrsAndersen greetedmewithvoluble,sarcasticcourtesy,askingmesweetly howmy"holiday"hadbeen.Isatdownandmumblednothing.I couldhearCharlessnicker. ShetaughtusaclassonManifestDestiny,theideathatthe Americansweredestinedtotakeoverthewholeworld(oratleast that'showshemadeitseem)andseemedtobetryingtoprovoke meintosayingsomethingsoshecouldthrowmeout. Ifelttheeyesoftheclassonme,anditremindedmeofM1k3y andthepeoplewholookeduptohim.Iwassickofbeinglooked upto.ImissedAnge. Igotthroughtherestofthedaywithoutanythingmakingany kindofmarkonme.Idon'tthinkIsaideightwords. FinallyitwasoverandIhitthedoors,headingforthegatesand thestupidMissionandmypointlesshouse.

Hegottohiskneesandrockedbackandforth,likehewas drunkorhadhithishead. "Sorrybuddy,"hesaid."Didn'tseeyou.Youhurt?" Isatuptoo.Nothingfelthurt. "Um.No,it'sOK." Hestoodupandsmiled.Histeethwereshockinglywhiteand straight,likeanadforanorthodonticclinic.Heheldhishandout tomeandhisgripwasstrongandfirm. "I'mreallysorry."Hisvoicewasalsoclearandintelligent.I'd expectedhimtosoundlikethedrunkswhotalkedtothemselves astheyroamedtheMissionlateatnight,buthesoundedlikea knowledgeablebookstoreclerk. "It'snoproblem,"Isaid. Hestuckouthishandagain. "Zeb,"hesaid. "Marcus,"Isaid. "Apleasure,Marcus,"hesaid."Hopetorunintoyouagain sometime!" Laughing,hepickeduphisbackpack,turnedonhisheeland hurriedaway. # Iwalkedtherestofthewayhomeinabemusedfug.Momwas atthekitchentableandwehadalittlechataboutnothingatall, thewayweusedtodo,beforeeverythingchanged. Itookthestairsuptomyroomandfloppeddowninmychair. Foronce,Ididn'twanttologintotheXnet.I'dcheckedinthat morningbeforeschooltodiscoverthatmynotehadcreateda giganticcontroversyamongpeoplewhoagreedwithmeand peoplewhowererighteouslypissedthatIwastellingthemto backofffromtheirbelovedsport.

Iwasbarelyoutthegatewhensomeonecrashedintome.He wasayounghomelessguy,maybemyage,maybealittleolder. Heworealong,greasyovercoat,apairofbaggyjeans,androtting IhadthreethousandprojectsI'dbeeninthemiddleofwhenit sneakersthatlookedlikethey'dbeenthroughawoodchipper.His hadallstarted.Iwasbuildingapinholecameraoutoflegos,I'd longhairhungoverhisface,andhehadapubicbeardthat beenplayingwithaerialkitephotographyusinganolddigital straggleddownhisthroatintothecollarofanocolorknit camerawithatriggerhackedoutofsillyputtythatwasstretched sweater. outatlaunchandslowlysnappedbacktoitsoriginalshape, triggeringtheshutteratregularintervals.Ihadavacuumtube Itookthisallinaswelaynexttoeachotheronthesidewalk, ampI'dbeenbuildingintoanancient,rusted,dentedoliveoiltin peoplepassingusandgivingusweirdlooks.Itseemedthathe'd thatlookedlikeanarchaeologicalfindonceitwasdone,I'd crashedintomewhilehurryingdownValencia,bentoverwiththe plannedtobuildinadockformyphoneandasetof5.1surround burdenofasplitbackpackthatlaybesidehimonthepavement, soundspeakersoutoftunafishcans. coveredintightgeometricdoodlesinmagicmarker.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/88 Ilookedovermyworkbenchandfinallypickedupthepinhole camera.Methodicallysnappinglegostogetherwasjustaboutmy speed. Itookoffmywatchandthechunkysilvertwofingerringthat showedamonkeyandaninjasquaringofftofightanddropped themintothelittleboxIusedforallthecrapIloadintomy pocketsandaroundmyneckbeforesteppingoutfortheday: phone,wallet,keys,wifinder,change,batteries,retractable cables...Idumpeditalloutintothebox,andfoundmyself holdingsomethingIdidn'trememberputtinginthereinthefirst place. Itwasapieceofpaper,greyandsoftasflannel,furryatthe edgeswhereithadbeentornawayfromsomelargerpieceof paper.Itwascoveredinthetiniest,mostcarefulhandwritingI'd everseen.Iunfoldeditandhelditup.Thewritingcoveredboth sides,runningdownfromthetopleftcornerofonesidetoa crabbedsignatureatthebottomrightcorneroftheotherside. Thesignatureread,simply:ZEB. Ipickeditupandstartedtoread. > Dear Marcus > You don't know me but I know you. For the past three months, since the Bay Bridge was blown up, I have been imprisoned on Treasure Island. I was in the yard on the day you talked to that Asian girl and got tackled. You were brave. Good on you. > I had a burst appendix the day afterward and ended up in the infirmary. In the next bed was a guy named Darryl. We were both in recovery for a long time and by the time we got well, we were too much of an embarrassment to them to let go. > So they decided we must really be guilty. They questioned us every day. You've been through their questioning, I know. Imagine it for months. Darryl and I ended up cell-mates. We knew we were bugged, so we only talked about inconsequentialities. But at night, when we were in our cots, we would softly tap out messages to each other in Morse code (I knew my HAM radio days would come in useful sometime). > At first, their questions to us were just the same crap as ever, who did it, how'd they do it. But after a little while, they switched to asking us about the Xnet. Of course, we'd never heard of it. That didn't stop them asking. > Darryl told me that they brought him arphid cloners, Xboxes, all kinds of technology and demanded that he tell them who used them, where they learned to mod them. Darryl told me about your games and the things you learned. > Especially: The DHS asked us about our friends. Who did we know? What were they like? Did they have political feelings? Had they been in trouble at school? With the law? > We call the prison Gitmo-by-the-Bay. It's been a week since I got out and I don't think that anyone knows that their sons and daughters are imprisoned in the middle of the Bay. At night we could hear people laughing and partying on the mainland. > I got out last week. I won't tell you how, in case this falls into the wrong hands. Maybe others will take my route. > Darryl told me how to find you and made me promise to tell you what I knew when I got back. Now that I've done that I'm out of here like last year. One way or another, I'm leaving this country. Screw America. > Stay strong. They're scared of you. Kick them for me. Don't get caught. > Zeb ThereweretearsinmyeyesasIfinishedthenote.Ihada disposablelightersomewhereonmydeskthatIsometimesused tomelttheinsulationoffofwires,andIdugitoutandhelditto thenote.IknewIowedittoZebtodestroyitandmakesureno oneelseeversawit,incaseitmightleadthembacktohim, whereverhewasgoing. Iheldtheflameandthenote,butIcouldn'tdoit. Darryl. WithallthecrapwiththeXnetandAngeandtheDHS,I'd almostforgottenheexisted.He'dbecomeaghost,likeanold friendwho'dmovedawayorgoneonanexchangeprogram.All thattime,they'dbeenquestioninghim,demandingthatheratme out,explaintheXnet,thejammers.He'dbeenonTreasureIsland,

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/89 theabandonedmilitarybasethatwashalfwayalongthe demolishedspanoftheBayBridge.He'dbeensocloseIcould haveswamtohim. Iputthelighterdownandrereadthenote.Bythetimeitwas done,Iwasweeping,sobbing.Itallcamebacktome,thelady withtheseverehaircutandthequestionsshe'daskedandthereek ofpissandthestiffnessofmypantsastheurinedriedtheminto coarsecanvas. "Marcus?" Mydoorwasajarandmymotherwasstandinginit,watching mewithaworriedlook.Howlonghadshebeenthere? Iarmedthetearsawayfrommyfaceandsnortedupthesnot. "Mom,"Isaid."Hi." Shecameintomyroomandhuggedme."Whatisit?Doyou needtotalk?" Thenotelayonthetable. "Isthatfromyourgirlfriend?Iseverythingallright?" She'dgivenmeanout.Icouldjustblameitallonproblems withAngeandshe'dleavemyroomandleavemealone.Iopened mymouthtodojustthat,andthenthiscameout: "Iwasinjail.Afterthebridgeblew.Iwasinjailforthatwhole time." downallthetimetohearincrediblewritersspeak(William Gibsonwasunforgettable).Theyalsoproducelittlebaseball cardstyletradingcardsforeachauthorIhavetwofrommy ownappearancesthere. Booksmithhttp://thebooksmith.booksense.com1644HaightSt. SanFranciscoCA94117USA+14158638688 AtfirstMomlookedshocked,thenoutraged,andfinallyshegave upaltogetherandjustletherjawhangopenasItookherthrough theinterrogation,pissingmyself,thebagovermyhead,Darryl.I showedherthenote. "Why?" Inthatsinglesyllable,everyrecriminationI'ddealtmyselfin thenight,everymomentthatI'dlackedthebraverytotellthe worldwhatitwasreallyabout,whyIwasreallyfighting,what hadreallyinspiredtheXnet. Isuckedinabreath. "TheytoldmeI'dgotojailifItalkedaboutit.Notjustforafew days.Forever.IwasIwasscared." Momsatwithmeforalongtime,notsayinganything.Then, "WhataboutDarryl'sfather?" Shemightaswellhavestuckaknittingneedleinmychest. Darryl'sfather.HemusthaveassumedthatDarrylwasdead,long dead.

Thesobsthatcamethendidn'tsoundlikemyvoice.They soundedlikeananimalnoise,maybeadonkeyorsomekindof Andwasn'the?AftertheDHShasheldyouillegallyforthree bigcatnoiseinthenight.Isobbedsomythroatburnedandached months,wouldtheyeverletyougo? withit,somychestheaved. Momtookmeinherarms,thewaysheusedtowhenIwasa littleboy,andshestrokedmyhair,andshemurmuredinmyear, androckedme,andgradually,slowly,thesobsdissipated. ItookadeepbreathandMomgotmeaglassofwater.Isaton theedgeofmybedandshesatinmydeskchairandItoldher everything. Everything. Well,mostofit. Chapter16 ButZebgotout.MaybeDarrylwouldgetout.Maybemeand theXnetcouldhelpgetDarrylout. "Ihaven'ttoldhim,"Isaid. NowMomwascrying.Shedidn'tcryeasily.ItwasaBritish thing.Itmadeherlittlehiccoughingsobsmuchworsetohear. "Youwilltellhim,"shemanaged."Youwill." "Iwill." "Butfirstwehavetotellyourfather." #

ThischapterisdedicatedtoSanFrancisco'sBooksmith, Dadnolongerhadanyregulartimewhenhecamehome. ensconcedinthestoriedHaightAshburyneighborhood,justa Betweenhisconsultingclientswhohadlotsofworknowthat fewdoorsdownfromtheBenandJerry'sattheexactcornerof HaightandAshbury.TheBooksmithfolksreallyknowhowtorun theDHSwasshoppingfordataminingstartupsonthepeninsula andthelongcommutetoBerkeley,hemightgethomeanytime anauthoreventwhenIlivedinSanFrancisco,Iusedtogo

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/90 between6PMandmidnight. TonightMomcalledhimandtoldhimhewascominghome rightnow.Hesaidsomethingandshejustrepeatedit:rightnow. Whenhegotthere,wehadarrangedourselvesintheliving roomwiththenotebetweenusonthecoffeetable. Itwaseasiertotell,thesecondtime.Thesecretwasgetting lighter.Ididn'tembellish,Ididn'thideanything.Icameclean. "ToseeDarryl'sfather.Thenwe'regoingtoBarbaraStratford's place." # IknewthenameBarbaraStratfordfromsomewhere,butI couldn'trememberwhere.Ithoughtthatmaybeshewasanold friendofmyparents,butIcouldn'texactlyplaceher.

Meantime,IwasheadedforDarryl'sfather'splace.I'dnever reallyfeltcomfortablearoundtheoldman,who'dbeenaNavy I'dheardofcomingcleanbeforebutI'dneverunderstoodwhat radiooperatorandranhishouseholdlikeatightship.He'dtaught itmeantuntilIdidit.Holdinginthesecrethaddirtiedme,soiled DarrylMorsecodewhenhewasakid,whichI'dalwaysthought myspirit.Ithadmademeafraidandashamed.Ithadmademe wascool.ItwasoneofthewaysIknewthatIcouldtrustZeb's intoallthethingsthatAngesaidIwas. letter.ButforeverycoolthinglikeMorsecode,Darryl'sfather hadsomecrazymilitarydisciplinethatseemedtobeforitsown Dadsatstiffasaramrodthewholetime,hisfacecarvedof sake,likeinsistingonhospitalcornersonthebedsandshaving stone.WhenIhandedhimthenote,hereadittwiceandthensetit twiceaday.ItdroveDarrylupthewall. downcarefully. Darryl'smotherhadn'tlikeditmucheither,andhadtakenoff Heshookhisheadandstoodupandheadedforthefrontdoor. backtoherfamilyinMinnesotawhenDarrylwastenDarryl spenthissummersandChristmasesthere. "Whereareyougoing?"Momasked,alarmed. Iwassittinginthebackofthecar,andIcouldseethebackof "Ineedawalk,"wasallhemanagedtogasp,hisvoicebreaking. Dad'sheadashedrove.Themusclesinhisneckweretenseand keptjumpingaroundashegroundhisjaws. Westaredawkwardlyateachother,Momandme,andwaited forhimtocomehome.Itriedtoimaginewhatwasgoingoninhis Momkeptherhandonhisarm,butnoonewasaroundto head.He'dbeensuchadifferentmanafterthebombingsandI comfortme.IfonlyIcouldcallAnge.OrJolu.OrVan.MaybeI knewfromMomthatwhathadchangedhimwerethedaysof wouldwhenthedaywasdone. thinkingIwasdead.He'dcometobelievethattheterroristshad nearlykilledhissonandithadmadehimcrazy. "Hemusthaveburiedhissoninhismind,"Dadsaid,aswe whippedupthroughthehairpincurvesleadingupTwinPeaksto CrazyenoughtodowhatevertheDHSasked,tolineuplikea thelittlecottagethatDarrylandhisfathershared.Thefogwason goodlittlesheepandletthemcontrolhim,drivehim. TwinPeaks,thewayitoftenwasatnightinSanFrancisco, makingtheheadlampsreflectbackonus.Eachtimeweswung NowheknewthatitwastheDHSthathadimprisonedme,the aroundacorner,Isawthevalleysofthecitylaidoutbelowus, DHSthathadtakenSanFrancisco'schildrenhostageinGitmo bowlsoftwinklinglightsthatshiftedinthemist. bytheBay.Itmadeperfectsense,nowthatIthoughtofit.Of courseithadbeenTreasureIslandwhereI'dbeenkept.Where "Isthistheone?" elsewasatenminuteboatridefromSanFrancisco? "Yes,"Isaid."Thisisit."Ihadn'tbeentoDarryl'sinmonths, WhenDadcameback,helookedangrierthanheeverhadinhis butI'dspentenoughtimehereovertheyearstorecognizeitright life. off. "Youshouldhavetoldme!"heroared. Mominterposedherselfbetweenhimandme."You'reblaming thewrongperson,"shesaid."Itwasn'tMarcuswhodidthe kidnappingandtheintimidation." Heshookhisheadandstamped."I'mnotblamingMarcus.I knowexactlywho'stoblame.Me.MeandthestupidDHS.Get yourshoeson,grabyourcoats." "Wherearewegoing?" Thethreeofusstoodaroundthecarforalongmoment,waiting toseewhowouldgoandringthedoorbell.Tomysurprise,itwas me. Irangitandweallwaitedinheldbreathsilenceforaminute.I rangitagain.Darryl'sfather'scarwasinthedriveway,andwe'd seenalightburninginthelivingroom.Iwasabouttoringathird timewhenthedooropened. "Marcus?"Darryl'sfatherwasn'tanythinglikeIremembered him.Unshaven,inahousecoatandbarefeet,withlongtoenails andredeyes.He'dgainedweight,andasoftextrachinwobbled

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/91 beneaththefirmmilitaryjaw.Histhinhairwaswispyand disordered. "MrGlover,"Isaid.Myparentscrowdedintothedoorbehind me. "Hello,Ron,"mymothersaid. "Ron,"myfathersaid. "Youtoo?What'sgoingon?" "Canwecomein?" # Hislivingroomlookedlikeoneofthosenewssegmentsthey showaboutabandonedkidswhospendamonthlockedinbefore they'rerescuedbytheneighbors:frozenmealboxes,emptybeer cansandjuicebottles,moldycerealbowlsandpilesof newspapers.Therewasareekofcatpissandlittercrunched underneathourfeet.Evenwithoutthecatpiss,thesmellwas incredible,likeabusstationtoilet. Thecouchwasmadeupwithagrimysheetandacoupleof greasypillowsandthecushionshadadented,muchsleptupon look. Weallstoodthereforalongsilentmoment,embarrassment overwhelmingeveryotheremotion.Darryl'sfatherlookedlikehe wantedtodie. Slowly,hemovedasidethesheetsfromthesofaandclearedthe stacked,greasyfoodtraysoffofacoupleofthechairs,carrying themintothekitchen,and,fromthesoundofit,tossingthemon thefloor. Wesatgingerlyintheplaceshe'dcleared,andthenhecame backandsatdowntoo. "I'msorry,"hesaidvaguely."Idon'treallyhaveanycoffeeto offeryou.I'mhavingmoregroceriesdeliveredtomorrowsoI'm runninglow" "Ron,"myfathersaid."Listentous.Wehavesomethingtotell you,andit'snotgoingtobeeasytohear." HesatlikeastatueasItalked.Heglanceddownatthenote, readitwithoutseemingtounderstandit,thenreaditagain.He handeditbacktome. Hewastrembling. "He's" That'swhereIknewthenamefrom.ThefreeweeklyGuardian oftenlostitsreporterstobiggerdailypapersandtheInternet,but BarbaraStratfordhadbeenthereforever.Ihadadimmemoryof havingdinnerwithherwhenIwasakid. "We'regoingtherenow,"mymothersaid."Willyoucomewith us,Ron?WillyoutellherDarryl'sstory?" Heputhisfaceinhishandsandbreatheddeeply.Dadtriedto puthishandonhisshoulders,butMrGlovershookitoff violently. "Ineedtocleanmyselfup,"hesaid."Givemeaminute." MrGlovercamebackdownstairsachangedman.He'dshaved andgelledhishairback,andhadputonacrispmilitarydress uniformwitharowofcampaignribbonsonthebreast.He stoppedatthefootofthestairsandkindofgesturedatit. "Idon'thavemuchcleanstuffthat'spresentableatthemoment. Andthisseemedappropriate.Youknow,ifshewantedtotake pictures." HeandDadrodeupfrontandIgotintheback,behindhim.Up close,hesmelledalittleofbeer,likeitwascomingthroughhis pores. # ItwasmidnightbythetimewerolledintoBarbaraStratford's driveway.Shelivedoutoftown,downinMountainView,andas wespeddownthe101,noneofussaidaword.Thehightech buildingsalongsidethehighwaystreamedpastus. ThiswasadifferentBayAreatotheoneIlivedin,morelike thesuburbanAmericaIsometimessawonTV.Lotsoffreeways andsubdivisionsofidenticalhouses,townswherethereweren't anyhomelesspeoplepushingshoppingcartsdownthesidewalk thereweren'tevensidewalks! MomhadphonedBarbaraStratfordwhilewewerewaitingfor MrGlovertocomedownstairs.Thejournalisthadbeensleeping, butMomhadbeensowoundupsheforgottobeallBritishand embarrassedaboutwakingherup.Instead,shejusttoldher, tensely,thatshehadsomethingtotalkaboutandthatithadtobe inperson.

Hestuffedhisfistinhismouthandmadeahorriblegroaning sound. "Wehaveafriend,"myfathersaid."ShewritesfortheBay Guardian.Aninvestigativereporter."

WhenwerolleduptoBarbaraStratford'shouse,myfirst "Darrylisalive,"Isaid."Darrylisaliveandbeingheldprisoner thoughtwasoftheBradyBunchplacealowranchhousewitha onTreasureIsland." brickbaffleinfrontofitandaneat,perfectlysquarelawn.There

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/92 wasakindofabstracttilepatternonthebaffle,andanold fashionedUHFTVantennarisingfrombehindit.Wewandered aroundtotheentranceandsawthattherewerelightsoninside already. canpromiseyouthatI'lltakeitallinconfidence.ButIcan't promisethatI'lldoanythingwithit,orthatit'sgoingtoget published."ThewayshesaiditmademerealizethatmyMom hadcalledinaprettybigfavorgettingthisladyoutofbed,friend ornofriend.Itmustbekindofapainintheasstobeabigshot investigativereporter.Therewereprobablyamillionpeoplewho wouldhavelikedhertotakeuptheircause.

Thewriteropenedthedoorbeforewehadachancetoringthe bell.Shewasaboutmyparents'age,atallthinwomanwitha hawklikenoseandshrewdeyeswithalotoflaughlines.Shewas wearingapairofjeansthatwerehipenoughtobeseenatoneof Momnoddedatme.EventhoughI'dtoldthestorythreetimes theboutiquesonValenciaStreet,andalooseIndiancottonblouse thatnight,Ifoundmyselftonguetied.Thiswasdifferentfrom thathungdowntoherthighs.Shehadsmallroundglassesthat tellingmyparents.DifferentfromtellingDarryl'sfather.This flashedinherhallwaylight. thiswouldstartanewmoveinthegame. Shesmiledatightlittlesmileatus. "Youbroughtthewholeclan,Isee,"shesaid. Momnodded."You'llunderstandwhyinaminute,"shesaid. MrGloversteppedfrombehindDad. "AndyoucalledintheNavy?" "Allingoodtime." Wewereintroducedoneatatimetoher.Shehadafirm handshakeandlongfingers.

Istartedslowly,andwatchedBarbaratakenotes.Idranka wholecupofcoffeejustexplainingwhatARGingwasandhowI gotoutofschooltoplay.MomandDadandMrGloverall listenedintentlytothispart.Ipouredmyselfanothercupand drankitonthewaytoexplaininghowweweretakenin.Bythe timeI'drunthroughthewholestory,I'ddrainedthepotandI neededapisslikearacehorse. Herbathroomwasjustasstarkasthelivingroom,witha brown,organicsoapthatsmelledlikecleanmud.Icamebackin andfoundtheadultsquietlywatchingme.

MrGlovertoldhisstorynext.Hedidn'thaveanythingtosay aboutwhathadhappened,butheexplainedthathewasaveteran HerplacewasfurnishedinJapaneseminimaliststyle,justafew andthathissonwasagoodkid.Hetalkedaboutwhatitfeltlike preciselyproportioned,lowpiecesoffurniture,largeclaypotsof tobelievethathissonhaddied,abouthowhisexwifehadhada bamboothatbrushedtheceiling,andwhatlookedlikealarge, collapsewhenshefoundoutandendedupinahospital.Hecried rustedpieceofadieselengineperchedontopofapolished alittle,unashamed,thetearsstreamingdownhislinedfaceand marbleplinth.IdecidedIlikedit.Thefloorswereoldwood, darkeningthecollarofhisdressuniform. sandedandstained,butnotfilled,soyoucouldseecracksandpits underneaththevarnish.Ireallylikedthat,especiallyasIwalked Whenitwasalldone,Barbarawentintoadifferentroomand overitinmystockingfeet. camebackwithabottleofIrishwhiskey."It'saBushmills15year oldrumcaskagedblend,"shesaid,settingdownfoursmallcups. "Ihavecoffeeon,"shesaid."Whowantssome?" Noneforme."Ithasn'tbeensoldintenyears.Ithinkthisis probablyanappropriatetimetobreakitout." Weallputupourhands.Iglareddefiantlyatmyparents. Shepouredthemeachasmallglassoftheliquor,thenraised "Right,"shesaid. hersandsippedatit,draininghalftheglass.Therestoftheadults followedsuit.Theydrankagain,andfinishedtheglasses.She Shedisappearedintoanotherroomandcamebackamoment pouredthemnewshots. laterbearingaroughbambootraywithahalfgallonthermosjug andsixcupsofprecisedesignbutwithrough,sloppydecorations. "Allright,"shesaid."Here'swhatIcantellyourightnow.I Ilikedthosetoo. believeyou.NotjustbecauseIknowyou,Lillian.Thestory soundsright,andittiesinwithotherrumorsI'veheard.ButI'm "Now,"shesaid,onceshe'dpouredandserved."It'sverygood notgoingtobeabletojusttakeyourwordforit.I'mgoingtohave toseeyouallagain.Marcus,IthinkthelasttimeIsawyou,you toinvestigateeveryaspectofthis,andeveryelementofyourlives weremaybesevenyearsold.AsIrecall,youwereveryexcited andstories.Ineedtoknowifthere'sanythingyou'renottelling aboutyournewvideogames,whichyoushowedme." me,anythingthatcouldbeusedtodiscredityouafterthiscomes tolight.Ineedeverything.ItcouldtakeweeksbeforeI'mreadyto Ididn'trememberitatall,butthatsoundedlikewhatI'dbeen publish. intoatseven.IguesseditwasmySegaDreamcast. "YoualsoneedtothinkaboutyoursafetyandthisDarryl's Sheproducedataperecorderandayellowpadandapen,and safety.Ifhe'sreallyan'unperson'thenbringingpressuretobear twirledthepen."I'mheretolistentowhateveryoutellme,andI ontheDHScouldcausethemtomovehimsomewheremuch

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/93 furtheraway.ThinkSyria.Theycouldalsodosomethingmuch worse."Sheletthathangintheair.Iknewshemeantthatthey mightkillhim. "I'mgoingtotakethisletterandscanitnow.Iwantpicturesof thetwoofyou,nowandlaterwecansendoutaphotographer, butIwanttodocumentthisasthoroughlyasIcantonight,too." "DoyouhaveanXboxUniversal?Icouldbringoveran installer." "Yes,I'msurethatcanbearranged.Whenyoucomeby,tellthe receptionistthatyou'reMrBrown,toseeme.Theyknowwhat thatmeans.Nonotewillbetakenofyoucoming,andallthe securitycamerafootageforthedaywillbeautomatically scrubbedandthecamerasdeactivateduntilyouleave."

Iwentwithherintoherofficetodothescan.I'dexpecteda stylish,lowpoweredcomputerthatfitinwithherdecor,but "Wow,"Isaid."YouthinklikeIdo." instead,hersparebedroom/officewascrammedwithtopofthe linePCs,bigflatpanelmonitors,andascannerbigenoughtolay Shesmiledandsockedmeintheshoulder."Kiddo,I'vebeenat awholesheetofnewsprinton.Shewasfastwithitall,too.Inoted thisgameforahellofalongtime.Sofar,I'vemanagedtospend withsomeapprovalthatshewasrunningParanoidLinux.This moretimefreethanbehindbars.Paranoiaismyfriend." ladytookherjobseriously. # Thecomputers'fanssetupaneffectivewhitenoiseshield,but evenso,Iclosedthedoorandmovedinclosetoher. Iwaslikeazombiethenextdayinschool.I'dtotaledabout threehoursofsleep,andeventhreecupsoftheTurk'scaffeine "Um,Barbara?" mudfailedtojumpstartmybrain.Theproblemwithcaffeineis thatit'stooeasytogetacclimatedtoit,soyouhavetotakehigher "Yes?" andhigherdosesjusttogetabovenormal. "Aboutwhatyousaid,aboutwhatmightbeusedtodiscredit me?" "Yes?" "WhatItellyou,youcan'tbeforcedtotellanyoneelse,right?" "Intheory.Letmeputitthisway.I'vegonetojailtwicerather thanratoutasource." "OK,OK.Good.Wow.Jail.Wow.OK."Itookadeepbreath. "You'veheardofXnet?OfM1k3y?" "Yes?" "I'mM1k3y." "Oh,"shesaid.Sheworkedthescannerandflippedthenote overtogetthereverse.Shewasscanningatsomeunbelievable resolution,10,000dotsperinchorhigher,andonscreenitwas liketheoutputofanelectrontunnelingmicroscope. "Well,thatdoesputadifferentcomplexiononthis." "Yeah,"Isaid."Iguessitdoes." "Yourparentsdon'tknow." "Nope.AndIdon'tknowifIwantthemto." "That'ssomethingyou'regoingtohavetoworkout.Ineedto thinkaboutthis.Canyoucomebymyoffice?I'dliketotalkto youaboutwhatthismeans,exactly." I'dspentthenightthinkingoverwhatIhadtodo.Itwaslike runningthoughamazeoftwistylittlepassages,allalike,every oneleadingtothesamedeadend.WhenIwenttoBarbara,it wouldbeoverforme.Thatwastheoutcome,nomatterhowI thoughtaboutit. Bythetimetheschooldaywasover,allIwantedwastogo homeandcrawlintobed.ButIhadanappointmentattheBay Guardian,downonthewaterfront.IkeptmyeyesonmyfeetasI wobbledoutthegate,andasIturnedinto24thStreet,anotherpair offeetfellintostepwithme.Irecognizedtheshoesandstopped. "Ange?" ShelookedlikeIfelt.Sleepdeprivedandraccooneyed,with sadbracketsinthecornersofhermouth. "Hithere,"shesaid."Surprise.IgavemyselfFrenchLeavefrom school.Icouldn'tconcentrateanyway." "Um,"Isaid. "Shutupandgivemeahug,youidiot." Idid.Itfeltgood.Betterthangood.ItfeltlikeI'damputated partofmyselfandithadbeenreattached. "Iloveyou,MarcusYallow." "Iloveyou,AngelaCarvelli." "OK,"shesaidbreakingitoff."Ilikedyourpostaboutwhy you'renotjamming.Icanrespectit.Whathaveyoudoneabout findingawaytojamthemwithoutgettingcaught?"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/94 Icouldn'ttrusthertodorightbyme,Iwasdoomedanyway. "I'monmywaytomeetaninvestigativejournalistwho'sgoing topublishastoryabouthowIgotsenttojail,howIstartedXnet, andhowDarrylisbeingillegallyheldbytheDHSatasecret prisononTreasureIsland." "Oh."Shelookedaroundforamoment."Couldn'tyouthinkof anything,youknow,ambitious?" "Wanttocome?" "No,that'sOK,"Isaid. "Right,let'sgo.Younglady,mynameisBarbaraStratfordand I'maninvestigativereporter.IgatheryouknowwhyI'mhere,and I'mcurioustoknowwhyyou'rehere." "IworkwithMarcusontheXnet,"shesaid."Doyouneedto knowmyname?"

"Iamcoming,yes.AndIwouldlikeyoutoexplainthisindetail "Notrightnow,Idon't,"Barbarasaid."Youcanbeanonymous ifyoudon'tmind." ifyou'dlike.Marcus,IaskedyoutotellmethisstorybecauseI needtoknowhowitplayswiththestoryyoutoldmeaboutyour Afteralltheretellings,thisone,toldaswewalkedtoPotrero friendDarrylandthenoteyoushowedme.Icanseehowitwould Avenueanddownto15thStreet,wastheeasiest.Sheheldmy beagoodadjunct;IcouldpitchthisastheoriginoftheXnet. handandsqueezeditoften. 'Theymadeanenemythey'llneverforget,'thatsortofthing.But WetookthestairsuptotheBayGuardian'sofficestwoata tobehonest,I'drathernothavetotellthatstoryifIdon'thaveto. time.Myheartwaspounding.Igottothereceptiondeskandtold theboredgirlbehindit,"I'mheretoseeBarbaraStratford.My "I'dratherhaveanicecleantaleaboutthesecretprisononour nameisMrGreen." doorstep,withouthavingtoargueaboutwhethertheprisoners therearethesortofpeoplelikelytowalkoutthedoorsand "IthinkyoumeanMrBrown?" establishanundergroundmovementbentondestabilizingthe federalgovernment.I'msureyoucanunderstandthat." "Yeah,"Isaid,andblushed."MrBrown." Idid.IftheXnetwaspartofthestory,somepeoplewouldsay, Shedidsomethingathercomputer,thensaid,"Haveaseat. see,theyneedtoputguyslikethatinjailorthey'llstartariot. Barbarawillbeoutinaminute.CanIgetyouanything?" "Thisisyourshow,"Isaid."Ithinkyouneedtotelltheworld "Coffee,"webothsaidinunison.AnotherreasontoloveAnge: aboutDarryl.Whenyoudothat,it'sgoingtotelltheDHSthat wewereaddictedtothesamedrug. I'vegonepublicandthey'regoingtogoafterme.Maybethey'll figureoutthenthatI'minvolvedwiththeXnet.Maybethey'll Thereceptionistaprettylatinawomanonlyafewyearsolder connectmetoM1k3y.IguesswhatI'msayingis,onceyou thanus,dressedinGapstylessooldtheywereactuallykindof publishaboutDarryl,it'salloverformenomatterwhat.I've hipsterretronoddedandsteppedoutandcamebackwitha mademypeacewiththat." coupleofcupsbearingthenewspaper'smasthead. "Asgoodbehangedforasheepasalamb,"shesaid."Right. Wesippedinsilence,watchingvisitorsandreporterscomeand Well,that'ssettled.Iwantthetwoofyoutotellmeeverything go.Finally,Barbaracametogetus.Shewaswearingpractically youcanaboutthefoundingandoperationoftheXnet,andthenI thesamethingasthenightbefore.Itsuitedher.Shequirkedan wantademonstration.Whatdoyouuseitfor?Whoelseusesit? eyebrowatmewhenshesawthatI'dbroughtadate. Howdiditspread?Whowrotethesoftware?Everything." "Hello,"Isaid."Um,thisis" "MsBrown,"Angesaid,extendingahand.Oh,yeah,right,our identitiesweresupposedtobeasecret."IworkwithMrGreen." Sheelbowedmelightly. "This'lltakeawhile,"Angesaid. "I'vegotawhile,"Barbarasaid.Shedranksomecoffeeandate afakeOreo."ThiscouldbethemostimportantstoryoftheWar onTerror.Thiscouldbethestorythattopplesthegovernment. Whenyouhaveastorylikethis,youtakeitverycarefully."

"Let'sgothen,"Barbarasaid,andledusbacktoaboardroom withlongglasswallswiththeirblindsdrawnshut.Shesetdowna trayofWholeFoodsorganicOreoclones,adigitalrecorder,and Chapter17 anotheryellowpad. ThischapterisdedicatedtoWaterstone's,thenationalUK "Doyouwanttorecordthistoo?"sheasked. booksellingchain.Waterstone'sisachainofstores,buteachone hasthefeelofagreatindependentstore,withtonsofpersonality, Hadn'tactuallythoughtofthat.Icouldseewhyitwouldbe greatstock(especiallyaudiobooks!),andknowledgeablestaff. usefulifIwantedtodisputewhatBarbaraprinted,though.Still,if

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/95

Waterstoneshttp://www.waterstones.com Sowetoldher.Ifounditreallyfun,actually.Teachingpeople howtousetechnologyisalwaysexciting.It'ssocooltowatch peoplefigureouthowthetechnologyaroundthemcanbeusedto maketheirlivesbetter.Angewasgreattoowemadean excellentteam.We'dtradeoffexplaininghowitallworked. Barbarawasprettygoodatthisstufftobeginwith,ofcourse. Itturnedoutthatshe'dcoveredthecryptowars,theperiodin theearlyninetieswhencivillibertiesgroupsliketheElectronic FrontierFoundationfoughtfortherightofAmericanstouse strongcrypto.Idimlyknewaboutthatperiod,butBarbara explaineditinawaythatmademegetgoosepimples. It'sunbelievabletoday,buttherewasatimewhenthe governmentclassedcryptoasamunitionandmadeitillegalfor anyonetoexportoruseitonnationalsecuritygrounds.Getthat? Weusedtohaveillegalmathinthiscountry. TheNationalSecurityAgencyweretherealmoversbehindthe ban.Theyhadacryptostandardthattheysaidwasstrongenough forbankersandtheircustomerstouse,butnotsostrongthatthe mafiawouldbeabletokeepitsbookssecretfromthem.The standard,DES56,wassaidtobepracticallyunbreakable.Then oneofEFF'smillionairecofoundersbuilta$250,000DES56 crackerthatcouldbreakthecipherintwohours. StilltheNSAarguedthatitshouldbeabletokeepAmerican citizensfrompossessingsecretsitcouldn'tpryinto.ThenEFF dealtitsdeathblow.In1995,theyrepresentedaBerkeley mathematicsgradstudentcalledDanBernsteinincourt. Bernsteinhadwrittenacryptotutorialthatcontainedcomputer codethatcouldbeusedtomakeacipherstrongerthanDES56. Millionsoftimesstronger.AsfarastheNSAwasconcerned,that madehisarticleintoaweapon,andthereforeunpublishable. Well,itmaybehardtogetajudgetounderstandcryptoand whatitmeans,butitturnedoutthattheaverageAppealsCourt judgeisn'trealenthusiasticabouttellinggradstudentswhatkind ofarticlesthey'reallowedtowrite.Thecryptowarsendedwitha victoryforthegoodguyswhenthe9thCircuitAppellateDivision Courtruledthatcodewasaformofexpressionprotectedunder theFirstAmendment"Congressshallmakenolawabridging thefreedomofspeech."Ifyou'veeverboughtsomethingonthe Internet,orsentasecretmessage,orcheckedyourbankbalance, youusedcryptothatEFFlegalized.Goodthing,too:theNSAjust isn'tthatsmart.Anythingtheyknowhowtocrack,youcanbe surethatterroristsandmobsterscangetaroundtoo.

Soshegotit.Idon'tthinkIcouldhaveexplainedthisstuffto myparents,butwithBarbaraitwaseasy.Sheaskedsmart questionsaboutourcryptographicprotocolsandsecurity procedures,sometimesaskingstuffIdidn'tknowtheanswerto sometimespointingoutpotentialbreaksinourprocedure. WepluggedintheXboxandgotitonline.Therewerefouropen WiFinodesvisiblefromtheboardroomandItoldittochange betweenthematrandomintervals.Shegotthistooonceyou wereactuallypluggedintotheXnet,itwasjustlikebeingonthe Internet,onlysomestuffwasalittleslower,anditwasall anonymousandunsniffable. "Sonowwhat?"Isaidaswewounddown.I'dtalkedmyselfdry andIhadaterribleacidfeelingfromthecoffee.Besides,Ange keptsqueezingmyhandunderthetableinawaythatmademe wanttobreakawayandfindsomewhereprivatetofinishmaking upforourfirstfight. "NowIdojournalism.YougoawayandIresearchallthethings you'vetoldmeandtrytoconfirmthemtotheextentthatIcan.I'll letyouseewhatI'mgoingtopublishandI'llletyouknowwhen it'sgoingtogolive.I'dpreferthatyounottalkaboutthiswith anyoneelsenow,becauseIwantthescoopandbecauseIwantto makesurethatIgetthestorybeforeitgoesallmuddyfrompress speculationandDHSspin. "IwillhavetocalltheDHSforcommentbeforeIgotopress, butI'lldothatinawaythatprotectsyoutowhateverextent possible.I'llalsobesuretoletyouknowbeforethathappens. "OnethingIneedtobeclearon:thisisn'tyourstoryanymore. It'smine.YouwereverygeneroustogiveittomeandI'lltryto repaythegift,butyoudon'tgettherighttoeditanythingout,to changeit,ortostopme.Thisisnowinmotionanditwon'tstop. Doyouunderstandthat?" Ihadn'tthoughtaboutitinthosetermsbutonceshesaidit,it wasobvious.ItmeantthatIhadlaunchedandIwouldn'tbeable torecalltherocket.Itwasgoingtofallwhereitwasaimed,orit wouldgooffcourse,butitwasintheairandcouldn'tbechanged now.Sometimeinthenearfuture,IwouldstopbeingMarcusI wouldbeapublicfigure.I'dbetheguywhoblewthewhistleon theDHS. I'dbeadeadmanwalking. IguessAngewasthinkingalongthesamelines,becauseshe'd goneacolorbetweenwhiteandgreen.

"Let'sgetoutofhere,"shesaid. Barbarahadbeenoneofthereporterswho'dmadeher reputationfromcoveringtheissue.She'dcutherteethcovering # thetailendofthecivilrightsmovementinSanFrancisco,andshe recognizedthesimilaritybetweenthefightfortheConstitutionin Ange'smomandsisterwereoutagain,whichmadeiteasyto therealworldandthefightincyberspace. decidewhereweweregoingfortheevening.Itwaspastsupper

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/96 time,butmyparentshadknownthatIwasmeetingwithBarbara andwouldn'tgivemeanygriefifIcamehomelate. WhenwegottoAnge's,IhadnourgetopluginmyXbox.Ihad hadalltheXnetIcouldhandleforoneday.AllIcouldthink aboutwasAnge,Ange,Ange.LivingwithoutAnge.Knowing Angewasangrywithme.Angenevergoingtotalktomeagain. Angenevergoingtokissmeagain. She'dbeenthinkingthesame.Icouldseeitinhereyesaswe shutthedoortoherbedroomandlookedateachother.Iwas hungryforher,likeyou'dhungerfordinnerafternoteatingfor days.Likeyou'dthirstforaglassofwaterafterplayingsoccerfor threehoursstraight. Likenoneofthat.Itwasmore.ItwassomethingI'dneverfelt before.Iwantedtoeatherwhole,devourher. Upuntilnow,she'dbeenthesexualoneinourrelationship.I'd lethersetandcontrolthepace.Itwasamazinglyerotictohave hergrabmeandtakeoffmyshirt,dragmyfacetohers. ButtonightIcouldn'tholdback.Iwouldn'tholdback. ThedoorclickedshutandIreachedforthehemofhertshirt andyanked,barelygivinghertimetoliftherarmsasIpulledit overherhead.Itoremyownshirtovermyhead,listeningtothe cottoncrackleasthestitchescameloose. Afterwards,Ifeltthesame.ButIalsofeltdifferent.Something hadchangedbetweenus. Itwasweird.Wewerebothshyasweputourclothesonand putteredaroundtheroom,lookingaway,notmeetingeachother's eyes.Iwrappedthecondominakleenexfromaboxbesidethe bedandtookitintothebathroomandwounditwithtoiletpaper andstuckitdeepintothetrashcan. WhenIcamebackin,Angewassittingupinbedandplaying withherXbox.Isatdowncarefullybesideherandtookherhand. Sheturnedtofacemeandsmiled.Wewerebothwornout, trembly. "Thanks,"Isaid. Shedidn'tsayanything.Sheturnedherfacetome.Shewas grinninghugely,butfattearswererollingdownhercheeks. Ihuggedherandshegrabbedtightlyontome."You'reagood man,MarcusYallow,"shewhispered."Thankyou." Ididn'tknowwhattosay,butIsqueezedherback.Finally,we parted.Shewasn'tcryinganymore,butshewasstillsmiling. ShepointedatmyXbox,onthefloorbesidethebed.Itookthe hint.Ipickeditupandpluggeditinandloggedin.

Sameoldsameold.Lotsofemail.ThenewpostsontheblogsI readstreamedin.Spam.GoddidIgetalotofspam.MySwedish mailboxwasrepeatedly"joejobbed"usedasthereturnaddress forspamssenttohundredsofmillionsofInternetaccounts,so thatallthebouncesandangrymessagescamebacktome.Ididn't Itookofftherestofourclotheswithequalzest,throwingthem knowwhowasbehindit.MaybetheDHStryingtooverwhelm intothepilesofdirtyandcleanlaundryonthefloor.Therewere mymailbox.Maybeitwasjustpeoplepranking.ThePirateParty booksandpapersalloverthebedandIsweptthemaside.We hadprettygoodfilters,though,andtheygaveanyonewhowanted landedontheunmadebedclothesasecondlater,armsaroundone it500gigabytesofemailstorage,soIwasn'tlikelytobedrowned another,squeezinglikewewouldpullourselvesrightthroughone anytimesoon. another.ShemoanedintomymouthandImadethesoundback, andIfelthervoicebuzzinmyvocalchords,afeelingmore Ifiltereditallout,hammeringonthedeletekey.Ihada intimatethananythingI'deverfeltbefore. separatemailboxforstuffthatcameinencryptedtomypublic key,sincethatwaslikelytobeXnetrelatedandpossibly Shebrokeawayandreachedforthebedstand.Sheyankedopen sensitive.Spammershadn'tfiguredoutthatusingpublickeys thedrawerandthrewawhitepharmacybagonthebedbeforeme. wouldmaketheirjunkmailmoreplausibleyet,sofornowthis Ilookedinside.Condoms.Trojans.Onedozenspermicidal.Still workedwell. sealed.IsmiledatherandshesmiledbackandIopenedthebox. Therewereacoupledozenencryptedmessagesfrompeoplein # theweboftrust.Iskimmedthemlinkstovideosandpicsof newabusesfromtheDHS,horrorstoriesaboutnearescapes, I'dthoughtaboutwhatitwouldbelikeforyears.Ahundred rantsaboutstuffI'dblogged.Theusual. timesadayI'dimaginedit.Somedays,I'dthoughtofpractically nothingelse. ThenIcametoonethatwasonlyencryptedtomypublickey. Thatmeantthatnooneelsecouldreadit,butIhadnoideawho ItwasnothinglikeIexpected.Partsofitwerebetter.Partsofit hadwrittenit.ItsaiditcamefromMasha,whichcouldeitherbea werelotsworse.Whileitwasgoingon,itfeltlikeaneternity. handleoranameIcouldn'ttellwhich. Afterwards,itseemedtobeoverintheblinkofaneye. > M1k3y Hereyeswereshining,hermouthopen,herbreathingfastand shallow.Minewastoo,mybreathandmyheartandmybloodall roaringinmyears.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/97 That time will be sooner, not later. Believe. > You're probably wondering why I'm telling you this. > I am too. > Here's where I come from. I signed up to fight terrorists. Instead, I'm spying on Americans who believe things that the DHS doesn't like. Not people who plan on blowing up bridges, but protestors. I can't do it anymore. > But neither can you, whether or not you know it. Like I say, it's only a matter of time until you're in chains on Treasure Island. That's not if, that's when. > So I'm through here. Down in Los Angeles, there are some people. They say they can keep me safe if I want to get out. > I want to get out. > I will take you with me, if you want to come. Better to be a fighter than a martyr. If you come with me, we can figure out how to win together. I'm as smart as you. Believe. > What do you say? > Here's my public key. > Masha # Whenintroubleorindoubt,runincircles,screamandshout. Everhearthatrhyme?It'snotgoodadvice,butatleastit'seasy tofollow.Ileaptoffthebedandpacedbackandforth.Myheart thuddedandmybloodsanginacruelparodyofthewayI'dfelt whenwegothome.Thiswasn'tsexualexcitement,itwasraw terror. "What?"Angesaid."What?" Ipointedatthescreenonmysideofthebed.Sherolledover andgrabbedmykeyboardandscribedonthetouchpadwithher fingertip.Shereadinsilence. Ipaced.

> You don't know me, but I know you. > I was arrested the day that the bridge blew. They questioned me. They decided I was innocent. They offered me a job: help them hunt down the terrorists who'd killed my neighbors. > It sounded like a good deal at the time. Little did I realize that my actual job would turn out to be spying on kids who resented their city being turned into a police state. > I infiltrated Xnet on the day it launched. I am in your web of trust. If I wanted to spill my identity, I could send you email from an address you'd trust. Three addresses, actually. I'm totally inside your network as only another 17-year-old can be. Some of the email you've gotten has been carefully chosen misinformation from me and my handlers. > They don't know who you are, but they're coming close. They continue to turn people, to compromise them. They mine the social network sites and use threats to turn kids into informants. There are hundreds of people working for the DHS on Xnet right now. I have their names, handles and keys. Private and public. > Within days of the Xnet launch, we went to work on exploiting ParanoidLinux. The exploits so far have been small and insubstantial, but a break is inevitable. Once we have a zero-day break, you're dead. > I think it's safe to say that if my handlers knew that I was typing this, my ass would be stuck in Gitmo-by-theBay until I was an old woman. > Even if they don't break ParanoidLinux, there are poisoned ParanoidXbox distros floating around. They don't match the checksums, but how many people look at the checksums? Besides me and you? Plenty of kids are already dead, though they don't know it. > All that remains is for my handlers to figure out the best time to bust you to make the biggest impact in the media.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/98 "Thishastobelies,"shesaid."TheDHSisplayinggameswith yourhead." Ilookedather.Shewasbitingherlip.Shedidn'tlooklikeshe believedit. "Youthink?" "Sure.Theycan'tbeatyou,sothey'recomingafteryouusing Xnet." "Yeah." Isatbackdownonthebed.Iwasbreathingfastagain. "Chillout,"shesaid."It'sjustheadgames.Here." Shenevertookmykeyboardfrommebefore,butnowtherewas anewintimacybetweenus.Shehitreplyandtyped, > Nice try. ShewaswritingasM1k3ynow,too.Weweretogetherinaway thatwasdifferentfrombefore. "Goaheadandsignit.We'llseewhatshesays." Ididn'tknowifthatwasthebestidea,butIdidn'thaveany betterones.Isigneditandencrypteditwithmyprivatekeyand thepublickeyMashahadprovided. Thereplywasinstant. > I thought you'd say something like that. > Here's a hack you haven't thought of. I can anonymously tunnel video over DNS. Here are some links to clips you might want to look at before you decide I'm full of it. These people are all recording each other, all the time, as insurance against a backstab. It's pretty easy to snoop off them as they snoop on each other. > Masha Attachedwassourcecodeforalittleprogramthatappearedto doexactlywhatMashaclaimed:pullvideoovertheDomain NameServiceprotocol. hangingapairofRollerbladesonthebackofthebike.Exceptthat then,ifyouwant,youcanattachthetrucktotheRollerblades. Forexample,takeSimpleMailTransportProtocol,orSMTP, whichisusedforsendingemail. Here'sasampleconversationbetweenmeandmymailserver, sendingamessagetomyself: > HELO littlebrother.com.se 250 mail.pirateparty.org.se Hello mail.pirateparty.org.se, pleased to meet you > MAIL FROM:m1k3y@littlebrother.com.se 250 2.1.0 m1k3y@littlebrother.com.se... Sender ok > RCPT TO:m1k3y@littlebrother.com.se 250 2.1.5 m1k3y@littlebrother.com.se... Recipient ok > DATA 354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself > When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout > . 250 2.0.0 k5SMW0xQ006174 Message accepted for delivery QUIT 221 2.0.0 mail.pirateparty.org.se closing connection Connection closed by foreign host. Thisconversation'sgrammarwasdefinedin1982byJonPostel, oneoftheInternet'sheroicforefathers,whousedtoliterallyrun themostimportantserversonthenetunderhisdeskatthe UniversityofSouthernCalifornia,backinthepaleolithicera.

Now,imaginethatyouhookedupamailservertoanIM session.YoucouldsendanIMtotheserverthatsaid"HELO littlebrother.com.se"anditwouldreplywith"250 Letmebackupamomenthereandexplainsomething.Atthe mail.pirateparty.org.seHellomail.pirateparty.org.se,pleasedto endoftheday,everyInternetprotocolisjustasequenceoftext meetyou."Inotherwords,youcouldhavethesameconversation sentbackandforthinaprescribedorder.It'skindoflikegettinga overIMasyoudooverSMTP.Withtherighttweaks,thewhole truckandputtingacarinit,thenputtingamotorcycleinthecar's mailserverbusinesscouldtakeplaceinsideofachat.Oraweb trunk,thenattachingabicycletothebackofthemotorcycle,then session.Oranythingelse.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/99 onewall.Iknewthatroom.I'dsatinthatroom,whileSevere Haircutwomanhadmademespeakmypasswordaloud.There werefivecomfortablechairsaroundthetable,eachwitha comfortableperson,allinDHSuniform.IrecognizedMajor GeneralGraemeSutherland,theDHSBayAreacommander, alongwithSevereHaircut.Theotherswerenewtome.Theyall Infact,everyInternetprotocolissusceptibletothisprocess.It's watchedavideoscreenattheendofthetable,onwhichtherewas cool,becauseitmeansthatifyou'reonanetworkwithonlyWeb aninfinitelymorefamiliarface. access,youcantunnelyourmailoverit.Youcantunnelyour favoriteP2Poverit.YoucaneventunnelXnetwhichitselfisa KurtRooneywasknownnationallyasthePresident'schief tunnelfordozensofprotocolsoverit. strategist,themanwhoreturnedthepartyforitsthirdterm,and whowassteamingtowardsafourth.Theycalledhim"Ruthless" DomainNameServiceisaninterestingandancientInternet andI'dseenanewsreportonceabouthowtightareinhekepthis protocol,datingbackto1983.It'sthewaythatyourcomputer stafferson,callingthem,IMingthem,watchingtheirevery convertsacomputer'snamelikepirateparty.org.setotheIP motion,controllingeverystep.Hewasold,withalinedfaceand numberthatcomputersactuallyusetotalktoeachotheroverthe palegrayeyesandaflatnosewithbroad,flarednostrilsandthin net,like204.11.50.136.Itgenerallyworkslikemagic,eventhough lips,amanwholookedlikehewassmellingsomethingbadall it'sgotmillionsofmovingpartseveryISPrunsaDNSserver, thetime. asdomostgovernmentsandlotsofprivateoperators.TheseDNS boxesalltalktoeachotherallthetime,makingandfilling Hewasthemanonthescreen.Hewastalking,andeveryone requeststoeachothersonomatterhowobscurethenameisyou elsewasfocusedonhisscreen,everyonetakingnotesasfastas feedtoyourcomputer,itwillbeabletoturnitintoanumber. theycouldtype,tryingtolooksmart. Thisiscalled"tunneling."YouputtheSMTPinsideachat "tunnel."YoucouldthenputthechatbackintoanSMTPtunnelif youwantedtobereallyweird,tunnelingthetunnelinanother tunnel. BeforeDNS,therewastheHOSTSfile.Believeitornot,this wasasingledocumentthatlistedthenameandaddressofevery singlecomputerconnectedtotheInternet.Everycomputerhada copyofit.Thisfilewaseventuallytoobigtomovearound,so DNSwasinvented,andranonaserverthatusedtoliveunderJon Postel'sdesk.Ifthecleanersknockedouttheplug,theentire Internetlostitsabilitytofinditself.Seriously. "saythatthey'reangrywithauthority,butweneedtoshow thecountrythatit'sterrorists,notthegovernment,thattheyneed toblame.Doyouunderstandme?Thenationdoesnotlovethat city.Asfarasthey'reconcerned,itisaSodomandGomorrahof fagsandatheistswhodeservetorotinhell.Theonlyreasonthe countrycareswhattheythinkinSanFranciscoisthattheyhad thegoodfortunetohavebeenblowntohellbysomeIslamic terrorists.

ThethingaboutDNStodayisthatit'severywhere.Every networkhasaDNSserverlivingonit,andallofthoseserversare "TheseXnetchildrenaregettingtothepointwheretheymight configuredtotalktoeachotherandtorandompeoplealloverthe starttobeusefultous.Themoreradicaltheyget,themorethe Internet. restofthenationunderstandsthattherearethreatseverywhere." WhatMashahaddonewasfigureoutawaytotunnelavideo streamingsystemoverDNS.Shewasbreakingupthevideointo billionsofpiecesandhidingeachoftheminanormalmessageto aDNSserver.Byrunninghercode,Iwasabletopullthevideo fromallthoseDNSservers,allovertheInternet,atincredible speed.Itmusthavelookedbizarreonthenetworkhistograms,like Iwaslookinguptheaddressofeverycomputerintheworld. ButithadtwoadvantagesIappreciatedatonce:Iwasableto getthevideowithblindingspeedassoonasIclickedthefirst link,Istartedtoreceivefullscreenpictures,withoutanyjitteror stutteringandIhadnoideawhereitwashosted.Itwastotally anonymous. Hisaudiencefinishedtyping. "Wecancontrolthat,Ithink,"SevereHaircutLadysaid."Our peopleintheXnethavebuiltupalotofinfluence.The ManchurianBloggersarerunningasmanyasfiftyblogseach, floodingthechatchannels,linkingtoeachother,mostlyjust takingthepartylinesetbythisM1k3y.Butthey'vealreadyshown thattheycanprovokeradicalaction,evenwhenM1k3yisputting thebrakeson." MajorGeneralSutherlandnodded."Wehavebeenplanningto leavethemundergrounduntilaboutamonthbeforethe midterms."Iguessedthatmeantthemidtermelections,notmy exams."That'spertheoriginalplan.Butitsoundslike"

AtfirstIdidn'tevenclockthecontentofthevideo.Iwastotally flooredbytheclevernessofthishack.Streamingvideofrom "We'vegotanotherplanforthemidterms,"Rooneysaid."Need DNS?Thatwassosmartandweird,itwaspracticallyperverted. toknow,ofcourse,butyoushouldallprobablynotplanon travelingforthemonthbefore.CuttheXnetloosenow,assoonas Gradually,whatIwasseeingbegantosinkin. youcan.Solongasthey'remoderates,they'realiability.Keep themradical." Itwasaboardroomtableinasmallroomwithamirrordown

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/100 Thevideocutoff. AngeandIsatontheedgeofthebed,lookingatthescreen. Angereachedoutandstartedthevideoagain.Wewatchedit.It wasworsethesecondtime. Itossedthekeyboardasideandgotup. "Iamsosickofbeingscared,"Isaid."Let'stakethistoBarbara andhaveherpublishitall.Putitallonthenet.Letthemtakeme away.AtleastI'llknowwhat'sgoingtohappenthen.Atleastthen I'llhavealittlecertaintyinmylife." Angegrabbedmeandhuggedme,soothedme."Iknowbaby,I know.It'sallterrible.Butyou'refocusingonthebadstuffand ignoringthegoodstuff.You'vecreatedamovement.You've outflankedthejerksintheWhiteHouse,thecrooksinDHS uniforms.You'veputyourselfinapositionwhereyoucouldbe responsibleforblowingthelidoffoftheentirerottenDHSthing. "Surethey'reouttogetyou.Coursetheyare.Haveyouever doubteditforamoment?Ialwaysfiguredtheywere.ButMarcus, theydon'tknowwhoyouare.Thinkaboutthat.Allthosepeople, money,gunsandspies,andyou,aseventeenyearoldhighschool kidyou'restillbeatingthem.Theydon'tknowaboutBarbara. Theydon'tknowaboutZeb.You'vejammedtheminthestreetsof SanFranciscoandhumiliatedthembeforetheworld.Sostop moping,allright?You'rewinning." "They'recomingforme,though.Youseethat.They'regoingto putmeinjailforever.Notevenjail.I'lljustdisappear,likeDarryl. Maybeworse.MaybeSyria.WhyleavemeinSanFrancisco?I'm aliabilityaslongasI'mintheUSA." Shesatdownonthebedwithme. "Yeah,"shesaid."That." "That." "Well,youknowwhatyouhavetodo,right?" "What?"Shelookedpointedlyatmykeyboard.Icouldseethe tearsrollingdownhercheeks."No!You'reoutofyourmind.You thinkI'mgoingtorunoffwithsomenutofftheInternet?Some spy?" "Yougotabetteridea?" Ikickedapileofherlaundryintotheair."Whatever.Fine.I'll talktohersomemore." "Youtalktoher,"Angesaid."Youtellheryouandyour girlfriendaregettingout." "What?" "Shutup,dickhead.Youthinkyou'reindanger?I'minjustas muchdanger,Marcus.It'scalledguiltbyassociation.Whenyou go,Igo."Shehadherjawthrustoutatamutinousangle."You andIwe'retogethernow.Youhavetounderstandthat." Wesatdownonthebedtogether. "Unlessyoudon'twantme,"shesaid,finally,inasmallvoice. "You'rekiddingme,right?" "DoIlooklikeI'mkidding?" "There'snowayIwouldvoluntarilygowithoutyou,Ange.I couldneverhaveaskedyoutocome,butI'mecstaticthatyou offered." Shesmiledandtossedmemykeyboard. "EmailthisMashacreature.Let'sseewhatthischickcandofor us." Iemailedher,encryptingthemessage,waitingforareply.Ange nuzzledmealittleandIkissedherandwenecked.Something aboutthedangerandthepacttogotogetheritmademeforget theawkwardnessofhavingsex,mademefreakinghornyashell. WewerehalfnakedagainwhenMasha'semailarrived. > Two of you? Jesus, like it won't be hard enough already. > I don't get to leave except to do field intelligence after a big Xnet hit. You get me? The handlers watch my every move, but I go off the leash when something big happens with Xnetters. I get sent into the field then. > You do something big. I get sent to it. I get us both out. All three of us, if you insist. > Make it fast, though. I can't send you a lot of email, understand? They watch me. They're closing in on you. You don't have a lot of time. Weeks? Maybe just days. > I need you to get me out. That's why I'm doing this, in case you're wondering. I can't escape on my own. I need a big Xnet distraction. That's your department. Don't fail me, M1k3y, or we're both dead. Your girlie too. > Masha

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/101 Myphonerang,makingusbothjump.Itwasmymomwanting toknowwhenIwascominghome.ItoldherIwasonmyway. Shedidn'tmentionBarbara.We'dagreedthatwewouldn'ttalk aboutanyofthisstuffonthephone.Thatwasmydad'sidea.He couldbeasparanoidasme. "Ihavetogo,"Isaid. "Ourparentswillbe" theneighborhood.WhenIgotthere,Idiscoveredatreasuretrove ofneverbeforeseenworksinadizzyingarrayoflanguages,from graphicnovelstothickacademictreatises,presidedoverbygood natured(evenslapstick)staffwhosopalpablyenjoyedtheirjobs thatitspreadtoeverycustomerwhosteppedthroughthedoor. SophiaBookshttp://www.sophiabooks.com/450WestHastings St.,Vancouver,BCCanadaV6B1L1+16046840484

"Iknow,"Isaid."Isawwhathappenedtomyparentswhenthey Therewasatimewhenmyfavoritethingintheworldwasputting thoughtIwasdead.KnowingthatI'mafugitiveisn'tgoingtobe onacapeandhangingoutinhotels,pretendingtobeaninvisible muchbetter.Butthey'dratherIbeafugitivethanaprisoner. vampirewhomeveryonestaredat. That'swhatIthink.Anyway,oncewedisappear,Barbaracan publishwithoutworryingaboutgettingusintotrouble." It'scomplicated,andnotnearlyasweirdasitsounds.TheLive ActionRolePlayingscenecombinesthebestaspectsofD&D Wekissedatthedoorofherroom.Notoneofthehot,sloppy withdramaclubwithgoingtoscificons. numbersweusuallydidwhenpartingways.Asweetkissthis time.Aslowkiss.Agoodbyekindofkiss. Iunderstandthatthismightnotmakeitsoundasappealingto youasitwastomewhenIwas14. # BARTridesareintrospective.Whenthetrainrocksbackand forthandyoutrynottomakeeyecontactwiththeotherridersand youtrynottoreadtheadsforplasticsurgery,bailbondsmenand AIDStesting,whenyoutrytoignorethegraffitiandnotlooktoo closelyatthestuffinthecarpeting.That'swhenyourmindstarts toreallychurnandchurn. Yourockbackandforthandyourmindgoesoverallthethings you'veoverlooked,playsbackallthemoviesofyourlifewhere you'renohero,whereyou'reachumporasucker. ThebestgamesweretheonesattheScoutCampsoutoftown:a hundredteenagers,boysandgirls,fightingtheFridaynight traffic,swappingstories,playinghandheldgames,showingofffor hours.Thendebarkingtostandinthegrassbeforeagroupof oldermenandwomeninbadass,homemadearmor,dentedand scarred,likearmormusthavebeenintheolddays,notlikeit's portrayedinthemovies,butlikeasoldier'suniformafteramonth inthebush.

Thesepeoplewerenominallypaidtorunthegames,butyou didn'tgetthejobunlessyouwerethekindofpersonwho'ddoit forfree.They'dhavealreadydividedusintoteamsbasedonthe Yourbraincomesupwiththeorieslikethisone: questionnaireswe'dfilledinbeforehand,andwe'dgetourteam IftheDHSwantedtocatchM1k3y,whatbetterwaythantolure assignmentsthen,likebeingcalledupforbaseballsides. himintotheopen,panichimintoleadingsomekindofbig,public Thenyou'dgetyourbriefingpackages.Thesewerelikethe Xnetevent?Wouldn'tthatbeworththechanceofacompromising briefingsthespiesgetinthemovies:here'syouridentity,here's videoleaking? yourmission,here'sthesecretsyouknowaboutthegroup. Yourbraincomesupwithstufflikethatevenwhenthetrain Fromthere,itwastimefordinner:roaringfires,meatpopping rideonlylaststwoorthreestops.Whenyougetoff,andyoustart onspits,tofusizzlingonskillets(it'snorthernCalifornia,a moving,thebloodgetsrunningandsometimesyourbrainhelps vegetarianoptionisnotoptional),andastyleofeatingand yououtagain. drinkingthatcanonlybedescribedasquaffing. Sometimesyourbraingivesyousolutionsinadditionto Already,thekeenkidswouldbegettingintocharacter.Myfirst problems. game,Iwasawizard.Ihadabagofbeanbagsthatrepresented spellswhenIthrewone,IwouldshoutthenameofthespellI wascastingfireball,magicmissile,coneoflightandthe Chapter18 playeror"monster"IthrewitatwouldkeeloverifIconnected. Ornotsometimeswehadtocallinareftomediate,butforthe ThischapterisdedicatedtoVancouver'smultilingualSophia mostpart,wewereallprettygoodaboutplayingfair.Nooneliked Books,adiverseandexcitingstorefilledwiththebestofthe adicelawyer. strangeandexcitingpopcultureworldsofmanylands.Sophia wasaroundthecornerfrommyhotelwhenIwenttoVantogivea Bybedtime,wewereallincharacter.At14,Iwasn'tsupersure talkatSimonFraserUniversity,andtheSophiafolksemailedme whatawizardwassupposedtosoundlike,butIcouldtakemy inadvancetoaskmetodropinandsigntheirstockwhileIwasin

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/102 cuesfromthemoviesandnovels.Ispokeinslow,measuredtones, Butitworksanditkeepseverythingsafeandfun. keepingmyfacecomposedinasuitablymysticalexpression,and thinkingmysticalthoughts. Charlescouldn'treallygetthehangofthis.Ithinkhewas perfectlycapableofunderstandingthattherulewasnocontact, Themissionwascomplicated,retrievingasacredrelicthathad buthewassimultaneouslycapableofdecidingthattheruledidn't beenstolenbyanogrewhowasbentonsubjugatingthepeopleof matter,andthathewasn'tgoingtoabidebyit.Therefscalledhim thelandtohiswill.Itdidn'treallymatterawholelot.What onitabunchoftimesovertheweekend,andhekeptonpromising matteredwasthatIhadaprivatemission,tocaptureacertain tostickbyit,andkeptongoingback.Hewasoneofthebigger kindofimptoserveasmyfamiliar,andthatIhadasecret kidstherealready,andhewasfondof"accidentally"tacklingyou nemesis,anotherplayerontheteamwhohadtakenpartinaraid attheendofachase.Notfunwhenyougettackledintotherocky thatkilledmyfamilywhenIwasaboy,aplayerwhodidn'tknow forestfloor. thatI'dcomeback,bentonrevenge.Somewhere,ofcourse,there wasanotherplayerwithasimilargrudgeagainstme,sothateven IhadjustmightilysmoteDarrylinalittleclearingwherehe'd asIwasenjoyingthecamaraderieoftheteam,I'dalwayshaveto beentreasurehunting,andwewerehavingalittlelaughovermy keepaneyeopenforaknifeintheback,poisoninthefood. extremesneakiness.Hewasgoingtogomonsteringkilled playerscouldswitchtoplayingmonsters,whichmeantthatthe Forthenexttwodays,weplayeditout.Therewerepartsofthe longerthegameworeon,themoremonsterstherewerecoming weekendthatwerelikehideandseek,somethatwerelike afteryou,meaningthateveryonegottokeeponplayingandthe wildernesssurvivalexercises,somethatwerelikesolving game'sbattlesjustgotmoreandmoreepic. crosswordpuzzles.Thegamemastershaddoneagreatjob.And youreallygottobefriendswiththeotherpeopleonthemission. ThatwaswhenCharlescameoutofthewoodsbehindmeand Darrylwasthetargetofmyfirstmurder,andIputmybackintoit, tackledme,throwingmetothegroundsohardthatIcouldn't eventhoughhewasmypal.Niceguy.ShameI'dhavetokillhim. breatheforamoment."Gotcha!"heyelled.Ionlyknewhim slightlybeforethis,andI'dneverthoughtmuchofhim,butnowI Ifireballedhimashewasseekingouttreasureafterwewiped wasreadyformurder.Iclimbedslowlytomyfeetandlookedat outabandoforcs,playingrockpapersscissorswitheachorcto him,hischestheaving,grinning."You'resodead,"hesaid."I determinewhowouldprevailincombat.Thisisalotmore totallygotyou." excitingthanitsounds. Ismiledandsomethingfeltwrongandsoreinmyface.I Itwaslikesummercampfordramageeks.Wetalkeduntillate touchedmyupperlip.Itwasbloody.Mynosewasbleedingand atnightintents,lookedatthestars,jumpedintheriverwhenwe mylipwassplit,cutonarootI'dfaceplantedintowhenhe gothot,slappedawaymosquitos.Becamebestfriends,orlifelong tackledme. enemies. Iwipedthebloodonmypantslegandsmiled.ImadelikeI Idon'tknowwhyCharles'sparentssenthimLARPing.He thoughtthatitwasallinfun.Ilaughedalittle.Imovedtowards wasn'tthekindofkidwhoreallyenjoyedthatkindofthing.He him. wasmorethepullingwingsofffliestype.Oh,maybenot.Buthe justwasnotintobeingincostumeinthewoods.Hespentthe Charleswasn'tfooled.Hewasalreadybackingaway,tryingto wholetimemoochingaround,sneeringateveryoneand fadeintothewoods.Darrylmovedtoflankhim.Itooktheother everything,tryingtoconvinceusallthatweweren'thavingthe flank.Abruptly,heturnedandran.Darryl'sfoothookedhisankle goodtimeweallfeltlikewewerehaving.You'venodoubtfound andsenthimsprawling.Werushedhim,justintimetoheararef's thatkindofpersonbefore,thekindofpersonwhoiscompelledto whistle. ensurethateveryoneelsehasarottentime. Therefhadn'tseenCharlesfoulme,buthe'dseenCharles'splay TheotherthingaboutCharleswasthathecouldn'tgetthehang thatweekend.HesentCharlesbacktothecampentranceandtold ofsimulatedcombat.Onceyoustartrunningaroundthewoods himhewasoutofthegame.Charlescomplainedmightily,butto andplayingtheseelaborate,semimilitarygames,it'seasytoget oursatisfaction,therefwasn'thavinganyofit.OnceCharleshad totallyadrenalizedtothepointwhereyou'rereadytotearout gone,hegaveusbothalecture,too,tellingusthatourretaliation someone'sthroat.Thisisnotagoodstatetobeinwhenyou're wasnomorejustifiedthanCharles'sattack. carryingapropsword,club,pikeorotherutensil.Thisiswhyno oneiseverallowedtohitanyone,underanycircumstances,in ItwasOK.Thatnight,oncethegameshadended,weallgothot thesegames.Instead,whenyougetcloseenoughtosomeoneto showersinthescoutdorms.DarrylandIstoleCharles'sclothes fight,youplayaquickcoupleroundsofrockpaperscissors,with andtowel.Wetiedtheminknotsanddroppedthemintheurinal. modifiersbasedonyourexperience,armaments,andcondition. Alotoftheboyswerehappytocontributetotheeffortofsoaking Therefereesmediatedisputes.It'squitecivilized,andalittle them.Charleshadbeenveryenthusiasticabouthistackles. weird.Yougorunningaftersomeonethroughthewoods,catchup withhim,bareyourteeth,andsitdowntoplayalittleroshambo. IwishIcouldhavewatchedhimwhenhegotoutofhisshower

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/103 anddiscoveredhisclothes.It'saharddecision:doyourunnaked acrossthecamp,orpickapartthetight,pisssoakedknotsinyour clothesandthenputthemon? Hechosenudity.Iprobablywouldhavechosenthesame.We linedupalongtheroutefromtheshowerstotheshedwherethe packswerestoredandapplaudedhim.Iwasatthefrontofthe line,leadingtheapplause. # magazinestaying,andhetookaninterestinthings.Hecornered measIskulkedinthelobby,hopingtospottheclanmasterofmy rivalsandswoopinonhimanddrawhisblood.Iwasstanding againstthewallwithmyarmsfoldedovermychest,being invisible,whenhecameuptomeandaskedme,inaccented English,whatmeandmyfriendsweredoinginthehotelthat weekend? Itriedtobrushhimoff,buthewouldn'tbeputoff.SoIfigured I'djustmakesomethingupandhe'dgoaway.

TheScoutCampweekendsonlycamethreeorfourtimesayear, Ididn'timaginethathe'dprintit.Ireallydidn'timaginethatit whichleftDarrylandmeandlotsofotherLARPerswitha wouldgetpickedupbytheAmericanpress. seriousLARPdeficiencyinourlives. "We'reherebecauseourprincehasdied,andsowe'vehadto Luckily,thereweretheWretchedDaylightgamesinthecity comeinsearchofanewruler." hotels.WretchedDaylightisanotherLARP,rivalvampireclans andvampirehunters,andit'sgotitsownquirkyrules.Playersget "Aprince?" cardstohelpthemresolvecombatskirmishes,soeachskirmish involvesplayingalittlehandofastrategiccardgame.Vampires "Yes,"Isaid,gettingintoit."We'retheOldPeople.Wecameto canbecomeinvisiblebycloakingthemselves,crossingtheirarms Americainthe16thCenturyandhavehadourownroyalfamilyin overtheirchests,andalltheotherplayershavetopretendthey thewildsofPennsylvaniaeversince.Welivesimplyinthewoods. don'tseethem,continuingonwiththeirconversationsabouttheir Wedon'tusemoderntechnology.Buttheprincewasthelastof plansandsoon.Thetruetestofagoodplayeriswhetheryou're thelineandhediedlastweek.Someterriblewastingdiseasetook honestenoughtogoonspillingyoursecretsinfrontofan him.Theyoungmenofmyclanhavelefttofindthedescendants "invisible"rivalwithoutactingasthoughhewasintheroom. ofhisgreatuncle,whowentawaytojointhemodernpeoplein thetimeofmygrandfather.Heissaidtohavemultiplied,andwe TherewereacoupleofbigWretchedDaylightgamesevery willfindthelastofhisbloodlineandbringthembacktotheir month.Theorganizersofthegameshadagoodrelationshipwith rightfulhome." thecity'shotelsandtheyletitbeknownthatthey'dtaketen unbookedroomsonFridaynightandfillthemwithplayerswho'd Ireadalotoffantasynovels.Thiskindofthingcameeasilyto runaroundthehotel,playinglowkeyWretchedDaylightinthe me. corridors,aroundthepool,andsoon,eatingatthehotel restaurantandpayingforthehotelWiFi.They'dclosethebooking "Wefoundawomanwhoknewofthesedescendants.Shetold onFridayafternoon,emailus,andwe'dgostraightfromschoolto usonewasstayinginthishotel,andwe'vecometofindhim.But whicheverhotelitwas,bringingourknapsacks,sleepingsixor we'vebeentrackedherebyarivalclanwhowouldkeepusfrom eighttoaroomfortheweekend,livingonjunkfood,playinguntil bringinghomeourprince,tokeepusweakandeasytodominate. threeAM.Itwasgood,safefunthatourparentscouldgetbehind. Thusitisvitalwekeeptoourselves.WedonottalktotheNew Peoplewhenwecanhelpit.Talkingtoyounowcausesmegreat Theorganizerswereawellknownliteracycharitythatrankids' discomfort." writingworkshops,dramaworkshopsandsoon.Theyhadbeen runningthegamesfortenyearswithoutincident.Everythingwas Hewaswatchingmeshrewdly.Ihaduncrossedmyarms,which strictlyboozeanddrugfree,tokeeptheorganizersfromgetting meantthatIwasnow"visible"torivalvampires,oneofwhom bustedonsomekindofcorruptionofminorsrap.We'ddraw hadbeenslowlysneakinguponus.Atthelastmoment,Iturned betweentenandahundredplayers,dependingontheweekend, andsawher,armsspread,hissingatus,vampingitupinhigh andforthecostofacouplemovies,youcouldhavetwoandahalf style. days'worthofsolidfun. Ithrewmyarmswideandhissedbackather,thenpelted Oneday,though,theyluckedintoablockofroomsatthe throughthelobby,hoppingoveraleathersofaanddekingaround Monaco,ahotelintheTenderlointhatcateredtoartyolder apottedplant,makingherchaseme.I'dscoutedanescaperoute tourists,thekindofplacewhereeveryroomcamewithagoldfish downthroughthestairwelltothebasementhealthclubandItook bowl,wherethelobbywasfullofbeautifuloldpeopleinfine it,shakingheroff. clothes,showingofftheirplasticsurgeryresults. Ididn'tseehimagainthatweekend,butIdidrelatethestoryto Normally,themundanesourwordfornonplayersjust someofmyfellowLARPers,whoembroideredthetaleandfound ignoredus,figuringthatwewereskylarkingkids.Butthat lotsofopportunitiestotellitovertheweekend. weekendtherehappenedtobeaneditorforanItaliantravel

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/104 TheItalianmagazinehadastafferwho'ddonehermaster's degreeonAmishantitechnologycommunitiesinrural Pennsylvania,andshethoughtwesoundedawfullyinteresting. Basedonthenotesandtapedinterviewsofherbossfromhistrip toSanFrancisco,shewroteafascinating,heartwrenchingarticle abouttheseweird,juvenilecultistswhowerecrisscrossing Americainsearchoftheir"prince."Hell,peoplewillprint anythingthesedays. Butthethingwas,storieslikethatgetpickedupand republished.FirstitwasItalianbloggers,thenafewAmerican bloggers.Peopleacrossthecountryreported"sightings"ofthe OldPeople,thoughwhethertheyweremakingitup,orwhether otherswereplayingthesamegame,Ididn'tknow. Itworkeditswayupthemediafoodchainallthewaytothe NewYorkTimes,who,unfortunately,haveanunhealthyappetite forfactchecking.Thereportertheyputonthestoryeventually trackeditdowntotheMonacoHotel,whoputthemintouchwith theLARPorganizers,wholaughinglyspilledthewholestory. There'sanalternativetodwellingonyourmistakes.Youcan learnfromthem. It'sagoodtheory,anyway.Maybethereasonyoursubconscious dredgesupallthesemiserableghostsisthattheyneedtoget closurebeforetheycanrestpeacefullyinhumiliationafterlife.My subconsciouskeptvisitingmewithghostsinthehopesthatI woulddosomethingtoletthemrestinpeace. Allthewayhome,Iturnedoverthismemoryandthethoughtof whatIwoulddoabout"Masha,"incaseshewasplayingme.I neededsomeinsurance. AndbythetimeIreachedmyhousetobesweptupinto melancholyhugsfromMomandDadIhadit. # Thetrickwastotimethissothatithappenedfastenoughthat theDHScouldn'tprepareforit,butwithalongenoughleadtime thattheXnetwouldhavetimetoturnoutinforce.

Well,atthatpoint,LARPinggotalotlesscool.Webecame knownasthenation'sforemosthoaxers,asweird,pathological Thetrickwastostagethissothatthereweretoomanypresent liars.Thepresswhowe'dinadvertentlytrickedintocoveringthe toarrestusall,buttoputitsomewherethatthepresscouldseeit storyoftheOldPeoplewerenowinterestedinredeeming andthegrownups,sotheDHSwouldn'tjustgasusagain. themselvesbyreportingonhowunbelievablyweirdweLARPers were,andthatwaswhenCharlesleteveryoneinschoolknowthat Thetrickwastocomeupwithsomethingwiththemedia DarrylandIwerethebiggestLARPingweeniesinthecity. friendlinessofthelevitationofthePentagon.Thetrickwasto stagesomethingthatwecouldrallyaround,like3,000Berkeley Thatwasnotagoodseason.Someofthegangdidn'tmind,but studentsrefusingtoletoneoftheirnumberbetakenawayina wedid.Theteasingwasmerciless.Charlesledit.I'dfindplastic policevan. fangsinmybag,andkidsIpassedinthehallwouldgo"bleh, bleh"likeacartoonvampire,orthey'dtalkwithfake Thetrickwastoputthepressthere,readytosaywhatthepolice TransylvanianaccentswhenIwasaround. did,thewaytheyhadin1968inChicago. WeswitchedtoARGingprettysoonafterwards.Itwasmorefun insomeways,anditwasalotlessweird.Everynowandagain, though,Imissedmycapeandthoseweekendsinthehotel. # Theoppositeofespritd'escalieristhewaythatlife's embarrassmentscomebacktohauntusevenafterthey'relong past.IcouldremembereverystupidthingI'deversaidordone, recallthemwithpictureperfectclarity.AnytimeIwasfeeling low,I'dnaturallystarttorememberothertimesIfeltthatway,a hitparadeofhumiliationscomingoneafteranothertomymind. AsItriedtoconcentrateonMashaandmyimpendingdoom, theOldPeopleincidentkeptcomingbacktohauntme.There'd beenasimilar,sick,sinkingdoomedfeelingthen,asmoreand morepressoutletspickedupthestory,asthelikelihoodincreased ofsomeonefiguringoutthatithadbeenmewho'dsprungthe storyonthestupidItalianeditorinthedesignerjeanswith crookedseams,thestarchedcollarlessshirt,andtheoversized metalrimmedglasses. Itwasgoingtobesometrick. Icutoutofschoolanhourearlythenextday,usingmy customarytechniquesforgettingout,notcaringifitwouldtrigger somekindofnewDHScheckerthatwouldresultinmyparents gettinganote. Onewayoranother,myparents'lastproblemaftertomorrow wouldbewhetherIwasintroubleatschool. ImetAngeatherplace.She'dhadtocutoutofschooleven earlier,butshe'djustmadeabigdealoutofhercrampsand pretendedshewasgoingtokeeloverandtheysentherhome. WestartedtospreadthewordonXnet.Wesentitinemailto trustedfriends,andIMmedittoourbuddylists.Weroamedthe decksandtownsofClockworkPlunderandtoldourteammates. Givingeveryoneenoughinformationtogetthemtoshowupbut notsomuchastotipourhandtotheDHSwastricky,butI thoughtIhadjusttherightbalance: > VAMPMOB TOMORROW

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/105 it." Shedumpedouthergymbagandpickedouthertoiletries."I'll havetoremembertostickmytoothbrushintomorrowmorning beforeIheaddowntoCivicCenter." Watchingherpackwasimpressive.Shewasruthlessaboutitall. Itwasalsofreakyitmademerealizethatthenextday,Iwas goingtogoaway.Maybeforalongtime.Maybeforever. "DoIbringmyXbox?"sheasked."I'vegotatonofstuffonthe harddrive,notesandsketchesandemail.Iwouldn'twantittofall intothewronghands." "It'sallencrypted,"Isaid."That'sstandardwithParanoidXbox. ButleavetheXboxbehind,there'llbeplentyoftheminLA.Just createaPiratePartyaccountandemailanimageofyourhard drivetoyourself.I'mgoingtodothesamewhenIgethome." Shedidso,andqueueduptheemail.Itwasgoingtotakea couplehoursforallthedatatosqueezethroughherneighbor's WiFinetworkandwingitswaytoSweden. Thensheclosedtheflaponthebagandtightenedthe compressionstraps.Shehadsomethingthesizeofasoccerball slungoverherbacknow,andIstaredadmiringlyatit.Shecould walkdownthestreetwiththatunderhershoulderandnoone wouldlooktwiceshelookedlikeshewasonherwaytoschool. "Onemorething,"shesaid,andwenttoherbedsidetableand tookoutthecondoms.Shetookthestripsofrubbersoutofthe boxandopenedthebagandstucktheminside,thengavemea slapontheass. "Nowwhat?"Isaid. "Nowwegotoyourplaceanddoyourstuff.It'stimeImetyour parents,no?"

> If you're a goth, dress to impress. If you're not a goth, find a goth and borrow some clothes. Think vampire. > The game starts at 8:00AM sharp. SHARP. Be there and ready to be divided into teams. The game lasts 30 minutes, so you'll have plenty of time to get to school afterward. > Location will be revealed tomorrow. Email your public key to m1k3y@littlebrother.pirateparty.org.se and check your messages at 7AM for the update. If that's too early for you, stay up all night. That's what we're going to do. > This is the most fun you will have all year, guaranteed. > Believe. > M1k3y Then I sent a short messageto Masha. > Tomorrow > M1k3y A minute later, she emailed back: > I thought so. VampMob, huh? You work fast. Wear a red hat. Travel light. #

Whatdoyoubringalongwhenyougofugitive?I'dcarried enoughheavypacksaroundenoughscoutcampstoknowthat Sheleftthebagamidthepilesofclothesandjunkalloverthe everyounceyouaddcutsintoyourshoulderswithallthecrushing floor.Shewasreadytoturnherbackonallofit,walkaway,just forceofgravitywitheverystepyoutakeit'snotjustoneounce, tobewithme.Justtosupportthecause.Itmademefeelbrave, it'soneouncethatyoucarryforamillionsteps.It'saton. too.

"Right,"Angesaid."Smart.Andyounevertakemorethanthree # days'worthofclothes,either.Youcanrinsestuffoutinthesink. Bettertohaveaspotonyourtshirtthanasuitcasethat'stoobig MomwasalreadyhomewhenIgotthere.Shehadherlaptop andheavytostashunderaplaneseat." openonthekitchentableandwasansweringemailwhiletalking intoaheadsetconnectedtoit,helpingsomepoorYorkshireman She'dpulledoutaballisticnyloncourierbagthatwentacross andhisfamilyacclimatetolivinginLouisiana. herchest,betweenherbreastssomethingthatmademegeta littlesweatyandslungdiagonallyacrossherback.Itwasroomy IcamethroughthedoorandAngefollowed,grinninglikemad, inside,andshe'dsetitdownonthebed.Nowshewaspiling butholdingmyhandsotightIcouldfeelthebonesgrinding clothesnexttoit. together.Ididn'tknowwhatshewassoworriedabout.Itwasn't likeshewasgoingtoendupspendingalotoftimehanging "Ifigurethatthreetshirts,apairofpants,apairofshorts,three aroundwithmyparentsafterthis,evenifitwentbadly. changesofunderwear,threepairsofsocksandasweaterwilldo

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/106 MomhungupontheYorkshiremanwhenwegotin. "Hello,Marcus,"shesaid,givingmeakissonthecheek."And whoisthis?" "Mom,meetAnge.Ange,thisismyMom,Lillian."Momstood upandgaveAngeahug. "It'sverygoodtomeetyou,darling,"shesaid,lookingherover fromtoptobottom.Angelookedprettyacceptable,Ithink.She dressedwell,andlowkey,andyoucouldtellhowsmartshewas justbylookingather. "Apleasuretomeetyou,MrsYallow,"shesaid.Shesounded veryconfidentandselfassured.MuchbetterthanIhadwhenI'd methermom. "It'sLillian,love,"shesaid.Shewastakingineverydetail."Are youstayingfordinner?" "I'dlovethat,"shesaid. "WhatamIgoingtospenditon?"shesaid."Eversincethe Xnet,Ihaven'thadtoevenpayanyservicecharges." "IthinkI'vegotthreehundredorso." "Well,thereyougo.GrabitonthewaytoCivicCenterinthe morning." IhadabigbookbagIusedwhenIwashaulinglotsofgear aroundtown.Itwaslessconspicuousthanmycampingpack. Angewentthroughmypilesmercilesslyandculledthemdownto herfavorites. Onceitwaspackedandundermybed,webothsatdown. "We'regoingtohavetogetupreallyearlytomorrow,"shesaid. "Yeah,bigday."

Theplanwastogetmessagesoutwithabunchoffake VampMoblocationstomorrow,sendingpeopleouttosecluded "Doyoueatmeat?"Mom'sprettyacclimatedtolivingin spotswithinafewminutes'walkofCivicCenter.We'dcutouta California. spraypaintstencilthatjustsaidVAMPMOBCIVICCENTER> >thatwewouldspraypaintatthosespotsaround5AM.That "Ieatanythingthatdoesn'teatmefirst,"shesaid. wouldkeeptheDHSfromlockingdowntheCivicCenterbefore wegotthere.Ihadthemailbotreadytosendoutthemessagesat "She'sahotsaucejunkie,"Isaid."Youcouldserveheroldtires 7AMI'djustleavemyXboxrunningwhenIwentout. andshe'deat'emifshecouldsmothertheminsalsa." "Howlong..."Shetrailedoff. Angesockedmegentlyintheshoulder. "That'swhatI'vebeenwondering,too,"Isaid."Itcouldbea "IwasgoingtoorderThai,"Momsaid."I'lladdacoupleof longtime,Isuppose.Butwhoknows?WithBarbara'sarticle theirfivechilidishestotheorder." comingout"I'dqueuedanemailtoherforthenextmorning, too"andall,maybewe'llbeheroesintwoweeks." AngethankedherpolitelyandMombustledaroundthekitchen, gettingusglassesofjuiceandaplateofbiscuitsandaskingthree "Maybe,"shesaidandsighed. timesifwewantedanytea.Isquirmedalittle. Iputmyarmaroundher.Hershoulderswereshaking. "Thanks,Mom,"Isaid."We'regoingtogoupstairsforawhile." "I'mterrified,"Isaid."Ithinkthatitwouldbecrazynottobe Mom'seyesnarrowedforasecond,thenshesmiledagain."Of terrified." course,"shesaid."Yourfatherwillbehomeinanhour,we'lleat then." "Yeah,"shesaid."Yeah." Ihadmyvampirestuffallstashedinthebackofmycloset.Ilet AngesortthroughitwhileIwentthroughmyclothes.Iwasonly goingasfarasLA.Theyhadstoresthere,alltheclothingIcould need.Ijustneededtogettogetherthreeorfourfavoriteteesanda favoritepairofjeans,atubeofdeodorant,arollofdentalfloss. "Money!"Isaid. "Yeah,"shesaid."Iwasgoingtocleanoutmybankaccounton thewayhomeatanATM.I'vegotmaybefivehundredsavedup." "Really?" Momcalledustodinner.DadshookAnge'shand.Helooked unshavedandworried,thewayhehadsincewe'dgonetosee Barbara,butonmeetingAnge,alittleoftheoldDadcameback. Shekissedhimonthecheekandheinsistedthatshecallhim Drew. Dinnerwasactuallyreallygood.TheicebrokewhenAngetook outherhotsaucemisterandtreatedherplate,andexplainedabout Scovilleunits.Dadtriedaforkfulofherfoodandwentreeling intothekitchentodrinkagallonofmilk.Believeitornot,Mom stilltrieditafterthatandgaveeveryimpressionoflovingit. Mom,itturnedout,wasanundiscoveredspicyfoodprodigy,a

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/107 natural. Beforesheleft,AngepressedthehotsaucemisteronMom."I haveaspareathome,"shesaid.I'dwatchedherpackitinher backpack."Youseemlikethekindofwomanwhoshouldhave oneofthese." Chapter19 ThischapterisdedicatedtotheMITPressBookshop,astoreI've visitedoneverysingletriptoBostonoverthepasttenyears.MIT, ofcourse,isoneofthelegendaryoriginnodesforglobalnerd culture,andthecampusbookstorelivesuptotheincredible expectationsIhadwhenIfirstsetfootinit.Inadditiontothe wonderfultitlespublishedbytheMITpress,thebookshopisa tourthroughthemostexcitinghightechpublicationsinthe world,fromhackerzineslike2600tofatacademicanthologieson videogamedesign.ThisisoneofthosestoreswhereIhavetoask themtoshipmypurchaseshomebecausetheydon'tfitinmy suitcase. MITPressBookstorehttp://web.mit.edu/bookstore/www/ BuildingE38,77MassachusettsAve.,Cambridge,MAUSA 021394307+16172535249 Here'stheemailthatwentoutat7AMthenextday,whileAnge andIwerespraypaintingVAMPMOBCIVICCENTER>>at strategiclocationsaroundtown. > RULES FOR VAMPMOB > You are part of a clan of daylight vampires. You've discovered the secret of surviving the terrible light of the sun. The secret was cannibalism: the blood of another vampire can give you the strength to walk among the living. > You need to bite as many other vampires as you can in order to stay in the game. If one minute goes by without a bite, you're out. Once you're out, turn your shirt around backwards and go referee -- watch two or three vamps to see if they're getting their bites in. > To bite another vamp, you have to say "Bite!" five times before they do. So you run up to a vamp, make eye-contact, and shout "bite bite bite bite bite!" and if you get it out before she does, you live and she crumbles to dust. > You and the other vamps you meet at your rendezvous are a team. They are your clan. You derive no nourishment from their blood. > You can "go invisible" by standing still and folding your arms over your chest. You can't bite invisible vamps, and they can't bite you. > This game is played on the honor system. The point is to have fun and get your vamp on, not to win. > There is an end-game that will be passed by word of mouth as winners begin to emerge. The game-masters will start a whisper campaign among the players when the time comes. Spread the whisper as quickly as you can and watch for the sign. > M1k3y > bite bite bite bite bite! We'dhopedthatahundredpeoplewouldbewillingtoplay VampMob.We'dsentoutabouttwohundredinviteseach.But whenIsatboltuprightat4AMandgrabbedmyXbox,therewere 400repliesthere.Fourhundred. Ifedtheaddressestothebotandstoleoutofthehouse.I descendedthestairs,listeningtomyfathersnoreandmymom rollingoverintheirbed.Ilockedthedoorbehindme. At4:15AM,PotreroHillwasasquietasthecountryside.There weresomedistanttrafficrumbles,andonce,acarcrawledpast me.IstoppedatanATManddrewout$320intwenties,rolled themupandputarubberbandaroundthem,andstucktherollin azipuppocketlowonthethighofmyvampirepants. Iwaswearingmycapeagain,andaruffledshirt,andtuxedo pantsthathadbeenmoddedtohaveenoughpocketstocarryall mylittlebitsandpieces.Ihadonpointedbootswithsilverskull buckles,andI'dteasedmyhairintoablackdandelionclock aroundmyhead.Angewasbringingthewhitemakeupandhad promisedtodomyeyelinerandblacknailpolish.Whythehell not?WhenwasthenexttimeIwasgoingtogettoplaydressup likethis? Angemetmeinfrontofherhouse.Shehadherbackpackon too,andfishnettights,aruffledgothiclolitamaid'sdress,white facepaint,elaboratekabukieyemakeup,andherfingersand throatdrippedwithsilverjewelry. "Youlookgreat!"wesaidtoeachotherinunison,thenlaughed quietlyandstoleoffthroughthestreets,spraypaintcansinour pockets. #

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/108 verygladtohavebeenvindicated;shesoundedlikeshewas talkingaboutadeadfriendwhenshedescribedwhatCivicCenter hadbecome.

AsIsurveyedCivicCenter,Ithoughtaboutwhatitwouldlook likeonce400VampMobbersconvergedonit.Iexpectedthemin tenminutes,outfrontofCityHall.Alreadythebigplazateemed withcommuterswhoneatlysidesteppedthehomelesspeople beggingthere.

NowitwasrushhourandCivicCenterwasasbusyasitcould be.TheCivicCenterBARTalsoservesasthemajorstationfor Munitrolleylines,andifyouneedtoswitchfromonetoanother, I'vealwayshatedCivicCenter.It'sacollectionofhuge that'swhereyoudoit.At8AM,therewerethousandsofpeople weddingcakebuildings:courthouses,museums,andcivic comingupthestairs,goingdownthestairs,gettingintoandoutof buildingslikeCityHall.Thesidewalksarewide,thebuildingsare taxisandonandoffbuses.TheygotsqueezedbyDHS white.InthetouristguidestoSanFrancisco,theymanageto checkpointsbythedifferentcivicbuildings,androutedaround photographitsothatitlookslikeEpcotCenter,futuristicand aggressivepanhandlers.Theyallsmelledliketheirshampoosand austere. colognes,freshoutoftheshowerandarmoredintheirworksuits, swinginglaptopbagsandbriefcases.At8AM,CivicCenterwas Butontheground,it'sgrimyandgross.Homelesspeoplesleep businesscentral. onallthebenches.Thedistrictisemptyby6PMexceptfordrunks anddruggies,becausewithonlyonekindofbuildingthere, Andherecamethevamps.AcoupledozencomingdownVan there'snolegitreasonforpeopletohangaroundafterthesun Ness,acoupledozencomingupMarket.Morecomingfromthe goesdown.It'smorelikeamallthananeighborhood,andthe othersideofMarket.MorecomingupfromVanNess.They onlybusinessestherearebailbondsmenandliquorstores,places slippedaroundthesideofthebuildings,wearingthewhiteface thatcatertothefamiliesofcrooksontrialandthebumswho paintandtheblackeyeliner,blackclothes,leatherjackets,huge makeittheirnighttimehome. stompyboots.Fishnetfingerlessgloves. IreallycametounderstandallofthiswhenIreadaninterview withanamazingoldurbanplanner,awomancalledJaneJacobs whowasthefirstpersontoreallynailwhyitwaswrongtoslice citiesupwithfreeways,stickallthepoorpeopleinhousing projects,andusezoninglawstotightlycontrolwhogottodo whatwhere. Theybegantofilluptheplaza.Afewofthebusinesspeople gavethempassingglancesandthenlookedaway,notwantingto lettheseweirdosintotheirpersonalrealitiesastheythoughtabout whatevercraptheywereabouttowadethroughforanothereight hours.Thevampsmilledaround,notsurewhenthegamewason. Theypooledtogetherinlargegroups,likeanoilspillinreverse, allthisblackgatheringinoneplace.Alotofthemsportedold timeyhats,bowlersandtoppers.Manyofthegirlswereinfullon elegantgothiclolitamaidcostumeswithhugeplatforms.

Jacobsexplainedthatrealcitiesareorganicandtheyhavealot ofvarietyrichandpoor,whiteandbrown,AngloandMex, retailandresidentialandevenindustrial.Aneighborhoodlikethat hasallkindsofpeoplepassingthroughitatallhoursofthedayor Itriedtoestimatethenumbers.200.Then,fiveminuteslater,it night,soyougetbusinessesthatcatertoeveryneed,youget was300.400.Theywerestillstreamingin.Thevampshad peoplearoundallthetime,actinglikeeyesonthestreet. broughtfriends. You'veencounteredthisbefore.Yougowalkingaroundsome olderpartofsomecityandyoufindthatit'sfullofthecoolest lookingstores,guysinsuitsandpeopleinfashionrags,upscale restaurantsandfunkycafes,alittlemovietheatermaybe,houses withelaboratepaintjobs.Sure,theremightbeaStarbuckstoo, butthere'salsoaneatlookingfruitmarketandafloristwho appearstobethreehundredyearsoldasshesnipscarefullyatthe flowersinherwindows.It'stheoppositeofaplannedspace,likea mall.Itfeelslikeawildgardenorevenawoods:likeitgrew. Youcouldn'tgetanyfurtherfromthatthanCivicCenter.Iread aninterviewwithJacobswhereshetalkedaboutthegreatold neighborhoodtheyknockeddowntobuildit.Ithadbeenjustthat kindofneighborhood,thekindofplacethathappenedwithout permissionorrhymeorreason. Jacobssaidthatshepredictedthatwithinafewyears,Civic Centerwouldbeoneoftheworstneighborhoodsinthecity,a ghosttownatnight,aplacethatsustainedathincropofweedy boozeshopsandfleapitmotels.Intheinterview,shedidn'tseem Someonegrabbedmyass.IspunaroundandsawAnge, laughingsohardshehadtoholdherthighs,bentdouble. "Lookatthemall,man,lookatthemall!"shegasped.The squarewastwiceascrowdedasithadbeenafewminutesago.I hadnoideahowmanyXnetterstherewere,buteasily1000of themhadjustshoweduptomylittleparty.Christ. TheDHSandSFPDcopswerestartingtomillaround,talking intotheirradiosandclusteringtogether.Iheardafarawaysiren. "Allright,"Isaid,shakingAngebythearm."Allright,let's go."

Webothslippedoffintothecrowdandassoonaswe encounteredourfirstvamp,webothsaid,loudly,"Bitebitebite bitebite!"Myvictimwasastunnedbutcutegirlwithspider websdrawnonherhandsandsmudgedmascararunningdownher cheeks.Shesaid,"Crap,"andmovedaway,acknowledgingthatI'd gottenher.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/109

Thecallof"bitebitebitebitebite"hadscrambledtheother Igrabbedavamp. nearbyvamps.Someofthemwereattackingeachother,others weremovingforcover,hidingout.Ihadmyvictimfortheminute, "Endgame:whenthecopsorderustodisperse,pretendyou've soIskulkedaway,usingmundanesforcover.Allaroundme,the beengassed.Passiton.WhatdidIjustsay?" cryof"bitebitebitebitebite!"andshoutsandlaughsandcurses. Thevampwasagirl,tiny,soshortIthoughtshewasreally Thesoundspreadlikeavirusthroughthecrowd.Allthevamps young,butshemusthavebeen17or18fromherfaceandthe knewthegamewasonnow,andtheoneswhowereclustered smile."Oh,that'swicked,"shesaid. togetherweredroppinglikeflies.Theylaughedandcussedand movedaway,clueingthestillinvampsthatthegamewason.And "WhatdidIsay?" morevampswerearrivingbythesecond. "Endgame:whenthecopsorderustodisperse,pretendyou've 8:16.Itwastimetobaganothervamp.Icrouchedlowand beengassed.Passiton.WhatdidIjustsay?" movedthroughthelegsofthestraightsastheyheadedforthe BARTstairs.Theyjerkedbackwithsurpriseandswervedtoavoid "Right,"Isaid."Passiton." me.Ihadmyeyeslaserlockedonasetofblackplatformboots withsteeldragonsoverthetoes,andsoIwasn'texpectingitwhen Shemeltedintothecrowd.Igrabbedanothervamp.Ipassedit Icamefacetofacewithanothervamp,aguyofabout15or16, on.Hewentofftopassiton. hairgelledstraightbackandwearingaPVCMarilynManson jacketdrapedwithnecklacesoffaketuskscarvedwithintricate Somewhereinthecrowd,IknewAngewasdoingthistoo. symbols. Somewhereinthecrowd,theremightbeinfiltrators,fake Xnetters,butwhatcouldtheydowiththisknowledge?It'snotlike "Bitebitebite"hebegan,whenoneofthemundanestripped thecopshadachoice.Theyweregoingtoorderustodisperse. overhimandtheybothwentsprawling.Ileaptovertohimand Thatwasguaranteed. shouted"bitebitebitebitebite!"beforehecoulduntanglehimself again. IhadtogettoAnge.TheplanwastomeetattheFounder's StatueinthePlaza,butreachingitwasgoingtobehard.The Morevampswerearriving.Thesuitswerereallyfreakingout. crowdwasn'tmovinganymore,itwassurging,likethemobhadin ThegameoverflowedthesidewalkandmovedintoVanNess, thewaydowntotheBARTstationonthedaythebombswentoff. spreadinguptowardMarketStreet.Drivershonked,thetrolleys IstruggledtomakemywaythroughitjustasthePAunderneath madeangrydings.Iheardmoresirens,butnowtrafficwas thehelicopterswitchedon. snarledineverydirection. "THISISTHEDEPARTMENTOFHOMELANDSECURITY. Itwasfreakingglorious. YOUAREORDEREDTODISPERSEIMMEDIATELY." BITEBITEBITEBITEBITE! Thesoundcamefromallaroundme.Thereweresomany vampsthere,playingsofuriously,itwaslikearoar.Irisked standingupandlookingaroundandfoundthatIwasrightinthe middleofagiantcrowdofvampsthatwentasfarasIcouldseein everydirection. BITEBITEBITEBITEBITE! ThiswasevenbetterthantheconcertinDoloresPark.Thathad beenangryandrockin',butthiswaswell,itwasjustfun.Itwas likegoingbacktotheplayground,totheepicgamesoftagwe'd playonlunchbreakswhenthesunwasout,hundredsofpeople chasingeachotheraround.Theadultsandthecarsjustmadeit morefun,morefunny. That'swhatitwas:itwasfunny.Wewerealllaughingnow. Butthecopswerereallymobilizingnow.Iheardhelicopters. Anysecondnow,itwouldbeover.Timefortheendgame. Aroundme,hundredsofvampsfelltotheground,clutching theirthroats,clawingattheireyes,gaspingforbreath.Itwaseasy tofakebeinggassed,we'dallhadplentyoftimetostudythe footageofthepartiersinMissionDoloresParkgoingdownunder thepeppersprayclouds. "DISPERSEIMMEDIATELY." Ifelltotheground,protectingmypack,reachingaroundtothe redbaseballhatfoldedintothewaistbandofmypants.Ijammed itonmyheadandthengrabbedmythroatandmadehorrendous retchingnoises. Theonlyonesstillstandingwerethemundanes,thesalarymen who'dbeenjusttryingtogettotheirjobs.Ilookedaroundasbest asIcouldatthemasIchokedandgasped. "THISISTHEDEPARTMENTOFHOMELANDSECURITY. YOUAREORDEREDTODISPERSEIMMEDIATELY. DISPERSEIMMEDIATELY."Thevoiceofgodmademybowels ache.Ifeltitinmymolarsandinmyfemursandmyspine.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/110 "You!"Isaid.Iknewher.She'dtakenapictureofmeand threatenedtoratmeouttotruantwatch.Thathadbeenfive minutesbeforethealarmsstarted.She'dbeentheone,ruthless andcunning.We'dbothrunfromthatspotintheTenderloinasthe klaxonsoundedbehindus,andwe'dbothbeenpickedupbythe cops.I'dbeenhostileandthey'ddecidedthatIwasanenemy.

Thesalarymenwerescared.Theyweremovingasfastasthey could,butinnoparticulardirection.Thehelicoptersseemedtobe directlyoverheadnomatterwhereyoustood.Thecopswere wadingintothecrowdnow,andthey'dputontheirhelmets.Some hadshields.Somehadgasmasks.Igaspedharder.

Thenthesalarymenwererunning.Iprobablywouldhaverun SheMashabecametheirally. too.Iwatchedaguywhipa$500jacketoffandwrapitaroundhis facebeforeheadingsouthtowardMission,onlytotripupandgo "Hello,M1k3y,"shehissedinmyear,closeasalover.Ashiver sprawling.Hiscursesjoinedthechokingsounds. wentupmyback.SheletgoofmyarmandIshookitout. Thiswasn'tsupposedtohappenthechokingwasjust supposedtofreakpeopleoutandgetthemconfused,notpanic themintoastampede. Therewerescreamsnow,screamsIrecognizedalltoowellfrom thenightinthepark.Thatwasthesoundofpeoplewhowere scaredspitless,runningintoeachotherastheytriedlikehellto getaway. Andthentheairraidsirensbegan. "Christ,"Isaid."You!" "Yes,me,"shesaid."Thegasisgonnacomedowninabouttwo minutes.Let'shaulass." "AngemygirlfriendisbytheFounders'Statue." Mashalookedoverthecrowd."Nochance,"shesaid."Wetryto makeitthere,we'redoomed.Thegasiscomingdownintwo minutes,incaseyoumisseditthefirsttime."

Ihadn'theardthatsoundsincethebombswentoff,butIwould Istoppedmoving."Idon'tgowithoutAnge,"Isaid. neverforgetit.Itslicedthroughmeandwentstraightintomy balls,turningmylegsintojellyontheway.Itmademewantto Sheshrugged."Suityourself,"sheshoutedinmyear."Your runawayinapanic.Igottomyfeet,redcaponmyhead,thinking funeral." ofonlyonething:Ange.AngeandtheFounders'Statue. Shebegantopushthroughthecrowd,movingaway,north, Everyonewasontheirfeetnow,runninginalldirections, towarddowntown.IcontinuedtopushfortheFounders'Statue.A screaming.Ipushedpeopleoutofmyway,holdingontomypack secondlater,myarmwasbackintheterriblelockandIwasbeing andmyhat,headingforFounders'Statue.Mashawaslookingfor swungaroundandpropelledforward. me,IwaslookingforAnge.Angewasoutthere. "Youknowtoomuch,jerkoff,"shesaid."You'veseenmyface. Ipushedandcursed.Elbowedsomeone.Someonecamedown You'recomingwithme." onmyfootsohardIfeltsomethinggocrunchandIshovedhimso hewentdown.Hetriedtogetupandsomeonesteppedonhim.I Iscreamedather,struggledtillitfeltlikemyarmwouldbreak, shovedandpushed. butshewaspushingmeforward.Mysorefootwasagonywith everystep,myshoulderfeltlikeitwouldbreak. ThenIreachedoutmyarmtoshovesomeoneelseandstrong handsgrabbedmywristandmyelbowinonefluidmotionand Withherusingmeasabatteringram,wemadegoodprogress broughtmyarmbackaroundbehindmyback.Itfeltlikemy throughthecrowd.Thewhineofthehelicopterschangedandshe shoulderwasabouttowrenchoutofitssocket,andIinstantly gavemeaharderpush."RUN!"sheyelled."Herecomesthegas!" doubledover,hollering,asoundthatwasbarelyaudibleoverthe dinofthecrowd,thethrumofthechoppers,thewailofthesirens. Thecrowdnoisechanged,too.Thechokingsoundsandscream soundsgotmuch,muchlouder.I'dheardthatpitchofsound Iwasbroughtbackuprightbythestronghandsbehindme, before.Wewerebackinthepark.Thegaswasrainingdown.I whichsteeredmelikeamarionette.TheholdwassoperfectI heldmybreathandran. couldn'teventhinkofsquirming.Icouldn'tthinkofthenoiseor thehelicopterorAnge.AllIcouldthinkofwasmovingtheway Weclearedthecrowdandsheletgoofmyarm.Ishookitout.I thatthepersonwhohadmewantedmetomove.Iwasbrought limpedasfastasIcouldupthesidewalkasthecrowdthinnedand aroundsothatIwasfacetofacewiththeperson. thinned.WewereheadingtowardsagroupofDHScopswithriot shieldsandhelmetsandmasks.Aswedrewnearthem,they Itwasagirlwhosefacewassharpandrodentlike,halfhidden movedtoblockus,butMashaheldupabadgeandtheymelted byagiantpairofsunglasses.Overthesunglasses,amopofbright awaylikeshewasObiWanKenobi,saying"Thesearen'tthe pinkhair,spikedoutinalldirections. droidsyou'relookingfor."

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/111 "Yougoddamnedbitch,"IsaidaswespedupMarketStreet. "WehavetogobackforAnge." analyzingthefootagefromthatmobfordays,butoncethey're done,everyfaceinitwillgoinadatabase.Ourdeparturewillbe noted.Wearebothwantedcriminalsnow."

Shepursedherlipsandshookherhead."Ifeelforyou,buddy.I haven'tseenmyboyfriendinmonths.HeprobablythinksI'm # dead.Fortunesofwar.WegobackforyourAnge,we'redead.If wepushon,wehaveachance.Solongaswehaveachance,she ShegotusoffMarketStreetonthenextblock,swingingback hasachance.Thosekidsaren'tallgoingtoGitmo.They'll intotheTenderloin.Iknewthisneighborhood.Thiswaswhere probablytakeafewhundredinforquestioningandsendtherest we'dgonehuntingforanopenWiFiaccesspointbackontheday, home." playingHarajukuFunMadness. WeweremovingupMarketStreetnow,pastthestripjoints wherethelittleencampmentsofbumsandjunkiessat,stinking likeopentoilets.Mashaguidedmetoalittlealcoveintheshut doorofoneofthestripplaces.Shestrippedoffherjacketand turneditinsideouttheliningwasamutedstripepattern,and withthejacket'sseamsreversed,ithungdifferently.Sheproduced awoolhatfromherpocketandpulleditoverherhair,lettingit formajaunty,offcenterpeak.Thenshetookoutsomemakeup removerwipesandwenttoworkonherfaceandfingernails.Ina minute,shewasadifferentwoman. "Wardrobechange,"shesaid."Nowyou.Losetheshoes,lose thejacket,losethehat."Icouldseeherpoint.Thecopswouldbe lookingverycarefullyatanyonewholookedlikethey'dbeena partoftheVampMob.IditchedthehatentirelyI'dneverliked ballcaps.ThenIjammedthejacketintomypackandgotouta longsleevedteewithapictureofRosaLuxembourgonitand pulleditovermyblacktee.IletMashawipemymakeupoffand cleanmynailsandaminutelater,Iwasclean. "Switchoffyourphone,"shesaid."Youcarryinganyarphids?" Ihadmystudentcard,myATMcard,myFastPass.Theyall wentintoasilveredbagsheheldout,whichIrecognizedasa radioproofFaradaypouch.Butassheputtheminherpocket,I realizedI'djustturnedmyIDovertoher.Ifshewasontheother side... Themagnitudeofwhathadjusthappenedbegantosinkin.In mymind,I'dpicturedhavingAngewithmeatthispoint.Ange wouldmakeittwoagainstone.Angewouldhelpmeseeifthere wassomethingamiss.IfMashawasn'tallshesaidshewas. "Putthesepebblesinyourshoesbeforeyouputthemon" "It'sOK.Isprainedmyfoot.Nogaitrecognitionprogramwill spotmenow." Shenoddedonce,oneprotoanother,andslungherpack.I pickedupmineandwemoved.Thetotaltimeforthechangeover waslessthanaminute.Welookedandwalkedliketwodifferent people. Shelookedatherwatchandshookherhead."Comeon,"she said."Wehavetomakeourrendezvous.Don'tthinkofrunning, either.You'vegottwochoicesnow.Me,orjail.They'llbe "Wherearewegoing?"Isaid. "We'reabouttocatcharide,"shesaid."Shutupandletme concentrate." Wemovedfast,andsweatstreameddownmyfacefromunder myhair,courseddownmybackandsliddownthecrackofmyass andmythighs.MyfootwasreallyhurtingandIwasseeingthe streetsofSanFranciscoraceby,maybeforthelasttime,ever. Itdidn'thelpthatwewereploughingstraightuphill,movingfor thezonewheretheseedyTenderloingiveswaytothenosebleed realestatevaluesofNobHill.Mybreathcameinraggedgasps. Shemovedusmostlyupnarrowalleys,usingthebigstreetsjustto getfromonealleytothenext. Wewerejuststeppingintoonesuchalley,SabinPlace,when someonefellinbehindusandsaid,"Freezerightthere."Itwas fullofevilmirth.Westoppedandturnedaround. AtthemouthofthealleystoodCharles,wearingahalfhearted VampMoboutfitofblacktshirtandjeansandwhitefacepaint. "Hello,Marcus,"hesaid."Yougoingsomewhere?"Hesmileda huge,wetgrin."Who'syourgirlfriend?" "Whatdoyouwant,Charles?" "Well,I'vebeenhangingoutonthattraitorousXneteversinceI spottedyougivingoutDVDsatschool.WhenIheardaboutyour VampMob,IthoughtI'dgoalongandhangaroundtheedges,just toseeifyoushowedupandwhatyoudid.YouknowwhatIsaw?" Isaidnothing.Hehadhisphoneinhishand,pointedatus. Recording.Maybereadytodial911.Besideme,Mashahadgone stillasaboard. "Isawyouleadingthedamnedthing.AndIrecordedit, Marcus.SonowI'mgoingtocallthecopsandwe'regoingtowait righthereforthem.Andthenyou'regoingtogotopoundyouin theassprison,foralong,longtime." Mashasteppedforward. "Stoprightthere,chickie,"hesaid."Isawyougethimaway.I sawitall"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/112 Shetookanotherstepforwardandsnatchedthephoneoutofhis hand,reachingbehindherwithherotherhandandbringingitout Shewalkedusaroundtheblockonce,apparentlyunsatisfied holdingawalletopen. withsomething,then,onthenextpass,shemadeeyecontactwith themanwhowaswatchingthevan,anolderblackguywitha "DHS,dickhead,"shesaid."I'mDHS.I'vebeenrunningthis kidneybeltandheavygloves.Hehadakindfaceandhesmiledat twerpbacktohismasterstoseewherehewent.Iwasdoingthat. usassheledusquickly,casuallyupthetruck'sthreestairsand Nowyou'veblownit.Wehaveanameforthat.Wecallit intoitsdepth."Underthebigtable,"hesaid."Weleftyousome 'ObstructionofNationalSecurity.'You'reabouttohearthatphrase spacethere." alotmoreoften." Thetruckwasmorethanhalffull,buttherewasanarrow Charlestookastepbackward,hishandsheldupinfrontofhim. corridoraroundahugetablewithaquiltedblanketthrownoverit He'dgoneevenpalerunderhismakeup."What?No!ImeanI andbubblewrapwoundarounditslegs. didn'tknow!Iwastryingtohelp!" Mashapulledmeunderthetable.Itwasstuffyandstilland "ThelastthingweneedisabunchofhighschoolJuniorGmen dustyunderthere,andIsuppressedasneezeaswescrunchedin 'helping,'buddy.Youcantellittothejudge." amongtheboxes.Thespacewassotightthatwewereontopof eachother.Ididn'tthinkthatAngewouldhavefitinthere. Hemovedbackagain,butMashawasfast.Shegrabbedhis wristandtwistedhimintothesamejudoholdshe'dhadmein "Bitch,"Isaid,lookingatMasha. backatCivicCenter.Herhanddippedbacktoherpocketsand cameoutholdingastripofplastic,ahandcuffstrip,whichshe "Shutup.Youshouldbelickingmybootsthankingme.You quicklywoundaroundhiswrists. wouldhaveendedupinjailinaweek,twotops.NotGitmoby theBay.Syria,maybe.Ithinkthat'swheretheysenttheonesthey ThatwasthelastthingIsawasItookoffrunning. reallywantedtodisappear." # Iputmyheadonmykneesandtriedtobreathedeeply.

Imadeitasfarastheotherendofthealleybeforeshecaught "Whywouldyoudosomethingsostupidasdeclaringwaron upwithme,tacklingmefrombehindandsendingmesprawling.I theDHSanyway?" couldn'tmoveveryfast,notwithmyhurtfootandtheweightof mypack.Iwentdowninahardfaceplantandskidded,grinding Itoldher.ItoldheraboutbeingbustedandItoldherabout mycheekintothegrimyasphalt. Darryl. "Jesus,"shesaid."You'reagoddamnedidiot.Youdidn'tbelieve Shepattedherpocketsandcameupwithaphone.Itwas that,didyou?" Charles's."Wrongphone."Shecameupwithanotherphone.She turneditonandtheglowfromitsscreenfilledourlittlefort. Myheartthuddedinmychest.Shewasontopofmeandslowly Afterfiddlingforasecond,sheshowedittome. sheletmeup. Itwasthepictureshe'dsnappedofus,justbeforethebombs "DoIneedtocuffyou,Marcus?" blew.ItwasthepictureofJoluandVanandmeand Igottomyfeet.Ihurtallover.Iwantedtodie. "Comeon,"shesaid."It'snotfarnow." # 'It'turnedouttobeamovingvanonaNobHillsidestreet,a sixteenwheelerthesizeofoneoftheubiquitousDHStrucksthat stillturneduponSanFrancisco'sstreetcorners,bristlingwith antennas. Darryl. IwasholdinginmyhandproofthatDarrylhadbeenwithus minutesbeforewe'dallgoneintoDHScustody.Proofthathe'd beenaliveandwellandinourcompany. "Youneedtogivemeacopyofthis,"Isaid."Ineedit."

"WhenwegettoLA,"shesaid,snatchingthephoneback. "Onceyou'vebeenbriefedonhowtobeafugitivewithoutgetting bothourassescaughtandshippedtoSyria.Idon'twantyou Thisone,though,said"ThreeGuysandaTruckMoving"onthe gettingrescueideasaboutthisguy.He'ssafeenoughwhereheis side,andthethreeguyswereverymuchinevidence,trekkingin fornow." andoutofatallapartmentbuildingwithagreenawning.They werecarryingcratedfurniture,neatlylabeledboxes,loadingthem Ithoughtabouttryingtotakeitfromherbyforce,butshe'd oneatatimeontothetruckandcarefullypackingthemthere. alreadydemonstratedherphysicalskill.Shemusthavebeena

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/113 blackbeltorsomething. Wesatthereinthedark,listeningtothethreeguysloadthe truckwithboxafterbox,tyingthingsdown,gruntingwiththe effortofit.Itriedtosleep,butcouldn't.Mashahadnosuch problem.Shesnored. Therewasstilllightshiningthroughthenarrow,obstructed corridorthatledtothefreshairoutside.Istaredatit,throughthe gloom,andthoughtofAnge. MyAnge.Herhairbrushinghershouldersassheturnedher headfromsidetoside,laughingatsomethingI'ddone.Herface whenI'dseenherlast,fallingdowninthecrowdatVampMob. AllthosepeopleatVampMob,likethepeopleinthepark,down andwrithing,theDHSmovinginwithtruncheons.Theoneswho disappeared. Darryl.StuckonTreasureIsland,hissidestitchedup,takenout ofhiscellforendlessroundsofquestioningabouttheterrorists. Darryl'sfather,ruinedandboozy,unshaven.Washedupandin hisuniform,"forthephotos."Weepinglikealittleboy. Myownfather,andthewaythathehadbeenchangedbymy disappearancetoTreasureIsland.He'dbeenjustasbrokenas Darryl'sfather,butinhisownway.Andhisface,whenItoldhim whereI'dbeen. ThatwaswhenIknewthatIcouldn'trun. ThatwaswhenIknewthatIhadtostayandfight. # Iturnedbackaroundslowly,slowly,andslowly,slowly,slowly,I reachedbackintoherpocket.Herphonewasbiggerandbulkier, withabettercameraandwhoknewwhatelse? I'dbeenthroughthisoncebeforethatmadeitalittleeasier. Millimeterbymillimeteragain,Iteaseditfreeofherpocket, stoppingtwicewhenshesnuffledandtwitched. IhadthephonefreeofherpocketandIwasbeginningtoback awaywhenherhandshotout,fastasasnake,andgrabbedmy wrist,hard,fingertipsgrindingawayatthesmall,tenderbones belowmyhand. IgaspedandstaredintoMasha'swideopen,staringeyes. "Youaresuchanidiot,"shesaid,conversationally,takingthe phonefromme,punchingatitskeypadwithherotherhand."How didyouplanonunlockingthisagain?" Iswallowed.Ifeltbonesgrindagainsteachotherinmywrist.I bitmyliptokeepfromcryingout. Shecontinuedtopunchawaywithherotherhand."Isthiswhat youthoughtyou'dgetawaywith?"Sheshowedmethepictureof allofus,DarrylandJolu,Vanandme."Thispicture?" Ididn'tsayanything.Mywristfeltlikeitwouldshatter. "MaybeIshouldjustdeleteit,taketemptationoutofyourway." Herfreehandmovedsomemore.Herphoneaskedherifshewas sureandshehadtolookatittofindtherightbutton.

That'swhenImoved.IhadCharles'sphoneinmyotherhand still,andIbroughtitdownonhercrushinghandashardasI could,bangingmyknucklesonthetableoverhead.Ihitherhand Masha'sbreathingwasdeepandregular,butwhenIreached sohardthephoneshatteredandsheyelpedandherhandwent withglacialslownessintoherpocketforherphone,shesnuffleda slack.Iwasstillmoving,reachingforherotherhand,forhernow littleandshifted.Ifrozeanddidn'tevenbreatheforafulltwo unlockedphonewithherthumbstillpoisedovertheOKkey.Her minutes,countingonehippopotami,twohippopotami. fingersspasmedontheemptyairasIsnatchedthephoneoutof herhand. Slowly,herbreathdeepenedagain.Ituggedthephonefreeof herjacketpocketonemillimeteratatime,myfingersandarm Imoveddownthenarrowcorridoronhandsandknees,heading tremblingwiththeeffortofmovingsoslowly. forthelight.Ifeltherhandsslapatmyfeetandanklestwice,and Ihadtoshoveasidesomeoftheboxesthathadwalledusinlikea ThenIhadit,alittlecandybarshapedthing. Pharaohinatomb.Afewofthemfelldownbehindme,andI heardMashagruntagain. Iturnedtoheadforthelight,whenIhadaflashofmemory: Charles,holdingouthisphone,wagglingitatus,tauntingus.It TherollingtruckdoorwasopenacrackandIdoveforit, hadbeenacandybarshapedphone,silver,plasteredinthelogos slitheringoutunderit.ThestepshadbeenremovedandIfound ofadozencompaniesthathadsubsidizedthecostofthehandset myselfhangingovertheroad,slidingheadfirstintoit,clanging throughthephonecompany.Itwasthekindofphonewhereyou myheadofftheblacktopwithathumpthatrangmyearslikea hadtolistentoacommercialeverytimeyoumadeacall. gong.Iscrambledtomyfeet,holdingthebumper,anddesperately draggeddownonthedoorhandle,slammingitshut.Masha Itwastoodimtoseethephoneclearlyinthetruck,butIcould screamedinsideImusthavecaughtherfingertips.Ifeltlike feelit.Werethosecompanydecalsonitssides?Yes?Yes.Ihad throwingup,butIdidn't. juststolenCharles'sphonefromMasha. Ipadlockedthetruckinstead.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/114 solvemyproblems.IhadtocallBarbaraStratford,tellherwhat hadhappened.ShowherthephotoofDarryl. WhatwasIthinking?Ihadtoshowherthevideo,theonethat MashahadsentmetheonewherethePresident'sChiefofStaff gloatedattheattacksonSanFranciscoandadmittedthatheknew whenandwherethenextattackswouldhappenandthathe wouldn'tstopthembecausethey'dhelphismangetreelected. Thatwasaplan,then:getintouchwithBarbara,giveherthe documents,andgetthemintoprint.TheVampMobhadtohave reallyfreakedpeopleout,madethemthinkthatwereallywerea bunchofterrorists.Ofcourse,whenI'dbeenplanningit,Ihad beenthinkingofhowgoodadistractionitwouldbe,nothowit wouldlooktosomeNASCARDadinNebraska.

Chapter20 ThischapterisdedicatedtoTheTatteredCover,Denver's legendaryindependentbookstore.IhappeneduponTheTattered Coverquitebyaccident:AliceandIhadjustlandedinDenver, cominginfromLondon,anditwasearlyandcoldandweneeded coffee.Wedroveinaimlessrentalcarcircles,andthat'swhenI spottedit,theTatteredCover'ssign.Somethingaboutittingledin myhindbrainIknewI'dheardofthisplace.Wepulledin(gota coffee)andsteppedintothestoreawonderlandofdarkwood, homeyreadingnooks,andmilesandmilesofbookshelves.

TheTatteredCover I'dcallBarbara,andI'ddoitsmart,fromapayphone,putting http://www.tatteredcover.com/NASApp/store/Product? s=showproduct&isbn=9780765319852162816thSt.,Denver,CO myhoodupsothattheinevitableCCTVwouldn'tgetaphotoof me.Idugaquarteroutofmypocketandpolisheditonmyshirt USA80202+13034361070 tail,gettingthefingerprintsoffit. Noneofthethreeguyswerearoundatthemoment,soItookoff. MyheadhurtsomuchIthoughtImustbebleeding,butmyhands cameawaydry.Mytwistedanklehadfrozenupinthetruckso thatIranlikeabrokenmarionette,andIstoppedonlyonce,to cancelthephotodeletiononMasha'sphone.Iturnedoffitsradio bothtosavebatteryandtokeepitfrombeingusedtotrackme andsetthesleeptimertotwohours,thelongestsetting available.Itriedtosetittonotrequireapasswordtowakefrom sleep,butthatrequiredapassworditself.Iwasjustgoingtohave totapthekeypadatleastonceeverytwohoursuntilIcouldfigure outhowtogetthephotooffofthephone.Iwouldneedacharger, then. Ididn'thaveaplan.Ineededone.Ineededtositdown,toget onlinetofigureoutwhatIwasgoingtodonext.Iwassickof lettingotherpeopledomyplanningforme.Ididn'twanttobe actingbecauseofwhatMashadid,orbecauseoftheDHS,or becauseofmydad.OrbecauseofAnge?Well,maybeI'dact becauseofAnge.Thatwouldbejustfine,infact. I'djustbeenslippingdownhill,takingalleyswhenIcould, mergingwiththeTenderloincrowds.Ididn'thaveanydestination inmind.Everyfewminutes,Iputmyhandinmypocketand nudgedoneofthekeysonMasha'sphonetokeepitfromgoing asleep.Itmadeanawkwardbulge,unfoldedthereinmyjacket. Istoppedandleanedagainstabuilding.Myanklewaskilling me.WherewasI,anyway? O'Farrell,atHydeStreet.Infrontofadodgy"AsianMassage Parlor."Mytraitorousfeethadtakenmerightbacktothe beginningtakenmebacktowherethephotoonMasha'sphone hadbeentaken,secondsbeforetheBayBridgeblew,beforemy lifechangedforever. Iheadeddownhill,downanddowntotheBARTstationandthe payphonesthere.ImadeittothetrolleycarstopwhenIspotted thecoveroftheweek'sBayGuardian,stackedinahighpilenext toahomelessblackguywhosmiledatme."Goaheadandread thecover,it'sfreeit'llcostyoufiftycentstolookinside, though." TheheadlinewassetinthebiggesttypeI'dseensince9/11: INSIDEGITMOBYTHEBAY Beneathit,inslightlysmallertype: "HowtheDHShaskeptourchildrenandfriendsinsecret prisonsonourdoorstep. "ByBarbaraStratford,SpecialtotheBayGuardian" Thenewspapersellershookhishead."Canyoubelievethat?" hesaid."RighthereinSanFrancisco.Man,thegovernment sucks." Theoretically,theGuardianwasfree,butthisguyappearedto havecorneredthelocalmarketforcopiesofit.Ihadaquarterin myhand.Idroppeditintohiscupandfishedforanotherone.I didn'tbotherpolishingthefingerprintsoffofitthistime. "We'retoldthattheworldchangedforeverwhentheBayBridge wasblownupbypartiesunknown.Thousandsofourfriendsand neighborsdiedonthatday.Almostnoneofthemhavebeen recovered;theirremainsarepresumedtoberestinginthecity's harbor.

"Butanextraordinarystorytoldtothisreporterbyayoungman whowasarrestedbytheDHSminutesaftertheexplosion Iwantedtositdownonthesidewalkandbawl,butthatwouldn't suggeststhatourowngovernmenthasillegallyheldmanyof

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/115 thosethoughtdeadonTreasureIsland,whichhadbeenevacuated anddeclaredofflimitstociviliansshortlyafterthebombing..."

Isatdownonabenchthesamebench,Inotedwithaprickly hairuptheneckfeeling,wherewe'drestedDarrylafterescaping fromtheBARTstationandreadthearticleallthewaythrough. Hisfriendcameover.Hewastaller,andbeefylikeDarryl. Ittookahugeeffortnottoburstintotearsrightthere.Barbarahad "Hey,"hesaid."Somethingwrong?" foundsomephotosofmeandDarrylgoofingaroundtogetherand theyranalongsidethetext.Thephotosweremaybeayearold,but Hisfriendwhisperedinhisear.Thetwoofthemlookedlike Ilookedsomuchyoungerinthem,likeIwas10or11.I'ddonea theyweregoingtobolt. lotofgrowingupinthepastcouplemonths. IgrabbedmycopyoftheBayGuardianfromundermyarmand Thepiecewasbeautifullywritten.Ikeptfeelingoutragedon rattleditinfrontofthem."Justturntopage5,OK?" behalfofthepoorkidsshewaswritingabout,thenremembering thatshewaswritingaboutme.Zeb'snotewasthere,hiscrabbed Theydid.Theylookedattheheadline.Thephoto.Me. handwritingreproducedinlarge,ahalfsheetofthenewspaper. Barbarahaddugupmoreinfoonotherkidswhoweremissing "Oh,dude,"thefirstonesaid."Wearesonotworthy."He andpresumeddead,alonglist,andaskedhowmanyhadbeen grinnedatmelikecrazy,andthebeefieroneslappedmeonthe stuckthereontheisland,justafewmilesfromtheirparents' back. doorsteps. "Noway"hesaid."You'reM" Iduganotherquarteroutofmypocket,thenchangedmymind. WhatwasthechancethatBarbara'sphonewasn'ttapped?There Iputahandoverhismouth."Comeoverhere,OK?" wasnowayIwasgoingtobeabletocallhernow,notdirectly.I neededsomeintermediarytogetintouchwithherandgetherto Ibroughtthembacktomybench.Inoticedthattherewas meetmesomewheresouth.Somuchforplans. somethingoldandbrownstainingthesidewalkunderneathit. Darryl'sblood?Itmademyskinpuckerup.Wesatdown. WhatIreally,reallyneededwastheXnet. "I'mMarcus,"Isaid,swallowinghardasIgavemyrealnameto HowthehellwasIgoingtogetonline?Myphone'swifinder thesetwowhoalreadyknewmeasM1k3y.Iwasblowingmy wasblinkinglikecrazytherewaswirelessallaroundme,butI cover,buttheBayGuardianhadalreadymadetheconnectionfor didn'thaveanXboxandaTVandaParanoidXboxDVDtoboot me. from.WiFi,WiFieverywhere... "Nate,"thesmallonesaid."Liam,"thebiggeronesaid."Dude, That'swhenIspottedthem.Twokids,aboutmyage,moving itissuchanhonortomeetyou.You'relikeouralltimehero" amongthecrowdatthetopofthestairsdownintotheBART. "Don'tsaythat,"Isaid."Don'tsaythat.Youtwoarelikea Whatcaughtmyeyewasthewaytheyweremoving,kindof flashingadvertisementthatsays,'Iamjamming,pleaseputmy clumsy,nudgingupagainstthecommutersandthetourists.Each assinGitmobytheBay.Youcouldn'tbemoreobvious." hadahandinhispocket,andwhenevertheymetoneanother's eye,theysnickered.Theycouldn'thavebeenmoreobvious Liamlookedlikehemightcry. jammers,butthecrowdwasoblivioustothem.Beingdownin thatneighborhood,youexpecttobedodginghomelesspeopleand "Don'tworry,youdidn'tgetbusted.I'llgiveyousometips, crazies,soyoudon'tmakeeyecontact,don'tlookaroundatallif later."Hebrightenedupagain.Whatwasbecomingweirdlyclear youcanhelpit. wasthatthesetworeallydididolizeM1k3y,andthatthey'ddo anythingIsaid.Theyweregrinninglikeidiots.Itmademe Isidleduptoone.Heseemedreallyyoung,buthecouldn'thave uncomfortable,sicktomystomach. beenanyyoungerthanme. "Listen,IneedtogetonXnet,now,withoutgoinghomeor "Hey,"Isaid."Hey,canyouguyscomeoverhereforasecond?" anywherenearhome.Doyoutwolivenearhere?" Hepretendednottohearme.Helookedrightthroughme,the wayyouwouldahomelessperson. "Comeon,"Isaid."Idon'thavealotoftime."Igrabbedhis shoulderandhissedinhisear."Thecopsareafterme.I'mfrom Xnet." "Ido,"Natesaid."UpatthetopofCaliforniaStreet.It'sabitof awalksteephills."I'djustwalkedallthewaydownthem. Mashawassomewhereupthere.Butstill,itwasbetterthanIhad anyrighttoexpect. "Let'sgo,"Isaid.

Helookedscarednow,likehewantedtorunaway,andhis friendwasmovingtowardus."I'mserious,"Isaid."Justhearme out."

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/116 watchedinfascinationasIpagedthroughmymailonthegigantic screen. WhatIwaslookingfor,firstandforemost,wasemailfrom Ange.Therewasachancethatshe'djustgottenaway.Therewas alwaysthatchance. Iwasanidiottoevenhope.Therewasnothingfromher.I startedgoingthroughthemailasfastasIcould,pickingapartthe pressrequests,thefanmail,thehatemail,thespam... Andthat'swhenIfoundit:aletterfromZeb. "Itwasn'tnicetowakeupthismorningandfindtheletterthatI thoughtyouwoulddestroyinthepagesofthenewspaper.Notnice atall.Mademefeelhunted. "ButI'vecometounderstandwhyyoudidit.Idon'tknowifI canapproveofyourtactics,butit'seasytoseethatyourmotives weresound. "Ifyou'rereadingthis,thatmeansthatthere'sagoodchance you'vegoneunderground.It'snoteasy.I'vebeenlearningthat. I'vebeenlearningalotmore. "Icanhelpyou.Ishoulddothatforyou.You'redoingwhatyou canforme.(Evenifyou'renotdoingitwithmypermission.) "Replyifyougetthis,ifyou'reontherunandalone.Orreplyif you'reincustody,beingrunbyourfriendsonGitmo,lookingfor awaytomakethepainstop.Ifthey'vegotyou,you'lldowhat theytellyou.Iknowthat.I'lltakethatrisk.

# Nateloanedmehisbaseballhatandtradedjacketswithme.I didn'thavetoworryaboutgaitrecognition,notwithmyankle throbbingthewayitwasIlimpedlikeanextrainacowboy movie. NatelivedinahugefourbedroomapartmentatthetopofNob Hill.Thebuildinghadadoorman,inaredovercoatwithgold brocade,andhetouchedhiscapandcalledNate,"MrNate"and welcomedusallthere.Theplacewasspotlessandsmelledof furniturepolish.Itriednottogawpatwhatmusthavebeena couplemillionbucks'worthofcondo. "Mydad,"heexplained."Hewasaninvestmentbanker.Lotsof lifeinsurance.HediedwhenIwas14andwegotitall.They'd beendivorcedforyears,butheleftmymomasbeneficiary." Fromthefloortoceilingwindow,youcouldseeastunning viewoftheothersideofNobHill,allthewaydownto Fisherman'sWharf,totheuglystuboftheBayBridge,thecrowd ofcranesandtrucks.Throughthemist,Icouldjustmakeout TreasureIsland.Lookingdownallthatway,itgavemeacrazy urgetojump. IgotonlinewithhisXboxandahugeplasmascreeninthe livingroom.HeshowedmehowmanyopenWiFinetworkswere visiblefromhishighvantagepointtwenty,thirtyofthem.This wasagoodspottobeanXnetter.

TherewasalotofemailinmyM1k3yaccount.20,000new messagessinceAngeandIhadleftherplacethatmorning.Lots "Foryou,M1k3y." ofitwasfromthepress,askingforfollowupinterviews,butmost ofitwasfromtheXnetters,peoplewho'dseentheGuardianstory "Wooooah,"Liambreathed."Duuuuude."Iwantedtosmack andwantedtotellmethatthey'ddoanythingtohelpme,anything him.Iturnedtosaysomethingawfulandcuttingtohim,buthe Ineeded. wasstaringatmewitheyesasbigassaucers,lookinglikehe wantedtodroptohiskneesandworshipme. Thatdidit.Tearsstartedtorolldownmycheeks. "CanIjustsay,"Natesaid,"canIjustsaythatitisthebiggest NateandLiamexchangedglances.Itriedtostop,butitwasno honorofmyentirelifetohelpyou?CanIjustsaythat?" good.Iwassobbingnow.Natewenttoanoakbookcaseonone wallandswungabaroutofoneofitsshelves,revealinggleaming Iwasblushingnow.Therewasnothingforit.Thesetwowere rowsofbottles.Hepouredmeashotofsomethinggoldenbrown totallystarstruck,eventhoughIwasn'tanykindofstar,notinmy andbroughtittome. ownmindatleast. "RareIrishwhiskey,"hesaid."Mom'sfavorite." Ittastedlikefire,likegold.Isippedatit,tryingnottochoke.I didn'treallylikehardliquor,butthiswasdifferent.Itookseveral deepbreaths. "Thanks,Nate,"Isaid.HelookedlikeI'djustpinnedamedal onhim.Hewasagoodkid. "Allright,"Isaid,andpickedupthekeyboard.Thetwoboys "Canyouguys"Iswallowed."CanIhavesomeprivacy here?" TheyslunkoutoftheroomlikebadpuppiesandIfeltlikea tool.Itypedfast. "Igotaway,Zeb.AndI'montherun.IneedallthehelpIcan get.Iwanttoendthisnow."IrememberedtotakeMasha'sphone outofmypocketandtickleittokeepitfromgoingtosleep.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/117 Theyletmeusetheshower,gavemeachangeofclothes,anew # backpackwithhalftheirearthquakekitinitenergybars, medicine,hotandcoldpacks,andanoldsleepingbag.Theyeven TherendezvouswasonaBARTcar,whichmademenervous. slippedaspareXboxUniversalalreadyloadedwith They'refullofcameras.ButZebknewwhathewasdoing.Hehad ParanoidXboxonitintothere.Thatwasanicetouch.Ihadto memeethiminthelastcarofacertaintraindepartingfrom drawthelineataflaregun. PowellStreetStation,atatimewhenthatcarwasfilledwiththe pressofbodies.Hesidleduptomeinthecrowd,andthegood IkeptoncheckingmyemailtoseeifZebhadreplied.I commutersofSanFranciscoclearedaspaceforhim,thehollow answeredthefanmail.Iansweredthemailfromthepress.I thatalwayssurroundshomelesspeople. deletedthehatemail.Iwashalfexpectingtoseesomethingfrom Masha,butchanceswereshewashalfwaytoLAbynow,her "Nicetoseeyouagain,"hemuttered,facingintothedoorway. fingershurt,andinnopositiontotype.Itickledherphoneagain. Lookingintothedarkglass,Icouldseethattherewasnoone closeenoughtoeavesdropnotwithoutsomekindofhigh Theyencouragedmetotakeanapandforabrief,shameful efficiencymicrig,andiftheyknewenoughtoshowupherewith moment,Igotallparanoidlikemaybetheseguyswerethinkingof oneofthose,weweredeadanyway. turningmeinonceIwasasleep.Whichwasidiotictheycould haveturnedmeinjustaseasilywhenIwasawake.Ijustcouldn't "Youtoo,brother,"Isaid."I'mI'msorry,youknow?" computethefactthattheythoughtsomuchofme.Ihadknown, intellectually,thattherewerepeoplewhowouldfollowM1k3y.I'd "Shutup.Don'tbesorry.YouwerebraverthanIam.Areyou metsomeofthosepeoplethatmorning,shoutingBITEBITE readytogoundergroundnow?Readytodisappear?" BITEandvampingitupatCivicCenter.Butthesetwoweremore personal.Theywerejustnice,goofyguys,theycouldabeenany "Aboutthat." ofmyfriendsbackinthedaysbeforetheXnet,justtwopalswho palledaroundhavingteenageadventures.They'dvolunteeredto "Yes?" joinanarmy,myarmy.Ihadaresponsibilitytothem.Leftto themselves,they'dgetcaught,itwasonlyamatteroftime.They "That'snottheplan." weretootrusting. "Oh,"hesaid. "Guys,listentomeforasecond.IhavesomethingseriousI needtotalktoyouabout." "Listen,OK?IhaveIhavepictures,video.Stuffthatreally provessomething."IreachedintomypocketandtickledMasha's Theyalmoststoodatattention.Itwouldhavebeenfunnyifit phone.I'dboughtachargerforitinUnionSquareontheway wasn'tsoscary. down,andhadstoppedandpluggeditinatacafeforlongenough togetthebatteryuptofouroutoffivebars."Ineedtogetitto "Here'sthething.Nowthatyou'vehelpedme,it'sreally BarbaraStratford,thewomanfromtheGuardian.Butthey're dangerous.Ifyougetcaught,I'llgetcaught.They'llgetanything goingtobewatchingherwatchingtoseeifIshowup." youknowoutofyou"Iheldupmyhandtoforestalltheir protests."No,stop.Youhaven'tbeenthroughit.Everyonetalks. "Youdon'tthinkthatthey'llbewatchingforme,too?Ifyour Everyonebreaks.Ifyou'reevercaught,youtellthemeverything, planinvolvesmegoingwithinamileofthatwoman'shomeor rightaway,asfastasyoucan,asmuchasyoucan.They'llgetitall office" eventuallyanyway.That'showtheywork. "IwantyoutogetVantocomeandmeetme.DidDarrylever "Butyouwon'tgetcaught,andhere'swhy:you'renotjammers tellyouaboutVan?Thegirl" anymore.Youareretiredfromactiveduty.You'rea"Ifishedin mymemoryforvocabularywordsculledfromspythrillers "Hetoldme.Yes,hetoldme.Youdon'tthinkthey'llbe "you'reasleepercell.Standdown.Gobacktobeingnormalkids. watchingher?Allofyouwhowerearrested?" Onewayoranother,I'mgoingtobreakthisthing,breakitwide open,endit.Oritwillgetme,finally,domein.Ifyoudon'thear "Ithinktheywill.Idon'tthinkthey'llbewatchingherashard. frommewithin72hours,assumethattheygotme.Dowhatever AndVanhastotallycleanhands.Shenevercooperatedwithany youwantthen.Butforthenextthreedaysandforever,ifIdo ofmy"Iswallowed."Withmyprojects.Sotheymightbea whatI'mtryingtodostanddown.Willyoupromisemethat?" littlemorerelaxedabouther.IfshecallstheBayGuardianto makeanappointmenttoexplainwhyI'mjustfullofcrap,maybe Theypromisedwithallsolemnity.Iletthemtalkmeinto they'llletherkeepit." napping,butmadethemsweartorousemeonceanhour.I'dhave totickleMasha'sphoneandIwantedtoknowassoonasZebgot Hestaredatthedoorforalongtime. backintouchwithme. "Youknowwhathappenswhentheycatchusagain."Itwasn'ta

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/118 question. Inodded. "Areyousure?SomeofthepeoplethatwereonTreasureIsland withusgottakenawayinhelicopters.Theygottakenoffshore. TherearecountrieswhereAmericacanoutsourceitstorture. Countrieswhereyouwillrotforever.Countrieswhereyouwish theywouldjustgetitoverwith,haveyoudigatrenchandthen shootyouinthebackoftheheadasyoustandoverit." Iswallowedandnodded. "Isitworththerisk?Wecangoundergroundforalong,long timehere.Somedaywemightgetourcountryback.Wecanwait itout." Ishookmyhead."Youcan'tgetanythingdonebydoing nothing.It'sourcountry.They'vetakenitfromus.Theterrorists whoattackusarestillfreebutwe'renot.Ican'tgounderground forayear,tenyears,mywholelife,waitingforfreedomtobe handedtome.Freedomissomethingyouhavetotakefor yourself." # eye,hemightaskyouforsomesparechange.I'dwalkedaround Oaklandallafternoonandtheonlypersonwho'dspokentome wasaJehovah'sWitnessandaScientologist,bothtryingto convertme.Itfeltgross,likebeinghitonbyapervert. VanfollowedthedirectionsI'dwrittendowncarefully.Zebhad passedthemtoherthesamewayhe'dgivenmethenoteoutside schoolbumpingintoherasshewaitedforthebus,apologizing profusely.I'dwrittenthenoteplainlyandsimply,justlayingitout forher:Iknowyoudon'tapprove.Iunderstand.Butthisisit,this isthemostimportantfavorI'veeveraskedofyou.Please.Please. She'dcome.Iknewshewould.Wehadalotofhistory,Vanand I.Shedidn'tlikewhathadhappenedtotheworld,either.Besides, anevil,chucklingvoiceinmyheadhadpointedout,shewas undersuspicionnowthatBarbara'sarticlewasout. Wewalkedlikethatforsixorsevenblocks,lookingatwhowas nearus,whatcarswentpast.Zebtoldmeaboutfivepersontrails, wherefivedifferentundercoverstradedoffdutiesfollowingyou, makingitnearlyimpossibletospotthem.Youhadtogo somewheretotallydesolate,whereanyoneatallwouldstandout likeasorethumb. Theoverpassforthe880wasjustafewblocksfromthe ColiseumBARTstation,andevenwithallthecirclingVandid,it didn'ttakelongtoreachit.Thenoisefromoverheadwasnearly deafening.Nooneelsewasaround,notthatIcouldtell.I'dvisited thesitebeforeIsuggestedittoVaninthenote,takingcareto checkforplaceswheresomeonecouldhide.Thereweren'tany.

Thatafternoon,Vanleftschoolasusual,sittinginthebackof thebuswithatightknotofherfriends,laughingandjokingthe wayshealwaysdid.Theotherridersonthebustookspecialnote ofher,shewassoloud,andbesides,shewaswearingthatstupid, giantfloppyhat,somethingthatlookedlikeapieceoutofa schoolplayaboutRenaissanceswordfighters.Atonepointthey Onceshestoppedattheappointedplace,Imovedquicklyto allhuddledtogether,thenturnedawaytolookoutthebackofthe catchuptoher.Sheblinkedowlishlyatmefrombehindher bus,pointingandgiggling.Thegirlwhoworethehatnowwasthe glasses. sameheightasVan,andfrombehind,itcouldbeher. "Marcus,"shebreathed,andtearsswaminhereyes.Ifoundthat NoonepaidanyattentiontothemousylittleAsiangirlwhogot Iwascryingtoo.I'dmakeareallyrottenfugitive.Too offafewstopsbeforetheBART.Shewasdressedinaplainold sentimental. schooluniform,andlookingdownshylyasshesteppedoff. Besides,atthatmoment,theloudKoreangirlletoutawhoopand ShehuggedmesohardIcouldn'tbreathe.Ihuggedherback herfriendsfollowedalong,laughingsoloudlythateventhebus evenharder. driversloweddown,twistedinhisseatandgavethemadirty look. Thenshekissedme. Vanhurriedawaydownthestreetwithherheaddown,herhair Notonthecheek,notlikeasister.Fullonthelips,ahot,wet, tiedbackanddroppeddownthecollarofheroutofstylebubble steamykissthatseemedtogoonforever.Iwassoovercomewith jacket.Shehadslippedliftsintohershoesthatmadehertwo emotion wobbly,awkwardinchestaller,andhadtakenhercontactsoutand putonherleastfavoredglasses,withhugelensesthattookuphalf No,that'sbull.IknewexactlywhatIwasdoing.Ikissedher herface.AlthoughI'dbeenwaitinginthebusshelterforherand back. knewwhentoexpecther,Ihardlyrecognizedher.Igotupand walkedalongbehindher,acrossthestreet,trailingbyhalfablock. ThenIstoppedandpulledaway,nearlyshovedheraway."Van," Igasped. Thepeoplewhopassedmelookedawayasquicklyaspossible. Ilookedlikeahomelesskid,withagrubbycardboardsign,street "Oops,"shesaid. grimyovercoat,huge,overstuffedknapsackwithducttapeoverits rips.Noonewantstolookatastreetkid,becauseifyoumeethis "Van,"Isaidagain.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/119 Vankneltdownbymyside."Givemethephone,"shesaid,her voiceanangryhiss.Ifisheditoutofmypocketandpasseditto her. Embarrassed,Istoppedcryingandsatup.Iknewthatsnotwas runningdownmyface.Vanwasgivingmealookofpure revulsion."Youneedtokeepitfromgoingtosleep,"Isaid."I haveachargerhere."Irummagedinmypack.Ihadn'tsleptallthe waythroughthenightsinceIacquiredit.Isetthephone'salarm togooffevery90minutesandwakemeupsothatIcouldkeepit fromgoingtosleep."Don'tfolditshut,either." "Andthevideo?"

"Sorry,"shesaid."I" Somethingoccurredtomejustthen,somethingIguessIshould haveseenalong,longtimebefore. "Youlikeme,don'tyou?" Shenoddedmiserably."Foryears,"shesaid. Oh,God.Darryl,alltheseyears,soinlovewithher,andthe wholetimeshewaslookingatme,secretlywantingme.Andthen IendedupwithAnge.Angesaidthatshe'dalwaysfoughtwith Van.AndIwasrunningaround,gettingintosomuchtrouble. "Van,"Isaid."Van,I'msosorry."

"That'sharder,"Isaid."Iemailedacopytomyself,butIcan't getontotheXnetanymore."Inapinch,Icouldhavegonebackto NateandLiamandusedtheirXboxagain,butIdidn'twanttorisk "Forgetit,"shesaid,lookingaway."Iknowitcan'tbe.Ijust it."Look,I'mgoingtogiveyoumyloginandpasswordforthe wantedtodothatonce,justincaseInever"Shebitdownonthe PirateParty'smailserver.You'llhavetouseTortoaccessit words. HomelandSecurityisboundtobescanningforpeoplelogging intoppartymail." "Van,Ineedyoutodosomethingforme.Somethingimportant. IneedyoutomeetwiththejournalistfromtheBayGuardian, "Yourloginandpassword,"shesaid,lookingalittlesurprised. BarbaraStratford,theonewhowrotethearticle.Ineedyouto givehersomething."IexplainedaboutMasha'sphone,toldher "Itrustyou,Van.IknowIcantrustyou." aboutthevideothatMashahadsentme. Sheshookherhead."Younevergiveoutyourpasswords, "Whatgoodwillthisdo,Marcus?What'sthepoint?" Marcus." "Van,youwereright,atleastpartly.Wecan'tfixtheworldby puttingotherpeopleatrisk.Ineedtosolvetheproblembytelling whatIknow.Ishouldhavedonethatfromthestart.Shouldhave walkedstraightoutoftheircustodyandtoDarryl'sfather'shouse andtoldhimwhatIknew.Now,though,Ihaveevidence.This stuffitcouldchangetheworld.Thisismylasthope.Theonly hopeforgettingDarrylout,forgettingalifethatIdon'tspend underground,hidingfromthecops.Andyou'retheonlypersonI cantrusttodothis." "Whyme?" "You'rekidding,right?Lookathowwellyouhandledgetting here.You'reapro.You'rethebestatthisofanyofus.You'rethe onlyoneIcantrust.That'swhyyou." "WhynotyourfriendAngie?"Shesaidthenamewithoutany inflectionatall,likeitwasablockofcement. Ilookeddown."Ithoughtyouknew.Theyarrestedher.She'sin GitmoonTreasureIsland.She'sbeentherefordaysnow."Ihad beentryingnottothinkaboutthis,nottothinkaboutwhatmight behappeningtoher.NowIcouldn'tstopmyselfandIstartedto sob.Ifeltapaininmystomach,likeI'dbeenkicked,andIpushed myhandsintomymiddletoholdmyselfin.Ifoldedthere,andthe nextthingIknew,Iwasonmysideintherubbleunderthe freeway,holdingmyselfandcrying. "Idon'tthinkitmattersanymore.EitheryousucceedorIor it'stheendofMarcusYallow.MaybeI'llgetanewidentity,butI don'tthinkso.Ithinkthey'llcatchme.IguessI'veknownall alongthatthey'dcatchme,someday." Shelookedatme,furiousnow."Whatawaste.Whatwasitall for,anyway?" Ofallthethingsshecouldhavesaid,nothingcouldhavehurt memore.Itwaslikeanotherkickinthestomach.Whatawaste, allofit,futile.DarrylandAnge,gone.Imightneverseemy familyagain.Andstill,HomelandSecurityhadmycityandmy countrycaughtinamassive,irrationalshriekingfreakoutwhere anythingcouldbedoneinthenameofstoppingterrorism. Vanlookedlikeshewaswaitingformetosaysomething,butI hadnothingtosaytothat.Sheleftmethere. # ZebhadapizzaformewhenIgotback"home"tothetent underafreewayoverpassintheMissionthathe'dstakedoutfor thenight.Hehadapuptent,militarysurplus,stenciledwithSAN FRANCISCOLOCALHOMELESSCOORDINATINGBOARD. ThepizzawasaDominos,coldandclabbered,butdeliciousfor allthat."Youlikepineappleonyourpizza?"

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/120 Zebsmiledcondescendinglyatme."Freeganscan'tbechoosy," hesaid. "Freegans?" "Likevegans,butweonlyeatfreefood." "Freefood?" Hegrinnedagain."Youknowfreefood.Fromthefreefood store?" "Youstolethis?" "No,dummy.It'sfromtheotherstore.Thelittleoneoutbehind thestore?Madeofbluesteel?Kindoffunkysmelling?" "Yougotthisoutofthegarbage?" Heflunghisheadbackandcackled."Yesindeedy.Youshould seeyourface.Dude,it'sOK.It'snotlikeitwasrotten.Itwasfresh justascreweduporder.Theythrewitoutinthebox.They sprinkleratpoisonovereverythingatclosingtime,butifyouget therequick,you'reOK.Youshouldseewhatgrocerystoresthrow out!Waituntilbreakfast.I'mgoingtomakeyouafruitsaladyou won'tbelieve.Assoonasonestrawberryintheboxgoesalittle greenandfuzzy,thewholethingisout" Itunedhimout.Thepizzawasfine.Itwasn'tasifsittinginthe dumpsterwouldinfectitorsomething.Ifitwasgross,thatwas onlybecauseitcamefromDomino'stheworstpizzaintown. I'dneverlikedtheirfood,andI'dgivenitupaltogetherwhenI foundoutthattheybankrolledabunchofultracrazypoliticians whothoughtthatglobalwarmingandevolutionweresatanic plots. Itwashardtoshakethefeelingofgrossness,though. Buttherewasanotherwaytolookatit.Zebhadshowedmea secret,somethingIhadn'tanticipated:therewasawholehidden worldoutthere,awayofgettingbywithoutparticipatinginthe system. "Freegans,huh?" "Yogurt,too,"hesaid,noddingvigorously."Forthefruitsalad. Theythrowitoutthedayafterthebestbeforedate,butit'snotas ifitgoesgreenatmidnight.It'syogurt,Imean,it'sbasicallyjust rottenmilktobeginwith." Iswallowed.Thepizzatastedfunny.Ratpoison.Spoiledyogurt. Furrystrawberries.Thiswouldtakesomegettingusedto. Iateanotherbite.Actually,Domino'spizzasuckedalittleless whenyougotitforfree. Liam'ssleepingbagwaswarmandwelcomingafteralong, emotionallyexhaustingday.Vanwouldhavemadecontactwith Barbarabynow.She'dhavethevideoandthepicture.I'dcallher inthemorningandfindoutwhatshethoughtIshoulddonext.I'd havetocomeinonceshepublished,tobackitallup. IthoughtaboutthatasIclosedmyeyes,thoughtaboutwhatit wouldbeliketoturnmyselfin,thecamerasallrolling,following theinfamousM1k3yintooneofthosebig,columnatedbuildings inCivicCenter. Thesoundofthecarsscreamingbyoverheadturnedintoakind ofoceansoundasIdriftedaway.Therewereothertentsnearby, homelesspeople.I'dmetafewofthemthatafternoon,beforeit gotdarkandweallretreatedtohuddlenearourowntents.They wereallolderthanme,roughlookingandgruff.Noneofthem lookedcrazyorviolent,though.Justlikepeoplewho'dhadbad luck,ormadebaddecisions,orboth. Imusthavefallenasleep,becauseIdon'trememberanything elseuntilabrightlightwasshinedintomyface,sobrightitwas blinding. "That'shim,"saidavoicebehindthelight. "Baghim,"saidanothervoice,oneI'dheardbefore,oneI'd heardoverandoveragaininmydreams,lecturingtome, demandingmypasswords.Severehaircutwoman. Thebagwentovermyheadquicklyandwascinchedsotightat thethroatthatIchokedandthrewupmyfreeganpizza.AsI spasmedandchoked,hardhandsboundmywrists,thenmy ankles.Iwasrolledontoastretcherandhoisted,thencarriedinto avehicle,upacoupleofclangingmetalsteps.Theydroppedme intoapaddedfloor.Therewasnosoundatallinthebackofthe vehicleoncetheyclosedthedoors.Thepaddingdeadened everythingexceptmyownchoking. "Well,helloagain,"shesaid.Ifeltthevanrockasshecrawled inwithme.Iwasstillchoking,tryingtogaspinabreath.Vomit filledmymouthandtrickleddownmywindpipe. "Wewon'tletyoudie,"shesaid."Ifyoustopbreathing,we'll makesureyoustartagain.Sodon'tworryaboutit." Ichokedharder.Isippedatair.Somewasgettingthrough. Deep,wrackingcoughsshookmychestandback,dislodging somemoreofthepuke.Morebreath. "See?"shesaid."Notsobad.Welcomehome,M1k3y.We've gotsomewhereveryspecialtotakeyou." Irelaxedontomyback,feelingthevanrock.Thesmellofused pizzawasoverwhelmingatfirst,butaswithallstrongstimuli,my braingraduallygrewaccustomedtoit,filtereditoutuntilitwas justafaintaroma.Therockingofthevanwasalmostcomforting. That'swhenithappened.Anincredible,deepcalmthatswept

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/121 overmelikeIwaslyingonthebeachandtheoceanhadsweptin andliftedmeasgentlyasaparent,heldmealoftandsweptme outontoawarmseaunderawarmsun.Aftereverythingthathad happened,Iwascaught,butitdidn'tmatter.Ihadgottenthe informationtoBarbara.IhadorganizedtheXnet.Ihadwon.And ifIhadn'twon,IhaddoneeverythingIcouldhavedone.More thanIeverthoughtIcoulddo.ItookamentalinventoryasIrode, thinkingofeverythingthatIhadaccomplished,thatwehad accomplished.Thecity,thecountry,theworldwasfullofpeople whowouldn'tlivethewayDHSwantedustolive.We'dfight forever.Theycouldn'tjailusall. Isighedandsmiled. She'dbeentalkingallalong,Irealized.I'dbeensofarintomy happyplacethatshe'djustgoneaway. "smartkidlikeyou.You'dthinkthatyou'dknowbetterthan tomesswithus.We'vehadaneyeonyousincethedayyou walkedout.Wewouldhavecaughtyouevenifyouhadn'tgone cryingtoyourlesbojournalisttraitor.Ijustdon'tgetitwehad anunderstanding,youandme..." Whenmorningcame,twoefficient,impersonalguardscutthe bindingsoffofmywristsandankles.Istillcouldn'twalkwhen Istood,mylegsgavewaylikeastringlessmarionette's.Toomuch timeinoneposition.Theguardspulledmyarmsovertheir shouldersandhalfdragged/halfcarriedmedownthefamiliar corridor.Thebarcodesonthedoorswerecurlingupanddangling now,attackedbythesaltair. Igotanidea."Ange!"Iyelled."Darryl!"Iyelled.Myguards yankedmealongfaster,clearlydisturbedbutnotsurewhattodo aboutit."Guys,it'sme,Marcus!Stayfree!" Behindoneofthedoors,someonesobbed.Someoneelsecried outinwhatsoundedlikeArabic.Thenitwascacophony,a thousanddifferentshoutingvoices. Theybroughtmetoanewroom.Itwasanoldshowerroom, withtheshowerheadsstillpresentinthemouldtiles. "Hello,M1k3y,"SevereHaircutsaid."Youseemtohavehadan eventfulmorning."Shewrinkledhernosepointedly.

"Ipissedmyself,"Isaid,cheerfully."Youshouldtryit." Werumbledoverametalplate,thevan'sshocksrocking,and thentherockingchanged.Wewereonwater.HeadingtoTreasure "Maybeweshouldgiveyouabath,then,"shesaid.Shenodded, Island.Hey,Angewasthere.Darryl,too.Maybe. andmyguardscarriedmetoanotherstretcher.Thisonehad restrainingstrapsrunningitslength.Theydroppedmeontoitand # itwasicecoldandsoakedthrough.BeforeIknewit,theyhadthe strapsacrossmyshoulders,hipsandankles.Aminutelater,three Thehooddidn'tcomeoffuntilIwasinmycell.Theydidn't morestrapsweretieddown.Aman'shandsgrabbedtherailings botherwiththecuffsatmywristsandankles,justrolledmeoff bymyheadandreleasedsomecatches,andamomentlaterIwas thestretcherandontothefloor.Itwasdark,butbythemoonlight tilteddown,myheadbelowmyfeet. fromthesingle,tiny,highwindow,Icouldseethatthemattress hadbeentakenoffthecot.Theroomcontainedme,atoilet,a "Let'sstartwithsomethingsimple,"shesaid.Icranedmyhead bedframe,andasink,andnothingelse. toseeher.ShehadturnedtoadeskwithanXboxonit,connected toanexpensivelookingflatpanelTV."I'dlikeyoutotellme Iclosedmyeyesandlettheoceanliftme.Ifloatedaway. yourloginandpasswordforyourPiratePartyemail,please?" Somewhere,farbelowme,wasmybody.Icouldtellwhatwould happennext.Iwasbeinglefttopissmyself.Again.Iknewwhat Iclosedmyeyesandlettheoceancarrymeoffthebeach. thatwaslike.I'dpissedmyselfbefore.Itsmelledbad.Ititched.It washumiliating,likebeingababy. "Doyouknowwhatwaterboardingis,M1k3y?"Hervoice reeledmein."Yougetstrappeddownlikethis,andwepourwater ButI'dsurvivedit. overyourhead,upyournoseanddownyourmouth.Youcan't suppressthegagreflex.Theycallitasimulatedexecution,and Ilaughed.Thesoundwasweird,anditdrewmebackintomy fromwhatIcantellfromthissideoftheroom,that'safair body,backtothepresent.Ilaughedandlaughed.I'dhadtheworst assessment.Youwon'tbeabletofightthefeelingthatyou're thattheycouldthrowatme,andI'dsurvivedit,andI'dbeaten dying." them,beatenthemformonths,showedthemupaschumpsand despots.I'dwon. Itriedtogoaway.I'dheardofwaterboarding.Thiswasit,real torture.Andthiswasjustthebeginning. Iletmybladdercutloose.Itwassoreandfullanyway,andno timelikethepresent. Icouldn'tgoaway.Theoceandidn'tsweepinandliftme.There wasatightnessinmychest,myeyelidsfluttered.Icouldfeel Theoceansweptmeaway. clammypissonmylegsandclammysweatinmyhair.Myskin itchedfromthedriedpuke. # Sheswamintoviewaboveme."Let'sstartwiththelogin,"she

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/122 said. Iclosedmyeyes,squeezedthemshut. "Givehimadrink,"shesaid. Iheardpeoplemoving.Itookadeepbreathandheldit. Thewaterstartedasatrickle,aladlefulofwatergentlypoured overmychin,mylips.Upmyupturnednostrils.Itwentbackinto mythroat,startingtochokeme,butIwouldn'tcough,wouldn't gaspandsuckitintomylungs.Iheldontomybreathand squeezedmyeyesharder. Therewasacommotionfromoutsidetheroom,asoundof chaoticbootsstamping,angry,outragedshouts.Thedipperwas emptiedintomyface. Iheardhermuttersomethingtosomeoneintheroom,thento meshesaid,"Justthelogin,Marcus.It'sasimplerequest.What couldIdowithyourlogin,anyway?" Thesilencebrokeandthebodyarmorsmovedintotheroom. Twograbbedeachofmytorturers.Ialmostmanagedasmileat thelookonSevereHaircut'sfacewhentwomengrabbedherby theshoulders,turnedheraround,andyankedasetofplastic handcuffsaroundherwrists. Oneofthebodyarmorsmovedforwardfromthedoorway.He hadavideocameraonhisshoulder,aseriousrigwithblinding whitelight.Hegotthewholeroom,circlingmetwicewhilehe gotme.Ifoundmyselfstayingperfectlystill,asthoughIwas sittingforaportrait. Itwasridiculous. "Doyouthinkyoucouldgetmeoffofthisthing?"Imanagedto getitalloutwithonlyalittlechoking. Twomorebodyarmorsmoveduptome,oneawoman,and begantounstrapme.Theyflippedtheirvisorsupandsmiledat me.Theyhadredcrossesontheirshouldersandhelmets.

Thistime,itwasabucketofwater,allatonce,afloodthat Beneaththeredcrosseswasanotherinsignia:CHP.California didn'tstop,itmusthavebeengigantic.Icouldn'thelpit.Igasped HighwayPatrol.TheywereStateTroopers. andaspiratedthewaterintomylungs,coughedandtookmore waterin.Iknewtheywouldn'tkillme,butIcouldn'tconvincemy Istartedtoaskwhattheyweredoingthere,andthat'swhenI bodyofthat.Ineveryfiberofmybeing,IknewIwasgoingto sawBarbaraStratford.She'devidentlybeenheldbackinthe die.Icouldn'tevencrythewaterwasstillpouringoverme. corridor,butnowshecameinpushingandshoving."Thereyou are,"shesaid,kneelingbesidemeandgrabbingmeinthelongest, Thenitstopped.Icoughedandcoughedandcoughed,butatthe hardesthugofmylife. angleIwasat,thewaterIcoughedupdribbledbackintomynose andburneddownmysinuses. That'swhenIknewitGuantanamobytheBaywasinthe handsofitsenemies.Iwassaved. Thecoughsweresodeeptheyhurt,hurtmyribsandmyhipsas Itwistedagainstthem.Ihatedhowmybodywasbetrayingme, howmymindcouldn'tcontrolmybody,buttherewasnothingfor Chapter21 it. ThischapterisdedicatedtoPagesBooksinToronto,Canada. Finally,thecoughingsubsidedenoughformetotakeinwhat LongafixtureonthebleedinglytrendyQueenStreetWeststrip, wasgoingonaroundme.Peoplewereshoutinganditsounded PagesislocatedovertheroadfromCityTVandjustafewdoors likesomeonewasscuffling,wrestling.Iopenedmyeyesand downfromtheoldBakkastorewhereIworked.WeatBakka blinkedintothebrightlight,thencranedmyneck,stillcoughinga lovedhavingPagesdownthestreetfromus:whatwewereto little. sciencefiction,theyweretoeverythingelse:handpicked materialrepresentingthestuffyou'dneverfindelsewhere,the Theroomhadalotmorepeopleinitthanithadhadwhenwe stuffyoudidn'tknowyouwerelookingforuntilyousawitthere. started.Mostofthemseemedtobewearingbodyarmor,helmets, PagesalsohasoneofthebestnewsstandsI'veeverseen,rowon andsmokedplasticvisors.TheywereshoutingattheTreasure rowofincrediblemagazinesandzinesfromallovertheworld. Islandguards,whowereshoutingback,neckscordedwithveins. "Standdown!"oneofthebodyarmorssaid."Standdownand putyourhandsintheair.Youareunderarrest!" Severehaircutwomanwastalkingonherphone.Oneofthe bodyarmorsnoticedherandhemovedswiftlytoherandbatted herphoneawaywithaglovedhand.Everyonefellsilentasit sailedthroughtheairinanarcthatspannedthesmallroom, clatteringtothegroundinashowerofparts. PagesBookshttp://pagesbooks.ca/256QueenStW,Toronto,ON M5V1Z8Canada+14165981447 TheyleftmeandBarbaraaloneintheroomthen,andIusedthe workingshowerheadtorinseoffIwassuddenlyembarrassed tobecoveredinpissandbarf.WhenIfinished,Barbarawasin tears.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/123

"Yourparents"shebegan. IfeltlikeImightthrowupagain.God,mypoorfolks.What theymusthavegonethrough. "Aretheyhere?" "No,"shesaid."It'scomplicated,"shesaid. "What?"

AtlastaquestionIcouldanswer."IwanttofindAnge.Iwantto findDarryl." # ItriedtouseacomputerIfoundtolookuptheircellnumbers, butitwantedapassword,sowewerereducedtowalkingthe corridors,callingouttheirnames.Behindthecelldoors, prisonersscreamedbackatus,orcried,orbeggedustoletthem go.Theydidn'tunderstandwhathadjusthappened,couldn'tsee theirformerguardsbeingherdedontothedocksinplastic handcuffs,takenawaybyCaliforniastateSWATteams.

"You'restillunderarrest,Marcus.Everyonehereis.Theycan't justsweepinandthrowopenthedoors.Everyonehereisgoingto havetobeprocessedthroughthecriminaljusticesystem.Itcould "Ange!"Icalledoverthedin,"AngeCarvelli!DarrylGlover! take,well,itcouldtakemonths." It'sMarcus!" "I'mgoingtohavetostayhereformonths?"

Shegrabbedmyhands."No,Ithinkwe'regoingtobeableto getyouarraignedandreleasedonbailprettyfast.Butprettyfastis arelativeterm.Iwouldn'texpectanythingtohappentoday.And Isatdownandleanedagainstthecorridorwallandputmyface it'snotgoingtobelikethosepeoplehadit.Itwillbehumane. inmyhands.IsawSevereHaircutWoman'sface,sawhersmirk Therewillberealfood.Nointerrogations.Visitsfromyour assheaskedmeformylogin.Shehaddonethis.Shewouldgoto family. jailforit,butthatwasn'tenough.IthoughtthatwhenIsawher again,Imightkillher.Shedeservedit. "JustbecausetheDHSisout,itdoesn'tmeanthatyougettojust walkoutofhere.What'shappenedhereisthatwe'regettingridof "Comeon,"Barbarasaid,"Comeon,Marcus.Don'tgiveup. thebizarroworldversionofthejusticesystemthey'dinstituted There'smorearoundhere,comeon." andreplacingitwiththeoldsystem.Thesystemwithjudges, opentrialsandlawyers. Shewasright.Allthedoorswe'dpassedinthecellblockwere old,rustingthingsthatdatedbacktowhenthebasewasfirstbuilt. "Sowecantrytogetyoutransferredtoajuviefacilityonthe Butattheveryendofthecorridor,saggingopen,wasanewhigh mainland,butMarcus,thoseplacescanbereallyrough.Really, securitydoorasthickasadictionary.Wepulleditopenand reallyrough.Thismightbethebestplaceforyouuntilwegetyou venturedintothedarkcorridorwithin. bailedout." Therewerefourmorecelldoorshere,doorswithoutbarcodes. Bailedout.Ofcourse.IwasacriminalIhadn'tbeencharged Eachhadasmallelectronickeypadmountedonit. yet,buttherewereboundtobeplentyofchargestheycouldthink of.Itwaspracticallyillegaljusttothinkimpurethoughtsabout "Darryl?"Isaid."Ange?" thegovernment. "Marcus?" Shegavemyhandsanothersqueeze."Itsucks,butthisishowit hastobe.Thepointis,it'sover.TheGovernorhasthrownthe ItwasAnge,callingoutfrombehindthefurthestdoor.Ange, DHSoutoftheState,dismantledeverycheckpoint.TheAttorney myAnge,myangel. Generalhasissuedwarrantsforanylawenforcementofficers involvedin'stressinterrogations'andsecretimprisonments. "Ange!"Icried."It'sme,it'sme!" They'llgotojail,Marcus,andit'sbecauseofwhatyoudid." "OhGod,Marcus,"shechokedout,andthenitwasallsobs. Iwasnumb.Iheardthewords,buttheyhardlymadesense. Somehow,itwasover,butitwasn'tover. Ipoundedontheotherdoors."Darryl!Darryl,areyouhere?" "Look,"shesaid."Weprobablyhaveanhourortwobeforethis allsettlesdown,beforetheycomebackandputyouawayagain. Whatdoyouwanttodo?Walkonthebeach?Getameal?These peoplehadanincrediblestaffroomweraideditonthewayin. Gourmetalltheway." "I'mhere."Thevoicewasverysmall,andveryhoarse."I'm here.I'mvery,verysorry.Please.I'mverysorry." Hesounded...broken.Shattered.

We'dwalkedthewholelengthofthecellblockandtheyhadn't answered.Ifeltlikecrying.They'dbeenshippedoverseasthey wereinSyriaorworse.I'dneverseethemagain.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/124 "It'sme,D,"Isaid,leaningonhisdoor."It'sMarcus.It'sover "D,"Iwhisperedinhisear."D,it'sme.It'sMarcus.It'sover. theyarrestedtheguards.TheykickedtheDepartmentof Theguardshavebeenarrested.We'regoingtogetbail,we're HomelandSecurityout.We'regettingtrials,opentrials.Andwe goinghome." gettotestifyagainstthem." Hetrembledandsqueezedhiseyesshut."I'msorry,"he "I'msorry,"hesaid."Please,I'msosorry." whispered,andturnedhisfaceaway. TheCaliforniapatrolmencametothedoorthen.Theystillhad theircamerarolling."MsStratford?"onesaid.Hehadhis faceplateupandhelookedlikeanyothercop,notlikemysavior. Likesomeonecometolockmeup. Theytookmeawaythen,acopinbodyarmorandBarbara, tookmebacktomycellandlockedthedoor,andthat'swhereI spentthenight.

# "CaptainSanchez,"shesaid."We'velocatedtwoofthe prisonersofinteresthere.I'dliketoseethemreleasedandinspect Idon'tremembermuchaboutthetriptothecourthouse.They themformyself." hadmechainedtofiveotherprisoners,allofwhomhadbeenin foralotlongerthanme.OneonlyspokeArabichewasanold "Ma'am,wedon'thaveaccesscodesforthosedoorsyet,"he man,andhetrembled.Theotherswereallyoung.Iwastheonly said. whiteone.Oncewehadbeengatheredonthedeckoftheferry,I sawthatnearlyeveryoneonTreasureIslandhadbeenoneshade Sheheldupherhand."Thatwasn'tthearrangement.Iwasto ofbrownoranother. havecompleteaccesstothisfacility.Thatcamedirectfromthe Governor,sir.Wearen'tbudginguntilyouopenthesecells."Her Ihadonlybeeninsideforonenight,butitwastoolong.There facewasperfectlysmooth,withoutasinglehintofgiveorflex. wasalightdrizzlecomingdown,normallythesortofthingthat Shemeantit. wouldmakemehunchmyshouldersandlookdown,buttodayI joinedeveryoneelseincraningmyheadbackattheinfinitegray TheCaptainlookedlikeheneededsleep.Hegrimaced."I'llsee sky,revelinginthestingingwetasweracedacrossthebaytothe whatIcando,"hesaid. ferrydocks. # Theydidmanagetoopenthecells,finally,abouthalfanhour later.Ittookthreetries,buttheyeventuallygottherightcodes entered,matchingthemtothearphidsontheIDbadgesthey'd takenofftheguardsthey'darrested. TheygotintoAnge'scellfirst.Shewasdressedinahospital gown,openattheback,andhercellwasevenmorebarethan minehadbeenjustpaddingallover,nosinkorbed,nolight. Sheemergedblinkingintothecorridorandthepolicecamerawas onher,itsbrightlightsinherface.Barbarasteppedprotectively betweenusandit.Angesteppedtentativelyoutofhercell, shufflingalittle.Therewassomethingwrongwithhereyes,with herface.Shewascrying,butthatwasn'tit. "Theydruggedme,"shesaid."WhenIwouldn'tstopscreaming foralawyer." That'swhenIhuggedher.Shesaggedagainstme,butshe squeezedback,too.Shesmelledstaleandsweaty,andIsmelled nobetter.Ineverwantedtoletgo. That'swhentheyopenedDarryl'scell. Hehadshreddedhispaperhospitalgown.Hewascurledup, naked,inthebackofthecell,shieldinghimselffromthecamera andourstares.Irantohim. Theytookusawayinbuses.Theshacklesmadeclimbinginto thebusesawkward,andittookalongtimeforeveryonetoload. Noonecared.Whenweweren'tstrugglingtosolvethegeometry problemofsixpeople,onechain,narrowbusaisle,wewerejust lookingaroundatthecityaroundus,upthehillatthebuildings. AllIcouldthinkofwasfindingDarrylandAnge,butneither wereinevidence.Itwasabigcrowdandweweren'tallowedto movefreelythroughit.Thestatetrooperswhohandleduswere gentleenough,buttheywerestillbig,armoredandarmed.Ikept thinkingIsawDarrylinthecrowd,butitwasalwayssomeone elsewiththatsamebeaten,hunchedlookthathe'dhadinhiscell. Hewasn'ttheonlybrokenone. Atthecourthouse,theymarchedusintointerviewroomsinour shacklegroup.AnACLUlawyertookourinformationandasked usafewquestionswhenshegottome,shesmiledandgreeted mebynameandthenledusintothecourtroombeforethe judge.Heworeanactualrobe,andseemedtobeinagoodmood. Thedealseemedtobethatanyonewhohadafamilymemberto postbailcouldgofree,andeveryoneelsegotsenttoprison.The ACLUlawyerdidalotoftalkingtothejudge,askingforafew morehourswhiletheprisoners'familieswereroundedupand broughttothecourthouse.Thejudgewasprettygoodaboutit, butwhenIrealizedthatsomeofthesepeoplehadbeenlockedup sincethebridgeblew,takenfordeadbytheirfamilies,without trial,subjectedtointerrogation,isolation,tortureIwantedto justbreakthechainsmyselfandseteveryonefree.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/125

WhenIwasbroughtbeforethejudge,helookeddownatme andtookoffhisglasses.Helookedtired.TheACLUlawyer lookedtired.Thebailiffslookedtired.Behindme,Icouldheara suddenbuzzofconversationasmynamewascalledbythebailiff. Thejudgerappedhisgavelonce,withoutlookingawayfromme. Hescrubbedathiseyes. "MrYallow,"hesaid,"theprosecutionhasidentifiedyouasa flightrisk.Ithinktheyhaveapoint.Youcertainlyhavemore, shallwesay,history,thantheotherpeoplehere.Iamtemptedto holdyouoverfortrial,nomatterhowmuchbailyourparentsare preparedtopost." Mylawyerstartedtosaysomething,butthejudgesilencedher withalook.Hescrubbedathiseyes. "Doyouhaveanythingtosay?"

Iturnedtogoandsomeonetackledme.ItwasDad.Heliterally liftedmeoffmyfeet,huggingmesohardmyribscreaked.He huggedmethewayIrememberedhimhuggingmewhenIwasa littleboy,whenhe'dspinmearoundandaroundinhilarious, vomitousgamesofairplanethatendedwithhimtossingmeinthe airandcatchingmeandsqueezingmelikethat,soharditalmost hurt. Asetofsofterhandspriedmegentlyoutofhisarms.Mom.She heldmeatarm'slengthforamoment,searchingmyfacefor something,notsayinganything,tearsstreamingdownherface. Shesmiledanditturnedintoasobandthenshewasholdingme too,andDad'sarmencircledusboth. Whentheyletgo,Imanagedtofinallysaysomething. "Darryl?"

"Hisfathermetmesomewhereelse.He'sinthehospital." "Ihadthechancetorun,"Isaid."Lastweek.Someoneoffered totakemeaway,getmeoutoftown,helpmebuildanewidentity. "WhencanIseehim?" InsteadIstoleherphone,escapedfromourtruck,andranaway.I turnedoverherphonewhichhadevidenceaboutmyfriend, "It'sournextstop,"Dadsaid.Hewasgrim."Hedoesn't"He DarrylGlover,onittoajournalistandhidouthere,intown." stopped."Theysayhe'llbeOK,"hesaid.Hisvoicewaschoked. "Youstoleaphone?" "IdecidedthatIcouldn'trun.ThatIhadtofacejusticethat myfreedomwasn'tworthanythingifIwasawantedman,orif thecitywasstillundertheDHS.Ifmyfriendswerestilllocked up.Thatfreedomformewasn'tasimportantasafreecountry." "Butyoudidstealaphone." Inodded."Idid.Iplanongivingitback,ifIeverfindthe youngwomaninquestion." "Well,thankyouforthatspeech,MrYallow.Youareavery wellspokenyoungman."Heglaredattheprosecutor."Some wouldsayaverybraveman,too.Therewasacertainvideoonthe newsthismorning.Itsuggestedthatyouhadsomelegitimate reasontoevadetheauthorities.Inlightofthat,andofyourlittle speechhere,Iwillgrantbail,butIwillalsoasktheprosecutorto addachargeofMisdemeanorPettyThefttothecount,asregards thematterofthephone.Forthis,Iexpectanother$50,000in bail." Hebangedhisgavelagain,andmylawyergavemyhanda squeeze. Helookeddownatmeagainandreseatedhisglasses.Hehad dandruff,thereontheshouldersofhisrobe.Alittlemorerained downashisglassestouchedhiswiry,curlyhair. "Youcangonow,youngman.Stayoutoftrouble." # "HowaboutAnge?" "Hermothertookherhome.Shewantedtowaithereforyou, but..." Iunderstood.Ifeltfullofunderstandingnow,forhowallthe familiesofallthepeoplewho'dbeenlockedawaymustfeel.The courtroomwasfulloftearsandhugs,andeventhebailiffs couldn'tstopit. "Let'sgoseeDarryl,"Isaid."Andletmeborrowyourphone?" IcalledAngeonthewaytothehospitalwheretheywere keepingDarrylSanFranciscoGeneral,justdownthestreet fromusandarrangedtoseeherafterdinner.Shetalkedina hurriedwhisper.Hermomwasn'tsurewhethertopunishheror not,butAngedidn'twanttotemptfate. ThereweretwostatetroopersinthecorridorwhereDarrylwas beingheld.Theywereholdingoffalegionofreporterswhostood ontiptoetoseearoundthemandgetpictures.Theflashespopped inoureyeslikestrobes,andIshookmyheadtoclearit.My parentshadbroughtmecleanclothesandI'dchangedintheback seat,butIstillfeltgross,evenafterscrubbingmyselfinthecourt housebathrooms. Someofthereporterscalledmyname.Ohyeah,that'sright,I wasfamousnow.Thestatetroopersgavemealook,tooeither they'drecognizedmyfaceormynamewhenthereporterscalled itout. Darryl'sfathermetusatthedoorofhishospitalroom,speaking

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/126 inawhispertoolowforthereporterstohear.Hewasincivvies, thejeansandsweaterInormallythoughtofhimwearing,buthe hadhisserviceribbonspinnedtohisbreast. riots"inexchangeformypleadingguiltytothemisdemeanor pettytheftcharge.Igotthreemonthsinadayreleaseprogram withahalfwayhouseforjuvenileoffendersintheMission.I sleptatthehalfwayhouse,sharingadormwithabunchofactual "He'ssleeping,"hesaid."Hewokeupalittlewhileagoandhe criminals,gangkidsanddruggiekids,acoupleofrealnuts. startedcrying.Hecouldn'tstop.Theygavehimsomethingtohelp Duringtheday,Iwas"free"togooutandworkatmy"job." himsleep." "Marcus,they'relettinghergo,"shesaid. Heledusin,andtherewasDarryl,hishaircleanandcombed, sleepingwithhismouthopen.Therewaswhitestuffatthe "Who?" cornersofhismouth.Hehadasemiprivateroom,andinthe otherbedtherewasanolderArablookingguy,inhis40s.I "Johnstone,CarrieJohnstone,"shesaid."Theclosedmilitary realizeditwastheguyI'dbeenchainedtoonthewayoffof tribunalclearedherofanywrongdoing.Thefileissealed.She's TreasureIsland.Weexchangedembarrassedwaves. beingreturnedtoactiveduty.They'resendinghertoIraq." ThenIturnedbacktoDarryl.Itookhishand.Hisnailshad beenchewedtothequick.He'dbeenanailbiterwhenhewasa kid,buthe'dkickedthehabitwhenwegottohighschool.Ithink Vantalkedhimoutofit,tellinghimhowgrossitwasforhimto havehisfingersinhismouthallthetime. IheardmyparentsandDarryl'sdadtakeastepaway,drawing thecurtainsaroundus.Iputmyfacedownnexttohisonthe pillow.Hehadastraggly,patchybeardthatremindedmeofZeb. "Hey,D,"Isaid."Youmadeit.You'regoingtobeOK." Hesnoredalittle.Ialmostsaid,"Iloveyou,"aphraseI'donly saidtoonenonfamilymemberever,aphrasethatwasweirdto saytoanotherguy.Intheend,Ijustgavehishandanother squeeze.PoorDarryl. Epilogue ThischapterisdedicatedtoHudsonBooksellers,thebooksellers thatareinpracticallyeveryairportintheUSA.Mostofthe Hudsonstandshavejustafewtitles(thoughthoseareoften surprisinglydiverse),butthebigones,liketheoneintheAA terminalatChicago'sO'Hare,areasgoodasanyneighborhood store.Ittakessomethingspecialtobringapersonaltouchtoan airport,andHudson'shassavedmymindonmorethanonelong Chicagolayover. HudsonBooksellers http://www.hudsongroup.com/HudsonBooksellers_s.html CarrieJohnstonewasSevereHaircutWoman'sname.Itcame outinthepreliminaryhearingsattheCaliforniaSuperiorCourt, butthatwasjustaboutallthatcameout.Shewouldn'tsayaword aboutwhoshetookordersfrom,whatshe'ddone,whohadbeen imprisonedandwhy.Shejustsat,perfectlysilent,dayafterday,in thecourthouse. TheFeds,meanwhile,hadblusteredandshoutedaboutthe Governor's"unilateral,illegal"shutdownoftheTreasureIsland facility,andtheMayor'sevictionoffedcopsfromSanFrancisco. Alotofthosecopshadendedupinstateprisons,alongwiththe guardsfromGitmobytheBay. Then,oneday,therewasnostatementfromtheWhiteHouse, nothingfromthestatecapitol.Andthenextday,therewasadry, tensepressconferenceheldjointlyonthestepsoftheGovernor's mansion,wheretheheadoftheDHSandthegovernorannounced their"understanding." TheDHSwouldholdaclosed,militarytribunaltoinvestigate "possibleerrorsinjudgment"committedaftertheattackonthe BayBridge.Thetribunalwoulduseeverytoolatitsdisposalto ensurethatcriminalactswereproperlypunished.Inreturn, controloverDHSoperationsinCaliforniawouldgothroughthe StateSenate,whichwouldhavethepowertoshutdown,inspect, orreprioritizeallhomelandsecurityinthestate. TheroarofthereportershadbeendeafeningandBarbarahad gottenthefirstquestionin."MrGovernor,withallduerespect: wehaveincontrovertiblevideoevidencethatMarcusYallow,a citizenofthisstate,nativeborn,wassubjectedtoasimulated executionbyDHSofficers,apparentlyactingonordersfromthe WhiteHouse.IstheStatereallywillingtoabandonanypretense ofjusticeforitscitizensinthefaceofillegal,barbarictorture?" Hervoicetrembled,butdidn'tcrack.

BarbaracalledmeattheofficeonJuly4thweekend.Iwasn'tthe onlyonewho'dcomeintoworkontheholidayweekend,butIwas TheGovernorspreadhishands."Themilitarytribunalswill theonlyonewhoseexcusewasthatmydayreleaseprogram accomplishjustice.IfMrYalloworanyotherpersonwhohas wouldn'tletmeleavetown. causetofaulttheDepartmentofHomelandSecuritywants furtherjustice,heis,ofcourse,entitledtosueforsuchdamagesas Intheend,theyconvictedmeofstealingMasha'sphone.Can youbelievethat?Theprosecutionhaddoneadealwithmylawyer maybeowingtohimfromthefederalgovernment." todropallchargesrelatedto"Electronicterrorism"and"inciting

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/127 That'swhatIwasdoing.Overtwentythousandcivillawsuits werefiledagainsttheDHSintheweekaftertheGovernor's announcement.MinewasbeinghandledbytheACLU,andthey'd filedmotionstogetattheresultsoftheclosedmilitarytribunals. Sofar,thecourtswereprettysympathetictothis. ButIhadn'texpectedthis. "ShegotofftotallyScotfree?" "Thepressreleasedoesn'tsaymuch.'Afterathorough examinationoftheeventsinSanFranciscoandinthespecialanti terrordetentioncenteronTreasureIsland,itisthefindingofthis tribunalthatMsJohnstone'sactionsdonotwarrantfurther discipline.'There'sthatword,'further'likethey'vealready punishedher." Isnorted.I'ddreamedofCarrieJohnstonenearlyeverynight sinceIwasreleasedfromGitmobytheBay.I'dseenherface loomingovermine,thatlittlesnarlysmileasshetoldthemanto givemea"drink." "Marcus"Barbarasaid,butIcutheroff. "It'sfine.It'sfine.I'mgoingtodoavideoaboutthis.Getitout overtheweekend.Mondaysarebigdaysforviralvideo. Everyone'llbecomingbackfromtheholidayweekend,looking forsomethingfunnytoforwardaroundschoolortheoffice." Isawashrinktwiceaweekaspartofmydealatthehalfway house.OnceI'dgottenoverseeingthatassomekindof punishment,ithadbeengood.He'dhelpedmefocusondoing constructivethingswhenIwasupset,insteadoflettingiteatme up.Thevideoshelped. "Ihavetogo,"Isaid,swallowinghardtokeeptheemotionout ofmyvoice. "Takecareofyourself,Marcus,"Barbarasaid. AngehuggedmefrombehindasIhungupthephone."Ijust readaboutitonline,"shesaid.Shereadamillionnewsfeeds, pullingthemwithaheadlinereaderthatsuckedupstoriesasfast astheyendeduponthewire.Shewasourofficialblogger,and shewasgoodatit,snippingouttheinterestingstoriesand throwingthemonlinelikeashortordercookturningaround breakfastorders.

"I'mgoingtomakeavideo,"Isaid."Iwanttoreleaseittoday." "Good,"shesaid."Let'sdoit." Angereadthepressrelease.Ididalittlemonologue,synched overthatfamousfootageofmeonthewaterboard,eyeswildin theharshlightofthecamera,tearsstreamingdownmyface,hair mattedandfleckedwithbarf. "Thisisme.Iamonawaterboard.Iambeingtorturedina simulatedexecution.Thetortureissupervisedbyawomancalled CarrieJohnstone.Sheworksforthegovernment.Youmight rememberherfromthisvideo." IcutinthevideoofJohnstoneandKurtRooney."That's JohnstoneandSecretaryofStateKurtRooney,thepresident's chiefstrategist." "Thenationdoesnotlovethatcity.Asfarasthey'reconcerned, itisaSodomandGomorrahoffagsandatheistswhodeserveto rotinhell.Theonlyreasonthecountrycareswhattheythinkin SanFranciscoisthattheyhadthegoodfortunetohavebeen blowntohellbysomeIslamicterrorists." "He'stalkingaboutthecitywhereIlive.Atlastcount,4,215of myneighborswerekilledonthedayhe'stalkingabout.Butsome ofthemmaynothavebeenkilled.Someofthemdisappearedinto thesameprisonwhereIwastortured.Somemothersandfathers, childrenandlovers,brothersandsisterswillneverseetheirloved onesagainbecausetheyweresecretlyimprisonedinanillegal jailrighthereintheSanFranciscoBay.Theywereshipped overseas.Therecordsweremeticulous,butCarrieJohnstonehas theencryptionkeys."IcutbacktoCarrieJohnstone,thefootage ofhersittingattheboardtablewithRooney,laughing. IcutinthefootageofJohnstonebeingarrested."Whenthey arrestedher,Ithoughtwe'dgetjustice.Allthepeopleshebroke anddisappeared.Butthepresident"Icuttoastillofhim laughingandplayinggolfononeofhismanyholidays"andhis ChiefStrategist"nowastillofRooneyshakinghandswithan infamousterroristleaderwhousedtobeon"ourside"" intervened.Theysenthertoasecretmilitarytribunalandnow thattribunalhasclearedher.Somehow,theysawnothingwrong withallofthis."

Icutinaphotomontageofthehundredsofshotsofprisonersin theircellsthatBarbarahadpublishedontheBayGuardian'ssite thedaywewerereleased."Weelectedthesepeople.Wepaytheir IturnedaroundinherarmssothatIwashuggingherfromin front.Truthbetold,wehadn'tgottenalotofworkdonethatday.I salaries.They'resupposedtobeonourside.They'resupposedto defendourfreedoms.Butthesepeople"aseriesofshotsof wasn'tallowedtobeoutofthehalfwayhouseafterdinnertime, Johnstoneandtheotherswho'dbeensenttothetribunal" andshecouldn'tvisitmethere.Wesaweachotheraroundthe office,buttherewereusuallyalotofotherpeoplearound,which betrayedourtrust.Theelectionisfourmonthsaway.That'salot kindofputacrimpinourcuddling.Beingaloneintheofficefor oftime.Enoughforyoutogooutandfindfiveofyourneighbors fivepeoplewho'vegivenuponvotingbecausetheirchoiceis adaywastoomuchtemptation.Itwashotandsultry,too,which meantwewerebothintanktopsandshorts,alotofskintoskin 'noneoftheabove.' contactasweworkednexttoeachother.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/128 "Talktoyourneighbors.Makethempromisetovote.Make thempromisetotakethecountrybackfromthetorturersand thugs.Thepeoplewholaughedatmyfriendsastheylayfreshin theirgravesatthebottomoftheharbor.Makethempromiseto talktotheirneighbors. "Mostofuschoosenoneoftheabove.It'snotworking.You havetochoosechoosefreedom. "MynameisMarcusYallow.Iwastorturedbymycountry,but Istillloveithere.I'mseventeenyearsold.Iwanttogrowupina freecountry.Iwanttoliveinafreecountry." Ifadedouttothelogoofthewebsite.Angehadbuiltit,with helpfromJolu,whogotusallthefreehostingwecouldeverneed onPigspleen.

"AreyougoingtoMsGalvez'shearingonMonday?" "Totally."I'dintroducedAngetoMsGalvezacoupleweeks before,whenmyoldteacherinvitedmeoverfordinner.The teacher'sunionhadgottenahearingforherbeforetheboardof theUnifiedSchoolDistricttoargueforgettingheroldjobback. TheysaidthatFredBensonwascomingoutof(early)retirement totestifyagainsther.Iwaslookingforwardtoseeingheragain. "Doyouwanttogogetaburrito?" "Totally." "Letmegetmyhotsauce,"shesaid.

IcheckedmyemailonemoretimemyPiratePartyemail, Theofficewasaninterestingplace.Technicallywewerecalled whichstillgotadribbleofmessagesfromoldXnetterswho CoalitionofVotersforaFreeAmerica,buteveryonecalledusthe hadn'tfoundmyCoalitionofVotersaddressyet. Xnetters.Theorganizationacharitablenonprofithadbeen cofoundedbyBarbaraandsomeofherlawyerfriendsrightafter Thelatestmessagewasfromathrowawayemailaddressfrom theliberationofTreasureIsland.Thefundingwaskickedoffby oneofthenewBraziliananonymizers. sometechmillionaireswhocouldn'tbelievethatabunchof hackerkidshadkickedtheDHS'sass.Sometimes,they'daskusto >Foundher,thanks.Youdidn'ttellmeshewassoh4wt. godownthepeninsulatoSandHillRoad,wherealltheventure capitalistswere,andgivealittlepresentationonXnettechnology. "Who'sthatfrom?" Therewereaboutazillionstartupswhoweretryingtomakea buckontheXnet. Ilaughed."Zeb,"Isaid."RememberZeb?IgavehimMasha's emailaddress.Ifigured,ifthey'rebothunderground,mightas WhateverIdidn'thavetohaveanythingtodowithit,andI wellintroducethemtooneanother." gotadeskandanofficewithastorefront,rightthereonValencia Street,wherewegaveawayParanoidXboxCDsandheld "HethinksMashaiscute?" workshopsonbuildingbetterWiFiantennas.Asurprisingnumber ofaveragepeopledroppedintomakepersonaldonations,bothof "Givetheguyabreak,he'sclearlyhadhismindwarpedby hardware(youcanrunParanoidLinuxonjustaboutanything,not circumstances." justXboxUniversals)andcashmoney.Theylovedus. "Andyou?" ThebigplanwastolaunchourownARGinSeptember,justin timefortheelection,andtoreallytieitinwithsigningupvoters "Me?" andgettingthemtothepolls.Only42percentofAmericans showedupatthepollsforthelastelectionnonvotershadahuge "Yeahwasyourmindwarpedbycircumstances?" majority.IkepttryingtogetDarrylandVantooneofour planningsessions,buttheykeptondeclining.Theywerespending IheldAngeoutatarm'slengthandlookedherupanddownand alotoftimetogether,andVaninsistedthatitwastotally upanddown.Iheldhercheeksandstaredthroughherthick nonromantic.Darrylwouldn'ttalktomemuchatall,thoughhe framedglassesintoherbig,mischievoustiltedeyes.Iranmy sentmelongemailsaboutjustabouteverythingthatwasn'tabout fingersthroughherhair. Vanorterrorismorprison. "Ange,I'veneverthoughtmoreclearlyinmywholelife." Angesqueezedmyhand."God,Ihatethatwoman,"shesaid. Shekissedmethen,andIkissedherback,anditwassometime Inodded."Justonemorerottenthingthiscountry'sdoneto beforewewentoutforthatburrito. Iraq,"Isaid."Iftheysenthertomytown,I'dprobablybecomea terrorist." AfterwordbyBruceSchneier "Youdidbecomeaterroristwhentheysenthertoyourtown." I'masecuritytechnologist.Myjobismakingpeoplesecure. "SoIdid,"Isaid.

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/129 Ithinkaboutsecuritysystemsandhowtobreakthem.Then, howtomakethemmoresecure.Computersecuritysystems. Surveillancesystems.Airplanesecuritysystemsandvoting machinesandRFIDchipsandeverythingelse. Coryinvitedmeintothelastfewpagesofhisbookbecausehe wantedmetotellyouthatsecurityisfun.It'sincrediblyfun.It's catandmouse,whocanoutsmartwhom,hunterversushunted fun.Ithinkit'sthemostfunjobyoucanpossiblyhave.Ifyou thoughtitwasfuntoreadaboutMarcusoutsmartingthegait recognitioncameraswithrocksinhisshoes,thinkofhowmuch morefunitwouldbeifyouwerethefirstpersonintheworldto thinkofthat. Workinginsecuritymeansknowingalotabouttechnology.It mightmeanknowingaboutcomputersandnetworks,orcameras andhowtheywork,orthechemistryofbombdetection.But really,securityisamindset.It'sawayofthinking.Marcusisa greatexampleofthatwayofthinking.He'salwayslookingfor waysasecuritysystemfails.I'llbethecouldn'twalkintoastore withoutfiguringoutawaytoshoplift.Notthathe'ddoit there'sadifferencebetweenknowinghowtodefeatasecurity systemandactuallydefeatingitbuthe'dknowhecould. It'showsecuritypeoplethink.We'reconstantlylookingat securitysystemsandhowtogetaroundthem;wecan'thelpit. Thiskindofthinkingisimportantnomatterwhatsideof securityyou'reon.Ifyou'vebeenhiredtobuildashopliftproof store,you'dbetterknowhowtoshoplift.Ifyou'redesigninga camerasystemthatdetectsindividualgaits,you'dbetterplanfor peopleputtingrocksintheirshoes.Becauseifyoudon't,you're notgoingtodesignanythinggood. Sowhenyou'rewanderingthroughyourday,takeamomentto lookatthesecuritysystemsaroundyou.Lookatthecamerasin thestoresyoushopat.(Dotheypreventcrime,orjustmoveit nextdoor?)Seehowarestaurantoperates.(Ifyoupayafteryou eat,whydon'tmorepeoplejustleavewithoutpaying?)Pay attentionatairportsecurity.(Howcouldyougetaweapononto anairplane?)Watchwhatthetellerdoesatabank.(Bank securityisdesignedtopreventtellersfromstealingjustasmuch asitistopreventyoufromstealing.)Stareatananthill.(Insects areallaboutsecurity.)ReadtheConstitution,andnoticeallthe waysitprovidespeoplewithsecurityagainstgovernment.Lookat trafficlightsanddoorlocksandallthesecuritysystemson televisionandinthemovies.Figureouthowtheywork,what threatstheyprotectagainstandwhatthreatstheydon't,howthey fail,andhowtheycanbeexploited.

Sometimesyou'llnoticesomethingaboutsecuritythatnoone haseverthoughtaboutbefore.Andmaybeyou'llfigureoutanew waytobreakasecuritysystem. Itwasonlyafewyearsagothatsomeoneinventedphishing. I'mfrequentlyamazedhoweasyitistobreaksomeprettybig namesecuritysystems.Therearealotofreasonsforthis,butthe bigoneisthatit'simpossibletoprovethatsomethingissecure. Allyoucandoistrytobreakitifyoufail,youknowthatit's secureenoughtokeepyouout,butwhataboutsomeonewho's smarterthanyou?Anyonecandesignasecuritysystemsostrong hehimselfcan'tbreakit. Thinkaboutthatforasecond,becauseit'snotobvious.Noone isqualifiedtoanalyzetheirownsecuritydesigns,becausethe designerandtheanalyzerwillbethesameperson,withthesame limits.Someoneelsehastoanalyzethesecurity,becauseithasto besecureagainstthingsthedesignersdidn'tthinkof. Thismeansthatallofushavetoanalyzethesecuritythatother peopledesign.Andsurprisinglyoften,oneofusbreaksit. Marcus'sexploitsaren'tfarfetched;thatkindofthinghappensall thetime.Goontothenetandlookup"bumpkey"or"Bicpen Kryptonitelock";you'llfindacoupleofreallyinterestingstories aboutseeminglystrongsecuritydefeatedbyprettybasic technology. Andwhenthathappens,besuretopublishitontheInternet somewhere.Secrecyandsecurityaren'tthesame,eventhoughit mayseemthatway.Onlybadsecurityreliesonsecrecy;good securityworksevenifallthedetailsofitarepublic. Andpublishingvulnerabilitiesforcessecuritydesignersto designbettersecurity,andmakesusallbetterconsumersof security.IfyoubuyaKryptonitebikelockanditcanbedefeated withaBicpen,you'renotgettingverygoodsecurityforyour money.And,likewise,ifabunchofsmartkidscandefeatthe DHS'santiterroristtechnologies,thenit'snotgoingtodoavery goodjobagainstrealterrorists. Tradingprivacyforsecurityisstupidenough;notgettingany actualsecurityinthebargainisevenstupider. Soclosethebookandgo.Theworldisfullofsecuritysystems. Hackoneofthem. BruceSchneier

Spendenoughtimedoingthis,andyou'llfindyourselfthinking http://www.schneier.com differentlyabouttheworld.You'llstartnoticingthatmanyofthe securitysystemsouttheredon'tactuallydowhattheyclaimto, andthatmuchofournationalsecurityisawasteofmoney.You'll AfterwordbyAndrew"bunnie"Huang,XboxHacker understandprivacyasessentialtosecurity,notinopposition. You'llstopworryingaboutthingsotherpeopleworryabout,and Hackersareexplorers,digitalpioneers.It'sinahacker'snatureto startworryingaboutthingsotherpeopledon'teventhinkabout. questionconventionsandbetemptedbyintricateproblems.Any

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/130 complexsystemissportforahacker;asideeffectofthisisthe hacker'snaturalaffinityforproblemsinvolvingsecurity.Society isalargeandcomplexsystem,andiscertainlynotofflimitstoa littlehacking.Asaresult,hackersareoftenstereotypedas iconoclastsandsocialmisfits,peoplewhodefysocialnormsfor thesakeofdefiance.WhenIhackedtheXboxin2002whileat MIT,Iwasntdoingittorebelortocauseharm;Iwasjust followinganaturalimpulse,thesameimpulsethatleadstofixing abrokeniPodorexploringtheroofsandtunnelsatMIT. Unfortunately, the combination of not complying with social norms and knowing threatening things like how to read the arphid on your credit card or how to pick locks causes some people to fear hackers. However, the motivations of a hacker are typically as simple as Im an engineer because I like to design things. People often ask me, Why did you hack the Xbox security system? And my answer is simple: First, I own the things that I buy. If someone can tell me what I can and cant run on my hardware, then I dont own it. Second, because its there. Its a system of sufficient complexity to make good sport. It was a great diversion from the late nights working on my PhD. I was lucky. The fact that I was a graduate student at MIT when I hacked the Xbox legitimized the activity in the eyes of the right people. However, the right to hack shouldnt only be extended to academics. I got my start on hacking when I was just a boy in elementary school, taking apart every electronic appliance I could get my hands on, much to my parents chagrin. My reading collection included books on model rocketry, artillery, nuclear weaponry and explosives manufacture -- books that I borrowed from my school library (I think the Cold War influenced the reading selection in public schools). I also played with my fair share of ad-hoc fireworks and roamed the open construction sites of houses being raised in my Midwestern neighborhood. While not the wisest of things to do, these were important experiences in my coming of age and I grew up to be a free thinker because of the social tolerance and trust of my community. Current events have not been so kind to aspiring hackers. Little Brother shows how we can get from where we are today to a world where social tolerance for new and different thoughts dies altogether. A recent event highlights exactly how close we are to crossing the line into the world of Little Brother. I had the fortune of reading an early draft of Little Brother back in November 2006. Fast forward two months to the end of January 2007, when Boston police found suspected explosive devices and shut down the city for a day. These devices turned out to be nothing more than circuit boards with flashing LEDs, promoting a show for the Cartoon Network. The artists who placed this urban graffiti were taken in as suspected terrorists and ultimately charged with felony; the network producers had to shell out a $2 million settlement, and the head of the Cartoon Network resigned over the fallout. Havetheterroristsalreadywon?Havewegivenintofear,such thatartists,hobbyists,hackers,iconoclasts,orperhapsan unassuminggroupofkidsplayingHarajukuFunMadness,could besotriviallyimplicatedasterrorists?

Thereisatermforthisdysfunctionitiscalledan autoimmunedisease,whereanorganism'sdefensesystemgoes intooverdrivesomuchthatitfailstorecognizeitselfandattacks itsowncells.Ultimately,theorganismselfdestructs.Rightnow, Americaisonthevergeofgoingintoanaphylacticshockoverits ownfreedoms,andweneedtoinoculateourselvesagainstthis. Technologyisnocureforthisparanoia;infact,itmayenhance theparanoia:itturnsusintoprisonersofourowndevice. Coercingmillionsofpeopletostripofftheiroutergarmentsand walkbarefootthroughmetaldetectorseverydayisnosolution either.Itonlyservestoremindthepopulationeverydaythatthey haveareasontobeafraid,whileinpracticeprovidingonlya flimsybarriertoadeterminedadversary. Thetruthisthatwecan'tcountonsomeoneelsetomakeusfeel free,andM1k3ywontcomeandsaveusthedayourfreedomsare losttoparanoia.That'sbecauseM1k3yisinyouandinmeLittle Brotherisareminderthatnomatterhowunpredictablethefuture maybe,wedon'twinfreedomthroughsecuritysystems, cryptography,interrogationsandspotsearches.Wewinfreedom byhavingthecourageandtheconvictiontoliveeverydayfreely andtoactasafreesociety,nomatterhowgreatthethreatsareon thehorizon. BelikeM1k3y:stepoutthedooranddaretobefree. Bibliography NowritercreatesfromscratchweallengageinwhatIsaac Newtoncalled"standingontheshouldersofgiants."Weborrow, plunderandremixtheartandculturecreatedbythosearoundus andbyourliteraryforebears. Ifyoulikedthisbookandwanttolearnmore,thereareplenty ofsourcestoturnto,onlineandatyourlocallibraryorbookstore. Hackingisagreatsubject.Allsciencereliesontellingother peoplewhatyou'vedonesothattheycanverifyit,learnfromit, andimproveonit,andhackingisallaboutthatprocess,sothere's plentypublishedonthesubject. StartwithAndrew"Bunnie"Huang's"HackingtheXbox,"(No StarchPress,2003)awonderfulbookthattellsthestoryofhow Bunnie,thenastudentatMIT,reverseengineeredtheXbox's antitamperingmechanismsandopenedthewayforallthe subsequentcoolhacksfortheplatform.Intellingthestory, BunniehasalsocreatedakindofBibleforreverseengineering andhardwarehacking. BruceSchneier's"SecretsandLies"(Wiley,2000)and"Beyond Fear"(Copernicus,2003)arethedefinitivelayperson'stextson understandingsecurityandthinkingcriticallyaboutit,whilehis "AppliedCryptography"(Wiley,1995)remainstheauthoritative sourceforunderstandingcrypto.Brucemaintainsanexcellent blogandmailinglistatschneier.com/blog.Cryptoandsecurity

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/131 aretherealmofthetalentedamateur,andthe"cypherpunk" movementisfullofkids,homemakers,parents,lawyers,and everyotherstripeofperson,hammeringawayonsecurity protocolsandciphers. TheElectronicFrontierFoundation(www.eff.org)isa charitablemembershiporganizationwithastudentrate.They spendthemoneythatprivateindividualsgivethemtokeepthe Internetsafeforpersonalliberty,freespeech,dueprocess,andthe restoftheBillofRights.They'retheInternet'smosteffective Thereareseveralgreatmagazinesdevotedtothissubject,but freedomfighters,andyoucanjointhestrugglejustbysigningup thetwobestonesare2600:TheHackerQuarterly,whichisfullof fortheirmailinglistandwritingtoyourelectedofficialswhen pseudonymous,boastingaccountsofhacksaccomplished,and they'reconsideringsellingyououtinthenameoffighting O'Reilly'sMAKEmagazine,whichfeaturessolidHOWTOsfor terrorism,piracy,themafia,orwhateverbogeymanhascaught makingyourownhardwareprojectsathome. theirattentiontoday.EFFalsohelpsmaintainTOR,TheOnion Router,whichisarealtechnologyyoucanuserightnowtoget Theonlineworldoverflowswithmaterialonthissubject,of outofyourgovernment,schoolorlibrary'scensoringfirewall course.EdFeltenandAlexJHalderman'sFreedomtoTinker (tor.eff.org). (www.freedomtotinker.com)isablogmaintainedbytwo fantasticPrincetonengineeringprofswhowritelucidlyabout EFFhasahuge,deepwebsitewithamazinginformationaimed security,wiretapping,anticopyingtechnologyandcrypto. atageneralaudience,asdotheAmericanCivilLibertiesUnion (aclu.org),PublicKnowledge(publicknowledge.org),FreeCulture Don'tmissNatalieJeremijenko's"FeralRobotics"atUCSan (freeculture.org),CreativeCommons(creativecommons.org)all Diego(xdesign.ucsd.edu/feralrobots/).Natalieandherstudents ofwhichalsoareworthyofyoursupport.FreeCultureisan rewiretoyrobotdogsfromToysRUsandturnthemintobadass internationalstudentmovementthatactivelyrecruitskidstofound toxicwastedetectors.Theyunleashthemonpublicparkswhere theirownlocalchaptersattheirhighschoolsanduniversities.It's bigcorporationshavedumpedtheirwasteanddemonstratein agreatwaytogetinvolvedandmakeadifference. mediafriendlyfashionhowtoxicthegroundis. Alotofwebsiteschroniclethefightforcyberliberties,butfew Likemanyofthehacksinthisbook,thetunnelingoverDNS goatitwiththeverveofSlashdot,"NewsforNerds,StuffThat stuffisreal.DanKaminsky,atunnelingexpertofthefirstwater, Matters"(slashdot.org). publisheddetailsin2004(www.doxpara.com/bo2004.ppt). Andofcourse,youhavetovisitWikipedia,thecollaborative, Theguruof"citizenjournalism"isDanGillmor,whois netauthoredencyclopediathatanyonecanedit,withmorethan presentlyrunningtheCenterforCitizenMediaatHarvardand 1,000,000entriesinEnglishalone.Wikipediacovershackingand UCBerkeleyhealsowroteahellofabookonthesubject,"We, countercultureinastonishingdepthandwithamazing,uptothe theMedia"(O'Reilly,2004). nanosecondcurrency.Onecaution:youcan'tjustlookatthe entriesinWikipedia.It'sreallyimportanttolookatthe"History" Ifyouwanttolearnmoreabouthackingarphids,startwith and"Discussion"linksatthetopofeveryWikipediapagetosee AnnaleeNewitz'sWiredMagazinearticle"TheRFIDHacking howthecurrentversionofthetruthwasarriveda Underground" t,getanappreciationforthecompetingpointsofviewthere, (www.wirednews.com/wired/archive/14.05/rfid.html).Adam anddecideforyourselfwhomyoutrust. Greenfield's"Everyware"(NewRidersPress,2006)isachilling lookatthedangersofaworldofarphids. Ifyouwanttogetatsomerealforbiddenknowledge,havea skimaroundCryptome(cryptome.org),theworld'smostamazing NealGershenfeld'sFabLabatMIT(fab.cba.mit.edu)ishacking archiveofsecret,suppressedandliberatedinformation. outtheworld'sfirstreal,cheap"3Dprinters"thatcanpumpout Cryptome'sbravepublisherscollectmaterialthat'sbeenpriedout anyobjectyoucandreamof.ThisisdocumentedinGershenfeld's ofthestatebyFreedomofInformationActrequestsorleakedby excellentbookonthesubject,"Fab"(BasicBooks,2005). whistleblowersandpublishesit. BruceSterling's"ShapingThings"(MITPress,2005)shows howarphidsandfabscouldbeusedtoforcecompaniestobuild productsthatdon'tpoisontheworld. Thebestfictionalaccountofthehistoryofcryptois,hands down,NealStephenson'sCryptonomicon(Avon,2002). StephensontellsthestoryofAlanTuringandtheNaziEnigma Machine,turningitintoagrippingwarnovelthatyouwon'tbe abletoputdown.

SpeakingofBruceSterling,hewrotethefirstgreatbookon hackersandthelaw,"TheHackerCrackdown"(Bantam,1993), whichisalsothefirstbookpublishedbyamajorpublisherthat ThePiratePartymentionedinLittleBrotherisrealandthriving wasreleasedontheInternetatthesametime(copiesabound;see inSweden(www.piratpartiet.se),Denmark,theUSAandFrance stuff.mit.edu/hacker/hacker.htmlforone).Itwasreadingthisbook atthetimeofthiswriting(July,2006).They'realittleoutthere, thatturnedmeontotheElectronicFrontierFoundation,whereI butamovementtakesallkinds. wasprivilegedtoworkforfouryears. Speakingofoutthere,AbbieHoffmanandtheYippiesdid

CoryDoctorow/LittleBrother/132 indeedtrytolevitatethePentagon,throwmoneyintothestock exchange,andworkwithagroupcalledtheUpAgainsttheWall Motherf_____ers.AbbieHoffman'sclassicbookonrippingoff thesystem,"StealThisBook,"isbackinprint(FourWallsEight Windows,2002)andit'salsoonlineasacollaborativewikifor peoplewhowanttotrytoupdateit (stealthiswiki.nine9pages.com). Hoffman'sautobiography,"SoontoBeaMajorMotionPicture" (alsoinprintfromFourWallsEightWindows)isoneofmy favoritememoirsever,evenifitishighlyfictionalized.Hoffman wasanincrediblestorytellerandhadgreatactivistinstincts.Ifyou wanttoknowhowhereallylivedhislife,though,tryLarry Sloman's"StealThisDream"(Doubleday,1998). EmmanuelGoldstein,AaronSwartz Fortheheroes:MitchKapor,JohnGilmore,JohnPerryBarlow, LarryLessig,ShariSteele,CindyCohn,FredvonLohmann, JamieBoyle,GeorgeOrwell,AbbieHoffman,JoeTrippi,Bruce Schneier,RossDowson,HarryKopyto,TimO'Reilly Forthewriters:BruceSterling,KatheKoja,ScottWesterfeld, JustineLarbalestier,PatYork,AnnaleeNewitz,DanGillmor, DanielPinkwater,KevinPouslen,WendyGrossman,JayLake, BenRosenbaum Forthefriends:FionaRomeo,QuinnNorton,DannyO'Brien, JonGilbert,danahboyd,ZakHanna,EmilyHurson,GradConn, JohnHenson,AmandaFoubister,XeniJardin,MarkFrauenfelder, DavidPescovitz,JohnBattelle,KarlLevesque,KateMiles,Neil andTaraLeeDoctorow,RaelDornfest,KenSnider

Morecounterculturefun:JackKerouac's"OntheRoad"canbe hadinpracticallyanyusedbookstoreforabuckortwo.Allan Ginsberg's"HOWL"isonlineinmanyplaces,andyoucanhear himreaditifyousearchfortheMP3atarchive.org.Forbonus Forthementors:JudyMerril,RozandGordDoctorow,Harriet points,trackdownthealbum"TendernessJunction"bytheFugs, Wolff,JimKelly,DamonKnight,ScottEdelman whichincludestheaudioofAllanGinsbergandAbbieHoffman's levitationceremonyatthePentagon. Thankyouallforgivingmethetoolstothinkandwriteabout theseideas. Thisbookcouldn'thavebeenwrittenifnotforGeorgeOrwell's magnificent,worldchanging"1984,"thebestnovelever publishedonhowsocietiesgowrong.IreadthisbookwhenIwas CreativeCommons 12andhavereadit30or40timessince,andeverytime,Iget somethingnewoutofit.Orwellwasamasterofstorytellingand CreativeCommonsLegalCode wasclearlysickoverthetotalitarianstatethatemergedinthe SovietUnion.1984holdsuptodayasagenuinelyfrightening workofsciencefiction,anditisoneofthenovelsthatliterally AttributionNonCommercialShareAlike3.0Unported changedtheworld.Today,"Orwellian"issynonymouswithastate ofubiquitoussurveillance,doublethink,andtorture. CREATIVECOMMONSCORPORATIONISNOTALAW ManynovelistshavetackledpartsofthestoryinLittleBrother. FIRMANDDOESNOTPROVIDELEGALSERVICES. DanielPinkwater'stoweringcomicmasterpiece,"Alan DISTRIBUTIONOFTHISLICENSEDOESNOTCREATEAN Mendelsohn:TheBoyFromMars"(presentlyinprintaspartof ATTORNEYCLIENTRELATIONSHIP.CREATIVE theomnibus"5Novels,"Farrar,StrausandGiroux,1997)isa COMMONSPROVIDESTHISINFORMATIONONAN"AS bookthateverygeekneedstoread.Ifyou'veeverfeltlikean IS"BASIS.CREATIVECOMMONSMAKESNO outcastforbeingtoosmartorweird,READTHISBOOK.It WARRANTIESREGARDINGTHEINFORMATION changedmylife. PROVIDED,ANDDISCLAIMSLIABILITYFORDAMAGES RESULTINGFROMITSUSE. Onamorecontemporaryfront,there'sScottWesterfeld's"So Yesterday"(Razorbill,2004),whichfollowstheadventuresof coolhuntersandcounterculturejammers.Scottandhiswife License JustineLarbalestierweremypartialinspirationtowriteabookfor youngadultsaswasKatheKoja.Thanks,guys. THEWORK(ASDEFINEDBELOW)ISPROVIDEDUNDER THETERMSOFTHISCREATIVECOMMONSPUBLIC LICENSE("CCPL"OR"LICENSE").THEWORKIS PROTECTEDBYCOPYRIGHTAND/OROTHER Acknowledgments APPLICABLELAW.ANYUSEOFTHEWORKOTHER THANASAUTHORIZEDUNDERTHISLICENSEOR Thisbookowesatremendousdebttomanywriters,friends, COPYRIGHTLAWISPROHIBITED. mentors,andheroeswhomadeitpossible. Forthehackersandcypherpunks:BunnieHuang,SethSchoen, EdFelten,AlexHalderman,Gweeds,NatalieJeremijenko, BYEXERCISINGANYRIGHTSTOTHEWORKPROVIDED HERE,YOUACCEPTANDAGREETOBEBOUNDBYTHE

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