Chapter 14: The Alliance

Ruth’s family has been deeply committed to the Alliance since its founding, a legacy rooted in a long history of resistance. But ever since Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing, Ruth's grandmother, and the appointment of one of Trump's loyalists to the Supreme Court, Ruth's family has become more determined than ever to dismantle the entrenched power of the hereditary Presidency and its oppressive hierarchy.

Casey had always been aware of this, even admiring the idea from afar. But until now, Ruth had never fully included her in the struggle. Casey had long been fascinated by the Alliance, but she now realised how little she understood its significance. She had been shielded, insulated from its more profound purpose. The problem had seemed distant and abstract, but not anymore.

Now, everything felt personal. She’d learned how vulnerable the water supply was to tampering, had begun questioning her father’s ethics, and, most troubling of all, she had discovered the revelations in Percy’s journals—insights that exposed his pivotal role in fortifying the Presidency and the Calberras. Percy, the man she had thought was compassionate and attuned to the needs of others, had somehow become complicit in the very system that had enabled the Trump regime and the Calberras to rise to power. How could that be? How could he stand by such cruelty?

Before her first meeting with Ruth, Graham, Conney, and Julie and before she visited the chemical plant, Casey now felt she had only been a bystander—a passive observer of a broken system. Now, with every piece of the puzzle falling into place, she realised the time for indifference had passed. This was no longer a problem she could ignore, a cause she could observe from afar. 

Casey’s mind raced as she prepared for her first Alliance meeting. Excitement mingled with apprehension—this was real now. She had chosen her avatar carefully, taking every precaution to protect her anonymity. Ruth had emphasised the importance of staying hidden, of ensuring no one could trace her back to her work at the lab.

The Alliance was a tight-knit group with heavily vetted members. Only the leadership knew the identities of all the participants. For everyone else, avatars were the only way to meet. This was a protective measure, one Casey knew she had to respect. The consequences of exposure could be too dire.

The weight of what she was about to do settled in her chest. She wasn’t just attending a meeting—she was stepping into a fight that had the power to change everything. And for the first time, she understood what that meant. It wasn’t just about uncovering the truth; it was about being part of something larger than herself, a movement that could challenge the very foundations of the system she had grown up in. And now, more than ever, she knew that understanding the motivations of both her father and Percy—what had driven them to make the choices they had—was essential. She couldn’t ignore the ties that bound them to this corrupt system or the role she might play in changing it.

The stakes were impossibly high. And Casey was ready. But she also knew that she couldn’t afford to take this responsibility lightly.

Although unlikely, Casey set up the technology in her basement, locking the door behind her to stop her father from walking in while she was in the meeting. 

Twenty avatars were visible; Casey couldn't even tell which avatar was Ruth. The identities were so well disguised. Each person either asked a question or had something to report. Casey was introduced as George; it suited her avatar, who had an unconventional look, with bright, mismatched clothing, punk style, red hair, a bandana, tattoos, and giving off an edgier, rebellious vibe.

Casey was surprised to hear someone provide a report on the status of President Trump's Taskforce. That they were allocating two resources to her father's lab, and a resource to hers so she could contribute to the Taskforce and focus on the lysoid shortage. This must've been someone within the Calberras, as she didn't know this herself.

When this information was shared, she nearly gave herself away. Then she remembered Ruth's warning: Do not react to any information provided; capture it, and we'll discuss it later. Fortunately, as she was new, she had gone first; her question was, “I’m concerned about climate change’s impact on lysoid; does anyone have any information on whether lysoid crops have been negatively impacted?” Several people said they had helpful information and would circulate it after the meeting.

Casey was blown away by the content of the meeting. They discussed food shortages and how to deceive the Calberra operational manager about the quantity of crops grown so that the community's supplies were not depleted. They also discussed maintaining a standard of education for the community children and continuing to build improved communication channels to connect all communities.

Someone, maybe Ruth, provided a report on the inside of the chemical manufacturing plant. This generated a lot of discussion, as members were very keen to understand what was happening in the plant; this led to a discussion about getting further information, so Casey's mind was already churning over ways she could upgrade her security level to go deeper into the plant.

It was wild to Casey that this type of meeting had been going on for so long and she was unaware of it. There was so much for her to learn and contribute. She was proud that she had been chosen to join and had accepted, but she was afraid of what it might uncover about her family.

Ruth quickly connected with her after the meeting. She was patient as Casey rambled on for several minutes about her surprise at the topics discussed, particularly the information about the resources being allocated to the lab and her being allowed to work with the Task Force.

Ruth patiently waited for Casey to breathe, then warned her how important it was to act as if she didn't know any of this information when it was raised with her outside the meeting. When she was to be told about the Taskforce, she could not indicate she was aware of it. Doing so could exposed her as a member of the Alliance and the person who provided that information. Casey would have loved to know who that person was, but she knew that would not be possible.

Ruth instructed Casey on how she could access the feedback on the lysoid members said they would submit, and after another half hour of debriefing about the meeting, Ruth asked Casey, "Have you opened any more of Percy's files?"

Casey explained, "There's been so much going on. I haven't gone through all the details of the ones I've already opened, so no, not yet."

Ruth requested, "We've given it some thought, and the Alliance would like you to open the one titled CMP next; we think it stands for Chemical Manufacturing Plant."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that; I'll work harder to clear my head so I can get onto it," said Casey

Ruth responded, "Please do not do it until you are ready. You are too valuable to the Alliance for anything to go wrong. Just when you are ready."

Yawning, Casey said, "Okay," appreciating Ruth's concern. Then, they said their goodbyes, and Casey went upstairs.