Chapter 21: The Debrief

When Casey arrived at Ruth's, Martin, Conney, and Graham were already there. This time, a different energy was in the air—a palpable buzz that Casey couldn’t quite name. Maybe it was anticipation, maybe something else entirely, but whatever it was, it made the room feel charged. There were no pleasantries, no drawn-out small talk. Within minutes of Casey walking in, Ruth led them all down to the basement.

And then the surprise hit.

Ruth opened what seemed like a simple trap door in the floor, and Casey’s world shifted beneath her feet. What unfolded beneath her wasn’t just a basement—it was a living, breathing nerve centre. The room was alive with bright, humming lights and walls flashing with complex data, maps, and projections. Every inch of space was filled with information, constantly shifting and evolving. It was a war room, yes, but one steeped in a quiet, relentless intensity—a place where every flicker of light, every piece of data, seemed to carry weight. It was both intimate and overwhelming, a place where decisions of monumental importance were made with cool precision.

Casey’s breath caught in her throat. She’d been to Ruth’s house countless times, but she had never imagined this existed beneath her feet.

The surprises didn’t stop there. As they moved deeper into the room, a door opened, and a figure emerged. Casey froze for a moment, but Ruth, as if anticipating her reaction, was already speaking.

"This is one of many sub-basements connected through tunnels," Ruth said, her voice steady. "It's safer this way—can't risk the Calberras tracing our movements if we teleport."

Ruth flashed her a knowing smile, almost as if to say, this is just the beginning. “Sometimes, it’s not about the easiest way. We need to stay hidden—stay untouchable. We can’t afford to be traced.”

Casey frowned, a knot forming in her stomach. “Is there a tunnel under my house too?”

Before Ruth could answer, Graham spoke up. “Yes. But your father had it boarded up after your mother died.”

Casey’s breath caught at the mention of her father. She hadn’t realised Graham would know that, hadn't expected that. The weight of the conversation almost grounded her, but before she could fully process the implications, Conney spoke up.

“Alright, enough for now,” Conney said, her tone sharp. “We’ve got a lot to cover. Focus.”

Casey nodded, feeling a surge of determination. As much as her mind was reeling from everything she was learning, there was no time to dwell on it. They needed answers. And she had them.

As Conney spoke, Casey realised she wasn’t the only one with vital intel. Graham had information about the Stool allocated to Kalan, that community cultivated Opium Poppy. There were whispers of an uprising brewing, and he hoped Casey might be able to find out whether Kalan was aware of it.

“Martin, Casey, what about you?” Graham asked, his voice low but intent.

Martin spoke first, his usual casual demeanor replaced with something more serious. He described his assigning to the lab, detailing the research on colloidal silver and its potential as a substitute for lysoid. It was a rare mineral, found only in Australia, and only in areas declared sacred. So there are complications—laws, politics, sacred lands.

Then, all eyes turned to Casey. She felt the weight of their expectations settle on her shoulders. With steady resolve, she began recounting everything she had learned since the Alliance meeting: the Taskforce, the filtration system, the spray, the community. She laid it out with methodical precision, each piece of information falling into place like a puzzle.

When she explained her experience with the Taskforce, the room responded with a mixture of smiles, nods, and questions. But the moment she gave her theory on why they had trusted her so quickly the reaction was instant.

“I knew it,” Graham muttered, his voice low but triumphant. “I knew if we could just get someone in there, it would be easy.”

Casey hesitated for a moment, feeling a rush of mixed emotions. The task had been anything but easy. But before she could speak, Martin broke in.

Martin, usually so reserved, broke in with a rare intensity. "I don’t think what Casey has done was easy at all, but I see your point." His words surprised her, hitting deeper than she anticipated. She glanced at him, and their eyes met for just a beat. A silent acknowledgment passed between them, and Casey nodded her thanks.

The room was quiet for a moment, the weight of their collective understanding settling over them. This wasn’t just a mission anymore. This was a team—a real one. They weren’t just gathering intel. They were laying the groundwork for something bigger. And Casey felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be for the first time since she’d stepped into this world.

“Alright, people,” Ruth said, her tone carrying the weight of decision. “We need to be clear about our new objective. Time to start planning—and acting.”

"Our focus needs to be supporting Casey and the Lysoid Stool to get the filters installed. From our end, Casey, we can ensure the supply of the filters isn't interrupted this time." announced Ruth.

"You can do that?" asked Casey.

"Yes, we had previously disrupted the filters supply chain because we thought it would be a distraction for those in charge. This would allow us to make our move, to overthrow the Government, but things haven't worked out as planned; we are not ready," she responded.

"How come?" Casey asked.

“Two key insiders were killed,” Conney replied, her voice tight with emotion. “We don’t know how much information they gave before they were silenced.”

A cold silence swept over the room. The loss of those insiders hit hard. Ruth’s voice broke through the quiet.

“The Opium Stool was supposed to lead the rebellion,” Ruth explained. “That’s why the talk of an uprising is growing. But we’re postponing any militant action for now. We need to know if the Calberras have any intel on the rebellion and work to calm the Opium Stool leaders—help them stand down before things spiral out of control. Their people are growing restless, disappointed that the planned action hasn’t come.”

Casey’s stomach tightened. This was far more complicated than she’d anticipated.

"So, the best we can do at the moment is to ensure the chemical pouches for the seawater membranes are no longer impacted and find out what the Calberras know," said Ruth.

After a long silence, Casey spoke, her voice barely a whisper. “Were the insiders Chloe and Barron?”

Conney’s eyes filled with unshed tears as she nodded. “Yes. It was them.”

Casey swallowed hard, the depth of their loss hitting her like a physical blow. She forced herself to speak, though her voice trembled. “It seems like there are a lot of people on the inside willing to help.”

Ruth’s expression hardened, her voice turning steely. “That’s the challenge. We’ve been burned before, believing that someone shared our goal—equality for all. It’s moments like this, when we lose key people, that we start questioning everyone.”

And with those words, the room fell into a heavy silence—an understanding between them that the path forward would not be easy, but it was the only one they had.