“Fuck no,” Jim scoffed. “I can’t even promise you’ll survive. This is a bleeding-edge mad-science operation. The AmFed is willing to break international law to work on a wanted terrorist. I’m half sure they just want to see what happens when they start poking around your skull. You might be making the worst mistake of your life here. But at least you’ll die after blowing up a bunch of gear owned by Christofascist assholes.”

Roland considered for a long moment, and then nodded his assent. “Alright then, you’ve convinced me. I’m in as long as this stays a sabotage mission. No killing.”

“No killing,” Jim agreed.

They both stared out at the vacant desert for some time. Roland found himself humming along to a song he couldn’t name, or even remember hearing. Jim hummed along with him. He put a hand on Roland’s shoulder. That felt good. There was something about human contact that none of the machines in his head could replicate. They sat for a while longer. Then Jim squeezed Roland’s shoulder and stood.

“Time for another peaceful war, then,” he said.

Chapter 6

Sasha.

“History is a messy thing, class. Even a question as simple as ‘When did the Second American Civil War begin?’ doesn’t have a clear answer. Some scholars say the first shots were fired during the failed Montana secession movement in 2040. Others will name the Dallas water riots of 2041, or the bombing of the Dimon building six months later by leftist militants. You can make a good, evidence-based case for any of these.”

Mr. Dane was a good lecturer, with a rich baritone voice and a habit of animating his lectures with vibrant hand gestures. He was Sasha’s favorite teacher and one of her favorite people. Mr. Dane was a heathen, of course, but he was still a sweet man. She appreciated his even-handed perspective and his commitment to the unbiased study of history. It broke her heart that no one else in her Advanced Placement Continental History class seemed to appreciate him.

The other twenty-four students stared ahead with slackened jaws and unfocused eyes. They were all deep in their decks, messaging friends, browsing snapvids or playing whatever game was popular right now. Decks were far too entrenched in modern life for the schools to force them off during class time. Instead, the school filtered the WiFi and forced students to download apps that restricted access during school hours. This had led to a thriving underground trade in apps that countered the school spyware and covertly lifted the blocks.