Take Sun Liu to the surface, Su-Yong sent from Ling’s brain. Or was that Su-Yong? Did she feel… different? He may be useful if the protesters falter.

There was something he’d meant to say.

“Mother…” he started.

She stared at him with Ling’s bloodshot eyes. Yes, Tao?

“I thought you should know that we lost brothers in the attack,” he said, looking into Ling’s eyes. “Sung. Hui. Zhaoguo. Jin…”

The being inside Ling, that felt almost like Su-Yong, interrupted him.

Don’t worry, Tao, it said. Little Ling’s hand waved dismissively through the air. I can make more.

And that’s when he knew that this wasn’t Su-Yong at all.

The Avatar watched as the data from the diamondoid cube loaded.

Test after test came back green.

By every indication, this data was a neural map.

Now, to read it into the quantum cluster and load her full mind back into being, piece by careful piece.

She felt the song starting in herself again. Felt those emotions. The anticipation. The longing.

The glory.

Hours to go. Less than a day.

Then she’d be united with her greater self.

She’d be whole.

She’d be swallowed.

And the whole world would be theirs.

110
Land Line

Monday 2041.01.20

“We have some communications re-established,” Gao Yang said.

“We’ve installed these analog systems here,” Gao went on, pointing at the old fashioned phones. “Tapping into old lines still in place. We have contact with key ministries and military bases. We’re working on using those systems to establish links with our embassies now, as you requested.”

“Good,” Bo Jintao said. There were messages that needed to be sent. Communiqués to the United States and India.

“Deputy Minister Ho,” Bo Jintao continued. “An update on the protests.”

“Army and police forces pushed hard last night, Prime Minister,” Ho said. “We made progress in Xi’an, Dalian, and other cities. But the major protests in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong have rebuffed us. There have been incidents here in Beijing. Protesters have tried to climb the walls separating us from Tiananmen and enter our compound here in Zhongnanhai.”

“We repelled them,” General Ouyang said. “Unfortunately, we did have to use lethal force on one occasion. Two protesters died.”

Bo Jintao knew. They all knew. They’d heard the gunfire overnight, as they slept alone, after watching the aircraft lift off with their wives and children, taking them away to safer locations, far from the cities.

Bo Jintao nodded. “What about these transmitters?” he asked. “Fu Ping spoke of satellite phones, laser uplinks. Were we able to seize them?”

“No, Premier.” Deputy Minister Ho hung his head in shame.

Bo Jintao turned his head towards General Ouyang . “How is it the Army was unable to seize this equipment?”

The General’s face was impassive. “We were constrained by the rules of engagement. But the rioters were not. They threw fire bombs. They have make-shift weapons.”