Chapter 2: Down the Rabbit Hole
Ten years ago... in the early spring.
Easter, birthdays, planting - spring hit like a freight train of family, responsibilities, planning, duty.
Her eyes were drawn inexorably to the high country as the river trees flicked by and vanished into the rear-view mirror.
Sometimes it’s hard to see the mountains
and still feel, still breathe.
The unbearable lightness is just out of reach.
When the distance swells and beats
against family, job, and dreams,
my feet are pulled
to the rhythm of forgotten paths,
through dappled woods by snow-melt creeks,
up broken earth and fallen pine,
to the bare, yet vital world of sun-drenched rock and shattered storms
torn by the wind.
She closed her notebook and twisted in the passenger seat to face the driver.
"Dad, what are we going to do with the Rocky Mountain Corn Project? What do we hope to accomplish? The tide is rising. You prepared me for this, my entire life. It's time for action. What do we do?" The words spilled out faster than she intended and she winced.
"Well, just read my essay - "
"I know, I know, I know - I edited it and published it, remember?"
"Will you let me finish?"
Her lips tightened in a hard line and she twisted the skin of her palm. Twenty-eight years and she still felt the irritation rising between them. Silence stretched painfully for long minutes until finally he broke.
"I'm thinking about the backup plan. Maybe we start there. Can we migrate to a more secure hosting provider on the blockchain? Will that keep us online longer?"
"Yes, we have three options. First, we migrate to Iceland without the blockchain and maintain standard e-commerce processing. Second, we migrate to the blockchain on the open web. Third, we migrate to the blockchain on the dark web."
The conversation unrolled with the miles as they drove over high passes, winding east, then south, deeper into the mountains that lived in her dreams. Brave, Broken Crown, Squaw, Old Man - named in innocent fantasies of the land breathing in deep slumber, one day to rise and crush humanity like gnats under a troll's grinding fingers.
~
The car rolled to a stop, the crunching gravel at the tree farm a familiar texture.
Dwarf apple trees selected for the elevation marched in a steady procession to the base of the mountain. Festive signs and flags fluttered from bare branches.
"Looks like it's going to snow again," he smiled, "just like every year. Remember?"
"Yes Dad," she inhaled sharply, tasting the bite and sweetness of ice, "smells like snow."
"Let's go find them."
~
Sunk into a comfortable squat to meet shy eyes, she smiled broadly at her niece and nephew. Their Easter outfits were handmade by Mummo Eni in Finland, FedExed to her distant daughter and the strange mountain family she married into in America.
She touched their soft shoulders, "Go on now, you see the giant pink egg? That's the sign for your age. Go stand with the other children."
Lumi bustled up and grabbed her children by the arms. Her English clipped and flew like bird wings, "Come now, the egg hunt will begin. Daddy is waiting for us."
She rose slowly, legs uncoiling in an aching movement. Her brother was indeed waiting by the pink egg, his face schooled into stony silence.
Deep in the pocket of her wool pants, her phone buzzed.
New Wickr Me message.
She turned away and flicked the phone open.
Viking333: You're going to do just fine today. Pour a few cups of tea, tighten the boot-laces, and do a couple of growls in the mirror. You're going to crush the day.
Emmabindle: What time do you start your day? I'm already here. And growling.
A sharp thump between her shoulder blades cut her thoughts short. Her Dad stood behind her, a frown on his face.
"Get off that infernal device."
"Yes Sir"
They stood shoulder to shoulder and watched the volunteers as they rang the ceremonial cow bell and the older children raced into the trees, hunting for brightly colored bits of plastic. The parents had to push and explain to the younger children. One small boy burst into tears under the pressure, and his mother laughed and pulled him into a hug.
"Did you talk to him?"
"No chance yet. Lumi is always at his elbow."
"They're married now. You have to find a way around it."
"I know."
~
"Look, Nori, look! I got a car!" Her nephews chubby cheeks were deeply dimpled, and she noted the gleaming pink of his gums. He was eating well. The limp infant in her memory was a pale shadow to his growing body now.
"Wan ta see mine?" The soft lisp of her niece at her elbow made her turn and she winked at the little face framed by lace.
"Of course!"
She didn't fit on the small blue chair, but her god-children insisted. They were delighted that she bent double at their table and played gingerly with their tiny new toys.
The rumble of her father and brother speaking in the next room was a distant harmony to the children's excited chatter. Her knee ached and she shuddered reflexively at the echo of memory, long avoided and buried deep.
"Oh no, you got me!" She fell over backwards in comic slow motion, clutching her heart. Her head thumped the carpet and she started an exaggerated wheeze and fluttering snore.
"I save you!" Her neice stumped to the toy chest and dug for a minute, before triumphantly extracting a stethoscope.
~
"It's done."
"Good."
The car doors thumped in unison, and the V8 rumbled to life. Her phone buzzed again.
"Who is texting you?"
"The boys."
"Okay, I guess you better answer. You've been on radio silence all day."
She schooled her face and flicked the phone open.
Viking333: I need your help. Ghost.
Viking333: Are you there?
Viking333: Are you there?
Emmabindle: I'm here.
Viking333: Drop.
Emmabindle: Got it.
She dug into the backseat and pulled out her laptop. A quick stab at the keys and the familiar strings started rolling across the screen. In minutes her standard protocols were in place. The blinking terminal session hovered over the sinuous icon of Kali. The familiar commands were muscle memory at this point. Tutanota.de flashed across the screen and she opened the dead drop. Instructions were detailed and clear.
As the old police cruiser rewound the miles and the mountains vanished behind them, she got to work.
