Attack of the Corporate Overlords: Chapter 4

A queer sci-fi story set in near-future Toronto, when corporations have gained control of the people.

Violet had to actively stop her jaw from dropping open. How the hell am I qualified for any of this?

Mercy filled the restless silence with more detail. “I know it’s a big commitment – but right now, all I’m asking is for you to keep going into work like you do every day. Keep a low profile. We’ll work out the rest and let you know where to go from there. You don’t have to let me know right n–”

Violet cut her off, nodding profusely. “I’m in. I’m absolutely in. I’m just as sick of this shit too.” She had no idea how, but she needed to make this work. 

She had started to pace, tracing the short length of the room as an outlet for her excitement. She took in her surroundings, attempting to reground by counting the slats on the rusted grate overhead, noticing the flutter of air around her as she moved. Mercy sat coolly, hands clasped and elbows planted on the table in front of her. 

“So what’s the plan?” Violet was itching to know more, fired up at the possibility of the unimaginable – a life free of the suffocating confines of the FPC.

Mercy tilted her head side to side, audible cracking noises echoing through the sparsely decorated space. “To keep it short, we want to infiltrate FPC headquarters and disrupt the Attentrix supply chain. If people wake up and realize just how dire things have gotten, we have more leverage to regain control over our lives.”

Violet nodded, reflecting on her own introspective journey since involuntarily weaning off the stuff. 

“The problem is, we haven’t had a way to get into FPC at all, let alone access the Pharmaceuticals Plant.” 

Violet’s eyes wandered again to Mercy’s gloved hand, then spoke up. “Even if you still had a chip, FPC makes sure all of their locations are classified. You only know the output of the plant you work at, and you’re strictly forbidden from sharing that info with anyone.”

“Exactly – so we have intel on four of the twelve plants in the city, but none of them make drugs. There may also be other, hidden locations we’re unaware of. Our first step is figuring out where Attentrix is made. Once we have that detail, we’ll plan further.”

Violet’s mind swirled with all of the unknowns, the potential pitfalls, the danger that could befall anyone even suspected to be involved in such a traitorous plot. But her eyes had been opened, and the allure of a free life grasped at her with desperation. 

“Tell me more about the Defiance.” It was a statement, but she posed it like a question, a soft lilting voice escaping her lips unexpectedly. There’s something about this woman that just…

“Well, I’m sort of the current “leader” of the Defiance,” Mercy leaned back in her chair as if settling into the statement. “The Defiance started out of necessity during the Vigilsense Epidemic, to house and care for people who had been cast aside by the FPC.

Over the past decade, we’ve developed this off-radar underground network, and have grown to a population of just over a hundred. We chose the Stronghold,” she swept her arms wide to indicate the space they were in now, “because it was in a camera dead zone in the slums. FPC doesn’t really come down here too often. They’re happy to stay in their ivory towers as long as shit is getting made without complaints.

We’re a fully sustainable subterranean community. We grow our own food, generate our own electricity, and provide care to our people – all without tech. We realized early on that FPC uses their tech to track people, so we didn’t want to risk it.” 

She caught the hint of worry in Violet’s eyes. “Having you down here right now is risky, but you’re not too far off your normal route and you’re only one person so it shouldn’t raise flags.

There are other Defiance outposts across the globe, but given our lack of tech use and the need to stay low-key, we don’t have much contact. Once we pull off this coup, we’ll all be able to unite and live together.” A serene smile crossed her face, the first trace of true happiness she’d displayed since they met. 

Violet was in awe, envisioning a utopic life that had never so much as crossed her mind before today. The passion with which Mercy spoke of the Defiance was contagious, a spark she hadn’t seen in another person since her mother’s downfall. She could practically hear the low rumblings of people coexisting peacefully.

Mercy smoothed her hands over her cargo pants, snapping back to a more alert state. “Sounds like the ranks have risen,” she said, standing up. Ah, so it wasn’t just my imagination, Violet mused. Mercy gestured towards the door, and she followed. 

As Mercy slid the door aside, a room full of humans came into view. People of all different ages, sizes, races, and genders milled about, conversing in soft friendly tones over bowls of porridge. Everyone was wearing similar grey-brown garments which looked to be constructed of natural fabrics rather than the usual machine-made synthetics. Though she was surrounded by people every day, the energy in the Stronghold felt quite different from the sterile rats-in-a-cage sense Violet usually felt above ground. Here, people made direct eye contact with one another, exchanged smiles, and shared dialogue. Her heart swelled with a deep-buried longing, the need for human connection stimulated by the scene unfolding before her.

Mercy walked with authority, hands clasped casually behind her back as she strode between tables, Violet following closely behind. The Defiance leader smiled and nodded at anyone who made eye contact, raising her hand in greeting to those further away. Everyone looked at her with admiration and care, and Violet felt a sense of pride at the reception even though it wasn’t for her. 

Mercy turned her head as she walked. “We’ll introduce you later,” she said in a quiet tone that matched the volume of the other Defiance members, “we need to get you back up now.” They navigated back towards the entry, quiet voices falling silent behind them, replaced by the methodical sound of their boots hitting the ground. 

Mercy opened the heavy exit hatch with ease, securing the lock behind her. Violet broke the silence. “So I guess I should try to figure out where the Pharmaceutical Plant is, yeah?” She spoke in a still-hushed tone, matching the muted volume she’d witnessed in the Stronghold members. 

Mercy bowed her head slowly, “If you’re up for it, yes.” 

They made it back to the hole in the concrete, Mercy once again creating a cradle with her hands to help boost Violet. Again, she wrapped a hand around the top of Violet’s foot as she stepped up, sending an electric shockwave through her body. “We’ll communicate through notes for now, so keep an eye out.” Violet nodded her assent, and with that, she was hoisted up.

She emerged for the second time, acclimating to the stifling feel of the above-ground world. Counting the cameras methodically, she took the gap in coverage, stepping seamlessly into the crowd with a renewed sense of purpose.