She made it to Akkar’s store and went into the bugez garage. There were a dozen people inside, most of whom she recognized from the anti-Icefall meetings that Akkar had used to recruit them. These were his senior cell leaders, each of them in charge of around fifteen activists as far as she’d been able to determine.
Julisa saw her and came over. “You ready for this?”
“Sure.”
She was led to the back of the garage, where two young men were waiting beside the silent printers. They were introduced as Ketchell and Larik. “We’re relying on you three,” Julisa said in a low voice. “You’ve got the second most critical role today.”
Which Savi didn’t believe for a second. She knew she still wasn’t fully trusted, that it would take several events like today to prove herself to them.
The lanky girl handed Savi a leather shoulder bag. The men were given small backpacks.
“Your target is the substation at the end of Fountain Street,” Julisa went on. “That’s where the whole town’s electricity comes in via portal from the national grid. It’s a huge amount of power; the damn thing supplies every piece of equipment Water Desert uses. So, this is how it happens. There’s a three-meter-high fence around the transformers and switching gear, which is topped by razor wire. There’s one super secure gate, which they’ve rigged with all sorts of scans and codes. We’re not going in or over. You’re going to blow a hole in the fence. The charge in your bag is armed by a dual-action switch. Look.”
Savi peered into the bag, seeing the neat cube of plastic explosive with a small rectangle of electronics on the end. The only feature was a red hexagonal switch that seemed disproportionally large.
“Turn clockwise one eighty, and press,” Julisa said. “Okay? Simple; twist and press.”
“Got it.”
“Once it’s armed it cannot be disarmed. I’ve set the timer to detonate at exactly ten fifty-seven local time. So at about ten fifty-five you stroll past the fence, arm the charge, and drop the bag beside a post. Then you get away fast.”
“Okay.”
“Once the fence is breached, Ketchell and Larik, you’re in there right away. Your targets are the two main transformers. Here.” She showed them a crude map of the substation, with the transformers marked. “It’s easy enough. Arm your backpacks. Drop your backpacks. They will detonate at eleven oh-three. Now they’re bigger charges than Osha’s, but we’ve built in enough time for you to get in and out. Any questions?”
“That’s it?” Savi asked.
“That’s it. Look, this is all about distraction. The ice starts to fall at ten thirty. We’ve got a lot of supporters crowded into the viewing area. They’ll start a protest demonstration at ten forty-five outside the VIP enclosure. Smoke bombs, netruptors, throw some stones at security—fuck knows there’s enough rocks lying around. That’s where Water Desert will be looking to protect their precious guests—all the celebrities, corporate fat cats, and public pig parasites. So you get in and cut the power to the whole fucking town.”
“What good is that going to do?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“Like bollocks! I never asked for details, but we’re taking a huge risk here. For what? Cutting power to everyone’s air conditioner for a few hours?”
“Problem?” Akkar asked. He was standing right behind her. She hadn’t noticed him approaching.
“No,” she said. “I’m happy to help. I asked for this gig, remember. I just need some assurance this isn’t a token statement.”
“It’s not,” Akkar said softly. “Trust me, Osha. Today is unique, and not because of Icefall. Today Water Desert has put a lot of its most expensive eggs in one basket. And thanks to Julisa’s skills, we’re going to crack them open. You will provide us with that window of opportunity.”
Savi gave him a hard glance. “Okay,” she said. “That sounds more like it.”
“Good luck,” he said. “All of you. We’ll meet back here in thirty-six hours.”
As she left the garage, she saw Dimon handing out home-printed semiautomatic rifles to three other men. He saw her watching, and Savi gave him an approving nod. Dimon grinned in return.
Outside, Savi, Ketchell, and Larik set off across town, avoiding Main Street and the crush of eager Icefall spectators.
“I’ve got my team waiting for instructions,” Larik said. “How do you think we should deploy them?”
“Deploy them?” Savi said. “We don’t. You heard Julisa; this is the three of us.”
“Yeah, we have the primary task, sure,” Larik said. “But what happens if there’s a security patrol heading our way five minutes before we blast the fence? We need coverage. So whoever you think you are, you shut the fuck up and leave me to get on with my fucking job—of which you know fuck all. Clear?”