“He wrote all that… and then he killed himself? This doesn’t make any sense.” Rohan questioned, disbelief written on his face.
Gavin brushed his fingers against the grain of stubble under his chin, trying not to reveal his inner thinking.
“My guess is it was a living document. The stash was set to send encrypted access to a list of people, one by one, until someone confirmed their identity and accepted.”
Gavin had answered nervously. Rohan could tell and he wondered if it was the same uncertainty that was plaguing him, about the veracity of this package. Whether it was truly from Viktor or it was a trap. If it was a trap, it was elaborate beyond belief. He found himself straddling the line between caution and paranoia.
“I just can’t believe Viktor was involved in all that, when we last spoke he was against violence of any kind. He said constructive methods could render destructive or chaotic means irrelevant and unnecessary. He—“ Rohan was briefly overcome by a memory of Viktor.
Gavin had prepared for this. Approximating Viktor’s tone and style had been easy, but putting his words in Viktor’s mouth and making them believable was no mean feat. Viktor had indeed provided the lists, programs and files, minus the High Orbit Ion Cannon, but there had been no accompanied note. For all Gavin knew, Viktor had a minor part, if any, in Anonymous and LulzSec’s activities. He replied cautiously.
“People evolve. Just like you did. You went in one direction, Viktor in another. A lot has happened in the last decade, enough to overwhelm anyone. But, I don’t think he was necessarily… Overwhelmed that is. He was the most alive and animated near the end.” It was a difficult lie, but it left Gavin’s mouth naturally. Sensing his nearing victory, Gavin continued, “We already began his legacy by naming our seed fund after him. Now Viktor has given us the means to achieve what we set out to do in the first place. If we don’t use the tools he’s given us, we have no choice but to pass them on to someone who will.”
It was a bit heavy handed, but Gavin prayed Rohan’s emotions were getting the better of him, keeping the ruse hidden from view. The room was silent for a moment, as Rohan considered possible corridors that lead into the future. This moment was critical in determining the direction Legion would take. If Rohan was determined to restrain their activities to what was technically and legally defensible, he would have support from Jason, Eric, Austin and the rest. Gavin would stand alone, defeated. But if Rohan decided to join Gavin, they would be able to expose their activities carefully to the team, slowly bringing them into the fold. It could be done in such a way that by the time the rest gained a complete picture, it would be too late to stop.
“Fuck Gavin, you sure know how to throw a dinner party…” Rohan got up from the chair and walked over to refill his glass. “But seriously, you don’t expect me to believe you’re reading this for the first time, do you?”
Mila saved him by interjecting, “What difference does it make? This is a huge opportunity Viktor has handed us. We either act on it, or we pass it on to those who will.”
“Yes, I realize that Mila,” Rohan responded without hiding his annoyance.
“Viktor was the closest thing I ever had to a brother, you know that,” Gavin interjected. “I’m going to move ahead with this Rohan, with or without you. If you’re out, let me know now. But if that’s the case, keep your fucking mouth shut about this stuff.”
A clear conclusion wasn’t forthcoming. In this situation, Rohan’s natural inclination was to go with the flow, he just couldn’t believe that the primordial essence of the universe presented anything but opportunity. Or maybe it was because he’d read somewhere that people tended to regret things they didn’t do a lot more than things they did.
Rohan broke the silence, “Opposing forces tend towards equal measure. Seems their side has had the upper hand for quite a while. As good a time as any to turn the tide, eh?”
With a smile, Gavin replied, “My sentiments exactly.”