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Eden didn’t answer, she just stared right at Dante, on the other side of the room, his arms crossed with a dark expression. This wasn’t good at all. The System didn’t just have information about the people of the Suburbs, it was also aware of where they were right now!
“Jack, deactivate your SIN after this, you hear me?”
“What? Eden, what the hell? What’s wrong, hun?”
“Jack, I’m serious. There’s something odd, the Core is fucking tracing our SINs. All of them. It knows where you are, right now. I have eyes on a Map with your exact location as we speak. So please, deactivate it, and you and Rose hide, okay? I’ll come to get you.”
“Wha–... Eden, what the heck... Honey, where are you?”
“I... Jack, I’ll explain later, okay? Just trust me, please. I promise I’ll come and... get you out of there, somehow.”
For a little while, Jack didn’t answer, making her even more nervous if that was possible. Finally, she heard him sigh.
“Fine, honey. If you say so. I’ll... just stay with Rose in the basement for now, okay? Don’t worry about us, we got everything we need down there, just don’t be too long, alright?”
“I promise.” Eden nodded. “Just stay there, I’ll try to come soon.”
With that, she hung up and turned to Loir, her eyes sending daggers.
“Why the hell are they tracking people from the Suburbs?”
“I don’t have the slightest idea about that, Kitty,” said Loir, looking serious for once. “I’ve got eyes on their list, and... they managed to locate and trace all those SINs, but they didn’t finish the job. Look.”
Eden had noticed even before he’d said it. As she looked at the full Map of the Suburbs, it was obvious some areas were completely clear of any red dots. Some only had one or two... which was nothing compared to the crowded areas around several blocks.
The pieces were starting to align. She turned to Dante.
“You think this is what that dark Overcraft was doing?”
“...It could be.”
She nodded, but they had no way to be sure. The only certain fact was that the Core’s System had somehow found a way to observe and trace thousands of people outside the Core and access their SINs, or at least their locations. Eden was more afraid of why they’d want that information and what they could do with it. Their anonymity was the people’s best defense against the Core’s arbitrary System.
“We are probably not the only ones who noticed...” said Dante, very calmly.
Eden frowned and turned her eyes to the Map once again, checking the locations where the SINs were being traced. Dante was right. Eden didn’t know the exact borders of each territory, but everyone could at least tell the main areas apart. The more she stared, the more she could make out. The Rat, the Eagle, and the Zebra had hundreds of those red dots on their territories. So did the Arabian Hare and Dante’s territory. The area where Eden lived probably wasn’t fully scanned, and the Goat’s too had a lot less than the others. The only territories with just a handful of dots were the Snake’s, the Ox’s,... and the Dragon’s. Which meant only three out of the ten territories had been spared so far.
“Loir, can you find out how to undo this?”
The hacker chuckled and moved his skinny shoulders, massaging himself and making his nape bones crack.
“I can try, but only because it’s you asking, Kitty. And also because I have my stomach full of delicious pizza... Can I get some coffee?” he asked with a high-pitched voice, opening his eyes wide.
“No,” Eden and Dante answered together.
His attempt at trying to look cute only made him look weirder and creepier. The bald hacker sighed and turned to his screens again, actively looking around for an answer.
“See, Cutie Pie? You’re the only one that understands me. Those two cold-hearted cats never care about poor, lonely Loir. They go away to play naughty stuff that’s only for adults and they leave me all alone here with just work and work and... yummy pizza. I’m so glad I have my Cutie Pie here. Otherwise, I would be so, so lonely...”
“We’re going,” declared Dante, ignoring his rant.
“You can’t leave me alone here!” cried Loir.
“Do you want to come, then?”
Just as he said that, Loir’s expression fell. He slowly rolled away from them, shrinking in his chair as if he was trying to be engulfed in the leather.
“Uh... I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the puppies...”
