Honeypot (WAYHAUGHT)

The US government created the Dark Web. Think about that. Scary right?

For spies to exchange information anonymously. Using new technology known as The Onion Router, made available for everyone to use. Why? To stay hidden. It's harder to track spy messages if thousands are using the same system.

Really fucking scary, right?

It opened up a new world to those who didn't want their online activities traced. Those who wanted to exploit the anonymity of their new playground. Sure, there are those who can, will play nicely in a virtual world where anything goes. But, isn't there always a bully. A kid who wants to steal the lunch money. Thump another kid, because they can. Because they won't get caught. Because they think they won't get caught.

Champ drove Waverly home. "So, what do you think of the gang?"

"They're great. Although, Chrissy doesn't like me. I could tell."

"That's Chrissy for you. She thinks she's the top dog, cat. Whatever the term is. Probably explains the online name she's created for you."

"Oh, really. And, what it is?"

"Mouse."

Waverly rolled her eyes. "And, what's her online name? No, let me guess. Tiger."

"Good guess. Panther."

"Great. So I get to be a mouse and she gets to be a big cat."

No one is who they really are in the Dark Web. Those venturing into the darkness use a false name, not connected to their real identity. No personal details cross the line. Anonymity baby.

Champ's online name: Boxer. His favourite sport.

Nicole's online name: Pussy...

Champ stopped outside Waverly's house. She lived with her family. Her sister was there too, on occasions, as was her on/off boyfriend Doc, so called for his night time activity of selling happy pills to club goers. A little extra money to help him and Wynonna get settled in a place of their own. Waverly closed the front door as quietly as she could. She didn't want to wake anyone. It was gone midnight.

She saw the light on in the kitchen. Someone was still up. Popping her head round the door Wynonna was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of tea. She looked tired, not her usual self.

Waverly smiled at her. "You OK?"

"Not really. Shit day. Shit news. Shit everything."

"So, I'm guessing not your best day. What's happened?"

"Oh, nothing. Only, I'm pregnant."

Waverly's mouth fell open. She was going to be an aunt. Not shit news. Fantastic news. She raced to hug her sister.

"Does Doc know? Wait, it is Doc's right?"

"Yes. And no, he doesn't know."

"Wynonna this is great. I'm so, so proud of you."

"I'm not. This will cramp my style."

"But, it's a baby. As in, a baby. Yours and Doc's baby."

"I wish you were having it. You'd make a perfect mother. Promise me, don't fuck up your life the way I have. Please, promise me."

"I promise. Wynonna, I love you. And, you haven't fucked up your life."

Waverly needed sleep. It had been a long day.

The gang of eight met once a week, to hang out, to check on their latest mission. There was no need. The Internet can be accessed anywhere, anytime. It was more a social thing. A desire to be together, fighting for just causes. If they could have dressed up in superhero costumes. Pete was up for it. They felt invincible. One small gang sticking a finger up at a greedy, unjust world.

Their first group hack was a website for an energy provider. To give Waverly a feel for the power that comes with such an act. A simple hack. Easy if you know how. A magic trick to those who didn't.

A Denial-of-Service, an attack rendering a website unavailable to users by disrupting it, hence the name. Flooding the target with requests to overload the system. Like a group of people standing in the door of a shop, making it hard for customers to enter, disrupting trade.

Waverly was a fast learner. She had to be if she was to operate in this new hidden world. No slips. No mistakes. No reveals. Careful planning and execution.

The role of the hacktivist? Simple. To show little people had a voice. Little people had power at their fingertips to alter the balance. It was fun at first. It felt good, right. Not bad.

She was doing this for good of society, right?

More missions. More edgy. Robin co-ordinated their activities. He was in contact with another hacker who went by the name Bobo. As in Bobo the Clown. His cynical take on the modern world. Not the urban dictionary meaning. Definitely, not the urban dictionary meaning.

Fuck popular culture.

They were being asked to hack more strategically, as if someone was moving chess pieces on a board. They were but one small unit, doing their thing. They failed to realise Bobo was overseeing many similar groups, as well as individuals. Someone, somewhere wanted to send a very powerful message.

Joined-up forces can do a lot of damage.

This wasn't what Waverly signed up for. She wanted to use her talents to do good. She was now being asked to shut down power installations for minutes at a time. Even Champ was beginning to wonder what the big agenda was. He took Robin to one side to check they were still on the same page.

"Listen, these attacks are getting pretty full on. Are you sure we should be going down this route. I mean, I don't mind disrupting a website, but messing around with the other stuff. That's in a different league."

Robin considered what Champ had said. "I hear you. But, if we're to make any real statement, we have to send a loud enough message that we're serious. That's how Bobo explained it. I agree, some of his requests have been extreme. I've pushed those away. I'll only go so far. Trust me."

"OK. But, Waverly's getting anxious. She doesn't want to get caught up in anything really bad. I don't either."

"Champ. Seriously, you've known me for years. Would I do anything that stupid?"

Champ laughed. "Yes, you probably would."

Waverly was getting anxious. Sending a political message by demonstrating with a banner is one thing. Disrupting a website, naughty but no one gets hurt. Annoyed, not hurt. A grey area? Perhaps. Shutting down a power installation was a whole new game. A dangerous game. A game that could cost lives. It felt wrong. It was wrong. No matter how much she detested the power in the hands of big corporations, tearing the world apart for their own benefit, causing chaos had never been the way she operated. She was the good girl. Except, she no longer was.

A line crossed. Move back to the other side. The line remains crossed.

Waverly had crossed the line.