Earth 2088

I am typing this from a forbidden cloud signal network. If the Sons of Progress discovered this document, it would be deleted, and I would be tracked by their global GPS and sent to the reform camps. It is said that people like me are experimented on and psychologically tortured in these camps. Most are never heard from again, but people like me simply want our fundamental freedoms. In my late twenties, I desire nothing else in life. My code name is Phoenix, and I am a hacker, blogger and communications coordinator for the Angel Resistance. We call ourselves angels, because Romanus wants to clip our wings. Before I talk about him, let's start from the beginning.

The early 2020s saw many tragic events and huge social upheavals. Economies shifted, governments collapsed, and most eco-systems went extinct. Our new country called Novo Spes formed from the combination of South America, Mexico, North America and Canada. Actually, I can't even call it our country, because it belongs to Romanus, like everything else in this new world. He owns the water, the resources, and the economy. When monetary systems worldwide also collapsed, people naturally embraced the various electronic currencies. It seemed perfect at first, but just like every other technology, somebody wanted to manipulate and control it. That man would come like a shadow in the night.

Due to climate change and Earth's lack of natural, fresh water, most countries no longer waged large-scale wars like the days of old. It wasn't necessary or practical. Leaders of countries and their corporations would simply cut off the water supply and take over the crypto-currency grids rendering their enemies economy worthless. In 2066, a young, charismatic man named Romanus de la Cruz rose to fame by getting the perfect algorithm during the Novo Spes election campaigns. He was the natural born citizen of parents from the former countries of Mexico and Romania. A tech genius fluent in English, Spanish, Latin and Mandarin Chinese, he would quote from men like Elon Musk, Che Guevarra and Lao Tzu. He destroyed his political rivals with his wit, wealth, and a ruthless cult following. His campaign slogan was 'Imagine'. He promised a utopian vision - free water and free, clean energy for all. A new world of peace and progress.

Older people were skeptical, but the young generation embraced everything about him, and his devotees - the Sons of Progress - made sure to silence any opposition. Shortly after getting elected, Romanus secured global peace treaties and advocated scientific progress above all. People everywhere revered him as a new type of demigod. His first, five years in office seemed very promising, but there were also warning signs. Romanus went against his original promise of providing free water for all. Eventually, drinking water was heavily taxed, and those parts of the world that dared to criticize him would find their water supply becoming lesser and lesser. Romanus detested all religions, despite their positive aspects of faith and charity. Clergy and religious leaders who criticized him would meet strange and tragic, accidental deaths. Ironically, the Sons of Progress were now the new cult of religious fanaticism as they destroyed places of worship. Surveillance drones and internet blackouts became the norm. Only state-sanctioned media was allowed, and journalists were beaten and detained. It was around this time that the reform camps started to pop up everywhere, and the Sons of Progress became his official, secret service.

Then came his infamous Declaration of Singularity - all citizens of Novo Spes would be required to get "chipped or clipped", for the sake of peace, security and progress of the nation. To get chipped in the forehead or hand would grant citizens access to buying, selling, travel, housing and even a minimally taxed drinking water allotment. Getting clipped meant getting completely cut off from all these services, including emergency medical care. The Sons of Progress in their silver hazmat suits would conduct frequent patrols with their chip-detection scanners. Those who were not chipped would be detained and sent to reform camps. Under the former Constitution of Novo Spes, an elected leader could only serve a 12 year term. Romanus exceeded his term by declaring a state of emergency when a military coup failed to remove him from power in 2074. He is now on his 22nd year, but his power is waning. Citizens are finally waking up. We prefer to call him Romanus the anus !

Since all fire-arms were banned from Novo Spes in 2045, local police and even the Sons of Progress are limited to the use of non-lethal weapons, such as electronic batons, tasers, gas canisters and sonic weapons. Some renegade, armed militias have sprung up from time to time to deal with subverts - those who refuse the chip. They have massacred men, women and children before mysteriously disappearing. Romanus always publicly denounces these militias and swears that they are not affiliated with his forces, but we know the truth. When our resistance gains too much influence in the algorithm, he quietly sends in the armed militias to slow down our momentum. Sometimes, he'll even have a couple militia members arrested to make himself look good. They get sent to the corporate prisons, which are more like fancy hotels.

We call ourselves the Angel Resistance, because we refuse to have our wings clipped for rejecting the chip. We refuse to be the products of Romanus to be bought and sold. We were born free, and we intend to die free. Many of us are the decendents of various indigenous tribes, so we also call ourselves the Rainbow Tribe. Nonetheless, we are made up of all races, ages and genders. We believe that the Earth provides everything for us. We live by Her code. We live in what's left of the Earth's mountains, valleys, rivers and forests. We discover hidden, subterranean water sources and guard them. We grow our own food, and purchase banned solar-generators from the black market. We raise goats, chickens and ride horses instead of depending on electric, hover vehicles, which require chips to operate. We survive on trade and barter, rejecting any form of currency. We destroy drones and fight the Sons of Progress with ancient weapons - crossbows, swords, slingshots and fire. The year is 2088, and our day is coming. We are the Angels, and we shall spread our wings and fly free like the wind.