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haphazard collage of muted video: Faither protests, fame-whore newbie mechs selling whatever was left of their souls for a shot on a vidlife, the latest ruling on what we could do, where we could go, what we could own, how human we were. The usual. But when Riley swept his finger across the console, the jumble of images gave way to one large, familiar face, paler than I remembered, his dark eyes like black voids in his flesh.
    "It posted about half an hour ago," Jude said. "While you were . . . sleeping . The 'Honored' Rai Savona has found his calling." His mouth twisted around the word "honored . " Understandable. I could have thought of a few choice adjectives that would have better suited the sanctimonious nutjob. "Honored" was the one he'd chosen for himself.
    Savona was standing at a podium, and when the camera panned back, it was clear he'd assembled an audience of hundreds to hear whatever it was he had to say. "Honored friends," he began, smiling out at the crowd. "Today marks both an ending and a bright beginning as I say farewell to the cause I have served willingly for the last ten years and turn the page to a shining future. As of this morning I am stepping down as the leader of the Faith Party." Mumbles percolated in the crowd. "It's with great sadness that I leave behind such a loving community--"
    "I'd be sad too if I got fired," Quinn muttered.
    "But I'm unable to turn a deaf ear to my true calling--"
    "Obsession," Jude spit out.
    "Which is why I'm pleased to announce to you the formation of the Brotherhood of Man. Providing social services to the needy, a place of peace and solace for lost souls, and dedicated, above all, to defending the unique glory of God's creation over those who seek to encroach upon it."
    Jude scowled. "Translation: Even my crazy Faither friends aren't crazy enough to declare war on download tech, so I'm going it alone. Because I'm going to prove I'm the biggest crackbrain of all, if it's the last thing I do."
    It wasn't a surprise; in fact, now that it had happened, it seemed inevitable. After the religious wars a few decades ago, the whole God thing became a serious fashion don't. Some people just couldn't let it go--but that didn't mean they were spoiling for a fight. The Middle East was a crater and Italy was toxic; the world was running out of places to blow up. Smart move for the Faithers to ditch Savona once he started waving his pitchfork.
    "We will destroy the technology robbing our nation's youth of their very lives and souls, deceiving heartsick parents across the country with the illusion that their departed children have come back to them, seducing the whole and healthy into throwing away everything, and for what? A false promise of immortality! Hell on Earth, trapped forever in the purgatory of iron and steel."
    In person, Savona's stare was magnetic. I'd found it impossible to turn away even when he was telling me I shouldn't--and by his standards didn't --exist. But the advantage of watching him on-screen was that we could turn him off. "Tell me again why we're watching this crap?"
    Jude frowned. "Wait for it."
    Ani shot me an odd look, equal parts pity and concern, then turned away the moment I caught her eye.
    "I have seen the truth," Savona said, peering into the camera. "And I have seen the danger. Not just to our souls, to the very fabric of human society, but to ourselves, to yourselves . The danger is real , and it is imminent, and this is why we must act. Self-protection is a moral imperative." He hung his head. "But words are empty. Words are meaningless. I offer you more than words. I offer you evidence of the danger. A young man who's faced the abyss and barely lived to tell the tale. This brave young man's story called to me, as it will call to you. As the Brotherhood moves forward, we will all look to him as a beacon. A light in the darkness, a reminder of what we stand to lose if we fail."
    I knew. Before the camera panned across the stage, settling on a