The Crypto Chrononauts - Chapter 3
Mia agreed to Crypto’s proposal. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain. She wanted to end this once and for all.
She drove to the nearest safe house, a hidden bunker the network had set up in an abandoned warehouse. She parked the car and entered the bunker. She saw a few other crypto chrononauts, working on their devices or resting on their beds. They greeted her with sympathy and respect.
She went to her room and locked the door. She took Evan’s dead body from the trunk and laid it on the bed. She kissed his forehead and whispered goodbye. She promised him that she would make him proud.
She took out her device and activated it. She entered Crypto’s coordinates and confirmed her jump.
A blue light enveloped her and Evan’s body.
They vanished in 2010 and reappeared in 1776.
They were on a boat, sailing toward the Statue of Liberty. They saw the statue towering over them, holding a torch and a tablet. They saw the American flag waving in the wind.
They also saw Crypto, standing on the deck, wearing a colonial outfit and a tricorn hat. He had a smile on his face and a gun in his hand.
He waved at Mia and welcomed her aboard.
“Mia, I’m glad you made it,” he said.
“Me too,” Mia said.
She looked around and saw other crypto chrononauts on the boat, dressed like Crypto. They had their devices and their weapons with them.
They were Crypto’s elite team, his most trusted and skilled chrononauts.
They were ready for the mission.
Crypto explained the mission to Mia.
He said that Satoshi Nakamoto was not his real name, but an alias he had used to create Bitcoin. Satoshi was actually a time traveler, who had come from the future to manipulate the past.
He said that Satoshi was one of the regime’s founders, who had used his knowledge of history and technology to orchestrate its rise to power. Satoshi had used Bitcoin as a tool to fund his operations, recruit his followers and destabilize his enemies.
Satoshi was actually the enemy of cryptocurrencies, who had created them only to destroy them. Then, Satoshi had planned to reveal himself as the creator of Bitcoin, claim his stash of bitcoins, and use them to launch a massive attack on the network and the resistance.
He concluded that Satoshi was actually the biggest threat to freedom and democracy in the world.
Therefore, they had to stop him before it was too late.
They had tracked down Satoshi’s location and time of arrival. Satoshi was going to land on Liberty Island, near the Statue of Liberty, on July 4th, 1776, at 12:00 pm.
They had chosen this date and place for two reasons. One, because it was a symbolic day for America and its ideals. Two, because it was a low-risk period for time travel, as there were no security drones or cameras around.
Furthermore, they had a simple plan. They would ambush Satoshi as soon as he appeared, shoot him dead, and take his device and his bitcoins. They would then return to their own time and use Satoshi’s bitcoins to fund their revolution.
Not only that, they had a backup plan in case things went wrong. They would use their devices to escape to another time and place, regroup and try again.
They had a code word for success: Liberty.
They had a code word for failure: Tyranny.
They had one shot at this. They had to make it count.
He asked Mia if she was ready.
Mia nodded. She was ready.
She looked at Evan’s dead body, wrapped in a blanket. She asked Crypto what they would do with him.
Crypto said they would bury him on Liberty Island, near the statue. He said that it was a fitting place for a hero like him. Then, he would arrange a proper funeral for him later.
Mia thanked him. She appreciated his gesture.
She took Evan’s body and followed Crypto to the front of the boat. They waited for Satoshi’s arrival.
They checked their watches. It was 11:59 am.
They checked their devices. They were fully charged and functional.
They checked their guns. They were loaded and ready.
They checked their eyes. They were focused and determined.
They checked their hearts. They were beating fast and strong.
They were crypto chrononauts, and they had a mission.
To be continued…