- Home in the middle of the day, Marcus watches the TV news and finds it full of reasons to be scared.
- He's flipping channels when he sees the face of someone he knows. It's the guy who came into the truck and spoke to severe haircut lady when Marcus was chained up. Turns out the guy is Major General Graeme Sutherland, Regional Commander, DHS.
- Graeme (let's just call him that, shall we?) is talking about the "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25" rally, implying that it was a recruitment event for America's enemies.
- Marcus's parents are peeved that he's suspended, but he doesn't get grounded. Mom points out that Mr. Benson "has had it in for Marcus for years" (14.19). Dad wants Marcus to see the situation as being in a lifeboat. When you're in a lifeboat, who wants to hear about how mean the captain is being?
- Really Dad?
- Marcus tells them he has to write a paper for each class and use San Francisco for his background. Beats sitting around at home.
- He goes upstairs to research, IMs with Ange, then has exciting dreams about what he and Ange could do in a secluded spot together.
- The next day, it's paper time. Marcus loves learning and decides to start with the Beats, checking out the library at City Lights Books and reading old editions of Kerouac's On the Road and others.
- He buys a copy and starts the trek to go meet Ange in the East Bay—it takes a BART ride and a shuttle bus, so he has plenty of time to read.
- At Ange's school, she runs out to meet him and he reads her a passage. Marcus totally digs quoting things. Then he hears his name.
- It's Van.
- They haven't spoken in weeks. Marcus knew she and Ange went to the same school, but had forgotten.
- Ange asks how Marcus knows Van as they walk off. Were they dating? Just friends? Why aren't they any more?
- Past history explained, Marcus and Ange go to her place. Her mom and sister have plans, so they have the house to themselves.
- Messing around on Xnet, Marcus watches a video he's been sent from someone with the handle Kameraspie. It's of a DHS checkpoint at San Francisco City Hall and a general gets tackled by a guard and hog-tied.
- Marcus posts the video, asking for help identifying the general. Turns out it's General Claude Geist. He commanded the joint UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
- Marcus starts a new category on his blog: AbusesOfAuthority.
- The next day Marcus works on his Beat paper as the meme AbusesOfAuthority grows. Someone else starts an entire blog to collect the stories too. There are hundreds.
- On the radio the next morning there are reports about AbusesOfAuthority being the "latest craze" on the "notorious Xnet" (14.101). Turns out the international media has been paying attention, and there are front-page stories about General Geist getting tackled all over the world.
- After his parents leave for work, Marcus is back on Xnet. M1k3y's getting lots of interview requests from journalists. He doesn't get much work done.
- That evening Ange says he should hold a press conference in Clockwork Plunder at a trading post where there's no PvP (player-versus-player combat) so that the journalists don't get killed in the middle of the event.