The news kiosks set up all over the main hall have started broadcasting the local news. I have to take a few steps closer to get a good view of the tiny screen, where the ticker below the monitor scrolls, “Breaking News.”

The robot anchor faces the camera and begins, saying, “We’ve been bringing you the John Vann story all this morning, and as developments come, we will be right there with you to process the news.”

John Vann... Wait, THE John Vann? What’s all this about?

“There is a new letter, reportedly penned by the infamous terrorist John Vann, co-founder of the Earth Group. He is known under his Cherokee name “Incalatanga,” for being the mastermind behind the summer of power surges and brownouts almost ten years ago, and rumors persist about his involvement in the Drone Event. Vann was since thought to be chased out of Atlanta by law enforcement and his former Earth Group companions. However, now, according to a police memo reportedly obtained by the online news site Momo Slice early this morning, he has his sights set on the city once more.”

The robot then reads this letter:

“To the people of Atlanta, Georgia:

“My name is John Vann, and I am making my return to my home. It has been a long time since I have been back, and the state of things has declined rapidly. When I was a liberator for the Earth Group, I fought to make sure that the scourges of technology would not plant their poisonous roots in society, that we would remain independent humans with independent lives. Now, years later, we have been cursed, doomed almost, by these same evils. The modern world and its addictive tendrils continue to hurt us.

“My original dream of bringing the prosperity of a modern Ecotopia still stands. Life out West, where technology is not relied upon for daily tasks, but valued for specialized services, has only strengthened my resolve.

“So now, I shall return to Atlanta and become its mayor. Consider this my official declaration for the election. We will guide the city into a greatness made of love and strength, and we will destroy anyone who stands for hatred and waste.

“Join my Second Surge to retake Atlanta.”

The robot continues. “That was the contents of John Vann’s letter. At this time, there is no statement from any member of the Earth Group confirming their current relationship with Vann, and police have declined to respond for--”

I can’t believe they actually read that entire letter on the TV for everyone to hear. Isn’t that exactly what some nutjob narcissist like John Vann wanted, anyway?

The Earth Group is a already a bunch of nutjobs that bomb buildings and attack innocent people in order to bring about some sort of technological apocalypse that will end electricity forever. And John Vann, or Incalatanga as he used to be known, was the most extreme of them, at least until he got exiled to the West by his own gang.

“Running for mayor.” They’re not actually going to let him run for mayor, not after he was responsible for the deaths of dozens during the summer power surges. I just don’t get why they even ran this letter on the news...

Stuff is really starting to get suspicious. And maybe not in the way they want me to think it is. R8PR was certainly right about the Earth Group making some rumblings, and he was even more right than he thought.

Well, that sucks.