the ultimatum ↬ elliot alderson ✔

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Whiterose leaked Dawn and Darlene's past records. I know she did. She's angry about the video, so this was her move. She wants me to know she has access to everyone's information. This is the proof she could own us. Maybe she wanted my attention. Maybe she wanted me to know she's watching my every move.

Now both Dawn and Darlene's lives are at risk.

They're being followed. Dawn said she saw a man in a black suit follow her when she got off the subway. Darlene must have seen them too. If the FBI decides to investigate them, they will find me. They'll know everything. The FBI will own us within seconds.

They will follow our tracks. Shit. Why did I think the ultimatum was a good idea? Now both of them are being watched.

I open the bathroom door, stepping into the living room. Darlene is asleep on my bed while Dawn is at my desk. She's typing something.

"What are you doing?" I whisper, so I don't wake Darlene up. My eyes scan the screen. The terminal is open from her account. She's typing in commands I don't recognise. I told them they could stay here, but not for long. If they're not careful, they can find me too. I can't let that.

"Maybe there's a way we can fix this," she says. "I'm trying to piggyback off someone else's WiFi. I need to know who posted it."

"It was Whiterose. I know it was her."

"How can you know that? Maybe it was some maniac that hacked the Jersey police. Leaked it everywhere," she says her eyes on the screen as she continues to type.

"How could they have had that much information?"

"I don't know. But why would Whiterose release crucial information that could help the FBI trace the Dark Army down too? It wouldn't make sense."

She has a point. If the FBI investigated Dawn and Darlene, they'd find me. Then they'd find Cisco and the Dark Army. It would make her plan redundant. But why would someone specifically leak Darlene and Dawn's information? Why them?

"Maybe Whiterose thought it would be easier to eliminate you both than have the FBI find out about the Dark Army," I suggest.

"It's Whiterose. That woman overthinks about everything."

"I'm going to leak their stuff."

"Are you serious? They could leak more stuff about me."

"Trust me. Whiterose wouldn't cross a line. Not with me."

"Why wouldn't she? She's starting to have the upper hand. They'll kill us both off."

"I won't let them get you. Neither of you," I say, making her meet my gaze. "Let me do this. I need to show her I have the documents. Maybe she thought it was a scam."

Dawn bites her lip, getting up from my desk chair.

"Can I connect on my account?" I ask and she nods. I log in, opening up a terminal. I open one of the folders containing the information I obtained about the Chinese government. Targeting civilians wouldn't bring her attention. I need to make my move now. It's my turn. I can't let her stop me. Suddenly, I close my eyes. I exhale.

That's when I realise Mr Robot has taken over me. He's begun to type like a psycho the commands I need to release a PDF file onto the Wikileaks page. Shit. Maybe I should have gone for something less serious. The PDF file contains information on their future missile plans, but I couldn't hold Mr Robot back.

I feel Dawn eye my screen the whole time. She probably hasn't noticed he took over me. I can't control him anymore. Not since the Steel Mountain hack. Putting the only two people I love at risk means I cannot stay in the dark anymore. I have to fight back. I can do this.