**Chapter 1: The Most Galvanising Photo of 2019**
“Edward!” a whisper screamed out of the doorway of the dark sitting-room. Edward Snowden was sitting on the settee, which would be facing a TV if they had had one. TV sets being the notorious wire-housing devices that they are, were not a luxury the United Corporations of America’s most wanted could afford. In the TV’s stead, sat a Macbook, in front of Edward, on a small table. It was the only source of light in the room, save Moscow’s moonlight.
The voice belonged to Suzie Dawson, an Australian WikiLeaks’ contributer & fellow exile.
“They got him. The Metropolitan police dragged him out of the Ecuadorian embassy. They got him, Edward. They’ve arrested Julian Assange.”
Edward did not stir. He sat there, still absorbed with the developments revealed on his screen & brought to life with words from the darkness on the other side of the room.
A deafening silence followed. Suzie stood, rooted to the spot, waiting for who knows what, just waiting. Hearing her own words were just as sobering & paralysing to her as they were to the other occupant in the room.