Marcus- Leader or Follower?

November 29th 230-301

                              Marcus -Leader or Follower?

     When Marcus and Ange hold a conference with many Xnetters, Marcus develops a strange feeling of leadership. When the conference is over and many questions are answered, Marcus and Ange turn off the Xbox and cuddle for a little while. When Marcus realizes that he's late and needs to be home, he storms out immediately after telling Ange he loves her. The next day he hears news about the DHS improving their security and that many Xnetters have been found and arrested. When Marcus is back at Ange's house, he has thoughts of being the cause for all of these arrest. She gets upset that he's doubting himself and they break into an argument. Marcus doesn't talk to her for days after the argument and finally returns to school. On his way out of school he bumps into a man no older then him that seems homeless. The man introduces himself as Zeb and takes off. When Marcus gets home, he notices a strange letter fall out of his pocket. It's from Zeb, the man that he has bumped Into earlier that day. It is an extremely important letter mentioning that he was at the same jail as him months ago and that Darryl sent him here to inform Marcus that he's alive in jail still. At the end of the letter it mentions that Zeb hates America now and wants Marcus to continue what he's doing! He also mentions that the DHS is scared of him. When Marcus  breaks into tears, his mom walks into the room and they share a mother and son moment, where he tells her almost everything. After she puts on a shocking face, his father arrives and he also tells him the whole story! His father reacts differently then mom by driving all of them to Darryl's fathers house to notify him about his son. When they arrive at his home, they notice Darryl's father as a mess. After he hears that his son is alive, he cleans up and takes off with them to see Barbra Stratford, a famous family friend journalist. After they arrive at Barbra and tell her everything, she storms to her computer to print paperwork and Marcus mentions secretly that he's M1k3y. Right after hearing this, she tells him to come over again so she could take notes on his story privately. The next day, after Marcus leaves school, he bumps into Ange and tells her about the journalist meeting. She tags along and they both go to see Barbra Stratford right away. When they leave Barbra after hearing that their story belongs to her now, they stop at Ange's house and have sex together. When they finish having sex, Marcus gets an email from an Xnetter named Masha. She mentions how she was arrested by the DHS, was found innocent and then offer her a job to spy on the Xnet. She offers Marcus a trip to Los Angels, where she will escape with him before they both get busted, but Marcus doesn't trust her. She proves that she is for the Xnet after sending him a shocking hacking trick. Marcus freaks out after noticing that he's in danger and Ange tries convincing him to go with this girl and to bring her with him. At the beginning of chapter 18, Marcus mentions how he used to play vampire games in the woods at camp with Darryl and others. He also mentions playing at hotels and running around lying and freaking guest out! The people who play these games are known as LARPers. When Marcus meets up with Ange again and sends trust worthy Xnetters instructions for a vampire game, he contacts Masha and tells her that he's getting ready for tomorrow's trip to LA. After Marcus helps Ange pack, they both go to Marcus's house, where Ange meets his parents and stays for dinner.

Prediction: I honestly don't even know what could possibly happen next! I think that Masha isn't really going to help Marcus escape. I think there is something suspicious about that user and I think that Marcus will get caught in Los Angeles. I think that Darryl will also appear very soon in the book again! Maybe even Vanessa and Jolu. 

Quote: " I felt the eyes of the classroom on me, and it reminded me of m1k3y and the people who looked up to him. I was sick of being looked up to. I missed Ange"(Doctorow 246).

How can he say this!? He wants people to hear him throughout the whole book! He wanted to make a change for the country and how can that be done if he doesn't want to be noticed by anyone anymore! Everything that he's doing involves attention! He's a leader of a movement!

Reaction: I am really interested in this book! I do notice the change in characters, but don't really like the new disposition in some of the characters like the father. The story did get more calm and boring to read, but I do feel a huge ending coming!

Literary Term** Holding in the secret had dirtied me. Soiled my spirit. (Metaphor)

2) Dad sat stiff as a ramrod the whole time. (Simile)