THE CORE Follow einer Story

We enter a place where the Sun doesn't exist in this country, the neon lights are the Sun: Ostrandia. The Country of Ostrandia is divided into two ever since the war: The Communists and the Rebels. Robert is a Communist and an ex-government agent, while Adrianna is a Rebel, but a notorious hacker. These two step into each other's worlds when a force has arisen to destroy both forces.

"Are you seriously saying that you and I should work together?"

Jackson leans against a wall in an abandoned alley, a good hiding place for criminals and beads of sweat pop off his forehead. He worked for the Government, which was the Communists and Adrianna was part of the Rebels who opposed the Government. They were deadly enemies who have had many rows in the past; working together is not possible. Jackson betraying the Government by working with a Rebel could end him.

"Look, I know we've had our differences but I need your help."

"How can I trust you, a filthy criminal who opposes the Government? Never!"

Adrianna grunts as she stares at him. She needs his help so badly but Jackson wasn't making her choice seem like something she'd ever try making ever again.

"First of all: I'm not filthy. Second, I know what happened to your sister."

"You do?"

Jackson stares in disbelief as he hears those words. Adrianna, a Rebel, knows what happened to his sister. His one and only sister he had and loved? This girl was speaking blasphemy! Gibberish, I tell you!

"The Government bombed her home."

"You'd think I'd trust you. They told me they did a thorough investigation and found out that the gas cylinder in the kitchen exploded."

"You know that's not true right? This is 2100 and we don't use gas cylinders now: we use electric stoves. So you believed them; some moron you are!"

"Shut up! Anyway, why would they kill her?" he cries in disbelief as he bangs his bionic arm on the wall.

"Oh they didn't kill her; they made her to kill herself."

These words reverberate in Jackson's head. Nothing made sense to him at all.

"How?"

Adrianna said nothing. She just rolled up her sleeve and revealed a blue chip stuck to her bionic arm.

"What's this?"

"This is a brain implant. They've installed this stuff on everyone, even your sister. It's a mind-control device. Must've explained what was going on. I removed it but it just got on me this morning. Been disturbing me."

"This is a bloody lie! The Government could never do such a thing to kill my sister!"

"Can you stop being such an ignorant moron and see what's in front of you? And I never said the Government implanted this on everyone!" she yells at him as she points at his bionic arm. Jackson stares at her for answers but gets none. Then, he forcefully pulls off the chip from his arm and crushes it. He feels dizzy remembering everything that happened to his sister.

I don't blame Jackson for being so ignorant. I mean, he is loyal to the Government and the chip was on his arm, manipulating his thoughts.

"So if the Government didn't do this, then who?"

"I don't know but I do know the Government has been manipulated. There is someone much stronger than you guys and us Rebels; someone much stronger."

"And who, pray tell is that?"

"I don't know, that's why I need your help. Not like I need it but I just do."

"Whatever," Jackson scoffs as he stares at his bionic arm in deep thought.

"Well, whoever it is, I want to rip them into pieces! What do I have to do to help you?"

"Well, the arm needs to go, I'm afraid, and your leg and glasses; anything that the Government uses to track you down, which is everything on you."

Jackson is annoyed by this.

"You're a hacker: can't you just hack into it?"

"I could hack into it but the firewall's too strong. Besides, even if I did, the only thing I'd accomplish is shutting down the link that connects your arm to your nervous system and the metal hand would become useless."

"Fine."

He started to pull his bionic arm, groaning in pain. Wires become exposed and sparks fly in the air as blood gushes out so rapidly.

"What in the world are you doing?! Have you lost your mind!''

"You said the arm needs to go."

"But other stuff needs to go too and besides, I know someone who can do it safely. You wanna kill yourself?"

Suddenly, a hologram appears.

"Warning! Warning! Blood loss!"

Jackson falls to his knees, gasping for breath and blacks out. Adrianna quickly makes some phone calls, brings out her hoverboard, gently puts him on the board and zooms off quickly.

The next day, Jackson wakes up in a room. The light is positioned on him.

"Uh... where am I?" he grunts as he blinks slowly but surely back to life.

He lays still on the hospital bed as the light blinds him. A woman with blonde approaches him. She wears a doctor's coat and pumps.

''Oh good! You're awake!" A woman says as she looks at him.

"What's going on? Who are you?" he asks as he shivers in fear. He tries to stand up but something pulls him down.

"Relax or else the body parts won't heal. I had to replace your arm and some other parts too because I heard you hurt yourself trying to remove your arm."

"Oh, right."

"Anyways, I got you a real human hand and body parts too. How do they feel?"

He felt something he'd never felt before; the feeling of wholeness; the feeling that technology can never beat humanity's nature.

"They feel...human. I like it."

"Glad you like them."

The woman chews her gum in delight as she sits on her chair going through the list. She then tosses the gum into the bin because of its lost flavour. She then takes off her glasses and shoves them into her pocket.

"You Communists and Rebels are so cruel to each other, fighting each other like animals," she says as she checks his blood level.

"By the way, who are you?''

"That's none of your business." the woman replies harshly as she becomes a little paranoid.

"Fine! At least tell me where I am."

"You're in the Land Down Under.''

He laughs at her joke.

"You mean, I'm in Australia.''

"No. This is a different place."

"Oh. So, this is the place where most people run to hide. I've heard of it."

"Precisely. Anyways your 'friend' brought you here because of your carelessness."

Then, Adrianna emerges from the shadows. She wears a black hoodie now.

"Good to see you're awake."

"Adrianna? You know what? Whatever. At least tell us who's the stronger force is; the one you said that is stronger than the Government."

"I still don't know," Adrianna replies.

"I do."

The woman closes the windows and puts on her glasses.

'They call themselves 'the Core.'

"The what now?"

"The Core. They are the ones who manipulated the Government and the country. They've been the ones installing brain implants on everyone. Been on the run since I found out. We help anyone who needs a sanctuary. We also remove the brain implants."

"So, how can we destroy them? They must be stopped."

"Follow me."

The woman presses a button on the wall that reveals a secret passageway.

"Hurry up."

She walks at a quick pace as Jackson and Adrianna struggle to catch up.

"The LDU or Land Down Under is for those who wish to not involve themselves in war. This place is hidden from human sight. Sort of like a secret camp."

Jackson and Adrianna saw people there gathered. Adults, teens, children and old people alike lived in different tents in this place. This place had trees everywhere, sort of like a refugee camp.

"So many people take refuge here but this place won't last us forever. The Core must be stopped!"

"We will stop them."

"Let's team up and take these morons down into a bloody pit!'

Will the Trio be able to stop "the Core" and restore peace in Ostrandia?