The man's name was Cassian, and over the next few days, he led Mara deeper into the mysteries of the city, a city that Mara had lived in. Mara learned that beneath the surface, beneath the streets, the skyscrapers and the glowing billboards, lay an entire world, just hidden from the public eye. An underground network of tunnels even, forgotten subway stations, and secret tech hubs existed in the shadows, this was a place where power was brokered in the form of information, not money.
The Syndicate, as Cassian had called it, was a clandestine group that controlled this hidden world. They manipulated everything including data flows, controlled the city's infrastructure, and kept the masses blissfully unaware of their influence of the people's own city. But they were, in fact, not the only players in this game.
Opposing them was a resistance group known as The Pulse, which was named after the strange signals that had led Mara and her brother into the heart of this mystery. Cassian was one of their key operators. And now, with her brother gone, Mara was swiftly getting pulled into this fight.
Mara followed Cassian through the labyrinth of tunnels that connected the city's underbelly. Here, in the darkness, the real battles for control were fought. As they descended deeper into the city's hidden depths, the world above seemed to fade away slowly, like clouds in the sky, and was replaced by a sense of foreboding, darkness and secrecy.
The Pulse believed that the city's future lay in breaking free from the control of the Syndicate and returning power back to the people. But Mara wasn't really sure where she stood yet. Her only goal was to find her brother, no matter what it cost. She was not interested in any fight with any of the two groups, but she had already realized that her only hope to find her lost brother lay in the hands of this group, The Pulse.
As they walked deeper into the tunnels, Mara began to sense the magnitude of the conspiracy that surrounded this city. Cassian revealed to her how the Syndicate controlled everything from digital transactions up to basic utilities through the AI Core, which was a system integrated into every part of urban life.
Cassian: "This city runs on control, Mara. Every ray of light, every piece of data, every breath of air—it's all monitored, manipulated. And Elias, he was trying to set us free."
Mara: "Elias wasn't a revolutionary. He wouldn't put himself at risk like that, I've known my brother to be crazy, but certainly not foolish enough to be on a frontline of a war."
Cassian (stops, looking at her dead in the eye): "He didn't have a choice. Once you know the truth, there's no turning back, and you'll soon know of this truth, and there will be no turning back for you too, just like me and all the peopletrapped in here. I've been trapped in this underworld for 12 years or at least not anymore. i met with The Pulse, and they changed my life forever. I no longer am afraid of Syndicate's reach. I know if I die that i''m on the right side, and that's all that matters to me."
Mara: How old are you? {she asked, confused}
Cassian just smiled at her as if he was not listening, but he was, she was only going too quick for him to fully explain to her how the underworld worked. He told her to walk around the city, promising her that someone would come for her as he was not allowed to take her further.
The city never slept. Towering skyscrapers blinked with holographic billboards that cast multicolored shadows over the streets below. Neon lights flickered overhead like they were struggling to stay alive, their harsh glow reflecting off the wet pavement, where rain constantly drizzled from an artificial sky, a sky with millions of stars that were surprisingly, fake. It was a city that pulsed with life and yet felt strangely empty, as if the energy that powered it had drained away so long ago. People moved about like ghosts, lost in their routines, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of their devices, as disconnected from each other as they were from the city that towered around them. And still, most of them seemed not to have any idea of their surrounding.
Mara pulled her hood tighter against the cold mist that clung to the air, her boots splashing water through shallow puddles. She tried not to make any eye contact with anyone, keeping her gaze low as she wound her way through the maze of alleys that cut between the looming buildings. Every corner felt like a risk, and every shadow like a potential threat. The city belonged to the Syndicate now, its invisible grip felt in every transaction, every interaction. Everyone was paying a price, whether they realized it or not.
As Mara rounded a corner, she found herself in a cramped alley lit only by a flickering neon sign advertising some long-forgotten club. The alley was lined with old vending machines, their screens cracked and smeared with grime, offering cheap meals and knock-off stimulants. A few people lingered nearby, looking haggard and desperate. She avoided them, her steps quickening as she passed a group of young men murmuring amongst themselves, their eyes sharp and restless. Syndicate recruits, she guessed. The kind who would sell you out for a handful of credits or a chance to climb higher in the organization.
She wasn't afraid of them, but she wasn't foolish either.
Ahead, a series of steps led down into a narrow underground market, hidden from the Syndicate's patrols and surveillance. It was one of the few places left in the city where you could find unregulated tech, off-the grid supplies, and if you knew who to ask—information. As she descended, the air grew thicker with the smell of synthetic foods, rust, and ozone. The hum of conversation buzzed through the corridors, mixed with the soft whirr of old machinery that powered the stalls. Mara moved swiftly through the tight spaces between vendors, her eyes scanning for someone familiar.
She had come here for a reason.
Halfway down the crowded lane, a voice called out. "Mara."
She stopped and turned, her hand instinctively moving to the knife hidden inside her coat. It was a precaution; old habits died hard. A figure stepped from the shadows of a nearby stall—Echo. She was tall and wiry, with sharp eyes that gleamed under her short-cropped hair. A scar ran down the side of her face, a reminder of battles fought and lost. Echo wasn't Syndicate, but she wasn't far from it. She worked on the fringes, dealing in information, and had a reputation for knowing things no one else could dig up.
"You've got a death wish, showing your face down here," Echo said, leaning against a stack of crates.
"I could say the same about you," Mara replied, lowering her hand but not relaxing entirely.
Echo smirked. "Fair enough. But I'm not the one the Syndicate is hunting."
"They're not hunting me."
Echo raised an eyebrow. "No? Word is they've been asking around. You've got their attention, and that's not exactly a good thing in this city."
Mara stepped closer, lowering her voice. "I need information. About my brother."
Echo's expression softened slightly, though her eyes remained cautious. "Elias… You're still chasing that ghost?"
Mara tensed. "He's not a ghost. Not yet."
Echo sighed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "Look, Elias was in deep with the Syndicate. You know that. Whatever he was working on… it scared them. I don't know what it was, but it wasn't just another hack job. It was something bigger."
Mara's stomach tightened. She had known Elias was into something dangerous, but hearing it confirmed sent a cold shiver through her. "Where is he?"
Echo hesitated. "He vanished, Mara. Just… disappeared. No trace. And that's not like him. If he's still out there, he's in a place no one can reach."
Mara's chest tightened. "I have to find him."
Echo glanced around again before leaning in closer. "There's a rumor. About the Core."
"The Core?" Mara repeated, her heart pounding.
Echo nodded. "It's where the Syndicate keeps its darkest secrets, where they control the city. Elias might have gotten too close. If you want to find him, that's where you'll have to go. But no one gets in there and comes back out."
Mara felt a cold wave of dread wash over her. The Core. It was more than just a place—it was a fortress of data, locked down tighter than anything in the city. Getting inside would be next to impossible.
"I'll find a way," she said, her voice firm despite the fear gnawing at her gut.
Echo gave her a long, hard look. "Be careful, Mara. The Syndicate's already watching you. One wrong move, and they'll crush you before you even get close."
Mara met her gaze, her resolve hardening. "I don't care. I'm not leaving him behind."
Echo shook her head. "You're going to get yourself killed. But… I respect it. I'll keep my ears open, see if I can find any more leads. Just don't do anything stupid."
Mara nodded, her mind already racing ahead to the next steps. The Core. If Elias had gotten close to it, then that's where she needed to be. Whatever it took.
As she turned to leave, Echo called after her, "Mara… if you do find Elias, be prepared for the worst. He might not be the same person anymore."
Mara didn't respond. She couldn't afford to think like that. At least not yet.
With a final glance over her shoulder, she disappeared into the neon-lit haze of the underground market, her thoughts only consumed with a single thing: getting to the Core, and finding her brother— whether alive or dead.