Alex Connor: Resonant Chaos

The Arc is at the risk. Rumour has it there is an informant from Orbit lurking around and trying to sneak into our Core Centre. We are not safe.  Orbit is asking for more people and the Arc is refusing to give them more people because everyone can feel Orbit isn't playing by the rules. Someone is dead, our numbers have been acting up. The murderer is between us and will kill again. Until they catch the murderer, the Arc has closed the Core Centre and started with division, and only the strongest get selected. Those who don't, they make it into the Extirpation Division, and I hope my brother and I get selected for C.O.R.P.S. Division. (SIRI's voice over the intercoms) Welcome generation 3000. This is the Core Centre where your segregation will start. Please take a seat in the seats the Government has provided.  Please don't forget everyone is equal. Silence is mandatory, so if you need to talk, talk quietly. The selection process will begin shortly. Sit tight and enjoy the meeting. Yours truly, Arc. Nervous. Anxiety and a great deal of sweat are washing over me. This entire process will take two months. Only this time, they are forced to begin earlier than they expected because someone is dead and nobody knows who. They know one of the Orbits is between us, hiding in plain sight from their government. He or she thought hiding here was their best choice. They were wrong. "Take some water, and you'll be fine." My brother says, taking his seat next to me all enthusiastically. He wanted this for so long, and he doesn't care where they put him as long as he gets selected. Unlike me, I have worked so hard my entire life to get into C. O. R. P. S. where law, justice, politics, and economy meet. There are only five people who get selected for CORPS. The standard is high, and every twenty years they recruit only five people. Competition is huge. Everyone wants to go there, and only the lucky ones get there. "I'm sorry, are you Alex Connor?" The woman's voice asks from behind me, making me turn my head almost immediately. "Yes. That'd be me." I say confused, looking at the woman who just smiled and fixed her gaze up on the screen. "Weird," I say, turning back to see my brother nervously tapping his leg from all the anticipation. "Will you stop that? You're killing me here." I say when someone sits beside me and accidentally hits my head with her elbow. "Electrical God, I'm so sorry." The girl cries too loud, making people around her turn to shush her. She just showed them to go to hell and turn back. "Are you all right?" "Yes," I say shortly as I already had enough of this place. The meeting will begin in twenty minutes. Great, I have to be sitting here for another twenty minutes around these restless people. "Are you Alex Connor?" The girl finally asks once she has made herself comfortable. "Yes. That'd be me." I reply with the same answer as I did to the old woman behind me minutes ago. "I have to say, I'm your huge fan. I mean, what you did for Bucky Holden, that was amazing. I wouldn't be surprised if you got selected for Extirpation 3000." Girl reminds me of that day when I also got locked up for interfering between a Police job and a Prisoner. "Yeah, well, it was nothing." I say still as I look in front of myself. "Maybe for you, around District 13 you are very famous." She says enthusiastically like she can't wait to become friends. "My name is Rimera Snow." That had my attention. "You're Captain Snow's daughter?" "Not the one I am proud of being. He wants me to be a general like my sister. Not what I want."  "And what do you want?" "Serve in the Extirpation 2000. Psychology." "You're a Shrink." "Of sorts." Rimera said what my brother had to jump in. "And I'm Ben. Alex's buddy." Okay, that sounds wrong on so many levels. Rimera just looked blankly at Ben. Meeting my eyes, she concluded he's not. "That's my brother Ben." I say not so happy he had said I'm his buddy. Rimera was about to say something when the screen lit and the Governor came out. "Finally." "Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this year's Division Process. Not to keep you waiting for any longer, I am glad to start with congratulating next people who have made it to the Cultural Operations Recognized in Private Sectors. This year has been tough, and with everyone working just as hard, don't forget, no one is a loser tonight. We are all winners tonight. To those who didn't make it, hang on, there is something in the stock for you too, and remember to come to next year's job openings. So, to cut to the chase, this year's CORPS five new recruiters are as follows: Being number one on the list:  Zhora Ripley in Administrative law Fox Kaidan in Mechanic Sector Jack Martin in Electricity Sector And in the science sector we have Aeryn Delenn in the Biological Laboratory and her sister Kira Delenn in the Physics Department. Welcome to the CORPS. If you met your mentors on the right, please do so, so we can continue with the next Division Selecting Process." I was disappointed. All those years of hard work and all of it was for nothing. If I never got into that stupid fight to protect Bucky I wouldn't have been dismissed. I wanted to get out of here, but the lights turned green almost instantly which meant it was Extirpation 3000 Division Selection Process. "I'm sorry dude. I know how much you wanted this." Ben says, looking at me sadly. Rimera however surprised me when I felt her hand on mine. "There's always Extirpate." Rimera said on what Ben said before I could say anything else: "Our parents were in CORPS." Ben said, and I ducked my head, feeling claustrophobic suddenly. "The Extirpation 3000 Division made people I never thought I would have seen their names here because at least five of them were CORPS material.  But, I'm not making the rules here. The times have changed, and the MAC Reactor is never wrong. The list is next." The governor moved from his place, allowing the big screen to show the lucky ten: Extirpation 1909 - Rey Padme a hacker, computers genius Extirpation 3000 - Rimera Snow a psychology, a medicine prodigy, a Shrink" "Oh my God!! I'm the first to make E - 3000." Rimera squeaks all happy. "Go on, girl." Ben said happy for her before she stood up. She looked at me with a reassuring smile and made her way down. "Extirpation 3000 - Kira Delenn Extirpation 3000 - Benjamin Connor Extirpation 0000 - Max Kane Extirpation 0000 - Bucky Holden Extirpation 1000 - Julian Lando" "Go Ben, you deserve this." I say tapping him on his back while he had doubts of whether he should go down. I made him go. "I'll be fine. Go." "Extirpation 1009 - Lucille Lando Extirpation 1011 - Dominik Scofield Extirpation 2100 - Lucian Michaelson"  I knew it; I didn't even make it to Extirpate. My parents would be disappointed.  I'm not sure what to do now.  Officially I have no future, and to wait for another 20 years is not an option. I was shocked. Surprised and angry, but then again if I haven't made that mistake from three months ago this wouldn't have happened. I make even small things personal way too much, no surprise I didn't make it anywhere. The selection process is over, and instead of going home I make my way towards the nursery to see how Gillian, my car,  is doing. She's in the final stage of repairing, hopefully she is brand new by now. Walking down the narrow platform, I ignored people around me who were staring at me and following my every step. "Well, look at what the Moon Tide washed in? It is Alex Connor, the talk of the 9th Division." The cop I got in a fight with three months ago says. Scanning me by making sure I didn't make it into any division, he scoffs and heads for a punch, which I successfully dodge. I look at him in a way what are you waiting for, on what he goes for my waist trying to knock me down. Thankfully for me, and unfortunately for him, I could take up on anybody twice my size and still stand the ground. Only now I was cornered between the wall and him hugging my waist, opening his left torso allowing me for the counterattack. Hitting him in his left abdomen, I pulled away and went straight for the face when someone interfered. "That's enough Rob. For crying out loud, you are a cop, and I expect from you to behave like one." Older officer who is a chief of all Districts Police Stations said looking at Rob who wasn't being professional. "And you? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't lock you away right now?" He asked, now turning to me. I was about to say something when I saw Rimera and my brother Ben behind him. "You shouldn't." Rimera said that when the chief looked at her, surprised that someone dared to interfere in his business. I shook my head in disbelief. This girl will get herself in trouble for standing up to the chief. "I beg your pardon." "According to the Arc State Records and Act number 178, if a police picks up a bone with a civil it should be resolved between them and them only, for if anyone even tries in preventing the fight they should be the one to punish." Rimera said,  the chief angrily stopped in front of her. "What's your name, cadet?" "Rimera River Snow, sir. Extirpation 3000 Division, psychology department." "Ah, you're the newbie Shrink. Now listen to me, Cadet Snow. " Chief stands himself as he was threatened by her. "You might be General's daughter, but that doesn't give you a permission to go around and educate older people of the Accords." "Although respect Chief," the Governor's voice cuts off his little speech on what everyone, including me, duck their heads to honour his arrival. "Just because she is my daughter allows her to fire anybody working for the Arc if she feels they are unworthy of their job." "Apologies, Governor. I will be on my way then." Chief says fixing his collar and walking away. Then turning towards me and scanning me like the cop Rob did says: "You must be Alex Connor! I have to say I was a bit disappointed when you didn't make it to the C.O.R.P.S. Division. Your parents were great assets to us, not to mention also a great couple and good people. I had high hopes for you of making CORPS, but then again the way you stood up to a police officer three months ago did categorized you in the Extirpate. You were quite hard to categorize because you also share this one trait only Orbit's have." Governor said still looking at me like he wanted me to be somewhere to make this entire process easier for the Arc's Founder Members. "I however believe there was an error in the System along with other Founders." He said now turning towards Rimera and Ben. "Rimera darling, you and Ben take Alex to Extirpation 3000. Show him his room and around the place. I will be there by 2100 to update Alex of his role on Extirpate. I have a meeting to attend concerning Alex's whereabouts. There is a slight chance that someone doesn't want Alex making either of Division's. Be with him at all time and don't let him out of your sight. Whoever is dead, and whoever is a killer, doesn't want Alex on board of Extirpation 3000. They feel threatened, and will do anything to make sure Alex is not there." "But if he is, doesn't that mean they'll know, father." "That's the thing about Rimera, no one will know." "So I will be like a ghost on a ship?" I am trying to figure out if I got it all right. "Until the Error is found and fixed, yes. You will be the Extirpate's Ghost." Being a Ghost on an Extirpate 3000 was never a good thing especially when we already have one Ghost/Murderer running around and killing people.  Rimera has shown me to my room where I gladly went to take a shower with a hope no one will bother me for a while. As the water poured over my head, darkening my hair and continuing trickling down my back I tried to push my thoughts away, but within every drop of water on my face, they kept coming almost like it was impossible to make them go away. I squinch my eyes trying not to think about it but the events from today were so loud, screaming in my head. It was hard to enjoy this warm shower with my thoughts running wild.  Eventually, the battle between myself and I calmed down. As my mind fades into darkness everything turns into a foggy illusion and I can hear everything happening on the Extirpate.  Something was wrong. They were rushing and running on all sides. It was then I noticed someone was in my room.  Instead of turning off the water, I let it on. I took the towel and dried myself quickly so I could put on my clothes. Once I had my jeans on, I turned off the water. Taking the knife my father has given me before his death, I cautiously open the door to see a strange person roaming through the documents I have left in my backpack.  Opening the door wide the guy stops and raises his hands in surrender. "Easy there pal, I have the authority to go through your files here." The guy says looking at my knife and expecting to put it down. "You are not supposed to be here. So, what are you doing here and how did you get in?" Great, here comes me explaining why I am here. Where are Rimera and Ben? They were supposed to be on a lookout as I recall. "The Governor said I could stay here. Rimera Snow and my brother are somewhere around. They are part of the new crew. They know I am here, they... Governor said to give me a room and wait for his return here." I said knowingly he won't believe me. "Alex we gotta go, someone knows you're here." Rimera bulges in with Ben behind her but stops when she sees the guy I was talking with standing in front of her instead of me, looking at her left she then saw where I was. Girls. Do they always have to stare at guys when they don't wear shirts? I roll my eyes and grab the first shirt that comes under my hand and put it on so she would quit with all the staring. It was then she came back down to earth and asked: "Who are you?" Rimera asked. "My name is Lucian Green. I am the marshal of Extirpation 3000 and it is my duty when I see something suspicious to investigate it and report it to my supervisors. Now, do any of you mind explaining to me what is going on here and why is Alex Connor hiding on Extirpate 3000?" Lucian asked, looking at all three of us like he doesn't want to have any complications today. "It's a favor to my father," Rimera said impatiently. Something wrong was going on here. "That's it? A simple favor to the Governor." Lucian repeated. He didn't believe her. "The three of you, you are coming with me."  "Mr. Green you don't understand, if Alex doesn't show up with the Governor at 2130 in the Arc they will lock him away." Rimera cried as we followed him down the corridor. "No, miss Snow, he will stay locked unlike you and your companion who will be under strict supervision at all times. Helping Alex Connor, who isn't supposed to be here at all because he isn't part of any Division has its own consequences, and by consequences I mean penalties, and at the moment Alex has a Red Penalty while the two of you, who are accompanying him are Green Penalty." "But that is even worse than Red one," Rimera said when the Governor came into the view and the smile of relief spread across her face. "Father, please explain Mr. Green that Alex was brought here under your orders," Rimera says looking at her father with a hope he will do the right thing. "Yes, well, that is the truth, but..." "Aha, wait did you say but?" Rimera squealed happily at Lucian and then remembered that but.  "I can't help him here. I'm sorry Alex. The Founders don't think there was an error in the system and that you weren't chosen for a good reason. I did what I could, son, I'm sorry." Governor said looking at me sadly like he really meant it. Besides, I appreciate his help. "That's alright sir, thank you for trying," I say, shaking the old man's hand and leaving Extirpate 3000. "Dad!" Rimera cried in disbelief he was letting me go. *** It has been five days since the division process has taken my brother and left me on my own. Life is tough. Some make it some not, and I certainly am not the type of person who will mourn and fall into depression. I continued doing everything as usual, like nothing had happened. A couple of people asked me how I am doing it because everybody around my district knows how much I wanted to get selected. My answer to everyone was the same. "It's not the end of the world. I didn't get selected, and that's it. I won't wait for another twenty years, instead, I will get a job in one sector outside Divisions and that's it." "Wow, you are a mad man," Lucky said tapping me on my back while I was putting my boxing gloves on. "Come on you, you have one more round to go," I said, getting in the ring ready to beat the s**t out of him. "Why do I have a feeling like you're reserving all that negative energy for me?" Bucky asks worriedly as he crosses the rope.  I just smiled deviously because he finally got something right. This is better than being a ghost. And he is the reason why I didn't get anywhere. If only he didn't make any trouble, and if only I didn't step up to help him, I wouldn't be here. I'd be in C.O.R.P.S.