Cyberlife: Russia

A few definitions:
Cyber – A person whose mental and/or physical capabilities have been enhanced with hybrid computer-organic elements.

Cyborg – A person whose physical abilities are extended beyond normal human limitations by mechanical element built into the body.

Biowave – A worldwide nanomatrix that records, stores, informs and possibly controls all cybernetic activity, including the cybernetics implanted in humans.

Unable to contact his sister, Darcy, a simple data-analyst who fears losing his humanity to cyber technologies, travels to Russia to find her and get her to help with his dying parents medical bills and treatments. Upon arrival, he’s devastated to find that she’s been murdered and the Hypercoin with all her money was taken. He foolishly sets out to retrieve the Hypercoin despite that a far-reaching criminal syndicate called the Cossack Council has it. But his sister’s Hypercoin is his parents’ last hope and he’s the only one who knows how to unlock it.

He puts a plan in motion to infiltrate the Cossack Council, but his first attempt leaves him with poisoned lungs that will never work properly again, unless he accepts a cyber implant to correct the damage. A sympathetic but shady character named Quasar offers to help with that. He refuses citing his reluctance to become more machine than human. But when has a run in with Council thugs, his lungs fail him again and he passes out near death. Quasar goes against Darcy’s wishes and has illegal cyber tech implanted into his lungs to save him.

At a meeting with cyborg military deserters, Darcy discovers that the Cossack Council is run by a highly influential Oligarch, Zaraza, who controls many levels of government and has numerous police on his payroll. Darcy also discovers the hard way that Zaraza is very close to perfecting a hack that will give him control over anyone with cyber implants.

Darcy gets in way over his head when he attempts to sneak in to an illegal gambling facility and health club to talk with the one man who knows where to find Zaraza – his money launderer. He’s attacked by high level Cyber guards with upgrades that allow them to use cyber spells & hexes – invasive programs sent via the Biowave to attack computers and others with implants.

Knowing he has no chance the way he is, Darcy pushes past his fear of losing his humanity for the sake of his parents, his sister and others who are helpless to defend themselves against the Cossack Council and accepts further cyber enhancements.

Armed with new codes and upgrades to cast Cyber spells and Hexes, Darcy takes on the Cossack Council’s Cybermechs (huge combat machines with the remains of barely living humans permanently integrated with them), Darcy wins through by smarts and shear audacity to confront Zaraza one on one and win.

Not only does Darcy get back his sister’s Hypercoin, but he saves Krisha and so many others from the oppression of the Cossack Council. With the code only he knows, Darcy unlocks the Hypercoin and sends badly needed money to his parents so they can pay outstanding medical bills and afford the treatment they so desperately need.