Inspector Jaquan's weary eyes scanned the report on his desk, a mix of disgust and denial twisting his features.
His once pristine office now felt suffocating, the rows of expensive whiskey and wines in the glass cabinet behind his leather chair seemed to mock his current state.
Despite not having rest since morning, he couldn't bring himself to leave or even take a moment to relax. The weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him, taunting him with the elusive promise of rest.
The memory of his morning flooded back in vivid detail - the shrill beeping of his Analytron Device (AD) jolting him awake. Instantly, a sense of dread wrapped around him like a venomous serpent, knowing that multiple unread messages never boded well.
With trembling fingers, he opened the first message from his most trusted subordinate - we found the body. In an instant, he knew exactly whose body they were referring to.
A cold wave of realization washed over him; they had been tirelessly investigating the case of the missing Batho for the past three days.
From the moment the news reached him, Jaquan had been tirelessly working to confirm and re-confirm the identity of the body.
He sprung from his bed, not even taking a moment to freshen up, and hastily grabbed his coat before rushing out of his house and heading straight for his office, located just fifteen minutes away.
His trusted sergeant, Yamane, was waiting for him in his office. Jaquan's team consisted of five skilled investigators - all hybrids, each with their own unique abilities. They had all been summoned as soon as the SynthWatches discovered Batho's lifeless body.
The atmosphere in the office was tense and charged with urgency as they worked together to solve this case.
Jaquan could feel the weight of his subordinates' pitying stares as he walked past them to his office, where Yamane was waiting for him. The atmosphere in the room was tense and heavy with anticipation.
"Are you absolutely certain that's Batho?" Jaquan asked, his voice low and strained as soon as the door closed behind him.
Yamane visibly jumped at his sudden appearance, managing only a slow nod as Jaquan came into view.
Frustration and worry washed over Jaquan as he cursed under his breath and slumped into his leather chair. "Where?" he demanded with an unsteady voice, hating that he had lost control of his emotions over this news, even in front of his subordinate.
He couldn't imagine how he would react if it were his superior or, worse yet, Mr. Kagiso. Yamane opened up his AD and sent Jaquan the exact location where Batho's body had been found.
It had been reported to him just an hour ago by one of the dispatched SynthWatches tasked with finding Batho. The gravity of the situation hit Jaquan like a ton of bricks, and he braced himself for what was to come.
Jaquan's gaze fixated on the coordinates that Yamane had just sent him, his eyes widening in shock as their significance slowly registered in his mind.
"This is where they found the body?" he asked incredulously, his voice laced with disbelief.
Yamane nodded hesitantly, understanding Jaquan's doubt over this information. "Yes," he replied, his uncertainty evident in his tone.
"How is this even possible?" Jaquan slammed his AD on his desk with a forceful thud that jolted Yamane. "We've searched this place at least one hundred times in the last three days."
Yamane drew in a sharp breath, unable to provide an answer to Jaquan's question. The weight of their fruitless efforts weighed heavy on both of them as they grappled with the perplexing mystery before them.
Jaquan's gruff voice cut through the tension in the room. "Where is the body?"
Yamane's shoulders relaxed slightly as he replied, "With Dr. Mossing, sir." Relief flooded through him that at least there was one question he could answer confidently.
Jaquan rubbed his fat chin, a deep frown etched on his face. He had had a few unpleasant encounters with this particular forensic doctor in the past, but now they had no choice but to work together.
After a moment of contemplation, Jaquan stood up and glanced down at the puzzled Yamane. "While I'm off to confirm the identity again," he stated firmly, "I need an explanation as to why the body was missed in the same location for several days." His tone was curt and his sharp eyes drilled into Yamane's, demanding an answer.
The room seemed to shrink under his intense gaze, and Yamane could feel the weight of responsibility bearing down on him like a heavy cloak.
Jaquan spent the next few hours in the company of Dr. Mossing, engaging in uncomfortable but necessary conversations.
The sight of the drowned Batho sent a shiver down his spine, despite the years he had spent dealing with death and murder.
The body was bloated and wrinkled, with vivid streaks of discoloration across its pale skin, like a macabre painting come to life.
Jaquan struggled to keep down his dinner from the night before as he took in the gruesome scene. The once-human form lay distorted and unrecognizable, yet based on its size and build, it appeared to be that of a young child, barely five years old.
Inspector Jaquan grimaced, his forefinger pinching his nostrils shut against the overwhelming stench emanating from the corpse.
He turned to Dr. Mossing, a stern-faced woman in her fifties who regarded him with a disapproving glare. "How can we confirm that it's Batho?" he asked, feeling foolish for even having to ask the question.
Dr. Mossing let out a sigh and shook her head, her displeasure evident on her features. "Inspector Jaquan, as with any other case, we will need to run a DNA sequencing test on tissue samples from the body in order to positively identify it." Her words were matter-of-fact, as if she had explained this process countless times before.
The smell of death hung heavy in the air, but Dr. Mossing remained stoic and focused on her task at hand.
"But you know DNA sequencing can be faked?" Inspector Jaquan ventured cautiously, his desperation to find a way out of the grim situation evident in his voice.
Dr. Mossing raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips, her keen observation skills picking up on Jaquan's hidden hopes. With a sardonic smile, she replied, "Inspector Jaquan, you seem oddly flustered today. Is there something weighing down your mind that is further marred by your already unimpressive intelligence?"
Jaquan's face flushed with embarrassment at her thinly veiled sarcasm as Dr. Mossing pulled out the master Analytron Device, their only hope of solving the case.
"You are correct," she continued, tapping away at the device's controls. "The ability to fake DNA sequencing is a basic lesson in forensic science. However, we must run a full DNA sequencing to confirm it. That would be nearly impossible to fake."
As if on cue, a holographic display of Batho's DNA sequencing appeared on the metal desk beside his lifeless body. The molecular code danced in a mesmerizing pattern, each base materializing and weaving together in a hypnotic rhythm. It was a beautiful yet eerie sight - a glimpse into the intricate building blocks of life itself.
With Dr. Mossing' finger flicking to the next page, the display changed to human's brain, the name on the top confirm the owner was Batho, "Plus, we did a neural scan to confirm. The neural scan said that the brain waves and the brain activities were identical to that of Batho's."
The extensive explanation of Dr. Mossing left Inspector Jaquan reeling, his mind struggling to grasp the gravity of the situation. He felt a sinking sense of hopelessness settle in his chest as he reluctantly nodded and thanked the doctor for his assistance. As he left the dimly lit laboratory, Jaquan could feel the weight of defeat pressing down on him, amplified by the ethereal glow from the master AD casting a defeated halo behind him.
"That's it," he thought bitterly.
Forensics had confirmed the identity of the body, despite his desperate clinging onto a thin thread of hope that someone else had faked it and tampered with the DNA sequencing. But Dr. Mossing's cold, clinical words had shattered that last shred of optimism.
The case would be closed soon. The missing boy had been found in the river that they had tirelessly searched for days on end.
Jaquan knew he would have to provide an explanation for how this tragedy had occurred. With a heavy heart, he inserted his SynthiCode into his AD and hesitantly navigated to his superior's name and face. He could almost envision the smug smile that would appear on his face when he heard the news of the body being found.
That was precisely why he'd been assigned this case. His superior, with calculated precision, had orchestrated it from the outset.
A sacrificial lamb, he mused bitterly, chosen to bear the weight of their schemes.
His superior's insecurities had always lurked in the shadows, threatened by his relentless pursuit of advancement. Anger surged within him as he recalled the relentless toil and sacrifices made to ascend the ranks as a SynthHuman detective.
Closing his eyes, he summoned the holographic display of his superior's face as soon as the connection was established. Just as he had anticipated, there it was - a smile stretched across his lips, a sneer disguised as a gesture of goodwill.
He had already gleaned the news even before Jaquan had made the call; he could sense it in the air, in the disdainful curve of that sarcastic smile.
His superior managed a semblance of professionalism upon receiving the news that he had likely known all along. "I suppose it falls upon you to break the news to Mr. and Mrs. Kagiso, considering your involvement in the investigation. It's only fair to offer them some closure, however minimal." The words dripped with feigned empathy, and Jaquan struggled to contain his urge to strike the holographic projection of his superior.
Ending the call, Jaquan drew a sharp breath before scrolling through his AD to find Mr. Kagiso's contact. Mr. Kagiso had never allowed holographic conversations with him. Taking a moment to ponder, he decided to send a text message, inviting Mr. Kagiso to a nearby coffee shop. The thought of delivering such devastating news in the huge and eerie mansion was the last thing he desired.
An hour later, Jaquan found himself seated in the coffee shop, his hands wringing together anxiously. His palms grew sweaty as Mr. Kagiso's lanky figure emerged at the entrance.
The heightened alertness on Mr. Kagiso's face upon spotting Jaquan suggested he was not pleased with the way he'd been summoned.
After deliberating, Jaquan had concluded that telling Mr. Kagiso in person was the best course of action. All he needed was one final devastating blow from Mr. Kagiso.
Mr. Kagiso's penetrating eyes sent a shiver down Jaquan's spine as he approached. Despite the grim circumstances, Mr. Kagiso managed to maintain his composure as he sat across from Jaquan.
"What can't you say over the AD?" Mr. Kagiso's irked tone simmered just beneath the surface of his words.
"We found Batho's body," Jaquan uttered, the words rehearsed countless times in his mind while awaiting Mr. Kagiso. Shock, anger, and sadness flickered across Mr. Kagiso's face in an instant. Jaquan was awed by Mr. Kagiso's ability to contain his emotions without the aid of Pastolium (AI).
"We found his body at this location," Jaquan continued, displaying the coordinates Yamane had provided.
Mr. Kagiso squinted, mirroring Jaquan's expression upon receiving the location. "The spot your team searched countless times in previous days?"
Flinching at the accusatory tone, Jaquan detected the sarcasm beneath Mr. Kagiso's words.
"How did he die?" Mr. Kagiso's knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists on the table.
"Drowned," Jaquan replied tersely, avoiding revealing his own shaky voice.
As Jaquan attempted to elaborate on how the body had been identified, Mr. Kagiso's AD beeped in his jacket. The urgency in Mr. Kagiso's response to the call suggested it was someone important.
Whoever was on the other end seemed to be conveying confusing information, as Mr. Kagiso's enraged expression shifted to one of bewilderment. The sharpness in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on Jaquan sent shudders down his spine.
"You mean Batho is right outside our house?" Mr. Kagiso's narrowed eyes and deliberate speech sent a chill down Jaquan's spine. "And alive."
Jaquan felt his blood run cold at the revelation.