The park was a serene oasis in Slateville, with lush greenery and colourful flowers adorning its pathways. The lake, shimmering under the gentle rays of the morning sun, mirrored the azure sky above. Ducks glided gracefully across its surface, leaving ripples in their wake.
Of course, all of these were the illusions projected from the four directions. Such parks had not existed since a hundred years ago.
Rio stood at the edge of the park, his gaze fixed on the tranquil expanse of water before him. His mind was preoccupied with the information displayed on his AD, sent to him by Oceane the previous night.
He had yet to decide whether he would join the W Club, but he had promised to look into the case.
Now, as he stood by the lake, Rio couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that gnawed at him. Meeting Mr. Kagiso was not something he took lightly, especially given the recent news.
Almost every human in Slateville knew that crossing the Kagiso family was a risk not worth taking. Their influence and power loomed large over the city, casting a shadow that few dared to challenge.
Rio, however, had insights gleaned from his past experience working in the AHC. He knew that the Kagiso family had deeper ties with the government, involved in clandestine projects that remained shrouded in secrecy from the general public.
Rio couldn't shake the memory of reading about Mr. Kagiso's missing son in the news just a week ago, only for the boy to be found a few days later.
Despite the distant connection, Rio found himself strangely fixated on the case, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.
Now, Oceane's revelation had added another layer of intrigue. The case she presented was linked to Mr. Kagiso, sparking Rio's curiosity even further.
Yet, he knew he held the ultimate decision in his hands. After meeting with Mr. Kagiso, he would have the opportunity to assess the situation and determine whether he wanted to commit to the investigation or retreat from it altogether.
As the clock struck four in the afternoon, Mr. Kagiso arrived at the park, his presence subtly shifting the atmosphere around him. Rio observed him closely, noting the disparity between the man before him and the image he had seen in the news and the photo he had received.
Mr. Kagiso, though still lanky as Rio remembered, appeared more worn-out and aged, his features etched with lines of exhaustion. The discrepancy between expectation and reality left Rio feeling unsettled, a strange sense of dissonance settling over him.
"Are you Rio?" Mr. Kagiso strode to Rio and offered his hand.
"Mr. Kagiso," nodded Rio and shook his hand.
They settled onto a bench overlooking the tranquil expanse of the lake.
Despite Mr. Kagiso's reputation as a formidable figure, he didn't exude the same intimidating aura in person as he did on paper. Instead, there was a vulnerability about him that Rio hadn't anticipated, adding another layer of complexity to their meeting.
Rio's gaze remained fixed on the tranquil waters of the lake as he awaited Mr. Kagiso's words to break the silence that enveloped them.
"Mr. W told you about my case?" Mr. Kagiso's voice cut through the stillness, its hoarseness betraying the strain he carried.
Turning his attention to Mr. Kagiso, Rio nodded. "It was Oceane."
A dry chuckle escaped Mr. Kagiso's lips, its meaning lost on Rio as he watched the weary man before him.
"How much do you know about the case?" Mr. Kagiso's sideways glance held a hint of curiosity.
Rio furrowed his brow in contemplation. "Basically nothing, aside from your involvement."
A wry smile tugged at Mr. Kagiso's lips. "And yet, you agreed to this meeting?"
"It's hard to resist the offer they made," Rio admitted, his tone reflecting the honesty of his words.
Mr. Kagiso nodded, a glimmer of satisfaction dancing in his weary eyes. "I, on the other hand, know something about you. I am not the kind of person who entrusts an important task to just anybody."
Returning the nod with a soft chuckle, Rio replied, "I can see that."
"I wonder what the government would say about that if they found out I'm sitting here with a hybrid who ran away from the AHC," Mr. Kagiso mused, shaking his head in disbelief.
"They would probably thank you and decommission or kill me, whichever they deem fit," Rio shrugged, his response reflecting the grim reality he had often pondered.
"But then I would lose a person who could help me solve this mystery," said Mr. Kagiso, his eyes darkening as the weight of their meeting settled upon him once again.
This time, Rio remained silent, waiting for Mr. Kagiso to reveal more information.
Mr. Kagiso was a man who took his time to study a person, deciding the best moment to broach important matters. His gaze wandered to the tranquil surface of the lake, seeking solace in its serene beauty.
Rio closed his eyes, relishing the late afternoon air—a rare indulgence in his typically busy days.
"Can you imagine our ancestors sitting here in a park a few hundred years ago, doing nothing but basking in the sunlight?" Mr. Kagiso's voice broke the silence, punctuated by a deep inhale.
Rio offered a fleeting smile in response. He didn't need to imagine; he had seen such scenes in movies on his basement TV. That was how humans lived, he almost let slip.
"Can you imagine a park like this truly existed a few hundred years ago?" Mr. Kagiso continued, undeterred by Rio's lack of response. "It almost felt like they had no purpose in life."
Rio furrowed his brow at Mr. Kagiso's remark. "No purpose in life? Mr. Kagiso, in your opinion, what is the purpose of human life?" Despite his calm tone, a hint of irritation seeped into his voice.
Mr. Kagiso cocked his head, his tone firm. "We must do what is necessary. Sitting idly in a park is hardly productive. It's a pity our ancestors lacked the tools and motivation we have today to alleviate their fatigue and boost their motivation. The world would have progressed much further if they had the means to achieve what we can now."
Rio narrowed his eyes, barely managing to suppress a retort to Mr. Kagiso's words.
Mr. Kagiso appeared no different from any other human in this world. They were all conditioned to accept the status quo, indoctrinated with beliefs about how the world should be. Rio knew it wasn't his place to challenge Mr. Kagiso's beliefs.
A heavy silence enveloped them, punctuated only by the soft sounds of the surrounding park.
Suddenly, Mr. Kagiso broke the silence without preamble. "Do you believe that two individuals with identical DNA can coexist in this world?"
Rio's expression clouded with uncertainty. Although he understood that Mr. Kagiso was steering the conversation back to the case, Rio couldn't fathom the significance of the question.
Rio paused, considering the question carefully. "It's theoretically possible," he replied cautiously. "Identical twins share the same DNA, but they're still separate individuals."
Mr. Kagiso nodded thoughtfully. "What if I told you that I've seen two individuals with identical DNA?" he asked, his voice tinged with intrigue.
Rio's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That would be unprecedented," he admitted. "But how is that possible?"
"You know Batho went missing one week ago?" asked Mr. Kagiso.
"I think it's safe to say nobody in Slateville missed that news," Rio replied.
Mr. Kagiso's gaze remained fixed on the lake. "And you're aware he was found?" he continued.
Rio nodded. "As you said, it was headline news."
Mr. Kagiso took a sharp breath. "The thing is, just before Batho reappeared at my house after his disappearance," he paused, his expression tense, "I received news that his body had been found."
That raised Rio's eyebrow, as it hadn't been mentioned in the news.
"What do you mean?" Rio leaned forward, his curiosity piqued.
Mr. Kagiso's gaze shifted from the lake to Rio, his expression serious. "The authorities informed me that they had located Batho's body. They were certain it was him."
Rio's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. "But if Batho's body was found, then who... or what... was at your house?"
Mr. Kagiso let out a sigh, "The inspector involved in the investigation was Inspector Jaquan," he paused, searching for recognition in Rio's eyes but found none, "he told me Batho's body was found just before my wife informed me that Batho had returned home himself and appeared at the doorstep."
Rio narrowed his eyes, "That could only mean Inspector Jaquan made a mistake. They didn't properly check the DNA and gave you incorrect information." Rio spread his hands, offering the most plausible explanation.
Mr. Kagiso held his gaze on Rio, his expression inscrutable. "I have looked into Inspector Jaquan's background. He worked very hard to be in the position he is today, very, very hard."
Rio frowned. In Slateville, any motivated human might have achieved the same given the opportunity.
"A person like this would not risk his career by giving wrong information," concluded Mr. Kagiso.
Rio shook his head. "I don't understand, Mr. Kagiso. The only way to find out if Inspector Jaquan made a mistake is to see for yourself. Batho is back with you now. You'll know if the person staying with you is an imposter or your son. Why do you need Inspector Jaquan's background to confirm that?" Something didn't quite add up, and Rio felt himself getting lost in a labyrinth of confusion.
Mr. Kagiso let out a heavy sigh. "The whole situation is too puzzling for me to comprehend. Inspector Jaquan has gone missing."
Rio's eyes widened in surprise. "Missing?"
Mr. Kagiso's shoulders sagged with the weight of his words. "Yes, I tried contacting him three days ago as soon as I found out something was... wrong with Batho," he spoke with a heavy heart, "and his department told me that he had resigned and left the department and the law enforcement."
Feeling overwhelmed by all this information, Rio held up his hands to pause Mr. Kagiso. "Wait, there are a few things here that need clarification. Are you absolutely sure that Inspector Jaquan has gone missing? And what do you mean by something is wrong with Batho?"
"Yes," said Mr. Kagiso resignedly, "Batho in my house now looks, behaves, and sounds like Batho, but something feels different. And I remembered Inspector Jaquan mentioned about the discovery of Batho's dead body. Being a careful person like him, I'm certain that he must have had a DNA analysis report or sorts to confirm what he said."
Rio nodded. Despite his speculation about Inspector Jaquan making a mistake, he knew that was rather impossible. He must have held evidence to support the bad news released to people as prominent as Mr. Kagiso.
"To find out what he knew about the case, I went to a private investigator to locate his whereabouts, but it seemed like he had disappeared from the face of the earth. No one seemed to know where he had gone." Mr. Kagiso continued.
A chill ran down Rio's spine. The disappearance of Inspector Jaquan added another layer of mystery to the already perplexing situation. "Do you think his disappearance is related to Batho's case?"
Mr. Kagiso's gaze turned distant as he pondered the question. "It's difficult to say. But it's certainly suspicious. I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than meets the eye."
Rio nodded, his mind racing with possibilities.
Suddenly, a thought struck Rio. "What about Batho? You mentioned something was different with him?"
A deep furrow appeared between Mr. Kagiso's brows at the mention of Batho, and he sighed heavily. "Though I can't quite pinpoint where, I could sense that something was wrong. That prompted me to check on him."
"Check?" Rio raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Mr. Kagiso retrieved his AD from his pocket and opened a holographic display of a report, visible only to him and Rio. "If Inspector Jaquan claimed to have checked before releasing the news, that could only mean a DNA analysis or sequencing. So I conducted another one on Batho, who was in my house."
Rio's gaze locked onto the report, trying to decipher its contents. It appeared unlike any DNA report he had encountered before.
"Batho's body contained two different sets of DNA," Mr. Kagiso explained, guiding Rio's attention to the relevant section of the report.