Rio's mind raced as he processed this revelation. If Batho carried Mr. Kagiso's DNA, then how was he conceived? The mystery deepened, and Rio felt a surge of determination to uncover the truth.
"Have you confronted Mrs. Kagiso about this?" Rio asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Mr. Kagiso shook his head. "Not yet. I wanted to be sure before I confronted her."
Rio nodded, understanding the need for certainty in such a delicate situation. "What do you plan to do now?"
"I need to first find out Batho's real identity, and then who this person in my house is. I can't bring myself to talk to him, even if I tried," Mr. Kagiso said with forced calmness. "Not when I know nothing about my own son."
This was Mr. Kagiso's response to Rio's request to speak to Batho to find out if he had information about Mr. Khamis. But it seemed like it was too much for Mr. Kagiso given his history.
Rio told him about Inspector Jaquan and Dr. Mossing, but Mr. Kagiso showed no sign of surprise, as if everything had been expected.
"You know about their disappearance or murder? Or whatever you'd like to call it," Rio asked.
Mr. Kagiso shook his head. "No, but I guessed as much. Whoever knew about Batho's death would not end well, given the gravity of the situation. You must be careful too."
"I understand," Rio said, his mind swirling with the weight of the situation. "I'll be careful."
Rio left the mansion after that. The mystery surrounding Batho's identity only deepened, and Rio was left with more questions than answers.
Despite knowing the disappearance of Inspector Jaquan and Dr. Mossing was related to Batho, Rio decided to let Mr. Kagiso take care of the part of Batho's real identity. It would not do them any good if two of them were onto the same thing at the same time.
Reaching his house once again, this time he settled into his workstation.
Deciding to focus on something he could investigate, Rio turned his attention to the case of missing flights 2030. The disappearance of the flights had been a high-profile incident, with no wreckage or survivors ever found. It was a baffling mystery that had captivated the world.
Rio knew that delving into the details of the missing flights would be a daunting task. The official reports were scarce on details, and there were numerous conspiracy theories circulating about what had really happened to the planes.
Determined to uncover the truth, Rio began his research, digging through news archives, official reports, and any other sources of information he could find.
The missing flights in the year 2030, particularly those run by SkyVista Airways, were among the biggest flight disappearances in history. These flights, which flew over the coordinates 12°31'58.4"S 79°17'01.5"E on the 9th of every month in 2030, mysteriously disappeared from radar once they reached this location.
Journalists and investigators alike were baffled by these disappearances, with many speculating about the possible causes. Some believed that there was a hidden anomaly or magnetic disturbance in the area that caused the planes to lose communication and navigation systems. Others theorized that there might be a secret military operation or testing facility in the vicinity, leading to the disappearance of the flights.
Officers who had worked on the case suggested that there could have been foul play involved, such as hijacking or sabotage. However, no concrete evidence was found to support these claims.
Pilots from the same airline expressed their concerns about the flights, with some speculating that there might be a flaw in the aircraft design or a fault in the flight path. However, investigations into these possibilities did not yield any conclusive results.
Despite the numerous speculations and theories, the truth behind the missing flights of 2030 remained elusive. Rio was intrigued by the mystery and resolved to uncover the truth behind these disappearances, no matter how complex the investigation might be.
Rio discovered some conspiracy theories from an unknown source, and one in particular caught his eye. It suggested that the disappearances of the flights were not accidental but rather a deliberate act by a group or organization with a hidden agenda. According to this theory, the flights were intentionally diverted to a secret location for unknown purposes.
The theory gained traction among some circles, with people speculating about government involvement, alien abduction, or even a parallel universe.
But the latest theories dated back over the last fifty years.
Famous incidents like these would be revisited once in a while, especially when similar events occurred or major films sparked renewed interest.
Rio had consumed two cans of Coke while scrolling through posts speculating about conspiracy theories from ten to fifteen years ago, hoping to find something useful.
One website, well-known for hosting discussions by anonymous individuals about paranormal incidents, particularly caught Rio's attention.
A recent post from three days ago on a thread titled "The Mystery of Missing Flights 2030" had been removed. The post was originally made five years ago, with the most recent comment dating back four years. With no recent similar events, Rio wondered why someone would comment on this old post and then have it removed.
Taking another sip of Coke, Rio decided to connect his Pastolium, located on his left chest, to his AD. This would allow him to hack into the website and see who posted the comment and who removed it.
In just fifteen minutes, Rio successfully hacked into the website, which posed no challenge to his abilities. The website was old and lacked advanced firewall protection against hacking.
The person who posted the comment was named Huette. Surprisingly, the person who removed the comment was not the original creator of the website, as Rio had expected, but someone named Hyllos.
Rio delved deeper into Huette's profile. Five minutes later, he was left in shock, his mouth agape and eyes widened at what he discovered. Huette's address matched someone he had investigated before, someone who rang a bell in his mind.
It turned out that Huette was Inspector Jaquan's sister.
Rio decided to track down Huette, believing she might hold crucial information. He quickly packed his essentials, including his AD and a few gadgets, and headed out. Using his skills, Rio managed to trace Huette's last known location to a remote area on the outskirts of the city.
As he approached the area, Rio noticed a sense of unease settling in. The surroundings seemed abandoned, with overgrown vegetation and dilapidated buildings. Rio cautiously navigated the area, keeping an eye out for any signs of life.
After what felt like hours of searching, Rio finally stumbled upon an old, rundown house that matched the address he had for Huette. The house looked deserted, but Rio could sense that someone had been there recently.
Taking a deep breath, Rio pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside. The interior was dimly lit, with dust particles dancing in the air. As he moved further into the house, Rio noticed signs of a struggle – overturned furniture, broken glass, and bloodstains on the floor.
Rio's heart raced as he followed the trail of destruction, his instincts telling him that he was getting closer to finding Huette.
As Rio explored further into the house, he came across a room that appeared to be an office.
Just as Rio was about to dig deeper into the computer, he heard a noise from the hallway. He quickly hid behind the door, holding his breath. A figure emerged from the shadows, looking disheveled and frightened.
A woman in her late twenties, with greasy hair plastered on her forehead, held a broken glass shard, pointing it at Rio. Her mouth fell open, lips quivering as if trying to form words that wouldn't come, or perhaps a silent scream trapped in her throat.
Sensing that the woman might not pose a threat, Rio held up his hands. "Huette?"
A sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead at the sound of her name being called. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" The broken glass shard slowly cut into her flesh as she tightened her grip.
Rio thought for a moment. "I am here to investigate Inspector Jaquan. I know something happened to him."
Just when Rio believed mentioning her brother's name would earn her trust, it didn't. Huette's eyes widened in surprise. In the next moment, she lurched forward towards Rio.
As Huette lunged at Rio with the broken glass shard, he instinctively dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the sharp edge. He could feel the rush of air as the shard sliced past him, missing him by inches.
Reacting quickly, Rio tried to calm her down. "Huette, please! I'm not here to harm you," he pleaded, but Huette seemed beyond reason, driven by fear and confusion.
She continued her frenzied attack, her movements erratic and desperate. Rio dodged and weaved, trying to avoid the sharp glass while attempting to get closer to her to disarm her.
In a swift move, Rio managed to grab her wrist, twisting it gently to disarm her. The glass shard clattered to the ground as Huette struggled against his grip, her eyes wild with panic.
With a firm but gentle hold, Rio managed to restrain her, preventing her from causing harm to herself or him. He spoke soothingly to her, trying to calm her frantic state.
After a few moments, Huette's resistance began to wane as she started to listen to Rio's words. She collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.
Rio knelt beside her, offering comfort and reassurance. "It's okay, Huette. You're safe now," he said softly, hoping to calm her frayed nerves.
As Huette gradually calmed down, Rio helped her to her feet, ensuring she was steady before releasing her. She wiped away her tears, still trembling from the ordeal.
"I'm not whoever you think," said Rio with his ragged breath, "I know your brother was taken...probably killed? I am here to find out what happened to him."
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice quivering. "I thought you were one of them."
"One of who?" Rio asked, curious about her cryptic statement.
"The people who are after me," she replied, her eyes darting around as if expecting danger to spring from the shadows.
Rio tried to calm her fears. "You're safe now. You can trust me. I want to help you."
Huette looked at him, her expression a mix of relief and uncertainty. "How do I know I can trust you?"
Rio understood her mistrust. "I believe you might have information that could help. And I believe you know something about the mystery of missing flights in 2030."
Huette's eyes widened in surprise. "You... you ?"
Rio nodded. "Yes, I found that you were trying to post something on a website but the comment was removed shortly after."
Huette hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll tell you what I know. But we can't stay here. It's not safe."
Rio agreed, and together they left the abandoned building, heading to a safer location where Huette could share her story.
Rio and Huette found refuge in a small, dimly lit café nearby. They sat at a secluded corner table, the aroma of coffee and faint chatter providing a semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos.
As they settled in, Huette began to recount her story.
Huette spoke of her strained relationship with Jaquan, describing how their interactions were minimal despite living under the same roof. She explained that she relied on Jaquan for support as she struggled to make a living on her own.
It was only a week ago that Jaquan's behavior took a troubling turn. He became increasingly paranoid, constantly worried about someone breaking in and taking him away.
Jaquan eventually confided in Huette about his investigation into Batho. At first, Huette had trouble understanding what Jaquan talked about identity of Batho.
He told her about the forensic doctor who had been taken away and disappeared, which left Jaquan deeply concerned.
Then, Jaquan lost contact for two days, and it was only then that Huette realized the gravity of the situation.
Despite their distant relationship, Huette was determined to uncover the truth behind Jaquan's disappearance and the strange events surrounding Batho.
When Huette delved deeper, she uncovered the truth about Batho's identity and the fact that the current Batho carried the DNA of another person - someone from three hundred years ago.
This discovery prompted her to post on the website in an attempt to gain insight into the incident. However, her post was not simply removed; it triggered a break-in at her house and a death threat, all in an effort to silence her.