Rio listened intently, piecing together the fragments of the puzzle that Huette was revealing. Her story added layers of complexity to the mystery surrounding Batho and Inspector Jaquan's disappearance.
As Huette spoke, Rio noticed a sense of desperation in her voice, a fear that gripped her even now.
"Do you know who broke into your house?" asked Rio. He had quickly looked at the particulars of the person named Hyllos who removed the post. The information had confused Rio slightly, making him think there was probably a mistake.
"I don't know," she looked distraught, "but there are a lot of them. From what they said, I think Jaq had been killed."
"Does PharmaMedicor ring a bell?" Rio ventured.
Huette squinted her eyes in confusion, "PharmaMedicor? Why do you think they have a link to what happened to Jaq?"
Apparently, Hyllos who removed Huette's post on the website worked in PharmaMedicor. Rio had not time to dig further into his background. But he no idea why would somebody from PharmaMedicor have something to with Inspector Jaquan and Huette.
PharmaMedicor stood as a beacon of innovation and progress in the realm of pharmaceuticals, renowned for its groundbreaking discoveries and cutting-edge medical technologies. With a history steeped in pioneering research and development, the company had become synonymous with excellence and reliability in health care.
From revolutionary new medicines that transformed treatment outcomes to state-of-the-art medical devices that redefined patient care, PharmaMedicor's contributions to the field were unparalleled. Its laboratories buzzed with activity as scientists and researchers worked tirelessly to push the boundaries of medical science.
Rio heaved a sigh. "I think we've hit another dead end. I need more information to investigate. Anything else you know about the case that might help? Anything Inspector Jaquan told you before he disappeared, no matter how small?"
Huette wrapped her cold, clammy hands around the hot coffee, recalling her conversations with Inspector Jaquan a few days before his disappearance. "He said he might be killed for knowing too much about the case."
Rio nodded, already aware of this.
"He warned me to stay away from Mrs. Kagiso. She knew about Batho's real identity. The biggest mistake he made was agreeing to investigate. He found out that the boy was still alive when he saw the body in the mortuary. He told the father, but he didn't believe him. To his surprise, the mother, Mrs. Kagiso, also told him to keep quiet."
"They met?" asked Rio, raising his eyebrows at this surprising news.
When he visited Mr. Kagiso at his mansion, Mrs. Kagiso had appeared innocent, blissful with her son. Mr. Kagiso had gone to great lengths to shield her from the truth.
"No, I believe she sent someone to warn him," replied Huette.
Rio recalled Mr. Kagiso's distress over his sterility, juxtaposed with Mrs. Kagiso's ability to conceive their child. Now, it seemed Mrs. Kagiso was not as innocent as she appeared.
Rio pondered the implications of Mrs. Kagiso's involvement in the cover-up. If she knew about Batho's true identity and was complicit in hiding it, there was more to the story than met the eye.
"Did Jaquan mention anything else about Mrs. Kagiso or Batho?" Rio inquired, hoping for more pieces to the puzzle.
Huette shook her head, her expression troubled. "That's all he mentioned. He seemed afraid for his life, Rio. Something about this case really scared him."
Rio felt a chill run down his spine. If Jaquan had been killed for what he knew, Rio knew he needed to tread carefully. There was more to this mystery than he had anticipated, and it seemed to reach deep into the Kagiso family.
"Huette, I want you to stay low and be careful with what you do," warned Rio. "Do not meddle with this case anymore. Whatever happened to Inspector Jaquan has happened. I will do what I can to find him and get to the bottom of this case."
Despite the reassurance in Rio's unwavering gaze, Huette couldn't hide the fear in her eyes. She looked as if she had seen a ghost, or worse, as if she was about to become one herself.
Rio tapped his AD on the TransactTech on his table to pay for their coffee.
Leaving the cafe first, Rio welcomed the fresh air as he stepped out. The information he had just received from Huette was too sophisticated, and he needed a breath of cold air.
Reminding Huette one last time to stay low while he was on this case, Rio hopped into his Hyperloop Pod.
Just as he ignited his transport to life, a deafening scream cut through the air, sounding just feet away from him. Heightening his alert, he turned to the source of the scream. It was Huette.
Huette was struggling against a few people who were attempting to drag her into their SwiftTransit van. Her mouth was covered by one of them forcefully after the first scream. Rio was about to get out of his Hyperloop Pod.
Huette fought fiercely against the men in black suits, but their strength and numbers overwhelmed her. Within moments, she was dragged into the SwiftTransit van, her muffled cries barely audible over the sound of the van's engine.
The men seemed oblivious to Rio's presence, thanks to the device he had been using to block tracking signals. With a determined look, Rio followed the van as it sped off into the bustling city streets.
Navigating through the traffic, Rio kept a safe distance, ensuring he wasn't spotted by the men in the van.
His mind raced with thoughts of how to rescue Huette.
Rio maneuvered his Hyperloop Pod through the city's traffic, keeping a watchful eye on the SwiftTransit van ahead. Despite his best efforts, the van was skilled at navigating the crowded streets, and Rio struggled to keep up.
As they approached a busy intersection, the van suddenly made a sharp turn, narrowly avoiding a collision with another vehicle. Rio, using his quick reflexes, followed suit, barely avoiding a collision himself.
The van continued to weave through the city, making unpredictable turns and doubling back on itself several times. Rio realized they were trying to lose any potential pursuers, but he was determined to stay on their tail.
After what seemed like an eternity of twists and turns, the van finally came to a stop in a secluded alleyway. Rio parked his Hyperloop Pod at a safe distance and watched as the men dragged Huette out of the van and into a nearby building.
shadow, enveloping him in a shroud of apprehension.
Huette had just been dragged into a building - PharmaMedicor.
Hyllos, the person who had removed Huette's comment from the website and who worked at PharmaMedicor, had Huette caught and dragged into this building. Any doubt Rio had about the information he had found on Hyllos dissipated as he saw this.
Someone from PharmaMedicor had taken Huette because of what she knew from her brother.
Rio had concealed his signal from the start and managed to escape their tracking. He was not sure if they knew of his involvement, but he was certain they did not yet know his identity.
Knowing he could not act rashly and expose himself, Rio stayed in his Hyperloop Pod to observe the people entering and exiting the building.
The group that caught Huette exited their SwiftTransit van and entered the building through a side door, avoiding the gaze of others under the sunlight.
The people entering or exiting the building appeared well-dressed and carried briefcases. This was the parent company of PharmaMedicor, Rio realized. They weren't here to make purchases of medicine or medical equipment; they were here for business deals.
Staring at the side door again, Rio noticed that the group that had dragged Huette into the building seemed to have special access, access that Rio wasn't sure he could replicate.
Having taken on numerous jobs creating fake passes, Rio had enough knowledge to understand that some doors would trigger internal alarms even if a fake pass could open them. These alarms would only alert internal security, which the intruders wouldn't know about, making it particularly dangerous.
Rio wasn't enticed by the idea of being caught due to such a rookie mistake.
The only way to enter the building was through the front door.
It was neither easy nor difficult with his skills. Rio had his Pastolium connected to his AD to gain access to PharmaMedicor's intranet. Although most prominent institutions would have their own intranet to prevent hacking, no matter how strong the firewall was, Rio had a way to break into it. All it took was for one employee to use their AD to surf the internet.
After spending some time locating the internet signal, Rio managed to find it and clung onto it. He didn't need to know who used it; he just needed to hack into their AD and gain access to their intranet.
All these companies would store information about their company on the intranet to share with employees, such as information about appointments with important customers.
Rio just needed to know their upcoming appointments and pretend to be one of their customers to infiltrate the company.
Determined to uncover the truth behind Hyllos' involvement, Rio formulated a plan. He would disguise himself as one of Hyllos' clients and infiltrate PharmaMedicor during the scheduled appointment.
With his plan in place, Rio began his preparations, knowing that the slightest mistake could lead to his discovery and undo everything he had worked for.
Changing his appearance with his AD to match the client's particulars he found on the National Registry, Rio felt relieved that he had kept one of his formal attires - something he no longer required since the day he left AHC - at the back of his Hyperloop Pod.
The appointment would be in the next hour, so he had about an hour to imitate Mr. Kendal, the person Hyllos was about to meet. When the real Mr. Kendal turned up for his appointment, Rio should be long gone.
Checking himself out one last time in the mirror, Rio exited his transport and strode towards the building.
Joining the stream of people entering the building, Rio was first greeted by the grandiosity of the front counter.
The interior of PharmaMedicor was as grandiose as its exterior, exuding an air of sophistication and wealth. The lobby was adorned with sleek, modern furnishings and intricate art pieces, creating an atmosphere of luxury and elegance.
As Rio approached the reception desk, he noticed that all the receptionists were Synthetiks - sophisticated androids designed to mimic human appearance and behavior. Unlike the common SynthWatches found elsewhere, these Synthetiks were of a much higher quality, their movements fluid and their features incredibly lifelike.
One of the Synthetiks greeted Rio with a polite smile, her voice smooth and professional. "Good morning, sir. How may I assist you today?"
Rio had to remind himself that he was here on a mission, his disguise as Mr. Kendal flawless. He maintained his composure and replied, "I have an appointment with Mr. Hyllos. My name is Kendal."
Rio's eyes were drawn to the other people who were conversing with the Synthetik receptionists.
The receptionist who spoke to Rio seemed to be taking longer to confirm his appointment, which stirred an uneasy feeling in his stomach.
Just as Rio was about to ask if she had any trouble finding his appointment, the Synthetik nodded, her eyes scanning her digital screen. "Of course, Mr. Kendal. Please follow me, and I'll take you to Mr. Hyllos' office."
Rio breathed a sigh of relief, adjusting his formal suit and following behind the Synthetik.
He trailed the Synthetik through the labyrinthine corridors of PharmaMedicor, his heart racing with anticipation. He was one step closer to uncovering the truth behind Huette's disappearance, but he knew that the real challenge lay ahead - facing Hyllos himself.
He was escorted to an office with a nameplate on the door: Mr. Hyllos.
"Please come in," said the Synthetik, pushing the door open without knocking.
Rio's heart skipped a beat as soon as the door swung open.