The room was dimly lit, with rows upon rows of shelves lining the walls, reaching up to the ceiling. The shelves were filled with boxes and containers of various shapes and sizes, each labeled with cryptic codes and symbols.
The air was thick with the smell of chemicals, a sharp, acrid scent that made Rio's eyes water. The floor was cold and hard beneath his feet, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the room. Despite the vast quantity of supplies stored in the room, it was eerily quiet, the only sound being the soft hum of the ventilation system.
As Rio moved further into the storeroom, he noticed a section that was cordoned off with caution tape. Curiosity getting the better of him, he approached the area and peered through the tape. What he saw made his blood run cold.
Lined up against the wall were rows of glass tanks, each containing a humanoid figure floating in a clear, viscous liquid. These were the Synthetik beings, their bodies motionless and their eyes closed. It was a chilling sight, a stark reminder of the dark underbelly of the pharmaceutical company's operations.
Rio knew he had to find Huette quickly and get out of there before he became another one of the company's secrets hidden away in the depths of the storeroom.
As Rio moved deeper into the storeroom, he noticed a faint glow emanating from a corner. Curiosity piqued, he cautiously approached and discovered a small, unassuming device sitting on a shelf. It appeared to be a prototype of some sort, with intricate circuitry and a sleek design.
As he examined the device, Rio's eyes widened in realization. This was no ordinary prototype—it was a Synthetik prototype, a cutting-edge creation of the pharmaceutical company.
Before Rio could investigate further, he heard footsteps approaching. Panicking, he quickly hid behind a stack of boxes, heart racing as he listened to the sound of voices growing louder. It was Hyllos and his security team, no doubt searching for him and Huette.
Rio knew he had to act fast.
Rio knew that the newcomers were here to look for Huette and to check if the impostor was attempting to rescue her. They would inadvertently lead him to her. Keeping a safe distance, Rio followed them, using his knowledge of the building's layout to stay hidden.
The security team moved swiftly through the corridors, their footsteps echoing off the walls. Rio's heart pounded in his chest as he shadowed them, his mind racing with thoughts of how to reach Huette before it was too late.
Finally, the security team reached the storeroom where Huette was being held. Rio watched from a hidden vantage point as they entered, their torchlights cutting through the darkness.
Rio waited patiently until the security team had finished their checking and left the room. Hyllos, along with his security team, exited, their footsteps echoing down the corridor. Rio remained hidden behind a shelf, his heart hammering in his chest.
As the sound of footsteps faded, Rio emerged from his hiding spot and slipped into the storeroom.
Huette looked up in surprise as he approached, relief flooding her face.
"Rio, you came," she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude.
"We have to go, now," Rio replied urgently, motioning for her to follow him. Together, they slipped out of the storeroom and into the maze of corridors, leaving the security team none the wiser.
As they made their way towards the exit, Rio knew that their escape was far from guaranteed. But he was determined to keep Huette safe, no matter what obstacles lay in their path.
As they ventured further into the night, Rio and Huette found themselves on the outskirts of the city, the glow of the metropolis casting a surreal light over the landscape. They knew they couldn't stay in one place for long, so they kept moving, their senses heightened and their minds racing with thoughts of what they had just escaped.
Huette turned to Rio, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Rio. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come for me."
Rio smiled, though his mind was still racing with questions. "We need to find out more about what's happening at PharmaMedicor. There's something dark going on there, and we need to uncover the truth."
Huette nodded in agreement, her expression grave.
Despite the suggestion, another idea was brewing in Rio's mind. He couldn't involve Huette in this case any further; it would only endanger her life.
Who knew what would have happened if he hadn't saved her from the storeroom?
Rio continued on the road in his Hyperloop Pod with Huette behind him, declining all the suggested routes by the vehicle's navigation system to get to his destination sooner. He knew that accepting the suggested route would only expose his location, even though he was hoping that his skills in blocking signals would be enough to evade detection by PharmaMedicor.
As they sped through the night, Rio couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He constantly checked the rear-view mirrors, scanning the road behind them for any signs of pursuit. Huette watched him with concern, sensing his unease.
"Are you sure we're safe?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.
Rio nodded, though his grip on the steering wheel tightened. "I've taken precautions. We should be fine as long as we stick to the plan."
"What plan?" asked Huette, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Rio smiled at the question. She was right; the plan forming in his mind could barely be called a plan. It was more of an idea to get her to safety.
Soon, they found themselves in a quiet alley—a place that truly belonged to Slateville, away from all the high-end buildings they had just escaped from. The alley was dimly lit, with shadows dancing on the walls. It was a stark contrast to the bright lights and bustling streets they had left behind.
Rio parked the Hyperloop Pod and turned to Huette. "My home," he explained.
of the fake IDs he had created in the past to sell on the black market, but now it seemed he could put it to better use.
Huette still seemed quite shaky from her narrow escape, settling into the couch in the living room with her eyes widened in alarm.
Showing a softened expression with his gentle, warm eyes, Rio said, "Don't worry. My house is covered by a specially designed mesh to block out all signals. It would only appear as ruins on their map system even if PharmaMedicor turned to the government for help."
Huette nodded.
Noticing that Huette appeared more disheveled than when they first met in her house, Rio pressed his lips together. "Do you want to wash up to clear your mind a little? Not many people would be able to escape from PharmaMedicor like you did."
Huette nodded gratefully, accepting Rio's offer. She followed him to the bathroom, where she washed her face and took a few moments to compose herself. As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but marvel at how much her life had changed in such a short time.
Just last week, she had shouted at Jaq for interfering in her life, finding her jobs she didn't like, and screaming at him for asking her to keep the living room clean. Now, she would trade anything to hear her brother scream at her again.
The words Rio had said about her brother's likely death rang in her ears. She wanted to believe he was still alive as long as his body had not been found.
Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the grease and dirt that caked her skin.
Meanwhile, Rio went to his basement to retrieve the fake ID. He knew that using it was risky, but he was willing to take that chance to keep Huette safe. Returning to the living room, he connected to the terminal to input more information into the new ID.
The sound of the shower calmed Rio slightly as he worked on the new ID for Huette. It only took him five minutes to input all the necessary information and activate it. With this new ID, Huette would be able to move around Slateville without being tracked by the authorities.
Heaving a sigh, Rio stood up and strode to his kitchen. As soon as he got back to his home—a place of safety—his stomach started to regain its function and rumbled, reminding him that he was still hungry from the day's events.
Opening the fridge, he found only a few pieces of cold ham, cheese, and hard bread that he had bought last week. He made them into sandwiches, a simple meal but one that filled his stomach and gave him a moment of respite from the chaos of the day.
He took the plate of sandwiches back to his living room to wait for Huette.
Huette emerged from the shower, looking markedly different from before. Her short hair framed her face, and without the dirt and grease, she looked surprisingly attractive. Rio couldn't help but notice the transformation, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Feeling better?" Rio asked, handing her the new ID.
Huette nodded, a grateful expression on her face. "Thank you, Rio. I don't know how to repay you for all that you've done for me."
Rio waved off her gratitude. "Don't worry about it. We're in this together now. We'll figure it out."
As they sat on the couch, eating their sandwiches, Rio couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Huette. They were both outsiders now, on the run from a powerful corporation. But Rio was determined to protect her, no matter what dangers lay ahead.
It had been quite some time since Rio had last shared a meal with anyone. Ever since he left the AHC, he had been on the run, constantly evading the government's tracking.
At the AHC, Rio had friends who were SynthHumans like him. They were proud of their status and intelligence as hybrids. However, when things went wrong, these friends turned their backs on him to retain their status in the AHC. None of them had tried to contact him after he left.
The closest thing to a human friend he had in the past years was Isa, but Isa had refused to let Rio call him a friend. Rio knew exactly why Isa had made such a request. Their relationship was purely business; Isa would obtain fake passes from Rio, but being friends would have put Rio in danger if Isa was caught.
Isa's only hope when he was alive had been to take care of the humans left starving and suffering in Slateville by the government. He had expected his fate when he risked his life robbing the rich and the banks.
A pang of sadness swept over Rio at the thought of Isa. There had been no updates since the news of Isa being caught breaking into a bank. It was not a good sign; he had likely been executed in their own way.
Just as Rio and Huette were still absorbed in their own thoughts, a prolonged comfortable silence enveloping them, the tranquility was shattered by a series of urgent beeping sounds. Rio felt a shudder run through his heart at the urgency of the beeping. The intensity and frequency indicated that it was an important news update—perhaps related to their earlier escape from PharmaMedicor.
Rio quickly switched on his AD and displayed the hologram of the breaking news before them, saving Huette the trouble of opening hers.
The breaking news revealed a shocking development: Multiple pieces of broken airplane components had appeared out of thin air and dropped in different places in London, causing hundreds of deaths among humans and the breakdown of thousands of Synthetiks.
Rio furrowed his brow at the news, his eyes locking onto images of wrecked pieces of the airplane on the ground, causing craters all over the road. Some buildings had been damaged by the falling debris.
The next line of the news report stated that experts had examined the airplane pieces and concluded that they belonged to a technology used three hundred years ago.
Rio and Huette glanced at each other, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Three hundred years ago...