Rio sped towards the last known location of Mr. Alkis, the Hyperloop Pod slicing through the air with a low hum. The landscape outside shifted from the urban sprawl he was accustomed to into a more sparse, natural setting. Buildings became less frequent, replaced by the occasional cluster of trees and shrubs.
As he drove deeper, the buildings eventually gave way to a dense forest, the trees towering overhead, casting long shadows that danced in the flickering light of his headlights. The forest seemed to swallow the Pod as it navigated through the winding road, the branches of the trees brushing against the windows like ghostly fingers.
Rio's mind raced with thoughts of what he might find at the end of this journey.
As Rio's Hyperloop Pod entered the forest, a sense of unease settled over him like a heavy cloak. The trees loomed overhead, their branches intertwined to form a dense canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight. Shafts of light managed to penetrate the thick foliage, casting an eerie glow over the forest floor.
The air was thick with silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant call of an unseen bird. The ground was covered in a thick carpet of moss and fallen leaves, muffling the sound of Rio's footsteps as he ventured further into the forest.
The trees seemed to close in around him, their twisted forms casting strange shadows that danced and flickered in the dim light. Rio couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, that unseen eyes were following his every move.
Despite the eerie atmosphere, Rio pressed on, following the directions from his Pod's transit system. Eventually, he reached a clearing in the forest where the trees parted to reveal a small, secluded cottage. It was a quaint, rustic structure, surrounded by a lush garden that seemed out of place in the dark, foreboding forest.
The transit system confirmed that this was indeed the last known location of Mr. Alkis. Rio's heart raced as he approached the cottage, unsure of what he would find inside.
The cottage Rio approached was a modest, single-storey structure, its wooden walls weathered and worn from years of exposure to the elements. A small porch stretched across the front, with a rocking chair sitting empty, swaying gently in the breeze. The windows were small and framed with chipped paint, giving the cottage a quaint, old-fashioned charm.
As Rio stepped inside, he found the interior to be sparsely furnished yet cozy. There was a simple wooden table and a few chairs, a worn but comfortable-looking sofa, and a small fireplace against one wall. The floor was covered in a threadbare rug, and the walls were adorned with old, faded photographs and paintings.
On the table, Rio noticed several items that caught his attention. There were syringes, needles, and cotton balls neatly arranged, suggesting that someone had been using the table as a makeshift medical station. The sight of these items sent a chill down Rio's spine, raising more questions about what had been happening in this secluded cottage.
Despite the eerie feeling of being in the empty cottage, Rio couldn't shake the sense that someone had been living here recently. The signs of habitation were everywhere, from the faint smell of smoke in the air to the half-finished cup of tea sitting on the table. It seemed that whoever had been living here had left in a hurry, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions.
As Rio stepped out into the backyard of the cottage, he immediately noticed the signs of a struggle. The ground was disturbed, with patches of dirt churned up and grass trampled underfoot. There were broken twigs and branches scattered around, as if someone had been thrashing about in a desperate attempt to break free.
Nearby, Rio spotted a few drops of blood splattered on the ground, stark against the greenery of the grass. They led away from the cottage, towards the edge of the forest. Rio followed the trail, his heart pounding in his chest, unsure of what he might find at the end of it.
As he reached the edge of the forest, Rio's eyes were drawn to a small clearing where the trees thinned out. In the center of the clearing, he saw a figure lying motionless on the ground. It was Mr. Alkis, his body battered and bruised, but still breathing. Rio rushed to his side, his mind racing with questions about what had happened here.
As Rio knelt beside Mr. Alkis, he gently shook the butler's shoulder, trying to rouse him. After a moment, Mr. Alkis groaned and slowly opened his eyes.
"Mr. Alkis, what happened here?" Rio asked, his voice filled with concern.
Mr. Alkis blinked up at Rio, confusion clouding his eyes for a moment before recognition set in. "Rio... it was Batho... he attacked me," he said weakly, wincing as he tried to sit up.
"Batho? Why would he attack you?" Rio asked, helping Mr. Alkis into a sitting position.
"I... I don't know," Mr. Alkis replied, his voice strained. "He... he seemed different, not himself. He... he said he had to protect the rest, that he couldn't let anyone stop him."
The rest? Rio's mind raced.
Rio helped Mr. Alkis to his feet, supporting him as they made their way out of the cottage. The sun was setting, casting long shadows through the trees. Rio scanned the area, trying to spot any sign of Batho.
"We need to get you to safety," Rio said, guiding Mr. Alkis towards his Hyperloop Pod. "Can you walk?"
Mr. Alkis nodded, though he leaned heavily on Rio for support. As they reached the Hyperloop Pod, Rio helped Mr. Alkis inside and activated the autopilot to take them back to Mr. Kagiso's mansion.
As they sped through the forest, Rio couldn't shake the feeling of unease.
Rio carefully drove Mr. Alkis back to the safety of Mr. Kagiso's mansion, his mind racing with thoughts of what he had discovered. The change in Batho's behavior seemed to be linked to the fact that he was no longer receiving the Zonizide injections that had been controlling his dual identity. With Mrs. Kagiso gone, there was no one to administer the medication.
As they arrived at the mansion, Rio helped Mr. Alkis inside and ensured that he was settled comfortably.
With Mr. Alkis safe, Rio knew he had to return to the forest to investigate further. He had a feeling that there was more to discover there, and he was determined to uncover the truth.
Just as Rio was preparing to leave the mansion, the sound of shattering glass from upstairs caught his attention. Knowing that there was only one SynthHuman in the mansion and the rest of the house staff were Synthetiks, Rio realized that none of them would be responsible for breaking the glass.
Mr. Alkis, with his droopy eyes from the injuries he sustained, seemed aware that something was amiss but was unable to get to the second floor to investigate. Rio cautiously ascended the stairs, his senses on high alert.
Rio ascended the stairs cautiously, his senses alert for any signs of danger. As he reached the second floor landing, the sight that greeted him was unexpected. Mr. Kagiso, usually composed and dignified, was slumped against the wall, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a shattered glass in the other. His normally immaculate appearance was replaced by disheveled clothes, unkempt hair, and bloodshot eyes.
The room around him was in disarray, furniture overturned and belongings strewn about haphazardly. The smell of alcohol hung heavy in the air, mixing with the metallic tang of spilled blood from a cut on Mr. Kagiso's hand. Despite his inebriated state, there was a glint of something in his eyes - a mixture of anger, grief, and something darker that Rio couldn't quite place.
"Mr. Kagiso, what happened?" Rio asked, his voice laced with concern.
Mr. Kagiso looked up, his gaze unfocused and bleary. "She's gone, Rio," he slurred, tears glistening in his eyes. "My wife... she's gone."
Rio approached him slowly, trying to calm the distraught man. "I know, Mr. Kagiso. We'll find out what happened. But right now, you need to rest."
Mr. Kagiso nodded, his head drooping in resignation. Rio helped him to his feet and guided him to his bedroom, where he could rest and hopefully sober up. As he tucked Mr. Kagiso into bed, Rio couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than just a drunken outburst. There was something lurking beneath the surface, something dark and dangerous.
Rio's eyes scanned the extravagant bedroom, taking in the opulent decorations and luxurious furnishings. The room was a testament to the Kagisos' wealth and status, with rich fabrics, ornate furniture, and intricate artworks adorning the walls. Despite the lavish surroundings, there was an air of emptiness, a stark contrast to the warmth and life that Mrs. Kagiso must have brought to the room.
His gaze fell upon an AD lying on the table, carelessly discarded. It was illegal to switch on someone else's AD without permission, but Rio's instincts told him that the answers he sought might be within. He hesitated for a moment, weighing the risks, before deciding to switch it on.
The holographic display flickered to life, revealing the familiar layout of Mrs. Kagiso's AD. This meant that the authorities had indeed classified her death as a heart attack, as only ADs of individuals who died from unnatural causes were kept for investigation.
Rio scrolled through the AD, searching for any clues that might shed light on Mrs. Kagiso's death. He found nothing out of the ordinary until he came across a series of messages between Mrs. Kagiso and Mr. Haydon.
A few messages caught his eye:
Mrs. Kagiso: I need more medicine; he is getting out of control.
(No reply from Mr. Haydon for a few days).
Mrs. Kagiso: If you are going to ignore me, trust me, I will kill him. I can't let this family fall apart. I will kill Batho if that's what it takes to save the family.
Haydon: Don't you dare. I will take care of this.
Mrs. Kagiso: I have sacrificed everything for you, for this family. You have gone too far to save yourself. This is very selfish of you. Father would not have approved of what you did had he been still alive.
Haydon: He is dead, isn't he? He didn't have the intelligence like me to find the cure. He was weak to accept and resign to his fate. Don't tell me I am selfish, aren't you too? Do you need me to remind you how Batho was brought into this world?
(No reply from Mrs. Kagiso for a few days).
The grunt from Mr. Kagiso as he tossed in his bed reminded Rio that he should not stay here any longer.
Rio recalled Mr. Alkis's suggestion to investigate the cause of death for both Haydon's father and grandfather. In the messages, Haydon mentioned that he had found a cure for it. It seemed that Mr. Alkis was correct about the unusual deaths; perhaps Haydon had inherited the disease now.
The cryptic exchanges between Mrs. Kagiso and Haydon hinted at a dark family secret, one that involved a hereditary disease with fatal consequences. If Haydon had indeed discovered a cure, why was Mrs. Kagiso so desperate to control Batho? And what did Batho's unique condition have to do with this supposed cure?
The pieces of the puzzle were scattered before him, waiting to be assembled. The deaths of Haydon's father and grandfather now appeared to be part of a sinister pattern, a pattern that Haydon himself might be caught in.
Rio stood in the opulent bedroom, bathed in the soft glow of the holographic display. The messages on Mrs. Kagiso's AD flickered before him, each one a piece of the puzzle he was trying to solve. As he speed-read through the messages, his eyes caught on a familiar name: Dr. Rega.
The name stirred a memory in Rio's mind, a fleeting recollection of a past encounter or perhaps a mention in some obscure record. But there was no time to dwell on it now; the urgency of the situation demanded his attention elsewhere.
Mr. Kagiso's incomprehensible grunts broke the silence, jolting Rio back to the present. The old man's troubled sleep reminded Rio of the stakes involved in his investigation. He couldn't afford to get caught up in the details of the AD, no matter how intriguing they were.
With a sigh, Rio made his decision. He carefully placed the AD back on the table, ensuring it looked undisturbed. If the authorities were to reclaim the device, any sign of tampering would only raise suspicion. Rio knew he had to leave the mansion and return to the forest, where the answers to his questions awaited.