Rio drew in a long, steadying breath, his mind racing through the possibilities. Since his arrival, he'd been acutely aware of the limited options for escape. The facility was a fortress, accessible only to Haydon and his loyalists. The mysterious marine vehicle that had transported them here remained an enigma, adding to the impossibility of evasion.
Batho, though crucial to Haydon's treatment, seemed like a fragile lifeline. Rio pondered the depth of Haydon's resources and capabilities. Could Haydon not replace Batho if needed? The answer seemed evident in the opulence and sophistication of the facility.
With a sinking feeling, Rio realized that his only chance lay in leveraging Batho's importance. But even that was a precarious gamble. Haydon's power and influence appeared boundless, suggesting he could procure another Batho, regardless of the obstacles.
Rio's thoughts churned, his eyes flickering between Batho and Haydon. He knew he had to act, but the path forward was shrouded in uncertainty.
"Let's talk this out," Haydon gestured for Hyllos to come forward. "I will have my dinner here with Mr. Rio."
Rio frowned at the sudden suggestion.
"You probably feel more at ease with the child next to you, your leverage," Haydon explained with a smile. "And I do have some offers that you can consider. I am changing my mind about killing you. I will give you a chance to ask all the questions you have in mind."
Haydon's unexpected offer caught Rio off guard. He glanced at Batho, reassured by the boy's presence, then turned his attention back to Haydon.
"Alright," Rio agreed cautiously, "let's talk."
In a flurry of activity, Hyllos and his team transformed the sterile environment into a scene of opulence. Dressed in impeccable suits, they moved with purpose and precision, setting the stage for an unexpected dining experience. Rio watched, intrigued by the contrast between the formal attire and the unusual setting.
The table was adorned with a dazzling array of dishes, each exquisitely prepared and presented. Steaming bowls of fragrant soup sat beside plates piled high with succulent roasted meats, glistening with rich sauces. Colorful vegetables, cooked to perfection, added a vibrant contrast to the meal.
As Rio sat down, he couldn't help but admire the culinary skills of Haydon's team. The aroma wafting from the dishes was tantalizing, and his stomach growled in anticipation. It was a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere, the juxtaposition of fine dining against the backdrop of a secretive, high-tech facility adding an air of intrigue to the meal.
As the red wine swirled in the glass, its deep crimson hue danced in the flickering candlelight, exuding an aroma of rich berries and oak. Rio took a sip and was pleasantly surprised by its complexity and smoothness, despite his lack of expertise in wines. It helped to calm his nerves, adding a touch of luxury to the tense atmosphere.
"Please, help yourself," said Haydon, his voice casual despite the gravity of their situation, "I need these steaks to replenish the blood that I coughed out."
Rio, feeling the pang of hunger, eagerly dug into his meal, savoring the perfectly cooked steak and the exquisite wine. He knew that this dinner was not just about food; it was a prelude to the offers Haydon had promised.
After Rio had filled his stomach, he stopped eating and waited for Haydon, who elegantly cut his steak and brought small pieces to his mouth. Haydon seemed unfazed by Rio's watchful gaze, continuing to dine with calm composure.
Rio watched as Haydon took what seemed like an eternity to finish his steak. Finally, Haydon lifted his head to meet Rio's gaze. "Are you eager to hear what I have to offer?" he asked.
Rio shrugged. While he was indeed curious about Haydon's offers, his primary concern was figuring out how to escape from the facility. However, he knew he needed to learn the whole truth before he could make any plans.
"While I can't find your real identity, Mr. Rio, I did find information on a man who goes by the name Rio in the black market, someone who trades to make a living," Haydon began, pausing to observe Rio's reaction. Rio remained impassive. "However," Haydon continued, "given your talents and abilities, I don't believe you would limit yourself to just the black market."
Haydon leaned back in his chair, studying Rio intently. "So, I was wondering if you might be interested in joining me at PharmaMedicor Company."
Rio swallowed back the "no" that almost slipped out of his tongue. He knew that the only way to get out of this place was to play along with Haydon. Rejecting this offer too quickly could mean the end of Rio as well.
"I don't work for someone I barely know," Rio answered. "Perhaps if you can explain the reason behind all this, I will consider your offer."
Haydon leaned back and nodded, taking a sip of his red wine. "Very well, if that's what you wish for."
Rio waited.
"You were right about the illness in my family," Haydon began, his tone sombre. "It's a strange genetic illness that affects the lungs. The doctors call it Pulmonoxis Syndrome, but they could not find a cure. Nothing that can stop the disease once the mutated gene has been activated. My father and grandfather died from this. They coughed and bled to death." As if to make his point, Haydon retrieved his handkerchief from his pocket and laid it on the table.
"I could not let this happen," said Haydon, his voice tinged with determination. "That's when I gathered the most brilliant minds in this world. They discovered that this illness originated from a mutated gene. The only cure for this was to correct the mutated gene. But only a specific type of gene could be extracted from the donor's cells and delivered into the cells of the patient with the mutated gene. And this specific gene had gone extinct three hundred years ago."
Rio drew in a sharp breath.
"Yes, that was when we invented the way to transport people from three hundred years ago to look for the cure gene. A group of scientists worked on the time-travel method, while another group worked on the gene therapy. The easiest way to transport a large group of people without alarming the world was by kidnapping a whole plane. The old world would not be able to find traces of us meddling with the time-space."
Haydon elaborated, "The scientists chanced upon a phenomenon where space-time appeared unusually thin, suggesting easier manipulation. This area boasted an exceptionally potent magnetic field, which they believed could be exploited for time travel.
Thus, they devised the Magnetar Core, housing a magnetar core capable of generating an equally intense magnetic field. Activation in synchrony with the natural field triggered a resonance effect, opening a temporary corridor through time.
The crux lay in precisely aligning the Anchor's activation with the natural magnetic field. Even a tiny deviation could lead to missing the target time or location by significant margins.
Years of painstaking research and numerous failed attempts culminated in the creation of quantum algorithms. These could anticipate and adjust for minuscule discrepancies, enabling safe time travel of objects and people, albeit with unforeseen repercussions."
"Just to be safe, we transported twelve airplanes of people from three hundred years ago to ensure we obtained the gene we needed. And I found it in one of the passengers on the last plane," Haydon revealed.
"Mr. Khamis," Rio murmured, piecing together the truth.
Haydon raised his eyebrow and gave an approving nod. "Indeed, it was Mr. Khamis. Mr. Rio, you seem to know what I have been told of what you know."
Hyllos and his men shuffled uneasily, a response to a subtle complaint from their boss about inadequate information on Rio.
Haydon sighed as he took another sip of wine. "Things did not work out as we wanted. We tried to extract the gene from Mr. Khamis, but it would not survive more than three days no matter what medium we used. After another round of extensive study, we discovered that the gene needs the body of someone from three hundred years ago to survive. We need to extract it slowly and make it adapt to the body of someone from this era. The DNA of individuals would have had different exposure to environmental factors today, and all this would determine the viability of the gene."
Rio's expression shifted from curiosity to perplexity as he tried to process the information. His brow furrowed, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why Batho?" Rio's voice was laced with curiosity and concern, his eyes locked onto Haydon's. "Surely there are others with suitable DNA in this era. Why go to such lengths to keep him alive?"
Haydon paused, swirling the wine in his glass before answering. "Batho is unique, Mr. Rio," he began, his tone measured. "I was told that Mr. Kagiso had asked you to investigate about Batho. I suppose he told you about his sterility? The best person to harvest the cure gene would be someone who carried some of my DNA. I am unmarried. My sister's children became my alternative. She had always wanted a child. Nobody could go against the government and conceive a child on their own. But with enough wealth and power, this can be done."
"My sister was well aware of Mr. Kagiso's sterility, but she kept it a secret until her husband decided to reveal it. She obtained Mr. Kagiso's DNA and her own to create a child. That was how Batho was born. I created Batho for her with one condition - to harvest the cure gene I got from three hundred years ago. When the time comes for Batho to sacrifice and give me the cure gene, she would have to comply," Haydon said, his eyes saddened as he talked about his sister as if he was not the one who killed her.
Rio nodded slowly, processing the weight of Haydon's words.
"The scientists have been working on extracting the gene and implanting it into my body. Batho's body, which contains DNA from himself and Mr. Khamis, has encountered difficulties. Diseases that are no longer present today have manifested in his body. Sometimes, the only solution was to introduce blood from people from three hundred years ago to cure him. I had to sacrifice some of them to save Batho on a few occasions," Haydon continued, his tone devoid of emotion.
Rio shivered, unsettled by the stark lack of empathy in Haydon's words.
"And that was not the only problem. The government eventually identified the mysterious origin of Batho. This was the downside of involving someone as renowned as Mr. Kagiso in this experiment. While my sister took Batho out to the riverside, Batho was actually abducted by a secret government agency for investigation. They operated covertly, as they could not allow the world to know that this had happened under their watch," Haydon explained.
"Things got slightly out of hand, and I had to take care of the matter," Haydon explained. "The detective and the forensic doctor asked too many questions. So, my men acted rashly by creating another body that mimicked Batho's and injected only Batho's DNA into the dead body to forge his death. They intended to deceive the world by claiming that Batho had died from drowning. However, everything went wrong. After I rescued Batho from the government, the real Batho managed to escape their watch in the forest and returned home to reunite with my sister," Haydon said.
"So we had to destroy the one in the mortuary," Haydon said. "The detective and the forensic doctor saw Batho's dead body and knew something was wrong. I had no choice but to get rid of them," he continued, his tone sombre.
Rio didn't need to ask, as he knew for a fact that they had been murdered by Haydon.
"Why did you kill your sister? Did she also threaten to expose your actions to the world?" asked Rio, a chill slicing across his heart at the thought of this man killing his own sister.