Armageddon 2309 (The W-files)

Chapter 23

Looking into his mirror before leaving his house, it was exactly the same man he had pictured after he stepped out of the bar. The clock on the wall said that he had barely had two hours of sleep before Mr. Kagiso called him.

Mr. Kagiso hung up the call before Rio had the chance to ask him what had happened exactly.

The urgency in Mr. Kagiso's voice indicated that Rio should not wait until the next morning.

Rio turned off his AD. His limbs felt like lead, every movement a monumental effort. His eyelids drooped, weighed down by an overwhelming fatigue that seemed to seep into his very bones. Knowing that he would need to freshen up, Rio dragged his feet to the bathroom.

In the next fifteen minutes, Rio found himself back in his Hyperloop Pod again.

As Rio approached Mr. Kagiso's mansion, he was taken aback by the sight that greeted him. Instead of the usual serene landscape, the mansion was surrounded by flashing blue and red lights, and the blaring of sirens filled the air. Emergency vehicles were parked outside, their presence casting an eerie glow on the mansion's façade.

Rio's heart raced as he hurried towards the entrance. Police officers and paramedics were bustling around, their expressions grim. He spotted Mr. Kagiso standing near an ambulance, his face etched with worry.

"What happened?" Rio asked, his voice barely audible over the commotion.

"It's my wife," Mr. Kagiso replied, his voice trembling.

Rio's eyes scanned the chaotic scene, but he struggled to spot Mrs. Kagiso amidst the flurry of activity.

"She's dead," Mr. Kagiso's voice was hollow, his face drained of all color. His words seemed surreal against the backdrop of buzzing conversations and blaring sirens.

"Dead?" Rio's voice rose above the din, finding it difficult to believe the news.

Rio's mind raced, trying to process the news. Mrs. Kagiso, a constant presence at her son's side, now gone. The implications of her death weighed heavily on Rio, especially considering the mysterious circumstances surrounding the Kagisos and Batho.

"What happened?" Rio asked, his voice more subdued now, reflecting the shock and sorrow that gripped him.

Mr. Kagiso's eyes were distant, lost in grief. "She was found in the garden just now. It appears to be a heart attack, but..." his voice trailed off, his expression pained.

Rio's thoughts darted back to Batho, and the strange occurrences that seemed to swirl around him.

"What was she doing in the garden in the middle of the night?" asked Rio, his mind now consumed by questions, leaving no room to consider Mr. Kagiso's distraught feelings.

"I have no idea," Mr. Kagiso's voice cracked. "I was busy with my work. If I had finished earlier and gone to bed as usual, I might have discovered her disappearance earlier and could have saved her." Mr. Kagiso buried his face in his slender hands.

Shaking his head, Rio was speechless. No words of comfort managed to escape his mouth, even though he wanted to say something.

Rio watched Batho from a distance, his small figure standing out among the adults bustling around him. Batho's eyes, usually bright and curious, now seemed empty, staring ahead without focus. The paramedic's voice was gentle, but Batho's response was robotic, devoid of any emotion.

As Rio approached, he could see the police officer speaking to Batho, trying to comfort him. Batho's lack of response was unsettling, almost as if he was in a trance. The ambulance doors closed, and the vehicle slowly pulled away, Batho's gaze following it until it disappeared from view.