Armageddon 2309 (The W-files)

Chapter 40

A shadow passed over Haydon's features, his eyes dimming with a sorrowful light. His lips, once firm with resolve, now trembled slightly, betraying a deep-seated pain. It was as though a wave of regret had washed over him, leaving behind a haunting melancholy in its wake.

Haydon's voice trembled as he spoke, his words weighed down by a deep sadness. "She interfered with my experiment. I told her she had to cut ties with Batho as the time had come. The government had noticed his illegal origin. The only way to keep him alive was to bring him back to my facility. That was the only way to ensure his survival and mine." Haydon paused, his expression pained. "Then, of course, her maternal instinct would not allow her to do so. She did not bring him to the regular check-ups to ensure his body was adapting well, in fear that I might take him away. Batho had to depend more on Zonizide, and an overdose could potentially kill him. I had no choice..."

Rio's disbelief grew as he listened to Haydon's explanation for his sister's death. It sounded like a feeble justification, a flimsy veil over the truth. Rio scoffed, unable to contain his reaction.

Haydon remained composed, his fingers intertwining with purpose. "Mr. Rio, in the pursuit of progress, sacrifices are often unavoidable."

Rio's expression remained stoic, though his mind raced with conflicting thoughts. "What fate awaits Batho? Why delay?"

His gaze drifted to the crimson-stained fabric on the table, a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the lengths some would go to defy it.

"I need to wait for the cure gene to mature and fully adapt to the environmental exposures of this world before I can safely deliver it to my own body," Haydon explained. "The doctors have been working tirelessly on it."

"And when the time comes, you'll sacrifice Batho," Rio stated, more as an affirmation than a question, knowing the grim reality.

Haydon simply nodded.

"Then what was Dr. Rega's role in all of this? Why was he not in the facility with the other doctors? Why isolate him with the other passengers and Batho in the forest?" Rio pressed, seeking answers to the intricate web of Haydon's schemes.

Haydon's cryptic smile lingered as he explained, "Mr. Rio, you don't put all your eggs in the same basket. In this matter, I can't risk having all of them exposed in the facility and risking my work being ruined." Haydon leaned back, continuing, "Dr. Rega's main role was to ensure that when Batho's body started showing illnesses from three hundred years ago, he would survive with the help of immune cells from other passengers from the same era. The doctors in my facility here would not be aware of this. They would simply continue to optimize his body and focus on the cure gene."

Haydon remained impassive as Rio spoke. "Mr. Haydon, you know that what you've discovered is a great breakthrough for the world, and it could be used for the greater good."

"I am the great breakthrough in this world," Haydon replied. "Technology should serve the people, and I am reaping the benefits of this principle. What good is technology if it cannot benefit humanity?"

Rio sighed, realizing the depth of Haydon's conviction. "But at what cost, Mr. Haydon? Is it worth sacrificing lives, manipulating time and nature, just for your own survival?"

Haydon's gaze hardened. "You wouldn't understand, Mr. Rio. The lengths I've gone to, the sacrifices I've made, are all for a greater purpose. Batho's sacrifice will ensure my survival and allow me to continue my work, benefiting not just myself but future generations."

Rio shook his head, feeling a mixture of pity and disgust. "Your obsession with immortality blinds you to the ethical implications of your actions. No scientific advancement is worth this price."