Westchester, New York
Present day
It had been a long time since Hiroto drove his AMC Pacer; the clutch stuck between second and third gear. He loved his car, but hated the three-speed manual transmission it possessed. He made a mental note to have Mekanikku, his mechanic, run a full diagnostic on the vehicle. But tonight, there were more pressing matters to attend to. He floored it as he exited from the FDR Drive North to Highway 87. As he got closer, his hand gripped the steering wheel more tightly than ever. He had a sinking feeling in his gut and needed to make a visit—before it was too late.
I should have taken the bike. But that would have required me to go to my apartment.
Hiroto maintained a penthouse apartment on the Upper West Side. Still, he rarely visited because it reminded him of his old life.
Aiko will see it someday, but it’s not the right time.
He glanced at the clock: 3:54 a.m. He would be there in twenty minutes with any luck, but the entire journey felt like days.
If something has happened to her, I will never forgive myself.
He turned on the radio to distract himself from recent events. He was positive that Paige had his sister’s formula. Jane didn’t use it because of her employer’s mind control experiments, and she had vowed to never take anyone’s free will again. Something on the radio caught his attention. It was a syndicated middle-of-the-night talk show host famous for speaking to survivors about alien abductions and all manner of weird stuff.
“Let me get this straight. Do you have proof that someone can subject humans to augmentations that would compromise their free will?” the radio host asked.
“Yes, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. This doctor—has secret facilities—underground,” the caller said.
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Hiroto rarely listened to such drivel, but this conversation was too close for comfort. He was riveted to the radio. He turned up the volume.
“If you know where this mad doctor is, then why haven’t you gone to the police?”
“It’s simple, man; one doesn’t betray the doctor!”
A static hiss assaulted Hiroto’s ears as the radio went out of range of its receiver. The rain started falling. He turned on the wipers, but they only spread the caked-on dirt across the windshield. A screeching sound emitted from the windshield. He gritted his teeth as he realized that one of his wiper blades was missing the protective rubber coating.
I’m getting close.
He slowed the vehicle to make the offramp, turned onto Main Street, and barely saw the “Welcome to Westchester” sign as the rain intensified.
I can’t believe Aiko rides her bicycle to the dojo. She must take the train—
Two people on the street caught Hiroto’s attention, breaking him out of his thoughts. He might not have seen them if the rain had not just let up.
It’s Aiko!
His niece was in the middle of the street, and a burly man chased her. He slammed on the brakes, but the petal sunk to the floor like a rock.
Shit—the breaks!
He panicked as his vehicle careened toward his niece. He yanked the emergency brake with all his strength, but the car slowed, not enough to avoid hitting Aiko. He turned the wheel, causing a controlled skid, narrowly avoiding his niece and a world of heartbreak. Then there was a deafening thump, and the car stopped.
I hit something—or someone.
He leaped out of the vehicle, looking at everything at once. Aiko wasn’t in sight, but a set of bloodied skid marks covered the street. His stomach lurched, but he kept the feelings at bay.
“Uncle!”
Hiroto turned to his niece’s voice; she tackled him and squeezed his middle with a fierce bear hug. He was surprised at how strong she was. Her muffled sounds of grief pierced his heart more effectively than a dagger. He returned the embrace and shed tears of joy. Lights from nearby porches illuminated the carnage on the street. The moisture in his mouth evaporated when he saw a pair of legs behind his car.
A scream of agony echoed through the street. Hiroto didn’t see who was bellowing, but thought the voice sounded familiar.
“You murdered Harold!” a woman’s voice said.
That voice is familiar. Shit—it’s Paige’s!
A large group of onlookers from several nearby houses assembled nearby.
“Call 911 now,” Hiroto said.
One neighbor ran inside. He tried to better understand the person to whom the legs belonged, but Paige was in his face, screaming.
“Calm down, Paige. It was an accident.”
“I saw what happened. Your reckless driving caused this.”
“Don’t listen to her. He tried to kill me,” Aiko said.
The familiar sound of sirens filled the air. Soon, the authorities would process the scene, and he needed to be strong for his niece. He would not allow her to sleep under this woman’s roof again.