Chapter 6: Fragments of the Truth

Maria sat in the dimly lit café, her laptop open in front of her. The chatter of other patrons was a distant hum, drowned out by the words on her screen. It had taken hours of digging, but she had finally unearthed a lead—a paper published decades ago, co-authored by Professor Alex and another name she didn’t recognize: Dr. Adam Raufal.

The paper detailed the theoretical foundations of neural interface technology. At first glance, it seemed like any other academic work. But buried in the footnotes was a single, ominous line: “This study is part of the preliminary research for Project Dunnorage, funded by PRASASTI.”

Maria leaned back in her chair, the pieces of the puzzle slowly coming together. Alex’s obsession with Dunnorage wasn’t just academic; he had been part of its inception. And if Dr. Raufal was involved too, then his recent death might not have been a coincidence.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. She looked up to see Suria sliding into the seat across from her.

“Still playing detective, I see,” Suria said, glancing at the screen. “What are you looking at this time?”

“Old research papers,” Maria replied, closing the laptop slightly. “I think Alex was part of something big. Dangerous.”

Suria raised an eyebrow. “Dangerous? Like what?”

Maria hesitated, unsure how much to share. “Have you ever heard of something called Dunnorage?”

Suria frowned. “Can’t say I have. Should I?”

“I don’t know yet,” Maria admitted. “But whatever it is, it’s connected to PRASASTI and... something called Kentofes.”

The name lingered in the air between them, heavy and foreboding.

Suria leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. “Kentofes? What’s that?”

“I’m not sure,” Maria said, frustration creeping into her voice. “But Alex mentioned it before he disappeared. And Dr. Raufal—he was working on the same project. Maybe they’re connected.”

Suria studied her friend for a moment. “Maria, are you sure you’re not reading too much into this? People disappear all the time. It doesn’t always mean there’s a conspiracy.”

Maria sighed. “Maybe. But Alex wasn’t just anyone. And this isn’t just some random research. It’s... it’s something more.”

Suria leaned back, her skepticism giving way to concern. “Okay. So what’s your plan?”

Maria opened her laptop again, pulling up an old photo she had found in the paper’s references. It showed a group of young researchers standing in front of a building with the PRASASTI logo prominently displayed. Among them was Alex, a much younger Dr. Raufal, and a man whose intense gaze seemed to pierce through the image.

“That’s Dr. Adam Raufal,” Maria said, pointing to the familiar face. “And that’s Alex. But this guy”—she tapped the screen—“I have no idea who he is. He wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the paper.”

Suria squinted at the screen. “He looks... intense. Who do you think he is?”

Maria shook her head. “I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”

Before Suria could respond, Maria’s phone buzzed on the table. She picked it up to see an email notification from an unknown sender.

The subject line read: “If you want answers, come alone.”

Maria’s heart skipped a beat. She opened the email, which contained nothing but an address and a single line of text: “Alex trusted you. Don’t let him down.”

Suria noticed the shift in Maria’s expression. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Maria lied, closing the email. “Just another lead.”

As she packed up her things, Suria watched her with a mix of curiosity and worry. “Maria, whatever you’re doing... just be careful, okay?”

Maria nodded, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I will. Thanks, Suria.”

But as she stepped out into the night, her mind raced with questions. Who had sent the email? And what did they know about Alex?

The truth felt closer than ever—but so did the danger.