Free Techno Crazed (Hacked Investigations) by Sarah Makela

went back to gardening. He muttered, “Just because I’m small, doesn’t mean I don’t have sexual prowess to go with the brawn.”
    Hannah looked at Ian, unable to find words.
    Ian sat up on his bedroll and sipped his coffee.
    “There might be a chance of her being alive and outside all of this mess, you know. We need to look into this.” Hannah shuffled through the papers they had arranged on the floor.
    “But if she’s outside of this mess, maybe we would be doing more harm than good by seeing her.” Yet even as he said it, he knew they had to know more about the woman. If she could spread some light on what Rich had done in his last days, they had a better chance of getting out of this situation alive, and not behind bars.

CHAPTER TEN
     
    They arrived outside a Victorian style home in the wealthier section of the city. The driveways were neat and lined with small bushes and floral decorations that somehow managed to survive in the acidic rains every year. Genetic enhancements tended to make the surface of the plants excrete very strong base material that soaked up the acidity with no problem. The fake granite walkways leading to each house and garage along the road spoke of wealth, but also durability and long-term investment.
    Two cars were parked outside Rich’s home. One Ian recognized as Rich’s old Toyota, but the new sports car was unfamiliar. Ian spotted someone walking around inside the house. They knocked on the door and waited.
    A man in his early thirties opened the door dressed in a black suit with earrings and three rings on each hand. The muscles bulging beneath his shirt spoke of a very active fitness life, but the lack of overall density betrayed that most of his bulk had been gained at the gym, not by hard work.
    “Yes?” he asked, obviously annoyed by the interruption.
    “I’m sorry, but do you know Rich Granger?” Ian took a sidelong glance at Hannah.
    “Yes, I do. The question is, handsome, how do you know him?” The strange man raised his eyebrow, sizing up Ian from head to toe.
    “I used to work with him. He called my girlfriend and said he wanted to talk about something. Now we can’t get ahold of him. The name’s Ian, by the way.” He didn’t trust the new face he hadn’t expected.
    “Leon. I haven’t seen him for a while. Why don’t you come on in? I want to hear more about this phone call. To be honest, I’m a little worried about my sweetie.” Leon opened the door and let them enter.
    Once inside, Ian saw that the main hallway branched into four different sections to different areas of the large house. The white walls contrasted with the sand-brown tile on the floor, creating a sensation of being closer to the ocean than they were. Leon closed the door behind them and led them into a vast living room. The brown leather furniture was arranged around a fireplace. The latest tech-wall projected outside temperature and other important information. The expensive electronically enhanced wallpaper, laid on top of copper netting, made the wall act as a huge touch screen monitor, thus providing the owner the sensation of more “integrated” living with technology.
    Ian could almost laugh at the idea. He experienced a much more vivid connection with even the most archaic technology he’d touched. But the tech-wall was great for those who refused to plug themselves into the Internet or didn’t like adding extra chips under their skin.
    Sitting on the couch, he sank deep into its comfortable clutches.
    Leon sat across from them in a leather chair close to the fireplace. On the mantle were photographs taken through the years. Looking closer, it became evident why Rich had been so quiet about living with someone.
    “So, you two were a couple?” Ian asked, pointing to the pictures.
    “Yes. Although he never wanted to make us public. We lived our lives together, but never in the public. He spoke of his work occasionally, but obviously, he didn’t speak of me at work. How