After undergoing surgery to fix up my badly damaged right leg (including getting the leg armoured (which does count as getting the cybered) and a bit of time for recuperation, we reconvened in a conference room in Section 9 to discuss the situation and possible next steps. Reviewing the information gleaned from Sato Imports we note that while we didn't get any personal information from the laboratory hidden under Sato Imports we did get the home address for Mr. Sato himself. That address is for a penthouse apartment in an apartment block in an upmarket part of the city. Checking details for Mr. Sato we discover that:
- Mr. Sato is married with four children, one daughter and three sons
- The cost of the apartment is significantly higher than could be expected from the owner of Sato Imports. While that business was profitable the apartment is at least five times more expensive that those profits would justify
- Mr. Sato's registered mobile phone is currently at the penthouse (he could, of course, have left the phone there and gone out either without a phone or with just a burner phone)
We also had more information about the brain case found at Hayato Kita's apartment. The serial number of the brain case matched that recorded for a US Master Sergeant called Jane Malory. He was a member of an anti-cyborg armoured unit who, apparently, did not adjust at all well on being demob'ed from the military. In fact the Master Sergeant suffered a cyber-psycotic breakdown and went on a killing spree. He killed at least 73 and gained the nickname of Sergeant Masher.
The obvious lead is that of Mr. Sato and I decided we needed to pay Mr. Sato a visit using the line of saying we're investigating the death of Hayato Kita and want to get whatever information he can provide (while observing him to see how he reacts). Myself and Ricky will make the visit while the rest of team remain nearby ready to tail Mr. Sato if he either makes a run for it or leaves after the visit.
![A modern clean japanese style kitchen. There is a bowl of cherries next to the kitchen sink](/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/kitchen_99b8347f-b92f-4df0-9c98-2b2016e2e6bd-300x300.jpg)
The only room in the apartment that can be shown1
However on arriving at the apartment it is clear that Mr. Sato is in no state to ask any such questions since he is covered in blood, holding a large knife, sat on one of the sofas and continually saying I killed them, I killed them
. Searching the apartment reveals the bodies of his wife and his three sons. His daughter is badly injured and only survived the attack due to having had problems with the nanobots cleaning the air in the past and hence having both some cyber enhancements to her throat and to her immune system.
Mr. Sato appears to be suffering from some form of cyber-psychosis.
Other Notes from the apartment
- The bodies of the wife and sons (and even that of the daughter) look like they have been posed. Mr. Sato's wife was previously in perfect health.
- Mr. Sato's home office has been ransacked
- The Bathroom (and Kitchen) are in good (if not perfect) order
- All the family are in casual clothing (it is a Saturday morning so this is to be expected)
- No alarm was made from the apartment and nothing unusual was reported as myself and Ricky arrived in the Lobby of the apartment block by the concierge (the penthouse occupies the entire top floor - the roof above is sloped and hence there is no facility for a heliport there)
- Wakiya's theory (which Tremen thinks is quite reasonable) is that the cyberpsychosis was forced on Mr. Sato since he wasn't heavily enough cyber'ed to be a usual victim.
Footnotes
- This image was generated using the following prompt:
Kitchen in an apartment in modern cyberpunk style kitchen in tokyo. There are cherries on a kitchen worktop that is next to a kitchen sink. The kitchen is used by a family that is well off. The kitchen is roughly 3 metres by 5 metres and is uncluttered
. Note that the room portrayed is too small and there should be a door in the far wall - however this was the best image generated. ↩