Ch.197Counting Stars! (5)

#197

Despite having the surname ‘Hughes,’ Dexter had lived for 30 years with no connection whatsoever to Howard Hughes.

When the robot addressed him as Howard Hughes, Dexter shook his head and said, “There seems to be some error. Why would I be Howard Hughes? Is that laser scanner malfunctioning?”

When Dexter first arrived on Earth, Himena was the first to look up his personal information.

Knowing there was no connection between Dexter and Howard Hughes, Himena supported Dexter’s theory about the scanner malfunction.

“Honey, even Subtrons have self-diagnostic systems. Maybe this one has one too?”

“…Does it?”

[Yes, I do.]

“Run a self-diagnostic.”

At Dexter’s skepticism, the robot stood in place, emitting a yellow light as it performed its self-diagnostic.

[Self-diagnostic in progress… 25%.]

“This isn’t much different from a Subtron.”

“Maybe Subtrons are made by the same company that made this robot?”

“Could be. Given that I’ve never seen this type of robot before, it might have been briefly popular a long time ago.”

[50%… 100%.]

Soon, the yellow light turned off, and the robot returned to its normal state before speaking.

[Operating normally. There are no issues with the scanner.]

Seeing the robot still identifying him as Howard Hughes despite claiming to have no problems, Dexter put his hand on his waist with a serious expression and asked, “…Then why do you identify me as Howard Hughes?”

[My laser scanner performs a simplified genetic test, confirming the match rate of specific genes with registered individuals.]

“What’s the match percentage?”

[Approximately 15.32% match.]

“Are you seriously identifying me as Howard Hughes based on that low match rate?”

Dexter was incredulous that the robot would identify him as Howard Hughes with just a 15% match.

[That’s a secondary confirmation. There’s a separate verification method.]

Though still speaking in a monotone voice, the robot seemed almost indignant in its response, causing Dexter to cross his arms as he looked at it.

“So what’s this verification method?”

Himena, who had been quietly listening, suddenly asked the robot.

[I check for the ‘HH’ gene that manifests only in Howard Hughes.]

“HH?”

[A name given by my master, it’s a mutant gene that manifested only in Howard Hughes after an alien-related incident in his childhood.]

“And I have this gene?”

[Correct.]

“Wait, don’t mutant genes not get passed down?”

[Incorrect. They can rarely be inherited, and my master did not believe the HH gene manifestation was due to simple radiation or disease.]

Though the explanation wasn’t particularly complex, the robot’s declaration about his origins made Dexter’s head throb.

“Hold on, so you’re saying I have a gene that only manifested in Howard Hughes.”

[Correct.]

The robot’s assertion was firm.

Still standing, Dexter carefully recalled his childhood while unable to hide his confusion.

Seeing Dexter like this for the first time, Himena grabbed his arm and led him to the sofa in the living room.

Though he sat down as Himena guided him, Dexter was too deep in thought to even thank her.

‘Did my father ever talk about my grandfather?’

When they were watching old movies on TV, Dexter’s father Grant had once casually mentioned, ‘I was younger than you when your grandfather passed away, so I’m sad we couldn’t spend time together… or something like that.’

Because of this, Dexter had accumulated more memories with his grandmother than with the grandfather he’d only seen in photographs during his childhood.

However, Dexter’s grandmother had also passed away shortly after he started elementary school, and he remembered storing her belongings in the attic of their Boston home.

‘Do I need to go back to Boston after all?’

Right now, finding George Hayward was the priority, which was why they had come here in the first place.

Putting his personal issues aside for now, Dexter stood up again. Himena looked at him with concerned eyes and asked, “Are you okay?”

Seeing Himena’s worry, Dexter smiled at her and nodded. “I’m fine. Let’s check out Hayward’s room first. Robot, where is Hayward’s room?”

[Up the stairs, first room on the right.]

As the two headed up the stairs toward George Hayward’s room, Dexter suddenly tensed and clenched his fist when a person appeared unexpectedly.

“Oh my god!”

Himena, who had turned her head to see what had made Dexter stop, screamed when she saw what was ahead.

After carefully examining the silent figure staring at them, Dexter chuckled lightly and said, “It’s a hologram.”

“Huh? It looks just like a real person…”

“That’s how mass holograms are.”

No wonder others had mistaken them for ghosts.

The mass hologram, which had physical presence, was moving around the villa, cleaning and maintaining areas the robot couldn’t reach.

When Dexter reached the top of the stairs and approached it, the hologram slowly dissipated from the lower body up, then disappeared completely.

Intrigued by this sight, Himena looked around and said, “Seeing it disappear like that, I can understand why people would mistake it for a ghost. But doesn’t a hologram need some kind of projector?”

“They’re usually installed next to light fixtures… there it is.”

Dexter pointed to one side of the ceiling, and Himena could see an elongated projector that looked like a night light next to the ceiling lamp.

“The hologram is interesting, but what’s really important should be in here.”

Dexter, who had reached the second floor first, opened Hayward’s door.

“Not a speck of dust.”

What greeted them was an immaculately white room without a single blemish.

Moreover, it was filled with neatly arranged experimental equipment and reagents that could have belonged in a research laboratory, and beside the equipment were several computers that would have been too expensive to consider purchasing at the time.

“So he really was someone who could call Howard Hughes a friend?”

About half the books on the bookshelf were filled with academic terms that even Dexter would find difficult to read, and there were even books written in alien languages.

“This is more of a laboratory than a bedroom.”

“Dexter, over there.”

Having spotted something, Himena tapped Dexter’s shoulder and pointed to a specific spot.

‘An alien computer.’

On the bedside table that Himena pointed to sat a computer.

Unlike the Earth-made computers from the 70s among the lab equipment, this computer was still running vigorously as if brand new.

“Himena, what do you think this computer is used for?”

At Dexter’s question, Himena stroked her smooth nape thoughtfully before answering, “Hmm… maybe it’s used to give commands to the robots and holograms here?”

Though the monitor was off, they could hear the faint sound of the computer running.

Sharing Himena’s thoughts, Dexter decided to turn on the monitor to check the files inside.

‘There’s a research paper file.’

It seemed to be a draft, as it was shorter and more roughly written than the negative paper Dexter had seen before.

Himena, who had been watching Dexter operate the computer, pointed at the screen and said, “The UI is similar to modern ones, but it feels more rigid.”

“It’s an operating system that’s almost 40 years old, so that’s unavoidable.”

‘This is a hologram operation file, this is for that shiny robot… and this?’

[High-Speed Telegraph Storage]

Though the terminology was different, it functioned like Earth’s email storage folder.

Dexter carefully examined the senders listed on the messages in the storage.

“Just as I thought.”

“What? Did you find something?”

“Records of conversations between Howard Hughes and George Hayward.”

Dexter pointed to the screen.

[Sender: H. Hughes]

[Recipient: J. Hayward]

[Subject: Need a break]

…

[Sender: J. Hayward]

[Recipient: H. Hughes]

[Subject: Successfully stored the paper]

…

[Sender: H. Hughes]

[Recipient: J. Hayward]

[Subject: Do you have money?]

…

[Sender: J. Hayward]

[Recipient: H. Hughes]

[Subject: Planning to depart for the Frost Giant’s planet]

…

[Sender: H. Hughes]

[Recipient: J. Hayward]

[Subject: The Galactic Union came looking]

…

After checking hundreds of telegrams, Dexter stroked his chin and pointed to the last message.

“This is the last message exchanged between George Hayward and Howard Hughes.”

“When was it sent?”

“April 4, 1976.”

“…The day before Howard Hughes died?”

More precisely, it was the day before Howard Hughes died at the lakeside, killed by the alien monster El Cuero.

“Open it quickly!”

At Himena’s urging, Dexter opened the last message.

[Sender: H. Hughes]

[Recipient: J. Hayward]

[Subject: Need a break]

<Content>

Honestly, I’m tired of all this madness, and I don’t understand why there are so many lunatics after my fortune.

But now the suffering is over!

Money is sweet, but you can’t take it to the grave.

Money should circulate, shouldn’t it?

A few years ago, I built the last fallout shelter in Las Vegas and moved everything there secretly, which cost me a lot of trouble—thousands of dollars worth that you couldn’t even imagine.

I’ve put all the prototypes we’ve made so far and everything you and I collaborated on in that shelter.

And as you suggested, using my unique genes as a key was a brilliant and fantastic idea.

Both you and I went through a lot of trouble preparing that system.

No matter what bastards come looking, they’ll have a very hard time finding our work.

I even completely erased my memory to make it harder to find, hahaha!

I’ve suffered enough, so now I need to rest.

I’m going to spend some leisurely time by the lake.

<End of Content>

After reading the entire message, Dexter and Himena were silent for a moment.

“A fallout shelter?”

“Remember what Mr. Pilgrim said? That Howard Hughes had hidden treasure.”

“So that treasure is the prototypes made by Hayward and Howard Hughes, and they’re in a fallout shelter?”

Himena nodded and patted Dexter’s shoulder enthusiastically.

“Prototypes made by those two would definitely qualify as treasure!”

“Wait, but where is this fallout shelter?”

“It says it’s in Las Vegas, and if Howard Hughes wanted to hide a fallout shelter, there’s only one place it could be!”

“Where?”

With a bright expression, Himena swallowed once, then pointed downward as she said, “The sewers and drainage system!”

* * *

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas at the same time.

Jessie, dressed in a black suit, twisted her body awkwardly, expressing her discomfort.

“I’m not a field agent, I’m from the maintenance department…”

“What can we do? Dexter said he was short on time and asked Blueberg to talk to the agent who erased Howard Hughes’ memories.”

Agent Jake, trying hard not to look at her chest area, was having a hard time consoling Jessie.

“This is my first time visiting a retired agent’s home.”

Agent Jake knocked on the front door and called out, “Mr. Hurd? Are you there?”

“Hold on a minute.”

An elderly voice was heard from inside, and soon the door opened.

Wearing a loose, worn short-sleeved T-shirt and old cargo shorts, Hurd looked at Jessie and Agent Jake for a moment before making a brief assessment.

“Do they only recruit busty women as agents these days?”

Hearing this, Jessie smiled tightly and said, “Old man, you look like you’re on your last legs. Want me to help you get there today?”

“No, Ms. Blueberg!”

As Agent Jake tried to stop Jessie, Hurd glanced at her briefly before turning away and saying, “No respect for seniors at all.”

The former agent Hurd left the door open and went back inside, saying, “Young agents these days don’t know respect… come on in.”

His voice sounded disgruntled.

Jessie wore a sour expression, while Agent Jake kept a close eye on her, wary of when she might explode, as they entered Hurd’s house.