American forensics, but the gourmet system

Early in the morning, before the birds in New York had even woken up, Russell walked out of his apartment building.

Because of his volunteering last night, the task of picking up the car from the rental shop today also fell to Russell.

I was so stupid, so very stupid...

Russell grumbled to himself as he called an Uber.

I don't know what kind of car Aina rented... She said it was a big car, most likely a six-seater SUV, or maybe a pickup truck like a Ford F-150.

Since we're going to the suburbs and driving on some bumpy, bad roads, the vehicle's passability is definitely a factor to consider.

Sitting in the taxi, Russell felt a little cheated.

Not only do I have to get up early, but I also have to pick up the car. And not only that, driving an hour and a half to the shooting range in the suburbs is also my job...

But when Russell stood in front of the car that Aina had rented, all his resentment about getting up early vanished.

"Hey! Is this the car she rented?!"

A Tesla Cybertruck with a distinctly cyberpunk style is parked in the parking space, its cold-rolled stainless steel exoskeleton exuding a matte texture, making it look like an alien beast ready to pounce.

Russell certainly knew how much it cost to rent a Cybertruck in New York; during peak season, rental companies could even charge $600 a day.

Even though it's the off-season for car rentals now, Russell estimates that the daily rental fee will not be less than $400.

The rental fee for this car for two days is almost equal to the monthly rent for the apartment...

Aina, whose daughter are you anyway?

Russell couldn't help but reach out and stroke the Cybertruck's stainless steel exoskeleton. It was cold and silky, like the texture of a scalpel and an autopsy table.

"Yes." The car rental owner nodded. "The reservation was made by Ms. Aina Calado, and the rental fee has been paid in full. The return time is before nine o'clock on Monday morning. Have a pleasant ride, sir."

Even the rent has been paid in full...

  

Russell decided to work like a slave for Aina for the next two days.

Hmm... being treated like a slave seems a bit too much.

However, serving tea and water is still an option.

……

Russell diligently helped Aina carry her heavy suitcase into the car and even tried to open the passenger door for her, but Aina had already gotten in with her bag of snacks.

Today, Aina wore loose cargo pants, a black turtleneck sweater, and a short jacket with the New York Yankees logo. Her dark red hair was tied in a high ponytail, making her look very cool.

Having failed to win Russell's favor, he had no choice but to get into the driver's seat and fasten his seatbelt.

"Shall we set off then?"

"Let's go, let's go!"

Aina also seemed very excited. As soon as she got on the bus, she took off her Yankees jacket and threw it onto the back seat.

The tight-fitting turtleneck sweater accentuated Aina's slender upper body curves.

She pulled down her seatbelt and fastened it.

The seatbelt tightened, making her already striking curves even more eye-catching, and Russell couldn't help but glance at her sideways...

Russell calmly put on his sunglasses so that it wouldn't be noticeable that he was peeking.

Oh dear, what are you saying! The rising sun in the morning is clearly a bit too bright.

Russell pressed the accelerator pedal, and the three-ton stainless steel behemoth started silently, merging into traffic like a great white shark.

"The weather is so nice..."

Aina squinted at the window. The sky was clear and the sun was rising; it was indeed a rare and beautiful day.

“Yes,” Russell agreed, “we should stay somewhere without a ceiling in this kind of weather…it’s just a bit chilly outside.”

The average temperature in New York in early winter is generally between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius. It's not particularly cold, but it's not ideal for outdoor activities either.

"So I booked a horseback riding activity at the farm..." Aina said relaxedly, "Riding a horse and getting some exercise will warm me up."

Bertrand Russell never rode a horse.

"Riding a horse can help me move around? How can I move around?" he asked, utterly bewildered. "Are you sure the horse isn't riding me?"

Aina was amused, and then she probably thought of the scene of Russell being ridden by a horse, so she covered her stomach and laughed non-stop, almost laughing to tears.

"It's all your fault, my stomach hurts from laughing..." Aina complained, rubbing her flat stomach. "Riding a horse requires using your core strength to adapt to the horse's up-and-down movements and maintain your balance, which takes energy... How could you possibly imagine being ridden by a horse..."

She couldn't help but laugh again, wiping the corner of her eye with her fingertip as she laughed.

"That's not my fault, I've never ridden a horse before..." Russell shrugged. "I thought riding a horse was similar to riding in a carriage."

"It's very simple, I'll teach you later."

Aina took a deep breath and finally stopped laughing.

"OK!"

Russell couldn't help but imagine himself riding a horse, with Aina behind him, holding the reins, and embracing him...

Wait, why is it Aina who is hugging him?

However, Aina can even ride a horse...

Aina's image in Russell's mind became even more mysterious.

An illustrator, a gun enthusiast, a horse rider, and a skilled image processing expert...

Could she have learned that skill in Hawaii too...?

"I used to live here," Aina said, pointing to a dilapidated apartment building next door, interrupting Russell's thoughts.

"What a coincidence." Russell said, his eyes fixed on the road ahead and his hands on the steering wheel. "I looked at apartments around here before... $1200 a month, and you can't even cook in the apartment. That's why I chose where I live now..."

"I don't really care about these things," Aina said, shaking her head. "I just need a bedroom to sleep in. To me, a small room actually makes me feel safer. It's just that my ex-roommate... you know."

Russell could understand Aina's preference for small rooms, but that didn't explain why a girl from a clearly well-off family would choose to live in a poor neighborhood like Brownsville.

At least from Russell's perspective, the reasons are not sufficient.

However, Aina didn't seem to want to continue the topic, so Russell didn't press the issue.

The two chatted casually, and soon Russell drove onto the highway leading to the northern suburbs of New York.

Although this Cybertruck weighs a hefty three tons, it also boasts 883 horsepower, making it smooth and effortless to drive, navigating through traffic with ease and freedom.

In less than an hour, they will reach their destination.

Russell could only see the destination set by Aina; he knew it was in the Hudson Valley, but he had never been there.

As for what activities are available...

Anyway, there will definitely be horseback riding, shooting, and maybe even outdoor barbecue.

In the passenger seat, Aina had already opened the snack bag, taken out a bag of potato chips, tore it open, and started crunching away like a little hamster.

Russell gripped the steering wheel without looking to the side, speeding alongside the car in front.

Although most sections of American highways have speed limits, few people pay attention to those inconspicuous speed limit signs. The factor that determines how fast a car can go on the highway is often the speed of the car in front of it...

As Russell was driving intently, a potato chip suddenly appeared next to his cheek.

Aina held a potato chip between her two slender fingers, leaned forward, and held the chip to Russell's lips.

Russell silently reminded himself that he couldn't be distracted while driving, and then turned his head to open his mouth to take the potato chips.

The potato chips seem to taste a little better today.

Eating potato chips, how can that be considered distraction?

The beast within Russell chuckled.