Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 35 - THE BROTHER

"Don't worry. Maybe someday, I can tell you about it... everything. Besides, I consider you as my real daughter." Dr. De Vega said, then removed the surgical gloves and grabbed the eraser and marker and proceeded to the front of the whiteboard.

He erased some equations and formulas written which are not beneficial. He started writing some terms and formulas he remembered from his brother's notes.

"I'm not familiar with some formula used to create that drug but," she paused and remembered something. "I once saw that kind in Dr. Maria Garcia's notebook."

"Her notebook? I doubt she could write something like this. She's... She's not capable of it." He said knowing Dr. Garcia.

"If it's not hers... should I say your brother's notebook?"

"My brother won't do this kind of thing. There are similarities but as I remembered, Kuya didn't continue the experiment."

"I have a strong feeling that Doctor Garcia is behind this drug. Maybe, she had your brother's notebook and changed formulas to make a new one but she failed. That crazy doctor! Instead of helping the community to cure some disease, she just worsened the situation." Professor Zyrille massaged the bridge of her nose because of so much stress.

"If I meet her again, I'll shave her head." She uttered while clenching her fist.

"Zyrille, calm down." Doctor De Vega chuckled.

"She's giving me a headache. Ugh!" She thumped her palm on the table. "By the way, I'm going to buy something, then go straight to San Carlos to visit that stubborn old man."

"Haha. Send my regards to him and tell him, if he has time, visit me. That child, he is forgetting his father." Dr. De Vega heavily sighed then stared at the whiteboard.

"Sure. I gotta go." Professor Zyrille entrusted the drug to the doctor, then she left the secret laboratory.

+++

Professor Zyrille went to the supermarket to buy some stuff she'll bring to SPO1 De Vega, the old man she was referring to. She was looking for the instant noodles when she heard some voices on the other side.

"We don't need that." That voice seemed familiar to her. It's Trestan's.

"Yes, you do." She also heard and recognized Ferran's voice.

"I said. We. Don't. Need---"

"You listen to me," She felt Ferran's irritation but tried to prevent losing his temper. He lowered his voice but Professor Zyrille stepped closer to hear what he would say. "An epidemic will arrive soon. I don't want you to get infected."

Her eyes widened.

'An epidemic? When? How could he say something like that would happen? Does he know anything about the drug we are observing? All I know is that I haven't talked to him since he gave me the syringe that contains the liquid drug.'

"How did you---"

"So, please Trestan, you need this."

After listening to them, she quickly finished shopping and then went straight to San Carlos to visit Danryll, the stubborn old man.

"Officer, you have a visitor." The police in front of Professor Zyrille said to the phone then after a while, she heard footsteps toward her direction.

"Hey, little sistah!" SPO1 De Vega said. She handed her the plastic bags containing stuff she bought at the supermarket. "Thank you. Thank you."

"You need to pay for that." She snorted.

"Aw. I thought it was free." He made puppy eyes so Professor Zyrille laughed at him. Remember, he's forty-plus but he acts like a child sometimes.

"Childish."

"By the way, I'm busy so I can't have a long time to talk with you," Danryll explained.

"It's fine, I'll just want to say that always be careful especially at your work, and dad told me to tell you that if you have time, visit him. I think he misses you." She laughed.

"Tss. That old man." He smirked. "I need to get back to work. Drive safely and tell dad that I'll visit him this weekend."

"Alright. Bye."

While on her way back to San Lorenzo, she can't forget what she heard earlier at the supermarket. Professor Zyrille was a little afraid to talk to Ferran because she does not casually trust anyone.

'What if he's telling the truth? It's possible, maybe?' She shook her head then stepped on the gas to accelerate her speed.

+++

It's July 31st and the ceremony for their promotion was about to start in a minute. Ferran thought no one would come to his promotion ceremony but his older brother came with his family.

"I'm so proud of you, uncle!" Blair said then hugged his uncle.

After the ceremony, Ferran brought them to a restaurant with Sanchez then they ate.

"It seems like you're freshly graduated from college and now you have been promoted again." His older brother, Simon Ferran proudly said then they drank their wines.

"Wanna go to the pier?" His brother asked him while they're walking toward the exit of the restaurant. "I just want to have a quality time with you like we used to before."

"Sure."

"Brenda," Simon called his wife. "Simeon and I are just going somewhere, Blair, and you go home first."

"Where are you going, dad?" Blair asked. "Can I come too?"

"No, honey. Maybe next time." He firmly uttered, then kissed her daughter's forehead before he gave their car key to his wife and proceeded to Ferran's pickup car.

They bought beer before they went to the pier. They sat on the edge and drank their beer in a can. He shouldn't drink beer anymore but he just can't refuse his brother's offer, Ferran's brother.

"How's your life? Don't have a woman yet?" Simon smirked. "You still can't forget Elaine?"

Ferran's chest tightened because of the name he heard. Elaine Velasco, Ferran's first love and true love. No one can replace her in his heart even though she died 13 years ago in a police operation.

"You can't stop your life and be miserable just because she is gone. Man, live your life to the fullest. Maybe she's sad because you seemed to have no direction in life. You just work and work and work but have nothing to spend on." Ferran didn't say anything and just drank his beer in a can.

'So you made your life miserable after she died? Unbelievable Ferran! Unbelievable.'

"By the way, whatever path you take, don't forget that your older brother is just here to support you." Simon sincerely said then placed his arm on Ferran's shoulder.

'Even if you're against the organization I belong to. I won't hesitate to protect you and my family.' Simon said in his mind and looked at his brother who stared at the calm sea.