A month later...
It's another school year for the students. One afternoon when classes were over, Trestan was walking in a hallway full of students exiting their classrooms.
Trestan is one of those who huddle with students in different directions. He was in a hurry to go to the laboratory which was almost behind the school because his close professor called him to go there.
Rarely do people go to that part because that building is quite old and it's a bit creepy but Trestan is not afraid to go because he is often there after class. He looked around and checked if someone was tailing him.
'Safe.'
He entered the building and the door made a noise which seemed to be similar to those in horror movies. There is an underground passageway where the secret laboratory is located. Before entering the main laboratory, he needed his fingerprint to open the door made of steel.
When he got inside, he saw the professor busy with what he was doing in an area surrounded by a glass wall. The walls were soundproof so the professor didn't notice his arrival.
Trestan reached the intercom connected inside the area where the professor was, to let him know he was already there.
"Finally you're here! I want to show you something and maybe you can help." The professor said, "You must wear a whole bodysuit first before I'll allow you to enter."
Trestan followed the professor's instructions before he could enter. Doctor Carlos De Vega looked at a microorganism under the microscope and he brought the young man closer to it.
It was a purple microorganism.
"What do you think it is?" Doctor De Vega asked.
"It looks like pathogenic bacteria but a bit strange though," Trestan said and stood up straight. "It's my first time to see that kind of bacteria or should I say... A virus?"
"Bingo!" The doctor said,
"Where did it come from?" Trestan asked curiously.
"Someone gave it to me." Then the doctor discusses the summary of his current observation.
"So the virus is man-made?" Trestan said while holding his chin.
"Right."
"Who in his right mind would do such a thing?" The young man tried to think of some possible answers but he really can't. "It looks deadly."
"Of course. Someone crazy." The doctor's tone seems like he has someone in his mind.
"Do you have someone in your mind, doctor? Maybe... someone who has a valid reason to do this crazy thing."
"I have one in mind but not yet sure."
"Mind discussing it with me? I'm curious." Trestan was determined to know because the virus he saw earlier is thoroughly made.
"It's a long story." He looked at his wristwatch.
"I still have a lot of time to listen."
"Are you sure? How about your sister?"
"Oh, sh*t! I almost forgot. Maybe next time doctor." The professor laughed a little at Trestan's reaction because it was not obvious to the young man to react like that.
"Disinfect yourself before you leave this laboratory. It is better to be careful because we are not sure about the effect of this virus."
"Yeah. Sure."
Trestan hurried to the guardhouse where his little sister had been waiting for him. Cally almost fell asleep on the seat and if Trestan hadn't caught her, she would have fallen and her face would have slumped to the floor.
"Kuya..." Cally said in her softest voice. "Whele have you been? Why are you late? I've been waiting here fol you. I thought you left me---"
"Sorry baby. Kuya just took care of something important."
"Hmp!"
"Don't be mad at Kuya. Hm... What if I will cook your favorite pancake when we get home? Is that okay with you?" Cally's bad mood was replaced by a happy face and then she nodded.
When they got home, their father had not yet arrived. Trestan parked his bicycle in their garage before unlocking the backdoor of their house. They just changed clothes before Trestan cooked pancakes while Cally watched him and was so excited to taste her favorite food.
Trestan just stared at his sister who's eating her pancake. "Kuya, you want?" Trestan just shook his head and smiled at his sister.
"Hm... when will mommy go home? I miss her so much." Cally said innocently while staring at her pancakes filled with chocolate syrup.
Trestan was hurt for his little sister because she was still very young and did not know much about what happened to their mom.
All Cally knew was that their mother was far away but the truth is, they will never see her again because she died two years ago on a yacht.
The siblings heard a doorbell and Trestan's the one who opened the door while Cally was busy enjoying her favorite pancake.
"It's been a while..."
"Grandpa."
Trestan welcomed his grandfather in their house like his mother used to do when he was little.
"Where's your dad?" He asked while putting some paper bags on the center table.
"Work."
"Kuya, we have a visit—Grandpa!" Cally immediately ran towards his grandfather and hugged him.
"Hey, sweetie." He put Cally on his lap. "I have something for you. Here." He handed her a paper bag of toys.
Trestan couldn't help but to sigh. His dad will be furious if he learned about this.
"You could have dinner with us, Grandpa. I'll just prepare it quickly."
"Sure."
Trestan was preparing the ingredients when his father called him. He gulped before answering.
"Son," Timotheus, in the other line, sounds stressed and he doesn't want to add more. "I have to work overtime tonight. Don't forget to check the doors and windows if it's locked, okay?"
"Yes, dad."
"Did you eat dinner?"
"Not yet. I'm still preparing—"
"Kuya! Look at what Grandpa gave me! Beautiful, right?" Trestan's heartbeat raced when Cally mentioned their grandfather.
"Wait, what!? Cally did just say 'Grandpa'? Is he—" Trestan moved the phone from his ears.
"Cally, I'm talking to dad—"
"Daddy? I want to talk to him too." She snatched Trestan's phone and talked to their father.
'Damn... I'm dead.'
"Okay! Good night, I love you!" Cally handed him the phone. "Daddy wants to talk to you."
"Dad," He cleared his throat. "I... He was just visiting us—"
"You know how much I hate him, right? That old man is not welcome in our house. Send him away immediately."
"But dad—"
"If I didn't call, you don't have any plan on telling me, don't you?"
"Dad..."
"I'm disappointed, Trestan Joern."
"I'm... sorry, dad." He felt so down after hearing those words from his father.
Timotheus is not a kind of father who will say such words to his children. However, when it comes to the old man, who he always feels resentful of, he couldn't help but to utter such things out of anger.
"Take care of yourself and your sister."
After the call, Trestan stared at his phone for a few seconds and wondered why his father loathes their grandfather so much. It's still a mystery that even their mom, when she's still alive, didn't have any idea.
+++
It's ten o'clock in the evening but Trestan can't sleep and he's currently reading a thick book about bacteria and viruses on his study table near the window. He was wearing reading glasses and it rested on his pointed nose. He was very curious about the microorganisms that Doctor De Vega showed him.
He is almost halfway through the book he is reading but there is still no answer to the questions that run through his mischievous mind. He leaned back in his seat, stretched his arms, and felt a bit drowsy.
"Where did Doctor De Vega get that microorganism?"
'It looks very dangerous and deadly.'
Trestan can't relax until the question is answered in his mind but he can do nothing but wait for tomorrow to ask the professor about it. He removed the reading glasses, turned off his desk lamp then lay down on his bed. Soon he was sleeping peacefully.