POV Herschel
Time: 10:30 AM (Thursday)
Napaatras ako nang makita ko ang tunay na mukha ni Doctor RE. Alam ko na kahit si Sienna at si Kio ay makikilala ang babaeng kaharap ko.
"Bro, anong problema?" tanong ni JC na nakatayo sa likod ni Doctor RE.
"See for yourself," mahina kong sagot na dahan dahan na umaatras.
JC removed his goggles at tinignan si Doctor RE. Tulad ng inaasahan ko, nagulat si JC sa nakita niya. Kulang na lang ay mapaupo siya sa sahig sa pagkabigla niya.
"Mommy?" tanong ni JC kay Doctor RE.
Hindi ako maaring magkamali. I am now facing Doctor Candice Regalado. Alam ko na naghahalo ang kaba, galit at lungkot ni JC sa mga oras na ito. Gusto niya yakapin ang kanyang ina, pero alam niya din na ang babaeng kaharap niya ang sanhi ng zombie apocalypse.
"Jordan, she can only remember bits and pieces. She does not know na may anak siya," sabi ni General Regalado na nakaupo sofa.
"Dad, buhay ang mommy?" naiiyak na tanong ni JC.
"When the first zombie war started, we already have a theory that she is alive," sagot ni General Regalado.
Kahit ang daddy ko na may kasama na tatlong scientists ay mabilis na lumapit sa amin. Binaba nila ang hawak nila na baril at itinaas ang kamay para sumuko. Based from their reaction, mukhang pinilit lang din sila ni Doctor RE na pumunta dito.
"Alam niyo na ang mommy at si Doctor RE ay iisa? And you did not bother to tell me that my mother started this zombie apocalypse?" galit na tanong ni JC sa daddy niya.
Ang alam ko, Candice Regalado passed away in a cruise ship tragedy. Summer vacation noon at lumubog ang cruise ship na sinasakyan nilang mag-anak habang nasa Europe tour sila. The general was able to save JC, but her mother's body was never found.
Kaya pala maraming tinatago si General Regalado at ang parents ko dahil kilala nila ang totoong Doctor RE. She is not Doctor Resident Evil, she is Doctor REgalado. I should have known na si Candice ang tinutukoy ni mommy when she told me about her bestfriend. Alam ko na kaibigan niya ang mommy ni JC noon pa.
"Hindi namin alam Jordan Caden, pero malaki ang hinala namin na buhay ang mommy mo dahil siya lang at si Marishiella ang capable na gumawa ng advanced virus such as the Z Virus and RE Virus. We kept this theory to ourselves as the military all over the world will hunt her down once they found out her true identity," paliwanag ni General Regalado.
Napaupo sa sahig si JC dahil sa revelation na naririnig niya. Two of the military men is about to shoot him pero mabilis ko silang pinatamaan ng bala sa binti which rendered them unconscious.
"Your mother, she is probably working with Igor Rybak, the famous geneticist and engineer based in Belarus. Your mother has the brains and capabilities and Igor has the money to fund this zombie apocalypse."
Igor Rybak, a gifted scientist who made some pioneering discoveries in nanotechnology. Siya ang may-ari ng Rybak Pharmaceuticals na may connection sa mga Patient Zero at Z Class zombies. Hindi na nakapagtataka na siya ang gumawa ng mga microchip na nagcocontrol sa mga Z bots noon.
Kilala din si Igor Rybak bilang isang mad scientist. Hindi niya itinago sa buong mundo ang kanyang paniniwala na kailangan ng mass cleansing para matigil ang unti unting paglaki ng populasyon. He thinks that the world deserves another Black Plague. With his released statements, naging isang viral at controversial doctor si Igor Rybak.
Ang lalaking walang malay sa tabi ni Harold ay maaring si Maksim Rybak, ang nag-iisang anak ni Igor Rybak. Si Maksim ay isa sa pinaka magaling na hacker at IT analyst.
"General, Doctor Igor Rybak is already dead. Tama ba?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"Yes, Che. Doctor Rybak passed away a few years ago. Kung tama ako, it was Doctor Igor Rybak who found Candice. He influenced her and brainwashed her. Doctor's Rybak's death became a trigger for Candice to start a zombie apocalypse. But I have a feeling that Igor's son, Maksim Rybak is the behind this. Maksim is probably controlling Candice using the microchips in her head."
Kung kanina, isang confident na Doctor RE ang nakikita ko, ngayon she looks confused and terrified. Nakatingin siya kay Jordan as if nakikilala niya ang anak niya. I guess some memories about her son is returning to her.
"Jordan Caden?" mahinang sabi ni Doctor RE.
Tears are now flowing in her eyes. She probably remembered the memory of his son or the memory of her evil deeds.
"Mommy?" naiiyak na sagot ni JC.
He is about to run to his mother and hug her, pero hinarang ko ang braso ko para pigilan ko siya. Doctor RE's arm still looks like a monster because of the evolved RE Virus. There is a chance na ma-acquire ni JC ang virus by physically holding her.
"Mommy, naaalala mo na ang lahat?" tanong ni JC sa kanya na nakaluhod sa harap ni Doctor RE.
"Yes, Jordan. I remember you now."
"What have you done, mom? Bakit?"
"Jordan, Doctor Igor Rybak found my almost lifeless body and saved me. He treated me like his own daughter. He showed me the wickedness of this world. Our world needs saving, anak. A zombie apocalypse like this is a blessing."
Napatingin lang sa akin si JC dahil hindi niya din maintindihan ang sinasabi ng mommy niya. It seems that she was really influenced by Doctor Rybak.
"Jordan, this world is full of vile creatures called humans. Patayan doon, patayan dito. Puno ng galit at ingget ang mundo natin. Ang mga tao, walang pakialam sa isa't isa. Naging sakim ang mga tao at sarili lang nila ang iniisip nila. Ang mahalaga lang ay pera at kapangyarihan. I just created a way to remove the viciousness of this world."
"By means of a zombie apocalypse?"
"Yes, Jordan. Can you see it? This is Doctor Rybak's plan all along. To reduce earth's population and for humans to work together. Dahil sa zombie apocalypse, natigil ang digmaan. Nagkaroon ng unity among all countries. Kahit ang mga tao, they started to care for one other. We are united because of one common threat, the zombies!"
I am facing a different version of Candice Regalado right now, a crazy version. Doctor Rybak is a mad scientist at hindi na ako mabibigla if he used hypnosis and the power of nanotechnology to influence Candice to do his bidding.
"Son, don't deny the advantages of the zombie apocalypse. I am indeed a savior to humanity. Alam mo na impyerno ang Aquinas Island at ang Aldridge City. It needs to be erased in the map!"
"Mom, you killed thousands of people! No, millions and billions of people! You did not save them!" naiiyak na sabi ni JC.
Alam niya sa sarili niya na wala na sa matinong katinuan ang ina niya. He is no longer facing his mom, but a mad doctor.
"Jordan, I killed them so other people can have a better life."
Umiling lang si Jordan sa sinabi ng ina niya. My eyes widened when I realized that the scale-like covering in her arms are quickly moving. Kung kanina, nasa braso niya lang ito, ngayon ay umaabot na sa leeg niya.
"Dad! The virus is quickly spreading to her body!" sabi ko kay daddy na biglang lumapit sa akin.
"Che, we can't do anything about it. There is no cure for that kind of virus in her body. Alam ng mommy mo yun kaya ako ang nag volunteer na pumunta dito. Kung meron man, it will take months to create a cure. I was afraid that Candice will kill Marishiella once she finds out na walang possible cure sa virus na nasa katawan niya," paliwanag ni daddy.
"Sir Hercules, what will happen to my mom?" tanong ni JC kay daddy.
"She will turn into a humongous monster-like zombie, parang isang mutant with scale-like skin. The virus infected her is so advanced and we can't generate any cure as of the moment."
The idea of zombies in this world is hard to comprehend, but mutated monsters? No way!
"Guys, I don't mean to interrupt this awkward reunion, but you have to see this," sabi ni Harold sabay harap ng monitor niya sa amin...