Old Clothes and Stale Coffee

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - My Mistake

It has been almost two weeks since I met Prof. Antonio.

I have long realized my mistake.

It seems `mahal kita’ is a confession of one’s romantic love to another.

I have already sent my disdain to the friend who taught me those lines.

So far, I have made little progress with the professor, whom I realized to be a disgusting, egocentric, bigoted, sociopath who has a deep hate for all people, especially alphas.

Yet I still cannot help but respect him.

It seems the only person he likes is his 10 year old niece named Meme. He has a picture of said niece in his wallet, his phone, and on his desk.

He seems to have a makeshift room in the biggest work station in the laboratory,  right next to the pantry, where he has a long couch where he sleeps in and a desk full of three feet high piles of case studies and half eaten instant ramen cups.

For the past 11 days, he has been ordering me to make him coffee, bring him his lunch, and clean his work area. I have been dying to read the folders stacked on his table, but he specifically told me not to touch them.

I have been waiting for a chance to do so ever since, regrettably though, Prof. Antonio does not seem to leave his room unless one of his assistants are in a life or death situation. He only stands up when he goes to the lavatory next door, and does not seem to have a house to go home to.

“Pedro, does the professor always sleep in the office?” I once asked.

“Yeah, he prefers to sleep here, hustle daw kasi kung uuwi pa s’ya para lang pumasok `uli kinabukasan, besides, halos `di naman s’ya natutuog, eh, wala s’yang reason para umuwi.”

“How about taking a bath?”

Pedro laughed at my question.

“Hindi mo na ba kaya amoy ni sir?” he asked, “Sa bagay, mas sensitive ang ilong n’yong mga omega. May shower rooms naman dito, pero, ayon nga kay Sir Eric, kung hindi naman s’ya mabaho, hindi n’ya kailangan maligo. Para sa akin naman, matino-tino pa ang amoy n’ya.”

Actually, it is not that I find his scent repulsive, I just want him to go home so that I can check the files on his desk.

“And how come I rarely see him work?” I asked again, “Most of the time, he’s just playing games on his phone or staring at the photo of his niece until he falls asleep.”

“Ah, si bebe Meme?” again, Pedro laughs, “Ganoon lang talaga si Sir, it helps him concentrate. You see, sir Eric had a brother complex, his brother was an omega, and bebe Meme looks exactly like his big brother when they were younger.”

“Had?”

“Yeah, his brother died a year after giving birth to Meme, pero ganon pa man, mahal na mahal n’ya ang pamangkin n’yang `yun dahil nga kamukha ng kuya n’ya, samantalang `yung dalawa pa n’yang mga pamangkin ay kamukha naman ng tatay nila.”

“You mean, the alpha mate?” I asked.

“Yup,” he leans closer to whisper to me. “Actually, that person is the reason why he hates alphas.”

“Oy, chismis `yan ha, baka mahuli kayo ni sir, sige kayo,” said Pilar who sat beside us in the central pantry.

“Alam naman ng lahat ang tungkol sa galit ni sir sa bayaw n’ya, eh,” said Pedro, “`Di ba’t lagi n’yang kinukumpara lahat ng sira-ulo’ng alpha sa tao’ng `yun?”

“Haay... ganon na nga...” Pilar drank some coffee and gently touched my shoulder. “By the way, Dr. Abdel,” she says, “We’re going bar hopping, why don’t you join us?”

“No thank you, Pilar,” I reply, “I am actually working on something on my own.”

“Actually, my real name’s Maureen Peralta,” she corrects me, “Tinawag lang ako’ng Pilar ni Sir Eric, dahil may kasabayan ako dati na Jose ang pangalan, tinawag n’ya naman `yung `Pepe’.”

“I do not get it.”

“Never mind,” she sighs, “So, you’re running your own experiment?” she looked at me with interest.

“Yes, I have set up a laboratory in my hotel room.”

“Oh, can I come over to see it?” asked Pilar while gently rubbing my shoulder.

“I am sorry but the study is confidential.” I took her hand and placed it on her lap. “I shall tell you about it as soon as I finish it.”

I heard Pedro snort and looked his way.

“Tama, doc, buti pa nga umuwi ka na, at mag te-ten PM na, sobra-sobrang over time na tayo. Papasok ka ba bukas, araw ng Sabado?” he asked.

“Perhaps not, I plan to look for a permanent place to stay. I don’t have as much privacy in my hotel room, particularly when the chambermaids come to clean-up. I’m looking for an apartment I can rent where I can have a separate room to experiment in.”

“Sige, titingin din ako, baka may mahanap ako’ng apartment para sa `yo,” said Pedro. “Well then, kailangan na naming umalis.” he picks up his coffee, “Ingat ka sa pag-uwi, we’ll see you on Monday.”

I watched them walk away and went to check up on Prof. Antonio. I saw him through the glass walls, staring at his niece’s photo again with a steaming cup of my coffee by his side. I knocked to catch his attention, then opened the door.

“Prof. Antonio, is there anything you want me to do before I leave?”

“Wala. Umalis ka na.” He replied, not even taking his eyes off the photo.

I took my briefcase from the central pantry, and went on my way.

I plan to stop by a good restaurant today for dinner, it is a Friday after all, and I’m in the mood to eat a proper meal tonight. I went to the parking area to board my black Ferrari and went on my way.

I chose a French restaurant. The food was exquisite, and as I was about to leave, I thought of all the instant noodle cups around the professor’s table and decided to bring him something good to eat as well. Perhaps, then, he would think better of me.

I ordered some Confit de canard and a bottle of white wine, together with four different kinds of cheeses. I went back to the laboratory then to give Prof. Antonio the food, when lo and behold! I saw him, actually on his feet -- working!

He was standing behind an electron microscope and typing on his laptop! He was so engrossed in his study, that he didn’t notice as I stood behind him, watching his every move.

They were fluid and precise. Fast and calculated. Not a movement was wasted.

And the more I watched him, the more I felt respect for him.

I was still staring at him as he worked, my face against the thick glass wall, when the professor turned around and was surprised to see me.

Okay, surprise was an understatement.

He was so shocked that be backed up on the electron microscope, knocked down three test tubes, and dropped a pile of research paper on the floor.

Then he starts cursing at me.

“Puuutang ina!!! Ano’ng ginagawa mo rito hindot ka?!?!”

“I brought you some dinner.” I showed him the paper bag I was carrying.

“Ayoko ng dinner!!! Putcha!!!” he looked at the mess around him. “Putang-inang kaputang-inahan nitong putang inang `to!!!” and starts stomping around.

I placed the paperbag down on a nearby counter and entered the room with a broom.

“Ano’ng ginagawa mo rito?! Pinapasok ba kita?!”

“No,” I reply, “but stomping on broken glass will not get rid of it.”

“Ba’t ka ba kasi biglang lumitaw?!” he shouts at me again. “Binabasa mo ba ang ginagawa ko?! Balak mo’ng kopyahin ang research ko, ano? Sinasabi ko na nga ba’t may dahilan kung ba’t bigla ka’ng lumitaw, eh!”

“Is that the reason why you have been doing your best to keep me away from your work?” I asked him.

“Obvious ba? Dumating ka kung kailan patapos ko na ang first stage ng experimentation ko! Lagi mo ako’ng binabantayan! Pilit mo’ng binabasa ang mga sinusulat ko, pati `yung mga walang `wentang report ng mga alipores ko sa mesa, ang sama ng tingin mo!”

‘Walang wentang reports’? Is he talking about the folders stacked on his desk?

“No, I am not after your experiment. Please calm down, I can smell your fear.”

Prof. Antonio did not calm down, in fact, his body started to quiver and release more fear pheromones as he stared at me with bulging eyes.

“I-isa ka’ng spy, ano?! Sino nagpadala sa `yo?! T-terorista ka, `no?! Mula sa isang anti-omega group?!”

“I am not any of those. I told you, I am just a fellow scientist.” I stepped forward. He steped back and is now against the glass wall.

“I’m warning you! Puro cameras ang lugar na `to! Nakikita nila ang lahat nang ginagawa mo!”

I look at the camera in our work station. Sure enough, the light was blinking. I smiled and waved at it.

“Aha! May sinesenyasan ka! Sinong nginingiwian mo?! Padala ka ng Alpha Division, ano?! Balak n’yo nanamang i-sabotahe ang gawa ko!!!”

Now, he holds up a granulated cylinder and points it at me, his hand shaking.

“Mas nanaisin ko pa’ng masira ang gawa ko kesa makuha ninyo!”

“No, wait!”

I tried to stop him, but he was already smashing the rest of the test tubes before I could grab him. He is taller than me, but his arm felt so thin beneath his lab coat, I felt that I could easily snap it in half. He stared at me, his eyes, like that of a cornered animal, and started to scream.

“Saklolo! Inaatake ako! May terorista rito! Saklolo!” there was genuine fear in his voice.

“I am not going to hurt you.” I assured him, but I was afraid he would hurt himself with the smashed piece of glass he held, so I didn’t let his arm go, I touched his neck with my other hand instead.

He shivered.

I merely wanted to calm him down. I Passed a special type of pheromone as I touched him, a pheromone that could help lower his heartbeat and even his breathing.

“A-anong...” he gasped as his breath normalized, “Anong ginawa mo...?”

“I am just calming you down.”

“Ang tinatanong ko, eh, kung ano ang ginawa mo!” he repeated.

“Nothing. Just a calming trick,” I replied.

“A calming trick?” his heartbeat is starting to rise again. “Alam ko ang trick na `yan! Alam ko `yan!”

He dropped the broken cylinder which shattered to the ground and grabbed my hands. It was then that I noticed how clammy his skin was.

“Isa ka rin, `di ba?” he said, grinning like a mad man. “Isa ka rin! Ang tagal ko nang naghahanap ng katulad n’yo!”

“Professor, you are feverish and also dehydrated, I suggest you go to the infirmary.” “`Wag mo’ng ibahin ang usapan!” he snapped at me.

“When was the last time you slept or had a decent meal?” I asked.

“Parang makakatulog ako habang nandito ka’t binabantayan ang resesarch ko!” he laughed, “Pero ngayon alam ko na kung ano ka! Pinadala ka ba nila rito?! Balak nanaman ba nila ako’ng kunin at gamitin?!”

Hmm... interesting.

I stared at him to make sense of his words.

“Hindi na `uy! `Di na `ko magpapagago sa inyo! `Di na ko papayag! Magkakamatayan muna tayo!”

“Sir Eric, ayos lang ba kayo rito?”

We both turned around and saw two guards checking in on us.

“Tamang-tama!” said the professor who pushed me to a side, “Nakahuli ako ng espiya! Hulihin n’yo ang taong `yan!”

The two guards looked at each other, then looked at me. I simply shrugged at them.

“Akala mo makukuha mo ang notes ko?” he continued, ”Ha! Wala ka’ng makukuha! Nandito lahat sila!” he taps his head, ”Wala ka’ng makukuha sa akin, maliban na lang kung marunong ka’ng magbasa ng utak!”

He then freezes.

”Marunong ka ba’ng magbasa ng utak?!” he asked me, ”Marunong ka, ano?! P’wes, `di mo mababasa ang nasa utak ko! Wa-wala-wala-wala-wala-wala-wala!!!” he chants this out loud while covering his ears.

“Ano po bang nangyari rito?” the guards asked me instead as Prof. Antonio squats on the ground.

“The professor is feverish, he is currently unstable right now and requires medical attention.”

“Sabi ko sa `yo napa-praning lang si Sir Eric, eh.” one guard told his companion.

“Eh, buti na rin pumunta tayo, malay mo masaksak n’ya si Dr. Abdel!” the other said.

“Pasensya na, Doc, ganyan talaga si sir pag nasosobrahan sa trabaho, kaya nga walang nakakatagal na personal assistant d’yan, eh.” they told me.

“Buti po nakaya n’yo s’yang pigilan kanina nang nag-wawala s’ya.”

“Yes, I am quite used to my subjects having tantrums.”

They stared at me and laugh nervously.

“Dadalhin na lang po namin si sir sa clinic sa baba.”

”Okay, I shall go with you.”

They went closer to the professor and tapped his shoulder.

“Hinuli n’yo na ba s’ya?”

“Opo sir, halika, dalhin ka namin sa clinic...”

”`Wag n’yo s’yang iiwan dito mag-isa!”

”Opo sir, isasama rin namin si doc.”

So, we made our way down one storey to the nearest clinic where they gave him a bag of dextrose and a shot to calm him down. He kept mumbling as he lay on the bed. Utter nonsense, I thought at first, until I recognized the complicated DNA sequences.

I left him there right after he fell asleep and went back to the laboratory where the broken test tubes were left untouched. It was the professor’s strict order, after all, that the cleaning crew were banned from the whole floor, after they accidentally `cleaned’ his experiment while he was on a coffee break.

I tried to salvage what little was left of his specimens and looked at them under the electron microscope.

Again, I find new and unparalleled respect for Prof. Eric Antonio.