The Hope of the City

HOPE 911.02: WHO STOLE IT?

"How are you doing, Gwen?"

"Mom, here I'm fine, always," Gwen said, no traces of unhappiness, just to express to her mother that she was doing fine, but pain can be written inside. "I'm fine. I'm just ahmm...though missing you so bad... But I'm fine...at least knowing you all will be fine too... ."

"I'm sorry, Gwen..." she was trying hard not to cry upon witnessing her daughter, alone, no one was with her; caging in an isolation; In this way making sure of her family's safety.

"Mom, I told you..." her daughter said. "It's not your fault." And she had tried to wipe her mom's tears through the camera she held. The only communication which helps them to get in touch with each other. Even though the virus had led them to be separated.

"If only if I could do more than of my power, Gwen," she mumbled, trying to suppress her tears to look strong in front of her.

"You did everything, mom and I'm proud of you. I know you all will save the world..." It provided her the courage to continue helping to find the solution to cease this nightmare reveling in their dreams.

"Promise Gwen. We'll be together again, soon," she asserted and her daughter suddenly coughed, "are you alright?"

"Yes, I am mom."

"Rest more sweety, hmmm?"

"I will mom, love you."

"I love you too." And turned her phone off.

-

Another long exhausting day in the laboratory. Numbing with PPE; equipped for protection but she wondered why it isn't enough? Symptoms had been starting to resist from her initiating a sudden appearance: her body had aching, the fever had to rise, rashes had appearing everywhere and worst the headaches had consumed her. With the decision, which she believed could accomplish her mission.

"You're negative, Dr. Diana."

But she never felt glad for she knows what she had done. Sabotage her own data to become negative in all of the tests but the sample vials weren't hers. It was all stolen from some doctor else.

"Do you know that Dr. Jenessa is positive?"

"That's impossible!" a doctor yelled out. "I saw her with no symptoms while we were video calling last day of having ROVDIV-01 on her or maybe she's definitely asymptomatic!" hearing this made a sudden leap on her heart.

I'm sorry.

"Ahhh," the first stage of ROVDID-01 on her body started to invade her by tormenting her with pain on her head. Yet she had allowed herself–prophylactic the symptoms from the disease-causing ROVDIV-01 with strong medicine enough to closure the pain.

"Are you okay, Dr. Diana?" someone asked her, "you don't look fine to me... Take a rest, we've been too hard on ourselves since the very first day. Especially you... you've been up for too long since we started the trial."

"I'm fine, I just need to finish the report for this week's Zyn and Aron's data."

"Okay, I'll come out first then." The doctor notified before he had taken his leave from their conversation.

Her phone had beep. She picked it up and her mother's sobbing that reflects in her eardrums. With her voice seems troubled it made her anxious. "Diana..." her mother weakly whispered. "I think you should know about it... Your daughter doesn't...want you to know about her situation... but you must."

"What happened?"

"She has...the last stage...of symptoms," it terrified her as a mother with so many dreams she wants to fulfill to her daughter. "She's been coughing blood...since yesterday, said her doctor."

The lethal pain had tried to engulf her entire system. It had been slowly devouring her.

She's phoning her right now. She didn't know where she got the energy to face her daughter like this. But she had to, to give her the courage she needed and that she is not alone.

"Hey, mom."

"How are you, sweety?"

"I'm fine." She coughed.

"Gwen..." tears were trying to build up from her eyes. "I'll promise we will soon...find the vaccine."

"I know you will mom."

"Diana?" Someone knocked on her door. Even the transparent goggles helped to showcase to the world the tears she had been resisting a while ago, just to let her daughter not notice them. "Are you alright?"

"May-be... I am?" With the lack of energy to exert as if she got senseless. Nothing more worse for a mother's love is by seeing her children in pain and nothing they could do at least to cease the pain. She sobbed. "I miss my family...my daughter... I... I just wish everything will come back again. I can't wait to see my daughter. I'll be with my daughter again."

"Oh, Diana..." said her colleague trying to soothe the pain as if the ocean is launching to start havoc to sunk her boat which dreamt of nothing only a peaceful island for her and her daughter. "We will surely get this thing back to the waves that will be navigating your way. But before that, you're needed, Diana. We can do this all together. If we can prove this vaccine, after this, everything will be fine."

"Right, this, will be fine." Striving to clasp the strength she lacked.

"So come on, Dr. Anerlyn asked you there. Tomorrow will be the first day we have all been waiting for."

"Yes, I know." With tears in her eyes, she wiped those and went outside. Ready to take another footstep without minding the mild pain in her head. As she knows she had the first stage of ROVDID-01. She may have got this from taking care of the animals they obtained for the experiments yet nobody knows, no one knows even Dr. Anerlyn. Because this day she was certain that the success of the RECIFP vaccine is a hundred percent sure accomplishment in terminating the virus.

Dr. Anerlyn just yesterday planned to announce the clinical trial. They were finding volunteers to take the test. Their first preference is in their middle age approximately 40+ candidates to their first trial. In query of whether the success rate is 100% to expel this virus.

Thinking about her daughter in her last stage of withstanding the virus. Her body weakened, her terrible headaches were gone but coughing blood is the indication of the last phase of the virus's symptoms. Diana's mother texted she was transferred to the ICU to further conduct a crucial examination. Her daughter being intubated as she had been breathing awful and could not breathe well as the first cause of the virus is agonizing the patient with pneumonia.

Instead of getting on to Dr. Anerlyn's to report this day's data about Aron and Zyn's. She had gone straight to Dr. Katey's room.

"You sure are so proud of your mother, Faith," Janice said, talking to Dr. Berbern's daughter, Katey.

"Well, of course, who wouldn't be?" she heaved a deep sigh.

"Will you be with doctor Anerlyn to face the press conference mamaya?" As later is the anticipated interview.

"Nope, I'll be home this day. Just wanna check my sisters, I missed the three months of seeing their lovely enthusiastic drama in life. And luckily this project showed so many improvements since the day mom left the world."

"Just to tell you, I'm so proud of you, Faith." A best friend's acclaim to her.

"You too, Dr. Janice," likewise to her significance. "Just call me if anything's needed, hmm?"

"Yep, see you tomorrow, my bitchy Katey, who's now I'm calling Faith," she chuckled.

"Woah, so you're giving me an attitude huh?"

"So how are you and Dr. Lynch, yiii."

"Shut up, Janice. Tuturukan ko ‘yang pwet mo kaya," she said jokingly saying she might inject a vial in her butt.

"Well, try me." Someone's phone was ringing. "There who goes ringing, aahhh Katey's phone," while Diana overhearing the whole conversation waiting for perfect timing so she could operate her agenda. "Okay then, bye. ahhh wait," trying to tease Katey, "what he gonna said, will he offer you a date?"

"shut up, Janice this isn't Dr. Lynch okay?"

"Aayystt alright, I'll go ahead. That's boring, haha."

"Wow, boring! Who's this calling me right now is the one who procured a job so you could ease you betch to assist in uncovering the vaccine, and now you say boring?"

She squeezed off, "haha it's, my favorite, Tita! Yeyy. Hehe." Katey scoffed and inhaled her laugh.

Dr. Katey and Janice together strolled out from her station. They met Diana as if though she's been loitering for a decision to make. "Oh, Diana. Aren't you needed there? The interview will soon launch," Katey recognized her even though she was wrapped thoroughly with her PPE because of her ID attached to her neck. She suddenly remembered hers but thinking she will not be needing it today she left it inside her room.

"I'll be there...now..." Diana was stammering, "yeah right, now."

"I'll go first," said Janice, "I leave you two hmm. I'm hungry,"

"Ahmm wait, Dr. Diana."

"Since you'll go to Dr. Lynch, right? Will you please..." she said as she entered. "Ahh nevermind. I hardly recognized where I placed it."

"I'll find it for you if you'd like."

"No, no, it's fine. It may cause you trouble."

"It's okay, I insist." She smiled, "what is it?"

"All the record of the vials we have." Since Katey trusted Diana,

"Okay, I'll do it."

"Thank you, Dr. Diana."

"Don't mention it."

After Dr. Katey left. Diana found an opportunity to grab Katey's ID.

Before she could let herself directly to where she expected to be, she came back to her station and put down everything that would enable her to discern that it was her.

Her ID, she took it off and wear Katey's ID. She went straight to the hallway where some doctors were busy enough doing their own businesses. While she tried reluctantly walking along the way to where she headed to. Some greeted her good morning thinking she might be Katey.

"Dr. Katey, ther–" but she just walked past the doctor who went to her to ask for information.

After she arrived at the area, she saw Dr. Lynch at the corner examining his data.

'What should I do?' she thought to herself, 'what if he finds out that I am, Diana?'

'I'm doomed'

After many minutes of waiting her head attacked her so badly because of the virus. She tried her very best to reach for the medicine she carries all the time in case it might bomb her.

Still, Dr. Lynch was in the area while she saw Katey was about to approach her.

'Gosh, I thought she's on her way home?'

She hid and try to sneak into the area where she badly needed to and luckily for her that was the time Dr. Lynch took his break and left where he had been.

She went directly to the area where no other doctors were allowed except for Dr. Lynch and Katey since the authoritative alone who have blessed the decision. Other doctors else might felt ingeniously anxious about distrustful senses merely fearful of the feasibility of causing a problem.

It's their way ever since Mrs. Berbern had been taking the lead of this experimentation. She gave the idea not to let anyone in; therefore, Anerlyn wasn't against this idea only them who have known the reasons.

Aside from Dr. Anerlyn, the project was assigned and entrusted to Dr. Lynch at Dr. Katey. Because Dr. Anerlyn believed something is up. Something wasn't right in the first place. That's why they were in charge of the valuable data in the lab.

Diana opened the door using Katey's ID, she entered and got one of them but after she remembered the deal someone has proposed to her.

"If you'll get vials enough for my daughter you'll be getting compensated. Thrice amount as to how you got paid," he said. "Even your daughter inside the hospital will get benefited if you do this job."

In the end, she stole three of them.

"We, therefore, announce the starts of clinical trials since the three months of preclinical trials provided us with no signs of susceptibility in terms of animal testing with all the subjects we had so far." Dr. Anerlyn on the television.

With all the strength, Diana had gained the courage from thinking about her daughter. She assumed that this will certainly bestow them fate. She was confident enough to attempt the first action.

"I will for my daughter." She tossed away all her anxiety and doubt; buried them underneath her chair while her eyes closed for a reflection. To prove that this vaccine is a sure success her daughter will first get the privilege to use this.

With no hesitation, the nib from the syringe sucked the vial's liquid from inside and it runs upward until it stuck. With the strength of a smile, she swallowed glimpsing her daughter's picture beside her. A click of an ant bite kissed her skin until the vaccine entered her artery feeling the satisfaction, she finally injected it. She looked at herself, hoping that the rashes will be gone, headaches will no longer occur, and can breathe easily. Any minutes it did! It was a complete success. Later on, she went outside.

But the unexpected circumstances. Her heart was throbbing so bad. For about 30 minutes they all got summoned after Dr. Anerlyn's interview.

It had been so chaotic. All the doctors gathered to be informed about the situation.

"How could it took three days before it gave us the sudden changes of record?"

Dr. Diana went back to her compartment reminding herself about what she put herself into. She prayed, she hoped it will have a discrepancy to human outcomes. She was trembling. Until her whole body felt a sudden itching from where she injected herself.

"Oh no, God please." She went outside to ask for help. As soon as she could, she wants to be cured, she wants to see her daughter smiling again, she misses her so much.

"Dr. Diana are you okay?" Someone asked her as they noticed her feeling not exactly well. "Nainitan ka lang ba?" Asking if the PPE had been giving her a feeling of uncomfortable. If that was too hot for her to endure. She shrugged and pointed where it itches badly. Until she couldn't feel herself. Numbness invaded her and lost control of herself.

Until everything, she sees went all black.

She woke up inside the isolation until minutes ago she felt something's crawling inside her. As if it was blood rushing to overrun her heartbeats. She became aggressive, shouted so hard because of pain that led her to bite someone. Any minute of attack reactions she isn't longer the Diana everyone recognized but a monstrous Diana as if trapped in a demonic possession.

The last thing she knew was that she growled as if she got possessed and the blood she sought after. She never recognized herself anymore. She can't control herself and hunger filled her system.

The three days of Diana's case bring havoc to everyone. It delivered constant threats and anxious about. Some speculated various impossible menaces like the latter of the world–the real end of the world. Even the first genesis of zombie apocalypse run over to their neurons and transmitted to the nation. As for a spectacle brought chills to those who saw the news which it had confirmed by Dr. Anerlyn on national tv about the sudden alteration of the output of the vaccine during the preclinical trials.

"Mom, how have you been doing up there?" Katey cast upon the blue sky's beautiful horizons. She wondered what could be her mother's intuition in this confusion that had happened.

She sighed and looked at the elevator as it clicked open indicates that someone had followed her at the rooftop of the laboratory.

Her eyes widened enough that could petrify her whole system. She swallowed her excitement jointly with pain aroused within her. How can it brought this much pain after the valued relationship they had turned in vain for a mere incident.

"Katey," this voice. She was used to hearing from him the formal addressing, but with this, she expected more.

His eyes were swollen as he looked deep into her eyes. He probably meant more than a colleague at this moment; a friend who lost his way.

"Dr. Lynch?"

"Ahmm, Dr. Katey." His tone changed. "I want you to check on something."

"Hmmm, what is it, Dr. Lynch?"

"The CCTV camera footage where the last time Dr. Diana was seen before she injected the vial."

She nodded and went straight to the elevator. Though they've shared the same pace, the same air they breathe–not literally since they've got covered with a mask. Looking at the same silver steel with has almost the same height as them; heading down but they were as if they are miles apart from each other. The silence inside will soon deafen their eardrums. Until he broke the silence. "I'll be on the third floor, I'll check on mom first. Will you first go there without me, then?" Katey nodded in understanding then he clicked the 1st floor. With a thought of, "I've been alone for years while seeing you every day, Lynch. Being alone in just 2 floors is nothing at all." She could have just asked why he did not just click the 3 before Katey can get herself on the 1st floor.

Instead, he chose to accompany her until she arrives and went back to be with her mother. As the door opened. She stepped out as soon as the door closes he called her name again, "Katey." She looked back and saw his dazzling eyes staring at her thick emotions and for him as if seeking the hidden pearl he used to pursue at the deepest part of the ocean like what he had always give gazes to her Thinker Bell, before.

And this moment, he did...again.

"I miss you," he whispered still it was enough for her to recognize those sentiments and it had melted her heart. As if the frozen years being thawed with his voice, with that phrase she thought of he has forgotten already.

The door closed as if the mesmerizing moonlight covered by the clouds at night that hid himself. It stunned her as if she could not move and wonders if that was really him. Until a tear just drops from her eyes. "I miss you too, always, my Peter pan."

Together, Dr. Lynch and Dr. Katey, inside the room, looking at the footage gathered from the parking lot, where Diana and that someone–wearing a mask and had been caught exchanging the valuable vials to an envelope probably consist of money.

"I recognized that nurse." Katey while pointed at the screen. "She was my mother's nurse, after getting positive with ROVDID-01 virus."

Without further hesitation, they went to the said hospital where this nurse's been settled her duty.

What left them dumbfounded is what the nurse they confronted said, "she's currently the personal nurse of the President's daughter."