For Dr. Alvarado, his mood was was sunshiny as the morning. Everything went smoothly as planned. The discovery of Subangdakudium from the alien being was a big bonus. They said that a little knowledge could be dangerous and he would prove that true. He could use the discovery in pursuing everything he planned. A little modification and it would be perfect. He was in an ecstatic dreamy state of mind when his telephone suddenly rang.
"Hello? O, Mister Mayor, this is a surprise! What can I do for you?"
The smile on his lips widened. The mayor did not just call anyone on early morning. There could be an emergency that needed his expertise or even just his opinion.
"I have not yet checked the morning's news.... Uh uh? A new substance?"
A faint laugh escaped his lips. He was getting excited with what the mayor wanted to share. He listened intently to every word he said.
"So there is an urgent need to start the facility?"
"Alright, and maybe then we can do some research in the facility. We really need to learn as much as we can about this substance as soon as possible."
He was drumming his fingers on the table. He was fond of such habit, especially if he was thrilled of a new idea.
" What? There is another death? Oh my God, this is unbelievable. This substance could really be very deadly. "
The drumming went faster and louder. Everything had worked to his advantage.
"Oh yes, I really understand. The outbreak must be stopped soonest. We can't let it kill more people in Subangdaku."
The mayor was talking incessantly on the other line. He was frantic and tense. Dr. Alvarado could sense he was under pressure to stop the outbreak. After a long conversation, the mayor began to relax and think clearly. But that time, the telephone felt hot on his ears.
"Thank you, Dear Mayor, for the assurances," Dr. Alvarado finally spoke again. "I will work on this matter right away. I will inform your office of any developments."
He put down the telephone and exhaled. He was right - it was an urgent call to speed up the construction of the medical facility. It was very pressing that the mayor's office would facilitate approval of all necessary permits. Dr. Alvarado spent the next hour calling several people - the construction team, the designers, and some close colleagues he would be working with once the facility became operational.
He was exhausted after the calls, thanks to old age, but his day had just began. His mind was weighing different ideas and this made him more energetic. After his work in the desk was done, he went out of his office. He felt like visiting the location of his soon-to-rise facility.
He drove in silence as several ideas kept running in his head. He parked by the side and sprinted towards the old abandoned building. A number of engineers had already visited the site and decided that it was still serviceable. Most of the concrete works were still strong and durable. He just had to do some renovations to turn the abandoned commercial center into a medical facility.
He stared at the building from a distance. Originally, the facility would house clinics only and with a secret laboratory in the basement. But with the discovery of Subangdakudium, the children's clinic supposedly in the first floor would now be disregarded. Instead, diagnostic laboratories and selected clinics for adult medical needs would occupy it. On the second floor, a research laboratory would be put up, just like the mayor requested. That was the bargain for fast tracking the construction.
He was fine with that. Dr. Alvarado did not care about how the two floors of the building would be utilized. It was the secret laboratory at the basement he was more concerned and exhilarated.
"Silverio Alvarado Medical Suites," he whispered. "That's your name, baby."
He went back to his car and looked at the newspaper on the passenger seat. That part was not difficult - publishing a fake news feature packed with exaggerated science and hoax. Indeed, a little knowledge was dangerous. He knew the right people and one call to his mule at the tabloid newspaper was all it took. In the succeeding hours and days, all citizens of Subangdaku would be hiding in fear and plead relentlessly to the mayor for help and cure.
Cecilia and Tara had already done the first phase of the plan - to create an outbreak. He provided them with shots containing different viruses. It was the flu season and the early sicknesses the people experienced were natural. But to create chaos and urgency, a greater proportion of the population must be infected. With the mayor's approval and some flu shots mixed with contaminated shots, the nurses infected some children who later infected their loved ones and so on.
Dr. Alvarado smiled again, elated that his plans were all executed successfully. The people believed that there was really an outbreak and the mayor wanted him to create the cure or vaccine in the earliest possible time. Hence, the medical facility needed to be altered to please the mayor.
"Don't worry, Dear Mayor, we will create a vaccine for this outbreak," he said to himself.
He laughed out hard. With more ideas grilling inside his head, Dr. Alvarado started his car and burned the road.