Tara and Cecilia had just finished addressing the needs of a patient in one of the tents. They felt exhausted since they had been tending people with flu and other sicknesses since that morning, and they felt disgusted. Yes, they were privy to the development of the outbreak but to be part of the solution and to be in the frontline in the crisis was something they did not anticipate. They thought they would just stay in the local health center where they did nothing much but look after their fellow nurses. And then their superiors deployed them to the isolation camp, an order they could not refuse.
For Dr. Alvarado, it was a lucky situation that he could take advantage of. He was delighted when the two informed him about it. With them, he would have eyes and ears inside the isolation camp. Besides, all eyes were also aimed at the facility so whatever happened there, it would be an explosive news. A little sabotage from the two ladies and the outbreak would blow out of proportions. Overjoyed, the doctor promised them a handome bonus pay for that development.
"That one made me sick," Tara presently said, referring to their last patient. They were headed to the clinic to get some supplies.
"Why only him?" Cecilia asked. "You should be disgusted with everyone."
"Well, I am but the last one was beyond forgiving. He coughed hard near my face. I could have easily inhaled all the germs coming from him."
"Highly unlikely since you put on a face shield and a disposable mask."
"But it is still disgusting."
"Well, we did not expect the Dr. Alvarado's little plans would result to something as big as this."
"Yes, it is quite funny how people panicked to this fake outbreak."
"Be careful, Tara. Some ears might be able to hear you."
By then, they were near the clinic and Tara looked forward to some rest.
"We are finally almost at the clinic," she sighed. "I want to take a nap at the doctor's office."
"You cannot do that," Cecilia snapped. "We must appear like hardworking and caring nurses. We just get some supplies and then we come back to the camp."
"Yeah, I know. This is just too boring."
"Boring or not, we have to act concerned so that nobody will suspect. Besides, there are too many nosy people around."
"Yes, one of them is Grace, the school nurse. I can't stand her. She is too kind and soft-spoken for my liking."
"And she is a smart girl. People like her are dangerous. For all we know, she might be mistrusting us."
"And there's that Estella Bermudez, the all-knowing reporter."
Tara pointed Estella with her pouted lips. The news duo was taking shade in the porch of a building. They appeared to be recording some news report. Estella was standing on the porch and delivering her lines while Sonny was crouching on the ground and working his camera to record Estella. They looked too intense and serious which irritated Tara even more.
"She thinks she is a highly intellectual human being," Tara commented. "I can't stand her arrogance."
"Well, she has a right to be arrogant," Cecilia stated matter-of-factly. "Look at her - beautiful, charismatic, smart, and successful."
"You don't have to enumerate how lucky she is."
"Are you envious of her?"
"Why would I?"
Tara turned her head and walked rapidly. They finally arrived at the clinic and the cold air of the building greeted them. Tara relished the feeling and right away slumped into the sofa.
"Tara, get up!" Cecilia barked. "You can't be too careless."
"Just chill. I'm just taking a short break."
"Come on, let's take some supplies."
Just then, Cecilia heard noises coming near the doctor's office.
"Who's there?" she called. "Grace?"
"She can't be here," Tara answered her. "She was her usual busy self at the camp."
"Any people there?" she called again.
"You must be hallucinating. This place is as silent as a tomb."
Cecilia shrugged her shoulders and went immediately to the stock room. Tara lazily followed behind her.
Meanwhile, Kiko and Bogart stayed as low as possible behind one of the cabinets inside the room. They dared not move any muscle. If they could stop their breathing, they would have done so. The two nurses were already picking supplies from the shelves.
"These are the same as before, right?" Tara asked.
"Yes, they are," Cecilia said. "The doctor said there is no need to increase the lethality of our injectables."
"But we still have to inject them to random people so they will get sick or worsen the conditions of the present patients."
Cecilia nodded and said, " Like I said, you should be careful with your words. You might heard."
"Well, nobody is here. And nobody will think we are part of how this outbreak was made."
"Hush!"
Cecilia glared at her. She was annoyed by how tactless her accomplice was.
"Well, good luck to Subangdaku. More people will get sick, and the present patients will suffer even more."
Tara let out a teasing laugh. The boys heard them clearly. They looked at each other and nodded, realizing that answers had indeed come their way.
"Do you really understand why the doctor is doing this?" Tara asked.
"He said everything was for his medical facility. The sicker the people get, the more urgent the facility should be established."
"Do you believe that?"
"Not really," Cecilia said after a long thought. "There is something he is not telling us. However, it is none of our business."
"What's important is that we are being paid beautifully for a job well done."
"Exactly."
The two laughed evilly. The boys were infuriated with what they heard. They had many theories about Dr. Alvarado, assuming that he was indeed the doctor the two nurses were referring to, and the Biker Brothers were hoping they were entirely wrong. But then they were right all along. It was unthinkable that a respected man could do such evil act.
"I wonder what substances these vials contain, " Tara said curiously.
"We don't have to know," Cecilia answered. "Let's simply do what we are tasked to do. So let's just inject these things to random people."
"And they will get cough, fever, and blah blah blah."
"Come on. This is enough. Let's continue making the people get sick."
They laughed again which revolted Kiko and Bogart as they listened. The sound of their voices would forever remain a nightmare to them. When they were done, Tara and Cecilia gently opened the door and left the room. The boys quickly got out of their hiding place.
"We have to tell Jamie and Tonton about this," Bogart said.
"Yes, we really have to," Kiko replied. "It makes me mad. But is it really Dr. Alvarado they were talking about?"
"Who else is making a medical facility right now?"
Kiko nodded, understanding the logic behind his friend's words.
"Do you think Dr. Alvarado will be going to the isolation camp?" he asked.
"We will never know unless we go back to the camp," Bogart answered.
"Then we shall."
They slowly went out of the room. To their relief, nobody was in the clinic that only dead silence could be heard. They walked slowly but their steps echoed in the silence. They were breathless as they went out through the exit door.
Kiko pointed to the direction of the isolation camp and Bogart nodded in response. They tiptoed their way round the corner and when they turned aside, Estella was standing there, delivering her news, while Sonny was recording her. They jumped back but Sonny had already seen them....