Third Person's Point of View

Nakahiga sa kama si Carol na binihisan ng mga nurses. Dahil ang silid nito ay ngayon okupado ng mga nannies ng mga anak nina Fallen Angel at Siren kaya sa silid muna ni Gerard ipinasok ang nagpapahingang si Carol.

May labingtatlong oras na ang nakakaraan mula nang magising ito. Hindi pa rin mawala ang hindi pagkapaniwala ni Gerard. Gumising ng ilang minuto kanina ang dalaga at ang pangalan niya ang agad sinambit nito. Nang lapitan niya ito agad kanina ay hinawakan nito ang kamay niya hanggang sa makatulog ulit. At kahit tulog ay mahigpit pa rin ang hawak nito sa kanan niyang kamay.

Gamit ang kaliwang kamay ay napahilamos ng mukha si Gerard. Kahit masayang masaya siya at natupad ang matagal na niyang mithiin na makitang humihinga si Carol, may mas malaking bahagi ng kaniyang puso na nangangamba sa kalagayan ni Timtara. He left his heart in the laboratory. No, he's heart stopped beating with her. Pero hindi niya kayang iwan si Carol na nag-iisa ngayon, he just can't.

"Babe," mahinag daing nito kaya mas hinigpitan ni Gerard ang hawak niya sa kamay nito. And when she opened her eyes, he's got to witness her blue eyes that he longed to see. It stared back at him.

Sa narinig na salita ni Gerard mula kay Carol ay mas lumala pa ang kaniyang alalahanin. Noong pumanaw ang dalaga ay ang mag nobyo at nobya pa sila. No, for Carol they are still in relationship like nothing has changed. But for him, everything changed.

Pero ayaw niyang maging unfair kay Carol. Bago niya simulang suyuin si Timtara ay dapat niya munang ipaintindi kay Carol kung ano ang mga nangyari sa loob ng limang taong wala ito. Gusto niyang magsimula ng malinis kay Timtara at kay Carol siya magsisimula.

And Gerard knows it will be a long discussion between him and Carol.

"Carol," nakangiting sambit ni Gerard at inalalayan itong umupo sa kama niya nang magtangka itong bumangon.

"Where are we?" tarantang tanong ni Carol na parang naghahanap ng kalaban sa paligid. Ang huling ala-ala ng dalaga ay ang Taetoku Great War kung saan muntik nang ma-wipe out ang White Family.

"Relax," idinantay ni Gerard ang kaniyang kamay sa balikat nito at umupo na siya sa gilid ng kama. Hindi inaasahan ni Gerard ang pagyakap nito sa kaniya pero naramdaman niya ang nginig sa kalamnan ng dalaga kaya tinugon niya ang yakap nito. Hindi niya gusto na makaramdam ito na nag-iisa ito.

Unti-unting humiwalay si Carol sa kaniya at pinakatitigan si Gerard. "It's subtle but I can see changes from you especially in your eyes. How long am I in a coma?"

May lungkot sa mga mata ni Gerard habang pinagmamasdan niya ang dalaga. Hinawi niya ang buhok na tumatabing sa mukha nito dahil sa haba at ginagap ang kaliwang kamay nito. "You were not in a coma, Carol."

"I'm not? But I felt like I haven't used my muscles for so long."

"You were gone for five years," tahimik na pag-amin ni Gerard na mas ikinalito ng dalaga.

"What?"

"You died, Carol. Five years ago."

Ilang minuto itong natahimik at nakatitig lang sa kaniya nang bigla itong tumawa nang malakas. That same laugh that he once fell inlove with. Nang makita nito ang mukha niya ay doon unti-unting namatay ang tawa nito.

"You're joking."

"I'm afraid I'm not," mababa ang boses ni Gerard. Nakita niyang nag-unahan na sa pagpatak ang luha ng dalaga kaya isinandal niya ang ulo nito sa kaniyang balikat at hinayaan itong umiyak.

Sa kabilang banda naman ay gising na gising si Timtara sa loob ng laboratory. Napag-alaman na niya kung bakit ganoon ang nangyari noong huli siyang gumising. Somehow, she's connected to Atlas and she was able to confirm it when her thoughts are answered by Atlas when she called the system's assistance.

What happened to me Atlas? Tanong ni Timtara sa kaniyang isipan para kay Atlas. Sumagot naman ang kaniyang dating assistant.

Sumagot si Atlas gamit ang speaker ng laboratory, "The red liquid that Alexander Montegracia gave to Gerard Hudson was not the Apohixen. As I traced the substance from your bloodstream, it appears to be the Philosopher's Stone."

Mas lalong naguluhan si Timtara.

Alchemy

"Yes, Alchemy is the medieval forerunner based on the supposed transformation of matter., the equivalent exchange."

Alchemy is a seemingly magical process of transformation. Magical! We're scientists, not someone who believes in a make-believe olf chemistry. And a Philosopher's stone? Really?

"There is a scientific side of alchemy. If you disregard the 'immortality' concept and the ability to change metal into gold, you can trace the same logic of making mercury to making philosophic mercury. Isaac Newton also stated this when he concocted a recipe for the Philosopher's Stone."

No one practices alchemy anymore, Atlas.

"Since January 13, 1404, when King Henry IV of England signed a law making the practice of alchemy a felony, those who were caught practicing alchemy were burned in front of many people and were dubbed as witches. This, later on, became 'the hunt of Salem witches'."

And now all of a sudden, someone is practicing alchemy in the twenty-first century? What did you found out about this Philosopher's Stone from my body?

"Because you were able to consume the Apohixen first, your DNA was able to fight back with the adverse effects of the Philosopher's stone. As a result, the pathogens of the Apohixen and the Philosopher's stone are fighting for control of your body hence the reason why you are still in this state. Also, another effect is your ability to connect with me since my system recognizes your DNA as my one true master. When you were placed in this laboratory inside that tank, your DNA and my system linked. When you woke up and the Philosopher's stone effects die down, everything will back to normal."

Sa narinig na paliwanag mula kay Atlas ay napanatag ang loob ni Timtara. All she needs is time to fight off the effects of Philospher's stone. That damned Alexander, alam na niya kung ano ang objective nito. Gusto nito ang dalawang perfect samples para sa kaniyang experiment. At ako ang sample A at si Carol ang sample B.

But why didn't I wake up immediately before I was given the Philosopher's stone liquid?

"You had the Stoneman Syndrome wherein your body turned your skeletal system into stone. It will take time to undo the changes," sagot ni Atlas sa kaniya at alam na niya na ang pinakamabuting gawin ay ang maghintay.

Sa kabilang banda naman, sa silid ni Gerard ay nalagay ang lalaki sa pinakamahirap na sitwasyon.

"Don't you ever leave me, babe. Promise me." Puno ng pasusumamo na saad ni Carol kay Gerard.