M I L L E R

"It's a family heirloom," Mateo mentioned.

It's been a few hours since we left the Supreme's office. Tumungo na kami ni Mateo sa practice field para magpapawis kasama ang ibang alpha. At nang matapos ay muli kong naalala ang tungkol sa rose na pinag-ugatan ng medyo mainit nilang usapan kanina.

"A rose as an heirloom? Hindi ba't malalanta lang 'yun?"

But then I remember that they are not living in an ordinary world. The rose they were talking about must not be an ordinary rose. Baka nga kagaya ito ng mga roses sa fantasy genre na mapapanood sa TV na nakasilid sa isang mahiwagang kahon.

Obviously, nasobrahan ang pagiging imaginative ko. Naudlot ito nang umiling-iling si Mateo. I guess it means no.

So, ano nga ba iyong rose na tinutukoy nila?

Luminga-linga si Mateo. We are pretty far from the others. Nasa may dulo na kami ng malawak nilang likod bahay at patungo na sa hardin. When he made sure that no one can hear us, Mateo answered my weird question.

"The rose is not a plant. It's a gem."

"Is it jewelry?"

"It could be."

"Bakit it could be?" Nalito ako bigla sa sagot niya.

Why does it have to seem demanding? Gusto ko lang naman na malaman kung anong klaseng bagay ang heirloom nila.

"It's actually just a gem that changes its form every time it has its new owner. Humans call it sapphire, because it's bloody red. But we, vampires, just simply called it rose."

Rose? Baka dahil sa kulay pula ang rosas?

"But roses are not only red," I pointed out.

"Of course, roses are not just red. We also don't call it a rose because of its color. We call it that way because of its preferred form whenever the vessel changes."

"A rose?"

"Yes. A rose ring, rose necklace, rose bracelet. Today, that gem is in a rose brooch form on Lord Maximilian hands."

I wonder how that happens, the changing of forms.

Itatanong ko na sana ito nang may dumaan na hardinero sa harapan namin. When he walked for at least ten meters away from us ay dito ko pa lang muling ibinuka ang bibig ko.

"How does a mere gem could do such thing?" I whispered. Kahit na malayo na ang hardinero na dumaan kanina, he is still a vampire, malamang ay matalas pa rin ang pandinig nito.

"Don't worry. I put on a thin barrier around us. He won't be able to hear us when he is at least three meters away."

"Oh."

So, even Mateo can put up a barrier.

"You were asking about how the gem can change forms, weren't you?"

"Uh-huh," maikli kong tugon.

I underestimated this world. I do not have the slightest idea of how such a gem would blow my mind with its ability.

"The gem was forged in ancient times by the first Supreme vampire who constitutes peace to the vampire kind. Because vampires still had so much power in ancient times, it was made to control his powers. The reason why the gem is red was because of the blood of the Supremes who owned the gem. However, as the time changes and the vampires begin to hide behind the shadow of the mortals, their power has decreased. The gem was soon used to give the extra power for the Lorenvetti, the family whose direct descendant to the first vampire and Supreme vampire. The blood of the Supremes on the gem still has the memories of the past and even the power."

"Woah. Hindi ba't delikado kung makuha ito ni Ronaldo?"

"Yes, but not in the way you thought it would be."

It turns out that the gem only follows a Lorenvetti. Kaya kung hindi isang Lorenvetti ang may hawak nito, wala itong magiging epekto sa bampira. On the other hand, if two Lorenvetti were to compete for it, the gem would prefer the one with the thicker Lorenvetti blood.

This must be the reason why Ronaldo hated the Supreme. Because he is not as powerful as he is, and he is not also a Lorenvetti he couldn't have the gem that amplifies the power of a vampire.

"But the rose has another ability," Mateo told me, ready to share what else he knows. "It could intensify the Lorenvetti blood present in the body of a descendant. That is the reason why the Supremes can detect the anomaly inside a vampire's body. They can also connect to them, just like how they can take a vampire's life by making their blood poison to them. Since the origin of all the vampire blood is a Lorenvetti, he can also control them at his own will."

I asked why the Supreme can't just take Ronaldo's life if he can easily do such a thing. But then Mateo simply replied, "Ronaldo knew about the power of a Lorenventti. About the tree-branch relationship. So, before he began his rebellious plan, he made a rare potion that can unlink his connection with the Supreme. It's pretty similar to uninstalling a program that can detect one's location in the GPS."

Nagpapaliwanag pa lang si Mateo ay naiisip ko na kung gaano katuso si Ronaldo. He knew what he had to do first, and executed it perfectly. Kaya naman pala hindi na nakapagtataka kung paano nakagawa ng delikadong sandata ang kanyang kampo. Alam ni Ronaldo kung anong klase ng mga tao ang kailangan niya para sa layunin niya.

"Iyan din ba ang dahilan kung bakit binigay ng Supreme ang gem na 'yon sa ana—sa prinsesa?"

Mateo paused. Mukhang pati siya ay hindi rin sigurado. It's quite obvious by the way he opposed the idea earlier in the Supreme's office.

"Possible. Yet, the Supreme will still have to bequeath the gem to the young lady... But, I am honestly worried about what could possibly happen in the battle if it's not in the hands of the Supreme." He sighed.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang plano ng Supreme, pero kung ganito na lang ang pag-aalala ni Mateo... dapat na din siguro akong mag-alala.

Pagkatapos namin na mag-usap ay sabay na kaming bumalik ni Mateo sa lab. We were casually taking our time striding the corridor when a research apprentice suddenly appeared on our way.

"Ah... Sorry... S-Sirs." He hesitantly uttered.

Siguro dahil para kaming galit ni Mateo kung makatingin sa kanya. He doesn't have any idea na ganito lang kami magulat. I stepped a little backwards, calm and collected. While Mateo, jolted his shoulder a little without a slight change from his expressionless face.

"That's nothing," Mateo shrugged off the act, "What's the hurry?"

"Uhm, Sir... We found something interesting, a-at the same time troubling, on the specimen you handed to us."

Nagmadali naming sinundan ang apprentice. And when we reached the laboratory, everyone looked weary. Some were even surprised. Tumabi ang lahat para padaanin si Mateo, nasa likod niya lang ako at nakasunod.

The apprentices on the side were guiding Mateo to the lab counter kung saan naroroon ang isang electron microscope.

"S-Sir," nanginginig na senyas ng apprentice na nasa unahan ng pila.

Dahan-dahan naman na lumapit si Mateo sa counter. Yumuko siya at sumilip sa microscope. Habang nanonood ay kung saan-saan din tumungo ang mga mata ko. May mga nakapaskil kasi na mga papel sa dingding ng counter. They all seemed like writings and molecular compositions.

Hindi ako masyadong matalino pagdating sa biology. Science is Axel's forte after all. Pero hindi naman ibig sabihin nito ay wala na akong alam. While reading the composition on the paper, and as I observed the structures they drew, I have the feeling of what might they have discovered.

"And... then? What's up here?" tanong ni Mateo na tinuturo ang eyepiece ng microscope.

Mukhang hindi niya ata alam kung ano ang tinitingnan niya sa ilalim ng microscope. As he stepped aside, I made a step forward and put my eyes on the lense to see what he saw.

"I saw a weird red thing inside. Like a web or something is in there. Can someone tell me what that thing I saw?"

"The Supreme's blood cells!" I exclaimed out loud, na hindi ko naman talaga sinasadya. Sunod ko na lang na narinig ang pagsinghap ng mga tao sa paligid.

"Supreme's what?" Hindi makapaniwala na tanong ni Mateo. He even came closer to me as if he was trying to hear me properly kung sakaling nagkakamali lang siya ng dinig.

"Dugo po ng Supreme, sir." Finally someone from the team stepped forward and repeated what I said. Parang hindi kasi tama na pangunahan ko sila sa natuklasan nila.

"Paano mo nalaman, Mateo?" tanong naman sa akin ng babaeng researcher.

"I saw it in your calculations and papers here... This one here," turo ko sa papel na nasa kaliwang dulo ng counter, "doesn't it tell the molecular structure of the Supreme's pure blood cells?"

Halos sabay-sabay silang tumango.

Mateo saw their answers. Yet, he still reluctantly asked them, "That blood, where did you find that again?"

"On the black pearl, sir," sagot ng bampira na sumalubong sa amin kanina.

"What has the blood of the Supreme got to do with the black pearl? Why is it there?"

Noong una ay para bang natatakot ang mga ito na sumagot kay Mateo. Lalo na at tumataas ang boses nito. Yet, when I had eye contact with one of them, he immediately stepped forward and said, "It was used as a trigger agent, sir!"

Mukhang nahulaan ata nito ang balak ko na sumagot sa tanong ni Mateo. May pride din talaga silang iniingatan. They don't want me, someone who's not part of the research team, to explain the data for them.

Base sa nakasulat sa mga papel nila, the Supreme's blood has the ability to alter a vampire's blood composition. Ito siguro ang rason kung bakit makapangyarihan ito at may kakayahan na pumatay. Pero kung hahaluan ito ng iba pang agent na kahinaan din ng mga bampira, the deadly effect will increase rapidly. Like cancer in the cells and will cause death to the host.

Ngunit ang tanong...

"How did they get the blood of the Supreme?" Kasabay ng nasa isip ko ay ang pagbigkas ni Mateo ng parehong kataga.

However, as the question floats on my head, a vague memory suddenly pops in.

"Mateo," tawag ko sabay lapit sa tenga niya, "Axel's kidnapping incident." Napatingin sa akin si Mateo.

His brows wrinkled and his eyes seemed wandering around then, it stopped. As he uttered, "Indeed the Supreme was there."

"Hindi imposible na nakuha nila ang dugo sa silid na 'yun. It was so chaotic. Hindi na nakapagtataka na nasugatan nila ang Supreme sa araw na 'yun."

Besides, it was the only time the Supreme went out into the field this year. Isa pa, simula nun ay bigla na lang sumulpot ang mas epektibong sandata na 'yon ng kampo ni Ronaldo.

Hindi na kami nagpadalos-dalos pa at agad nang tumungo sa opisina ng Supreme para ipagbigay alam ang tungkol sa nadiskubre ng research team.

"How did you know?" Pahabol na tanong sa akin ng lalaking mula sa team na huling sumagot kay Mateo kanina.

"I also once had my own life before." I vaguely replied. Tinutukoy ko lang naman ang tungkol sa mga araw na ang pag-aaral ko lang ang pinoproblema ko.

"My Lord!" Mateo barged in the office as soon as we reached the door.

Ngunit para bang inaasahan na ng Supreme ang pagdating namin dahil mahinahon lang siyang lumingon sa pintuan. At pagkatapos niya kaming titigan isa-isa ay bumalik ulit ang kanyang tingin sa TV na nasa tabi lang namin.

Dahil dito ay napalingon din kami sa TV. We also got curious, only to see a familiar face on the screen.

"Teka. Hindi ba't 'yan 'yung lalaki na leader nung mga kumidnap sa girlfriend na mortal ni P–"

"His name is Logan," sabad ni Mateo sa akin. "He took Bernard's place in Ronaldo's hierarchy of underlings." Sa tono ng boses ni Mateo ay para bang binubutasan niya ang mukha ng lalaki sa TV gamit ang mga tingin niya. Maririnig at mararamdaman ang yamot mula sa kanyang boses at kabuuang awra.

"They are launching a new water system."

"What are they planning for that water system? I refuse to believe that this is pure business."

Sa isang iglap ay naglaho ang init sa katawan ni Mateo. Para bang nakalimutan niya ang tungkol sa itim na perlas at walang ano-ano na nagbago ang paksa ng usapan namin.

Kapareho din naman ang naging epekto nito sa akin nang makita ko ang pamilyar na company logo. Magkadikit na W at G ang ipinapakita na logo ngayon sa TV.

"Teka. Hindi ba't sa Water Grande 'yan? Anong ginagawa niya dya–"

"That bastard's family is quite influential in human society. His whole family, from his father to his father's siblings, are business people. Water Grande is just one of their assets." Ito na naman ulit ang mabigat at malamig na hangin sa palibot ni Mateo.

The report on TV shows the state of the art facility inside the company's water system, especially the gigantic dam. Ang sabi sa headline ay magbubukas daw ng isang bagong water supply system ang Water Grande na siyang magsu-supply sa libo-libong kabahayan sa dalawang lungsod.

Sounds promising and business-like. Lalo na kung hindi hahaluan ng kasakiman ng isang bampira.

"That sounds fishy," komento ni Mateo na hindi pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa lalaking ini-interview ng reporter.

"Sang-ayon ako. Imposible na makilahok si Logan sa ganitong bagay," sambit ng Supreme.

"Bakit naman po?"

"The man smiling on the camera and answering the questions in formal speech and full decency is fake. Malayong-malayo ang tunay na mukha ni Logan sa nakikita mo sa TV ngayon."

"He is the dirtiest man I know alive. Besides, Water Grande is owned by his auntie. An alpha who refused to take sides in this war," dagdag pa ni Mateo.

Kuntento na raw sa buhay nito ang tiyahin ni Logan kaya hindi na ito nakikisawsaw pa sa gulo. Pero ngayon, ang marinig ang balitang ito habang nasa harap ng camera si Logan ay isang masamang balita.

"Oh, sh*t!" Tumaas bigla ang boses ni Mateo bago siya tumitig sa Supreme.

The Lord Supreme nodded as he already knew what Mateo was thinking.

"Tama ka ng iniisip, Mateo. They have become so hungry for power that they want to turn a thousand more mortals into a vampire."