Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 71 - THE BRION BROTHERS

Weeks passed and every grade ten student was preparing for the upcoming event, exclusively for their year level only.

"Why did they just let us get ready for Prom Night?" Trestan's classmate complained.

"Yeah right. Examination before the party. Tss."

He doesn't want to go but it is required and graded. He needed to attend the party for the sake of his grades. They are graduating students after all and he shouldn't let his grades flop just because of that event.

It's vacant time and the conversations inside the classroom are all about the Prom Night. His classmates' complaints were extremely annoying. Nothing will change even if they protest all day. To avoid those noises, he chose to go to the library to search for the book he needed for his studies.

There were few students in the library when he arrived. Most of the students are just playing with their gadgets and not reading books. They just hang out in the library because it is air-conditioned.

'Tss.' He hissed in his mind before going to the bookshelves.

Lots of books are there in the library but the most attractive books for him were the historical and science books which are limited editions and look older than him. He grabbed one of them and opened it.

"The effective methods of making medicine using herbs." He mumbled and that made him interested because there's something strange he had been feeling these past few days about the future. He just can't point out the right term for that feeling.

He was so focused on reading the book while standing so he didn't notice Blair on his side.

"What are you reading?" She whispered in his ears and felt her warm breath that slightly tickled him.

He dropped the book because of shock and it made a loud sound. The librarian looked at them and glared at him. He just gulped and immediately got the book. His ears became red because of embarrassment and Blair just silently laughed at him.

"Tss."

While getting the book which dropped on the floor, there are papers inserted between the pages with an old black and white photo scattered. Trestan got curious and looked at it.

Three young men are wearing an old school uniform at San Lorenzo University. The man in the middle looks familiar but he can't remember where he saw that man. There, he flipped the photo and saw hand-written words and a year on it.

"Brion brothers, 1978." He mumbled and grabbed the papers. "BB Organization: planning... Scientific formulas?" He asked himself.

He saw a blueprint of a building drawn in an old paper. The sketch includes the location of the building which is in the middle of a forest.

'What's this? Is there something I needed to know about these papers?'

"What are those?" Blair asked but she was ignored. There is someone in his mind that he wanted to ask about the photo. Maybe he knows about those three young men.

Trestan put the papers and photo inside the book and immediately borrowed it from the library. He ran toward the secret laboratory and he found doctor De Vega typing on his laptop.

"Hey, Trestan! You seemed to be in a hurry to get here. What's up?" The doctor faced him but Trestan didn't beat around the bush and immediately put the old book on the table in front of the doctor.

"What's that?"

"Did you study at San Lorenzo University in the 1970s?"

"Yeah. Why asking?" The doctor was confused because of his strange act but Trestan just opened the book. He showed doctor De Vega the photograph and papers that seemed important inserted in the book.

"Do you know those young men in the picture?" He asked but the doctor was stunned and just stared at the picture for a while.

"Doctor," Trestan tried to get his attention.

"Y-Yes?"

"It seems like you know them? Are you?"

"Well, I don't... know them," He took his eyes off the photo and looked at Trestan. "Though we were in the same year I guess?" The doctor said, "Why are you asking about them by the way?"

"I got curious and I'm having a strange feeling when I saw that and these papers." He also showed the papers containing lots of something significant he can't explain.

"Maybe, it is just a group project. You don't have to take it seriously." The doctor sounds nervous.

"Organization as a group project?" Trestan shook his head. "A plan to build an establishment in the middle of the forest? I doubt it's just a mere group project. There's something beyond this."

"Listen to what I say. There was a saying: As your knowledge broadens, so does your responsibility. You should choose wisely what you want to know. Use your brain, not your curiosity because it will just put you in danger." The doctor stated.

Trestan gulped before saying, "Maybe my curiosity will put me in danger but I am willing to take the risk if it's the only way for me to know the truth." He said and stared at the doctor. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll leave then."

When Trestan left the laboratory, Doctor Carlos De Vega heavily sighed and closed his eyes. A memory popped up in his mind.

***

"Kuya! We need to continue this." Their youngest brother said.

"But it is quite risky. I don't want to put your lives in danger just to let this organization happen." The oldest uttered.

"Kuya Carlos, what about you?"

"I think..." He looked at the two. "I think Kuya is right. We also have to consider our family before---"

"You're both cowards!" The youngest was really mad at his older brothers. "If you don't want to continue then I will!" He left his brothers and the oldest was about to go after the youngest but Carlos stopped him.

"Let's just give him space, Kuya. Maybe he'll realize later that our decision is right."

"But knowing him, if he wants to do something, he'll probably do it no matter what. Tsk. This is my fault. Damn it!" The oldest brother massaged his temple because of stress.

***

"Is it really our fault?" He asked himself.