"Are you ready to leave, professor?" I asked as Eric locked the door to his workstation.
"Okay... but why bother placing a lock on my door? You know how bad I am at remembering where I put my keys."
"I'll hold on to it then."
I took the key from him and placed it on my key ring, together with the rest of the keys from home.
"That's much better, you have all my keys, after all. In fact, I wouldn't be able to get in my own house if you're not with me," he chuckled.
We made our way to the basement parking and got into the car where he reached out to me and gave me a kiss.
"I've been wanting to do that all day! Just wait `till we get home later."
"I look forward to it," I smiled at him, "where would you like to go afterwards?"
"I want to eat some balut!"
I think he heard me groan, because he suddenly laughed and placed an arm on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, I won't force you to eat one, let's just buy some before we head to our favorite 1bulaluhan along Bonifacio Avenue."
"Okay, professor, I'm in the mood to eat some goat 2caldereta as well," I said as I started the car. "So, where will we be meeting Josh?"
Eric turned to face me, his brows raised.
"Ha? Why're you asking me? Aren't you the one who's meeting up with them?"
"Yes, but I do not know what school he attends to."
"Hmm..." he thought for a while, "From what I remember, Louie said he studies in St. Davies Academy. It's an infamous school that raises omegas for sale."
"Huh?" I looked at the professor, wide-eyed.
"The school's well known for supplying perfect omega bride candidates to rich alpha families," he continued. "They train them to be docile, submissive, baby machines. Rich folks send their omega kids there with hopes that they might snag an even richer alpha some day."
"I cannot believe there is such a school!" I exclaimed. "Why would your government allow such a place to operate? It sounds like a factory for tailored mail order omega brides!"
"Well, it's convenient since they hide behind a holy book. They insist that women should stay at home and submit to their husbands. Now change 'women' to 'omegas', 'men' to 'alphas', and 'submit' to 'exploit', and you have a typical alpha-omega relationship that dominants approve of," Eric laughed bitterly.
"How distasteful!"
"Well, you know we can't stop parents from using their kids as bargaining tools..."
"The people in my country have learned to appreciate women and omegas, particularly after 'Darwin's Cleansing' decimated humanity's population due to the corona virus. While here in your country, you tolerate such institutions that treat omegas in such a way?"
"Mahal, take it easy," Eric gently touched my arm, "the school itself is no problem, their teaching are just a little out of date. You know me, I just like to exaggerate things. Let's just say, they just focus on the teaching that being a mother and serving your husband is the greatest achievement an omega can attain in life," he explained. "They don't actually brainwash them or do the actual selling, although they don't teach gender equality either."
"Isn't that the same thing?" I asked, "But I understand what you mean. Is that the reason why Josh seems to be so naive?"
"You don't need to hold back, you know, just go ahead and call him stupid."
"So, we're going to this St. Davies Academy?"
"Yep, but go call him first to let them know we're on our way."
"I'm driving, why don't you call him instead?"
"Give me his number then."
"Huh?" I slowed down and looked at the professor once more. "Didn't he give you his contact information?"
"No. Weren't you the one talking to him?"
The car is now at a complete stop at the side of the road.
"I thought he gave his number to you?"
"Hay, Habibi, didn't I tell you that I didn't want anything to do with your experiment? Why would I get his number?"
I gave a deep sigh and took my cellphone out.
"Let us ask Louie instead."
"Aba, why do you have Louie's number?"
"Of course, he's your brother-in-law. He's family."
"Hmph. Well then, make sure you only call him during emergencies!" he said with a pout.
I dialed Louie's number.
It rang, but there was no one picking it up, until a message informed us that it had been turned off.
"That idiot! Why won't he answer his phone?" Eric grumbled.
"Perhaps he is still at work?"
"Let me call Mercy instead."
He took his phone out to call his niece and turned the loudspeaker on.
"Hello? Mercy? Do you have Josh's contact number? We were supposed to meet him in St. Davies, but we don't have his number."
'Tito Eric, Josh is no longer in St. Davies,' Mercy replied, 'he recently transferred to Erminguard International School to Makati.'
"Is that so? Just give me his number then..."
'I'm afraid I don't have his new number yet, Dad just bought him a new SIM card since his old one kept getting troll messages. Let me give you his MessageMe account instead."
"Ugh... you know I hardly use that stuff. Just send me his details and tell him that we're on our way to see him. Message me as soon as he replies."
'Okay, Tito, have a safe trip!'
"So, we need to go to Makati?" I asked as soon as Eric turned his phone off.
"Yeah, he's in this place called Erminguard, whereverthatis."
"I'm on it."
I inputted the details on my car's navi and soon, we were on our way.
Erminguard International School is an exclusive school located in the heart of Makati. It has a big campus that caters to students from well to do families and offers primary school education, up to senior high.
Security was quite tight inside the campus. We were told to leave our ID's and were even asked to answer a short questionnaire as to who and what we were doing on campus.
"I'm here to meet with my nephew, Joshua Safiro," the Professor told the guard at the gates.
"Your nephew?" the guard leaned over connivingly towards the professor's half open window. "Did Ma'am Villa send you?"
"Uh... yeah?" Eric answered back.
"Then, come on in, he's probably in the club rooms at this time."
"Thanks!"
Eric grinned at the guard as we passed.
"I guess Blondie's some kind of celebrity here, huh? The guard seems to know him well."
"Looks like it, but he didn't say where the club rooms are."
"No problem, we'll probably see a sign somewhere or just ask someone passing by."
We did find the club rooms, with a little help from some students, and my sensitive nose that was able to pin point Joshua's exact location.
I followed his scent to a row of small buildings. There we found Josh inside, together with several other students in what seems to be a sewing club.
"Joshua!" Eric called out to him as we stood by the doorway.
The students inside all looked alarmed when they turned to look our way.
"Tito Eric?!" Josh hurried towards us.
"Sorry we're late, I encountered some difficulty searching for your scent," I told him.
"You little fool! Why didn't you give us your contact number?" Eric scolded him with his arms across his chest.
"Ha? Ay! How could I have forgotten about that!?" Josh laughed sheepishly, making the irritated professor sigh. "Good thing you were still able to find me?"
"Whatever. So, where are those friends you were telling us about?"
Josh looked nervously as a tall man standing outside and started talking in a loud voice.
"Aveera, let me introduce you to Kuya Eric and Kuya Aahmes, they're my model friends who will be helping us with our show next week!"
"Ah, so you're here for our Fashion show?" exclaimed a tall lady who quickly approached us. "Please come in and make yourselves comfortable!"
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1Bulaluhan – a restorant that specializes in bulalo and other local foods
2Caldereta – a rich, savory meat dish stewed in tomato sauce, liver paste, and vegetables.