CHAPTER 34:            BOSCO MUST DIE III

From what Bosco Masaba had observed in the blood sample of Amos Tatu. It looked like he was suffering from Leukemia or some fast-spreading disease that was destroying the white and red blood cells, from the way the cells were propagating every couple of seconds, it could be very contagious.

"Is this the result of Apocalypse2 fragment touching down?" He asked no one in particular.

'I hope this is just some anomaly and not something being spread in the air.' He encouraged himself.

'Why am I wasting time thinking so far ahead, I still have a lot of work to do.' Besides this sample from Amos Tatu, he had hundreds of other samples waiting for him to look at.

He buried himself in the work, he moved around like a robot. Picking a sample, he put it in the centrifuge or under the microscope, at the same time examining and filing his observations on paper or in the computer system so that it could be accessed upstairs by the doctors working on the patients. He started feeling hungry but he could not get himself to leave since the work was not finished. Also, Doctor Jean Pombe who was supposed to help him had not returned from going to collect more samples. He also wanted to examine the new samples that Doctor Jean Pombe was going to bring – deep down he wanted to know the fate of this patient called Amos Tatu.

Bosco was buried in the work when he heard footsteps. Assuming it was Doctor Jean, he didn't look up until a soft voice called his name.

"Excuse me, Bosco." He heard a feminine voice calling him, he looked up to see that it was none other than Monica Namatovu. She was carrying a backpack on her left shoulder.

"Hello Monica," trying to inject some warmth into his exhausted voice.

"Look at you, you need to take a break." Monica Namatovu told him having observed and concluded that he was exhausted. "Have you eaten anything?" She asked with concern etched on her face.

"Not yet, but I will once I finish this work." She frowned when she heard him.

"Look at this, it needs to be finished as soon as possible." He said while pointing at the enormous samples piled on his table waiting to be worked upon. To him, it looked little compared to what it was some two hours back.

"I insist, you need to take a break. This is not healthy; we came to help them and not to be overworked like donkeys." Her voice was fierce as she said this.

"Monica, I know but I can not help it. The results are needed upstairs, every time I delay, someone is affected." He said in frustration.

"I told my supervisor that we need more manpower but he refused saying that they could not spare anyone," Bosco told her. He hated that there were only two in the laboratory yet it required like four or five people.

"Are you working alone?" She asked.

"No, I am with my supervisor – Doctor Jean Pombe." He told her.

"By the way, have you seen him up there? He went to collect some samples but he has not returned for hours." He found it absurd that collecting samples could take more than one hour.

"Yes, we were together for a while there. Don't expect him to come back soon, he and the other doctors are handling an emergency case." She told him.

"Shit!" He cursed in frustration.

She looked at him with concern before saying. Listen to me, you really need to take a break. It can be for just five or ten minutes to clear your mind and drink some water."

He waved dismissively. "Not yet. Too much work."

She sighed, clearly unimpressed with his stubbornness. "I need to change. Can you show me where?" He remembered that he had told her she could refresh or rest from here.

He nodded. "Oh, about that, let me show you the way." He said as he left the table to guide her, the work was much but it could not hurt to show her the rooms before he came back to resume.

"This is resting room 1," he said as he opened a glass door.

Inside, it was a two square meter sterile white room with a bed (the bed was well-made, waiting to be used), a table, and clothes closet. At the far end were two door labelled Bathroom and Toilet.

"It is not as cozy as our hotel rooms, but it will do for now. You can rest on this bed, use the bathroom over there to refresh or ease yourself from the last door." He explained.

"I don't feel safe here." She said after looking around.

"Why is it so?" Bosco Masaba asked her in confusion.

Everything looked proper to him, he could not understand her saying that she was not feeling safe. No one could badge in while she used the room.

"This door is transparent. How do I know you won't peek while I change or sleep?" she challenged.

Bosco gasped at her. "What?! Monica, how can you think such a thing about me" The shock in his voice was evident. He was offended.

She crossed her arms, "I know you; all men are the same." She said with a voice full of conviction.

His brows shot up. "Monica, that is so unfair of you. You can not expect all men to be the same." He defended his gender.

"Don't try to convince me otherwise, men are all the same." Monica Namatovu added.

"If I may ask, you say that all men are the same. Is your father also like that? Does he peek at women in your home when they are changing or sleeping?" He asked to show how unfair her assumptions were.

"BOSCO, BOSCO! How dare you say such a thing?" Her blazed with anger.

Seeing that she was pissed off to hear that her precious father can be accused of doing such perverted acts, he knew he had struck a nerve.

"Monica, you are the one who said that all men are the same. Is your father not a man?" He asked with a smirk on his face. He wanted to show her the absurdity of her claims that all men are the same.

"Get out!" She shouted at him while pointing at the door. With a smile on his face, he walked out of the room and went back to his work.

He hoped that this short interaction had taught her not to generalize men. As someone whose parents spent considerable effort disciplining him, he felt offended to be lumped with perverts. It hurt his pride as a man of honor.

Back in the room, Monica Namatovu was still fuming. 'How dare he say such a thing about my father!'

'I thought Bosco was my friend. I can not believe that he said such a thing about my daddy. Would my daddy peek at me or my sisters?' All these thoughts ran through her mind as she undressed to take a bath.