Chapter 7 – Hear! Hear!

It was fun to see the shocked expression of the idiots in the conference room when Aahmes entered with me in tow.

Actually, they didn't recognize me at first.

"Prof. Antonio? Is that you?!" asked the bulky Dr. Gonzaga, the old, bald-headed head of Universal Laboratories, Philippines.

"It's nice of you to finally join us!" greeted Dr. Francisco, a curly-haired cougar with a face caked with paint.

"I commend your new assistant for bringing you in on time, Prof. Antonio," said a gecko in a wig and thick glasses named Dr. Gregorio.

"Yeah, This is Dr. Aahmes Abdel, my new PA," I told them as I sat behind my nameplate on the long conference table.

"Habibi, these are Dr. Gonzaga, Dr. Francisco, and Dr. Gregorio. They are the three heads of cerberus here in Universal Labs, Philippines."

"Don't call me Habibi," Aahmes whispered from behind me.

"Ah, you must be an omega, Prof. Antonio wouldn't have remembered your name otherwise."

My attention was called by the mestizong hilaw1 who was seated right in front of me.

He's the head of the Alpha Research Team who has offices on the twin building next to ours – a narcissist who loves to seize all the research fund available in the company.

"Why, yes, this is my Habibi," I answer him with my arm around Aahmes' waist. "Habibi, this is Hitler, the head of the Alpha Research Team."

"It's `Heathlow' not Hitler," Hitler corrected me.

"Ah, I stand corrected, I meant Hythloday!"

Hitler glared at me.

"E-eh-eh-eh-eh."

I was suddenly spooked by an eerie sound coming from the person behind me!

"The peddler of nonsense?" Aahmes asked, stating the meaning of the name 'Hythloday' from a book called 'Utopia'2.

Is there something stuck in his throat?

"No, just 'Heathlow'. Doctor Percival Heathlow," Hitler insisted before reaching a hand out which Aahmes grasped and shook politely. "It is an honor to meet your acquaintance. If I'm not mistaken, you are the famous royal professor from Egypt, Dr. Aahmes Abdel MD, who specializes in secondary gender personality disorders." He then caressed Aahmes' hand and even kissed it.

Ugh...

"Yes, I am," Aahmes replied blankly.

"I have been wanting to meet you," Hitler continued with an annoying smile, "and perhaps, get to know you better?"

"Perhaps," Aahmes pulled his hand back, "if I have the time."

And he took out a handkerchief and proceeds to wipe his hand. I had trouble trying not to laugh out loud after seeing Hitler's flushed face!

"Since everyone is already here, can we start the monthly meeting?"

Now the bald Gadxilla has taken front stage, with the bride of Frankenstein to his left, and a mutated lizard Grinch to his right.

They have the highest positions here in Universal Labs, the people who division heads need to suck up to if they want their research funded. No wonder all 12 department heads are present today...

"Professor Antonio," I felt Aahmes tap my shoulder. I didn't notice that Gadxilla was calling for me.

"How about your department?" he asked, his bald head blinding me. "Perhaps you can bring a sample of your newly improved Omega-J suppressant to the up coming summit?"

"What summit?" I asked with a frown.

"Mr. Gonzaga was just talking about it, there will be a medical summit and Expo next week," whispered Aahmes who sat right behind me.

"Oh. My Assistant will take care of it."

"Prof. Antonio, we were hoping perhaps you can come personally and impart a message to the public concerning your outstanding contribution to the medical society," said Mrs. Frankenstein who dabbed daintily at her melting face.

Hmph.

Why can't they just say straight out that they want me to advertise on stage?

"Dr. Francisco, we all know that Prof. Antonio has agoraphobia3, he's probably too scared of having another panic attack," pipped in Hitler, "I'm sure he's more comfortable in his laboratory. Dr. Abdel and I will be more than enough for the summit."

"Hear! Hear!" I clap my hands in agreement.

The meeting drags on as the monkeys chatter with each other and my mind flies to more important thoughts.

I enter my mental library and climb to the 4th floor where I keep my notes regarding omega genes. I've been thinking of a good agent that I could use for my secondary gender tester. Here at the 37th row of the 13th shelf is where I collect all the data regarding this topic of study.

This is where all my information are stored – inside my mind, where no one can enter and read them.

A place where no one can steal the research I have worked hard on day and night.

I think back on the genomes I have discovered and thought of a way to detect the omega catalyst responsible for a child's DNA to...

"Professor."

I felt Aahmes tapping me again.

"Is that true, Prof. Antonio?"

I come out of my mental library and noticed that everyone was staring at me.

"What?"

"That you're working on a Secondary Gender Test for preadolescent children?" Hitler asked, glaring at me.

"Ha?!" I straighten on my seat. "Who the hell told you that?!"

"I did."

I turn around to glare at the bastard seated behind me!

"You sonufa..."

"Please watch your language, Prof. Antonio," the Grinch interrupted me.

"Perhaps, Dr. Gregorio, Dr. Abdel was only exaggerating," Hitler bragged. "Anyway, the project our team is currently working on in the Alpha Genome Department is more feasible. I have sent the details to your accounts on the Alpha perfume we are currently developing, as well as the amount we would need to fund our research..."

"Prof. Antonio, you have not answered the question," the Grinch grinned at me now, his wide forehead creased beneath his toupee like a wrinkled piece of cloth.

"Are these SGT kits already being developed?"

"SGT what kits?!"

"Mr. Gregorio, currently our department is inadequately funded," Aahmes cuts in, "in fact, Prof. Antonio has been using his own funds on most of his projects, that is why the SGT kits are still on the drawing board."

What drawing board? What is this bastard talking about?

"Well, you see, you need to actually 'show' something to get funding," Hitler pipes in once more.

"If this is the case, then it would be better for him to leave your company and work on his own," Aahmes answered back.

"What Mr. Abdel said is right," said Mr. Alonzo, the head of the accounting department. "Prof. Antonio's newly improved Omega-J suppressant is about to be released next month, and yet he hasn't received any funding while developing it, we just reimbursed some of his expenses. In fact, we weren't even able to reimburse half of them, since he kept losing his official receipts."

"Exactly," Aahmes harrumphed. "To tell you frankly, I am tempted to take him back with me to the United Arab Countries of the Middle East, where he can get enough funding for all the projects he has in mind."

"As If you can?!" I said with a laugh.

"Actually, Prof. Antonio, he can," Hitler butted in. "He is a special guest from the UACME main branch, after all."

He faced Aahmes with a fake smile.

"But you see, Dr. Abdel, that is due to the fact that the professor didn't tell anyone about this new project until it was almost stolen," he explained. "Only then did the company find out that he had been working on a new suppressant."

"Which is why it is only right to give our department more funding, whether we have new products to show off, or not," concluded Aahmes.

I watch them bicker some more and decided to pass my time drawing Hitler with smoke coming out of his nose on the paper they handed us out earlier.

"So, Prof. Antonio," I heard my name again. "Are SGT kits on the way?"

"No." I quickly replied..

"He has discovered a new genome that is a catalyst for the creation of the omega womb," Aahmes blurted out!

I face him with disbelief, my jaw hanging.

The rest of the idiots in the room start mumbling excitedly.

"Habibi! You're going too far!"

"They are saying that I am making things up. I am not," he replied, and I notice a slight frown in his face.

Well, this is new.

I guess he could show some emotion, after all.

"Well, who told you to blabber about my research with that goddamn mouth of yours?!" I snapped at him.

"So, it is true that you're currently working on this new project?" asked Gadxilla whose shining forehead aimed at me like a spotlight. "Prof. Antonio! You should have informed us about this! Just think of what a secondary gender kit for children can do!"

"That's right, using this, we could easily separate the alphas from the omegas before their secondary genders manifest!" the head of the Ethics Department chipped in. "Knowing that a child would be an omega will help parents prepare their child and keep them safe before they can manifest! This can help lessen violent crimes against omegas!"

"Their parents can also give them mild suppressants in advance to lessen the initial effects of heat during manifestation!" said the head of the Marketing Department.

"Think of the lives we can save!" added the Ethics head.

"Think of the sales!" said the Marketing Head.

I sigh and lean back on my seat as they plan ahead about a gender testing kit that was still tuck inside my head. I was looking for something else to pass the time with when I noticed Hitler shooting daggers at me.

I gave him a cheesy grin and watch him seethe.

At least Aahmes' big mouth brought me some sort of satisfaction, but that didn't justify him betraying my trust.

As soon as the conference was over, I pulled Aahmes to a side to confront him.

"You bastard! I thought you said you knew nothing about this meeting?! Why does it seem like you already know all the people inside that room?!"

"Not all of them, just Dr. Gonzaga, the rest I just met today," replied Aahmes who easily pulled his arm away from my grip. "I also asked Pedro last night for our department's financial records for the last five years. I noticed that the Omega Division is very underfunded, especially since you joined the team last year."

"That's because I refuse to suck Gadxilla's monstrous dick just to get funds for my research!" I answered back. "And that does not justify you blabbering about my secondary gender testing kits!" I jabbed at his chest. "And while we're at it, who the hell told you to name my research?"

"Are they not secondary gender testing kits or SGT kits?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"I just called it what it is."

"Well, what if I wanted to call them something else?

"Like what?"

"Well, like... Jonas Kits!"

"What is a 'Jonas'?"

"That's the name of his deceased omega brother."

I turn to glare at the bastard eavesdropping behind us.

"Why, Hitler, you still here? Go back to your tower and stop leaving your stench in our building."

"That's right, Mr. Heathlow, you don't seem to be using a suppressant," said Aahmes who covered his nose with a handkerchief. "All alphas who step foot here in the East Omega Tower are obligated to use an alpha pheromone suppressant, since there are several omega patients and test subjects staying here."

"Well, you see, Habibi, that thing over there thinks that he's exempted from company policy, and since he loves to kiss ass, Gadxilla and the other higher ups don't bother him much."

"I see you're still calling my uncle `Gadxilla'," Hitler replied with an annoying doggie grin, "you would have been kicked out of this company a long time ago, if you weren't his favorite pet, beta boy."

"Correction – If your uncle wasn't earning billions from my research, he would have set me free years ago."

Hitler snubbed my remark and faced Aahmes with a sleazy smile.

"I beg your pardon, Dr. Abdel, truth is, I have no need for suppressants since I can control my pheromones at will, I am, after all, a dominant alpha," he bragged.

"Is that so?" Aahmes' brows slightly raised.

"Perhaps now you would be interested to join me for lunch?"

"Psh..." I roll my eyes in exasperation. I turn my back on the two and start walking towards the elevators to leave, when I heard Hitler cry out.

"Augh, what is that god awful smell?!"

"Professor, please wait," I heard Aahmes call after me.

"Oh, I thought you were gonna join Hitler for lunch?" I mocked him.

"How can I possibly eat with 'that' in front of me," he replied while placing an atomizer inside his inner pocket.

"What's that?" I couldn't help but ask.

"My special perfume."

I moved slightly towards him and took a whiff.

"You won't smell anything," he said, "it is made of highly concentrated dominant alpha pheromones that only other dominant alphas can smell."

I turned around and looked back at Hitler who seemed to be bent over and gagging on the carpet.

"You used that on Hitler?!" I asked with a big grin.

"I used it on myself," he replied. "Goes to show how awful they smell."

A corner of Aahmes' lips raised slightly in a grimace, and it was then that I realized that it was supposed to be a smile.

"E-eh-eh-eh..." he laughed.

"Ang galing talaga ng Habibi ko!" [My Habibi really is the greatest!] I couldn't help but laugh along with him as I placed a hand on his shoulder.

Well, not really on his shoulder, I just kept it hovering. I don't touch acquaintances anymore. I don't want another sexual harassment case.

"Don't call me Habibi," Aahmes told me with a sigh. "I have already explained the misunderstanding before. Also, it is inappropriate language for such a formal occasion."

"Ah, so it's okay to call you Habibi in other occasions?" I joked.

"No."

"Okay, Habibi, hear you loud and clear!"

"You just called me Habibi."

"Op cors! Aren't you supposed to make me love you, too?" I laughed as we made our way towards the elevators.

"Professor..."

"C'mon, Habibi, I'm hungry, let's eat out at Aling Tinay's, my treat!"

"Don't call me Habibi."

---

1Mestizong hilaw – a mixed-raced white man, mestizo meaning mixed breed, and hilaw meaning raw as opposed to Filipinos with a darker or 'burnt' skin color. The feminine term for mestizo is mestiza.

2Hythloday – A character from the book 'Utopia' by Thomas More who advocates the ideal society. Ironically, his name means 'Peddler of Nonsense', since utopia, which is literally the greek word for 'no place' is such an unattainable dream.

3Agoraphobia – an anxiety disorder where the person perceives their environment to be unsafe with no easy way to escape. (wikipedia)