Mutagen

"Things are getting worse."

Raver said with a frown. Even though there was higher class food in front of them they started more than ten minutes ago, the three did not even touch their spoons yet.

Yesterday, Retired Senator Osmeña and all the survivor teams under him were all killed. Osmeña was found dead inside his residence along with his dead guards and confined family members while the teams under him were found dead inside their residences.

From what happened yesterday, there was only one person that they could suspect about what happened and that was Senator Estrada. Not only that the assailants were robed people who was very likely to be the same people Senator Estrada called out yesterday, but since there was not a single trace of trespassing on the residence and it was as if the assailants vanished into shadows, the descriptions totally fit with the Senator\'s men.

Now, they could not help but fear for their lives and started to question what the hell was in their minds when they joined the alliance.

"Where are Asucena and Monteroso? They are late."

Congressman Escobar ignored what Raver said and voiced his own question with a displeased expression. Although it was really not the fault of the two, the stress getting on his nerves made Senator Escobar even more irritable than normal.

"It\'s better if you two relax first. We won\'t come into a conclusion if the two of you were swayed by your emotions."

Congressman Santiago tried to pacify the two even though in fact, he was also stressed out himself.

With the exception of the dead Senator Osmeña and the primary suspect, Senator Estrada, Raver invited the rest of the leaders of the alliance to come up with a plan or solution against the horrifying things happening to them. Aside from Senator Osmeña\'s death yesterday, all of them also received news about the deaths of several teams under their command.

Because of the several cases of missing survivor teams that had gone missing and were found dead these past days, the other survivor teams whether contracted or not within the settlement became afraid of going out. Many started to petition that the military should find the root of this mess but of course, there were no leads so far. The only witness that saw the culprits so far was even killed by Senator Estrada\'s men. Now, they fear that it was really Senator Estrada\'s work.

While the three were racking their brains for anything that could possibly save them from this mess, the door into Raver\'s dining room was barged open. The three could not help but almost jump out of their seats and their guards posed ready to fight but felt relieved when they saw Senator Asucena that rushed in. However, his face was pale and he was panting. It seemed that he rushed here in a hurry with his guards behind him. Not only that, but his guards were doubled in number.

"Senator Asucena, what is happening with you? Also where is Senator Monteroso? He and his family live next to your residence, right?"

Congressman Escobar asked with a frown. He was obviously expecting a bad news but asked nevertheless.

There, Senator Asucena looked at Congressman Escobar with a look filled with horror.

"Monteroso, he\'s dead. Also no one was spared from his residence. His guards and even his two sons were found dead."

With the declaration of the horrifying news, the atmosphere inside the room turned colder. The second person from their alliance had fallen.

"H-how did he die? Did the military know of this already?"

Congressman Santiago asked.

"They are already investigating the scene. All I know is that his daughters-in-law and his wife that went out this morning returned after an hour and found the scene already like that. They immediately informed the military since one of daughter-in-law had a relative in the military."

Senator Asucena who was wobbly approached the table and sat down as he replied.

"How did Senator Monteroso die? Is it the same way as Senator Osmeña?"

Raver asked. However, Senator Asucena shook his head with a grim face.

"I saw his body. Rather than being killed, it is more like he was diced and grilled. Only his head that had that terrifying look on his face is left whole. His whole body is unrecognizable."

Hearing that, Raver and the two congressmen turned to look at their food. It was grilled and diced meat. The three pushed away their food as their appetite turned upside down. Although it was meat from a Mutated Animal which was a luxury in the settlement, they could not help but picture it as what Senator Asucena had just described.

"What are we going to do now? We will be next for sure."

Senator Santiago voiced out with a grim face. Two of them had already fallen. Whether it was Senator Estrada that did it or not, they were surely in danger.

"Should we ask the military for help?"

Raver suggested.

"And what? Confess everything?"

Congressman Escobar scowled.

"Why don\'t you try to suggest something if you are not satisfied with mine?"

Congressman Escobar grew silent. In fact, he could not thing of anything to suggest.

"Let\'s go with Raver\'s suggestion." Congressman Santiago chimed in which made everyone in the room to turn to him. "We can just say that Senator Estrada forced us to join him. Also it is true that we didn\'t have anything to do with his plans since it came from himself and the ones that enacted the plans were his men."

Hearing that, the other three was convinced. They decided to leave lunch and contact the military as soon as possible.

After the dining room was emptied, two human silhouettes appeared out of nowhere and turned into black mist that flew out of the window and towards the rooftop of the building.

***

Day 53 – 1:16 PM – Rooftop, Government Official\'s Residences, North District, Bay City Settlement, Pasay City, Metro Manila

"There they go."

Mark said as he watched several vehicles leave the residences. Inside the vehicles were the members of Senator Estrada\'s alliance and their guards.

"Is it really fine to let them contact the military?"

Mei asked.

"It\'s fine. Just let them feel a bit of security. Then we will strike when they thought that they are already safe."

"Okay."

Mei nodded.

"Well, we\'re going to take the rest of the day to prepare."

Mark said while stretching his arms and back. What he had just said made Mei tilt her head confused.

To her cute head tilt, Mark caressed her head and spoke.

"You heard them right? They will put all the blame on Estrada. For sure, the military will confront him and it will turn into a bloody fight since the guy will obviously resist. We don\'t know how many people from that organization were still present here in the settlement since they are very hard to detect but for sure, they are all powerful. Normal soldiers won\'t be able to defeat them."

"I see." Mei nodded. "When the soldiers were pushed back into a corner, we will show ourselves right?"

"Yep." Mark smiled. "Let\'s get the military into debt. That way, we can get more things from them with little opposition, especially their top secret research."

"Gege is so sly."

"It is against my principles to steal from allies, so we just need a way to make them unable to decline if we asked." Mark shrugged his shoulders and smiled sinisterly. "Besides, it might be the plan of that alliance to deal with you but the military also had some responsibility since they failed to protect you."

"Gege, are you angry again? You\'re premonition did not happen and I\'m still here."

"I know. But you know? The feeling of having that premonition is similar to watching you and everyone die without being able to do anything. After I woke up, rather than waking up from a nightmare, it is more like returning to the past to make things right. That is why even though the things happened differently… The bad feeling is still there."

"It\'s fine."

Feeling the boiling anger inside Mark who rarely showed emotions, Mei hugged him tightly trying to calm him down.

Mark looked at Mei.

"I\'ve decided. If you became a Mutator, what ability do you want?"

"Hmm…"

Mei knew about the [PsyCrystal] and the [Physical Crystals] already. That was why she was really thinking seriously about what she wanted.

"How about the ability to fly? Something like wings? That way, I can support Gege wherever and I can escape easily if needed."

She asked which made Mark scratch his head.

"That\'s hard… I only have two that can allow flight and both have bat like wings…" Mark was troubled. "I prefer for you to have a dove\'s or a swan\'s if you wanted wings."

What Mark was talking about was the [Black Dragonification] mutation that he got from the leader of Death Valley Settlement, Adrik Volkov. The second was a newer one, [Bat Wings] mutation.

With a single thought, two [Physical Crystals] appeared in his hand.

"I really want to save this one for something else but if you want it, I\'ll give it to you."

Mark pointed at the [Black Dragonification Physical Crystal] and told Mei what it was.

"As for this one, I got it from something you\'re familiar with."

"Hmm?"

"Remember the [Leader Type] infected with bat wings? That guy\'s intelligence is rather high so I managed to get his mutation."

Mark said while he played with the other crystal. It was back then in the flyover outside NAIA when he killed the flying infected before he approached Mei. Aside from the crystal, there was also something else that he got from that infected.

"I\'m not really picky, this will do."

Mei smiled and picked up the crystal with [Bat Wings] mutation.

Seeing her contented smile, Mark shrugged his shoulders.

"How about I grow the same kind of wings?"

Mei was surprised at what he said.

"Is it possible?"

At that question, Mark took out a plastic medicine bottle from his bag that was securely wrapped with soft cloth. When the cap of the bottle was removed, the stench of blood seeped out of the bottle.

"Others can\'t but I can."

Mei\'s eyes lit up and grabbed Mark\'s arm like a kid begging to be brought to an amusement park.

"Then, let\'s go! Gege and I will have the same pair of wings!"

Seeing her childish expression, Mark\'s anger from before was suddenly flushed out and his smile turned gentle. That smile made Mei even more delighted.

"Alright, let\'s return to the church first. I\'ll have you use that crystal. You also have that crystal inside the bottle right?"

Mark asked which Mei pulled out the bottle from her shirt that was tied up into a necklace that she was wearing. It was the only crystal that was not in Mark\'s possession after he became a Mutator. It was the most precious crystal for Freed as it was the psychic ability that came from his sister.

Now, Mark decided that Mei would have it along with that pair of bat wings.

With things decided, Mark and Mei vanished from the rooftop.

***

The clock started to tick faster. The political alliance was totally broken and the other members decided to side with the military. A confrontation that would dictate the fate of Bay City was bound to happen.

Fortunately, Mark decided to prepare…

As it was not only the forces currently inside Bay City would be present at that time.