Mutagen

All Mark needed to do was retrace his steps back to the entrance he used. Still, he could not believe that such a facility existed under this settlement.

Mark found the three on the third floor down. But it did not mean that this facility only had three. In fact, there seemed to be seven floors, as Mark saw the number of keys from one of the elevators he passed by.

In any case, no matter how unexpected things were, it was not Mark\'s problem. He only needed to bring Elsa, Angeline, and Paula out onto the rooftop of the Presidential Mansion.

The three women, on the other hand, stuck closely behind Mark. The three of them were brave people, which made them look like they were fine. However, being kidnapped was still a traumatic experience. Now that someone came to save them, they followed his words without questions and by instinct.

In fact, the minds of the three girls were filled with questions. One of those questions was the magic-like ability that Mark used. Turning into a surge of mist to get in and out of the room. It was the first time they saw it, after all. Nonetheless, the three did not voice any questions. They knew the situation they were in and decided to stay silent.

Mark was quite pleased with the demeanor of the three. He could not have another Spera following him around. That girl did not know how to hold back and questioned him a whole lot after seeing what Mark did to the base of the Powder Gang.

As Mark led the three across the facility, he could not help but notice something strange. The guards patrolling the halls were getting lesser and lesser.

Furthermore...

"What are you two doing here?"

Mark said after they climbed the second floor.

Although Mark was still covering his group with [Optical Camouflage], he was sure that the two people in front of him knew he was here. After all...

"So, you\'re really here, Sir Mark."

Nia smiled at the empty space in front of her.

Both Nia and Allen, the two [Inheritors] from Bay City, stood before Mark. It was not surprising that they could find Mark since there was a subtle connection between the [Inheritors] of the [Psycasts]. It was even stronger around Mark, who had the [PsyCrystal].

And these two were already inside the facility before Mark even infiltrated it.

"Please, follow behind us."

Allen said as he and his sister turned around.

Mark was confused. Nonetheless, he followed the two since they did not have any ill will. And since Mark did not deactivate the [Optical Camouflage], it looked like Nia and Allen were only having a stroll, or probably on a break.

"Sir, Mark. You entered the facility through the Presidential Suite, correct?" Nia voiced out without looking behind her. "They already found out that someone intruded after the first lady\'s servant returned. However, they have yet to know that you managed to enter the facility without triggering the alarm on the keypad. Still, you should exit through another entrance."

Without a doubt, Nia and Allen were here to help Mark. It was also very likely that Professor Isaach Co was behind the movements of these his foster children. After all, the Professor was a close friend of General Perez.

However, since he was a mere Scientist, what Professor Co could do in this situation was limited, especially considering he was inside the enemy\'s territory. In the least, they could assist Mark in saving the kidnap victims.

"I know you two had been in here since the start. How did you two know that the first lady was knocked unconscious?"

Mark asked.

"The guards had been informed of the possible infiltration. They are currently searching all over the place."

Nia replied.

As Nia said, Mark could detect the guards moving around the area underneath the Presidential Mansion. On the contrary, Nia and Allen brought Mark and the rest in a completely different direction to leave the facility.

"Where does the entrance you two will bring us to lead to?"

Mark asked another question. He was hoping that the entrance was somewhere near the compound of General Perez and his allies.

"Unfortunately, we can\'t bring you too far. There are seven locations for entrances to this facility, the same number of buildings around the Central Area of the [Safezone]. Where we can bring you is the entrance to the laboratory on the surface."

Allen explained.

From there, they made their way to the southwest area of the facility. As expected, the entrance here was heavily guarded. It was unlike the one in the Presidential Suite. That one was only used during emergencies. This entrance was used by employees and scientists, requiring more security.

"Ms. Nia Co and Mr. Allen Co." A guard greeted. "Already clocking out? Professor Co is not with you?"

"We are," Nia replied as she let the guard scan her identification card. "You guys know the Professor. He\'s a research maniac. He\'ll probably continue researching until tomorrow afternoon."

The guards could only shrug. Professor Isaach Co was pretty well known here, and his research antics were also understood by the people.

With that, Nia and Allen passed through the entrance, arriving at a secured hall of the laboratory. The two then walked towards the entrance without saying a word.

"Alright, thanks, you two. Anyway, you two better hide. Things will get chaotic from here."

Those words entered the ears of Nia and Allen as they felt a gust of wind pass by. They felt Mark\'s presence dwindle as his group moved away from the two.

The two understood what Mark said before he left. General Perez was now gathering his troops, and it was the same for the President. This night was expected to become bloody.

Leaving Nia and Allen, Mark and the three women appeared on the rooftop of the laboratory. Being able to carry people with him using his [Shadow Mist Movement] sure was handy. Unfortunately, he only had two hands he could use to grab. That was why when they appeared, Angeline was hugging Mark tightly from behind.

"Bro... What are we going to do here?"

Elsa asked, noticing the surroundings. It was understandable if Mark brought them somewhere secluded like a back alley before running away. However, to move them onto the rooftop of a four-story building was the complete opposite of that. It was a dead end.

"Wait a bit."

Mark smiled as he turned his head towards the sky.

Elsa, Angeline, and Paula did the same. It was then that they realized that something was floating, hidden among the clouds in the sky. They could not tell what it was, but they were sure that it was some sort of object.

And that thing was what Mark was staring at.

Mark stared at the [Mini Cube] floating among the clouds. He then began tapping one of his two rings. It was the ring from Bathala, the one with a pair that Mei was wearing.

It was the signal.

And receiving the signal, something appeared not far from the group, making the three women jump back in surprise.

"Don\'t worry, it\'s your way out."

Mark said.

What appeared was Spera\'s portal. It was connected to the [Mini Cube] where the rest of Mark\'s group was waiting.

The three women looked at Mark in askance. One after another, Mark was showing them weird things since earlier.

"I don\'t have time to explain." Mark shrugged. "Mei\'er is on the other side of that portal. You three can ask her the questions. So you three should enter already."

"Only us? What about you?"

Paula asked, noticing that Mark did not intend on going with them.

"Well, I have other things to do here," Mark answered. "Unfortunately, I can\'t have you three here to drag me down."

The three women frowned at Mark\'s words. However, they could not deny it either. They were even kidnapped from their bedroom, unable to resist or even make a single sound.

"You should be careful," Paula warned. "Those people that took us did not seem to be regular humans."

"Okay, I\'ll be cautious."

Mark replied.

Those words from Paula implied that the people that took them were not just regular humans, [Evolvers], or [Mutators]. The [Mutators] and [Evolvers], despite their inhuman abilities, still counted as humans. What Paula meant was that those people were possibly beyond human.

"Bro, be careful. And thank you."

Elsa said before nervously entering the portal.

"Follow us quickly, alright?"

Angeline said as she jumped into the portal without fear.

Lastly was Paula, who only nodded at Mark before entering the portal.

And there, the portal closed, leaving Mark alone on the rooftop of the laboratory.

Mark stood on the ledge of the rooftop. He looked around the place, specifically the Central Area of the [Safezone].

"I guess it\'s time."

Mark shrugged.

With a wave of his right hand, the [PsyCrystal] glowed. Several [Mental Crystals] appeared, floating and circling around his wrist.

"Let\'s get the party started."

Mark smiled.

***

"President! The hostages are missing!"

The President\'s communication device on his desk sounded out, bringing a piece of surprising news.

"What do you mean they are missing?! What are you idiots doing?!"

The President roared unto the device. The news came all of a sudden after his wife was knocked out inside of their bedroom. It was understandable that the President was agitated.

And to the President\'s question, the man on the other side of the communication device could not answer. The three kidnapped women just disappeared from their holding cell. The keypad was untampered, and not a single camera caught the three escaping. It was as if they vanished like ghosts after the camera in the holding cell malfunctioned.

Even so, the man on the communication device tried to explain as much as he could to no avail.

"Son of a b*tch!" The President cursed before turning to the other people waiting in his office. "All of you, send some search parties! They shouldn\'t have gone too far!"

The President sure had the reason to be agitated. Those three women were their cards in case that things went against their favor. They could not let those women escape at all costs.

But before the people inside the Presidential Office could reply...

BAM!

Everyone in the settlement felt shaken. A surge of magical energy overflowed all over the place. The magical energy was too powerful that even regular humans could feel the threat instinctively.

"MR. PRESIDENT! LOOK!"

Major General Bautista exclaimed, pointing at the window of the office.

The President, who was facing away from the window turned immediately.

Outside the window was a pillar of light. A beacon during the darkness of the night.

Instead of feeling fear, however, President Deroa was calm.

"Manuel, mobilize our Elite Special Forces. I have the feeling that this and the missing hostages are the works of that man. Tsk... Looks like the rumors aren\'t exaggerated, even a little bit."

***

Outside the walls, the night was also busy. The events from the other day had yet to die down, and the Gangs were busy claiming the territory left by the Powder Gang in its destruction.

However, the White Snake Gang was also busy with something else.

"Do you know? The General\'s daughter was kidnapped. It seems the culprits were the government?"

"What? Are you serious? It\'s not just a rumor, right?"

"Apparently, it\'s true. I heard it from the members of the White Snake Gang who is being backed by General Perez."

"Now that you mention it, those guys from the government don\'t like the General."

"Yeah, because the General cares for us, unlike those greedy bunch."

"How is General Perez, now? I hope he\'s alright. I probably won\'t be if my daughter got kidnapped."

These kinds of conversations started to spread more or less three hours ago. It was the work of the members of the White Snake Gang, who were finally informed of the situation inside the walls. And, of course, they were also agitated, hearing that Elsa was among the kidnapped. If this was the case, they would do anything to take down the current government.

And before midnight, the rumors spread all over the slums, whether it was the territory of the White Snake Gang or not. Even the other two remaining gangs temporarily stopped clashing with the White Snake Gang and took the watcher\'s stance in the current situation.

It was until everyone felt shaken for no reason, gazing at the pillar of light towering towards the sky.