Mutagen

Day 130 - 10:22 AM - Infirmary, Audubon Highschool, Audubon, Camden County, New Jersey, United States of America

The talk about what transpired yesterday happened in the infirmary. Usually, a discussion like this would be held in private meeting rooms where only necessary people were allowed. Even Captain Morrison proposed that after they heard that Mark decided to speak. However, Mark was against it, and they could only listen.

Aside from the soldiers and the curious onlookers, Hannah, Arnold, and everyone from the Baley's Casino were also present.

Without minding who was listening, Mark leaned on the wall in front of everyone. He decided to divulge almost everything that happened.

From Elise's involvement with Ellse, the assumed relationship of Ellse to the group attacking this settlement, and the reasons why Elise did that, Mark started to tell them about his first.

Not only the soldiers and other survivors but Elise's family members were also shocked to hear this. And of course, it was not surprising that anger many felt anger about this truth.

Who would have thought that the rat in the settlement was Elise?

It might be unintentional since she was not aware, but still, because of her, many people, soldiers, friends, and family, died and suffered. Some people inside the infirmary lost to their temper and tried to charge towards Elise, who was asleep. Of course, even though everyone here could understand their anger, no one would let that happen. Those people were restrained.

Furthermore, it was no secret that Elise lost her memories after she learned the truth. Blaming her in this condition was akin to making someone who knew nothing take responsibility. Well, of course, if it was still the society before the outbreak, she was still punishable by law. Unfortunately, that was not the case in the apocalypse.

And now, even more, no one here would be able to punish Elise as she now had Mark behind her.

After some people became violent, Mark declared had he intended taking Elise in her family away. This made Abraham, Candice, and Roan very troubled. They had not come to a conclusion on that matter yet.

And for everyone here, they became even more troubled than the family in question. It was because Roan, the strongest in this settlement, was the only one that could keep the outlaws in check. If he suddenly left, this place would not last any longer.

Disregarding everyone's thoughts, Mark continued to tell what happened yesterday. The involvement of the outlaws to the ritual. And that the leader of the outlaws was actually someone that Felicia would never forget, Jude.

Mark did not say anything about Jude's relationship to Felicia and her family, but their reactions already told everyone here that they had some sort of connection.

And there, Mark told everyone that Jude, the leader of the outlaws, was already dead along with Ellse. That they ended up being sacrificed for the revival of a humanoid chimera that was sealed under the rumored Suicide Nazi Tree at the bank of Newton Lake.

Of course, everyone here was skeptical about magic and stuff. They were just regular people anyway. Some even started to question Mark and thought that he was just fooling with them.

"Magic and monsters are just fantasy."

Someone murmured.

"Oh?" Mark turned to that person. "Then, explained what happened with Elise just earlier."

That was a short exchange that transpired at that time.

None of them could explain what happened when Elise woke up, after all. If it was not magic or psychic ability, that what was it? They had no answer. Even so, skeptics were hard to please with things.

Thus, Mark conjured a black fire at the end of his index finger to show them. That made the skeptics shut up. Chemicals could change the color of fire, but it needed to be under a special light to turn black even if a chemical reaction was used. None of it was in the room. Furthermore, those that knew about it could tell that a pitch-black flame was not possible even if the equipment was present.

Furthermore, when Mark made the flame float steadily after removing his hand, the people here, no matter how skeptic they were, had no choice but to believe.

The discussion ended up with Mark telling everyone that the chimera left after being revived.

Mark did not tell anything else that was unnecessary. He left out the arrival of the other intrudes, his rampage, and his encounter with the Ninth Eye. It was not something that should be disclosed to these people.

The discussion took some time. Mark could not help but want to end it as soon as possible. Even more, since he was uncomfortable being the center of attention of many people for too long.

Lastly, Mark decided to warn the people.

"After we leave, you people here should leave this place too."

Making everyone confused as hell, Mark decided to end this meeting.

With Mei, Mark left the room without explaining about his last words.

However, there was someone who could not stay behind anymore and followed.

***

Back at the rooftop, Mark and Mei decided that they would cook something for lunch. Felicia and the others could cook their own with the food they had in the vehicle, after all.

Mark took out some cooking items from his ring and started to cook some instant dry noodles. It was not hard and fast to cook. They both wanted some fresh food, but at this moment, there was nowhere to get fresh ingredients.

In the middle of cooking, the person that followed them decided to show up.

Mark turned around, knowing who it was.

"This is our food, we're not going to share." 

Mark said with a serious expression, making the person almost stumble.

After all, this guy was not here for that.

This guy was no other than Felicia's oldest sibling, her brother, Roan.

Of course, he was not here to ask for food. He did not even have the slightest idea that Mark and Mei would proceed to cook lunch after that meeting.

"I'm not here for that."

Roan frowned.

"I know. I just want to say it."

Mark nonchalantly replied, making Roan sigh.

"What are you planning?"

Roan asked.

"About what?"

Mark asked in return.

Roan was starting to get pissed off. He could not tell if Mark really did not know what he had done, or if he was feigning ignorance.

"You put our family in an awkward position. That's intentional, isn't it?"

Hearing that question, Mark smiled.

"Yeah, it's intentional. So?"

"You..."

Roan pointed at Mark. However, he lowered his hand with a sigh.

"What do you really want from us?"

Despite his rising temper, Roan decided to ask peacefully.

Mark talked about the matters yesterday in front of everyone. What he said might have been the truth, but it put a gap between his family and the people living in this place. The deaths, the struggle, and the pain that happened, it was because of Elise. There was no way that the victims would forgive what happened.

The only thing that was holding the people from outright ostracizing his family was him, Roan. After all, despite what Elise had gotten herself into, she was still his sister. And he was the strongest person here in this settlement.

Mark did all this on purpose.

"Do you want to force us to come with you to do all this?"

Roan asked once more.

"Since you already knew, why ask?" Mark replied as he stirred the pot in front of him, and Mei prepared the flavorings.

Staring at the boiling noodles, Mark started to speak.

"Frankly, the only reason I had before to ask your family to come with us... It's because I need Felicia."

Hearing till that part, Roan was about to speak. After all, Mark phrased it in a way that was easily misunderstood.

"Don't talk, listen first." Mark cut off Roan. "You know that guy that is still unconscious? Morgan? I want to keep him around, and Felicia is needed for that. Besides, its obvious that Felicia had feelings for Morgan. Isn't it fine to let the two together?"

Roan felt relieved that Mark was not aiming for his sister in the way he initially thought. About Morgan and Felicia's matter, Roan could not say anything. Last night, he saw how his sister meticulously took care of the unconscious guy. The thing between the two was too obvious to deny.

"Then, now, you have another reason?"

Roan asked.

"I did." Mark smiled. "Elise and you."

Roan was surprised.

"One is an unidentified psychic while another is a [Level 3 Mutator]. Who won't want you two around?"

"Level 3? What do you mean? What is a Mutator anyway?"

Roan was confused.

"Mutators, it was what we in our country call people who got bit by the infected but did not turn. Instead, they got a physical superpower from the bite. Aren't you one of those?"

Hearing that, Roan could only nod in understanding.

"About the level 3 part, didn't the ability you got after getting bitten changed two times already?" Mark tapped the spoon on the top of the pot. "Understand it now? About Elise being a psychic, I think I don't have to explain it, right?"

Roan agreed with Mark. His ability indeed changed two times after he was bitten. And now, he was stronger than everyone here in this settlement.

"But you didn't have to do that. Letting everyone know of Elise's fault and the connection between our family and Jude. Although it was a hostile relationship, most people would misunderstand it."

"Your parents left the decision making to you, right? I just made it easier for you to decide."

Mark shrugged.

"What if I did not want our family to follow you?"

Roan tried to bluff.

"That won't work on me. I know that you already agree with me."

Mark retorted with a smile.

"Besides," Mark added. "You don't have any choice. Even if not for Felicia, just the current state of Elise, your family can't do anything to help her without me."

Mark stood up, went to the side, and drained the boiling water unto another pot.

"You know what is happening with Elise?"

Mark asked, making Roan look down.

"Both her psychic ability and mental age should grow side by side. That way, she was developing her own way of containing her powers to some extent without knowing. But now that her she lost her memories, and her mental age regressed, she totally lost control of it. Any instability in her emotions can cause what happened earlier to repeat."

Mark tapped the strainer with the noodles in it to drain the remaining water.

"You can think of Elise's mind as a bucket and her psychic energy as wet sand. If a part of the bucket suddenly broke off, the wet sand will still stay in shape. But what if the broken bucket was suddenly shaken unstably? Despite the sand being wet, it will break off and scatter everywhere."

Roan frowned. He did not know that this was the case at all. Since Elise was a child, she felt strange. So, this was the case. She was leaking that uncomfortable energy from her body.

"So, you can help her recover? Can you fix the bucket that you are saying?"

Roan asked. However, Mark shook his head.

"I don't know if I can help her with that, I can't fix the bucket. In the least, I can stop the shaking and make the sand as stable as possible."

Roan contemplated and found that Mark was right. They had no choice but to follow Mark if they wanted Elise to be stable.

"Oh, by the way," Mark remembered something. "Because of Elise's powers, she and your family were targeted to revive the chimera. I traded some priceless items in exchange. So your family has a reeeaaaally heavy debt to me. Also, since Elise had such ability, even if I let her go, she will be targeted by other people. Sooner or later, she will die in the hands of those monsters as food. In the least, I'm not that heartless."

Roan bit his lips. Although he already decided to let his family come with Mark, he never knew that there were reasons like this. Now, even if Mark changed his mind, Roan would cling to him. They would beg for Mark to bring them with him.

Mark smiled as he felt Roan's emotions. There, a question came out from his lips.

"About Ellse, can you tell me what happened?"