Mutagen

Day 5 – 01:22 PM – Parking Area, Queens Row Elementary School, Queens Row Area A, Bacoor City, Cavite

Inside the vehicle, everyone's eyes were staring at the double terminated crystal inside the jar that was exuding bright light for an unknown reason. Even the golden dog, Laelaps was not an exception and was also staring at the jar.

After the several seconds the crystal exuded that bright light, the light started to wane and brighten at a constant interval as if it was a large bulb within a series of Christmas lights.

Looking at the sight, Mark was truly confused. Along the six years that he had observed these crystals, this was the very first time he had seen it behave this way. There were times that the largest crystal would release a blinding ray of light and that was the time that it would produce a new marble sized crystal with a deep purple color. However, as he thought yesterday when he saw that bright light coming out of his house, this was not the time yet for another deep purple crystal to be formed. The current ray of light too was also way weaker than yesterday.

Moreover, during the formation of a new crystal, the double terminated one would exude light continuously until the process of forming the new crystal was done. It never waned and glowed at a fix interval like what they were seeing now.

Mark cautiously approached the part of the seat where the bag containing the jar of crystal was placed. During the past years, Mark knew that the crystal was harmless but he was now in doubt as the crystal seemed to reveal new and unknown traits after the apocalypse commenced.

While Mark was approaching however, he froze. It was because he could hear a faint buzzing sound that was also coming from the same bag. He hastened his approach and looked for the source of the buzzing sound and saw the cloth where he put the two nail sized pebbles he obtained. When he took out the cloth from the bag, he felt that the two pebbles were faintly vibrating.

He opened the folded cloth and took out the two pebbles and he could feel the vibration much stronger. Furthermore, he could feel the strange energy coming from the pebbles were in disarray.

"Gege, what is happening?"

Mei asked in confusion.

"I don't know either but it seems that the crystal and these pebbles are… How should I say it… showing resonance."

Mark said as he could feel the vibration coming from the pebbles stronger when the light on the double terminated crystal was brighter.

Not only that. Mark could feel some attraction between the crystal and the pebbles. It was like the pebbles were being pulled towards the crystal albeit the force was weak.

Mark set one of the pebbles down on the sofa. There everyone saw that the pebble was being moved towards the crystal's direction due to the vibration. It was as if the double terminated crystal inside the jar was trying to pull the pebble towards it.

Using what they had seen and what Mark felt, he drew an idea in his mind.

He grabbed the pebble on the sofa once more together with the other pebble on his left hand and used his free hand to take the cover off the jar where the crystals reside in. After the jar was opened, the double terminated crystal flew out of the jar. Since the mouth of the jar was a large as the body, the other smaller crystals that were circling around the larger one flew out together with it.

The crystals floated in place about three feet from the floor and stayed there but after Mark let the crystals out, he could feel the tugging on the pebbles grow stronger. Then, without hesitation, he made the pebbles on his hand touch the largest crystal.

The two pebbles were absorbed by the double terminated crystal under their surprised faces.

SHHIIINNNGG!!!!

All of them heard a ringing sound in their ears as they all turned their faces away from the crystal. The crystal exuded a very bright blinding light. It was too bright that it felt that it would burn away their sense of sight. Mark also turned his face away and covered his eyes but an excited expression was apparent on his face. It was because this bright light was the sign that the double terminated crystal was forming a new crystal!

One second, three seconds, ten seconds…

Fifteen seconds passed and the bright light finally started to wane. It seemed that the duration was longer than the previous instances. Everyone looked at the floating crystals when they could finally endure the light and there, an additional marble sized crystal floating along with the already existing ones. The new one was obvious as it had the same appearance as the one Mark fed the dying girl earlier. Furthermore, the new crystal was also exuding a faint glow around it.

When the light on the double terminated crystal finally dimmed, they saw the double terminated crystal eject the two pebbles. The two pebbles started to fall unto the floor but before hitting the floor of the vehicle, the two pebbles started to disintegrate into nothingness. Not even dust or pieces were left from the pebbles as if the two pebbles were erased from existence.

Seeing the new crystal, Mark was excited. Now, they found a way to mass produce those crystals and it would surely lead to everyone in his group gaining abilities as Evolvers. Still, Mark doubt that it would be easy. He had not confirmed yet whether there would be pebbles inside the head of every mutated infected. It was more likely that these pebbles could only be found on infected with more advanced mutations like the Muscled Infected.

The double terminated had already turned back to its normal state yet, Mark felt strange. It was because the new crystal was still glowing like a light bulb.

CREAK! CREAK! CREAK!

It was not over yet. They all heard creaking noises making everyone move back on their seats. They immediately found the source of the creaking sound and it was coming from that jar of brain matter that Mark had just collected earlier. The plastic jar was shaking as if the contents wanted to escape from the jar. For every second that passed, the shaking started to get more and more intense.

Seeing that, Mark hurriedly stepped forward and took the jar down to the floor. He then rotated the cover of the jar off. From there, the bloody smell permeated inside the vehicle but the shaking of the jar stopped. Surprisingly, the new crystal glowed brighter and flew towards the plastic jar. The new crystal stopped above opening of the jar and stayed there without moving. What they saw next was the brain matter inside the plastic jar started to dry up even though it was being soaked with both brain fluid and blood.

The process was slow that everyone started to feel that it was safe. They then started to surround the crystal above the jar watching it with confusion. As they were closer, they could see that there was some sort of distortion in the air above the jar. The distortion was coming from the jar and was covering the glowing crystal.

After about ten minutes, the brain matter inside the jar fully dried up looking like something charred despite the remaining brain juice and blood inside the jar. The glowing crystal started to dim and lost its ability to float. Mark hurriedly grabbed the crystal using the cloth on his hand not letting it plunge into the jar filled with filth.

Mark held the crystal in his cloth covered hand in a manner that everyone was able to see it. The new marble sized crystal had the same color as the one he gave to the dying girl, a clear crystal with a pale shade of purple. The difference about it however, there was now a flesh colored glowing orb at the center of the crystal.

"Master, it looks similar to the crystal with red glow you are keeping."

Odelina could not help but remark.

To the servant's remark, Mark could only nod. He also noticed the similarities. The only difference was the color of the crystal and the color of the glow inside it.

While observing the new crystal, several thoughts came into Mark's mind. He remembered the purple crystal with a golden glow that entered his body six years ago. He never knew what the difference with it was and that was the reason he kept the remaining crystal with red glow separate and more secure. He put inside the glass bottle and put the bottle inside the bag that was always by his side.

Still, he never managed to find out what the difference was even now and what the other deep purple crystals remaining could do.

This however was different. The pale purple crystal could help with the evolution and he had already tested it. The question now however was what the difference was this crystal had now from the previous one.

Mark looked at the marble sized crystal in his hand, then towards the several crystals floating by their side. A lot of questions filled his mind.

What was thess crystals?

What could these crystals really do?

How was it linked to the Mutagen that caused the current apocalypse?

Why was it able to create crystals that could help evolve people?

How was it able to absorb the energy within those pebbles that were found inside the brain of the mutated infected?

And there was a lot more questions in his mind. Nevertheless, more than half of these questions were something that was likely to be unanswered no matter what.

Regarding the new crystal, Mark had a few hunches. Janette came after the brains of the Mutators and she gained the ability of the Mutator whose brain she had eaten. It meant that the ability or the core of the abilities the Mutators had was in their brains. That was why he thought of taking this brain matter from the remains of the Muscled Infected due to its peculiarities. Seeing that dried up brain matter inside the plastic jar, there was no doubt that the crystal in his hand drew something from the brain matter which resulted to the changes on the new crystal and the brain matter.

Mark's head felt like it was going to explode due to his fatigue and due to too many thoughts he was having right at this moment. His already pale face that had yet to recover had started to loose even more color and his eyes started to look lethargic.

"Gege."

Mei beside him called unto him.

"Hmm?"

Mark turned to her and saw her eyes filled with worry.

"Gege should stop thinking about it too much. You look too tired."

Hearing that, Mark smiled and ruffled her hair. That was right, he felt tired. Since two o'clock in the morning, he was already awake, preparing before he started running about. Even though he was good at not sleeping for too long and was still fine, it was because he always sat in front of his computer all day long before the apocalypse.

Today however, the activities he had done since the early in the day until this moment could equal to his activities for two almost two weeks before the outbreak.

Still, he could not help but feel the thirst to know what was going on with the crystals despite his fatigue.

Seeing that he was being stubborn, Mei frowned. She grabbed the cloth with the new crystal on Mark's hand and let moved the crystal in her hand in line with the older crystals. Mei felt relieved as she saw the new crystal float around with the others. She then lifted the glass jar on the sofa and caught the floating crystals into the jar with Odelina's help. The two then put the jar containing the crystals back into the bag and zipped it closed.

Looking at the two, Mark smiled bitterly but his smile also contained warmness. Although what she did was a little rude, he could not get angry as she did that due to worrying about him. With that, he gave up. He would just study the crystals at a later time and in a more suitable situation.

When Mei looked back at her Gege, she saw that smile of his and her eyes lit up for some reason.

"Master, how about this?"

Odelina asked pointing at the plastic jar on the floor.

"Can you throw it away? I don't think that it have any value anymore."

Mark replied.

"Yes, no problem, Master."

Odelina then closed the plastic jar and went out of the vehicle.

When Odelina returned after throwing the jar out of the settlement, she opened the vehicle and spoke.

"Master do you want to eat first…."

Odelina's voice trailed off.

Inside the vehicle, she saw Mei looking at her with her index finger on her lips to signal Odelina to stay quiet.

Odelina then retreated outside with a smile together with Laelaps and Abbygale and slowly closed the door.

Mei was left inside the vehicle with Mark who was now deeply sleeping on the sofa with his head on her lap.