Mutagen

Day 5 – 7:03 AM – Paradise St., Queens Row Area A, Bacoor City, Cavite

While Mark, Rollan, Mei and Abbygale were at backyard of Rollan's house, an owner type jeep arrived alerting everyone else outside of the potential danger. As the whole place seemed to be devoid of the infected, all of them were cautiously wandering outside while not going too far from the car. When they were looking around, the whole place was really empty. That was why they were shocked after hearing the sound of a vehicle approaching and immediately retreated back inside their vehicles.

When the incoming vehicle arrived, what they saw was the women and children scurrying towards the vehicles with only Odelina and Carlo left out to defend in case that the people that came were dangerous while Emika was also ready to assist from inside their family vehicle.

Under their cautious actions, several individuals alighted from the jeep that stopped several meters away.

"Who are you people, what are you doing at our house?"

Woman that alighted from the front passenger seat bellowed.

That question made Odelina and the others bewildered. If this was their house, does this mean that…?

Before anyone was able to answer, a voice came was heard coming from above the wall.

"How rude, we came all the way here to bring home your boyfriend and not to get shouted at."

Everyone immediately turned towards the wall next to the two groups and saw someone sitting over the wall. While Odelina and the others were able to feel relief, the people on the opposing side were shocked. After all, none of them managed to see how or when the person sitting on the wall got there.

The most shocked however was the woman who just shouted before. Of course, she was able to recognize the person who she was looking at.

"Mark!"

The woman beamed in to a smile bewildering the members of her group. Nevertheless, it seemed that these people were not here to steal or do something against their group. Furthermore, it seemed that she was familiar with the person on top of the wall.

To the woman's call, Mark did not reply and just looked behind the wall.

"Geez, can't you hurry up?"

"I'm not an abnormal like you!"

Mark spoke to someone making the woman bewildered but hearing the voice that replied made her start to tear up. She then remembered what Mark said after she shouted. Then, there was no doubt that the familiar voice was her…

"Dhie!"

The woman bellowed seeing another head pop up over the wall.

"Nhie!"

Rollan shouted seeing the face of her girlfriend. Then, he slipped while climbing and his head disappeared once more. "Nhie" was how Rollan addressed her girlfriend Nikky while she addressed the former as "Dhie". These names were pep names the two always called each other.

Mark hurriedly grabbed the arm of his best friend that was about to fall down and immediately pulled him up. After being pulled over the wall, Rollan did not wait anymore and jumped down the wall and hurriedly embraced his beloved person. In the state of the world right now where the chance of meeting your beloved people was nil, the emotions of the two overflowed as they embraced each other.

While the couple was doing their business, Mark proceeded to help Mei and Abbygale scale the wall. Mark even started to wonder how Mei was able to climb up this tall wall to get inside. Abbygale was one thing but Mei…

As Mark and the two went down from the wall, the dramatic reunion of the two seemed to turn into a comedy instead.

"Ouch! AH! Nhie! Let go! My Back!"

Rollan bellowed as he tried to get out of his girlfriend's embrace by reflex. The two hugged each other too tightly due to their emotions but Nikky forgot the current state of her body and exerted too much force than Rollan's body could handle. Their loving embrace turned into a spinal lock all of a sudden.

Hearing the bellows of her boyfriend, Nikky paled as she hurriedly let go of Rollan. The latter, after being freed, fell down on the ground kneeling while clutching his back. Nikky who was the perpetrator squatted beside Rollan and carefully patted his back with a sorry expression.

Everyone who was watching the two became speechless. Just what was this couple up to? Was it to make them cry or make them laugh?

"Sorry Dhie…"

Nikky earnestly apologized to Rollan.

"I'm fine Nhie. But how are you too strong?"

Rollan sat on the ground as he spoke. It seemed that his legs became jelly due to the pain that suddenly assaulted his back.

"I, I don't know how to explain this either."

Nikky replied with a bitter smile. She only knew that she fell unconscious after getting into safety and she was already like this after she woke up.

"Really Rollan, you're asking that question? What's the point of me explaining about it before if you're going to forget?"

Mark spoke while approaching the two with Mei and Abbygale beside him.

When Mark spoke, the attention of the members of Nikky's group was turned towards him. Their eyes lit up upon seeing Mei's appearance which made her shrink back and hide behind him. Mark also saw that but since all of them were just looking at her with admiration, he had no reason to reprimand them.

Rollan on the other hand had his eyes staring at Nikky after hearing what Mark had just said. That strength she had just used was too abnormal. Remembering Mark's explanations before, Nikky could either be a Mutator or an Evolver.

RAAR! GRRR! GRRRAA!

Rollan was about to ask Nikky about it when they suddenly heard loud growling sounds coming from the direction where the fence gate was located.

"You two should continue your reunion later."

Mark said to the couple while looking at the direction the growls were coming from. He then turned towards Nikky.

"Is there a place where you are staying?"

"There is."

Nikky nodded.

"Then, bring us there."

"What's with the hurry? This place is safe."

The woman who was driving the jeep interjected.

CLANK! TING! TAK!

They then heard the sounds of metal snapping off.

"Are you sure about it?"

Mark asked her making her face red in embarrassment. She had just said that it was safe here and they heard those sounds. It was obvious that those sounds were produced due to the fence gate being torn down.

"Odel, Carlo, get back inside the vehicle. Mei'er, Gale you two also get inside."

Mark gave his orders making everyone immediately follow. He then turned towards the couple.

"You two should separate for now. I'm sure, there's no space for another person in that jeep."

"But."

Nikky tried to protest but was stopped by Rollan.

"It's fine. We're going in the same place anyway."

Nikky nodded.

"Say, where are we going? We can make our vehicle lead the way."

Mark suddenly ask making Nikky's group look at the MB Sprinter. Seeing that it was fully equipped with protection measures and that V-shaped ram, they could only agree. The vehicle was surely better than theirs and it would be safer if it would be the one to lead the way.

"We're going at the elementary school."

The unfamiliar man in Nikky's group replied.

"You mean the elementary school few blocks away?"

Mark was surprised inside. If going by logic, then the elementary school was one of the most dangerous places in an outbreak but this group actually made that place as their base?

'No, there should be more to this.'

Mark thought and nodded.

Mark jumped at the roof of the MB Sprinter and readied his Assault Rifle while Nikky and her group returned to their jeep. Pulling out the radio, Mark spoke.

"Mei'er."

"Gege, I'm here."

"Tell Odel to return take a U turn and we'll lead the others. Go straight on the street. We're going to the main road at the end."

"Gege, she already heard."

"Alright, let's head out!"

Mark said and the vehicle started to roar. It was the same for Rosamie's vehicle as they could also hear the conversation through the radio Mark gave them.

TANG! TANG!

It seemed that the fence gate could not hold anymore. Before the three vehicles could make a U turn, several festered dogs ran towards them from the direction of the fence gate.

Aiming his gun, Mark started to shoot.

TSST! TSST! TSST! TSST! TSST! TSST!

The fast moving infected dogs were riddled with holes before they could even reach the vehicles.

Seeing the frightening infected animals, Nikky's group felt their chest tighten. These past days, they encountered infected humans but this was the first time they saw a pack of rotting dogs. They thought that only humans could get infected as they spent the days without encountering even one infected animal but what in the world was this?

Still, seeing Mark on the roof of the vehicle shooting down the fast moving dogs and killing them with great accuracy, they felt relieved.

BROOOM!!!

The three vehicles drove away from the area and through the fence gates after Mark opened it for them as quick as possible before entering the vehicle this time. It was because aside from the dogs, the common infected also started to gather around the entrance of the street. It was actually expected as the jeep Nikky and her group was riding on was not a silent type of vehicle.

On the other hand, it was actually the first time Nikky and her group went here with a vehicle. They had just acquired the jeep yesterday and managed to drive it after gathering fuel from abandoned vehicles on the streets. And such, it was the first time for them to encounter too many infected at this part after they cleared the street slowly.

The three vehicles did not drive that far. After about two minutes, they reached the main road where the entrance of the elementary school was located.

Seeing the state of the school, Mark's group was surprised. The school walls and gates were thoroughly reinforced and there were guard towers now built on the other side of the school gates.

The guards on the towers saw several vehicles approaching the gates and went alert. They were not familiar with the two vehicles after all, especially an odd looking and oddly sized large van. However, seeing the jeep where Nikky and her group were aboard, the guards relaxed a bit.

"Open the gates!"

Nikky bellowed while popping out her head from the window of the jeep.

Seeing her face, the guards turned respectful and immediately opened the gates and let the three vehicles in. While the jeep did not garner attention, many people were watching as the two foreign vehicles traversed the way inside the school compound. It was lucky that Mark made Emika retract her vines around their family vehicle to avoid more attention.

Looking around as the jeep led the other vehicles to the parking Mark concluded that this place was not a base but actually a small community. Mark could detect around a thousand people inside the school compound. It also made Mark sure that the leading people of his place were sure of high standing. It was because they could see some people wearing uniforms of military soldiers while some were wearing police attire.

However, the respectful expression of the guards when they saw Nikky did not escape his eyes. Using that to deduct the circumstances, it was likely that Nikky's standing in this place was not low either. It should be a given because of the fact that Nikky was an Evolver. Others might not know but he could. Nikky did not have the same pattern of emotional fluctuation that Mutators had but she actually had that kind of strange strength.

Now, Mark realized a pressing matter. Not only that his ability as an Empath was useless towards the infected but it seemed that he could also not discern the Evolvers from normal people unless they showed their abilities. Still, Mark was thankful that at least he could make use of these abilities against people now.

Arriving at the parking area, Mark and Rollan alighted from the vehicle but he did not let the others get out of the vehicle. After all, it was a foreign environment to them. Nikky and her group was one thing but others might not welcome their existence in this place.

However, it seemed different for Emika as she happily went out of the vehicle. She ran towards Mark attracting the attention of everyone watching their arrival. Her green colored hair with small pink flowers was really conspicuous. Nikky and her group members also stared at the girl with shock.

"Ne~! Scary Uncle, there's too many people here!"

Emika happily spoke to Mark making him slap his forehead. He managed to make the others inside the MB Sprinter to lay low he was not able to make it for Emika who loved to skip around.

'Forget it!'

Mark sighed.

While Mark was in that dilemma and Rollan approached Nikky, several people came to them. Seeing the man and woman leading the group, Mark was able to pick up several pieces of the puzzle. It was because the two people were familiar to him and were a political couple. The man was a city councilor while the woman was the barangay captain of this area. It was no wonder they managed to use this place as a settlement. However, Mark knew that there were still missing pieces.

The power of these two was not enough to establish this settlement on their own. Furthermore, he doubted that these two was able to command the soldiers lurking around even with their status.

He then noticed another group coming toward them from another direction. The group was composed of men and women in military uniform.

Mark was perplexed now. They had just arrived here but why were all these people gathering here?