Mutagen

<strong>Day 6 – 8:37PM – E3 Expressway Junction, Zapote V, Bacoor City, Cavite</strong>

Reaching the highest part of the curve which was the flyover that led back to the entrance of the expressway which they passed before, Mark stopped the multi-cab after assuring that the pursuers were not on the immediate distance behind. Looking over the metal barrier at the side of the road he saw what was happening below. As he expected, the three gigantic monsters did not lost him but were engaged in a two on one fight at the entrance of the curve. Since the curved road was made only for those vehicles entering Bacoor City, the width of the road was way smaller.

With the time allowance, Mark hurriedly unchained motorbike hanging at the side of the multi-cab. Inspecting the motorbike, he saw that the tail and the seat seemed to be hit by the stone projectiles earlier. Fortunately, everything else were still intact especially the engine and the wheels. It could still be driven. Nevertheless, he needed to get rid of the three first or he would not be able to return at all.

Mark then looked at the exit of the flyover. It seemed that the infected spotted him due to the lights from the multi-cab and were now running towards him. He did not have much time. With a tick of his mind, the glow on his eyes flared once more stopping the fight below. They all looked at him and hurriedly tried to find a way to reach his position.

The infected really had no brains at all…

Seeing that he was above, the two infected rushed towards him even jumping unto the manmade lake at the center of the curve. On the other hand, the stone clad woman circled following the road rushing up towards his position.

"Time to move."

Mark pushed the motorbike away from the multi-cab that was already leaking of gas fumes. He then wore his backpack on his front.

"Fein! On my back!"

On that command, the fearful beetle latched on his back before he sat on the motorbike and started the engine.

He then pulled out the grenade launcher he brought and aimed at the multi-cab.

BAM!

The frog headed infected jumped unto the flyover scaling the height of more than three meters instantly. It jumped even neared to him than the multi-cab. However, it was not time yet to make the multi-cab explode. He shifted his aim towards the approaching mutated infected and shot.

THUMP! BAM!

KRAAAAA!!!

The frog headed infected staggered backwards with a roar after the launched grenade shell exploded on its face. If it was like other infected, that explosion was already enough to smash its brain into thousands of pieces but its steel body prevented that from happening. There were dents on its face as the proof that it was hit but that was it.

Mark did not laze around and immediately loaded another shell into the grenade launcher and fired once more making the frog headed infected stagger backwards even more.

The stone clad woman and the frog headed infected were both near the multi-cab now. As for the gigantic turtle, he could not do anything about it and could only let it pace around below the flyover.

THUMP! BAM!

Mark launched his next shell and it was towards the abandoned multi-cab.

BOOOOOM!!!

Following the sound of the exploding shell, the gas fumes leaking from the multi-cab caught fire and the whole multi-cab exploded afterwards. The tremor from the explosion was too much that it felt like an earthquake from where Mark positioned himself. The light coming from the explosion lit up the dark night due to the flames that suddenly rose up in the air. Metal debris from the stored LPG tanks flew away in random directions and even Mark had to dodge some as he retreated.

Due to being too close to the multi-cab, the two monsters were heavily impacted. Both were not dead yet but they were visibly injured. The frog headed infected plopped to the asphalt with its metal skin turning red hot due to the temperature of the flames. The stone clad woman on the other hand had cracks all over her body.

"Was it over?"

Mark murmured but was then stunned.

He just cursed himself. Both of the enemies were not dead yet. As the frog headed infected could not move, it switched its target towards the stone clad woman who was near it. It shot its barbed and bladed tongue towards the Failed Mutator wrapping her cracked body. The stone clad woman was also barely moving at all. When it saw that its body was wrapped with the disgusting tongue, it did something inconceivable.

She curled her body into a ball while she was being pulled towards the large mouth of the mutated infected. The cracked stones on her body stood up like a rolled hedgehog.

Mark was shocked seeing that scene. It totally felt like the stone clad woman was going to self-destruct! He hurriedly pulled the gas handle of the motorbike and immediately left the vicinity.

CRAAAACK! CREAK!

Those creepy sounds echoed from behind but Mark did not look back. He started firing the assault rifle mounted on the motorbike killing the infected blocking the way.

BLAGAM!!!

The uncanny sound of stones exploding entered his ear and stones rained from behind him.

GWEEE!!!

Fein suddenly cried out. Mark saw that a pointed stone whizzed by his side and tore off one of the poor beetle's legs that latched on him. Mark felt bitter as he saw the torn off tarsus part of its right rear leg flew off to the side.

Another stoned whizzed to his left, it tore off his jacket and Mark felt that his skin was scraped by that stone. That same stone broke the left side mirror of the motorbike.

Mark wanted to complain. He was good at and liked playing Danmaku kinds of games where he control the character destroying every enemy while dodging a hell rain of bullets. However, using a mouse and a controller to dodge bullets was way different compared to controlling your whole body to dodge a barrage of bullets from behind! Not to mention that he also needed to pay attention to the incoming infected from the direction he was facing!

BAM!

A sound of his rear wheel exploding entered his ears and his motorbike started to lose balance. Due to the speed he was driving at, his body was thrown off the moment the motorbike was knocked to the ground. He could only curl his body to lessen the impact as he fell and rolled in the middle of the road. Fein who was in pain due to its broken leg was not able to react either and was separated from Mark when they fell.

A short fall and strong impact on Mark's back that shook his organs stopped his roll. He swallowed the iron taste in his mouth and looked at his surroundings. It seemed that he had fallen off the flyover. Luckily, he was already away from the highest part of the ramp or things might have gotten worse. The decision he made to wear his backpack on his front also removed the chance of him receiving more pain when he fell.

When he looked up, he hurriedly pulled his shotgun and fired in front of him. The infected shambling towards him immediately fell with a smashed head. Luckily, it was an Eater. If it was a Biter, it would have lunged at him already and he would not be able to resist due to his weakened body.

"Fein!"

Mark called out from above after he sluggishly stood up. He could ignore the pain but the weakness brought by the pain was not something that could be removed instantly. After he called, he saw the huge beetle drop from the side and buzzed its wings mid fall. The beetle landed in front of him crestfallen. Beetles had no ability to regenerate their legs, he hoped that its mutation made it able to or it would be a permanent disability.

Looking around, Mark found that the infected around was already gathering towards him. He looked further trying to find a building to stop by and saw a three floored unfinished building on a squatters' area just to the south.

"Fein, can you still fly?"

"GWEEE."

Fein weakly responded but Mark knew that it could. He made the beetle latch onto his back once more and with the beetle's help, they flew towards that building he saw. He could not care anymore about the aftermath or whatever happened to the frog headed infected and the stone clad woman. He should wait first for the weakness of his body and his injuries to heal before checking.

After reaching the unfinished third floor, Mark found that the building was heavily barricaded but it seemed that the two people that barricaded themselves here had already passed away. He saw two bodies on the second floor bedroom lying on the bed as if they were asleep. If not for the almost empty bottle and tablets of sleeping pills on the floor, Mark would not know what happened to the two.

Picking up an empty bedroom, Mark plopped his body to the floor as a sudden weakness enveloped his body. It was opposite of what he had expected. With his regeneration rate, he should be recovering already but what was happening was the complete opposite.

"GWEEE."

Fein seemed to be worried about his condition. It seemed that it also felt that something was not right. The beetle paced around Mark as if checking his body.

When it suddenly cried out loud.

"GWEEEE!!! GWEEE!"

It was looking at his left arm where the sleeve of the jacket had been torn open.

Fighting the weakness he felt, he raised his left arm…

His eyes dilated.

There was an open wound about an inch long on the back of his wrist. The problem was not only the wound that was not healing but the skin around the wound was tainted with black color. The veins around the wound also became prominent through the skin and around the black colored skin was the skin that had already started to turn pale.

It was the sign of infection…

But how? He was only hit by a stone from a Failed Mutator. Mark questioned himself and suddenly recalled several things.

Before the stone clad woman released that barrage of stones, her body was partly wrapped with the tongue of the frog headed infected.

It enlightened him of his bad luck. It was likely that the stone that hit his arm either tore through or was smeared with saliva from the tongue that wrapped around her body.

Mark sighed as he took out his favorite notebook and wrote a letter despite his shivering hand. He then took out all his important things especially his phone and the camera he always had on his collar. Putting everything in the bag, even that guns that were small in size, he handed the bag to Fein with the notebook separated.

"Fein, you should return and carry these for me."

"GWEEE…"

The beetle sounded sad and even nudged Mark with its horns.

"Just go. I promised that I will follow all of you to Bay City remember?"

With that, Mark forced himself to see Fein fly off from the unfinished third floor. When he could not see the beetle anymore, he went back inside and sat beside the empty bed.

He was not dispirited at all. Would he turn into an infected or become a Mutator? Mark wanted to listen to some anime music but he already sent his phone back. He could only hum the song on his own.

"Puhah!"

Blood spurted from his mouth.

Mark did not know what would happen but he was sure of something. Someone would not let him die.

"Right? Freed?"