157 Future Plans (2/2)
”Alderick?”
”Yes. The same happened to the group Paula and Angeline went with. I haven't told you two yet but Angeline is currently in a comma because their convoy was attacked by an Unknown I suspect to be another Mutated Infected. Paula was the target of the Infected and Angeline was injured in order to protect her.”
The news became a shock to the two. No wonder it was Paula who was answering the phone when the phone should have belonged to Angeline. They then realized what Mark said to them.
”Paula is also an Esper?”
Mei voiced. Even though she did not really interacted too much with the two, they left a good impression to her, especially Angeline who was naïve minded but a strong fighter.
”Paula had the ability to distinguish lies from truth. She said that she inherited it from her mother. I can say that she's telling the truth. Actually, my ability to see pieces of the future is also inherited from my mother.”
Mark took a deep breath and decided to console the two.
”In any way, I won't go and lure the infected away if we can defeat it. If it really happened that I have to leave and lure it away… Odel, I want you to take care of Mei and these two girls. I know that I'm dumping too much work to you this time when you also have your children to protect.”
”Master, you worry too much. I will do my best to protect them even if you don't order me to.”
Odelina said with resolution.
”Gege… you will return safely right?”
Mei asked. Her expression looked sad.
”I will. Though I'm not optimistic that it will be easy, at least I know that I will be able to survive that. At most, my arrival at Bay City will just get delayed and nothing more.”
Mark patted Mei's head.
”Another thing... Odel, what do you want to do after reaching Bay City?”
”What do you mean Master?”
”Actually, after I escorted everyone to Bay City, I will leave with Mei and these two girls, probably, along with Laelaps and Fein too.”
Odelina was surprised once more.
”Leave? Why?”
Unexpectedly, Mei was the one who answered Odelina's question.
”It's because Gege already paid his debt.”
Hearing that, Mark smiled.
”You actually remembered that?”
Mei nodded.
”Back at the mall, Gege said that you have a debt to your friends. You also said before that we are the same. Then, Gege already severed connections to them before right? In the case you brought them to safety of Bay City, you already paid the debt and had no lingering connection to them anymore.”
Hearing that, Odelina held her head with her right hand.
It was no wonder this two Masters of hers were limiting their interactions with the other members too much. They actually plan on leaving everyone afterwards.
Seeing the servant's dilemma, Mark spoke.
”As an Empath, places like this settlement and even Bay City don't suit me. I prefer to create my own base somewhere else with a few people. The others however, were not too suited for something like that. The Evolvers in our group now have their families with them so I can't bring them either. That's why I'm asking you. If you don't want to go with us, you can forget the deal Freed gave you and live freely.”
Surprisingly, Odelina did not want to leave.
”Can we bring my children with us?”
”There's no problem with that. You have the ability to protect them.”
Mark agreed.
”Well, about the plan to leave, that won't happen immediately since we needed to prepare for that. We'll probably stay at Bay City for some time before leaving.”
***
The talk did not take too long after that and Mark told Odelina to return to her children back in the building used by the military.
”Gege, there won't be any problems right?”
Mei sat beside Mark.
”Don't jinx it.”
Mark rubbed his handhard on her head before handing a folded cloth to her. Inside the cloth was one of the newly created Physical Crystals.
”Since we don't know other things that will happen, you better consume this.”
Mei did not say anything and accepted the crystal, holding it on her hand. Her eyes were also filled with anticipation. If she evolved, she would be able to fight and help her Gege further. She did not want to be just a baggage and wanted to be able to fight beside him.
”Lay down on the sofa. It will be quite painful for sure and you will have fever after you lose consciousness. Don't worry, I'll assist you. If it didn't work, then I'll give you a drop of my blood.”
Mei lay down comfortably on the sofa and propped the crystal into her mouth.
CRACK! CRACK!
Upon contact with her saliva, the crystal glowed with bright light before it cracked and broke into pieces the same way during Mark's experiment. The smoke particles left of the crystal entered her throat. Almost immediately, her face started to flush and her body started to shiver. It seemed that the crystal worked immediately on her without her needing to consume Mark's blood.
”Gege…”
Mei spoke weakly trying to suppress the pain. As her voice was too soft, Mark leaned his face towards her to hear her more clearly.
At that moment, before he could react, Mei lifted her head and planted a soft kiss on his right cheek. She then lost consciousness flaring with fever with her head falling back unto the sofa.
Mark was surprised and then he shook his head. This girl was getting braver and braver. It was not like he did not know what this girl felt towards him. It was just that he did not feel that importance of having relationships at the moment when there was danger in every corner.
He caressed her head with his hand covered with white milky light.
When her condition became stable, Mark was in a dilemma. He had no way of sleeping now. With Mei unconscious, the emotions of everyone in the settlement came flooding his mind like a broken dam.
Throwing the thought of having sleep away, he took out his phone, a USB cable and his laptop before sitting beside the sofa Mei was sleeping at. He was not playing a game. Clicking sounds of the keys of the keyboard echoed inside the vehicle as Mark started to create one of his trump cards to exchange with the government.