159 Discoveries in the Morning (2/2)
With that invitation, the mother and daughter entered the vehicle leaving the human shaped clump of vines outside the vehicle.
Inside, the two saw Abbygale and Iola drinking a glass of milk each and Mei who was still sleeping.
”What happened?”
Rosamie could not help but ask since seeing Mei still sleeping while Abbygale was already awake seemed strange. If it was normal, Mark would have already woken her up.
Since Rosamie and her children were not present yesterday afternoon when Mark talked to the others, he summarized the content of the topic yesterday and told the two while drinking coffee. He also introduced Iola to the two. Even though the two knew about the girl yesterday afternoon, they did not know what happened and it was really strange to see the dying girl yesterday up and about the next morning.
”By the way, what are you doing yesterday? We called for you three but none of you came for dinner.”
Mark asked as Rosamie's family was absent yesterday. Then, Rosamie's face darkened.
”It's my brother's fault. As a botanist, he became crazy studying my children's plant like abilities and it went like that till midnight.”
Though Rosamie's expression soured, it seemed that she was used to that behavior of her brother. Well, most scientists had a unique personality in one way or another. It was not new.
”What's the result?”
”Chervil said that there are existing plants with similar properties that Emika's vines and Mikio's tree roots had but he's totally sure that their abilities created a totally new genus of flora. He could not remember any plant cell structure that had the same structure as my children's abilities.”
”That's completely expected. Just how would it have the same structure as normal plants when the vines and roots came from Mutated children?”
***
They all finished drinking the contents of their cups and ate some crackers and cookie sandwiches. Mark left the duty of guarding the still sleeping Mei to the trustworthy and calm cat girl. It was not like the Abbygale would let anything happen to the woman she called ”Mama” from time to time.
Rosamie and Emika followed Mark bringing Dominador's body back to the utility room where Mark and Odelina left Alderick's body last night. There were soldiers now at the vicinity but none of them blocked Mark's path. He knew that these soldiers belonged to the 7th Rescue Squad considering their behavior towards him and their familiar mental fluctuations.
Entering the room, it was totally empty. It seemed that the dead body had already been disposed of and even the blood on the floor was cleaned up.
Mark and the two entered the door and closed it immediately. No one must witness what they were about to do here.
”Emika, retract the vines.”
As Mark's instruction entered her ear, Emika removed the vines around Dominador's body. The vines moved like whips striking the floor to remove the blood on the vines before turning back into fine green hair strands.
Mark on the other hand felt elated once more even forgetting his fatigue from the lack of sleep. It seemed that Emika's vines really had a sealing property not only able to stop Janette from detecting Dominador's body but also the crystals. Yes, even the crystals. Why? It was because the moment the dead body of Dominador was exposed, Mark could feel a strong vibration on his pocket, surely, coming from the Physical Crystal he brought.
Taking out the crystal from his pocket, Mark had not even removed the handkerchief around it when the Physical Crystal excitedly flew out of his hand before stopping above the forehead of Dominador.
With a breathtaking display of light even brighter than the Physical Crystal yesterday that absorbed an unknown ability from the brain of the Muscled Infected, the crystal made its intended work.
Unlike with how Alderick's ability was stored into the Mind Crystal and how the Muscle Infected's ability was stored into the Physical Crystal yesterday, Mark and the other two could observe a different scene in front of them.
While the Physical Crystal was absorbing Dominador's ability, they could see Dominador's body emit a higher temperature that a dead body was not supposed to emit. Then, the red fur that covered his arms and legs started to retract into his skin and his limbs started to return to normal.
Witnessing that scene, Mark could not help but think that the dead body would turn into a common corpse after the Physical Crystal was done with its work. However it seemed that he was mistaken.
When the crystal started to dim and was about to fall, Mark immediately grabbed it using the handkerchief that had fallen into the ground. After that, he retreated without hesitation.
It was because Dominador's body started twitching.
Soon, the supposed to be dead corpse stood up and started to shamble towards them.
Dominador's body without the effects and ability of a Mutator, turned into an infected, specifically, an Eater. Maybe, it was because due to the gunshots wounds destroying the organs of the body, the dead Dominador could only turn into a dead bodied Eater.
Rosamie immediately backed off and Emika readily pierced the head of Dominador with her vine bringing the deceased body back to where it should lay.
”Well, that's surprising.”
Mark said with eyes gleaming due to this discovery.
The Physical Crystals could really absorb the abilities of Mutators and it was really the abilities that the Crystals absorb from the dead bodies of unusual people. The way Dominador's body reverted back into being a normal infected was the proof of that.
In that case, he could collect and store abilities of both Mutated Infected and enemy Mutators if he could create more of those crystals in the future. Aside from the crystals he could use, he knew that his collection of rare items would grow exponentially.
However, it really came with a risk. If evil people were to get hold of this news, he and his entourage would surely be chased to the end of the world. It was good that he was an Empath. He could tell who could be trusted and who were not in keeping this secret.