387 NeoHumans, The Ongoing Theory (1/2)
Day 61 - 3:22 PM - Hospital Area, Military Laboratories, North District, Bay City Settlement, Pasay City, Metro Manila
Mark, wearing his mask, Mei, and Abbygale sat in the waiting area of the laboratory.
Because of what Jaeya did, Mark had to postpone the modification of the remaining vehicles. After noontime passed and nothing happened to Jaeya, Mark decided to bring Jaeya to the laboratory for checking. To be sure, he also brought the infected baby to the laboratory.
Because it was not easy to disclose the origin of the baby without causing a commotion, Mark had to lie. He told the doctor that met them personally about checking for possible Mutagen Infection on the two.
This was not the first time the people in the laboratory received an inquiry like this. The speed of people turning for each individual infected by the [Mutagen Unstable Strain] was fundamentally different. That was why the laboratory would handle such cases from time to time. Due to that, however, they already had a protocol to follow.
For the time record of a person turning, the longest the military experienced was twenty-two hours. That was why it would not be impossible that other instances could occur.
Nevertheless, having VIP treatment was superb. While people had to wait in queues in the lobby, the laboratory personnel immediately directed them inside.
Since things were urgent, they had not eaten launch yet. Unfortunately, it was forbidden to eat outside appointed areas in the laboratory. Mark tried to tell Mei to lead Abbygale out to eat first, but the little girl did not want to and patiently waited beside Mark. Despite her calm expression, Abbygale was worried. She did not even remember taking advantage of Iola and Miracle not being present to solo Mark's lap on her own.
Finally, the results they were waiting for arrived. Unexpectedly, the one delivering the result was no other than Nia instead of the doctor they spoke with before.
Seeing Mark looking at her with a strange look, Nia smiled.
”Sir must be wondering why I'm here. The staff reported to us about the circumstances and I led it personally. Hearing your requests are our utmost priority after all.”
Nia spoke respectfully.
Not only her but Allen would behave the same way when around Mark. The first reason was Mark being able to strip away what they had now with a wrong move, and another was because while they look at Mark, they felt lower and guilty for a reason they could not fathom.
Hearing her reason to be here, Mark nodded.
”What about the result?”
Mark asked. He could feel that even Abbygale and Mei were getting anxious.
To Abbygale, she was her last relative, while to Mei, she was like a sister. Not only because she was Abbygale's Aunt, but Jaeya did not treat her any differently. Having the thought of having a sister was new to her and was quite enjoying it. The problem, however, was that the role of the two was reversed with Mei behaving as the older sister despite being younger.
The short pause from Nia seemed too long.
”There is no need to worry about the mother and the baby, they are both normal.”
Half-relieved and half-confused. That was what Mark and Mei felt. Of course, the little girl was all relieved.
”Is something wrong?”
Nia noticed the odd atmosphere.
”Can you bring us to them?”
Mark asked.
”Of course, there is no problem. Please follow me.”
As such, Nia led the way.
***
They were led unto the high-security rooms of the hospital area. It was the area reserved for these kinds of tests. Not only several soldiers were stationed in the area, but the rooms were built to last if the patient being checked suddenly turned or mutated.
As Nia led them, they passed by the bulletproof window of the room they were about to enter. There was Jaeya inside and they saw her immediately.
Mark hung his head low while rubbing his temple. This woman was a total headache.
On the hospital bed, Jaeya lay sideways... Happily breastfeeding the supposed ”infected” baby.
Mei sighed and even the little girl understood the predicament her Papa and Mama were having.
Jaeya was concentrated on breastfeeding the baby that she did not even notice that she was being watched.
Nia was waiting for Mark to open the door and enter first. As she was not related to the patient, it would be better if she entered last. Nevertheless, she could not understand why the three people in front of her were behaving oddly.
”What tests did you perform?”
Turning to Nia, Mark asked.
”The standard tests. Body temperature, pulse and heartbeat checking, the most important were urine and saliva checking.”
The tests were a good set for checking possibly infected people. Body temperature and heartbeat alone could tell if a person had been infected since they would experience a very high fever and their heart would start to palpitate. Furthermore, an infected person's urine and feces did not only reek several times stronger but would also contain blood as their insides transformed.
As for the saliva, it was the most important indicator. An person infected, even before turning, would already produce an [Unstable Strain] of Mutagen. It meant that if a person were infected, he could immediately infect others without turning into a full-blown infected.
And, there was the problem Mark and Mei had in mind.
Despite these tests, they deemed the baby to be ”normal”.
”Are you really sure that the baby is normal?”
Mark asked which made Nia even more confused.
”Is there really something wrong, Sir? I would not understand if you don't tell me.”
Nia respectfully asked.
Leaving things like this, they would not get anywhere.
”Can you keep a secret? Something that you won't tell that crazy professor of yours?”
Mark sighed. He decided to tell the circumstances.
”Yes, you can count on me.”
Nia nodded with a stern expression. Probably, other than the professor, she would only show such expression around Mark.
Mark then took out a phone and opened the gallery. There, he showed the grotesque pictures and videos of what they had encountered inside the nursery ward in Perpetual Help Medical Center.
”This is?”
Nia asked seeing the [Breeder Type] infected.
”The mother of that baby there.” Mark pointed at Jaeya and the baby inside the room. ”You can see that umbilical cords on that infected? One of those is connected to that baby before I took it.”
”It seems like you found a rather unique infected there.”
Nia looked at the pictures with interest. She would also change expressions as she saw the pitiful looking babies born of the [Breeder Type].