Chapter 49: Residual Echo

The room had quieted down. Markus was thinking about his new found knowledge on Mark 8 and the power he has now.

It was far from peaceful as the outside was still in chaos, most of the infected which did not immediately die either turned to mindless creatures and were attacking each other and with them were the rare ones who retained their sanity.

The machines still hummed, monitors still flickered, but the frantic urgency from before had faded into something slower. It was heavier. Like the aftermath of something that hadn’t fully ended yet.

Ashell lay still on the surgical bed, his chest rising in shallow, assisted rhythm. The worst of the procedure was over, but the damage lingered. Tubes still fed oxygen into him, stabilizers still held parts of him in place, and beneath it all he looked fragile as if a slight ouch in the wrong place could end him.

Markus stood near the foot of the bed, arms at his sides, his gaze drifting once again to his hand.

’Still crystal, it has now changed, never to be normal again....maybe that isn’t so bad.’

Ashell’s father stood beside him, watching the boy in silence. His expression had settled into something controlled again, but it wasn’t calm.

It was calculation, "...We need to talk about what happened," Mr. DeRouse said finally.

Markus didn’t look up, "I already know what happened."

"No," Ashell’s father replied quietly. "You know what you saw."

That got a slight reaction from Markus, his fingers flexed slightly, "...Then say it."

Mr. DeRouse exhaled slowly, glancing briefly toward Ashell before continuing, "The strain that affected you... it isn’t behaving like the others."

Markus’s eyes shifted slightly, "We’ve already established that...have we not."

"Yes," Ashell’s father said. "But not fully."

Markus finally looked at him, "What are you getting at?"

A pause in speech then, "I think you’re not the only one."

Silence settled between them.

Markus’s expression didn’t change immediately, but something in his eyes sharpened, "...Explain."

Mr. DeRouse folded his arms, "The infected individuals we encountered earlier...those mutations were unstable, erratic and overly destructive."

Markus nodded slightly, "Yes they were breaking down."

"Exactly."Ashell’s father stepped closer, lowering his voice, "But you’re not."

Markus’s gaze flickered a bit, "And neither is he." 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

They both looked at Ashell. Mr DeRouse smiled, "and I am very grateful for that too, if it weren’t for your father who is still working to save him...well this would be another thing."

Even in his current state, there was a difference.

The crystallization inside him hadn’t spread randomly. It had formed, concentrated, structured in specific areas. Dangerous place but not chaotic.

"...So you think this is controlled?" Markus asked.

"I think it’s selective." That word hung in the air.

Markus frowned slightly, "Selective how?"

Mr. DeRouse didn’t hesitate, "I think some of you... adapted."

Markus went still, "...Adapted you say?"

"Yes." Mr DeRouse confirmed.

Markus’s heart beat hastened.

"I think the strain responded differently depending on the host." Mr DeRouse continued.

Markus’s mind moved quickly, piecing it together, "...Compatibility."

Ashell’s father gave a slight nod in agreement, "The ones who couldn’t handle it broke down...

And the ones who could..."

Markus glanced at his hand, "They...changed." Another pause rose, "They....Gained something."

Mr. DeRouse didn’t confirm it directly but he didn’t deny it either.

"I think," he said carefully, "that some of the infected may have developed abilities similar to yours."

Markus’s breathing slowed slightly as his gaze hardened.

"...Gifts." Ashell’s father said.

The word felt strange to Markus...he pointed at Ashell, "You call that...this a gift."

"The word is unfitting I guess but what else can we say it is.." Me DeRouse said.

Across the room, a strained voice broke in, "...Really...?"

Both of them turned to the direction of the voice.

Victor hadn’t moved from his position...he was just working on Ash. His posture had shifted. He looked weaker now, paler, the tiredness he tried to hide was now showing.

His breathing had grown uneven, "Is that... what you’re saying...?"

Mr. DeRouse stepped toward him slightly, "We don’t know for certain...but it’s not impossible...?"

His voice cracked, "It’s possible my son... survived because of that...?"

Markus watched silently.

"...Yes, very much so because if otherwise your son would not have made it.," Victor said finally.

That was enough.

Ashell’s father let out a shaky breath, something close to relief breaking through his pain, "...Good..."

His hand tightened weakly against the coner of the wall, "...Then he’ll live..."

But that moment filled with hope didn’t hold.

Ashell’s father’s body jerked suddenly. A violent cough tore through him.

Blood spilled from his mouth, dark and heavy.

Markus’s eyes widened, "Hey... You were hiding your injury.."

Another cough came out, this time more blood spilled.

"The whole time we were talking why did you not say anything..."Markus asked.

The crystallization beneath his skin shifted, spreading further across his abdomen, faint lines pushing outward like something forcing its way through.

"...!" He staggered...Victor saw this stopped the operation he was doing on Ash, rushed over to DeRouse and caught him immediately, "...DeRouse!"

The name snapped through the room.

DeRouse Volkov’s body trembled in his grip, his strength failing rapidly now.

"I... I’m fine..." DeRouse tried to say, but more blood followed out of him.

"You’re not fine," Victor snapped, he rummaged his hands around Mr DeRouse, "You...this" he said as he analyzed the wound, " you were impaled."

Markus stepped closer instinctively, "We need to move him."

Victor didn’t argue.

"Now." Markus continued.

They moved quickly.

DeRouse was lifted, his arm slung over Victor’s shoulder as they rushed toward the exit...

Markus barked, "wait here, we can’t just go outside...i need to check if there are any infected nearby."

Markus stepped outside. Victors eyes ran through the winter arm until he found another bed just like the one Ashell was on.

He places DeRouse on top of the bed and strapped Ashell’s bed and DeRouse bed together.

Markus came back he exhaled while catching his breath, " It’s pretty clear...let’s go."

They left the room, their steps dragged slightly, each movement slower than the last.

The hallway outside was quieter now. The earlier chaos had faded, replaced by silence, broken doors, scratched ceilings and walls but none of it mattered right now.

"Stay with me," Victor said sharply as they moved.

DeRouse let out a weak breath, "...I’m... not going anywhere..."

’I just lied" DeRouse wondered.

They turned into the next medical wing, pushing through the doors as some of the staff which was in that room rushed to meet them.

"He’s bleeding internally," Victor said immediately. "Crystal growth spreading from the wound."

"Get him on the bed...now!" A man in a lab coat said.

They transferred him quickly.

Hands moved quickly as some of the voices overlapped.

Machines were activated.

Markus stepped back, watching as they worked.

For a moment It felt like everything was repeating, another body, another emergency, another fight against something they didn’t understand.

DeRouse’s eyes flickered open briefly, "...My son..."

"He’s alive," Victor exhaled. "I made sure of that...just focus on yourself."

Ashell’s father gave the smallest nod. Then his eyes closed again.

The machines took over and just like that everything slowed down.

Three days passed.

Time blurred into cycles of waiting...Markus barely left the medical wing, neither did his father.

Ashell’s condition stabilized gradually, though he remained unconscious for most of it. The crystallization had been reduced, controlled, but not eliminated.

It was still there ever present inside him.

DeRouse’s condition was worse.

The impalement alone had been critical, but the crystallization complicated everything. It spread slowly from the wound, not explosively, but persistently.

Like it was settling in. He hadn’t woken up since.

The room was quiet again. Ashell sat upright for the first time.

His movements were slow, careful, his body still weak from the procedure. Tubes had been placed they ran from the mask on his face into his chest and into another thing by his side.

Bandages covered most of his torso, hiding what had been done to keep him alive.

But he was awake and that alone was a victory.

His gaze moved slowly across the room and it was unfamiliar...he was disoriented.

Then he saw him...he saw his father lying still in the adjacent bed.

"...Father...?" His voice was rough and strained.

Markus, who had been leaning against the wall, straightened slightly, "You’re awake."

Ashell turned his head toward him, blinking slowly, "...What happened...?"

Markus hesitated for a moment then his voice broke free, "You survived."

Ash’s gaze shifted to Markus’s hand, "what happened to your arm.."

Markus answered, "That doesn’t matter right now."

Ashenko’s eyes shifted back to his father, "...Will he wake up?"

Markus didn’t answer him as he didn’t know how.

Victor stepped forward instead. His voice was calm, "Don’t worry, Ashell"

Ashell looked at him.

"He will wake up." Victor continued. His words were steady.

Ashell held that gaze for a moment. Then nodded slightly as if that was enough.

Markus watched the exchange quietly. Then his eyes drifted again. To his hand....it was still something he didn’t fully understand.