COVELENT: XenoTrait

The doors of the Cain Foundation opened.

Markus walked inside as Ash followed beside him.

Victor had walked several steps ahead.

None of them spoke.

The funeral was over now.

But Markus still felt like he was standing beside the grave.

Every step through the Foundation felt wrong.

The bright lights, the white walls, the sound of machinery. The scientists moving through the corridors, people talking and working.

Everyone continuing with their lives as if nothing had happened.

Markus stopped for a second.

Ash looked at him, ”You okay?”

Markus stared down the corridor, ”No.”

Ash didn’t respond.

Victor continued walking, ”Come.”

Markus looked at him.

Victor didn’t even turn around, ”We have work.”

Markus’s fists tightened, ’Work.

That is all father seems to care about.’

His mother had just been buried and Victor was already thinking about work.

Markus followed behind.

They entered the central training facility.

Several members of the Foundation were already there.

Blade stood near the training floor, Reina sat against the wall.

Kael was speaking quietly with one of the Foundation members.

Everyone looked at Markus when he entered, nobody said anything.

Markus looked away.

Victor walked toward the observation room,”Training resumes tomorrow.”

Markus looked at him, ”Tomorrow?”

Victor stopped, ”Yes.”

Markus stared at him, ”My mother was buried today.”

”I know.”

”And you’re already talking about training?” Markus continued.

Victor looked at him, ”Life continues.”

Markus ’s expression hardened, ”You really don’t know when to stop.”

Victor didn’t respond...he simply walked away.

Markus watched him disappear through the doors.

Ash stood beside him, ”Markus .”

Markus looked at him, ”I need to find something.”

”What?” Ashell asked.

”I don’t know yet.”

Markus walked away but Ash followed, ”Where are you going?”

”Records.” He replied.

Ash frowned, ”Why?”

Markus looked over his shoulder, ”Because my father knows something.”

The Foundation’s records division was located three floors beneath the main facility.

Markus had never been allowed inside, the doors required authorization.

He stood in front of the security terminal.

Ash looked at him, ”You’re sure about this?”

”No.” he replied. Markus placed his hand against the scanner.

The machine beeped, ”ACCESS DENIED.”

Markus frowned. He tried again.

”ACCESS DENIED.”

Ash looked at the camera above them, ”We’re definitely not supposed to be here.”

Markus looked at him, ”I know.”

He placed his hand against the door. His eyes narrowed.

The crystalline structure beneath his skin shifted and a tiny layer of Mark 8 spread across his fingertips.

The lock clicked as the door opened.

Ash stared, ”That’s new.”

Markus walked inside, ”Keep your voice down.”

The room was enormous equipped with rows of files, computers, research documents, old photographs, medical records and mark 8 reports.

Markus walked between the shelves. He searched.

MARK 8.

Nothing was found. He searched again and still nothing.

Then he noticed another section. INTEGRATION.

Markus stopped in his tracks and Ash looked over, ”What is it?”

Markus pulled a file from the shelf.

The cover read: SUBJECT ADAPTATION STUDIES.

He opened it and pages, photographs, charts, observations were all showcased.

Markus ’s eyes moved across the pages.

”Human subjects...Some had survived Mark 8.

Others hadn’t.

Some developed abilities, some developed physical changes and some became unstable.”

Markus turned another page and his expression changed.

”What’s wrong?” Ash asked.

Markus didn’t answer he just turned the file toward Ash.

Ash read it.

” MARK 8 IS NOT NECESSARILY A FAILURE OF HUMAN BIOLOGY.”

Ash frowned, ”What does that mean?”

Markus continued reading.

Another page.

”THE PARASITIC RESPONSE MAY REPRESENT A BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION MECHANISM.”

Markus ’s breathing slowed as he turned another page.

”SUBJECTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE THE TRAIT MAY POSSESS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER SURVIVAL POTENTIAL.”

Ash stared at the page, ”So they think it’s useful.”

Markus shook his head, ”Not useful.”

He looked deeper into the file, ”They think it’s evolution.”

Ash’s expression changed.

Markus continued with another document, another report and another study.

The Foundation had been examining Mark 8 from every possible angle.

Not simply as a disease, not simply as a parasite but as something capable of changing humanity.

Markus found a document marked: ADAPTATION POTENTIAL.

He opened it and there were several categories.

LOW, MODERATE, HIGH and EXCEPTIONAL.

Markus kept reading. Then he saw a familiar name.

Markus Cain his hand stopped.

Ash leaned closer.

Markus read the report and his expression slowly changed.

The document described his ability.

His command-type response, his ability to spread Mark 8 through physical contact, his ability to crystallize carbon, his ability to influence the resulting transformation.

But one sentence made Markus stop breathing.

SUBJECT’S ABILITY APPEARS TO DEVELOP IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE.

Markus stared at it.

Ash read the sentence, ”What does that mean?”

Markus didn’t answer, he flipped the page.

There were more observations.

ABILITY DEVELOPMENT: ONGOING.

LIMITS: UNKNOWN.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS: UNKNOWN.

Markus closed the file, ”Why didn’t he tell me?”

Ash looked at him, ”Maybe he doesn’t know.”

Markus shook his head, ”He knows.”

”How?”

”Because it’s his Foundation.”

Markus placed the file back. Then he noticed another folder.

Cain FOUNDATION — INTERNAL STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT.

He opened it.

The first page contained a statement.

Mark 8 should not automatically be classified as an extinction-level event.

Markus stared at it.

Ash moved closer.

The next paragraph explained that Mark 8 had demonstrated something unexpected.

Adaptation.

The human body wasn’t simply being destroyed. In certain cases, it was changing, responding...urviving. Becoming something else.

Markus continued reading.

The Foundation had begun considering the possibility that humanity’s survival might depend on individuals capable of adapting to Mark 8.

Markus’s eyes narrowed, ”They knew.”

Ash looked at him, ”Knew what?”

”That this could change humanity.”

Markus flipped through the pages, ”Not just kill it.”

He looked at the documents again, ”Change it.”

Ash was silent now.

Markus found another report. This one was signed by Victor.

His father’s name.

Markus froze, he read the report.

Victor had written about the future of humanity, about adaptation, about the possibility that human beings might eventually need to change in order to survive what was coming.

Markus’s expression hardened.

He closed the folder, ”We’re leaving.”

Ash nodded.

Markus walked toward the door but before he reached it, he stopped.

”What?” Ashell asked.

Markus looked at the file in his hand, ”I’m keeping this.”

Ash raised an eyebrow, ”Your father is going to notice.”

Markus looked at him, ”I want him to.”

Victor was in his office...te room was quiet. He stood near the window, looking over the Foundation.

The door opened.

Markus walked inside but Ash remained outside.

Victor didn’t turn, ”You shouldn’t be here.”

Markus closed the door, ”I found something.”

Victor turned.

Markus placed the file on his desk.

Victor looked at it and his expression changed, only slightly but Markus saw it.

”You knew.”

Victor looked at him, ”Knew what?”

Markus opened the file, ”You knew Mark 8 wasn’t simply a disaster.”

Victor said nothing, ”You knew it could change people.”

Silence lingered for a second more.

”You knew some people could adapt.”

Victor walked toward the desk, ”Where did you get that?”

”The records.” Markus answered.

Victor stared at him.

Markus stepped forward, ”You’ve been studying this.”

”Yes.” Victor replied.

”For how long?” Markus asked.

Victor didn’t answer.

Markus’s voice became sharper, ”How long?”

Victor looked at the file, ”Since the first successful cases.”

Markus stared, ”And you never told me.”

”You weren’t ready.” Victor uttered.

Markus laughed bitterly, ”Ready?”

Victor said nothing.

”You knew what I could become.” Markus asked.

”I knew what you might become.” Victor said.

”You knew my ability was still developing.”

”Yes.” Victor replied.

Markus clenched his fists, ”And you still put me in that training hall.”

Victor looked directly at him, ”Training was necessary.”

”My mother died there.” Markus shouted.

Victor’s expression tightened, ”I know....I lost some people too.”

Markus stepped closer, ” Of course...you are talking about other people. You didn’t care about my mother.”

Victor snapped, ”I’m not talking about other people...I’m talking about your mother and your unborn siblings!”

Markus froze, ” What do you mean.”

”Forget it.”

Markus ’s voice lowered, ”What did you mean?”

Victor looked at him, ”You want the truth?”

”Yes.”

Victor walked around the desk, ”Your mother was pregnant with two twins..she was about two months in and you and Ash being the reckless fools you are killed them

But i dont blame you it was just Natural Selection as you said before.”

Markus stared in silence. Outside the room Ash heard everything, ’ So I just didn’t end one person’s life but three....I swear from this day onwards I will work myself to the bone if Markus asks of it maybe that way I can get some atonement.’

Victor continued, ”Nature doesn’t stop because someone is innocent.”

Markus ’s expression darkened, ”It sounds like an excuse your lying.”

”It isn’t but you can believe what you want.”

”Then what is it nature”

Victor looked toward the window, ”Survival.”

Markus fell deep in thought, ’ I killed them...I killed them...’ Markus repeatedly thought about those words. He closed his eyes and he felt his mother’s touch on his face.

She appeared in his mind saying, ’ don’t worry Markus you didn’t kill us.’ she gestured as two white abstract being appeared, ’ it was just our time...we couldn’t evolve.’

Markus shook his head.

Victor looked back at him, ”Adapt.”

Markus stared ahead as if staring into the Abyss.

Victor continued, ”Humanity has survived because it adapts. Environments change. Threats change. Organisms either adapt or disappear.”

Markus pointed toward the file, ”And Mark 8?”

Victor nodded, ”Mark 8 may be forcing that process faster.”

Markus ’s eyes widened, ”You think that’s good?”

”I think it is happening.”

”That’s not an answer.” Markus protested.

Victor’s voice remained calm, ”Good and bad don’t matter to evolution.”

Markus stared at him, ” Your right.”

”So do you still think your mother death is unacceptable.”

Victor looked at him with an earlier face.

”No....it was just Nature doing it’s thing. It was her time.” Markus said.

”Exactly...your begging to understand what I was telling you.” Victor said.

”So do you believe that Mark 8 is the stepping stone to a greater path for evolution.”

”Yes I do”

Markus turned around to leave, ” I understand now” he said as he grabbed the door knob.

Behind him, Victor remained alone in his office.

He opened the file Markus had brought, he turned to the final page.

A photograph was attached.

Markus, Ash, Reina and several others.

Victor stared at them.

Then he looked at a single line beneath the photograph.

ADAPTATION IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

Victor slowly closed the file.

Outside, Markus walked through the Foundation’s corridor.

The words followed him, not because he believed his father but because, somewhere deep inside him, he feared Victor might be right.

The world was changing and Markus was changing with it.