Mark stopped, for a moment, trying to comprehend what 'nothing' meant. Did she see the Void or something more akin to space? Perhaps, she had conceptualised it as space.
"You saw... space? Like stars and planets, or...?"
"I saw nothingness. There was nothing. No planets or stars. No matter of any kind. Nothing at all... like I was trapped in the deepest and emptiest depths of space where light hasn't reached or... couldn't. There was no direction, only never-ending confusion and despair."
'So, she saw the Void? Or the nothingness? If I had no control... perhaps that is what it would be like. Could I have... found her there?'
"Sorry. We won't do that again. I promise."
A few short seconds passed without HAP responding as a crow fluttered between the trees, "What... where did you go? I don't understand. What was that?"
"A place beyond my understanding. I can't say because, well, I don't know myself. Any answers to its mysteries elude me." He brushed his hand along the rough stone, barely able to feel its texture, "How long has passed?"
"Now I'm not trapped, it's been... a minute? Mark...?"
He shrugged, "You shouldn't question me, HAP. I have just as much of an idea as you. It is what it is."
"It is what it is? Mark, that-"
"Leave it, HAP." He snapped, rolling his eyes, "I don't have the answers you seek, so just... leave it. You said you trust me, so... trust me."
He stood up, grunted and grit his teeth as his chest throbbed, muttering, "Healing that... was a mistake. Fuck me." Sighing as he stretched his left arm, hoping to relieve some of his torment, "Seen as we have more time, what was the last thing you wanted to try?"
The AI waited a moment before finally speaking, "I've... been thinking about something. Find an animal or... maybe, an insect will be fine? Just find something alive that's not a plant."
"Well, an animal or an insect? There's a pretty large difference."
She seemed torn as he only received an answer ten seconds later, "Do an insect first. We can do an animal as well, if we have time."
"Alright." Mark uttered, extending his hearing roughly twenty metres and tuning it for minute sounds.
Two taps, four; he could hear something moving to his right, roughly located near a tree. Mark glanced there and spotted a small shiny spider around a centimetre or two in length. It was black with a red hourglass shape on its abdomen; and white markings around the chitin. He picked it up, mentally, due to the numbness conceivably leading to clumsiness and its death.
Looking through Mark's eyes and the camera, HAP inputted information, "A Redback spider."
"Never heard of it." Mark said, inspecting the arachnid.
"Its common name is an Australian Black Widow. It's a juvenile female, although its presence here is interesting. She likely arrived through international trade, or her ancestors escaped Belgian greenhouses. Can be quite venomous to humans."
He moved the spider through the air, staring at it, "Perhaps it's fate we met, considering its rarity" He chuckled as he mocked the concept, "So, what did you want me to do."
"How you created me, you said you changed something – presumably my soul. Could you... change her soul? What would happen?"
"I'm... not sure. Are you certain this is a good idea? We could be changing a fundamental part of all living beings."
HAP replied instantly, "Of course. No matter what happens, you should be able to kill an insect. You want to discover your powers, no? We know little besides your strength, why not find out something more significant?"
"Hmmm, you make a fair point. Well, you know what they say. In the pursuit of science, there is no discovery without trying."
Focusing on the creature as his eyes gradually morphed until they turned pitch-black, he saw the spider's soul. It was small but not incomplete like HAP's was. The ethereal, white spirit encapsulated the creature's physical characteristics, the same condition and form. Slowly, Mark embedded the essence of the Void into it, the black overtaking the white as they melded together. The process took a few seconds before he stopped it, the soul seemingly unwilling, or unable, to take any more. Now predominantly dark, his vision returned to normal as he placed the spider back onto the tree.
"It's... not moving. Is it dead?" He uttered, frowning.
HAP responded with confusion, the minutes etching past ten as they waited for anything to happen. Yet, nothing did; the creature stayed silent and still, presumably dead.
Thinking about his gentle method versus how he did it to HAP, he eventually wrote it off, "I may have done something different. It probably, screwed it up? I don't know."
"You did something different? Well, we could leave a tracking camera on it. I'll dispatch a drone to watch over it for the coming days. It took me a few minutes to have self-awareness; maybe it needs longer?"
Glancing at the female spider, Mark shrugged, "Maybe. Sounds a bit optimistic. Want to try an animal, then? I'll do what I did to you. Hopefully, this time, something will happen."
With HAP's confirmation, he flew into the air, searching for a deer or a relatively medium-sized animal. One was found a minute later; he appeared beside it without notice, mentally capturing it before it could run or bark.
He frowned at his mental prowess, which had significantly improved since whatever happened in Morocco. Although, that is not to say the weight of the deer was entirely negligible. The creature was brown with a white spot on its rump and had the start of growing furred antlers.
"A male roe deer. Nothing particularly special about it, as far as I can see."
"Mhm. Let's test, shall we."
This time, similar to what he did with HAP, Mark brute forced the being's soul, the Void's essence seeping in like water through a sponge. He could feel a short period of resistance as the creature struggled, but ceased within seconds, the darkness eroding the light and consuming most of the deer's being.
"What the fuck!"
Mark's vision returned to normal as he jumped away. The creature was changing, transforming, into something it shouldn't, like the abominations from Secundo's memory. It has the same colour scheme except, this one was drastically altered from it's base form. Its limbs painfully stretched to double, the muscles expanding into pure bulk and its eyes turning a deadened white, staring at him; passively.
The transformation finished, Mark was greeted with a behemoth of oily-black muscle, a creature plucked from the darkest regions of oblivion beyond the scope of science. It stood there, stoic and unmoving, almost waiting for something. There was a sensation at the back of his head, niggling at him, a feeling or a sense of something that linked them together.
'That's... very similar to Secundo's... it does definitively confirm my relation with the Element, too.'
Gazing at the creature, semi-guarded, he questioned the AI, "HAP...are you seeing this?"
"I... I am. What... What just happened? Why did this happen?" She paused, "I don't have enough information to formulate a concrete theory. It could be anything: The fact it's an animal, it wasn't compatible, it is too stupid or instinctive, or maybe what you did originally is unique to AI. There are too many variables."
"Why does all that I do lead to more questions. It also did nothing to the spider... although I changed my application of... whatever I'm doing."
HAP studied the creature, "Why is it passive? It looks aggressive; menacing even, like it wouldn't hesitate to rip you apart, albeit that is a simple and human assumption. Can you do anything to it? Command it? Or speak to it; see if it reacts to movement."
'If it is the same or similar creature, I should be able to take it, right? If they could, I should.'
Stepping forward, with no reaction, Mark walked straight in front of it, gazing into its lidless, white eyes. Unwilling to get it to retaliate before testing the more amicable methods, he tried telling it to do something.
"Nod your head."
The creature's head did as commanded, almost robotically, as Mark gave it a few more, testing it. It moved, as he ordered, to the letter, but still a faint and noticeable spark of intuition or, as Mark thought, the original being still existing in some form. He made sure to take note of the difference in aggression and behaviour between those from Secundo's memory and this one.
"Not as bad as I first expected. Despite its looks, it's rather obedient."
"Obedient to you, maybe. But anyone else? It could probably kill a human like they kill cockroaches." She hummed, "We don't have much time, 10 minutes if you want to fix yourself up. Which leaves us with a... creature that neither of us knows what to do with."
Rubbing his stubble, "I mean, we could kill it. Presumably, I could create more? Different variations or the like."
She responded, her tone giving off a vibe of lecturing him, "Why kill it? We could test whether it needs to be around you. I have a drone on the way for the arachnid. It can watch the deer, as well. No use wasting a valuable test subject."
"Fine, fine, we'll do as you say."
Looking at the creature, slightly cringing at treating the muscular being this way, he ordered it to stay, like one does a pet. Seemingly obeying, it lay on the dirt, unmoving and still. With that out of the way and HAP's drone arriving to overlook, Mark headed back to the facility, landing a minute later. Entering temporary private quarters, bland and drab, he removed what was left of the suit. The metal landed with a clang as brittle remnants of the Element guard flaked onto the ground. Treating them as shards of glass and the reflective surface glimmering on the floor, he took off the protective vest. Placing the camera on a desk, gradually reverting back to the ear devices, he stroked his hair, mumbling about its length.
He moved to the bathroom; the shower turned on with a spurt as he stepped inside. Cold or hot, he couldn't tell. Standing with water washing over him, Mark stared at his hands, covered in blood. His eyes gradually moved to his chest, the scar staining his body like his palms, before his gaze wandered back to his hands. Two months ago, so short a timeframe and yet, so much had changed. It felt so far in the past, back when he was ordinary, with a loving family and friends, unnoticed by the venomous and voracious media. But now, he was different. Not just his appearance or his uniqueness but his actions; what he has done. The lives he has taken.
Looking at his blood-soaked body as the water gradually washed his crimes away, he truly understood what he had become. Could he even be called human anymore? The world doesn't treat him as such, always condemning his actions and decisions, treating him like an unfeeling weapon. But, he did feel. He had always felt. Criticism is never pleasant, something he thought he could take, but as it piles on and on, maybe he couldn't. He just wanted a normal life.
It was impossible, he knew it, but one could dream. So many contradicting thoughts passed through his mind, constantly – telling him what to do. Should he regret it? Sasha says no. Should he take action? Bicker says yes. Should they fear him? Barak thinks so. A multitude of decisions, and each leads to consequences, good and bad.
Butting the white tiled wall, watery red running down its length, he wanted to cry. Unable to win and only lose, what was the point? Trying to make a positive impact on the world wasn't working. Bad faith actors impede his every attempt. Perhaps, it was time to retire from it all, journey to some distant land and try to live in peace, remove himself from the deceit, abuse and betrayal.
Then he stopped himself. His eyes shot open as he remembered his vow. A promise he made to his family; to be a hero and help this world from its declining rut. Pushing his hair back as it reached his neck, previously dangling before his eyes, he rubbed his face. He needed to keep going, keep moving forward, no matter how hard it gets. His dad could do it when he was young, so why can't he?
Getting out of the shower and drying himself, he sighed, "I lost track of time; are they there?"
"They are, besides Barak." HAP replied, her voice soft and gentle, "He's been waiting outside the door."
Dressed in a t-shirt, joggers and Tayi-branded shoes and opening the door. The Englishman, always wearing a suit and shades, rested against the wall as he lightly pushed off.
"Pleasant surprise." Mark said as he strolled down the hall, "I presume you're here for a reason?"
Barak followed as he nodded, "I wanted to see how you were holding up. The media is unkind, and your mental health is important."
"Because I might go on a rampage?" He snorted, "You're one to talk. I can't imagine your mental state considering your people attitude."
Wincing, Barak lowered his voice, "That was a low blow, Mark. I'm here for you, always. Not just as part of the team but as a friend. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did."
An open door greeted them, Mark patting the man's shoulder, "You're getting better, Barak. I used to call you an asshole, but you've lost your edge." He smiled, "I'll be fine. I promise."
Inside, everyone was seated around a circular table with screens sharing news reports on the latest developments. Tired eyes and dejected faces greeted the pair as they also sat down.
"You ok, Mark?" Russo lightly smiled, receiving a positive response, "To say we've lost would be an understatement. Employees are defecting en mass to Sishaf, so I'm losing control. The media have been crucifying you all morning, and social media is in meltdown."
Victor shrugged, "So, stuff we already know?"
"Well yes, but for another reason. An hour ago, at roughly 8, videos surfaced on the web. Videos... of you, Mark. One of you on the plane; conveniently cut before you fought with Secundo. Another of the compound explosion, your silhouette blurred as you saved everyone and then the airport. And to top it off, which you didn't mention, was one of you lasering a building with people inside."
"Oh." He exhaled, "That... there was a glint in the window. I had lost my protection, so I took the best course of action at the time. An unfortunate mistake."
"Of course, it was a mistake." Barak uttered, adjusting his shades, "But you aren't trying to argue against us. People aren't pedantic and will blindly follow the first to share the story; they won't side with you, even with your reasoning, valid or otherwise."
"Well, that is what's happened." Russo said, "Tayi's stock has plummeted, and there are hashtags to try you for what would count as war crimes. Technically, if we were at war, you broke the Geneva Convention."
Ed interjected, "Are all of us here not war criminals? We press against Mark, but are we not accusing him of stuff we have done? In fact, we've done worse shit."
"That's not quite the same, Ed."
"It's not? Why? Because he's in the public eye?" He scoffed, "It's just excuses; we've all done shit we aren't proud of. Don't be hypocritical; think of solutions, not voicing what everyone already knows."
Russo leaned back, fingers on his brow, "That is the problem! We don't have solutions. Counter the allegations? America has already confirmed their validity; I'm sure they'll bite the bullet to show their involvement if it comes to it and further their case." Sighing, "It's a frenzy out there; people won't listen to the truth, only what they want to hear. And, currently, that's against us."
"So what do we do?" Sasha spoke.
"I don't know!" Russo snapped, "I... I don't know. Even if we use HAP and shut down the media, word of mouth will spread it. Give me a day or a few hours; I'll speak to Bicker and... see if we can come up with something."
"That's it?" Victor huffed, crossing his scarred arms, "We don't have time. HAP could've been used right away, removing any story. But you were blinded by your needs. And now, you want to wait some more?"
"Vic..." Eric sighed, "Don't push it."
Calmed by his companion, the room returned to relative silence as they watched the TVs. A minute passed before Mark spoke.
"On the plus side, I got information." He paused as they stared, "It's not much, but it's better than nothing. The invasion of Mexico is to delay the Juaquin Cartel. Apparently, they fear too much sentiment for a democratic One Nation. So, I suppose the US is looking at autocracy or something similar."
Barak's fingers tapped the table, "Of course, they would. It's the most effective form, especially considering the Pres has lived for decades. It's the positive of having a great leader that lives for, potentially, centuries."
"Do I take they're going to attempt a war or unification with South America, then?" Russo inquired.
"Most likely. Secundo didn't know much; seems their 'Messiah' noticed a lack of faith or resoluteness in his beliefs. They're also stronger than they seem. A company called Void Solutions."
"Ah, I know of it. Tayi has had significant dealings with them, in the past, mostly by Moore." He frowned, "What of it? It's the primary space company for the US, a successor of NASA."
"It's where the Invincibles are made and called the 'Invincible Legion'. But, that's not all. A private army called the Void Corps. Made up of genetically engineered super soldiers. They are the same as those at the Watford Base. Coupled with the weapon I experienced, the world is theirs for the taking. It's all leading to it."
"Shit." Russo cursed, "France will side with whoever Tayi does, and I've just lost control. Russia will be with them, too. With both helping, Europe will fall, as will the Americas. And that leaves... Aaban and Asia. They're going to repeat the Occupation again, but this time, globally."
"Patriotism has to count for something, no?" Mark asked, getting a response from Becky.
"People are sheep, scared and timid; they'll follow the choice with the highest chance of uniting Earth. They'll regret it years or decades later under an oppressive regime of course. But as I said, people are conformists and follow the crowd."
Russo shakily put his hand through his combed hair, "War is coming, and crimes will intensify... it might be time to take drastic measures." He glanced at Mark, "It's a gamble, and we'll need to wait for the US to make its move, but... we could purge Tayi."
Mark's eyebrow rose, "You mean, fire them?"
Eric laughed, "Mark, times are getting dark. He means something more... sinister."
"Sacrifices have to be made, Mark. I lose control of the company; France and Russia will take Europe. I'll lose access to the Blackout System and HAP, and everything will crumble. We force the Frenchies to stay, and maybe we have a chance."
"I might be able to get Britain to hold out; the Cabinet will at least listen. I... might be able to use their ambition against them." Barak uttered.
"We do that, then." Russo spoke, standing as he took in the room, "Everything we do from now on will require us to put our lives on the line. Our enemies will offer us no quarter. No matter what happens, we stick together. If we win, history will know of our deeds and what we did to save this planet from American tyranny. If we lose, we become a footnote or forgotten entirely; our families will die, and the world will never know of their fell deeds. History is written by the victor. Let's make sure we are the winning side."
Entering the forest fifteen minutes later, having left the meeting, Mark gazed at the idle beast. It looked almost... lonely. The more he examined, the more the sensation at the back of his head grew stronger before he realised what it might be.
'A sense of... kinship? Different and alone in a world of normalcy. How I envy them.'
"Mark." HAP said, somewhat urgently into his mind, "I realised where I recognised this creature. Or rather, something like it."
Slightly alarmed by her urgency, "Go on..."
"You asked me a while back to look for a symbol, the 'O' with a diagonal line through it. Well, I found the symbol. Besides the obvious places online, I saw it in a company you mentioned: Void Solutions. It's not the company logo but more of a... ideogram? I presume around the Invincibles or the one that sees the President as the 'Messiah'."
He frowned, his eyes wandering, "Ok. What does it mean? I feel you're building up to something important."
"It simply means null or void, nothing. Used in things such as mathematics, linguistics and that sort of thing. And, well, you mentioned the Invincibles were made there; when I infiltrated their systems, I noticed reports on human experimentation. Desecrating corpses; trying to create a super Invincible or something to defeat you. And I saw three of the creatures, like the one next to you."
The frown got deeper, "Yeah...?"
"It's just a hypothesis, and I need confirmation first, so I want to ask something of you. I want you to visit Saint John Church in Leicester. The one you usually go to. It might give us an avenue to turn public opinion against the US... if you don't get them first."