The Mutation Wave

Chapter 14: Conflict

"How are they, doctor?"

"Not to worry, boy. The one with the head wound will be fine; we have the equipment to treat her. The other girl suffers the same condition as Mary, but not as serious."

"So that means she'll wake in about two days then?"

"Sooner."

William smiled in relief. "Thanks, doctor."

The old lady chuckled warmly. "Please Walter, call me granny like the rest of us. I rather like being called like that."

"See you around, granny."

Urgent footsteps replaced Granny's slower pace as Victor briskly entered.

"You owe me several explanations-"

"That's my line," William snapped, interrupting Victor as he glared at him. "Where the hell did you send Masako to? What is going on?"

Victor raised a placating hand. "First of all, lose that attitude. And secondly, I only sent her to retrieve a key. I didn't know the Red Clover was targeting that group of cannibals. I even gave her a distress signal device so that we can extract her if she's in trouble. What happened in the asylum anyway?"

William glared at him for a moment before opening his mouth. "I'm not even sure, to be honest." He shook his head. "One moment we were talking normally, and suddenly she was just screaming and running around as though I wasn't there. So I went off on my own to retrieve the transmitter first and then climbed the stairs all the way up to catch up with her. And then I saw this weird creature; it looked like a snake with... tentacles? I think Marianne was somehow under its influence."

"Why weren't you affected?"

William shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because I wasn't as frightened as her? Anyway, I killed it since it really wasn't that threatening without its hypnotic effect-"

"Are you sure you don't know? Or is it just because you have a similar ability?" Victor interrupted him sharply.

"Huh? What're you talking about-"

Victor took a step forward towards William, imposing his taller frame onto William's slightly smaller build. "A lot of things have happened ever since you came. And frankly speaking, I only let you in because you're an old partner. But there are just too many questions unanswered about you."

William's eyes narrowed in anger. So you never trusted me in the first place...

"Be careful what you say next. I could end your life with a thought." He leaned in, his voice dropped menacingly in both volume and pitch.

"Is that what happened to Marianne? She pissed you off and you lost control?"

"That does not even remotely make sense- Wait a minute. You don't have any idea what my ability is, do you?"

The two men stared at each other.

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Splash!

Victor flinched as a ball of water slapped his face, dispersing all the tension in the air.

"Ow, what the-" He could scarcely finish his exclamation before he was pelted by another ball of water. Victor stumbled backwards as small puddles of water crashed into him relentlessly.

"Ah stop, stop!" Victor raised a hand in surrender. "I... didn't know... you control water..." He panted, shivering slightly.

"You never asked me."