Mod Superhero (Book 6 STUBBING on Oct 27th)

Chapter 6.10 - Metaphorical Weight

APPROXIMATELY -0.3.19 PRE-INCIDENT

The past week, Emmett had tried to come up to the surface more often—at first, because Clara guilted him into it. No matter how much Emmett tried to reassure her, she wouldn't accept that he was just fine sitting alone in the control hub, completely motionless for hours on end. Thankfully, Emmett realized early on that he could walk and think while keeping some track of his surroundings.

He had to admit, it did feel better being outside. There was something about the combination of cold air and quiet that helped him concentrate.

But now and then he'd look up at the rooftops, and a mix of wistfulness and envy would overcome him.

Emmett and Lock walked through the abandoned block. He tried to focus on the street and take a break from simulations and planning. A plastic bag floated by causing Lock's cloaking to shimmer. Walking next to Lock while he was cloaked was like walking next to a wall that was just out of focus.

Emmett pointed to a clump of weeds growing up through the sidewalk. "I thought about using nanites to clean the place up. TINA talked me out of it. She's right. It's better this way."

Lock asked, "Each time you come up, you do the same route?"

"No. I randomize it to be safe."

"You mean TINA randomizes it for you."

Emmett shrugged. "I meant what I said. TINA and I can talk like that too, but I can do a lot in my head now."

"You're just turning into a computer. ...But you and TINA don't need to talk anymore? I still don't get how that works."

"We still talk, but a lot of the time we don't need to. It's like a psychic link."

"Still not getting it."

Emmett thought for a moment. "... Alright, when you were bouncing, you could tell who the troublemakers were when they walked in, right?"

"Sure. Some of them. So it's like reading a room?"

"Something like that."

The pair walked the next street in silence. Emmett might not have been able to see his friend, but he could tell that Lock was mulling the statement over.

Emmett's thoughts turned to his friend.

While Lock was being kept in the bottom of Gnosis, he supposedly showed signs of confusion and psychological distress. The more time passed, the more it felt like Gnosis had played up those concerns to keep Lock physically and chemically restrained. They just wanted excuses to continue testing on him. Gnosis needed to figure out if he was the next phase of Mutagen-X evolution.

The concerns about Lock's mental and physical complications weren't completely unfounded. His body was still mutating. If it weren't for nanites continually breaking down excess tissue, he'd be covered in scales and bone growths. Even starving him only slowed the process so much. If anything, it seemed like his body was getting even more efficient. Nanites were the best solution. They steadily broke down excess growth.

TINA had also developed nanites to help with his mental state. One of the byproducts of Mutagen-X was being able to turn off things like mental and physical pain—that were also the mechanisms that led to almost every Mutagen-X subject going crazy. Instead, TINA's nanites helped manage cortisol, adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin levels. It had been a balancing act—one that had taken months—but TINA was determined, and Lock was resilient.

Finally, Emmett asked, "How are your headaches?"

Lock shrugged. "Better. They come and go. TINA's working on it."