Chapter 59: A light to his Dark

"Did-," Becky stuttered "Did he take it well?"

The group sat around the lounge, a loud generator producing the power that allowed their two lamps to work. They were dim, barely able to light the table and sofas, making the ambience more sombre than Victor had intended.

"As well as a man who just slaughtered hundreds," Barak said, "He's getting driven into a corner; people don't understand what they're doing. But...I'd say he's relatively ok, all things considered."

"So, he's not gone off the deep end?" Eric asked, "He's not going to kill us?"

Barak scoffed. "No. We're the only people sticking by him; he's gone to talk to the AI. We'll see what happens from there."

"Did he say why?"

"Why what?"

"Don't play dumb, Barak," Ed derided, "Mark must have had a reason, right? He just fuckin assaulted America and murdered a bunch of civvies."

"He-He hasn't. Until then, we trust him, that he had a reason; when has he not? We've been with him long enough to give him the benefit of the doubt, no?"

"I suppose."

Ed exhaled and shook his head in uncertainty. A momentary quiet descended on the group before the most silent member spoke up, Mack coughing to get their attention.

"What of the AI?" He said, "It's an AI. If it's 'alive', are the failsafes still there?"

Barak sighed as he glanced at the handsome dark-skinned man.

"I don't know," he said, "We took the precaution with the Blackout System. I'm not sure if it affected it; probably wise to believe it didn't."

"He got away, though, right?" Victor asked, "If the electronics were down, he should be safe...for now. Question is: How long can he stay under the radar against an AI of HAP's magnitude?"

Barak puffed at the sentiment, his heart thumping in his chest. His fingers nervously tapped his knee.

"He... he got away, so for now, we're fine," he said, "We hope it doesn't find out, nor Mark, at least till we - I don't know - think of something."

"And if they do?" Sasha meekly voiced.

Barak winced as Victor grunted. The latter rubbed his nose before he spoke.

"Then we accept our fate," he said, grunting, "Both are beyond us; any plan we create, we lose and perish." His eyes glossed over everyone, "Keep our mouths shut and...we'll cross that bridge if - when - we get there."

"So, no plan, then?"

Victor shrugged at the Frenchwoman.

"No plan. Mark is the one we chose; we stick by him, for now," he declared.

"And if he goes on another rampage?" Eric's eyebrow rose, "Do we just follow along!? We're international criminals wanted for murder, arson, bombing and everything else! And we'll be culpable for... yesterday."

"When has that ever bothered you?" Victor snapped, "As I, and Barak, said, we stick by him; trust he has his reasons. Be wary of the machine, and speak not of yesterday. We've pulled through worse; we'll pull through this."

"Have we?" Ed inaudibly mumbled.

A bang echoed from down the hallway, skin-on-metal footsteps moving closer until they reached outside the room. The door opened as Mark walked inside. They could barely see him in the dim illumination, but nevertheless, they all watched his silhouette stand before them.

Mark returned their stare, his vision unadulterated by the darkness as he audibly huffed. Besides Barak, the rest had washed the blood and dirt away, hiding their crimes.

"I suppose you deserve an answer," he uttered.

None spoke as the superhuman started to give them his reasons, all of them intently listening in silence. Mark moistened his lips before beginning.

"To be honest, it was an emotional response," he said, "I got...angry, vengeful. My family were never buried; I mourned over empty caskets. They were...taken from me."

Mark struggled to keep himself from getting angry or sobbing at the memories, counting himself lucky that his tear ducts no longer worked.

"Taken?" Barak's brows creased. "How? Why? Naya never mentioned this; Britain can't have been involved. Unless...that's why you attacked the US?"

"I don't know when they were taken, but they were. The timing doesn't matter. HAP informed me of a theory she had cooked up from information she gained before Morocco. I investigated the grave, and...she was right."

Barak sneered and tutted as he spat, "Fucking degenerates."

"Wha-What of Britain?" Sasha gulped. "The news said it was ya stepfamily."

Mark snorted. "They were the ones to give the bodies away; the US obtained them...'legally'."

"Is he dead, then?" Barak inquired, "The President?"

"He is. I don't know if there are more, but Secundo's information pointed to him being the primary antagonist. He was the one that ordered Russo's..."

Becky coughed at the awkwardness before Sasha quietly spoke up to ease the atmosphere.

"Do ya...do you feel better?"

Mark frowned at her question, brought out of his thoughts of Russo and his demise.

"Better?" he questioned, "I-I don't know. They were... alive and I couldn't save them; I tried, but...I couldn't. It...I did what I had to."

"They were alive!?" Barak gasped. "H-How? Impossible, I saw the photos, they..."

Becky elbowed Barak in the ribs and got an apologetic grunt in reply. Mark, however, seemed relatively unbothered as he sighed.

"It's complicated. I'll explain, or rather, show you shortly. I...need a break. I'll be in my suite for a bit."

The group watched as Mark walked out of the room. They waited a while before quietly conversing over his revelations. Mark ignored their conversation as he entered his room. Taking a shower to rid himself of the blood and grime he had accumulated, he exited the bathroom.

Barely dressed, he scavenged inside some cupboards before finding what he wanted, grabbing a bottle of vodka. He settled on a seat with the bottle in hand, opening it and taking a swig. Yet, no matter how much he drank, he felt no change or buzz to indicate he was becoming tipsy, to forget.

Mark stared at the alcohol in contempt, cracking the bones in his empty hand before almost breaking the bottle in the other.

Knock, knock!

His eyes flitted towards the door; the other side's heartbeat quickened as blood rapidly coursed through their system.

"Come in," he said.

The door opened as Sasha stepped in with a wry smile. The sun had risen, the light slowly piercing through the windows, providing visibility.

"Hi..." she awkwardly said, "Ya...looking a bit worse for wear, Mark."

Mark touched his cheek, the three claw marks oozing a black smoke. It clung to his finger before dispersing into nothingness. Sasha inspected the rest of him, her eyes widening at the extent of his injuries.

"Do they hurt?" she asked, "Is that normal? The...black stuff."

"They don't," he hesitated, "Normal? No it isn't, but I'm fine."

Sasha crept towards him, crouching before him as she put her hand on his.

"Are ya sure?" She shook her head. "Don't bottle everything up, Mark. Do ya think I'm stupid?"

"Stupid? No...?"

"Then, why do you think no one has noticed? First your family, then Watford, then Morocco and now this. It isn't healthy, Mark. Talk to me. Please."

He stared at her for a while, Sasha seemingly not minding him taking his time. His vision clung to the floor as Sasha gently removed the bottle from his hand and onto the floor. Mark chuckled dryly.

"What do you think?" He said, "I just...want everything to end. It's been two months, and I've killed people. I've been dragged through shit by the media and online. Yet, I haven't done anything...I want to help, but... now I don't care. Humanity is flawed. They're biased against me."

His eyes closed, not quite a sob but clearly not alright as Sasha embraced him. They held that position for a while, Mark finally raising his head as he looked at her. He smiled before his eyes shot open as Sasha kissed him.

She stopped a second later, eyes wide and backed away. Her mouth was moving up and down, yet no words came. Mark blankly stared at her, unsure what to make of what happened.

"I-I...I'm so sorry!" Sasha said, "I...I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

Mark watched as she backed out from the room, hesitantly moving to the door, stumbling over the bottle.

"Wait," he urged.

She stopped and looked at him, guilt plastered across her face and her lip trembling.

"I-I'm sorry. Mark, I-"

"Sash...stay."

He stood and moved towards her, his lips struggling to open and say anything.

"It's ok," Sasha whispered, "I'm sorry; say what you want to say."

Mark grasped her hand as she looked at the floor. Looking at her, he lightly smiled and moved them both towards the bed before turning to her. He frowned, Elise staring back at him, disappointed.

'I...I can't live like this. I need to let them go.'

Hesitating, he took a moment to brace himself before kissing her. They made out, slowly disrobing each other as it became more passionate, yet still holding a gentleness to it.

Almost entirely naked, Sasha's gaze was kind as she viewed his recent scars. She went to hold his cheeks, her nipples pressed against Mark's chest.

"Can I?" She whispered.

Mark smiled at her, grabbing her hands and placing them on his cheeks.

"I'm not fragile; they don't hurt," he reassured.

Sasha kissed him again as he led them into bed. She got on top of him, grabbing his lower half as she looked into his eyes.

"A-Are ya sure?" she asked.

He nodded, sat up and kissed her again as she lowered herself.

"Make me forget, Sash."

Unsure what to make of his comment, she continued riding him in cowgirl as the sun rose. Her eyes shot open hours later, her head laying on Mark's chest, utterly still and without a heartbeat.

'Are we...together? Or was this a one-time thing?' Sasha thought.

Doubtful of whether she should ask, she decided to say nothing, Mark doing the same and staring at the ceiling. Minutes passed as they stayed quiet, merely holding each other.

"Sash...do you remember a few days ago?" Mark asked.

"Remember what?" Sasha glanced at him. "Ya mean our conversation? Or do you mean Morocco?"

"Yeah, the former. I asked you what you would do with powers, my powers."

Her fingers trailed over the black sections of his body. The smoky-like substance stuck to her fingers and disappeared as she watched in subtle amazement.

She hummed. "I do. I said I would..." She laughed. "...I would make a harem of boy toys. I-I suppose I wouldn't do that now?"

"I'd...appreciate that." Mark chuckled.

'If I start, and it works, could I stop myself? Can I...stop them?'

He questioned himself, the pause in the conversation allowing HAP to speak.

"Mark," HAP soothed, "We both want to change the world for the better. You will always be the strongest, but this is an opportunity you must grasp. You won't be alone anymore."

Despite HAP's statement, he could not stop thinking of everything that could go wrong: What if the process doesn't work? What if I give it to the wrong person? What if they attack me?

He mulled it over, HAP keeping her silence at Mark's non-response as Sasha watched in slight concern.

"Mark?" She said, "Are ya ok?"

"If you had powers, Sash. Or rather, if it was possible for you to get them, would you?"

Sasha looked deep into his red eyes, watching the almost invisible red dust float out of them. Then, she looked at the black smoke from his wounds.

'Small trade-offs for a life of greatness.' She said to herself.

"I would. I don't think anybody would say no. Why?"

She had her suspicions of why he asked but presumed it to be arrogant to assume. Yet, his next sentence stunned her.

"I think I can give them to you, Sash," Mark declared, "I haven't tried it on anyone, but I gave powers to a spider and HAP-"

"You gave a spider powers!?" She laughed, "I-I don't believe ya, Mark."

"I'm serious, Sash. The group, perhaps only Barak is equal in trust; I don't know what it is, but I see you differently. I want to offer it to you first."

"Are ya serious? I-I can't tell."

"I won't lie to you and say there is no risk. It worked for HAP; it was fine for a spider, but a human?"

"Ya haven't tested it? Why not just choose a random person?"

"To be blunt, I don't know if I could... stop them. Me and HAP agreed it had to be someone we knew, someone that we could trust. Perhaps trust will have an effect on it?

"What are the chances of success? I trust ya, Mark. But I don't want to die."

"I don't know, Sash. Honestly, I know what I need to do. And I have a good grasp of what not to do."

Mark could feel and hear her heart thumping, the smell of sweat invading the scent of sex that lingered throughout the room. Mark rubbed her leg.

"Calm down, Sash," he eased, "You can always say no."

"Mark, do ya love me?"

"I-I don't know yet. But... I don't want today to be a one-night stand."

Sasha took a deep breath as she thought about her answer.

"I love you, Mark. Call me stupid, but I think I fell in love at first sight. I don't want to hold you down. If taking this risk means I won't...then, I'm prepared to take it."

"Trust yourself, Mark. You are better than any human. Do it," HAP said.

"Do you want to get dressed first?" Mark asked.

Sasha nodded as they got out of bed, Mark getting a new pair as Sasha got into yesterday's outfit. Once ready, they stood opposite, Mark struggling to control his hand as it kept shaking.

"You ready?" He questioned.

"Y-Yeah," Sasha gulped, nervously nodding.

A few hallways down, Victor and Eric were sat on the sofa, watching the news spiral on the world's shock and anger at recent events.

"You know he's going to find out," Eric said.

Victor glanced towards his partner and tiredly sighed, having gone over this conversation earlier.

"I know," he annoyedly replied.

"The rest seem apathetic, but I fear he's going off the deep end."

"Because he killed a bunch of people?" Victor scoffed. "Eric, we've both done far worse. Ed is practially a psychopath. You don't question him."

"You're coping, Vic. I can see it in your eyes; you're worried-"

"Of course I am! You don't need to say it; we're all fuckin nervous. No doubt our families are already targets; the plan was to find someone we, and then Tayi, could back for a united world. Not... this."

"We have avenues..." Eric held Victor's cheeks. "...ways we can get out. Me and you; find somewhere peaceful and away from the world."

Victor stared at him absent-mindedly.

"Now who's coping? We aren't escaping this, Eric."

"Not now then, but in the future! We have a chance to leave it all behind."

"Eric...stop. We're wanted; we will be hunted down. Once it's finished and Mark or... someone is in control. Then, we can settle down."

"Vic...I can't do that," Eric whispered, "I can't do this anymore. He's too rash; he didn't even speak to us! He murdered what was left of his family and then some. Mark just fucking assassinated the President of the US! Am I the only one in this group will any sensibilities?"

Victor scoffed and removed his lover's hands. His gaze was tired and exasperated.

"Everyone knew what they were getting into, Eric," he said, "If you want to leave, I can't follow. Not yet-"

BOOM!

The pair were thrown into a wall, landing with a thud as a pressure wave swept over the base. Glass shattered as shelves fell all around, pipes groaning fromt he ceiling and walls.

"Fuck!" Victor exclaimed, grunting, "The fuck was that?"

Everything shook once again as they rushed into the hallway, the other members forming up with guns in hand.

"Are we being attacked?" Becky asked.

"What the fuck is that!" Ed screamed.

They followed his pointed hand and found the end of the hallway melting, the brick and metal wall collapsing into sludge as the floor warped. It reached them moments later, the heat rising all around them. A bright light shone from where the heat originated, causing them to wince and backtrack.

Becky huffed, sweat already starting to form.

"Victor? What we doing?"

Victor grunted as he moved forward, heading towards the epicentre. Becky looked shocked, her eyes pinning Eric.

"What's he doing?" She said, "He's going towards it!? Eric, reason with him!"

"How the fuck do I know what he's doing?" Eric shouted back.

"Argh! Fuck this; we have to go with him," Barak complained, "We still need to find Mark and Sash."

The only female in the four remaining scoffed, her thoughts whizzing through her head.

"This is insane! It's melting the fucking walls! Why would we walk towards that?" Becky groaned.

Amidst their argument, Victor had reached as far as he could go, the worst of the heat kept at bay by something.

'So I was right. It's Mark's room.'

The heat died almost instantly seconds later, the area rapidly cooling as the light dissipated. Victor gaped as he saw Sasha naked and Mark facing her with a slight frown on his face.

"Is she ok!?" Mark asked.

"I... I think it worked, Mark." HAP said.

His brow scrunched further. "I don't care." He moved towards her. "If she's dead... it's on you, HAP."

"Sash?" Mark grabbed her shoulder. "Sash?"

Sasha gasped, leaning forward and into his chest, her knees shaking. She was panting, sweat dripping off her body and sizzling on the melted floor.

"I-I... I'm... ok," She said, "I'm ok. I think."

She looked up at him. Her vision was unnaturally clear as she stared. Every unnoticeable detail could be seen: His pores and left-over blackheads to faint cracks in his skin from the claw wounds and the swirling nothingness in his pupils. Her mind ached as she groaned, looking into something she should not.

"Sash..." Mark stuttered, "Y-Your eyes..."

She frowned. "My eyes? What about my eyes?"

"They're... gold. Really bright and... gold."

Mark stared into them as they radiated warmth and light. It was akin to staring into the sun, making even him slightly narrow his eyes.

"You two mind explaining what the fuck is happening?" Victor said.

The pair gawked at the group, Sasha's cheeks blushing. She felt her nakedness, covered herself with her arms as she crouched with Mark following as he held her.

"Well?" Victor demanded, "What happened? A-And... why are... w-why are Sasha's eyes gold? They-they're really fucking bright."

The man was wincing, his hands in front of his face to block some of the view. The other four did the same; their minds rammed full of the same questions.

Mark nervously coughed. "I-"

"Tell them, Mark." HAP interrupted. "We need them; they deserve answers."

"I tried... giving Sasha powers," he bluntly said.

"W-What?" Eric awkwardly chuckled.

"Y-You can give people powers?" Barak stuttered, "S-Since when? Why is everything melted, then?"

Mark turned towards Sasha.

"Did it work?" He whispered, "As long as you're fine, of course."

She smiled before frowning, one of her hands outstretched. A light flickered into being before flashing everyone in a burst of brightness as they groaned from the shock.

"S-Sorry!" She meekly said, "I-I think it worked, Mark. I... I have powers!"

She laughed, giddy, as the group gawked at the sight. Mark chuckled as HAP relayed her findings, or rather, her thoughts.

"I thought it was heat or fire at first." HAP hummed. "But perhaps it's something different. Light? Or something to do with stars? An illusion? Probably light, all things considered."

"Sash," Mark grinned. "I think you just got an ability over light."

"She is like you now, Mark," HAP said, "She might be the first, but she must not be the last. This is an opportunity you cannot give up."

He hummed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her words.

"As I said." She continued. "With this, we can change everything! The US, Tayi, China and everyone else... they do not matter. Not anymore."

"That sounded ominous," Mark muttered.

Sasha made a funny face, unsure what or who he was speaking about or to.

"I did not intend it to be so," HAP said, "Sishaf is making a speech tonight; it was announced an hour ago."

"And?"

"He knows about the facility. He is in cahoots with America. Sishaf is popular, supposedly smart, and well-known; he will turn your few supporters against you. Or he will at least try."

Mark huffed and wryly smiled upon seeing Sasha's concern.

"I'm fine, Sash," he reassured.

With the area cooled and barely stable, despite the tumultuous event, the group had gradually advanced inside the room.

"Shit... does she actually have powers?" Ed questioned.

"You saw that as much as the rest of us," Becky responded.

"You should do the rest, Mark," HAP inputted, "Not only because they are loyalists, but for assurance. A war is about to start. Not just involving you but Aaban, the East and the West. This makes you distinct; you have something everyone wants but can only hope to earn."

Mark sighed, the realisation of a potential world war dawning on him. He looked at the rest, ensuring to cover Sasha as best he could.

"Everything is about to go to shit," he announced, "I know you guys want me to... I don't know, lead you. I would have disagreed a week ago. But now, perhaps I can be a positive change. But only if we're in charge."

"You finally understand?" Barak asked.

"I do. I remember our conversation in Watford. I understand now. I was the rising power," he sighed, "If that's to be the case... I can't do it alone."

He glanced at Sasha, her eyes blindingly bright, before he turned back to the rest.

"I offered it to Sasha," he said, "And now, I'm offering it to you. Do you want to change the world?"