Chapter 61: Summa Humanitatis

The wind whistled from incoming projectiles, the battlefield already littered with craters, cadavers, and crumbling buildings. Yet, there was still more to come as the partisans were pushed further and further back by their inviolable opponents.

"Cover!" a soldier screamed.

Tens of missiles exploded across the city of Tegucigalpa; soldiers, police and Joaquin Cartel members urgently rushing to escape the onslaught. Mark impassively watched as hundreds died, multiple-story buildings collapsing. The North Americans continued pushing inwards, their formations brute forcing past the entrenched defences.

"They look like they've lost all hope," he said.

"Then give it to them," HAP responded.

"Go on then. Fuck 'em up, Ed."

Ed laughed, tossing a half-eaten doughnut onto the floor. He cracked his neck, his eyes gleaming with murder.

"Don't need to ask me twice." He grinned. "Time to cause some explosions! Kaboom!"

The man's body vibrated, his bag shaking as his figure became obscured and turned blurry before disappearing, laughter echoing behind him.

BANG!

The air cracked as he sped off, a sonic boom trailing him towards the American lines.

"Hopefully, he doesn't move through the city." Mark sighed.

Saying that, Mark shot off into the city's airspace, lasering the few missiles that were launched late. Gunfights resounded throughout the ruins, American forces swiftly mowing through the streets. They pushed without pause, massacring anyone walking around carelessly, whether armed or not.

BZZZZZ!

Roaming through the roads, he came across an American convoy aggressively assaulting a defensive block. His beam ripped through flesh and armour, the vehicles faring no better than the soldiers. Everywhere he looked, enemies stood firing at him before panicking and taking steps back.

The air screeched as Mark's hand shot out, deflecting a tank shell into a nearby building. He continued his onslaught, yet their numbers seemed endless; the entire American war machine focused on South America.

"Fuck me," Mark complained. "How many more?"

"With Aaban taking out the Atlantic Fleet, what do you expect?" HAP chided, "You knew the Canadians and Americans would mow through South America."

Mark grunted, moving from street to building and back out again, slaughtering hundreds. "Yeah...but I still thought this would be easier."

"You should have made them in the back lines. This is why I said what I did."

"Yeah, I know now!" Mark huffed. "Did Ed at least deploy the drone? He's got to have run through most of their front lines by now."

"He did not. But with how much collateral he causes, the North Americans should be feeling it."

BZZZ!

A woman shouted behind him, gunfire getting closer; none targetting him.

Mark sped through the back end of the convoy, the wind pressure obliterating humans and machines. Buildings groaned from the force, and shelled structures toppled over from the hit. He finished off the remnants, his red laser cutting through brick and bone without pause.

The area settled moments later, the most noise coming from the battles raging on the other sides of the city. An occasional gunshot echoed nearby as the South American's secured the area.

"What a mess," Mark uttered, glancing around.

"War is hell," HAP said.

Mark grimly chuckled. "Bet no one can say that with more certainty than you."

A few seconds passed before he noticed a woman repeatedly kicking a dead soldier's head. She screamed every time, her hands turned to fists before giving it one last hit.

"Bit psychotic, but clearly hates them, no?" Mark asked.

"As long as we know what she gets, you can always remove her if she goes off the edge," HAP said.

Mark nodded his head in agreement, approaching the woman.

"What did he do?" Mark asked.

The woman's head snapped towards him, his eyes slightly widening.

'She looks barely eighteen...'

"M-Mark Evans!?" she stuttered in a Spanish accent, taking a step back, "I-"

"What did he do to you?" Mark nodded towards the corpse.

"W-What? Nothing...but he's with them. They...they took everything from me. Everything!"

Mark sighed. "Your parents?"

"Yes," She whimpered, "and my two brothers. I...I don't know if I have any family left."

"I'm...sorry for your loss."

"It's fine. They...should've shut up when these putas occupied the town."

His eyes ran up and down her figure. Her body was skinny, whilst her arms were scratched and bloodied, yet she held a firm grip on the assault rifle. She looked utterly out of her element, perhaps a student a month ago and now a patriotic soldier. Mark's eyes lingered on the weapon, a standard-issue rifle firing conventional rounds.

"Do the guns do anything?" he inquired.

She scoffed. "No! Pieces of shit! We can barely dent their armour; we need something more advanced. Lots of them."

Mark stared at her, his pupils wavering as he heard Ed approaching the city as he slowed.

"How old are you?"

The woman frowned. "Fifteen."

"Shit." Mark grimaced, shaking his head.

"She is only a year off sixteen, Mark," HAP said, "Almost the age to join the British Army."

Mark huffed, the girl looking at him weirdly.

"Do you want the power to take revenge?" he asked, "I can offer it to you. But nothing is free."

"You'll help? Or are you giving us weapons?" Her eyes lit up.

Some nearby soldier's perked up, staring at Mark. There was hope in their eyes, burning brighter than ever before.

"To an extent - you'll become the weapon. You know who I am and what I can do. I can give you something similar; powers."

"Y-Y-What?"

Mark gave her a moment to go over it before he spoke.

"Do you want it? There are only two stipulations."

"Y-Yes," she spoke, gaining confidence, "I want it. I don't care about the rules; if it can help...I will give everything to you."

"I have only two rules: No killing innocents, rape, murder or anything you wouldn't do if the war ended. The second is to fight the new nation and no one else."

"I got it. I...I just want revenge. Then, maybe, I can settle down; start a family."

"That's good; it's healthy to hope." Mark smiled. "But if you don't follow them. I will put you down."

The girl gulped at his smile, appearing far more menacing after what he spoke.

"Close your eyes," he said.

She did as told, Mark's own turning into black gems as he started the process. It was faster and easier now; his control improved after multiple bestowals, yet there was still resistance.

"Relax," he said. "Trust me and calm yourself."

The girl's breathing lowered, Mark breaching her soul as the wind picked up. Rubble started to rumble on the ground before Mark covered the girl in his essence, having learned from Sasha what not to do.

BANG!

The ground within the bubble shattered, a minute disappearing before they let up. Mark removed his shield, tilting his head slightly as he overlooked her.

"Vibration? Seismic power?" he muttered.

"Seismic would be more powerful, I imagine," HAP inputted.

With the bestowal complete, the effects ceasing, the girl's eyes shot open. The entire eyeball had turned brown like dirt, her skin darkening by the second into the same colour. She stared at the change in horror.

"Sash's eyes, Barak's body and now this. So three out of five," Mark said to HAP.

"We need a bigger sample size to make conclusions," she responded.

"One of the side-effects," Mark said to the girl, "sorry. Nothing is free."

The girl's breathing calmed. "I-It's ok...I was already black; now I'm...brown?"

Mark laughed, hoping to lighten the mood. "So it's not a big difference. Do you know what you got?"

She frowned, her hand hovering in front of her as the earth moved like water.

"I can...move the earth. It feels natural; is that normal?"

"So she's an earthbender, and it's instinctual," Mark muttered, looking up at the girl, "Yes. You wanted revenge; you now have the opportunity to take it."

Whoosh!

"Oh? What'd she get?" Ed asked.

"An earth or ground power; instinctual as well," Mark replied, glancing at him.

The surrounding audience backed away, their awe giving way to terror as they looked upon the crimson demon.

"You're a fuckin mess, Ed."

He shrugged. "Someone's gotta do the dirty work. So only Becky so far, then? Strange."

"I presume you cleared out the rest of the city?"

"Yeah, and before you say anything, I was careful of collateral."

Mark's pointed gaze bore into him for a few more seconds before turning to the new super.

"Remember the rules," Mark sternly said. "You are now beyond humanity, bulletproof and nigh-invincible. But not to us."

Mark grabbed Ed by the shoulder, his grip that was once able to obliterate Ed's shoulder now only causing discomfort as they flew into the sky.

"How many more?" Ed pouted. "You really don't need to pick me up."

"You're too slow." Mark chuckled. "I'm wary of making too many. Nineteen more? Twenty total? Enough to flip the war advantage."

"What does HAP think?"

Mark scoffed. "She wanted a hundred. Think of that what you will."

The rest of the day passed as they zoomed across the war-torn nations of Honduras and El Salvador. By ten at night, Mark had created eighteen with only two more. They travelled further south, heading towards the leader of the Joaquin Cartel's house.

They landed in the rainforest surrounding the base, originally belonging to Colombia and now jointly owned by the state and the Cartel.

"You know, statistically, at least one of them will have to be put down, right?" Ed said. "And that's low-balling it."

Mark glanced at him. "And how would you know?"

"Because I'm a psychopath." Ed shrugged. "I wasn't born this way; shitty stuff made me this way. Some of them will be the same."

"You're a self-titled psychopath, Ed. Psychopaths are born; sociopaths are made."

Ed grunted as Mark paused as they approached the base.

"What happened, Ed?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said you weren't born this way...what happened?"

"Erm...poverty, I guess."

Mark frowned. "Poverty?"

Ed scoffed. "Don't underestimate it, Mark. My family was utterly destitute. There were times I was so hungry I had to eat out of bins. It...it wasn't a great childhood."

"Your parents were laid off?"

Ed scoffed again. "Fuck no, never had a job in their lives. They were raging alcoholics with severe drug problems. I was lucky if they didn't beat the shit out of me, never mind giving me what little food we had." He touched the big scar near his lips. "How I got this; glass bottles are more dangerous than you think."

"Th-"

"Don't pity me, Mark. I don't want it. I had a shit childhood, fighting and getting beaten, but I don't regret any of it. It made me who I am today."

"You seriously don't regret it? How did you get out of it?"

"How I got out is why I don't regret it. Government didn't fuckin help me, and neither did any other Welsh cunt. So I made my own way. Started with crime before getting arrested; one of the officers was ex-military." He shrugged. "Persuaded me to enlist, so I joined the military as soon as I could. I've never looked back."

Ed started walking towards the base, Mark following.

"Have you...have you seen them since?" Mark asked.

"I have," Ed said. "They're clean now; I even send them a monthly stipend. But I can't go back...not after the shit I went through. Anyways, enough of my past; my life will only darken the mood."

Two guards shouted at them as they came out of the bushes, their guns raised.

"Ugh, why can't everyone speak English," Ed grumbled. "We mean you no harm."

BANG!

A gunshot echoed through the dark rainforest, the bullet crumpling on Ed's skin as he looked down at it.

"The fucker just shot me!"

"Probably because we didn't stop approaching?" Mark shook his head. "Sorr-"

Ed disappeared, blowing through the two guards, their bodies rattling against the metal fence, almost certainly, seriously injured.

"Ed..." Mark sighed. "You have fucking problem, man. Ugh. Come on; hopefully, this doesn't fuck this entire thing up."

"Not my fault they shot me!"

The duo walked into the base, soldiers panicking as an alarm sounded through the encampment. Mark glared at Ed as soldiers started to surround them, shouting in Spanish.

"Who are you?" A soldier shouted in English after no response in his native language.

Ed laughed. "Do you guys not watch the news? Look at him." He nodded to Mark. "That's Mark Evans? Yanno, The Flying Tyrant?"

"Shut the fuck up, Ed." Mark huffed. "We want to speak to Joaquin."

The soldiers and cartel members took steps back at the realisation, some quickly dropping their rifles and others lowering them.

"W-What do you want?" the same soldier asked.

'Did he not hear? Fuck me.'

"To speak to your boss. Nothing more," Mark responded. "We have a common enemy; I have no reason to harm any of you."

He seemed to think for a few seconds before relenting, gesturing for the duo to follow him. He took them to a wooden building, speaking Spanish to anyone who inquired as the alarm stopped.

"Da-Boss!" The soldier shouted, knocking on the door, "We...Mark Evans is here!"

There was a rushed shuffling inside, the soldier glancing at Mark and Ed before opening the door. He entered, guns drawn at him as the two supers followed him inside.

"They-They've come to talk! No violence!" The soldier rapidly exclaimed.

"Talk?" A bearded, grey-haired man scoffed. "Have you not watched the news, you fucking lunatic?"

"You definitely don't understand Spanish, right, Ed?" Mark questioned.

"Not a word," Ed said.

The older man stared at the duo, scanning Mark before grimacing as he smelt the stench of death covering Ed.

"You want to talk?" He cautiously inquired.

"Just talk," Mark stated. "If you would be so kind?"

Joaquin thought for a moment before nodding, the nearby soldiers holstering their weapons. He gestured for the two to follow, eyeing some of the other officials to follow. The group of six entered an office, leaving the impromptu operations room behind.

He sat down, the other important figures standing as he scrutinised Mark and Ed.

"God told me I would meet you one day, Mark," he said, "Who's he?"

"Name's Ed. Doubt you need to know more?" Ed questioned.

"No..." Joaquin paused, his voice tinged with a slight raspiness.

The Cartel leader grabbed a cigar and liting it, his hands shaking as he did so.

"To be blunt, I have an offer for you," Mark announced. "I don't particularly like you, especially for all the dark deeds you've done, but we have a common foe."

"The new nation?" He laughed. "The great Tyrant has come to us for...what? Help? Bah! What are you here for? Spit it out. I care not what you think of me."

Mark chuckled. 'He's like a younger Mr Turner.'

"To be frank, all of you are going to die-"

"Is that a threat?"

"A fact. America has already steamrolled through Central America within a week of Sishaf's speech. You are losing and losing badly."

"And...what? Are you here to offer us salvation? In God we trust; he will guide us."

'He's doing a pretty shit job so far. Fucking religion.'

"He said you would meet me; perhaps he foresaw the opportunity I'm about to give you," Mark half-mocked. "I can give two people powers. They're bulletproof; only an Eneph Bullet can kill them."

"Powers?" Joaquin laughed before gradually ceasing, "You can give powers? Like yourself?"

Mark shrugged. "Take it or leave it; I've already given it to others; I can do the same with the two left."

"H-How does it work? Are there side effects? Is it dangerous? Is-"

"Too many questions. I give it to them; no side-effects, besides appearance changes so far, and it's not dangerous, as long as they are relaxed."

Joaquin gave it some thought, glancing at the Colombian officials.

"I think we should take it, Carlos," one said in Spanish.

"I agree," another added, "we're getting pushed back on every front. We need something. This could be it."

Joaquin snorted. "Are you saying this because we need it, or because you want it?"

The trio kept quiet, Joaquin's gaze returning back towards the duo. He huffed and then sighed, his options limited as the war continues to fall out of his hands.

He nodded at the supers. "What's an Eneph Bullet?"

"The only thing that can kill a super," Mark stated. "America, Void and Tayi are the only possessors. Although...that will soon change."

Joaquin rose an inquiring eyebrow, Mark continuing. "As I've said, I gifted abilities to others beforehand. America will have no option but to use their limited supply."

"How many?"

"No idea-"

"Less than a thousand," HAP said.

"Less than a thousand," Mark replied to Joaquin.

"I see." Joaquin hummed before huffing. "America has left me with no choice; I agree. I presume there are to be restrictions or something we must give up?"

"To an extent." Mark shrugged. "I would ask for you to not target innocents, but despite your attempts at pretending otherwise, your roots are still a cartel."

Joaquin grunted. "And continue repelling the new nation?"

"We're both using each other."

"I don't have any complaints. The organisation is a means to an end; I will likely be dead by my own people when we achieve a united South America." Joaquin said, glancing at the Colombians. "How's it done?"

"Nothing complex; just relax, and I'll give it to you and another."

Joaquin shook his head, dismissively waving his hand. "Not me. Hugo! Get in here! And bring your sister!"

"Carlos!" a Colombian shouted, "You-"

"Not. A. Word," Joaquin commanded, glaring and switching language. "I seem to recall the offer was to me."

Five minutes later, the soldier who guided them hesitantly walked inside, a girl following in tow.

"Yes, Papa?" the girl asked.

Joaquin got out of his seat, grabbed the barely eighteen-year girl's cheeks and smiled. He then looked above, his hand signing the holy cross as he turned to Mark.

"I know what you're thinking," Mark said, "but it's a genuine offer. They won't be harmed; I need you as much as you need me."

The cartel leader looked back to his daughter, then to his son before nodding at Mark.

"I want them to have a proper life," he said, "away from all the violence, to stand on their own two feet."

"Mightily noble of a killer." Ed scoffed.

"Tell them to relax," Mark advised.

"Papa?" Joaquin's son asked, "W-What's going on?"

"A...a gift. A way to get out. Just...calm yourselves. I would never put you in danger."

Ed snorted as the son and daughter were soothed by their father, Mark ending the process moments later. It stopped without commotion, eliciting a surprised eyebrow from Ed.

"Fourth so far," he stated. "Hmmm."

Mark stared at the two, their abilities apparent from how plants grew and surrounded the sister and then decayed upon approaching the brother. Gesturing towards Ed, they opened the door to leave, Joaquin frowning.

"Th-That's it?" he questioned, "You're just going to leave? H-How do they control it?"

Glancing at the man, Mark gestured he did not know. "Dunno. Find out yourself; don't forget the condition, or I will be back."

The two supers left the wooden building, entering the tropical outside.

"It's only going to be a matter of time before they learn you don't care", Ed said as he groaned at Mark's grip, flying upwards.

"And, hopefully, by that time the world will be at peace. And then I will care," Mark replied.

Almost an hour later, the pair returned to the Britanny Facility. The bodies had been moved into a mass grave outside the compound, but dried blood still covered the walls and floors.

Dropping Ed to the ground, the twenty-five-year-old landed with a thud as Mark calmly stopped beside him.

"Asshole," Ed muttered.

Mark laughed as they walked inside, Barak waiting at the entrance.

"If you're greeting us this early, I suppose the news has already caught up?" Mark asked.

"Sort-of. One of them was showing off on social media - it's been making the rounds," Barak answered. "He named dropped you; said you gave it to him. Suppose it's better than saying a deity gave it him or something."

"I thought we'd have more time."

"It would have been a day or two at most; not much of a difference. HAP's seen them moving the Bullets from storage. One of them is...already dead."

"A super?" Ed said.

"Yeah, not by an Eneph Bullet either. An Invincible."

"There can't be many left," Mark uttered, "You guys are getting stronger day by day, and so should they. Perhaps that'll be a lesson to the rest of them."

"You want it online?" Barak frowned.

"Yeah. Hopefully, the remaining nineteen understand they aren't invincible. Goes for you guys too, even I'm not immune."

Ed and Barak both glanced at the open wounds, the black smoke continually drifting from them.

"Stop staring." Mark shook his head. "The French?"

"They should be...cordial," Barak said. "Turns out going blind tends to put the fear of God into people."

"For how long? We can't keep them in line forever," Ed expressed, "eventually, we will have to remove them."

"Has Eric decided? It's been a week already," Mark inquired.

"He's...probably not. He had a row with Victor a few hours ago." Barak said.

"Eric thinks you are dangerous," HAP stated, "thinks you will end up a psychotic murderer. He seems disillusioned with you after what you did."

Mark hummed. "His loss."

"I presume you're going away next?" Barak asked.

"Yeah." Mark nodded. "It's time I stopped the creation of more Bullets. And the Invincibles, for that matter."

"A lot can change in the days you'll be gone."

"Space is a vacuum, don't forget. I can speed up exponentially...I should be fine."

"Are you sure? We'll hold down the fort here, but who knows the shit that's going to happen."

"Mars is important, Barak. Stop their supply of Element; they can't kill any of us. It's an assurance we need."

"Ahhh, so the new supers are also human shields?" Ed laughed. "Let me guess, HAP's idea? Or maybe you're finally learning how the world works."

Mark glared at Ed, not dignifying him with a response as he looked back to Barak.

"Let HAP know if something happens she doesn't know about," he said, "I'll return as soon as possible."

Bidding farewell to the two, heading towards his new suite. Drops of liquid dripped from the bathroom inside as he entered. Sasha was the first thing he saw, dressed in a towel and inspecting her clothes.

"Having trouble?" he asked.

She smiled as he entered, her eyes physically brightening and lighting up the room.

"I...got a bit messy," she said.

"How? You're too hot for blood to get on you."

Sasha giggled. "Thanks for the compliment."

"I-"

"I know what a meant. One of the guards...tried to get physical. Thought I was 'just' a woman. He...well, he has a hole through his chest."

"Ah. Lovely."

She looked at him, already aware of why he was there.

"I guess you're going?" She sighed. "How long was it?"

"A week, maybe?" he replied. "Depends on how fast I can get. I'm trying to be optimistic; space is...shit."

Mark watched as she walked up to him, her hand placed on the left side of his chest.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked.

"It does. I don't think it's ever going away."

"A last resort, aye?"

Mark shrugged. "I suppose. One I despise."

She smiled at him. "I'll be fine. We'll be fine. We've survived over twenty years without you and being bulletproof; we'll get through a week."

He smiled back, giving her a kiss before they separated.

"I'll be back soon." He laughed at a thought. "Maybe I'll even bring a souvenir."

"Oooh, a rock! How exciting! I do just love rocks."

"Right. Fuck you, then."

The couple smiled at each other before Mark started to leave, Sasha leaving him with a morbid comment.

"Don't die!"

He chuckled. "I'll try not to."

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25/01/2023 - Unfortunately, the novel will have to go on hiatus for roughly 3-4 months due to me joining the military.