CHAPTER 16- Shadows Arise/Storm Horizon
The announcement of their scientific paper and Mercer's celebrity status brought a large crowd of reporters to the press conference. Many of these reporters were on the Riken reporter beat. They knew the right questions to ask for their audience. However, the nature of the teasers sent out brought a lot more foreign reporters than usual. It was a once in a lifetime event that supposedly groundbreaking research into quirk biology was released. Many across Japan flocked to the premier research facility, Riken. Mercer's team of researchers had prepared for days to defend their paper and its wide reaching implications.
Alex as the head of his entire department and of Group Three's made him the natural frontman for taking questions. He was the poster boy for Riken at the moment too. Mercer stepped before the podium and waited patiently. The murmuring among the reporters quieted down.
"Before I begin, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to everyone involved with this project. First and foremost is the Japanese government, who not only funded this entire endeavor, but as you all know, saved me. They graciously gave me, a man out of time, a place to live and a job to work. I cannot express enough gratitude for them. Next is Riken, Japan's crown jewel of scientific research and development, famous the world over. They welcomed me with open arms and provided me with my third blessing, my project teams. Their hard work and knowledge enabled many great discoveries to be made. Please, clap for them. A single man should not have as much acclaim as the collective efforts that brought us here today." Hearty applause resounded through the room, cameras capturing every moment.
"Without further ado, I present to you our findings." The electronic board on his left lit up with the title of the paper.
"CALORIC EXPENDITURE/INTAKE AND ITS IMPACT ON CULTURALLY DIFFERENTIATED CATEGORIES OF METAHUMAN ABILITIES OVER TIME".
"For most of you, this seems like a bunch of scientific jargon, with a few words you might remember from school. My place here is to explain what exactly we found. Its implications are staggering for both the scientific community and the wider world at large."
After his introduction, he saw the skepticism on some of the faces here. Scientists were always rushing about new discoveries.
"Our primary objective was to determine if Quirk types we've categorized as a society—Mutant, Emitter, and Transformational—had any impact on calorie usage."
A few reporters perked up, now listening closely to the words.
"Our initial findings showed lower levels of hormones related to suppressing hunger after extended Quirk use. However, what we were surprised by was that without using Quirks, there was still an increase in hunger, albeit lower. Just by existing, metahumans require more energy. Mutant-types because of the "always on" nature of their Quirks, required more energy. Transformational came, then Emitters at the bottom."
That got the reporters' attention; even the most science illiterate, who only had secondary education in nutrition, could parse the implications of this. If a population needed more resources over time than was available or given, naturally there would be imbalances, especially if they couldn't afford it.
"Genetics play a large role in hunger and starvation. In particular, epigenetics passes important responses to environmental issues. People in North Africa are more likely to have sickle cell anemia to combat mosquito-borne viruses, such as West Nile. Across even Quirkless individuals, we saw and compared it with Pre-Quick cadavers. Examining their DNA, there was a difference. Quirkless people by our definition are not metahumans, but look deeper in and they carry the genes for Quirks! They are as much metahumans as others, but without anything activated, they are akin to carriers, immune but still "infected". Much like how many parts of the population carry recessive genes that don't cause any issue until they procreate with someone who has those same recessive genes.
"For our next round of findings, I present our resident social scientist, Miyadai Shinji." He stepped to the podium, replacing Alex's spot.
"Mutant-type metahumans are on the bottom rung of society." Alex respected his controversial bluntness. It was quite enjoyable to see many of these journalists, many photogenic themselves, sputter in outrage.
"If you only take Japan into account, mutant-types are more likely to fall behind academically, more likely to fall into gangs or criminal organizations, more likely to be kicked off of social welfare programs and far more likely to go to prison. Humans have long held a stigma against people who are not like them, speak differently, look differently. Mutant discrimination is one of the most prevalent and universal discriminations in the world today." He paused, drinking some water while taking in the atmosphere. Some glared at him, others were furiously writing. In particular, the local left-wing paper rep were practically salivating at what they were hearing. Shinji continued.
"When Quirks first emerged, it was Mutant-types that were first persecuted. Everyone else could hide their Quirk but them. This unfortunate legacy has contributed to everything I said previously. However, now we have direct evidence that Mutant-types have far more biological needs than previously thought. As a scientist, it is our duty to search for the natural truths through the scientific method. As a social scientist, I study and interpret data and findings to apply them to the real world. Why does this happen in a city? Why are these people less likely to have heart disease? Do they eat better, can they afford treatments? What are solutions we can advocate for that benefit everyone? Our work helps inform policy decisions, social reforms, and human interactions. After careful research with my colleagues, I propose an expansion to imported food, subsidized by the government. All Quirks are fueled by the human body, and Mutant-types should be eligible for special food stamps."
Doctor Shinji stepped back, and let Alex take the stand again. Everyone was definitely paying attention now. This was going to be the front-pager for at least a day or two in Japan. Some of the international beat reporters were also pleased.
What came next would catapult this to a whole new level. If this was the appetizer, Alex was giving them the full course meal.
"In the course of our experiments and looking through our data, we found something incredible. Something that has eluded humanity for centuries now. In our pursuit to find our gold, we found a treasure even more valuable in every way." Time to reel them in with breadcrumbs.
"DNA plays an active part in all of our lives. Parts of it are always 'on', always expressed. Some activate because of specific gene regulators due to internal or external stimuli. In this case, during times of extended hunger, especially with extended Quirk use saw certain hormones and chemicals running around like 'messengers'. What we found very strange is that they were often 'pinging' in junk DNA areas. For those who don't know, junk DNA is DNA sequences with no known biological function. Just like a junkyard has piles of scrap from many sources, junk DNA was irrelevant. However, as coincidence had it, my work before I was iced concerned the research of junk DNA."
Of course they didn't need to know why it was part of his research in relation to REDLIGHT.
"I tore after it, many of my valued team assisting me on this mad quest from a crazy old man. Thank you for your patience." Alex nodded towards his team, everyone in the audience getting a good chuckle out of it. When it died down, he continued.
"The junk DNA saw a multitude of activity. It's like seeing military agents going deep into a landfill, or spies going into a dumpster. Something was there. Within the junk, we found beyond gold or platinum, far more rarer. Something priceless. There we found the holy grail of Quirks. A control center for metahuman abilities, the genetic source and location of Quirks unknown for centuries."
All hell broke loose. All of the reporters and observers jumped to their feet, angrily to excitedly asking all kinds of questions or demands.
Alex had to yell into the microphone, artificially rearranging his lungs and vocal cords to silence everyone.
"The locations of quirk mechanisms in the junk DNA areas of the genome primarily. What the world colloquially calls 'quirk factors' are the collective mutations that make up metahuman abilities. A fire user having greater fire resistant skin is an example. Quick factors also refer to the mechanisms in how the Quirk primarily functions, such as fingers and hands, lungs and throat, and so on. However, there has never been any single gene area responsible for quirk expression and development. Like the genes deciding how many fingers or eyes a human has, quirk expression genes were always out of sight. Not today. Through our research, we've narrowed down the origin and control center of Quirks and Quirk expressions. It was found clustered primarily in two locations. The locus of eye and hair gene expression, particularly in the junk DNA locations. Essentially, hiding in the high grasses. We tracked it to its location over the course of our experiments, tracing the molecules and increasing hypersensitivity of 'pinged' genes compared to their 'neighbors'. Our teams found extraordinary activity from these areas, especially when it came to calorie and Quirk use." Alex stopped his barrage of words, noticing the eager faces of many reporters.
"We will now be taking questions." Alex resignedly said.
Everyone leapt to their feet and blurted out all sorts of questions. Every journalist or reporter knew there was a strong possibility their question and the answer could be front and center on their websites, most definitely on the physical newspaper.
A prim and proper severe looking reporter was chosen first. "Mishima, Yukio, reporter for the Yomiuri Shimbun. Is this information safe to distribute? Aren't you worried about foreign and enemy governments using this research to produce supersoldiers? We have laws regarding exports of technology and information—is this even allowed? Isn't it reckless to announce such a once in a century discovery openly? Shouldn't this have been privately given to the Japanese government, who had funded this entire research project?
Alex looked unperturbed, the very ideal of a cool and confident scientist, in the face of such a barrage of unflattering questions. "The Japanese government, who have my full thanks and appreciation from saving me in the bunker, and continuing to sponsor me, gave me full authority over everything I planned to do. At no point did they pressure me to their own projects. It is to their credit that they understood science is at its best when it is free, unfettered, and open to all. RIKEN owes much of its success to the cooperation of many multinationals from the past and present. We're all stronger together, in the light of day."
Mishima was furiously writing as he ended. If Alex vaguely remembered, the Yomiuri was a right leaning paper, very nationalistic and conservative. They also had the highest circulation and papers sold in the nation.
He picked another reporter, a young reporter with gills around her neck and a rebreather filled with water. "Dr. Mercer, I am Kani Motoko, of The Asahi Shimbun. Pleasure to meet you. Some in the Quirkless community have said they would reject the gift of Quirks, should it ever be offered, because they don't want to lose their community. They have a shared bond, a common experience. For a long time, this was a hypothetical question. But now, the cure—or gift, as they would say, not seeing themselves diseased—has appeared. What would you say to the people afraid to lose their community? How can they stick together?"
This was a real softball question. "At no point have I said anything about giving people Quirks or changing them. This is all very much in its infancy. We would need multiple dedicated teams over decades to even scratch the surface. Technically, Quirkless people are still metahumans. A pigeon born without wings can still have offspring that have wings. There's a higher chance that offspring may inherit that mutation, but all the children will still be pigeons regardless. If you could 'activate' native Quirk genes in a Quirkless person to 'awaken' an ability, it's far more likely to give them cancer or multiple tumors than anything else. Because the core of the issue is that at minimum we've identified hundreds of 'Quirk genes' so far. The human genome is a complex rube goldberg machine. You may create irreparable harm by trying to change any of these genes. Or nothing would happen. At this point, we simply don't know."
There were murmurs at the conclusion of his statement. There was an uneasy atmosphere. It was beginning to settle in how important this discovery was. Mercer used the temporary quiet to choose a patiently waiting reporter.
"Tachibana Takashi, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The economic stability of our nation has been a fraught thing with the existence of quirks. Laws have been put into place to promote fair competition, but as always, bureaucracy has remained a step behind. They—we—assumed we would have generations before everyone had a quirk. But that time may be tomorrow, or next year. How do you propose we keep our economy stable? How do you propose we keep competition fair and legislate this? Personally, I don't believe a small business deserves to go under because the big guys could hire every quirk they needed for rock-bottom prices."
Alex was a bit flabbergasted at the question. "Our social research doesn't quite touch on that topic. Dr. Shinji can correct me, but I believe most of our findings and their implications don't quite touch on legal Quirk use on the job. While poverty is a concern for certain metahumans, notably Mutant-types, most jobs don't require specific Quirks. Thank you."
Alex hoped the next question would be a little more on task.
"Kawatei Eiichi, Nikkan Sports." What the hell was a sports newspaper doing in Riken? On second thought, there was a nonzero chance a good portion of Riken funding and research was dedicated to sports.
"I have a question that is important to the majority of people, unlike these other papers: how will this affect sports?" There was a round of chuckles from everyone. "Like my good colleague said about the economy, enforcing fairness in sports is a tough, thankless, and nightmarish endeavor. It's about to get even worse. I am afraid for the core value of sports: hard-work, team-spirit in certain games, and sheer dedication. What you're proposing will shift things almost entirely to birthright. To simply be born better. What message do you have to the ten-year old child, who dreams of being a baseball star, and has a Quirk that will give him zero advantage?"
"This is still quite out of the purview of our research and implications, but I suppose it doesn't hurt giving my two yen. For centuries, even in my time, there were people who were simply born with the right genes. They could absorb information quicker, see the world in unique ways, or simply had a physique that was in the higher percentile. But none of that mattered if they never pursued that passion, it never made a difference if they didn't push themselves and train every day, academically or physically. I can't tell you what the next few decades will look like, if we could fundamentally make a better person or Quirk ability. What I can tell you is that humanity's civilizations depend more on its moral fiber than it does its abilities. All the intelligence or superior bodies won't matter if a nation is controlled by tyrants and exports suffering around the world."
On and on were questions asked and answered as best he could. By the end of it, he was completely drained. Even with his evolved nature, Alex couldn't quite deal with the mental and emotional exhaustion. He could still feel the weight of the world. There was something still human within him.
Alex finally got to the last person. With a discovery this large, he couldn't quite disregard anyone he wanted. The person looked as exhausted as everyone else. He didn't even bother giving his name or publication he was with.
"For my sake and the layman's, what does this all mean, exactly? As in, what do you believe it will bring on the table?"
Alex mustered up his last vestiges of mental energy.
"First of all, now we know where to look at a person's DNA to check their quirk genome. Knowing where the genes are has been the bottleneck to truly understanding Quirks. Maybe we'll even find the origin of Quirks! Then there's the medical potential. Could we develop medical procedures or therapy to activate a Quirkless' person's genes? Can we solve debilitating issues with people's Quirks that cause them or others undue harm? In the next few years as people study it, we might even be able to access and use the fundamental building blocks of Quirks. That is the long and short of it. We've barely begun to put on our shoes for the journey of a thousand miles.""
In the wake of Doctor Mercer's conference, many startling changes were happening.
Always on the forefront of Quirk science, Hero schools around the globe began to immediately incorporate the new discoveries. Free and highly nutritious meals were made available for all students, along with care packages to their homes.
Unfortunately, food prices started to skyrocket. Various entities ranging from corporations to investors sought to capitalize on the implications of the research by purchasing grocery shops, wholesalers, even farms/fishing businesses. Not to mention many individuals buying up food in some misguided understanding of the research paper.
Governments worldwide stepped in as much as they could. Without wars, droughts, or disasters, there shouldn't be any reasons for food insecurity.
Mercer gave his team a whole week off for their success and celebration. Like a tsunami, news of their work and its implications swept through the world. Much of his team was overwhelmed with requests for interviews. On a more annoying note, vultures had begun to move. Everyone from the janitor to himself had been approached by other labs, private, public, in and out of Japan. Much of his personnel had gotten a deluge of requests. Guest lecture spots, invitations overseas, offers to tempt them away from Riken. They were trying to poach his team from him.
Obviously he himself received far more offers than any of his staff.
But it didn't matter. His people knew that he was just beginning. Being on the cutting edge was far better than an oversized compensation package. So they were all refused, naturally. Alex wasn't done by a long shot, his teams knew staying with him themselves to him was their best bet. Their plaudits were earned here, right on Riken soil, nurtured by him. Their invitations for interviews and guest speaking events at universities were because of the research they did together. They hitched themselves to his star, for better or for worse.
The city was an exciting place to be after the press conference. For now, every restaurant was packed, every streetside food vendor was making money hand over fist. Grocery shops were being mobbed and overwhelmed with the sheer amount of traffic.
The grimy streets seemed renewed. Popup street food vendors exploded in numbers. A front pager for a financial paper talked about the astronomical rise in food costs. If it wasn't for the world governments working together, there would be shortages everywhere for no reason.
People were avidly reading the news on phones or plain newspapers. Arguments and discussions abounded. All were varied in volume and language. There was an energy in the air.
Maybe this was how it felt the day after man landed on the moon?
Newspapers went on and on how it's now 'possible' to genetically engineer Quirks. Many people were avidly reading the print, discussing it with fellow readers.
Mercer was annoyed. Reporters and incorrectly talking about scientific advancements. Some things never change.
Ad companies worked fast. Electronic billboards were hawking all kinds of snacks and supplements. One particular billboard had a local hero on it, advertising a new protein shake. "FEED YOUR QUIRK WITH OUR SHAKE!".
A nearby cafe had a large tv, and in it an interview played. Alex slowed down as others did to hear it. A reporter was asking various people in the city to get their reactions to everything going on. A local man and his wife distraughtly explained how many household essentials were spiking. Food prices were the dominoes it seems.
"We've been saving for years to have a vacation, now all of our savings are being drained away just to make ends meet!" Their tears and fears echoed many households faced with rising costs.
The interview switches to a rural hero school principal. "As the forefront of hero education they have to act fast in response. Smaller schools are all struggling to make ends meet as we change our curriculum and food programs. If you can, please donate, especially all our illustrious alumni to help fund extra nutrition programs for hero trainees and their families- not all of us can be huge schools like UA or Shiketsu."
These scenes and more started cropping up around the world. A particular kind of mania.
But far more pressing unpleasant thoughts swirled around his head. Something was nagging at him. Now that the fervor of discovery left him, he had been troubled. Alex had a bad feeling in his gut. Before, he was in the thick of a whirlwind of events, too busy. Between the wrap up, rushing, and press conference, there was no time for introspection. But now it has haunted him.
Quirks were strange. A self-evident statement, as wondrous as they were, it was unknown how they came to be. Quirk genes hidden in junk DNA? The rapid evolution of Quirks each generation? They started to emerge a year or more after Elizabeth Greene made her move? It was too suspicious. Something wasn't right.
On his way to his apartment, he saw an ad that stops him dead in his tracks. A new antiviral medicine created using human genetics. Mercer went still, his thoughts in overdrive. He immediately went to his phone. His fingers flew by as he researched the medicine in question.
It apparently mimicked DNA to "lure" certain viruses, which then tripped a "wire" to spur the body's immune response to that specific virus.
Enough time has been wasted. It was time to investigate it properly. He had questions that needed answers. None of the possible answers were good.
And there was only one place he could find them.
Mercer tried to make his way to the train station, but he was stopped by several barricades. The police were trying to separate a heteromorph rights march from a local anti-mutant group. The latter were known for vandalizing mutant-owned stores and other harassing acts. Their numbers had swelled, blaming rising food prices on the "parasitical" mutant-types who "needed more" but "didn't contribute" near enough in their eyes.
Alex had to take the long way around, fuming at the delay. It wasn't a work day, so while the streets were full, the train station was sparse. Boarding the train to Riken proper, there was a mix of retirees and tourists onboard. This line motley served Riken and its satellite campuses.
Retirees and tourists were his only company and even they thinned out the closer he got to the institution proper.
In only a few stops, it was emptied entirely, leaving him the sole visitor to Riken. All of his lab personnel were enjoying the break. Many individuals critical to the papers received invitations to speak or lecture about the findings and their processes. Mercer himself had no taste for the limelight, inherited from his progenitor.
Alex stalked briskly towards his building. There was a haunting tension dogging his every step. Unthinkable thoughts raced through his head, a portion of his hivemind of one dedicated to finding answers.
If he had guts, his gut feelings would have consumed him.
Alex was in the building alone. His phone was piling up with overtures to various requests and invitations for parties or interviews. There were more troubling things to contemplate, so they were all refused or ignored. He disdained having keys or a keycard. His tendrils were a perfect skeleton key.
The inside was an empty tomb. No scientists at work, nor laughter or arguments muffled behind doors. The silence was a foreboding promise.
Mercer kept walking until he found what he was looking for. The gene sequencing room. This sort of lab enabled geneticists over centuries to make their living and discoveries.
Mercer began his work in earnest. He put in a variety of examples to analyze and compare. He narrowed down every commonality in saved genetic structures between their subjects and other donors. Mercer meticulously cataloged where his teams had found all the control centers for metahuman genes.
They would be the control.
Now it was time for the experiment to compare with.
Alex reached deep inside his genetic library. He carefully extracted the most dangerous liquid in the world. Pure REDLIGHT.
As though he was handling a bomb, Alex put the sample into the sequencer.
He was reviewing the gene sequencers along with other biological material. There was something familiar about this that sent his internal tendrils to twist and writhe against each other, like deranged butterflies.
For hours he slaved away, coldly obsessed. Everything was triple checked and repeated. Mercer grew multiple eyestalks, and segmented his brain to take his multitasking ability to extreme heights. He referenced his team's discoveries and dove deep into the peer reviews of their lab's work. Nothing was left untouched. Old memories and old genetic sequences were roused from his hivemind of one, years of Gentek's work from all the devoured scientists.
Hour passed. Evening went and left quietly.
Eyes on the genes, brain on recall, something slowly washed over him. Throughout all his battles and new life, dread wasn't a feeling that existed. He was an apex predator. Every monster thrown at him was met with eager bloodlust. Every weapon shrugged off or avoided. Dread was something only the weak feared.
Yet all the same, dread slowly consumed him.
Shock and denial. Unbearable pain and guilt. Explosive anger. A deep depression (melancholy?). Alex skipped the rest of the stages. All he had was the acceptance of an awful truth.
He felt a tap on his shoulder. Thankfully most of his external mutations were gone. Just leaving a plain looking man.
It was one of his early go-getters, a longtime intern who handled coffee and the snacks. Yosano Akiko always came by daybreak. She looked at him strangely.
"Sir, why are you here so early?"
Why was she so bewildered? Alex looked around numbly, his body feeling not his own. He took his phone out. Then he saw the date. Mercer got here on Friday.
Now it was Monday morning.
Alex tore apart three days without even realizing it.
He had his answers an hour before she got here. Alex couldn't believe it. He even grew extra brain tissue for more processing power. The normally cooled room was uncomfortably tropical. That's how hot he ran, like a supercomputer on the verge of a breakdown.
How was this possible? It wasn't possible.
He wiped Blackwatch clean. Consumed and neutralized the Amalgam Abomination. Hunted every Gentek scientist.
How could this be? This made no sense. None of Blackwatch's experiments ever yielded anything like this.
Mercer realized that every single gene associated with Quirks that they had identified weren't some human borne mutation.
This was the real revelation.
All Quirk related expressions and markers are virus based.
It wasn't just any virus fragment leftover by evolution either. It was REDLIGHT. But not anything created by Elizabeth Greene or used by Blackwatch. Which meant, somehow, it predated Blackwatch. Redlight is a cousin to Quirk genes-or should he say the Quirk virus? Like apes and humans they shared a distant ancestor, but were fundamentally different "species".
Quirks had a REDLIGHT-ancestry derived base. But it was strange. If Alex had to describe it in comparison with Elizabeth's strain, it was like… an uncle? Grandfather? Where did REDLIGHT even come from?
Strong sunlight filtered in through the windows. The new day only gave him more questions.
He made an emergency meeting with all of his personnel. He told them of his findings, leaving out REDLIGHT, but showed his other evidence.
"I was tinkering with the genes we found, running various tests when I found an anomaly. There were extremely low levels of interferon. Interferon deficiencies should result in serious illness, viruses uncontrollably replicating. Yet so far, every subject we've seen is perfectly fine, chosen for their health in fact. I'd even go so far as to bet almost every human on the planet has the same situation. There were also other strong indicators of viruses, but the most damning piece of evidence came when I isolated the "Quirk genes"."
"Put plainly, they are a virus mimicking human DNA. Perfect symbiosis with the host, rapid mutation in not even a generation. Parents to their child create the most divergent mutations. Quirks." Silence and shocked expressions were all around the cramped meeting room. This was beyond unbelievable. It was frightening to many of the people here, like seeing an avalanche starting.
"There are many viruses that mimic themselves as DNA in order to infiltrate better and use cells to reproduce. Quirks are hiding as junk DNA. When a virus "mimics DNA," it means the virus has evolved to possess genetic material that closely resembles the host cell's DNA, allowing it to evade the host's immune system by appearing as "normal" to the cell's defense mechanisms; you all know it as "molecular mimicry.". Viruses can achieve mimicry by incorporating similar DNA sequences, protein structures, or even sugar molecules found in the host's DNA into their own genetic material. One of the key points of this is immune evasion: By mimicking host DNA, the virus can trick the immune system into not recognizing it as foreign, allowing it to replicate and spread more easily."
With his teams, Alex also showed them harder proof. Quirk genes are viruses mimicking DNA. They don't reproduce, all of the "organelles" are fake, it's propagated by fresh material created by the body. Just like how viruses work.
They scrambled to prove him wrong. All fail.
"What does this mean?"
"As of now, nothing. You all will do nothing, say nothing, and pretend you've seen nothing, you hear me?
Nods went around the room. This was too big to let out too soon. They trusted Mercer would know what to do.
Alex released a tense breath. "Now that it's over with, I'm going to need a few volunteers for what comes next.
Alex had needed permission from the government to visit the Iwa Valley facility. His good behavior coupled with his work made it a simple approval. They were given an escort for their own safety.
The facility was mostly unchanged beyond a few guard posts and a rough looking helicopter landing area. His group had to come through via car however, making for a bumpy ride.
The trip wasn't much to write home about. Beautiful, mountainous terrain was ignored in favor of future plans.
His motley group came to the elevator, with a soldier directing the lift. Beyond the extra posts and pad, only the elevator was refurbished. As they descended, Alex saw much of the facility stayed untouched. The gaggle of people he had brought were amazed at what they saw. For them, it was an exciting field trip. A few geologists, archaeologists on loan , the rest of the crew being his own people.
As they traveled into the facility, familiar damage was evident down the long hallway. Samples were constantly taken from the beginning, chunks of the facility itself bagged and numbered. The cavernous end was even worse than he remembered. Nothing biological was left, only the physical fight damage remained. Ruins of metal and concrete.
Two battles were fought here. One for humanity, another a tragedy, Alex shook away those thoughts. Answers needed to be found.
While the rest of the team took various pieces to study under the spectrometer in the lab, Mercer took a break and decided to look around.
He crawled out of the coffin three times, each one luckier than the last. Each time he had paid a price. It was enough to make him think there was a higher power watching over him.
But he was sure as shit that he'd never see heaven. Too much blood, too many desperate consumptions in the name of victory. Alex had a long road of repentance to walk.
But before that, he had a mystery to solve.
Two clearly separated dates stared at him.
The best carbon dating technology, an in house mass spectrometer, told him what he had suspected in his last mission. Blackwatch had built upon the bones of a far older facility. The beginning of the facility was dated within a decade of the NYC outbreak. Easy. However, the cavernous end of the facility? It was much older. Circa 1930 to 1937. The Blackwatch additions were far more understandable and verified by him.
Two eras in a single facility. Long before General Randall was a putrid growth in his mother that should have been aborted.
It would be a mystery they'd never know. No one would.
Thankfully, it seems humanity has done well regardless. It was still alive, and no disasters loomed on the horizon.
IWA VALLEY, 1937
Sometime after the Japanese invasion of China
They had the shittest posting imaginable. Their compatriots in Manchukuo were doing the real, hard-hitting science, while they were stuck in Iwa Valley. Shikoku was one giant backwater, and the valley was even worse. They had to be resupplied once a week, and put orders in for equipment or creature comforts two weeks in advance. And when they made a mistake? It could be a month before they got what they needed. They were here on the orders of General Shirō Ishii.
And to top it all off, their research focus was on a single area. They found something in China. Something important. Peculiar blood samples taken from a singular location contained many anomalous animals. Their heads and bodies were larger than most animals of their species. There were reports in their briefs that told of how they displayed a higher intelligence, cunning, and even group tactics.
There was even a far-fetched story of a mysterious "monkey man" who seemed to lead lesser monkeys around, defending them. The implications of a substance being able to enhance animals was tantalizing.
But the staff was barebones, the equipment minimal, and the location abysmal. There was a large degree of secrecy being used. In Manchukuo, General Ishii was king. Here back in Japan, he was just another far off general. With the war intensifying, he hadn't wanted to risk anything happening to the precious samples.
So all of the specimens were sent here. And because they were in the homeland, they didn't have the rumored leeway that Unit 731 had to source their own subjects. So they had to get creative.
Which ended up being only women. Easier to disappear during wartime. Not just any women. They were the dregs of Japanese society, all low-class prostitutes or desperate village workers who moved to the cramped cities. Most of them were of mixed ancestry, ranging from Chinese, Korean and of course Japanese. Some were even more exotic, a decent cross section of the world. They were all kept in immensely cramped quarters. The facility itself looked large. But all the subjects, personnel and equipment made it a rather congested experience.
No one would look for them or care.
There were a hundred miserable women for testing. They created cultures of the samples. Its code name? "Shinseina Hikari".
Its translation? "Sacred light".
They injected it into the subjects, carefully noticing any kind of reaction or change. From the China reports, animals carrying this strain seemed to be smarter, faster, and stronger. Some soldiers allegedly said there was a monkey the size of a man that was too quick to follow or capture.
If animals could benefit, imagine what it could do for humans? Super soldiers to overrun all of Asia. Perhaps to barter with Germany? Could the Imperial grasp even claw away parts of the Middle East and Europe? The possibilities were endless.
That is, if it actually worked. The cross section of humanity in the program didn't seem to be affected. Ten of the women turned out to be already pregnant. This would have a boon to see how the samples affected the young. But to no avail, there were absolutely no changes to the fetus or child that was birthed. By all means, this was a total failure.
Eventually, they gave up. With the escalation of the war in China, more resources were needed. The rest of Unit 731 based in Manchuria had far more applicable and useful research being done. So resources were slowly being diverted away from them, until the General stopped all operations in Iwa Valley. All the time and resources spent were fruitless. They were housing all these women and children on the Emperor's dime with nothing to show for it. So it was all shut down.
Unfortunately, being in Japan, even in the middle of nowhere they didn't have the latitude that the others had.
In conclusion, they couldn't liquidate the subjects.
The Japanese citizens were sent back where they came with stern warnings and a small cash reward.
The rest were shipped on boats from wherever they "came from". Which could be hundreds or even thousands of miles from their actual homes.
Years later, a victorious Soviet Union and United States tried to seize as many Unit 731 members as they could. Governments on both sides coveted their knowledge and research. Some got shorter stays in the gulag, many aligned with the Americans for complete pardons and stipends. Very few were actually punished.
The United States on Japanese soil reaped most of the rewards. Which included samples and purported effects of the "SACRED LIGHT". The circle was complete with CARNIVAL I and II, leading to Hope, Idaho.
The rest is history.
Or it would be, had it not been for the Iwa Valley experimental subjects.
They spread to Japan and eventually returned to homes in Asia or beyond.
With every exhale of breath, it spread.
With every amorous encounter, it spread.
With every shared blood drop and saliva, it spread.
It proliferated and mutated as original or descendant carriers mixed and mingled. It advanced from East Asia to the entire world for almost eighty years, unknown, unseen, a pure black void in the night sky.
No one knows them. No one will know them. They are akin to the first humans from whom all humans share a maternal genetic link to, thousands of years before civilization, stone or bronze.
They are the one hundred mothers of Quirks. The first infected, the first inheritors of the primordial virus that has existed for billions of years. They were the first true metahumans.
Mercer sat. He thought about all he's seen and done. The battles, coming to term with his progenitor, and now facing a brave new world. While he may never find the answers, he's confident the world is striding towards a better future.
A glittering city greeted him on the night ride train back home. No monsters existed, the world was on a road to something better. Thankfully, it seems humanity has done well regardless. It was still alive, and no disasters loomed on the horizon. Not all questions needed answers. The past was dead. Let it rest.
He was shitfaced even more than usual. The local plant had shut down for over a month because of a local Hero-Villain fight. With mounting debts and rent due, all he and his best friend could do was to drown their sorrows.
They both staggered out to an empty alleyway to puke and curse out every mother under the son that birthed the assholes who ruined their livelihood. It was worse for his friend. He was a pig heteromorph. The plant was one of the few friendly places for people like him that paid good wages.
As he stewed in self-pity, he heard cracking noises, like joints popping or bones crackling.
He looked over to his friend, his pink skin rippling and moving.
"Hey, are you alri-". He screamed as his friend turned to face him. His jaw was dislocated, his normal pig teeth were now wiggling, barbed tentacles. His skin was weeping pus and opening to reveal mutated skin. He leapt to him. His normally jovial and playful hands were sharpened spears that punched through his best friends guts over and over. The friend didn't stand a chance. They were screaming into each others faces, one with fear, one with rage. His frenzied screaming was reduced to gurgles as his former friend tore out his throat. Then he began feeding in the few moments his friend was still alive.
All the alleyway heard of was the wet chomping and grinding of flesh.