Smells Like You

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

Agent Issac stood up and walked away, pacing the floor.

"Mostly. I've been considering it for a day now, but with everything that's happened this morning, I can't see a better option. I know that this is the right path, but, damn it, I feel like I'm selling my soul to the devil."

Agent Issac had stopped pacing and was staring at Soren, making it clear who he felt the devil was. Soren chuckled and leaned back in the chair.

"Isn't that a little dramatic, Agent Issac?"

"I don't believe that you're as bad as Dr. Valle, just because you don't want the world destroyed. It's been my experience that life has a tendency to make you choose between evils."

Agent Issac glanced over at Avery while he was speaking. The marks on Avery were obvious to Issac. Agent Issac had enough experience to understand at least a small portion of what had happened.

"I can live with that. If you're committed to this then I want you. I need people that can go out there and find people. Culton is close enough that we should be able to help the humans there, but outside of Culton will be harder to cover.

"Of course, I expect you to try and find your sister first."

Soren stood, "Let's go down to the lab."

Agent Issac nodded and followed behind Soren and Avery as they made their way downstairs. Issac had thought long and hard about it. The time he had spent around Soren, and observing Fry and Ethan, had made him believe that he could live with it. Even if he could not live with it, he planned to push himself far enough to save his sister, and then he would take his own life.

This was the contingency plan that he had made. After everything that he and his sister had been through he was willing to sacrifice his life to save her.

"What's your first name? It would be weird if I continued to call you an agent."

"Bennet. Bennet Issac."

Soren stopped and turned around with a frown. "I think I'll just continue to call you Issac."

Issac laughed when Soren continued the walk downstairs. The fact that Soren disapproved of his name had thrown Issac off.

"What's wrong with Bennet?"

"It just doesn't sound right. Issac sounds so much better. I could always come up with a nickname like I did Fry."

Issac started coughing after choking on air. Like hell I'd let you make up a name for me. Fry's nickname is terrible.

"I'm good with Issac."

In the lab, Soren has Issac sit down in the chair he had been in earlier. He took out two syringes, placed one on the counter by Issac, and left the room. Avery stood to the side as they waited for Soren to come back.

Issac felt awkward sitting there with Avery. The cop side of him was screaming at him for what he was about to do. Screaming that he should be helping Avery instead of siding with Soren. Whatever has happened I can't change. My only focus now has to be Carol. I have to find her.

It was not long before Soren was back, the syringe filled with an unknown liquid. Soren placed the filled syringe on the counter and picked up the empty one. With practice ease, Soren pushed the needle into his vein and drew out blood. Even though he had withdrawn a lot of blood not long ago his body had already started to replenish and heal. Soren handed the syringe with his blood to Avery.

"Give this to me when I ask for it."

Soren picked up the first syringe and turned to Issac.

"Last chance to back out. Once I use this there is no going back."

Issac took a deep breath and released it slowly then nodded.

"If I don't do this then the chances of me surviving long enough to find my sister is low. When I was seven and she was two the cult that our parents ran decided to ascend to heaven, en masse. We were lucky enough that agents came in and pulled out all of the kids before we were included in their ascension.

"She's all I have in this world."

Issac closed his eyes and relaxed in the chair. He felt the prick of the needle and almost immediately his body felt like molten lava was running through his veins. Issac was able to hold out through the mutation process without making a sound. That changed when the mutation was complete and Soren injected the second syringe.

The mutation process itself is relatively smooth, though still painful for those with a low tolerance. The forced evolution when Soren's blood is injected, so soon after mutating, is a shock to the body. The internal organs that had been modified are strengthened and modified further.

Mutating pulls in most of the body's mass, leaving it with a mummified appearance while making the body stronger. Evolution gives the body back its mass and expands the body's strength. Everything is further enhanced, including the pain.

When Issac finally came to he was covered in sweat and his throat was sore from all the screaming. Soren was standing by his side, holding him down.

"How do you feel?"

"Like shit, but good at the same time."

Issac opened his eyes and looked around him while taking in a deep breath. His eyes caught sight of Avery and he found himself staring. Issac took another deep breath, his eyebrows raising as he turned to look at Soren.

"Why does he smell like you? It's not that your smell is on him; if I were only going by the smell I would think that he was you."

Avery took a step back when he heard Issac's words. He bumped into the tray that had been used earlier, lost his balance, and found himself sitting on the floor. What had happened with the mutated made more sense now, but Avery did not know what it meant.

"Avery belongs to me, so it only makes sense that he smells like me."

Soren walked over to Avery and offered him a hand up. Avery did not take the offered hand and instead looked up at Soren.

"W-what did you do to me?"

Soren smiled and crouched down so that they were at eye level.

"Why do you phrase it like that? Did something happen?"

"The mutated did not respond to me like the others. It acted like I wasn't human."

Soren's eyes lit up, "Excellent!" Soren reached out and traced a half-healed bite mark. "These aren't just symbolic marks. They're meant to let every mutated and evolved know that you're mine. I'm pleased to know that it's working."

Soren grabbed Avery's arm and forced him to stand.

"I can't allow what's mine to be harmed."