Chapter 10: Impulse

The next morning, Jason got up early with Luis as he didn't wanna be anywhere near Maria or Bry, in the event they still wanted his head. Jason quickly did his morning routine, but when he saw himself in the mirror, he couldn't believe he was still looking at himself. "Holy shit. I don't even look like the old me." Jason said as he noticed his facial features, his height, and how much change had occurred to his body. Deeper eyes, a more defined jawline, height around 6.2, he assumed, broader shoulders, and very defined muscles that could be seen easily without the need to flex. 'Dayum, I'm so glad no one really pays much attention to me. Just hope my change is enough to be noticed. Hmmm, might need to wear a mask or a big jacket to throw people off.' Jason thought as he dressed and added a thought, 'Shit, I'm gonna need new clothes.' He then went downstairs but when he went into the dining room Luis told him he excused him from school once more, but this time with the excuse that Jason had been found beaten up, bleeding, and on the verge of death, with an arm missing this morning and that the authorities had been called to find the culprit. It was a bit of an extreme excuse but not one without reason. Luis had informed the school that he had been fed up with the school's disregard for Jason's safety, the constant beatings he had been receiving, and yesterday was the last straw. So now Jason was to be homeschooled and not just because Luis wanted to keep what happened yesterday from happening again, but because he wanted to focus mostly on Jason's training. Luis could just find a suitable tutor to teach Jason in the morning, then train him in the afternoon since Jason was a rather smart young man, it would take little time to go through common school material. Jason argued that his disappearance might raise suspicions as to what happened to Dylan and his crew but Luis said he had a plan. Which was to take one of his school uniforms, splash it with some blood, and cut off one of its sleeves. There was just one small tinie tiny issue. . . Jason didn't think it would be enough just to say he was, it would be better with evidence and he even said he was willing to lose an arm and be beaten up then healed after going to school and showing the alleged attack. Luis thought Jason was insane and even voiced his opinion but Jason didn't back down. "Hey, I've been beaten to within an inch of my life before. Getting beaten up one more time is nothing. As for the arm . . . Well to be honest I kinda wanna see how my regeneration deals with it. Worst-case scenario we take me to a hospital and deal with it then. Besides it makes for the perfect alibi. How can a powerless kid beat a group of thugs when he was already beaten and had his own arm cut off by some psycho in a mask, and in the dead of night." Luis was still surprised that Jason would purpose such a crazy scheme for the sake of making the story believable and for training an ability. It was too extreme to go for the sake of selling a lie and training a ability, and Luis didn't agree to it. He even outright refused to go through with it but Jason told him he was gonna do it with or without his help. Jason said he was gonna just cut off his arm and walk to school with his severed and his uniform in a bag. Yes, Jason was extreme and clearly a bit insane, but it was to be expected after so many years of what he went through and for him to actually be willing to declare war against the Miller family, his own family. Jason was not someone to go to halves, he was one to go all in and do whatever it took. Luis didn't think Jason had it in him to do it, so he just decided to serve himself some coffee as he sat down in front of Jason once more and said, "We'll be talking in private about how to continue your training as usual. Then I want to discuss taking you to see a psychiatrist, to help with your mental state." Jason leered at him as he said, " . . . . . . . . This is just an excuse to punish me from yesterday isn't it?" Jason asked glaring at Luis. "Absolutely not. Your actual punishment involves throwing you to Maria and Bry." Luis said with a smile. Jason widened his eyes and said, "You wouldn't." Jason then felt two hands land on his shoulders as Bry said, "Oh" and Maria finished, "But he would." Jason felt a very cold chill run down his spine as he looked at Luis angry and said, "Traitor!" Bry then said, "I thought you could read minds. Shouldn't you have seen this coming?" Jason, seeing no way to avoid his fate, figured he would have the last laugh, "To be fair Luis is much better than either of you at hiding his thoughts, and full disclosure I need to see a person to read their minds. Speaking of which, how was your walk home? You two lovebirds have a nice chat?" Suddenly he felt pressure on his shoulders as he tried to smile with a look of "Goodbye cruel world" on his face as he was dragged off. "You know usually a man on death row gets a last meal." Jason said in one desperate attempt while Maria said, "Oh we aren't gonna kill you, we are just gonna have a little family conversation." Jason looked at Luis as he mouthed the words, "Help me." But Luis just sat there drinking his coffee. It's too bad Jason's body had already reached its peaked for now, this would've been a good opportunity to get some stat points.

After the so-called "conversation". Jason managed to get some breakfast before getting ready for his crazy scheme. He even stole Luis's sword from his room and went to the bathroom after getting dress in a school uniform. Jason took everything out of the bathroom as he didn't want to risk his blood staining anything even if he could make it turn to nothing. Plus he wanted to make it easy to clean up in case Bry and Maria came in and he couldn't get rid of his blood without having to explain how he could get rid of his blood just with a wave of his hand. The only wrinkle was getting a beating but he figured he could convince Luis after he cut off his own arm. Once everything was ready and he was about to close the door Maria stopped him when she saw all the things from the bathroom out in the hallway. She started to ask, "What are you doing with Luis's sword? Why did you take everything out of the bathroom?" Jason took a step away from her and grabbed the sword as he said, "You might wanna get Luis and Bry." Maria got worried and asked, "Why?" Jason smiled as he placed the sword under his right armpit holding it there as he grabbed a towel he had folded, then putting it in his mouth, with his left hand, he used all his strength to sever his right arm at the shoulder turning his body so the blood would spray to the shower/bathtub. Maria screamed as she saw Jason's arm drop to the ground and the blood started to spray. Jason dropped the sword after falling to his knees with his left hand where his arm used to be. He was biting the towel just to avoid screaming hoping the neighbors didn't hear it but Maria had screamed loud enough to definitely be heard. Naturally, Luis and Bry ran upstairs to see what had happened and when they saw what Jason had done they were frozen in place, except for Maria who had run up to Jason. Jason stretched out his left hand to stop her as he dropped the towel from his mouth and choked a scream when he wanted to tell her, "Don't touch my blood!!" She stopped confused as Jason started to stand up with his bleeding slowly stopping. Jason knew he had screwed up as he said that, but he could explain later. "Nobody touch my blood! I'll explain why later. Just help me downstairs to Bry's medical room to take the pictures. I'm too dizzy to walk alone." Jason said as he also mentally asked, 'Can I make it so my blood doesn't infect anyone for now? And can I make it dry up faster?'

[Yes. However, you will need to focus on what blood you don't want to be infectious, and it won't work with the blood already inside you. Meaning every time you bleed you'll need to issue the command again to the blood that leaves your body.]

'Fuck! Ok, let me just wait here for a bit.' Just as Bry and Luis had come close Jason yelled, "Wait! Let me stop bleeding first." Jason then looked at the blood on the wall and just figured he would need to explain anyway so he made it disappear except for the one on him and his clothes. Seeing this Bry and Maria were shock as Jason thought, 'Well there goes my plan to keep my blood infection a secret. Maybe I can spin it and say it's poisonous.' After the bleeding had stopped completely rather quickly he made the last drops of blood disappear and let Luis and Bry take him downstairs by leaning on Luis only trying to avoid him or anyone from coming into contact with his blood even if it said it was impossible to infect them yet. Any variable could cause a mutation or accidental level up because his VS was 60. 'Wait a minute how do I know this?' Jason asked in his mind.

[Any relevant information about your body and your viral nature will be access easier the higher your Int. gets. Information about a virus and your viral nature will take priority.]

'Well, that saves me research time.' Jason thought. After reaching Bry's medical Luis was about to take pictures but Jason stopped him telling him he first needed to beat him up, or it wouldn't be believable, especially the face since his facial features had changed a bit too much. Luis refused but Jason warned, "Jesus I already made it clear I was willing to do it myself! Do I have to do everything myself?!? Help me out already!! Or I'll start hitting myself with something!!" Without much choice, knowing Jason wasn't bluffing he did as he was told pulling his punches a bit to try and not make it so bad but Jason was very insistent. Bry and Maria had to leave the room because it was just too much for them. By the time Luis was done the scene was more than convincing and even Bry couldn't believe to what extent. They finally began to take pictures, lots of pictures, even going so far as to take off his shirts to show the full barrage he had gone through. They even showed some pictures of Bry healing him so as to mask his regeneration. When they were done taking pictures with their Odins they compiled them into one file and passed the file to Luis who was the one to speak to the teachers. Right after, they gave Jason some food and put his bloodied clothes into a bag, and giving him a change of clothes. The fact that Jason could make his blood dry up a bit faster helped make it all believable, as they got ready to take him to school. Luis was furious with Jason but that was the action that made it abundantly clear, that when Jason decided to do something he would do it no matter how extreme. To be willing to cut off one's own arm takes more than just courage. It takes a will and guts that barely any adult has, but Jason did it without hesitation. He was insane, strong, valiant, and willful enough to do something no normal 15-year old would do themselves. Luis was convinced he needed a psychiatrist but he was also convinced Jason had the will to do anything. It was a scary notion, as someone willing to do anything is capable of actually doing nearly anything and everything they wanted. Something inside Jason was warped and broken despite also having let out his trapped inner child and emotions. Once at the school, Luis took Jason to see the faculty while Bry and Maria waited in the car with expressions of fear and shock. They also knew Jason was capable of anything and how insane he had become. It was traumatizing having seen and experience everything they had in just a couple of days. Even they needed a psychiatrist now. Luis's rage at what Jason had done helped sell the lie that someone had hurt Jason coming home yesterday and he was adamant at venting it out at the faculty as he showed them the pictures and Jason know severed, but somewhat healed, shoulder. When the teaches saw the gruesome display and picture they looked away and some had the urge to puke. However one made the mistake of asking how that was the school's fault and Jason stood up angry saying, "Because it was a student that did this to me!!! He may have covered his face but I recognize the school uniform anywhere!!" The teachers looked at each other horrified that someone would do that. Jason figured they had yet to hear about what happened to Dylan and his group so this was the perfect time to sell the lie. "I don't know who it was but they could shapeshift, or at the very least transform their hand into a blade!" Jason yelled to further the lie. He didn't really know if there was someone in the school who could, in fact, shapeshift but it was insurance in case Dylan and his cowards decided to open their mouths. A helpful seed of doubt mixed with a bit of truth, because Jason could in fact shapeshift, and he had done the deeds. Nothing sells a lie quite as well as adding a bit of truth to it. After Jason had lied, Luis berated the teachers with more words before taking Jason away in a huff. 'Mission accomplish.' Jason thought working hard to keep himself from smiling. As he passed the hallways some students saw the gruesome state of his shoulder and a very naughty idea came into his mind as he turned to a group of students that had started to form by the entrance and he yelled out, "I don't know who you are!! But I hope you get caught for what you did to me, you sick bastard!! You're screwed!! I already told the teachers what happened!! Is only a matter of time until they find you!!" He then got in the car followed by Luis and left. Luis was furious as he yelled at Jason if all this was really necessary, including his little act in the school. Jason very calmly said, "Nothing creates chaos better than fear. The school will be in disarray now frantically looking for the culprit and waste their time. The fear amongst the students will make the investigation that much worse as gossip and rumors will spread like wildfire. Add the fact that I said the culprit was a shapeshifter, even if Dylan speaks up, there will still be doubt since they'll think someone looking like me attacked them and humans can't help make sense of what they think is impossible. They already believe it's impossible for me to have beaten Dylan, and my state helps sell the lie." Maria and Bry looked at him surprised and horrified at how he had planned all this in such a short time.

[Int. 36 -> 37]

When they got home Luis dragged Jason to his room angry and practically fuming while Maria and Bry went to the living room and sat there still horrified. From Luis's room, Jason and Luis could be heard arguing, while at some point Maria and Bry had hugged each other trying to support each other but still too traumatized by the events. "You're insane!! How could you do that to yourself?!" Luis yelled and Jason responded, "Just because I have the balls to do what's necessary to ensure my survival and keep my secrets doesn't mean I'm insane!!" Luis shook Jason saying, "Jason!! No sane kid would do that to themselves!!! An adult maybe, but the circumstances for such an act are just too extreme!! You did it just to sell a lie and you didn't even hesitate!! How can you call that sane?! You are JUST a kid!!" Jason retorted, "A kid who has been forced to grow up and realize the world is a cruel and horrible place filled with people who don't give a crap about what happens to me!! I could've killed myself years ago and not even my parents would've mourne me!! Sure now you, Maria, and Bry would but that is now!! I don't even know how I managed to survive this long!! But I'll be dammed if I don't do everything in my power to protect myself, you, and everyone I care about!!! Even if it means losing my own life!!!" . . . As soon as he spoke those last words a silence had invaded every inch of the house. Even Jason couldn't believe the last 2 sentences he had said. He hadn't realized that even with all his trust issues and his hatred of the world, he still cared about Luis, Maria, and Bry. Having heard Jason's words, Luis was surprised just as much as Jason was, but so were Maria and Bry who had heard the outburst. Rage and pain had blinded Jason to many things and it would continue to blind him until he found a way to control it. If he wasn't so blinded he wouldn't be acting on impulse and done some of the things he's done till now. I mean, who just cuts off their own arm like is nothing? There are too many emotions blinding the rational side of Jason, despite his assurance that he was in control, and while it is true he did possess some measure of control, it wasn't that great. The mere fact that Jason hadn't killed Dylan and his group yesterday was already a miracle, to begin with. It clearly was a wise move on Luis's part to have Jason homeschooled from now on. After all, at any given moment, Jason could just lose his temper and something worse than a kid losing a finger or an arm could occur. Jason seemed to have realized how little control he really had, once he heard himself speak the last 2 sentences. Although to him it was more like he realized something was off about him. Jason thought he had been in control but now he wasn't so sure. The truth is he was just going off one explosion onto the other. Jumping from one crazy decision to the other, with little to no planning and even less control. Which brings us to the next piece of crazy, impulsive, decision from Jason as he said, "Ok so I obviously have some impulse control issues, but my statement stands. Besides you were the idiot who thought it was a good idea to lie to the school about me losing my arm. I just had to make your lie believable." Luis left eyebrow twitched as he asked, " 'Idiot' you say? So you're saying it's my fault you took my sword and lopped off your own arm?" Jason's eyes went wide as he realized he had dug his own grave only one thought rang in his head, 'Uh oh.' Even the system, aka his subconscious, said:

[Run]

Unfortunately, there was no 'Weee' this time. Jason didn't even make it to the front door before Luis grabbed him and dragged him back for a proper 'training' session, Luis called it. Which was more like Luis making Jason try to block his incoming slaps, but really it was just Luis slapping him across the face a couple of times till his face was red with his handprints. Is not that Jason couldn't block or dodge them, but rather that Luis had more experience, strength, and speed. Even if Jason was in fact at the peak of the human physical condition, Luis had already surpassed that stage and had years of experience and training, which were more than enough to teach poor Jason a lesson in respect. Once Luis thought Jason has had enough, they walked out into the living room where Maria and Bry were just a tad too happy to see Jason's face all red for a few seconds before it started to heal. "Now, here is how things are going to be." Luis started after sitting down in an armchair, "In the morning, you will study and work on common school subjects. We will find you a tutor for such lessons. After those lessons, we will train you in combat, energy uses, abilities and skills." Jason quickly said, "Ok but first I want to learn how to use all energies. I also wanna learn at least one ability or skill from each branch of the 3 energies. As for my class. . . Well to be honest I haven't decided yet. I know I wanna be able to fight close combat, but I'm not sure what else to do. I know the abilities and skills I want, but I have no idea what class to take." Classes are somewhat self-determined, they are a mixture of what people use and what they focus on, but they also have an effect on a person's abilities, skills, and body. To a degree that is, however, the effect is there. For example, a swordsman like Luis, his focus on swordsmanship has helped him develop faster reflexes and his command of a sword-type weapon is quite proficient, like a passive skill, he can do more damage and slice better with a sword-type weapon. Bry is a healer, and his focus on that class has gained him some support abilities and skills, as well as a faster recovery rate with his Psi and Mana. Maria was a Mage completely focused on it as well. Her only reason to have learned some Qi was to increase her body's resistance and ability to handle high levels of Mana coursing through her body, however, she was a Sorcerer through and through. Too bad she hasn't had a chance to showcase it. Anyway, having talked about the new things they would be doing, now came the uncomfortable awkward part. Which was explaining to Bry and Maria what he did in the bathroom, why they couldn't touch his blood, and most importantly, what are they gonna do with his severed arm that had been left in Bry's medical freezer. Luis was the one on hot water now since he had to explain he and Jason agreed to keep the nature of his powers a secret to of fear of a slip-up, which is hella ironic considering it was Jason who slipped up and reveled too much because of his impulsive actions. Had he planned it better he might've avoided the whole thing, but this is what thinking impulsively gets you. Maria and Bry were now very angry at both Luis and Jason, for not including them in the whole thing and not trusting them enough to tell them. "How insulting. To think you believed we would slip up and let such an important secret be revealed. Shame on you both." Said Maria crossing her arms and huffing. Jason just couldn't resist taking her down a peg by saying, "Says the woman who couldn't keep her mouth shut about Bry's "secret" escapades to karaoke." Bry stood up from the sofa yelling, "What?!?! You told them?! Wait!! You knew?!?!?!" Jason then said, "AND YOU!!! Didn't you tell me about someone's "secret" obsession with big booty women." Jason smiled at Bry who looked at him with a death glare before shaking and showing an expression of dread as "someone" else, cough cough Luis cough, was giving him a very powerful death glare. Jason was smiling from ear to ear as he said, "Frankly the only person who knows how to keep a secret around here is Luis, and that's considering he slipped up only once with the big booty magazine. Btw just to make things even," Jason looked at Maria and said, "Bry also told me about your not-so-secret midnight ice cream hideout and snacking." Now Maria was looking at Bry with a death glare as she asked, "Oh did he now?~"

In Jason's mind, he couldn't help but laugh at the naughtiness he had done and how terrified Bry looked as he was being stared down by two death glares. Jason felt like emperor Palpatine as he thought, 'Yeeesss~ Good, let your anger and hatred take over and strike him down. Do it!' Unfortunately, his little moment as Palpatine was short-lived as soon all eyes were on him. 'Oh shit.' Jason thought before Luis said, "Didn't they trust you to keep that secret?" Jason then raised his right eyebrow as he said, "Trust me? They were the ones that let it slip and blabbed. They begged me to not say anything, I was just making a point, and don't act like they didn't slip with you too. You were the one who suggested keeping my abilities a secret. So don't pretend like my point wasn't made." Luis sternly responded, "Jason." Jason then looked at him skeptically and said, "Oh come on, don't pretend you aren't mad your secret was spilled when Bry promised to keep it. Heck, he even spilled it to Maria." Luis then slowly turned to Bry giving him another death glare as he asked, "Is that so?~" Bry was sweating buckets at this point as he felt the bloodlust coming out of Luis. Jason chuckled like a villain in his mind as he looked at Bry realize he was screwed. "I believe I've made my case. Or shall I continue?" Maria stood up angry saying, "Ok Ok we get it! Bry sucks at keeping secrets!" Jason just couldn't help it, it was just too tempting, "Aww~ Trying to protect your sweetheart.~ However, he isn't the only one that sucks at keeping a secret, miss 'Luis doesn't dress like a butler because he is told to, it's just that he thinks it makes him look cool and handsome.' " Now Luis's death glare was aimed at both Maria and Bry as Jason just smiled in the background like a little demon with his horns and tail as he rubbed his hands and laughed like a villain in his head. 'Hehehehe, I will make you regret facing me! This is retribution for betraying me!!! Now suffer as I have suffered!! Muahahahaha!!!!~' Jason thought smiling a bit too much even if he wasn't showing teeth. Maria and Bry looked at him with their eyes saying 'Traitor!' But Jason just smiled as he mouth, 'Revenge is sweet.' Luis calmed down and looked at Jason as he reprimanded him again but Jason just couldn't stop smiling as he looked at Bry and Maria and said, "Remember this moment next time you wanna try to betray me. You both know I have many, MANY secrets you spilled to me, and I wonder how long Luis will be able to hold back from teaching you two a lesson in keeping secrets." Jason was enjoying this a little too much so Luis got up, and walked up to him to give him a karate-chop on his head. "Ok! I get it. But my point stands!" Jason said rubbing his head. Luis sighed as he looked at Bry and Maria looking a bit disappointed and not sure if he should really explain all the details about Jason's ability. Oh if only Jason kept his mouth shut. "Btw, did I mention both of them like to gossip about your little obsession/overprotectiveness towards your great-granddaughter?" Jason said smiling and that's when Luis turned towards Bry and Maria letting out a lot of bloodlust through his death glare. "Jason why don't you leave the room for a bit while I have a 'little' conversation with Bry and Maria." Luis said cracking his fist as Maria and Bry looked like they were looking at death as they hugged each other, shaking in fear. Jason jumped off his armchair thinking, 'Yay, thirds time's the charm.' Then skipped out of the living room heading up towards his room. Let's give a little prayer for Maria and Bry as they are now at the mercy of Luis Vortel, the A-rank swordsman, also known for his battle moniker as Luis The Phantom Knight. (Search for 'Nessun Dorma!', for background music as you imagine the horrors Maria and Bry will face at the hands of Luis. . . Or just the coffin dance music, 'Astronomia')

Jason was smiling as he heard the ruckus downstairs and looked in a little handmirror practicing his shapeshifting. Since all he could do was change his eye color he tried pushing the limits of what he could do with his eyes. He tried a variety of colors and even tried manipulating his pupils to see if he could change his vision but to no avail as the system told him his level wasn't high enough. Jason sighed a bit frustrated as he muttered, "This is gonna take a looooong~ time to level up. Ugh if only I could use my A&S points to level it up." There was a slight issue with Jason's biological abilities when it came to leveling them up with A&S points. Normal abilities and skill could be level up rather easily with points as leveling them up from level 1 to 2 only took 5 points and increased 5 points more per level. (Example: level 2 -> 3 = 10 and 9 to 10 = 45) However, for an ability like Shapeshifting, it took a whopping 1,000 points just to level it up from level 1, and while Jason had 1,290 points saved, he found it too expensive and he didn't want to make another rash decision. In his mind, he had reached the quota of impulsive decisions for the day. So it was back to training the old fashion way while trying to push the limit of his ability. It wasn't until Luis called Jason back down to the living room that Jason kinda stopped practicing. Kinda because he figured if he kept his eyes a color that wasn't his natural brown color, it would contribute to his training, so he kept changing it from one color to another after what he assumed was a minute interval. Once downstairs and seeing Maria's and Bry's red and slightly bruise faces, Jason had to hold himself back from laughing. They are so grateful for Bry's healing ability, if not they'd be in a bit of more pain. In any event, Jason sat down again, and after Luis confirmed Bry and Maria 'Definitely' learned their lesson about secrets, Jason began to explain how his powers really worked.

To Maria and Luis, it was naturally quite surprising, but to Bry, who was a certified Doctor, it was like listening to an absolute impossibility. All his training as a doctor told him that a Human-Virus was impossible since, according to the medical books, a virus wasn't technically alive. It was an organism that didn't reproduce, grow or produce its own energy, but instead replicated and stole its energy from other cells. It was highly debated if a virus was alive or not, as it is a strange thing that is practically immortal. Even if the host dies, even if it loses contact with all other hosts a virus might be capable of staying in a state of perpetual hibernation until it comes in contact with a new host to infect. In a strange sort of way, a virus could be considered a sort of half living and half none living organism, if it can even be called an organism. So what does that make Jason? Jason already explained he can produce his own energy just by consuming food, he can still grow, as evident by his sudden physical change, and he can reproduce, although that last part is still yet to occur in the far future. . . or maybe not so far, who knows. Life is ever-changing and unpredictable but for the sake of the current moment, Jason has yet to prove he can reproduce. Bry was already going off on his own little doctoral explanation on the many ways a Human-Virus is impossible despite the living proof sitting quite literally in front of him. Jason had to reiterate that he is no longer in the realm of conventional and impossible. Bry had a hard time accepting that most of the assumptions he had come to know are useless in this event. The truth of the matter is, even through all the years of research and collective work of scientists to understand what a virus is, the fact of the matter is we still know very little about many things, including viruses. We know how to make vaccines, we know how to see them and to a degree analyze them. We know they mutate, evolve and new viruses continue to emerge, and we know they are highly resilient. Of course, we also know they are considered diseases and can be very deadly, but we have also found evidence that some viruses, can in fact create a symbiotic relationship with their host, some even being directly involved in their survival and the survival of their species, however, those are rather rare. Fun fact, there is a virus inside the human genome that composes about 8% of said genome, but we're getting off track here.

What makes Jason unique is not just the fact that he is a new organism altogether, but that he actually represents the possibility of the next step in human evolution. When you think about it, viruses are more alike to living beings than we like to admit, and even more alike to humans. Viruses multiply by infecting another cell and copying their DNA and RNA sequence into them. Humans do this too, but it's the male that infects the female with their DNA and then the female birth out a somewhat copy of the two. Viruses adapt to their environment and continue to spread far and wide, humans do the same as well even if our methods are a bit different. Finally, viruses can evolve and mutate and humans can as well, they're are both in a constant state of potential change and evolution, where the only difference between the two is that viruses evolve and mutate much faster than humans. Of course, there are other similarities but these are the most important ones for now. As you can imagine Bry had millions of questions and now saw Jason as a fountain of knowledge, which is just a polite way of saying he saw him as a new organism to be observed and studied, aka a scientific subject. No one could really blame him, after all, he was a doctor and that meant he was a scientist, albeit not on the experimental side, but a scientist nonetheless. Jason also wanted to know more about himself so he agreed to work with Bry to discover what he could do and perhaps redefine what a virus and a human can do. While jumping right into research was a very tempting notion for both Jason and Bry, first they had to make further preparations, like finding a tutor, and continuing Jason's training. Bry called dibs on training Jason on Psi first, which was clearly an excuse to further study him, but Jason didn't really mind and he already wanted to learn Psi next. While Luis went out once more to hunt, and Maria was busy finding a tutor and a psychiatrist for Jason, Bry took Jason to his room to begin his training and take detailed notes. Although, Jason demanded that all notes kept his name out of them and that no reference to a Human-virus be made, for the sake of keeping his secret protected, in the event the notes might end up in the wrong hands. Jason was paranoid but that is because he remembered the warning his ancestor had left behind in his very TDCS. If his ancestor was willing to do something so complicated, as Jason assumed, just to leave a warning, then it must be for a very good reason. Plus Jason's system had reminded him of the message and even gone so far as to save it in case of further reminding was necessary. As such, taking this warning to heart, Jason made it clear what Bry was allowed to note, and whatnot, as well as forbade recordings of any kind.