{Author's Note: This isn't a typical chapter in terms of the POV, so it may not be too exciting, but the following chapter will be from different POVs in the heart of the action.}
SOMEWHERE IN IOWA…
Walter didn't really like his job. At first, he thought it was a great opportunity. He got to move out of the big city—which he'd never really liked—and head to the middle of nowhere Iowa where he would maybe one day, when he was older, settle down, but then came all the secrecy.
He was just a lowly DNA specialist with dreams of making a difference in the world and saving lives. When his career was just starting out, he didn't imagine he'd be working underground somewhere performing DNA testing on samples of unknown origin.
He wasn't supposed to ask how his superiors were getting the DNA samples, and he didn't. But he wasn't stupid. After working at the facility for just a few weeks, he'd come to realize that the DNA samples most likely came from people—or mutants that is, it was easier if he didn't think of them as regular people—who were either dead or imprisoned somewhere. And he got the terrible feeling that there were mutant prisoners within the facility where he worked, but he never asked. He didn't want to know the answer to that question.
The underground facility was huge, so it was definitely possible that they could be keeping mutants there, but he'd never seen any of them. He just kept his head down, stayed in his lab, and did his job, while trying to force his conscience down deep into the pit of his heart, which was becoming more difficult everyday.
Desperately trying to push those feelings away, Walter focused on his task at hand. He'd been working on the current sample for some time now. Contrary to popular belief, DNA profiling wasn't a speedy process, maybe one day, but not today.
The sample belonged to one: PIETRO DJANGO MAXIMOFF, although he didn't know much beyond that. Birthplace, age, other physical characteristics besides what the genetic mapping revealed to him were classified. He was sure someone else got to see all the information, but he wasn't so privileged, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be.
Wrapping up the profile for the current sample, he noted the similarities to the other profiles he had completed. Like almost all the others he'd been assigned to work on, it contained the X-gene, but that wasn't what was bothering him about this sample. It had certain indicators that reminded him of another sample he'd looked into due to his own curiosity when he'd first accepted the job, but he hoped to God that the conclusion forming in his head was wrong.
Setting the current profile aside, he sorted through the other ones available, until he found the one he was looking for: ERIK LENSHERR (aka MAGNETO).
Spreading out the contents of the file before him, he compared it to the one he had just finished, and as he did his palms became sweaty. There was no mistaking what he was seeing, the sample he'd so recently been working on and Magneto's DNA profile were related. Not only that, but the new sample belonged to a mutant who was almost irrefutably, "Magneto's son…" Walter whispered to himself unintentionally.
He looked around quickly, making sure no one had overheard him. Fortunately, the lab was pretty empty. There were only two other people working in it currently, but one worker, Maggie, a young scientist like himself who had arrived at the facility around the same time as him and whom he had a bit of a crush on, did make eye contact with him from across the room and proceeded to walk over to join him.
When she arrived, she asked, "What's the matter Walter? You're face has gone completely white."
"I…it's…" began Walter trying to find the right words, but also waiting for the other scientist in the room—who was probably older than both Maggie and Walter combined and who Walter did not especially like—to leave before he tried to form a coherent sentence.
"I was just finishing up this DNA profiling," continued Walter, "And…well it seemed vaguely familiar, so I pulled out an old file, and well…look."
Walter scooted over, so that Maggie could examine the two profiles, although she could not yet see the name on the older file. "Are these subjects, father and son? Is that what you concluded. That is mildly interesting. It shows the X-gene can definitely be inherited, and most likely always originates in the father, but we were fairly certain of that already. I still don't understand why you're face is as white as a sheet."
"Look at who's file that is." replied Walter.
Maggie shifted around the papers, until she found the name at the top. "But this is…no freaking way. Magneto has a son!?"
"Yea it certainly looks that way."
"Oh my God! This is…this is great!"
"What? Why would you…how can you say that?" asked Walter.
"Do you know how much respect we'll get for discovering this. It could substantially advance our careers." replied Maggie in excitement.
"But…I mean…Magneto can't be that old. From what we know, mutants don't age as quickly as humans, but he's gotta be like 40 at the most…"
"What's your point?" asked Maggie sounding a little exasperated.
"My point is, his son can't be that old, probably still a minor, and if they have his DNA then they probably have him locked up somewhere or…worse."
"Yes, probably." said Maggie devoid of emotion.
"Well, doesn't that bother you? I mean, I'm not naïve. I knew they had to be getting DNA samples from somewhere, but from kids…that's just…wrong, and I don't know if we should report this. Being Magneto's son is going to put a target on his back more so than being a mutant already does." said Walter in a rush, unintentionally lowering his voice back to a whisper.
"He's not a human kid, Walter. He's a mutant, so no it doesn't bother me, and if you're not going to report this, then I most certainly will. It's our duty. Any information we have on mutants could be vital to the protection of the human race, and if you're not on board with that then I'm going to have to report you to." finished Maggie sternly gazing at Walter with a great sense of self-importance.
Suddenly Walter realized he didn't have a crush on Maggie anymore. "Don't bother reporting me. I resign. I can't…I can't live with this anymore. I know I can't stop it. I'm not brave enough to try to end what's going on here, but I'm certainly not going to be around when it all goes to shit."
"What are you talking about? This is what your good at! Your helping mankind! And how could you possible think it's going to fall apart? This facility and the entire operation is state of the art." replied Maggie incredulously.
"You do what you want, Maggie, but like I said, I'm not brave. And I know you think the higher ups will be extremely glad to find out they have Magneto's child in custody…or his remains, which I'm sure you're right, but I'm not going to be around the day Magneto finds that out. Because when he does, I certainly wouldn't want to get in his way."
And with that Walter shook off his lab coat, and walked out the door of the lab, wondering if he could still apply for the teaching position at Columbia, and if he could catch a flight back home to New York that evening. For some reason, he really missed his family, particularly his dad.
A SHORT WHILE LATER AT THE CIA HEADQUARTERS
"Excuse me, Director Schlesinger."
"Not now Chris. I'm busy."
I'm going to have to get another new assistant if this one keeps failing to recognize when I'm otherwise engaged.
"I understand Director Schlesinger, and uh it's Kyle, but anyway Dr. Marshall is currently on your secured line. She says she has important time sensitive information."
With a huff Director Schlesinger replied, "Alright put her through."
Picking up the phone a few seconds later, Director Schlesinger remained rather irritated, but reminded himself Dr. Marshall wouldn't have called without vital information "Dr. Marshall, to what do I owe the pleasure? You wouldn't be wasting my time, would you?"
"Certainly not, sir, but earlier today one of our DNA specialist brought an intriguing bit of information to my attention that I knew you would be interested to hear."
"What might that be?" asked the director. Dr. Marshall now had his full attention. He could tell there was legitimate excitement in her voice.
"You are aware of course of subject 713?" asked Dr. Marshall
"I'm sure I am, but remind me in particular to which individual 713 refers. I have a lot on my mind, and no space to keep an internal catalogue of all of our current subjects."
"Right, sorry sir. Subject 713 is Pietro Django Maximoff."
"Oh yes, our little delinquent speedster. Have you found a way to replicate or neutralize his speed?"
"Well, no sir, but—"
"Then why are you wasting my time Doctor?" asked Schlesinger, his annoyance returning.
"It's what we found in his genetic code…"
"Continue." replied the director.
"It seems his is a partial match to a former prisoner."
"What do you mean by that? What prisoner?" asked Schlesinger, his curiosity building.
"It's linked to Magneto's, sir. The Maximoff boy is Erik Lensherr's son."
Director Schlesinger was dumbstruck, so much so that he almost dropped his phone, and Dr. Marshall began to think she had been disconnected with him.
"Sir…?" she asked.
Regaining his composure and reeling in his glee, his mind began to turn. "Who all is aware of this?"
"As far as I am aware, just the employee who brought it to my attention, myself, Major Stryker, and now you, sir."
"Good, good. Let's keep it that way. This is excellent news doctor. Absolutely, excellent. We may have just found the key to recapturing Magneto. Now, again, keep this information under wraps, and I will get back to you with further instructions. I may just have to pay the facility another visit myself too."
"Very good, sir. I will—"
Doctor Marshall was cut off in her reply as an alarm began going off in the background. "Is there a problem, Doctor?" asked the director, slightly concerned, but too enthralled by this new revelation to be overly worried.
"No, sir. I'm sure it's nothing, probably just a system malfunctioning. I look forward to your call."
"Good. We cannot afford any mishaps when we just may have gotten a leg up. You're dismissed Doctor." replied the Director with a twisted note of pleasure in his voice. Hanging up the phone, he smiled to himself and mumbled quietly, "I've got you now Magneto."
{Author's Note: Sorry if you found this chapter kinda boring. I felt it necessary to include, but it was unfortunately missing my favorite characters. Don't worry though, they'll be back! Also, I do not know anything about DNA analysis, so I am sorry if it sounds really unscientific.}