Chapter 9: Digging Deeper
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters or logos.
Jean Grey's eyes widened in shock as she saw a limp figure tumbling through the air in the distance, but even from this point of view she could tell that it was human. The psychic mutant reacted with instinct as she reached out towards the figure, using her powers to hamper her descent. Once she was close enough to the ground, Jean levitated her into standing position several feet away. The woman cringed slightly as she imagine hitting the ground, but when she landed on her feet the world seemed to come back into focus. It seemed surreal that she had survived the fall, but she looked utterly shocked for that reason.
A single glance towards the mutant told her that it was time to disappear as her eyes swept the battlefield. She was certain that her survival was the doing of one of the mutants, but thanking the enemy was beyond her. For a second the mutant seemed to be speaking to each other, until the read-haired woman pointed in her direction, eliciting a hostile reaction from the members of the X-Men that she had just fought against minutes ago.
Madame Hydra broke into run, but her fleeing form was quickly sited by the team of X-Men, who immediately launched into pursuit. X-23 and Wolverine launched into a pursuit as they followed the frightened criminal, the chase coming to an abrupt end as the girl leapt into the air and began to attack her former master. She flipped forward with shocking agility, landing directly in front of the green-clad woman with a graceful leap, causing her target to stagger backwards in shock, only to realize that the others were coming from the opposite direction.
The green-clad woman had the wind knocked out of her as her former experiment performed a sweeping kick to her ankles, using the claw in her foot to slash her with deliberate force. The Supreme Hydra recoiled as the blade sliced through her ankle, grounding the woman with a single movement. Her face contorting into a look of pure anger as she raised her claws over the woman's body, but before she could strike a strange force effortlessly lifted her into the air, almost like an invisible hand had seized her from behind.
She thrashed around in mid-air, swinging her claws murderously as she attempted to take her revenge, but Jean refused to let her down. "What's going on?" the telekinetic mutant questioned as she watched the spectacle.
"Put the kid down… That woman you so kindly saved just now deserves to die more than anyone else after everything she put her through." Wolverine replied with a small growl.
As Jean lowered X-23 to her feet, the Hydra leader made another attempt to flee, but Scott fired a tiny blast of energy at her feet, causing her to leap in response. Gambit took advantage of the enemy's injury and vaulted into the air using his weapon, landing in front of her moments later with a masterful move. She reached for her own weapons, but the explosive mutant raised his staff and smashed over the head with deliberate force, giving his finger a small wave as her limp form toppled over unconscious onto the ground. Cyclops placed Iceman's unconscious form beside Colossus before rejoining the rest of the group.
"So she's the person responsible for what happened… The question now is what should we do with her?" Jean remarked hesitantly, her eyes settling on the two Weapon X mutants standing beside her.
"This woman is the leader of the HYDRA organization, a global network of spies behind countless atrocities all around the world." Logan replied with a feral snarl. "If anyone deserves to die, she's probably at the top of the rest!"
Madame Hydra looked up at him with a look of indifference, before shuffling into a kneeling position, turning her gaze back towards the ground moments later. "Even if you kill me, this is far from over." She hissed in a dangerous tone. "You were fools to have interfered with that which does not concern you!"
Wolverine revealed his claws with an angry scowl. "I can tell you must be desperate, hiring lowlifes like those guys we fought earlier to do your job."
The X-Men watched carefully as X-23 glared holes into her former master, prompting the other mutants into silence for he moment. Cyclops stepped forward as she moved in for the kill, but Gambit held out a hand to stop him, giving the younger mutant a look that forced him to reconsider interfering with the situation, but surprisingly enough it was Wolverine who stopped her. He thrust his own claws forward as she jabbed down, causing an instant lock between their dagger-like weapons.
She struggled against him for a moment before retracting her claws, giving him an enraged shove with her opposite hand. "What are you doing?" she screamed into his face, her fury turning on him instead.
"I wouldn't blame your for wanting to finish the job, but there's something I want to know right now, and she's the perfect person to give me that answer." Wolverine answered. He faced the woman on the ground. "To start with, why don't you tell us who was that guy you hired to capture the girl?"
She considered the man for a moment, but decided that ignoring his question would do her no favors, especially considering the circumstances. Even though she despised the current situation, a certain sense of outrage welled up in her chest at having been forced to divulge information to the Kingpin when the service he had promised had not been completed. Granted that she had seriously considered going back on their agreement to begin with, but the idea that he had taken advantage of the moment like that made her blood boil.
Before she could react, Gambit pressed the end of his rod against the back of her head. "Either you're not willing to cooperate, or maybe you didn't hear the man's question." The crafty mutant commented with a quizzical look.
Madame Hydra hesitated for a moment, but her face revealed a sense of bitter amusement. "After he tried to murder me, I see no reason to hide this much from you… The man who I commissioned to capture X-23 is none other than the Kingpin of Crime."
"Who exactly was that man?" Cyclops questioned.
"He is an infamous crime lord who rules over an extensive criminal empire centered in New York City." Madame Hydra explained with a poisoned expression. "Most, if not all of the major criminals within his designated territories are under his command, which is why I saw fit to use him when we received information that our rogue experiment was sighted nearby."
Logan only scowled with impatience in response to her explanation. "We could've figured out most of that crap by ourselves. Why don't you try telling us something we don't know? Scum like you people don't do nothing for no one if you can get away with it. What exactly did you promise that oversized tub for capturing the kid in your place?"
The green-clad woman kept her head down as if she had not heard him, but when she did not speak, the erasable mutant reacted violently. He seized her by the neck and hoisted her into a standing position, eliciting a small groan from the woman as he held her up. The Hydra leader cursed silently at having allowed herself to end up in such a position, and swore that if she ever made it out of this, those responsible would pay. Nevertheless for the time being she dared not say much even now, seeing how valuable certain secrets were to her organization. Even without taking into account her personal pride, there were several things that she was not willing to reveal in any case.
"Answer me!" Wolverine commanded with a glare of his own. When she continued to hold her tongue, he tossed her limp form onto the ground, baring his teeth with an animalistic growl. "So you won't talk then…"
Cyclops placed a hand on the other man's shoulder, giving him a gentle shake to catch his attention. "Maybe we should turn her over to SHIELD and see if they can handle her. I think that would be the most logical option in this case."
"I can't let you do that!" X-23 shouted. She ignored the puzzled stares from the others, her eyes focusing on her male counterpart in an almost hostile manner. "If you turn the Supreme Hydra over to them, they'll learn that I'm still alive. If they find out the truth then SHIELD is bound to come after me too."
Logan froze as if he had just been doused with icy water as he processed what she had just said. The mutant looked unusually thoughtful as he considered the prospect of Nick Fury finding out about the girl's continued existence, but his expression hardened at the thought. Cyclops, Jean, and Gambit remained relatively silent as they considered the prospect, but his female clone seemed even more apprehensive than usual. Despite having brought up the situation to begin with, X-23 had no idea how to deal with this mess without continuing her original plan.
"Either I have to die, or she has to die!" the girl screamed loudly, her adamantine claws impulsively sliding out.
The group feel silent again as they bore down upon the green-clad women, most of them wearing pitiless expressions. She glared up at her captors with a look of disgust, but the sense of arrogance behind her visage did not cease even for a moment. Madame Hydra's eyes widened in fear as her former experiment took a step closer, the others looking completely uncertain of whether or not to stop the bloody spectacle that was sure to take place. X-23 swung her claws down a second time, but before the strike hit someone else stopped her. Jean repelled the girl with a psychic blast.
She slid across the ground as the telekinetic force sent her flying several feet, but managed to catch her footing before hitting the ground. This time X-23 rounded on the psychic woman instead. "Why did you stop me?"
Jean stood her ground. "No matter what she did to you, does murdering this woman with your own hands make you any better than her?" she lectured the girl with a stern expression, almost like an adult talking to their own child.
"Back off!" Wolverine interjected. "You haven't got a clue what it's like to go through hell the way she did… The way I did too!"
"Move!" the younger girl screamed violently, her dark eyes blazing with pain and frustration.
Before anyone could react, a large bat-like shadow glided over the clearing followed by a soul-chilling cackle that easily grabbed the attention of everyone present. A stream of smoke erupted from the rockets on the back of the small vehicle as its owner lobbed a strange device over the side. Cyclops looked puzzled by the pumpkin-shaped object that had landed a few meters away, but in a matter of seconds the object exploded, filling the area with a powerful smokescreen that seemed to blot out the light. X-23 lashed out as she attempted to finish the job, but her claws met thin air, as her target seemed to vanish.
The man standing atop the flying machine took to the skies with Madame Hydra in tow as the mutants struggled to see through the smokescreen, vanishing over the tree line as they escaped over the forest. X-23 dashed through the smoke having remembered the path by memory and grabbed hold of a nearby tree branch, swinging her nimble form upwards as she climbed to the top with surprising agility. Upon reaching the top she caught sight of the enemy, as he held onto the green-clad woman's waist.
Her rescuer was a normal sized man wearing a hooded orange cloak, and form-fitting blue outfit, partially covered by a yellowish cloak. His face concealed by a hideous mask depicting the face of a goblin, with piercing red eyes and a pair of pointed canine teeth emerging from the mouth of the monstrous face. The man let out a second laugh as he tossed a second bomb down upon his victims, blinding their pursuer long enough to disappear into the smoke with the Hydra leader.
Madame Hydra looked back at the woods as the X-Men disappeared from view before looking back at her rescuer. "It appears you were too late to be of much use, Hobgoblin" She scolded her rescuer.
"Just be glad I decided to show up to begin with, considering that you weren't generous enough to pay me first." He remarked with a snide expression.
"We didn't spring you from prison and secure your weapons just so you could continue with your own business. You promised me the Kingpin's head as soon as my agreement with him was completed. Due to your tardiness, that fool not only escaped this location with valuable information, but also managed to humiliate my entire organization in the process." She retaliated with a visible sneer.
The masked villain merely shrugged off her comment with a vindictive smile. "All things considered, you should be grateful that I bothered to fend off those super powered freaks to save your ungrateful life. Here I was hoping that you and fatso would end up killing each other before I arrived."
"Do not push me… This service to the HYDRA organization is the cost of your freedom, and I advise that you remember this before speaking to me with such disrespect." The woman replied with a note of finality.
The Hobgoblin let out a sinister cackle as they drew closer to the city ahead. "You really should take your own advice, snake-woman. After all, I only agreed to do this because you for sprung me from that blasted prison. Now that I've saved your life, my little debt is repaid and I would have absolutely no qualms about sending you to an early grave."
Madame Hydra immediately recognized his threat as she checked the ground beneath them, looking slightly uncomfortable at riding atop such a dangerous device without any support. She complied with his demands for now, silently accepting her defeat at the hands of the X-Men, and her humiliation at having allowed her collaborator to place her in such a situation. The Hydra leader had suffered a number of losses in such a short time after barely surviving a crash that killed off many of her most valuable operatives in the process, which in turn forced her to resort to dealing with common criminals.
Despite his treacherous reputation among the criminal underworld, she had hoped he would be willing to cooperate mostly due to his intense hatred of the Kingpin. She had originally believed that the Hobgoblin would murder the crime lord shortly after their deal was complete, but his late appearance had ruined that plan. While she had lost this round to the enemy, the green-clad woman was still fortunate enough to escape with her life, and as long as she had that the game was far from over.
With Professor Xavier
It had been several hours since his team of mutants had launched into a search for Wolverine, and they had still yet to return. Professor Xavier shifted anxiously in his seat as he waited for them to return, having contacted them telepathically minutes earlier to confirm that they were all alive and well. He was glad to know that everyone had made it out of this without losing their lives, and was eagerly awaiting their return so that they could explain the details of what had happened in the woods. Storm had seen a helicopter fleeing from the woods a short while ago followed by a series of explosions in the distance, but the team hadn't given them any specifics telepathically.
By now the sun was beginning to do down and the parking lot was completely empty with the exception of the two mutants. The diner had closed down for the night less than an hour ago, but they were confident that the team would return soon enough.
A rustling in the bushes alerted them to the presence of the others as they emerged from the woods. Storm displayed a look of surprise as she caught sight of the two injured members of their group. Gambit carried Iceman's unconscious form over his shoulder, closely followed by Colossus who was being supported by Jean. The four X-Men approached their leader, closely followed by Wolverine and X-23, the latter of which displayed anxious mannerisms despite her unreadable expression.
Storm moved forward to meet the group mid-way. "What on Earth happened?" she exclaimed, a sense of worry gracing her exotic features.
Logan cast her an irate expression. "Let's just say that the mission Charles gave me had some… unforeseen complications." He air quoted the last two words, shrugging his shoulders with a sense of indifference
"We ran into some trouble back in the woods… Honestly speaking it was a lot more trouble then we ever expected." Cyclops looked over the group cautiously, gently rubbing the back of his head with his gloved hand.
"I'm not sure that this is the best place to discuss everything that happened. Maybe we should wait until we find some place more private before going into detail. Something tells me that this situation is, and may become far more complicated then we could have imagined." Jean suggested with an apprehensive look.
"To that I can agree…" The Professor wheeled over to the rest of the group, his eyes settling on the youngest girl. He moved closer to X-23 and extended a hand in welcome, making certain to be courteous even though she seemed less than accommodating in comparison. "By now I am almost certain that Logan has extended the hand of friendship. I am interested to know what your position on joining us is."
The experimental mutant withdrew her own hand almost defensively, silently turning her head away from the telepath. A silence fell over the group as he stared her down, but she did not return his gaze and kept her own eyes focused on the ground. After a minute of waiting for him to stop, she began to walk back towards the trees, but Wolverine intercepted her path before she could leave. In one fluid motion, both unsheathed their claws, the sudden actions of the two Weapon X mutants brought about a sense of tension in the air that everyone in the vicinity could feel. It was like the dread created in the moments before two animals were about the tear each other to shreds.
Surprising enough, she did not run or attempt to attack them. "You've seen enough to know why I can't go with you. They know about your team of mutants! Even if I wanted to stay with the rest of you, it would only put other people in danger. Nothing has changed…" she called back her claws.
Wolverine copied her gesture as a grim understanding passed between them. He raised a hand, but instead of hitting her, the mutant patted her on the shoulder, quietly displaying a sense of understanding he rarely expressed. "Stupid kid…"
"I'm leaving…" she muttered to herself. Although X-23 was unable to properly express her gratitude at being saved, her face displayed a sense of regret, their eyes meeting for a moment as she passed Logan.
Before either of them could say anything else, Professor Xavier called after her telepathically, causing the girl to pause as she felt the strange experience of someone talking to her through her mind. She paused as the renowned psychic moved to her side, placing a hand on her elbow to get her attention. When she turned to face him, the man did not need to read her mind to know that she was filled with inner turmoil, a very similar sentiment that he had once seen when he met Logan all of those years ago. To a certain degree it seemed plausible that she might be even more conflicted then he had been, but the resemblance was still there.
"You are free to do as you wish, but we will not stop you from leaving if you choose to continue on your own. I hope that in the future you will reconsider my offer and join the X-Men, because our doors are always open." Charles Xavier folded his hands, presenting his calm exterior.
"It's not a matter of what I want… It never is…" X-23 replied in a lifeless tone.
The Professor nodded with an empathetic expression. "Before you go, there is one more thing that I wish to say to you concerning this subject."
While she would normally have run away by not, there was something about this man that made her want to hear him out. She was well educated in what the X-Men were capable of, including their specific mutant powers. Despite the sense of natural paranoia that had become a part of her, she felt somehow certain that he wasn't using his powers to convince her to listen. Although she hated to admit it, Wolverine was right yet again about the man that so many mutants turned to for help. Even she found it difficult to ignore Professor Xavier's sense of caring for mutants.
"Even without using my powers, I can tell that the sense of humanity your creators worked so hard to destroy is still within you. The fact that you wish not to place others in danger for your own sake is proof of this." Charles Xavier inclined his head thoughtfully before addressing her again. "I invite you to at least come with us back to the institute to see what we have to offer and perhaps take some time to rest."
Wolverine turned to face her as well. "None of us are gonna force you to stay longer than you want to." He reiterated. "Just check the place out for a day, and if you still don't wanna join us then we won't bug you about it anymore."
The girl turned to face the rest of the group with an empty expression, silence filling the parking lot once again. After a moment of consideration she gave them a single, but noticeably reluctant nod of compliance. Her motivation for accepting was certainly not the reason that they were hoping for, but she saw it as the most logical answer to her weariness. A visit would give her a chance to rest for a day while also stopping them from coming after her again. She sensed no lie in their words… X-23 turned to face them, although she did not move from her spot.
The Professor seemed satisfied with her answer as he turned to face the others "Now then, with two of our companions in such terrible shape, it may be imperative that we head back to the institute rather than continue this trip to investigate the recent happenings in New York."
A faint murmur swept across the group, but a faint groan came from the man leaning on Jean's shoulder. Colossus raised his head to see what was going on, his sudden movement quickly catching stares from the rest of the group. The metallic man choked back a mouthful of blood as he attempted to stand without aid, causing his legs to shake slightly as they gave out once more. The red-haired psychic caught him before he fell, buckling under his superior weight. Even without his metallic powers active, the Russian mutant was still rather large.
"We must… Find out what Magneto is up to!" Colossus declared loudly.
Gambit raised an eyebrow in response to the last part. "Being the new guy I probably shouldn't argue, but muscle man over there is absolutely right. Magneto's recent movements around this area might prove troublesome for us later if we don't find out what exactly he's up to."
"Yes, I am willing to agree that you both have a valid point in this regard." Xavier replied with a small frown. "Although we have no reason to believe that he is involved with more recent events, it seems safe to assume that he may have something new planned. Knowing Magnus, I sincerely doubt that whatever it is will benefit our own cause at any rate."
"Did you say the name Magneto?" X-23 interjected, her loud outburst surprising the others to vary extents.
Wolverine glanced back at his female counterpart with a gruff expression. "I take it that you've heard of him at some point?"
"If you know something, please tell us." The Professor leaned forward slightly as he spoke.
The girl merely shook her head. "Less than a few days ago I ran into him in the woods at night. He had the power to control metal and managed to catch me off guard. I'm not sure why, but he tried to convince me to join him for some reason."
While the others seemed to come to the same conclusion, Professor Xavier was the first to voice the consensus. "It appears that Magneto is attempting to rebuild his forces now that two of Acolytes have left him."
"My answer to his offer was no…" X-23 replied curtly.
"Well apparently he hasn't been very successful so far. Better off that way seeing how easy it would be for him to gather support once he has a decent following." Gambit replied with an amused note hidden behind his words. "Seeing how I used to be a part of that scene, I'll admit that he can be pretty convincing when he wants to be."
Cyclops gave him a slightly irritated look from behind his visor. "Still, what kind of people would want to join up with an extremist like him and risk their lives for a cause that might cause them more harm than good in the end."
The Professor nodded in agreement. "While it would appear that he has been unsuccessful, I do not think it wise to underestimate Magnus. With the number of mutants growing at an alarming rate, there are bound to be some who feel the same way about mankind as he does. Given his charismatic personality in this regard, it is only natural to consider the possibility that people will join his cause."
"Yeah, and some of his older guys seem to be back too." Wolverine added. "I ran into that bastard, Sabertooth, the other day when he ran me of the road and ruined my bike. From the crap he was spouting, I think that Magneto has some kind of plan up his sleeve, although I'm sorry that I couldn't get much more out of him than that."
Gambit seemed to agree. "Thinking back the pussy cat was never that bright, so it's possible that the man holding his leash didn't bother telling him much. Either way he probably wouldn't have given you too much anyway, seeing how he tends to care more about his own impulses than he does about Magneto's master plans."
"We must focus on what Magneto could be planning!" Colossus repeated in an attempt to restore order to the conversation.
Xavier nodded with acceptance. "Your views are quite understandable… I personally believe that he is gather followers to achieve an end, but what he is striving to do is something we have yet to find out. Therefore it may be wise if we station a team in this area to begin the search immediately, while the rest of us head back to the institute and deal with some of the more pressing matters."
"Say no more." Gambit put his fighting staff away with a metallic click. "I'm not much for being cramped up in one spot for too long, so unless you have any objection, I'll stay behind and do what I can to take care of things."
"We'll stay too…" The red-haired psychic replied while giving her boyfriend's arm a yank to catch his attention. "Isn't that right, Scott."
"Yeah, I guess it won't be too much of a problem." Cyclops let out a pained noise, but seemed to agree nonetheless.
The Professor sized the trio up for a moment before voicing his decision. "Very well then, I leave this responsibility to the three of you. Does anyone have any objections?" When no one else complained, he continued speaking. "Since the X-Van is already available for usage, the three of you may use it. I shall alert Warren in case he still wishes to provide the three of you with assistance."
Jean seemed cheerful at the prospect of seeing an old friend. "I guess it would save us some time if we had someone around who already knows the layout of the city."
"Speaking of which, how do the rest of you intend to get home if we take the car?" Scott questioned his former mentor. "Are you planning on contacting the mansion and getting the others to fly you out of here."
Professor Xavier relaxed his shoulders as if he had everything completely under control. "I have already taken the liberty of contacting Hank, and did so not long before you emerged from the forest. From what little I was able to learn from establishing contact with your minds, it was clear that helping our injured companions was and still remains our top priority."
Seeing how they were alone, the team continued to debate further actions until the sound of a helicopter stole their attention away from the ongoing conversations. The noise made by the beating blades grew louder until they could hear almost nothing else as a result. Stirring winds sent sand and dirt scattering as the vehicle made a landing several meters away, prompting the X-Men to follow. They moved into position outside the door as it slid open, revealing Berserker and Shadowcat on board.
"Hey guys, need a lift?" Kitty Pryde shouted over the roar of the engine.
"Beast is piloting this thing, and he left Rogue and Kurt in charge while we're gone." Berserker screamed. "We'd better head back before the other students go wild and tear the mansion apart in the process."
Scott seemed to find the last part entertaining to imagine. "Well at least this time it won't be our fault if the kids go wild." He said to Jean.
His girlfriend let out a small laugh. "Yeah, but I don't think that it was such a good idea for those crazy kids. Hopefully they won't have enough time to cause trouble… I feel bad that Rogue and Kurt got stuck watching everyone else, especially since Tabitha moved back in a few weeks ago."
She thought of he last time the kinds had thrown a party in their absence, but was glad that they would only be alone for an hour or so longer. Jean watched the others heading towards the open door of the aircraft before lending a hand of her own. She focused on the Professor's chair with her telekinetic powers, gently guiding it into the chopper as Wolverine carried Iceman through the door. Storm supported Colossus, allowing the large man to lean on her as she crossed the threshold, closely followed by the newest member of their group who seemed almost hesitant to step into the vehicle.
Logan turned back to get her, extending his hand out to his female clone with an unusual expression that seemed both gruff and empathetic at the same time. After a moment or two, X-23 took his hand and was hoisted through the door, which Shadowcat closed shortly after. Although it could not be heard over the sound of the helicopter, the Weapon X clone swallowed a lump in her throat and sat down in a seat away from the others, her expression remaining unchanged as the beast-like pilot gave his passengers a thumbs up.
Scott and Jean took a step away from the vehicle as the blade began beating faster, distancing themselves as it took flight again, both of them waving goodbye to their teammates until the aircraft disappeared behind a cloud above their heads. The young couple watched the skies for a moment, admiring the stars that had begun to appear as the sun's last rays were extinguished behind the horizon. They stood rooted to the spot for several minutes, silently enjoying the gentle night breeze until the roar or a motorcycle caught their attention.
"Don't forget to load metal man's bike into the van before heading off." Gambit called out to them as he grasped the handlebars of his own vehicle. "I'll catch you lovebirds later…" He gave them a quick pointing gesture before taking off into the open road.
The remaining two mutants gave him a casual wave as their newest recruit disappeared behind turn up ahead. Cyclops reached out and gently grasped Jean's hand, eliciting a smile from her as they watched the stars fill the sky. It was a beautiful moment that seemed to last forever, but every good thing always came to and end. After what seemed like an eternity, the female psychic snapped out of the trance-like state and headed over to the van, motioning for him to follow her lead. It seemed as though their responsibilities as X-Men occasionally interfered with their relationship, but sometimes duty came first.
"I guess we better take care of this motorcycle for Colossus." She gestured towards the bike parked beside the X-Van.
Cyclops nodded in agreement. "He really saved us a few times back in the woods. Surprisingly enough it looks like some people can change. It seems both he and Gambit really came through for the rest of the team when we needed them. If it weren't for those two putting their necks on the line when that spider robot attacked, we might not be here right now."
"That's definitely true." Jean replied as she levitated the bike into the storage area in the back of the X-Van. Once she had finished, the female telepath brushed her hands together as if she had just completed a rather strenuous task. "Well, I guess that takes care of that."
Scott stepped into the driver's side of the van. "If that's all, then let's get going…" he suggested. She complied with argument, the roar of the engine sounding as they took off after Gambit and disappeared around the corner. New York was rather close, and that had to find a place to stay for the night. Tomorrow was bound to be a busy day for them, whether they actually found any leads concerning Magneto's schemes or not.
Later that Night
It had been several hours since her brush with death, and Madame Hydra was less than pleased the results of her recent business. After parting ways with the Hobgoblin, she had managed to establish contact with her headquarters and gotten a ride back to base. Shortly after that she airlifted under the cover of night back to the main HYDRA complex in North America from whence she had originally came. It had certainly been a long day, but now her ordeals had finally ended and she was back in her own base at long last.
The green-clad woman continued her walk through the dingy halls as she headed back to her personal chambers, but before she could continue, a familiar figure wearing a black lab coat quickly intercepted her alongside two others garbed in the traditional green uniform of their organization. She attempted to push past the men, but to her intense surprise they would not allow her to continue. The scientist standing in front straightened his glasses with a glum expression, the lenses flashing menacingly against the dimly lit halls.
"My apologies Madame Hydra, but you have some visitors in the central meeting room. They wish to see you as soon as possible to discuss some urgent matters." The man gestured to the opposite door carefully, his mouth twisting into a thin line as an unusually nervous expression lit his features.
"Leave me!" she commanded with a bitter disposition, causing the other people present to vacate the hallway immediately.
The woman shifted uneasily as she followed his gesture, changing her course towards the entry that her underling had indicated. She pushed open the door with a silent shove, quietly ascending the stairway beyond as she climbed into the darkness. Several moments later, she reached the double doors leading into the next room, her hand trembling slightly as she imagined what waited beyond the entry. It was rare for someone like her to feel bothered by almost anything, but she was not happy with the way things had happened these last twenty-four hours.
Madame Hydra had very little reason to ask anyone who was awaiting her presence, having already arranged the meeting almost an entire day beforehand. Still, the idea of speaking to them now was not something she looked forward to doing considering what had happened rather recently. She had been wise to make some arrangements in case her plans failed, the deal she struck with the Hobgoblin having saved her life not long ago.
She stepped forward with a bitter expression, the metallic doors sliding open automatically to admit her now that she was within range of the motion sensor. The meeting room beyond had a simple futuristic look to it, and several chairs surrounded the large table in the center. It was rare that anyone used this room for anything, but today was different. Gathered around the table were some faces that she recognized all too well, but rarely met face-to-face.
Sitting in the largest chair at the head of the table was a man wearing a form-fitting green uniform in a similar color to her own clothing. He was reasonably muscular, with a completely bald head and a monocle adorning his right eye. The visitor's face was cold and heartless, and his eyes bore into the objects of their scrutiny like cold, dark orbs. His gloves and the boots covering his legs were a lighter shade of green with a yellow trim, and the HYDRA insignia was emblazoned on the torso part of his clothing.
"You may sit down." The man ordered, gesturing the chair directly across the table from him.
Madame Hydra sat down and returned his piercing gaze with one of her own, neither person backing down as they eyed one another in silence. Although her power within the organization was quite vast, the person on the other side of the table was the only person that outranked her. He was Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, the supreme director of their international spy network, as well as her direct superior. He had brought others with him for this meeting, but none of them attempted to break the tension that had begun to blanket the room.
Baron Strucker leaned forwards slightly, his hands relaxing as he rested them against the arms of his chair. "It has been quite a while since the two of us have met in person, has it not?" he addressed her with a very solid tone.
She looked slightly taken aback by his strange comment, seeing how they rarely came together like this to begin with. Although he oversaw the other branches of HYDRA within other countries and acted as their leader, he rarely intervened in her affairs. In truth it seemed that even X-23 had not known how large the organization really was, having targeted her as the leader instead of seeking Baron Strucker instead. Perhaps it was due to this sense of alienation that gave the impression that they were two separate organizations, but they would occasionally meet to discuss the interests of HYDRA as a whole, although at the moment she wished that it had come at a more convenient time.
"You understand that I have been very busy in my attempts to recapture the rogue experiment X-23, although the search has been very difficult since she destroyed my airbase several months ago and wiped out a large portion of my branch in the process." Madame Hydra hesitated for the moment, before deciding to await his response.
The man raised an eyebrow as he surveyed her from behind his monocle. "Seeing how the child has not yet targeted me, I can only assume that she does not know the truth about how extensive we truly are."
"I do not believe she is aware…" Madame Hydra responded cautiously. "Did she know of the levels of command higher than my position, she would probably have targeted both of us rather than focusing her anger on my branch alone. From what we have been able to observe, X-23 certainly has a number of emotional instabilities, and has been attempting to wipe out our spy network for many months now."
"Indeed, your recent exploits to put an end to her crusade have been riddled with a constant ring of failures." Strucker replied, his expression twisting into something far more sinister. "Since you returned to us alone, I can only assume that this most recent attempt was no different than any of your past exploits."
The green-clad woman suddenly stood up from her seat. "As it turns out we had managed to capture X-23 through collaboration with the New York City criminal empires, but Wilson Fisk's subordinate captured Wolverine as well, resulting in unforeseen interference from Charles Xavier's X-Men. The failure to recapture the girl was not my fault."
Wolfgang von Strucker seemed not to acknowledge her protests. "Be that as it may, you have spent far too much time attempting to recapture this failed project."
She bowed her head in dishonor, but decided to finish her confession nonetheless. "I was also unable to stop the Kingpin from stealing my files on Project Rebirth as well. Due to the specific circumstances of the moment, he was able to force my hand and I had no choice but to submit. He forced me to do so by…"
"The details of your endeavor do not interest me." Her superior cut her off with an angry sneer. "Aside from the fact that you have once again failed, the situation is made far worse seeing that you allowed such valuable information to fall into the hands of the world's most powerful crime syndicates. You have also returned to this location without X-23, meaning that we have received nothing after suffering this loss."
"I shall not allow this to happen again." Madame Hydra replied quickly. "I believe that the girl may have went with Weapon X after their escape. They will no doubt head back to Bayville soon if not immediately, meaning that our units can prepare a strike team and recapture X-23 before she disappears from our view yet again."
Baron Strucker eyed her carefully as he folded his hands, his elbows resting on the table as he watched her through is monocle. After taking a small breath, the German commander seemed to dismiss her statement. "Due to the current standing of this branch of HYDRA, I am suspending any future attempts to recapture the girl so that you will no longer feel compelled to waste our resources with this continuous game of cat and mouse."
"You can't be serious!" the green-clad woman exclaimed loudly.
"I am serious!" the German commander pounded his fist against the table, immediately silencing her with a dark glare. "I see no reason to continue wasting my time attempting to recapture a failed experiment that you were unable to contain."
Madame Hydra leaned forward slightly, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I will not allow you to cut funding to a weapon that my team worked so hard to create. She also humiliated us, and stole many secrets before going rogue. This may prove problematic for the future of our organization."
His expression of anger only deepened. "My current plans will not be impeded by anything that the girl may have known before she left us. Since then we have changed all security clearances and moved many of our outposts to avoid her discovering anything else."
Her expression became noticeably calmer as she sat back down, an air of hostility slowly lifting from her shoulders. "So you intend to allow X-23 to escape?" she questioned solemnly.
"Allow me to make this clear!" Wolfgang von Strucker began. "I am removing you from power in this branch of HYDRA. The notion is nonnegotiable… effective immediately."
Her mouth opened slightly as she pondered his words, a look of outrage slowly appearing on her lips. "Why would you wish to remove me? I have been nothing if not completely successful in my endeavors within the Americas."
"I have need of your talents else ware, but after these recent events it is abundantly clear that you are in no position to argue with my decision." Her commander replied with a note of finality. "Our operations in this country will soon be limited anyway, seeing how we have far more important matters to attend to outside of the American Branch."
Madame Hydra's outrage seemed to evaporate almost immediately, resulting in a much more rational air. "What exactly do you have in mind?"
He cast her a look of indifference. "We will discuss this in more detail when the time is right, but before I return to Europe there is someone I wish to speak to. I feel it necessary to bolster our connections within this country if possible, and there is a certain man that wish to speak to before we depart… The real game is about to begin, and I feel it is important that we have as many pawns as possible."
Somewhere in Europe
A strange man sat down on a rickety chair as he read the newspaper from the previous day, his eyes moving back and forth across the surface as he continued reading. He was a dour chap with a strange expression and large sideburns, bus face lined with signs of wear and ragged coat clinging to his thin frame. His hair was dark and messy, the overall appearance he presented to the public giving him the look of an old beggar, but thanks to his abilities is wasn't necessary to keep up physical appearances. He lived in an old apartment, the appliances left behind in the kitchen were covered in grime, and the wallpaper had begun to peel away, exposing a yellowed layer of plaster underneath.
His life was rather boring most days, but things had become more interesting for mutant kind in general, seeing how the world was reacting to their presence. Even here in Europe, people were aware of mutant activity, but thanks to his particular abilities it often kept him safe from any type of persecution. The power to distort the perceptions of others and go about his own business was something he valued, yet those very same abilities had caused him some troubles in the past with mutants like the infamous Magneto.
Mastermind was a man who personally had very little interest in helping others unless there was something in it for him, although he had been hiding out in this dingy apartment for a while in the hopes that no one would find him this time. Due to word of extremist mutant activity spreading, he had a feeling that the master of magnetism would eventually seek him out again, and because of this he had been far more cautious than usual in maintaining a disguise while wandering the streets, and had moved twice in the last month to avoid detection. The last thing he wanted was to be pulled into another mess like the Apocalypse incident.
The mutant let out a deep breath as he tossed the newspaper aside and headed for his room, but before he could leave, a strange blinking sound caught his attention. He whipped around for a moment as if he turned to inspect the television set, but his eyes widened in fear as he caught sight of a woman standing behind him. She wore a green outfit and had a pale pink complexion, characteristics that led him to one simple conclusion… The girl was some kind of mutant.
"Mastermind… Magneto requires your services!" She addressed him in a commanding tone.
He let out a faint gasp, raising his hands to cast his hypnotic spell, but before he could even call upon his abilities, the enemy reacted. Blink reached behind her neck, picking out a small gem and sending it flying directly at her target, nailing him between the eyes with a pinkish crystal. The psychic mutant attempted to resist the strike, but he was unfamiliar with this mutant's abilities and seconds later everything went black.
Note to Readers: Well I introduced two more players in addition to closing the X-23 retrieval story arc. Most people should know what kind of use that Magneto has for a mutant like Mastermind, but Hobgoblin's somewhat unprecedented involvement with Madame Hydra will become clearer in future chapters. He's a self-reliant villain, but he's also a master thief known for working for other people if they're willing to pay him. He probably won't be showing up again until much later… I would've used the Green Goblin, but he's way too unreliable in most partnerships unless it furthers his own ambitions.
Yeah, I don't think that was a great chapter, and I'm almost willing to bet that the spelling and grammatical mistakes were worse than usual for this chapter. I really should try editing my works considering how easy it is to make typos in your initial version. No one's really given me much support recently, but I could really use some REVIEWS too!