July 21, 2009
The metallic walls of Mister Sinister's hidden laboratory echoed with the sounds of intense combat. The X-Men were deep within the complex, pushing forward despite the onslaught of monstrous hybrids and the chaos they had already encountered. But now, Wolverine found himself separated from the rest of the team, deep within a dark, foreboding corridor, his instincts on high alert. His claws extended, ready to strike.
"You're alone, Logan," a voice growled from the shadows.
Wolverine froze. The voice was unmistakable.
"Saber," he muttered under his breath, his muscles tensing, eyes narrowing. "So this is how you've been keeping yourself busy, huh?"
Out from the darkness emerged a hulking figure—large, broad-shouldered, and unmistakably familiar: Sabretooth. But there was something different. The scent was wrong, too clean, too manufactured. Wolverine's sharp senses detected the subtle hints of artificiality in the air, the unmistakable stench of a clone.
Sabretooth grinned, the sharp fangs gleaming in the dim light. "You've been gone a long time, Logan. Mister Sinister's been kind enough to offer me... a second chance. We're not done yet, not by a long shot."
Wolverine's claws snikted out, his stance lowering. "This ain't you. You ain't the real deal." His voice was cold, each word dripping with the weight of bitter memories. "What's Sinister's game this time?"
Sabretooth's grin only widened. "You think this is about games, Logan? Sinister's given me a purpose now. We're going to see if your claws are sharp enough to stop me. I've been... upgraded."
Before Wolverine could react, Sabretooth lunged, his claws tearing through the air toward him. Wolverine countered quickly, slashing with his own claws, the two foes clashing in a violent storm of ferocity. The echo of metal against metal rang through the hall as they collided in a brutal display of rage and muscle.
But there was something off about Sabretooth's movements. His attacks were too precise, too calculated. And his stamina was unnatural—he wasn't tiring.
Wolverine gritted his teeth. "You ain't the same... whatever you are."
As their fight raged on, a voice echoed over the comms, pulling Wolverine's attention momentarily. "Logan, are you alright?" Cyclops' voice crackled with urgency. "We've found more of Sinister's creations. We're coming to your location!"
Wolverine didn't answer immediately. His focus was fully on the clone of Sabretooth. The thing in front of him was powerful, relentless, but it lacked the chaotic unpredictability of the real Sabretooth. It was like fighting an improved version of his old enemy—too perfect, too controlled.
Just as Sabretooth swung again, Wolverine dodged, his claws digging into the clone's shoulder and leaving a deep wound. But instead of the expected growl of pain, the creature let out a strange, mechanical hiss. It stumbled back, and Wolverine could see the telltale signs of something inside—something far darker than just flesh and bone.
"Damn," Wolverine muttered, his voice a low growl. "You're just a damn machine."
Before Wolverine could strike again, he heard the approach of more footsteps. Sinister's creations, no doubt.
But instead of retreating, Wolverine pressed forward, slashing at the clone's chest, weakening it with each blow. He was about to land the finishing blow when the rest of the X-Men arrived on the scene.
Cyclops, Storm, Beast, and Psylocke stormed into the hallway, their eyes immediately locking onto the situation. Cyclops quickly scanned the area and his expression hardened.
"Is that... Sabretooth?" Cyclops asked, his voice laced with confusion.
Wolverine's lips curled into a grimace. "Not the real thing. Just one of Sinister's little projects."
As the team moved in, the clone of Sabretooth snarled and staggered back, clearly unable to withstand their combined firepower. But before anyone could deal the finishing blow, the walls suddenly shook, and the floor rumbled beneath them.
Beast immediately tensed, his heightened senses detecting more approaching threats. "This isn't over," he muttered. "We've got company."
The X-Men looked up in time to see the walls of the corridor part, revealing more of Mister Sinister's monstrous creations—Arclight, Blockbuster, and Vertigo, all emerging from the shadows.
Arclight, a mutant with the ability to manipulate seismic waves, cracked her knuckles, her eyes glowing with intensity. "Looks like we've got a party."
Blockbuster, towering and immense, flexed his massive muscles, his voice booming. "Time to crush some bugs."
Vertigo, small but with a deadly presence, stepped forward with a smirk. "You're about to get dizzy, X-Men."
Psylocke's eyes narrowed as she scanned the new threats. "These aren't just creations—they're engineered to fight us. Sinister is getting smarter."
Cyclops didn't flinch, his voice firm. "We can handle this. Wolverine, get ready to move. We're going to need you at your best."
Wolverine cracked his knuckles, his claws still glistening with the clone's blood. "Been a long time since I've had a proper scrap with these guys," he growled, more than ready for the battle.
As the three new mutants stepped forward, the X-Men braced themselves, knowing the battle ahead would be tough. Arclight's seismic blasts shook the ground, Vertigo's powers started to disorient their senses, and Blockbuster advanced with crushing strength.
Wolverine, fueled by his anger and the rush of battle, was the first to charge in. With a snarl, he lunged at Blockbuster, his claws aimed for the giant's throat.
"Let's see if you can handle me, Big Guy!" Wolverine taunted.
Beast, his agility enhanced, darted to the side, narrowly avoiding a seismic shock from Arclight. "Keep moving, everyone! We need to finish this quickly!"
Cyclops targeted Vertigo first, his optic beams blasting toward her with pinpoint precision. "I'll deal with her. She's the most dangerous."
Storm summoned a violent gust of wind, launching herself into the air to avoid Arclight's blasts and send debris flying toward the mutants. "We must end this before Sinister's creatures overwhelm us."
Psylocke, already anticipating the threats, telekinetically knocked Arclight back with a swift strike, her psychic blades glowing dangerously. "We fight as one, team. Stay in sync."
The X-Men surged forward, quickly engaging the trio of mutants in intense combat, but it was clear that Sinister had outdone himself with these creations. They were powerful, relentless, and just as cunning as their predecessors. It would take everything the X-Men had to stop them and find a way deeper into the lab to locate Mister Sinister himself.
But one thing was certain: the X-Men weren't backing down.
And Wolverine, despite the familiar face of his old enemy, knew he'd keep fighting until Sinister's creations were no more.
"Let's finish this," Wolverine growled, his claws bared, as the battle raged on.
The metallic corridors of Mister Sinister's hidden laboratory vibrated with the sounds of battle. The X-Men were spread across the complex, fighting Sinister's creations and working their way deeper into the lair. But for Wolverine, his fight had taken a very personal turn.
He could feel the burn of claws against his skin, the weight of his enemy's attacks. It was Sabretooth. But not quite Sabretooth. This one, this creation, was faster, stronger, and more deliberate. He was everything Sabretooth had been in their previous battles, but with a cold, calculated precision that Logan had never seen before.
The two stood locked in combat, each move a clash of brutal force. Wolverine's claws slashed through the air, connecting with the clone's enhanced reflexes, but they didn't draw the blood he was hoping for. Instead, Sabretooth parried his attack with unnatural ease, his own claws striking with terrifying force.
"C'mon, Logan," Sabretooth taunted, his voice distorted by the artificial nature of his being. "You think you've got what it takes to stop me now? Sinister gave me everything I need to crush you."
Wolverine grunted, sidestepping the clone's slash, his senses ablaze with the need to end this fight. He wasn't just facing a version of Sabretooth; this was an upgrade, a monster bred from Sinister's darkest science. And it was relentless.
"You're nothing but a shadow of what you once were," Wolverine growled, his voice laced with bitterness. "Sinister's turned you into something less... human."
Sabretooth laughed, the sound low and mocking. "You always were the sentimental one. It's funny, though—I can feel the changes. It's like I'm more than I ever was. Stronger. Smarter. I can even sense things, Logan. I can smell your fear. And I can feel your rage."
Wolverine gritted his teeth and lunged, his claws cutting through the air, but the clone anticipated it. Sabretooth countered with a vicious swipe, knocking Wolverine back against a wall with bone-crushing force.
For a moment, the pain was overwhelming. Logan's head spun, and his vision blurred. He could feel the cold metal walls against his back, the tang of blood in his mouth. But even as his body screamed in protest, he pushed himself back up. He'd been through worse—this was just another battle he had to win.
"You don't get to win, Sabretooth," Wolverine spat, shaking off the dizziness. "Not this time."
Just as Wolverine lunged again, claws bared, the rumble of an incoming blast shook the ground beneath them. He heard Arclight's seismic powers shaking the very foundations of the lab. The mutant's ability to manipulate seismic waves was deadly, and it was clear the environment around them was about to become even more treacherous.
Meanwhile, up ahead, the sounds of battle intensified as Storm and Beast took on the other creations. Arclight and Blockbuster were wreaking havoc, and while the X-Men were pushing forward, they could only handle so much at once.
"Logan!" Storm's voice crackled through his comms. "We need you back, now!"
Wolverine hesitated, his claws locked in a brutal clash with Sabretooth's. His focus was divided, but something inside him told him he couldn't let this fight end just yet. He had to end this Sabretooth, once and for all.
"Not yet, Storm," Wolverine snarled, his eyes narrowing. "I've got unfinished business."
Sabretooth's eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger. "Keep telling yourself that, Logan. But I'm not going anywhere." He surged forward with a roar, claws extended.
Wolverine dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike. He scrambled to his feet, searching the area for an opening. The corridor was narrow—too narrow for a full-on brawl. His senses picked up the metallic hum of energy around them. Sinister's creations were well-crafted, but Wolverine knew how to use the environment to his advantage.
He bounded up a nearby wall, landing on a higher platform, gaining some height over Sabretooth. It was a brief advantage, but it was enough. The clone lunged again, claws outstretched, and Wolverine dropped down, driving his claws deep into the clone's side, the sickening sound of metal against flesh ringing through the air.
Sabretooth howled in pain, staggering back, but to Logan's surprise, the clone didn't falter. Instead, he swiped at Wolverine, faster and more brutal than before, knocking him down with another crushing blow.
"You just don't get it, do you, Logan?" Sabretooth sneered. "I'm not going down like the others. I've been made for this."
Wolverine struggled to rise, blood dripping from his mouth. His ribs ached. His vision blurred again, but he fought through it. He couldn't let Sabretooth win. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.
He looked up just in time to see Sabretooth about to strike again, but this time, Logan used everything he had left. His claws extended fully, and with a howl of his own, he charged forward. The two mutants collided once more in a brutal, final clash.
Meanwhile, further down the catacombs, Spider-Man and Psylocke were on the move. They'd been using the chaos of the ongoing battles to make their advance through Sinister's labyrinthine facility. Psylocke's psychic powers guided them, her mind probing ahead to sense the dangers that lay before them, while Spider-Man, with his acrobatics and quick reflexes, used the environment to his advantage.
"Keep your eyes open," Psylocke cautioned, her voice calm yet focused. "Sinister's mind is everywhere in here."
Spider-Man nodded, his spider-sense tingling. "Tell me about it. It's like we're walking through a haunted house, but with more death traps."
Psylocke smiled slightly, her eyes scanning the hall. "This is Sinister's playground. But we'll make our own path."
They moved swiftly through the corridors, dodging security systems and Sinister's other creations. The further they went, the more the air grew thick with tension. But they pressed on, knowing they were getting closer to their goal.
Back at the front lines, Arclight, Blockbuster, and Vertigo had begun their retreat, sensing that they were no match for the combined forces of the X-Men. Sinister's voice rang through their comms.
"Return to me, my creations," he commanded coldly. "This battle is lost. We must prepare for what is to come."
Wolverine, still battling the clone of Sabretooth, could feel the shift in the tide. Sinister's creations were retreating, and the X-Men had pushed forward. But it wasn't over—not by a long shot. The fight with Sabretooth still raged, and Wolverine was determined to finish it.
He drove his claws deeper into the clone's chest, twisting them. Sabretooth's eyes flared with a final, primal rage before he collapsed to the ground.
Wolverine stood over him, chest heaving, but with the victory in hand. For now, it was over.
But the real battle—against Mister Sinister—was just beginning.
The air in Mister Sinister's hidden Siberian lab was thick with tension. The base, now crumbling under the weight of the X-Men's assault, groaned as if it were alive, feeling the echoes of the destruction seeping into its very bones. Through the labyrinthine corridors, alarms blared, their shrill cries warning of the impending doom. The walls shook violently, the countdown to the self-destruct sequence echoing ominously in every corner.
Mister Sinister, standing in front of a massive control panel, smiled a dark, calculating smile as he pressed a few final keys. "This entire facility will burn, along with all the data it holds," he murmured, his voice steady and detached. "A fitting end to my grand experiment."
Behind him, his creations—Arclight, Blockbuster, Vertigo, and the Sabretooth clone—stood at attention, already prepared for their escape. They were his masterpieces, his soldiers, ready to carry out his will. They were his weapons against the world. As the timer ticked down, Sinister turned to face them.
"You will all live to see another day," he said, his tone indifferent. "I've seen to it. But the X-Men and Spider-Man... they will not be so fortunate. This base, however, will be nothing more than a smoldering memory."
Sabretooth's clone grunted, but Sinister's eyes narrowed. "Do not fail me," he warned.
With that, the lab doors hissed open, and Sinister led his creations down a series of corridors toward their escape. The countdown continued, growing louder as the self-destruct sequence entered its final stages.
Back in the heart of the base, Spider-Man and the X-Men were hot on Sinister's trail, though the ticking of the countdown added a sense of urgency to the battle.
"We need to move fast!" Cyclops barked, his voice urgent over the comms. "Sinister's pulling a self-destruct on this place. We've got to get out now!"
Storm, her powers of the weather now focused on clearing the path, shouted over the noise of the crumbling facility. "We can't afford to waste any time. Keep moving!"
Spider-Man, who had just finished dealing with a group of Sinister's remaining minions, swung toward Psylocke, who was already ahead of him. "Hey, I think I'm starting to get a feel for how you X-Men do things," he quipped, catching her glance with a wink. "But next time, let's not get trapped in another doomsday base. My costume isn't that fireproof."
Psylocke rolled her eyes, but there was a slight smile at the corner of her lips. "You're going to have to keep up if you want to stay alive, Spider-Man."
The ground trembled beneath them as the base seemed to shake apart at the seams. The self-destruct was already halfway through its countdown, and the structure was starting to come apart in places. Sinister's escape route led them toward a massive, heavily armored hangar, where an experimental craft was waiting for them.
As they approached the hangar, Beast's voice rang through their comms. "Be careful! Sinister's headed for the extraction point. We can't let him escape with whatever he's planning."
Spider-Man's spider-sense flared just as he saw Sinister's shadowed figure making his way to the transport craft. "He's got a head start, but not for long. Let's cut him off before he can get away," Peter said, determination setting in.
Psylocke narrowed her eyes. "Agreed. But we need to move fast." She turned to her team. "Stay sharp! This isn't over yet."
As they rushed into the hangar, they found Sinister's craft already powered up, and his creations boarding it with a precision that made it clear Sinister had planned for this very moment.
"I'm afraid this is where our paths diverge," Mister Sinister's voice boomed through the comms, a trace of amusement in his words. "You may have beaten my creations... for now. But you will never be able to stop what's coming next. My greatest creation is already in motion, and soon the world will witness what I have truly set in motion."
A holographic display blinked on the main terminal of the craft, revealing a monstrous, massive figure suspended in what appeared to be a containment chamber. Its form was a hybrid of both technology and organic matter, the pinnacle of Sinister's twisted genetic manipulation.
"What is that?" Cyclops demanded over the comms, his voice taut with disbelief.
"That, my dear Cyclops, is only my most recent achievement," Sinister replied, his voice tinged with pride. "Subject 3—far beyond any of my previous creations. Once it is unleashed, your precious city will be nothing more than a footnote in history."
"Sinister, stop!" Spider-Man shouted, swinging forward. "Whatever you're planning, it's not going to happen. Not today."
But Sinister's laugh echoed across the hangar, cutting through the tension. "You'll be too late. I've already secured my plans. Your failure will be a spectacle that will be studied for centuries. Enjoy your small victories, Spider-Man, and enjoy your fleeting triumphs, X-Men. Soon, the world will bow to my new order."
With a final gesture, Sinister and his creations boarded the craft, which shot into the sky, leaving the X-Men and Spider-Man below, standing amidst the crumbling remnants of the base. The countdown continued, and they had no choice but to escape.
"We need to get out, now!" Cyclops ordered, as the base began to collapse in on itself. The ground trembled, and the walls cracked open as the self-destruct reached its final moments. The team dashed toward their escape route, Spider-Man and Psylocke leading the charge.
As they reached the surface, the entire base erupted in a blinding explosion, sending shockwaves through the snow-covered landscape of Siberia. The force of the blast sent debris scattering into the air, but the X-Men and Spider-Man were already far enough away to avoid the worst of it.
With the base now a pile of rubble, the team stood in the snow, watching the remnants of Sinister's twisted laboratory burn in the distance.
"He got away," Peter said, his voice grim as he gazed at the rising smoke.
Psylocke stood beside him, her expression hard. "We'll find him again. And when we do, we'll stop him."
Cyclops stood tall, his fists clenched at his sides. "This isn't over. Sinister is just getting started. Whatever he has planned, we need to be ready. And we need to work together."
Wolverine's voice came over the comms, "Agreed. But we need to figure out what Sinister's really got in mind. That thing he was showing us... I don't like the sound of it."
Storm glanced at the horizon. "We've seen the kind of devastation he's capable of. We can't afford to take him lightly."
Spider-Man adjusted his web-shooters, a determined glint in his eyes. "We won't. We'll stop him—together. But for now... let's make sure New York stays safe."
As the X-Men and Spider-Man stood in the snow, the wind howling around them, the future felt uncertain. But one thing was clear: Sinister's threat was far from over, and they would need to be ready for whatever came next.
Back at Sinister's hidden base, deep within the shadows of Siberia, Mister Sinister smiled to himself, watching from a distant command center. His creations were scattered, but his true plan was still unfolding, and it would not be long before the world would be forced to witness his full power.
And when that moment arrived, Spider-Man, Psylocke, and the X-Men would be powerless to stop him.
At least, that was what Mister Sinister believed.
The news report crackled on the television, the flashing images of devastation from Siberia filling the screen. Across New York City, the reports of an explosion—an unprecedented level of destruction—were being broadcast live, each new detail more ominous than the last. In the aftermath, authorities were baffled, unable to understand the cause or the significance of the event. A research facility was gone, obliterated in a fiery blast, leaving nothing but smoldering wreckage.
"The explosion, believed to have originated from a covert research facility, has left authorities and experts alike with more questions than answers," the anchor's voice echoed across the room. "Reports suggest that this destruction may have been intentional, a catastrophic self-destruct triggered from within the facility. What remains is a mystery, and we are awaiting more details."
The images flickered again, showing a burning landscape in the Siberian wilderness. But beyond the footage, beyond the confusion, something stirred—something unseen by the millions who watched. In a small, dimly lit apartment nestled on the edge of the city, Subject 3 sat still, his eyes focused intently on the screen. His body was hidden beneath layers of altered genetics and enhanced technology, but his mind—his mind was a far greater force.
He had felt it—the disturbance in the psychic flow. His senses had sharpened the moment the explosion occurred, his neural pathways aligning with a greater force, a signal that rippled through the ether and resonated with the fragmented minds around the globe. The news had only confirmed it. Now was the time.
A surge of psychic energy pulsed within him as he processed the broadcast, his thoughts coalescing into a single directive. The destruction in Siberia, the self-destruct sequence set by Mister Sinister, was the perfect catalyst. The facility had been the last place he had been bound to. Now, free from the chains of his creation, it was time for him to expand his influence, to forge the collective he had always envisioned. And the minds of New York—of the world—were ripe for the taking.
Subject 3 closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. His senses expanded outward, reaching beyond the confines of his immediate surroundings, stretching out into the city, into the lives of its inhabitants. It was subtle at first—a sensation of quiet pressure, like the slow expansion of a heavy weight. The people of New York would not know it yet, but they were already connected, drawn together by a force they could not comprehend.
With a thought, Subject 3 pushed further. His psychic pulse radiated outward, a silent call to those who would hear it, a signal to those who had the potential to join his cause. Minds across the city began to stir, a few individuals catching the faintest glimpse of something—someone—who was watching them. It wasn't direct contact, not yet, but the seed had been planted.
For a brief moment, Subject 3 felt the world shift. He could feel the ebb and flow of human consciousness as it responded to his call, individuals across the city—mutants, psychics, those sensitive to the unseen currents of power—were being drawn toward him. It was a subtle tug, a whispering invitation to something greater. Soon, it would be a roar.
In the distance, a faint shiver of recognition passed through the psychic aether as the first minds began to bend under his influence. The feeling was intoxicating. They would come, he thought, and they would serve.
Subject 3 let the pulse settle for a moment, his senses still expanding, tracking the thoughts of those he had already touched. He could feel their fear, their curiosity, their desire to belong, to understand the world that had always seemed beyond their grasp. He would offer them an answer, a purpose. They will be my army.
The world, fragmented and divided, would soon be unified. The moment had arrived. With each passing second, more minds bent to his will, their consciousnesses linked together like a growing network of energy, pulling tighter and tighter as Subject 3 directed them into the fold.
His mind lingered for a moment on the heroes who had stood against him—the X-Men, Spider-Man. They had made their moves in the past, and while they had managed to stall his creators' plans, they were nothing compared to the vision he had for the future. Their interference had been nothing more than a delay. He was patient, after all. The real threat to his plans lay in their collective will, their resistance to unity.
And yet, Subject 3 was certain of one thing: They would break. It was inevitable.
As the psychic storm began to build, ripples of energy flowed through the streets of New York, undetected by the average citizen. But for those who were sensitive to the unseen, they would begin to notice—a slight shift, a quiet pulse in the air. And for those who were ready, the invitation would be impossible to ignore.
In the dark corners of the city, Subject 3's plan began to unfold. The seeds were planted. The collective consciousness was rising. Soon, Spider-Man, Psylocke, and all of New York would realize the magnitude of what had begun. And by then, it would be too late.
Subject 3 took a final glance at the television screen as the news segment ended, the anchor's voice fading into the background. There was no turning back now. His time had come.
The world was about to witness the birth of something far greater than they could ever imagine.
Author's Note: Hello everyone. I hope you enjoyed this much so far even though it's mostly a conclusion of this part of the story. It is effectively going to be the setup for the major conflict this volume has as the latest challenge for Spider-Man and Psylocke.
This volume is basically going to be only them and the villain they are going to face for right now. On top of that, you will get to see who this villain is soon enough. Do hope you enjoyed so far, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter.