If the future ruled by the Sentinels was a clean and decisive decapitation of the mutant race, then the new timeline's future was more like a frog slowly boiling in warm water—gradual, yet relentless in erasing mutants from existence.
Time moved silently, steadily sweeping mutants into the dustbin of history.
Even the sharpest minds dull and falter under the erosion of years, and the strongest, healthiest bodies can't escape the torment of aging and illness.
The vision of the future presented by the quiz game left Charles, Erik, and Logan feeling only despair and helplessness. It was like a mountain pressing down on their chests, making it hard to even breathe.
On the other side, Strange and Pietro were also feeling weighed down, though young Peter didn't seem as affected—after all, he was still a kid, too young to truly grasp the pain and helplessness time could bring.
Stephen looked at his clean hands, sighing, "Maybe when I'm old, my hands will shake so badly I won't even be able to draw a portal."
Pietro shrugged. "I'll probably throw my back or neck out after just a few steps…"
After a short pause, he asked, "What Charles said about a new kind of mutant—he wasn't just making that up, right?"
Stephen responded, "Charles' condition is pretty severe. People with his illness often suffer greatly, drifting between lucidity and confusion. He might say something one moment and forget it the next… But of course, we can't rule anything out. Charles' telepathic abilities are extraordinary."
Back in the video, Logan tended to Charles and then went to rest. His work usually started at night when he went out to drive, while the day was for sleep. But with the abandoned factory so close to the train tracks, the daytime noise made rest nearly impossible.
When it was time to leave, Caliban was ironing clothes and complaining that Charles' condition was deteriorating rapidly. The meds weren't cutting it anymore.
Logan could only respond with helpless silence. With his current finances and connections, this was all he could get. He had plenty of expenses, and he was still saving up to buy a boat.
Caliban also accused Logan of hiding things from him—sounding more and more like a nagging housewife.
In a way, it was almost amusing. Caliban was a male mutant whose ability allowed him to locate other mutants within a certain range—completely useless in an era where mutants were going extinct.
Due to his albinism, Caliban couldn't be exposed to sunlight. So, while Logan was out driving rideshares for money, Caliban stayed home to care for Charles and take care of chores… even thoughtfully washing Logan's underwear.
Logan was still the same as ever—quiet, curt, and annoyed by Caliban's constant chatter.
But Caliban kept going. He noticed Logan's physical condition was worsening, and even his healing factor was fading. Then he found something tucked in Logan's clothes—an adamantium bullet.
There was no doubt what it was for. Logan had kept it to end his own life, likely planning to use it after Charles was gone.
Charles had once given a lost Logan a home, and a rare sense of warmth. That was why Logan kept going, enduring all the pain.
As Charles himself had said: "You're just waiting for me to die."
Maybe Caliban wanted to help, but in a situation this bleak—who could really do anything?
The two ended up parting on sour terms. Logan drove off toward the city, looking for fares like he always did—nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
But then Logan received a ride request that took him to a roadside motel. When he arrived, he spotted a little girl playing outside.
She looked familiar—Logan remembered seeing her with that Mexican woman yesterday.
The girl recognized him too. For a moment, their eyes met. And somehow, Logan saw a shadow of someone deeply familiar in the child.
Outside the video, Logan's eyes lit up. "That girl…"
"If you had a daughter, Logan," Charles said thoughtfully, "she'd probably look just like that."
Logan frowned. For some reason, the word daughter made his heart skip a beat. Still, he kept a straight face. "Unlikely. The future footage made it clear—no new mutants have been born in years."
But Erik spoke coldly: "No naturally born mutants. But what if it was man-made?"
"You mean experiments?" Logan instantly caught on—he'd been a lab rat himself.
Erik didn't elaborate. He just tilted his chin toward the screen, signaling them to keep watching.
In the video, the moment Logan saw the familiar-looking girl, he had a feeling something was off—and sure enough, he was right.
The Mexican woman who'd caused him trouble yesterday suddenly appeared. She was the one who'd hired him through the rideshare app.
She was clearly desperate and somehow had set her sights on Logan, clinging to him in hopes he could help her and her daughter escape.
Of course, Logan wanted no part of it. But after a round of bargaining, the woman promised him $50,000, even offering $20,000 in cash upfront.
Logan hesitated—she was offering too much.
He needed money badly. He had to buy that boat, to take Charles away from all this. That woman's payment meant a lot to him.
Still, Logan didn't agree immediately. He had to go back and tell Charles first—this job would take a few days.
During this time, the woman kept texting him, urging him to hurry. Logan didn't stay long and soon returned to the motel—only to find he was already too late.
The woman was dead in her room. Her eyes were wide open, a bloody bullet hole in her forehead—killed without mercy.
Logan grabbed her phone and left quickly, driving straight back to the factory. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he started venting to Caliban, saying he should never have taken the job in the first place.
After he left, Caliban noticed the car's trunk was open. Inside was a small backpack and a rubber ball. Realizing something was wrong, he immediately called out to Logan.
Logan saw the ball—and instantly thought of that strange little girl. And just as he made the connection, trouble arrived right on cue.
Donald Pierce, who had previously threatened Logan, drove straight into the factory grounds—clearly not here for a friendly visit.
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