Third Underground Floor
ZARK!
Scottie snapped the dial on her visor a little too hard and fired. The optic blast tore down the corridor, slamming into three guards at once.
They went flying, crashing into the wall in an uncoordinated pile.
Behind her—
BAM!
Jean lifted two more guards off their feet and smashed them together midair. They dropped unconscious in a heap.
"They just keep coming," Jean muttered, exhaling slowly.
She had lost count of how many guards she had taken down. Being able to do all of this with her power felt… good.
Strangely, the more she used it, the more natural it felt—rather than exhausting her.
It had to be the serum. She would definitely have to thank Luke properly for gifting it to her.
"Let's hurry up before more of them arrive," Scottie said, moving forward cautiously.
This stretch of the corridor was the most tightly guarded area they had encountered so far. Multiple cameras lined the walls, all of which they had promptly destroyed. At the end of the corridor stood a locked double door, a keycard scanner mounted beside it, and above it, a red sign clearly marked:
RESTRICTED ENTRY
"This must be it," Scottie said, her hand drifting toward the visor dial.
"Allow me," Jean said, a confident smile tugging at her lips as she stepped forward.
She thrust her hand out.
BAM!
An invisible force slammed into the door.
The metal warped, hinges screeched, and the entire thing tore free and crashed inward.
Scottie stared for a second. "…Your powers are getting stronger."
Jean laughed softly, staring at her own hand like she couldn't quite believe it. "Yeah… it's amazing. I—I never knew I could do all of this."
"Just don't overdo it," Scottie said, concern creeping into her voice as she stepped inside.
"I won't," Jean replied, nodding as she followed her in.
Both of them stopped short the moment they saw what lay beyond the doorway.
"What… is that?" Jean muttered, frowning.
"I don't know," Cyclops said, equally puzzled.
"If Helen were here, she'd know," Jean added with certainty.
The room was enormous. But nearly half of it was occupied by a massive, futuristic machine—it had layered panels, conduits, and coils stretching from floor to ceiling. Faint arcs of electricity pulsed through it at regular intervals and a low humming sound of machinery vibrated through the air.
"Should we just… destroy it?" Jean asked hesitantly, lifting her hand.
"Wait. Let me check first," Cyclops said, tapping her Focus.
"Aeon, we've reached a chamber with a large machine. It looks like the device we were searching for. Should we destroy it?"
Instead of a reply, the air beside them shimmered.
A circular portal snapped open—and Aeon stepped through, clad in his golden-white suit, golden cape settling behind him as the portal sealed shut.
---
"Aeon!" Jean moved towards you immediately, smiling.
"Marvel Girl," you greeted with a grin.
Just hearing her codename made her brighten even more.
"Stop flirting and focus on the mission," Scottie said flatly.
Jean shot her an annoyed look as you turned your attention to the machine, eyes scanning every detail.
"Yeah," you said after a moment. "This definitely looks like the right device."
"So… do we destroy it?" Scottie asked, brows drawn tight.
"It won't explode or anything, right?" Jean added quickly, a hint of worry creeping into her voice.
You ignored their questions for the moment and stepped up to the console beside the machine.
The most unusual phenomenon on this island was this absurd suppression field blanketing the entire area. It wasn't just telepathic suppression—all external communication signals were being jammed. Nothing was getting in or out.
The only thing still functioning was the facility's internal network, accessed through these consoles—and D.A.I.S.Y.'s communication channel, which remained unaffected only because of the advanced modifications you had made months ago.
Your initial plan had been to locate the source of the phenomenon and steal the device outright. But standing in front of it now, you knew that idea was clearly unrealistic—as the machine was far too massive.
"No," you said finally. "Let's not blow it up yet. Give me some time. I want to understand how it works first—then we can destroy it."
You continued working through the controls. "Tech like this could be extremely useful to us."
"Alright," Jean agreed without hesitation.
Scottie looked uneasy, but after a brief pause, she nodded as well.
Jean stayed beside you, watching curiously as you worked, while Scottie turned away to check in with the other teams.
"According to Rogue, they've found all the mutants on the second floor," Scottie reported as she returned. "They're already escorting them out to the Professor."
"That's good," Jean replied with a relieved smile.
"But Storm's team ran into trouble," Scottie continued. "It sounds like they're currently fighting a dangerous opponent."
"Yes—Omega Red," you nodded as D.A.I.S.Y. provided them with a brief summary. "They've been fighting for a while. I knew he wouldn't go down easily."
Jean's expression tightened. "Then we should go and help them."
"I was thinking the same thing," Cyclops nodded. "Aeon—can you send us there?"
"Sure," you replied, opening a portal to the corridor where the fight was unfolding.
"Will you be alright here alone?" Jean asked, lingering by the portal, worry clear in her eyes.
"I'll finish this quickly and catch up," you replied with a reassuring smile.
They both nodded and stepped through the portal.
Not wanting to waste even a second, you activated your Focus's X-ray mode and began a deep scan of the device, feeding everything directly to D.A.I.S.Y. as you both peeled back its layers.
With Psychic Immunity, you personally had little need for a psionic interference system like this—but you had always wanted to improve your own designs of psionic blockers. Not something invasive, embedded into the body like your earlier version, but a wearable, modular system. More flexible. More practical.
As you decoded the machine's structure and purpose, ideas began flowing freely through your mind. Much of your accumulated knowledge surfaced at once, correlating instinctively as you analyzed the build. The flaws were obvious now—the inefficiencies, the redundancies, the crude solutions holding it together.
If you set aside some time after this mission, you were certain that you could turn these insights into something far better than this machine.
The girls would definitely appreciate having a few new cool gadgets to play with.
---
First Underground Floor
Few minutes earlier…
"Understood," Storm replied over the comms, then raised her voice.
"The winds of the Arctic—heed me!"
She thrust her hands forward, and a savage, freezing gale roared down the corridor. Frost crawled across the walls as the temperature plummeted, the air shrieking under the sudden cold.
"Okay, wow—note to self, pack a sweater next time," Jubilee muttered, shivering despite being spared the worst of it.
"You two stay behind me," Storm ordered calmly, eyes fixed ahead as she pushed the cold even further.
"This little trick of yours bores me," Omega Red snarled.
He forced his way forward through the gale, boots grinding against ice as one of his carbonadium tendrils snapped outward toward Storm.
"No!" Jubilee yelped.
She darted forward, thrusting both hands out. A burst of multicolored fireworks detonated against the incoming tendril, exploding in a shower of sparks and forcing it aside.
Storm glanced back briefly. "Thank you, young one," she said warmly—but firmly. "Now stay back. This foe is not to be taken lightly."
"I—I can help!" Jubilee insisted, planting her feet despite the fear knotting in her chest.
Omega Red chuckled, a low, cruel sound. "Heh… looking at you, I am reminded of the little girls I have fed upon before." His grin widened. "Their lives draining away… their young bodies withering to husks. It always gave me… such immense satisfaction."
"You are a monster," Storm snapped, disgust sharp in her voice.
"Do not worry," Omega Red replied smoothly, taking another heavy step forward as his eyes burned crimson. "It has been a long time. Omega Red will enjoy this meal properly." His gaze flicked toward Logan. "Until then… this one will suffice."
"ARGHHH!" Logan snarled, her struggles growing weaker as the coils tightened.
Jubilee froze, terror flooding her chest—but Logan's cry snapped her out of it. "W-we have to help her!" she said, starting forward—
But Storm's arm barred her path.
Katrin, however, had gone very still.
She remembered the A.I.'s words clearly. He grows stronger by draining life force.
Her yellow eyes widened. "Nein… he is feeding on her," she whispered. "Dat is why he gets stronger."
She placed a steadying hand on Jubilee's shoulder. "Do not panic, ja? I vill fix zis."
Before anyone could stop her, Katrin took a breath—and flipped forward.
BAMF!
A cloud of sulfurous smoke erupted as she vanished mid-somersault, reappearing upside down—balanced effortlessly atop Logan's head.
"And now—we go back!" Katrin chirped.
BAMF!
They reappeared behind Jubilee in another burst of smoke. Katrin completed her flip neatly as Logan collapsed to the floor, free of the coils.
Jubilee's eyes went wide. "That was— that was awesome!"
Katrin flashed a quick, nervous smile, her tail flicking. "I… I haf done much practice before, ja…"
"I want you to tell me everything! But later," Jubilee said quickly, already dropping to her knees beside Logan. "Logan—are you okay?!"
"RAAAH!"
Omega Red roared, fury twisting his features. "You sneaky bitch! Omega Red will kill you for stealing my prey!"
He forced his way through the freezing winds, one massive arm snapping forward as a tendril whipped straight towards Storm once more.
SNIKT! SNNIKT!
"I am not your damn prey, bub!" Logan snarled.
She had already gotten up—dashing with her claws out, muscles screaming as she intercepted the tendrils and charged him head-on.
With a feral growl, she leapt and slashed at his thick neck.
SLASH!
A deep crimson gash split his pale flesh—
—and sealed itself a heartbeat later, knitting together as if it had never been there.
"Hah!" Omega Red laughed darkly. "Da… meal returns to Omega Red by itself."
His coils snapped forward again, lunging for Logan.
"Not falling for that crap again!" Logan barked, hacking the tendrils aside as she stayed on him, slashing again and again.
Her adamantium claws screeched uselessly against the red armor plating—but every time an opening appeared, she went for exposed flesh. Still, every wound closed almost instantly, his healing factor keeping pace with her rage.
Behind Storm's wind barrier, Katrin clenched her fists while Jubilee bounced anxiously on her heels.
"That miss, ordered us to stay back," Jubilee muttered, frustrated. "But man, this sucks."
Storm herself however was anything but idle.
The corridor had transformed into a frozen hellscape—ice crusting the walls, snow whipping violently as she drove the temperature lower and lower, her eyes starting to glow white with focus.
Logan on the other hand wasn't thinking about plans.
Or teamwork.
Or consequences.
There was only one thought pounding through her head—
Skewer this bastard!!!
Claws and tendrils clashed in a violent blur, metal screeching against metal. But as the fight dragged on, Omega Red began to notice something was wrong.
Frost crept higher up his armor. Ice clung to his limbs. The air grew heavier, colder—each breath sharper than the last.
His red eyes narrowed as he glanced toward Storm, feeling the source of it.
"Tch. I told you... your little tricks will not work on Omega Red!" he snarled.
With a brutal kick, he sent Logan flying.
BANG!
She slammed into the wall, sliding down with ice already crusting over her jacket and hair.
Omega Red turned sharply, wrenching an iron door free from its hinges.
SWISH!
He then hurled it straight towards Storm.
"Look out!" Jubilee screamed.
ZARK!
A crimson optic blast slammed into the flying door, blasting it backward with explosive force.
"Cyclops!" Storm called out, relief clear in her voice.
A portal snapped shut behind them as Cyclops and Jean stepped into the corridor.
"Hmph," Omega Red snorted, batting the twisted metal aside. His arm snapped forward again, tendrils lashing toward Storm.
"No you don't!" Jean snapped.
With a sharp gesture, she caught the coils midair and flung them back with telekinetic force.
"You keep doing what you're doing, Storm," Cyclops said, stepping into position beside her. "We've got you covered."
"Thank you, my friends," Storm replied.
Her hair billowed wildly as she pushed her powers further, the corridor transforming into a roaring blizzard.
Logan dragged herself back to her feet, boots crunching over ice. Ignoring the numbing cold, she bared her claws and charged again.
Now Omega Red was being pressed from all sides—Logan's relentless assault, Cyclops' precise blasts, and Jean's steady telekinetic control constantly knocking his tendrils off course.
Frustration started twisting his brutal features.
With a furious roar, he abandoned defense entirely and lunged—straight for Storm.
"Stay back!" Jean shouted, thrusting both hands forward.
A telekinetic shockwave slammed into Omega Red, forcing him to stagger—but he kept pushing through it.
At the same time, Storm's eyes went pure white.
The temperature in the corridor plunged even further, breath crystallizing instantly in the air.
"Bring… Logan… back!" Storm commanded through clenched teeth, her hands forcing even fiercer Arctic winds forward.
"Let me do it!" Katrin said quickly.
BAMF!
She teleported in front of Logan, grabbed her, and reappeared behind Jubilee in a puff of smoke.
"Achoo!" Katrin sneezed loudly, shivering from the momentary, brutal cold she experienced.
Logan staggered, her face and hair coated in solid ice. She shook it off with a snarl, claws still out, eyes locked on the towering mutant ahead.
"You… cannot… get… rid… of… OMEGA… RED!" he growled, forcing himself one step forward—
—and then stopped.
Ice surged up his body in an instant, swallowing him whole. The hulking form vanished beneath a massive frozen shell, locking him in place like a grotesque statue.
"Is it over, ja?" Katrin asked cautiously.
"No—don't say that!" Jubilee snapped, quickly clapping a hand over Katrin's mouth. "That's totally planting a flag!"
Cyclops, Jean, and Logan stayed tense and silent as Storm maintained the blizzard, refusing to let up.
Only after a few moments, did D.A.I.S.Y.'s calm voice come through their comms.
"Target has entered cryogenic suspended animation."
Storm finally lowered her hands. The snowy storm died down, and she exhaled heavily.
Sweat lined her forehead—glistening in stark contrast to the frozen corridor—as her strength gave out. Jean stepped in immediately, supporting her by the arm.
"Looks like it's finally over," Jean muttered. "You were amazing, Storm."
Storm managed a tired—but genuine—smile.
"Yeah," Cyclops said, finally easing her stance. "We should be fine for now."
"Stop—stop saying stuff like that!" Jubilee blurted out, waving her hands in panic. "That's totally planting flags! Every time someone says that in games, something way worse happens!"
"Then let me just go and smash that bastard to pieces," Logan snarled, claws flexing as the memory of the pain still burned through her. "To make sure he stays down."
Before Cyclops could answer, before anyone could move—
They all froze.
A sudden, unmistakable presence cut straight through their minds.
It was Professor Charles Xavier's voice that echoed within them all.
He gave a single urgent command:
"To me, my X-Men!"