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*****
The battle was over.
Logan, recalling the bullet that had blown apart the clone, turned to Laura and asked,
"Where did you get that bullet?"
Laura pointed to Logan's pocket.
"It fell out of your pocket."
Logan stared at her for two seconds, then muttered,
"Good job."
That bullet had originally been meant for him.
A smile flickered across Laura's face.
At that moment, Mike dragged Dr. Rice over.
The instant Laura laid eyes on him, her claws sprang out and she lunged forward in fury.
Just as her claws were about to pierce Dr. Rice's skull, Mike caught her hand.
Laura looked at him in confusion.
"Don't kill him yet," Mike whispered. "He's still useful."
Reluctantly, Laura withdrew her claws and stood to the side, though her eyes remained fixed on Dr. Rice with unmasked hatred.
These children had been raised from birth as living weapons. When Alkali's genetic research institute realized they could no longer control them, they launched another weapons program and began "cleaning up" these so-called failures.
If not for the help of the nurses who had raised them, the children would likely have all died there.
To them, Dr. Rice was the embodiment of everything they hated.
Gwen staggered and released her transformation.
Even through the fear clouding him, Dr. Rice's eyes lit up at the sight.
Mike patted Gwen's head and said softly,
"I'll be gone for a while."
Gwen nodded.
Her father had already told her the next steps. She knew what Mike was going to do.
"Stay with Logan and the others. If anything happens, contact me."
He turned to Logan.
"I'll leave Gwen in your care. I'm going to prepare a gift for you all."
"Gift?"
The word made Logan's eyes brighten with anticipation.
"Alright. Go on then."
Logan agreed without hesitation.
In the next moment, Mike lifted Dr. Rice into the air and vanished.
After flying a distance, Mike landed in a quiet spot with Dr. Rice in tow.
The doctor stood there stiff and lifeless, like a colorless statue.
"How long does it take you to create a clone?" Mike asked.
Dr. Rice suddenly stirred, surprised by the question. Then he answered honestly,
"Normally, three to six months."
"That long?" Mike frowned.
"If the time is shortened," Dr. Rice explained, "the clone's growth cannot be stabilized. Even if we complete it, it will collapse."
Mike stroked his chin and nodded slowly.
"I see."
Watching Mike's expression, Dr. Rice's heart skipped. He already guessed what Mike intended. This might be his only chance to survive.
Sure enough, Mike's next words confirmed his suspicion.
"I need you to make me a clone."
Relief swept through Dr. Rice. As long as Mike needed him, there was room to negotiate.
"On my own, I can't make that decision," he said nervously. "Every clone must go through a formal request and receive approval from headquarters. Only then can it be created."
He hesitated, then gritted his teeth and added,
"But… if you promise to spare me, I might be able to try."
Mike stared at him in silence.
When sweat began to bead on Dr. Rice's forehead, Mike finally smiled.
"I thought you'd be smarter than that."
As Dr. Rice blinked in confusion, a card appeared in Mike's hand.
The card dissolved in a flash.
A bald man in a wheelchair appeared briefly as a phantom before vanishing into motes of light that sank into Mike's body.
Dr. Rice blinked in puzzlement—then suddenly lost control of his body. A detached voice echoed inside his head.
"Your mind tells me some of what you just said was a lie, wasn't it?"
Sheer terror gripped him.
A lifetime spent researching mutants told him exactly what kind of ability this was.
"See? Now you understand."
Mike's voice was calm as the storm of psychic power tore through the doctor's mind. When Mike finally released it, Dr. Rice bowed his head respectfully.
Dispelling the power, Mike said coldly,
"Now we can have a proper conversation."
At this point, Dr. Rice dared not hide anything. He revealed much about Alkali's genetic research program.
The Alkali Institute was far stronger than it appeared.
The facility in Mexico was only one of its many branches. More bases existed worldwide.
Although many countries officially banned genetic experimentation—publicly condemning it as criminal—in reality, those same governments coveted mutant power. They wanted weapons of their own. Some secretly conducted research themselves, while others covertly supported groups like Alkali.
Thus, Alkali's experiments had continued unchecked.
Beyond Y19 and X24, the two clones Dr. Rice had brought today, the institute had created many other weapons.
The strongest of them all belonged to the Z-Series.
X, Y, and Z were Alkali's three classes of weapons.
X-Weapons included children like Laura, raised from infancy as soldiers but ultimately failed brainwashing subjects, as well as Wolverine clones limited to a single ability.
Y-Weapons were more advanced—beings like Y19, who possessed at least two fused abilities.
Z-Weapons were top-secret. Only headquarters had access to them, not even Dr. Rice himself.
Hearing this, Mike arched an eyebrow. The so-called Z-Weapons piqued his curiosity.
But for now, his priority was different: creating the clone he needed—Charles's clone.
Of course, he did not plan to produce another Professor X. Rather, he wanted to craft a body perfectly suited for Charles's mind and soul.
What could be more fitting than a clone identical to Charles himself?
Once his consciousness and soul were transferred into that body, Charles's dementia and his age would no longer be issues.
This was not an impossible dream. There was precedent.
When the Dark Phoenix had gone berserk years ago and disintegrated Charles's body, his mind had transferred into his comatose twin brother, allowing him to live again.
If it had been done once, it could be done again.
Mike's goal was to give Charles a new body.
With Professor X reborn, the mutant children would gain a guide and protector.
And with both Charles and Logan, even rebuilding the X-Men would be possible.
That was Mike's plan.
After a moment of thought, Mike drew a portal card and opened a gateway. Stepping through with Dr. Rice, he returned to Alkali's facility in Mexico.
(End of Chapter)