...
"A pack of useless failures!"
Inside the apartment that had belonged to Gabriela's boyfriend, Donald Pierce—the Commander of the Reavers—slammed his cybernetic hand onto the table, crushing a communication device into a spray of plastic and wire.
"Commander, we've finished the preliminary investigation."
A mercenary hurried into the room clutching a laptop. He set it down on the scarred wooden table and pressed the play button on a recorded file. As the grainy security footage flickered to life, showing a small boy with a tail leaping effortlessly onto a five-story balcony, Pierce's brow quirked upward in genuine intrigue.
"So, it's this brat who's been sabotaging my operations. Interesting... I didn't think there were any wild mutant children left in the world. I'm sure Dr. Rice will be very interested in this specimen."
Dr. Zander Rice was the head of the Transigen project and the CEO of Rice Genetic Group—Pierce's employer. The near-extinction of the mutant race had been his masterpiece. Rice had engineered a specific virus designed to suppress the mutant X-gene, meticulously weaving it into the global supply of genetically modified food.
For the average human, these GMOs were harmless. However, they effectively sterilized the X-gene across the population. For over twenty-five years, not a single new mutant had been born naturally.
Even the survivors from the old era found their powers fluctuating, decaying, or turning toxic due to the constant consumption of these tainted products.
This was exactly how the Reavers had been able to hunt down the world's remaining mutants with such ease. Even the "Westchester Incident"—where Professor X lost control and killed nearly all the X-Men, along with over six hundred civilians—was attributed to the long-term mental degradation caused by these modified foods.
Logan, the once-invincible Wolverine, was now a shell of his former self—his healing factor failing and his body aging rapidly—all because of the slow poison in the world's diet.
The Institute had always known where Logan and Charles Xavier were hiding, and had it not been for Dr. Rice's specific orders to observe them, Pierce would have put a bullet in them years ago.
The lab-grown children were different; they were injected with an antibody Rice had developed to ensure they remained unaffected by the food supply. Therefore, the appearance of a twelve-year-old "wild" mutant like Son Goku was an anomaly that defied every law of Rice's design.
Did his parents not eat the food? Had the boy never consumed a single processed product in his life? It seemed impossible.
"Let's go. I want to see the scene at the border for myself," Pierce barked.
With a casual pull of his trigger, he ended the life of Gabriela's half-dead boyfriend before leading his team out. While en route to the border, he dialed Dr. Rice's private line.
"Doctor, during the pursuit of Gabriela and X-23, we encountered a wild mutant child..."
"Bring him to me," Dr. Rice's voice crackled over the line, sounding strained. "I need to know why he isn't affected. If necessary, you have my authorization to deploy the X-24!"
Back at the Institute, Rice hung up the phone, his face pale with frustration. 'How could a new mutant be born? Is the X-gene developing a natural resistance? No... that shouldn't be possible.'
At this moment, the escaped test subjects were secondary. If the X-gene had truly adapted to his suppression virus, it meant a new generation of mutants would inevitably rise, threatening his vision of a world policed by his clone army.
...
Meanwhile, after crossing into El Paso County, Gabriela didn't rush blindly into the city center. Instead, she found a secluded, run-down motel on the outskirts.
Her logic was sound: without knowing Logan's exact location, driving around El Paso was an invitation for the Reavers to spot them. However, since Logan was working as a limo driver, she could use a ride-hailing app to track him. If she placed a specific request, the Wolverine would come to her.
"Son, put this jacket on," Gabriela said as they stepped out of the car. She draped her oversized coat over Goku's shoulders, making sure the hem covered the tail twitching behind him.
While most people might just assume it was a toy or a costume accessory, she couldn't take any chances.
"One room, please," she told the clerk.
"Thirty dollars," the obese motel owner grunted, casting a look of blatant disdain at Gabriela. Local prejudice against outsiders was thick in this part of Texas.
Gabriela ignored the slight, paid the fee, and quickly ushered Laura and Goku into the room.
"You two stay here and watch TV. I need to contact a friend to come and help us." She pulled out her phone and began scrolling through the ride-sharing interface.
Goku tilted his head, watching her with interest. "Auntie Gabriela, why don't you just take me to that Institute place? I can go in and take care of them for you, then you won't have to worry about being chased anymore."
He wanted to handle this the way he had handled the Red Ribbon Army—by striking at the heart of the enemy's base. It was the most efficient way to solve the problem, and it meant he could spar with that "master" sooner.
Gabriela paused, reaching out to pat Goku's messy hair. "I know you're very strong, Son. But the Institute isn't that simple. That X-24 I told you about... he has a body that can't die. You aren't a match for him yet. The friend I'm calling is a legend. Once he's here, we won't have to be afraid."
She figured Goku was just experiencing the bravado of a young boy who had won a few fights. To him, defeating twenty men made him invincible. But she knew the horror of the X-24—a mindless, indestructible killing machine. Destroying the Institute wasn't even a dream for her; simply reaching the safety of Canada was the best ending she could hope for.
"Is your friend really that strong?" Goku's eyes sparkled.
A flicker of genuine admiration crossed Gabriela's face. "Yes. His name is Logan. They call him the Wolverine. He was once one of the most powerful mutants to ever live."
From the files she had stolen, she knew that Logan was more than just a test subject; he was a warrior with a fierce sense of justice who had saved the world alongside the X-Men countless times.
"Is he stronger than that X-24 guy?" Goku asked, his anticipation reaching a fever pitch.
Gabriela hesitated. "In the past... definitely. But now? I'm not sure."
The X-24 was a clone of Logan in his prime. The Logan she had seen the day before was a man whose hair had turned white with stress and age. Still, she believed that even an aging Wolverine, bolstered by Goku and Laura, would be enough to tip the scales.
At that moment, Laura pulled a tattered comic book titled The Uncanny X-Men from her backpack and handed it to Goku.
Goku took the book and flipped through the pages with blistering speed. By the time he reached the end, he was literally bouncing on the bed in excitement.
"There are so many masters! I want to fight them all!"
...