Dismantling the turrets and other aerial and outdoor defenses that the Nevada MRD-run facility had strategically placed along its heavily reinforced outer walls was no challenge for Atomic.
His incredible speed and the ability to use his powers almost instantly enabled him to swiftly circle the expansive facility. He easily dismantled the formidable walls that kept people in and out. With just a thought, he shattered the very matter that made up the walls and defenses, rendering them useless against the impending assault.
As the Brotherhood of Mutants advanced, they wasted no time executing their part of the plan.
Atomic flew toward the center of the facility and placed a hand on the roof, concentrating on scanning the entire three-mile expanse. This was a remarkable improvement from months ago, as he had once struggled to scan the X-Men's Blackbird with such efficiency.
After five minutes of intense concentration, the blueprint of the facility materialized in his mind, detailing every room and corridor. It felt as though he had connected directly to the structure itself. With determination coursing through him, he focused with a level of intensity he had never encountered before.
As waves of energy pulsed through the walls, roofs, floors, and pipes, he felt the delicate systems of the facility meld beneath his influence. Each pulse sent vibrations through the very essence of the structure, directing him toward the areas where the MRD stored their most dangerous weapons. At the same time, he came across a stockpile of explosives that appeared to be intended to implode the facility. Without hesitation, Atomic transmuted every explosive and anything resembling a weapon into harmless fragments, but also meticulously disengaged doors, neutralizing any access points not intricately connected to the facility's central systems.
With a gasp, he collapsed to the ground, out of breath and drenched in sweat. "That was… tough," Atomic gasped, slowly rising to his feet. "But now, I don't have to worry about anyone grabbing any more weapons."
Once he caught his breath, he couldn't shake his curiosity about the lone life signature detected at the lowest level of the facility, which appeared to be part of a secret area. In one of the rooms within this deep underground level, there was a single trapped person. Atomic would have released them from their bindings, but unfortunately, they were beyond his reach due to the depth of their confinement. He felt fortunate to have found them at all. He realized he would need to venture into the facility himself to rescue them.
"Why do they have someone all the way down there by themselves?" he muttered.
Flying off the rooftop, he glanced down just in time to see Lance and Todd standing a few yards away from a group of evacuating personnel.
••o••o••o••
"Come on! Hurry!" Jubilation shouted, desperation lacing her voice as she urged the group of mutants hustling behind her. The echo of gunfire punctuated the air, and they flinched, seeking refuge against the cold concrete wall to their left.
"Get down!" Doctor Robert roared, fists clenched around his weapon as he returned fire, the sharp crack of gunfire mingling with the chaos around them. Two MRD agents loomed at the end of the hall, angry frowns spread across their faces.
"Damn traitor," one of them snarled, unleashing a relentless stream of bullets that tore through the air like a swarm of angry bees.
"Hug the wall!" Robert barked, his heart racing as he glanced at the terrified children huddling behind him. Just then, a bullet sliced through the flesh of his left shoulder, causing a guttural cry of pain to escape his lips.
"No!" Jubilation screamed, her heart pounding furiously as she scanned the darkened hallway. With a fierce determination, she aimed her hands and unleashed a brilliant display of pyrotechnics. A storm of colorful energy surged forth, striking the agents and momentarily throwing them off balance.
Thinking quickly, she unleashed another blast, this time targeting the ceiling ahead. The deafening cracks reverberated through the air as the structure crumbled, a cascade of debris showering down and barricading the corridor.
"Doc!" Jubilation rushed to Robert's side, horror coursing through her as blood painted his arm crimson. "Oh my god… you're hurt!"
"I'm okay," Robert gasped, forcing a weak smile as he surveyed the frightened group. "Is anyone hurt?"
The mutants exchanged anxious glances, shaking their heads. Jubilation sighed in relief, briefly assessing her own unscathed form. "No, we're fine. But you—"
"Don't worry about me. We need to get you kids out of here," Robert insisted, the weight of urgency in his voice as he began to lead them through the maze of hallways, each step leaving a trail of crimson behind.
But before they could escape, the wall before them erupted in a violent explosion. Instinctively, Robert shielded the teens behind him, raising a stolen pistol, his jaw clenched in determination. Jubilation, trembling but resolute, stood ready at his side, her powers crackling with energy.
As the dust settled, Fred blinked, his expression shifting from confusion to clarity.
"Uh, you guys mutants?" he asked, his casual demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos.
"…yeah," one of the members of the group replied, still shaking from adrenaline.
"Cool. Follow the holes I made, that's the way out." Fred gestured backward, then barreled forward, smashing through walls like a juggernaut unleashed.
"He's definitely one of the reasons everything is going to hell," Robert muttered, shaking his head. "Okay, kids, you heard him. Let's move!"
Without another thought, they followed the path of destruction. MRD agents lay knocked out, remnants of Fred's rampage scattered about the ruins of the facility. Minutes felt like seconds as they burst outside into the glaring sunlight, the sky a sharp contrast to the darkness they had just escaped.
"How long has it been since I've seen the sun?" one of the young mutants breathed, awestruck.
"I can't even remember," another muttered, eyes closed as the wind ruffled their hair, a moment of bliss before reality crashed down on them.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath them as a large section of the facility behind began to quake violently. "We need to move—now!" Jubilation called, her voice slicing through the air as they took off in a panic. "Come on, Doctor!"
Robert struggled to keep pace, his body weak from blood loss, lightheadedness clouding his thoughts. And then, his foot snagged on a loose stone, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Jubilation's heart dropped as she skidded to a halt, others following suit. Could they leave him behind?
"Come on, Doc!" They shouted, desperation overtaking their fear.
"Get up! Let's go!"
Without hesitation, Jubilation and Samuel Guthrie hoisted Robert to his feet. But no matter how fast they ran, the crumbling behemoth was hot on their heels. Panic surged as Robert, his breath shallow and strained, pushed the kids down, instinctively covering them with his body.
Jubilation's heart raced as she braced for the worst, their breaths suspended in terror. Could this really be it? Time slowed, and all they could do was close their eyes and wish for a miracle.
The sounds of crashing concrete echoed in their ears, a storm of chaos descending around them, and they awaited the inevitable with a mix of fear and despair.
But after a few seconds of waiting, nothing happened.
"What the hell?" Samuel gasped, his voice barely audible above the chaos, as he and the others looked up in awe at Atomic soaring over them, arms outstretched. Above him, the massive structure trembled and shook, held back by an immense construct of red energy that shimmered in the air.
"G-Go!" Atomic grunted, his face set with fierce determination as the red wall began to splinter under the immense pressure. "NOW!"
Jubilation snapped out of her daze first, adrenaline surging through her veins like wildfire. "Move! Move!" she shouted, rallying the group as they sprinted away from impending disaster.
Glancing back, she witnessed an extraordinary sight—a wave of crimson light engulfing the building, its form twisting and turning like a living thing. With a startling suddenness, the structure transformed into a gigantic heap of marshmallows, plummeting to the ground with fluffy, harmless poof.
"Did that building just... become a mountain of marshmallows?!" Jubilation exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"No way! I saw it too!" someone shouted, pointing at the sugary mess.
Emerging from the confectionary chaos, Atomic landed gracefully in front of them, shaking his head. "Are you all okay?" His voice was steady, despite the immense effort he'd just exerted.
"Uh… yeah?" Jubilation replied, still reeling from the bizarre spectacle.
Atomic's gaze shifted rapidly, landing on Robert, who was wincing from a deep gunshot wound. Without a moment's hesitation, Atomic rushed over, his hands glowing with a soft light as he worked to stabilize Robert until they could reach medical assistance.
"There's a safe zone two miles southwest of here," Atomic instructed, his tone urgent. With a swift motion, he stomped on the ground and summoned a gleaming yellow bus that burst into existence with a flash of dazzling light. "Get on this! Hurry!"
The sight of the bus—a miraculous creation—left the group stunned, their confusion mingling with awe. But Robert, fueled by the urgency of the moment, quickly ushered everyone inside.
Just before they pulled away, Robert looked back, "Thank you."
Atomic nodded, his eyes scanning the chaotic scene unfolding before him as he rose into the air, vigilant and ready. Below, he noticed several MRD agents unconscious and subdued, either knocked out or buried beneath debris. To his right, several armored trucks sped away, kicking up clouds of dust as they escaped with personnel from the facility.
With a steely resolve etched across his face, Atomic soared higher into the sky, driven by a strong sense of purpose. "It shouldn't take long for Pietro to finish," he muttered under his breath, casting a glance downward. There, amidst the shadows of the facility, he spotted the speedster's blurry form darting in and out, a streak of motion maneuvering through the chaos.
"I doubt he's going to find the lowest level. I need to hurry and free whoever's trapped in there." Atomic said.
In a single, fluid motion, Atomic dove into the facility, gliding through its dimly lit corridors. As he descended, he methodically double-checked each floor, scanning for signs of life. By the time he reached the last floor before the secret level, he noticed with a mix of admiration and exasperation that Pietro had already extracted everyone from the facility's clutches.
"Speedsters are so broken," Atomic said, shaking his head with a hint of disbelief. In a flash of blinding light, he opened the floor beneath him, revealing a dark abyss that led down to the secret level.
As he floated downwards, a protective shield formed instinctively around him, shimmering like a second skin. Suddenly, turrets sprang to life around him, emerging from hidden compartments in the walls and floor. They unleashed a furious barrage of gunfire, the bullets cracking against his barrier like raindrops on glass.
With a calm gaze, Atomic extended his hands, unleashing a wave of incandescent light. The turrets shuddered and transformed, their metallic forms transforming into bursts of smoke.
Now more vigilant, Atomic cautiously navigated through the eerie dimness of the level, each step resonating with the weight of urgency.
The air was thick with the scent of cold metal and lingering copper as he approached the room where the lone captive waited. However, as he neared the doorway, he halted at the sight of a cracked door to his left that seemed to beckon him closer. Curiosity piqued, he stepped inside, gasping at the shocking scene laid before him.
The room was something made of nightmares.
Pictures of dead young mutants with their bodies sliced apart covered a workstation as several medical tables sat along the wall. Dozens upon dozens of crumpled research notes lay strewn across the cold, hard floor, each sheet bearing the frantic scrawls of a mind in turmoil. It was as if the papers had been hastily gathered in a moment of desperation, only to be abandoned in a chaotic flurry of thoughts.
To Atomic, the room felt like a twisted den of torture, thick with the palpable scent of anxiety and despair. The flickering fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows on the walls, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Every corner seemed to echo with the weight of failed experiments and unfulfilled ambitions.
He wanted to leave, but before he could muster himself to do so, he turned and saw a lone corpse lying on the ground. Alone and forgotten. Waking over to it, Atomic looked down at the mutilated body of a young sixteen-year-old boy. His body had been picked apart.
Quickly removing his helmet, Wyatt turned away, nausea clawing at his throat, and he couldn't help but throw up.
"Christ," he muttered through gritted teeth. His eyes landed on a document lying nearby. An image of the dead boy stared back at him, a reminder of a life that had been extinguished far too soon. His name was printed at the top in bold letters.
John Proudstar.
With a heavy heart, Wyatt kneeled beside John's lifeless form. He placed a hand on the cold, still chest of the dead teen.
"I'm sorry this happened to you," Wyatt whispered, his voice small. He felt an overwhelming weight of grief and guilt wash over him as he summoned his powers.
John's body, no longer a vessel of life and now vulnerable to Wyatt's powers, began to shift and break down in sorrowful resignation. In mere moments, his body transformed into an urn, a steel shell containing John's cremated remains.
Wyatt's heart ached at the reality of what he had done. With a heavy sigh and a deep sense of loss, he stood up, steeliness returning to his spine as he donned his helmet once more after cleansing his mouth with his powers. He gently placed the urn within a glowing sphere, where it would float behind him.
As he exited the dimly lit room, Atomic took a moment to scan every shadowy corner with his exceptional powers. With painstaking precision, he copied and memorized the grim details contained within the chamber of death, ensuring he gathered vital evidence. Amidst the scattered documents and sinister research papers, one name emerged repeatedly, striking a chord deep within him.
Bolivar Trask.
A surge of fury ignited within him, momentarily halting his advance. He turned sharply, extending his hand toward the heart of the room, which now felt suffocatingly oppressive.
With a decisive snap of his fingers, a thunderous explosion of fire erupted, consuming everything in its path.
The inferno churned with a vivid orange and crimson hue, reducing the macabre contents of the room to mere ashes that fluttered like dark confetti in the aftermath.
This devastating technique was inspired by Roy Mustang, a formidable Alchemist from a beloved show he had watched in another life.
It required a deft mastery of oxygen manipulation, employing his control to create precise vacuums and replace the space with nitric oxide. All it took was a single spark to unleash an overwhelming blast of flame.
This ability, while incredibly potent, also bore a lethal edge. Though Atomic refrained from wielding it against living beings, the destruction of such a malevolent sanctum left him with no moral hesitations. He felt a grim satisfaction as he decimated the room, ensuring its dark legacy would be eradicated.
Leaving the charred ruins behind him, Atomic navigated the cold, metallic corridors until he faced two imposing reinforced steel doors. With a mere wave of his hand, the formidable barriers succumbed to his power, melting away into shimmering pools of liquid, as though they were nothing more than ice on a blazing summer day.
"Huh? Why are you bozos here today? Why is everything shaking?" A feminine voice, laced with a thick accent, asked from the shadows of the expansive, cold room.
Atomic summoned several orbs of light that burst forth, flooding the room with a soft golden glow that danced across the stark, gray walls.
There, perched on a steel chair that looked as unyielding as the room itself, sat a girl with cascading waves of orange-red hair. A thick blindfold concealed her striking features, while a white straitjacket bound her limbs tightly, the material stark against her pale skin. Chains clinked ominously, tethered to the walls and ceiling, ensuring she remained trapped in her desolation.
"I'm not one of them. I'm here to help you," Atomic said, a little thrown off by the girl's reaction.
With a flick of his wrist, the restraints vanished, leaving only the echoes of her confinement. Kneeling before the now liberated girl, he moved deliberately, careful not to startle her. Slowly, he peeled away the blindfold, allowing her to acclimate to the warm light surrounding them.
As she blinked, adjusting to the brightness, her dull green eyes roamed the room, suspicion and confusion flickering across her features. They finally settled on Atomic, and in that moment, recognition sparked within him.
Wait a minute… Elizabeth Olsen? No, it's Wanda! Atomic's mind raced as he processed the reality before him—a sixteen-year-old Wanda Maximoff.
"Who are you?" Wanda asked, her voice thick with curiosity at seeing someone dressed so colorfully. "A… Power Ranger?"
"No… I'm not a Power Ranger. I'm here to free you," Atomic said, a bit exasperated. He then extended his hand toward her. "What do you say?"
Wanda furrowed her brow, her gaze drifting through the stark white expanse that had imprisoned her for the last year, a tumult of emotions churning within her.
"I say let's go," she replied, taking his gloved hand with a tentative yet determined grip. "I'm Wanda, by the way. Wanda Maximoff."
"I'm Atomic," he said. "Now let's get you out of here."