Erik Lehnsherr hovered high in the sky, the crumbling MRD facility visible in the distance. The sun's warm rays cast long shadows behind him as he surveyed the chaos below.
The once-imposing structure trembled under the weight of destruction, and billowing clouds of smoke spiraled upward, twisting and dancing like phantoms in the wind.
He shifted his gaze downward, where over two hundred young and middle-aged mutants stood in a collective throng. Their faces were illuminated by a mix of relief, quiet joy, and bewilderment as they stared wide-eyed at their newfound freedom.
To Erik, these individuals were not just survivors; they were potential recruits—future members of his Brotherhood. Each grateful expression he saw filled him with a sense of purpose, fueling his ambition to dismantle the world's entrenched power structures and build a future for his kind.
However, despite the large number of mutants, he failed to find one specific individual: his estranged daughter, Wanda.
To Erik, his children held little significance. They were merely the byproducts of a momentary lapse in judgment, a fleeting weakness he rarely acknowledged.
If not for their inheritance of the X-Gene, their existence would have slipped entirely from his mind. Nonetheless, as mutants, their lives could not be easily disregarded. Erik understood the implications; abandoning his own offspring would not only tarnish his reputation but also undermine the trust of his future followers.
As he remained vigilant, Erik observed his son, Pietro, animatedly engaging with the gathering of mutants below. They expressed their gratitude, offering heartfelt thanks for freeing them from the oppressive confines of the facility. For a brief moment, Pietro glanced up at Erik, only to quickly avert his gaze.
Pietro's abilities were undeniably impressive, granting him extraordinary speed that could easily turn the tide in any conflict. Yet, Erik couldn't shake the disappointment he felt regarding the boy's erratic behavior and lack of focus.
In hindsight, Erik regretted leaving Pietro in the care of a carefree guardian, whose absence of proper guidance and discipline had done little to cultivate the boy's behavior.
Wanda, his only daughter, had been placed in the care of her birth mother and her new husband in Sokovia from an early age. Erik had maintained a distant watch over her for the day her mutation finally arrived.
It wasn't until a few years ago, he had been informed by one of his spies in Sokovia that Wanda's X-Gene finally awakened.
This had been a relief to Eric. As the years passed, Wanda's continued dormant X-Gene had caused him to grow increasingly disappointed in her her. Much to Erik's chagrin, this lack of visible ability, compounded by her step-parents' loving support, led him to lose interest in her existence.
That all changed when her abilities finally activated.
The day it happened was when Wanda had recently traveled to Washington for some unknown reason. On the very day of her arrival in the United States, her powers erupted into the open. Erik watched from the security tapes one of his loyal government subordinates had sent him with a mixture of awe and pride as she unleashed a torrent of red energy, devastating a large section of a parking garage.
Unfortunately, the chaotic scene attracted the attention of the MRD agents, who swiftly descended upon her, forcibly taking her to their facility in Nevada.
The emergence of Wanda's abilities ignited a spark of curiosity within Erik—a burning desire to understand the full extent of her powers. This newfound interest solidified his resolve to mount an attack on the facility that held her captive.
If her capabilities were as formidable as he anticipated, Wanda could become a pivotal asset in his overarching plans, collaborating alongside Wyatt in a future that promised to reshape the world for all mutants.
Was my informant lying about Wanda being here? No, that fool wouldn't dare. Erik thought.
Gliding downward, Erik floated ominously over the gathered mutants, his piercing gaze locking onto his son. "Pietro... Are these all the captives?"
"Uh, yes, Fathe—I mean, Magneto." Pietro's voice trembled as he quickly counted everyone. "I double and triple-checked; there's no one left inside the building besides a handful of those damn agents."
Before Erik could respond, a school bus broke through the endless desert, drawing all eyes toward it. It came to a jolting halt a few feet away, and a man stepped out, his shoulder drenched in dry blood.
Robert scanned the crowd of liberated mutants, his heart racing as recognition flickered across their faces. Turning back to the bus, he nodded at the others, who hesitated before stepping into the chaos.
Jubilation and Samuel emerged, their expressions a mix of awe and fear as they took in the mass of their fellow captives. But when their gazes locked onto Erik, a cold shiver crawled down their spines; they could instinctively tell that the floating figure was a force to be reckoned with.
"...you are not a mutant," Erik intoned, his voice a low rumble as he fixed Robert with a fierce glare.
In a quick, instinctual move, Jubilation and Samuel positioned themselves protectively in front of Robert. "Leave him alone. He's not like everyone back there!" Jubilation shouted, the fervor in her voice betraying her fear.
"She's right! Don't touch him!" Samuel roared, his shaking fists clenched tightly as he exchanged worried glances with the others, who nodded in agreement.
"Who are you?" Robert asked, maintaining a facade of calm, though his pulse quickened. "Are you teamed up with the other guy back there? The one in white?"
"...for now," Erik replied, the danger in his voice thickening the air around them. He offered no semblance of warmth and stepped away from the group as though weighing his options.
Engaging Robert could risk the fragile trust that Atomic had placed in him. For now, he would leave the human be. His gaze shifted to Mystique, poised elegantly near the cave entrance, an aura of anticipation surrounding her. "It's time we finish this."
Without a word, Mystique transformed into a large hawk and took flight, her sudden metamorphosis startling the two young mutants beside her.
The gathered crowd below watched in anxious silence as Erik and Mystique soared off toward the facility. Uncertainty gnawed at the edges of their thoughts: what were Erik and Mystique planning for their former prison—and for those still within its walls?
••o••o••o••
"I don't understand. Why are you helping these people?" Wanda asked, her voice tinged with disbelief as she trailed behind Atomic. Her former drab jumpsuit had been replaced by soft, comfortable clothing and a pair of brand-new sneakers.
Atomic paused momentarily to glance back at her, concern flickering in his eyes before he returned his focus to the task at hand. He carefully maneuvered the unconscious MRD agents out of the crumbling facility, their bodies slumped limply over his large stretcher construct.
The cavernous holes torn through the walls—destructive byproducts of Fred's earlier rampage—provided easy access for him to transport the remaining personnel to safety. Thankfully, Fred had already vacated the premises and was making his way back to the rendezvous point.
"I know what these men did to you all was horrific," Atomic said, his voice steady yet filled with empathy. "But if I leave them here... the facility could collapse and crush them. I can't just let them here to die."
Wanda's lips curled into a frown, a mixture of anger and confusion swirling within her.
"That's… really stupid. After everything they did to me, to everyone, these guys deserve to be buried beneath this place." She said.
Atomic fell silent, his heart heavy with her bitterness. As he continued to gather more agents, he struggled with the impulse to impress upon her that all life has intrinsic value.
But the images of Wanda's trapped state stopped him—her days spent trapped in that dark, suffocating room and the anguish she must have endured at their hands. He understood that her fury was justified, and it weighed heavily on him. And so, he kept silent.
Wanda huffed in frustration, her gaze shifting to the inexplicably delicious sandwich Atomic had prepared for her earlier. She lifted it to her lips and took a hearty bite, savoring the delicious taste the weird out-of-nowhere food held.
"Did you do all of this yourself?" she asked, her voice muffled by the sandwich as she surveyed the devastation strewn around them.
"No, I had… help," Atomic replied, leading them both outside. "Their methods were… a lot more violent than I would have liked, but they got results."
Wanda paused, her senses awakening to the vibrant blue sky above, a stark contrast to the darkness they had just escaped. A smile broke through her frustration, momentarily brightening her expression
Now with every MRD agent and other personal that had failed to evacuate outside, Atomic couldn't shake the relieved sigh that escaped him; miraculously, it seemed that no one had perished in the chaos of the plan, aside from that close call he had with Lance.
That didn't mean there weren't any casualties.
Within the facility, Atomic had run across a few dead agents who had several bullet holes and one with a stab wound from a pair of scissors. After scanning their bodies, he came to the conclusion that their deaths were the result of in fighting due to their deaths having occurred before he or the Brotherhood commenced their assault of the facility. Their corpses were brought along as well.
"I've been meaning to ask," Wanda said, her curiosity piqued as she glanced at the floating urn hovering behind Atomic, encased in a gentle glow. "What's that?"
"That's an urn… it carries the remains of someone that didn't make it," he replied quietly, the weight of those words heavier than the object itself.
"Oh…" she murmured, her expression softening as she contemplated the solemnity of his task.
As the haunting memory of the teenager's lifeless body surged into his mind, a fierce wave of anger constricted around Atomic's chest. The fury was directed not at anyone else, but at himself. The weight of regret bore down on him, relentless and suffocating.
In that moment, he felt powerless; he could never go back and change what had happened to John Proudstar. Perhaps if he had arrived sooner, he could have made a difference—but there was no point in dwelling on what-ifs. He knew all too well that such thoughts led only to a spiral of despair.
"All I can do now is bring his remains back to his family," Atomic murmured, his voice thick with emotion as his gaze fell upon the unconscious agents sprawled before him.
A sudden vision flashed through his mind—ground beneath the agents bodies transforming into a river of molten lava, engulfing them in vengeful flames. A primal urge to punish these men surged within him, to make them feel the weight of their actions, to instill in them a sense of regret that would mirror his own.
Wanda, standing close by, noticed the shift in Atomic. She blinked, her focus intensifying as she observed the clenched fists trembling at his sides. His shoulders quaked under the burden of his emotions as if he were a coiled spring ready to unleash all the pent-up energy.
With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and reached out to connect with him, an ability she had learned under the harsh, enforced training she received within the facility.
Wanda was immediately overwhelmed by the torrent of anger radiating from his core. Yet, as quickly as it had come, that fury subsided, giving way to a profound sadness and a haunting sense of regret.
Okay, let's see who you really are. Wanda thought.
Once the haze of anger cleared, Wanda delved into the depths of his mind. Initially, she encountered a barrier that prevented her from fully exploring his thoughts, but it vanished moments later. Though briefly puzzled by this obstacle, she pressed on to peer into his consciousness.
Wanda managed to catch glimpses of his past—a collage of memories filled with warmth and kindness. She saw him performing countless selfless acts: helping strangers, comforting friends, and standing up for those who could not defend themselves.
It became evident to her that beneath the turmoil, Atomic, or Wyatt Wilkins, was a genuinely good soul at heart.
Leaving his mind, Wanda shook her head slightly, grounding herself in the reality around her. She watched Atomic take a deep, steadying breath.
"It seems that our grand mission is now complete."
Wanda gasped, her heart racing as she looked up to see a man flying through the air, his red and purple suit shimmering like a beacon against the sky. The moment he spotted her, his expression shifted—his eyes narrowing with intensity as she moved closer to Atomic.
"And a very successful mission at that," Eric declared, landing with a heavy thud, his hands clasped behind his back. Mystique descended gracefully behind him, shedding her bird transformation with an air of urgency. "Now do you see it, Atomic? By uniting our strengths, we can shatter any barrier that stands in our way!"
"That can wait," Atomic shot back, urgency lacing his voice. "We need to get everyone as far from here as possible before the government sends in their reinforcements. This place is going to become a battleground if we don't hurry." With a swift motion, he summoned a massive platform to carry the unconscious agents aloft.
But then, a deafening crash erupted as a steel beam hurtled through the air, shattering his construct into splinters.
"What are you doing?" Eric's voice was a low growl, thick with tension. "Are you seriously helping these people?! These monsters who captured and tortured our kind?!"
"Yes! They need medical attention!" Atomic's voice rose in protest. "Your Brotherhood may not have killed anyone, but they didn't hold back. There are men and women here with shattered bones and critical injuries—"
"Enough!" Eric roared, his face twisting with fury. "I've indulged your compassion for too long. Do you really think I'll stand by while you help those humans? The same creatures who tear my kin from their homes and drag them off to these camps? No! They deserve no mercy! They deserve to be obliterated!"
He extended his arms wide, and the very structure of the three-mile-wide facility groaned in response, with steel beams bending and walls buckling under the immense pressure of his power.
With a terrifying screech, jagged fragments tore free, twisting and warping into deadly javelins that glinted menacingly in the fading light. Eric's eyes blazed with fury as he unleashed his chaos. With a flick of his wrist, the lethal javelins erupted into the air, slicing through the sky like shooting stars.
The projectiles descended with terrifying speed toward the unsuspecting facility personnel below. Atomic and Wanda, being so close to the agents, found themselves in Eric's crosshairs, with the deadly missiles hurtling toward them and no time to escape.
Wanda gasped as Atomic dashed, his strong grip encircling her waist as he propelled them toward the throng of agents. Her heart raced, a thrilling mix of fear and disbelief coursing through her. The landscape below blurred as they approached the heart of the imminent danger, and just as she opened her mouth to scream, Atomic raised one hand toward the sky.
In an instant, the terrifying shards of flying steel javelins morphed into delicate leaves, transforming the scene from peril to beauty. Still cradled in Atomic's arms, Wanda watched in mesmerized wonder as the foliage swirled gracefully through the air, glistening in the sunlight before gently cascading down around her like a vibrant autumn shower.
Is this his power? Wanda mused, captivated by the ethereal display as she glanced up at Atomic. His sleek helmet caught the sunlight, shimmering like a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.
She remembered how he had previously wielded his abilities to conjure garments and sustenance with mere thought, leaving her astonished by his creativity. But this? This was something entirely different—a breathtaking transformation that turned a life-threatening assault into a moment of serene beauty.
It left her feeling insignificant in comparison; the vastness of her own abilities felt dwarfed by his extraordinary gift.
"Stop this, Magneto! We don't have to fight—" Atomic shouted as he gently set Wanda down. He stepped protectively in front of her, his heart racing at the possible fight with the Master of Magnetism.
Wyatt barely had time to react when he felt the ground tremble beneath him. With a swift motion, he raised a shimmering barrier just in time to block a deadly barrage of rebar and steel pipes that hurtled toward them.
"I'm done talking," Erik growled, his eyes narrowing with cold determination. "I see now that I have no use for someone like you in my future world." As he lifted his hand, a menacing growl of helicopter blades sliced through the air, drawing his attention. "Damn pests," he spat, irritation flashing across his face as he turned to confront the swarm of government attack helicopters soaring toward them.
Without hesitation, he flicked his wrist, and steel pillars erupted from the crumbling remains of the facility, spiraling into the sky like angry sentinels. A cruel grin spread across Erik's face as he fixed his gaze on Atomic.
"If you love these humans so much… you can mourn for them," Erik sneered.