CHAPTER 52: SHACKLES AND SHADOWS
The sub-basement of the Mansion was silent except for the metallic clink of chains. Havok and Polaris were lashed down to steel tables, wrists and ankles cuffed, heavy links bolted to anchors in the floor. Syringe marks on their arms glowed faintly where Beast's prototype X-Gene suppressants had been injected. For now, their powers were muted.
Logan leaned against the wall, arms folded, cigar smoldering. His eyes never left them.
'Caged animals. But still dangerous. I can smell it on their skin. Rage. Fear. Something else riding their scent like a parasite.'
Cyclops paced in front of Alex's table, jaw tight, visor glowing faintly in the dim light.
"Wake him up."
Storm touched Alex's cheek gently, whispering his name. His eyelids twitched, then opened groggily. Confusion filled his face as he tugged against the restraints.
"Scotty…? What… what the hell is this? Where am I?"
"You're in the Mansion," Scott said, voice controlled but brittle. "You attacked us. You tried to destroy Xavier's plane. Tell me why."
Alex's eyes widened in horror. "No. No, that's not— I don't… I don't remember that. Scott, free me, I'm your brother!" He strained against the cuffs, desperation bleeding into every word. "I'd never hurt Charles. I'd never hurt you!"
Scott's fists clenched. "Don't lie to me, Alex."
"I'm NOT lying!" Alex shouted, panic flaring.
"Something's wrong—something in my head—I can't… it's like a fog—"
Logan pushed off the wall, stepping closer. He inhaled deep, letting the scents burn through him. Sweat. Terror. No deception.
"He ain't lying, Summers. But he ain't clean either. Something's crawled inside him. Puppeteer's hand up his spine."
Scott whipped around, visor gleaming. "So what do we do? He tried to KILL Xavier!"
Alex strained again, veins rising in his neck. "I didn't! I swear to God, Scott, I didn't—"Logan growled low, cutting him off. "Truth is truth. My nose don't lie. He believes what he's sayin'… but belief don't make it safe."
Scott leaned close, visor inches from his brother's wild eyes. "If you're telling the truth, Alex, then who put that fog in your head? Who's controlling you?"
Alex's face twisted, pain flashing across it. "I… I don't know! It's like shadows when I try to remember. Red. Just red."
Erik. The Red. The words went unsaid, but the team exchanged glances.Scott stood upright, fists trembling. His voice was sharp, military-hard to mask the tremor underneath. "Then until Xavier comes back, you're staying right here."
Alex's breathing quickened, eyes darting to the other table. Polaris still lay unconscious, her head tilted to the side, dark hair falling across her face. His voice broke. "Lorna… oh God. What did you do to her?!"
Scott tried to steady him. "She's restrained. Sedated. For her own good—"
Alex thrashed violently, chains rattling against bolts. "FOR HER OWN GOOD?! She's not your prisoner, Scott! She's not your—" His voice cracked. "You've turned us into lab rats!"
Logan's claws twitched, the sound of steel against steel itching to be free. Storm's hand brushed his arm, calming. The room pulsed with tension, Havok's panic echoing in the walls.
The interrogation wasn't over. But the chains were starting to tremble.