After the gear-like sound echoed, the rebel group stared in confusion as motes of light slowly coalesced into the shape of a human.
Swoosh!
With a fierce gust, the human figure finally took shape and landed lightly on the ground. The light motes scattered around him, and behind his head, an illusory wheel with seven straight spokes rotated.
The rebels simply looked on in shock and disbelief.
"M... Mark...?" Peter called out softly, unable to believe his eyes.
Mark, with one hand on his temple as he reeled from the pain, waved his other hand. "It's me."
When the pain finally subsided, Mark looked around. Aside from Wanda and Boris, everyone was safe.
"Wait..." Mark's eyes widened as he rushed toward Peter. In a flash, he appeared directly before the man. "Where's Wanda?!"
"...She's gone..." Peter said after a moment of visible struggle.
"What do you mean she's gone?!"
"After you were hit by that beam, she rampaged—she killed Boris and headed deeper into the facility," Peter replied, still in a state of incredulity.
Mark stepped back, turned, and bolted deeper into the facility. The rebel mutants remained in place, all sharing the same surreal feeling.
"What the hell is happening...?" one mutant managed to say.
Deeper inside the building, bodies littered the floor and the walls were stained with blood. Mark ignored the nauseating scene and kept walking. With his eyes closed, his ki sense—which he hadn't fully developed—spread like an invisible dome. He instantly locked onto a sharp spike of energy coming from afar. Opening his eyes, he ran toward it without hesitation.
After taking five turns, he finally came to a stop in front of a room whose door was missing. Mark stepped inside and saw Wanda crouching down with her hands covering her face. Around her were dead bodies; most eye-catching among them was a man in a black military suit who lay slumped against a wall.
Mark approached her. "Hey, Wanda. Are you okay?"
Wanda stiffened and raised her head, revealing eyes that were entirely dominated by a glowing red. The color rapidly receded as her eyes widened in shock.
"Mark...?"
"It's me," Mark said, spreading his arms wide. "Won't you give me a hug?"
Swoosh!
With red energy coiling around her, Wanda shot forward into his arms—not caring about his nakedness—as tears rolled down her eyes.
"Th-this is real, right?"
"Of course it is," Mark replied, running his fingers through her hair. Fortunately, his physique had been strengthened, or else he would have been sent flying by her hug.
"I... I thought you died... that you left me forever..." Wanda whispered, hugging him tighter.
"I told you, didn't I? I can't be killed," Mark said.
The two stayed in that position for several minutes before Mark tapped Wanda's shoulder twice.
"Come on, let's go. Let's leave this hell."
After changing into the black soldier suit—which, unsurprisingly, didn't fit him well—Mark held Wanda's hand and guided her through the facility. As they walked past the hallways littered with the corpses of soldiers, scientists, and mutants, Wanda's grip on his hand tightened. Reading her thoughts, Mark gave her a reassuring smile.
"They tried to hurt you, and you retaliated. Don't burden yourself with guilt," Mark said. "Instead, turn that guilt into rage and try to exterminate the organization that caused this one day."
Mark looked back at her, and Wanda raised her head to meet his gaze.
"Hydra. That's their name."
When they passed the room where Wanda had killed Boris, the rebel army was no longer there.
The moment they stepped out of the building, Mark's enhanced hearing picked up the sound of cars rapidly approaching.
"Let me lead," Mark said, tugging her in a different direction. Wanda silently complied.
By the time the Hydra soldiers arrived, all they found was an empty building.
Mark and Wanda continued their journey toward the rebel camp—the camp where Pietro was waiting.
The moment they stepped through the entrance, several weapons were raised instantly before the mutants recognized the duo.
"Mark? Wanda?!"
Mark gave a brief nod.
"Where's Sir Viktor and the others?!" a rebel militant asked.
"They... should be at the rebel army gathering. They'll be back soon, don't worry," Mark said. He noticed the strange gaze the man gave him, raising an eyebrow, but didn't dwell on it. His priorities now were finding Pietro and getting out of the country.
Just as Mark and Wanda approached Pietro's room, the door opened and Pietro walked out. He wasn't alone; standing behind him were two men—one bald, the other wearing a hat—along with a girl with auburn hair.
The bald man smiled warmly. "You must be Wanda. My name is Charles Xavier. I run a school for people with special powers... people like you."
***
Author's Note: Sorry for the late update; I was working out the upcoming plot points! Moving forward, I'll strive to update at least 3–4 times a week as long as the support and Power Stones keep coming in. Thanks for reading!