A/N: Please lend me some powerstones š***
"It seems force is required," the man said. He raised a hand and clenched it into a fist.
From the convoy of cars, armed men stepped out, pointing their guns at the teenagers.
"Don't kill. Light injuries will suffice," the man ordered. The men behind him pressed their triggers, only to realize their hands were empty.
Standing beside Mark, Pietro dropped the last gun onto a pile on the ground with a smirk. "Daring to point guns at a bunch of kidsādon't you have any shame?"
Before the man could digest the shocking sight, several of the unarmed soldiers turned toward their companions and began attacking them. Behind Mark, Jean pressed two fingers to her temple, her other arm stretched forward.
Mark stared at the man coldly. "Will you tell us what happened, or should we look for answers by force?"
The man's calm, expressionless facade cracked. His expression turned ugly as he took a step back. "If you harm me, the governmentā"
He never got to finish his sentence. Mark instantly appeared in front of him, grabbed his collar with one hand, and hoisted him off his feet. "I'll say it one last time: should I force the answers out of you?"
The man stared at the expressionless boy holding him. Gritting his teeth, he finally spoke. "Colonel Stryker."
"Colonel Stryker? Who's that?" Jubilee asked, confused.
"You don't know?" Scott asked.
"How would I know?" Jubilee shot back.
"He's a military officer who hates mutants," Scott explained seriously.
"Where did he take the mutants he captured from here?" Mark asked.
"T-That's classified," the man stammered.
"It seems you haven't fully registered your situation," Mark said coldly. "Behind me is a girl who can read minds, and I assure you, it isn't pleasant."
The man's expression twisted further. "The Alkali Lake facility."
Pietro turned to the others. "Do any of you know where that is?"
"Of course not. That's likely a secret government site," Wanda said with an eye roll.
"It doesn't matter," Mark said, dropping the man to his feet. "He's going to lead us there, right?"
The man gritted his teeth in rage. "You think I'm going to help you?"
"You don't have a choice," Mark said. Before the man could argue, he added, "Or I can just have my friend mind-control you into doing it."
The man looked down, his fists clenched tightly. "...Alright."
Mark turned to Jubilee and Wanda. "You two stay behind. If Xavier comes back, tell him our location."
Wanda frowned slightly and stepped forward. "I can help."
"I know. But Jubilee can't stay alone," Mark replied. "What if more soldiers arrive? If you stay, you can protect her."
Wanda bit her lip, subtly glancing toward Jean before looking back at Mark. She stepped in close and cupped his cheek, forcing him to look her straight in the eye. "Promise me you'll be safe."
Mark offered a small smile. "I promise."
"Hey, I'm going too!" Pietro piped up.
Wanda chuckled. "As long as Mark is safe, you'll be safe too."
"Damn it! I can't even argue with that," Pietro muttered.
"..."
Jean stared silently at Wanda and Mark for a moment before looking away.
"Let's go," Mark said.
The military officer reluctantly turned and walked toward the military helicopter parked behind the convoy. As the loading ramp lowered, a squad of armed soldiers inside stood at the ready. The officer raised his hand, signaling them to hold. The soldiers stared at him for a tense moment before slowly lowering their weapons.
The officer led the teenagers inside. The moment they stepped through the hatch, Mark felt a sudden shiftājust in time to see the officer turn around with a triumphant smirk.
"You're trapped," the man said, spreading his arms wide. "Within this helicopter, all mutant abilities are suppressed!"
Mark and the others frowned. Kurt tried to teleport, and Scott reached for his visor, but nothing happened.
"Don't bother tryingāit's useless," the man sneered. "Did you really think you were the predators here? You're far too green. You were never the predators; you were theā"
Mark vanished, reappearing directly in front of the officer and grabbing him by the throat with icy eyes.
"I-Impossible! You can't use your powers inside this craft!" the man gasped.
"You could have silently led the way, and I might have let you live," Mark said smoothly. "Unfortunately, you decided to play games."
Mark's eyes glowed as ki surged through his veins, forcing its way into the officer's body. Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, the man's body swelled, glowing lines branching across his skin.
With a muffled boom, he burst apart. A thin barrier of ki flared around Mark, blocking the blood and debris from touching him.
Turning his cold gaze toward the remaining soldiers, Mark asked, "Do any of you want to be next?"
***
I'm pushing the years forward in X-men.