Chapter 18
"Hasn't it blown open yet?"
Outside the base's main control room, Stryker watched in frustration as the door remained intact despite several attempts to blow it open.
To ensure the control room's security, he had even mixed a small amount of adamantium into the door, which now ironically complicated his own efforts.
He had recently seen through surveillance that his prized creation, Wolverine, appeared inside the spillway.
Despite his better judgment, he had let him into the base. It was only upon meeting that he realized it wasn't actually Wolverine but too late to prevent the mishap.
Mystique, disguised as Wolverine, had infiltrated the control room and locked the main door.
"Colonel, we might need ten times this amount to blow it open," explained the captain in charge of blasting the door.
"That's not an option; any more force might compromise the entire dam," Stryker frowned, concerned about the dam's integrity and the potential flooding of the base, which would doom them all.
"Abandon this area. Move to the brainwave enhancement room and start the mutant eradication plan."
"But Colonel, the brainwave enhancement machine was just installed; it hasn't been calibrated or tested. There might be problems—"
Stryker interrupted his subordinate with a raised hand, "There's no time. Since Mystique is here, Magneto can't be far behind."
Understanding Magneto's capabilities all too well, Stryker knew his troops wouldn't hold him off for long. As expected, shortly after he ordered his men to leave the control room, he received a transmission that the guards at the spillway had been wiped out.
"Spare no expense, stop them at all costs!"
He issued a desperate command to his remaining guards. The longer they could delay the intruders, the higher the chance of completing their plan.
Under Magneto's lead, Hawking and the others swept through the base with ease, reaching the control room quickly.
Hawking felt that if not for needing Jean to pinpoint the base's location and using the school's jet, perhaps just Magneto and Mystique could have stormed the entire facility.
Stryker's troops posed no threat to Magneto, whose ability to manipulate magnetic fields made him particularly deadly in a high-tech environment.
"Have you found Charles?" Magneto asked as he effortlessly removed the entire metal door of the control room to look at Mystique, who was busily operating the computer.
After a flurry of efficient movements, a 3D map of the base popped up with a specific room at the end of the base highlighted by Mystique.
"Most of the base's power is being routed to this room; it must be the brainwave enhancement room."
"Can you shut it down from here?" asked Storm.
Mystique shook her head, "It's on an isolated circuit; I can't shut it down from here."
Just then, Hawking noticed Wolverine quietly leaving the control room. Knowing that Wolverine had seen Stryker preparing to flee the base through the monitors and was likely going to intercept him to uncover his past, Hawking understood Wolverine's urgency.
Years ago, a bullet of adamantium had robbed Wolverine of over a century of memories.
"The most he wants is to retrieve all his memories."
"Colossus, follow Logan and capture Stryker. We might need him shortly," he said, turning to the sturdy mutant.
After a brief glance from Storm, who nodded in agreement, Colossus followed Wolverine out of the control room.
"Why send Colossus to assist Wolverine?" Because both Colossus and Wolverine were susceptible to Magneto's powers. It made more sense for them to capture Stryker, who could not be allowed to escape, as he would continue to pose a threat in the future.
And if Wolverine was left alone to face Lady Deathstrike, who also had adamantium and a healing factor, he might not win. In the films, Wolverine's victory over Lady Deathstrike was more about his experience than combat skill.
"Who knows if the outcome will be the same now? Maybe this time, Wolverine might end up being the one filled with adamantium."
"With Captain America becoming Captain Britain, some events are better off not taken for granted."
Having grown somewhat fond of Wolverine during their short time together, Hawking didn't want to see him die here. Losing a likeable ally would be a real loss.
As for why Storm agreed? Firstly, she trusted Hawking's intellect; secondly, knowing that Magneto might betray them, they might indeed need Stryker to access certain areas.
"The blueprint for the brainwave enhancement room was extracted from me by Stryker in prison. I know how to shut it down. Let me and Mystique go rescue Charles; you guys go after Stryker and deal with the guards," Magneto suddenly suggested.
Storm narrowed her eyes, "No need, it's better if we stick together."
"Very well," Magneto exchanged a knowing look with Mystique. They hadn't expected Storm to be so vigilant.
But now was not the time for confrontation, not until the mutant crisis was resolved.
"Load the Goku template!" Hawking silently activated his protagonist template.
With any move from Magneto possible at any moment, he needed to ensure his own strength and safety.
"You remind me of a mutant named Lingdie," Magneto commented, eyeing Hawking's transformation.
Lingdie was a powerful mutant capable of enhancing her physical abilities and conjuring weapons for combat. Magneto thought Hawking belonged to the same category of mutants.
"Is she strong? If so, I definitely need to spar with her sometime!"
Under the influence of the Goku template, Hawking's eyes sparkled with eagerness.
Magneto chuckled, "She is strong, though not part of my Brotherhood but a subordinate to the mutant trafficker, Caliban."
"I know you're also formidable. How about we spar sometime?"
Hawking's intense desire to battle was palpable.
"Want to spar with me? There will be a chance," Magneto said, momentarily taken aback before smiling meaningfully.
As they proceeded through the base, dispatching several groups of guards, they soon neared the brainwave control room.
"Be careful!"
Just then, two beams of red laser shot from the side, targeting their position—it was Cyclops, controlled by Stryker's serum.
(End of Chapter)