Chapter 23: A Perfect Solution To A Pesky Little Problem
[Lucas Blake POV:]
[Magneto's Hidden Sanctuary: Alaska:]
During Mystique and Wanda's rescue mission, someone was seemingly stealthily walking along the shadows of the hidden sanctuary of Magneto's, hidden in the forests of the Alaskan frontier. This figure, moving with the grace and covert skill of a trained ninja, avoiding any eye that would've normally locked onto him like a professional.
Dressed in all-black linen, from head-to-toe, with a black katana sheathed to his back and the tanto dagger at his hip, sheath but ready to draw should the need arise. This figure, dressed as an average ninja with no affiliation whatsoever, was none other than Lucas Blake — The very first clone of Lewis Blake, aka The Redline.
As Lucas navigated the shadows, around root and typical unseen passages, he used his powerful telepathy to astral sense the entire layout of the 6.6 squared mile camp, easily finding his target tied and restrained at the center, likely tortured, too.
[Reference Image]:
'This rescue mission… is cutting into my time with those two…,' Lucas thought as he swiftly leaped discreetly onto a rooftop, keeping his feet from exerting any kind of pressure on the wooden cabin by use of telekinetic hovering. 'If this was requested of anyone else, I wouldn't have cared. Unfortunately, it was requested by my little brother… Still, this family makes me want to murder people at times. How infuriating.'
The whole point of this mission was to rescue some scientist Lucas couldn't remember the name of — But, in Lucas's defense, he knew when he was issued this mission that he was walking into the middle of one of his little brother's annoying little schemes. Of all his siblings, Luke was the most likely to scheme his way out of an apocalypse.
Lucas loved his siblings, but sometimes they made him want to punch them — All of them, honestly…Well, minus Crystal, of course. No, that girl was just strange. Chill, more often than not, but strange…
As Lucas was approaching the log, almost mansion-like cabin in the center of the camp, he felt their presences before his superhearing even once picked up the sound of engines.
'They're here, too?' Lucas thought, eyebrows twitching. 'Great. I'm gonna have to be more cautious than before.'
Shielding himself and his target from all nearby telepaths, Lucas contemplated if he should proceed with his mission or wait a moment for possible intel to deliver to his brother. Eventually, he decided to stay to watch the arriving guests.
He knew that the arriving guest would have an almost uncanny way to detect him, so he did a multitude of things he's learned to do with his exceptional telekinetic abilities.
First, Lucas willed the air particles around himself to distort and reflect, similar to how the Predators cloaking devices function — Only this took immense willpower to keep up for the average telekinetic — And even for him, it took precise control and immense focus to keep up.
Lucas could keep this up for a total 3 and a half hours before he needed to rest or turn off his brain. It was because of his unique physiology that he could even achieve this.
Power-wise, Lucas was an entire tier above Luke. It wouldn't even be an overestimation to call Lucas the strongest psionic on Earth — Currently, of course. He reckons even Luke would have difficulty maintaining such a cloaking ability.
Furthermore, in addition to manipulating air density and air particles to put up a facade of invisibility, Lucas also used his telekinesis to pull shadows around himself and darken the area he stood at — This, combined with his ability to manipulate air particles and their density/transparency on top of his ability to manipulate perceptions of others effectively made Lucas undetectable.
'This combination of ability usages has made me the biggest thorn in the side of The Hand and all my enemies,' Lucas thought, seeing a 1998 Lincoln Silver TownCar Executive Series — And it was extremely well-maintained.
[Car Reference Image]:
'They don't make cars like that anymore,' Lucas thought to himself as he watched both front doors open and one of the back side doors. Logan and Scott got out of the driver's and passenger's seat and Scott brought the wheelchair around for the Professor to get out the back seat.
'I'm not worried about Charles sensing me. I'm even less worried about Scott seeing me. But Logan's ability to scent out hidden enemies is a great counter to most forms of invisibility.
'Thankfully, when I control the density, pressure and transparency of the air around me, I consequently control the scent of my smell — Or, at least, the traveling of it.
'So long as I keep my distance, I can prevent detection by smell. Sound, however, is another. I can control the beating of my heart to slow so it doesn't sound like a heartbeat, but the longest that works without risking death is 10 minutes.'
"So, you have come, Charles," Magneto's voice greeted the trio.
[Magneto Reference Image]:
[Professor X Reference Image]:
"So I have come," Professor acknowledged.
"Let us talk indoors," Magneto gestured for the trio to follow.
"If you try anything, bub, I'll —," Wolverine began.
"Put claws through my chest? Yes, or so I've heard. Multiple times," Magneto smirked derisively. "Follow me inside when you are ready."
As the helmeted Magneto went inside, Logan turned to the professor, voicing his concerns.
"I don't like this, professor," he said, clearly uncomfortable. "We're not in our element here, and we're in enemy territory. Can we really trust Erik to not stab us in the back?"
"I am typically not one to agree with the animal," Scott added, causing Logan to growl (which otherwise proved him right). "I can't help but agree with Logan. He's done it before — betrayed us, I mean. Remember Alkali Lake? He tried using you to create a mass genocide for non-mutants — And this was AFTER he so-called tried to "rescue" you. He doesn't necessarily have the best record of being honorable amongst his allies."
"I understand your hesitation to trust Magneto. I, too, share your hesitation," Charles expressed quietly. "However, this discussion will affect all mutants' futures. Not attending this meeting will be… ill-advised. After all, all prominent faction power leaders will be here."
'Oh,' Lucas smirked, pulling out a container from his belt — From it, a visible-less smog of smoke carried in the wind, attaching itself to the nearest, unmarked life forms — The trio of mutants. 'I don't have the desire to listen in while maintaining my perfect camouflage, but I don't really need to. My Crimson Nanites make for perfect little spymasters. Anything that is said — no matter how much is whispered — will be as perfectly recorded as if I were there myself. They're an invention I myself invented for situations EXACTLY like this. A perfect solution for a pesky problem.'
As the trio of mutants continued to voice their concerns, Lucas' super hearing picked up the rapid approaching of vehicles — He knew instantly that the white sports car followed by two white business cars belonged to Emma Frost — Though her psychic power he had felt long before he saw the cars, Lucas sensed she was only slightly weaker a telepath when compared to Charles.
'Emma Frost is another Omega level mutant — And those rusty vehicles behind her squad… The Morlocks, I'm assuming,' Lucas thought, before instantly teleporting inside the cell containing Evangeline, ripping off her chains casually after instantly causing her guards to fall asleep. 'I need to hurry up and get out of here.'
When Lucas got the receptionist secured on his back, he teleported 15 miles south of the property, telekinetically flying his way back to the States.
'Unlike before, when I had to wait an hour to teleport long distances between teleports or 5 minutes between short teleports, I can now teleport near-endlessly short distances, 20 to 40 times max (or interstationary levels) before needing a 30 minute cooldown and 5 to 10 times internationally before needing a 45 minute to an hour cooldown,' Lucas thought.
'In other words, he thought, as he teleported to a private hospital in Hell's Kitchen — One that he owned himself. 'I can teleport much more consecutively than teleporting mutants on Earth. Except for individuals like Nightcrawler, Azazel and John Wraith.'
The crew of the hospital saw his arrival, who he was carrying and rushed over, hospital trolley bed at the ready.
Lucas laid the woman on the bed and dipped, intent on smashing Felicia extra deep tonight…
[Luke Blake POV:]
[45 Minutes Later...]
A matte black vehicle with crimson streaks accented pulled up to the front drive thru of the B.L.A.K.E H.T Laboratory building, where a team of scientists were already awaiting the arrival who was being dropped off. Dressed in all-black, Luke exited the backseat, walking with a confidence that defied the situation at hand.
After all, he had literally just gotten robbed of a great many resources…
tablet showcasing the security footage. "As you can see, there were two groups—"
"Three," Luke corrected.
"Sir?" Curt asked, confused.
"Otto's arms have been influencing his actions for a while now. Add in Apocalypse's technopathic mutation, and it's not hard to see the third power involved in this heist, doctor," Luke explained, stunning the doctor. "What was stolen?"
"R-right," Dr. Curt Connors tapped away, scrambling to get the footage. "We know 3 vials were taken in addition to two separate test subjects — The two variant lizard serums, 'Lizard Serum Beta', and Lizard Serum 'Omega'. Both are volatile with untested effects in mutation to a given subject. All we know is that whoever gets injected with it gains a massive physiological boost in both power and physicality."
"The third vial that was taken was one of your personal projects — The Synthetic Sentry Serum?"
"Of course she went for it…," Luke muttered to himself as he watched the footage. "And the test subjects that were taken?"
"Aside from Apocalypse, there is Project Exodus and the 'Subject Rhino'," Connors said.
"Not ideal, but manageable," the elevator stopped as Luke spoke. "I want you to find these ingrates and use everything at your disposal to do so. You will scour the city for them, and bring them in, yes?"
"It will be done, Boss," Connors stayed on the elevator as Luke got off, at the scene of the crime.
'They won't find them,' Luke walked over to a hidden section of the lab where a wall of nanites projected a white, sleek wall illusion, hiding a hidden lab — full of different purposed vials serums and solutions, including various variants of the Lizard Serum, a few versions of the Super Soldier serum extracted and replicated from Bucky, 10 Synthetic Sentry serums, 20 vials of the Master's blood, 15 of which were pre-Sentry and replicated, 5 replicated copies of Kraven's blood, 3 vials of Elektra's blood, 3 vials of Psylocke's blood and multiple vials labelled "Electro Serum" alongside vials of Electro's blood. 'After all, I ensured OMNIS gave optimum aid to the facility this morning. I foresaw Mystique's heist months ago and ensured her success.
'Why?
'Because boundless growth is only boundless when it is constantly tested. And the Master requires consecutive testing. His enemies are not yet strong enough, but with this, they will be… Or, at least close enough to keep him on his toes....,' Luke smirked in mischief. "And because the Master can only stay the Master if he's clever enough to keep the title."
Turning a vial of the Master's blood in his hands, Luke pocketted it before leaving in a rush.
After all, he had a date with a beautiful goddess to get to.
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