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Dante had a hunch the second he laid eyes on the man in the wheelchair. This wasn't the same Charles Xavier who had harbored those creepy, perverted thoughts about Jean. He ran a thorough sweep of Biokinesis just to be sure. Xavier's cellular structure opened, layer by layer, showing results that left no room for interpretation.
The cells didn't seem right.
A man in his early forties accumulated records of sun exposure across skin, stress hormones written into tissues, microscopic wear and tear in the bones, and just the slow grind of age. This body's cells implied it to be twenty or twenty-one months old at most.
'Clone. Definitely a clone.'
Jean noticed the shift in Dante's expression and frowned. "You aren't Professor. Who are you?"
"Hmm?" Xavier tilted his head, looking genuinely puzzled. "What type of question is that, young lady?"
The "young lady" made Jean visibly shudder like she had goosebumps all over her skin. She leaned toward Dante, clinging to him without any shame. "Sorry. I'm not dealing with this creep."
After hearing the real Xavier's twisted feelings toward her, the reaction was completely justified.
Xavier showed a hurt look. "Jean, why would you use such vile words for me? What have I possibly done to earn that?"
Ororo took a cautious step forward. "Charles, the truth is, Erik killed you last night. Dante is a witness."
"And yet here I sit, alive and well." Xavier tilted his head, folding his fingers together in front of his mouth like he always did. His gaze moved to Dante. "Young man, is it possible you saw someone impersonating me?"
Ororo touched Dante's arm instinctively. "Please, have a little more patience."
Even without her powers, she had sensed the rage building in him and tried to calm him down. She knew exactly how destructive his anger could get.
Jean glanced between them with narrowed eyes. "Guys, can you not talk through your eyes? I can't keep up."
Dante looked at Xavier for another moment and shook his head. "He is just a clone with Xavier's memories and personality template. Talking to him is just a waste of time."
Ororo and Jean exchanged a glance, doing what Jean had just asked them not to.
Xavier pointed an accusing finger at Dante. "How cruel and manipulative you are, to degrade me into nothing but a clone of myself."
"Do you know what happened yesterday?" Ororo asked quickly to steer the topic. "If you do, tell us."
"How could I forget?" Xavier replied with a sigh. "Scott has been depressed ever since Jean's departure. The mansion… it has lost its soul."
"Then do you know Teresia is dead?"
Xavier closed his eyes. On his face was the sorrow of a man who had dealt with grief before. "No matter how much it hurts, one must let go to move forward. It's the only way to honor what was lost."
"What about Erik battling Dante?"
Xavier shook his head. "Sorry. I have no recollection of that."
"Because," Dante said. "you're a fucking clone."
He closed the distance in an instant and took Xavier by his collar, lifting him from the wheelchair.
Xavier's feet swung in the air. His hands came up and grabbed Dante's wrist in an attempt to free himself. "What are you doing? Was killing Teresia not enough for you, now you want to kill me as well?"
He looked over his shoulder. "Leave. You don't want to be here for what comes next."
Ororo and Jean exchanged another long glance. Neither of them argued. They knew Xavier was a clone. The real Xavier had been present when Erik went to fight Dante, which Ororo had personally witnessed. Their battle was all over the news, yet the man currently kicking his feet in midair had no memory of it whatsoever.
Xavier reached out with a hand toward Jean and Ororo. She closed her eyes and turned away. Ororo put a hand briefly on Jean's arm and guided her toward the door.
"Jean!"
The second the door closed, Dante tightened his grip. Xavier's act dissolved completely, and he began thrashing and clawing at Dante's wrists.
"Stop!"
The closet door swung open on the side, and a pale, familiar face stepped out, his red eyes glowing like a demon's. Dante immediately recognized him from the red diamond embedded in his forehead. It was surprising that the man had been waiting in Xavier's closet, as though he knew someone would come to harm the Professor.
Dante didn't stop as the man had commanded. He reached with left hand and twisted Xavier's neck. Xavier went limp, his eyes still wide. The clone died nearly the same way the original did except at Dante's hands this time.
He threw the corpse on the bed. "You finally showed yourself."
"Oh, damn you!" Mister Sinister rolled his eyes dramatically. "Do you have any idea how many variables that disrupts? I'll have to perform the mind-wipes again. The new clone will need time to acclimate to the template before he's stable enough to interact with Scott without raising suspicion. I hope you're pleased with my extra work."
Dante wasn't listening to any of that rant. He was busy looking through the pale man's body with Biokinesis. As expected, it turned out to be a clone, not the real man. He used Death's Resonance to see if he could find anything with his cosmic awareness. Again, another disappointment. The clone had an independent soul like a normal being. Both his soul and consciousness had no connection with anyone else. The clone operated on its own with no direct control from the main Sinister body, Sinister Prime.
He shook his head. "Where is the main body?"
The clone of Mister Sinister smirked, brushing imaginary dust from his dress. "Oh, come now, Skullfire. You didn't really think I'd make it that easy, did you?"
Dante charged Atomic Vision. His eyes glowing red with highly concentrated heat. Just one moment of exposure would annihilate those with superhuman-level durability.
The clone's smirk vanished instantly, and he raised both hands in panic. "Wait! Wait! Hear me out for a moment. This will benefit both of us."
Someone as thorough and curious as him would've captured every second of Dante's fight with Magneto. He knew how destructive the beam could be.
The pale man raised both hands in panic. Dante's eyes returned to normal. "What is that?"
"A simple proposition. You continue doing whatever it is you do so dramatically. I continue my research—my grand experiment, as you might call it, with Charles and his students. We stay out of each other's way entirely." He turned, spreading his hands in a small, reasonable gesture. "Tell me honestly. Doesn't that strike you as elegant?"
Even though the clone said students, he only really wanted Scott and Jean. Unfortunately for him, Dante wouldn't be letting Jean return.
"Why would you offer that kind of grace?"
"Your powers," he said, voice filled with fascination… and slight obsession. He was like a scientist eying a variable that has broken his existing knowledge. "It would be comprehensible if you were simply powered by solar radiation. But you demonstrate remarkable mastery over sorcery and mystic arts, and also have an unknown entity protecting you. Its capabilities exist outside the boundaries of my current knowledge."
Sinister let out a sigh.
"I'm not fully confident I could stop you… yet. Hence, the peace treaty."
It was incredible how he had figured out Death's existence without even seeing her once.
"Show me you're sincere," Dante said. "Release Natasha and stop SHIELD from targeting Widows in the future."
Sinister raised an eyebrow comically, then rubbed his chin. "This kind of favor requires payment. A new deal. I do as you ask… and you let me run a few tests on your body."
"So you can clone me too? Fuck no."
"To study you," Sinister corrected. "There's an important difference here."
"The answer is no."
Sinister let out a small sigh and clasped his hands behind his back. "Then the arrangement is off the table. You'll have to manage Natasha's situation through your own resources. I'm confident you can achieve it on your own."
"You're pretty cocky for a guy who sent a clone to meet me."
Sinister chuckled. "I'm still confident you won't locate my main body for at least a few months. The infrastructure I've built to protect myself is thorough."
"Are you sure about that?"
It would just take one moment to have Death teleport him to Mister Sinister and another moment to squeeze the life out of him.
"And even in the event you did manage to reach me, which I consider unlikely in the current timeframe, you'll have hundreds of my clones plotting for your demise. I'm certain you won't die… but you'll have a very unpleasant time," Sinister said with an amused smile. "You wouldn't catch a moment of break for reproduction activities. It'll sabotage all those lovely relationships you seem so fond of."
Sinister wasn't lying about the army of clones. In the comics, this twisted geneticist had created his own version of 19th-century London named Sinister London. He had help from Dreaming Celestial's powers, but it was a feat this man could achieve on his own if given enough time and resources. With SHIELD, he had all the resources he'd need.
"I'm not taking relationship advice from you," Dante said. "You failed your own wife. Rebecca, wasn't it? I don't even think you're capable of real emotional attachment or physical desire anymore."
Sinister's smile remained the same. "I am beyond the need to reproduce. Emotional attachment, while fascinating as a biological mechanism, is a variable I eliminated from myself. Without lust…" He spread his hands dramatically. "I am perhaps three hundred percent more efficient than the average man in pursuit of my actual goals. Possibly more."
Dante stared at him, genuinely speechless. "You really are fucked in the head."
"I am focused," Sinister corrected him. "From where I stand, you are the one ruining your own potential. If you abandon those relationships, you could reach heights even my knowledge cannot predict."
Dante shrugged. "I'm fine the way I am. Thanks for the great evaluation, though."
"How regrettable." Sinister clasped his hands behind his back again, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "If only I could reconstruct you without those flaws… that might become my greatest achievement yet."
His gaze lingered on Dante like he was a hungry man salivating over a fat piece of meat. The twisted hunger sent a chill down Dante's spine.
"Fine, I'll agree to your peace treaty," Dante said. Do whatever the fuck you want here. But keep that clone professor away from me. If he so much as thinks in my direction, I'll kill him again."
Dante knew Sinister was buying time to research a way to neutralize his powers or cooking up a scheme with SHIELD's authority and reach. Sinister needed time, and so did Dante. Taking care of Apocalypse and other Externals came first. Until he had Natasha out and Sinister's actual base located, going after the man directly wouldn't achieve anything.
Sinister dipped his head in acknowledgment. "My Xavier won't come near you. You have my word on that, if my words carry any weight in your eyes."
"The same weight as your tears."
"So nothing?" Sinister cackled. "I see you're interested in Jean. How about I share her clone for a sample of your blood?"
He shook his head. "Not interested."
"So—"
"Why are you controlling SHIELD and mutants? What's the endgame?"
"Why am I doing that, indeed?" He tapped his temple with a grin. "Oops. Prime forgot to give me that information."
"You're crazy."
Since the clone refused to share any more information, Dante walked away. The pale man watched him leave with keen eyes.
Around the corner, Dante found Jean and Ororo waiting nervously.
"Don't make that face," he said. "The clone isn't dead."
Technically not a lie. Sinister would replace the dead clone with another clone soon.
"You have my gratitude for restraining yourself," Ororo whispered. "What Charles became is unforgivable. But Bobby and the rest still need this mansion to survive."
Jean stretched her arms over her head. "I can finally sleep."
"Don't neglect your sleep," Ororo scolded gently. "Is what I would say, had I slept at all myself."
Jean dropped her arms and glanced at Ororo. After some hesitation, she asked, "Are you coming with us?"
Ororo didn't answer. Instead, she put her hands on the railing and gazed down at the sprawling mansion grounds. "I've been thinking all night about my powers… About what comes next."
The whole inner conflict about whether to stay a human or a mutant gave her a sleepless night. Xavier's situation contributed some, but the bigger stress had to be about her powers.
"If your offer still stands." She turned to him and revealed a soft smile. "I'll be in your care."
He smiled back. "Happy to have you."
Regaining her powers was the right choice for both of them. Without SHIELD breathing down her neck, she would become one of the strongest people in the world. Another superhero to take down supervillains would give him more breathing room.
Jean looked between them with wide, excited eyes. "Wait! Ororol, are you actually—"
Ororo nodded once. Jean squealed with pure happiness and threw herself into the other woman's arms, burying her face happily against Ororo's chest. He watched Jean with open envy until Ororo caught him staring and raised an eyebrow, as though asking what he was doing?
He quickly looked away, showing a very innocent look.
After their celebration died down, he took them through a portal. "Rest up. I'll be back soon."
He activated Death's cloak to go invisible right away, then returned to the mansion. He went through every room, searching for any clue that might lead to Sinister's real base. Bobby and Warren were training their powers in the danger room. In the lab, Beast was working furiously on his experiments. The man wasn't beyond experimenting on himself to suppress or control mutant powers.
'Maybe I should recruit him later.'
Having a brilliant scientist on his side could be useful. After all, he was going to open his own science and magic facility once Emma returned from her Europe trip.
He spent a few more minutes searching but found nothing.
'Wait, where did Scott go?'
His concern was unnecessary because Scott was outside, leaning against a SUV outside with a beer bottle in his hand. His cheeks were flushed red. The pain had pushed him toward alcohol.
Dante glanced up at Xavier's room. As expected, Mister Sinister was stalking his favorite test subject from the window.
The clone showed a sinister smile on his pale face before he disappeared back into the room. Sinister's clone was up to no good.
Dante decided to stay a little longer and follow Sinister around.
***
High above Manhattan, on the balcony of a lavish penthouse, two women stood overlooking the glittering city lights. Both were blonde, but that was where the similarities ended.
One had impressively thick and dense blonde hair, falling in waves on her red cape. Candra, the Benefactress of Thieves and Assassins Guild was dressed seductively as always.
The other woman had her hair cut even shorter, which paired with her sleek green leather jacket gave her a cool, dangerous edge. Bella Donna Boudreaux, Guildmistress, stared down at her phone with a cold, almost pissed expression.
"The balls on this kid," Bella muttered. "To fight Magneto of all mutants."
"Not just fight. He demolished Erik."
Candra was practically oozing with excitement even though she had rewatched this footage over a dozen times.
"Goddess, this kid won't be easy," Bella said, looking up from her phone. "Just look at the allies he's already gathered."
"I know, Bella," Candra replied, resting her hands on the railing and watching the city below her. "Which is exactly why we aren't approaching him right away. We'll see Selene first and get whatever information she has on him."
"That witch probably already has her eyes glued to the boy."
Candra's lips curved up into a smirk. "She is going to be disappointed. Which is, honestly, nothing new for Selene. I am not exaggerating when I say her whole life—seventeen thousand years—has been one long cycle of loss and disappointment."
Bella quietly pocketed her phone. She had no words for this ancient goddess.
"I can't wait!" Candra purred, licking her lips. The smile that followed was downright twisted. "When I finally have him, I'll shower him with twenty-five years of 'love'. He'll forget everyone and only look at me."
Bella felt her skin crawl. "Now I wish he hadn't fought that battle. You'll ruin his happy little life."
"Liar," Candra laughed softly. "I'm going to make him the happiest son in the world."
"You mean the happiest puppet."
"Isn't that the same thing? For all the pain they give to their mother, shouldn't they repay her by being an obedient little pup?"
Bella shook her head. "You're beyond salvageable."
***
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