Thanks for the powerstones!
I'm motivated now!
Yosh!
***
Viktor and the others frowned.
"Unbelievable, right?" one of the men asked, folding his arms. "We were just as shocked, but..."
The last man slid a smartphone across the table. "Milicia—a girl in our rebel army—has the ability to talk to and control animals. Through her, we attached a micro-camera we salvaged from last month's raid onto a fly..."
The third man chimed in, "...and Milicia guided it onto a patrolling soldier. After a tedious tracking process, we uncovered this."
The second man tapped the screen to play a paused video.
The footage unfolded from a perspective perched directly on a scientist's shoulder. For three minutes, the scientist navigated a dense forest before stepping into a hidden clearing. Dominated by an enormous steel gate, the perimeter was guarded by two men in tailored black suits, assault rifles slung across their chests.
As the scientist approached the checkpoint, the camera's point of view shifted slightly upward, peering down at him as he halted. He exchanged a few brief words with the guards, underwent a biometrics scan, and was granted entry through the heavy doors. The feed continued for two more minutes, capturing the metal corridor beyond, shifted to point at the massive white building suspended on a mountain before cutting to static.
"We weren't sure if their internal security possessed scanner tech that could detect the micro-cam," one of the bulky men said. "We had no choice but to pull the fly back before it got fried—or worse, compromised our location."
"Is there anyone else who knows of this?" Viktor asked.
"Yes. Five more rebel armies have been informed," one of the men said.
"Armies that also possess mutants. A month from now, we plan to rendezvous and attack the building," the second man added.
"After that, trampling the Sokovian government under our feet will be a breeze!" the last man declared.
"Viktor, I say we should go!" Peter said with fists clenched. "This is our chance!"
"I say we shouldn't," Mark said, receiving surprised gazes from everyone in the room.
"What if, inside that building, there are things or people that can contend with and eliminate us?" Mark asked.
The three bulky men frowned simultaneously.
"Viktor, who's this?" one of them asked.
"He's our army's new mutant," Boris replied. "And I also feel like what he said makes sense."
"But I don't!" Peter shouted. "We have a chance to put those motherfuckers on the ground, win the war, and stop the excess killing, but you just want to give it away because of some cowardly feeling?!"
"Peter..." Boris looked at him worriedly.
"Don't 'Peter' me!" Peter clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth. "I've been holding it down, but—Nadia has died! Do you expect more among us to die before you feel like attacking?!"
Mark opened his mouth, but then closed it, falling silent.
Although he wasn't a die-hard Marvel fan in his past life, his friends had explained that both Wanda and Pietro gained their abilities through Hydra.
Hydra was a dangerous organization with hands in half, if not all, of the world. But would Hydra really put this much firepower into Sokovia, a rundown country?
While Mark was still deep in thought, Viktor beside him had already made his decision.
"We'll join the raid," Viktor said, bringing a wide smile to the three men's faces.
"We knew you'd make the right choice!" one said.
"We'll inform the others!" another added.
"A month from now, meet us in the base of Mount Krabar, near the old timber mill," the last man said, and the trio left the room with satisfied smiles.
"You heard them. Get ready—in a month's time, there will be a great war. Some of us might die, but just know it's for a greater cause," Viktor said before turning and exiting.
The others didn't stay long either, leaving only Mark and Wanda in the room.
"Mark..." Wanda looked at him softly.
Mark smiled. "Now that I think about it, this might actually be a good opportunity."
'Hopefully, it works,' He thought, already formulating a plan. If they managed to exterminate the Hydra branch here, he would leave the country with Wanda and Pietro that very same day without hesitation.
***
After the meeting, the days that passed were filled with tension so palpable among the inner circle that even the ordinary members of the rebel army could feel it.
Mark increased the intensity of his training. Even when his arms felt like they were bursting apart from the ramping Ki and unimaginable pain flooded his senses, he didn't stop. Finally, a few days before the predetermined raid, his training bore fruit.
Standing among the trees, Mark raised his hand.
Swoosh!
In his open palm, a swirl of light rapidly coalesced into a dense ball of energy. It shot forward like a high-speed bullet and struck a tree.
Boom!
The tree and everything behind it were completely obliterated.
"Bro, that's awesome!" Pietro's voice came from behind him as he stared at the devastated ground in amazement.
"Yeah," Mark nodded, clenching and unclenching his hand, which felt slightly numb. He turned back to Pietro with a wry smile. "Though it takes time to charge up. If I rush it, my hand goes—kaboom!"
Pietro's smile froze. "Then you definitely shouldn't do it on a whim. Unless you want my sister to worry herself to death."
Mark chuckled. "I know."
"By the way, Mark..."
"Hm?"
"In a few days' time... the raid starts, right?" Pietro asked, Mark turned and stared up at the sky.
"Yeah," He replied.
Pietro fell silent for a few seconds before speaking softly. "You guys shouldn't die, okay?"
"I can't die, remember?"
"Then bring my sister back alive."
Mark turned his head toward Pietro and smiled. "Sure."
***
The day finally arrived. Mark, Viktor, Boris, Peter, Wanda, and Vera left the base and headed toward the designated location.
***
Unknown to them, in a sterile room filled with test tubes and advanced scientific instruments deep inside the Hydra facility...
A man with slicked-back hair, a monocular eyepiece over his right eye, and an air of aristocratic ruthless authority—Baron Wolfgang von Strucker—read through a confidential file. Behind him, the door opened with a mechanical hiss, and a bald scientist walked inside.
"Is it today?" Strucker asked without raising his head.
"Yes, Baron Strucker," the bald scientist replied.
Strucker finally raised his head, a cold smile touching his lips. "Finally, we can acquire those two. With their biological potential, our research will reach entirely new heights."
In his hand, the open file displayed two photos—photographs of Viktor and Mark.