Months Before Breakout
Boston, Massachusetts
Ben stood near the platform at the train station. His eyes scanned the crowd. Various people came and went, but there was no sign of Emma. He pulled out his phone. Had she decided to come with him, she had less than fifteen minutes before the train left the station.
He sighed softly and leaned against a post. "Maybe she had changed her mind..." Ben wouldn't blame her if she did. His offer wasn't exactly the most tactful. It basically came out of nowhere after he kept her from getting security involved. He turned toward the tracks. The sign above said that the train would be arriving soon.
Just as Ben was about to chalk it up as a no-show, a voice called out to him.
"Ben!"
Turning to the voice, he caught a familiar figure emerging from the far side of the platform.
Emma slowed down from a jog toward him. She had a large suitcase in one hand and a duffle bag in the other. She made her way through the crowd.
Ben stood straight and smiled back, waving her over.
Emma wiped away a bead of sweat as she stopped before him. "Sorry, I'm late. I had a bit of an issue getting my stuff together."
"It's no problem."
I thought about your offer... a lot, actually. And I figured… what do I have to lose now?"
"Not how I would put it, but you're one step closer to your goal."
"Hard to believe, to be honest."
"That's totally normal. It's a new start, Emma."
Her expression softened. "I just... I've been living well off under my parents for most of my life before thrusting myself into the real world. Being alone was a struggle, and it feels strange to have someone reach out."
"I get it. When I first moved out, I lived off instant ramen because it was cheap." He shook his head. "Don't even get me started on taxes. Still, a little help can go a long way. I had cousins and friends to get advice from."
Emma sighed. "Yeah... I wasn't very popular at school, and I basically cut myself off from my family."
Ben's mouth thinned. "For what it's worth. I'm sorry you've had to go through it alone for some time."
"The months have not been kind..."
"Well, that ends today. In just a few weeks or so, you'll be back at school, meeting all sorts of new people. A chance to make up for before."
Emma looked back at him, feeling a little more at ease. "That's the hope."
The train soon came to the station and screeched to a stop.
Ben crossed his arms and smirked. "So, nervous?"
Emma hesitated only for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Very."
As the train began to board, Ben stowed his luggage in the overhead bin and went to a random window seat. Emma followed behind. He settled in, watching passengers as they filed down the aisle. Without hesitation, she loaded her bags into the bin above and slid into the seat beside him.
Ben raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to sit next to me, you know. If you're uncomfortable, there are plenty of other seats."
Emma shook her head with a small smile. "It's fine. It's better if we stay nearby. Don't want to lose each other by the time we reach New York, right?" She took out a magazine and started reading. "Besides, I'm holding onto your word that you can help me with enrollment."
Ben nodded in understanding with a chuckle. "Fair enough. I'm a man of my word. Just want you to be comfortable."
What Emma didn't mention, however, was the real reason she had chosen to sit with him. Emma didn't like being in crowds due to less-than-desired control over her powers. From the moment she had boarded the train, the thoughts of the other passengers pestered her. Unless she focused on someone in particular, fragments of conversations, random worries, and stray emotions would cloud her thoughts. It was very easy for her to get overwhelmed in a space like this. It happened back in high school and on the subway sometimes.
From the day she met him, Emme knew that Ben wasn't conventionally normal. Not only was he familiar with other "superhumans," but when she tuned to his mind, she would not hear thoughts but a soothing white noise instead. It was an anomaly compared to others she listened to, and it contrasted with the usual chaos. It doesn't take much effort to 'latch' onto someone's surface thoughts, but hearing someone else's thoughts in one's mind can aggravate over time. Unlike her previous attempts at public transport, she could finally focus, breathe, and relax within her own headspace.
#
Ben scrolled through an article on his phone. The headline caught his eye: "The Rise of Superhumans: Heroes and Villains in Our Modern World." It was a deep dive into the emergence of superpowered individuals.
The article began with referencing old World War II propaganda films that had been uploaded to the internet. According to these films, the first public "hero" was none other than Captain America, the star-spangled soldier who fought against Hydra and the Nazis. Ben raised an eyebrow as he read. That was a significant point of divergence from his home timestream. The idea that the U.S. government had created the first super soldier during the 1940s and then, supposedly, none since was a little hard to swallow. He chalked it up to government secrets, classified projects that never saw the light of day.
The article then fast-forwarded to more recent times, mentioning the Fantastic Four as the first publicly known superhumans of the modern era. The group had debuted in New York. Their leader, Dr. Reed Richards, claimed that their abilities resulted from cosmic rays encountered during a space flight project. Azmuth would want to learn more about that later.
Ben's eyes flicked down to the next section, describing a New Jersey man who could supposedly communicate with ants. That wasn't at all strange compared to what Ben encountered in life.
Further down, the article seemed to describe the Hulk. However, it said he was gray when he first appeared in the Southwest compared to the current green. Ben couldn't help but wonder if the transformation process had been incomplete then.
He continued scrolling. There was a spread of word and photos of a vigilante known as Spider-Man swinging through the streets of New York. Public opinion was split if the quote from one James Jonah Jameson meant something.
Then, there was the alleged God, who had also made his grand entrance in none other than New York. After seeing so many powerful aliens and higher dimensional entities, Ben was more strict on what the definition of a god should be.
Finally, the article touched on Tony Stark, a billionaire tech mogul. He had publicly outed himself as the armored hero, Iron Man. And where was he based? Of course—New York. It was starting to feel like the Big Apple was becoming a hub for superhuman activity.
Ben leaned back in his seat. There was something almost surreal about the pattern. So many people seemed to appear in New York. And it wasn't just heroes. The villains were there too.
Ben couldn't help but think about Bruce Banner's list of safe houses. They were all trailing toward New York, another data point in this growing pattern. It didn't help that he was currently assisting Emma, another superhuman, in coming to New York.
Was it just a coincidence? Or was there something larger at play? Only time would tell whether that was a good or bad thing.
Suddenly, Ben felt a weight on his right shoulder.
About three hours into the train ride, the combination of a stressful past week with restless sleep, the train rocking, and the ambient white noise finally took its toll on the woman. Emma grew drowsy. She leaned back into her seat before her eyes fluttered shut. Before long, she had drifted off, her head gradually coming to rest against Ben.
As she breathed softly, Ben smiled. Carefully not to wake her, he reached up and grabbed the complimentary blanket from the seat in front of him. He draped it over her, tucking it in lightly, before returning to his phone.
There seemed to be a large public divide on what people called 'Mutants.'
Present
Weapon X Facility
Steve, Laura, and Logan made a run for the nearest exit. Logan had just been freed from his containment, but there was no time for questions or explanations. He retrieved his belongings and his suit.
Logan glanced over at the young girl—Laura, Steve had called her. She was basically a miniature version of himself, right down to the adamantium claws. A million questions ran through his mind, but he knew they'd have to wait. For now, the mission was simple: get out alive.
They turned a sharp corner and suddenly found themselves face-to-face with a squad of heavily armed guards. The soldiers were ready, rifles aimed.
Steve narrowed his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to expose Laura to more violence. Without hesitation, he stepped in front of her, raising his shield. "Stay back," Steve ordered. "Logan and I will handle this."
Logan didn't need to be told twice. His claws extended with a sharp snikt. He grinned. "Let's make this quick."
Laura hesitated. She didn't like fighting people, but this burning sensation was deep inside. It came out whenever she had to fight to survive. Despite her instincts, she stepped back and kept her claws retracted. She turned to the back of Logan, her biological father. Did he have these same feelings?
Steve charged forward with his shield raised. The guards opened fire, but the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the vibranium. Steve slammed his shield into the first guard, knocking him out cold. He spun, the shield catching another guard across the jaw, sending him crumpling to the floor.
Logan lived up to his namesake. He barreled into the remaining guards. Claws slashed through body armor and flesh. The guards didn't stand a chance. One by one, they fell. Much like the old days, Steve and Logan moved in sync. For a moment, Steve was reminiscent of the Howling Commandos storming a Nazi stronghold. Despite the bloodlust, he could still see the framework of Jame's combat style during the war. There was a reason Steve didn't question how James fought his way back to the squad when his parachute sent him behind enemy lines and without a weapon.
A soldier lunged at Steve, rifle raised, but Steve was faster. He grabbed the man by the throat. He hurled the soldier through a nearby door. The door splintered, and the man crashed into the wall behind it, crumpling to the ground.
Steve ducked instinctively under gunfire behind him. He was on his feet again, sprinting toward the shooter. The guard didn't have a chance to react. Steve shoved the gun barrel upward with one hand, redirecting the next shot into the ceiling, and with the other, he delivered a powerful punch that knocked the man out cold.
Before the soldier could hit the ground, Steve whipped his shield from his back and flung it backward. The shield spun through the air, striking another guard squarely in the stomach. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of him, and he doubled over, his weapon clattering to the ground.
Steve heard the telltale click of a pistol being drawn and turned just in time to see another guard aiming at him. Steve spun around the guard and twisting his pistol hand. The gun dropped to the floor, and Steve followed up with a powerful uppercut that sent the guard sprawling.
Another guard, thinking he had an opening, aimed a pistol at Steve's back. Steve dropped to the floor, supporting himself with one hand, and swung his body around in a sweeping kick. His right foot knocked the gun out of the guard's hand, and in the same motion, his left foot struck the man in the stomach with a solid thud. The guard staggered back, gasping for air, before collapsing to the ground.
Within moments, the corridor was littered with dead and unconscious guards. The few who were still conscious groaned in pain.
Breathing heavily, Steve glanced back at Laura.
She was watching them with wide, unblinking eyes. There was no fear in her gaze.
Logan wiped the blood from his claws, retracting them with a low grunt. "You okay, kid?"
Laura nodded, her gaze dropping to the floor. She hesitated for a moment before looking back up at Logan. "Does… Does killing get easier… for us?"
The question hung in the air, and for a moment, both Logan and Steve were silent. It was a question neither of them had an easy answer to, one that had no simple truth.
Logan's gaze turned distant, sifting through a lifetime of memories. He took a deep breath. "Easier? Maybe. But it don't make it right. You learn to live with it, 'cause you gotta. You do what you gotta do to survive, to protect the people you care about. But it always sticks with you, every face, every life. You don't forget."
Steve could see the truth in Logan's words. It was a burden they all shared, but one that was uniquely difficult for someone like Laura, so young yet thrust into this violent world.
Logan continued. "You're gonna have to make choices, Laura. And some of 'em… they're gonna haunt you." He looked into her eyes. There was the same expression that he'd seen in the mirror at times. "Maybe they already are, but you can't let it turn you into somethin' you don't want to be."
Laura nodded slowly, absorbing his words. She had seen and done so much already.
Steve finally spoke. "You're not alone in this, Laura. People like James and I." Logan rolled his eyes at his alleged name. "We fight so kids like you don't have to. That's what makes us different from the monsters we fight." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Killing might get easier, but it's not something you should ever take lightly."
Laura looked between the two of them. "Okay," she said softly, the word a promise to herself as much as to them.
#
Deadpool glanced over at Professor Thorton. "Are you sure they're heading this way?"
Thorton huffed, adjusting his glasses in irritation. "This is the only access door to the surface levels. Additionally, I've already lost several security squads. Their last positions were each leading toward our location."
Deadpool chuckled. "Talk about some Battleship-level surveillance."
Thorton grumbled. "Unfortunately, someone had destroyed the servers during their escape.
Sabretooth growled. "I told you we needed to kill Wolverine. Now, he and the brat are on the prowl."
Lady Deathstrike nodded in agreement. "They are more trouble than they are worth."
Thorton pinched his nose. "I've already told you—he's worth more alive than dead."
Deadpool leaned casually against the wall, twirling one of his katanas. "Look at the opportunity for a bring-your-daughter-to-work day, guys. Oh, she grows up so fast. It feels like yesterday when I was playing catch the dagger with her. I was winning, of course."
Omega Red responded flatly, "That was yesterday."
Deadpool paused, his head tilting as if in thought. "Oh, right."
Thorton sighed, the stress evident. "Begin scouting the beginning sectors."
The group started moving, but their pace slowed as soon as they were out of the professor's earshot. They exchanged a series of knowing glances and turned into a secluded room,
Omega Red broke the silence. "We kill Wolverine and the kid. That is all that matters."
Sabretooth bared his teeth in a predatory grin. Lady Deathstrike nodded sharply. "Agreed."
Deadpool shrugged and drew his guns. "Whatever you say, ponytail. Who am I to say no to a little murder?" He spun the guns theatrically before pointing them toward the door. "Strike a pose!"
#
As Steve, Logan, and Laura turned a corner, they came upon a large, reinforced door with a small observation window. They heard faint, low growls and shuffling. Steve peered through the glass, eyes widening at the sight.
The room was filled with cages, each holding a hulking mass of muscle and fur with glowing red eyes—wendigos. There were more than just one. Dozens of secondary infected Wendigos crowded the containment room.
Logan joined Steve at the window and looked at the larger white one. "This was the target we were tracking. Didn't expect to find a whole damn horde of 'em."
Steve glanced at Logan before looking back at Laura, who stood silently, her gaze fixed on the creatures. "Logan, Laura was forced to fight the smaller ones as some kind of sick training."
Logan clenched his fists. "Department H sent me after the Wendigo, told me to take it down dead or alive. But seeing this, there's more going on here than they let on. If this many are infected here, how many more are out there? Unaccounted for?"
Steve nodded. "So, what's the plan? Eliminate and detain all hostiles?"
Logan's eyes narrowed. "That's one way to put it." He turned to Laura, who hadn't taken her eyes off the Wendigos since they arrived. "But there's more to it."
Laura's gaze seemed lost. She was tense. Clearly, the memories of their earlier training session today were still on her mind.
Logan leaned closer to Steve, lowering his voice. "Listen, someone has to stay behind when the G-Men come to clean this mess up. And I don't want any of the experiments they've got going on here to continue."
Steve looked at Logan. "What are you asking of me, James?"
"If we leave here alive, I need you to take the girl back to the States. I know a guy who can help her. He's… got experience with kids like her." Logan reached into a hidden pocket, pulled out a small, worn business card, and handed it to Steve.
Steve glanced at the card, reading the address. "Westchester County, New York?"
"Yeah. The guy there… he'll know what to do with her. But I can't leave this place standing. I need to stay and make sure everything usable gets destroyed. I don't want Department H getting the same ideas as these bastards."
Steve looked at the card again, then back at Logan. "James… are you sure about this?"
Logan nodded. "It'll take some time, but I should be able to meet back up with you after."
Steve's grip tightened on the card. He looked at Laura, who was still watching the Wendigos. "Alright. I'll get her out of here. But you better come back in one piece."
Logan smirked, the hint of his old self showing through. "You know me. I'm hard to kill."
#
As the trio ran, Logan paused and held up a hand before sniffing the air.
Steve reacted immediately, raising his shield and tackling Laura to the ground just as bullets whizzed through the air, barely missing them.
A wall burst open from metal cables, latching onto Logan's torso and lifting him into the air. When the dust cleared, Omega Red emerged. His cold eyes locked on Logan as he yanked the man into the air.
Logan struggled to free himself as he was pulled closer to his former teammate to no avail.
Omega Red huffed in amusement. "Please, struggle... It'll make your death taste so much sweeter." Omega Red's tendrils pumped energy into his body. Logan was now suspended and convulsing from the energy surging through his body, yelling in pain.
"No!" Steve shouted. As he prepared to charge, he felt the cold press of a gun barrel against the side of his head. He slowly raised his hands, slightly turning to see who had gotten the drop on him.
Deadpool grinned at him. "Yes, as in yes. You're going to die." His finger twitched on the trigger, but Steve remained calm.
Logan, however, was far from calm. Omega Red slammed Wolverine against the walls of the corridor.
Deadpool squinted at Steve, a hint of recognition. "Wait... Are you the same guy from the town we last fought Wendy at?"
Steve didn't say anything.
Deadpool's gaze darted from Steve to Laura, who was holding the familiar star-spangled shield, then back to Steve again. "Now you're here with the Kid and Wolvie? Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?" He paused, narrowing his eyes at the shield again. "Wait... that looks oddly familiar..."
Logan managed to plant his feet against the corridor wall. Using it for leverage, he kicked both legs out, slamming them into Omega Red's face. The impact sent the larger man staggering back, momentarily loosening the grip of his tendrils and allowing Logan to break free.
At the same moment, Steve made his move. He twisted sharply to the right, moving his head out of the gun's line of fire, and grabbed Deadpool's gun arm with his right hand. He struck Deadpool across the face with a powerful left hook, sending the mercenary stumbling back. Before Deadpool could recover, Steve disarmed him, quickly turning the weapon on its owner and firing two shots into Deadpool's legs.
Suddenly, Deadpool's right arm fell off. Steve turned to see that Laura had dropped the shield and drew her claws on the man.
Deadpool didn't scream in pain; instead, he looked at the smoking holes in his legs and whined, "No! That was my favorite gun."
Steve shook his head, exasperated. Even with two bullets in his legs and a missing arm, this Deadpool wasn't out of the fight. But at least he was slowed down. Steve knew there was no point in killing him; the mercenary would just regenerate. His priority now was getting Logan and Laura out of there.
Laura hurried to his side and handed the shield back to him. "Did… Did I do good?"
Steve took a breath and patted her on the back. "You did okay. You were trying to protect me, but I had it handled. Just don't let it get to your head."
"Okay…"
Their brief moment of respite was shattered by the sound of boots clattering down the corridor. The others were catching up, and they were closing in fast.
"Move!" Steve barked, taking the lead. Laura and Logan didn't need to be told twice—they fell in behind him, sprinting toward the exit as fast as they could.
Omega Red groaned. "You won't escape this time, Logan!".
Deadpool, still on the floor with his legs regenerating, called after them, "You know, you guys could just surrender! I promise not to kill you... much!"
#
Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike rounded the corner, skidding to a stop just as they caught sight of the other half of the team. Omega Red was sprawled against a wall, and Deadpool was still sitting on the ground, his legs halfway through regenerating.
"What the hell happened here?" Lady Deathstrike demanded.
Omega Red wiped the blood from his mouth. "Wolverine and X-23… they weren't alone."
Deadpool groaned, pushing himself up on one arm. "Yeah, about that. It's some guy I saw back in that little town where the Wendigo tore things up."
Sabretooth's brow furrowed. "What did he look like?"
Grabbing his dismembered arm, Deadpool paused for a moment, thinking. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, built like a brick house. Kinda looks like a soldier, you know?"
Sabretooth's face darkened. "Go on."
Deadpool continued, oblivious. "Oh, and he's got this snazzy shield. It's really retro-looking. Red, white, and blue, with a star in the center. Classic American vi-"
Before Deadpool could finish, Sabretooth lunged forward, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the nearest wall.
Deadpool's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa, whoa! What gives?"
Sabretooth glared. "Are you sure? The shield... the man. Are you sure?"
Deadpool gurgled for a second. "Yeah, yeah! What's the big deal?"
With a growl, Sabretooth released his grip, letting Deadpool fall to the floor in a heap. He paced for a second before he turned to face the others. "I think that man you just described… is Captain America."
His words hit them like a punch to the gut. Lady Deathstrike's eyes widened in shock. "Project Rebirth?"
Omega Red stiffened.
Even Deadpool, now massaging his bruised throat, seemed genuinely thrown off.
"Captain America?" Omega Red repeated, frowning. "Isn't he dead?"
"Yeah. Wasn't he blown up during the war or something?" added Deadpool. "You sound as if you met him before."
"That's because I did." Sabretooth shook his head. "I fought him during World War II. I was sent to the Italian Alps. I fought Captain America… and Wolverine. I don't easily forget the Shield that cracked my skull."
"World War Two? How old are you guys?"
Sabretooth deadpanned. "I fought in the Civil War."
That got another reaction from the rest of the team.
"About 150? Damn." Deadpool whistled. "Healing factors, huh."
"How does this explain the Captain?" questioned Deathstrike.
Sabretooth hummed. "If I had to guess, the Rebirth serum might have given him the same longevity perks Wolverine and I got."
His legs finally healed, and Deadpool jumped to his feet. "Ooh! Maybe he was frozen and thawed in the future like Buck Rogers and Walt Disney under the Matterhorn!"
Omega got up and smacked the man in the back of the head. "Wade… Shut up."
Lady Deathstrike crossed her arms. "If that is truly Captain America, our situation became far more complicated."
Sabretooth growled low in his throat. "Doesn't matter if he's Cap or not. He's still in our way. But this means he's not gonna be easy to kill." Sabretooth sniffed and started following the lingering scent. Perhaps that scene from the woods wasn't wrong after all.
Deadpool's arms drooped. "Well, shit." The group followed, but Deadpool paused. "Wait. If you fought Captain America during World War 2, were you a Nazi? Because if you were, I might have to start reconsidering my employment options."
Sabretooth groaned. "I was hired as a mercenary. I didn't care for the politics."
Deadpool rolled his eyes. "Right… Now that I think about it, which side of the Civil War were you on?"
Sabretooth and the others continued to walk away.
"You're not answering..."
"..."
"Which side were you on, Sabey?!"
"..."
"Sabey?!"
#
AN: Special thanks to Seana, Jebest4781, Charles, vividlearner744, OmegaDelta, Henry Stickman, fearmegu, Kitsune Robyn, SonicSonicsSonic, Tapion, Dragon lord, Shooter1344, Alexander SegreLaw, Red Rasher, I am lord dems, Ajax Roranson, trey hill, Asaf Montgomery, and Legion!
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