extra chapter, cuz you deserve it.
...
On the other side of Manhattan, Captain America was having a wedding, which was very lively.
While at the highway in Nevada, a jeep carrying Logan and his grumpy brother Victor sped off to California.
The sparks of the cigar were faintly visible in the darkness of the night.
The greenish-grey smoke was exhaled and then blown away by the cold wind coming in through the windows.
"Logan, we have to find a way to get back in the game! We've got to get back at that woman!"
Sabretooth, in the passenger's seat, was sharpening his nails, showing his ferocity.
He was humiliated at the mutant academy when he got into a public 'wrestling match' with his brother.
Those shameful, disgusting, and disgusting images seem to have been deliberately reinforced, and they would pop up in his mind from time to time.
"The nasty Principal is a psychic, and she could easily play with us if she wanted to."
Logan was holding the thick cigar in his mouth, playing it cool, compared to his grumpy older brother's rage.
Wolverine didn't become refined and easygoing after being a teacher for a few days.
The main reason was that the White Queen, Emma Frost, was the sister of his girlfriend, Silver Fox.
If he got into any kind of deep and unresolved hatred, it would only affect his lifelong happiness.
"Look at you now, Logan!"
Sabretooth's tone seemed sullen and angry as if he resented his brother.
"You're blinded by that woman. You lost your sharp claws and started to get weak!"
"Pull yourself together, Logan! Don't forget that we're wild animals in the jungle and natural hunters!"
"Emotion is a noose around your neck; it will gradually strangle you!"
He was upset with his younger brother's indulgence in the land of the meek, but the guy was also upset with his cranky older brother.
He felt that since Logan had hooked up with that woman, his brotherhood with him had faded.
Before, when they were free, they both went to the bar to drink, fight and pick up girls; even if they got rooms and had sex, they had to be next door to each other.
But now!
His younger brother seldom went to places like bars and had learned to turn down hot girls.
What's more, he started mowing the lawn at home, going for a walk in the park, and attending family parties among neighbors.
Was this still the same untamed, fierce, and wild Wolverine!?
Simply a domesticated husky!
"You can't do this, Logan!"
Sabretooth earnestly persuaded Wolverine to find himself and not be fooled by women.
"I don't see any problem with it."
Logan had a cigar in one hand and the steering wheel in the other.
"Kayla is a good woman, and she is perfect for me."
"Every time I'm with her, my heart calms down."
"All those angry and violent emotions have disappeared, leaving peace."
"Besides, Kayla cooks very well. Didn't you say how good her pies tasted last time?"
Sabretooth's mouth was agape at the sound of his brother's public display of affections.
With ten fingers reaching out with sharp claws, he scratched a gash in the leather cushion under his butt.
"If ... if I knew she made that pie, I wouldn't have eaten it!"
Sabretooth turned away as if he didn't want to say another word to Wolverine.
"Victor, you're probably angry because you're ... what's the word? I remember General Cavill mentioning it -- yes, single dog!"
"Brother, I'll ask Kayla to introduce someone to you when I have the chance. Do you prefer mutants or humans?"
Sabretooth smiled coldly. He wasn't like Wolverine, who was casually held back by a woman.
"Sure. I like the wheat-skinned, athletic type! And yes, a big ass for easy delivery!"
Victor listed many requests, but his expression was still somewhat defiant.
This wasn't a really sweet brotherhood scene.
He thought he was much better than Logan.
He wouldn't be softened by women's bodies and ridiculous feelings at all.
Therefore, even if his brother introduced more women, he wouldn't be swayed!
"Then again, we are S.H.I.E.L.D's Task Force. Why are we going to investigate a missing person?"
Sabretooth felt the teasing look on Wolverine's face and couldn't help but cough twice and change the subject.
"According to the information given by the intelligence department, Apocalypse should have been in California before, and it's likely that his followers would travel along the highway."
Logan recalled the analysis Kayla had given him and repeated it word for word, "Considering the recent patrol routes, the unusual cases in California and the surrounding motels, S.H.I.E.L.D. has reason to believe that the couple who disappeared near Highway 1, 3 days ago, is related to the mutants."
"All right, let's get to it!"
Victor suddenly became excited; he hadn't seen blood in a long time.
He hoped that those Apocalypse followers wouldn't let him down too much.
...
...
Near Highway 1, a motel.
Caliban was a little upset. He picked up the beer bottle on the table and smashed it at the doctor's feet. He angrily said, "It's been so many days, the fever still hasn't gone down!"
"Are you playing tricks, trying to stall for time?"
Smash!
The sound of a beer bottle exploding echoed through the ground floor of the hotel.
The doctor shook with fear, his legs went weak, and he almost fell to his knees.
These days, he had seen the power of these mutants.
When he thought of his wife and children in the hands of the other party, he was afraid to resist.
"Listen to my explanation. His high fever doesn't seem to be anything illness-related."
The unlucky doctor stumbled over his words.
He saw the boy, Erik, and there were no obvious symptoms other than a high and prolonged fever.
"Oh, you humans are always full of nonsense."
Caliban was dubious. If he hadn't been worried about Erik's high fever and him dying on the way, he would have moved with the other followers.
The owner of the motel, as well as the customers who came after the doctor, were all taken under control and thrown into the warehouse where the groceries were kept.
Wallets, certificates, cars ... All these necessities had been collected.
It's just that Erik was unconscious. If he was left here to fend for himself, Caliban would lose a major weapon.
But if they continued to delay, they might be tracked down by S.H.I.E.L.D. and end up in trouble again.
"Wait another day!"
Caliban shrugged it off and suppressed his anger.
"Erik is awake!"
Within minutes, someone came to say that Erik, who had been in a coma for several days, had finally woken up.
Caliban hurried upstairs and saw the thin child open his eyes, and a wisp of fire flashed by.
"Go and call the doctor up, see if the fever has gone down, healed, and we can..."
Caliban's voice came to an abrupt end. He saw Erik suddenly float up, with a wave of invisible power radiating out.
Then, like an earthquake, the whole motel started shaking.
The metal objects flew up and around Erik for no apparent reason.
"Are you ... Caliban?"
Erik tilted his head as if to collect his memories.
He lifted his hand gently as if he were tugging at an invisible thread.
Caliban only felt the blood in his body burning and a distinct pain in his heart.
"Someone once told me that there's iron in the human body, which is used to transport and store oxygen, to form hemoglobin."
Erik's voice sounded cold, without any emotions.
"Your heart, liver, and kidneys are full of iron."
Hisssss!
Hisss hiss!
A cloud of blood mist suddenly erupted!
In the red mist, the tiny particles, invisible to the naked eye, condensed into smooth metal pellets.
Zi zi! Zi zi zi!
Then, Erik held the metal projectile with his two fingers.
Under his control, the projectile rapidly rotated, sending up a cloud of silvery-white sparks.
Snap!
It shot out!
Hitting Caliban's body.
The fragile human body was like a foam board. It shot straight through!
The powerful kinetic energy, like a bombardment, reduced flesh and blood to mush in seconds.
"I am ... the Phoenix!"
Erik's eyes grew brighter, and the building above his head broke open.
He slowly flew up and floated overhead.
"Master of Magnetism -- Magneto!"