Emerging from the teleportation into Shaw's heavily fortified safehouse villa, Domino's eyes held a blank expression as she surveyed her team members. The air in the room seemed to vibrate with an uneasy tension, each mutant exchanging glances that foretold the storm of consequences about to be unleashed upon them. The weight of their failure hung heavily in the air, a looming cloud of impending retribution.
The room's atmosphere was fraught with anticipation, a palpable awareness of the repercussions they would soon face. Yet, in a twist that caught the team off guard, Domino's voice sliced through the silence in a remarkably composed tone.
"You all did better than I expected," she began, her words carrying an unexpected undercurrent of acknowledgment. Her gaze moved from one mutant's face to another, a steady scrutiny that seemed to measure their response.
Regrettably, her next words held a sobering truth. The mutants before her were subjected to a test that had pushed them beyond their current limitations. Her words wove a reality they couldn't deny, the assessment a mixture of critique and understanding.
"Unfortunately," she continued, her voice maintaining its placid tone, "you were matched against the wrong guy." The implication hung in the air—while their efforts had been commendable, they had been outclassed in the face of a superior adversary.
Without lingering for a response, Domino's steps carried her toward the exit. Her movements were purposeful, a clear indication that her decision was final. The room's occupants exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of surprise and cautious relief.
Her departing words echoed like a mantra, a directive to reclaim their strength and readiness. "Get some rest and get ready to resume your training tomorrow," she stated, the last remnants of her presence fading as she moved toward the exit.
Navigating the intricate layout of Shaw's secure villa, Domino moved with practiced precision. Each step carried her with a sense of purpose, her path leading her through the maze-like corridors until she arrived at her destination. Her room stood before her, a sanctuary within the heart of the storm.
With a calm demeanor, Domino entered the room and closed the door behind her. The soft click of the lock echoed in the stillness of the space, a tangible barrier between her and the outside world. As the sound resonated, a stark transformation swept over her. The façade of composure she had presented to her team shattered, and the true extent of her exhaustion emerged.
Barely able to contain the fatigue that had been suppressed throughout the mission, Domino's knees gave way beneath her. She dropped to her knees, her body trembling with the strain of her efforts. Each breath was a ragged intake of air, her lungs desperate to fill with oxygen after the relentless exertion.
Minutes stretched like an eternity as she fought to regain control over her body. Panting heavily, she clung to the edge of the bed for support, her knuckles white against the fabric. Beads of sweat adorned her forehead, a testament to the physical and mental toll the mission had exacted from her.
With a sigh that carried a sense of resignation, Domino's hand moved to her wrist, where a digital wristwatch adorned her skin. Fingers that still trembled with the aftermath of battle fumbled with the device, pressing buttons until the watch's screen illuminated with a soft glow. From the depths of technology, a holographic figure materialized—a projection of Sebastian Shaw.
Shaw's expression was as inscrutable as ever, his gaze fixed on Domino as he awaited her report. The holographic figure seemed to tower over her, a presence that demanded attention. Domino swallowed back her exhaustion, her voice steady despite the lingering tremors in her body.
"I'm calling to report on the mission. We..." Domino began, her words a mixture of formality and fatigue. Her breath still came in uneven bursts, but her determination to convey the events overrode her physical weariness.
Before she could continue, Shaw's voice interjected, cutting through her sentence. His tone was heavy with a mixture of disappointment and frustration, his words completing her thought before she had the chance to finish. "Failed... I'm well aware," he stated, the words a stark acknowledgment of their defeat.
Domino's head nodded in agreement with Shaw's assessment. She knew there was no escaping the reality of their situation. Gathering her resolve, she elaborated on her observations, her voice carrying a hint of frustration.
"I told you they weren't ready," she stated, her conviction unwavering. "And even if they were, I'm not sure we could have pulled it off," she admitted, her tone a mixture of pragmatism and reluctance.
Her words continued, each sentence a carefully constructed account of the mission's unraveling. "The X-men were waiting for us. Somehow they knew they were coming..." she revealed, her voice lowering slightly.
Domino braced herself for Shaw's wrath, her expectation of a scathing rebuke coloring her thoughts. However, the response she received was anything but what she had anticipated. Shaw's lips curled upward into a surprising smile, an unexpected twist to the unfolding conversation. His demeanor, though detached, held a note of amusement that threw her off balance.
"The X-men? No. This incident bears the stench of that meddlesome man, Evan Shepherd," he stated, the words carrying an undertone of speculation. His tone remained neutral, but there was a subtle edge of frustration that underscored his words. The mere mention of Evan's name seemed to evoke a range of emotions within Shaw.
A frown creased Domino's brow as she absorbed the unexpected insight. Shaw's frustration was palpable, and she found herself drawn into the revelation that Shaw and Evan shared a past.
"I'm beginning to wonder if he's a mutant with the power to peer into the future or calculate possibilities," Shaw mused, his words a contemplative whisper that hung in the air.
The possibility seemed intriguing and perplexing, a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit the narrative of their reality. Domino's thoughts drifted to her experiences alongside Evan, his actions and foresight often defying logical explanation.
Her lips remained sealed, and her silence was a conscious choice. In the depth of her history with Evan, she had witnessed moments that left her questioning the boundaries of possibility. The notion of his possessing precognitive abilities wasn't entirely implausible, given the enigma he often presented. Yet, she knew Evan didn't possess such powers, having spent so much time with him.
Shaw's head shook gently, as if to dispel the very thought he had just introduced. His voice, though tinged with uncertainty, carried a note of dismissal. "Well, it matters not," he stated, his tone regaining a sense of authority. The topic at hand seemed to be neatly set aside, replaced with a matter-of-fact perspective that he was more accustomed to.
"Even if you successfully assassinated the target, there would be no merit to it with the X-men's presence at the scene," he continued, his words forming a chain of reasoning.
Shaw's analytical mind was at work, dissecting the intricacies of the situation. His understanding of the political landscape and the impact of mutant involvement was evident. "We were doomed to take a loss from the very beginning," he concluded, his tone carrying a sense of finality.
Shaw's voice continued, each sentence a thread that wove into the larger narrative. "This incident only proved Shepherd's point, showing those in power that mutants could be tools rather than threats..." he stated, a blend of annoyance and acknowledgment evident in his tone.
The words resonated with the broader context of mutant-human relations, a theme that had come to define their world. The conflict between mutants and those who sought to control or eliminate them was a narrative that had persisted through the ages.
And in that moment, Shaw's insight cut to the core of their struggle—the dichotomy of mutants as both potential tools of power and looming threats to the status quo.
Regaining his smile, Shaw's lips curled upward with a hint of satisfaction. The unexpected twist in their mission seemed to have ignited a spark of intrigue within him. His mind, always calculating, saw opportunity even amidst the shroud of failure that had hung over their recent endeavors.
"Still, I can work with this," he stated, his voice a measured purr that held a trace of enthusiasm. The setback had not deterred him; rather, it had ignited his strategic mind. The turn of events, while not initially planned, had opened a new avenue for his machinations.
His fingers moved to his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully as his gaze turned inward. The room's dim lighting played upon his features, casting shadows that danced with the motions of his contemplation. "Though it seems that I will have to alter my plans and find another figurehead besides Kelly," he mused aloud, his words carrying a weight of consideration.
At those words, Domino's demeanor shifted in an instant. Her expression, once composed, faltered imperceptibly. The flicker of surprise that passed through her eyes did not go unnoticed by Shaw. He observed her reaction with the keen awareness of someone well-versed in the art of manipulation.
Nonetheless, Shaw's focus remained on the task at hand, his voice smooth and unaffected as if he hadn't registered Domino's momentary lapse. "One that doesn't seek to outright destroy mutants..."
With a sly smirk, Shaw concluded. "But to control and harness their powers as tools..."
...
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