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The world beyond Hydra's facility was both exhilarating and terrifying. Freedom had felt distant for so long, but now it was here—tangible, real. The woods stretched before Omega like an untamed wilderness, every breath of fresh air new and intoxicating. The sunlight pierced through the trees, warming his skin, and casting shadows across the forest floor. His skin, which had barely known the touch of real light, now soaked in its warmth. Still, his thoughts were anything but calm.
Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch. My mother.
The revelation gnawed at him, clawing at the edges of his sanity. How could someone so powerful, so pivotal, have anything to do with his existence? Did she even know? The idea burrowed into his mind like a parasite, refusing to let go. Hydra had used her DNA to create him, but what did that mean? Was he just an experiment, a byproduct of their insidious plans? Or was there something more?
Omega shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. Now wasn't the time. He had to keep moving.
His legs carried him through the dense underbrush, his breath uneven, but controlled. His body still ached from the facility escape, but he ignored the pain. He was free, and yet, the feeling of being hunted never left him. Every step forward felt like he was putting more distance between himself and the nightmare he'd left behind, but also running toward something unknown—and dangerous.
Hydra had crumbled, but the Avengers were surely after him now. He could still hear Captain America's voice echoing in his mind, the plea for him to stop. But how could he? The Avengers were a part of the same machine, weren't they? No matter how righteous their cause, they would never understand what it meant to be trapped, used, manipulated as he had been.
His muscles tensed as another thought sank its claws into him.
How much did she know? Did she even know he existed? Was he just a product of Hydra's theft, or had she willingly played a part in this? He hated that he didn't know. The uncertainty made him want to scream, to tear apart the forest around him. But there was no time for that. He had to survive first and understand later.
The sound of distant movement pulled him from his thoughts. SHIELD agents. They were closing in. Omega's enhanced senses picked up the faint rustle of footsteps through the trees. He knew he couldn't afford to slow down.
Back at the ruined Hydra facility, Steve Rogers stood amongst the wreckage, a frown etched deep into his face as he surveyed the destruction. This wasn't just another Hydra project. It was something darker. The boy he had encountered- was powerful.
Steve Rogers' mind raced as he activated his comm, concern etched into his voice. "This is Captain America. There's a kid here. Powers—strong ones. I tried to talk to him, but he ran."
There was a brief crackle on the other end before Natasha Romanoff's voice came through. "Powers? What exactly are we dealing with?"
"I don't know yet," Steve replied, scanning the treeline where the boy had disappeared. "But he's scared and running on instinct. We need to find him before Hydra—or anyone else—does."
There was a moment of silence, then Natasha's voice came back, more urgent this time. "Cap, we don't have time for a kid right now. We've got bigger problems. The scepter's still out there, the two freaky twins are attacking us, and Hulk is on a rampage. Focus."
Steve clenched his jaw, torn between responsibilities. "I know, Nat. But if Hydra was keeping him, he could be more dangerous than we realize."
"Then let's make sure we're still around to deal with him later, for now, there are some ground agents to look for him" Natasha countered, her voice sharp but focused. "Right now, we've got to stop the world from burning."
Steve exhaled heavily, nodding to himself. "Understood. I'll rejoin you soon. But we can't let this kid slip through our fingers."
"Copy that. Stay safe, Cap," Natasha replied before cutting off the transmission.
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As he sprinted through the trees, his mind flashed back to the encounter with Captain America. Steve Rogers. He had seen the surprise in the man's eyes, the confusion when he realized Omega wasn't part of the plan. But Omega hadn't stopped to explain. He had done what he always did: he ran. What else could he have done?
Captain America was the epitome of a hero—someone who fought for justice, for the greater good. But Omega wasn't like that. He wasn't fighting for some noble cause. He was fighting for his life, and right now, that meant running. The Avengers wouldn't understand him. They wouldn't listen. They would try to control him, lock him up, just like Hydra.
He wouldn't let that happen. He couldn't.
Omega's breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed himself harder. His legs burned, but he didn't stop. He couldn't. The forest seemed endless, stretching in all directions, but at least it offered cover. If he could put enough distance between himself and them, he might have a chance to think, to figure out what to do next.
His mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts. Wanda Maximoff. Strucker's twisted words. Hydra's experiments. The fear of being hunted. It all swirled together into a tangled mess that made it hard to focus on anything but survival.
Why did they create me?
The question had lingered at the edge of his mind since the moment he had learned the truth. Why me? What's the purpose of all this?
He knew, of course, that Hydra had created him as a weapon. But was that all he was? Just a tool to be used and discarded when he was no longer useful? The idea sickened him, but he couldn't shake it.
And Wanda... If she was his biological mother, did that mean he had her power? Was that why Hydra had created him—to harness her abilities? A living weapon with powers that could rival the Avengers? He didn't have the answers, and that frustrated him even more.
The forest was dense, but Omega's enhanced senses helped him navigate through the maze of trees and undergrowth. He could feel the pulse of life around him, the rustle of leaves, the faint sounds of wildlife. Everything was alive, and for the first time, he felt like he was too.
Yet, despite the freedom, he knew he couldn't let his guard down. Hydra was still out there, and they wouldn't stop hunting him. And now, SHIELD was after him too. He couldn't trust anyone.
The sound of a twig snapping nearby jolted him from his thoughts. Omega froze, crouching low to the ground, his heart racing. He strained his ears, listening for any sign of movement. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, the faint rustle of footsteps.
They were close. Too close.
Omega's eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. The trees were thick, offering some cover, but he knew he couldn't stay hidden forever. He needed a plan, and fast. He didn't want to fight, not if he didn't have to. But if it came down to it...
His fingers twitched, the green psionic energy sparking to life just beneath the surface of his skin. He still didn't fully understand how to control his powers, but instinct had served him well so far. He could feel the energy humming inside him, waiting to be unleashed.
The footsteps grew closer, and Omega pressed himself against the trunk of a tree, trying to stay as still as possible. His breath was shallow, his heart pounding in his chest. He had to stay calm. He couldn't afford to panic.
A flash of movement caught his eye—a figure moving through the trees. Omega tensed, his muscles coiled, ready to spring into action if necessary.
But then he saw it—a SHIELD agent, moving carefully through the forest, scanning the area with sharp, focused eyes. Omega recognized the emblem on the agent's uniform, and a surge of fear shot through him.
They had found him.
He couldn't wait any longer. Without thinking, Omega sprang from his hiding spot, sprinting deeper into the forest. The agent shouted something, but Omega didn't stop to listen. He just ran, his heart pounding in his chest.
More voices joined the first, and Omega realized with a sinking feeling that there were more agents nearby. They were closing in on him, boxing him in.
Panic surged through him, and for a brief moment, he thought about surrendering. Maybe the Avengers would help him. Maybe they would understand what he had been through.
But then Strucker's words echoed in his mind, cruel and mocking: "You'll never escape, Omega. You're their ultimate weapon."
No. He couldn't trust anyone.
He pushed himself harder, his legs burning with the effort. The forest seemed to stretch on forever, but he knew he couldn't outrun them forever. He needed to find a way out, a way to disappear.
As he ran, his mind raced, trying to piece together everything he had learned. Wanda Maximoff, the experiments, Hydra's plans... It was all too much to process. But one thing was clear: he couldn't let them take him back.
The trees began to thin, and Omega realized he was approaching the edge of the forest. He could see the open ground ahead, the sunlight bright and blinding after the darkness of the woods. For a moment, he hesitated, unsure if leaving the cover of the trees was a good idea. But he didn't have a choice. The agents were closing in.
With a deep breath, Omega burst through the treeline, his eyes squinting against the sudden brightness. The open ground stretched out before him, a barren expanse of dirt and rocks. There was nowhere to hide, but he had to keep moving.
His legs felt like they were made of lead, each step heavier than the last. But he couldn't stop. Not now.
Then, just as he thought he might collapse from exhaustion, he saw it—a break in the distance. A wall, or at least the remains of one, crumbled and broken, but still standing.
It was his only chance.
Omega sprinted toward it, his heart pounding in his chest. The ground beneath him was uneven, but he didn't slow down. He could hear the agents behind him, shouting, their footsteps growing louder.
But he didn't care. All he cared about was reaching that wall. It represented freedom, the possibility of escape.
Finally, he reached it, his hands slamming against the rough stone. He could feel the jagged edges cutting into his palms, but he didn't care. He pulled himself up, using every ounce of strength he had left, and scrambled over the top.
The world beyond the wall was quiet, peaceful even. The sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the landscape. For a brief moment, Omega allowed himself to stop, to breathe.
But then he heard the agents again, and he knew he couldn't stay. He had to keep moving.
With one final look at the crumbling Hydra facility in the distance, Omega turned and ran.
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Omega had been running for what felt like hours. His lungs burned with each breath, and his muscles screamed in protest, but he couldn't afford to stop. He was free—at least for now. The thought kept him moving, pushing him forward. The world was wide open before him, stretching farther than his imagination could take him. Yet, even in his newfound freedom, he could feel the weight of something pressing down on him. Something... watching.
The sky above had grown dim, and the fading sunlight cast long shadows across the landscape. Omega's mind churned with thoughts of Hydra, the Avengers, Wanda Maximoff—his supposed mother—and the idea that his very existence had been forged for destruction.
He was so deep in thought that when the air around him suddenly warped, he barely noticed. The sky twisted, turning dark as if night had fallen in an instant. The landscape around him bent and folded, curving impossibly, until it snapped into an entirely different reality—a place he didn't recognize.
The world seemed to shatter and reform, its pieces rearranged into something unnatural. The ground rippled like water beneath his feet, the trees twisting like serpents, warping into the sky. He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes darting around, trying to make sense of what was happening.
And then she appeared.
Draped in golden robes that flowed like liquid light, her bald head gleamed in the ethereal light that flickered across the twisted world. Her presence was commanding, almost serene, but her eyes held a cold intensity. Omega had seen power before—raw, chaotic power—but this was different. Controlled. Focused.
"The Mirror Dimension," the woman said softly, her voice echoing around them as if the very fabric of this place responded to her presence. "A space between realities."
Omega's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. He knew who she was—The Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme. He had seen and read about her in the comics in his past life.
"Why am I here?" Omega demanded, his voice rough with exhaustion and frustration. His fingers twitched, green psionic energy crackling at the tips, ready to defend himself if necessary.
The Ancient One's eyes flicked to his hands, taking in the psionic energy that sparked to life. Her lips pressed together in a thin line as she regarded him with cool detachment. "Your power is... unusual. I sensed it the moment you unleashed it. You are dangerous."
Omega took a step back, his eyes flashing with distrust. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to be free."
The Ancient One stepped forward, her gaze unwavering. "Freedom is an illusion, especially for those with power like yours. The choices you make from here on will define whether you are a threat to this world.... or"
She lifted her hand, and the world around them shifted again as if the very air obeyed her will. The ground beneath Omega's feet rippled, and the sky darkened. He could feel the pressure of her power pushing against his mind, assessing him, weighing his soul.
Omega tensed. He wasn't a stranger to being probed, to having his mind invaded by others. Hydra had done it countless times, drilling into his psyche. He wouldn't let it happen again.
The Ancient One's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see the conflict within you, the rage. The confusion. But also the potential. Great potential."
Omega gritted his teeth, his frustration bubbling over. "I'm not some tool you can use! I don't need you to tell me what I am!"
With a burst of energy, Omega lashed out, his psionic power flaring bright green. He sent a wave of raw energy toward her, hoping to knock her back, to break free of this twisted dimension. But The Ancient One was unfazed. With a flick of her wrist, the energy dissipated like smoke in the wind.
"You fight like a cornered animal," she said calmly, her voice almost pitying. "Instinct, not control. You're dangerous because you don't know how to wield what you have."
Omega's eyes blazed, anger rising within him. "I'll show you dangerous!" He leapt forward, his body moving with the speed and precision Hydra had trained into him. As he charged, he unleashed another burst of energy, this time more focused, aiming to overwhelm her.
The Ancient One moved with fluid grace, sidestepping his attack effortlessly. With a simple gesture, she summoned a glowing mandala of golden light in her hand, deflecting Omega's psionic blast. The force of it sent him stumbling backward, but he quickly recovered, his eyes glowing with fury.
His heart pounded in his chest as he attacked again, this time relying on the brutal close-quarters combat Hydra had drilled into him. He lunged at her, aiming a swift strike at her chest. But again, she deflected him with ease, her movements too precise, too practiced.
"You're strong, but strength without purpose is chaos," she said, her voice calm despite the battle raging around them.
Omega snarled in frustration, his emotions getting the better of him. He didn't care what she thought. He was tired of being judged, tired of being controlled. He just wanted out.
He unleashed another burst of psionic energy, this time pouring everything he had into it. The green energy crackled around him, growing wild and uncontrollable. The air around them shimmered with power as the Mirror Dimension itself seemed to react to his raw, chaotic force.
But The Ancient One remained calm, her expression never wavering. With a flick of her hand, she twisted the space around them, warping reality itself. The world seemed to fold inward, and Omega found himself spinning through a kaleidoscope of shattered landscapes.
He crashed into the ground, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the warped terrain. But he didn't feel pain. His body healed rapidly, just as it always had. Cuts and bruises mended themselves within moments, the green energy within him fueling his recovery.
As he rose to his feet, panting from the exertion, he saw The Ancient One watching him with a curious expression.
"You're not from here, are you?" she said, her voice soft but probing. "Your soul... it doesn't belong to this reality."
Omega froze at her words, his eyes widening in shock. How did she know?
"What are you talking about?" he demanded, his voice shaky.
The Ancient One's gaze softened, almost as if she pitied him. "You are a foreign entity in this reality, a soul misplaced. But that is not your greatest challenge. What matters is what you will do with the power you have been given."
Omega's heart raced. How did she know His anger surged again, and with it, the green psionic energy around him flared brighter. He didn't want to hear this.
In a fit of rage, he attacked again, his emotions driving him forward. He struck out with his fists, his psionic power amplifying each blow, and this time he didn't hold back. He fought like he had been trained—ruthless, relentless, using every skill Hydra had drilled into him. His fists collided with the air around her, sending shockwaves of energy through the warped dimension.
But The Ancient One was prepared. She moved with the grace of a dancer, effortlessly evading his attacks. Her golden mandalas flared to life, deflecting his blows with ease. With each movement, she seemed to be testing him, pushing him to the edge.
And then, something strange happened.
As Omega's emotions reached a fever pitch, the psionic energy coursing through him began to change. The air around them crackled with electricity, and the green energy shifted, mingling with golden sparks. The Eye pulsed, resonating with the energy within him. It was as if it recognized something familiar—something ancient, something tied to the very essence of his being. The energy flowing through Omega wasn't just psionic. It was something deeper, something connected to the Mind Stone.
The Ancient One's eyes widened, just for a moment, as she sensed the shift. "The Mind Stone..." she whispered, more to herself than to him. "Your energy... it's similar."
Omega felt something unfamiliar stir within him, a strange connection to the Eye of Agamotto. Though the artifact hadn't been activated, it responded to his presence, its power thrumming in time with the force surging inside him. For the first time, Omega felt a sense of control.
A surge of energy erupted from him, not psionic force, but raw electricity. The ground cracked beneath his feet, sending shockwaves in all directions. The Ancient One's golden shields flared to life, protecting her from the brunt of the blast, though the sheer force of it caused her to stumble back slightly—an expression of surprise flickering across her face.
Panting, Omega stood his ground, eyes glowing a fierce green, the air humming with energy. His hands crackled with electricity—a power he had never wielded before. He had always been strong, but this was different. This was control.
Omega's power was raw, untamed, and growing more chaotic by the second. Left unchecked, he could become a danger to himself and to the world. She couldn't let him walk away. Not yet.
As Omega charged at her again, fists crackling with electric psionic energy, The Ancient One raised her hand, warping the Mirror Dimension around them. Space twisted in on itself, creating a vortex that snatched him mid-strike, suspending him in the air. Omega struggled against it, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You're fighting your emotions," The Ancient One said, her voice cutting through the chaotic energy. "But emotions cloud judgment. They make you vulnerable."
"I'm not some puppet!" Omega shouted, green energy flaring as he thrashed against the vortex. "I'll fight anyone who tries to control me!"
The Ancient One's gaze softened. "You misunderstand. I'm not here to control you, Omega. I'm here to help you."
But Omega wasn't listening. His emotions—fear, anger, confusion—boiled over. With a scream of frustration, he unleashed everything. A shockwave of psionic and electric energy shattered the vortex, sending cracks rippling through the Mirror Dimension itself. The Ancient One barely managed to shield herself as the explosion of power tore through the landscape.
When the energy subsided, Omega stood at the center of the devastation, panting, his eyes glowing with an unnatural green light. The power within him was overwhelming, dangerous, far greater than he had ever tapped into before.
The Ancient One lowered her shield, stepping forward cautiously. "You feel it, don't you?" she asked softly, her voice calm. "The power inside you."
Omega's breath hitched. His fists clenched, still crackling with electric energy. He didn't understand what was happening, but the power—it excited him.
The Eye of Agamotto flared, glowing brighter as it resonated with Omega's energy. The connection was undeniable now. His power, his very essence, was tied to the Mind Stone.
"What is that?" Omega muttered, his voice strained, his gaze locked onto the Eye.
"The Infinity Stones are the most powerful artifacts in the universe," The Ancient One explained. "The energy inside you... it's similar to one of the stones' signatures. That's why the Eye is reacting to you."
Omega's hands trembled as the realization sank in. Hydra had experimented on him, twisted him into something he barely understood. But this—this was beyond anything they had ever told him.
"I don't want this," he muttered, his voice shaking. "I didn't ask for any of this!"
The Ancient One stepped closer, her expression softening. "I know. But this power... it's a part of you now. And if you don't learn to control it, it will consume you."
Omega's frustration surged again, the green lightning around his hands lashing out uncontrollably. "I'm not here to be molded into some weapon!" he roared, hurling another blast of psionic electricity toward her.
The Ancient One deflected the energy with ease, the warped space of the Mirror Dimension absorbing the attack. "You're not a weapon, Omega. You're more than that. But your power—it's too raw. Too dangerous. If you continue like this, it will destroy you."
Her words struck something deep within him. Omega's breathing slowed, and the energy around him flickered as his anger began to fade, replaced by something else—fear. Fear of what he might become.
"You don't understand," he growled, though the fight in his voice had dimmed. "I don't trust you. I don't trust anyone."
The Ancient One nodded. "I don't expect you to. But trust isn't what you need right now. What you need is control."
Omega hesitated, the green lightning sparking less violently now. He didn't want to be controlled again—didn't want to be anyone's pawn. But the truth of her words echoed in his mind. If he didn't learn to master this power, it would consume him.
Slowly, he unclenched his fists. The crackling energy around him dimmed, and he let out a shaky breath. He didn't know if he could trust her, but he knew he couldn't keep fighting this alone. With a reluctant nod, Omega reached out, taking The Ancient One's offered hand.
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Had to re-edit this chapter is 4000 words