Chapter 23

In the depths of his mindscape, Charles sat quietly, his hands clasped together, elbows resting on his knees.

But tonight, his mind was sharp, focused—not on Vibranium, but on Hydra.

"I didn't think Levina would be so bold, outright asking me to join them. But it worked in my favor... I played it like I was tempted, but unsure."

He tapped his fingers thoughtfully against his chin, running through the countless possibilities.

"The only logical move now is to join them—but on my terms. I'll play their game, exploit every opportunity they give me, and plunder their resources for as long as I need to."

But a darker thought lingered beneath the surface, one that had been nagging at him since Levina's threat.

"They'll try to brainwash me—of course they will. But they won't succeed." A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "They have no idea I control every part of my mind and body. If they try to manipulate me, I'll know before they even start."

He leaned back scanning through his mental archives a library of data and contingency plans stored within the folds of his consciousness. But as he reviewed the safeguards he had in place, a troubling realization crept in.

"Body-swapping... That's a weakness I haven't accounted for." The thought sent a ripple of discomfort through him. "Even if I can control my soul, what happens if someone hijacks my body? Someone could use my identity, walk in my skin, and dismantle everything I've built."

Charles narrowed his eyes, mind racing toward a solution.

"I need a failsafe—a way to maintain control even if I'm displaced."

And then, it hit him.

"What if I create an assistant inside my mind? Something autonomous, capable of taking over my body and acting on my behalf if I'm ever compromised?"

His lips curled into a grin. "That would work."

In the depths of his mindscape, a new file began to form lines of thought branching into a carefully structured mental framework. He labeled the project simply: X.

The Next Day

In a small, windowless room hidden deep within the facility, Charles stood across from Dr. Levina. The hum of distant machines was the only sound between them, and the harsh fluorescent light cast sharp shadows across her sharp features.

She folded her arms and tilted her head, watching him closely. "Have you made your decision?"

Charles gave her a calm, measured look. "I have." He paused, just long enough to make it seem like he'd wrestled with the choice. "I want to join."

Levina's expression softened into a rare smile an expression that, on her, looked more like a hunter pleased with her prey.

She stepped closer and gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Good. You've made the right move. We'll meet tonight, after hours. Everything begins from there."

Charles nodded once. "Understood."

As she turned and left, he watched her disappear down the corridor, his mind already spinning with plans within plans. 

'And I'll play along, for now,' Charles thought.

Later That Night,

The hour had grown late, and most of the facility's staff had retired for the night. The air felt heavier with the weight of what was to come.

Charles made his way through the dimly lit corridors, his steps steady but unhurried.

When he reached the designated meeting point, a door at the far end of an isolated hallway, Levina was already waiting. She smiled that same satisfied smile and opened the door.

"Welcome, Charles," she said quietly, gesturing for him to step inside.

The room Charles entered was different from the others dark, sterile, and quiet, with only a metal chair bolted to the center of the floor.

Fluorescent lights buzzed faintly overhead, casting eerie shadows across the walls.

'This feels very similar' Charles remembers when he was a experiment subject, he felt nostalgic for the wrong reason.

Dr. Levina stood by the door, her expression calm but charged with purpose. She gestured toward the chair. "Sit, Charles."

Charles raised an eyebrow but complied without hesitation, keeping his movements smooth and relaxed. 'Here it comes... let's see what you've got, Cassandra.'

Levina tapped on a small panel near the wall, and thick metal restraints snapped over his wrists and ankles, pinning him to the chair. Charles didn't resist—he knew this was part of the game.

"You said you wanted to join Hydra," Levina said, her voice smooth, almost kind. "But there are always... adjustments to be made. A mind as brilliant as yours sometimes resists alignment. We need to make sure you're loyal—deep down."

Charles tilted his head slightly, feigning concern. "I thought my word would be enough."

Levina smiled, but it was a cold, clinical smile. "We both know that's not how this works."

She moved to the side of the room, retrieving a small headset device connected to wires and a glowing console.

It looked like a crown of sleek metal tendrils, pulsing faintly with electricity. She approached him slowly, her heels clicking on the cold floor, and placed the device gently on his head.

"This won't hurt," she whispered. "But when it's over, you'll feel... more focused. More willing to embrace your new purpose."

Charles gave her a slow, deliberate nod, masking his amusement.

Levina activated the console, and the room hummed with an eerie mechanical vibration. The brainwashing protocol began.

---

Inside Charles' Mindscape

As the machine's tendrils pulsed, Charles felt the first wave of mental intrusion a cold, slithering presence trying to worm its way into his subconscious, peeling apart his thoughts layer by layer.

But Charles was ready.

He watched from the safety of his mindscape, sitting calmly in the center of his mental fortress. Around him, mental defenses that he had spent years constructing shimmered like unbreakable walls of glass and steel.

"Let's see how far you get," he thought, watching the intrusive program stumble through decoys and false memories carefully laid traps designed to mislead anyone foolish enough to try and control him.

The brainwashing sequence tried to latch onto his emotions, searching for fear, anger, or regret to exploit.

But Charles offered it nothing—only empty echoes and fragments of fake memories, crafted with such precision that even Levina would believe they were real.

Meanwhile, Charles sat quietly within his fortress, arms folded, waiting patiently for the brainwashing sequence to exhaust itself.

"Let's get this over with," Charles thought.

---

Back in Reality,

After several tense minutes, the machine beeped softly, signaling the end of the brainwashing procedure.

Dr. Levina leaned closer, her gaze flickering with anticipation. "How do you feel, Charles?"

Charles gave her a small, serene smile. "I feel... focused."

Levina's grin widened, pleased with herself. "Good. You're one of us now." She released the restraints holding him to the chair and patted him on the shoulder. "Welcome to Hydra."

Charles stood slowly, stretching his limbs as if nothing unusual had happened. 'This will be fun.'

"Thank you, Dr. Levina," Charles said calmly. "I look forward to working with you."

Levina smiled, satisfied. "You'll be a great asset. Your first task will be assigned soon. But for now just keep doing what you were doing and stay ready."

Charles nodded, his expression neutral, and followed her out of the room. But inside, his mind raced with plans he needed to move quickly.

If Hydra thought the brainwashing worked, they would lower their guard. And that was exactly what he needed.