Chapter 24

You know what, fuck it we ball. I'm continue the stories. Hell yeah.

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"It wasn't just about avoiding brainwashing—it was about understanding how it works, so it never happens again."

Charles sat within the quiet depths of his mindscape, surveying the intricate defenses he'd built. His thoughts echoed around him like whispers in a hall of mirrors.

"Seems like my defenses are holding up," he murmured, his fingers drumming thoughtfully against his temple. "But they're still not perfect... I need to refine this part."

With a mental command, he adjusted the barriers around the vulnerable sections where the brainwashing had been targeted. The work felt meticulous, almost surgical, as he reinforced weak points.

"So that's where they hit..." he muttered to himself, piecing things together. "Makes sense it would work on people with weaker control over their own minds."

He leaned back, holding his chin in thought, the gears in his mind turning.

"I should run more tests... Can't just assume it'll hold up under every scenario."

His gaze shifted toward the floating holographic display in front of him, where complex scripts and neural patterns scrolled across the screen.

"I've already planted the commands in most of their minds, right?" Charles murmured, scanning the data carefully as his fingers danced across the interface.

He scrolled a bit further, a flicker of doubt creeping in.

"Almost done, but... there are still some Hydra agents I haven't reached."

His lips pressed into a thin line, the frustration evident as he spoke aloud to himself, more to fill the silence than anything else.

"Guess I'm not finished just yet."

...

Two guards escorted Charles through the dimly lit hallways, the faint hum of machinery vibrating through the walls. When they stopped in front of a door, the first guard gestured toward it.

"This is your personal lab from now on," he said curtly.

Charles stepped inside, surveying the space. The room was surprisingly well equipped sleek workbenches, containment units, and a supercomputer tucked in the corner.

His own lab.

He'd finally earned one... or rather, pretended to.

"You screw us over, and we'll do to you what we did to the last scientist who thought he was smart," the second guard added with a grin.

Charles sighed, turning back toward them. "Do you two ever stop talking?"

"Huh?" The guards exchanged confused glances, unsure why he wasn't the slightest bit intimidated.

Charles gave them a small, knowing smirk. "Ah, that's right—you're new here." He casually snapped his fingers, and the guards' minds went blank, their eyes losing focus for a split second.

When they blinked back into consciousness, their expressions had completely changed—submissive, apologetic.

"Apologies, sir," one of the guards stammered. "We didn't mean to disrespect you. We'll leave you to your work."

They turned on their heels and hurried out, leaving Charles alone in the room.

With a quiet chuckle, Charles crossed his arms and scanned the lab, appreciating the space now that he had it to himself.

He wandered over to the nearest console, running a finger thoughtfully along its edge. Hydra's resources were absurd, and the possibilities were endless—if he played his cards right.

"The X-Gene..." he murmured, tapping his chin. "Why would they even have data on mutants? Do they have mutants in their ranks already?" He frowned, frustrated. "Man... I really should've read more comics about the other heroes."

His gaze fell on the supercomputer in the corner, a sleek machine far ahead of the technology available to most labs in this era. His fingers twitched with excitement.

He approached the machine, powered it on, and waited for the screen to flicker to life. Unsurprisingly, it was locked behind a password.

He already knew the password—he'd pulled it straight from Levina's thoughts during their first meeting. A few keystrokes later, the lock screen disappeared, and files began populating the display.

The sheer amount of information was staggering—X-Gene research, though Hydra had rebranded it as the "Evolution Gene." There were also files on experimentations, energy-based technology, weapons prototypes, and genetic mutations.

Charles leaned back, amused. "This is going to take a while to scroll through," he muttered, though he knew it wouldn't. He could absorb and memorize entire libraries of data with a glance.

Still, something about physically scrolling through files gave him a sense of control, like slowly unraveling a web that someone thought was hidden.

This lab was more than just a workspace—it was a playground. His playground.

He allowed himself a rare, genuine smile. "I think I'm going to like it here."

The Next Day,

Charles went through the motions of his day, doing exactly what was expected of him—analyzing data, running simulations, and taking careful notes on the Vibranium research.

His expression was calm, collected, just another cog in "Hydra's" well-oiled machine. On the surface, he looked like a model recruit, fully committed to the cause.

As he finished cataloging his latest findings, Dr. Levina appeared beside him, as smooth and deliberate as a shadow.

"Charles," she said with her usual sharp smile. "How's the work coming along?"

"Progress is steady," Charles replied, offering a polite smile in return. "I should have more results by tomorrow."

Dr. Levina studied him for a moment, her gaze lingering. "You're adjusting well. That's good. You seem... more focused than when you first arrived."

Charles gave a small shrug, keeping his tone light. "Well, it helps when you know where you belong."

Her smile widened—just a flicker of satisfaction, but it was there. "Glad to hear it. Keep it up."

She gave his shoulder a brief pat, the gesture feeling both reassuring and possessive. Then, without another word, she turned and left, her heels clicking softly against the lab floor.

From across the room, Dr. Myron stood quietly in the shadows, watching the exchange. His brow furrowed, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his lab coat.

'Did they get to him?' he wondered grimly. 'Has Hydra already brainwashed the kid?'

A heavy sigh escaped him. 'If that's the case... what a damn waste. I've lost one of the best minds we've had in years.'

Dr. Myron lingered a moment longer, watching as Charles calmly returned to his work, completely unbothered by Levina's presence.

And yet... something didn't sit right. There was a spark in the boy's eyes too sharp, too knowing.

Unfortunately for Dr. Myron, Charles sensed his thoughts the moment they formed, like ripples on the surface of a still lake.

Slowly, Charles turned his head, locking eyes with the older man. A calm, knowing smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

'You really shouldn't be making assumptions about me, Dr. Myron.'

Without hesitation, Charles slipped a mental command into Dr. Myron's mind—smooth, subtle, and precise. It wasn't elaborate.

Just a simple suggestion, carefully planted in the right spot: There's no reason to be suspicious of Charles.

He felt Dr. Myron's mind yield to the order almost instantly. For a brief moment, the man's eyes glazed over, his body frozen as if lost in thought.

Then, with a soft blink, Dr. Myron returned to himself. He gave his head a small shake, rubbing his temples with a groan.

"Too much coffee," Dr. Myron muttered to himself, turning on his heel and walking away, the remnants of doubt dissolving like mist in his mind.

'Good thing I caught that in time,' Charles thought.

With Dr. Myron out of the way, Charles returned to his station, exhaling quietly through his nose. He adjusted his chair, settled in, and refocused on the task at hand: analyzing the Vibranium sample in front of him.

The faint hum of the lab's equipment filled the air as Charles scanned the data streaming across the monitor. He tapped a pen against the edge of the desk—a small, rhythmic habit—while his mind sifted through complex figures and energy readings.

Every now and then, he scribbled a note in the margin of his notebook, cross-referencing it with older data.