?

Stryker inserted the key into the command panel, then forcefully tore off the cover protecting the password input pad. His fingers raced across the keys, entering the code. A warning flashed on the screen: Are you sure you want to activate CODE 7?

He hesitated for only a fraction of a second but pressed the button anyway.

He had bet everything, and now he found himself caught in the grinding gears of fate. First Trask, and now him. Were mutants truly unstoppable?

"Stryker," a rough voice sounded behind him. He turned sharply, raising his gun at the approaching mutant.

"So, we meet again face to face," Stryker said with a grin. "You were my greatest experiment, the ultimate Weapon X. But you know what? Mutants must all be exterminated. If not me, then someone else will finish the job. It's already decided."

A red warning light flared around them.

"Warning! Evacuate immediately! CODE 7 activated! Full facility purge in progress! Warning! Evacuate immediately! CODE 7 activated! Full facility purge in progress!"

The alarm was still blaring when Stryker opened fire and lunged forward, but Logan reacted instantly. Instincts took over flawlessly he dodged every bullet, closed the distance in a flash, and with a swift movement, drove his claws deep into Stryker's stomach, lifting him off the ground.

"Arrghh…" A thick clot of blood gushed from Stryker's mouth.

"That's it. You're done… for everything. For my love," Logan growled. He remembered the one he had lost. His heart clenched with pain. Maybe he could have saved her.

Stryker let out a hoarse, bloody laugh.

"Looks like you remembered. Then remember this too: everything I did to you will haunt you for the rest of your days. See you in hell!"

"See you in hell," Logan echoed before yanking his claws out. Stryker's body dropped to the floor, a dark pool of blood spreading beneath him.

Logan looked at his fallen enemy one last time. Their rivalry had lasted for so many years. How different would his life have been if, on that day, he had made a different choice? If he had killed him right away, as he should have? Maybe then… he could have had a family.

He took a deep breath and whispered:

"Forgive me for everything…"

A dim flicker of memory ignited in his mind.

"Wolverine," a voice called from the doorway. Escanor.

"I'm coming."

**********************

The moment Logan ran out of the hydroelectric station, a deafening explosion sounded behind him. The self-destruction sequence had been activated, and the dam was collapsing. A powerful surge of water burst forth, sweeping away everything in its path.

"We're overloaded! We can't take off! Where are Logan and Escanor?" Storm, who had just regained consciousness, was piloting the X-Jet.

"They're almost here," Jean replied. "But what about the others? We can't just leave them!"

"We won't leave them. We'll figure something out," Storm said firmly.

At that moment, Logan and Escanor ran up to the jet.

"What's the problem?" Logan asked immediately.

"Overload. We can't take off! But if we get a good enough run-up, it won't be a problem. We just need to lift off," Ororo explained.

"I'll handle it," Escanor said, stepping out of the jet.

He looked at the rapidly approaching flood, then bent down, pressed his palms against the aircraft's hull, and began to lift it. Slowly but surely, the massive machine started to rise from the ground.

"Time to fire up the engine! Get this bird in the sky!" he shouted.

With those words, Escanor tensed his muscles slightly, and with a powerful push, the jet shot up into the sky, quickly gaining speed and successfully escaping the destruction behind.

"This is going to be unpleasant. I've never liked swimming," Escanor muttered before the massive wave crashed over him.

The whirlpool closed in, plunging him into absolute darkness. The roar of water, the splashes… everything blurred together. But soon, a faint light began to break through the depths. The water around him started to boil, and in the next moment, Escanor's powerful body surged from the abyss.

With incredible strength, he launched himself upward, leaving the churning flood behind. As he landed on solid ground, Nightcrawler appeared beside him and teleported them both onto the X-Jet.

******************

Escanor's POV

"It seems trouble always finds you, Mr. Leon," Philip smirked, sitting at the bar and sipping a light beer from his glass.

"It'll find you too if you keep coming here," I replied.

"Are you really afraid of a simple man? I still have business in New York, so at least let me enjoy a break in this cozy bar," Coulson said.

"Fine, but the price is higher for you," I answered.

He simply nodded. Government money, no doubt from some secret fund he wouldn't even feel the expense.

The guy had nothing better to do. Then again, he just came here to have a drink and, as always, tell another story from his time in service.

It had been two days since I helped the X-Men. Coulson had come back to the bar, having finished his interrogations regarding the incident. Why not go straight to the X-Men themselves? They had been officially cleared of all accusations and even received an apology for the misunderstanding. Many of those who pushed for their arrest had been swiftly retired.

I spent some time at the school, catching up with old friends, but then I left again. I returned to the bar, and I had to admit here, in Hell's Kitchen, I was still needed more than anywhere else.

Coulson's phone rang.

"Yeah? I'm on my way," he said, standing up abruptly. "Sorry, Leon, but it looks like I won't be bothering you anymore. I have to leave immediately."

"Good. Hope I never see you again," I said.

"I'll miss our chats too," Coulson smirked as he walked out of the bar.

Something was brewing.

I glanced at the screen, where a live broadcast of a Formula 1 race was playing. Of course, it wasn't just racing Iron Man was involved, along with someone else with a similar arc reactor. Their battle, complete with explosions and an epic finale, was being discussed on every channel.

Two Years Later

After that mess with the Silver-Haired criminal, New York's underworld was in chaos. One of the city's biggest crime bosses had been taken down, and the only one left with the power to maintain order was Kingpin.

At first, he took control of everything he could. But his reign didn't last long. Completely unexpectedly, Daredevil managed to gather enough evidence of his crimes and handed it over to the police. The rest was up to law enforcement Kingpin was arrested.

New York was left without organized crime. The ones who had kept the city in fear were gone. Many thought new criminals would rise to take their place, but surprisingly, the authorities took the issue seriously. And the Punisher did his part, making sure no wannabe kingpin lasted long.

And me? I stayed out of it. I helped the Punisher now and then when things got too rough for him, but that was it.

I enjoyed a simple life talking to people at the bar, playing the role of an unofficial therapist while pouring drinks. I was pretty good at it. Some people even changed their outlook on life after a few conversations with me.

Or maybe I was just fooling myself.

I still wanted to live without looking over my shoulder. But I knew sooner or later, someone would come for me. In the dead of night, when I'd be at my most vulnerable.

For years, I had been trying to figure out how to fix this… and I finally found the answer.

At first, I thought my power only came from the sun. But that wasn't entirely true. My sun had always burned within me. I just needed an external source to fuel my star.

Over time, the heat inside me grew. I felt less and less dependent on the time of day. One night, I tried to summon the power of the sunand it worked. For a brief moment, I felt my full strength again. But it only lasted five minutes.

I just needed more time to develop it. If I could master this, maybe I could be strong all the tim not just during the day.

One of my regulars hadn't returned to the bar since the incident with Iron Man two years ago. Coulson never came back.

Then the attack on Stark Expo happened. Hammer's new drones went rogue, targeting Tony Stark. But, as always, he came out on top.

Something told me this was only the beginning.