Chapter 35: Red Room

Logan sat on the sofa, his mind drifting back to his recent encounter with Ultron. To everyone else, it may have seemed like he handled the situation effortlessly, but Logan knew better.

His powers had limits—real, tangible limits. He couldn't generate energy like some beings; he could only store and manipulate what he absorbed, making him more of a capacitor than an energy source.

During the fight with Ultron, Logan only managed to keep up because Ultron's energy blasts provided a constant source for him to siphon. Without that, if he had faced someone who didn't use energy, his only option would have been to rely on his werewolf abilities and adaptation power.

His fingers tapped absently on the arm of the sofa. I need to evolve... and find other powers, he thought with his eyes narrowing in contemplation.

Soon his enhanced senses detected Selene approaching from the hallway.

A small smirk tugged at his lips. Logan picked up a pencil lying nearby and infused it with his Flying Raijin mark. He'd chosen a simple symbol for the mark—the letter 'W', signifying Wolverine.

With a quick flick, he threw the pencil toward Selene.

Startled by the sudden throw, Selene instinctively dodged it, but before she could react further, Logan had teleported behind her, catching the pencil in mid-air. His other hand gently touched her back as he marked her with his teleportation seal.

Selene sighed, sensing the mark settle on her. "Now that you've marked me, do you have anything else to say?"

Logan's smirk faded as he moved around to face her. "Yeah, I do. The situation with the Widows... I've convinced them to stay for now, and it's only a matter of time I'll gain their loyalty. But I need you to help shape public opinion about werewolves."

They moved to the sofa as Selene sat on it, she tilted her head, intrigued but cautious. "You want to mind control the government?"

"Not exactly," Logan said, walking toward the window and gazing out into the dark sky. "I don't want to completely mess with their heads, just... nudge them. Make them feel a little more goodwill toward our kind. That's all."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "Why now? You've never liked manipulating people's emotions before."

Logan's posture stiffened, his voice lowering as he stared out at the world beyond. "I was naïve before." He paused, the weight of his thoughts heavy on his mind. "The world is changing. People fear what they don't understand. It's always been that way. And fear, unchecked, will tear us all apart."

He turned back to Selene, his expression serious. "I have a child coming into this world soon. I don't want their future to be filled with doubt and hate. I want them to grow up in a world where they're loved, where they're not hunted or feared just because of who they are."

Selene could feel the shift in his tone, the deep sincerity in his words. But she also sensed something darker beneath it. "You want me to make sure there's no war between humans and werewolves," she said slowly, processing his request. "But what if that war does come, Logan? What will you do then?"

Logan's eyes darkened as he returned his gaze to the window. He closed his eyes for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

When he turned back to Selene, his eyes were no longer their usual hue—they were blood red, glowing with the raw power of the Alpha within him. "If it comes to that," he said softly, his voice colder than Selene had ever heard, "I'll make sure there won't be any humans left to wage war on us."

A shiver ran down Selene's spine. For the first time in her life, she felt a genuine fear. She had seen Logan fight, had known his strength and ferocity. But the look in his eyes now—the absolute certainty of what he was willing to do—was something she hadn't expected.

"Logan..." she whispered, trying to find the words.

But he simply stood there, red eyes glowing in the dim light. His message was clear. If the world turned on his family, he would turn on the world.

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Logan returned to his house in Whitehaven after his intense conversation with Selene. The weight of the world, the future, and the survival of his kind pressed on his mind. He sank into his sofa, trying to relax, but his heightened senses alerted him that Sebastian was approaching.

Logan didn't move but called out, "What do you want, Sebastian?"

A few seconds later, Sebastian appeared in the doorway, kneeling in front of him with his usual respect. "Master Logan, I've gathered the information regarding the Red Room and Dreykov."

Logan's eyes narrowed with interest. "What did you find?"

Sebastian began to recount the details he had uncovered. "The Red Room is a covert Soviet training program that specializes in turning young girls into elite assassins—The Widows. Dreykov is its leader, a ruthless man who has operated from the shadows for decades, controlling his operatives with a mixture of fear and technology. The Red Room's location is hidden, constantly on the move, and heavily guarded. They use chemical mind control on the girls, ensuring absolute loyalty and obedience."

He continued, "Dreykov isn't just a military man; he's a manipulator, always one step ahead. He never leaves loose ends. Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova are both products of the Red Room."

Sebastian paused before delving deeper into Natasha and Yelena's family. "Their connection to the Red Room goes deep. Both of them were placed in a fabricated family to serve the USSR's interests—Melina Vostokoff, their 'mother,' and Alexei Shostakov, the 'father,' known as the Red Guardian, were part of this facade."

Logan stood up, impressed with the detailed report. He walked over to Sebastian and placed a hand on his shoulder, marking him with the Flying Raijin seal. "Good job."

Sebastian's face lit up with a smile, the acknowledgment from his master filling him with pride.

"You're dismissed," Logan said, sensing another presence approaching—Yelena.

He made his way to the door and opened it to find Yelena standing there. She looked determined and a bit anxious. Logan stepped aside, gesturing for her to come in.

"What's on your mind?" Logan asked, knowing she wouldn't have come unless it was important.

Yelena wasted no time. "I want my sister to be a part of this. I know she was in the ambush, but she's not here now. I asked Jack, and he said Natasha was with you, so... where is she?"

Logan nodded, appreciating her straightforwardness. "Natasha's safe. I sent her away after we had a talk."

Yelena narrowed her eyes. "A talk?"

Logan motioned for her to sit down as he began explaining his plan. "We're going to destroy the Red Room. I'll free every Widow from Dreykov's control and tear his operation down brick by brick."

Yelena understands that he wants revenge since Dreykov sent them to kill him, Logan do the same.

Yelena considered his words for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But we need to find Natasha."

Logan agreed and shook her hand as he placed Mark on her.

He then looked at Sebastian, who is listening to their conversation, "You know what to do."

Sebastian nods and opened a portal that sucked both of them.

---

Meanwhile, in a small, nondescript coffee shop elsewhere, Natasha Romanoff sat across from Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye. He had been the one sent to kill her, to learn what secrets she carried about the Red Room, but now the situation was different.

"So, Mr. Barton," Natasha said, her tone calm but guarded. "Now you know my situation."

Clint sat back, processing everything she had told him about Dreykov, the Red Room, and the mind control over the Widows. "Yeah, I get it. Dreykov's a bigger threat than we thought. We need to take him down and free the rest of the Widows."

Natasha leaned in. "If we don't act fast, he'll just tighten his grip on them, I'm lucky to broke free but there are so many others still trapped."

Clint nodded. "I'll inform Fury. He'll want to know everything, and we'll need his resources."

Clint pulled out a small comm device and contacted Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. As he relayed the situation, Fury's voice came through, calm but intrigued. "So, Logan let her go? That's... unexpected."

Fury knew of Logan—the werewolf who had been alive for more than a century, a man of mystery and immense power. He is also someone who fought alongside Captain America and close friends with the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D.

For Logan to let Natasha live, especially after she had been part of an attempt on his life, was surprising, to say the least. So, he agreed to see what Logan had in his mind and also to eliminate the threat Dreykov.

After the call ended, Natasha glanced at Clint. "We need to find my sister. She's still with Logan, and I need to know what he's planning."

Just as they were about to leave the café, the door chimed. A man and a blonde woman walked in, their presence unsettlingly confident. The man smiled as he approached their table.

"Hello there," he said, his voice carrying an air of familiarity. Clint's eyes narrowed.

Natasha tensed, instinctively reaching for a weapon. "Speak of the devil."