Bab 5: Reunion

TWO DAYS LATER!

The night was deep, the moon veiled by thick clouds as Maxim Novikov made his way through the deserted streets. The air was cold, biting at his skin, terribly cold, but Maxim barely noticed.

His thoughts were far more focused on the destination ahead: an old orphanage nestled in the quieter outskirts of the city. This was where she was, where Hydra had left her, forgotten and alone.

Maxim had already changed his clothes, stealing some from the Hydra base. Currently, Maxim was around 6'5, growing very much from being previously 5'9.

Maxim had a sharp, angular face with a strong jawline that made him rather handsome, a face that was currently cloaked by a hoodie. The most noticeable part of his face were his piercing blue eyes that reflect both his determination and ruthlessness.

Maxim's hair was pale blond, almost white as it was covered by his hoodie, and his body was very fit, like an athlete's, with his body contours being near perfect.

The shadows wrapped around Maxim like a cloak as he moved, his steps silent, his presence barely a whisper in the darkness. Now, there was only one thing on his mind: Katerina.

His beloved sister. It had only been 4 months since he had been kidnapped, but it was 4 months of torture for him, and he could only worry about her.

He was Katerina's brother, her closest friend, he loved her more than he loved himself, and did everything he could to protect her.

Finally, after a long walk, Maxim reached the orphanage, its worn exterior bathed in the pale light of a single streetlamp. The building was old, its bricks weathered by years of neglect.

Maxim paused at the gate, his hand resting on the cold metal. For a moment, he hesitated. What would she think of him now? Millions of thoughts flashed passed Maxim's mind.

But there was no turning back. He had come this far, and he needed to see his sister once more. With him on the run, he knew Hydra would target Katerina. He had shown enough value for them to be interested, and they'd do everything to get him back.

So, Maxim needed to get to Katerina first before Hydra did, especially since they might exploit her too once they find out she is also a Mutant if they capture her.

With a deep breath, Maxim slipped through the gate like a cloud of darkness and made his way to the back of the orphanage, where the children's dormitories were located.

He secretly reached the window of Katerina's room, peering inside. The small room was dimly lit by the soft glow of a nightlight, casting gentle shadows on the walls. In one of the beds, he saw her, a small figure curled up under a thin blanket, her breathing slow and steady.

His heart clenched at the sight. She looked so vulnerable. It was hard to reconcile this image with the memories he had of her as a young girl, full of life and laughter. But the world had changed them both, for better or worse.

This was a long, agonizing 4 months for both of them.

Maxim carefully opened the window, slipping inside with practiced ease. He moved silently, his eyes never leaving Katerina as he approached her bedside.

He knelt beside her, his hand trembling slightly as he reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face. She stirred at the touch, her eyes fluttering open, and for a moment, they stared at each other in the quiet of the night.

"Katya," Maxim whispered, his voice barely audible, filled with emotion.

Katerina blinked, her eyes widening as recognition dawned, "Max?" she whispered back, her voice filled with disbelief.

"It's me," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "I'm here."

Tears welled up in Katerina's eyes as she sat up, leaping into Maxim and throwing her arms around him. She held onto Maxim tightly, burying her face in his neck as tears streamed down her face.

Maxim just calmly held her tightly, his own eyes stinging with unshed tears. For a moment, they were just a brother and sister, reunited after being separated.

"I thought… I thought I'd never see you again," Katerina murmured into his shoulder as she cried.

"I'm sorry," Maxim whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry, Katya. I never wanted to leave you."

Katerina pulled back slightly, looking up at him with tear-streaked cheeks, "I knew you'd come back. I never stopped believing."

Maxim smiled faintly, brushing a thumb across her cheek to wipe away the tears. "You've grown taller," he said softly, his eyes scanning her face as if trying to memorize every detail.

"So have you," Katerina replied, her gaze searching his,"But… something's different about you, Max. I can feel it."

Maxim hesitated, knowing he couldn't hide the truth from her. She had always been perceptive, even as a child. And now, with her mutant psychic powers, she could probably sense the darkness that had taken root within him.

"I've changed," he admitted, his voice low, "The things I've been through… they've changed me. But I'm still your brother, Katya. That hasn't changed."

She nodded, her expression somber. "And you're still the same to me," she said with quiet conviction, "No matter what."

Maxim felt a surge of warmth at her words, a comfort he hadn't felt in years. He had feared that the darkness within him would drive her away, but here she was, accepting him without hesitation.

"Katerina," he began, his voice serious. "Your powers… I told you to keep them secret, but you need to understand how important that is now. The world is dangerous, more dangerous than you know. There are people out there who would do terrible things to you if they found out."

Katerina nodded again, her eyes wide with understanding, "I've been careful, Max. I haven't used them in front of anyone. But… sometimes it's hard. I can hear people's thoughts, feel their emotions. It's… overwhelming."

Maxim reached out, taking her hands in his. "You're strong, Katya. Stronger than you know. But I'm on the run, and I can't protect you for long."

Maxim said, ashamed of himself. In order to get stronger, in order to get revenge, he'll need to train and fight, constantly, over and over again, and he didn't think he could protect Katerina whilst doing that.

Katerina listened and her tears threatened to break out, she squeezed Maxim's hand, her expression mixed. She cared for her brother, but she also understood what he was going through.

But you don't have to do this alone anymore. I need you to flare your psychic powers for a second, and a group of people will eventually come. I'll send you with

"I understand Max, stay strong, " Katerina said, nodding a she heard his words.

Maxim nodded, thankful that she understood before speaking, "I need you to flare your psychic powers widely. A group of people will come to pick you up." Maxim said explaining.

As a Mutant, Maxim knew that the X-Men would naturally take in and protect Katerina, especially with her psychic powers.

He also couldn't feel any instinctual fear from her like he could with other people, proving she already had psychic barriers around her mind, protecting her from a potential Professor-X mind read.

"They're mostly trustworthy, but remember...there's a red haired girl, trust her the most, and the bald man, trust him the least. Got it?" Maxim said.

Katerina chuckled and just nodded. With that, Maxim stood, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I'll miss you Katya, but never lose belief, I will see you again, always remember that."

With one last look, he slipped back out the window, disappearing into the night as quietly as he had arrived. But this time, he wasn't leaving her behind. He was leading her to safety, to a future where they could finally be together without fear.

As he walked away, he felt the psychic wave of Katerina's power, and calmed down. Giving her to Professor-X was dangerous, but with her psychic barriers and his instruction, she should remain safe.

____________________________

The first rays of dawn were beginning to touch the horizon when Katerina heard it, the soft hum of something approaching.

She was still sitting by the window, unable to sleep after Maxim's visit. Her heart had been racing all night, a mixture of excitement and fear. But now, as the sound grew closer, it steadied, focusing on the task at hand.

She rose from her spot by the window, her bare feet silent against the cold floor as she moved through the small room. The other children were still asleep, their breathing even and peaceful.

A soft breeze swept through the room as Katerina opened the window, peering out into the dim light of dawn. The sound was louder now, and she could see a dark shape descending from the sky, a sleek, black jet that seemed to blend with the night.

It landed silently in the orphanage courtyard, the trees barely rustling as it settled. Katerina's heart pounded in her chest as she watched the jet's ramp lower, revealing a figure standing at the entrance.

A tall, imposing man in a black uniform, his skin a deep shade of blue, stepped out first. He had a kind of noble grace about him, despite his fearsome appearance.

His yellow eyes scanned the area before landing on her window, a smile softening his otherwise fearsome appearance.

"What's your name miss?," he called out in a gentle, accented voice,

"Katerina." She muttered to the man.

"We're recognized you as a Mutant Katerina, you may have powers you don't understand, we're here to help you." The man called out.

Behind him, two more figures emerged from the jet. The first was a tall, muscular man with sharp claws extending from his knuckles.

The second, however, was the one Maxim had told her to trust above all others,a woman with long, flowing red hair, her presence almost serene amidst the chaos of the world.

Katerina hesitated for a moment, taking in the sight of them. These were the group Maxim had spoken of, the ones who could protect her.

Katerina took a deep breath, steeling herself, and climbed out the window. The grass was wet with dew as her feet touched the ground, the cold seeping into her skin. She approached the group slowly, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear.

"Don't be afraid," Jean said, her voice soothing. She stepped forward, extending a hand toward Katerina. "We're here to help you."

Katerina looked at Jean, searching her face for any sign of deceit. But there was none. Jean's eyes were filled with a compassion that made Katerina's nervousness begin to melt away.

She took Jean's hand, feeling the warmth of her touch, and nodded. Katerina felt a wave of relief wash over her. These people, these mutants, weren't just here to take her away. They were here to protect her, just like Maxim had said.

"Are you ready to go?" Jean asked gently.

Katerina looked back at the orphanage, the place she lived for the recent period. She felt a pang of sadness, but she knew she couldn't stay. Not with Hydra still out there, hunting people like her. She turned back to Jean and nodded.

"I'm ready," she said, her voice steady.

Jean squeezed her hand gently before leading her toward the jet. Katerina followed, feeling a strange mixture of fear and excitement.

As she walked up the ramp, she glanced back one last time at the orphanage, her heart heavy with the weight of what she was leaving behind.

But then she remembered Maxim's words, "I will see you again, always remember that," and she felt a flicker of hope.

She would see him again. They would be together, someday.

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Bab 6: Winter Soldiers!

The night was a void of ink, broken only by the distant glimmers of stars and the faint glow of the moon as Maxim Novikov darted through the forest, his breath coming in controlled, measured intervals.

The cold air bit at his skin, but the sensation barely registered, his focus was entirely elsewhere as his figure flashed through the darkness like a ghost.

Two weeks, that was the amount of time that had passed since Maxim had left Katerina in the care of the X-Men.The memory of her tearful goodbye still haunted him, driving him forward in his relentless pursuit of strength and vengeance.

He had to stay ahead of the forces hunting him, Hydra, desperate to reclaim their lost asset, and S.H.I.E.L.D., unaware that he wasn't their enemy.

Maxim had multiple files taken from the base detailing Hydra's existence, and potential Shield connection, but he needed to find someone he could trust to deliver this information to Nick Fury.

Still, with no way to do that at the moment, Maxim had spent the past two weeks training, improving his strength and integration with Omen.

His body, already strong, had grown even more defined through an unforgiving training regime that pushed him to his limits and beyond.

Every morning, he woke before dawn, using the hours of darkness to push his physical endurance. Endless miles of running, weight training, and martial arts, he honed his body into a weapon, every muscle trained to perfection.

On the other hand, Omen's powers, now an inseparable part of him, had become an extension of his will. The ability to shift through shadows, to blend into the darkness, he was becoming more efficient.

The more he did it, the most he practiced them, his mastery increased, he learned how to stretch their limits and combine these abilities with his combat skills to deadly effect.

During the nights, Maxim was constantly on the run, shifting his position. He wasn't an idiot who would run around destroying Hydra outposts just because he knew their position.

Maxim was in a delicate situation, and needed to remain strategic, using the shadows to his advantage to hide during the day like a phantom.

Still, some agents still found him, yet he put them down. For agents he recognized as just Shield, he just dispatched but left alive, knowing they were caught in a web of lies and misinformation.

But Hydra agents....they weren't given any mercy, his strikes were precise, lethal, and final. Every Hydra soldier who crossed paths with him met the same cold, unyielding fate.

This night was no different. The forest was alive with the sounds of pursuit, Hydra had tracked him here, but he was ready. The forest was dense, the canopy above blocking out what little light the moon provided.

Hydra soldiers moved cautiously through the underbrush, their eyes scanning the darkness, they had heard about Maxim. None of their agents had survived encounters with him, and he moved like a Ghost.

They were hunting a ghost, a phantom that had already claimed the lives of too many of their comrades.

"Stay sharp," the squad leader whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. His grip tightened on his rifle as his gaze flicked from shadow to shadow. The reports had been clear, this was no ordinary target.

Maxim Novikov was a predator, and they were the prey.

The group of eight Hydra soldiers advanced, their weapons ready, their movements synchronized. They had been trained to work together, to cover each other's backs, and trusted each-other as they moved forward.

As they moved deeper into the forest, the sense of unease grew. The trees seemed to close in around them, the air thick with tension. The squad leader signaled for the group to spread out, forming a wider perimeter. They couldn't afford to be caught off guard.

Suddenly, a soldier at the rear of the formation gasped, but the sound was quickly muffled. The squad leader turned, but it was too late, one of his men had already disappeared into the shadows, leaving nothing behind but a faint whisper of movement.

Panic started to ripple through the group. They tightened their formation, but it made no difference. Another soldier vanished, pulled into the darkness with barely a sound.

The remaining men spun around, their rifles pointed wildly at the surrounding trees, but they saw nothing, only the inky blackness of the night.

"Where the hell is he?" one of the soldiers hissed, his voice shaking with fear as he aimed his gun towards the darkness, ready to rain fire on any sliver of movement.

"Keep it together!" the squad leader barked, but his own voice betrayed his fear. He could feel it—, he cold, creeping dread that they were being hunted.

A shadow flickered at the edge of his vision, and he spun, firing his weapon into the trees. The gunshots echoed through the forest, but they hit nothing but air.

The soldiers followed suit, their weapons flashing in the darkness as they unleashed a barrage of gunfire, but there was no target to hit.

Then, in the midst of the chaos, Maxim struck. He emerged from the shadows behind a soldier, his movements silent and fluid. A knife flashed in his hand, and before the man could react, Maxim had driven the blade into his neck, pulling him back into the darkness and taking away his pistol.

Another soldier turned just in time to see his comrade vanish. He shouted in alarm, but Maxim was already moving, his figure a blur as he closed the distance.

With a swift, powerful kick, he knocked the soldier off his feet, following up with a lethal strike to the chest and a bullet to the brain.

~BANG~

The remaining soldiers tried to regroup, but they were disoriented, their formation broken. Maxim exploited their confusion, moving among them like a wraith.

He took down another soldier with a brutal punch to the throat, then twisted around to disarm the next, using the man's own weapon to finish him off and then killing the soldier he punched in the throat.

Within moments, it was over. The forest was silent once more, the Hydra soldiers lying lifeless on the forest floor. Maxim stood in the center of the carnage, his breathing steady, his eyes cold.

But the fight wasn't over yet. He felt it, a presence, two of them, approaching from the direction of the main Hydra force. They were different from the others, their footsteps heavier, more deliberate. Maxim could tell they were skilled, highly trained.

He didn't have to wait long. From the shadows, two figures emerged, Winter Soldiers, their bodies enhanced with cybernetic implants, their faces hidden behind masks.

Their eyes locked onto Maxim, and without a word, they attacked, fast, aggressive and with intent to kill.

The first Winter Soldier lunged at Maxim, his movements fast and aggressive. He swung a ferocious arm in a wide arc, aiming for Maxim's head.

Maxim dodged, the blow missing him by inches, and countered with a sharp kick to the Soldier's side. The man barely flinched, his body absorbing the impact with ease.

The second Winter Soldier came at Maxim from the opposite side. He aimed for Maxim's legs, trying to sweep them out from under him. Maxim leaped back, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the first Soldier was already on him again, launching a flurry of punches.

Maxim blocked and parried, his mind racing as he analyzed their movements. They were strong, stronger than any normal human, and their coordination was near perfect, but near perfect wasn't enough to stop him.

Maxim shifted through the darkness, disappearing from their sight, only to reappear behind the first Soldier. Maxim struck quickly, driving his knife into the back of the man's knee.

The Soldier grunted in pain, dropping to one knee, but his comrade was already turning, his fist swinging toward Maxim's head, which Maxim ducked with ease, retaliating with a brutal elbow to the ribs.

The man staggered, and Maxim pressed the advantage, delivering a powerful kick to his chest that sent him crashing into a tree.

The first Soldier, still on one knee, tried to rise, but Maxim was on him in an instant, sending a paranoia right onto him.

All of a sudden, the winter soldier felt his senses drained, his vision was near-sighted, his hearing gone. All of a sudden, he felt his arm twisted, and grunted in pain.

Then, without any chance to react, a pair of arms wrapped in a long-sleeve wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air supply. The soldier struggled, but Maxim held firm, and with a savage twist.

~SNAP~

He snapped his neck, killing him instantaneously!

Maxim didn't have time to catch his breath. The second Soldier was already back on his feet, and this time, he was more cautious, more deliberate in his approach. He circled Maxim, his eyes calculating, searching for a weakness.

Maxim could feel the Soldier's intense gaze, but he didn't waver. He knew what he needed to do.

He allowed the shadows to envelop him, his body becoming one with the darkness. The Soldier hesitated, his eyes widening slightly as Maxim vanished from sight.

Then, without warning, Maxim struck. He reappeared behind the Soldier, his movements faster than before, fueled by the shadows.

He drove his knee into the Soldier's back, forcing him forward, then followed up with a powerful punch to the base of his skull.

The Soldier staggered, disoriented, but Maxim didn't let up. He seized the Soldier's arm, wrenching it back with enough force to dislocate the shoulder. The Soldier muffled out a groan of pain, and Maxim used the moment of weakness to finish the fight.

He twisted the man's neck, feeling the snap of bone beneath his hands, and the Soldier fell to the ground, lifeless.

Maxim stood over the bodies of the two Winter Soldiers, his breathing heavy but controlled. He glanced around, sensing that the area was now clear. No more Hydra soldiers, no more Winter Soldiers, just the silence of the forest and the darkness that surrounded him.

Maxim sheathed his knife, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the horizon. There was still so much to do, so many more battles to fight.

And Hydra was running out of time.

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