บท 38: X-Men?
"The place was spotless when I arrived. My task was to prevent other Mutants from reaching here to rescue people. As for the individual you mentioned, they must have been killed!" Jestner declared with an air of finality, though there was a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Don't inquire about where the body was taken, because I have no knowledge of it! You can leave now!" Max squinted his eyes, gazing at Jestner while suppressing his anger.
Jestner probably genuinely didn't know. The Hound Project remained shrouded in secrecy. While many Mutants were routinely transported there, no one had detailed information about its location or purpose. Standard sentry squads only assumed that the mutants were relocated to a more secure facility. So, Jestner's claim of ignorance was likely genuine.
People from the Hound Project should arrive before Jestner, and the heartbeat must still be audible. Currently, there was no suitable opportunity to continue searching.
"Very well, then. Goodbye!" Max acknowledged, turning to leave.
"Yes, until we meet again!" Jestner gritted his teeth, a mix of anger and frustration coursing through him.
Max smiled and waved as he opened the door, helping Katie inside. As the door closed behind them, Jestner clenched his fists and muttered, "God damn it!"
The sentry squad had suffered substantial losses, and a prisoner had managed to escape. But what frustrated Jestner the most was that he had to release Max!
"Hey!"
Max's voice abruptly pierced the silence, and Jestner turned to see the door opening once more. Max pointed at the gun he had discarded earlier. "Thanks, I'll take that back, please."
Reluctantly, Jestner complied. He retrieved the gun and tossed it to Max. "Just remember, I..."
"When you catch me, we can continue this conversation then!" Max interrupted with a dismissive wave.
The door closed, and Max and Katie disappeared from Jestner's sight.
....
In another space, Max carefully stashed his weapon and looked at Katie. She appeared in terrible condition, as if she could faint at any moment. He bent over, extended his arms, and, like a knight, scooped up the diminutive Katie. Max held her close, and Katie managed to muster a weak "Thank you."
"Don't worry, you'll have to answer for this," Max replied with a smile, proceeding to carry Katie back home.
Meanwhile, in an underground laboratory adjacent to the basement, the nine Mutants who had been rescued sat quietly. The neck rings that had kept them captive had been removed. Although Mariko's equipment had not yet been delivered, the Viper had already begun some preliminary research.
Max returned, cradling the unconscious Katie, and turned to the somewhat surprised Viper. "Help me with this," he requested.
Viper promptly removed Katie's neck ring and assessed her injuries. "It's not too serious. With some care, she should recover. I'll tend to her wounds now."
Curiosity piqued, Viper asked, "Who is she?"
"X-Men," Max replied.
"She's X-Men?" Viper's shock resonated with the nine mutants present as they cast amazed looks at the petite and seemingly fragile Katie. Who would have thought she was part of the formidable X-Men?
"Yukio hasn't returned yet?" Viper inquired casually.
"She should be back soon," Max responded. As if on cue, Yukio entered the basement, carrying a bulging travel bag.
"I've got it!" Yukio announced to Max.
Max nodded, saying, "Alright, I'll take them away for now. We can discuss the rest later. You all, come with me!"
Max led the nine mutants to a secret underground base designed for mutants, a place where they could find refuge.
Within the mutant underground base, the rescued individuals from the Mutant resettlement center had been settled. John, Lorna, Sage, and Sonia anxiously awaited Max's return.
"Max is back!" Sonia exclaimed as a door materialized beside her.
Max emerged, accompanied by the nine mutants. Sonia nodded toward them and guided the newcomers to their accommodations.
John's hands trembled as he failed to detect any signs of life.
"Gus…" The truth seemed to dawn on everyone, and Lorna drew a deep breath before asking, "Max, where is Gus?"
"When I went there, Gus had already been relocated. The Sentry Secret Service claimed he was killed, and they took his body," Max explained, looking at John. John clenched his fists tightly, demanding more information. "But..."
"But what?" John's eyes bore into Max's.
"He's likely not dead. I don't know where he was taken, so there's still hope that you might see him again. If I get any leads, I'll inform you," Max assured.
"Really?" John's voice quivered with a mixture of anxiety and hope as he gazed at Max.
Max nodded with conviction, offering John some solace.
"By the way, this is your reward," Lorna handed Max a handbag. "It contains fifty thousand dollars. I know it's different from our initial agreement, but given the circumstances, it's the best we can do right now. I'll make up for it when we have more resources."
"Alright," Max replied nonchalantly. He had already made some extra money, so this gesture was a welcomed bonus.
.....
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