"What are you two talking about? Mind if I sit here?"
Locke turned his head as Kitty Pryde walked over, her tone casual but curious as she looked between him and Lauren. There was a hint of familiarity in her posture, like she was already used to being around him, even if she hadn't joined their conversations much before.
"Nothing serious," Locke replied with a light laugh, gesturing toward the seat. "Just talking."
As Kitty settled in, Locke suddenly paused for a brief moment, something clicking in his mind. He realized, almost embarrassingly, that he had never signed in with her before. Out of all the mutants around him, she had somehow slipped through the cracks.
That was… unexpected.
Still, the timing couldn't have been better.
He hadn't used his daily sign-in yet.
[Ding! Has the host chosen to sign in with Mutant Kitty Pryde?]
"Yes," Locke answered without hesitation.
[Ding! Sign-in successful. Congratulations, host, for obtaining the super ability 'Traversal.' Experience +100.]
Traversal.
Locke's eyes flickered slightly as the information settled in, the implications unfolding rapidly in his mind. The ability was immediately recognizable. Kitty's power allowed her to phase her body into an intangible state, breaking down into atomic components that could pass through any solid object without resistance.
In that state, she could merge with matter temporarily, slipping through walls, floors, or even complex structures without causing interference. More importantly, while phased, conventional attacks couldn't touch her. Bullets, missiles, even advanced weaponry—none of it would have any effect.
But what Locke received wasn't just a copy.
It was an upgraded version.
Beyond simple phasing, this ability carried something far more dangerous.
Time traversal.
Kitty herself could project consciousness through time under certain conditions, sending a person's mind back into the past or forward into the future. That alone was already an extremely rare and unstable ability.
Locke's version went further.
Not only could he send consciousness through time, but under the right conditions, even physical travel was possible. Past, future, even alternate timelines—parallel worlds within the Marvel multiverse—all of it fell within the scope of this ability.
Right now, though, there were limits.
With his current level, he could only send his consciousness through time at most. Physical traversal required a higher threshold—Level 5 mutation.
Even so, the potential was staggering.
A dozen possibilities flashed through his mind in an instant.
If he could travel to parallel universes… could he sign in again?
Normally, once he signed in with someone, that was it. No second rewards, no additional abilities, no repeated experience. The system treated it as a one-time acquisition.
But what about alternate versions of the same person?
Different timelines meant different instances. Different instances meant… potentially new sign-ins.
That idea alone was enough to make this ability invaluable.
Of course, it wasn't without risk.
The Marvel universe wasn't exactly forgiving when it came to time manipulation. There were forces dedicated to maintaining the timeline—entities that didn't take kindly to people interfering with causality.
That meant this ability had to be used carefully.
Very carefully.
Back in the classroom, the atmosphere remained relaxed as conversations continued around them. The casual chatter was eventually interrupted when the teacher arrived, drawing everyone's attention forward.
Locke glanced up—and paused.
It was Reed.
A faint look of surprise crossed his face, which didn't go unnoticed.
"Don't look so shocked," Lauren said with a grin, leaning slightly closer. "Ever since my dad started teaching here, he's been taking classes pretty regularly."
Locke raised an eyebrow, then smiled slightly. "Seems like the students don't mind."
"Of course not," Lauren replied proudly. "He's actually really popular."
That much was obvious from the way the class reacted. Despite Reed's past views on mutants, he had clearly adapted. Now, instead of fear or hostility, there was genuine respect—and even a bit of admiration—from the students.
It was an unexpected change.
And a surprisingly smooth one.
The rest of the day passed without anything particularly eventful. Classes continued, discussions flowed, and for once, things felt almost… normal.
But that calm didn't last long.
The next day, Locke received a message from the Stepford Cuckoos.
After more than half a month of preparation, the lab was finally complete.
The news immediately caught his attention.
This wasn't just any project. The completion of the lab meant one thing—it was time to begin work on Magneto's machine.
The device capable of triggering the X-gene.
A way to allow ordinary humans to awaken mutant abilities.
But unlike Magneto's original design, Locke wasn't interested in instability or collateral damage. What he wanted was control. Precision. A method that could safely activate the gene without side effects.
For that, he needed the right mind.
And he already had someone in mind.
Dr. Campbell.
The same scientist responsible for developing the Sentinels.
His work alone proved his capability. Given enough time and the right resources, there was no doubt he could replicate—and improve upon—Magneto's machine.
Without hesitation, Locke activated his spatial ability.
In the next instant, Dr. Campbell vanished from his original location and reappeared beside him.
Whether the sudden disappearance would cause chaos elsewhere wasn't something Locke concerned himself with. No one had seen him take the man. And even if they had, it wouldn't matter.
What mattered was what came next.
Beneath an abandoned farm on the outskirts of New York, hidden far from public attention, lay a massive underground facility.
From the surface, there was nothing to suggest its existence.
But below, it was a different story.
"Wes, welcome to the lab."
Mystique stood waiting at the entrance, her tone calm but carrying a hint of satisfaction. With Magneto currently imprisoned, she had taken on leadership of the Brotherhood, and this entire facility had been secured through her efforts.
Locke nodded, stepping forward as he took in the surroundings. "Everything ready?"
"Completely," Mystique replied, turning to lead the way.
They moved through a long metallic corridor, the faint hum of machinery growing louder with each step. The air was cool, controlled, and filled with the subtle scent of advanced equipment.
Soon, the corridor opened into the main laboratory.
Locke's gaze swept across the space.
It was fully equipped.
Electric furnaces, analytical balances, magnetic stirrers—every essential tool was present. More importantly, the kind of high-end scientific instruments that couldn't simply be bought on the open market had also been secured.
Most of them came through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources.
At the center of the test area stood Magneto's machine, its structure intact, waiting to be studied and improved.
Locke gave a small nod, clearly satisfied.
"Then we start now."
With a simple gesture, he signaled Dr. Campbell forward.
The scientist hesitated for only a moment before moving toward the equipment, already beginning to assess the setup. Despite the circumstances of his arrival, his focus quickly shifted to the work itself.
That alone proved Locke had chosen the right person.
Still, as Locke looked around the vast space, one issue became immediately clear.
"There aren't enough researchers," he said.
For a facility of this scale, having only one lead scientist wasn't efficient. The workload alone would slow progress significantly.
Mystique crossed her arms, thinking for a moment before replying. "I've already located a few candidates. They'll be here soon."
"The Hellfire Club can provide additional personnel as well," one of the Stepford Cuckoos added calmly.
Locke nodded, satisfied with the response.
"Good. Bring them in as soon as possible."
The more minds working on this, the faster they could achieve results.
....
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