Trap

Three hours later, everything was ready.

Miles had changed into a hospital gown and was wheeled by a kindly-looking nurse into the corridor leading to the operating room.

Logan stood outside the corridor, watching the operating room doors separate him from Miles, an inexplicable irritation rising within him.

"Hey, beautiful nurse, will you be there during the operation?"

"Yes, Mr. Miles. Is there anything you need?"

"Oh, I was just wondering whether patients are allowed to record the operation themselves? I want to keep a souvenir. After all, this might be the only chance in my life to see my own brain."

"Uh, that's a pretty cool idea."

"Right? I knew it was cool as hell!" Miles continued muttering to himself. "Also, if I don't make it off the operating table and you people kill me, remember to preserve my brain in formaldehyde. Maybe it'll fetch a good price someday, just like Einstein's... Oh, and put Laura down as the primary beneficiary. Forget old Charles—he won't live much longer. If I leave him money, they'll just slap it with inheritance tax after he dies..."

"..." The nurse's expression twitched slightly, and she chose to remain silent.

As the wheelchair drew closer and closer to the operating room, when they were less than five meters away, Miles's heart suddenly lurched as an intense sense of danger surged through him.

Instinctively, he pressed his fingers against his temple, and Telepathy instantly spread outward. Then he immediately detected more than thirty mental signatures inside the operating room ahead!

There were too many people. Something was wrong!

Something was happening!

Realizing this, Miles did not hesitate. He continued using his ability, hacking into the hospital's surveillance system through Electronic Signal Manipulation and rapidly reviewing the hospital's footage.

Countless images flashed through his mind before finally freezing on a scene from over an hour ago—a group of mysterious figures in black combat uniforms had silently infiltrated the hospital through the staff entrance!

And at the back of that group, a tall, familiar figure flashed past.

X-24!

This was a trap!!

"Stop! Cancel the operation!"

Miles immediately shouted at the nurse.

However, the nurse pushing him changed expression. Not only did she fail to stop, she actually sped up, pushing him at a run toward the operating room!

This nurse was an enemy!

"Fuck!"

Miles immediately used Mind Control on the nurse, trying to forcibly order her to stop.

"Ugh..."

As his ability took effect, pain appeared on the nurse's face, and her steps faltered.

After successfully controlling the nurse, Miles tried to make her take him outside, only to discover that he could not!

This nurse's will was terrifyingly strong. She was actually able to resist Miles's Mind Control through sheer force of will. Miles could make her stop, but that was all!

To be honest, Miles was not particularly strong in the pure field of Mind Control. Forget comparing him to Charles—even against a strong-willed ordinary human soldier like Donald Pierce, he could not achieve complete control.

Yet in Miles's perception, this nurse's will seemed even stronger than Donald's!

She definitely could not be an ordinary person!

"Tap tap tap..."

As if they had sensed something was wrong, rapid footsteps began sounding from the operating room. Clearly, someone was coming.

"Logan!!!"

While controlling the nurse's movements, Miles shouted, "This is a trap!!"

The next instant, a commotion erupted at the entrance to the corridor behind Miles. Then the iron door was thrown open, and a somewhat disheveled Logan rushed in!

Crack!!

At the same time, the operating room doors opened as well. Several figures in special combat uniforms were about to rush out... but the next moment, the doors that had just opened began closing again!

Miles's gaze turned icy. Obviously, these doors were controlled through electronic circuits as well!

In the instant the doors opened, Miles saw the people inside... They were still the Reavers hired by Dr. Zander, but now their flashy mechanical prosthetics had been replaced with the simplest artificial limbs, and they carried no unnecessary electronic equipment. Clearly, they were guarding against him!

"Zander, you son of a bitch!!"

Miles cursed furiously.

The brief lapse in concentration allowed the nurse to break free from the mental restraint. She suddenly tried to seize Miles, only for the rushing Logan to shove her away!

"Ugh!"

The nurse let out a low growl. After staggering slightly, she steadied herself again, then spun around and kicked Logan, forcing him back two steps.

A military agent...

Seeing that crisp, decisive kick, Logan instantly understood where this woman had come from!

"Logan, Wolverine..." the woman warned Logan in a low voice. "Get lost. If you don't want to die, stay out of our business!"

Logan's fierce answer to her threat was to extend his claws directly.

"Fuck you!"

While Logan and the woman tangled together, Miles remained in his wheelchair, pale-faced as he continued using his ability.

Under his control, the entire operating room was cut off from power, eliminating any possibility of those inside coming out through the front entrance.

At the same time, Miles instinctively wanted to cut power to the entire medical campus as well, but after hesitating slightly, he gave up.

This was a hospital. Cutting the power recklessly would kill many people...

Damn it...

Miles gritted his teeth hard, then focused all his attention on frantically searching the campus surveillance system for X-24's whereabouts.

In his eyes, that Beast was the most dangerous one!

Soon, the fight in the corridor was decided. The female agent was skilled, but Logan had dealt with far too many military people like them. After a difficult exchange, Logan finally found an opening and knocked the female agent unconscious.

"Cough, cough..." Logan coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. Clearly, he had not had an easy time either.

If he had been younger, that woman would have taken just one slash. But now, he really was old.

At the same time, movement came from the other side of the operating room. Clearly, after realizing the main entrance here was blocked, the people inside had left through the side door and were preparing to circle around from the other side.

And just then, Miles finally found X-24's location. He had appeared in the parking lot outside the hospital and was walking toward the pickup truck where Charles and Laura were.

Charles was sleeping inside.

At that instant, Miles's mind exploded, and a long-forgotten scene from the original movie flashed through his mind like lightning—X-24 piercing Charles's heart with his metal claws.

"No—!!"

Miles cried out, instinctively trying to rush over. Then his body swayed, and he fell straight out of the wheelchair.

"Ugh..."

His head hit the cold floor. Eyes red, Miles ignored the pain and shouted desperately at Logan, "Take me to the parking lot! Hurry!"

"Charles is in danger!"

Meanwhile, inside the pickup truck, Charles was resting peacefully.

Laura, who was keeping watch beside him, was wide awake. As if she had sensed danger, the girl curled up in the passenger seat like an alert young wolf, her ears catching every faint movement in the parking lot.

Suddenly, an ear-piercing screech of twisting metal erupted!

Riiip!

The pickup truck shook violently as the heavy door was ripped clean off from outside by an irresistible brute force and slammed hard onto the asphalt.

A figure identical to Logan appeared in the doorway, but there was no emotion in his eyes—only hollow, deathly emptiness.

It was that monster!

"Aah!!"

Laura did not even have time to think. Her body reacted before her consciousness could.

She let out a sharp snarl and launched herself from the seat, pouncing at him with fearless ferocity. The two metal claws that sprang from the back of her right hand stabbed straight toward X-24's eyes.

However, X-24 merely raised his left arm expressionlessly.

Clang!

The metal claws collided with the metal-covered bones of his arm, producing a dull impact.

X-24's hand moved with astonishing speed. He grabbed Laura's attacking wrist and clenched his fingers.

Crack!

A crisp snap of breaking bone rang out as Laura's right wrist was crushed. The agony drew a muffled groan from her, but the bone claws of her left hand immediately slashed toward his throat.

X-24 neither dodged nor evaded, allowing her claws to leave a bloody mark across his face. His right hand seized her by the throat, lifting her small body into the air.

Laura kicked wildly, but could not reach anything.

Then X-24 casually flung her toward a concrete pillar nearby.

Bang!

Laura's body slammed heavily into the pillar before dropping back onto the ground. As she struggled to rise, X-24 stepped on her calf.

Crack crack...

Another teeth-grating sound of bone breaking rang out. X-24 efficiently crippled Laura's ability to move, then pulled a nylon cargo strap from the bed of the pickup and tied the immobile girl up tight.

"Mmph..."

With her mouth gagged, Laura could not even scream. She could only watch helplessly as X-24 slowly walked toward Charles.

Five meters, three meters...

In X-24's emotionless pupils, old Charles's figure gradually came into focus.

He remembered this old bastard. In their previous battle, it was this old man who had suddenly unleashed powerful psychic force, making even him unable to resist. In that instant, he had felt a powerful threat of death.

Therefore, in X-24's eyes, neither Logan nor Laura was anything to fear. Only old Charles was the greatest threat!

So he had to die!

And just then, the tremendous commotion from X-24's fight with Laura finally woke Charles.

The old man slowly opened his eyes. Perhaps because he had just awoken, his vision was still a little blurry. He saw "Logan" standing at the door, and a trace of confusion appeared on his face.

"Logan?" he called softly, his voice hoarse with sleep. "What's happening...?"

Squelch.

Before Charles could react, before he could muster even a shred of psychic power, X-24 stepped into the vehicle and drove his gleaming metal claws through Charles's chest without resistance.

Charles's body jerked violently, and he lowered his head to look at the claws protruding through his chest.

Then he raised his head and gave the killer's face one last look. In his clouded eyes, his final awareness was swallowed by immense grief and shock.

In the distance, Logan, who was sprinting over with Miles on his back, had just reached the entrance to the parking lot. Both of them saw the scene at the same time.

Time froze at that moment.

"No!!!"