The captured mutants were all sent back to their homes.
Brad had even called on some of Dr. Zola's connections to arrange it.
After all, he did not want the police tracing them back to the base.
On the flight back, Brad found the atmosphere decidedly awkward.
Silver Fox sat in a corner with her arms around her younger sister, murmuring reassurance.
Logan sat beside Brad, smoking one cigar after another until Brad frowned at the fumes.
He decided to interrupt Logan's chain-smoking.
"So, what are you planning to do afterward?"
Brad interlaced his fingers, released them, then interlaced them again.
Logan's entire face was shrouded in smoke, hiding his expression.
"What?"
Logan's voice sounded rather low.
Brad's eyes shifted as he searched for the right words. "I mean, uh, after the procedure. After all, I only need a little of your biological tissue, so it won't take long. Then Silver Fox and her sister will have to stay and work off their debt. You understand. I'm no philanthropist."
"Where will you go once the procedure's over?"
"I don't know."
Logan gently exhaled a mouthful of smoke.
The two fell silent for a while.
"Why not stay..."
"Don't get any ideas about me, Brad. I know what you're thinking. You'd better remember that pine nut liquor you drank with me."
Logan cut Brad off, his refusal absolute.
"Fine. This damned friendship has the upper hand for now, while I haven't completely turned into a capitalist."
Brad stood up, took a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from the nearby cooler, and waved them at Logan.
"Want ice?"
"No."
"I do."
"Heh."
Logan still thought Brad was not manly enough.
They knocked back a glass each, and the atmosphere aboard the private jet eased a little.
"Where's that bodyguard of yours who can take on ten men? The one wrapped up like a mummy."
"I left him at Stryker Base. Some of the equipment there needs regular maintenance."
Ten thousand meters below them, Sabretooth groggily woke to find himself slung over someone's shoulder. The spot where his abdomen pressed against the shoulder hurt terribly.
It felt as though the person's clothes were packed with iron blocks.
Sabretooth began to struggle.
T900 lowered Sabretooth, pinned him to the ground with one hand, and slammed a fist into his skull.
His skull caved in, and some brain matter spilled out.
Sabretooth drifted into peaceful sleep.
T900 picked him up, slung him over his shoulder, and continued toward the newly acquired base.
Sometimes, a healing factor was not such a good thing.
This was already the fourth time Sabretooth had been put to sleep along the way.
More than half the journey still remained.
The plane arrived at the Hydra Base in Canada.
Brad disembarked first. Logan and Silver Fox followed, supporting Emma Frost between them, then froze in shock at the sheer scale of Brad's holdings.
The private jet had stopped on a broad concrete apron that looked large enough to accommodate at least three or four planes.
Factories and office buildings stood in dense rows all around. Gleaming metal frameworks and sun-reflecting glass made this base look far brighter and more impressive than Stryker's gloomy territory.
There were landscaped areas and tree-lined paths between the buildings, with towering perimeter walls and fully automated metal gates in the distance.
Bodyguards walking robotic dogs-T800s in disguise-patrolled the grounds.
Plenty of employees and researchers hurried about as well.
"How did you manage all this?"
"By abandoning my conscience."
Brad raised both arms and took a deep breath of city air.
"Want to look around?"
Brad snapped his fingers, and someone soon wheeled over a wheelchair.
Logan radiated gloom, seemingly unable to muster interest in anything.
"I'll pass. Find me a room with booze and cigars."
Brad nodded, took out an earpiece, and slipped it into his ear. "Take my friend to the lounge."
Silver Fox was not really in the mood for a tour either.
Emma Frost, however, seemed rather excited.
After all, she had been locked up for far too long, and the man before her had promised to help her stand again. Now that she was somewhere full of unfamiliar wonders, she could hardly contain herself.
"If you're comfortable with it, let me show this lovely young lady around."
Noticing Silver Fox's predicament, Brad volunteered to keep Emma Frost company.
Silver Fox nodded, murmured her thanks, and hurried after Logan.
Brad helped Emma Frost into the wheelchair, then stepped behind it, took the handles, and began pushing.
"This apron is huge!"
That was Emma Frost's first reaction.
"Isn't it a bit of a waste to park just one plane here?"
Brad pushed the wheelchair along slowly and tapped the ground with his toe. "The floor of this apron opens up. There are two more planes underneath."
"Wow, cool!"
"What's that? It looks so impressive."
Emma Frost pointed at the most conspicuous building.
"My research institute. It mainly focuses on computers. Uh, and androids."
"Androids? What are those?"
"Forgive my limited vocabulary. You'll be staying here for a while anyway, so why not see for yourself when the time comes?"
"All right."
Logan sat on the sofa, watching the young man respectfully serving him liquor, and could not help feeling curious.
"What's your company called?"
"The Hyde Company, sir."
"What a strange name."
Logan muttered to himself, then watched the man back out of the room and close the door behind him.
This company sure does things strangely.
But Logan was not concerned about that right now.
He picked up the bottle from the glass coffee table, knocked the top off, and took a long swig straight from it.
"Brad's liquor collection is pretty damn good!"
"That kid really knows how to enjoy himself."
Silver Fox quietly pushed open the door.
Logan froze with the bottle still raised.
Words were rather unnecessary at that point.
The two ignited like dry tinder.
Meanwhile, Brad pushed Emma Frost around for several laps and showed her the aboveground section of the research institute before wiping away his sweat and instructing his staff to take the girl to the medical team.
I wonder what Logan's doing now. Just drinking his sorrows away?
Brad considered going over to talk with Logan some more.
He found a tablet and opened the lounge's surveillance feed.
He took one glance.
Then he swiftly shut it off.
"I'm seriously going to get a stye!"
Was that bastard an animal in heat?
Were they really having breakup sex?
Though he had only taken a single glance, Brad's Moonstone-enhanced optic nerves had already captured an enormous amount of information.
All he could say was that it was extremely intense.
Earth-shattering.
Wave-churning.
Hardcore Western porn.
With a dark expression, Brad ordered his men to head to the United States and take over Stryker's base.
"Freeze that ultimate weapon. He doesn't recognize anyone anymore, and Mastermind is dead. An uncontrollable weapon is useless."
Next, he opened an email from Dr. Zola.
"Considering that you did not seem to specifically require the serum to retain its ability to enhance the human body, I developed different versions."
"Yes, after simplifying the requirements, this improved serum of mine... should be called the Human Optimization Serum, rather than the Super Soldier Serum."
"Its ability to slow aging has been greatly increased. It can also activate beneficial dominant genes to a certain extent and correct defects in the human body."
"I am not sure whether it meets your requirements."
Brad was overjoyed.
Now that he had the Moonstone, he did not really need the Super Soldier Serum's physical enhancements.
After all, he could now arm-wrestle five or six Captain Americas with one hand.
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