Marvel: Death Knight

At a HYDRA base, Madame Viper, Baron Strucker, and Alexander Pierce sat around a table, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

Madame Viper's mood was foul. The latter stages of her recent plan had not unfolded as expected. The enemy's countermeasures had completely blindsided her, leaving her feeling like a fool.

She turned to Baron Strucker, seated beside her, and asked, "Baron, what do you think we should do given the current situation?"

Baron Strucker, one of HYDRA's current leaders, had come today at Madame Viper's invitation to discuss HYDRA's future—and the issue of Garus.

"His power and influence are undeniable," Strucker said. "He shows little allegiance to the American government or S.H.I.E.L.D. Moreover, he hasn't directly clashed with us. Perhaps we can collaborate with him. Such an alliance could greatly benefit HYDRA's goals."

Pierce, however, was unconvinced. "And what do you think he wants? Power? Influence? Or the loyalty of mutants?"

Pierce had been the first to notice Garus. Despite regular reports from HYDRA agents embedded in S.H.I.E.L.D., he couldn't quite figure out what kind of person Garus was. His actions were unpredictable, often leaving Pierce perplexed.

Baron Strucker suggested, "Why don't we send someone to approach him first, reveal our intentions, and see if collaboration is even possible?"

Madame Viper's frustration reached its limit. She wanted to flip the table and walk out. Garus already knew she was the mastermind behind recent events, and he'd made it clear he intended to settle the score. Yet here her companions were, discussing potential alliances with him.

Moreover, she knew reconciliation with Garus was no longer an option.

"You two can keep talking. I'm out," she said, standing abruptly and leaving the room.

Pierce and Strucker exchanged glances, each silently weighing their next move before departing as well.

Since the disappearance of the Red Skull, HYDRA had fractured into multiple factions. Madame Viper believed they desperately needed a leader who could unite them. She resolved to continue her search for Hive. Too much had already been invested in the plan to abandon it now.

Faced with Garus' growing threat, she decided to send her one loyal mutant agent into the mutant academy. Not to sow destruction, but to gather intelligence and avoid being caught off guard.

Meanwhile, at the mutant academy, Logan was alone in the training room.

It had been over a year since Logan had left his world. Due to the asynchronous flow of time between dimensions, only a few minutes had passed in his original timeline.

In the ruined world he had left behind, the X-Men, without Logan as their cornerstone, had been unable to execute their plan again.

After a few minutes, Kitty Pryde awoke and looked around the room, searching in vain for Logan. She turned to Professor X. "Professor, what should we do now?"

At that moment, explosions and shouting echoed outside. The Sentinels had found them.

There was no time to hesitate. They needed to implement another evacuation plan.

Professor X instructed, "Kitty, do it again, just like before. We need to regroup at a new location."

Kitty nodded, understanding the urgency. Her hands glowed white as she touched Bishop's temple, sending his consciousness back in time to warn their past selves.

With the message from the future received, Kitty and the other mutants relocated to a new hideout.

"Professor," Kitty called out, approaching the Blackbird as it landed. She had been waiting for the returning X-Men, but as the team disembarked, her heart sank. Logan was nowhere to be seen. "Where is Logan?" she asked anxiously.

Professor X, equally puzzled, explained, "Logan vanished without warning while we were on the Blackbird. There was no sign of an energy disturbance, no precursor. He simply disappeared."

Kitty's expression turned to one of despair. "How could this happen? It doesn't make sense."

While the others exchanged confused glances, unaware of the full scope of events, Kitty ushered them inside and recounted how Logan had vanished.

Professor X proposed a solution. "Kitty, you've connected your mind to Logan's before. Some part of his consciousness must still be linked to yours. I need to enter your mind to search for him. Time is of the essence."

Without hesitation, Kitty agreed. Personal privacy was irrelevant when the survival of mutants and humanity was at stake.

Professor X, rarely one to delve into another's mind, extended his psychic abilities to connect with Kitty. Drawing on her memories and the faint mental imprint Logan had left, he pierced through the dimensional barrier, reaching another universe.

Since arriving in this new world, Logan had lived in relative peace. Yet, his recurring dreams reminded him of the apocalyptic world he had left behind and the friends still under threat from the Sentinels.

Professor X's formidable psychic powers finally reached Logan.

"Logan, Logan, can you hear me?" the Professor's voice echoed in his mind.

Startled, Logan initially thought he was hallucinating. So much time had passed that he had almost given up hope of reconnecting with his team. When he realized the voice was real, he responded with a mix of disbelief and relief. "Professor? Is that really you? Is everyone okay?"

Professor X replied, "Logan, where are you?"

"I'm not sure," Logan admitted. "It seems I'm still on Earth, but I suspect I'm in a parallel universe. How did you manage to reach me?"

"There's no time to explain. Our connection is weak," Professor X said. "I'll find a way to open a portal and bring you back. Wait for my signal."

As the voice faded, Logan's resolve deepened. He sprang to his feet, determined to find Garus. Having spent so much time in this world, Logan knew he couldn't leave without saying goodbye.

Despite the uncertainty of his return, Logan trusted the Professor's ingenuity. In every desperate situation, Charles Xavier always found a way.

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