14. Prison
In fact, the secret mutant prison was not as far away as Alex had imagined. It was located on the border of Texas, disguised as a military base, similar to a logistics depot. The prison was hidden underground, and not far away, there was even a railway track.
However, this railway line had long been abandoned. It was left over from World War II for transporting supplies. After the war, the area was designated as a secret military base, making the railway obsolete. But with World War III looming, it wouldn't be long before trains would be speeding along that track again.
Far from the military base, Alex and Pietro got out of the car. From here on, they would have to proceed on foot.
"How do we get in?" Pietro, returning to his old home, was extremely uneasy. Even wearing a helmet that could block telepathic abilities didn't make him feel safe; he was constantly afraid of President X controlling his mind.
Alex wasn't surprised by Pietro's fear. The kid had already developed a psychological shadow. During the car ride, he had been woken up by nightmares several times, sometimes even hallucinating President X's voice in his head. Honestly, convincing Pietro to return to the secret mutant prison and to steal from President X's secret room made Alex feel he had the potential to be a top-notch cult leader.
"Wait until it's dark, then you use the cover of night to get me inside. After that, you'll sabotage the base's power supply. I've explained this plan to you several times now; you haven't forgotten it, have you?" Alex frowned.
"Of course I remember, but... just in case, I mean, what if President X uses his telepathy to foresee our plans and sets a trap for us?" Pietro asked nervously.
"He won't." Pietro had asked similar questions the entire journey, and Alex was getting a bit tired of it. "Charles has been missing for a long time. Look at how chaotic the borders are, and he hasn't shown up. I suspect something has happened to him. We're seizing this opportunity to stir things up."
"Besides, I've given you the helmet. I'm not scared, so what are you afraid of? With this helmet, even if we encounter Charles, you could kill him in a second. So, he should be the one afraid of you, not the other way around."
"Right, right, right. He should be afraid of me." Pietro patted his chest, seemingly trying to hypnotize himself, but then quickly added, "But, Alex, don't you think the two of us alone is too risky?"
"So, what do you suggest?" Alex rubbed his temples.
"How about we recruit some cannon fodder? The gangs in Washington D.C. are pretty good. You wait here; I can bring back hundreds of guys overnight," Pietro said seriously.
"Stop with that nonsense. Hundreds of guys? Recruiting gangs? Do you hear yourself? In times like these, anyone could betray you. Are you asking them to help just to die?" Alex knew Pietro wouldn't have any good ideas.
The two chatted intermittently, and soon the sky darkened, casting the vast desert into shadow.
"Be careful, and don't be as fast as the last time. My body can't take it," Alex said as he lay on Pietro's back, regretting the words as soon as he said them because they sounded strange. However, the tense Pietro didn't notice. Without replying, he began running, like a shooting star, heading straight for the military base. Having broken out several times, Pietro was familiar with the security measures. Quickly, without alerting any guards, he reached the hidden mutant prison beneath the military base.
When Alex's vision cleared, he felt his stomach churning again but managed to suppress it this time. Looking around, he found himself in a break room, a simple space with only a window and two bunk beds. Two soldiers were sleeping on the bunks, but with Pietro's help, they wouldn't wake up again.
The room's wallpaper was peeling, the bed frames were rusted, and the air was thick with an unbearable stench. Alex felt like he was back in Emma's underground lab. "How old is this place?"
"Not sure," Pietro said, shaking his head. "I heard it's been around for decades. They say it dates back to World War II when soldiers herded mutants onto the battlefield, using them as cannon fodder, forbidding retreating by killing anyone who did. Those mutants had no choice but to charge forward. After the war, some surviving mutants were secretly executed, while others were brought here for various experiments. But nothing came of it until President X took over and converted it into a mutant prison."
"There's such a history here." Alex sighed.
"It's just hearsay, since I wasn't around at that time. But I think it's likely true because I've seen many mutants like me, most of them get driven mad by their powers."
"I understand, which is why I think this world is deeply sick." Alex changed into a soldier's uniform.
"Remember, the prison is shaped like a '回' shape with four levels. The lower you go, the more dangerous the mutant prisoners are. I suggest you avoid the fourth level and start from the third. Fisk's office is at the end of the hallway on this level, and the stairs to the next level are on the right side of this room."
Pietro took out several sets of keys, indicating he had already done quite a bit in the short time since they arrived.
"Got it." Alex took the three sets of keys from Pietro. There were four sets of keys, corresponding to four levels, but like Pietro, he had no intention of releasing the mutants on the lowest level. The reason was simple: too many uncontrollable factors. As an ordinary human, every mutant Alex released posed a corresponding danger to himself. If he released a completely uncontrollable lunatic, he would be the first to die.
...…
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15. Releasing the Prisoners.
16. The Prison Battle.
17. A Terrifying Guess.
18. President X.
19. Possesion.