Thunderbird and Polaris

In the woods, a man and a woman were drawing closer. The man had a burly, muscular physique and exuded a soldier's presence as he walked. The woman, with long black hair, was dressed in a T-shirt and snug-fitting jeans, and she sported a pair of stylish leather boots.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Lorna inquired, glancing at John, who was by her side.

John nodded confidently. "Absolutely. You can trust my Ability."

Lorna smirked but remained silent.

John possessed extraordinary hearing and vision, along with a perception Ability that allowed him to track targets. Although their partnership was relatively new, John's perception had yet to prove him wrong.

"Shhh!" John abruptly halted, signaling for Lorna to stop talking, and his gaze scanned the surroundings.

"What's wrong?" Lorna whispered.

John shook his head, and after a moment, he relaxed. "It's nothing. I thought I sensed danger for a moment, but... perhaps it was a false alarm."

"Wasn't it you who just asked me to trust in your Ability?" Lorna teased.

John was about to explain when the sense of danger surged once more, prompting him to adopt a defensive stance.

In the next instant, a small square door materialized in the air before him. The door swung open, revealing a fist that hurtled toward his face.

"Boom!"

The powerful punch from John's sturdy frame sent him staggering backward, leaving him momentarily dazed.

"Boom!"

John hit the ground.

From John's initial perception of danger to the actual attack and his subsequent fall, it all happened in a mere heartbeat. Lorna, startled, conjured numerous coins around her.

"John, are you okay?"

"Who's there?"

Lorna could only see a fist that had seemingly appeared out of thin air, striking John, and then vanishing.

"Hey!"

Suddenly, Lorna felt a slap on her shoulder, and a voice called out.

Lorna jolted in alarm, and in the same instant, a green light emanated from her hands.

Swish!

The coins that had been hovering around her shot in the direction from which the attack had come and lodged themselves in a tree trunk.

"Who's out there?"

Still unable to spot anyone, Lorna retrieved the coin back to her side and shouted loudly.

By this time, John had regained consciousness and positioned himself back-to-back with Lorna.

"I'm John, and you can call me Thunderbird. She's Lorna, Polaris. We mean no harm; we're not your enemies! We're here to assist you!" John quickly explained while maintaining a vigilant stance.

As they conversed, the two noticed a peculiar development to their left.

Turning their heads to look, they were momentarily taken aback by what they saw.

In the clearing, a door had suddenly materialized!

The door creaked open slowly.

A man emerged from inside.

"Who are you?" he inquired.

This man was standing at about 1.8 meters tall with a sharp, eagle-eyed demeanor. He exuded an air of danger that was unmistakable. 

John, a soldier, immediately sensed something. This man had undoubtedly taken lives, not just one, but more! The danger he felt earlier emanated from this individual. However, the question remained: Who was he?

John and Lorna had come here in search of a red-haired Mutant.

Max studied John and Lorna closely. Thunderbird and Polaris, leaders of the Mutant underground organization, had crossed his mind, but he hadn't expected to encounter them so soon. Had they come for Sonia?

Inside the alternate world behind the door, Max recognized them. These two were not to be underestimated. Thunderbird's younger brother, codenamed Journey, was also a Mutant, skilled with a short blade—a key member of the team known for reversing the future. Then there was Polaris, with a substantial background—her father being the renowned Magneto. She possessed the same Magnetic Field Manipulation Ability as her father.

While Sonia was also a Mutant, her Ability was auxiliary, with limited offensive capabilities. With Thunderbird and Polaris here, Max naturally wanted to test the extent of his Ability.

It was worth noting that Thunderbird's perception ability was exceptionally strong. Max had initially planned to open a door behind him when he sensed the danger, but Thunderbird had detected it. Max changed his plan and decided to open a door right in front of Thunderbird—a small door!

This strategy proved effective. Max simply needed to open the door next to him and punch through the door outside, knocking Thunderbird down. Thunderbird had impressive resilience, as the punch should have kept him down for several minutes, but he quickly regained consciousness.

Max glanced at the two intruders, then turned and walked back to the wooden house.

John and Lorna exchanged puzzled glances. Who was this individual? He had suddenly attacked and then walked away without saying a word.

"Let's go and see!" John whispered.

"He's also a Mutant. He probably means no harm," Lorna replied while flipping a coin and catching it in her palm before following John.

John felt a mix of embarrassment and excitement. His Ability was unique and potent. If this individual could join their cause, it would significantly aid their efforts in saving Mutants in the future.

One after the other, they quickly reached the wooden house. Max was about to open the door when it unexpectedly swung open.

Sonia rushed out, her expression relieved upon seeing Max just outside. "I woke up, and you were gone. I was afraid..."

"I thought you'd left?" Max smiled and reassured her, "You didn't leave me, so I wouldn't leave you."

Sonia's gaze shifted to John and Lorna. "Who are they?"

Max nodded and introduced them, "Meet Thunderbird John and Polaris Lorna. They're part of the Mutant underground organization dedicated to assisting Mutants. They sensed your presence and came to offer help."

John and Lorna were taken aback. While they had identified themselves, they hadn't mentioned their affiliation with the Mutant underground organization. John eventually spoke up, "He's telling the truth."

Sonia's face lit up with happiness. "That's great! I was worried about what to do, but now, Max, should we go with them?"

Max? Was that his name? It was odd; there had been no mention of a Max when she was inducted. Why did Sonia suddenly seem to trust him so implicitly in just one day?