Chapter 70

There were only three or four people in the laboratory. As Raven followed the scientist inside, her sharp gaze immediately locked onto her target.

A man with glasses, a beard, and a dwarf-like stature.

Bolivar Trask.

The founder of Trask Industries, a murderer responsible for the deaths of countless mutants in the name of his so-called Sentinel Project.

Raven quickly scanned the lab, noting the weak fighting capabilities of its occupants. Without hesitation, she strode directly toward Bolivar Trask.

"Vida, go disassemble that body!"

Trask pointed toward the corpse on the laboratory table as his eyes briefly met hers.

Raven nodded in acknowledgment, her strides firm and deliberate as she approached him.

Just as they were mere steps apart, a shrill alarm blared from Trask's device.

Raven froze in her tracks, her heart skipping a beat.

Trask's head snapped up, panic flashing across his face as he looked between her and another lab assistant who had just entered. "There's a mutant among you two!" he shouted.

The device—a mutant radar of his own creation—was designed to sound an alarm when an unfamiliar mutant came within range.

"What?" the lab assistant stammered, confused.

But Raven wasted no time. Her movements quickened as she lunged toward Trask.

Before she could reach him, a dark figure materialized from his shadow, blocking her path.

Raven's eyes flickered to amber, her natural form surfacing as she glared at the intruder. "You're a mutant," she said coldly.

"What gave it away?" the figure replied with a smirk.

If Mike were here, he would've instantly recognized this mutant.

Shadow.

The very one Mike had killed at Three Mile Island.

Raven's icy gaze darted between Shadow and Bolivar Trask. Her voice was sharp with disdain. "Do you even realize what he's done? And yet, you're helping him?"

"You mean the experiments?" Shadow asked nonchalantly.

"You deserve to die!"

Raven's anger flared at his indifferent tone.

To her, mutants were kin. She had spent years risking her life to save them, only to now face a mutant who actively participated in their suffering. It was a betrayal that cut deep.

Without another word, she lunged at Shadow.

He sneered, and the shadow trailing behind him twisted and extended, transforming into a blade that lashed out at her.

"Don't kill her!" Trask shouted from behind, his voice filled with greedy excitement. "I want her for research!"

Shadow frowned but complied. The blade shifted into shadowy ropes that shot toward Raven, aiming to capture her instead.

Raven's agility was unmatched. She dodged the ropes with precision, her focus never wavering from Trask. When an opening appeared, she surged forward with renewed determination.

"Oh, please," Shadow muttered. His shadow slithered forward like a living entity, entangling Raven's legs and flinging her backward.

She twisted mid-air, landing gracefully. Before the next attack could connect, she leapt onto a nearby table. Crouching low like a predator, she grabbed a scalpel and prepared for another bout.

Trask watched the battle unfold, a twisted smile on his face as he pressed an alarm button. Relief washed over him as he muttered, "Soon, more guards will arrive. And this beautiful specimen will be mine."

The thought made him giddy. He couldn't resist taunting Raven. "You said I'm helping him? Oh, no, my dear, you don't understand at all."

He chuckled, gesturing to Shadow. "I work for his master—Mr. Essex. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

The name Essex struck a chord with Raven. She committed it to memory, her mind racing for a plan.

The blaring alarm was a constant reminder of the danger she faced. Reinforcements would arrive any moment. She needed to act fast.

Her amber eyes glinted with resolve as she made her decision.

It was time to take a risk.

Raven bolted toward Trask, her speed almost inhuman.

Shadow's dark tendrils lashed out again, but this time, she didn't evade. She plowed through the shadowy barriers with sheer determination, ignoring the stinging resistance.

"It's pointless," Shadow said flatly as the tendrils coiled around her once more.

Raven's hand shot out, and the scalpel she had been holding flew straight toward Trask.

The shadow shielded Trask instinctively, forming a protective barrier that intercepted the blade.

But Raven had anticipated this.

With a flick of her wrist, another scalpel sliced through the air, this time embedding itself directly into Shadow's forehead.

The effect was immediate.

Shadow's form dissipated, his defenses vanishing into nothingness.

In a blur, Raven closed the distance to Trask. Her knee drove into his face, shattering his features with a sickening crunch. Before he could react, she grabbed his head and twisted sharply.

His neck snapped with a chilling crack.

Raven stepped back, her breaths heavy but controlled. The icy resolve in her amber eyes was enough to freeze the blood of anyone who saw her.

She turned her gaze to the cowering lab assistants near the door. Their terrified screams echoed in the lab, but it did nothing to sway her.

Moments later, silence reigned.

Raven stood alone amidst the carnage. Hearing the approaching footsteps outside, she transformed into Bolivar Trask and walked toward the exit with calculated calm.

When the guards arrived, she met them with a stern glare. "False alarm," she said curtly.

The guards exchanged uncertain glances. The captain hesitated, his eyes drifting toward the laboratory door.

"Everything inside is classified," Raven snapped, her tone brooking no argument.

"Yes, Dr. Trask," the captain stammered. He motioned for his team to leave.

Once the guards were out of sight, Raven exhaled softly, relief washing over her.

But it was short-lived.

A portal materialized before her, and three figures stepped through.

Raven's muscles tensed. Another mutant.

So the alarm hadn't just alerted the guards—it had notified them as well.

The leader, a man with flaming red hair, scanned her closely. "Trask, what happened?"

"Nothing," Raven began, trying to sound dismissive. "I—"

"She's lying," a woman interrupted, her eyes closed as if in a trance. "Everyone inside is dead. Trask's real body is on the floor."

The red-haired man—Erwin—narrowed his eyes at Raven. A ball of fire formed in his palm.

"Capture her," he ordered coldly.

The woman unleashed a wave of psychic energy, while the third figure summoned a portal behind Raven, cutting off her escape.

Raven's heart sank.

There was no way out this time.

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