The quiet hum of the underground labs shook faintly as I stood in the central chamber of Site‑999, surrounded by rows of sealed biological containers. Each one held a fragment of a mutant legacy—blood, tissue, bone, sometimes entire preserved bodies—trophies and tools from the countless expeditions we'd mounted into the X‑Men world. My research on the X‑Gene had gone further than any human science ever dared, but today was the day the work paid off.
We had finally reached the point where the O5 Council could claim their chosen mutations.
I moved my hand along the reinforced glass of the storage container labeled O5 Allocation Batch – Alpha, my mind flicking briefly to the sheer absurdity of it all. Two thousand years alive, and I was still upgrading myself. But then again… we dealt with things that could end the world on a Tuesday and ruin lunch plans by Wednesday.
My Own X‑Gene
The first vial was mine.My choice had been simple.
Jean Grey's Omega Telepathy—planet‑wide mind reading, psychic domination, communication across continents. And with the Phoenix Force already in me, my range extended deep into the solar system. Beyond that, depending on how creative I felt.
The second ability had been… trickier. Apocalypse's self‑enhancement mutation, separated into its own serum. The ability to copy mutant powers I encountered and add them to myself. My mind and biology were complex enough that it took a month to create a stable integration formula. But I succeeded.
Two abilities. One X‑Gene. Perfectly merged.
I injected it days ago. My psychic senses were sharper than ever, and if I wanted another mutant ability?I just had to go find its owner—or its corpse.
Julius – O5‑2
Julius stood across from me, adjusting his suit jacket. His new Isshiki eye glowed faintly as he looked over his own serum.
Magneto's abilities.
He would now be capable of manipulating the electromagnetic spectrum itself—metal manipulation, electricity control, force fields, seismic disruptions, even invisibility through bending light. His already‑terrifying combat power skyrocketed.
He injected it without hesitation, his magnetic presence flaring outward like a silent storm.
Darius – O5‑3
Darius received the Shadow Mutation recovered from the D‑Class incident—the one that cost twenty‑five lives and almost triggered a containment breach cascade.
Shadow transformation. Shadow teleportation. Shadow manipulation.A living silhouette, lethal and untraceable.
He tested his ability immediately by stepping backward and dissolving into black smoke. His laughter echoed through the shadows.
Sun Tzu – O5‑4
Sun Tzu—quiet, collected, ancient strategist—chose practicality.
Wolverine's healing.Enhanced strength.Peak reflexes.Psychic resistance.
He merely nodded as he injected the serum, as if centuries of tactical theory had already predicted this moment.
Cleopatra – O5‑5
Cleopatra examined her vial of Midas Touch with fascination. The ability to turn anything she touched into gold—with control.
"Imagine the economic applications," she mused. "Twelve bank accounts per O5 member seemed excessive… now it seems insufficient."
I laughed. "Try not to turn your pillow into bullion."
She winked. "No promises."
Victor von Doom – O5‑6
Doom accepted his Matter/Energy Manipulation serum with regal arrogance. He had chosen it because it complemented his magic and intellect.
When he injected it, the lights flickered—not from any malfunction, but from Doom's sheer presence.
The Brain – O5‑7
He didn't want a combat mutation.
He wanted more intellect.
His serum increased his IQ to 750, accelerating his processing speed to inhuman levels. His eyes glowed with new focus as he looked at me.
"Administrator," he said, "I can now think in nine parallel threads."
"Only nine?" I teased.
He smiled thinly. "For now."
The Archivist – O5‑8
They took a similar ability—a cognitive enhancement mutation, granting rapid thought acceleration and expanded memory capacity. Their mind became a living supercomputer.
Isaac Newton – O5‑9
Newton lifted his vial containing Storm's weather manipulation.Storm's gifts had been difficult to replicate, but we managed it—a controlled, non‑Omega version.
He swirled lightning between his fingers, intrigued.
"Fascinating," he murmured. "Atmospheric ionization obeys me."
Lincoln – O5‑10
Lincoln received a limited version of Mystique's shapeshifting—no DNA mimicry, no perfect deception, but more than enough to fool normal humans.
"Good for diplomacy," he said. "And espionage."
"It'll never fool our scanners," I reminded him.
"Wasn't planning to impersonate you anyway," he joked. "Maybe."
Thomas Hobbes – O5‑11
Finally… Hobbes.
He was given the Death Touch mutation—the one that had killed ten security staff and two researchers when the D‑Class tried to escape.
A lethal aura of soul‑severing energy that activated on contact.Useless against those with strong souls—like us—but devastating against regular targets.
Hobbes didn't smile.He simply nodded and whispered:
"I will use it only when necessary."
I trusted him.Mostly.
When the injections were done, the room felt different—charged, heavy with power.
Eleven enhanced beings.Eleven monsters.Eleven shields against a universe full of horrors.
I exhaled slowly.
"Now," I said, "let's move on to Phase Two."
The council turned their gaze to me.
"The X‑Gene Project is completed. The next stage…"A grin spread across my face.
"…is weaponization."