MUTOSTERONE

The morning sun cast long shadows over the Hall of M, its stone and alloy architecture still bearing the scars of last night's attack. Smoke lingered faintly in the distance, but the main building stood unshaken.

Atop its reinforced rooftop, Professor M stood on the helipad, his long coat fluttering in the crisp wind. His expression was unreadable, but his fingers tapped against his wrist—impatient.

Then, a shadow fell over the sky. A sleek jet descended—a masterpiece of Nexus engineering. The NX-09 Vindicator, a state-of-the-art aerial vehicle, cut through the clouds like a blade. Unlike most military crafts, its surface was nearly seamless, adorned with obsidian-black plating that reflected the environment around it, making it nearly invisible when airborne. Its tapered wings curved backward like a predator in mid-dive, lined with energy vents that pulsed faintly with an eerie blue glow.

At the jet's nose, the Nexus insignia—an intertwined silver 'N' encircled by an intricate ring of constellations—gleamed against the sunlight. Beneath the body, VTOL thrusters rotated smoothly, whispering as they adjusted for landing. The soundless descent was a testament to its stealth capabilities, a stark contrast to its imposing presence.

Barry scoffed, arms crossed as he watched the jet land. His golden eyes narrowed. "Why the hell is Nexus here?"

Professor M barely glanced at him. "Because this isn't a rogue mutant club, Barry."

Barry let out a dry laugh, fangs briefly flashing. "Sure feels like one, after last night."

"The Hall of M operates under Edenian law," Professor continued, keeping his tone calm, though the tension was rising. "We are a sanctioned academic institution, not a militia. Nexus has every right to be here."

Barry rolled his shoulders. "Tell that to the bastards wearing anti-telepathic helmets and launching missiles at us."

"They weren't Nexus," Professor corrected. "They were extremists. You, of all people, should understand that distinction."

Barry's claws flexed slightly, his frustration evident. "And you, of all people, should understand that Nexus doesn't give a damn about distinctions when mutants are involved."

The jet's ramp hissed open, releasing a wave of compressed air. The argument abruptly halted as a tall figure emerged from within. Commander Silas Morrigan.

Dressed in a crisp black Nexus officer's coat with a silver trim, Silas was a man who carried authority like a second skin. His short-cropped silver hair and sharp blue eyes made him look like he had stepped out of a war dossier. The subtle yet imposing exosuit plates along his arms hinted at enhancements beneath the fabric—Nexus didn't send men like Silas for casual visits.

He descended the ramp with measured confidence, his boots echoing against the metal. When he reached the helipad, he smirked slightly at Professor M. "Long time no see, old friend."

Professor's expression remained neutral. "Silas."

Silas's gaze flicked toward Barry for a second, noting the tension in his stance. "I see your werewolf still bites."

Barry growled under his breath. "You wanna find out?"

Silas chuckled, turning his attention back to the Professor. "Relax. I'm not here to start a fight." He glanced at the Hall of M's battle-worn state before adding, "Seems like you've had enough of that already."

The air between them was thick with history—unspoken, complicated, and heavy. Silas adjusted his gloves before finally saying "Let's talk."

The elevator descended deep beneath the Hall of M, its reinforced steel walls humming as layers of security locks disengaged with each passing level. Barry crossed his arms, glaring at Silas, while Professor M remained silent, leading the way.

They passed through several sub-levels—each one revealing a different function of the Hall's underground facility. First was the Armory, where prototype weapons designed to counter rogue mutants lined the walls. Then came the Medical Bay, equipped with advanced regeneration pods and surgical AI systems. Finally, as they reached Sub-Level Five, they entered the heart of Hall of M's defenses: the Bunker.

The Bunker was the nerve center of Hall of M's security and research. Holographic monitors lined the walls, displaying real-time surveillance of mutant activity across Edenia. A massive, circular chamber stretched before them, its sleek design a blend of steel, reinforced glass, and glowing energy conduits running across the floors and ceilings.

Silas wasted no time. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed several metallic spheres onto the ground. The small orbs clattered across the steel floor before suddenly pulsing with blue energy, unfolding like blooming flowers. In mere seconds, they expanded into full-body suits—sleek, form-fitting, and constructed from a latex-like nanotech fabric that shimmered under the bright lights.

Silas gestured toward them, his smirk barely hidden. "Behold—the Hall of M's new official uniform."

The room fell silent for a moment. Then—Barry burst out laughing. His laughter echoed off the bunker walls as he pointed at the suits. "What the hell is this? You want us to dress like rubber dolls?"

Silas didn't flinch. Instead, he casually picked up one of the suits and stretched the fabric between his hands. "This isn't some cheap spandex costume, mutt. It's embedded with Nexus's latest nanotech."

He flicked his fingers, and the suit instantly hardened, shifting into an armored state. He flicked them again, and it turned flexible, flowing like liquid metal. "This material can withstand any kind of damage—blades, bullets, extreme pressure, temperature shifts—hell, even energy blasts."

Barry rolled his eyes, still unimpressed. "Oh wow, a suit that doesn't burn. What a miracle."

Silas raised an eyebrow. "What, you thought you were living in a damn superhero movie? You get punched through a wall, burned alive, electrocuted, and somehow your clothes survive? News flash—this isn't some capes-and-tights fantasy, wolf-boy."

Barry snorted, shaking his head. "So what, you expect us all to walk around looking like futuristic dominatrixes?"

Silas grinned wickedly. "Hey, if the suit fits…"

Seraphina, standing nearby, stifled a laugh. Rick and Kai smirked. Even Professor M couldn't hide the ghost of a smile.

Barry sighed dramatically, rubbing his temples. "Great. First, we get missiles launched at us. Now, we get fashion advice from Nexus."

Silas clapped his hands together. "Exactly. And you're gonna love the matching boots."

Barry crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at the sleek black suit still hovering in front of him like an unwelcome salesman. He huffed. "Yeah, yeah, real fancy, but how many lyd did you have to cough up for this, Professor?"

Professor M, already rubbing his temples, sighed. "Barry, please—"

"No, seriously." Barry gestured wildly at the nanotech suit. "You expect me to believe Nexus just gifted these high-tech body gloves? Nexus doesn't even hand out napkins for free. How much did they charge you? A few million? A billion? Maybe trillion?"

Silas, still grinning, took a slow step forward, folding his arms. "And why exactly do you care, fuzzball?"

Barry turned on him immediately. "Because you bastards at Nexus love giving out shiny new toys with one hand while slapping a damn bracelet on us with the other!"

The room went silent for a beat. Then Silas tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Ahhh. This is about Sentinel Core, isn't it?"

Barry gritted his teeth. "Damn right it is. Those dumb bracelets you lot slap on mutants like house arrest anklets."

Silas shrugged dramatically. "Only on unregistered mutants."

Barry threw up his hands. "Oh wow! Only unregistered ones? Oh, that makes it sooo much better! Thank you, Silas, I feel so much safer now!"

Seraphina snorted, trying (and failing) to suppress her laughter. Kai leaned toward Rick, whispering, "I swear, watching these two argue is better than TV."

Silas took another step closer, his smirk not fading. "You know, Barry, for someone who hates Nexus, you sure spend a lot of time thinking about us."

Barry glared. "I spend a lot of time thinking about food too. Doesn't mean I like being eaten."

Silas chuckled, patting Barry's shoulder before stepping back. "Well, mutt, you can either take the suit… or keep fighting bad guys in your ripped-up jeans and 'I Hate Nexus' t-shirt."

Barry grumbled, looking between the suit and Professor M, who simply gave him a tired stare.

Seraphina leaned in, smirking. "C'mon, Barry, put it on. Don't be shy. It's not like it'll bite."

Barry muttered under his breath. "I hope it does. Then I can sue Nexus for emotional damage."

Silas smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "Listen, Barry, you should at least try to understand how things work. Politics and the military are two different beasts. Politicians make laws; we just execute them. The Edenian Council and Nexus don't always see eye to eye, you know. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don't."

Barry crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I went to college, you know."

Silas raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Oh? Really? Where exactly did you study, Vesper?"

Barry tilted his chin up, puffing his chest like he was about to drop the name of the most prestigious academy in all of Tanasma. "One of Dravmora."

The room fell dead silent for a second. Kai, mid-drink, choked on his water. "Wait—one of?"

Seraphina snorted, covering her mouth. "Barry, that's like saying 'I went to Crestmoor.'"

Rick blinked. "Or 'I graduated from Everglade.'"

Hana, grinning, added, "Or 'I got my medical degree from hospital.'"

Silas pretended to be deep in thought, nodding slowly. "Ah, yes. 'One of Dravmora.' That famous university. You must have really struggled to get in."

Barry gritted his teeth, pointing at them all. "Oh, screw you guys. It was a real school! I studied criminology! And I was good at it!"

Silas held up his hands innocently. "Oh, no doubt. I'm sure they were honored to have 'The Calendar' giving guest lectures on how not to get caught."

Barry growled. "Listen here, you smug little—"

Professor rubbed his temples, sighing. "Can we please focus?"

Seraphina whispered to Kai, "I bet it was one of those sketchy universities that print diplomas on demand."

Kai whispered back, "I bet it was an online course."

Barry snapped. "I heard that!"

Silas grinned like a predator and cracked his knuckles. "Alright, Barry. Since you're so proud of your education, let's narrow it down. Dravmora has, what, a dozen universities?"

He casually started listing them off, counting on his fingers. "Dravmora University of Law? No? Fine. Crestmoor Institute? Everglade Academy? Velmorn College? Silvercrest Institute of Criminal Science? West Dravmora Polytechnic? Central Dravmora? No? Oh, wait—how about the very prestigious Dravmora National University? Or maybe you went all fancy with Kira Private Academy? Or the legendary Grand Dravmora Institute of Higher Learning?"

Barry visibly tensed, eyes darting away.

Silas leaned in. "C'mon, Barry. Which one?"

Barry grumbled, "Velmorn College."

The room went dead silent for three seconds. Then—"WHOA."

Seraphina dropped her fork. "Wait, what?!"

Kai stared at Barry like he just said he was secretly royalty. "You went to Velmorn? That's actually—like—a real university."

Rick whistled. "That's some serious academia, man."

Hana folded her arms, raising an eyebrow. "You're telling me that you, Barry—'I solve problems with my claws and grunts' Barry—graduated from Velmorn?"

Silas looked genuinely impressed for the first time. "Huh. That's actually a solid school. What year?"

Barry sighed, rubbing his temple. "1308 Third Age."

"NO WAY."

Kai nearly dropped his drink. "Dude. That means you were there before the Dravmora Riots!"

Rick gasped. "Holy crap, Barry—were you in the protest movement?"

Hana narrowed her eyes. "Or... were you already The Calendar by then?"

Barry rubbed his face. "Guys, can we not do this?"

Silas chuckled, shaking his head. "You know what, Barry? I'll give you this one. Velmorn College, Class of 1308."

Seraphina grinned. "Damn, Barry. Guess you are a man of culture."

Barry grumbled, "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Can we move on?"

Kai snickered. "Nah, I just need a second to process that Barry actually had a college phase."

Rick nodded. "Did you wear glasses and read books in a dimly lit café?"

Hana smirked. "Did you write a thesis on serial killing?"

Barry growled. "I swear to God, I will bite someone."