✓Prologue: Chapter: The Messiah and a Stranger**
> Alaska
> City: Cooperstown
> Year: 1999
> Time: 2:00 AM
[THE EVENTS IN THIS CHAPTER TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE FIRST CHAPTER.]
In a small town called Cooperstown, located in Alaska.
A town known for its peace, calm, and tranquility.
But tonight, that peace and tranquility could not be seen anywhere in the city.
Screams, explosions, gunshots, cries, and collapsing buildings and houses could be seen and heard in every corner of the town.
It was like hell.
At the city's main hospital, chaos reigned supreme. Screams and gunfire mingled with the sound of flames consuming the corridors.
The cries and wails of babies in the nursery could be heard in that place, cries that were quickly silenced, signaling their cruelest deaths.
The perpetrators of this carnage wore black robes adorned with a large white cross symbol. Armed to the teeth, they wielded rifles and flamethrowers, spreading terror and destruction wherever they went.
These killers were well-known to nearly all heroes and villains in this world, especially by mutants.
They were the Purifiers, a group created and led by Reverend William Stryker, whose sole purpose was to "purify" the world by killing every mutant in existence.
---
"Damn, they've already started."
"The bastards aren't giving anyone a chance."
"They're burning anyone UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD. And shooting everyone else."
"Sons of bitches," murmured a man hiding behind a wall, stealthily observing two Purifiers entering the nursery room of the hospital.
This man was Nathan Summers, also known as Nate or Cable, the time traveler, son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor.
"There's nothing I can do now… I have a mission. Get to the nursery and ensure…"
Cable quickly entered the nursery room and looked at the two Purifiers, who were standing close to each other, their backs turned to him.
'I hope the girl is still alive,' Cable thought as he prepared for combat.
Cable was about to fire at the gas canisters of the Purifiers' flamethrowers when, suddenly, he saw two red beams of light strike both Purifiers simultaneously.
'What? Dad…?' Cable briefly thought his father, Cyclops, was here too.
'No…' But in the calculating mind of this man, that thought didn't last long. His mind quickly recalled the speed and power with which the energy beam hit its targets. It was fast… Too fast, even faster than his father's, which was already extremely quick. And the power… It was weak. If it had been his father's, the speed of the beam would have thrown the enemies far away. But here, the enemies didn't even move.
But Cable soon witnessed something insane.
The Purifiers began to disintegrate into the air instantly, as if they were being broken down into particles by the touch of some invisible force. In a matter of seconds, their bodies dissolved into tiny fragments that scattered into the air before he could even comprehend what was happening.
The scene was so rapid and surreal that it left Cable stunned.
"What the hell was that?" Cable muttered under his breath, looking in the direction the beams had come from.
'A mutant baby?' Cable thought, staring at a baby in the nursery, laughing joyfully, its tiny fist clenched as if celebrating something, like someone who had just won the lottery. Meanwhile, a red energy was slowly fading from its eyes.
Even though he was affected by a techno-organic virus that gradually weakened his telepathic powers, Cable could still detect the baby's psychic energy. He confirmed it was unmistakably the same psychic energy as that of a mutant.
"What the hell are you, little one?" Cable murmured as he cautiously entered the room, coming face-to-face with the baby with white hair and bright green eyes, glowing with an intense green hue.
Cable felt a mix of intrigue and concern as he observed the child, aware of the potential ramifications its presence could have for the future.
He slowly approached the crib, keeping his guard up but also curious about the extraordinary nature of the child.
The baby then spotted Cable and stretched out its arms, as if asking to be picked up.
"Dada…?" the baby babbled, somehow standing in the crib, looking at Cable and almost managing to say a word.
"I'm not your father, little demon." Cable replied, understanding what the baby had just said. He took a quick glance at a document on the table that showed the child's name.
Michael.
Cable set the papers down on the desk, his sharp eyes scanning the room for the reason he had come here. His gaze moved quickly across the area until it finally stopped on another nursery in the facility.
Inside the crib was a baby: a girl with green eyes and red hair.
This was the baby he had personally traveled from the future to protect.
"First objective completed," Cable murmured, his voice filled with determination as he carefully removed the little girl from the crib. With gentle movements, he placed her inside a bag strapped to his chest, ensuring she was safe and protected.
"Now… Hmm… What do I do with you, little demon?" Cable said, turning his attention back to the white-haired baby.
*Bang, bang.* The sound of gunshots rang out.
"Damn, those shots came from the corridor. They're getting closer," Cable said, interrupting his thoughts.
"Where the hell is that idiot helper of mine when I need him?" Cable said angrily as he quickly removed the white-haired baby from the crib and placed it in his bag next to the red-haired girl.
"Hold on tight, little ones. It's gonna be a long ride," Cable said, checking the bag to ensure both were secure.
"Eh," the male baby made a small noise as it clung to the bag.
Cable didn't notice that the baby strangely seemed to understand him.
The sound of rapid footsteps could be heard running toward the area.
'Looks like they know I'm here.'
'The only exit from this room leads straight to the corridor where they're coming from… I'm trapped, damn it,' Cable thought as he looked around the room, trying to find another way out.
As Cable thought, the white-haired boy's eyes completely transformed. Instead of their usual green color, they took on a deep purple hue, with peculiar patterns in the center of each iris. A purple spiral unfolded around a central point.
Seconds later, the baby pointed at a hospital wall, which was instantly and violently pushed backward, as if an invisible, overwhelming force had struck it with full power.
"Well… Thanks," Cable murmured quickly, with no time to be shocked or question it, as he ran toward the hole created by the boy in the wall. With swift steps, he passed through the opening and fell from the second floor of the hospital onto the street.
But, to his misfortune, the street he landed on was swarming with Purifiers.
When the Purifiers spotted Cable, they were about to shout to alert the other Purifiers nearby to come to the area.
However, before they could make a sound, they were swiftly engulfed by a black flame that consumed them mercilessly in a matter of seconds. Not even their weapons withstood the overwhelming power of that flaming darkness, making them vanish without a trace.
Cable was shocked by this as he looked at the baby, who now had completely red eyes with a strange star-shaped pupil.
"Great… Looks like I can trust you more than my own helper, who should be here," Cable's voice rang out, filled with shock and admiration, as his eyes fixed on the baby who, in a matter of seconds, had annihilated fourteen Purifiers with terrifying efficiency.
But his smile didn't last long as he saw several more Purifiers running toward him.
"Damn," Cable said as he quickly ran behind a car on the street, using it as cover against the hail of bullets.
Cable and the Purifiers began exchanging frantic gunfire. He took down some of the Purifiers, but soon saw more relentless reinforcements approaching, turning the area into a true war zone.
"It's like being in the middle of a war zone with two crates of eggs."
"If my helper shows up, I swear I'll kill him myself," Cable grumbled as he checked on the two babies to ensure they were still okay.
*Bang. Bang. Bang.* The sound of gunshots echoed in the area until, suddenly, several Purifiers were hit.
A figure emerged from the shadows, moving through the area without any concern for being shot.
"How about you kill me after I save you and the little girl?" said a masked man in a red and black suit, with two katanas on his back and pistols in his hands.
This man was Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool.
"Aw, she's got your face, Nate," Deadpool said as he approached and saw the girl.
"She's not my daughter," Cable replied, reloading his weapon.
"And him?"
"Not mine either."
"Oh… I get it, need a DNA test?" Deadpool asked while continuing to shoot at the Purifiers arriving at the scene.
"I need to get them out of here. Cover me," Cable said, already used to the nonsense of the crazy mercenary mutant.
"Cover you… Got it," Deadpool said.
"Wait, who's gonna cover me?" Deadpool said while continuing to shoot at the Purifiers.
"I never understood why in movies when someone says 'cover me!' the other guy starts shooting everywhere," Deadpool said as he ran, firing at the Purifiers.
"They don't even care that the first guy, who's usually running away, totally exposed, could easily get hit by one of the bad guys."
Deadpool said as he threw a grenade at the Purifiers, which exploded instantly upon hitting the ground, killing them.
"Doesn't that ever bother you, Nate?"
…
.
"Huh?? Nate?"
"NATE!?"
__________
.
In another location very close to the events that had just unfolded.
A group of six people was gathered on the roof of a house. The group consisted of four men and two women.
This was the mutant group known as the Marauders. They were responsible for one of the first mutant massacres: the slaughter of the Morlocks, orchestrated by Sinister.
"Our target is the baby. Don't let any of those damn Purifiers get in the way," ordered the leader of the Marauders, Remy LeBeau, also known as Gambit.
Cable, who was stealthily approaching, overheard the group's conversation as he walked down the street and quickly hid inside a nearby convenience store.
"Damn. Looks like everyone showed up for the party. Things are gonna get ugly," Cable muttered, quickly hiding from the group.
Cable sat on the floor behind a counter and began reloading his weapons. Meanwhile, he checked how many grenades he still had available.
"I know the noise won't be pleasant," Nathan said, concerned about the babies' ears.
"But Uncle Nathan's gonna have to play rough now," Cable said, about to throw a grenade at the Marauders when he was interrupted by a shout from the street.
"NAAAAAAYTE!"
"Nate, don't worry, the coast is clear!" Deadpool shouted, trying to figure out where the hell Cable was.
"Oh, crap!" Deadpool exclaimed as he looked around and realized he was quickly surrounded by the Marauders.
"It's all good, old friend! Keep running! I'll still cover y—" Deadpool shouted before being grabbed from behind.
Two Marauders held Deadpool firmly. Malice gripped his hands, while Scalphunter grabbed his neck from behind.
"Gakkk." A snapping sound came from his body.
'I think Scalphunter just dislocated my throat.'
'As long as Nate and the little ones get out of here, it'll all be worth it…'
'Ha! Damn!'
WHAT?
'Huh? Oh, nothing… Just my thigh bone cracking.'
---
> Somewhere in the Alaskan Mountains
> 4:00 AM
*SEVERAL HOURS LATER. FAR FROM COOPERSTOWN.*
Behind a massive rock, Cable was sitting comfortably while checking supplies and tending to the two babies.
"I think we have all the necessary supplies… medicine, clothes, diapers," Cable murmured to himself, reassuring himself that he was prepared.
"Great," Cable said as he noticed the girl starting to cry.
Cable took four capsules from his backpack, placed them on the ground around him, and pressed a button on each one, which quickly released a bit of heat around them.
"Warm her up first, maybe she'll stop crying," Cable said, but the baby girl didn't stop crying.
"Hey, she's gotta stop crying at some point… right?" Cable commented, looking at the boy who hadn't cried once.
"Hm?" The baby boy looked up at Cable and made a sound and gesture as if saying, 'If you don't know, imagine me.'
"Hmm…? You understood what I said?" Cable said when he finally realized the little boy could understand him.
"Hm hmm." The boy made a sound and nodded his head up and down.
"You're really something else… little one," Cable said, looking at the child, who nodded in agreement.
"Buahh." The girl beside him cried again, this time even louder.
"No time for chats, we need to move," Cable said, standing up, picking up the babies, and continuing toward his destination.
"Shhhhh, it's… okay, little girl."
"Everything's gonna be fine."
Thirty minutes had passed since the first stop, and Cable continued his journey toward his destination, while the little girl now slept soundly wrapped in a blanket inside the bag. The white-haired boy remained awake and alert to everything.
Cable paused his walk for a moment when he heard a noise behind him.
"I can hear you, Wade," Cable said, recognizing whose footsteps they were.
"Damn it!"
"I thought I'd be, like, your silent guardian," Deadpool said, embarrassed, with a hand on his head.
Cable glanced at the bag Deadpool was carrying, filled with diapers and other essential supplies for the babies.
"Tch… You just don't want to help me change diapers," Cable replied, shaking his head.
Deadpool sighed and handed the bags to Cable, then sat in the snow while watching the little girl Cable was caring for.
"How do you know what she wants? I mean, all she does is cry," Deadpool asked, intrigued by this great mystery.
"Remember Maslow's basic needs? Food, warmth, shelter, sleep? Just go through the list until you get it right," Cable explained while changing the red-haired girl's diaper.
"But what if she still cries? No toys or anything?" Deadpool continued, still intrigued.
"Wade, she's a baby. She doesn't need toys," Cable replied as he finished changing the girl.
"Can I hold her?" Deadpool asked.
"No," Cable replied quickly.
"Tch."
"What's so special about her?" Deadpool asked.
"I'm paying you to help me, not to ask questions," Cable replied.
"Fine—
—Is it the kid with red eyes?" Deadpool asked, looking at the baby wrapped in a cloth, his eyes glowing with a red light.
"Red eyes?" Cable asked, confused, since the boy's eyes were green, not red.
"Damn it, get away from the kid, Wade!!" Cable shouted at Deadpool.
"What…?" Deadpool tried to shield himself, but before he could react, a red beam of light shot from the boy's eyes toward him.
But just a few steps before it hit him, the trajectory suddenly changed, veering upward toward the sky. Then, the beam quickly descended as if locked onto a target, resulting in a small explosion and a monstrous scream a few miles away.
"Hehe."
The baby smiled and clapped his hands while Cable and Deadpool watched in shock.
"What the hell was that, little guy?" Deadpool asked, looking at the white-haired baby with immense curiosity.
"Come on, he hit something," Cable said, no longer surprised by what the baby could do.
Quickly, he placed the babies in his bag and headed toward the spot where the energy beam had struck, accompanied by a scream.
A few minutes later, they reached the location and looked at what the boy had hit.
A massive metallic-colored, lizard-shaped monster lay on the ground, its body slowly disintegrating.
"A Predator X," Cable frowned, recognizing the terrifying mutant-eating monster.
His enemies were sparing no effort against him and the children.
"Good job, kid, you nabbed one of the big ones," Deadpool said, giving the boy a thumbs-up, which the boy returned.
"Kid, I like you. Nate, can I keep him?" Deadpool asked, wanting to adopt the white-haired baby.
"Hun, hun." The baby made a small sound while shaking his head left and right, clearly not wanting to stay with that man.
"You got your answer," Cable replied with a slight smile.
"Damn it, kid, you don't want to come with Uncle Wade?" Deadpool said sadly.
Cable kept walking, no longer paying attention to the crazy mercenary's chatter.
"Why is this girl so important? I mean, are you sure you got the right one?" Deadpool asked again.
Cable shook his head, confirming to Deadpool that he had the right child.
"Hmm… alright… What about this kid? Who the hell is this little monster? You hired me to help protect one baby, not two," Deadpool said.
Cable stopped walking and answered Deadpool.
"I don't know anything about the boy, just that he's a mutant. I decided to take him out of that hospital since he was next to the girl. It wouldn't hurt to help him."
"As for the girl, she's the reason I came to the present."
"My mission is to protect her. Nothing else matters," Cable replied, revealing nothing about who the girl really was.
"I still don't get it. You've been cryptic before, but nothing like—"
"Wait," Cable quickly interrupted him and looked around.
"What's wrong…?"
Before Deadpool could finish, a small tremor shook the ground, as if something massive had just fallen from the sky, and the noise was very close to them.
"Another one?" Deadpool asked, looking at Cable and, strangely, also at the white-haired baby.
Cable already had an idea of what it was, but just to confirm, he looked at the baby boy.
The baby looked at Deadpool, then up at Cable, and shook his head side to side.
Indicating it wasn't a Predator X.
"Then what was that!?" Deadpool asked, looking around.
"Quick, take cover!" Cable shouted as he ran behind an abandoned cabin nearby.
"You know, Nate, when you asked me to help take care of a baby for a few days, I pictured us chilling with beers and snacks while the kid drooled in front of the TV," Deadpool said, staying in place and watching Cable run.
"Alright, fine… I'll go check out that weird noise down there."
"No, no… Don't worry about me, I'll be fiiiine—"
Deadpool looked at the massive, gigantic robot that had just appeared behind him.
"—Okay?"
"NEW PROGRAMMING ACCEPTED. DESTROY ALL MUTANTS," the Sentinel said in a robotic voice.
Before the robot could carry out its sinister mission, the white-haired baby made a delicate gesture with his hands, and instantly, a small square structure appeared between his palms.
The cube, with perfect geometry, radiated a mysterious white energy aura as it emerged from the boy's hands and flew quickly toward the Sentinel, expanding instantly to engulf it completely. The robot was swallowed by the structure, fully trapped inside it.
Suddenly, a burst of white light erupted from within the cube, intensely illuminating the surroundings. When the light dissipated, the Sentinel had completely vanished. Even the ground where it had stood was gone, leaving behind only an empty hole.
The baby, who had just performed that feat, stared at the attack site with wide eyes, unable to believe what he had just done.
"Damn… That jutsu's not fair," Deadpool said angrily, since he hadn't done anything yet.
"I don't know how you did that, but great job, soldier," Cable praised, giving the baby a small pat on the head, who was proving more useful than his partner.
"Nate, if you knew this baby was gonna help you this much, you wouldn't have hired me, would you?" Deadpool asked, frustrated that he hadn't gotten to destroy the Sentinel.
Cable simply nodded up and down in agreement.
"Damn it," Deadpool grumbled.
Cable approached Deadpool and announced, "It's time for us to part ways. You won't be able to follow me where I'm going."
"What… But… We made such a great team again, and…" Deadpool started to say, interrupted by Cable.
Cable placed a hand on Deadpool's shoulder and said, "It'll be a while before we see each other again, but I promise it's not goodbye."
"For real? Like, you're not gonna time-travel and leave an alternate version of me to meet you at some epic event 15 years from now, are you?" Deadpool asked, getting no response.
Cable stayed silent, ignoring his nonsense.
"Well, I guess that's it then. The end of Cable, Deadpool, and the two mysterious babies," Deadpool said, walking away, bidding farewell.
After some time, Cable looked at the sun on the horizon, just beginning to rise.
"One minute before dawn, kids, we're doing alright."
.....