Isaac spotted it - the vault buried deep beneath the manor, locked away from casual access. He released the phasing, and Sven crumpled to the cold metal floor, gasping for air as the world solidified around him.

"I'll never get used to that shit," Sven groaned, clutching his stomach. He looked a shade paler than usual. "It's like being dead, but alive, and violated by walls."

Isaac chuckled under his breath. He was fine - better than fine, actually. The more he used his abilities, the smoother they became. The phasing, the flight, the Phased Vision - it all flowed naturally now.

In hindsight, it was funny that he'd never thought to use them this way until his training with Kai.

When Isaac turned his gaze forward, even he had to stop for a moment.

The armoury wasn't just large, it was ridiculous.

Racks of gleaming weapons lined the walls. Assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, and even rocket launchers. Shelves stacked with grenades, smoke bombs, and strange metal canisters filled the air with the faint tang of diesel and rust.

"Why the hell does your dad need all this?" Sven muttered. "You could start a damn war with this much firepower."

"Maybe that's the point," Isaac replied quietly. His father never did anything halfway.

But what drew both their attention was the far shelf - lined with glass vials, cases of injectors, and neatly labelled darts. The labels read like a chemical arms dealer's fantasy.

TEMP Z. Mutant Enhancers. Mutant Suppressants.

"Suppressants too," Isaac murmured, impressed despite himself. "I thought the Association and AMC kept those pretty exclusive, especially in this weaponised form."

Sven whistled low. "To think one dart could turn someone like us into sitting ducks."

He picked up a dart and studied it under the dim light. The tip shimmered faintly, laced with a pale red fluid that looked harmless enough.

Isaac's mind was already running calculations. For someone like Lenny, whose hide was nearly bulletproof, the dart might bounce right off. But for others, people like him or Sven, it could pierce through pretty easily. And once Nyx's suppressant hit the bloodstream… game over.

They didn't know exactly how fast it worked, but it targeted the Z gene. Suppress that gene, and your powers shut down, either partially or completely. The gene recovers naturally, but the speed of recovery varies.

Low-tier mutants could lose their powers for hours or even days, while high-tiers might only be weakened for a few minutes before bouncing back.

'And what about someone like Kai?' Isaac wondered. 'If his healing factor works the way it seems, could he just burn through the suppressant too?'

There were too many unknowns, too many variables, but it was still an incredible weapon. Dangerous, yes. But useful, too. Especially for mutants whose powers caused pain, deformity, or instability.

"I can take what I want, right?" Sven asked, his grin returning.

Isaac smiled faintly. "Help yourself."

Sven moved fast, snatching up a handful of throwing knives and a small dart gun. It could hold three darts - compact, efficient, deadly. He loaded a few suppressant darts into a pouch on his belt.

"We should hit Seraphina with one of these first," Sven said, inspecting the gun. "If Kai's right about her powers, we don't want her seeing us coming."

Isaac nodded. That was a good idea.

He scanned the room again, then reached out and picked up… a metal pole. A simple, weighty piece of steel resting in a corner, unassuming among the deadlier weapons.

Sven blinked. "What are you going to do with that? You've got enough firepower here to level a city, and you pick a stick?"

Isaac twirled it once, testing the balance. His lips curved in a sly smile. "You'll see."

Sven could only shake his head. "You're insane."

"Probably," Isaac said simply.

Moments later, he phased Sven back to their rooms, the transition just as dizzying as before. Sven stumbled into his bed muttering curses under his breath.

The night passed uneventfully, though all three mutants slept with one eye open. Thankfully, there were no alarms or unexpected guests - just silence and the steady thrum of anticipation.

When the sun rose, they were ready.

Tonight was Seraphina's show.

And today… they would finally make their move.

-

They woke up in beds that were far too soft for men like them. The sheets were silk, the pillows cloud-like, and the faint scent of lavender drifted through the room. It was almost uncomfortable - too perfect, too peaceful.

After weeks of sleeping in the wilderness, on hard floors, and sometimes not at all, this felt like stepping into heaven.

Sven stretched lazily as he rolled off the bed, groaning in satisfaction. "I could get used to living like this," he muttered, tugging a shirt over his head before stepping out into the hall.

He blinked as he spotted Isaac doing the same, the two meeting almost perfectly in sync. "Is this how you lived most of your life?"

Isaac didn't even hesitate. "Yeah, pretty much."

There was no pride or nostalgia in his tone, just fact.

Takeshi emerged a moment later, calm and collected as always, his composure unshaken even in such lavish surroundings. The maids, dressed immaculately, bowed slightly and invited them to follow for breakfast.

A fresh set of clothes had already been left neatly folded outside each of their rooms - tailored, pressed, and perfectly their sizes. Isaac slipped into his with little care, while Sven had already managed to make his look casual by rolling up the sleeves and throwing on his signature jacket.

Takeshi, on the other hand, kept his robes that somehow never got dirty, no matter what he went through.

The maids led them to a different dining hall this time. And even though it wasn't the grand one from last night, it was still enormous - gold-trimmed walls, long velvet curtains, and a crystal chandelier that sparkled in the morning light.

Breakfast was absurd. The table was piled high with fruits, bread, eggs, pancakes, and meat. Every possible breakfast combination was laid out with precision.

Irwin was already there, sitting upright despite being told to rest. His arm still had an IV bandage wrapped around it, but he looked far better than last night.

"Couldn't miss breakfast," he joked weakly as they entered.

Isaac smirked but said nothing as he sat down.

Despite what had gone down the night before - the shouting, the fight, the bruises - the air wasn't tense. There were no cold glares or stiff silences. Just quiet conversation, the sound of cutlery, and the faint hum of peace.

It was surreal, but nice.

Irwin didn't hold a grudge. Deep down, both brothers knew things had simply gone too far. For the first time in years, they weren't rivals. They were just… brothers.

Elizabeth beamed from across the table, the only one truly unable to hide her joy. She'd always been the glue between them - bright, kind, endlessly hopeful. Seeing her family together again, even if fleetingly, made her practically glow.

Their mother looked different, too. She'd slept for once. The dark circles under her eyes had lightened, and her posture wasn't as small and frail. She smiled more than she had in years.

As for their father, Fletcher Sr., he remained composed, hands folded neatly as he ate. But behind that stern face, there was conflict. He was proud of Isaac, but furious at his defiance, yet still proud nonetheless.

Of course, he would never say it.

When breakfast ended, Fletcher Sr. snapped his fingers lightly, and an attendant hurried over, carrying a leather case. "As requested," the man said, bowing deeply before placing it before Isaac.

Isaac raised a brow as the attendant unrolled a large sheet across the table - a detailed blueprint of Wembley Stadium, the location of Seraphina's upcoming show. Alongside it were four sleek, black VIP tickets embossed with gold lettering.

"Four?" Isaac muttered, taking them and glancing at his father.

Before he could ask, Elizabeth practically shot up from her seat. "It's for me!" she said excitedly. "Father said you requested tickets for Seraphina's show, and he knew I was a big fan, so he added an extra one for me! I've always wanted to see her perform, but I never got the chance!"

Sven snorted, barely managing to hide his laughter behind a cough. Isaac groaned, dragging a hand down his face.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie," he said, voice firm. "But you can't come with us."

"What? Why not? I promise I won't be annoying! I just want to watch the show and-"

"We're not exactly going there to watch her."

Elizabeth blinked. "Then what are you going there to do?"

"Um..."

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