M115- Twins

Nigel shoved the door open with a bang, striding in without so much as a knock. His eyes locked on Nero immediately.

“We found the thing you mentioned.” He reported, moving straight to Nero, who was stretched out on the couch with Maria leaning against him.

Nero raised an eyebrow. “What thing?”

Nigel dropped onto the couch next to Sofia, handing her a flash drive. “The twins. Plus something extra.”

Sofia immediately plugged the drive into her laptop, fingers flying over the keys. “Which twins are we talking about here?”

Nero just glanced at Sofia, waiting. She pulled up the files, sifting through them at lightning speed. A series of documents appeared on the screen, labeled with all sorts of military jargon.

Sofia hummed. “Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Captured, tested, and enhanced by Doom.”

Nero’s brow furrowed. “That doesn’t make sense.”

Maria glanced over, curious. “Why? What’s wrong with them being Doom's experiments?”

Nero leaned back, tapping his fingers against the armrest. “In the movies, sure—HYDRA played mad scientist. But this world?" Nero shook his head. "Closer to the comics. Messier. And Doom’s meddling where he shouldn’t.”

Anthony raised a brow. “So who the hell are they, then?”

Nero rubbed his forehead. “Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins. Speedster and reality warper. Sometimes mutants, sometimes science experiments—depends on which version you’re looking at. In some universes, their father is Magneto.”

Donald snorted. “That guy? Wouldn’t put it past him to dump his own kids into some mad science project.”

Sofia hummed, scrolling through the files. “Doesn’t look like they were abandoned. Doom found them when they were young—after their hometown got shelled to shit. Took advantage of the situation.”

He leaned back, visibly unsettled. “That doesn’t make sense either. In the MCU, they were taken after the Avengers destroyed their home. Ultron hasn’t happened yet.”

He walked over to Sofia, took the laptop, and started skimming through the documents himself. The more he read, the less it made sense.

Sofia pulled up another file, her brow furrowing. “It gets weirder. Says here they activated the twins’ powers using some kind of glowing scepter. Doom doesn’t list what it is, just calls it ‘the artifact.’”

Nero walked over, taking the laptop from her and scrolling through the data. His eyes narrowed as he saw the images and read the descriptions of the scepter—blue gem encased in a golden frame. He clenched his jaw.

“That’s not just any artifact,” he muttered. “It’s an Infinity Stone.”

Anthony glanced over. “You’re saying Doom got his hands on one of those cosmic bullshit stones? Which one?”

Nero grimaced. “The Mind Stone. He doesn't seem to know it, though. He's using it like a glorified battery to force mutations.”

Sofia’s eyes widened. “He is experimenting on kids with something he doesn’t even understand?”

Nero gave a short nod. “Typical Doom. He finds something powerful, has no clue what it is, and uses it anyway.”

Donald crossed his arms. “So he stumbled on one of the most powerful objects in the universe and decided, ‘Hey, let’s make some super soldiers.’” He then raised an eyebrow. “Are they mutants, and Doom just gave them a boost?”

Nero leaned against the table, processing it. “That would make sense, but it still doesn’t add up. If they’re Magneto’s kids, why the hell were they in Sokovia instead of Genosha or some safehouse? Magneto’s not the type to just lose track of his own children.”

Sofia pulled up the next file. “Says here their mother was Magda Lehnsherr. She fled with them after Magneto’s powers went berserk and leveled their village. He thought they died.”

Anthony scoffed. “Great. Classic case of tragic miscommunication. Guy thinks his family’s dead, moves on, and meanwhile, Doom scoops up the kids.”

Nero exhaled through his nose. “And the Mind Stone didn’t give them powers. It just broke the seal on their mutant genes.”

Diego threw his hands up. “Wait, hold on. So Magneto’s got kids out there, but he doesn’t even know? That’s just sad. Also, how the hell does a dude who can bend metal lose his own damn family?”

Sofia didn’t look away from the screen. “Panic does weird things to people. Guy probably tore the place apart without thinking and then convinced himself they were gone. Self-fulfilling prophecy and all that.”

Donald crossed his arms. “Still doesn’t explain why Doom was poking around in Sokovia. What the hell were they looking for?”

Nero scrolled to another section, eyes narrowing. “According to this, they weren’t just looking for potential mutants. They were specifically targeting children with latent powers. They must have known about the twins ahead of time.”

Maria tapped his shoulder. “You think they were tracking Magneto’s bloodline? Maybe someone tipped them off.”

Nero shook his head. “Doesn’t fit. Magneto’s not careless. If anyone tried to track him, he’d rip the intel straight out of their skull. Either someone inside HYDRA already knew, or they had a way to predict it.”

Sofia hummed. “Could be connected to a Mutant's ability. Similar to how Xavier finds new mutants?”

Donald rubbed his jaw. “If that’s true, then they’ve probably got files on more than just the twins. There could be a list of mutants in there.”

Nero handed the laptop back to Sofia. “Check for anything that looks like a database or catalog. If they have a list, I want it.”

Sofia nodded, already typing. “On it.”

Nero ran a hand through his hair, considering the mess in front of him. Magneto’s kids being used by Doom was a problem on too many levels. Telling Magneto seemed like an easy way out, but that would mean unleashing a mutant god of magnetism on Doom’s base. Which wasn’t entirely a bad idea, but if Wanda was already strong enough to bend reality—especially with the Mind Stone involved—that was just asking for a catastrophe. He didn’t know how loyal the twins were to Doom either. Being taken as kids meant they’d probably been brainwashed into loyalty. If they got between Magneto and Doom, it’d be a bloodbath.

Anthony leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “So, what’s the plan? We leaving them to it or getting involved?”

Nero didn’t answer right away, still processing. Sofia glanced up from her laptop. “We could just kick Doom’s teeth in, see where the kids stand afterward.”

Diego grinned. “I like that plan. Get in, wreck the place, ask questions later.”

Nero chuckled. “Not a bad idea. In some comics, Wanda can warp reality, rewrite history, or just wipe people out of existence. Imagine her meeting you and just saying, ‘Diego, no more.’”

Diego scoffed. “She’d try. Then she’d end up falling for me like everyone else. Can’t just erase all this charm.”

Anthony rolled his eyes. “I hope she does it. Just to test that theory.”

Sofia didn’t look up from the screen. “You’d be the first person wiped out, Diego. Reality couldn’t handle your nonsense.”

Diego shrugged. “Still worth it. If I have to go, might as well be erased by a reality-warping witch.”

Donald snorted. “You’re going to regret saying that when she turns you into a frog.”

Diego threw his head back, laughing. "As if you wouldn't rush to kiss me and make me your Prince Charming again."

Donald looked at him, unimpressed. "I'll kiss you just to shut you up."

Diego grinned. "Promises, promises."

Anthony scoffed. "Pretty sure you'd turn into a toad instead. Nobody’s charming enough to fix that attitude."

Diego pointed at him, pretending to be offended. "Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Tony."

Sofia rolled her eyes, still scrolling through files. "Pretty sure even a magic kiss wouldn’t fix your mouth."

Diego winked at her. "You’re just mad because you know I'd still be hot as a toad."

Nero shut the laptop with a snap. "If we’re done discussing Diego’s fairy tale potential, we’ve got a problem. We can’t just storm Doom’s castle. We need to figure out how loyal those twins are first. They might not even know who their father is."

Anthony shrugged. "If they’ve been raised by Doom, chances are they’re loyal to him by default. Kids don’t just wake up and decide to hate their benefactor."

Donald glanced at him. "Unless they know the truth. Doom’s probably fed them lies from day one."

Sofia glanced at the data on the screen. "Doom doesn’t strike me as the nurturing type. More like ‘you owe me your existence’ kind of guardian."

Maria stretched her legs out, nudging Nero’s side. "If they find out the truth and flip out, we could use that as leverage. Or at least as a distraction."

Nero rubbed his chin. "Risky. Wanda’s powers are linked to her emotions. Piss her off too much, and we’re not just fighting Doom but reality itself. We’ll need a better approach. Maybe not tell them who Magneto is right away."

Diego rolled his eyes. "So, just lie to them? That’s gonna work real well when they find out."

Nero looked at him. "Not lie. Just hold back the truth until we know where they stand. It’s not like we’re obligated to spill family secrets to every stranger we meet."

Sofia tapped the screen. "There’s also a list of previous experiments. Some were failures, some survived. Looks like Wanda and Pietro were the only real successes."

“Sounds like it’s my time to shine…” Diego announced, throwing his arms wide. “Let me go undercover, charm Doom into a false sense of security, and then turn the twins against him. He’ll be too busy swooning to see it coming.”

Nero shook his head, not even entertaining the idea. “You’re too high profile. The menace of America's nightlife suddenly popping up in Latveria? Doom would be suspicious the second you walked through the gates.”

Diego faked a troubled expression, putting a hand over his chest like he was personally wounded. “Ah, cruel fate. Why am I so famous?”

Anthony didn’t look up from cleaning his knife. “More like infamous. You’ve ended enough marriages to hit double digits by now.”

Diego gave him an unbothered smile. “People just can’t resist me. Not my fault their relationships were flimsy to start with.”

Sofia waved her hand dismissively. “You can’t blame him if people are stupid enough to risk their entire lives for one night with Diego. That’s on them.”

Diego raised his glass. “Thank you, Sofia. Nice to know someone understands my struggles.”

Maria scoffed. “Your struggles? Please. You’re a walking disaster. You just leave chaos behind and waltz out like nothing happened.”

Diego shrugged. “And I do it beautifully. Can’t blame me for being irresistible.”

Nero glanced at the screen again, considering his options. “If we’re gonna get close to Doom without tipping him off, we need someone who’s not a damn celebrity. Someone he wouldn’t recognize immediately.”

Nigel, leaning against the wall, gave a slight nod. “We could use someone with a low profile and adaptable skills. You know, someone who doesn’t draw attention just by existing.”

Diego shot him a look. “You saying I’m loud?”

Nigel didn’t bother looking at him. “You’re loud. Obnoxious. Overly confident. The list goes on.”

Diego looked offended but couldn’t deny it. “Fine. I’ll sit this one out. But when you all die because you were boring, I’ll be there to host your funeral. With flair.”

Sofia pulled up another document, her fingers flicking over the keyboard. “According to these reports, Doom’s been keeping the twins isolated from most of his forces. Probably to avoid them getting influenced by anyone who isn’t him. He knows what he’s got on his hands.”

Nero frowned. “Makes sense. He wouldn’t risk letting them befriend anyone who might plant doubts. Doom’s good at controlling people when he has their loyalty locked down.”

Anthony leaned back, crossing his arms. “So, we need to get someone close enough to plant a seed of doubt without looking like a threat.”

Donald raised an eyebrow. “We’ve got any actors who can pull off the innocent routine?”

Sofia glanced over her shoulder. “You’re not fooling anyone with that face, Don. Doom’s not stupid.”

Donald scoffed. “I wasn’t volunteering.”

Nero glanced around at the group, already weighing his options. "We don't need innocent. We have Snape."

Donald raised an eyebrow. "You’re sending the vampire bat to deal with Doom? He’s gonna hate that."

Nero shrugged. "We need someone who can spy without being obvious. Snape’s done it before. Spied on the Dark Lord while serving the Grey Lord."

Sofia smirked. "And he’s got that whole ‘gloomy, morally ambiguous asshole’ vibe that Doom will respect."

Diego chuckled. "Plus, if anyone can lie to a tyrant’s face without flinching, it’s our favorite potions master."

Anthony seemed to consider it. "And if Doom’s doing any alchemical experiments, Snape might actually get invested. He’s curious about things that might explode."

Nero nodded. "Exactly. He’s our best shot at slipping in without being obvious. Doom will think he’s just another power-hungry wizard trying to learn something useful."

Nero looked at the laptop again. "Sofia, get everything we have on the twins and any other experiments. I want Snape to know what he’s dealing with."

She nodded. "Already sorting it. You want me to make a quick dossier?"

"Yeah. Keep it simple. Snape doesn’t need fluff."

Donald tapped his chin. "If the twins are already loyal to Doom, what’s the plan if they don’t budge? We still taking them out?"

Nero shook his head. "If they’re loyal, Snape will figure it out. We’re not gonna murder two kids just because they got caught in Doom’s bullshit. But if they turn hostile, we’ll subdue them."

Nero didn’t waste time. He called for Snape, and the man arrived with his usual unbothered elegance, his robes sweeping behind him. He glanced at the group, clearly unimpressed by the chaos.

“You summoned me?” Snape asked, folding his arms.

Nero gestured for him to come closer. “Got a mission for you. Something that needs your… finesse.”

Snape raised a brow but didn’t argue, stepping further inside. “What madness have you concocted this time?”

Sofia snorted. “You’re going undercover in Latveria. Doom’s got a couple of enhanced twins under his thumb, and we need to know how loyal they are before doing anything drastic.”

Snape didn’t even blink. “Doom. As in Victor Von Doom?”

Nero nodded. “The one and only. You’ll be playing the role of a wandering alchemist. Shouldn’t be hard for you.”

Snape arched an eyebrow, clearly disapproving. “And the likelihood of being executed for trespassing?”

Diego clicked his tongue with amusement. “Oh, come on, Snape. You’ve survived worse. Besides, Doom’s got an ego bigger than the whole country. He’s not gonna kill someone who shows up interested in his work.”

Snape gave Diego a pointed glare. “Unlike you, I have no intention of throwing myself at madmen for amusement.”

Diego shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s not like you’re doing this for fun. You’re doing it for intel. Besides, Doom probably respects gloomy assholes like you. You both give off the ‘morally dubious bastard’ vibe.”

Snape turned to Nero, ignoring Diego entirely. “And what, precisely, do you expect me to accomplish?”

Nero handed him a tablet, the screen showing images of Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. “Get close. Figure out where their loyalty lies, how much of their faith in Doom is real—and how much is forced.”

Snape scanned the documents without comment, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Magneto’s children. Does he know?”

Nero shook his head. “Not yet. Magneto thinks they’re dead. Doom either doesn’t know who they really are or doesn’t care. Either way, they’re powerful enough that Doom’s keeping them close.”

Snape looked unimpressed. “And your grand strategy is to send me to do what, precisely? Coax them into rebellion with my charming personality?”

Nero waved his hand dismissively. “Charming’s a stretch. More like your no-bullshit attitude. Doom’s into new arts and knowledge. Your magic and potion work might catch his interest. All you need to do is open a channel so we can get in touch with the kids.”

Snape looked unimpressed. “You’re expecting me to ingratiate myself to a narcissistic despot and his brainwashed protégés.”

Diego grinned. “Pretty sure you just described your old job.”

Snape didn’t even look at him. “If I turned you into a rat, would anyone notice?”

Diego just shrugged. “You’d be doing me a favor. I’d fit in more places.”

Sofia typed something on her laptop, pulling up a map of Latveria. “Doom’s been holding a symposium on ancient and experimental alchemy. You show up as a researcher, pitch a few theories, and he’ll probably let you stay. At least long enough to get a read on the twins.”

Snape sighed, giving Nero a flat look. “Since the boss orders.” He glanced around, clearly unimpressed with the chaotic atmosphere. “I’ll prepare to leave if there’s nothing else to add.”

Nero just nodded. “Sofia will have your files ready by the time you’re set. We’ll monitor from here.”

Snape didn’t bother with more words, just gave a faint nod and left the room, his robes sweeping behind him.

--

Added new images to the Auxiliary Chapter. You can check them out here,

https://www.patreon.com/posts/112091142