X-Force: Beyond Omega

I walked further down the cracked sidewalk. My stomach growled audibly. Ah! I missed the dinner. Hehe. I did not even realize how hungry I was. The coffee earlier had taken the edge off, but I needed something solid. Burger, sandwiches, coke, chips... Humm... I looked around. I'm gonna eat some cheap junk food tonight. On the right, near a construction site, was one of the pop-up food carts. Alrighty.

The vendor was a young woman in her late twenties, dressed in a very thick jacket with a hood pulled up. A small sign on her cart in handwritten letters was stuck across the front: "Hot Sandwiches - Freshly Made!" She looked up as I approached. From her expression, she looked tired but gave a sincere smile.

"What can I get for you?" she asked, her voice laced with the weariness of someone who'd been on her feet all day.

"Two sandwiches. The big ones," I said, pulling out some cash.

"Anything specific?" she asked, reaching for the bread.

"Surprise me," I replied with a small shrug.

She nodded and got to work, her hands moving deftly as she layered ingredients and pressed them on a small portable grill. The smell of melting cheese and toasting bread was heavenly. After a few minutes, she handed over two neatly wrapped sandwiches. "Here you go. Stay safe out there."

"Thanks," I muttered, tucking the sandwiches into my jacket, then paid and walked away.

The warmth and flavor hit me as I bit into the first one. Oh, it tastes freaking good. It was simple—ham and cheese with a hint of mustard—but it might as well have been a gourmet meal considering how hungry I was.

The streets were silent except for the distant rumbles of machinery or sometimes a car passing by. I should take more night walks from now on. So peaceful, except for those fucking cultists and the posters. The city had always been a mix of chaos and resilience, and now it was holding its breath as if waiting for something to happen. From what I heard, Manhattan suffered the most damage while Brooklyn suffered very little.

Mid-bite into the second sandwich, I noticed movement ahead. A scruffy, thin dog with matted fur was rummaging through a pile of debris. A goldy. It looked thin and dirty, but there was a collar on the guy's neck. Someone abandoned the poor guy. I can understand if there were any death out there but I did bring everyone dead back to life, so why the fuck did they abandoned their pet to die on the street?

Let me check your memories a bit...

Well, money problem, and the family moved elsewhere leaving the guy here. The poor thing looked like it hadn't had a decent meal in days.

I slowed my pace and crouched down a few feet away, tearing off a chunk of the sandwich. "Hey, buddy," I called softly, holding the food out in front of me.

The dog froze, its ears twitching as it looked up at me with wary eyes. It took a careful step forward, then another, sniffing the air cautiously. When it was close enough, it quickly snatched the piece of sandwich from my hand and retreated a few steps to devour it.

"Hungry, huh?" I murmured, tearing off another piece. This time, the dog approached more quickly, its tail wagging ever so slightly. It grabbed the second piece and stayed closer, its eyes darting between me and the sandwich in my hand.

After a few more bites shared between us, the dog seemed to relax, sitting a few feet away and watching me with a curious tilt of its head. I finished the rest of the sandwich and dusted off my hands.

"I gotta get going, pal," I said, patting the dog on the head as one last goodbye. "But, let me heal you." I didn't want to use the Phoenix Force, so I just transferred the healing factor to the doggy and he looked pretty much all healthy and energetic. Well, a nice little bath would be good for him too.

The dog yipped once and trotted toward me, tail wagging. I hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently scratched behind its ears. The dog leaned into my touch, its fur soft and warm. That's a golden retriever for you. Haha.

It was funny how quickly things could change. One minute, you're fighting aliens and saving the world, almost fucking Death, and the next, you're sharing a sandwich with a stray dog.

"I've gotta go, buddy," I said, giving the dog one last pat on the head. "You take care of yourself, okay?"

The dog tilted its head again, then licked my hand and trotted off down the street.

I watched it go, then turned and headed toward May's orphanage. I wonder if that place is alright or not. Those kids might be having a hard time. But I stopped after walking for a few minutes. "Sigh!" I looked back and saw the goldy following me. "What are you doing?" I asked.

[Wooff!!] He barked.

"You can't follow me, you know."

The dog yipped again and sat down, staring at me intently. His tail was wagging too much.

"I don't have time for this," I muttered, continuing on my way. A few seconds later, the soft patter of paws behind me told me that the dog was still following.

"Hey! Shoo!" I tried to scare him away but he didn't budge. "Go away." I tried to shoo him away with my hands but he just stayed where he was.

[Wooff! Woofff!]

I finally gave up and walked away, shaking my head. The dog kept pace beside me, his tongue lolling out as he trotted along. We walked in silence for a few blocks, the night air cool and quiet around us.

After a while, the dog let out a loud yawn and stretched out his legs before continuing to follow me.

I looked at him and sighed. "Fine. You can come along for now. But only until I find you a home, okay? Don't get too attached."

The dog barked again, its tail wagging excitedly. I couldn't help but smile a little. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad having a companion for the night.

"Alright then," I said, looking around. "Let's get going."

...

I walked towards the park, the faint glow of campfires and makeshift lanterns illuminating clusters of children huddled in blankets. The building across the street, May's orphanage, seemed a hollowed-out shell. Windows shattered, walls cracked, and parts of the roof completely caved in. Even the sign, once painted cheerfully, was hanging by one chain, swinging in the cold breeze.

The dog—my unexpected companion—trotted ahead, wagging his tail as if this were just another adventure. I stopped by the edge of the park, leaning against a tree to take in the scene. May was there, her figure illuminated by the flickering flames. She was wrapped in a worn coat, kneeling beside a child who looked no older than six. Her face carried exhaustion but also the determination of someone who refused to give up. That was May for you.

But something wasn't right. It had been a week since the damage occurred, and not a single crane or truck was in sight. The city wasn't perfect, sure, but for a place like this—an orphanage? Someone should have stepped up by now. I've donated enough money, so they shouldn't have a money problem. That money should've been enough to rebuild the entire building and provide for these kids for months. Besides, I heard the government had announced that they are taking care of the orphanages and old-age homes.

So why the hell were they still living in tents?

I stayed in the shadows, watching. The dog sat beside me, his head tilted as if sensing my unease. I crouched down, scratching behind his ears absently while I thought. "Something's not adding up," I muttered under my breath.

May straightened up, her voice carrying over to me as she addressed the children. "Alright, everyone, it's time to settle in. We've got another cold night ahead, but we'll get through it, just like we always do."

The kids nodded, though their faces betrayed their worry. Some clutched stuffed animals; others shared blankets, trying to stay warm. My stomach twisted. These kids deserved better.

I decided to get closer. The dog started to follow, but I held up a hand. "Stay," I whispered. To my surprise, he actually listened, sitting down obediently. "Good goldy."

I stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the campfire.

May noticed me immediately, her eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. "Can I help you?" she asked, standing up and shielding the child behind her instinctively.

"Hey," I said, keeping my voice calm and casual. "I was just passing by and saw... well, this. What happened? Why isn't anyone helping?"

Her expression softened slightly, but her eyes remained guarded. "The building was damaged during the attack last week. We've been waiting for the city to send someone, but..." She trailed off, glancing back at the orphanage. "As you can see..."

"That's strange," I said, frowning. "I thought there were relief funds set up for situations like this."

"There are," she replied, her voice tight. "But every time I call, I get the runaround. They say the paperwork's still being processed or that they're prioritizing other areas. I don't know what else to do. I even tried to take out the donation funds that we receive from the bank, but they are saying they have some problems on their ends and with the damages and all... so I couldn't take it out."

I felt a surge of anger rise in me. What the fuck is going on? Those corrupted motherfuckers! I'm gonna kill them all. And those government bastards, spreading false news and hope just to get votes. They are gonna pay.

"How much do you need?" I asked, stepping forward. "I can help."

May shook her head quickly, taking a step back. "No, that's not necessary. It's fine. We're managing."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This is awkward.

"Hey, May," A familiar voice came from behind. I turned around and saw a blonde girl in a black jacket standing a few feet away, her expression guarded.

"Oh, Gwen," May said, looking relieved.

So, that's Gwen. Dang! Nebula fucking up our date. Anyway, let's focus on the current situation. Gwen bought three bags, one on her back and two on both hands.

"Here. I managed to get these from the supermarket or more like super trucks," she said, handing the bags over. "It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

"Thank you, Gwen," May said, taking the bags and placing them near the rest of the supplies.

Gwen nodded, then finally turned toward me. Her expression was unreadable.

**[POWERSTONES & Reviews]***

If you like my work, you can support me on: patr eon.com/UnknownMaster

[17 advance chapters] [No double billing] 

---

AN: Things will get interesting after 1 chapter. More action.