For Better or For Worse

Chapter 8

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Peter awoke for what felt to be the millionth time after being knocked out by a punch or simply from being in so much pain.

"I am really, really starting to dislike you," Peter grumbled as he spat some of the blood that had been collecting in his mouth out.

"Ah, well I'm sorry to hear that, but this would be easier if you would just cooperate... you're doing this to yourself Peter."

"No, I take back what I said. I really, really hate you." Peter shot back only to get punched in the gut again by Colonel Stryker.

"You talk too much and I am losing my patience" Stryker huffed.

Peter chuckled inaudibly at his small victory. It made him happy to see that he still held some power over Stryker, even if it was something as simple as being able to frustrate the man.

He tried to shift his body weight in an attempt to gain a more comfortable position, but his effort was futile, only causing more pain to blossom in his side where many of the blows against him had been landed.

Speaking on Peter's situation, he was now quite uncomfortably chained to the with his wrists tightly cuffed above his head. He felt as though he had been turned into a human punching bag.

The gurney he had been placed upon previously, was now gone. He almost found himself missing the cold metal table, as uncomfortable as it was, at least he had been lying down. There is something about pain that makes it resonate longer when standing. Especially, with the arms raised above the head, and the ribs completely vulnerable, the pain begins to feel deeper: penetrating through one's body to the innermost point and blossoming into a red plume of suffering.

Peter kept telling himself not to cry, but with each passing moment his resolve lessened and the tears eventually began to leak from his eyes.

Talk about unfortunate... His whole life seemed to be one long and never-ending precession of unfortunate events.

Could it be that from the day of his birth he was cursed with misfortune? From his lack of a father figure in childhood to being stowed down in a basement for years like an unwanted object. He even began to curse his mutation... If it wasn't for his stupid X-gene, he would never have gotten into this mess, he would never have to worry about his and his family's safety every waking hour, he would've gotten a real-life instead of being stashed away in his basement for years, and maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't have to suffer from the knowledge of his parentage... with the fact that his father was Erick Leshner, the feared Magneto.... Who didn't even know he had a son... Maybe he really was cursed. At least if he was, he could come to terms with the fact and learn to expect misfortune.

Peter's train of thought passed further along in the direction of his unsuspecting father. If Erik knew Peter was his son, would he be happy? Happy to know that he had more family who cared for him? Or would he be disappointed? Disappointed to have a 21-year-old nobody as a son... The more Peter thought about it, spiraling into the depths of his dark thoughts, the more he began to appreciate the fact that his father had no clue about him... maybe it would be better that way... Besides, Peter assumed he would very well be dead soon so what would be the point in furthering his father's misery?

Even more toxic thoughts began to flood his mind, maybe in an effort to distract his mind from his current physical pain, only to focus more on his psychological pain and trauma.

What if... what if Erik were to find out about his long-lost son? What if Erik were to find out about Peter's current predicament? Would he come to Peter's rescue as his fatherly knight-in-shining-armor? Or would he abandon Peter to his fate? Abandon him to a slow and painful death by experimentation and torture?