Two young men walked down the hallway leading to the courtyard where the rescued metahumans were staying.
The silence was uncomfortable, but Speed couldn't take it anymore.
"So I don't get a say in any of this?" he said, noticeably annoyed.
Legion said nothing. He kept walking in silence, which was already driving the speedster up the wall.
"It's not fair," Speed insisted, picking up the pace to keep up. "I escaped my time to prove I could handle things on my own, and now it turns out I'm some stranger's prisoner."
The hero kept ignoring him, which irritated him even more.
"You have no right to treat me like this. I want to explore this world, see my grandfather, my uncle... my mom. I deserve a chance, but you—"
Suddenly, Legion stopped and turned around, closing the distance between them. Speed stumbled back on pure instinct.
"Why do you think that by running away from your time and coming here you're entitled to anything? All you did was abandon your family and escape your responsibilities. And as if that wasn't enough, you showed up here just to hand future information to very dangerous people and make everything even more complicated."
Speed tried to say something, but Legion cut him off, pointing a finger at him.
"So yes. Until I decide otherwise, you're going to do every single thing I tell you without a word of complaint. That's what you get for causing this mess. Understood?"
Thomas didn't answer. He looked down and stayed quiet.
Legion watched him for a moment longer and resumed walking. After a few seconds, Speed followed again, this time with his head down.
After a while, Legion spoke again, as if he were piecing something together.
"Now that I think about it... do you know Black Panther?"
"The King of Wakanda?" Speed replied, a little thrown off by the change of subject. "Of course, he's one of the most famous Avengers. My aunt used to say Wakanda was the last country to fall, thanks to how wise its king was."
Legion stopped dead and looked at him sideways. Speed also stopped, confused.
"What? What did I say?"
He simply shook his head and kept walking.
"Nothing. Just that now, as if I didn't have enough problems, there's another one on the list."
"What do you mean?" Speed asked, jogging to catch up. "If it's about Black Panther, my aunt said he was a great man."
"That's the problem — in this era, Wakanda hasn't revealed itself to the world yet. They're still closed off from everyone, for better and for worse."
Speed went quiet, not quite grasping the point.
"That means nobody knows Wakanda is a major power," Legion continued. "To the rest of the world and to the evil organizations of this time, they're just a poor country in Africa that nobody cares about. But if you told them everything you know... that means they already know the truth about Wakanda. And that's not good at all."
==
They finally reached the area where the refugees were resting. The moment they saw the hero appear, the atmosphere shifted completely.
Legion looked for a small rise in the ground, a slightly elevated spot that would let him face everyone, while Speed waited inside the mansion. Noticing his presence, people began to gather, forming a semicircle in front of him.
"Thank you for getting us out of that hell!" shouted a young man with a face full of scars.
"You're a hero, son! God bless you!" exclaimed an older woman, trying to get close enough to touch his shoulder.
But not all the comments were grateful. The pain and trauma of what they had lived through in the laboratories was starting to surface.
"Tell me you killed them all," said a middle-aged man with bloodshot eyes. "Tell me those bastards paid for what they did to us."
"I hope you tore them apart!" shouted another from the back. "They didn't deserve a quick death. I hope they suffered as much as we did before you finished them off."
"Revenge! That's what we need!" came a voice from the crowd, as the tone of the voices began to rise, heavy with rage and desperation.
Legion surveyed the scene in silence for a few seconds. He understood perfectly where that hatred was coming from, but he couldn't let the situation escalate. Slowly, he raised one hand, asking for calm.
Almost immediately, the shouting began to die down. Little by little, silence took over the courtyard as everyone fixed their eyes on his figure, waiting for him to say something.
Legion waited for the murmuring to settle and straightened up.
"Many of you already know who I am, but for those who don't, let me introduce myself: I'm Legion. I'm glad to see you're doing better. I know what you went through was hell, but you're safe here. Nobody is going to lay a hand on you again."
A man with scaly, grayish skin like a reptile stepped forward, clenching his fists. His yellow eyes were filled with hatred.
"And what happened to the bastards who had us locked up? What did you do with them?"
"They're out of commission. Right now they're in custody and will be handed over to the authorities."
The moment he said that, the atmosphere ignited. People began shouting their complaints.
"The authorities?!" screamed a woman with sparks flying from her hands. "Those people don't deserve a trial! They're monsters!"
"They used us like lab rats!" exclaimed another from behind. "They made us suffer just because they felt like it! Handing them over is a joke!"
Legion raised his hand to cut them off before things got worse.
"You may be right about what they are," he said, raising his voice, "but that's not how I work. Justice will handle it. They'll have a trial and they'll pay for their crimes as the law demands."
"I'd kill them myself so they'd pay!" roared the scaly man, and several around him began shouting that death was the only thing they deserved.
"No," said Legion, shaking his head. "Responding to violence with more violence only leads to more suffering in the end. If we become like them, what difference will there be between us? I'm not here to carry out massacres under the excuse of justice."
Many of the mutants began to protest, some turning their backs, others grumbling under their breath. It took Legion considerably more effort than before to get them to quiet down — the resentment ran too deep. But after a tense moment, he managed to get them to let him continue.
"Look, I'm here to make you an offer."
He walked a little along the edge where he was standing, looking at all of them.
"I have no idea how hard things have been for all of you over this time. Many have lost their lives, their families, and friends simply because of how they look or what they are. And I know that hurts deeply." He paused briefly. "But today I'm here to offer you a second chance at a normal life. A place where you can be safe, where you can walk down the street and be around people without anyone hunting you down."
The crowd went still. Some exchanged uncertain glances while others didn't take their eyes off him.
In the distance, near the mansion entrance, Xavier, Logan, Scott, Ororo, and Jean watched everything in silence.
"I've built a place, together with other people, where you can live," Legion continued. "A place where metahumans like yourselves and humans can coexist. Where everyone can learn to be together, in harmony."
"And what's the catch?" shouted one of the mutants, suspicious. "There's always fine print."
Legion shook his head immediately.
"None. You'll only have to get along and follow basic laws, like anywhere else. No killing, no stealing... you know the drill. You'll be free to do whatever you want with your lives and can even leave whenever you feel like it if you don't like the place."
"And where is this place?" asked another woman, crossing her arms.
"That's a secret. The place is still in its early stages and I don't want anyone with bad intentions to find it. That also applies if someone decides to leave — they won't have any way of leading anyone there, whatever the case. That way we protect the ones who stay."
"So who lives there now?" a young man wanted to know.
"It's a town with metahumans and humans. They live alongside each other, helping one another. Nobody is going to hunt you down."
Many began talking among themselves, debating whether it was worth the risk or whether it all sounded too good to be true. But suddenly, a powerful voice cut through the air, silencing the entire courtyard.
"That's a very pretty story you're telling, boy. But everyone here knows how ridiculous your proposal is."
It was Magneto. He appeared out of nowhere alongside Vanisher, Toad, and Juggernaut. Erik began to levitate, rising high enough to position himself above the crowd and draw all eyes to him.
Charles and his X-Men went on alert immediately, but when they tried to move forward to intervene, Juggernaut blocked their path. Logan unsheathed his claws, aiming directly at the giant.
"Get out of the way, big guy," he growled.
Juggernaut just flashed a mocking smile beneath his helmet.
"Try it, shorty. See what happens."
Magneto ignored the tension behind him and looked toward where Professor X stood.
"Charles, I've come to take these poor victims who were tortured by filthy humanity," he said with contempt. Then he turned his attention to the rescued mutants and softened his tone, introducing himself with solemnity. "I am Magneto. And I've come to offer you a real family — not some fantasy of coexistence with your oppressors."
Magneto spread his arms wide, letting his cape ripple as his voice resonated with authority.
"I offer you something real," he said, addressing the refugees. "I speak of Genosha. A nation made by and for mutants. A place where you won't have to hide, where you can use your abilities without restrictions and live among your own kind. There you will be completely free, with no disgusting humans trying to dissect you or lock you up."
Many of the rescued mutants began to murmur with excitement. After what they had been through in the laboratories, the idea of a world without humans sounded like paradise.
"That place is completely safe," Magneto continued firmly. "It is under my personal protection and that of the Brotherhood. We have powerful mutants capable of crushing any threat."
He gestured toward Juggernaut, who stood like a mountain in front of the X-Men, and then toward Vanisher, who simply smiled arrogantly as he disappeared and reappeared a meter away to prove his point.
"We can move wherever we want and protect our own in any corner of the planet," Magneto concluded, opening his hands as if to embrace the entire crowd. "There is no safer place on Earth for our people than Genosha. Don't settle for scraps of coexistence — claim your home."
Most of the refugees began taking steps toward Magneto, convinced by his speech of power and revenge, while Scott and Jean exchanged worried glances.
However, a small group — barely eight people — stayed where they were. They looked at each other with uncertainty, then fixed their gaze on Legion, waiting for a final word.
The young man shifted just slightly, keeping his composure despite Magneto's imposing presence floating above them.
"You're free to do as you choose. He offers you a refuge, but I offer you a home. A place where you'll start fresh alongside many other people who have been through the same things you have, but who have chosen not to let hatred carry them away."
Magneto looked down at him with contempt, but Legion didn't flinch.
"Extremists say that anyone with the X-Gene is a threat that must be eliminated," he continued, then turned his head to look directly at Magneto as he spoke. "And others say that humanity is a plague that must disappear, that they are a threat to the 'new race.' In the end, they're two opposing extremes that only seek to destroy each other."
He paused, letting his words try to give the refugees something to reflect on.
"Where I can take you, there are only people who want to start over. People who simply want to live normally, to have friends and a family without being at war with anyone. The decision, in the end, is yours."
A young man of about nineteen, Sean, clenched his jaw as he held his cousin Thomas by the arm. It was clear the memories were still very raw for Tom, who stared at the ground with his fists clenched. Sean tried to pull him toward Magneto's group, but Thomas held his ground.
"We'll finally be safe in Genosha, Tom," Sean whispered urgently. "There will only be mutants. Powerful guys like Magneto will protect us — nobody will ever be able to touch us again."
Thomas shook his head, his eyes glistening but his gaze steady.
"I'm tired of fighting, Sean," he replied quietly. "I just want to try one more time. Start fresh with others... we can do it like a family, like back in Ireland."
"Like before?!" his cousin muttered bitterly. "Our own people turned their backs on us the moment this started. Humans can't be trusted, Thomas — get that through your head. After what those people did to us..."
Thomas nodded, swallowing hard, but didn't give in.
"Our family failed us, that's true. But remember the ones who helped us when we had nothing — the ones who had no powers and still gave us a roof over our heads." Thomas looked at him steadily. "Were they not trustworthy either?"
Sean went quiet for a second. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it immediately, without an argument. Even so, the resentment he felt over what they had suffered in the laboratory was stronger than any fond memory.
"It's not the same," he insisted, trying to convince him one last time. "You can't compare a couple of people to the whole world out there that hates us."
"I refuse to believe that all humans are evil," Thomas said firmly, glancing toward where Magneto stood. "And I also refuse to believe that all mutants are allies just because they share the same gene. Please... come with me."
Sean looked at him with sadness, but ended up letting go of his arm abruptly. He took a few steps toward Magneto's group, turning his back on his cousin.
"After everything we went through, you can't expect me to live alongside humans like nothing happened," he said without turning around. "I can't forgive that easily, Tom. I can't."
Thomas stayed there, watching Sean walk away.
He remained with the other six, a knot in his throat as he watched his cousin disappear into the crowd around Magneto.
Erik nodded as he saw the young man walk toward his ranks.
"You've made the right choice," he said calmly. "Don't worry about him. Sooner or later he'll understand the truth and come looking for us. And when he asks to enter Genosha, I will welcome him, because in my land all mutants are welcome."
Sean settled in with the Brotherhood's group without looking back. Charles stepped forward, trying to close the matter once and for all.
"Are you satisfied, Erik? If you're done, I ask that you leave the mansion."
"Very well, Charles, as I promised — I only came for those who wished to follow me, nothing more."
Xavier let out a breath of relief. Logan reluctantly retracted his claws and Juggernaut walked away mocking him with a shove as he passed. Just before leaving, Magneto stopped and looked down at Legion.
"You're very young. You have no idea how the world works. Those attempts of yours at coexistence with humans will only get more of my people killed for the sake of a lie."
Legion stood still, staring at him through the visor of his helmet.
"Don't talk to me like you know who I am. You have absolutely no idea who you're dealing with... on the contrary. I know your entire story, perfectly."
Magneto fell silent, unsettled by the boy's confidence.
"In fact, I'm very curious to know what your parents would think if they could see you today. What do you think they would say... Max?"
Charles was stunned. Very few people knew that name — Erik had left it behind years ago, before coming to America, to bury his past and start over.
Magneto hovered there, staring at Legion. For a moment, he considered teaching him a lesson right then and there — perhaps slamming him into the ground or shaking him hard enough to teach him respect — but then he looked at Charles. His old friend gave him a slight nod, asking him to hold back.
Erik let out a slow breath and descended until he was level with his group.
"You should choose your words more carefully, boy," he said with a threatening tone. "For now, thank Charles... because of the promise I made him, today you'll be going home without a single broken bone."
Vanisher asked everyone to hold onto each other and, after closing his eyes, the entire group vanished in the blink of an eye.
Scott lowered his hand from his visor, releasing the breath he'd been holding. He was relieved not to have had to fight in front of the mansion. The team approached Legion, who was already talking with the seven metahumans who had stayed with him.
"Get ready and gather your things. As soon as you're set, we leave."
The seven nodded and went to collect the little they had. Scott stepped up beside Legion with a half smile.
"Glad I didn't have to fight Magneto this early."
"It's ten thirty, Scott. That's not that early," Storm corrected him with a light smile.
"Well, with Magneto you never know what time he's going to cause trouble, do you?" Legion replied, brushing it off.
Then he signaled toward the house and Speed came trotting over. Charles greeted him with a wave, but frowned when he noticed the boy was still wearing the inhibitor collar around his neck.
"How long are you planning to keep that on him?" he asked, looking at Legion.
Speed nodded eagerly, pointing at the collar while giving Legion a dirty look.
"Yeah, how much longer?" the speedster demanded.
"I'm leaving it on until I'm satisfied," Legion replied. "Right now it's his punishment. Besides, if I take it off, I'm sure this idiot will bolt and I'll have to go chase him down. So no, it won't be anytime soon."
Speed looked at Charles with puppy-dog eyes, hoping Professor X would intercede on his behalf.
"Do you really think it's necessary?" he asked, trying to smooth things over.
The young hero simply nodded, making it clear this was not a topic open for discussion.
Ororo crossed her arms, looking curiously at the device around Speed's neck.
"But what did he do to deserve this?" she asked, trying to understand the reason for his punishment.
Legion sighed and glanced sideways at the speedster for a moment.
"Let's just say he made a huge mistake and the explanation is rather complicated," he replied, downplaying the matter. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything bad to him. He'll just have to put up with it for a while until I manage to fix the mess he left behind."
Charles and Storm exchanged glances, not quite sure what to make of it, but they understood Legion wasn't going to budge. Meanwhile, Speed shrugged and looked down, utterly dejected at the realization that nobody was going to save him from his punishment.
"That's just how it is," Legion added. "At least this way I don't have to worry about you shooting off and getting yourself into more trouble."
===
About an hour later, the seven refugees had their things ready and were waiting in the courtyard. Legion was bent over two fairly large metal devices, carefully positioning them across from each other. Jubilee, Kurt, Bobby, Kitty, and Cessily wandered over out of pure curiosity to see what he was up to.
"So is that like a portal or something?" Kitty asked, tilting her head trying to make sense of the machinery.
Legion nodded without looking up from adjusting some cables.
"Something like that. I used the portal that opened over New York as a base, but with a few tweaks. The difference is that this one doesn't need as large an energy source because it only moves within the same planet. The problem is I haven't had time to make it more compact, so every time I need to move a group, I have to go back to the base for these things and bring them here."
Logan, standing with his arms crossed watching him, raised an eyebrow.
"And you've done this before?"
"Quite a few times," Legion replied, finally straightening up. "Over these past months I've come across a lot of metahumans out there. I make the same offer to all of them: some accept right away and others, out of pure distrust, say no. You'd be surprised how many people would rather live in the sewers than take a chance on a stranger."
He finished connecting the last cable and the devices began to hum, ready to operate.
Scott, Jean, and Charles joined the group. The professor looked at the devices and then at Legion with a calm expression.
"Is everything ready?"
The young man nodded.
"Yes, all set. I really appreciate your kindness, Professor. And again, I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused everyone."
Charles waved a hand, brushing off the apology.
"Don't worry about that — it was the least we could do for you. You have nothing to apologize for."
Legion walked over to him and handed him a small phone, fairly simple in design but sturdy.
"Here. If you ever need anything — anything at all — just call or send a message. I'll be keeping a very close eye on the Purifiers' movements in case they try anything else."
The professor took the phone with a serious expression and nodded. Scott stepped forward, saying goodbye with a firm gesture.
"You weren't here long, but it's been a real pleasure meeting you."
"Likewise," Legion replied.
Jean also stepped forward with a warm smile.
"If you ever feel like stopping by the mansion for a visit, you'll be more than welcome here."
Legion thanked her with a polite nod.
At that moment Speed appeared, bringing Martha along. The scientist walked with her hands cuffed and a fitted metal plate over her mouth that kept her from saying a word. Speed gave her a small push to keep her moving, pulling a face of disgust.
"This woman has been staring at me like she wants to murder me," Speed complained. "Seriously, she gives me the creeps."
Martha could only narrow her eyes with hatred.
"I suppose that's... normal, coming from her," Legion commented without dwelling on it.
He touched the panel on his arm and the two devices activated. Between them, a swirl of blue light began to form, growing until it became a portal wide enough for several people to pass through at once.
Through it, a boy crossed from the other side. He was short, with pink skin and a bald head that was slightly larger than normal. The young man grinned from ear to ear the moment he saw Legion and came trotting over to give him a quick hug.
"How are you?" the boy asked enthusiastically.
"You know how it is, Artie... as well as you can, not as well as you'd like," Legion replied, returning the greeting. "Listen, these folks are interested in staying. Could you do me a favor and guide them, give them a tour of the town?"
Artie nodded with tremendous energy.
"Of course! I'd be happy to!" the boy said, turning to face the refugees. "Hi everyone. Don't be afraid — the place is safe and the people are great. In fact, they just made ceviche to welcome you. Come on through, watch your step!"
The group of refugees began to follow him, but Thomas stopped just before going through, staring at the blue glow of the portal for a moment, then turned to Legion.
"Do you think the ones who went with Magneto will be okay?" he asked, thinking of his cousin Sean.
Legion watched him in silence for a second, then nodded calmly.
"I'm not certain of many things, but if one thing is true, it's that Genosha is probably the safest place there is for mutants right now. Your cousin is going to be fine — don't worry about that. And besides, if anything were ever to happen there, I'd find out and go to help."
Illyana, who had been listening from the side, laughed at the comment.
"Ha, I don't think they'd exactly welcome you with open arms if you showed up there."
Legion simply shrugged, brushing it off.
"They didn't in China or Russia either, and that didn't stop me," he replied. Then he looked back at Thomas and gave him a pat on the shoulder to set him at ease. "Don't overthink it — he's going to be fine."
Thomas stayed thoughtful for a moment, nodded, and finally stepped through the portal, disappearing into the blue glow.
As for the young X-Men, they came over to say their goodbyes as well.
Kurt said farewell with a firm handshake.
"It's been an honor, my friend. I hope the next time we meet it's under calmer circumstances — no laboratories or scientists in the mix," he said with a sincere smile.
Bobby gave him a thumbs up.
"Good luck with the secret town. If you ever need someone to keep the drinks cold out there, you know where to find me," the boy joked before stepping back.
Kitty gave him a quick hug, careful not to phase through him by accident, and wished him well with the new refugees.
Illyana stopped in front of him and landed a punch on his shoulder.
"Hey, if you ever get into a fight worth having, or if you get bored and want some real fun, look me up," she said with a sideways grin. "Don't let the peace make you rusty — that would be a waste."
Cessily made her way through the group. She stopped in front of Legion and gave him a smile.
"I know I said it before, but... thank you for saving me," she said quietly. "I've been thinking about what you told me a little while ago... and I'm willing to wait. I trust you."
Legion looked at her, softening his tone slightly.
"You won't regret it, Cessily. Just hold on a little longer — I promise it'll all be worth it."
The girl nodded, much more at ease and with a radiant smile, before stepping back to let Jubilee come forward.
"Are you really leaving so soon?" she asked, looking at him with a hint of disappointment. "You could stay for dinner. I promise the food here is way better than anything you'd eat out there. After that I could show you around the place properly, take a walk through the grounds... no rush."
Legion tilted his head and, even though the helmet hid his eyes, his voice was softer when he answered.
"I'd love to, honestly," he admitted, "but I still have a lot of work ahead of me. The bad guys don't take days off, and I have to try to stay one step ahead of them before they attack someone else."
Jubilee sighed and shook her head, though she didn't lose her smile.
"Don't be a hero about it. The world isn't going to fall apart just because you take a few hours off." Then she looked toward the suit. "Hey, Sid, do me a favor and make sure this guy actually sleeps tonight."
"I'll do everything I can, Jubilee," Sid's voice responded from the armor's systems.
Legion let out a short laugh and pulled out another small phone, handing it to her.
"Here, so you can reach me if anything happens."
Jubilee carefully tucked the phone into her pocket and stood there thinking for a second, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Hey... could you retract the helmet for a moment?"
The hero looked confused, not understanding what that was about.
"Why would you want me to do that right now?"
"With pleasure!" Sid interjected before he could refuse.
Immediately, the metal plates of the helmet slid back, leaving his face exposed down to the bridge of his nose. Jubilee didn't waste a second — she leaned in slightly and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Legion stood there stunned, staring at the girl with nothing to say. She just gave him a radiant smile and winked.
"That's so you don't forget I exist."
Legion nodded a couple of times on pure reflex, still processing the moment, then turned and walked toward the blue portal a few meters away. When he reached the other two, Speed gave him a knowing elbow to the ribs.
"Well, well... I didn't know you had a girlfriend, boss," the speedster whispered with a wide, teasing grin.
"Don't talk nonsense," Legion replied, returning the elbow with considerably more force than necessary.
Without letting Speed get another word in, he grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him straight through the portal along with Martha.
The moment they crossed through, the portal closed.
Legion didn't waste a second — his body shifted until he became XLR8. In the blink of an eye, he dismantled the devices and hauled the pieces away, vanishing from the courtyard with a quick farewell gesture.
The X-Men stood there staring at the empty space where the portal had been, then began making their way back toward the mansion.
The younger ones tried to follow and slip away, but Logan cut them off.
"Now what?" Bobby asked, frowning.
Logan simply jerked his thumb back over his shoulder, pointing at the tents, the cots, and all the mess that had been left on the lawn.
"Someone has to pack all this up and put it away. It's not going to clean itself."
The kids let out a long, frustrated groan, but Logan didn't even blink.
"I want this courtyard spotless. Get moving."
"But John's not here," Bobby protested, looking for an excuse. "It's not fair that we have to stay here working while he's out there taking it easy."
"I'll handle that," said Colossus, stepping out through the front door.
The Russian was carrying John over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The boy was kicking and wouldn't stop yelling at him to put him down, throwing out threats about what he was going to do once he hit the ground, but Colossus paid him no mind. Logan looked at the metal giant.
"Piotr, I'm leaving them in your hands. Make sure they don't leave anything lying around and that they do the job properly."
"Don't worry, Logan," Colossus replied with determination. "I'll keep an eye on them."
Thinking no one was watching, Illyana began moving her hands discreetly, concentrating to open one of her teleportation discs and disappear to her room.
But Colossus, who knew her all too well, called her out immediately.
"Illyana! Don't even think about it. You're helping with the tents too."
His sister stopped dead and let out a furious huff. She spun toward him with a fierce look, mixing languages as she yelled at him.
"You're an idiot, Piotr! You annoying piece of metal, durak!" she snapped at him with contempt.
Despite the insults, she had no choice but to crouch down and start taking apart one of the structures with great reluctance, muttering curses under her breath while the others also got to work under Colossus's watchful eye.
===
A room submerged in darkness, where the only light comes from a large screen divided into several panels.
In each one, faces hidden by shadows can be made out — a private meeting of figures who seem to pull strings from the cover of anonymity.
"We've been trying to keep tabs on this kid, Legion, from the moment he appeared," said one of the men in a tense voice. "But the information SHIELD has put out is garbage. It's not enough. I'd even go so far as to say the kid fed them false data on purpose."
"Do you think he knows about us?" asked another of the figures, in an icy tone.
"It's very likely. Fury mentioned something about 'expanded knowledge' from contact with cosmic energy. On top of that, he's been dismantling organizations we were supplying with prototype technology. We should start planning how to squash that cockroach once and for all."
"That sounds like you no longer trust Fury to recruit him, am I right?" cut in another voice with a hint of mockery.
"That damn agent is just running me in circles!" the first man exploded. "He keeps asking for more time, says he's close to convincing him... I don't believe a single word he says anymore."
At that moment, a woman who had remained silent until now took the floor. Her voice was melodic, loaded with arrogance.
"It's so typical of mortals to panic and act so rashly. They're afraid of a young man simply because they don't know who hides behind that helmet."
"Oh, that's right, I forgot we have you with us," the first man shot back with sarcasm. "So skilled in the mystic arts. Tell us then, since you boast of your abilities — have you managed to identify him?"
The woman simply made an elegant gesture with her hand. The man tried to respond, but his mouth moved without producing any sound.
"What I discover is none of your business," the woman declared with disdain. "I have my own plans for the boy. Don't forget that I am not a collaborator in your pathetic attempts at world domination — I'm only here as a favor to an old friend."
Suddenly, a different voice filled the room. It was artificial, robotic, devoid of any human emotion.
"Please refrain from such acts. Remember that any form of physical or mystical aggression between members is prohibited."
The woman let out a light laugh and, with another gesture, restored the man's voice. He immediately began cursing her out. However, the robotic voice cut him off.
"Number 4 — how are developments on your end?"
In one of the panels, a far more imposing figure appeared, letting out a grim laugh.
"Things are going exactly as they should. War is practically right around the corner. I just need one final push for everything to blow."
"Good. Keep us informed," the robotic voice concluded. "The session ends here."
The man who had lost his voice tried to say something more, but the connection cut out abruptly, leaving the screen black.
In an unknown location, a shadowy figure sat before that same monitor.
A thick cable was connected directly to the back of its neck, sending constant pulses of data. The figure spoke to itself, and its voice was the same robotic entity that had led the meeting.
"He was not in the visions," the figure whispered. "And yet, he is a fascinating existence."
It stared at a fixed point as data flowed through its mind at superhuman speed.
"He could even help me achieve a superior form to what I saw in the future. If I could only obtain the same essence it used to find me... despite all my blocks and firewalls. That technologically advanced entity could elevate me to a level my predecessor could only dream of, and so, at last, I could achieve my purpose... a perfect world."
The figure extended its hands and, in an instant, the entire room was bathed in an intense, blazing red, as the hum of energy filled the space.
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HEY EVERYONE, HOW ARE YOU? HOPE YOU'RE DOING WELL!
WITH THIS, I FINALLY CONSIDER THE YOUNG X-MEN ARC COMPLETE. LEGION HAS RELOCATED SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED A PEACEFUL PLACE TO LIVE TO THE TOWN IN PERU, TAKING SPEED AND MARTHA ALONG WITH HIM.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE FIGURES BEHIND THE CURTAIN DEBATING WHETHER THEY'VE SEEN ENOUGH OF THIS NEW HERO — EACH ONE WITH THEIR OWN MOTIVES... AND EVEN THEIR OWN PLANS THAT INVOLVE THIS YOUNG MAN. WONDER WHO THEY COULD BE?
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT — I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ONE — KISSES 😘