"Isn't this kind of development expected?" Ethan said with a small smile.
Ever since mutant lineage was severed back in the primitive slave age, mutants had lived blended into human society.
History spoke of mythical heroes, mysterious warriors, and even so-called witches and wizards who were burned at the stake—many of them, unknown to the world, were likely mutants.
Despite their gifts, mutants could only do so much when scattered, isolated, and unaware of the full extent of their powers.
But things changed when human technology surged forward and communication became easier.
With the rise of modern civilization, the number of mutants grew alongside the global population.
And with the internet and global media, mutants who once lived in distant corners began to find each other.
Around two hundred years ago, some of the earliest organized mutant communities formed.
They started sharing experiences, experimenting with their powers, and building connections.
After the Cold War, mutants entered an era of disunity and internal conflict.
Groups like the Hellfire Club tried to consolidate power by absorbing or eliminating rival factions, leading to chaos and division.
That all changed when Professor X and Magneto—two longtime rivals and visionaries—came together to end the infighting.
They ushered in a new age of cooperation, laying the groundwork for a peaceful transition.
But they knew that wasn't enough.
Their dream was to see a new generation of mutants take that peaceful groundwork and build something stronger.
What came next was the New Era—a time led by Ethan and others like him.
It was the most hopeful time for mutants... but also the most dangerous.
"So, you're searching for a future for your people too," Jiaying said, eyes fixed on Ethan.
Though he was still young and raw, as the leader of the Inhumans, she saw something familiar in his gaze: that quiet, heavy concern for the survival of one's kind.
"I'm willing to agree to your alliance," Jiaying continued. "But I need something in return. And trust me, it's something that could benefit both of us."
"I'm listening," Ethan replied, gesturing politely for her to continue.
Rather than speak, Jiaying rose from her seat and moved to a drawer.
She pulled out a small box and opened it to reveal a deep blue crystal.
"This is Terrigen," she said. "Our people are different from yours. Inhumans don't awaken naturally. We need Terrigen Mist to trigger our transformation. But even among us, not everyone with the gene is suitable, and the purity of the mist plays a huge role in determining whether the transformation is safe... or fatal."
She held up the crystal carefully. "Unfortunately, we don't have the tech or resources to refine it properly. Our current process introduces too many impurities, and it's drastically lowering the success rate."
"So you want our help purifying it," Ethan said, narrowing his eyes as he studied the crystal.
"Exactly. Terrigen Mist is our greatest scientific breakthrough, but producing it at high purity and large scale is nearly impossible for us right now."
"And what are you offering in return?" Ethan asked, his voice steady.
"The location of an old Kree lab hidden on Earth," Jiaying replied.
She glanced at Ethan, then added, "Before I go further, you should know who the Kree were. They're an ancient alien race—highly advanced, ruthless in their pursuit of scientific control. A long time ago, they came to Earth and used early human DNA as a foundation for experimentation. That's how we, Inhumans were created."
She paused, letting the weight of that truth settle. "This old Kree lab might contain more than just tech to produce better Terrigen... it could hold secrets about the origins of both our kinds."
"We call that place the Holy Land. For generations, the Inhumans have never stopped searching for it," Jiaying explained to Ethan, her tone carrying a mix of reverence and frustration.
Ethan leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly. "So you already know where it is?"
Jiaying shook her head slowly. "No. But we know how to find it. There's a sacred artifact we call the key—the obelisk. And we believe we've finally found a lead on where it ended up."
She turned and pulled a large photo from a drawer, placing it carefully on the table in front of him.
The image showed a tin case, marked with the number '084' and stamped with three bold letters—SSR.
Ethan's brows raised slightly. "SSR? That explains why you've had trouble getting it back. No wonder it's called a sacred object. If it ended up in SSR hands, it must've been locked away tighter than Fort Knox. I take it you want our help retrieving it?"
Jiaying gave a small, sincere nod. "It contains the obelisk, a relic that's been part of Inhuman history for centuries."
"The obelisk was discovered by Hydra during World War II," she went on. "But it was later recovered by the United States' Howling Commandos. A woman named Peggy Carter personally sealed it away."
Ethan tilted his head, recognition flashing in his eyes. "Peggy Carter—the same one who co-founded S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"That's right. But it's not in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands anymore. It was transferred to a U.S. military facility."
Calvin stepped in, voice low but steady. "To Carter, the obelisk was too dangerous to be left in reach of anyone, especially radical scientists. Not just Hydra—people like Howard Stark too. That's what worried her."
Ethan glanced over at him, slightly curious. "You seem to know a lot about this."
Calvin's jaw tensed. "Because I've been looking for that damn thing for years. I even had to cooperate with someone I despise... a monster I wish I could tear apart with my bare hands."
Noticing the fire rising in his voice, Jiaying gently placed a hand over Calvin's, calming him with a soft whisper. "We'll make them pay. Every last one."
The intensity of her words made Ethan pause.
He studied her closely, but said nothing.
"So if we retrieve the obelisk," Ethan said after a moment, "you believe it can lead you to the Kree site?"
Jiaying nodded with a faint smile. "We're confident it will. The Kree used it as a beacon once. And when we find the Holy Land, the ruins they left behind, we can access information—about us, about them, maybe even about your kind. We're willing to share it all. Consider it an extension of our alliance."
Ethan's lips curled into a faint smile. "That sounds like a fair deal."
With the agreement reached, the tension in the room finally eased.
Later that day, Jiaying personally guided Ethan, Katie, and the others through the Inhumans' home, a secluded sanctuary known as Afterlife.
It was more than just a hideout—it was their cultural heart, and through the tour, the mutants gained a clearer picture of the people they had just allied with.
...
As night fell, Ethan quietly boarded the stealth jet, carrying the research data the Inhumans had provided—files filled with background info on the obelisk, technical readings, and historical records.
Even though the alliance had been made, Ethan had no intention of lingering in Afterlife longer than necessary.
Things had a way of changing fast, and he didn't want to risk putting his team in a vulnerable spot.
"So... we're really going to steal this so-called obelisk from the U.S. government?" Katie asked the moment they were in the air.
Her voice was uncertain, and the tension in the cabin told Ethan she wasn't alone in that feeling.
Peter, Bobby, and the others were quiet, but their worried expressions said plenty.
Up until now, their missions had been about justice—saving lives, stopping threats, protecting people.
Fighting Hydra, stopping rogue mutants... sure. But breaking into a military base? That was a whole new level.
"It has to be done," Ethan said simply. "But you don't have to be involved."
His eyes shifted to the White Queen, who had been lounging in her seat, eyes half-closed.
"So you're thinking of using the Brotherhood," she said, stretching with a yawn, her voice as lazy as ever.
"Not all of them," Ethan replied with a faint smirk. "It's just a retrieval job. A few operatives from the Brotherhood should be enough."
"Boss, can I come too?" John said quickly, hand raised like a kid in class. He was grinning, clearly excited by the chaos of it all.
Ethan shook his head. "Not this time."
It wasn't about whether John could handle it—Ethan trusted him. But using high-profile mutants like him too often risked blowing their cover.
Once the government figured out who was behind these operations, the days of working in the shadows would be over.
And when that happened, the consequences could be massive.
This job was better suited for people who already had dirt on their hands—like the Emma Frost and the Azazel.
They'd done plenty under the Brotherhood banner, and this mission would be just another night for them.
After two days of planning back at the lab, Ethan finalized the mission layout.
Then he left with the Emma, Azazel, and Katie, heading to the classified military site holding the obelisk.
"Here's the internal layout we managed to get," Azazel said, pulling out a map while crouched behind cover just down the hill from the facility. "It's not complete—too many redacted sections—but can you work with this?"
Azazel looked up at the facility, eyes narrowing.
"If I've even been near this place before, I can teleport us right in. Doesn't matter if it's a bedroom or a bunker."
"Good," Ethan said, slipping on a sleek black coat, gloves, and a top hat.
He pulled a sleek dark mask with jagged lines on its mouth to cover his face,
With his ability to manipulate vectors, changing his outward appearance was easy.
Between his disguise and their stealth approach, it would be nearly impossible to trace anything back to him.
"You two ready?" Azazel asked. Then, without waiting for a reply, he grabbed Ethan and the Emma.
A flash of red light flared—and they vanished.
They reappeared in a dim room stacked with data servers, thick cables snaking across the floor.
"We're in," Ethan said, scanning the surroundings.
"Want to stay linked with Katie?" the White Queen asked.
Ethan nodded. She reached out and gently touched his forehead.
"Can you hear me?" Katie's voice echoed clearly inside Ethan's mind.
"Loud and clear. I can even see what you're seeing," Ethan replied with a smile. "This psychic link thing is insanely useful."
He marveled at the connection. With a bit more tech, like Xavier's Cerebro amplifier, they could link minds across the world.
The White Queen wasn't quite at that level, but for a short-range field op like this, she was more than enough.