Chapter 122: Who Do You Want to Make Pay
"Croesus Bridge was damaged last night in an encounter with the Brotherhood of Mutants. The group has been officially classified as a terrorist organization. Citizens with any information are urged to contact the authorities and will be rewarded accordingly."
"This is New York News reporting live—Croesus Bridge, constructed over five years at a cost of over ten billion dollars, connecting the city's financial center and standing as a landmark, was tragically destroyed last night."
"According to official statistics, no fatalities occurred during the terrorist incident, but economic losses amount to several billion dollars."
"Senator Robert has proposed strict legal controls over mutants, including the collection and tracking of all mutant data in society."
"Anti-mutant protests have broken out in several states."
"..."
One report after another focused solely on Magneto's destruction of the transoceanic bridge the previous night.
A crisis occurring on American soil naturally triggered a wave of public fear and anxiety.
Of course, since it was only the destruction of a bridge and a research facility, the government didn't feel compelled to act immediately. If large-scale casualties had occurred, the military would have been dispatched at once to suppress the situation.
Behind the scenes, Charles's lobbying efforts played a key role, leaving room for negotiation.
High-ranking senators were actually afraid of pushing mutants too hard, fearing assassination attempts from extremist mutant groups.
As for the public protests, such demonstrations were an old tradition in America.
Human rights, women and children's welfare, environmental issues, anti-war groups—civilian organizations took turns staging protests nearly every day. To politicians, it was all routine. These groups were merely tools for presidential campaigns.
"What's your plan?" Wade asked Allen curiously as they gathered around the television.
"The plan is secondary. What matters is the outcome."
Allen turned off the TV and looked at the others. "Magneto's already headed out to confront the Hellfire Club. The X-Men will probably make a move soon."
With intelligence support from Hydra and a boost in strength, Magneto didn't hesitate to redirect his efforts toward the Hellfire Club.
Naturally, Charles would lead the X-Men to intervene.
Allen had made it clear—they wouldn't get involved. No one objected.
Everyone was present in the meeting room.
Apocalypse, Archangel, Psylocke, Deadpool, Allen, Natasha, and the six Winter Soldiers. In terms of combined power, they were on par with any major force. But to play it safe, they kept their full strength hidden for now.
Allen took out a syringe, grinning smugly. "Boss, the only real threat is Phoenix. I quietly snatched a vial of the suppression serum long ago."
At the sight of the syringe, every mutant present instinctively tensed, afraid the lunatic might suddenly stab them with it.
Even Apocalypse couldn't guarantee he would retain his powers if he were injected.
The serum that nullified abilities was simply too effective—a natural predator to mutants.
"You've really thought of everything," Apocalypse nodded approvingly.
"Well, of course. How else could I be a proper villain?" Allen said with a sinister smile. "When the time comes, I'll sneak up on Phoenix and hit her with the serum. If her powers are gone, the whole world will be ours."
In truth, it wasn't even certain that the serum would work on an Omega-level mutant like her—it was already questionable against Alpha-levels.
But Allen, as a transmigrator, naturally knew it wouldn't work on Omega-level mutants. Wade, who could break the fourth wall, might also know, but the others had no clue and didn't even fully grasp the mutant power classification system.
As for Wade, he would never expose Allen. He was still trying to figure out what twisted scheme Allen was cooking up.
At that moment, Apocalypse activated a shielding force field that enveloped the entire meeting room.
"Someone's using psychic powers to spy on us."
It was obvious he was referring to Charles.
Only Professor X, wearing his amplification helmet, could perform large-scale telepathic invasions like that.
——
In the Cerebro chamber
Charles removed the amplification device, looking helpless. "I can't find Erik. It's like he doesn't exist."
Usually, Charles would use his telepathy to chat with Magneto. But now, he was left feeling a rare sense of failure.
In the past, he would invade Erik's consciousness, trying to persuade him to return to the path of righteousness and rejoin the X-Men. And while Magneto fumed helplessly, it was as if his mind was an open house—Charles came and went as he pleased, leaving Magneto no chance to refuse.
It had been quite humiliating for Magneto.
After getting his hands on a helmet that blocked telepathy, he made a firm decision—he'd wear it even in the shower and would rather never wash his hair again than take it off.
"We can try asking Raven," suggested Storm (Ororo).
"That's our best option," Charles nodded after a brief pause, activating his powers once more.
He had grown up with Mystique Raven, and their bond was like that of siblings.
When he and Magneto parted ways, the fact that the sister he trusted most had chosen to side with Magneto was an enormous blow.
Not long after, Charles removed the device again, his face turning grim. He looked to Storm and Wolverine. "Raven has told me everything."
He then recounted the details in full.
Storm and Logan were both visibly shocked.
"There's definitely a deeper plot," Logan said. "No way Apocalypse would help Erik. Their ideologies are too similar—they'd be rivals, not allies. And judging by Apocalypse's last attack on the school and his aggressive demeanor, he's not the kind to negotiate."
Despite being over a hundred years old, Logan wasn't just a fierce fighter. He was also a wise man with a wealth of life experience.
When it came to reading people, Logan had his own reliable standards. He could sense that Apocalypse was a brutal conqueror, the type who believed in winning through sheer power.
"So maybe Apocalypse helping Erik and sending the Brotherhood against the Hellfire Club is part of a grander scheme?" Ororo speculated. "And that lunatic who joined Apocalypse—since they've never acted in the open—might be planning to take us down too."
"Scheme or not, we have to help Erik."
The Brotherhood and the X-Men had a complicated relationship—sometimes enemies, sometimes allies. It wasn't a blood feud.
The Hellfire Club, on the other hand, was a den of criminals driven purely by selfish desires. There was no redeeming them.
This could be their best shot at wiping the Hellfire Club off the map.
As for Apocalypse and his group, as long as they didn't cause widespread chaos, the X-Men could afford to ignore them—for now.
While the X-Men were preparing to support the Brotherhood, Colonel Stryker—burning with hatred for mutants—was secretly advancing his Ultimate X Weapon project.
Staring at five clone bodies in their nutrient tanks, his eyes burned with malice.
Last time, he had nearly been sacrificed by the military as a pawn in negotiations. If not for his remaining strategic value, he might've already been euthanized.
"You're all going to pay."
At that moment, Stryker's heart seethed with vengeance.
He hated Charles and the X-Men, hated Sabretooth for his betrayal, and hated Allen and Wade for their constant interference.
At the mere thought of Wade, Stryker instinctively glanced toward a metal coffin in the corner.
It was an adamantium coffin, crafted especially for Deadpool.
That freak claimed to be immortal? Fine—lock him inside the coffin, weld it shut, and toss it into the Pacific. Let him live or die in there.
"Who do you want to make pay?"
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