Everyone in the room understood Alex's plan, even though he hadn't spelled out every detail.
And their reactions were... mixed.
"I'll be honest, Alex," Emma Frost said, crossing her arms. "I didn't think much of you at first."
"Sure, you're the most powerful mutant I've ever seen—but no offense, you always came off like a kid playing dress-up. Not naïve like Charles, but not nearly as mature as Shaw."
She paused, then offered a faint smile.
"But I think I may have misjudged you."
"Well said." Copycat shrugged. "You've done a lot of crazy things, Alex, but this? This one's finally my style."
Unsurprisingly, Hank and Raven had reservations.
But their concerns came from different places.
Raven, once an accomplice of Erik's, had a history of conflict with humanity. Even after leaving his side, she had still taken violent action—her assassination attempt on a weapons expert had sparked the Sentinel program.
So while Alex's plan sounded cruel and cold... Raven understood.
She didn't like it. But she got it.
Now truly was the best opportunity mutants had ever had to shift the balance.
Raven hesitated—not because of morality, but because of risk.
"Alex... are you sure?" she asked, voice low. "This is dangerous. What if things spiral out of control? What if Earth becomes another Lorien?"
That was her greatest fear.
"Relax," Alex said with confidence. "I've got this. You've seen me in action. Have I ever done anything I wasn't prepared for?"
That shut her up.
Raven stared at him for several seconds, then nodded, her expression complicated.
"I don't know if this is right or wrong anymore... but I guess I have no choice but to trust you."
"Just like you used to," Alex replied with a quiet smile.
Hank, however, wasn't so easily swayed.
His protest came not from strategy—but from empathy.
"You say this is smart, but how are we any different from Shaw?" Hank challenged. "This isn't about mutants versus humans anymore. This is an alien invasion."
"We're all Earthlings here, Alex. Humans, mutants—this is our planet. We should be fighting together, not playing political chess with people's lives!"
Alex met his gaze calmly.
"I understand how you feel, Hank. But I've made my decision."
He didn't bother trying to convince him. Their philosophies were too far apart.
Turning toward the window, Alex looked in the direction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base.
His enhanced vision zoomed in.
And what he saw... confirmed it.
The Caspian base was a smoking crater.
Bodies were everywhere—strewn like broken dolls.
Only a handful of top agents, like Peggy Carter, remained alive, huddled behind cover, desperately firing back.
The military had since taken over.
Dozens of armored vehicles, tactical transports, and even tanks had been deployed.
But it hadn't mattered.
Two APCs and three tactical trucks were already in ruins, wreckage littering the battlefield.
Only a single tank remained—and it was barely holding out.
Corpses of soldiers lay scattered like fallen leaves.
It was clear.
Without Autobots on their side, humanity was powerless.
"Fire!"
A hoarse voice rang out—Colonel Stenson, bloodied and wounded, roaring his final command.
BOOM!
The tank's barrel roared, launching a shell directly at Megatron.
But the Decepticon leader moved like a devil.
He leapt—dodging the shell completely.
BOOM!
The explosion struck empty ground, sending dirt and debris flying.
And then—
WHAM!
Megatron surged forward, blade in hand.
He brought it down with terrifying force—
CLANG!
Sparks exploded as metal slammed into metal.
The tank—several tons of armored steel—was cleaved in two.
CRASH!
Its two halves tumbled across the battlefield, flaming and broken.
One of mankind's deadliest weapons, felled with a single swing.
Colonel Stenson paled. So did Peggy Carter.
Their last line of defense—gone.
And standing in its place, towering and unscathed...
Was Megatron.
---
"That's enough."
Back at the mutant base, Alex straightened.
He had seen all he needed.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was broken. The military had been butchered.
Now, and only now—
was it time to make his entrance.
Because if he waited too long, no one would be left to report what came next.
And that report was crucial.
Someone had to witness what mutants were about to do.
Someone had to spread the word—
That only mutants could stand against the Decepticons.
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