"A month from now, we mutants will disappear. Alex—sorry, Alex from the past—what exactly do you mean by disappear? Are we no longer on Earth, or..."
Hank's brows knitted tightly as he spoke. His normally calm and precise tone carried a rare unease. The fluorescent cabin lights of the Blackbird gleamed faintly across his glasses, reflecting the troubled depths of his mind.
He paused for a moment, running through hundreds of calculations in his head, but none of them provided a satisfactory explanation. At last, his gaze sharpened as it landed on Alex.
Alex understood the scientist's question immediately. "Hank, I know what you're implying," he said gravely. "But you weren't successfully transported to Xandar. Captain Marvel didn't... find you."
A heavy silence fell inside the aircraft.
"In fact," Alex continued, his voice dropping lower, "for years afterward, Captain Marvel searched across countless star systems for any sign of you. She never found anything. You simply... vanished."
The words struck like a hammer.
Erik's jaw tightened. Charles closed his eyes briefly, as though struck by a wave of grief. Even the ever-calm Hank visibly stiffened.
"And in the end," Alex added, "her search led to nothing. During that time, Xandar was destroyed by Thanos. The Infinity War still happened."
The tension in the cabin thickened, as if the air itself grew heavier. Charles opened his eyes slowly, a shadow passing across his face. Hank pressed his lips together, muttering equations under his breath.
Seeing their confusion linger, Alex repeated the explanation in greater detail—laying out the timeline, Captain Marvel's futile search, and the final tragedy of Xandar. Only after several minutes of methodical clarification did their expressions shift from bewilderment to grim comprehension.
At last, they exchanged glances, their aged faces drawn tight with worry. Like old chrysanthemums blooming too late in the season, their brows folded deeply.
"So..." Erik's deep, resonant voice broke the silence, "…our plan failed."
His expression turned deathly serious. "We initiated our plan, carried out the transport... and in the end, nothing. Alex," his piercing gaze fell upon the 2016 Alex, "have you told him about our plan?"
The weight of his tone was unmistakable. Even though Erik's words weren't a direct accusation, there was a challenge embedded within.
The 2016 Alex lifted a hand lightly, the corners of his lips curling faintly beneath his calm exterior. "Erik, I haven't had the chance to explain it yet. But he already knows quite a bit—remember, he's me. From the future."
He smiled faintly, a mirror of Alex himself. "There's no need for reservations. If there's anyone we can trust, it's ourselves. I also want to know where things went wrong."
The reassurance did little to soften Erik's expression, but Charles inclined his head. The professor understood—the very fact the 2016 Alex had called them all here and allowed this meeting meant he had already chosen trust.
Turning back to Alex, Charles asked, "So, Alex... what exactly do you know about our plan?"
Alex leaned back against his seat, exhaling slowly. He decided against embellishment. "Only the general framework. You sent Captain Marvel to Xandar to negotiate an immigration agreement for mutants. At the same time, you partnered with the Eternals to perform the transport. But something went wrong during the process. All mutants vanished without a trace."
He paused before adding, "That's all I know."
The words deepened the furrows on Charles's forehead. Erik crossed his arms tightly. Hank adjusted his glasses, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information.
"Could it be Ikaris?" Erik's voice carried steel. "Alex, you said he was a staunch supporter of Arishem. If he discovered the truth of our plan, he would do everything in his power to stop it."
Hank immediately countered, shaking his head. "We've always been careful to conceal the plan from Ikaris and the others. I'm certain the leak wasn't from our side. Could it have come from Ajak instead?"
Charles interjected, his voice thoughtful. "Ajak may be the leader of the Eternals, but her control over Ikaris is limited. He is, after all, their strongest fighter."
Another voice rose—measured, contemplative. "Or perhaps Ikaris figured it out himself. He's not merely a warrior. He's clever, observant. Too clever."
Back and forth, theories collided, filling the cabin with a storm of speculation. Each conclusion circled back to the same troubling point: the greatest likelihood was sabotage. And the prime suspect remained—Ikaris.
Yet, despite their heated discussion, concrete evidence was absent. Beyond theories, they had nothing to act on.
Alex, listening quietly until now, finally leaned forward. His tone was curious but firm. "You really did form an alliance with the Eternals. So tell me, what's this really about? Why relocate the entire mutant population? And why partner with the Eternals of all people?"
Those two questions had burned at him since hearing of their plan.
The first was logical—an entire race uprooting itself had to be driven by overwhelming necessity. But the second baffled him.
If their destination was Xandar, why not simply use spacecraft? With Captain Marvel's support, wouldn't transport be a matter of logistics? Why gamble everything on the Eternals, a group shrouded in their own secrets and conflicts?
2016 Alex leaned back in his seat, his gaze steady on Alex. "You've been patient long enough. I'll tell you everything."
Charles and Erik straightened. Hank instinctively pulled out a small notepad. Even though he wouldn't write, the gesture betrayed his tension.
"Alex," the older version said softly, "you, of all people, should understand our abilities best. Don't you?"
For a moment, Alex froze. Then his eyes widened in realization.
He was talking about the system.
Of course. Who else could possibly understand but another him?
"After the battle with Mister Sinister," 2016 Alex continued, "our abilities underwent a fundamental upgrade. We entered a new stage entirely."
To Charles, Erik, and Hank, those words sounded vague. But to Alex, the meaning was crystal clear.
His future self was referring to the complete unlocking of the Homelander template—100%.
Alex's heart stirred with anticipation. "So what happened afterward? Did our powers evolve again? Did we awaken something new?"
2016 Alex nodded gravely. "Correct. We entered what I call the Silver Stage."
The words struck like lightning.
Silver Stage?
Alex nearly blurted aloud. Silver Homelander? He instantly caught the reference. Only another transmigrator would understand—it was a nod to Silver Age Superman.
"In the Silver Stage," 2016 Alex went on, "I awakened a crucial ability: the power to absorb cosmic energy."
The cabin went utterly silent.
Alex's eyebrows jumped violently, and his pulse thundered in his veins. He almost couldn't breathe for a moment.
Absorbing cosmic energy?!
Superman's strength came from absorbing solar energy. But him—he could absorb cosmic energy itself? That wasn't just strong—it was limitless. It suggested potential that could surpass even Superman.
2016 Alex, noticing his counterpart's stunned expression, let out a faint chuckle. "I know what you're thinking. But don't get carried away. As powerful as it sounds, absorbing cosmic energy isn't as invincible as you might imagine."
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