That night, Harry was placed in a tent that had been set up by the ever-enthusiastic Storm, Ororo Munroe.
Perhaps many interesting things happened that night, but Harry didn't concern himself with any of them.
Even though Harry's physique was far beyond human, exhaustion still came for him. The long afternoon flight had drained him—his body was tired, and the constant activation of his invisibility ability throughout the journey had sapped his mental strength as well.
Lying inside the tent, Harry quickly fell asleep.
Nothing more to say about that night.
By the next morning, the group had risen and boarded the X-Men's jet, setting course for Alkali Lake.
Inside the jet's equipment locker, Harry examined the array of X-Men uniforms neatly displayed within.
He leaned forward to look more closely, but since a layer of glass separated the suits from him, his system gave no response. Fortunately, there were others around him whose information could be accessed instead.
Name: Kurt Wagner
Age: 47
Physical Condition: Healthy
Abilities: Teleportation (30), Body Alienation (10)
Items: None
Harry dismissed the blue-skinned mutant without much interest and moved on.
Name: Bobby Drake
Age: 17
Physical Condition: Healthy
Ability: Cryokinesis (90)
Items: None
"Not bad," Harry murmured, looking at the system display with a hint of approval. He was pleased that Iceman's ability was rated higher than Magneto's—it confirmed what he had read before, that Bobby's power could eventually extend to freezing not just matter, but even time and space themselves. Though Iceman's full potential hadn't yet manifested, it was clear that he would one day become an extraordinary mutant.
"It's good, but we don't have your size," Iceman said, assuming Harry was referring to the suits in the locker. He nodded in agreement, though there was a note of regret in his tone.
Bobby was a kind young man, and Harry smiled back politely. When Harry's gaze swept toward Rogue standing beside Bobby, the girl instinctively took a small step back, her eyes wary. Harry only gave her a gentle smile before turning his attention elsewhere.
"Miss Ororo, could I have one of these battle suits?" Harry asked with a smile toward Storm, who was piloting the jet.
"This…" Storm hesitated, uncertain.
"Of course," Jean interjected with a small smile. "It's only clothing—but may I ask why Mr. Osborn is interested in it?"
"Just a personal preference. That's not a problem, right?" Harry replied with a shrug.
"No," Jean said simply.
"Hmph." Wolverine shot Harry a cold glance and snorted.
Harry shook his head, choosing not to respond, and returned to his seat. Across from him sat Magneto, Mystique, and Pyro.
Name: John Allerdyce
Age: 17
Physical Condition: Healthy
Ability: Pyrokinesis (40)
Item: Lighter (5)**
Harry switched off the system display, uninterested. Controlling fire looked impressive, sure—but compared to Iceman's ability, it lacked substance. Without oxygen, Pyro's power was practically useless, and he couldn't even create fire on his own.
"What does Mr. Osborn think of mutants?" Magneto asked suddenly, a faint smile on his face.
Everyone in the cabin fell silent, turning their eyes toward Harry. Most of them felt grateful to him; even though Wolverine had provoked him before, they still acknowledged his help. Now that Magneto had voiced the question that everyone else was wondering, all attention focused on Harry.
"It's quite interesting," Harry said with a raised brow and a smile. "Internal division and external enemies."
That answer made everyone frown slightly—but it was the truth.
"Mr. Osborn seems to know us well?" Magneto pressed.
"You could say that." Harry shrugged. He might not have known every detail, but he understood plenty about mutants.
"Then what does Mr. Osborn think of our two factions?" Magneto asked again, his sharp gaze fixed on Harry, seeking an honest reply.
"What do I think?" Harry said thoughtfully. "Well, you and Professor X have completely different approaches, but in the end, both of you are working for the good of your own kind. The problem is, you're too radical. All you're doing is making ordinary humans more hostile toward you."
Everyone from Xavier's school, except Pyro, nodded quietly. That was exactly why they opposed Magneto's path.
"However," Harry continued, his voice steady, "the Professor's method isn't perfect either. A gentle approach can indeed bring people closer—but sometimes, too much concession doesn't lead to understanding. It only invites further disrespect."
Even Iceman, who was fully devoted to Professor X's ideals, opened his mouth as if to argue—but said nothing. Harry's words rang true. The Professor's way was too soft, too passive. Even Storm, his loyal student, felt the same. Her childhood experiences had left her both fearful and resentful of ordinary humans—she agreed with the Professor's compassion but still resisted his philosophy deep down.
"But if you're trying to recruit me," Harry said, smiling faintly, "forget it. I have no interest in being a terrorist."
Magneto chuckled softly, folding his arms. "Ha…"
Harry could only shake his head helplessly at that reaction.
...
The jet flew swiftly, and before long, they arrived at Alkali Lake.
Storm and Jean landed the aircraft a short distance away, and the group immediately began preparing for the rescue mission.
Storm activated a holographic projection, displaying the image of the dam at Alkali Lake.
"This is the dam's topographic layout—and here is the spillway," Storm explained, pointing to a section of the map as it shifted.
"See these overlapping markings? They're tire tracks," she continued. The image changed again.
"That's the entrance," Wolverine said confidently—it was clear even to him.
"Mm," Storm nodded. But her expression suggested she had more to say than Wolverine realized.
Harry lowered his head and chuckled to himself. The real scene was far more complex than what the projection showed.
"This indicates the thickness of the ice layer," Storm added. "These readings are recent—showing ongoing activity."
"If we go in, Stryker will probably release the floodgates," Jean said from the pilot's seat. "Kurt, can you teleport us in instantly?"
"No," Nightcrawler said, shaking his head. "I must see my destination clearly—otherwise, I could materialize inside a wall."
"I'll go," Wolverine said firmly.
Everyone turned their eyes toward him.
---
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