"It's Ironman. It seems the X-Men haven't arrived yet. Is it really okay for us to go out?"
Gabriela's question was filled with worry. She wasn't afraid for her own safety, but rather for the children.
"I think it should be fine. Don't worry, I'll go first," Peter didn't feel there was any danger.
He checked the time. According to the distance from Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, the X-Men should be arriving soon.
Since Spiderman said so, Gabriela felt she should trust the two superheroes.
Spiderman's reputation goes without saying. As for Ironman, aside from his less-than-stellar reputation in a certain area, he was generally reliable and trustworthy.
"Children, let's go out."
They were already close to the exit, so it wasn't long before Spiderman, who was leading the way, climbed out. The bag that had been stuck to him, acting as clothes, had already disappeared.
"Seriously, Mr. Starnk, I never expected to run into you here. I mean, this place isn't even searchable on food delivery apps!"
Peter's voice came through his mask, full of the youthful exuberance typical of a young man, perhaps due to the adrenaline rush of surviving a close call, or perhaps due to a subconscious prejudice from his previous life. The name he blurted out had a peculiar pronunciation deviation.
"Wait, Pajama Boy—" Tony's closed faceplate suddenly rose, revealing a slightly weary face. "Did you just add a… uh, uniquely flavored suffix to my last name?"
Jarvis's electronic voice timely sounded inside the armor: "Sir, voiceprint analysis shows that this pronunciation has a 90.7% similarity to an elderly delivery man you encountered in 2014 when you and Colonel Rhodes ordered takeout. According to database records, that old gentleman once called you 'Tony Stank' using a creative pronunciation."
"Oh, God…" Tony massaged his forehead, the armored palm colliding with his forehead plate with a crisp sound. "Jarvis, I order you to delete that memory backup immediately! And why do you remember this so clearly?"
The AI's voice was unperturbed: "Apologies, Sir. My core protocols require me to retain all records related to your safety. And as a reminder, Colonel Rhodes once stated that this pronunciation 'unexpectedly fits some of your characteristics'."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Pajama Boy, it's not a good habit to address your boss like that."
"Sorry, Mr. Stark," Peter rubbed the back of his head. It was truly an unintentional slip.
Well, Peter had admitted his mistake, so what more could Tony say?
He certainly wouldn't quibble with a teenager in a homemade suit over a pronunciation issue.
Especially when this young man had just narrowly escaped from an illegal mutant laboratory.
After a brief interlude, Peter glanced at the drones above, confirming that Ironman had the situation under control, and decisively blew a loud whistle.
"Hey, it's safe out here, you can all come out now."
Upon receiving the signal, the institute's heavy blast door suddenly reopened from the inside. First, dozens of mercenaries streamed out, each with their hands raised high, their eyes hiding an undisguised fear and unease.
Leading them was Donald Pierce. Compared to his initial arrogant demeanor, his face was now filled with dejection and shame.
Only after the mercenaries came out did the mutant children follow, emerging from the institute, led naturally by Gabriela, who was still holding the shotgun.
It was hard to imagine a group of professional mercenaries being escorted out like captives by a group of children and a woman.
"Wow, this scene looks like a military exercise conducted by two opposing forces. It's so vivid."
Peter exclaimed, looking at the tanks and armored vehicles outside, then nimbly swung to a vantage point, counting on his fingers: "Drone formations, heavily armed soldiers… Seriously, are you guys looking for a producer?"
"Stop with the humor, Pajama Boy. I should be drinking cocktails in the Maldives right now, not fishing out some Little Spider who got blown away by a rocket in an illegal lab," Tony said, shaking his head helplessly.
"Strictly speaking, it was an illegal kidnapping after being accidentally hit by a rocket. Speaking of which, my back still hurts a bit," Peter corrected, while secretly glancing at the distant sky, observing for any sign of the X-Men.
"Spiderman, what did you do with X-24?!" Captain Lister suddenly roared after communicating with Donald. His voice was torn by anger. "I know you definitely killed him, you spandex wearing mutant freak!"
At that very moment, the mercenaries outside instantly aimed their firearms at Spiderman. Peter dramatically raised his hands: "I knew something bad was going to happen. Mr. Stark, is this what you call safe?"
Tony Stark frowned and slowly descended in between the two parties. "Captain Lister, I suggest you don't make trouble for this Little Spider."
His tone was relaxed, yet full of menace. "After all, you wouldn't want me to reveal those… uh, experimental data that don't quite conform to scientific ethics, would you?"
"Do you think a few drones and releasing some data can really threaten us? Mr. Stark, you have no idea who is supporting this project." Captain Lister seemed to have some backing, and his confidence was evident.
Who was supporting it? It went without saying, it must be those disgusting politicians again. However, before Tony could retort, Peter, seeing his target appear, spoke up:
"I don't know who is supporting this project, but now the people who truly have a say are entering the scene." His gaze turned to the distant sky. "And they're right on time."
A booming sound like a sonic boom came from the horizon, and the clouds seemed to be torn apart by an invisible force.
A completely black fighter jet ripped through the sky, like a sharp blade tearing through reality. One second it was a black dot hanging in the distant sky, and a few seconds later, accompanied by the swirling wind, it had hovered directly above the battlefield.
"X-Jet…" The knowledgeable Captain Lister's face changed dramatically. He pointed at Spiderman. "You… you actually called the X-Men."
The impact of the Blackbird jet's landing stirred up a large cloud of dust. When the hatch opened with a metallic grinding sound, all the muzzles that had been aimed at Spiderman unconsciously slowly moved away.
Knowing that the X-Men were arriving, if they still aimed their guns at a mutant, wouldn't that be like provoking the X-Men?
The first to emerge was the highly recognizable Wolverine, Logan. He wore the X-Men's standard uniform, his eyes sharp, an unlit cigar in his mouth. Everyone who met his gaze felt as if they were being stared at by a wild beast.
Following him was Cyclops Scott, his red quartz glasses particularly striking.
Then came Storm Ororo with her white hair, Iceman, Pyro… When Professor Charles Xavier appeared in the hatch, operating his hover wheelchair, everyone on the entire battlefield instantly focused their gaze on this legendary figure.
This bald old man in a wheelchair needed no weapons; his very existence was the strongest deterrent.
"I am Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men." His voice was calm yet resonated in every corner. "We received an alert about illegal Mutant experiments. According to Article 7, Section 3 of the Mutant Rights Act, I have the right to demand the immediate cessation of all research activities."
The Mutant Act was the precondition for cooperation between the X-Men and the U.S. government, a superficial cover. Although many high-ranking politicians paid no mind to it, as long as it had not been abolished, its legal effect was binding on every U.S. citizen.
"The X-Men are really here to pick us up."
"Yay!"
The mutant children cheered, and Gabriela was so excited she almost jumped for joy.
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