A New Era Begins
James had never missed modern transportation more than he did now. The thought of cars and airplanes, things he had taken for granted in another life, felt like a distant dream. Still, he found solace in the fact that steam trains and a relatively well-developed railway system existed in this era. If not for James Watt's early improvements to the steam engine, travel across such vast distances would be unbearably slow.
After Christmas, James, along with Tom Weddle and Daniel, embarked on their journey to the United States. Their goal was to finalize every logistical detail of the factory construction—location, resources, and workforce.
This time, James fully indulged in his newfound habit of "spending money like water." He funneled a significant portion of the Howlett family's wealth into purchasing large plots of land in New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Despite the growing unrest in the United States, land prices were plummeting, making it a buyer's market. The areas he acquired were largely overlooked by other investors, written off as undesirable or too risky.
Everyone, from business partners to acquaintances, tried to dissuade James from his reckless expansion, but their protests fell on deaf ears. If the situation were more stable and the distances less of a logistical nightmare, he would have gladly extended his purchases to Southern California and Texas, turning his "shopping spree" into a full-scale land acquisition campaign.
His bold, almost reckless approach left Tom Weddle baffled. To him, opening a factory and starting an industrial business was not the same as managing farmland. Owning more land did not necessarily translate into success in the industrial world. But James had his own plans—plans that stretched far beyond the conventional thinking of this time.
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The Reality of America
Nearly six months of inspections, negotiations, and acquisitions provided James with a firsthand understanding of the United States in this era. More than just its economy, he learned about the deep-seated injustices woven into its social fabric.
Even in the North—where industry thrived and anti-slavery sentiment was stronger—racism was still deeply ingrained. Black citizens were segregated, discriminated against, and denied basic rights. Every city had designated areas where Black people were allowed, separating everything from restaurants to hotels, from bars to even public restrooms.
James came to an unsettling realization: his own grandfather, Mr. Howlett, had been an unapologetic racist. His deep-seated hatred was not just a product of his era but also deeply personal. Mr. Howlett's own brother had died after contracting a disease from enslaved workers, and that personal tragedy had hardened his views beyond reason.
Understanding how deeply ingrained these biases were made James question his own role in the future of mutants.
If ordinary humans could not even accept each other based on something as superficial as skin color, what chance did mutants have? Would he have to stand up for them? Could he protect them—maybe even lead them?
The burden of these questions weighed on him, lingering like a storm cloud as he made his way back home to Edmond, Howlett Manor.
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The Foundations of an Empire
By the time James returned, the underground project at Howlett Manor had nearly reached completion. The grand subterranean structure would be fully operational within three months.
After Christmas, Dudley Fernon had redirected all his workers to focus solely on the Howlett underground palace. The faster he completed this unusual construction, the sooner he could move on to an even bigger prize: the construction of six factories across four American cities. Even for Canada's largest construction contractor, this was a contract that could sustain business for years.
Meanwhile, Tom Weddle's machinery was nearly complete and would soon be transported to the underground facility. The massive equipment was too large to be assembled inside the manor after completion, so everything had to be constructed in parts and assembled underground.
For James, this marked the true beginning of his training.
At the same time, Mr. Daniel prepared for his journey to Africa. After a month of rest, he and his team of seventeen men were ready to set out.
This expedition was an uncertain one. James and Daniel had only a gentleman's agreement, nothing more. Daniel had promised to search for Wakanda to the best of his abilities. If he was fortunate, he might return with news in a year or two. But if his efforts yielded nothing, he had the right to end the search at his own discretion.
As the weather grew colder, James bid farewell to Daniel and his team, who had already been gone for two months. Among them were:
Nine veteran riders who had been with the Howlett family for generations, tasked with ensuring Daniel's safety.
Three former enslaved men—freed by James himself—who had been trafficked from different parts of Africa. In exchange for their participation, they would receive their freedom and a generous payment upon return.
Four skilled specialists, including medical experts and field survivalists, crucial for their long and unpredictable journey.
Upon reaching Africa, they would also hire local guides and laborers to handle their equipment.
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The Birth of an Industrial Titan
By early autumn of 1857, James found himself actively reshaping history.
Factories in the United States were now under construction. Even Herbert Vernon, as influential as he was, could not handle the workload alone. Since James demanded six factories be built simultaneously, additional contracts had to be secured with a well-known Washington-based construction company.
The world was shifting. The Western world was transitioning from the first to the second Industrial Revolution. The steam engine had reached its peak, but the internal combustion engine had yet to emerge.
Of the six factories:
Three were steel mills, focusing on manufacturing raw materials for heavy industry.
Two were mechanical processing plants, refining and assembling machinery.
One was an experimental facility, a factory that few could understand at first glance.
But money alone was not enough to establish an industrial empire. In the last six months, James had spent more time researching and acquiring struggling steel mills and machine shops than simply buying land. He secured raw material supply chains, studied industrial markets, and strategized for long-term success.
By the time winter arrived, his plans were set in motion. He could finally shift focus to his training and spend his grandfather's final days by his side.
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The Last Days of Mr. Howlett
Mr. Howlett was now completely bedridden. He could barely eat, surviving on liquid food.
Wayne and O'Hara cared for him around the clock, while old family friends visited daily, spending time at his bedside. Most of the time, he could only respond with labored breathing, his frail body reduced to a shadow of what it once was.
Every evening, James fed him, washed him, and sat by his side. He wanted to ensure that when the time came, his grandfather would not be alone, staring at the cold ceiling of his empty room. Instead, he would pass peacefully, knowing his grandson was there.
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Training the Beast Within
Beneath Howlett Manor, thirty meters underground, the vast 13,000-square-meter space echoed with the roar of machinery.
In a 2,000-square-meter training area, James stood, shirtless, his muscular body gleaming with sweat as he launched punch after punch at a five-meter-tall steel training dummy. The impact sent shockwaves through the underground chamber.
Even after half an hour of relentless strikes, the steel barely showed signs of damage.
"This isn't enough," James muttered, stepping back, wiping the sweat from his brow. He needed to push further.
He turned toward a stack of weighted iron bars, lifting nearly 520 kilograms in squats, 580 in deadlifts. His current weight of 130 kilograms meant he was lifting four times his body weight—far beyond normal human capability.
But for James, this was only the beginning.
The real challenge was yet to come.