Storm, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Wolverine stood in silence around the treatment table, their eyes fixed on Professor X.
He lay still, his upper body covered in monitoring equipment, electrodes mapping his vitals.
His bald head gleamed under the fluorescent lights, and though his eyes were open, there was no recognition, no spark of life within them. If not for the steady beeping of the heart monitor, he could have been mistaken for dead.
But in a way, the result was almost the same. He was completely unresponsive—a prisoner within his own mind.
The air in the room was heavy with grief. For Storm, Cyclops, and Jean, Charles Xavier was more than a leader.
He was a mentor, a father figure. Losing him, even temporarily, left a void none of them knew how to fill.
The weight of that loss was evident in their expressions, their uncertain movements.
The X-Men had lost their guide, their foundation, and in that moment, they didn't know what to do.
"We have to act," Logan finally growled, breaking the thick silence. His patience had run out.
"Magneto has Rogue, and if he uses her powers the way I think he will, she's as good as dead."
Unlike Logan's urgency, Storm and Jean remained focused on adjusting the medical instruments. Cyclops, seated by Xavier's bedside, finally looked up.
"Logan, we need time," he said, his voice strained. "We have to make sure the professor is stable. We can't—we won't lose him."
SNIKT! Adamantium claws flashed out with a metallic hiss.
"Yeah, well, patience ain't my strong suit," Logan said, flexing his fingers. "And right now, I don't have time to wait."
He turned and headed for the door, determined to handle things his way. But the moment he yanked it open, a figure tumbled inside, landing awkwardly at his feet.
"Yo," Ethan grinned up at Logan, brushing himself off as if nothing had happened. He extended a hand, casually offering to shake Logan's clawed one. "Nice to meet you."
Logan frowned. "Who the hell are you?"
"Ethan. Honor student. Gifted program. All-around nice guy," he introduced himself smoothly.
"Ethan, what are you doing here?" Storm asked, surprised to see him.
Ethan dusted off his shirt and shrugged. "Something happened to Professor X, and you guys were so distracted, you forgot to keep this whole thing a secret. Word gets around."
His eyes flicked to Xavier, lying motionless. His expression sobered. "Looks pretty bad."
Logan clapped a heavy hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Listen, kid. Good students don't eavesdrop on private meetings. Right now, you should be in your dorm, getting some sleep."
"Except it's not bedtime," Ethan replied with an easy smirk.
"Oh yeah?" Logan tightened his grip. "Well, I'm changing the schedule."
He went to shove Ethan out of the room—but the kid didn't budge.
Logan's eyes narrowed. He pushed harder. Still nothing. It was like trying to move a statue.
Frowning, Logan reared back and put real force into it, but it was no use.
Ethan didn't even sway. It was as if all the strength Logan exerted was vanishing into thin air, redirected elsewhere.
What the hell was this kid?
Storm, sensing the tension, spoke up. "Ethan, we appreciate your concern, but we have this under control. You should go."
Ethan crossed his arms. "Under control? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're all about to fall apart."
Ethan grabbed Logan by the wrist and, with surprising strength, pulled him closer to Professor X. Logan's eyes widened in disbelief—he wasn't used to being manhandled, especially not by some kid.
"Then you should leave," Cyclops said, crossing his arms as he frowned at Ethan. "You're only going to make things worse if you get involved again."
Ethan tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Oh? Even if I have a way to cure the professor?"
Cyclops immediately stiffened. "What did you just say?" He took a step forward, gripping Ethan's shoulders. "You can cure him?"
The room fell silent. Storm, Jean, and Logan all turned to Ethan, their expressions shifting from doubt to cautious hope.
Ethan held their gazes with unwavering confidence. "I'm pretty sure I can, but just to be certain, why don't you tell me exactly what happened to him first?"
Jean stepped forward, her voice calm but tinged with concern. "You've probably heard about Cerebro, the brainwave amplifier that enhances the professor's mental abilities. He was using it to track down Rogue after Magneto took her. But... Cerebro was sabotaged."
"Tampered with? By who?" Ethan asked, his brows knitting together.
"Mystique," Jean answered grimly. "She disguised herself as the professor and bypassed security. We have footage." She pulled up a holographic recording, showing an image of Jean entering the Cerebro chamber. Then, right before their eyes, 'Jean' morphed into Professor X, deceiving the system and tampering with the machinery.
Ethan whistled low. "She's good."
Jean sighed, rubbing her temple. "Good enough to put the professor in this state. His psychic energy was disrupted when he used the sabotaged Cerebro. Now, there are conflicting forces inside his mind—powerful ones, constantly clashing. That's why he's unresponsive."
She looked back at Ethan. "Can you really fix this?"
Ethan exhaled slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I won't say I'm a hundred percent certain, but I'd give myself a solid seventy-five."
Cyclops narrowed his eyes. "How?"
Ethan tapped his temple. "My mutation lets me perceive energy in a unique way—I call it the 'vector world.' It allows me to sense disruptions, redirect forces, and stabilize energy. That includes mental energy. If I can manipulate the conflicting psychic forces in the professor's mind, I might be able to restore balance."
A heavy silence followed.
Ethan looked at the team. "Of course, this is just my theory. Whether you let me try or not is up to you."
Cyclops turned to Professor X, his jaw tight. Jean stepped closer and whispered, "Scott… maybe we should let him. The professor might wake up tomorrow… or he might never wake up at all."
Cyclops clenched his fists. He had always trusted Professor X's judgment, and the professor had spoken highly of Ethan before. Finally, he exhaled sharply and nodded. "Alright. Do it."
Ethan nodded back. "Understood. Now, while I work, I need minimal distractions."
"I'll clear the room," Storm said. "But I'm staying." Cyclops crossed his arms. "If something goes wrong, I need to be here."
Ethan studied him for a moment before nodding. "Fine by me."