Professor X finally spoke. "Let him go as well."
Though he had hoped to keep Ethan away from Magneto for as long as possible, the current situation left no room for hesitation.
If Magneto succeeded, it would be a disaster beyond comprehension.
Tens of millions of people would die, marking the largest mass killing in history, and any chance of peace between mutants and humanity would be lost forever.
Preventing this catastrophe was the only option.
With his own abilities currently weakened, Charles wasn't entirely confident that Cyclops and the others could stop his old friend alone.
Ethan's presence, despite the risks, increased their odds of success.
'I guess I'm an X-Men now... I'm still young so maybe, X-Teen? X-Boy? Pfft, no way I'll call myself that,' Ethan thought randomly,
"Magneto isn't a monster," the professor continued, his tone somber. "He doesn't want this kind of destruction—he just doesn't see the full consequences of his actions. Someone needs to make him understand. When you find him, try reasoning with him first."
Ethan crossed his arms. "Do you really think he'll listen?"
A long pause stretched between them before Professor X sighed. "Probably not."
No one knew Magneto better than him. No matter how sound the logic, Erik wouldn't accept that his plan was flawed.
He was too driven by his own righteousness, too unwilling to admit error until there was no other choice.
Ethan smirked. "So, what do we do if talking doesn't work?"
The professor's eyes twinkled with something close to mischief. "Then beat him up and try reasoning with him again."
A beat of silence passed before Ethan blinked. "...Wait, what?"
The rest of the room exchanged glances, equal parts amused and exasperated.
"Your friendship is truly something special," Ethan muttered, shaking his head.
Cyclops straightened and looked around. "Alright, you heard the professor. We move out."
A few minutes later, the X-Men suited up in the underground hangar. Logan grunted as he tugged on his black leather uniform, rolling his shoulders in discomfort.
"Are these supposed to be this damn tight?" he muttered, eyeing Storm and Jean, who didn't seem bothered at all.
"If you'd prefer bright yellow spandex, I could probably find you a pair," Cyclops quipped as he adjusted his visor.
"Hilarious." Logan scowled.
Meanwhile, Ethan was admiring his own suit—a sleek black jacket and matching boots.
He bounced on his heels, then quickly covered his ears to make sure the small earpiece inside didn't fall out.
"These are actually pretty cool," he admitted, inspecting the flexible fabric. "So… do we have to return them when we're done?"
Storm smirked. "Not if you like it."
Ethan's face lit up. "Oh? Then… maybe I should get a spare set. You know, just in case we have another mission and my suit is, uh, in the wash."
Storm let out a breath of laughter. "Nice try, kid."
Before Ethan could protest, the low rumble of the X-Jet's engines filled the hangar as the aircraft prepared for takeoff.
On the school grounds above, students John and Bobby peered out of their dorm window, watching in awe as the sleek, black jet ascended into the sky.
"How do they not get caught taking off like this?" Logan grumbled, eyeing the radar system.
"If we were sloppy enough to get shot down, we'd deserve it," Cyclops said, pressing a button.
In an instant, the Blackbird vanished from sight, cloaked by its invisibility technology.
New York City stretched below them as the jet cut through the air. Liberty Island was already in sight, its towering statue barely visible through the thickening mist.
"We're almost there," Cyclops announced. "Storm, cover us."
"On it." Storm's irises turned a piercing white as she extended her hands. The skies around them darkened, thick clouds rolling in over the Hudson River.
A heavy fog crept across the water, shrouding their approach, while distant thunder rumbled ominously.
The X-Jet slipped beneath the bridge unnoticed, gliding toward its destination.
On Liberty Island, Magneto stood near his machine, watching the approaching mist with quiet amusement. Dressed in his signature black and red robes, his expression was unreadable.
Behind him, a towering, lion-like man—Sabretooth—turned toward the fog, instinctively preparing to leave.
"No," Magneto said, halting him. "Stay here. I need you to oversee the transfer of my abilities to the girl. Once it's done, I'll be too weak to protect myself. That's your job."
Sabretooth grunted but obeyed, settling back into place.
A sultry voice echoed from the shadows. "Eric, I don't sense Charles anywhere. Seems like he didn't come."
Magneto exhaled slowly, eyes still fixed on the swirling mist. "So, Mystique delivered my little gift after all."
"You killed him?" the woman asked, her tone unreadable.
"Hardly." Magneto's lips curled into a faint smile. "I know Charles as well as he knows me. That trick wasn't enough to kill him—only put him to sleep for a while."
His gaze darkened slightly. "Despite our differences, I have never denied Charles' importance to our kind. He is a brilliant mind, a steadfast believer in his ideals. In many ways, he is my only true equal. If there is anyone in this world who wants him dead the least, it is me."
The woman in the shadows stretched, her tone laced with amusement. "Touching. But that still leaves me with nothing to do. I was here to help you deal with Charles. What now?"
Magneto finally turned to face her. "Then you'll keep his students occupied. Do not let them interfere."
He floated into the air, glancing at her one last time. "And if possible, don't kill them. They are Charles' pride, his greatest achievements. Once tonight is over, he will realize his mistake.
The world will see that I was right all along. And when I see Charles again… I would rather share a cup of tea with him than a eulogy."
...
The Blackbird trembled violently as it neared the landing site. "Three... two... Boom!" The craft lurched before plunging into the water with a heavy splash.
"Uh... my bad," Cyclops muttered, looking a little embarrassed.
Logan shot him a disdainful look. "Your flying sucks."
Without waiting for a response, Wolverine unbuckled his seatbelt and made his way toward the exit.
One by one, the team waded through the cold water before finally reaching Liberty Island. Dripping wet but focused, they advanced toward the Statue of Liberty.
Inside the base of the statue, they entered a spacious museum. The massive interior housed various exhibits and an elevator leading to the top.
"Man, I've always wanted to check this place out," Ethan said, scanning the exhibits with curiosity. "But those ticket prices? Yikes. Glad I finally get to take a free tour."
"Focus on the mission," Storm warned, frowning at his relaxed attitude.
Ethan grinned. "Don't worry, I'm alert. If someone jumps out at me with a machine gun, they'll be the ones full of holes."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Logan growled, sniffing the air. His expression darkened. "I can smell 'em. We've got company."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You can smell them? Like a dog?"
"Wolf," Logan corrected, before suddenly lashing out with his claws, slashing straight at Ethan's shoulder.
"Logan, what the hell?!" Storm gasped, her eyes widening as the others froze in shock. Before Ethan could even react, Wolverine's claws made contact with his clothes—only to be completely deflected.
The material around Ethan's shoulder barely showed a dent before the force redirected itself. Wolverine stumbled back slightly from the impact, his own power thrown back at him.
Ethan cocked an eyebrow. "Damn, Mr. Logan. I know my joke was bad, but did you have to try and kill me?"
Storm grabbed Logan's arm, her expression livid. "What was that?!"
Logan shook his head, dazed. "I... I didn't mean to... I just—"
Cyclops' face hardened. "Logan, what the hell were you just—"
Before he could finish, his face twisted in anger. "You bastard! Die!"
In an instant, his visor flared to life. A powerful red energy blast shot out, aimed directly at Wolverine and Storm.
"Shit!" Ethan reacted instantly, throwing himself between them.
The moment Cyclops' optic blast made contact with him, he redirected the force, changing its trajectory to avoid hitting anyone directly.
The beam ricocheted wildly, sending energy blasts spraying across the museum.
"Scott!" Jean tackled Cyclops to the ground, breaking his line of fire. The attack ceased immediately.
Ethan exhaled. "That was close."
"Close?!" Storm snapped. "Logan's been hit!"
Wolverine groaned from the ground, a small, searing hole burned into his abdomen where the redirected blast had struck him.
"Uh... oops?" Ethan winced. "Sorry, Mr. Logan. That wasn't on purpose."
Logan grabbed his offered hand and grunted as he pulled himself up. "Yeah, yeah. Next time, try not to 'accidentally' blast me."
Cyclops sat up, his face full of guilt. "I saw Mystique... she turned into Magneto and—she killed Storm. I lost it... I didn't realize it was an illusion."
Jean placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault. There's a telepath here—someone strong. I can feel them."
As soon as she said it, Ethan felt a strange sensation. It was as if something was knocking against his skull.
A swarm of invisible buzzing filled his ears, making him grit his teeth in irritation.
He recognized the feeling immediately—it was the same kind of mental interference he had experienced before awakening his abilities.
"Damn telepaths," he muttered. Without hesitation, he grabbed a glass shard from a broken exhibit and hurled it toward the source of the mental attack.
"Clink!" A pale, diamond-like hand caught the shard effortlessly.
The force behind it was enough to pierce steel, but the woman who stepped out of the shadows remained unscathed.
"Well, well... I must say, I underestimated you all—especially you," the woman said, eyes locked on Ethan.
Storm's expression turned grim. "Emma Frost!"
Ethan blinked. 'Wait... The White Queen wasn't in this storyline. What the hell is going on?'
In his mind, the X-Men timeline was already a mess. Now, here she was—Emma Frost, one of the most powerful telepaths, standing in front of them.
He didn't have time to think about the implications. If they didn't stop her, she'd turn the team against each other.
"Everyone, stay back!" Ethan rushed forward without hesitation.
If he didn't engage Emma now, she could mind-control the others and make this a whole lot worse.
Emma smirked, her skin shimmering in its diamond form. "You think you can take me on alone?"
"Let's find out."
With a loud crack, their bodies collided. The sheer force sent Emma Frost hurtling backward, smashing through a wall.
Ethan adjusted his stance and smirked. "I'll handle her. The rest of you, go stop Magneto!"
Without waiting for a response, he leaped through the hole in the wall, chasing after the White Queen.