"Alex, calm down. If Sebastian's plan succeeds, the very land we live on will vanish," Charles implored urgently.
"Absolutely, for the sake of our own survival, it's our duty to stop Sebastian," Eric concurred.
"Yeah," Alex replied, his tone more composed.
"These guys acting all high and mighty will soon find themselves out of a job. They'll come crawling to us for help," Alex said with determination as he led the way out of the building.
"Damn it, we're helping them, not the other way around!" Raven fumed as she angrily stomped her foot. The other two women wore similarly displeased expressions.
"In their eyes, we are the monsters," Eric mused, shrugging.
"Alright, let's keep our composure. People need time to adjust to something new," Charles advised.
"The pressing matter now is... where's our office space? Do we have to rent it ourselves?" Alex turned to Grete with a sneer. "Are they expecting us to offer our services for free?"
"Definitely not!"
A car pulled up in front of them, and the rotund supervisor, Oliver Platt, stepped out. "Gentlemen, the office space has been arranged! Get in the car!"
They got into the car, which drove them to the outskirts. They arrived at the basement of a building.
"Basement? Oliver Platt, are you sure you didn't choose this place just to save on rent?" Alex quipped, eyeing the basement with disgust.
It was evident that the CIA's structure needed an overhaul. After all, it was just the CIA. Howard Stark had already initiated the preparations for forming S.H.I.E.L.D., and once it was established, the CIA would become a subordinate unit. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s purpose was to combat super-powered crimes, and Alex believed that most of the CIA personnel would be seeking new jobs.
Hearing Alex's pointed comment, Oliver Platt hurriedly assured him, "Definitely not!"
Oliver approached a wall, activating a fingerprint lock, which verified their identities and slowly opened the wall.
"Well, this space will do!" It was an underground research facility with a somewhat austere design, but the space itself was suitable.
"For the time being, this will be your base of operations. If you have any requests, speak to my assistant," Oliver stated as he led them into a large hall and summoned Hank. "Hank, come here."
Hank responded, "On my way!"
A tall and slender young man emerged from the back of the hall, catching the attention of the group.
Oliver introduced him with a welcoming gesture. "This is Hank, my assistant. He'll assist you in settling down and help expedite your search for other Mutants to build a Mutant team."
Charles curious, pointed at Hank and inquired, "Finding Mutants? Haven't you already found one? Your name is Hank, right? What's your Ability?"
Both Oliver and Hank seemed momentarily perplexed by the unexpected question.
Raven, transformed to reveal her true form with her distinctive blue skin.
Eric, in a display of his power, levitated a coin, making it spin in the air. Meanwhile, Charles utilized his telepathic abilities to communicate directly with Hank's mind. Alex, not one to be outdone, conjured a spinning coin with his thoughts. Emma, on the other hand, underwent a dazzling transformation, her entire body turning into a brilliant diamond. Jessica exuded a radiant Firework display all over her body.
Hank's expression shifted from shock to realization, and he swiftly removed his shoes, revealing his palm-like feet. Then, with a resounding "Oh!" he used both his hands and feet, nimbly scaling the wall. He defied gravity by grabbing onto the ceiling fan blades and hung upside down, a clear demonstration of his Mutant abilities.
....
In their underground office, the group reconvened to discuss their mission. Charles, a touch frustrated, addressed the team, "We need to find more Mutants. My mental powers have limitations, and I need a way to enhance my brain waves to locate more potential allies."
Hank, wearing a knowing smile, rose to his feet. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to make a grand introduction. I hold a Ph.D. in electromechanical engineering and automatic control, having graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As luck would have it, I've been working on a research project related to the instrument Charles requires."
"Ph.D…" Alex remembered that he held numerous Ph.Ds.
But he didn't want to ruin Hank's moment So he stayed quiet.
(End of this chapter)
....
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