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Recently, in the holding tank, Gabriella and Isaac watched the battle outside through surveillance cameras, gaining a clearer understanding of the combat abilities of Wolverine and George. Coupled with some advice from the Professor, they reassessed their situation.
According to the Professor, attempting to reach New York, find information about Tony Stark, and then travel to the Middle East for a rescue mission within just six days is nearly impossible.
Even if they managed to accomplish it, it would be fraught with danger.
Essentially, this plan puts Wolverine and George's lives at risk.
The experienced Professor also advised against sending the children to Canada to be cared for by the Canadian government.
After careful consideration and discussion, they decided to abandon their previous plan of cooperating with the Canadian government and heading to the North Dakota border. Instead, they chose to find a safe place to settle down first.
Then, they would carefully plan how to rescue Tony Stark.
Even if this plan ultimately failed, as long as they worked together, they could overcome the people from the experimental base they once thought were unbeatable and ensure the children's safety.
After all, even the large force that came against them was ultimately defeated and forced to flee.
Previously, they thought it was impossible to stand against the Aklay Gene Company alone, but now it seemed not entirely out of reach.
"Indeed, Professor X, even if his powers are unavailable, his ability to persuade others with just his words is unmatched," Gabriella remarked.
George's eyes lit up upon hearing Gabriella's response.
He wholeheartedly agreed with Gabriella's decision. Rescuing Tony Stark in six days, although not as perilous as the Professor suggested due to Stark's plot advantage, would still be challenging.
New York is a complex place with tangled interests; who can guarantee everything will go smoothly?
With ample preparation time, and if his abilities were further developed—such as being able to deflect sniper bullets or having learned more magic at Hogwarts—his chances of success would greatly improve.
Moreover, if he recalled correctly, in the movie, Tony Stark mentioned to Pepper Potts that he had been imprisoned in a cave for over three months.
Thus, they didn't need to rush.
Alternatively, if his strength increased significantly over the next few months, and he managed to acquire enough money to buy shares in Stark Industries, rescuing Tony Stark might become irrelevant.
His motivation to rescue Tony Stark was to gain financial support and protection for their normal lives.
However, if they were strong enough and financially secure, seeking out Tony Stark might not be necessary.
Partnering with Tony Stark would inevitably attract S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention would mean Hydra's involvement, leading to even greater trouble.
"Six days is indeed tight. Since you've made your decision, let's leave here, find a safe place, and then discuss our next steps," George said, nodding at Gabriella.
He then led everyone in gathering the submachine guns and grenades from the corpses before quickly leaving the abandoned factory.
Given the current situation, as long as they left the border promptly and moved to a slightly more distant location, it would be difficult for the experimental base personnel to regroup and find them again.
Aklay Gene Company's ability to access surveillance in this small border town is due to the chaos here; many issues can be resolved with money.
However, unlike S.H.I.E.L.D., the FBI, or the CIA, they are merely a business and do not have the extensive reach across the entire U.S. that would lead to their swift elimination.
In the movie, Donald would not have easily found Wolverine and the Professor without using Caliban's tracking abilities.
Furthermore, with X-24 killed, the chances of the enemy coming after them again before creating a new clone are slim, as they cannot overcome them.
So, unless something unexpected occurs, the experimental base should remain quiet for the next few months after this major battle, allowing them to plan their next move with peace of mind.
On the highway, Isaac was driving the large truck while George, Gabriella, Wolverine, Caliban, and Professor X, along with the children, sat in the truck's cargo area, discussing their next destination.
After some deliberation, they summarized the following points:
First, their new location should not be in the city center. Being in such a prominent area would easily expose their whereabouts and attract the attention of both the government and Aklay Gene Company.
Second, the location should not be too remote. A place that is too isolated would not meet their needs for the children's education, the Professor's medication, or their general living conditions. Additionally, finding money in a remote area would be difficult. If they did not follow through with the rescue of Tony Stark, they would need to find a way to obtain funds to buy Stark Industries shares.
How to quickly raise money?
Normal methods wouldn't work. They would need to resort to more drastic measures, such as robbing criminals or gangs, since "killing and arson" often involves taking from others.
In a very remote area, finding wealthy individuals would be challenging, making it hard to gather funds.
Third, they should not be too far from New York.
On one hand, they needed to stay updated on Tony Stark's news and be ready to act on any rescue plans. On the other hand, George had another reason: New York is a hub for major events, and in a few years, there would be the Chitauri invasion. He needed to be close by for observation.
If nothing happened, he would not have to get involved. But if an unexpected event occurred, he would need to be prepared. Otherwise, if Earth were to face a catastrophic event while he was practicing magic, he would not survive.
"Actually, we could return to the school, to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters," Professor X suddenly suggested after the discussion.
However, Wolverine's expression changed immediately, and he quickly dismissed the idea:
"No, that's too dangerous. The government is still looking for you. Returning to the school would be walking into a trap."
His concern was not just the government's manhunt. Although that was an issue, it was more about the Professor's past. The fear was that returning to New York and the school might trigger memories of the mutants he had once killed—memories that had been deliberately suppressed.
Professor X's eyes filled with tears as he spoke:
"Logan, you know, during the battle earlier, I recalled everything—everything that happened. Given my past sins, I should not have survived. But now, I want to live, not for myself, but for these children. I want to heal, to protect the hope for these mutants, and to atone for my past mistakes."
Choking up, Professor X continued:
"In the school's basement, there was a special telepathic room designed by Beast. After being sealed, it could activate a special switch to block my telepathic signals. This way, if an incident occurs and I lose control again, the same tragedy won't happen."
(End of Chapter)