A dawn of hope.
A dawn of survival.
Mutants from across the globe began to move, setting their sights on the Soviet Union.
They wanted to join Shaw's camp, to fight for the survival of their kind! And to build the new Mutant world he envisioned!
With Shaw's high-profile announcement of Mutants' existence,
The eyes of the entire world turned toward the Mutant population.
...
At Xavier's Mansion,
Professor X and the others sat in somber silence, their brows furrowed in deep concern.
Shaw had seized control of the Soviet Union and made his declaration, boldly revealing the existence of Mutants to the world.
Professor X could already see what lay ahead:
Countless Mutants would flock to Sebastian Shaw, rallying to his cause.
The strength of the Hellfire Club would grow exponentially.
But this wasn't the aspect that worried Professor X the most.
What truly troubled him was the looming reality that in just three days... sigh
If Shaw succeeded in fully consolidating his power, the X-Men would face not only Shaw and the Hellfire Club,
But the might of an entire superpower.
"Professor, what should we do next?"
It was Beast, who broke the silence, his voice tinged with worry as he turned to Professor X for guidance.
At Hank's question, the rest of the X-Men also looked to Professor X, their faces were mixed with concern and anticipation.
Faced with everyone's expectant gazes, Professor X remained uncharacteristically silent.
In truth, he was at a loss for answers.
The Black King, now controlled the Soviet Union.
And in the days to come, more and more Mutants would rally to Shaw's cause, swelling the ranks of his camp.
The reality was stark:
The X-Men were destined to fail.
Fight?
How could they fight?
There was no feasible way.
With a superpower at his command, Shaw didn't even need to dirty his hands.
The Soviet military alone would be more than enough to crush the X-Men.
"Given Sebastian Shaw's character, he'll undoubtedly declare war on America the moment he's sworn in as President of the Soviet Union in three days,"
Magneto said grimly, his voice heavy with resignation.
Once, he had believed that by reaching the level of a Class 4 Mutant and aligning himself with the X-Men,
He could take down Shaw and the Hellfire Club.
But now Shaw had elevated himself to an untouchable position:
The President of the Soviet Union.
With that transformation, Magneto's hopes for revenge seemed futile.
Defeating Shaw as the Black King of the Hellfire Club might have been possible.
But how could anyone fight the President of the Soviet Union?
Headbutt him into submission?
"Yeah~ Maybe we should just join Sebastian Shaw's camp,"
Sean Cassidy said suddenly, breaking the tense silence.
The room went still as everyone turned to look at him, their gazes sharp and serious.
Realizing the weight of his words, Sean's face flushed with embarrassment.
"I was just joking! Just trying to lighten the mood,"
He added quickly.
Time was running out.
The coin in Magneto's hand was already trembling, ready to fly at any moment.
"Sean, it's better not to make jokes like that,"
Professor X said firmly, addressing Sean Cassidy.
His tone carried a weight of seriousness that left no room for misinterpretation.
In a moment of despair like this, a careless joke that could shatter the fragile morale of the X-Men was unacceptable.
Sean looked down, chastened by the stern warning.
As the tension hung thick in the air, a sudden laugh broke through the silence.
The group turned in unison to see Brian, casually munching on sunflower seeds, his demeanor completely unbothered by the gravity of the situation.
"Brian, what's so funny?"
All eyes were on him now, their seriousness contrasting sharply with Brian's apparent indifference.
"I'm laughing at you, Professor X, for being too impulsive.
And at Magneto for not being smart enough,"
Brian said nonchalantly, a faint smirk on his lips.
His casual attitude caused a ripple of confusion among the group, their frowns deepening.
"What do you mean?"
Brian, unphased by their reactions, tapped his foot gently on the floor.
"Where are we right now?"
Still perplexed by his words, the group exchanged uncertain glances.
"Xavier Mansion?"
Havok answered instinctively.
"Wrong," Brian replied calmly, shaking his head.
"This is New York.
More precisely, this is the United States of America."
His words left everyone more confused than ever, their brows furrowed as they struggled to understand his point.
"The Hellfire Club can control the Soviet Union.
Why can't we, the X-Men, control America?"
Brian's voice was calm, as though the idea of taking control of America was as simple as drinking water or eating a meal.
The X-Men were stunned into silence, Brian's bold proposition hanging heavily in the air.
None were more shocked than Professor X and Magneto.
Both men stared at Brian, their expressions reflecting a mix of disbelief and alarm.
"No, absolutely not,"
Professor X said firmly, rejecting the idea without a moment's hesitation.
"Then tell me, Charles,"
Magneto interjected, his tone sharp as he turned to face Professor X.
"If Brian's suggestion is off the table, do you have a better solution? Any way to stop Sebastian Shaw?"
Professor X frowned deeply, clearly troubled.
"I believe there must be another way. We can find another way to eliminate Shaw without resorting to something like this."
Magneto's gaze hardened, his skepticism evident.
"Vote, Charles,"
Raven who had been quietly observing, finally spoke, her voice calm but resolute as she looked at Professor X.
"The X-Men is not your one-man show."
Magneto nodded in agreement.
"She's right. The X-Men isn't just your decision to make."
Professor X hesitated, looking between Brian, Magneto, and Raven.
Finally, he sighed, seeing the determination in their eyes.
"Fine. We'll vote,"
Professor X said at last, his voice heavy with reluctance.
He glanced at Brian and then at Magneto, whose eagerness was evident.
Acknowledging Raven's suggestion, he prepared himself for the outcome.
And so, the X-Men began their vote.
Professor X immediately cast his vote against the proposal.
Following his lead Beast also voted against it after glancing at Professor X.
Magneto, however, voted in favor without hesitation, showing no doubt about his stance.
Brian unsurprisingly cast his vote in favor as well.
Meanwhile, Alex Summers and Sean Cassidy abstained from voting entirely.
As newcomers to the X-Men, they felt their votes carried little weight and chose to stay neutral.
The divide within the X-Men was now clear.
Two votes against.
Two votes in favor.
All eyes turned to Raven the only one who hadn't voted yet.
Professor X looked at her, his expression pleading.
"Raven," he said earnestly, "Brian's plan is too reckless—borderline madness.
The X-Men stand for justice. We cannot stoop to such measures.
I'm asking you to support me. Don't side with Brian."
Raven met Professor X's gaze steadily, her expression unreadable at first.
Then, with a slight shake of her head, she turned and walked to Brian's side.
"I'm sorry, Charles," she said, her voice calm but resolute.
"I've lost interest in your ideals."
Her choice made the outcome crystal clear. Raven supported Brian's plan.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I'll never agree to this!"
For a rare moment, Professor X lost his composure and cursed aloud.
He pressed his right index finger to his temple, preparing to use his telepathic powers to stop Brian.
But before he could act, Brian spoke, his tone calm yet cutting:
"Charles, are you ready for world war in three days?
Or are you prepared to help us stop Sebastian Shaw's plan?"
Brian's words landed like a blow.
"I.. I.."
Professor X felt his resolve crumble, like a balloon deflating.
He sank into the sofa, defeated, and remained silent for a long time.
Brian stood by patiently, not pressing him further.
Finally, after ten long minutes, Professor X let out a deep sigh.
"Brian," he said quietly, "how do you plan to control America?"
______
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