"What exactly are you implying?" Marcus asked, his gaze fixed on Mystique.
Everyone knew the Helicarrier belonged to S.H.I.E.L.D., and S.H.I.E.L.D. was an American government agency.
Under normal circumstances, there was no question who had authorized the attack on the Xavier Institute.
Mystique, however, voiced her doubt.
"Not a single human soldier appeared during the entire assault," she said. "In fact, we didn't see any humans at all. A fully automated attack isn't impossible, but why use nothing but AI-controlled machines? What's the point of going that far?"
"You don't need to worry about their logistics," Marcus replied, dismissing her concern with a wave. "Whether it's manned or automated doesn't matter. What matters is that both the Helicarrier and the Sentinel robots belong to the U.S. government. So tell me—who else could have commanded them?"
If Marcus were being honest, the true answer was simple:
He himself had commanded them.
But of course, Mystique didn't need to know that.
She shook her head.
"No. The main S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier vanished during the New York incident. With its nuclear-grade defenses, it's entirely possible it survived the blast. If the ship that attacked us was that missing Helicarrier, then this situation becomes much more complicated."
Marcus snorted.
"Fine. Then what about the Sentinels? Don't forget—those robots were created specifically to combat mutants. The government publicly swore they would never deploy them for anything else. Are you suggesting HYDRA or AIM broke into Trask Industries just to steal thousands of Sentinels and… what? Launch a surprise attack on mutants for fun?"
"They're robots," Mystique said sternly. "In theory, anyone with access could command them. Yes, they were designed to kill us, but that doesn't automatically mean the government is the one pulling the strings."
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
"So your real point is—you suspect me. Otherwise you wouldn't be following me around."
Mystique didn't deny it.
"The timing of your arrival… the things you've done since… they're too convenient. No one with sense would ignore that."
"And your conclusion?" Marcus asked indifferently.
"I don't have proof," she admitted.
Silence followed.
A would-be detective trying to uncover the truth…
A mastermind determined to hide his role…
There wasn't much left to say.
Marcus was the first to break the quiet.
"I thought you might choose to stand with us. A shame."
Mystique shot back sharply:
"I'm not even sure which side I should be standing on."
Suspicion, Marcus knew, meant little without evidence. Nick Fury had suspected him countless times, yet could do nothing. Mystique's doubts would amount to as much as dust.
And soon, everything he'd prepared would come to fruition.
One Mystique couldn't disrupt anything.
"Negotiations between the Avengers and the X-Men will begin soon," Marcus said as he stepped away. "When the truth comes out, we'll see who stands where."
Leaving those words behind, he exited the Phoenix Society's hidden training chamber.
Just as Marcus predicted, Captain America would personally lead a delegation of registered heroes to the Xavier Institute. Cyclops, representing the X-Men, would confront them over the Helicarrier strike.
That meeting would determine everything.
To ensure the outcome looked favorable, Captain America had already summoned Tony Stark to help draft a plausible explanation.
"There's nothing to explain," Tony said impatiently. "Just tell them the truth: we lost a Helicarrier during the New York incident. HYDRA hijacked it. We had no idea they'd use it to attack the school."
Steve wasn't convinced.
"Will they believe that? Magneto is with them now. If he decides he doesn't like what he hears, this meeting could go sideways fast."
"Then skip the talking," Tony joked. "Send Hulk in and let him remodel the campus."
Then, realizing he'd gone too far, he sighed and switched to a serious tone.
"Fine, fine. Ask them to return the Helicarrier wreckage. If HYDRA really hacked the system, the onboard data logs will show it. Once we have that evidence, we can clear ourselves."
Steve nodded.
"Recovering a pile of scrap shouldn't be hard. And to show sincerity, we can let one of their scientists inspect the data with you. It'll look like a goodwill gesture."
With the main plan set, Tony pushed further.
"And let me guess—you want the X-Men to join the Registration Act and become part of the reformed Avengers?"
"Of course," Steve said earnestly. "If we want a strong, unified team protecting America, mutants would be invaluable."
The Avengers, though stripped of S.H.I.E.L.D., still existed—now serving directly under the President.
Steve rubbed his temples in frustration.
"Negotiations… I never had to deal with any of this before I became President."
"Well, that's what happens when every word you say now represents the entire U.S. government," Tony reminded him. "The rift between humans and mutants has lasted for decades. You can't fix it with a handshake."
But Steve remained optimistic.
"Then let this be the generation where the rift ends. I finally have the authority to try."
Tony forced a smile.
"Of course, Mr. President."
But inside, Tony knew better.
This meeting wouldn't be smooth.
The Avengers and X-Men wouldn't merge into one family just because Steve wanted it.
After all, Marcus's plans had nothing to do with peace.
_____
T/N:
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