Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. stood as the core of legislative power in America. It was the political heart of the nation, the place where new laws were born and where decisions shaping the country's future were made.
Unlike New York, which thrived as a bustling entertainment metropolis filled with lights and endless noise, Washington had always been designed with a different purpose. From its earliest planning, it had been built to serve as the political center of the United States. The entire city carried an atmosphere of seriousness and authority, where every building seemed to echo with the weight of governance.
Tonight, that seriousness had taken on an even heavier tone.
Inside the Capitol building, a controversial piece of legislation concerning mutants was about to be debated. If things unfolded as expected, the bill would very likely pass.
It was the infamous Mutant Registration Act.
According to the proposal, every mutant in the country would be required to officially register their identity with the government. Anyone who refused to comply would be considered a criminal under federal law.
If such legislation truly passed, it would deal a devastating blow to the entire mutant population.
Once every mutant was registered, their identities would become completely exposed. Their movements, their abilities, even their personal lives could easily fall under surveillance by those with malicious intentions. From that point forward, there would be no such thing as security for them.
Because of Ethan's presence in this world, however, the timeline had shifted.
In the original sequence of events, the Mutant Registration Act had been proposed much earlier. Now the entire situation had been delayed by more than a year, and some of the details surrounding the bill had already begun to change.
Ethan didn't concern himself too much with those differences.
His interest tonight lay elsewhere.
He had wanted to meet Magneto for a long time, and this event provided the perfect opportunity. Because of that, he had arrived in Washington early in the evening and was now waiting calmly inside a luxurious estate registered under his name.
In his judgment, Magneto would almost certainly make a move tonight.
After all, Ethan had already tracked the location of Sabretooth. The ferocious mutant was currently operating in Washington, which meant the Brotherhood of Mutants was almost certainly nearby as well.
"In the end, the timeline has still changed," Ethan murmured quietly.
He stood beside a tall floor-to-ceiling window, holding a glass of red wine. His gaze drifted over the streets far below, where the headlights of countless cars flowed like a glowing river through the city.
In the distance, the Capitol building stood solemnly under the night sky.
At this moment, Congress had already begun its session. Senator Robert Kelly was likely delivering an impassioned speech about the so-called threat mutants posed to ordinary citizens.
"In the original timeline, Sabretooth didn't cooperate much with Magneto during this operation," Ethan said thoughtfully. "But now it's obvious he's fully chosen a side."
"Sir, fifteen members from Groups A, B, and E have already infiltrated the surrounding area," Svija's voice suddenly sounded through the communication system. "Another team has entered the Capitol building itself. The congressional session has officially begun, and Senator Kelly is currently presenting the Mutant Registration Act."
Ethan nodded calmly.
He took a slow sip of the wine in his glass. Then, with a casual flick of his fingers, he released the glass into the air.
Instead of falling, the glass floated gently across the room as if carried by invisible hands. It drifted slowly to a nearby table before settling down without making a sound.
Ethan stretched his shoulders slightly as he stood up.
"Tell the three teams to remain alert," he said. "Report any unusual developments immediately."
"Understood, sir," Svija replied. "However, we still haven't detected Magneto or the other members of the Brotherhood."
Ethan's expression remained relaxed.
"Don't worry," he said confidently. "They'll make their move soon enough."
Time passed quietly.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Five minutes.
In the blink of an eye, ten minutes had gone by.
Then suddenly, Svija's voice returned.
"Sir, there's been a sudden intrusion inside Congress. The presentation of the bill has been forcibly suspended."
"Send the visual feed," Ethan said calmly.
"Yes, sir."
The next moment, a projection screen appeared in front of him. The holographic display showed a live feed from inside the Capitol building.
The scene was chaotic.
Members of Congress were scattered everywhere, many of them surrounded by security personnel as they hurried toward emergency exits. Some people looked pale with fear, while others shouted orders in a desperate attempt to regain control.
In one of the corridors, a violent firefight was underway. Armed guards were exchanging gunfire with unknown attackers, the flashes from their weapons illuminating the narrow hallway.
Ethan watched the scene for a moment before slowly shaking his head.
"The Brotherhood of Mutants really are a bunch of fools," he said calmly. "Pulling something like this tonight will only deepen the hostility between mutants and humans."
His tone carried obvious disdain.
"They're reckless and shortsighted. No strategy, no restraint, and no understanding of public perception. It's no wonder the world treats them like hunted animals."
"Sir, should we intervene?" Svija asked.
Ethan shook his head.
"No. Wait for the Brotherhood to appear."
As he finished speaking, a faint crimson glow suddenly flickered across his body.
In the next instant, his figure vanished.
A moment later, he reappeared atop the massive dome of the Capitol building.
Standing within the shadows, Ethan looked down upon the unfolding chaos below.
The entire plaza was in disarray. People were running in every direction, security vehicles were arriving one after another, and the distant echoes of gunfire still rang through the night air.
Somewhere inside the building, a deep roar could be heard along with the occasional crack of gunshots.
"Have the three teams follow Senator Kelly to the hospital," Ethan instructed through the communication channel. "Make sure they don't lose track of him."
"Yes, sir."
The chaos did not last very long.
After roughly four or five minutes, the gunfire finally stopped. Whoever had launched the attack had either retreated or been subdued.
By that point, nearly all of the lawmakers had already been evacuated from the building. Numerous FBI agents flooded the area, quickly sealing off the entire scene.
"Sir," Svija's voice reported again, "the Brotherhood of Mutants has appeared. They've made contact with Senator Kelly's motorcade."
Ethan's lips curved slightly into a faint smile.
"Good," he said.
"Once they capture Senator Kelly, have the three teams follow them."
"Understood, sir."
Everything was unfolding exactly as Ethan had planned.
The reason he had arranged things this way was simple.
He wanted to draw Magneto out.
For a very long time now, Ethan had been interested in Magneto's X-gene. The power of magnetic control was one of the most formidable mutant abilities in existence.
Strictly speaking, someone who wielded the Phoenix Force shouldn't need to care about other mutant genes at all. Ethan himself already possessed abilities that surpassed most mutants in existence.
Even his telepathic power alone was naturally stronger than Magneto's magnetic manipulation in many situations.
But that didn't change the fact that powerful X-genes were extremely valuable.
They could strengthen him.
More importantly, they could strengthen his subordinates.
Since the moment Ethan realized that he had entered the Marvel universe, a single ambition had taken root deep inside his mind.
He intended to climb to the very highest point of existence.
Not just the peak of Earth.
Not just the peak of the Marvel universe.
But the highest point of the entire multiverse.
It was an ambition bordering on madness.
And Ethan had been steadily moving toward that goal ever since.
.....
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