At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, a transport aircraft bearing the SHIELD insignia slowly descended...
Pyro (John) and Iceman (Bobby) were the first to emerge, followed by a regimented squad of mutants in black uniforms adorned with Hellfire armbands.
As Magneto departed for Africa and Professor X retreated into seclusion at the institute, the older generation of mutant leadership gradually faded.
Beast (Hank) became a government official specializing in mutant diplomacy, Storm (Ororo) continued her work in education by the bald elder's side, and Cyclops (Scott), who was nursing a heartbreak from his ex, followed in the footsteps of his romantic rival, Wolverine (Logan), by wandering the world...
The first and second generations of X-Men quietly exited the stage, making way for younger mutants to shine.
Sean had deliberately mentored Pyro and Iceman, two young men with diametrically opposed personalities. The former was ambitious and energetic, while the latter demonstrated strategic thinking with calm composure, both qualifying as future leaders for mutantkind.
This largest airport in Kenya's capital had long been evacuated and locked down. Magneto in his purple robes had been waiting in the VIP lounge with his Brotherhood members.
With strong support from Umbrella Corporation, they had gradually established firm footing in Africa. They formed alliances with tribal kings in western Kenya to become core members of the Luo people... notably, a certain former President Obama traced his roots to this very tribe.
Magneto expanded his influence under the banner of the Odinga family, the Luo ruling class. This powerful clan rooted in western Kenya had contributed significantly to national independence, with their ancestor, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, serving as the first Vice President.
After Kenya's independence, the Odinga and Kenyatta families from central Kenya divided political dominance equally, establishing unshakable leadership in national politics.
Under the guise of international aid and humanitarian assistance, Umbrella had been supplying the Odinga family with weapons like human enhancement serums... fetching astronomical black market prices of $300 000 per dose. Three crates delivered monthly to Nairobi allowed the Odingas to build a formidable private army.
These short-sighted African natives thought they were getting the better deal, unaware they had merely become Umbrella's dumping ground for defective products. Some trivial advanced weapons and tech were enough to let them welcome a tiger into their courtyard.
With this foothold secured, Magneto wasted no time expanding his influence. In less than three months, he secretly colluded with the Kenyatta family to incite warlord conflicts and tribal warfare.
The Brotherhood leader never expected things to proceed so smoothly. The backward tribes sitting on mineral wealth would fight over mines, water sources, even living areas. Under Umbrella's sweet promises, the chiefs behaved like rutting bulls, creating endless small-scale conflicts everywhere.
By the time the well-connected Luo king realized what was happening, it was too late. The mutant faction had grown strong, controlling multiple tribal chiefs while allied with Kenya's most powerful family, the Kenyattas. Those subpar super-soldiers might handle African natives, but to Magneto, they were mere clay pigeons waiting to be shot.
Thus the Brotherhood built their first stronghold atop the corpses of Kenyan tribal kings, becoming the nation's true rulers. They had become the uncrowned kings behind the scenes in under half a year.
Were it not for fears of attracting superpower attention or sparking native rebellions, the flamboyant Magneto might have already declared himself king of a new nation.
"Hmph, Hellfire...you intend to inherit Sebastian Shaw's legacy?" Magneto sneered at the extravagant display.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis last century, Sebastian Shaw, the Nazi scientist who pioneered artificial mutant technology, founded the Hellfire Club to trigger WWIII and establish mutant supremacy.
"We're merely reclaiming the name. Mutant and proud." John pressed fingers to his chest solemnly.
Hearing this slogan, Magneto's expression turned serious as he appraised the once-immature Pyro, who was now tempered, with visible approval.
Only after establishing himself in Kenya did he realize how laughable his former ambitions were. Mutant gifts weren't omnipotent... they couldn't manufacture assembly lines, medical supplies or daily necessities. With less than one in a hundred million of global population, aspiring for planetary domination was pure fantasy.
While many compatriots possessed formidable combat abilities, few had the talent for governance or the skill to establish stable systems. Frankly speaking, most Brotherhood members were extremists... They were survivors of human persecution or government imprisonment, who followed Magneto in pursuit of a utopia.
At core, they differed little from medieval peasants rebelling against oppressive landlords.
When the Brotherhood took root in Kenya, Magneto found himself at a loss. The entire nation lay before him like untouched fertile soil, yet this veteran mutant leader lacked the means to cultivate it.
Five hundred thousand square kilometers of territory, over forty million population, 18% arable land primarily for livestock, major religions and ethnic groups, long-term development plans...
When President Kenyatta Jr. presented the reports, Magneto's mind went blank. How could he have not considered these matters? Endless domestic issues; frequent terrorist attacks that crippled tourism, massive annual healthcare investments to improve sanitation, diplomatic policies, persistently high poverty rates...
It was like a bandit chief who was suddenly enthroned as emperor... his old ways of plunder and self-sufficiency no longer worked. Sustainable development required comprehensive reforms.
This harsh reality chilled Magneto to the bone. He had imagined gradually breaking free from Sean's control, only to sink deeper as a pawn in the other's game...
Without Umbrella's cutting-edge weapons, medical supplies, infrastructure, funding, and most crucially, security guarantees that made the U.S. military turn a blind eye to the Brotherhood controlling Kenya, annexing tribes and backing warlords... Everything Magneto had gained would likely vanish within weeks.
"What's your next move? I'll cooperate fully." The restrained Magneto became remarkably accommodating. A far cry from his former self who would have dismissed youths like John and Bobby outright.
"Just as the boss originally planned... find Wakanda." Bobby interjected, "You have Ulysses Klaue, and we've brought another key bargaining chip."
The Hellfire troops parted to reveal a powerfully built young black man with an air of lethal competence. Bowing slightly to the imposing Magneto, he introduced himself:
"I am Erik Stevens. Many call me 'Killmonger', the merchant of death..."