"What happened at the academy?"
"Where are the students?"
"And why do the three of you look like that?"
Jean Grey stepped off the Blackbird jet and looked at Kitty Pryde, John Allerdyce, and Bobby Drake with a puzzled expression. However, judging by their faces, she could already tell that something terrible had happened.
After Cyclops, Storm, Colossus, and the others stepped down from the aircraft, they also looked at the three younger mutants in confusion.
"Ms. Jean…"
Kitty lowered her head, clearly filled with guilt.
"Please hurry and save the professor and the others!"
"An army came last night. They surrounded the academy and took everyone away!"
"The professor and Logan were shot with tranquilizer darts and captured."
"I had no choice but to escape with Bobby and John… and wait for you to return…"
Her voice trembled with self-blame.
Beside her, Pyro and Iceman also lowered their heads in shame.
Neither of them dared to look Jean or Scott in the eye.
"The military?" Jean frowned.
"Did Logan or the professor say who they were?"
Jean began thinking rapidly.
The U.S. government had several secret laboratories researching mutants. Even if they identified which one was responsible, the X-Men usually could only conduct small rescue operations.
If they openly attacked government facilities too frequently, the backlash against mutants would become even worse.
That was why identifying the enemy was extremely important.
"It was William Stryker."
A deep voice suddenly spoke.
Everyone turned toward the Blackbird.
An older man stepped down from the jet.
His posture was imposing.
His eyes were sharp.
It was Magneto — Erik Lehnsherr.
The moment they saw him, Bobby, John, and Kitty immediately stepped back and raised their guard.
After all, Magneto had always been considered an enemy of the X-Men.
Jean raised a hand, signaling them to stand down.
"For now, we're not enemies."
Then she looked at Magneto.
"Do you know where his base is?"
Magneto shook his head slowly.
"I don't know where the base is."
"But I met Stryker when I was captured."
"My memories are unclear… he used some kind of control on me."
"He forced me to reveal information."
Magneto paused.
Then his expression suddenly changed.
"Wait…"
"Why would he capture Charles?"
"Charles is powerful, but his abilities alone shouldn't justify such a large operation…"
Magneto suddenly froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
"The Cerebro amplifier!"
Scott immediately reacted.
"Follow me!"
Everyone quickly rushed toward the Cerebro chamber.
When they arrived, their hearts sank.
The enormous chamber was almost empty.
Only the metal framework of the machine remained.
All the main equipment had been removed.
Storm's expression darkened.
"What do we do now?"
"If they control Professor X and force him to use Cerebro…"
She took a deep breath.
"The relationship between mutants and humans will completely collapse."
"A war could start immediately."
Then she hesitated.
"And if… that person decides to intervene…"
Everyone fell silent.
They all knew who she meant.
Karl.
The man who had pierced Mars with a single attack.
If humanity began slaughtering mutants on a global scale…
Or if mutants retaliated against humanity…
Karl might intervene.
And if that happened—
Mutants might disappear entirely.
Jean clenched her fists.
"The most important thing right now is to find the professor."
"No matter what Stryker is planning, we must rescue him first."
Recently, Jean had noticed something strange.
For some reason, the image of Karl kept appearing in her mind.
She couldn't explain why.
"There's another option," Jean finally said.
"There's a backup Cerebro system."
"It hasn't been used in a long time."
"I don't know if it will still function."
"But it's worth trying."
Everyone looked at her.
"You want to use it yourself?" Storm asked with concern.
Jean nodded.
"I'm the only telepath here."
Magneto immediately agreed.
"Where is it?"
Cyclops, Storm, and Colossus exchanged worried looks.
Jean's telepathic abilities were powerful.
But Cerebro greatly amplified mental strain.
Even Professor X needed training to use it safely.
However—
They had no other choice.
Magneto stepped forward.
Using his magnetic powers, he began reassembling the remaining Cerebro components onto the metal framework.
After all, he had helped design the machine together with Charles and Raven.
Restoring the device was simple for him.
Soon, the temporary Cerebro unit was ready.
Jean slowly placed the neural interface helmet onto her head.
She closed her eyes.
Then activated her telepathic power.
Her consciousness expanded outward.
Across cities.
Across mountains.
Across the entire country.
Jean searched desperately for the familiar presence of Charles Xavier.
Her brain quickly began reaching its limits.
Pain surged through her mind.
Just when she was about to collapse—
She found it.
"I found him!"
Jean tore the helmet off and gasped for breath.
"They're at a lake…"
"I think it's Alkali Lake!"
"The professor… he's being controlled!"
"We need to move quickly!"
She was breathing heavily.
Using Cerebro had nearly pushed her mind past its limit.
Meanwhile—
At William Stryker's mutant research base.
Stryker had already begun the next stage of his plan.
He was controlling Charles Xavier using the abilities of his son—
Jason Stryker.
Jason possessed powerful illusion and mind-control abilities.
Stryker had imprisoned and experimented on his own son for years.
Now he used Jason's brain fluid and psychic powers to control others.
Even Charles Xavier.
Not long ago, Stryker had used the mutant Nightcrawler to attack the President of the United States.
This false assassination attempt had intensified public hatred toward mutants.
Now Stryker was preparing for the final step.
Genocide.
He pushed Charles's wheelchair toward the massive Cerebro installation inside the base.
Jason sat nearby.
Maintaining control over Xavier's mind.
Stryker stared at the machine.
Satisfied.
He had learned about Cerebro earlier while interrogating Magneto.
That knowledge had given him the idea.
And now—
The opportunity.
Meanwhile…
Far away.
Karl had already learned about the attack on the Mutant Academy.
Charles, Logan, and all the students had been captured.
Karl watched everything silently through the Mirror Space.
He had no intention of interfering immediately.
He wanted to see something first.
Whether Erik Lehnsherr would once again attempt to destroy humanity.
In the original timeline, Erik had reversed Stryker's plan.
Instead of targeting mutants, he forced Charles to attack all humans.
If Erik attempted that again—
Karl would intervene.
Without hesitation.
Because May, Gwen, Helen Cho, and many others he cared about were human.
If Erik tried to wipe out humanity…
Karl would not sit back and watch.
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