July 26, 1962
A Secret CIA Facility
…
"Erik, you're back?"
Raven was among the first to join the CIA alongside Charles, and also one of the earliest to meet Erik. Because of that, her tone was far more casual than the others.
"How did it go? Smooth?"
She couldn't help but ask again.
Earlier that morning, Charles and Erik had gone out to recruit another mutant. According to Charles, this one had the potential to be a true warrior.
Raven had been looking forward to meeting him.
In fact, everyone else was curious as well.
"Other than him telling Charles and me to get lost, everything went fine," Erik replied with a shrug, though there was a hint of annoyance in his voice.
That cigar-smoking guy had been seriously rude.
"It's fine. There are plenty more mutants out there, right?" Raven said lightly, not too bothered by the outcome.
"That may be true, but the fact is—we're running out of time," Erik replied, shaking his head.
Then his gaze shifted toward Leon.
"Leon, can you come by the office later? Charles and I have something to discuss with you."
Leon blinked in mild surprise. He couldn't think of any reason why the two of them would want to speak with him specifically.
From what he remembered, most of the mutants here spent their days chatting, relaxing, and doing little of real importance.
Serious training wouldn't even begin until after Shaw's attack—the one that would nearly wipe out the entire base.
Until then, this place was supposed to be… peaceful.
That was one of the reasons Leon had agreed to come here in the first place—to quietly develop and master his powers without unnecessary distractions.
After a brief pause, Leon set down his utensils and gave a small, polite nod.
"I've finished eating, Erik. We can go now."
He wasn't being formal—he really had finished.
Erik nodded and turned, leading Leon out of the cafeteria.
---
"What do you think Erik wants with Leon?"
"No idea… but clearly, he's not like the rest of us."
"What do you mean?"
"Come on. Can any of you control your powers as perfectly as he does?"
Raven and the others watched them leave, whispering among themselves, unable to hide their curiosity.
But no matter how much they speculated, they couldn't reach a clear conclusion.
---
A few moments later, Leon arrived at Charles's office.
"Leon, have a seat. Coffee or tea?"
Charles greeted him with a warm smile, gesturing toward the chair in front of his desk. His voice carried that calm, reassuring tone that naturally put people at ease.
He was the perfect image of an English gentleman—refined, intelligent, and effortlessly charming.
Standing off to the side with his arms crossed, Erik was the complete opposite.
There was something sharp about him—like a blade that never truly dulled. Even at rest, his presence was impossible to ignore.
"I'm fine, Professor. Thank you," Leon replied with a slight smile as he took his seat.
"Are you settling in well? Is there anything bothering you?" Charles asked, his tone gentle and sincere.
"Everything's been great so far. This place is… more comfortable than I expected," Leon answered honestly.
"That's good to hear," Charles said, clearly pleased.
After a brief pause, Leon leaned forward slightly.
"Professor… may I ask why you wanted to see me?"
Charles's expression grew more serious.
"I think… it's time you knew the truth."
"Leon, do you know the real reason we brought everyone here?" Erik added from the side.
Leon hesitated for a moment, as if thinking carefully.
"To help mutants find each other… and support one another?" he replied.
"That's only part of it," Erik said, straightening slightly. "Think of that as step one—identification."
"Once we confirm who you are, we plan to train and evaluate you. Eventually… some people may not meet the requirements."
Leon frowned slightly, as if confused.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"Leon," Erik continued, his tone steady, "we're forming a special task force—made up entirely of mutants."
"No, Erik," Charles interjected gently. "Not in the traditional sense."
He turned back to Leon.
"For now, we simply need a few individuals with strong combat potential—people who can handle certain… special assignments."
"And even if someone isn't chosen for a mission, they're still welcome to stay here. No one is being cast out."
Leon nodded slowly, processing their words.
"So… you want to evaluate me early?"
Charles smiled.
"There's no need for that. You've already proven yourself."
"Like Erik," he added, "you never needed a test."
"You have remarkable control over your abilities, and your strength is… quite exceptional."
Erik stepped forward slightly.
"Charles has a lot on his plate right now. He won't be able to focus on recruitment alone anymore."
"From here on, the two of us will be working together to find and bring in more mutants."
He looked directly at Leon.
"Will you join us?"
Leon fell silent.
After a moment, he shook his head gently.
"I'm… not sure I'm ready for something like that yet."
Charles exchanged a glance with Erik before speaking again.
"Leon, I've been observing you closely."
"There's a maturity in you that's rare—especially at your age. Sometimes, I find myself forgetting how young you are."
"It's not just your mindset. You're also the only one here with complete control over your abilities."
He smiled faintly.
"Even Erik and I weren't at your level when we were your age."
Leon looked down for a moment, considering their words carefully.
Then he exhaled softly and gave a small nod.
"If you both trust me with something like this… then I'll do my best to live up to it."
A faint, sincere smile appeared on his face.
"And… I'd like to help, if I can."
After all, he had been given a place to stay without asking for anything in return.
It only felt right to contribute.
"Thank you, Leon," Charles said warmly.
He picked up a file from his desk and handed it over.
"This will be your first assignment."
Leon accepted it politely. As he looked at the photograph inside, his brows lifted slightly in surprise.
That face…
It felt strangely familiar.
"I've seen him before…" Leon murmured softly.
To be continued...