The first light of dawn rose from the horizon, painting the sky with a pale glow as warm sunlight bathed all of Westchester...
This affluent suburban county in northern New York, bordering Connecticut and Long Island to the east, Putnam County to the north, and the Hudson River to the west, was renowned for its economic prosperity and as a hub of education.
To outsiders unaware of the truth, the Gothic-style castle nestled in the Westchester countryside appeared to be nothing more than an elite private school.
In reality, it was a special institution for mutants that was privately funded by Professor X. It offered free education to young mutants, teaching them to control their abilities while instilling ideals of peaceful coexistence with humanity.
Jean pushed the wheelchair-bound old man through the sprawling school grounds. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, peppering the lawns and tree-lined paths.
On the open field, children engaged in various activities under their teachers' guidance. Passing by the picturesque gravel-lined lake, they reached a small dock that concealed far more than met the eye.
Beneath it lay a World War II-era bunker, repurposed by Professor X into a training ground for young mutants, a place for combat drills and tactical exercises...
It was here that the first generation of X-Men had honed their skills, back when Charles and his friend Erik had not yet parted ways. Together, they had mastered their abilities, shared dreams of the future, and united against villains who sought to destroy the world.
As they strolled along the breezy lakeshore, Jean wheeled the Professor under the shade of a large tree, a spot where she had often sat reading Jane Austen novels as a student.
Seated in his wheelchair, Charles gazed at the distant forests and wetlands, the crisp morning air brushing against his face...
Faded memories suddenly sharpened into vivid clarity. Back then, he hadn't needed the wheelchair. He was still fresh out of Oxford, and was still full of vigor and idealism.
"Erik and I once stood beneath Lincoln's statue, discussing the future of this nation. We collaborated with government agencies to stop Sebastian Shaw, a terrifying scientist who drew power from mutant genes and sought to overthrow the world order..."
A hint of nostalgia flickered in the Professor's eyes. Since his reunion with Erik in Manhattan, he had often questioned himself...
Who was right, him or Erik?
With the fallout from the Worthington attack escalating and the Mutant Registration Act gaining traction, the plight of mutants had worsened.
The fragile peace he had spent years building was crumbling, leaving the usually steadfast leader adrift. He refused to embrace Erik's extremist path, which would plunge the world into war. Yet hiding in the shadows no longer seemed a viable route to peace.
"You and Magneto defeated him. McCoy never tires of recounting those glory days, though he mentions Mystique most often!" Jean covered her mouth, laughing softly.
She was well aware of Hank 'Beast' McCoy's unrequited crush on the shapeshifter.
Hearing the familiar name, the Professor smiled faintly. He knew the story well. But Raven had chosen Erik's side, joining the Brotherhood in their fight against human governments to forge a mutant homeland.
"Jean, I want you, Scott, and Ororo to go to Los Angeles. Find a mutant named Kurt Wagner, a circus performer who can teleport." The Professor rested his hands on his knees, "He has reached out to the school, saying the military is hunting him and that Erik and the Brotherhood are being targeted. We can't ignore this."
Charles often used Cerebro to locate powerful mutants. Those with unstable abilities were easy to detect, while children with underdeveloped powers often slipped under the radar.
The teleporting circus performer appeared to hold critical information, which was why he was being pursued. Through intermediaries, he had sent a distress signal to the school.
"Do we need to send so many?" Jean asked, concerned.
The Professor nodded. Fearing potential clashes with the military, he had dispatched the younger X-Men. Their combined strength would ensure safety, even against the Brotherhood.
"It's a shame Logan isn't here. He left to search for his memories." Charles sighed.
With Wolverine around, unforeseen threats would have been trivial.
At the word 'memories', Jean's eyes flickered in a flash of fiery intensity which vanished as quickly as it appeared, unnoticed even by the Professor...
.....
~Washington D.C., Secret Operations Center~
Stryker watched satellite footage of the X-Jet taking off from Xavier's school with a smirk playing on his lips...
'Lure away the strong, then deal with the leader...'
Under the White House's name, he had invited Charles Xavier to discuss Magneto's capture and human-mutant relations.
The unsuspecting Professor had accepted readily, though his decision to bring along a certain blue-furred powerhouse had initially posed a problem.
Without Umbrella's mutant suppressants, Hank 'Beast' McCoy's immense strength and intellect might have derailed Stryker's plans. Now, it was no longer an issue.
The hulking McCoy, once a CIA scientist, had been discovered by Xavier and Magneto.
Initially, his mutations were limited to oversized feet and enhanced physicality. But Hank, who was deeply insecure about his appearance, had developed a serum to "cure" himself, only to trigger further mutations, covering his body in blue fur and earning him the nickname Beast.
"I don't think you should be here, Charles," Hank muttered, eyeing the Secret Service agents with unease.
As a veteran of the mutant-human conflict, he harbored deep wariness toward humans.
With tensions at their peak, Xavier's presence in the White House was tantamount to walking into a lion's den.
"Peace requires effort, Hank," the Professor replied calmly.
His telepathy had scanned the agents... their hostility was directed at mutants as a whole, but there was no immediate threat.
Hank wheeled Charles into a White House meeting room. A secretary brought coffee, smiling politely, "The President will be with you shortly."
As the door closed, Hank's instincts flared. Tiny vents opened in the walls, releasing a cloud of ether gas.
Xavier's eyes narrowed. His telepathy surged outward, only to be met with a screeching sonic pulse that lanced through his skull like a blade.
The Professor clutched his head, his mental powers scattering. Hank reacted instantly and hurled a sofa at the wall, but it bounced off with a dull thud.
Snarling, the Beast lunged for the door and tore it open like paper, only to face a squad of armed soldiers.
Sharp needles pricked his skin, injecting a cold fluid. His roar died in his throat. The blue fur receded.
Before he could process the change, darkness swallowed him.
Breathing in the ether, Xavier's consciousness wavered. Through blurring vision, he saw a uniformed officer stride forward and clamped a metallic device around his head.
His boundless telepathy was now caged, like a giant that was squeezed into a tiny box.
Agony wracked his mind.
Before blacking out, the Professor glimpsed a cold, familiar face, "William..."
William Stryker...
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