Chapter Text
Brian Xavier vanished on Wednesday, July 8th, at six in the evening while on his way home. His daughter was the first to report the incident when he neither returned the following day nor answered her calls. According to her, in recent weeks, her father’s only concern had been Sebastian Shaw, a former Nazi leader and fugitive from justice.
The call to Genosha came on Friday, as the U.S. government honored its agreement to inform about any situation related to Sebastian Shaw, requesting reinforcements from the Genoshan administration. When the call ended, my father looked at me like a man who’d just learned his legs had been cut off. Rising to his feet, he embraced me.
"If I ask you not to go, I know you'll find a way to defy me," he said softly. "I'm an old man, incapable of stopping you. Tomorrow morning, your flight departs. Emma and Azazel will accompany you."
"Father, I don’t think that’s necessary—"
"You’ll go with Emma and Azazel, so that every time you consider doing something foolish, those two souls will remind you there’s an old man back home waiting for you."
"Father, you overestimate my anger. I’ll do what’s right and necessary."
"You underestimate your grief and the things you might blindly do, believing them to be 'right and necessary.' Go to bed now and let this old man find some rest as well."
At dawn, we departed from Genosha. My father didn’t bid me farewell in any way. Though I wouldn’t admit it, I missed his embrace, his advice, or even his apprehension.
The private jet landed in the U.S. that afternoon, where we were “warmly” received by forty armed soldiers. I disembarked ahead of my companions, and the soldiers' demeanor visibly shifted when they saw Azazel—whose red skin, horns, claws, and whip-like tail would make him a perfect stand-in for Satan himself. Emma, never one to be outdone, appeared in her radiant diamond form, glistening under the afternoon sun.
The soldiers stiffened, standing taller as if in a silent competition of stature, trying to assert dominance against us. Their commander remained silent until our true hosts arrived—a group known as the Armed Mutant Forces (AMF). Despite the name, the group seemed more for show than substance, boasting only three recognized mutants.
The team consisted of a blue-scaled woman with fiery red hair and snake-like yellow eyes; a bearded blue man in a lab coat; and a winged woman who seemed more interested in the clouds than in us. None of them appeared eager to speak, standing behind Moira MacTaggert, now in a leadership role since Brian Xavier’s disappearance.
"Our nation is honored to welcome you, Your Highness," MacTaggert began. "We hope Genosha continues to grow in strength and wisdom."
"If by 'wisdom' you mean refraining from affecting your interests, let me assure you, we are not remotely concerned with anything involving humankind," I replied, extending my hand for the obligatory handshake. MacTaggert took it with an awkward smile.
"Even so, you’ve come at our request for assistance regarding Professor Brian Xavier’s disappearance. I trust you understand that Professor Xavier is a significant asset—"
"Genosha has responded to a call involving Sebastian Shaw," I interrupted, enunciating each word with care. "While we understand Professor Xavier is an 'important asset,' as you so delicately put it, I remind you again, we are not here for your interests."
One of the mutants broke their silence, speaking over MacTaggert. "Professor Xavier is the priority. Sebastian Shaw will be handed over to the U.S. government to face justice for his crimes. Any petty vengeance Genosha seeks against him does not—"
The winged woman fell silent when the building subtly trembled, and Azazel intervened.
"Perhaps it would be best to discuss interests and diplomacy later, friends. Wouldn’t it be wiser to settle in first before delving into details?"
No one seemed eager to continue that initial battle of wills, so we were escorted to the AMF headquarters, where we’d be staying. The building was smaller than I had anticipated, likely for reasons of discretion. Once in private quarters, I turned to Emma.
"Are you sure?"
"There’s no one nearby," she replied, allowing her diamond form to dissolve, revealing a blonde woman with piercing blue eyes.
"Chasing minor rescue missions will lead nowhere. If they want to find their lost professor, good for them. I applaud their noble intentions. But Sebastian Shaw is the only reason for any diplomatic nexus between us and their understaffed superhero squad." I spoke while sitting down, my gaze fixed on Emma as Azazel lingered behind me.
"Let’s not underestimate them just because they’re small," Azazel remarked, vanishing and reappearing across the room before sprawling onto the bed like a king. "That fairy girl might transform into a dragon and torch your rigid backside."
"What do you think?" I asked Emma.
"The fairy isn’t the shapeshifter; the blue girl is. But I doubt we can sway them from their rescue mission. Brian Xavier is the shapeshifter’s father. The blue beast is her protégé, and the fairy is too. MacTaggert won’t budge unless she knows we’ll cooperate."
Azazel reappeared by the door, his voice dripping sarcasm. "I don’t want to be anyone’s lapdog. Cleaning up His Majesty’s messes is plenty."
"Azazel, we need to keep calm and act strategically. If we want to handle this without unnecessary conflict, we must align with the AMF. As for Shaw, they undoubtedly have more information and resources to capture him than we do," Emma retorted, her gaze sharp as an eagle’s.
"Genosha isn’t a weak nation. We could request additional help and resolve this ourselves," Azazel suggested, his tone challenging.
I let the silence hang in the air before responding. "I trust you both understand we’ll receive no reinforcements from Genosha. My father won’t send anyone to stop us, nor to save us. If the professor is non-negotiable, so be it—but Shaw must end up in our hands."
Azazel smirked. "Your father wouldn’t abandon you."
"My father is a king," I replied flatly. "And a king must protect his people."