"This is Dr. Houghton Radcliffe," Mystique said as she gestured toward the older man. "I'm not entirely sure what his specialty is, but he was taken from S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Dr. Radcliffe?" Liam murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as the name stirred something in his memory. It felt familiar, like a fragment just out of reach, though he couldn't immediately place it.
"You're all mutants, aren't you?" Radcliffe said suddenly, his eyes lighting up as he stared at Mystique with unmistakable fascination. His gaze lingered on her blue skin and intricate patterns, clearly captivated rather than disturbed.
He had never seen anything like her before, and that alone was enough to confirm his conclusion.
"Yes, Dr. Radcliffe," Liam replied with a faint smile, his tone relaxed. "And do you have something you'd like to say?"
"Of course I do," Radcliffe said excitedly, stepping forward as if he'd completely forgotten his situation. "I've spent years imagining different paths for human evolution. At one point, I even managed to create what you might call a prototype of the Inhumans—but they were flawed. Incomplete."
His voice grew more animated with every word, his thoughts clearly racing ahead of his ability to articulate them.
"But mutants…" he continued, almost breathless. "Mutants are different. They aren't artificially altered. They're natural. They're not just variations—they're evolution itself. The next stage of humanity."
His speech became increasingly disjointed, his excitement spiraling as he talked.
Liam watched him quietly, but the moment Radcliffe mentioned creating early Inhumans, recognition finally clicked into place.
This was the scientist connected to Hive—the parasitic Inhuman entity also known as Alveus. That creature had once built an entire organization from the shadows, something that eventually evolved into Hydra. Radcliffe had been one of the minds entangled in that web of experiments, especially those involving alien bloodlines like the Kree.
In simple terms, he had been caught up in Hydra's grasp before ending up in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody.
And now, somehow, Magneto had brought him here.
"You kidnapping me might be the best decision you've ever made," Radcliffe said suddenly, his expression turning almost manic. "What do you need from me? Biology, electronics, artificial intelligence—I've mastered them all. Just let me study mutants, and I'll give you anything you want."
There was no hesitation in his voice, no moral conflict.
Only obsession.
Liam found himself smiling in approval. "We brought you here to study something very specific," he said calmly. "We want to understand how to guide ordinary humans into becoming mutants."
Radcliffe's eyes widened instantly.
"I agree with what you said earlier," Liam continued. "Mutants represent the next stage of human evolution. And since the X-gene exists within every human, I believe this research will interest you."
"Interest me?" Radcliffe nearly laughed, his excitement boiling over. "I'm beyond interested. I want to start immediately."
Liam didn't need to probe his mind to know he was telling the truth.
Radcliffe wasn't just a scientist—he was an extremist when it came to human evolution. This kind of research was everything he had ever pursued.
"Good," Liam said with a nod. "Welcome aboard. If you need anything, let us know."
Then his gaze shifted to the other man standing nearby.
"And you, Dr. Stern?" Liam asked. "Are you interested in joining this project?"
"I'm not interested," Samuel Stern replied without hesitation, stepping forward with a serious expression. "I just want to go home and see my family."
"That can be arranged," Liam said calmly, then glanced toward Mystique.
"Dr. Stern," Mystique said with a polite smile, "we've already brought your family here. You can see them whenever you like."
For a split second, Stern froze.
Then his expression twisted with anger.
"You kidnapped my family?" he roared, his body tensing as his muscles visibly swelled. Without another word, he lunged forward, reaching out to grab Liam as if intending to take him hostage.
It was a terrible decision.
Liam didn't even move.
A flicker of thought crossed his mind, and his telepathy snapped into place instantly.
Stern froze mid-motion.
His body locked in place, completely unresponsive to his own commands.
"What… what's happening?" Stern's voice trembled as panic set in, his eyes widening in fear.
"If I'm not mistaken," Liam said casually, folding his arms as he looked at him, "you've already been exposed to Hulk's blood."
Stern's breathing quickened, but he forced himself to respond. "It was an accident," he said, his voice tight. "If that blood hadn't entered my system, I would've died."
Liam nodded slightly.
He already knew the story. During the incident involving the Abomination, Stern had been struck and injured. By pure coincidence, Hulk's serum had entered his bloodstream through the wound, altering his body in the process.
That was why he now possessed strength far beyond an ordinary human.
"The military didn't believe your explanation, did they?" Liam continued. "That's why you were imprisoned."
Stern's silence was answer enough.
"In that case," Liam went on, his tone calm but persuasive, "why not join us? Among mutants, there's no discrimination. Strength isn't feared—it's valued. And your family… they're safe with us."
Stern hesitated.
His mind raced as he weighed his options. The military had already treated him like a liability, locking him away despite his explanations. Even now, he had no guarantee they wouldn't do it again.
Here, at least, things were different.
Mutants didn't reject power.
They embraced it.
After a long moment, Stern exhaled slowly and nodded. "Fine," he said. "I'll join. But you keep your word. My family stays safe."
"You have my word," Liam replied with a faint smile.
With that settled, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving the rest to Mystique.
Back upstairs, the atmosphere in the bar had calmed somewhat, though the earlier tension still lingered in the air.
Magneto began clapping, the sound echoing clearly in the quiet room. "Impressive," he said, his tone carrying genuine approval. "You handled that perfectly. You really are a natural leader."
Liam picked up a glass of red wine, swirling it lightly before taking a sip. "It's nothing special," he said with a casual shrug. "I just used what they care about most."
If persuasion hadn't worked, he would have simply used telepathy to force compliance.
Either way, the outcome would have been the same.
But this way was cleaner.
Now, they had two top-tier scientists working for them, and their research into mutant evolution would progress much faster.
As Liam leaned back slightly, his thoughts drifted to the broader picture.
The world was filled with brilliant minds.
But among them, one name stood out in particular.
Helen Cho.
A scientist whose expertise rivaled even Tony Stark, especially in the field of advanced biotechnology and nanotechnology. She had once pointed out that traditional mechanical armor would eventually become obsolete, replaced by something far more efficient.
Tony had agreed.
And history had proven her right.
Her work had even attracted the attention of Ultron, who used the power of the Mind Stone to control her, forcing her to create a synthetic body using the Regeneration Cradle.
That body would later become Vision.
....
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