"So what if she did? Jean flew off with that damned Wolverine. If I don't get there quickly, who knows whether that quack Ororo's nonsense will come true?"
Cyclops noticed Beast's concern but acted completely indifferent.
The pressure from his number one rival, Wolverine, had clearly gotten to him.
It was so bad that Cyclops was willing to risk being chased down by Storm and struck by lightning just to plunge headfirst into the mess at the club.
Seeing that his friend had already made up his mind, Beast gave up trying to persuade him and focused on piloting the aircraft.
You cannot reason with a stubborn fool. If Scott insisted on chasing lightning, what else could Hank do?
Instead of wasting time worrying about Scott, he might as well fly the jet faster so Jean would not take all the credit.
As for Wolverine, in Beast's eyes he was nothing more than a devoted follower of Miss Jean. There was no way he could steal the spotlight from her.
If that loyal wolf managed to help her gain more admirers, Beast would even thank him for it.
With that thought in mind, the X-Jet roared forward at incredible speed, slicing through the clouds and entering the optimal altitude for high-speed flight.
They would likely reach the club very soon.
Unfortunately, because Cyclops had "wasted" time arguing along the way, they were still a step behind Jean.
By the time they arrived, Phoenix had already carried Wolverine above the club.
"Mr. Logan, please take a sniff and see if little Mickey is still down there."
Jean spoke with obvious worry.
She had flown so quickly that Wolverine had practically rained small droplets of blood over New York City during the flight.
Even so, her maternal anxiety had not eased. She still feared that something might have happened to her little Mickey.
As she spoke, a massive surge of Phoenix Force began gathering around her.
Jean was already prepared. If there was an ambush below, she would wipe them out completely.
Fortunately, Wolverine's response helped restore the overly protective woman's reason.
"Jean, that kid Mickey is still down there. And those two agents below are old acquaintances of mine."
"They probably haven't done anything reckless. The kid should still be safe…"
Before he could finish reassuring her, Jean had already made her move.
Apparently her patience stat was far too low. Perhaps the influence of Dark Phoenix was still affecting her judgment.
"Boom!!!"
With a thunderous crash, the roof of the three-story club exploded with overlapping holes.
Each one was about the size of a bathtub.
The Phoenix descended through the opening with the X-Academy's toughest shield, the immortal wolf himself, Wolverine.
Her dramatic entrance carried a tidal wave of Phoenix Force that blasted through the broken walls and surged directly toward the two super agents.
The terrifying pressure instantly killed any thoughts Black Widow and Hawkeye had about fighting back.
"Phoenix Force…"
Black Widow muttered reluctantly.
Forced to stop, Hawkeye glanced around the room, clearly searching for a chance to land a decisive shot.
Wolverine almost laughed at the sight.
Did the guy really think he could win with a single perfect strike?
Looking down on a wolf?
Not happening.
Without hesitation, Logan stepped forward to stand in front of Jean. The wounds on his face had only just finished healing, but his stance made his answer perfectly clear.
You want a one-shot kill?
Then you get through Uncle Logan first.
"Logan. You troublemaker."
Hawkeye spoke with obvious disgust.
The moment Wolverine stepped forward with that provocative grin, Barton knew his plan was finished.
That stubborn mutant was the last person in the world afraid of a so-called killing blow.
With a berserker like that standing guard, Hawkeye's strategy collapsed instantly.
For a moment, the entire room fell silent.
The clanging sounds from earlier fighting seemed as distant as echoes from another era.
But while everyone else hesitated, Jean did not.
She had come here to protect her child.
How could she simply let this go now?
"Black Widow. Hawkeye."
Jean's voice carried a dangerous edge.
"Your disguise is terrible. Are you not even trying to pretend anymore?"
"Anyone who knows the two of you can see what this is. You kidnapped him, didn't you?"
Hawkeye exploded with anger.
"You…"
Black Widow quickly stopped him and spoke calmly.
"Miss Jean, there may have been a misunderstanding during the process, but please believe us."
"Just like this invitation letter. It was issued by S.H.I.E.L.D…"
Jean interrupted with a cold laugh.
"S.H.I.E.L.D? Such a famous organization."
"And now kidnapping can be called an invitation?"
Black Widow tried to continue explaining, but Hawkeye had already reached his limit.
The sharpshooter pointed at Marvel Qi.
"We only asked the kid for a little help. Do you really need to be this aggressive, Phoenix?"
"Me? Aggressive?"
Jean laughed in disbelief.
The elegant red-haired woman raised a slender finger and pointed at the boy behind her.
"This child is my student."
"You forced him to work for you against his will. I came here to stop it. And somehow I am the one in the wrong?"
Then she delivered a devastating question.
"So what? In your eyes, are mutant lives worth nothing?"
Seeing the Phoenix Mother step forward to defend him, Marvel Qi quickly decided to play along.
He looked pitiful as he spoke.
"Sister Jean, thank goodness you came. If you hadn't arrived… maybe…"
He glanced at Wolverine, who was already looking furious.
"They almost packed me up and sold me to that devil Stark."
"The devil Stark."
Among mutant children, that name was practically a bedtime horror story used by Professor Xavier to scare them into behaving.
Except this monster was real.
And in Wolverine's experience, Tony Stark could indeed be terrifying in his own way.
The moment Marvel Qi said the name, Wolverine's eyes turned blood-red as he glared at Hawkeye.
"That's slander!"
Hawkeye protested desperately.
"From start to finish we invited him politely. Even when he refused to cooperate, we only acted against the machines he controlled. We never touched the kid!"
"And you compare us to that lunatic?"
"But that still counts as coercion. And he's a minor. There are protection laws!"
The proud Phoenix had no interest in listening to the archer's arguments.
Instead, she escalated the situation even further.
She even invoked minor protection laws.
In America, once that card was played, arguing was pointless.
Hawkeye was already losing.
Marvel Qi seized the opportunity. He pouted and pretended to cry while burying himself in Phoenix Mother's arms, pinning Hawkeye firmly to the pillar of shame for bullying a minor.
Seeing this, Black Widow knew the situation would not end well.
She pushed Hawkeye behind her and apologized sincerely.
"I'm sorry. Please give us a chance to make this right."
A wise move.
Both agents were verified S.H.I.E.L.D operatives. If no real harm had been done and they were willing to apologize and compensate, the X-Men could hardly escalate the conflict further.
Would they truly break relations with S.H.I.E.L.D over a misunderstanding?
Black Widow was an excellent negotiator. Compared to Hawkeye, whose only skill was archery, her diplomacy was far more effective.
Within a few sentences, she eased the dangerous tension in the room.
It seemed the misunderstanding might actually be resolved.
Just as she prepared to finish cleaning up the mess, the Phoenix Force suddenly surged again.
Jean opened her mouth with burning anger.
"A misunderstanding? You call all of this a misunderstanding?"
The air vibrated with terrifying energy.
The flames of destruction roared through the room.
At that critical moment, another figure suddenly dropped through the massive hole in the ceiling.
Landing between them, the newcomer rushed forward and pulled Wolverine aside before taking his place.
The murderous tension vanished instantly.
Jean looked embarrassed and avoided his gaze.
Marvel Qi quickly seized the moment.
"Sister Jean, I'm fine. Maybe this really was a misunderstanding."
Seeing the child she cared for trying to defend the very people who had wronged him only made Jean feel more protective.
"Don't worry, little Mickey," she said firmly.
"With your sister here, even if their director comes, they still…"
Marvel Qi felt guilty hearing her speak like that.
To be honest, he shared some responsibility for the situation.
If this escalated further, he might become a villain remembered in mutant history.
Thinking about Professor Xavier's disappointed expression made him feel even worse.
He hurriedly interrupted.
"Sister Jean, wait. Please listen to your little brother."
"Those two agents represent another faction."
"If we really hurt them, they might hold a grudge."
"After all, they work under the Security Council, an organization with global influence."
"Compared to Professor Xavier's lifelong dream, my personal grievance is nothing."
"So… how about letting them go this time? Give them a chance to prove their sincerity."
Jean listened quietly.
Her maternal instinct had not faded, but she realized the boy was right.
She had been influenced too much by the Dark Phoenix earlier.
Looking at Marvel Qi, her heart softened.
"My poor child… you've suffered so much."
Off to the side, Black Widow silently thought,
That is quite a touching mother-and-son moment.
But unlike Jean, Black Widow's view remained clear and analytical.
She remembered several suspicious details.
How did Marvel Qi know they worked for the Security Council?
Why was his combat ability far stronger than the official reports suggested?
And most importantly, it almost felt as if he had been setting a trap for them from the very beginning.
The mystery surrounding the handsome young man only made her curiosity grow stronger.
At that moment, Marvel Qi suddenly spoke.
"So… um… Auntie, have you thought about how you're going to compensate us?"
Auntie?
Black Widow nearly exploded.
She was young, beautiful, and famous for her long legs.
Since when had she become someone's aunt?
But when she glanced at Phoenix Mother standing behind the boy, she forced herself to stay calm.
Facing such a terrifying figure, swallowing a little pride was nothing.
She forced a polite smile.
"Compensation for what?"
"For damaging the door when we knocked too hard?"
"Or the floor that was accidentally stepped on during the scuffle?"
Marvel Qi froze.
He exchanged a quick glance with Jean.
After all, the massive destruction had clearly been caused by the Phoenix herself.
Mother and son silently reached the same conclusion.
Better pretend we don't know who caused it.
Good idea. Let's go with that.
Their silent agreement ended the questioning immediately.
Black Widow had almost been swallowed by the Phoenix's fury earlier.
Just then, another figure dropped through the broken ceiling.
Covered in blue fur and towering in size, Beast finally arrived late.
The moment he appeared, he rejected Black Widow's argument entirely.
"Black Widow, you're mistaken. Completely mistaken."
"Since all this damage was caused during your operation, naturally S.H.I.E.L.D should take responsibility."
He adjusted his glasses and added calmly,
"Or has S.H.I.E.L.D always behaved this arrogantly?"