The plane levels off, reaching its ideal altitude, and Logan rises from his seat, his movements fluid yet purposeful. He strolls over to Storm, his arm casually leaning against her headrest as he gazes out through the windshield. The vast sky stretches before them, but his focus remains sharp, alert.
"How far are we?" Logan's voice, though calm, carries a note of urgency.
"We're actually coming up on the mansion now," Jean replies, her fingers deftly pressing the control buttons. She glances over her shoulder, offering Logan a brief, reassuring smile.
Ororo's brows knit together as she stares intently at the radar. "I've got two signals approaching..." Her voice lowers as she exchanges a look with Logan, her eyes filled with unspoken concern. "Coming in fast..."
A sudden hiss of static cuts through the air before a harsh voice crackles over the radio. "Unidentified aircraft, you are ordered to descend to 20,000 feet. Return with our escort to Hanscom Air Force Base. You have ten seconds to comply."
Ororo's lips twitch into a wry smile. "Wow, somebody's angry..."
"I wonder why," Logan muses sarcastically, his gaze shifting to John, who sits a few seats behind. The tension in the cabin thickens, palpable and heavy.
The voice on the radio returns, this time more insistent. "We are coming up alongside you to escort you to Hanscom Air Force Base. Lower your altitude now." The two fighter jets outside close in on the Blackbird, their engines roaring ominously. "Repeat—lower your altitude to 20,000 feet. This is your last warning."
"They're falling back..." Storm murmurs, her voice tight with apprehension.
~~~
Everything happens in a blur. The plane dives nose-first toward the earth, the force pinning everyone to their seats. In what feels like a final moment, I glance at Logan, his expression a mix of focus and something more—determination.
The Blackbird's hull, torn open moments ago, begins to rapidly repair itself, the metal fusing back together with an almost supernatural speed. The aircraft slows to a halt, jerking everyone forward as it stabilizes.
"Jean?!" Storm's voice is sharp, eyes darting to her co-pilot.
"It's not me!" Jean responds, her tone urgent and defensive.
Through the windshield, Magneto and Mystique are seen down below, Erik's powers keeping us afloat.
***
The four of us—Logan, Ororo, Jean, and I—exchange tense glances before turning our attention to Erik as he explains the gravity of the situation around a crackling fire.
"...his name is Colonel William Stryker, and he invaded your mansion for one purpose. He wanted Cerebro... or enough of it to build one of his own."
Jean's brows furrow in confusion, her mind racing to piece together the puzzle. "But that doesn't make any sense. Stryker would need the professor to operate it."
Erik's voice drops, his words laden with a grim realization. "Which, I think, is the only reason my old friend is still alive."
"Oh, my god," Storm breathes out, her usually composed demeanor faltering as the full weight of Erik's revelation settles over us.
Logan's gaze darts around our shaken faces, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "What are you all so afraid of?"
Erik's tone is steady, measured, as he explains, "While Cerebro is working, Charles's mind is connected to every living person on the planet. If he were forced to concentrate hard enough on a particular group—let's say mutants, for example—he could kill us all."
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Fervent Feelings
FanfictionY/n Summers, the adopted sibling of Alex and Scott Summers, navigates life as an empath within the X-Men universe. After being abandoned by their biological parents at a young age, Y/n was taken in by the Summers family after discovering her mutant...
