Charles Returns

While Stryker and Lucien were plotting in secret, a plane flew back to New York from the Soviet Union.

Then a car came racing in at breakneck speed, arriving at the CIA's secret base, which had practically become a ruin.

"Jesus Christ, what happened here?"

Charles stared at the rubble strewn across the ground and the bloodstains still visible everywhere despite the cleanup, completely dumbfounded.

Erik, beside him, pressed a hand to his forehead, looking just as overwhelmed.

What the hell was going on?

They had only gone to the Soviet Union for a few days, yet by the time they returned, the base had been destroyed?

In fact, while they had been operating in the Soviet Union, Moira had already received word from CIA headquarters that something had happened at the base.

It had been invaded by Shaw.

And this was what they called "something happened"?

This was a goddamn disaster!

"What about the mutants? How are the mutants here?"

Charles immediately turned tense as he questioned a CIA agent stationed there.

"We didn't find their bodies," the agent replied.

That was both good news and bad news.

The good news was that no bodies meant they were probably alive. The bad news was that Black King Shaw might have captured them, and that was the last thing Charles wanted to see.

"Charles, things might not be that bad. Riptide and Red Devil are dead. Rorschach killed them."

After pondering for a moment, Erik spoke to Charles.

"That's right, Rorschach!"

Charles brightened as well.

With Rorschach there, things could not have gotten this bad, could they?

That was right.

Naturally, Charles and Erik did not know the exact sequence of events at the time, but they had investigated the Black King for so long that they knew what Red Devil and Riptide were capable of.

Not to mention that Charles and Erik had fought Shaw aboard the cruise ship before.

They had witnessed Riptide's strength firsthand.

If anyone among those mutants could have killed those two, it had to be Rorschach.

And according to the intelligence provided by the CIA, only three people had invaded the base: the Black King, Riptide, and Red Devil!

That gave Charles hope.

The Black King could not possibly have captured every mutant by himself, could he?

After a brief exchange with Erik, the two agreed that the mutants had most likely escaped.

"New York is so big. Where could they have gone?" Erik still had a headache.

They had all come from different places, and they had not known one another for very long. It was difficult to make any meaningful deductions or analyses.

"If I were Raven... Erik, I think I know where they're hiding." Charles gradually grasped something.

Xavier's Manor, his home!

It was the only place Raven could go!

The two exchanged a look, said nothing more, and quickly jumped into the car, vanishing in a trail of dust.

More than forty minutes later.

Charles and Erik appeared at the entrance to Xavier's Manor.

"Charles, are you sure they're inside?"

Erik's hand paused in midair as he reached for the door, and he turned to look at Charles beside him.

"Yes, they're inside!"

Charles smiled. He had already sensed them with his ability. Everyone was there!

Every single one of them was there!

Whew!

Only then did Erik let out a long breath, the tension that had been on his face throughout the journey finally melting away.

"Charles, you never told me you lived in such an outrageous place."

Erik teased Charles, then pushed open the door without further hesitation.

"Well... you never asked."

Charles answered casually as he hurried into the hall with Erik.

Mystique, Raven, Hank, Darwin, Angel, Banshee, and a number of other familiar faces all turned their heads in unison.

They came into Charles and Erik's view.

And naturally, Rorschach was there too—the one they were most relieved to see.

"Charles!"

"Charles!"

"Charles, Erik, you're back!"

After a brief pause, the atmosphere in the hall exploded. All the young people rushed forward in surprise and delight.

Charles and Erik had finally arrived!

The anxiety everyone had been carrying these past few days finally settled, and they felt much more at ease.

"I'm relieved to see that all of you are safe."

Charles looked at those young faces, his expression full of relief.

Erik was not one for smiling, but the muscles in his face had visibly relaxed as well.

"You all did well. Very well!"

He, too, offered the young people rare praise.

No matter how they had managed it, escaping successfully after the entire base had been destroyed was no easy feat.

"We actually didn't do much. It was all Rorschach," Banshee could not help but interject.

"That's right. Rorschach led us out," Havok immediately added.

They had done nothing, yet Erik was praising them so highly. Havok felt undeserving of it.

"No. In that hopeless situation, you weren't beaten down. You didn't compromise. You made it here through your own efforts. Every one of you has earned my respect, and I'm proud of you."

Charles swept his gaze across everyone present and spoke to them with great sincerity.

"Charles, everyone at the base... was killed."

Mystique raised her head, her tone suddenly becoming much heavier.

The lighthearted mood in the room immediately grew somber as well.

"Okay." Erik nodded. "Tell us exactly what happened at the base."

Mystique, Hank, Darwin, and the others took turns recounting everything that had happened in painstaking detail to Charles and Erik.

Even as bystanders, the two could not help feeling their hearts pound in fear.

What had happened had been far too perilous.

And although three or four days had already passed, Raven and the others who had experienced it firsthand still turned pale when they recalled it.

"Thank goodness Rorschach was there. Otherwise, I don't dare imagine what would have happened," Banshee sighed sincerely.

"Yeah, we have Rorschach to thank," Hank echoed from the side.

"Rorschach, you performed exceptionally well—far beyond even my expectations!"

Charles gave Rorschach an approving look as well.

During the upheaval that night, Rorschach had turned the tide. His contribution could not possibly be erased.

Charles and Erik were immensely grateful that Rorschach had not gone to the Soviet Union with them, but had remained at the base.

Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.