Obama's Assassination

"Scott, go help Ororo bring the children over. It's time for us to leave," Professor X said to Cyclops.

"Understood, Professor." Although Cyclops was somewhat worried about Jean, with Professor X here, he felt very much at ease.

Watching Cyclops leave, Professor X turned to look at the distraught Jean and sighed.

"It's all right. These people will soon forget what just happened, and your troubles will pass as well. Let's go."

"I'm afraid not. John, Bobby, and Rogue seem to have run off to Food Street," Lu Yifang reminded him.

"What naughty little ones." As Professor X spoke, his eyes suddenly lost focus for a moment. Lu Yifang immediately sensed a powerful yet peaceful psychic force spreading outward.

"They seem to have run into a bit of trouble. We should go deal with it."

"Wait a second." Katie's voice suddenly rang out. She was standing before a display screen, where vast amounts of data flashed past as she used a small tablet to manipulate it.

"Child, what are you doing?" Professor X turned to look at Katie.

"Done." Katie unplugged the data cable. "Professor, you can erase these people's memories, but there are cameras here too, so it would be better to clean everything up at once."

Professor X paused in surprise, then smiled approvingly. "Good child. Well done."

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Bobby and John looked amusedly at the two young men provoking them.

"Kid, who the hell are you trying to act tough in front of?" one of the punk youths said irritably.

What had happened was this: the two idle punks had been wandering around when they spotted a pretty girl and decided to come over and hit on her.

Yet the girl's two male companions completely ignored them, and their expressions even suggested that they did not take them seriously at all. That irritated the two punks.

"It's simple. Because I really am that badass." John toyed with the lighter in his hand, but after hesitating for a moment, he ultimately decided against lighting it.

"Why aren't you keeping up the act?" Bobby suddenly said. She was usually a calm person who did not stir up trouble, but the way these two punks looked at Rogue left her very unsettled and annoyed.

"It's not the girl I like that they're eyeing. Why should I be the one to make a move?" John said disdainfully, completely unmoved by Bobby's provocation.

But while John and Bobby were talking, one of the punk youths suddenly made his move and snatched John's lighter away.

"Give it back." John rose to his feet at once.

"Why should I?" The punk lit a cigarette with the lighter and stared provocatively at John.

"Aren't you so badass? Why aren't you acting tough now?"

"I think you've made a..." Looking at the lit cigarette hanging from the punk's lips, John really wanted to make a move, but then he noticed Lu Yifang walking toward them.

Seeing John stop, the punk turned around in confusion and saw an Asian youth standing before him.

"Backup?" The punk frowned, but his furrowed brow soon relaxed. This kid did not look like much of a fighter. A little intimidation would probably be enough.

"Kid, you... Slap!"

Lu Yifang backhanded the idiot, sending him flying three meters away, then walked over to the table without even looking at him.

"Guys, this extracurricular field lesson is over. Time to head back."

"You bastard, you're asking to die!" The punk on the ground touched his swollen cheek and immediately flew into a rage.

"If you make another move, I won't hold back." Lu Yifang turned around, his expression unfriendly.

"You..." The punk and his companion both recoiled. That slap had left him completely unable to resist. It was obvious that even together, the two of them were no match for the guy in front of them.

"What's going on here?" A woman in a police uniform carrying a walkie-talkie approached. She was clearly an Auxiliary Police officer responsible for maintaining order here.

"Officer, thank goodness you're here! This guy suddenly attacked me." Seeing the Auxiliary Police officer approach, the punk immediately acted as though he had found a savior and began complaining.

But faced with the officer's hostile gaze, Lu Yifang calmly took out a small ID booklet.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. business. Unauthorized personnel, keep away!"

The Auxiliary Police officer saw the small booklet bearing the eagle emblem and her pupils contracted. After apologizing, she hurriedly moved far away from the two punks. Anyone important enough for S.H.I.E.L.D. to handle—could these two young men be terrorists plotting a bombing?

"S.H.I.E.L.D.!" The two punk youths were also startled. They finally understood why this ordinary-looking guy was such a good fighter.

"Get lost." Lu Yifang waved them away impatiently. They were just ordinary street punks; it was beneath him to make things difficult for people like them.

Yet just as the two punks felt as though they had been pardoned, Lu Yifang's gaze suddenly fell on the juice Bobby and the others had ordered on the table.

"Wait." Lu Yifang asked the server for two more cups of juice.

"You two are paying the bill."

"What?" The two punk youths were caught off guard by this sudden extortion.

Lu Yifang handed the other cup of juice to Katie, who had caught up with them. Well, making things difficult for them once in a while was not bad either. As for whether they might drop anything, let them drop it. It was all worthless stuff anyway.

"Buddy, nicely done." Watching the punk youths obediently pay, John could not help giving Lu Yifang a thumbs-up.

But Lu Yifang did not answer him. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Professor X, who was slowly approaching in his wheelchair.

"Don't casually show off your abilities in the future." Professor X looked displeased as he stared at John. He had clearly seen that if Lu Yifang had not arrived in time, John would likely have used his powers in public.

John was immediately unhappy at Professor X's words. He had not been the one who made a move. "That's not fair. Yifang clearly—"

"Yifang is different from you. He won't let things get out of control," Professor X said calmly. In terms of abilities, as long as Lu Yifang did not go too far, he merely looked like someone who could fight a little better. But the moment John used his fire-control ability, everyone would know he was a Mutant.

Besides, Lu Yifang was registered with S.H.I.E.L.D. Even if he exposed his abilities, who within the system would dare confront him so casually?

"I understand." John clenched his fists unwillingly, but ultimately said nothing more.

"Let's go." But just as Professor X turned his wheelchair around, the news suddenly playing on the television mounted on the wall made his body stiffen.

"Breaking news, live report from Washington: the White House Oval Office has come under attack. The situation is still unfolding, but President Obama has been confirmed unharmed. According to multiple sources, the attacker—or attackers—are very likely one or more Mutants."

"Oh, that's not good news." Professor X muttered. After a moment of silence, he turned his gaze to Lu Yifang.

"Yifang, I want you to find Nick Fury immediately. He should have some of the intelligence we need."

"Are you sure?" Lu Yifang looked toward Jean. Clearly, Jean's risky use of Cerebro last time had loosened the Mental Seal on Phoenix within her. She needed to reinforce the seal at once, and without Lu Yifang, if Jean lost control again, who else could restrain her?

"Don't worry. I know very well that thing won't be able to get out so easily."