Double Breakthrough

In the study at the Xavier Institute, Charles Xavier had barely finished taking Matt's call when an encrypted call from Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., was transferred through.

Charles Xavier picked up the phone. He did not check the caller ID. He already knew who it was.

At this hour, fewer than five people in all of America could call on that Encrypted Channel.

"Fury." His voice was calm, like a lake without a ripple.

The other end fell silent for a second. Then Nick Fury spoke, with the fierce composure of a man backed into a corner.

"Professor, you know why I'm calling, don't you?"

Charles leaned back in his wheelchair, his gaze passing through the window to the children running across the lawn.

"About Russell."

"Yes. The President came to me. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you." Fury went straight to the point, but he was testing Charles too.

The corners of Charles's mouth lifted slightly.

He heard the implication in Fury's words: So you did know.

The one-eyed man wanted to find out just how far the world's most powerful telepath could "see."

"You don't need to test me, Fury." Charles spoke softly, but every word was clear.

"I haven't deliberately looked into your base. But I did know the President would contact you. He always does this. I'm only stating the facts.

"Unless I'm mistaken, the President called and threatened to cut S.H.I.E.L.D.'s budget. Now Iron Man won't come out, Hawkeye is blind, and Captain America has resigned from the Avengers.

"You have no one left to send, so you came to me. You want me to deal with Russell."

Fury fell silent. It was not the silence of a man with nothing to say. It was the silence of someone whose hand had been exposed,