American comics: Starting with mutants

"Lake Akali?"

"Yes."

"The dam site over there, wasn't that area flooded?"

"Yes, after the Akari Lake Dam collapsed, Canada rebuilt the dam downstream, and the Akari Lake Dam is now below the water level."

As the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent answered Ethan's questions, he showed satellite images of the Akali Lake Dam on the big screen.

into the eye.

The lake was calm and still, showing no trace of the dam that once stood there three years ago.

Ethan sensed the fluctuations in the aura emanating from the piano beside him after the satellite image appeared, and reached out his left hand to grasp the piano's right hand.

Qin Na's violent emotions gradually dissipated after she saw a hint of violence appear in the satellite image.

Ethan then looked at Victoria and asked the question he had been wanting to ask: "By the way, in the three years since the Akali Lake Dam collapsed, have they been there?"

Victoria understood who Ethan meant by "them," and her answer was straightforward.

"no."

"Oh."

Ethan laughed.

Victoria then said, "Because after the Akali Lake Dam collapsed, the X-Force Suppression Fluid in the dam base leaked out. Any mutant who gets close to that area will be suppressed, and the closer they get to the dam base, the stronger the suppression will be."

Ethan nodded upon hearing this.

"And you, have you been there?"

"I've gone."

Victoria said calmly, "I sent out three field teams to try to find Qin's body at Lake Akali, but unfortunately we haven't found it. Also, because the base of the Lake Akali Dam has sunk to the bottom of the lake and there are signs of collapse, we didn't let the field teams go in to search for them for their safety."

Ethan nodded again.

The X-Men Jean saved didn't go back to find her; instead, Victoria sent people, three groups of people in total, to search for Jean.

What?

Will mutants who go there be suppressed?

Is that a reason?

this is not.

I told you to dive down and find bodies, not to fight. What's wrong? Do mutants lose their mutant abilities and then can't even swim anymore?

funny.

Victoria probably said that to give the X-Men a respectable reason.

Ethan was fully aware of this.

Just then.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent standing nearby, watching the satellite image showing the original site of the Akali Lake Dam suddenly flicker and then turn into static, quickly turned his head and said, "Commander."

Victoria and Ethan looked in the direction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's voice.

"What happened?"

"Strong signal interference was detected."

"William Stryker?"

"After the satellite images disappeared, it had already landed."

"Mobile operations team?"

"Agent Sharon Carter is on standby."

"Let's go now."

"bright……"

"etc."

Ethan, listening to Victoria's back-and-forth with the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, interrupted her and looked at Victoria: "This is different from what we agreed on."

What was said at the time?

He could accept being recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D., but only if he personally dealt with William Stryker.

Victoria was naturally aware of this condition.

but!

"Akali Lake has now become a no-go zone for mutants. Your and Jean's abilities will be suppressed there. William Stryker dares to go there now because he knows that you and Jean will lose your abilities if you go there."

"rest assured."

"Our deal still stands. Once William Stryker is captured, he will be handed over to you."

Victoria explained to Ethan.

Again.

William Stryker was captured by them three years ago, and the William Stryker who is still active now is just an unknown person whom no one cares about how he died.

Ethan remained unmoved: "If Qin won't go, I will."

His cheat ability has long since merged and sublimated into a mutant ability, and now, his ability can no longer be called a mutant ability at all.

and so……

Suppressing mutant abilities has nothing to do with Ethan's abilities.

In fact, let alone suppressing his abilities, even Qin's current abilities probably wouldn't be suppressed.

After all, being whitewashed weakens you by three points, while turning evil strengthens you ten times over.

But Akali Lake is, in a sense, the place where Jean fell. Just seeing the satellite image of Akali Lake made Jean feel violent. Ethan couldn't imagine if Jean would transform into the world-destroying Black Phoenix on the spot if she went to Akali Lake.

Moreover, after being reborn, Qin developed a resistance to going into the water.

and so……

Qin can choose not to go, but he must.

"William Stryker is mine."

Ethan looked at Victoria with a serious expression, his attitude clear: "No one can take it away from me."

Upon hearing this, Victoria looked at Ethan.

Eyes facing each other.

"Aren't you afraid that William Stryker guessed this and therefore went all the way to Lake Akali just to lure you in?"

"I'm not afraid."

"Your abilities will be suppressed after you go there."

"I cannot rest easy until he dies."

William Stryker must die, and he must die at his hands.

Ethan also believes Victoria's assurance.

But plans can't keep up with changes. What if William Stryker refuses to surrender or even chooses to commit suicide during the capture?

If that were the case, Ethan felt he would become depressed, so depressed that he might even try to find a way to settle scores with William Stryker's soul in hell.

Seeing Ethan's resolute attitude, Victoria could only turn her gaze to Qin, who was standing to the side.

Qin met Victoria's gaze, her expression as cold and stern as ever.

"Ethan sometimes dreams of William Stryker."

"..."

After hearing this, Victoria was speechless.

but……

Still wanting to make one last effort, she looked at Ethan and said, "I must warn you, if William Stryker went there prepared, you'll likely die if you go."

During the past two weeks, SHIELD New York has discovered various hidden doors and loopholes that William Stryker had set up in the surviving clones through their research.

However, they have not yet found a specific solution.

Putting aside everything else.

Regarding the replication of human lifespan alone, although the S.H.I.E.L.D. technology department obtained the replication method from the "growth-inhibiting agent" given by Ethan, the most crucial ingredient in it was something that had never been seen on the market before.

Although S.H.I.E.L.D. now has a way to suppress the rapid growth of clones' lifespans, their method is equivalent to a large-dose intravenous infusion compared to a "growth-inhibiting agent" that takes effect with a single injection.

and so!

If William Stryker was indeed prepared.

Ethan went.

He is very likely to die.

This is no joke!

……