A little less than 30 minutes before the incident at the Hammer Expo…
Gwen's house.
The window slid open quietly, and Gwen slipped into her room. She was completely drenched from the rain, her hair plastered to her face, and her uniform heavy with water. She let out a long sigh, relieved to finally be home.
[Would you like me to activate the drying mode?]
Ruby's voice echoed softly in her ear, calm and practical as always.
[This function will evaporate all the moisture from the suit.]
Gwen blinked in surprise, looking at the glowing emblem on her chest.
"Wait… this suit has that too? Wow… every time I find out something new."
[The master anticipated situations like this. Most of the functions were designed by him.]
A smile tugged at Gwen's lips, even through her exhaustion.
"He really thinks of everything, huh? Well… go ahead and activate it."
The suit gave off a faint hum, followed by steam rising in swirling wisps, as if Gwen were a human kettle. Warmth spread across her body, and within seconds the dampness vanished, leaving the fabric clean and dry.
"Whoa… that's amazing! I should've activated this earlier. Makes me want to applaud."
[If you wish, I can record that reaction as positive feedback.]
She chuckled softly.
"No, no need. Let's just keep this between us."
After changing into comfortable clothes and pulling on a hoodie, Gwen went downstairs. At the same moment, the front door opened. George Stacy walked in, shrugging off his wet coat, his broad shoulders relaxing the instant he saw his daughter at home.
"You're back early today." He eyed her suspiciously, though with tenderness. "Did something happen?"
"It's nothing." Gwen hugged him quickly and kissed his cheek. "I just wanted to see my lovely parents. Is that a crime now?"
George raised an eyebrow, but smiled.
"If it is, I'll be your first accomplice."
From the other room, Helen called out:
"Dinner's ready! Come eat before it gets cold!"
Father and daughter exchanged a look, then walked together to the table. The smell of homemade food filled the air, bringing a rare sense of normalcy.
As they served themselves, the living room TV broadcasted live coverage of the much-talked-about Hammer Expo. Several networks had been invited by Justin Hammer to cover the event, and his image on stage was everywhere.
Gwen glanced at the screen, then at her father.
"Shouldn't you be there? I mean… usually the police are called to keep order at big events like that."
George scoffed, picking up his utensils.
"I was supposed to go, but those events are nothing but headaches. I decided to leave it to the military. Security there is tight, Gwen. Even if something happens, they can handle it."
"So you get to have dinner in peace," Gwen said, resting her chin on her hands.
"Exactly." George's tone softened into something more fatherly. "It's rare I get to be this relaxed. But to be honest, I'd rather watch real news… not Hammer's nonsense."
He grabbed the remote and switched channels, but every one of them was showing the same broadcast. With a resigned sigh, he muttered:
"Great… can't even escape him at home."
Helen smiled as she placed salad on his plate.
"Then enjoy it, George. It's not every day you get to have dinner without being called out for an emergency."
He was about to reply when he froze. The Expo broadcast suddenly shifted. The crowd screamed, the cameras shook, and then Tony Stark appeared on stage. A moment later, Hammer's drones opened fire on him.
"What the hell…?" George shot to his feet so fast his chair toppled over. "Damn it! I'm heading out now!"
The footage became chaotic — cameras cutting out, signals dropping. The lighthearted dinner was gone. Gwen stared at the TV, her heart pounding.
And before they could even catch their breath, another urgent report cut in:
"A mysterious figure has appeared on the streets of New York. The individual shows… unusual traits. We suspect it may be a mutant."
The screen showed a blue-skinned person, confused, wandering through Times Square. Their eyes reflected fear and disorientation. The more the crowd gathered, the more distressed they became.
George stood frozen for several seconds, torn between running to the Expo or addressing this new crisis. He clenched his jaw, grabbed his phone, and barked quick orders:
"Dispatch a unit immediately. I want a squad with me at Times Square. Now."
In his heart, the choice was clear. The safety of the people came first. The military was already at the Expo — and Stark too. They could handle it.
George threw on his coat again and left without saying goodbye. Helen remained staring at the TV, her face illuminated by the bluish figure. Worry shone in her eyes.
"Mom…" Gwen pushed away her plate. "I'm full too. I'll… go upstairs for a bit."
Helen sighed, shaking her head.
"Father and daughter, the same in everything."
Up in her room, Gwen wasted no time. She suited up again and spoke to Ruby.
"Run an analysis on that man. What did you pick up?"
[I can't identify him. It appears he has just awakened his powers and doesn't know how to control them.]
Gwen frowned.
"Just as I thought… contact Jean, now."
---
Xavier Institute.
Jean Grey was in a meeting when her phone buzzed. She excused herself, stood, and quickly answered outside.
"Gwen? What happened? You sound nervous."
The girl's voice came out steady, but rushed:
"Jean, a mutant just appeared in Times Square. Looks like he just awakened his powers. I'm sending you the footage now."
Jean was silent for a few seconds as she watched the recordings on her phone.
"I see."
She returned to the room and announced, her expression serious:
"A new mutant has appeared in the heart of New York."
The faces around her tensed. Professor Charles Xavier stepped closer, studying the screen intently.
"An elemental…" he murmured, thoughtful. "His powers were triggered by external conditions. From the instability, I'd place him at Beta level."
Jean crossed her arms.
"Not weak. But not someone we can just ignore either."
Charles nodded.
"Exactly. This is an opportunity for the X-Men. Not only to help him, but also to show the world that we are here to protect. Jean, go with Logan and Anna. Bring him to the Institute."
Jean nodded without hesitation. Logan, leaning against the wall, grunted:
"Better hope this kid doesn't give me trouble."
Anna gave a nervous smile.
"If he does, I can handle it for a few minutes."
Charles concluded, his voice calm but firm:
"This mission isn't just about rescue. It's also about showing people we're the good guys."
A few minutes later, the three were already leaving the Xavier Institute, heading straight for Times Square.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."