"So… they're calling us traitors?" Captain America's voice trembled between disbelief and anger. The heroes who had risked their lives to save the nation were now branded as enemies of the state, accused of treason and blamed for the destruction of New York itself.
"For what reason?" he demanded. "Because they're the government, we're all just supposed to believe whatever they say?"
The bitterness in his tone was unmistakable. After all the sacrifices the Avengers and other heroes had made for America, how could the public so easily turn against them?
Blink exhaled softly, her expression heavy with sorrow. "They released what they're calling evidence—edited recordings of your battlefield communications. Your voice was identified among the so-called rebels at the New York site."
"Of course I was there!" Steve snapped. "We were fighting for America—fighting beside the soldiers! How could they twist that?" He clenched his fists, his mind racing. It was obvious: the recordings had been carefully doctored, crucial context cut away. But even then… how could the people not see the truth?
Blink hesitated before speaking again, her tone uneasy. "The recordings… also include a segment where the supposed 'rebel leader'—you—are heard rallying American soldiers to disobey orders and join your side. It's presented as evidence that you led a mass mutiny. General Wilde testified under oath that you were the first to defy command."
The realization hit Steve like a punch to the gut. It was true—he had disobeyed direct orders and led a detachment of soldiers into Queens. But it wasn't rebellion. It had been an act of desperation, a final attempt to save the country from annihilation.
"They actually went that far…" he muttered through gritted teeth. Rage surged through him. He slammed his fist into the wooden frame of the bed beside him, splintering it to pieces. "We fought to protect them, and they call it treason?"
Blink lowered her eyes. "And people believe it."
Her words carried a quiet despair. "That's why I left the school," she added, voice trembling slightly. "After the press conference, riots broke out everywhere. Crowds marched under banners calling for 'justice against superhumans.' They destroyed the Fantastic Four's home. The soldiers nearby did nothing—just watched."
Her hands tightened into fists. "Then they came for us. A mob surrounded the Xavier Institute, demanding we hand over the so-called rebels. Cyclops went out to reason with them… but the crowd turned on him instead."
Captain America's breath caught. "What happened to him?"
Blink's eyes clouded with the memory. "They beat him. He didn't fight back—not once. He ordered the students to stay inside, to let him handle it. Even as they kicked him, hit him with sticks and blades… he just stood there and took it."
Steve's jaw tightened. As a leader, he understood that decision too well. If Cyclops had fought back—if he had unleashed his optic blasts on those civilians—it would've confirmed every accusation the government had made. It would've turned one angry mob into a nationwide war.
"So he chose to endure it," Steve murmured.
Blink nodded. "Until one of them pulled out a gun and aimed it at his head."
For a moment, the room was silent except for the sound of their breathing. Steve's knuckles turned white as his fists clenched even tighter. Cyclops's durability couldn't compare to his own; a single bullet could have ended him.
Blink continued in a trembling voice, "That's when Magneto appeared. He stopped the bullet… and then killed every person in that crowd. Every last one."
Steve's eyes widened in horror. "Magneto…"
He knew the man's ruthlessness all too well. Even his help came with a price. By intervening so violently, Magneto had guaranteed that the situation would spiral even further out of control.
"So Cyclops joined him?" Steve asked cautiously. Even if Magneto had saved his life, Steve couldn't imagine Cyclops siding with a man who had spent decades trying to impose mutant rule over humanity.
Blink shook her head. "No. Cyclops was unconscious. Magneto left right after the massacre."
She swallowed hard. "But it was too late. The next morning, every newspaper headline screamed 'Mutant Massacre!' They blamed the X-Men. Within an hour, Congress passed the Superhero Registration and Control Act—demanding that all powered individuals report to military facilities within four hours for mandatory containment. Anyone who refused would be charged with treason."
Captain America's heart sank. Even a man as politically naïve as him could see what was happening. "This was orchestrated," he said flatly. "They needed a scapegoat. That riot—it was staged by the government."
Blink nodded grimly. "That's what Cyclops believes too. When he woke up, he said it himself: the X-Men have been abandoned. The U.S. government has turned us into the enemy. The only path left for mutants now… is to resist."
Steve rose abruptly, fury burning in his eyes. "No! The American people need to hear the truth—right now! They have to know what really happened!"
He strode toward the door, his voice sharp with determination. "If I have to shout it from the streets, I will!"
But the moment he pulled the door open, he froze.
Standing there in the doorway was a familiar figure—hands in his pockets, expression calm, eyes cold.
Marcus.
The man who had orchestrated it all.
....
T/N: yo guys where is the support for the new fic. It's already there look.