[36] Hank's Excitement

CIA R&D Building,

Supersonic Laboratory.

Brian and Raven stepped out of Senator Foster's private elevator.

The moment they exited, Brian's mind began to buzz with a familiar sensation.

Tick-Tick-Tick

A presence was here—undoubtedly another mutant.

Guided by the sense in his mind, Brian turned his attention toward the laboratory ahead.

Inside, a thin scientist in a white lab coat was standing before a supersonic aircraft, running data tests. This was their target—The Beast, Hank.

"Senator Foster, the supersonic aircraft has been completed," Hank said, noticing them as they entered the lab. His gaze lingered on Brian for a few moments before he approached Raven, speaking with respectful formality.

"Brian, is that Hank, the Beast?" Raven asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice as she observed Hank.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a precognitive comic, clearly expecting something—or someone—different.

In the comic, there was a huge, muscular blue gorilla. That was the image of Beast Hank that Raven had gotten from Brian before they arrived—a blue-furred, hulking figure.

The thin, white-coated scientist in front of her now clearly didn't match the picture Raven had in her head.

"Senator Foster, what are you talking about?" Hank asked, confused, as he looked at Raven, not understanding her reference to the Beast.

"Raven, the Beast Hank you're thinking of is an image from the future. The current Hank is, at best, just a 'Bigfoot,'" Brian explained to Raven, ignoring Hank's puzzled look.

"Bigfoot?" Raven repeated, glancing down at Hank's feet in confusion. The shoes covered them, so she couldn't see anything unusual.

"What are you talking about? And who is this person?" Hank's expression changed drastically upon hearing the term "Bigfoot." Though he tried to remain composed, the panic in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Senator Foster is dead. You can call me Mystique~" Raven said with a shrug, watching Hank's growing unease. In an instant, her body shifted back into her natural blue-skinned Mystique form, revealing her true identity.

"Good grief," Hank muttered in shock when he saw Senator Foster transform into a blue-skinned woman. His initial surprise quickly gave way to a look of excitement.

"I knew I wasn't alone!" Hank exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

From a young age, Hank had always known he was different from those around him.

His feet resembled the legendary Bigfoot, a feature that set him apart. Because of his unusual feet, he was often labeled a freak by others as a child. Even his own parents abandoned him.

Fortunately, alongside his large feet, Hank was gifted with an extraordinary intellect. The hardships he endured in his childhood drove him to focus entirely on his studies.

Thanks to his brilliant mind, Hank had graduated from an Ivy League school by the age of 20, holding multiple doctoral degrees. He was then specially recruited into the CIA's secret research base, where he became a scientist.

For years, he had been careful, constantly hiding his identity as a mutant. Using CIA resources, he had been secretly searching for others like him—other mutants.

But until now, Hank had never found another mutant.

This sense of isolation had left Hank feeling hopeless, as though he were the only one of his kind in the world.

That's why, upon seeing Raven in her true Mystique form, Hank's excitement soared.

"Yes Hank, we're the same. You don't have to hide anymore in front of us," Raven said, fully understanding his excitement.

Mutants often lived in loneliness. Even Raven, before meeting Professor X, had lived in hiding, using her abilities to survive like a fugitive constantly on the run.

"Exactly! We are the same," Hank responded eagerly.

In Raven's curious gaze, he quickly removed his shoes, revealing his large, distinctly non-human feet.

Bang.

Without hesitation, Hank decided to show off his unique ability.

He bent his legs slightly and jumped, hooking his feet around the wing of the supersonic plane, hanging upside down effortlessly.

However, his display didn't get the reaction he had hoped for.

"Hank, are those the only abilities you have?"

Raven looked at Hank hanging upside down from the wing of the supersonic plane with clear disappointment, her interest in him quickly fading.

In her opinion, Hank's mutant abilities were, quite frankly, underwhelming.

Compared to the likes of Professor X, Magneto, or even herself, Hank's abilities seemed insignificant.

As for comparing him with Brian, there wasn't even a contest.

For the first time, Raven felt the disparity between mutants.

"Well... this is my ability," Hank said, noticing Raven's disappointment. The excitement on his face vanished as he jumped down from the wing, his tone turning bitter.

A wave of insecurity washed over him.

His abilities didn't seem to interest Mystique, someone he viewed as a senior, powerful mutant.

"Hank, don't belittle yourself," Brian, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke.

He stepped forward, placing a hand on Hank's shoulder, his voice firm. "You should know that there are no rubbish mutant abilities—only rubbish mutants."

"No rubbish mutant abilities... only rubbish mutants?" Hank repeated, momentarily stunned by Brian's words.

Hank looked at Brian, whose eyes were filled with encouragement, and a spark of hope returned to him. At that moment, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration toward Brian.

"Who are you?" Hank asked.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Brian. I'm part of a mutant organization called the X-Men," Brian replied confidently.

"X-Men?" Hank echoed, his curiosity piqued.

"The X-Men is a mutant organization," Brian explained. "We are dedicated to uniting weaker mutants and standing against those who misuse their abilities—the evil mutants. Our goal is to prevent them from destabilizing the human world with their powers."

Brian's tone became more impassioned as he continued. "My heart and my actions are as clear as a mirror. Everything we do is for justice. We are the dawn of mutants and the saviors of mankind."

He concluded with a powerful declaration: "We are Avengers."

Brian's stirring words left Hank captivated, and in just a few sentences, the idea of the X-Men had fully captured Hank's interest.

The phrase "My heart and my actions are as clear as a mirror, and everything we do is just" struck a chord with Hank. It sounded like a solemn declaration from a true guardian of justice.

As for Brian's last remark about the "Avengers," Hank was familiar with it. He knew the Avengers were a superhero team from comic books, dedicated to protecting human society from evil forces.

"Mr. Brian, can I join the Avengers—uh, I mean, the X-Men?" Hank asked eagerly.

There was no need to recruit him further; Brian's passionate words had already convinced Hank. He was ready and willing to contribute to the X-Men's cause.

"Of course, Hank. That's why we're here," Brian said with a smile, patting Hank on the shoulder. "Among the X-Men, we have a prophet who can see the future. He foresaw your joining us long ago."

Hank's eyes lit up with excitement and curiosity. "The prophet of the X-Men? In this prophecy, what does my future look like?" he asked, eager to know more.

"In the future, you will be strong, wild, and incredibly intelligent," Brian said seriously.

This time, he wasn't exaggerating. The future Beast would indeed embody those traits.

"Hank, this is your future," Raven added, handing over the precognitive comic she had brought with her.

Hank's face paled the moment he saw the image in the comic.

"Is this... a blue-haired gorilla? Will I really become like this in the future?"

Hank asked, feeling as though he had been struck by lightning.

The thought of transforming into such a creature was horrifying to him. He didn't want to look like that at all.

At that moment, Hank silently resolved to suppress his mutant abilities.

"Alright, it's time to head back," Brian said after successfully recruiting Hank, his gaze drifting to the supersonic plane behind them.

"Hank, you can fly a plane, right?" Brian asked casually.

Still unsure of where this was going, Hank nodded confidently. "Of course, Mr. Brian. I've been trained to fly planes."

"Excellent. Then take the plane behind you and get it ready to go," Brian said as he opened the door of the supersonic aircraft and leisurely stepped inside.

Raven followed closely behind, leaving Hank standing there, both bewildered and resigned to his future task.

Hank stood there in a daze for a long time, trying to process everything.

"Hank, what are you waiting for? Have you forgotten what I said? My heart and my actions are as clear as a mirror. Everything I do is just. Taking a CIA plane, even destroying the entire CIA, is an act of justice," Brian called out from the co-pilot's seat, his tone sharp as he scolded Hank.

"Is that really the explanation for that phrase?"

Hank muttered to himself as he boarded the plane, still in a state of confusion.

He settled into the cockpit, uncertain. Something about Brian's interpretation felt off to him, but his trust in his fellow mutants pushed him to set aside his doubts.

Roar!

The supersonic plane roared to life, the engine emitting a deafening sound. Moments later, it raced down the internal runway and lifted off, leaving the CIA's secret research and development base behind.