Chapter 4: It's coming slowly but surely

I launched the company under my name and with the help of the professor advertisement was quite easy. I first launched Facebook which became a hit, a year later I launched Snapchat and Instagram. To everyone else surprise, they were also a hit. I left the mansion to manage my company while Jean stayed and became Henry's assistant. We're still together and I would regularly visit her every week. I had put artificial intelligence in my three applications to maintain the algorithm and send anonymous information to the school that only Charles, Henry, and logan received.

I noticed Shield and therefore Hydra started to approach me. They sent black widow to audition as my assistant to learn more about me as they knew that I was a mutant but I guessed Fury saw me as a potential Avengers. Natasha tried to charm me but I was faithful to Jean, maintained a respectful distance, and did not go over the line in our work relationship.

I was planning a romantic weekend for Jean when I read the newspaper saying that Tony Stark was missing. that was my cue telling me that my chance was approaching. By now I did not help the X-men fighting and they did not mind it as I was doing something far more important. I was constantly fighting the bad reputation of mutant-kind. They saw the result as fewer parents refusing to send their children to the Xavier mansion.

I had many enemies in the media but surprisingly I had one ally, J. Jonah Jameson. He was an impartial man when the subject was anything that had no relation to Spider-man. The fact that superheroes were still not a thing helped. I remembered my first interview with him.

---------------------------------------------

"Good morning good people of New York! Today I have a special guest that wanted to be interviewed by an award winner such as myself. Here with me is the CEO of the media company known as THE WORLDO, Laurence Zekiel!"

I put my headphones on my head after he introduced me.

"Hello everyone." He then went for the main subject with no detour.

" Mr. Zekiel, I believe you have made it clear that you were a mutant supporter. Why is that?"

"Well, I see you don't beat around the bush. I like that. If you must know the reason I am a supporter is that I am a mutant. I would prefer to be called a meta-human but after years of that not sticking around I just go by mutant now."

I had tried to change the name but Charles and Erik thought it would show that we are not proud to be who we are. After years of no one listening to me, I gave up. When I responded he was not shocked.

"So the rumors of you being one is real? Why made you decide to tell it to the world right now? What are your powers?"

He instantly barraged me with questions.

"Yes, the rumor of me being a mutant is real but I do not know if the other rumors thus I can not validate them. As for the reason why I just told you that is because it will prove my credibility if only a bit. As for my powers... I can't say that as I need something to engage the conversation or break the ice. Hahaha"

"Don't you think the world should know if you're dangerous or not?"

He did not seem to be afraid of me. I remembered that although he hated Spider-man, he did not tell peter's name to the green goblin when he came for him even when his life was in danger.

"If what you're worried about is danger then anyone can be dangerous to anyone else. Guns, knives, and other weapons could be dangerous to anyone and you never know who has a screwed loose. I came here to tell the world that mutants experience a case of lack of control when they awaken their mutant genes. If a mutant commits a crime it does not mean every mutant will do the same. I have seen multiple stories of someone committing a crime when they did not have any power but just guns."

"I see what you're saying and it is indeed true some people are sick in the head regardless which has no link to being a mutant but there is something you mentioned before. How dangerous are they if mutants can't control their power?"

"You see most of the accidents related to mutants using their power which resulted in people getting hurt, started because people thought the mutant was dangerous and stressed him or her by cornering them into a corner. there is somewhere they were about to kill mutants that were less than 10 years old. If you put a stressed individual into a situation where their life is in danger and add a power they still can't control, can you blame them for not controlling their power in such a tense situation?"

he seemed to think about it. He grunted a little.

"Yeah, I can't blame a kid for freaking out if someone's trying to kill or scare them."

"That is why I am trying to promote the fact that not all mutants are actively dangerous and that there is a place for young mutants to learn how to control their power. I frankly can't publicly tell you the location as it would invite the precession that we're trying to lessen but if it makes you feel better the government knows about it."

We kept talking and I answered a few more questions by the end, he saw my point. I had talked about the fact that some people would try to weaponize kids that just awakened their mutant genes and the amount of torture they would be subjected to under the guise of testing.

-------------------------------------------------

One morning, I woke up next to Jean's naked body. She was tired after last night's actions. We had spent a whole month apart as she was busy with new mutants coming in from left and right. I was proud to say that everyone in the mansion knows what we did regardless of whether they had super hearing, mind powers or not. I went to tell everyone that Jean would not be available today as she was tired and could not move her legs.

I smiled when I read the news. Tony Stark was back. I had to gather personal funds for this occasion as I knew he would stop manufacturing weapons. When he announced it I waited for the stock of his company to drop enough for me to buy a large amount of the shares.

I left him to deal with his enemy as for my plan to work I wanted as less change as possible though I would not mind getting rich along the way. Everything went as canon. I was tempted to go fight the destroyer of Asgard but I stopped myself. I still had not made my fortress yet as I needed to find the perfect location for it. My work did prevent me from being too isolated.