Chapter 34: The Arrival on Stark Tower

Max stood on the bridge of the Storm Chaser, watching the unfolding chaos in New York City. Loki's forces were scattered, their ranks obliterated by the relentless assault of the Ancient drones. Yet, as the X-Men suddenly appeared on the Stark Tower rooftop, unconscious and disheveled, Max felt the pull to intervene personally.

Yelena Belova, clad in her sleek Ghost armor, stepped forward, her voice firm with concern. "Max, are you sure you want to go down there? You don't need to expose yourself right now. Let us handle it."

Mason, towering in his massive Space Marine armor, nodded. "She's right. You shouldn't have to put yourself in danger. Let us lead."

Max, undeterred, moved to the center of the bridge, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I need to handle this personally. Besides, they might have information I need."

Before either Yelena or Mason could protest further, Max extended his arm, and his nanite armor began to form around his body. The metallic liquid wrapped around him like a living organism, reshaping itself into the formidable Crysis-like suit. The armor hugged his figure, glowing faintly with energy, its surface sleek and battle-ready, marked with intricate, glowing lines of power that pulsed like veins.

The armor looked like something from a distant future—a hybrid of advanced technology and biological design, sleek yet imposing. Its helmet was angular, with sharp visors that gleamed with a golden hue, and its body was covered in a dark, metallic sheen, punctuated by luminescent nodes that hinted at the immense power it housed within.

"Time to go," Max said, his voice slightly modulated through the armor.

Yelena sighed, sharing a glance with Mason, but she activated her Ghost cloak nonetheless, her sleek Ghost armor shimmering with a barely noticeable distortion as it camouflaged her. Mason, his enormous Space Marine armor thudding with each step, readied his weapons. With a nod, the three of them were teleported from the Storm Chaser down to the rooftop of Stark Tower.

A blinding light erupted on the rooftop as Max, Yelena, and Mason materialized.

The Avengers and Logan immediately turned toward the new arrivals, their expressions a mix of confusion and caution. The three newcomers stood imposing, with Max flanked by his two heavily armored guards.

Max's voice echoed across the rooftop, his tone calm and collected despite the tension. "Hello, Logan," he began, addressing the only person he recognized among the unconscious X-Men. "You don't know me, but I know about you and the X-Men. I need you to tell me—how did you and your team end up in this universe?"

Logan, though still disoriented, snarled and looked up at Max from his crouched position near the fallen X-Men. His adamantium claws were extended, his natural instinct to protect kicking in. "Who the hell are you, bub?" he growled. "And what do you mean 'this universe'? What kind of mind game is this?"

Max remained composed, ignoring Logan's aggression. "This isn't a game. I've been monitoring this universe for some time. In all that time, I've never encountered mutants like you, and there's a reason for that. This world… has no X-Men. No mutants."

Logan blinked, confusion flickering across his face. "No mutants? You're telling me… we crossed dimensions or somethin'?"

As the words left Logan's mouth, the Avengers, who had been listening in, began murmuring amongst themselves.

"Dimensions?" Clint muttered under his breath. "What kind of sci-fi bull are we dealing with now?"

Natasha's eyes narrowed as she absorbed the information, her mind racing through the possibilities.

Meanwhile, Tony, who had been hovering just above the rooftop, landed near Max and the others, the whir of his nanite armor filling the air. "So, you're telling me these guys," Tony gestured at the unconscious X-Men, "aren't from here? And mutants… are a thing somewhere else?"

Max nodded. "Exactly. Mutants are from their own universe—one very different from ours."

As Tony was about to quip back, Max raised his hand and summoned the scepter using the Accio charm, pulling it effortlessly near Loki's position, who was disoriented. The scepter flew straight into Max's hand, the blue gem glowing ominously.

Logan, still cautious, straightened up. "We're here because we're lookin' for someone. That's all I know. You want more details? You're gonna have to ask the others." He jerked his head toward the unconscious X-Men scattered across the rooftop.

At that moment, Loki, who had been biding his time, summoned an illusion and attacked Logan, sending a wave of chaotic energy toward the mutant. But before the illusion could do much damage, Yelena reacted with lightning speed. A single shot from her energy rifle hit the real Loki, who had been attempting to escape while invisible.

Loki's form shimmered as he became visible once more, slumping to the ground, unconscious from the stun shot.

Logan growled, slicing through Loki's illusion with his claws, his frustration evident. Captain America stepped forward, shield at the ready. "Easy there, Logan. We don't need this getting out of hand."

Tony landed between them, his tone casual but firm. "Alright, everyone, let's take a breath. Loki's out of commission, and it looks like we've got some new friends to deal with."

Logan glanced at Hulk and Thor, gauging his odds in a fight. With a heavy sigh, he sheathed his claws. "Fine," he grumbled. "I'll focus on helping my friends."

He moved toward the fallen X-Men, checking their injuries one by one.

As Logan tended to his team, the Avengers shifted their attention to Max, Yelena, and Mason.

"So," Tony started, raising an eyebrow at Mason's hulking figure. "Care to explain who the two Terminator rejects are?"

Max chuckled softly, his voice relaxed. "The bothe work for me. Let's just say they help keep things… organized."

Natasha, ever the spy, stepped forward, her eyes scanning Max and his team. "You've been full of surprises today," she said. "But we're going to need more answers than just who your friends are."

Max tilted his head, his face calm under the helm of his armor. "I get that. Why don't we all just take a seat over there," he gestured toward the rooftop's terrace area, where several benches were scattered, "and we can talk this through. There's no need for hostility."

Tony raised an eyebrow, glancing at the others. "Yeah, I'm down for a little rooftop chat." With a flick of his wrist, Tony deactivated his nanite suit, the armor retracting into his Arc Reactor. He turned to Max with a grin. "Neat trick, by the way. The armor—got some similar tech, huh?"

Max mimicked Tony, his nanite armor retracting in a similar fashion. "Let's just say, great minds think alike."

Tony nodded, clearly intrigued. "I want a full breakdown later."

As they began walking toward the benches, Mason hoisted Loki's limp body and dragged him toward Thor, depositing him at the Asgardian's feet. Thor gave a respectful nod. "Thank you, friend. Your assistance is most welcome."

Max nodded back, his gaze shifting to the green behemoth nearby. "Hulk," Max said, nodding to Hulk. Slowly, Hulk began to calm, his muscles shrinking and his green skin fading back to the pale complexion of Bruce Banner.

With the situation calming, the Avengers and Max's team sat on the benches, ready to discuss the whirlwind of events.

Natasha, ever the pragmatist, broke the silence. "Alright, let's start with the basics. Who are these people?" she gestured to the unconscious X-Men. "And who exactly are you and your… team?"

Max leaned back, relaxing slightly as the tension eased. "It's a long story," he began, "but let's start with the fact that the X-Men here aren't from our universe."