Two hours later…
Nick Fury sat in his dimly lit office, the screens in front of him displaying encrypted intel, energy readings, and reports flowing in from SHIELD analysts across the globe.
But none of that mattered at the moment. His thoughts were on one man: Nathaniel Essex. Sinister.
The man was evil—there was no doubt about that—but over the years, SHIELD had worked with him. Not because they liked him. Not because they trusted him.
But because sometimes, evil was... necessary.
Sinister had helped SHIELD design the neurochips that blocked telepaths from reading minds. He worked closely with Tusk to create power dampeners—tools essential in handling unpredictable and dangerous mutants. His methods were unethical. His morality nonexistent. But his results? Efficient.
Fury never trusted the man. In fact, he despised him and had always hated dealing with him.
But orders were orders—and Alexander Pierce had made it clear: "We need him. As much as you hate him, he balances the scale."
Fury had argued back then. Compared Sinister to Kingpin—another bastard that SHIELD tolerated.
"Take Kingpin out, and the underworld becomes a free-for-all," Pierce had said. "One devil on the throne is better than a hundred fighting for it."
If Kingpin was removed overnight, the criminal underworld would descend into uncontrollable chaos. His existence, while morally repugnant, created an equilibrium—one devil at the top to keep the rest in line. SHIELD understood that. They didn't support Kingpin—but they managed the situation, kept it contained.
Sinister was no different.
He kept mutant extremists in check. Fury had always wanted to take him out, to end the atrocities he was responsible for. But his superiors, especially Alexander Pierce, disagreed.
"Sinister's work is necessary," Pierce had told him. "Mutants like Magneto aren't the only threat. Even Charles Xavier could be dangerous if he ever chose to make the world his puppet show. That's why we need safeguards. That's why we need him."
Neurochips were one of those safeguards. Created by Sinister. Backed by SHIELD.
And Sinister's reach didn't stop there. He was also involved in earlier cases related to Selene, a mutant with access to real magic. That had been another shock for Fury—but after aliens, and monsters, magic didn't seem too far-fetched anymore.
But now…
Now Sinister was gone.
Every lab. Every hideout was burned to ash. His entire network—destroyed in an instant. No alarms, no resistance. Just… gone.
Someone had taken him off the board completely.
And that scared the hell out of the World Council.
If a single entity—or a group—had the power to erase someone like Sinister and all his tech-backed, mutant-enhanced operations in one instant… the global balance of power had just tilted in a dangerous direction.
Fury didn't like it one bit.
Because if someone—anyone—had the power to eliminate Sinister so completely, what else could they do? Who else could they erase?
Just then, Coulson entered the room with a tablet in hand.
"Director," he said. "We've got something."
Fury looked up. "Tell me it's not more bad news."
Coulson stepping forward before showing the tablet to Fury, "Depends on how you look at it." He then tapped the screen. "Energy readings from the ruins of Sinister's primary base match a unique signature. We've seen it before—during the alien conflict involving Jean Grey. It's almost identical."
Fury's good eye twitched. "So it was Jean?"
"We think so," Coulson said. "The signature could be traced to her. We already had reports that the younger Jean Grey reappeared after the incident years ago. But there's also the matter of the clone—Madelyne Pryor."
Fury leaned back in his chair with fingers steepled.
"If I had to bet," he said darkly, "the original Jean's more likely to pull off something like this. But don't rule the clone out. Either way, I want eyes on both."
Coulson nodded. "Already done. Our team is digging into the X-Men's recent movements. And… Emma Frost is showing interest too."
"Of course she is," Fury muttered. "That woman always smells opportunity in chaos."
He paused then looked back at Coulson and gave a firm nod.
"Inform Romanoff to stay close to Jean. She's already undercover as her secretary. If something's going down—we'll need to know first."
Coulson said. "I'll handle it."
"I also want Ethan watched just as close. That guy's a goddamn mystery."
"Understood."
As Coulson exited the office, Fury picked up his secure line. A second later, the screen flickered on with the stern face of Alexander Pierce.
"Update me," Pierce ordered.
Fury exhaled slowly, his tone calm—but edged with fire. "We've got a lead. And you're not gonna like it."
--------------
After sending Cable into the future, Ethan, Jean, and Anna finally returned home. The day had been heavy—emotionally draining for both Madelyne and Scott. But amidst the chaos and pain, there was relief… Sinister was gone. Forever.
They no longer had to worry about anyone hunting the baby.
Still, as Ethan sat quietly for a moment, one question nagged at his mind.
'Why didn't my future self cure baby Nathan with the Time Stone the first time he found him?'
Even Cable had no answer. He'd simply smiled like someone who knew more than he let on.
Ethan sighed. 'Guess not all questions need answers… as long as everything worked out.'
Later, Jean and Anna decided to go out for a bit—some shopping to clear their minds and enjoy the quiet. Ethan, meanwhile, had one last task.
Returning the Time Stone.
He stepped through a portal and arrived at Kamar-Taj, the mystical stronghold of the Masters of the Mystic Arts.
As he walked into the central chamber, Wong greeted him with a familiar expression—one of warmth, tinged with caution. "Ethan," Wong said before nodding.
Ethan clapped him on the shoulder like an old friend. "Wong, my man! Miss me?" he grinned.
Wong sighed lightly. "You're… hard to miss. And harder to ignore."
Despite the deadpan tone, Ethan could tell Wong didn't actually mind him. He even liked Ethan in his own quiet way.
Mordo appeared next, arms folded, eyes narrowing as he approached.
"Ethan," Mordo said, curt. "Still not behaving like a proper sorcerer, I see."
"Proper sorcerer?" Ethan laughed. "You mean losing every duel we ever had?"
Mordo scowled. "You fight like a rogue—unfocused. You rely on brute force, not discipline."
Ethan smirked. "Yeah, and your discipline gets you what? A perfect loss record?"
Wong coughed to hide a chuckle. Mordo's glare intensified.
"In a contest of pure sorcery, I would not lose."
"Right, right," Ethan said before waving him off. "Because our enemies always fight fair and follow the rules."
Mordo rolled his eyes and walked off without another word.
Ethan turned back to Wong with a smirk. "He's fun."
"Fun isn't the word I'd use," Wong replied dryly, accepting the Eye of Agamotto with reverence. "Thank you for returning it. I suppose you used it well."
"Only when I had to," Ethan said, "Tell the Ancient One I said hi."
Wong gave a respectful nod.
With nothing else keeping him, Ethan opened another portal and returned home.
The house was quiet, the warm golden glow of the afternoon sun slipping in through the windows. Ethan leaned back on the couch, smiling faintly.
'Time to enjoy the peace… for however long it lasts.'
That night, he planned nothing more than to relax—and to spend some well-deserved quality time with Jean and Anna.
...
As night settled over the city, Natasha Romanoff returned to her quiet rental apartment—just a few blocks away from Ethan's home.
It wasn't coincidence. It was part of her assignment.
The intel she received from Coulson surprised her.
He suggested that Jean Grey might have been involved in the event that shook the entire planet—the moment when everyone heard the cry of a bird across the sky. But what made Natasha pause was the theory that Jean had also been responsible for the complete and utter annihilation of Mr. Sinister and every one of his bases on Earth.
Natasha couldn't say she was sorry.
'That dark bastard deserved worse,' she thought.
Still, it made her wary. Anyone with that kind of power—whether mutant, magical, or something else—needed to be watched.
Natasha had to dig deeper, and while there was no direct proof, the energy signatures, the scope of destruction, and the sheer scale of what had occurred… it all aligned with Jean's unique profile.
'If it really was her,' Natasha thought, 'then she's far more powerful—and far more dangerous—than anyone realized.'
Ethan was another enigma. Friendly, easygoing, and well-liked among the people in the company, but there was something mysterious beneath the surface.
His current power levels were unknown, and even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s databases had little on who's backing him up with all those magic wards on his house. That alone raised red flags.
Jean, on the other hand, came across as warm and welcoming—a grounded presence despite her overwhelming power.
And then there was Anna.
Everyone who met her seemed to instantly like her. She was bubbly, kind, and easy to talk to—almost like the heart of the trio.
Natasha leaned against her window before sipping bear as she looked out into the quiet street, watching the lights from Ethan's home in the distance.
'Jean… Ethan… Anna. What are you all hiding?'
Tomorrow, she would find out more. She'd meet them face-to-face, up close and personal. Maybe gain their trust. Maybe uncover something important.
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