Chapter 177: George Foretells the Future

After greeting Banner and Betty, George led Tony to meet Wolverine, Professor X, and the school's students.

Wolverine was an old acquaintance, but this was Tony's first time meeting Professor X. The professor, adept at handling people like Tony, quickly won him over with a few well-chosen words.

As the group conversed, the X-Jet landed nearby, piloted by Issa. Out stepped none other than Captain America, Steve Rogers.

"Steve, I thought you wouldn't be back until tonight," George remarked.

"Carter can't stay awake for long periods, and staying too long affects her rest," Steve replied with a sigh, his expression heavy with melancholy.

Seeing the now-aged Peggy Carter had stirred complex emotions in him. The woman he had loved and promised to dance with was now married, had children, and was well into her twilight years.

"Life is about moving forward. Let me introduce you to someone new—our part-time teacher, Tony Stark," George said, attempting to lighten the mood.

Tony eyed the iconic figure before him—the hero his father had spoken of incessantly, to the point of annoyance. Unable to resist, Tony quipped, "Nice to meet you, Cap. Why aren't you wearing that spandex you used for aerobics?"

"Nice to meet you too, Tony. Or should I say, nephew? Considering how close I was to your father, calling me Uncle Steve wouldn't be inappropriate," Steve replied, his tone laced with subtle irritation. His mood, already sour, wasn't improved by Tony's tactless remark.

"Weren't they supposed to get along well? Why does it feel like there's tension?" Logan whispered to Professor X.

Professor X chuckled. "Didn't you and Scott have a rocky start? And he even saved your life back then. Don't worry, they're both good people. Give them time, and they'll become great friends."

"Steve, your timing is perfect since everyone's here. I have something important to discuss," George announced, steering the conversation.

Gathering the group—including Banner and Betty—George led them to the school's main conference room.

...

"I've recently awakened a new ability," George began.

"What kind of ability?" the group asked, intrigued. They knew George possessed a myriad of powers, seemingly ever-growing. However, calling a meeting for this suggested it was no small matter.

"My ability to foresee the future—prophecy," George said, his expression serious.

This revelation caused a ripple of disbelief among the group. While George's other powers could be explained, even loosely, through science, prophecy was another matter entirely. It defied all conventional understanding.

Professor X intervened, sensing the group's skepticism. "Mutant abilities vary widely. Prophecy is rare but not unheard of. Let's focus on what George saw."

"Right. What did you see, George?" the group echoed, their curiosity reignited.

George's expression grew somber. "I saw an alien army invading Earth. We were fighting desperately to protect it."

"Are you sure you weren't dreaming, George? This sounds straight out of a sci-fi novel," Tony said, half-joking.

"Aliens do exist," Professor X interjected, recounting the D'Bari invasion and their attempt to claim the Phoenix Force. The room fell silent as the gravity of his words sank in.

For Steve, who had only recently emerged from his frozen slumber, the idea of extraterrestrial life was nearly incomprehensible. He was still adjusting to modern technology, let alone the vastness of the universe.

For scientists like Tony, Banner, and Betty, the possibility of alien life wasn't shocking. They had long suspected humanity wasn't alone in the cosmos. However, learning aliens had already visited Earth was startling.

...

George elaborated further. "The government has been aware of extraterrestrial life for some time. They even established an agency called S.W.O.R.D., which operates from a spaceship stationed in outer space."

"I also uncovered intel from S.H.I.E.L.D. about an alien fleet that appeared near Earth fifteen years ago. For reasons unknown, they left shortly after. That's when Nick Fury began formulating the Avengers Initiative, aiming to assemble a team of exceptional individuals to defend against alien threats."

The group listened intently, the weight of the revelation pressing down on them. George knew this was just the beginning. While he didn't plan to reveal everything about Thanos or the Infinity Stones immediately, laying the groundwork was crucial.

He intended to prepare his team, one step at a time.