Marvelous Pals #48

The door to Xavier's office swung open, and in walked Steve Rogers, followed closely by Logan. Rogers' presence radiated an unassuming yet undeniable authority, while Logan, true to form, skulked in the corner, his eyes darting between Rogers and me with suspicion.

"Professor Xavier," Rogers began, extending a hand with a firm grip, "I'm Steve Rogers. Thank you for seeing us on such short notice."

Xavier stood to greet him, his demeanor composed yet welcoming. "It's an honor to meet you, Captain Rogers. Please, call me Charles. And this is—"

"Logan," the Wolverine grunted, not bothering to hide his wariness. He remained in the corner, arms crossed, eyes flicking back and forth between us like a predator assessing threats.

"Nice to meet you, Charles," Rogers said, nodding politely. He turned to me, offering a warm smile. "And it's been a while, Vito. It's good to see you..."

I nodded, returning his smile briefly. "Yes, good to see you too, captain. But let's get down to business. I have places to be."

There was a beat of silence, the air thick with unspoken questions. Rogers and Xavier exchanged glances, and I could see the curiosity forming between them. It was time to cut through the pleasantries.

"Steve is here because he knows you're one of the few people capable of curing Bucky Barnes from his brainwashing," I said, my tone direct.

Xavier's eyes moved to Rogers, waiting for confirmation.

Rogers took a deep breath. "That's right. I don't have a lot of money, but I'll do anything in my power to repay you if you can help my friend."

I shook my head. "It's not about money, captain. Charles and his students don't need that."

Xavier nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We'd be happy to help a friend of Captain America. However, the situation we find ourselves in is rather complicated."

Rogers frowned, concern etching deeper lines into his face. "Are you saying you can't help him?"

Before Xavier could respond, I interjected with a smile. "That's not what he's saying at all, Captain. What he means is that helping you would mean antagonizing HYDRA, and that's an enemy we could do without right now."

Logan’s eyes narrowed at me, suspicion etched into every line of his rugged face, but I just ignored him, since that's just Wolverine being Wolverine.

“Exactly,” Xavier said, his tone serious. “We have many enemies as it is, and we can’t afford another one.” He turned his gaze to Rogers. “Are you aware of the current situation for mutants all over the world?”

Rogers shook his head, looking slightly perplexed. “Not exactly.”

Xavier’s eyebrows knit together in confusion, and I quickly jumped in. “The Captain’s body was frozen for several decades. He’s only been thawed out recently, and there’s still much about the world he doesn’t know.”

Rogers nodded with a smile. “Do pardon my ignorance.”

Xavier’s expression softened. “There’s nothing to pardon. I’ll simply educate you on the subject if you so wish... Can I at least assume you know what mutants are?”

Rogers nodded. “Yes, I do.”

“Good,” Xavier continued. “Mutants are humans who were blessed with extraordinary powers. However, unlike your abilities, which resulted from a human-orchestrated event, our special capabilities come as a result of evolution.”

Rogers nodded again. “My escort explained as much to me on the way here.”

I interjected, my voice tinged with a hint of bitterness. “Although the professor says mutant powers are a blessing, more often than not, they’re a curse. Mutations can manifest at any time and in any form. Because of this, they sometimes afflict people who aren’t ready to handle such power, resulting in rather unfortunate accidents.”

Xavier nodded solemnly. “Indeed. Due to the volatile nature of mutations our kind has developed a certain reputation to be feared and shunned, further exasperated by fear mongers and opportunistic individuals...”

In a solemn tone, the professor continued. “Governments around the world are wary, if not outright hostile. We strive to protect our own and educate those who can’t control their powers here... but it's not easy”

Rogers nodded slowly, taking in the weight of Xavier’s words. “I’ve seen that kind of fear before. During the war, people were scared of what they didn’t understand. But we managed to change that.”

Logan crossed his arms, still eyeing Rogers with suspicion. “Yeah, well, it’s not that easy this time. People don’t just fear mutants; they hate us. They think we’re dangerous, unpredictable.”

I couldn't help but shoot a side glance at Logan, my expression one of incredulity. “You are the single most, dangerous, unpredictable individual to walk this earth..." I grumbled in a low voice.

Logan seemed to overhear what I said thanks to his sharp senses, prompting him to give me a sharp glare. I merely shrugged and looked away, pretending nothing had happened.

Xavier sighed. “That’s precisely why we need allies like you, Captain. Your reputation and standing could make a significant difference.”

I cleared my throat, feeling the importance of the moment. “Steve, what we need from you is simple but crucial. We need you to use your reputation and name to alleviate the hate and fear people have for mutants.”

Rogers frowned, his expression turning introspective. “I was used as a tool to boost morale and push propaganda during the war after receiving the super soldier serum. I'm not sure this is my cup of tea....”

I nodded, understanding his reluctance. “I get it. You’re a soldier and a war hero. No one can take that away from you. But not all battles should be fought on the battlefield. Sometimes, a few words spoken behind a podium are worth more than a thousand bullets fired.”

Rogers looked at me, a hint of doubt still lingering in his eyes. “You really think it’ll make a difference?”

Xavier leaned forward, his voice gentle but firm. “Your presence and your words carry immense weight. You symbolize hope and courage. If you stand with them, speak for them, it could change the way people see mutants. It could save lives.”

Logan snorted, but there was a grudging respect in his eyes. “For what it’s worth, Cap, I think you’re the best shot we’ve got at making people listen.”

Rogers took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. “Alright. I’ll do it. I’ll speak out for you, for all mutants. But I need to know that Bucky will be taken care of.”

Xavier nodded, a reassuring smile on his face. “We will do everything in our power to help Bucky. You have my word.”

...

As we walked out of the X-Mansion, the crisp air of the afternoon brushed against my face, a stark contrast to the heavy atmosphere inside. Steve Rogers, with his usual composed demeanor, walked beside me.

I glanced at him, breaking the silence. "Let me guess, Fury didn't mention Professor Xavier until he heard I was visiting."

Steve sighed, his blue eyes reflecting a mixture of frustration and understanding. "He said the U.S. government and mutants aren't exactly on friendly terms."

I chuckled, the irony not lost on me. "The U.S. government doesn’t play well with most super-powered folks, mutants or otherwise. They've run multiple super-weapon programs aimed at creating, controlling, and even eliminating those with special abilities...."

"Logan the big hairy guy, for instance—he was kidnapped, had his memories wiped, and his skeleton coated in near-indestructible metal in a bid to make him into a living weapon..."

Steve blinked, processing the information. "I’d ask for more details, but I have a feeling the explanation would be more than I can handle right now."

I shrugged, a smirk playing on my lips. "Gotta keep some cards close to the chest for a rainy day."

Steve gave me a curious look. "You come off like you’re just looking out for yourself, but I know you’re the one who convinced Xavier to make that deal to improve the mutant situation."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "Make no mistake. I’ll always prioritize my own survival, but..." I trailed off, my thoughts drifting. "If I can do something to make the world just a bit better, I will... as long as I know it won't come to bite me in the ass later..."

Steve smiled, a genuine warmth in his expression. "Ironically, that makes you a better man than many..."

"Maybe," I replied, looking ahead as the mansion faded behind us. "But don't expect me to go jumping on grenades like a lunatic."

Steve chuckled. "Fair enough. We all have our limits, I suppose..."