Marvel: Empire of Power-Chapter 83: Baiting the Magnet, Probing the Professor

Elias Thorne's subtle provocations, designed to flush out the operational capabilities and strategic thinking of Charles Xavier and Magneto, began to yield results, though not always in predictable ways. The world of mutants was proving to be far more complex and reactive than the often-brutish power struggles of Hydra or conventional Cold War espionage.

Mickey O'Halloran's carefully planted rumors about "Element X" caused a stir in predictable circles. Fringe scientific journals, conspiracy theorists, and certain underfunded government agencies tasked with investigating "anomalous phenomena" began to chatter. More significantly, Anya Petrova's sources within the OSS/SSR remnants (now coalescing into something more formal, more powerful) reported a sudden, intense interest from Magneto's nascent Brotherhood. Magneto, ever aware of humanity's technological and military advancements, clearly saw the potential of such a powerful new energy source, either as a weapon for his cause or a threat to be neutralized.

Several known Brotherhood operatives – minor mutants with tracking or infiltration abilities – were detected by Anya's network making discreet inquiries in Northern Canada, near the Great Bear Lake region where Elias's Feral Striker pack had previously secured the initial Element X samples. They found nothing, of course; Elias had ensured the site was scoured, its true nature attributed to a tragic mining accident. But their presence, their methodology, was duly noted.

[MAGNETO FACTION – REACTION TO ELEMENT X INTEL: ACTIVE INVESTIGATION INITIATED. OPERATIONAL SECURITY: MODERATE (Utilizing low-level assets for initial recon). STRATEGIC INTEREST: HIGH (Potential weapon/power source). SYSTEM ASSESSMENT: Magneto is cautious but clearly seeking to acquire/control disruptive new technologies.]

Dr. Finch's necromantic "haunting" of Magneto's Eastern European safe house yielded more... visceral results. The persistent, unsettling necrotic phenomena – objects moving inexplicably, chilling whispers in forgotten languages, sudden drops in temperature, and a pervasive aura of dread – clearly unnerved the safe house occupants, mostly lower-level Brotherhood recruits and a few captured human scientists Magneto was... "persuading" to work for him.

There was no direct psionic defense detected from Magneto himself at this distance (his primary defenses were clearly rooted in his immense control over magnetism). However, after several days of escalating disturbances, the safe house was abruptly, violently abandoned. Before they left, its occupants systematically destroyed all research and equipment, not with conventional demolitions, but by using Magneto's powers to twist steel girders into unrecognizable knots and magnetically wipe all data storage devices. It was a scorched earth retreat.

Finch, observing remotely through his scrying rituals (now refined with System assistance to peer through necrotic echoes), reported a palpable wave of rage and paranoia emanating from the site just before its destruction.

[MAGNETO FACTION – REACTION TO NECROTIC HARASSMENT: FACILITY ABANDONED/SANITIZED. RESPONSE: EXTREME, DESTRUCTIVE. PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT: SIGNIFICANT (PARANOIA/FEAR AMONGST LOWER-TIER ASSETS). SYSTEM ASSESSMENT: Magneto is highly reactive to perceived threats to his operational security and personnel, particularly those of an unseen, esoteric nature. He possesses overwhelming destructive capability for immediate area denial but may lack sophisticated countermeasures against subtle, psionic/necrotic incursions at a distance without a dedicated psionic within his inner circle.]

Elias now had a potential psychological vulnerability for Magneto: his deep-seated trauma and paranoia regarding unseen persecutors, a trait that could be exploited with Finch's unique, deniable abilities.

Probing Charles Xavier was a far more delicate, far more dangerous proposition. His Omega-level telepathy was a constant, passive threat. Any direct attempt at infiltration or even close-proximity surveillance of his Westchester school risked immediate detection and potential mental backlash.

Elias decided on an indirect approach, targeting not Xavier himself, but the idea of Xavier, and observing the reaction. Through carefully laundered funds and anonymous shell foundations, he began to discreetly support small, independent journalistic outlets and academic researchers who were beginning to investigate the "mutant phenomenon" with a degree of open-mindedness, rather than fear or hysteria. He ensured these outlets published articles – some speculative, some based on heavily sanitized (and untraceable) eyewitness accounts Anya provided – that portrayed mutants not as monsters, but as ordinary people struggling with extraordinary circumstances, deserving of understanding and a place in society. He even funded a few "humanitarian aid" groups ostensibly dedicated to helping "uniquely afflicted individuals" (a deliberately vague term).

The goal was twofold: firstly, to see how Xavier and his nascent X-Men reacted to positive, albeit anonymously sourced, public discourse about mutants. Would they attempt to make contact? Would they reveal themselves further? Secondly, and more subtly, it was to begin shaping the public narrative around mutants in a way that Elias could, eventually, control or manipulate. If mutants were seen as sympathetic figures, it might forestall more aggressive government crackdowns, giving Elias more time to assess and integrate (or neutralize) them.

The results were fascinating. Charles Xavier, as expected, responded with cautious optimism. Through his public persona as a respected academic specializing in genetics and mutation, he began to subtly engage with these "pro-mutant" discussions, offering thoughtful commentary, advocating for tolerance and research. His school for "gifted youngsters" gained a slightly more positive, if still enigmatic, public profile. Several young, isolated mutants, reading these articles, reportedly made their own way to Westchester, seeking sanctuary and guidance. Xavier was, in essence, benefiting from Elias's subtle propaganda.

The System noted: [XAVIER FACTION – REACTION TO MODIFIED PUBLIC DISCOURSE: CAUTIOUS ENGAGEMENT/POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. STRATEGY: UTILIZE POSITIVE NARRATIVE TO PROMOTE COEXISTENCE/RECRUITMENT. SYSTEM ASSESSMENT: Xavier is highly receptive to peaceful/intellectual approaches. His primary concern is mutant safety and integration. He is currently unaware of Host's manipulative influence but is indirectly benefiting from it. Vulnerability: His idealism may be exploitable if the "benevolent source" of this pro-mutant discourse were revealed to be... less than altruistic.]

Anya Petrova also managed to place a deep-cover, non-empowered human agent (a highly trained former MI6 operative who had "retired" into Blackwood Global Strategies) as a low-level administrative staffer at a university where Xavier occasionally guest lectured. This agent couldn't get close to the X-Men or the school's inner workings, but they could observe Xavier's demeanor, his public interactions, and any overt attempts by anti-mutant groups or government agencies to monitor or harass him. The reports confirmed Xavier's genuine commitment to his cause, his immense intellect, and his profound weariness with human prejudice. They also noted his almost preternatural awareness of his surroundings, a constant, low-level telepathic "scanning" that made any closer approach by untrained individuals extremely risky.

While these subtle probes continued, Elias focused on his own asset development. Logan, fully recovered and his bond with Elias now a potent force, was temporarily recalled from Europe. The hunt for Strucker had gone cold for now, Hydra having retreated even deeper into the shadows after their recent losses. Elias had a new, highly sensitive assignment for Wolverine, one that would test his loyalty and his ability to operate with extreme discretion against a very different kind of target: certain individuals within the Allied "Project M" who were getting too close to uncovering Elias's own network or attempting to forcibly recruit mutants with dangerous, unstable powers. This was internal house-cleaning, a grim necessity.

The [5.1 Prime Essence Shards] Elias now possessed (after Finch's and the Nevada operation's gains) were burning a hole in his reserves. The Feral Legionnaire Hybrids (Adamantium Guard Alpha Squad) were proving exceptionally effective, but they were still only five. The System presented him with several options:

[Empower Additional Feral Legionnaire Hybrids]: Create more Tier 3 units, expanding his elite superhuman force. Cost: 2.0 Shards per existing Feral Striker upgraded, or 5.0 Shards + higher energy for a new recruit directly to Hybrid status (less efficient).[Genesis: True Legionnaire (Tier 3 Prime)]: Attempt the original "Project Legionnaire" template creation using all 5 Shards. This would yield one single Tier 3 Prime Legionnaire, potentially even more powerful and stable than the Hybrids, and unlock the full Legionnaire blueprint for cheaper replication later (2.0 Shards per unit). Higher risk, higher initial cost for the first unit.[Host Power Augmentation Mk. II]: Another personal infusion. Potential for new abilities, amplification of existing ones (particularly Psionics/Energy Manipulation). Highest risk, highest personal reward.[Specialized Troop Genesis (e.g., "Wizard Prime," "Arch-Giant")]: Use the Shards to attempt to create a Tier 2 or even nascent Tier 3 version of one of his support troop types, like Dr. Finch's Witch or his new Giants.

The choice was critical. Expanding his Feral Legionnaire Hybrids offered immediate tactical strength. Creating a "True Legionnaire" was a long-term investment in a superior soldier type. A personal augmentation could make him an even more overwhelming force. Specialized troops offered new strategic options.

Elias Thorne, the master of the System, the architect of shadows, sat in his Montreal vault, the hum of power around him, contemplating his next move on a chessboard that now spanned the globe, its pieces a terrifying array of mutants, super-soldiers, monsters, and gods. His bait had been taken. His enemies and potential rivals had revealed fragments of their nature. Now, it was time to consolidate his power, and prepare for the inevitable, escalating confrontations.