Chapter 11: Farewell

Abigail had a special talent.No matter how much she drank or how late she stayed up, the next morning, the moment she opened her eyes, she was always refreshed, without a trace of a hangover.She always woke up before 7 a.m. on the dot.She promptly called the professor: "Professor, I've thought it through. I'm willing to go with you to Xavier's school." She glanced at the neatly packed luggage in the corner, then turned to look at the waking streets of New York, silently bidding farewell to the bustling city.The professor's voice seemed to carry some warmth from the dawn light: "I've sent you the airport details, and I've already booked the tickets. Come now."Abigail really appreciated that Charles had arranged for her to leave the very next day.With her personality, if she had postponed for a few more days, she might never have left.For a girl, leaving behind a familiar and stable life to step into an entirely unknown world was a huge challenge. Abigail thought that if she hadn't acted on impulse, she probably wouldn't have even taken the first step.At the airport, amidst the crowd, Abigail spotted Charles right away. He turned gently and nodded at her, taking out an envelope. "I thought you'd be saying goodbye to your friends last night. Didn't expect you still had time to write me a letter."Abigail took the letter, confused, and saw that the professor was tilting his head, smiling at her warmly. "Did you say I'll go bald in the future?"Abigail: "..."Abigail: "...I…"She stared at the professor's thick hair, momentarily speechless."I really drank too much last night, I can't remember," she quickly bowed. "Sorry, professor."Charles and Hank both laughed and patted her shoulder, telling her not to worry. Abigail nearly died of embarrassment. What terrible thing had she done last night? She had actually cursed the professor to go bald! How could she have been so rude?The professor was too smart to go bald!Hank took the suitcase from her and, while heading to security, asked, "So, have you said goodbye to the important people?"Abigail sighed helplessly. "Not yet."Charles and Hank stopped at the same time, turning to look at Abigail, both with slightly surprised expressions.Abigail smiled bitterly. "The two most important people in my life... One is my mother, but she didn't pick up her phone last night. Who knows where she was, probably with some man I don't know; the second is my master, Mr. Stark. He didn't answer either. Who knows where he was, probably with some woman I don't know."Hank: "…"Charles: "…"Abigail quickly noticed their reactions and hurriedly added, "No, my mother and my master don't know each other."The two of them visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Abigail did too and smiled faintly. "It's fine, I'm alone now. I have nothing tying me down."Charles's gaze turned toward the crowd in the distance, a hint of regret in his deep blue eyes. "Abigail, no one is ever truly alone in this world. The ties that bind us often run deeper than we think. In all the countless farewells I've experienced, many who never properly said goodbye did not fare well."Abigail shrugged, not taking it seriously.By the time they reached the security gate, Abigail felt that even if she regretted it, there was no turning back.However, just as she was about to step into security, her phone rang.As if he had anticipated it, Charles, seated in a wheelchair, and Hank both turned back and quietly watched Abigail, waiting for her answer.Abigail bit her lip. "I'm not answering it. Professor, let's go."Charles smiled gently, his lips crimson against his blue eyes, forming a reassuring smile. He said softly, "Answer it. Some things aren't so easily let go of."Abigail hesitated for a moment before pulling out her phone and answering the call. "Roddy? What's wrong?"Roddy's voice sounded tired. "Abigail, something's happened. After the missile exhibition, our car was attacked. Many people died, and Tony... Tony is missing."Abigail froze. At the same time, the airport's public address system broadcast the latest news: the CEO of Stark Industries had been kidnapped and was missing, with the military working hard to locate him.Roddy's voice grew weaker. "Abigail, I'm sorry I'm telling you so late, but I didn't know who to trust. Think about it, if Tony is dead, who benefits the most?"Abigail thought for a moment and replied, "Stan?"Roddy sighed, emphasizing his words. "It's not him, it's you. In Stark Industries, you have all the executive power that Tony had, and before he has heirs, you're the heir to his fortune. So I couldn't help but doubt you. But I've been observing you since he went missing, and I realized you've given up on your position at Stark Industries and are planning to leave New York, so I confirmed you have no part in it—"Abigail was stunned. "Tony made me the heir to his fortune? Why?"Roddy sighed. "Because he has no immediate family to trust. Abigail, I don't know what Tony was thinking about this, but there's one thing I have to tell you: as your friend and as a formal military warning, the two people with you right now are extremely dangerous. You should not associate with them. Understand?"Abigail snapped, "Roddy!"Roddy said, "Alright, alright, I'm not commenting on your friends, but with Tony's life uncertain, Stark Industries is bound to fall into chaos. He trusted you so much. You're not really going to leave at a time like this, are you?"Abigail's fingers instinctively tightened, gripping her phone as she looked at Charles and Hank in front of her.Charles smiled softly. "So, remember next time to say a proper goodbye."Hank shrugged. "It's okay, we'll wait for you." He said, taking out a small box from his bag and handing it to Abigail. "Actually, the professor anticipated that you might not leave smoothly, so just in case, we've prepared this for you.""Abigail, this medicine, once you take it, will make your abilities disappear for three days. But you mustn't take it lightly—only if you're out of control or about to lose control should you consider taking it. Your abilities are very strong, and they can explode in an instant. Nearby mutants with sensing abilities have already noticed, including Magneto, so be extra careful and protect yourself."Abigail took the medicine and the suitcase from Hank. A strange mix of loss and fulfillment rose in her heart.After saying goodbye to the professor and Hank, Abigail turned around and slowly walked toward the exit. Just after hanging up on Roddy, Stan called her, his voice anxious. "Abigail, you must have seen the news, right? Tony's life is uncertain, and I'm really worried…"Abigail firmly said, "Tony will be fine."Stan replied, "Abigail, no matter what, you can't leave now with all that's happened to the company. Since the news broke, the company's been in turmoil, and there are rumors spreading that if Stark isn't here, the company will collapse. We need to change their perception and show them that even without Tony, we can handle things."He muttered to himself, "And that reckless guy never really worked hard anyway."As if unsure, he asked again, "You're not leaving, are you?"Abigail said, "Of course not."After hearing Roddy say he didn't know who to trust, she now realized that Stan's motives weren't so simple.Stan had been a close friend of Tony's father for years and had always helped Tony run the company, so he was undoubtedly the most reliable person.Stan said, "If you can, could you come to the company now? We really need to have a meeting. Abigail, we must suppress the rumors from the outside and make sure no one thinks Stark Industries is on the brink of collapse. You're the most talented engineer I've ever seen, and we need to create something better than what Tony made, to calm down the rumors."Abigail stopped dead in her tracks.It was like something clicked in her mind, and she frowned, speaking up. "Stan, you mean you want me to replace Tony?"Stan laughed loudly. "Haha, surpass your master! Oh dear, I have to go for a meeting now, I'll hang up. Hope to see you soon."The airport was bustling with people.Abigail stood silently in the crowd, still holding her phone, not moving even after the call ended.Roddy had said he didn't know who to trust—he wasn't without reason.Abigail walked briskly toward the exit, her mind racing, murmuring under her breath, "Stan…"This was really a tricky situation.