Chapter 17: Agreement (BONUS)

"Understood. We'll head over now."

"Yes, Director."

The moment he heard that, Dante stood up and followed Fury to the official meeting room on the twentieth floor.

As the door opened, the first thing Dante saw was Professor X's big shiny forehead, glowing like a polished bowling ball.

"Distinguished guests from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters," Fury said formally, "allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm Nicholas Joseph Fury, current Director of the World Federal Bureau of Investigation."

"Charles Francis Xavier," the Professor replied with a slight nod. "You may call me Professor X."

The historic handshake between the two bald men was unreasonably hilarious to Dante.

Especially since they'd already met before. Now here they were, shaking hands all over again with stiff diplomatic smiles, trying to cosplay as serious politicians.

Dante had been holding back his laughter since the moment they stepped in.

And clearly, he wasn't alone. Someone standing behind Professor X had their hand clamped over their mouth, trying really hard to stay quiet.

"Hahahahaha! This is hilarious! Nick Fury and Charles—face to face! I'm never gonna forget this moment!"

Of course. It was you again. Wolverine.

"When we met in Westchester County a few days ago, I kept thinking you looked familiar."

"Oh? Then maybe you've seen the old Howling Commandos group photo," he added casually. "You can call me Logan. I worked with Peggy Carter back in the day. Toughest woman I ever met."

Peggy Carter. The first Director of the America General Bureau.

Logan reeled it back a bit, his tone calm, almost humble.

Which made sense. This guy was an ancient relic—nearly 200 years old.

His life history could kill someone just by listing it out.

Born to a wealthy family. Lived with wolves in Canada. Fought in World War I and II. Teamed up with Cap, Bucky, and Peggy. Walked out of Hiroshima like it was a sauna.

Compared to all that, his Cold War spy phase felt like an after-school club.

The guy was a walking time capsule. A real-deal legend. Even Fury—who usually respected no one—had to give Logan credit.

Of course, Dante had to ruin the moment.

"Wait, wait, what is this? A family reunion? Should I call a catering service and set up a banquet table?"

Just like that, the heartfelt mood got body-checked out the window, and the conversation shifted gears.

From there, the two sides jumped into real negotiations.

Everything discussed with Dante and Professor X earlier was still the foundation—they just hammered out the finer details now.

All in all? The meeting was a massive success.

The FBI walked away with a team of high-powered, high-loyalty operatives.

The Mutants gained access to massive social resources and political protection.

And let's not underestimate that—because the FBI could do a lot for them.

They had dirt on every major corporation and shadow family pulling strings in American politics.

They could "gently persuade" even the greediest elite to chill out and play nice.

And if persuasion didn't work?

The Bureau would help them act like they'd been persuaded.

Because make no mistake, Mutants were an entire species. If the Bureau didn't throw their weight around, the politicians and talking heads controlling the economy and public opinion would never back off.

Dante even figured—once this model worked with the Mutants—it could be applied to the Inhumans too.

Although that'd be trickier.

Unlike Mutants, the Inhumans didn't have a working leadership hierarchy. Sure, the royal family of Attilan had settled on the dark side of the Moon (because why not), and Earth's few Inhuman enclaves like "Afterlife" lacked the reach and organization to lead an entire race.

They were where Mutants had been decades ago.

Still fumbling through their origin story.

"Professor X," Dante said, cutting in after the main talk was over, "I've got a proposal I hope you'll consider."

Fury immediately tensed up.

Fury blinked. Rapidly. Trying to Morse-code "don't do it" through his one remaining eye.

Dante ignored him completely.

"Agent Dante, please go ahead," Professor X said.

"Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters is managed incredibly well. I mean, even with all those adolescent Mutant brats, you haven't had any major disasters."

"...Are you complimenting us or roasting us?" Professor X asked, chuckling. "Because honestly, those kids give me migraines on a daily basis."

Teenagers are chaotic enough.

Add superpowers?

Yeah, good luck with that.

"Oh, it's definitely a compliment," Dante replied, wearing a look so sincere it had to be a performance. "Which is why, now that we're merging with the Bureau, I'd like to nominate you, Professor X, as the new Dean of the FBI Academy."

Fury nearly clapped on instinct.

And then immediately regretted it.

The last Dean of the FBI Academy?

Was a HYDRA agent.

After the purge, nearly every senior Agent assigned there was recalled to HQ.

Now it was just Agent Weaver and a hundred or so hand-verified, totally-not-HYDRA students keeping the lights on.

"Dean of the FBI Academy?" Professor X raised an eyebrow. "But I don't specialize in Agent training."

"I've taken that into account," Dante said. "You don't need to teach combat. What the Academy needs now is a clean background and the kind of moral authority people listen to. For instructors, someone like Wolverine is more than qualified. And since the Xavier Institute is being merged into the Bureau's Academy, having one Dean over both will help unify things. Build trust. Structure."

Professor X paused.

That... actually made a lot of sense.

After all, the goal of the Xavier School was never to turn everyone into an X-Man.

It was about giving young Mutants control over their powers, so they could choose their own future.

Some might become agents.

Others might just want a normal life.

But if the FBI became part of that path?

That opened doors. And removed walls.

Within the Bureau, no one would dare discriminate against a Mutant if the whole structure was designed to integrate them.

"Charles," Logan said suddenly, breaking his long silence, "I don't see a problem with it."

Now, Wolverine might drink, fight, and terrorize his students like a grumpy biker gym coach—but when he spoke, the X-Men listened.

His word carried real weight.

Second only to Professor X.

Seeing even Logan back the idea, Professor X nodded slowly.

"In that case... I'll take the job."

(To be continued.)

***

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