NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: Chapter 14: A Turn of Events
"Do you have a plan? Where are you heading?" George asked the nurse Gabriella and the plump female driver, Isa, as they sat in the cargo truck.
In the movie, Gabriella had taken the mutant children to the border of North Dakota, not just because of some belief in a comic book as a mutant sanctuary.
She wasn't a child—she couldn't possibly believe in such a thing.
Moreover, in the movie, the leader of the mutant children, Rictor, was in contact with an unknown force via radio.
Because of George's mutant identity and his earlier assistance, Gabriella now trusted him to some extent. She explained without hesitation:
"We need to reach the North Dakota border by 5 PM next Friday, then cross into Canada."
"Why Canada? And why at that specific time?" George asked with a hint of doubt.
Gabriella explained, "We've done our research. Before mutants disappeared, Canada was the most welcoming country for mutants. When we decided to help the children escape, we proactively contacted the Canadian government.
"They agreed to take in the children, but they don't want trouble. That's why we must reach the border by 5 PM next Friday. At that time, they'll disrupt satellite surveillance in the area and provide support on the other side of the border."
"So, it's the Canadian government," George mused, a look of realization crossing his face.
Having seen the X-Men movies, he had a general understanding of the situation but not all the specifics.
Details like the Canadian government's friendliness toward mutants were news to him.
However, his expression soon darkened. Personally, he didn't trust the Canadian government much.
Governments are not individuals; their actions are dictated by numerous considerations. A change in leadership could bring a complete shift in policy. Even if the Canadian government had once been tolerant of mutants, who's to say they still were?
Would these mutant children become new test subjects after crossing the border?
This kind of uncertainty wasn't something he could accept.
He shared his concerns with Gabriella, who was visibly surprised that someone who had never left the experiment facility could think so far ahead.
Her response, however, was one of helplessness:
"We have no choice. Even if there's danger, we have to take it. We simply can't think of a better option."
Working at such a brutal experiment facility, how could they not understand humanity's darker side? How could they not worry that the children might end up in another hell?
But they had no alternative. They were at the very bottom of society—powerless and penniless, holding onto the last remnants of their kindness.
If the children stayed in the facility, they were doomed. Canada, at least, offered a sliver of hope.
"Life is often filled with such helpless choices," George sighed.
In his past life, he had also lived at the bottom of society, faced with similar dilemmas. The only difference was that those choices weren't as brutal as this one.
Even after thinking it over carefully, he couldn't come up with a better plan. He was unfamiliar with this world.
But he wouldn't place his fate in the hands of the Canadian government. Once the children were escorted to the border, he'd leave and hide.
Risking his life to save the children was already going above and beyond. Going with them to Canada to be constrained by its government? Absolutely not.
Escorting them to the border was his limit.
At this moment, he had conveniently forgotten the seemingly selfish reasoning he had used to convince himself at the fork in the road earlier.
"We're entering Juárez. We'll stock up on essentials here before heading to the border. Then we'll cross into New Mexico and drive straight north to North Dakota.
"If all goes smoothly, it'll take about two days," Isa said.
After two hours of highway driving, the truck entered Juárez, a city in northeastern Mexico. George poked his head out to look around.
He had heard of this city in his previous life, though not for good reasons.
Juárez, located on Mexico's northeastern border by the Rio Grande, was opposite El Paso in the United States. It was infamous as one of the most violent cities in the world.
At its worst, nearly 15,000 people were killed in six years due to crime.
The city was a hub for Mexico's largest drug cartels, supplying much of the U.S. drug market.
"Breaking news: Stark Industries CEO and renowned playboy Tony Stark has gone missing following a kidnapping in Afghanistan's Kunar Province."
While Gabriella and Isa went into a supermarket to purchase supplies, George, staying behind, was drawn to the news broadcast on a television outside the store.
"The incident that leads to the birth of Iron Man!"
His body stiffened, and a thought sparked in his mind, bringing a faint smile to his face.
"Maybe this is the turning point I've been waiting for."
Recalling all the Marvel movies he had watched in his previous life, George began to formulate a plan.
For him, trusting the Canadian government was less appealing than trusting Tony Stark.
Although Stark was arrogant and a bit of a playboy, his moral compass was intact.
Moreover, as one of America's top capitalists, even the government couldn't control him. He had outright refused to hand over the Iron Man suit.
Like Professor X, who successfully ran a mutant school in New York, Stark's wealth and power afforded him significant autonomy.
If George could gain Stark's protection, not only could the mutant children live normal lives, but he could also find a secure place to study magic.
As for the danger of getting entangled in future events by associating with Stark, George was pragmatic.
First, he needed to solve the immediate problem and secure a safe period to grow stronger. Strength was the ultimate guarantee.
If major events occurred later, George would decide his involvement based on the situation.
If this were the movie universe, he would stay far away. Even if Thanos snapped his fingers, things would ultimately be resolved, and there'd be no need for his intervention.
But this wasn't the movie universe; it was a hybrid Marvel world with mutants.
The stakes were unpredictable. A global catastrophe could very well occur, leaving no escape for anyone on Earth.
So, rather than leaving his fate to the heroes, George preferred to take matters into his own hands.
"The question is, how do I save Tony Stark and make him owe me a favor?"
George rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought.
Earning the gratitude of a billionaire like Stark would require a life-saving act.
But how could he, with his current strength, rescue Stark?
He didn't even know Stark's exact location—only that he was somewhere in a cave in the desert.