Chapter 21: Seeds of Reason #21
Handing his car keys to the valet, along with a generous tip, Evan intertwined my hand with Ororo's, and together, they strode towards the entrance of the hotel where Robert Kelly's political rally was in full swing. Kelly, a notorious mutant hater, was a Senator for his home state of Massachusetts.
There were many senators and politicians spreading bigotry all over the country, and under normal circumstances, Evan wouldn't have bothered with his rallies. But now he was running for president, and his anti-mutant agenda was gaining disturbing momentum.
As they entered the grand interior of the hotel, Ororo raised an eyebrow, her concern evident. "Are you sure it's wise for me to come here with you?" she inquired, her frown deepening. "Kelly wouldn't have a hard time recognizing me as a member of the X-Men," she added, her mind drifting to the many encounters the X-men had with the senator, none of which were pleasant.
With a reassuring smile, Evan kept walking toward the conference room, not letting her worries deter him. "Having a known mutant by my side while speaking on behalf of mutants is only natural," I replied calmly. "And you are the most suited for this role. You're calm, composed, well-spoken, and intelligent," Evan complimented, his smile unwavering as he assured Oror.
Ororo couldn't help but give him an amused look at his flattery. Evan chuckled before adding, "Professor Xavier would have been another fitting choice, of course, but I find your company far more enjoyable."
That comment earned me another chuckle from Oror, and she teased, "Alright, Mr. Slick. You should quit while you're ahead."
As they reached the entrance to the conference hall, they could hear the fervent speeches and passionate cheers from within. Ororo sighed, and her gaze turned serious as she said, "Let's just get this over with."
As Evan and Ororo stepped into the grand ballroom, the opulent atmosphere of the gathering immediately enveloped them. The room was adorned with elegant decorations, and the air teemed with the lively chatter of well-dressed men and women. It felt more like an exclusive event for the elite and not a typical political rally for the general public.
Robert Kelly, known for delivering speeches that aimed to garner support while stoking hatred against mutants, usually directed his rhetoric toward the masses. However, with his presidential aspirations, he now sought the backing of the wealthy and influential, which explained the upscale setting of the event.
It hadn't been easy for Evan to secure an invitation to the rally, but he had his ways. Smiling confidently as he surveyed the opulent surroundings, Evan remarked, "Looks like we're a bit late..."
Ororo nodded in agreement, her gaze turning to Robert Kelly, who stood at a podium on the other side of the lavishly decorated room. Behind him, a towering portrait of Abraham Lincoln hung, perhaps symbolizing his aspirations for power.
"He's wasting no time in spouting his bigotry," Ororo sighed, her disapproval evident. She had witnessed firsthand the harmful consequences of Kelly's hateful rhetoric against mutants, and attending his rally was far from a pleasurable experience.
Before they could say anything else, a young man dressed as a server approached Evan and Ororo. His demeanor was polite but professional as he asked to see their invitations. After a quick check, he promptly escorted them to their designated table, which offered a clear view of the podium.
Evan and Ororo could feel the tension in the air as they settled into their seats. Most of them well-off and influential figures, the attendants were engrossed in their discussions. Some nodded in agreement with Kelly's words, while others seemed disinterested, treating the rally more like a social event than a political one.
As they settled into their seats, Evan's curiosity led his gaze to a man calmly standing beside the podium, positioned at a measured distance from Robert Kelly. The man exuded an air of refinement, holding a wine glass in one hand and an elegant cane in the other. Clad in a sleek black suit that contrasted his rugged appearance and thick sideburns, he seemed to embody violence and elegance in a peculiar blend.
Sebastian Shaw, Evan immediately recognized the man's identity. Behind the façade of sophistication, Shaw was nothing short of a wolf in sheep's clothing, a cunning and dangerous adversary. Despite his awareness of Shaw's true nature, Evan kept his thoughts to himself, realizing that any misstep could prove costly.
On the grand podium, Robert Kelly continued his impassioned speech, his voice booming through the opulent ballroom. "I stand in the shadow of a man who said a house divided against itself cannot stand!" Robert fervently declared, his hand raised with conviction, emphasizing his point.
"I stand in the shadow of a man for whom the preservation of the union -- and the ideals and hopes and freedoms for which it stands -- was worth any price..." His words trailed off briefly before he brought his hand down with a forceful smack on the wooden surface. The room fell into a momentary hush as the weight of his statement settled among the crowd.
"Even his own life!" Kelly added, his tone firm, his gaze unwavering, leaving a resounding impact on his audience.
Pausing for a beat, Kelly allowed his words to sink in, scanning the crowd for the desired effect. He was a masterful orator, well-versed in the art of manipulating emotions to rally his supporters to his cause. With each word, he stoked the flames of patriotism and invoked the memory of Abraham Lincoln, a revered figure in American history.
"Now, as then, this land we love faces a clear and present danger to its liberty and future!" he proclaimed, his voice filled with urgency, his brows furrowed with concern. The crowd hung on his every word, drawn into the dramatic narrative he weaved.
"For Abraham Lincoln, the challenge was slavery. For us, in this day and age, it is mutants!" Kelly's declaration drew a mixture of cheers and applause from his supporters, the passion of their agreement evident in the thunderous response.
Evan and Ororo exchanged glances, and he quickly noticed the worry etched all over her face. As they listened to Kelly's speech, Evan could sense the manipulative tactics hidden beneath his words. It was clear that the senator was merely spouting bigotry. But his rhetoric was carefully crafted to appeal to those who harbored prejudice against mutants, and unfortunately, there was an abundance of such individuals.
Kelly didn't need to convince the few people who didn't regard mutants with suspicion and hate that they were wrong. Instead, he skillfully played on the fears and biases of the majority, reinforcing their beliefs and stoking their animosity towards mutants.
All he had to do was portray himself as the man who could protect humanity from the alleged mutant menace, and people would flock to Kelly like sheep, misguided by hate and fear.
Despite the weight of the situation, Evan mustered a reassuring smile for Ororo. He knew they couldn't let fear and ignorance dictate the future of mutant-human relations. It was time to challenge Kelly's divisive narrative.
Standing up from their seats, Evan's voice rang out with authority as he addressed the crowd, "In this time and age, where powerful alien species have attempted to invade Earth, is it not foolish to assume that mutants pose the biggest threat?" His tone was firm and unwavering as he continued, the room hushing in response to the unexpected interruption.
"They were born and raised by humans! They are as human as you and me!!" Evan stated, projecting his voice to reach every corner of the ballroom. "With the constant threats of extraterrestrial forces seeking to occupy or destroy our home, is it not foolish to make an enemy out of mutants when they might hold the key to our salvation?!"
A murmur rippled through the crowd, some taken aback by Evan's boldness while others listened with growing interest. Ororo watched Evan with wide eyes, knowing that he was not merely countering Kelly's words but planting seeds of doubt and questioning in the minds of those present.
As Senator Kelly frowned and delivered his venomous speech, the atmosphere in the grand ballroom grew charged with tension. The opulent setting seemed at odds with the divisive rhetoric being spewed from the podium.
"No human I know of is capable of bending steel beams... some might look and act like us, but make no mistake! Mutants are not humans!!" Kelly's words were met with fervent cheers from some attendees, while others listened with mixed reactions.
Undeterred, Evan stood tall, his demeanor composed and unwavering. In the face of Kelly's blatant bigotry, he chose to respond with reason and calm. "Only the depth of innate potential and, in some rare cases, outer appearance sets mutants and humans apart," Evan countered, his voice carrying with an air of authority. "But should we let such differences lead us to bigotry? To hate?" he challenged, his tone laced with conviction.
Evan's words resonated with a few individuals in the crowd, who nodded thoughtfully at his reasoned approach. He scoffed at Kelly's narrow-minded views, refusing to let prejudice cloud his judgment. "Should we judge people based on their genes or appearances ? When both humans and mutants are capable of good and evil deeds?!" Evan questioned, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
The crowd fell into a momentary hush, the power of Evan's argument slowly penetrating their consciousness. He continued, shaking his head as he drew from his own experiences. "As a former serviceman, I have seen firsthand how frightening power could be in the wrong hands—whether in the hands of a human or a mutant!" His gaze met Kelly's unyielding stare, holding his ground.
The tension in the room intensified, as the audience was forced to confront the stark contrast between Kelly's fearmongering and Evan's reasoned plea for understanding. It was a battle of ideologies—one fueled by hatred, the other by empathy.
Evan's voice strengthened, his eyes gleaming with determination. "And power fallen into yours, is power fallen into the wrong hands!"
...
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