章 55: Ripples across the World!
One week had passed since Maxim Novikov's speech, and Madripoor's transformation had already begun rippling beyond its borders. The Principality had shifted quickly from lawless chaos to controlled order under Maxim and The High Table.
Infrastructure repairs and improvements were already beginning to be made, and changes were beginning to be seen. For the average person in the world, this news faded rather quickly.
Madripoor wasn't exactly an economic powerhouse or a place worth anything special, with its only relative value to the average person being its no extradition policy that was valuable mostly to criminals.
Still, for the various International Nations and Organizations, this shift in power was the subject of countless discussions and intelligence reports, a change like this could be a prelude to something bigger after all.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier
Nick Fury leaned over the holographic display table, his one good eye fixed on the slowly rotating globe in front of him. Madripoor was highlighted in red, with numerous data points clustering around it.
Across from him, Maria Hill stood with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable but her brow slightly furrowed as she browsed through various files on the tablet in her hand.
"Well, it's official," Fury said, straightening. "Madripoor's been completely flipped on its head. Novikov's running the show now, and by the looks of things, he's doing a damn good job of it. All his potential enemies are dead and the citizens love him."
Hill raised an eyebrow before he spoke, "Do you think this changes anything? He might not be Hydra, but a private power like that... it could be a problem down the line."
Fury shook his head, a wry smirk tugging at his lips, "Novikov isn't the kind of guy you recruit, Hill. Man like him? Too independent. He's got his own mission, and the best we can do is stay out of his way, better yet, stay on his good side. We still have no concrete information on his powers and skills. Too risky for too little benefit." Fury said.
Hill frowned, "So we just let him consolidate power? I'm all for another ally, but are you sure the World Security Council will allow that? There's already been a discussion called for."
Fury's smirk disappeared, replaced by a serious expression, "I'm not saying we don't keep tabs on him. We watch, we listen, but we don't antagonize him. He's not like Hydra. Hell, he might even be an ally if we play our cards right. As for now..." Fury tapped the table, pulling up a different set of files. "We've got bigger problems."
Hill glanced at the screen, her frown deepening as she scanned the files that had become all too familiar over the past few months, "Hydra."
Fury nodded grimly. "They've been crawling inside S.H.I.E.L.D. for years, but with Maxim exposing them to us, we've hit them hard. I've started weeding out agents from the bottom up, quietly, surgically. The last thing we need is a Hydra uprising from within while Novikov's out there shaking the global balance."
Hill sighed,"And if Hydra decides to make a move on Madripoor? Or on him directly?"
Fury leaned back, crossing his arms, "That's his fight. And from what I've seen, I'd put my money on him."
Hydra Headquarters – Location Classified
The mood in the Hydra conference room was tense. Alexander Pierce sat at the head of a long, dimly lit table, his fingers tapping impatiently on the polished surface.
Around him, the other Hydra higher-ups exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to speak until Pierce finally broke the silence.
"Madripoor was supposed to be ours," he snarled, his voice a low growl, "A stronghold, a hub for operations. Now it's a goddamn showcase for Project Novikov's ego!"
One of the men to his right shifted uncomfortably. "Our agents on the ground were... neutralized. The Agents under Novikov's control are highly effective. Most of our operatives didn't even have a chance to report back before they were eliminated."
Pierce's glare swept the room. "And you're telling me none of you saw this coming? None of you predicted that Madripoor would slip through our fingers?"
Another Hydra leader cleared his throat, "With respect, sir, Novikov's actions have been unpredictable from the start. He's dismantled our operations with surgical precision, and we have no leverage over him. His sister—"
"His sister disappeared a while ago," Pierce snapped, cutting him off. "We lost her trail after he escaped, it seems he's long thought ahead in that regard. We've got nothing on him, no leverage, no weaknesses. And now he's turned Madripoor into a fortress. If we let this go on, he'll become untouchable."
One of the younger leaders hesitated before speaking, "Perhaps we focus on tracking his movements. If we can't stop him directly, we can at least predict his next target and prepare accordingly."
Pierce leaned back, his expression cold. "Fine. Do it. But remember this: Novikov isn't just a nuisance. He's a threat. To Hydra, to everything we've built. I want him eliminated."
The room fell silent again, the weight of Pierce's words settling heavily on everyone present.
"And one more thing," Pierce added, his voice low and menacing. "Keep an eye on Madripoor. We may have lost it for now, but nothing stays out of Hydra's reach forever."
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters – Westchester, New York
The meeting room was alive with a mix of voices and opinions. Professor Charles Xavier sat at the head of the table, his hands resting lightly on the polished surface as he listened.
Around him, various members of the X-Men debated the latest shift in global power dynamics after Maxim had taken total control of Madripoor.
Rogue, who was seated next to Xavier, shrugged as she spoke, "Madripoor's always been a no-go zone for mutants unless you had the muscle to back it up. If Novikov's cleanin' house, maybe that's a good thing for folks like us."
Cyclops leaned forward after he heard what Rogue said, "We can't assume anything. If Madripoor stabilizes under him, sure, it could mean a safe haven for mutants. But it could also mean another power player we have to deal with. We need to know where he stands when it comes to us, and what he's willing to do about it."
"Maxim's not an enemy," Jean interjected, her voice calm but firm, "We've all seen how much he loves his sister, and she's a Mutant herself no? If anything, he respects us. When he brought Katerina here, his only concern was her safety. He's not like the others who see us as tools or threats."
"We all know he doesn't hate mutants." Storm interrupted, "The discussion is how will him taking over Madripoor help us. There's still a-lot of lowlifes there, we need to know if he plans on being an open ally for mutants, that place can turn into a sanctuary."
Xavier nodded, his fingers steepled, "Ororo is correct. A stable Madripoor could become a valuable ally for us, and Mutant-kind as a whole, a proper refuge where they won't face persecution. He's shown the willingness to have a relationship with us with his sister being here.
"He might not care about us, or any of our lives. Who is to say he doesn't just take his sister and never speak to us again?" Cyclops said, glancing at Xavier.
"He might not be fightin' for us, but he ain't fightin' against us neither. Making Mutants more well respected is good for his sister too y'know. We're on the same side at the moment." Rogue interjected once again.
Jean nodded, "And we have a connection he cares about: Katerina. She's happy here, but she misses him. If we approach him through her, it might open a door we wouldn't have otherwise."
"We need to contact him to see how he stands." Xavier finally said, and Beast straightened, his curiosity piqued, "Do you want me to reach out to him, Charles? Establish a line of communication?"
"Yes," Xavier replied. "Arrange a meeting. Perhaps in Madripoor itself. Maxim Novikov values directness, I believe. And his actions suggest he respects those who meet him as equals. He might even welcome a dialogue about supporting mutants within his borders."
Jean smiled faintly. "Katerina will be happy to hear this. She misses him, you know. But I think she understands why he's doing all this."
Xavier's expression softened. "She's a remarkable young woman. Her intelligence reminds me of her brother's. She'll play an important role in the world one day, just as he will."
Beast tapped his tablet thoughtfully. "I'll draft a message and send it through secure channels."
Beast said and stood up, walking to his lab and signifying the end of the meeting.
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