This wasn't the best plan.

Leading a man who had absolute control over metal to his factory, which was filled with very valuable and delicate equipment, was not the brightest move.

He should remove the Ring of the Nine Dragons, allowing his essence to escape and rejoin his double. He could call Phil from the land of nowhere, where the other Jack was working on the Gaia security system, and organize a counterstrike before the group of villains got to the factory.

As his fingers brushed the ring a twinge of doubt stopped him. Take Magneto To Wanda.

If he took off the ring he would lose his coat, which contained the irreplaceable chopsticks not to mention all the goodies he kept in his pockets.

He shook his head dismissing the thought.

Nothing he had on him was worth his enemies storming his base and destroying his factory.

Jack reached for the ring again only to once more feel the twinge of doubt stopping him. Take Magneto To Wanda.

Surely, his defenses could stop these four. Wanda and Wuya were an incredibly potent fighting force and Amora even without her magic had her alien physiology that made her a strong opponent. If they could take down Magneto, then his factory's defenses could handle the other three.

Wait, he shook his head at the thought, that wasn't quite right. The witches and Phil had no idea he was coming and would be caught off guard by the assault, and he had no idea what the three other mutants who served Magneto were capable of, it was foolish to underestimate them.

He should escape.

Once more, he reconsidered just as his fingers brushed the ring, he really should Take Magneto To Wanda.

Why?

Was he trying to get rid of Wanda?

It was true Wanda was a dangerous element that he didn't have full control of, if he handed her off to Magneto that would be the end of his problems regarding the girl, perhaps the two would do him a favor and destroy each other.

Wait, that wasn't quite right either, he had been putting a considerable amount of effort to making Wanda into an asset, it would be such a waste to get rid of her now.

His fingers froze as they gripped the ring.

He just had to remove the magical artifact from his finger and everything would be okay.

His knuckles whitened as they tightened painfully around the tiny metal circlet.

All he had to do was pull off the ring.

Ah, but if he activated the emergency function on the phone in his pocket it would call Phil, then his mechanical assistant could listen in on anything he said, tipping him off that enemies were coming. This would allow his allies to be prepared for the inevitable assault. Phil would come up with something.

His grip on the ring slacked, he didn't need to pull it off now that he had a proper plan, and besides, he needed to take Magneto to Wanda.

Jack dismissed the sensation of failure and weakness that momentarily flooded through him.

He had work to do if he wanted Phil to know what was going on. Jack would need to have a conversation with Magneto.

After covertly activating the emergency contact on his phone, Jack floated back to keep pace next to the leader of the mutant force.

"So, Eric, I only have the barest idea of who you are. I heard from Wanda that you were something of a figure in the mutant community but what exactly are you trying to accomplish. Are you in this for wealth?"

Jack stared hard at the mutant as he secretly informed Phil of the situation, noticing a grimace of distaste on Magneto's face.

"Prestige?"

The mutant leader deigned to meet Jack's inquiring eyes.

"An army of superhumans?"

Eric seemed to scoff at the mere thought.

"What do you want?" Jack asked genuinely curious now.

Eric Lehnsherr looked down at Jack for a moment before he sighed.

"I do not have such base pursuits Mr. Smith, my only goal is to defend my people from the rampant predations of their lessers. Once years ago, I stood side by side with Charles against those who would see mutantkind fall. We failed only because of our inner disunity. The results were terrible. After first hypocritically declaring to be fighting only against myself and those loyal to me, our enemies began the systematic destruction of an entire generation of mutants, after my team had already surrendered, wiping even the general awareness of mutants from public knowledge. Now, years later a new generation rises, ready to be guided by the survivors of the last. Preparing for the rebirth of my dream of a world where mutants need not fear their inferiors." Eric passionately intoned.

The man seemed to have lost himself in his words seeming to see right through Jack.

"This new revival of our people is no threat to humanity. Nonetheless the governments of the world are already renewing their hateful policy of destruction and enslavement against mutants. Systematically eliminating or enslaving newly emerged mutants both at home and abroad, we once faced the plot of those in power who fear their superiors and now again we stand against the evils of this world who all share the same goal: to prevent the establishment of a new mutant state, to plunge my people once more into irrelevance and death."

Magneto paused there, refocusing on the recipient of his speech and sniffing derisively.

"Wait, wait, wait. Someone is going around murdering all the kids who activate the x-gene? Who?" Jack sputtered at the outrageous claim.

"The enemies of mutantkind are many and when one mongrel falls they are immediately replaced by the next. One more naïve than I would have us foolishly pursue peace with those who would kill us but the past has shown us that as long as humanity remains in power there will always be another who would destroy us. All of humanity is a threat, but the name of the one who currently leads the charge in the eradication of my people is a man name Stryker. He is ultimately an insignificant worm easily replaced by a dozen more just like him. The only viable option is to band together as one against our oppressors and take our place as dominant people on earth." Magneto forcefully stated.

Jack couldn't agree with Eric's brand of thinking. Of course, everyone was a potential enemy, but everyone was also a potential ally. If you treated the world as your enemy it would return the favor and in Jack's experience the world always won. Magneto's method would call for all mutants to be enemies of the entire population of Earth, and surely not all mutants had the sheer offensive power of Eric to fight that war. The poor guy who developed the power to glow purple would also be labeled as an enemy of mankind and be killed as if he was just as much of a threat as someone like Magneto.

This didn't make any sense.

The mutants had people like Charles Xavier who had infiltrated many levels of the government and set himself up as a person of high standing. Xavier had the power to shape the political landscape to his liking and yet, according to Eric, the situation was grim.

Was that exactly how Charles Xavier liked it?

How did a dangerously charismatic and powerful individual like Magneto exist when the general public didn't even know mutants existed.

"Surely if the public knew that mutants were just like everyone else, only with powers, they would be more accepting." Jack posited.

Magneto chuckled at the words and his grim demeanor hardened.

"Ah the naivety of youth, time has shown the folly of such sentimental optimism." Eric said without heat.

"No, it could work." Jack insisted. "Of course, it would require a good P.R. team and an extensive rebranding. The term mutant should be changed of course, something not so immediately derogatory is needed. Then a thorough identification of those in power who would oppose a pro-mutant message so that they could be marginalized or silenced as necessary. Strong political allies would be required but that's always true when setting policy. Also, an in with a popular media outlet is needed so that a publicity campaign linking the development of superpowers with some of the more positive examples of powered individuals could be made. Instead of the fear of your child has turning into a mutant, it should be something like, your child could be the next Captain America." Jack said thoughtfully.

Magneto considered Jack thoughtfully as he spoke.

"How old are you?" The armored man inquired.

"Eighteen." Jack answered before remembering that he was supposedly in disguise.

Jack was usually a bit sharper than this, but he his thoughts were coming just a tiny fraction slower than they should, something was off in his head. Jack would have to compare himself to his double to see what the problem was after this was over.

"So young. So full of hope. No, it is impossible to achieve what you describe. Fighting in the political arena only opens yourself to more direct reprisals. Charles has been trying for years to make a spot for mutants in the world as it is and even with all his talents he has achieved little in the way of concrete advancement for mutantkind. Besides, why should we fight in the arena of our inferiors when we have this power and they don't? Power is the true deciding factor of who will emerge victorious in the end, Mr. Smith." Magneto explained as if teaching a child.

Jack frowned in thought. Eric had a dangerous and compelling rhetoric that Jack could see drawing in many young disenfranchised mutants to his cause. He also was unwilling to even entertain the notion of a peaceful resolution.

A thought crystalized in Jack's mind as he considered the man flying at his side.

Eric was insane.

Not the typical egomaniacal madness that went hand in hand with villainy but a deep twisted wrongness that would destroy everything the man deemed lesser than himself.

Which was most of humanity, including Jack.

How many mutants followed Magneto now?

How many mutants were out there and how many of them had a power comparable to one like Eric's? Jack had only met a handful of mutants but all of them had been insanely powerful.

Eric, Charles, Ororo, Wanda even Mrs. King had a potentially potent ability.

Were all mutants like those five?

No, it couldn't be.

Could it?

What were the other three in Eric's group capable of?

The trench coat wearing man and the bald guy were complete mysteries and he didn't know the extent of the shapeshifter's abilities, but Jack suspected all three were dangerous.

How many mutants were there?

According to Xavier's studies one in two hundred people had the ability to activate the x-gene when experiencing periods of high hormonal activity.

With a global population of seven billion that roughly meant a potential 36 million mutants.

Holy.

What could Eric accomplish with that number of superhumans supporting him?

What could Jack do?

His thoughts came to a screeching halt as the group approached his factory.

There, moving out to meet them, were two figures one was a young woman wearing a blood red hooded overcoat and the other was a familiar bronze skinned witch wearing a black dress tied with a golden sash.

Jack smoothly transitioned from flying to walking as he led Magneto to Wanda.

"Time to put your lessons into practice, my dear apprentice." Wuya said with a shark like smile.

"Heylin 101, disposing of your inferiors, begin."