Marvel: Open Up, It’s the FBI

"Something on your mind?"

Lynn Hall finally broke the silence, glancing at Dennis Johnson, who sat quietly in the backseat, his face stiff and his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

"This kid's probably still in shock from your interrogation methods, Boss," Sean said with a laugh, nudging Dennis with his elbow. "You can tell Kelly sheltered him too well. Never seen blood, much less that kind of scene."

"Is that so?" Lynn turned his attention to Dennis.

Caught in Lynn's gaze, Dennis hesitated for a moment before giving a small, reluctant nod.

"Speak your mind," Lynn said calmly. "From the moment you got in the car outside your campus, you became one of my agents. That means you're part of the team. If something's bothering you, say it—don't worry about stepping out of line."

Dennis glanced up at him, surprised by the kindness in his voice.

"Don't worry," Alice chimed in, giving Dennis a supportive smile. "The Boss really does take care of us. Fights for more funding, helps with our personal problems… Honestly, he's the best superior I've had since joining the Bureau."

Dennis looked around at the relaxed atmosphere in the car, and slowly found the courage to speak. "Well… I just think, with all due respect, sir—your interrogation method seemed a little… extreme. I'm not saying it was wrong, but it felt like it violated basic legal rights and human decency."

That got a laugh from everyone in the car.

"I told you," Sean said, practically doubled over in his seat.

But Lynn just gave a small, almost amused sigh. "So you think it was too cruel. That it went against the law—and human rights."

He looked Dennis squarely in the eyes.

"But have you thought about the people that bastard killed? The innocent victims? Who was there to protect their rights?"

"My method may seem harsh," Lynn continued, his tone calm but firm, "but if you knew what kind of monster he really was… you'd understand that I was already holding back."

As he spoke, he tapped on his handheld device and handed it to Dennis. On the screen were detailed records of Chris's crimes—graphic, horrifying, undeniable.

He also told Dennis about Adam Morris, and the massacre at the concert—how many died, how many were maimed, how many lives would never be the same.

Dennis stared down at the screen, his earlier hesitation fading as a deep frown creased his brow.

Lynn rested a hand on his shoulder. "You need to understand something: If we hadn't gotten that information out of him, Adam Morris would still be out there. And more people would've died."

"You still think like a college student—and I don't blame you for that."

"But we're not dealing with cheating classmates or professors with grudges. We face monsters, Dennis. Real ones."

"For the sake of our safety—and to prevent more tragedies—we have to be a little monstrous."

Lynn's gaze sharpened. "The last thing I want is to see you one day holding a teammate's corpse in your arms, crying over your own damn kindness."

The weight of those words—and the grim images on the screen—sank in.

Dennis drew a long breath, then nodded firmly. "Understood, sir."

"Good."

Lynn smiled with satisfaction, gently patting his shoulder again before leaning back in his seat and pretending to doze off.

Dennis shut the tablet and cradled it in his lap, still processing what had just happened. A strange warmth swelled in his chest—the kind that came from feeling seen, acknowledged… even mentored.

[Dennis Johnson's Favorability +2 → Current: 5]

Lynn, eyes still shut, peeked at the system notification and nodded slightly to himself. Just two more points, and he'd hit the threshold for a reward. Ah, youth. So easy to influence. Not like that blockhead Sean, whose favorability hit 7 and had stubbornly refused to budge ever since.

Sean, of course, had no idea Lynn was silently cursing him in his thoughts.

He did, however, glance at Dennis—who now wore the expression of a man ready to take a bullet for the boss.

Rolling his eyes, Sean looked out the window with a dramatic sigh.

Back when I questioned the boss, all I got was a boot to the ass…

He reached down and reflexively rubbed his backside, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

One day, when Lynn kicked Dennis too—that would be the day Dennis officially became part of the team.

Ask any of the agents. Aside from the women, everyone under Lynn had been booted in the ass at least once. It was practically a rite of passage.

Alice, sitting nearby, gave Sean a disgusted look as she subtly inched away from him and closer to Lynn's side of the car.

What the hell is this idiot doing now?

One glance at Dennis, one at Sean rubbing his butt and grinning like a creep, and a ridiculous thought popped into Alice's head.

Has he finally cracked from rejection? Switched teams? Fallen for Dennis?

Her eyes moved from Dennis's delicate, boyish features to Sean's burly, slightly pervy smirk.

She blinked.

Honestly… kinda entertaining.

---

By the time their SUV rolled up outside the underground clinic in Hell's Kitchen, the place had already been locked down by the FBI.

A lead agent stepped up as Lynn exited the vehicle. "Sir, we've secured the site. The doctor here came clean as soon as he realized who we were. Confirmed that Adam Morris—the mutant—was treated here."

Lynn gave a brief nod of approval.

Agent Phil Coulson stepped out of another vehicle nearby. He'd overheard the update and turned to Lynn with a grin. "Looks like your team's got this locked down. At this rate, I might not even need to lift a finger. Just tagging along and racking up the credit."

Lynn smirked. "And you still want to recruit me into S.H.I.E.L.D.? Why not join the FBI instead?"

Coulson chuckled. "Tempting offer, but no thanks. The better you get, the more I want you on our side."

As the two walked into the clinic together, trading jokes, Jean Grey followed silently behind—her expression thoughtful.

Unlike most, she knew exactly how dangerous the Brotherhood of Mutants was. She'd faced them before. She knew how complex their operations could be.

And yet, here was Lynn Hall—an outsider, a non-mutant, and not even part of S.H.I.E.L.D.—already unraveling the mystery faster than she thought possible.

If things keep going this smoothly… what's the point of us even being here?

Jean took a deep breath.

I need to figure out a way to make Lynn Hall view the X-Men as allies. Earn his trust. His favor.

Because if she didn't—there might not be a place for them in this fight.