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Fireflies
(30 minutes ago)
In the dead of the night, the techno-organic member of Excalibur known as Douglock is ripped from the ground of the Muir Island Research Center by agents of Black Air. The harpoon that penetrates his chest makes him scream for the first time in his existence, and nothing will ever be the same.
(present)
Inside the complex, Excalibur’s leader, Nightcrawler, talks with the remaining members of the team and their host, Dr. Moira MacTaggert, about what has happened, while a computer screen in the background shows an image of Douglock as he was ripped from Muir. Nightcrawler tells his friends that by the time the surveillance system had realized what had happened, the jet with the Black Air symbol was long-gone, with Douglock as a prisoner. They clearly want Excalibur to know it was them who took him, possibly because Black Air knows Excalibur is protecting Alistaire Stuart, whom they want dead. This could also be a warning for the team not to act upon those secrets that Alistaire had told Excalibur about Black Air, or maybe Black Air actually wanted Douglock for something.
Whatever the case, Kurt Wagner tells Moira, Meggan, Kitty, Colossus, Wisdom and Wolfsbane that it doesn’t matter, and their “fencing” with Black Air stops now. Excalibur came to Muir Island to do some good. To help the world, rather than fight with it and brush away the leftovers. And while Nightcrawler does not want to put Excalibur back into ongoing combat situations, as team leader he cannot allow Black Air to mock the superheroes like this. Excalibur have listened in silence. Each of them have their own reasons for following one man‘s dream of peaceful co-existence between man and mutant, however it is not the dream of just one man anymore, but the dream of many, and they too will not stand idly by what has just happened.
Nightcrawler asks former Black air agent Pete Wisdom if he has any idea where Black Air would have taken Douglock. Wisdom tells Kurt it depends on what they are treating Douglock as. If they were treating him as an artifact, then he would have been taken to the Acquisition Station in North Yorkshire. That’s where everything Black Air steals goes. It is like the “paperwork center”. If they were treating Douglock like a prisoner-of-war, then he would have been taken to the Black Air HQ in central London.
Nightcrawler thinks it is a case of the former, and even if he is not there, then what they are about to do will still be worth their time. Kurt reminds his friends they are supposed to be a proactive group, not a reactive one, which they have done a little too much of recently. Even though this is in effect reactive, if they do it right, it will serve the heroes‘ purposes. They are going to the Acquisition Station, and they are going to make a mess. Pete Wisdom comments to his lover Kitty Pryde that he has never seen Nightcrawler like this before, and she explained that it’s not often that Kurt gets annoyed, but when he does…
Nightcrawler tells the team that they have ten minutes to get prepared and to move out, they will talk plans once they are in the air. Nightcrawler approaches Alistaire Stuart, who, still scared, had been sitting behind the others until now. Kurt tells him that it would appear he was correct about Black Air’s intentions and he promises Alistaire that they will make it right. Moira asks Nightcrawler if he thinks they will find Douglock. He tells the Doctor that he is not sure, this is still Black Air’s game. But once Excalibur is done with them, they will be begging for them to take him back. Moira tells Nightcrawler to do what he has to, but to watch his step. As he walks out of the room he tells her not to worry about him, they have already succeeded in making him angry.
(10-20 minutes later)
Wrapped in a cloaking field, the Midnight Runner, Excalibur’s hypersonic flight vessel, is reaching North Yorkshire. Kitty tells Nightcrawler that they are over the Acquisition Station now, and programs a racetrack orbit course. Kurt remarks to Wolfsbane on how Kitty’s piloting skills have improved, before asking Kitty what the situation is. Checking the instruments of the Midnight Runner, she tells him that the bad news is there is a forcefield surrounding the place. The good news is that it doesn’t seem to interfere with communications signals. She has dialed a number Wisdom had, and found out that it is still a modem connection, and that she can get into their computers through cellular phone access.
Shortly, Kitty has downloaded the floorplans of the Acquisition Station, she jokingly tells Nightcrawler to come and make his respect to the goddess of computing. Kurt reminds his team that he cannot teleport without any idea of where he is teleporting to, but these plans are detailed enough to prevent him from materializing in a wall. He tells Wolfsbane that once they are inside she has to take point, as in her lupine form she is faster than any of them. He shows her on the floorplans where the “new acquisitions” are kept before being moved onto permanent storage. If Douglock is in the Station, he will be there.
Next, Nightcrawler asks Meggan if the forcefield is going to be a problem. She tells him that she can already feel it from this far, and as it is an electromagnetic field she can easily break it. Kurt hoped as much. He tells her that she will lead, and carry Colossus, Wisdom and Wolfsbane down to the ground. He tells her to drop Rahne and Wisdom before she reaches the field. She will then break the field, and drop Colossus in front of the building before running interference for Wolfsbane. At this time, Colossus will transform to his steel-state and rip an entrance, before ripping into the building some more. As soon as he has ripped the hole, Wolfsbane is to go to point. Wisdom asks Nightcrawler what he is to do. Nightcrawler tells him he wants property damage from him, and lots of it. He needs to make a mess, getting the Black Air agents running around in a panic, though he reminds him to be careful and try to not get shot at. Kurt tells Kitty that she is with him, and they are going straight to the operations center.
With the drop hatch open, Meggan flies out into the night sky. Rahne holds onto Meggan’s outstretched arm, while the elemental’s other arm grabs onto Pete, who also has his arms around Meggan’s neck. Piotr hangs onto Meggan’s belt. Wolfsbane says how she hates this bit, and Wisdom tells Meggan that if he were meant to fly he would have been born with Air Mile vouchers stuffed somewhere, before she tells them both to relax before they choke her. Meggan drops Rahne and Wisdom off, and as they fall to the ground, Rahne tells him to land on the run. He tells her that he’d settle for just not going splat. As they land, he cries out that he has broken his bum, before Wolfsbane tells him to hurry up, as Meggan is already disrupting the forcefield.
Meggan’s elemental power cracks open the forcefield surrounding the base, and Colossus lets go of her belt, changing to his one ton in weight metallic-form. As he drops down, he thanks Meggan for the ride, before plunging through the glass roof of the Station. While compared to his old X-Men teammates Kitty and Nightcrawler, Colossus has always lacked confidence, except in battle. And Battle is what defined his later years as an X-Man. He doesn’t show any hesitation when the Black Air soldiers aim weapons at him in shock. He makes no mistakes. He is in control. At this point, Wolfsbane drops through the hole in the roof, ready to take point.
Still aboard the Midnight Runner, Kurt and Kitty have watched their teammates dramatic entrance, before deciding it is time for them to make theirs. Kitty wonders if Kurt thinks Wisdom will be all right. He mentions to her that she really does like him, doesn’t she. Kurt doesn’t think he will ever understand that. Grabbing hold of his old friend‘s hand, he tells her he is going to teleport them into the operations center. As they materialize inside the Black Air compound, Nightcrawler tells those in the room that this station is now under the control of Excalibur!
Standing just outside of the building, Wisdom notes to himself how he is still sore from the bum landing, and he crushed his cigarettes when he landed too. So he is holding a grudge. He spots what looks like a fuel-dump, and unleashes his mutant power upon it. “Hot-knives” burst from his fingers, destroying the dump. He sees the car pool, lots of parked jeeps in there. The soldiers will run past it and head towards Colossus. He thinks maybe he should let them shoot at him a bit first, but Kitty would have his “guts for garters” if she caught him watching her first true love getting shot at, and he gets to work. He was tempted though…
Inside, Nightcrawler and Shadowcat use their physical combat skills against some of the guards. Standing over the unconscious bodies of the Black Air soldiers, Nightcrawler tells Kitty he was hoping for more of a chance to use his sword skills, but these guards practically fell over! He tells Kitty to go to stage two. Kitty complies, opening the main file directory on the computer system, marking it all up for sending, and uploading all of Black Air’s files to the Midnight Runner.
Deeper inside the complex Wolfsbane watches as motion detector beams flicker across the storage area corridor, but she is looking for her friend, and couldn’t care less. She rips through the corridor, defeating a guard at the same time, and moves onwards.
Meanwhile, Meggan, Colossus and Wisdom have been rounding up Black Air personal. Bringing the last of them in, Wisdom tells his teammates that he is glad he quit Black Air, as these people are embarrassing. Colossus tells him that he thinks their attack was simply too unexpected for the soldiers, and that these people look like they are used to just doing what they want and getting away with it. Wisdom tells Colossus to put the guy he is carrying down before he dribbles on him.
Back in the operations center, Kitty tells Nightcrawler that she has practically emptied their files into the Midnight Runner’s computer. Rahne suddenly appears on the computer screen before Kitty. She tells Shadowcat that she is in the storage area, and using a wall intercom to communicate with her. Looking a little disheartened, Rahne tells Kitty that she has got nothing. Douglock is not here. Kitty tells Rahne to stand by as she just has uploaded the last file, which is about Douglock, mentioning that the “Muir Island acquisition“ has been redirected to London, according to special agent Scratch. Taking hold of the P.A. system, Nightcrawler speaks to the Black Air personal on behalf of Excalibur. He tells the staff that they should pick up their wounded and evacuate this station. He will not take responsibility for what happens to those who are left behind. They have five minutes to leave.
Exactly five minutes later, the Midnight Runner’s engines ignite with all the team aboard. Someone tells Nightcrawler that all the Black Air personal are clear of the station grounds and so Kurt tells Meggan to send that place to the Devil. Meggan, arguably one of Excalibur’s most powerful members, reaches up and out to the Earth with anger in her usually gentle touch. They have taken away one of her family and hidden him well. The world screams in unison with her pain, it opens its mouth wide to cry out loud, and swallows the acquisition station whole. With an enormous explosion, the station is sucked into the fiery magma deep below the ground. Rather impressed, Nightcrawler tells Meggan that he doesn’t know what they would do without her. Modestly, she replies ‘Spend a lot of money on bulldozers?’
Kitty tells Wisdom that she hates  to ask, but has he heard of a Black Air agent called Scratch? She explains that Douglock’s file said he was being held by him. Grimacing, Wisdom just tells Kitty that he should have killed Scratch when he had the chance. As Excalibur head north towards London, no one says what they are all thinking: They are officially at war.
Meanwhile in London, hours have passed since Ms. Steed, the London Hellfire Club‘s Black Queen, arrived at Brian Braddock’s hotel room with champagne and questions. Putting on her coat, Ms. Steed tells the Clubs new Black Bishop that she thinks this concludes his briefing on club business, and that it had been a “stimulating” time. He stares out the window and thanks his Queen. As she walks out the door she tells him not to be so formal, now that they are…friends. She tells him to cal her Ms. Steed, and reminds him he has her number if he has any needs she could attend to.
As she leaves the room, her veiled comments with her. Though Brian saw how cheap they were, he found them strangely compelling. He thinks it must be the champagne. Though he largely avoids drinking alcohol, he somehow could not refuse it today. He wonders if Ms. Steed was the dangerous body stealer Mountjoy, who has taken over one of the Hellfire Club.
A knock on the door and a ‘Please…’ is heard. Brian opens the door, and tells whoever was there that there was a time when “Do not disturb” meant – but he stops himself when he sees who is there. It is the strikingly beautiful albino woman, Scribe. She asks Brian to let her in before she is seen. She tells him that he used to be a super-hero, didn’t he? He used to be Captain Britain. Brian asks the mutant how she knew. Scribe replies that the Inner Circle had spoken of it in the past and she learned of it as she records everything they say. She then tells Brian that he has got to help her. Looking somewhat concerned, Brian asks Scribe to tell him everything.
Sitting on the floor, head in her hands, Scribe tells Brian that the Kings and Queens of the Court are doing something terrible, and it is changing them. The Red King isn’t the man he used to be, and the plans she heard of are terrible. Scribe tells Brian that the plans all revolve around the new Red Queen, who is a magician. She continues her story, telling Brian they are going to do things to London first, and then the whole country. Then the world. She begs Brian to stop them, telling him that her family is in London, she doesn’t want them to die…. Brian, thinking about Scribe’s comment about the Red King being someone else, wonders if he is Mountjoy. Putting a comforting hand on Scribe’s shoulder, he tells her to calm down, that she is making no sense. He asks her what plans she is talking about, what they are planing to do in London. Outside, suddenly a blinding light flares up from the city, covering parts of London in a red cloud. ‘That‘ Scribe says ‘for a start‘.
Elsewhere, in a dark place, two scientists are working over a dissected Douglock. Checking the read outs on a monitor, one of them asks the other if he had been doing his research on the Legacy Virus. Holding up Douglock’s severed head, he replies he had only read the small pieces Dr. MacTaggert had allowed to be published. Still viewing the data on the screen, the first scientist tells the other that it looks like mathematics illustrating how the virus vectors.
What the men do not know, is that the ghost in the machine had been bought to life. It had lain dormant over the past months, and memories, some familiar, other not, run through the mind of Douglock. ‘I have returned to assist - -‘  ‘What is the purpose of this - -‘ ‘Zero?’  ‘Zero?’  ‘Zero?’


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[Assistant]
Fire With Fire
Night time on Muir Island. Only a few hours after destroying Black Airs’ Acquisition Station in London, Excalibur has returned back to their home in Scotland. Now Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Meggan, Colossus and Wisdom are contemplating the teams’ next move. Wisdom tells his teammates that he knew Scratch when he worked at Black Air in British Intelligence. And knowing Scratch, if he has Douglock, then Douglock is probably dead. Wisdom continues, telling the others that Black Air kept about four or five mutant operatives like him once, but they all worked differently. The one thing Wisdom and Scratch did that was the same was kill people in the line of duty. Too many people Wisdom says. But while he killed only people who were killers and knew the costs involved, Scratch killed anything that moved.
(flashback to a time when Wisdom was still with Black Air)
One operation required Scratch to retrieve an alien artifact that was buried in a meteor, which had landed outside a remote country school in Norfolk. There were people in that school and Scratch killed them all. Wisdom heard all about it, and bumped into Scratch at Black Air HQ the next day. Scratch just smiled at Wisdom and said that is how it is done. Wisdom knew that Scratch would need a few seconds to get his electrical mutant power of voltcasting charged – so Wisdom kicked him in the gut before he had the chance to do so. Down on the ground, Wisdom kept punching Scratch in the face, and did not stop after puncturing his lungs. Eventually he tore off half of Scratch’s face – all without using his powers, before he was finally dragged off Scratch by security.
(present)
Looking back on it now, Wisdom thinks he should have incinerated Scratch’s brain back then when he had the chance. His girlfriend, founding Excalibur member Kitty Pryde, puts a comforting arm on Wisdom’s shoulder and tells him he scares her sometimes, before he tells her he scares himself sometimes.
Wisdom tells Nightcrawler, Excalibur’s leader, that story shows what kind of person Scratch is, and asks what their plan is. Kurt tells him that first they have to finish reading through all the files that they took from the Acquisition Station. Then they have to figure out how to break into Black Airs’ HQ in London, since that is the only other logical place Wisdom feels they could have taken Douglock. The only question remaining, Kurt feels, is how do they pull off breaking into Black Airs’ HQ, which is in the middle of London, and not come across looking like X-Force or the Mutant Liberation Front. After all, Excalibur are not terrorists, and Nightcrawler does not intend for this team to become criminal outlaws.
Looking rather sheepish, Meggan asks her friends what “Emolument” means. Wisdom tells her it means payment transfer of funds. Meggan tells everyone that the files she had been reading lists emoluments to members of parliament. Wisdom doesn’t believe her, but when the elemental shows him he is amazed. It seems Black Air was trafficking bribe money through the Acquisitions Station, and it was this cash which paid for the approving of Black Air taking over the role once held by the Weird Happenings Organization. Meggan finds that the file says that the money originated from “The Earl of Bute Society”. Wisdom tells Meggan that when he is in London next he will buy her some history books, as the Earl of Bute was a founding member of the original 8th century Hellfire Club, and this storefront is just a cover name.
Nightcrawler reminds the team that Alistaire Stuart said it was the Hellfire Club who paid for the bribes. Meggan tells everyone that in the note Brian left for her he had mentioned that Shinobi Shaw thought the Hellfire Club had been moving money through the government. Nightcrawler comments on how this is all getting very heavy, and wonders what they should do. Wisdom asks for an hour, in which he and Kitty will make some phone calls. Wisdom thinks that if he is right, they can rescue Douglock and come out not looking like the bad guys. Nightcrawler agrees, but tells them to get some sleep after it is done. He doesn’t want any fuzzy heads in the morning, which could cause mistakes.
Kitty, following Wisdom, asks her boyfriend what he is up to. He tells her they are going to the communications suite. He asks her if she remembers his friends from the Crown Pub in London, Jardine and Doyle. He tells Kitty that they are their outs, and they are going to give to Jardine and Doyle every incriminating thing that Kitty downloaded form the Acquisition Station. So while Excalibur are tearing Black Air apart from the inside, Wisdom’s friends will use the downloaded evidence to tear them apart from the outside.
At that same time, in London, a great column of fire is burning on the river, and is visible all across the city – even at Brian Braddock’s window at his hotel suite. As he watches the fire his skin tingles, thinking he should do something about it, but he is here to investigate the Inner Circle of the London Hellfire Club, so tries to think about something else. Suddenly the flames starts to fade, as if they were never there. A voice tells him that they have started and nothing will ever be the same. He turns around to look at Scribe and tells her that she is way overdue for an explanation.
The albino mutant Scribe, assistant to the London Inner Circle tells Brian Braddock that this is the testing stage of the Hellfire Clubs plan. That they have access to a power source, of ultimate force, and they have recently established a radio link between it and the Red Queen, a magician. Turning away from Braddock she tells him that there will be an emergency counsel of the Inner Circle, and as Scribe she must be there to record it. She is about to leave, but Brian stops her, asking what power source. Turning to face him, she seems scared. She tells him that the power source is something beneath London. The Red Queen‘s magic can access the power and with it she can affect the entire country – or any other country. Picking up his telephone, Brian says, “I see”.
Back on Muir Island again, in the communications suite, Wisdom is speaking on the phone, while Kitty stands behind him, her hands on his shoulders. Wisdom is speaking to his old friend Jardine. He tells Jardine that while he is sure he needs his sleep, he needs to listen to him. He asks Jardine if the line is secure, Jardine protests at been woken up at this time of night, and Wisdom tells him to just listen to everything he has to say like it was the word of God. In his bed Jardine tells Wisdom the line is secure, and that he trusts him. Lighting another cigarette Wisdom tells Jardine that in a few moments he is to give Wisdom the number of a secure modem line at his office, and he and Kitty are going to send to his computer some files. Wisdom tells Jardine that he is to make hard and back-up copies of the files and then get out of London with his friends and family.
Jardine asks Wisdom what he is sending. As head of Criminal Intelligence, he can get a few things done, but - Wisdom interrupts him telling Jardine that he is sending him proof that the Hellfire Club is influencing parliament, and military intelligence groups, specifically Black Air.
Wisdom tells Jardine, that when he is out of town, he is to get the data to anyone who can use it. He is to bring Black Air down, remove people from government, and seize Hellfire Club members’ assets – anything and everything. Wisdom adds that Jardine is to tell them all that it came from Excalibur, to give them their resume and some excellent references from the London law-enforcement community. But most importantly, he is to leave London this morning. Wisdom tells Jardine that Black Air has taken one of their teammates, they are coming for him, and things could get a little messy.
Wisdom hangs up on Jardine, and as he tells Kitty to dial up the modem number the phone rings. Wisdom tells Kitty that it is always bad news when the phone rings after midnight… Its Brian, who is not too happy that he has to speak to Wisdom, but this is important. Brian tells Wisdom that they have very serious trouble in London, and Excalibur needs to get here right away to put the Hellfire Club out of commission. Swearing, Wisdom tells Braddock that his timing stinks, as he just arranged for his friends to have the night to get out of London. In a very unusual move for Wisdom he tells Brian to hang on, as this isn’t about him, and as much as he hates to admit it to Brian, he is going to have to ask Nightcrawler about this. Running out of the comm room Wisdom asks someone to shoot him – he is actually becoming a team player! And as Brian Braddock waits on the other end of the phone, he knows that if worst comes to worst, he can probably handle things himself – he did bring “something” along with him…
On the other side of London, the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club has met for an emergency meeting. The Black Queen, amused, notes to herself on how the Inner Circle of royalty has finally split in colors – Black against Red! Angry at the Reds the Black King reminds them that there was to be consent between royalty on this project, and the Reds went against that agreement by testing the project without his or Steed’s agreement. He asks them if they have gone insane?
The Red King tells his Black counterpart that it was necessary to test the project quickly, and he had no time to search every bar in London for he, the Black King, and as usual Steed was unavailable to him.
Ms. Steed is not impressed by that remark, and the Black King tells the Red that he has had men hung by their entrails from Tower Bridge for just thinking what he said. The Red King tells the Black that posture is for when they have time, of which they currently do not. He says that it was vital they learn of the project’s efficiency immediately, and thanks to that they now know the link is working. They have a weapon – computer guided Hellfire – and suggests they all go to the project site, as the new development he arranged should be complete by now.
Not much later the Inner Circle are at a tall waterfront building on the docks that the general public dismisses as a folly. It seems to be just one of many eighties-stylish office blocks built in the economic boom period, which was left empty when the boom proved hollow. Those “in the know” call it the Blackwall, and do not go there – for it is the headquarters of Black Air! Inside the building, the Kings, Queens and Scribe walk through the cold corridors, where their Black Air servants meet them, as the Black Queen calls them. The Black King acknowledges them as Scicluna and Threadgold and asks how they are. Threadgold tells the Inner Circle that he and Scicluna are still the heads of Black Air and no-one’s servants. Scicluna tells the Club to excuse her partner, he has always been a Labour voter, and asks them to enter the Necromanteion.
The shelves around the walls are covered with bottles and jars of who-knows-what, and a single podium stands in the center of the room, with what appears to be a power cord running from it. The Red King explains to everyone that a Necromanteion is a magician’s workplace, so he thought it apt. After all, he continues, their work involves magic. Magic which was performed several hundred years ago by royalty – King James. Who wrote the famous translation of the bible, and also the work of Demonology – the Malleus Maleficarium. The founder of the Hellfire Club even held some of his more private writings, as they know.
The Red King is pleased, as the physical link is ready. He tells the others that the radio link to their power source was workable but impure, and it limited the amount of energy they could transfer. Pulling a cloth of the top of the podium, the Red King reveals the head of Douglock! He continues his story, that the Clubs friends in Black Air found a new link. A sentient mechanical creature, who by necessity had to pass energy through his body at the speed of thought. Once Douglock was unraveled he was perfect for their needs. The Red King tells the others that the Red Queen can access the power at this particular point. Douglock’s expression remains that of the one he held when the spear shot through him only the other night, and wrenched him from Muir Island. He is in pain, and stuck to the podium, with the rest of his body made into a single power cord, which extends down into the ground, and descends to the source.
Once there, it patches into the interface, which Sebastian Shaw gave to them, and Scratch planted in the sewers very recently. The chips are from a trident that supposedly belonged to the Devil‘s son and as it induces the flow of power, well, it must be true. The crypt beneath the city suddenly shudders, and wavers become transparent. Inside the crypt, there is nothing but fire, and the sketch of a demon - a creature that has no right being on Earth. There is a roar – and it all goes quiet again.
(morning)
In London, Brian Braddock has not slept. He has been thinking about his fights. The big ones, the small ones…very few of them mattered as much as the one coming this morning. Nightcrawler told him to stay away from the Hellfire Club. The fact that one of them may be possessed by the shape-stealing mutant Mountjoy will have to wait. But, Brian thinks to himself, what if it’s Mountjoy who has been accelerating the Club’s plans? It is the Red King who has been pushing them, the Red King whom Scribe said had changed. What if the Red King is Mountjoy trying to access all that power for himself? Brian has to do something, he needs an edge though – lucky for him however, and he brought one. Opening his travel bag, Brian pulls out the helmet of his Captain Britain costume.
On Muir Island, Excalibur have made plans, but none of those plans have calmed down the fear in them, or the hate for the people that stole their friend and teammate from them. Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Meggan, Colossus, Wisdom and Wolfsbane are a team. They have no time to be scared or angry though. They walk towards the plane as one, and Kitty tells Wisdom not to get himself hurt or killed. He tells her he wouldn’t dare, she’d never speak to him again. There is no time to say that other “little word” either.
In London, the Black Queen‘s room is illuminated by candlelight. She is on her bed, though she needs little sleep. Holding a glass of red wine, she is fascinated by the book she is reading – an obscure tome about Spanish torture. Quite abruptly Steed is aware of a ripping noise, something tearing through reality to get to her. It is Onslaught. She shows a little fear, because she knows it pleases him. But even for the usually aloof Black Queen it is difficult to repress the primal terror he creates. Menacingly he stands over her and tells her there shall soon be a gathering, and asks if she is ready. No she says. But that doesn’t matter does it?
Still at the Necromanteion inside the Blackwall, the Red Queen has seduced the Red King, and the two appear to be engaged in sexual intercourse. The King mumbles to the Queen, who tells him to be quiet. She asks him if he loves her. She asks him if he will die for her. She tells him to bar the door, and climbing off of him she tells him if he fails, he will never see her again. In the next room, the Red Queen touches Douglock on the nose, saying “Hello little dead boy”. Hands clasped around his head she thinks it is funny. She was never a pretty girl, after all, circus folk rarely ate well in her day, and on her it showed.
She continues talking to Douglock. She tells the “Little dead boy” that in the last while, she has gorged. She took the Soulsword and used it to kill every magician ahead of her on the Winding Way, the path of mystical power. It was then that she learned what was under London, the promise of even more power than the vast amount she already had. She activates the link, and asks the “Little dead boy” if he knows what they will say? She tells him they will say, “Who cares what Margali Szardos looks like? For she stripped the power of a caged – “ suddenly something goes wrong, Margali’s young lithe body suddenly ages some, and her hands become infused with Douglock’s, she cannot feel them anymore. In anguish, she cries out that it is hungry, and she cannot contain it – the link is too pure. Margali says it has been caged, hungry starving and evil for centuries. The link is fused open and she cannot break it. Her blackened eyes open up, now with teeth glowing, Margali’s eyes speak. “Cant stop it” “Let it out”. With that, Black Air‘s headquarters, the Blackwall, catches fire.
In the streets of London, awesome and terrible fingers of fire reach up from the Earth, grasping for people’s lives. These fingers of fire strike at cars and buildings, and a demonic voice rings in the heads of the people of London, speaking directly to the hate in them, and within minutes the fires and mobs and murder and destruction all begin. London goes mad. All over the city, Londoners are destroying their city and killing each other- all to feed a beast, who, unknown to them all, has been living underneath them all for centuries. The Devil under London has been locked up for too long, and it is evil that sustains him. For too long he has been subsisting of the thin echoes of London murder, corruption and hatred. With one sweep of his hand he unleashes the evil that lives in everyone’s head. His image towers over a burning London, scaring the sky for an instant. Then he returns to his now open cage to feed upon the horror. And London burns.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Quiet
Muir Island Research Center, the morning of the devastating events in London.
Moira MacTaggert, the Island's owner, and the worlds leading scientist on mutations sits in a crypt which lay beneath the Research Station. The crypt was put there by her dear friend, and founder of the X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier. It was his last gift to his friends, everyone who had participated in his dream of peaceful co-existence between man and mutant. It contains information.
Xavier's image appears on the screen before Moira, and in a pre-recorded message he talks to her. He tells his former lover, that he recorded these messages in the knowledge that they would only be used if he died or went mad. That in either situation, Muir Island becomes the sole repository of all the mutant-related data Xavier had gathered. And if he is gone, and the X-Men are too, the Moira Mactaggert becomes the last outpost of the dream. Moira knows this.
Her beeper goes off, and Rory Campbell, a friend and psychologist tells her that Excalibur is home.
The transonic craft they are in pulls into Muir Island, their home, which they are glad to return to after they saved all of London in a heated battle against Black Air, Margali Szardos, the London Inner Circle, Scratch and Mountjoy.
However they, apart from Daytripper, do not know what has happened in America over the last several hours. And Moira MacTaggert has to tell them. Every sentence she tests out in her head does not seem good enough for her friends. She wonders how they will all react? Will Rahne cry? What about Colossus, who argued with Xavier last, time they saw each other? And Kitty, she grew up with Xavier as a father...
They walk down the runway towards Moira. Brian holding onto his wound and to his beloved Meggan, Rahne supporting Douglock, Colosuss carrying the injured Wisdom, with Kitty at her boyfriend's side, and Nightcrawler, leading them. Moira yells back to Rory for him to get the Medlab up and running. She asks Meggan if she cleaned Brian's wounds - Nightcrawler tells the Doctor to calm down, the wounds are all minor.
She takes her glasses off and wipes away the tears, and says one of the hardest things she may ever say: "Charles Xavier's gone insane"! She tells everyone that he has evolved into something called "Onslaught" and is attempting to kill the X-Men.
Kurt and Kitty especially, two long serving X-Men, are devastated.
Moira tells everyone that it was Cyclops and Phoenix who came to Muir Island and told her, and they have found some material he left here, in such an event. Kitty is in disbelief, Kurt asks where Cyclops and Jean are, that Excalibur can leave, Colossus interrupts, saying they must leave immediately, and find out who is doing this to the Professor. Wisdom, still being held up by Colossus says he has seen this plot on Star Trek.
Moira tells everyone that the American teams are all handling it the best they can, and Excalibur are all staying here, as everyone is wounded and or exhausted.
Moira's mood picks up a little when she sees Douglock, who Excalibur rescued from Black Air. She puts her lab coat over the naked lad, telling him not to be a brazen hussy!
Douglock tells Moira he missed her, and Moira seems impressed at his new personality.
Moira tells everyone they better see for themselves why they are not going away to the States.
Computer screens now show news coverage and live footage of the events in the States. One reporter talks about how an electromagnetic pulse has exploded over Manhattan, plunging New York into darkness, while immediately previous to the pulse, the X-Men's Blackbird returned to New York. A scientist explains that EM pulses normally result from nuclear detonation and the range of this pulse is phenomenal, with effects being felt in neighboring states. Footage shows Captain America, and the other Avengers going into battle against an unknown threat in Midtown. Another newsreader comments on how the threat bought the Avenges, Fantastic Four and X-Men together. Finally, another newsreader says that the mutant Magneto could be suspected for creating the pulse, but he appears to be missing still. In her opinion, the perpetrator is a new mutant or superhuman of terrifying potential.
Excalibur watch in horror the images they see before them, and the words of the newsreaders chill them. Brian Braddock mentions that with the EM pulse, there can be no planes in the air, and Xavier would detect Excalibur's entry in an instant, though with the blackout they wouldn't know what they are flying into anyway. He suggests they could take the Moonlight Flit though, the medical vessel he designed, to provide assistance on the outskirts, and it is fast enough to get them there while they can still be useful. Shadowcat stares in disbelief still, did the Professor really do all this?
Nightcrawler admits that the Moonlight Flit actually took a bit of damage while he was in London...
Shadowcat tells Meggan that she is going to put some coffee on, Meggan says she better stay, as Brian is about to use his big "Captain Britain voice". Brian asks Nightcrawler if he let his brand new aircraft get shot? Kurt says it wasn't quite like that, but it kind of got shot... the phone rings... Kurt continues, explaining the Flit has got one engine down, and wouldn't have the speed to get them to New York in time. Kurt suggests what if they transfer the medical gear into the Midnight Runner? Brian tells him there wouldn't be enough room to fit all the necessary equipment though.
Nightcrawler picks up the phone. Meggan tells Brian that he better get to the Medlab, as she wants Moira to look at his bullet wounds. Brian protests, but Meggan tells him that if she has to put him over her shoulder and carry him there, she will.
In the Medlab, Wisdom is talking to Excalibur's long time ally Alistaire Stuart. Wisdom tells him that the Intelligence Community used the data Kitty sent them to shut down Black Air permanently. And Excalibur managed to shut down all the stuff that Black Air gathered from Britain's paranormal investigation department before it did too much harm. Moira pulls a cigarette out of Wisdom's mouth. He tells her to get away from it. Moira reminds him that she has told him many times, no smoking in her lab. Wisdom mumbles that he is going to rebuild Hadrian's Wall tomorrow. He tells Alistaire that he is now safe from Black Air and it's death threats against him. And the principal members are going into prison until sometime after they die of old age.
Nightcrawler suddenly teleports into the room, handing the phone over to Alistaire he tells him it is from London with the Prime Minister's compliments. Alistaire asks Kurt if he thinks he will get an apology for how the government allowed the treasonous scum at Black Air to usurp the Weird Happening Organization? Kurt tells Alistaire he doubts it, but to have fun anyway!
In the kitchen Colossus tells a very solemn Kitty Pryde that the worst part of it is that the last words he spoke to Xavier were harsh ones, and now he is lost. Kitty tells her former boyfriend, that now he knows how she felt when he went over the edge. Piotr muses he never thought of it like that. Kitty asks him if he is happy here. Colossus tells her that they all achieved something this morning in London, and achievement feels good, especially when he has his oldest friends with him. And even more so when one of those friends seems so happy with her life. He tells Kitty that he has heard her and Wisdom laughing at nighttime. She looks up from her drink, but Colossus tells her it's not like that. It pleases him, as it is the laughter of adults, which they never were. Times change, occasionally for the better. He tells Kitty that he promises never to beat up any of her boyfriends again. Sarcastically she tells him that he is too kind.
Outside, Wolfsbane and Douglock are walking along the beach. Rahne comments on Douglock wearing Wisdom's clothes. Douglock tells her that Wisdom claims to have fifteen sets of clothing exactly the same. He also offered to teach Douglock how to smoke, drink and say disgusting things. Rahne tells Douglock that Wisdom is a very generous man then. Douglock tells her not to worry, he doesn't intend to take Wisdom up on his offer, except for the language lesson maybe. He still has some Shakespearean insults in his data banks though, and asks Rahne if she wants to hear some.
She tells him not at the moment, and asks him if she should still call him "Dougie"? After all, he seems to have found his own personality now, one outside of the Phalanx, and Doug Ramsey's memories. Douglock tells Rahne that Doug Ramsey was a great friend of hers wasn't he? So Douglock has considered changing his appearance so that he doesn't look like Cypher, as not to bother Rahne anymore. Wolfsbane tells Douglock there is no need to change his appearance. She knows that Douglock is not Doug, and that she got over that a long time ago. Rahne tells him that his appearance is a nice reminder of her deceased friend though, but Douglock is Douglock. Rahne says she is looking forward to watching 'Lock become his own man and her new friend. Douglock spouts off some Shakespeare, "Thou droning hedge-born, fly-bitten bladder"!
Rory Campbell is in his office. He came to work, as a psychologist with Moira because he thought it would be a challenge. Soon after arriving on Muir he got that challenge. A glimpse of a possible future, in which he becomes a man, called Ahab, who uses his skills to torture mutants. The challenges kept coming when trying to face the fear he will become a mutant-hater, he lost one of his legs, while dealing with the mutant Spoor. The idea that something will happen to make him hate mutants freezes his heart, as do the clippings and Internet messages about New York. He wonders, could this be where the hate starts?
Alistaire Stuart knocks on the door. He tells Rory that he knows they haven't spoken much, but he has something to ask. Rory tells him to come in. Alistaire tells Rory that he has just received a call from the government, and they want to take the old W.H.O., Black Air and any other related paranormal organizations and combine them into one single department. Alistaire has been offered directorship. Alistaire tells Rory he wants to offer him an important post within the department: "Mutant Liaison and Management". What it means is that it keeps Rory in contact with Moira and Excalibur, and also begins a program of discovering and offering aid to British mutants. Rory thinks it is a completely benign job, helping mutants, never hating them. He asks Alistaire what about Moira? After all, he works here. Alistaire tells Rory he has spoken to Moira and she wants Rory to go, with her blessing. Rory asks Alistaire when do they leave?
Within her Medlab, Moira smiles on the inside. She is surrounded by her research data on the Legacy Virus. Moira has the Legacy Virus, and her research has uncovered some interesting points. But she prefers to go up this avenue alone.
In his quarters, Nightcrawler and Daytripper grab a few moments to themselves. After shutting down the London horror together, they have never felt closer.
Nightcrawler wants to know why Amanda never told him that their mother Margali had the Soulsword, and was up to no good. Amanda tells her foster brother that it was her mistake in giving it to her, so it was her problem. Amanda says she wanted to cope with it herself, and tells Kurt he has enough to cope with. She looks to the floor, and Kurt sits down with her, telling Amanda she coped excellently, and to never forget that it was she who saved his life, the lives of Excalibur and everyone else in London. They embrace and tell each other "I love you," while Kurt silently wonders what happened to Margali.
In the Medlab, Meggan tells Wisdom that after Brian's fall through the Timestream, he had flashforwards. Brian tells Wisdom they are memories of the future that would hit him at random. He asks Wisdom, who is smoking again, if he has a deep dislike for oxygen. Wisdom just says that air is overrated, and asks what these flashforwards have to do with him. Brian explains that the last one he had was fifteen years from now. In that future Wisdom was crippled and many members of Excalibur were dead. The remainders attacked the Black Air HQ then, not now, and all died. Brian believes the thing that changed the future was Wisdom, who allowed himself to become part of a team. So they beat Black Air now, and they all lived. Wisdom looks up at Brian wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Brian continues, saying he hasn'?t had a flashforward since, as if the future he saw has been wiped away because it never happened. The way Meggan and he see it, is that Wisdom has to do something the future Wisdom never did... he has to admit to Kitty he loves her.
Moira, Kurt, Amanda, Meggan, Brian, Piotr, Kitty, Wisdom and Lockheed are all in the lounge watching news coverage of their recent battle in London. One newsreader says the death toll is at half-a-million, but would have been far worse without the intervention of Excalibur. Big Ben is scorched, but intact, as it watches over London. While in London there will be months of mourning, and years of rebuilding. The government acknowledges a debt of thanks to the supergroup Excalibur.
The news switches to the main news story of the day - the New York situation. As New York remains in a blackout, only strange lights can be seen in Manhattan.
Nightcrawler says he doesn't believe it, they are stuck here while their friends are... no one wants to say "dying". He says they have to do something, Kitty agrees, as does Wisdom. Brian says they could take the Midnight Runner, though it would provide no medical assistance, Excalibur could at least provide some muscle.
Slapping her fist into the palm of her hand, Moira tells everyone that that is enough. Kurt argues that their friends are in trouble, maybe even fatal, that Excalibur will just go to Manhattan... Moira interrupts - and probably get killed - she says. And then what happens to the rest of the world? Mutants don't only exist in New York. What happens when Excalibur is needed in Paris or London again, or a tiny village somewhere? They are no use to anyone because they are all dead, and mutants have no one to look for help.
What happens to Charles' dream of peace when there is no one left to defend the dream? Moira tells everyone that Charles' dream is here, because if things go wrong in Manhattan, Muir Island, Moira and Excalibur are it. The real Charles Xavier, the one they knew and loved needs them to be here, this is where the dream is, and Excalibur has a responsibility to him to stay alive. With Moira's powerful words, the world goes quiet, and the night gets darker.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Bend Sinister Reprise
Kitty Pryde, a.k.a. “Shadowcat”, X-Man and founding member of Excalibur slowly wakes up. She is a morning person and doesn’t need an alarm clock, for she has woken at the same time every day since she was thirteen years old. Looking around the room, she sees a mess on the floor and smiles, ‘Heh. Untidy git’ she says. Git of course being a word she learned from her British boyfriend, Pete Wisdom who is just across the hall from her. Kitty gets out of bed and yawning, she stretches as she walks over to the window and wonders how the world looks from Muir Island today – however, this day, it looks like no other day.
For Kitty Pryde looks out from her bedroom window in Muir Island’s medical research center, located off the coast of Scotland – but she isn't looking out on Muir Island, instead, she sees a cobbled street lined with English-style houses. ‘My room! Not on Muir!’
Kitty runs from the window, calling to Pete, she tells him to get out of his room as they have trouble. But as she opens the door to her boyfriend’s room, she sees not Pete – but Piotr, a.k.a. Peter Rasputin a.k.a. “Colossus” – a former boyfriend. But as she takes a closer look, Kitty discovers that this Peter is old, and balding, and with cold eyes he turns to Kitty, can calling her “Katya” he tells her that she looks so young, but that she is dead – they are all dead.
Kitty realizes it is Colossus, but not Colossus, in Pete’s room. She turns and runs back to her room – but sees that the corridor is all wrong! ‘I refuse to cope with weirdness in my nightshirt’ Kitty declares as she bursts into a room, telling herself to get ‘the colors’ on and then start coping. She finds a uniform and as she changes into it she wonders where Pete went, and what is with the infinite number of doors in the corridor? ‘Slow down, he’s fine, he’s fine’ she tells herself.
When she is fully dressed, a knock sounds at the door, and she tells herself to get into position, to let whoever it is come in and then kick them in the head  - but as Kurt “Nightcrawler” Wagner, Exclaibur’s leader enters the room, he asks Kitty if she has left the room. Kitty starts to ask him if he realizes how close he came to being kicked in the head, but is cut-off halfway when Kurt sternly asks her the question again.
Kitty replies that she has, and that it was a big mistake, and asks Kurt if he has seen what it across the hall – it looks like Piotr, sort of, but when he spoke he was different. Kurt tells Kitty that that was nothing, as someone who looked like her tried to kill him five minutes ago, adding that they are definitely not on Muir Island anymore. Leaning out the window, Kitty tells Kurt that he better come and look, as it gets worse.
Pointing down to a courtyard, Kitty tells Kurt that it looks like he missed sword fighting practice this morning, as the rest of him are there, and down in the courtyard are several other Nightcrawlers, each somewhat different from the other, all holding up their swords.
Motioning to another part of the street below, Kurt points out that there are several of Kitty, all taking what looks to be a morning walk, and elsewhere there are some more Piotrs, none of whom look very happy, and just like the Nightcrawlers, the Kittys and Piotrs all look different.
Kurt mumbles that if he had a normal life he would quite cheerfully go mad and fall over right now, but as he has led an utterly ridiculous life, he has to say that they are apparently surrounded by alternate timeline versions of themselves. Kurt points out that as they see echoes of themselves and Colossus, it would be safe to assume that theirPiotr is here also, but the question is how do they find him.
The question is answered when a small earthquake is felt, and Kitty phases, while Kurt teleports into another room, where they see their Colossus fighting another. Piotr tells his counterpart to speak and tell him what he has done with Muir Island and the others. The other Colossus spits back ‘Bombastic representative of the petty bourgeois philistine’ as Kitty calls to Piotr, telling him to stop strangling the other.
Colossus gets up and looking at his longtime X-Men teammates declares that they “feel” right, where nothing else in this place does. He asks his friends to forgive him for his violence, as sometime earlier a version of Kitty tried to gut him with a set of strap-on Wolverine claws. Kurt suggests to his friends that they get outside, as he wants to take a look at this place.
Walking together, Colossus is amazed at how everywhere they just see reflections of themselves, and Kitty points out that their other-selves barely even notice them, and that it must be a logic trap. Walking past some graffiti spray painted to a wall that says ‘Katie loves Father Rasputin’, Colossus asks his former girlfriend to explain. Kitty asks where the logic is in dropping them in a village full of variants of themselves and nobody else. There must be a point to this, a logic that currently escapes them. If they logic it out, find they point and they should be able to extrapolate a way out.
Looking over at some alternates of himself, Piotr points out that the theory is fine as far as it goes, but that he gets the impression their variants have been here longer than they three have and wonders why they have not logicked it out. Walking past a version of herself that has merged with the Phalanx, Kitty declares they should go and find out.
Kitty, Kurt and Piotr come to several alternate versions of themselves. Firstly, a leather-clad dominatrix Kitty complete with her own cat-of-nine-tails whip, and naked leased servants in Kurt and Piotr informs the heroes that it doesn’t matter where they are, for the place is never important, but it is the time and deed that are important. ‘Da, you are wise and lovely and terrible’ whispers the slave Colossus.
Next they come across three homeless versions of themselves, the alternate Piotr revealing that they woke up one night after a night “on the rocks” and found themselves here. The alternate Kitty calls Piotr “baby” and tells him that if they haven't got drinks then they need to shove off. The drunken version of Kurt tries to say that what his friend is saying is that they just appeared here, but that there is no way out, so they shouldn’t worry. He extends his brown paper bag-covered drink and tells them that a drop of paint stripper is not so bad after you throw up once or twice.
In another part of the mystery reality, is a church, and in it the “Father Rasputin” frowns, declaring the newcomers to be sinners, as he can smell it on them. The Priest, Kurt, apologizes to the heroes, simply telling them that they cannot aid them. Kitty’s alternate boasts that they were delivered here, far from the distractions of the mundane world, for here they may be pure, and she asks if they would come pray with her.
Sometime later, Kitty, Kurt and Piotr sit on some steps, and Kurt points out that they have spoken with many of their counterparts, and wonders if the “point” has escaped him, or if there is none. Kitty stands up and declares that none of their variations know why they are here, they just adjusted. She asks the others if it really sounds like them, and Kurt points out that it doesn’t. Kitty agrees, and opening the door to “Olde Curiosity Shoppe” and reveals that she thinks none of the people here are real, that they have been created just for this place.
Entering the shop, Kitty addresses the shopkeeper, who is a version of herself and tells her that she would like to buy a map. The alternate Kitty smiles and reveals that there is no need for money, that everything is free, all you need is curiosity. She hands Kitty a scroll, and unraveling it Kitty and the men see nine circles. Kurt admits he doesn’t understand, but Kitty thinks she does. Piotr asks her if they have to read her mind or will she tell them, and Kitty asks her parallel for a map with more detail.
The parallel complies, and unravels another map  - but this one is completely empty, as Kurt points out. But Kitty informs him that she doesn’t think so, and turning to the shopkeeper version of herself, she asks her what makes the two of them so different? ‘I became my own person? I never ever gave in to my bad side? I became the best I could?’ and with those words, the other Kitty disappears.
Nightcrawler asks where it is that the other Kitty has gone, and Kitty points out that there was something in all of her alternates, some aspect of someone else or of her horrible temper that she is always trying to keep hold of, and that she thought what would she be like if she didn’t try or if she ever gave in.
Looking at the map with the circles on, Kurt points out that the three outside circles have all gone, and bursting through the shop windows, an alternate Colossus declares that there are six left. Colossus strikes his counterpart and wonders what it is that makes him so different to his alternates. A policeman alternate strikes Piotr and tells him that he has the right to remain silent and the right to fall over. Piotr admits that he has grown uncomfortable with authority figures over the years and that he certainly cannot see himself becoming one.
Nightcrawler declares that the fighting Piotr’s are brining the house down and grabs Kitty’s hand as he teleports out. When the rubble clears, Colossus can be seen fighting with another counterpart. He tells this one that he has a dreadful costume and that he reeks of alcohol. Colossus doesn’t know what happened to this version of himself, but what he does know is that not fighting and not lashing out is not giving up – it is simply finding a better way to live. ‘For myself’.
All of the alternate Piotrs are gone, but the trio’s struggle is not quite over, as all of the parallel Nightcrawlers rush towards them. Kurt points out that his counterparts all seem rather murderous, not to mention miserable. ‘And many of them have long pointy swords Kurt. Think fast. Differences’. Kitty mentions to him.
Kurt doesn’t think he knows, although he has had miserable times lately, for being a team leader in these times has not been conductive to mindless joy. Kitty reminds him that he used to be happy, and Kurt points out that he used to have a lot less responsibility, but now he has had to preside over such horror. Kitty grins and asks her friend ‘Like what, answer carefully, they’re listening’.
‘Oh come on’ says Kurt as he goes on to reminds Kitty about Genosha, Black Air, X-Man, the Devil under London and the Soul Sword trouble, where he almost killed her! Kitty reminds Kurt that it wasn’t deliberate, and besides, she ‘kicked your furry butt’.
Kurt begins to laugh, and all of his counterparts start to clap, before disappearing. ‘That’s it? Now what?’ asks Piotr. Kitty declares that they have two options – ‘we get killed, or…’ but she is cut off by Colossus who tells her it looks like it is the “or” option as the reality starts to fade out. Kurt quickly turns to Kitty and asks her if she worked out who was behind this. Kitty reveals that the nine circles were the nine circles of Hell, then blankness, Limbo – which means they have just been tested by…Belasco!
‘Good grief, that took them long enough’ mumbles Belasco himself, sitting beside a pit of flames in Limbo, the part of Hell that he rules. He remarks at how much the three former X-Men have all grown since he last met them, particularly Kitty, compared to the time she spent with him in Limbo. He turns to a naked woman, held captive in a small cage dangling above the fire and addresses her as Margali, and declares that he thought it best to test them now, for sooner or later their search for her will turn up the possibility that during her moment of weakness she and the Soulsword were taken by the blades original owner – him. He jokes that when they finally come for him, it might be fun and he can hardly wait.
Muir Island, really, where three other members of Excalibur – Captain Britain, Meggan and Pete Wisdom are worrying about their three missing teammates. Wisdom admits that this is driving him mad, not to mention that there is nothing on the security tapes. Meggan tries to calm him, suggesting that they cannot simple vanish, when at that very moment reality blinks and the missing heroes return, with Colossus informing Meggan that they actually did. Kurt remarks that they are back now and that spontaneous displays of affection would be appreciated.
Meggan and Brian go over to Kurt, as Kitty and Wisdom embrace. Wisdom tells Kitty that there is something he has been forced to admit to her, and he tells Kitty that he loves her, just as she kisses him, and says ‘I love you too, you stupid git’. The others watch the happy couple, Piotr congratulating Brian, who convinced Wisdom to tell Kitty he loves her, and Meggan smiles at how sweet she thinks it is. ‘Wait, it gets better’ grins Kitty as they continue to make out.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Buried Secret
(In Douglock’s dream)
A cemetery in Salem Center, Westchester, New York. Near the home of the Uncanny X-Men, the members of Excalibur stand before the grave of the deceased New Mutant Doug Ramsey. Kitty  Pryde exclaims that there is something so sad about Westchester in the fall - yet romantic at the same time. Piotr Rasputin agrees, and adds that it is a time for rejoicing. Kitty looks at the grave of her deceased friend and tells Doug that they are all glad to have him back.
To the side of Britain’s greatest super hero team, the techno-organic Douglock motions to the grave and asks everyone why they are talking to Cypher, as he is dead. He asks them if he cannot see that he is here now. Rahne Sinclair kneels by the grave of her close friend and tells him that he is looking ‘bonnie’. Douglock calls to Rahne and asks her why she cannot hear him, before walking up to Pete Wisdom and asking him to make them all listen.
Wisdom tells Douglock that he knows what his secret is, and that he knows Douglock doesn’t want the others to learn it, because they will lose interest in him. Wisdom lights a match against Douglock to ignite his cigarette. Kitty Pryde pays lots of attention to Doug, and calls to him, ‘come on slow poke!” But even Kitty cannot see the truth for what it is. Suddenly, a techno-organic being resembling Cypher - resembling Douglock - bursts out of the grave. ‘Hey guys. Let’s go into Salem Center and get a shake, huh?’ he asks nonchalantly. Douglock calls to Excalibur, telling them not to listen to Ramsey, ‘He’s not me! He’s not…’ Then he wakes up.
(Reality)
Every night, Douglock has electronic nightmares about that human boy - Doug Ramsey - who speaks wet, not metallic. Every night, the same. But he sees a little more in his machine brain, knows a little more in his machine heart. That when he wakes up, he is not who they want him to be, and that his little secret will tear him apart - if it doesn’t tear his friends apart first. ‘I am…Douglock. Yes,’ declares Douglock sitting up in his bed.
Outside, standing alongside the shoreline of Muir Island, a small island off the coast of North Scotland, it is home to the super group known as Excalibur. A storm currently rages on, most of Excalibur shelter from it inside, but not Colossus. The powerful Russian mutant, in his metal form stands in the rain, as a recent addition to Excalibur, he has begun to ponder his role, not only within Excalibur, but the world as well. Colossus thinks that it is ironic how he can turn into organic steel to protect him from elements that would erode a mountain into dust, yet he cannot shield himself from doubts.
Piotr remembers back to when Professor Xavier first approached him to follow his dream, telling him that his powers were really a gift, yet all they ever seem to do is take him from that which he desires - stability, a family and a home. Something he can believe in. He recalls how his powers have taken him far from his mother Russia and his family, to this strange Western world, then the X-Men with his dear Katya and Kurt, to Magneto’s Acolytes and their fanatic cause. He finds himself now on Excalibur, reunited with Kitty and Kurt, but once more serving some elusive dream.
Colossus reminds himself how at one point all he wanted was someplace to belong, to know he was doing something. He wonders if perhaps the time has come for him to stop putting his destiny in the hands of others. Colossus frowns as he tells himself there was one man he thought he knew his heart and followed it rightly - Professor Charles Xavier - but now even he has fallen by his ideals, twisted by his passion. Colossus remembers how he believed, once he joined the X-Men and embraced the Professor’s dream, that they would build a new future, where all men would live in peace, but sadly he declares that he has buried the heroes of this future too many times.
Colossus “asks” the Professor if it was worth everything - to follow this dream no matter where, facing the endless expanse of sea, unstopping torrent, Colossus believes a man’s resolve is a castle of sand, not a fortress of steel.
Inside the famous Muir Island research Center, in the residential wing, Kitty and Wisdom stare out a window, looking at Colossus as he stands in the rain, Kitty admits to Wisdom that although it has been so long since she and Piotr were close, and that she doesn’t miss it, exactly, but that it tears her up to see Piotr out there. She wishes Colossus would say something to her, or anyone. She asks Wisdom what he thinks is going on in Colossus’ head. Wisdom tells his girlfriend not to worry, reminding her that Colossus is a Russian, he tells her that Russian’s love moping around. Wisdom asks Kitty if she has ever read “Crime and Punishment” by Dostojewski. He tells Kitty that he is ‘Your typical Russian down to a tee’.
Wisdom jokes that he hopes Colossus doesn’t rust out there, as he thinks the cupboard has run out of steel-wool pads - Wisdom notices Kitty has turned away from him and tells her not to give him the ice queen act, as it was just a joke. Kitty tells Wisdom that this is anything but a joke to her, and as she phases through him to leave the room, Kitty tells Wisdom that if he knew the meaning of friendship, then he would understand that, ‘you bitter sod!’.
Wisdom tells Kitty that it is not fair using that word on him, as he taught it to her, ‘as accurate as it might be notwithstanding’ he mumbles. Kitty tells Pete that she doesn’t know if he can see this, or if he even cares, but that Excalibur is the closest thing to a family she has, she needs it - him, Piotr, Kurt, everyone. Kitty declares that she has lost too many things in this world because of the dumb mutation in her genes, and sometimes it feels like there is a storm coming that will tear Excalibur apart. She asks Wisdom if he saw the files Professor Xavier has on them, she cannot believe that the man who was like a father to her would have files like that.
Kitty suddenly wonders why she is telling Wisdom all this, but before Pete can reply, Douglock enters the room, carrying a tray with some food on it, he declares that it is telly time. ‘You call it “telly” in England, don’t you, Mr. Wisdom?’ Douglock exclaims that Rahne was telling him about this cool show called “Doctor Who”, before offering his tray of food, asking if they want some, he reveals that it is peanut butter, that he had the strangest urge for Peanut butter.
Wisdom calls Douglock ‘Tinker Toy’ and tells him that the “real people” are trying to have a nice quiet row here, ‘do you mind?’ he asks, hinting that he wants Douglock to leave. But Douglock misunderstands, and replies ‘Not at all, I have three minutes, thirty-six seconds until the show’. As Douglock sits down on a sofa, Wisdom tells him that he is going to lay down some ground rules, while Kitty turns back to the window: ‘Piotr…’.
Far beneath Muir Island, in the lab of the Research Centre’s owner, Doctor Moira MacTaggert. The good Doctor sits at a large computer console and thinks that it is strange how Hank McCoy is not on line, as he is usually up at the moment, even though it is the middle of the night in the States. Moira figures the Beast is extra tired, as the two of them have been burning the candle at both ends trying to find a cure for the Legacy Virus. Moira exclaims that it is a race against the clock, especially for her, the first non-mutant victim of the Legacy Virus.
Moira reminds herself that she became a Doctor to help people, and that Excalibur work with her to help people too, but that sometimes they cause more trouble than they solve. Moira thinks about Charles Xavier, who said they would help mankind, whether they wanted it or not, which is what he said to her when he first concocted his plan to create the X-Men. ‘Well, we all gave our lives to you - goodness knows more than that with many of us. Charles, we had faith in you. But you didn’t have faith in us, or yourself’ Moira thinks to herself.
Suddenly, Nightcrawler teleports into and greets Moira in his native German. Moira yells at Kurt, telling him that he should not be teleporting in here like some no good villain, adding that he scared her out of her wits. Kurt tells Moira that he hadn’t seen her in a while and wanted to make sure she was okay, reminding her that the last couple of days have been a wringer for them all. Moira declares that she is fine, just busy, trying to keep busy - to forget. Moira informs Kurt that she has to email the recent Legacy data to Hank.
Kurt is surprised, and asks ‘just the data? I thought we had to deal with -’ Moira cuts him off, finishing his sentence - ‘Xavier’s protocols?’ Moira is unsure, but Kurt reminds Moira that the files they discovered hidden in the Professor’s secret vault explain how to destroy each and every one of them. Kurt declares that every X-Man must have a say on what is done with them. Kurt snaps that he is team leader, and that this is not a suggestion. ‘Very well, Nightcrawler’ replies Moira.
Back in the rec room, Wisdom leans over Douglock, telling him that he can trust him with his secret. Douglock just keeps reading his paper and tells Wisdom that he doesn’t know what he is talking about. Wisdom smiles and tells Douglock that they will get this straight: ‘Doug Ramsey, useless kid with a useless power’, makes friends with an alien named Warlock. Wisdom mocks that this alien happens to be the only benevolent member of a techno-organic race, but both Doug and Warlock die.
Wisdom points out the obvious - that one day Douglock shows up, claiming not to be either of them, except he has Doug Ramsey’s face. Wisdom tells Douglock - calling him “Dougie” - that he doesn’t know what game he is playing, but knows he is playing one. Kitty turns her attention from Colossus outside in the storm, to Wisdom and tells him to stop torturing Douglock. She exclaims that Doug Ramsey is one of the best friends she ever had, before telling Wisdom that if he has a problem with her, then take it up with her, not with Piotr, or Douglock, not with any of her friends - which she used to think he was one of too.
‘Not more of this “friendship” rubbish, scoffs Wisdom, before pointing at Douglock and asking Kitty if she really thinks her friend’s alive and well in there, asking her why he keeps torturing her this way. Wisdom then turns back to Douglock and declares that he knows Douglas Ramsey is not really inside him, it is just that everyone keeps telling him he is, that is the reason Douglock looks the way he does. He asks Douglock what harm there is in confessing.
Douglock sits up in his chair explains that he can be whatever people want him to be. Transforming into Nightcrawler, Douglock tells Wisdom that he could order him to shut up, before transforming into Kitty, so that he can caress him through the night and tell him everything will be all right. ‘Or I could be you, Wisdom!’ shouts Douglock as he declares he could become the thing that Wisdom runs from, the secret he covers up with bitterness.
‘You’re nothing like you’re supposed to be! Why won’t you all let me be myself!’ screams Douglock as he races for the large window and smashes through it. Pete declares the Douglock has flipped, while Kitty calls to him. But Douglock lands amongst the broken glass - right in front of Colossus, who warns Douglock that this storm is fierce and a misplaced step could send him to into oblivion, swept away in the waves.
‘Look what you’ve done!’ snaps Kitty as she turns to Wisdom. Wisdom points out that Kitty’s “old friend” saved the day, and claims that all he did was set off a bomb, which he thinks is better now than when they least expect it. Wisdom tells Kitty that Douglock is trouble, and that they better figure him out quick. ‘The last thing I would do is trust you’ exclaims Kitty as she phases through Wisdom and in her intangible form floats down to the ground, but Wisdom calls after her, telling her that she can run away from him, but that they still have Douglock’s secrets to deal with.
Kitty approaches Colossus and asks him if Douglock is okay. Piotr replies that he is, but that the storm has disorientated him, adding that the Atlantic storm makes some people melancholy, he knows this. Kitty puts her hands on Douglock and apologizes for what Pete said, adding that he didn’t mean them. But Douglock declares that Wisdom did mean them, that he is the only one brave enough to say that they all think he is their dead friend resurrected. Doug declares that he doesn’t know how to make them believe it, but he isn’t. ‘Then what are you? Tell us!’ says Kitty, but Douglock covers his face and replies ‘I am what - who I am. Isn’t that enough?’
Minutes later, Moira looks at the now broken window as she tells Kitty, Kurt, Colossus and Wisdom that she doesn’t approve of this, for after the incident with Onslaught, and Xavier now missing, not to mention what she and Wisdom went through some days ago, being threatened by the U.S. government, all the reports she is getting are that the States are not safe for any mutants, what with all the public hysteria. Moira states that taking the Midnight Runner on a jaunt to the States to find the secret of Douglock’s past is foolish.
Nightcrawler states that he thinks Wisdom has a point, that Douglock is a mystery, and until they can get some handle on his past, for the good of the team, this must be done. Moira doesn’t see how sending half of the team across the globe is going to solve this, as Colossus tells Kitty he wishes he was going with her, as he has a bad feeling about this. Kitty reminds Piotr that she has always trusted him to land on his own feet, and she knows he trusts her. She tells him not to worry, and reminds him that Doug was her best friend, so this is personal, and anyway, she has someone else to help her, someone who knew Doug a lot better than he did. On cue, Wolfsbane enters the room, yawning that this had better be a good reason for waking her in the middle of the night.
As the Midnight Runner leaves the stormy Muir Island, Moira mutters to herself that no harm better come to Rahne, as she is her guardian. Moira wonders if she has too much to worry about, too little faith. Moira modems the information to the Beast and decides to go to sleep, to try and forget about Charles, the Virus, monsters and bigots, and hope that Hank can tell them how to dispose of the hideous “protocols”.
With the Midnight Runner gone, another ship approaches Muir Island. From inside someone announces that the other ship holds two mutant signatures, and one machine, which he supposes is Douglock. A masked woman carrying a bow addresses the man as Selby and asks him if has any luck cracking the tight beam satellite. Selby replies that it is impossible for any crypto=program to translate, even the Norad mainframes, before boasting that no one counted on a mutant with the ability to intuit binary language. And tells his leader that this is a snap. The masked woman asks if it is the Legacy data like the leak said it would be, Selby replies that it is, and that there is also some mention about “Xavier Protocols”, revealing to his leader that the Xavier Protocols are files on how to kill the X-Men, and believes that would be worth looking at while they are here. Selby adds that the rest of their team is ready in six minutes to attack.
Four minutes and counting: Wolfsbane asks Kitty how far they are, Kitty replies that they are just past Greenland, so they have a while to go, before commenting to Rahne that she sounds worried. Rahne motions to a red light and declares that she is, as she thought the red light means the anterior steering controls are turbulence locked. Kitty replies that it does, and tells Wolfsbane to sit back, boasting that she learned to fly on a black bird, so she could fly this corvette with orange soda in the tank and a busted wing.
Kitty exclaims that she is not going to let some storm stop them, reminding Rahne that they both thought Doug died for them, but now they might have been wrong. Kitty asks Rahne if she wants to get to the truth, to which Wolfsbane tells Kitty that the truth is Doug is dead, and suggests she finally accept it. ‘I cant!’ screams Kitty, declaring that there is something in Douglock, something that is Doug. Kitty mentions that he has been acting strange since their run in with the Hellfire Club, which Douglock exclaims ‘Different wouldn’t begin to describe it!’ as he enters the cockpit.
Douglock reminds his teammates that he was practically torn apart and reassembled from scratch, joking that if that wouldn’t change you, then he doesn’t know what would. Douglock adds that there is one thing he does know - that he didn’t turn into Doug Ramsey. ‘I swear’. Voices hushed, Douglock asks Rahne if she understands. Rahne asks Douglock to try and understand that this is something Kitty has to come to grips with on her own terms. ‘It is him. I know it!’ the determined Kitty thinks to herself.
Muir Island, two minutes and counting: the elemental faerie, Meggan, laughs as she flies up between the raindrops, carrying a large sheet of wood, she announces to her teammate and lover, Brian Braddock a.k.a. Captain Britain that the storm is stopping, reminding him that she told him things would clear up. Brian calls after Meggan, reminding her that they have got work to do, he asks her to hold up while he flies the hammer and nails up.
‘You do that, Captain Bloody Britanic’ mutters Wisdom as he watches Meggan and Brian out the window, before mumbling that love is grand when you are handsome and suave, all the pretty people say nicey-nice and live happily ever after. He wishes Kitty could see he is trying to help her before this obsession eats her up. Standing a few feet away from Wisdom, Colossus suggests that Wisdom may be named appropriately after all, though he is not certain he would have handled it in quite the same matter. Wisdom mutters that hindsight is 20/20, that he should have known Kitty would shoot the messenger. Wisdom asks Colossus if he cares for a cigarette, when suddenly there is a loud explosion. Colossus declares that it feels like a bomb went off and Wisdom suggests that he should turn metal, as something happened outside.
‘Fire’ exclaims Meggan as she and Brian are mending the window that Douglock smashed. Meggan supposes that the butane tanks must have burst and flies towards them, where by flying so fast and tight enough, she is able to use the resulting air vortex to put out the flames. Meggan tells Brian that with the flames out, they can deal with the problem, when suddenly, a grey-haired man approaches Meggan and exclaims that the problem is taken care of with a telekinetic pulse. He jokes that they are good at taking care of problems, as it is their specialty.
The grey-haired man introduces himself as Wildside, and as Meggan falls to the ground, the rest of the Mutant Liberation Front regroups with their teammate: Wildside! Fourarm! Selby…and Moonstar! As Brian rushes towards the terrorist faction, Michael “Fourarm” McCain declares that they have come for sensitive information, and tells Brian there is no need to get up on their account.
Fourarm alerts Moonstar to Captain Britain’s approach, and boasts that he is going to snap his neck before he runs any more interference. Under her breath, Moonstar declares that she cannot let her “teammate” do that, and drawing an arrow she fires it at Fourarm, a psionic phase arrow should scramble Fourarm’s sense long enough. Moonstar hopes that the other MLF members didn’t see her through all this smoke. Wildside lunges into Brian, calling for someone to take him out. Moonstar declares that he is her, and fires a psionic arrow at him, wishing she could explain this to Brian, hoping that if they get out of this fiasco alive, then she can, as working undercover can be tough! Moonstar orders everyone to move on, deep and fast.
Back in Moira’s lab, she uses the com-system to contact Colossus and Wisdom, informing them that the power is cut off on the elevator, so she is trapped in the sub-lab. She asks them what is going on up there. Looking up at several security screens, Wisdom replies ‘just the normal’ revealing to Moira that unidentified storm troopers have taken the base, and that com-links off the island have been severed. He adds that Brian, Meggan and Kurt might be dead. ‘But don’t worry, I’m just going to have a nervous breakdown, then we’ll take care of it. Colossus tells Wisdom that this is no time for jokes, and that they must fight. ‘Just a sec’, Piotr, gotta find my shoes’.
Moira is annoyed that she is stuck down in the sub-lab, and attempts to use the security system against whoever the Island’s attacker’s are. But as she does so, Selby appears on the screen before her, informing Moira that they have disabled her network, but it will return to her control once they are done. He declares that they of the Mutant Liberation Front, in the interests of ‘liberating all mutants from the yoke of homo-inferior’ herby seize all of Moira’s research data on the Legacy Virus, ravaging their community.
Selby is about to say something about Moira’s progress on the Virus, when Moonstar grabs the camera from him and tells him to get the downloads finished, before informing Moira that she has been exposed in the press by ‘that maggot reporter Trish Tilby’, so too many people know about her. Moonstar declares that they of the mutant community can no longer trust the integrity of this facility anymore, so they are taking her research results on the Legacy Virus, adding that they will also be taking possession of files that they have just discovered the existence of  - the Xavier Protocols.
Moonstar declares that neither this facility, nor Xavier’s mansion are safe enough to protect these protocols, adding that too many mutants are endangered by entrusting the files to Moira. Moira is shocked when Moonstar removes her mask and declares that she should know - ‘because I’m one of the ones how used to serve that traitor Charles Xavier!’ Moira cries ‘Dani! You were one of Xavier’s young pupils, his New Mutants! I can’t believe it! Has the world gone mad?’ Dani declares that it has, but that the MLF is here to take care of it, starting with Moira and this island of misguided government goons.
Westchester, Wolfsbane declares that it is strange being in the graveyard, as with all that has been going on with the Professor, she thought that the States weren’t there anymore. Kitty agrees, adding that it is uncomfortable, like they are trespassers in someone else’s dream, lots of memories…’Right, Doug?’ Rahne kneels down at Cypher’s grave, apologizing, for feeling like a grave robber. A cold wind starts up, Rahne exclaims that it is creepy. Douglock looks down at the grave, ‘Something in the Westchester fall, so sad and romantic at the same time’.
Kitty lunges at Douglock and asks him where he heard that. ‘No more lies! I want the truth! We buried you here, but now your back -’ Douglock interrupts, telling Kitty that he wishes he could help her see, that he is not the resurrection of her friend, that Doug Ramsey is still buried beneath them. Kitty pauses, before declaring that they will confirm it then. Rahne understands what Kitty is going to do, and tells her that she cannot do it, as it is consecrated ground. She tells Kitty that if they dig here, they will go to ‘you know where’ when they die.
Kitty ignores Rahne and tells Douglock that she knows he knows this place. Douglock replies that he has seen it before, but can promise that he has never been here before. ‘Yeah right!’ exclaims Kitty as she phases into the grave of Doug Ramsey, telling Rahne that she doesn’t want her getting in trouble with the priests, so she will just phase down and take a look at an empty coffin. ‘Och! What’s she going to find down there?’ wonders Rahne.
‘Hopefully the truth’ replies Douglock. Kitty is shocked when she phases into the coffin - to find the decomposed corpse of Doug Ramsey staring back at her.