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Do Not Go Gentle – Into that Good Night (part 3 of 3) (1st story) - the Shape of Things to Come (2nd story)
1st storyAboard the Consortium’s orbital platform, Jean Grey and Hank McCoy look into each other’s eyes. He reminds her that, as an Avenger, he took an oath to defend and protect this world. She accepts that. But not the rest. There isn’t time for anything else, he tells her simply. They are pushing their luck by taking this little time. He is all for a miracle but he just can’t see it happening. He can’t leave. He has to stay to make sure the Plague-X firing system is disabled – the projector offline - until these charges they’ve set go off.
Jean begins to cry. It’s not fair! He’s got so much to live for! He knows, but nobody lives forever! They kiss desperately.
Elsewhere aboard the platform, the rest of the X-Men and Nick Fury continue their fight against the Neo-Sentinels. Hard enough as the robots are self-repairing. The Sentinel’s leader, Sigrid ‘Ziggy’ Trask, gloats that eventually the X-Men will get tired and then her Sentinels will kill them. Hard words, Fury tells her as he fires at her. No less than they deserve! Ziggy believes.
Blowing a Sentinel up, Gambit remarks she has a point. Kitty Pryde shouts a warning and takes out a Sentinel behind him. Gambit is taken aback that he never noticed the monster behind him. Kitty jokes if something happens to him, ‘ro won’t forgive her.
While Cyclops blasts one Sentinel, he wonders why, despite being the epitome of logic, the Sentinels haven’t taken the obvious route and voided the X-Men, who are wearing no pressure suits.
That moment, Jean joins them. She mind-dumps the latest information to Cyclops and states they have minutes at most. They have to go! He orders her to mindflash Kurt to prep for immediate launch. He orders the rest to get out now!
In the control room, Amelia Trask is about to deploy all troopers to hangar bay. The mutants must not escape! And get Sentinels down to the reactor to stop the Beast!
An injured Tony Stark stumbles up there with a gun and tells her that her tin man wasn’t as good a killer as he believed. How? she bursts out. He is Iron Man! Tony replies and shoots her. He tells the rest of the staff to consider that their only warning. They have two minutes to evacuate the station before it explodes. Have a nice life.
The X-Men are doing the same thing, while Cyclops still wonders how to save Hank and Stark. The plane leaves as Jean tells him nothing can be done. It’s no different a choice than the one he made on the Starcore shuttle. The hero’s choice: the greater good for the greater number. Kitty offers she could go bad and grab— No time, Jean tells her. Scott orders the X-Men (who are already in the process of doing so) to get suited up. The fight’s not over yet. They face the Sentinels in space (with Jean not wearing any suit).
Meanwhile, aboard the station, Beast is trying to neutralize the activation nodes, only to have more come online. Pesky thing seems to have a mind of its own, he mutters. Machines do that sometimes, he hears a familiar voice. Stark is calling him over the comm-system. He’s looked better, Hank observes. Likewise, Tony retorts and apologizes. He truly thought he could save—There’s nothing for him to worry about, Hank assures him. Tony thanks him, then figures he could use a hand. He tells Hank to focus on the core nodes, while he will handle the control links. Hank agrees with a smile. Family, huh? Ain’t that a stitch.
He has no idea, Tony sighs. Dad had his dreams and ambitions. Tony’s turned out to be somewhat different. He thought he’d made a breakthrough with Larry Trask. His big mistake was not taking Ziggy seriously. Or Amelia.
Hank had a real hard time believing Tony had gone over to the dark side. That call was a lot closer than he thinks, Tony sighs.
In space, Rogue uses her suit’s augmented power to tear into a Sentinel. Cyclops blasts another, noting this is going too easy. Almost as if the Sentinels are testing their capabilities, setting up a future confrontation. Gambit detonates another Sentinel. Jean tears one apart, while raging about the unfairness of the situation.
Kitty and Nightcrawler pilot the Blackbird. Fury is aboard as well and notes the Sentinels seem to be seriously short on strategic combat brains. Kurt suggests they give thanks for small blessings. Be nice if that were true, Fury replies. But he thinks otherwise.
Kitty interrupts, informing them that they are getting a call from someone codenamed Deep Throat. About time, Fury replies and tells her to patch him through. Deep Throat turns out to be Tony Stark and Kurt is shocked when he gets his bio readings. Fury asks where he is. No time and no point, Tony interrupts, for both him and McCoy. Fury asks what happened. Sentinel. Bad joss. Sins of the father catching up with the son. He’s sorry, Nick tells him. He is too, Tony smiles, but they always knew the risk. He’s transmitting the full data load of the station computer. That should help them go after the Consortium. And as for these Neo-Sentinels, there is something they need to know…
Sigrid Trask attacks Cyclops from behind. He tries to take her out with an optic blast to no avail, as the Sentinels made her a Vibranium suit that makes her functionally invulnerable.
Jean threatens she will take care of her after she destroys her toys. Sigrid replies she will kill Jean’s boyfriend in the meantime.
Fury contacts Cyclops and tells him to drive Trask back toward her space station. Scott fires short optic blasts at Ziggy to drive her back. She gloats, believing he is trying to injure her and failing.
Jean telepathically contacts Hank and asks if she can help. Always in the market for a miracle, he jokes. She promises to stay with him till the end. They express their love for each other.
Alerts warn Ziggy as she gets too close to the station.
Hank tells Jean goodbye and the station detonates.
Within the Blackbird, Fury orders Kitty and Kurt to scan the scene. He needs to know the status of the Plague X generator. Was it neutralized in time? Kurt’s readings reveal there are zero emanations of the generator. Negative contact with Hank and Stark. Negative contact with Scott and – he belays the last statement. The rest of their teammates are alive.
Scott asks about Hank. Kurt tells him that he and Tony didn’t make it and reveals Tony was their mole. He knew to take out Ziggy. Once she was gone, her Sentinels stopped moving. Fury explains that Tony figured as much. They were taking telepathic orders from the two Trask women. Once they died, they had no more standing orders.
Jean looks wistfully into space.
2nd story:Kapella, on the lateral fringe of the Shi’ar Empire:
The Shi’ar governor general is on the planet, while a Shi’ar crew is on a space ship. Suddenly, one crew member announces a significant anomaly.
Planetside, the governor and his guard too look at the sky. A wormhole opens and through it come Warskrull ships, which strafe the planet. Quickly the engine and weapons of the Shi’ar warship are crippled. The Warskrulls hail them and order their surrender. The Shi’ar refuse. Soon they and any of their defenses have been destroyed. The Skrulls own the planet.
Shi’ar defense of the realm headquarters:The Shi’ar wonder how this could happen. The WarSkrulls were dealt with months ago. Five systems, along the peripheral frontier have been overrun. Complete destruction of local Shi’ar military units. All were caught by surprise. The admiral wonders how total failure of all border sensors was possible.
A scientist explains that their highest level security echelons have been breached. The Warskrulls took advantage of someone else’s work. The system was recently penetrated by someone with imperial status. He made a comprehensive sweep of all their datanets. When he closed the door behind him, the lock didn’t completely catch. The person responsible is the empress’ consort… Charles Xavier.
Consort or not, the admiral swears, Xavier will pay!


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Requiem
Dreamscape:Jean Grey makes her way through a snowstorm and recalls she’s walked this road and seen this realm before. It stands between life and death. For most, it’s a momentary point of transit. Always before, the transition was peaceful. Not like this, as the winds almost beats her down.
That’s because she is not supposed to be here, Scott Summers, who suddenly appears before her, informs Jean. How did he get here? What is he talking about? she demands as he disappear in the distance telling her what’s done is done.
He’s right, a new voice tells her. She turns around to see Wolverine. Some things aren’t meant to be changed, he continues. Like it or not, this is reality. But she came back. Jean insists stubbornly and calls him ‘my love.’ She always comes back. She is the exception that proves… he starts before he is blown apart. Horrified, she recalls she was in his mind when it happened.
The nature of life, a new voice tells her. That’s not fair, she complains to Hank McCoy. They are heroes, they saved the world. She has saved everything! So what are they then? he asks. Her prize? Is this really how she wants things to work? She wants a happy ending! Jean cries. Don’t they all? But that’s her story… Phoenix. Theirs was to be a part of it but only for a time. He turns to stone and crumbles apart.
Reality:Horrified, Jean wakes up. Grimly, she realizes this was more than a dream. Professor Xavier contacts her telepathically and asks if she is all right. Not even close, she thinks back. Can he help? Charles asks. Can he turn time back, Jean demands, make the car hit her instead of her best friend?
Suppose the wish was granted, Xavier replies, what then? He has wheeled to outside her room and continues, saying that the road she has been asked to walk is unbearably hard but look at what’s come of it. The countless lives she has saved. He suggests she join him for a walk.
Outside later, Jean agrees the morning is lovely. Xavier muses the last time he’d sensed such tumult in her mind was right after he’d gathered the new X-Men and they’d saved her team from Krakoa.
Jean recalls she’d just met Logan. She suspects even then they both knew how things between them would go. And to forestall it, she ran away, Charles continues. Only to come right back, she adds, which led to her becoming Phoenix.
What’s her truth? she wonders. Yet to be learned, he suspects. Suppose she hates it? It’s life, he replies, and life is full of the unexpected. Not an idea answer she sighs.
He starts a new subject. He’s been thinking about the school. Considering their situation, preparations should be made in case something happens to him. She reminds him Scott is handling things. He can’t do it alone, he replies. Scott needs her help as does he. She’ll think about it, she replies. Mutants are fighting for their very survival, Charles stresses. They need her help! She’ll think about it, she repeats.
Cyclops dressed in uniform joins them to inform them Fury’s called a meeting. Their new master’s voice, eh? Jean remarks bitterly. Xavier stresses Fury is their friend.
Scott asks what’s up with them. Jean informs him that Charles wants her to stay to help Scott run the school. Scott assures her she’d be great at it. Would she? Jean wonders. They want her to care for children. Considering what happens to those closest to her, is that wise? She’d rather run away? she is asked. She is tempted, she admits as she telekinetically turns her clothes into her uniform. But the men she loved believed this dream worth dying for. Scott wants to say something. She tells him not to say another word. He has too much to live for. For Nathan’s sake, it’s best they do so apart.
Later X-Men and Fury’s trusted agents both gather in the Danger Room. Nick Fury informs them, mutants as a race, are at a complete risk. It’s also becoming more and more clear that SHIELD is corrupt at its core. They have to find a way to save both. Officially SHIELD is establishing a permanent base at the Xavier School. Off the book, their brief is to keep mutants safe and bust the bad guys out of their shop. He warns them the job isn’t going to be easy. There’s going to be sacrifices and more losses. But Tony Stark, Hank McCoy and Logan all thought this cause was worth dying for. They are going to follow their lead. They are going to make them proud! And they are going to bring down the Consortium.
Man talks well, Gambit remarks. Does he not believe him? Daisy Dugan asks. Talk is easy, Gambit scoffs. Proof will come down the line. Sabretooth announces Fury is a great liar but this time he is talking truth. And all the agents here are following his lead.
Fury continues this is the hardest kind of fight, because they will be going up against their friends. A lot of them will believe they are in the wrong. But they can’t waver and they won’t lose.
“We few, we happy few we band of brothers,” Jean quotes. Question is how this will end, Scott muses. Now she understands why her granddad loved Fury, Daisy admits. Sabretooth warns her not to let the talk fool her. The man is as hard as they come. Which is likely what they need, Gambit points out.
Fury calls Sabretooth, Gambit and Daisy over, wanting to talk to them. He tells them they worked well together on their mission against the Consortium. He wants to keep that team intact as a as a clandestine ops squad. He’d love to include a telepath but Ms. Grey is conflicted and Charles is hurting. Why them? Gambit demands. Fury explains they aren’t just good, they are nasty. Gambit and Sabretooth both agree but Sabretooth wants something to replace his stump first. Cyclops informs them it’s time to go.
Dunfee, Illinois:Outside the church.‘ro is nervous and wants to leave. Remy tells her Hank was their friend. They do this to honor his sacrifice. Xavier grieves how young he was. Jean keeps a bit back from the others with Sabretooth, who notices she is keeping her distance from Summers. She is not lucky for those she loves, she replies. She figures Sabretooth can take anything thrown at her and it won’t hurt as much if she’s proven wrong. Sabretooth is amused by this.
In the church, Carol Danvers and Ben Grimm greet Xavier and talk to him, while the other heroes, mostly present and former Avengers and Defenders keep their distance from the X-Men. Sabretooth notes the tension. Jean is certain though the Avengers will wait till later to settle scores.
Iceman and Havok and other former teammates join them. Bobby tells Scott he should have called them. Scott assures him there wasn’t time. Jean tells Havok the Starjammer was out of position. It had no shot.
Bobby offers their help for whatever the X-Men are planning. Scott tells him they’ll talk later. They need to talk to Hank’s parents now.
Charles tells Edna McCoy how sorry he is. She knows he loved Hank as well but all she can think of now is that her baby is gone.
The minister begins the service. Apart from him, the only other speaker is the president of the United States, who talks of Hank’s work, his character and heroics as an Avengers, however his role as an X-Man is never mentioned.
Later at the cemetery, Jean stays behind and says goodbye and puts Hank’s glasses on his coffin.
On the flight back, ’ro wonders whether this is where they belong. It is for now, Remy answers and asks if she has a better idea. She suggests grabbing Kitty and cutting loose on their own. She’s only been here a few weeks and already the world is falling apart. Remy suggests the X-<en need them. He tells her to get some sleep. They’ll be home soon. In the meantime, he throws Kitty a concerned glance.
Xavier addresses Kitty noticing her troubled thoughts. She asks if he is reading her mind. He reminds her that her phasing makes that hard, her anger almost impossible. He was actually thinking they might talk. She tells him she is fine. She absorbed some of Logan’s healing factor with the claw. That’ll help her get better. As a non sequitur, she admits she finds herself dreaming in Japanese. She has to remind herself to think in English. She’d like access to Hank’s lab equipment and computer if that’s okay. Her forte is hardware and right now she is the only brain they got. She figures she’d got through his notes, pick up where he left off and keep looking for answers. Otherwise, his sacrifice was all for nothing.
Back at the school, Xavier informs Scot that he is giving Kitty full access to Hank’s files.
Scott tells Jean they need to talk. She doesn’t think there is anything to say. There is no future between them, no happily even after. Scott stresses that they are friends. And that’s all, Jean agrees. If she stays, they are colleagues, nothing more. Scott tells her that’s harsh. She doesn’t want another funeral. She wants to see him grow old with his son. If that’s what she wants, he promises to do all he can to help. They shake hands.
In the infirmary, Sabretooth and Daisy are conferring with Moira, who informs Sabretooth that, with the data cache provided by Hank and Tony, she can augment his healing factor enough to regrow his hand. Sabretooth asks about his eyes. Moira admits that’s different. Storm’s lightning strike didn’t just destroy his eyes but fry the neural pathways. There is simply nothing left to heal, not even on a sub-molecular level. She warns him that the process of regrowing his hand will hurt. The sooner they start the better, he replies gruffly.
Daisy watches him intently and is in turn watched by Nick Fury, who is concerned about her attraction to Sabretooth. He reminds himself who is he to judge. He is worried about all of SHIELD. Tony was on the side of the angels but, especially during the time he drank, he might not have paid attention. The Consortium could have infiltrated a whole host of SHIELD agents, with nobody the wiser. For all they know, the official agency report will blame the X-Men for Stark’s and McCoy’s deaths. Whatever comes, they have to be ready for anything.
In her room, a normal looking Rogue looks into the mirror with disbelief. Nightcrawler joins her and asks how it is going. She switches off the image inducer and admits this is totally weird. He assured her the inducer is just a mask. What matters is she. And she is gorgeous. He hugs her and assures her that, whoever doesn’t see that, isn’t looking.
She regrets that, due to their power switch, he can’t touch anyone but her. His faith tells him there has to be a reason. But till he finds it he is more than content to have a sister.
Xavier looks at a photobook with pictures of the team’s past. Jean reminisces that, when she was very young her best friend, Annie Richardson died in her arms. That catalyzed her telepathy, which led her to Charles Xavier. Together they had adventures, experiences that led him to create the X-Men. Everything seemed so simple then. Kids in costumes hellbent to save the world. They were pretty good at it. They never dreamed their life would show them such wonders and demand such a price. They didn’t care. Not then, not even now. They’re the X-Men. They are heroes. And that was their beginning.


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A Cry of Vengeance!
The X-Mansion: Outside, the X-Men are at work, watched by Nick Fury. Is she sure, this will work? he addresses Kitty Pryde. Unless he’s got a better idea? she snaps. They are coupling top-rank Shi’ar tech with adaptation of Lila Cheney’s tesseract. It’ll do the trick.
Telepathically talking to Cyclops, Jean Grey muses that Kitty sounds as sure of herself as he does. Quite a change from the girl they rescued in Chicago. They’ve all changed, Scott stresses. He prays, for the better. He asks her to go inside. He doesn’t think they have much time. Fury and Jean head inside.
Scott asks Kitty to check the exterior grid. They can’t afford any mistakes. He adds that he likes her new look, Still a work in progress, Kitty remarks. Her new uniform is a skin-tight dark blue suit set off with red trimming. The top of her hair is pulled back in a topknot above the rest. She’s just following her instincts, seeing where they lead. She muses to herself that those instincts all seem to be Japanese. Not sure yet whether that’s a good thing or bad.
On the lawn, l’il ‘Ro asks Remy Picard aka Gambit who is holding a device what this is all about. Good thief needs a hideout to match, he tells her, especially when the law comes looking for him. So how are these things gonna help? she asks referring to the devices Kitty prepared. Doesn’t she trust their Kitty-cat? he asks. She truthfully replies she doesn’t know. Fair answer. Trust him instead. He thinks they’ll be fine.
Not far away. Rogue, carrying two more devices, stumbles over her own tail. She angrily announces she swears that tail trips her up on purpose! Nightcrawler retorts that’s because she is always fighting it. This is the shape of her body now and she has to let herself get used to it. She has multi-dexterous appendages. She can run on all fours, and she also has five functional hands. Stop fighting it! Work with it! She has no idea how quickly things will improve then. Is that what he tells himself, she retorts, now that he is stuck with her powers? He can’t touch anybody without absorbing their very soul! Kurt reminds her he can touch her.
O God! he exclaims as a shadow falls over them. All the X-Men look up. They are here, Cyclops announces. Showtime, Kitty adds. The Mighty Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Vision, Hawkeye, Spider-Woman II, the Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver) have arrived.
Captain America immediately informs the X-Men that they have orders from the top. They are to take the X-Men into custody. Cyclops reminds them they lost a friend as well. Or have they all forgotten Hank McCoy’s funeral? Both Hank and Stark sacrificed themselves to prevent a global holocaust! The people they should all be after are the ones responsible for that: the Consortium.
Captain America apologizes, but they have their orders. The X-Men will have a fair chance to make their case, once they surrender. What is he talking about? Scott asks. C’mon, it’s them. If they don’t give up, they’ll leave him no choice but to take them by force! Cap tosses his shield, hitting Cyclops square in the chest.
Deep within the mansion Dr Moira MacTaggert is examining the recently wounded Sabretooth. In a recent battle, he lost his right hand (on top of having his eyes fried by the evil Storm) and is now eager to know if he can get it back. She begins that the cellular regeneration doesn’t look promising. Blahblahbla, he replies impatiently. He wants a simple answer.
That moment, Jean calls him telepathically announcing they need him outside. Sabretooth jumps up and races outside. Moira sighs, fearing she will never get used to this.
Outside, Cyclops fires his optic blast at Captain America. Rogue wonders why the Avengers are attacking them. Cyclops replies they are basing their responses on bad information. They truly believe the X-Men are the bad guys.
Kitty faces the Vision, demanding the Avengers cannot truly believe that. The Vision suggests they yield and make their case. He fires his eyebeams at Kitty who phases through them and then through the Vision, shorting out his systems. She realizes she won’t be able to use that stunt on him again, but for now it takes the Vision out.
Hawkeye, who has been watching this, likes her style but is still ready to take her out with a proximity stunner arrow. Sabretooth jumps at him. Kitty has to hold him back before he does Hawkeye any lasting harm. Reluctantly, Sabretooth accedes.
Elsewhere, in a restricted SHIELD facility. Sigrid Trask is still comatose. The doctor informs a mysterious woman that his assessment is more hopeful than the day before. She has faith to see her fully recovered, so that she can embrace her full and glorious destiny, the woman announces. Is that wise? the doctor asks. It is necessary, he is told.
Back at Xavier’s, Quicksilver uses his superspeed to hit Cyclops, Gambit and ‘Ro. When he reaches Rogue, she teleports away. He follows her and finally hits her.
Nightcrawler tries to appeal to the Scarlet Witch, reminding her she fought beside the X-Men. How can she believe this. Why does he talk as though he knows her? she demands, firing a hex bolt. Kurt uses his acrobatics to dodge and asks her to listen to his voice. That at least hasn’t changed. They stood side by side as allies and friends! She recognizes him as Kurt Wagner. He agrees. As she hesitates, he touches her face, absorbing her powers.
Quicksilver angrily runs towards them. Nightcrawler uses one of the Witch’s hex bolts to try and trip Pietro, who easily dodges, boasting he’s been dodging the Scarlet Witch’s attacks his whole life. Kurt uses a different strategy then and manages to trip Pietro who lands in front of Sabretooth.
Worried, Gambit wants to get ‘Ro undercover. The young girl protests she wants to help. As if on cue, Spider-Woman attacks Gambit with a spiderblast. Seeing her friend hurt, ‘Ro angrily reacts with a lightning display, taking out Spider-Woman. She is amazed at what she did but more concerned about the unconscious Remy. She calls out that they need a doctor.
Turning around, she sees Thor has landed nest to her. He muses that she looks like a younger version of Storm, then assures her he won’t harm her. Cyclops only sees him close to ‘Ro and blasts his hammer out of his hand then sics Kitty on him who claws him into the biceps.
Elsewhere, the State Orphanage of Omaha, Nebraska: a young boy, Gordo – is playing with two action figures of Cyclops and Thor. Seeing another boy, Nate, walk past he asks if he wants to play with him. He’s got some cool toys. He doesn’t play with toys, Nate replies condescendingly. Gordo asks if he’s seen Dr. Hanover. He’s supposed to see her. Nate replies that she’s away on business. So who’s in charge of the orphanage? Gordo wonders. Maybe the kids, Nate suggests slyly. Doesn’t he think it would be fun? Gordo is scared by the prospect. Who would fix things if they got broke? He’d find a way, Nate replies as he steps into a room where a dark shape with red eyes and a red diamond on the forehead and on the chest is waiting. He always does.
Back at Xavier’s, Scott blasts Thor and telepathically informs Jean Grey that they are holding themselves but it’s a losing battle. Any luck on her end? Jean, who is with the SHIELD personnel, tells him what she’s read, namely that the Avengers are convinced that the X-Men are wrong and lying. They are out of options. Then they go to plan B, Cyclops decides. But they’ll need a distraction. Looking at ‘Ro, Jean replies she already has one planned.
Kurt emitting hex power warns Kitty to be careful against Thor. She retorts that she stood against Loki! No way does she back down from Thor! Reaching for Mjolnir, Thor commends Kitty’s courage but warns her she is still mortal. To draw the blood of the god of thunder is one thing, to defeat him in fair combat is next to impossible! He creates a thunderstorm. Lightning flashes, scaring the X-Men away… and striking one of them.
Horrified, Thor calls off the storm to see ‘Ro dead at his feet. The fight stops. Ashamed, he tells the others that he guaranteed the child’s safety, yet he struck her down. This has gone too far, Wanda insists toward Cap who agrees that he lost his temper.
The real ‘Ro watches them, wondering what’s going on. The X-Men use the break to head toward the mansion. Cyclops warns them to remember the briefing. Everyone get back inside quick and quiet as they can. With Kitty out of action Kurt and Rogue are to check the comm-links. They can’t afford a single glitch. Gambit offers to help. Thought he got clobbered? Sabretooth asks. And Gambit explains that Jean forced him back awake. ‘Ro asks why she can see herself lying on the ground. A telepathic illusion of Jean, Scott explains to draw their attention.
Hawkeye wonders where the X-Men are. Cap decides to end this before anyone else gets hurt. Vision holds him back. His sensors have come back online and detected something. He is registering violent energy patterns throughout the mansion and the entire grounds. There are multiple emergency broadcasts from the SHIELD contingent including Nick Fury. Fury is here? Cap asks Then why didn’t he stop… Vision interrupts him, shouting something in the X-complex has gone terribly wrong.
A moment later, a white light emits from the mansion and the next moment it detonates, with Thor whirling Mjolnir to protect the Avengers.
What is left of the Xavier’s School is a smoking crater. They were fighting in the open; this wasn’t their fault, was it? Hawkeye wonders. Wanda points out that with all the X-Men’s secrets who knows what was inside. Cap wants to search the crater. Vision warns against it. The residual radiation levels are growing with every passing moment far beyond the levels of even superhuman tolerance. The X-Men’s continued survival is unlikely. Truly, a warrior’s end, Thor muses, to die by fire, leaving naught but the barest hint their like ever walked the earth…


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Six Weeks Later
Xavier’s school for Gifted Youngsters; now a condemned property. In front of the gates, people have left flowers, card and candles. A graffiti on the wall reads “X-Men Forever.”
Manoli Wetherell reports that, six weeks ago, something happened at Xavier’s School. Under  circumstances that federal authorities have yet to make public, the school was destroyed by a tremendous explosion. The blast not only vaporized the school itself but also devastated much of the surrounding grounds. Apparently, there were no survivors.
Manoli gives important facts about Xavier’s biography and how he founded the school. First, there were five students. As the years passed, the school expanded in staff and students, however reports suggest that only a minimal staff was on-site at the time of the incident. A satellite image of the actual explosion is shown.
In the aftermath of the incident, federal authorities immediately invoked the Homeland Security Act and declared the grounds of the Xavier estate off-limits. Initial radiation levels made the grounds lethal to unprotected personnel and the decision was made to employ a new generation of military spec robots to both search and safeguard the site. Images provided by SHIELD show a cadre of these “Sentinel” patrolling the site with a team of agents wearing radiation suits, even though radiation levels have returned to normal. A Sentinel is shown scanning for any evidence that might provide an explanation of what happened. Unfortunately, their search has provided few answers and less hope for survivors.
Manoli confesses that there are unconfirmed reports that SHIELD director Nicholas Fury was on-site at the time of the explosion, together with a team of agents. Again citing reasons of national security, government sources refuse to comment on this information. However, this week the Senate has begun hearings on the nomination of an interim director for that security organization.
The picture switches to a senate committee and an applicant, Sigrid Trask, heir to the Trask fortune and creator of the latest iteration of Sentinels. A senator points out Ziggy’s youth. She is no younger than the Marquis de Lafayette when he joined George Washington to help America fight for its freedom, Ziggy replies smoothly. The senator asks about her family’s relation to Tony Stark. She replies she never got a chance to talk more about that with her cousin. The Starks have done this country proud, he replies, as he is sure she will. After due deliberation, the committee votes unanimously that her name be submitted to the full Senate for their approval. Ziggy smiles…
Manoli’s report continues that through this incident one large question relates to the involvement of the Avengers.
At Avengers Mansion, the team discusses the situation. Hawkeye protests that listening to the news, one gets the idea they are the bad guys here. They could be right, Captain America ponders. For what happened, they have to bear a measure of responsibility. No way! Hakweye protests. They acted according to the evidence and played by the rules!
Is there any chance the X-Men survived? Spider-Woman asks. They found nothing, the Vision replies. The X-Men have bested death before, Thor reminds everybody. Thor speaks of hope, the Vision replies while he is a creature of logic. For him the two are incompatible. Perhaps, the Scarlet Witch points out, but the X-Men like to cheat the odds. She thinks to herself that the moment the X-Men “died” she sensed something, but is unsure what.
Manoli’s report discusses Charles Xavier as an educator and advocate of human rights, especially relating to mutants. Indeed, of his first five students, two subsequently revealed themselves as super-powered beings; one, Hank McCoy, was a member of the Avengers. At his funeral recently, the eulogy was delivered by the president.
Manoli asks if the deaths of McCoy and Tony Stark are connected to reports of the Avengers being on-site at Xavier’s school just prior to the catastrophic explosion.
At the royal palace in Wakanda, the evil “Perfect Storm” is throwing a tantrum when hearing of her former teammates’ deaths. Her servants believe her overcome by grief for her dead friends. What they do not guess is that Storm feels cheated of the vengeance she wanted to take on the X-Men, especially on Kitty for scarring her face.
Manoli continues that there are many stories about the Xavier school, its founder and students. She and her colleagues know from firsthand experience that they are true. What they know sadly cannot be said thanks to the same national “gag order” that covers any of the details of this incident.  But the imposition of such global restriction cannot help but leave them with questions.
At the Worthington Colorado estate, Archangel and Iceman have gathered the X-Men’s allies among X-Factor and X-Force. Warren begins that the hard times are going to become worse. The confirmation of Ziggy Trask as head of SHIELD makes sure of that. And she’s the least of their worries…. He’ll use his fortune to keep the “wolves” at bay. That means protecting all of them, and working to find a cure for Burnout. He suggests they raise their glasses in salute to those of them who have gone before them. For them, they sacrificed everything! They cannot give the authorities any excuse to move against them. They have a plan. They may not like it, but for the sake of the future they have to give it a chance.
In the Daily Bugle office, publisher J. Jonah Jameson switches off the TV with Manoli’s report. He observes that they were walking a fine line with that report. The feds were sitting on the corporation, the corporation on the broadcast. One wrong word, the bosses would have pulled the plug.
Awful lot of security for a story about a school, editor-in-chief “Robbie” Roberson remarks. Jameson agrees. The site’s sealed. Officially, this is being considered an act of terrorism. But he doesn’t buy it? freelance photographer Peter Parker asks. Not… completely Jameson admits.
Roberson points out that there were always lots of rumors about Xavier’s school. Peter Parker thinks to himself that the truth, that this is the X-Men’s home, would shock Robbie. He knows the X-Men. He can’t imagine them doing anything wrong. He offers to check it out. Robbie and Jameson agree though Jameson orders him to come back with a page one story.
Washington DC, the Senator Philip A. Hart office building:
An elderly gentleman, Senator Holloway, asks a SHIELD agent about further information regarding the disaster site. His understanding was that the underground facilities were quite extensive. Agent Capelli informs the senator that SHIELD and the Avengers both checked the entire site. Everything they have is in the folder the senator holds. The blast took out the entire complex. The senator remarks that Xavier’s estate covers over three miles, so he finds that somewhat hard to believe. Agent Capelli explains that’s why they are using Sentinels to confirm their findings. And to secure the site, just in case any surviving muties pay a visit. How admirably thorough, the senator replies. He’s glad to see Director Trask already leaving her mark. Keep him posted. He walks away.
The agent enters a room to see Senator Holloway sitting there. But then who has he been talking to? He checks the hallway, not seeing the other senator anymore, though if he paid attention he’d notice that the folder is now in the hands of a woman…
Peter Parker takes a taxis and exits outside Xavier’s school. Weird to see SHIELD guards outside. He remembers Nick Fury’s SHIELD being a secret outfit. Ziggy Trask’s looks a lot more public. He shows his press pass but is told by the guards that the site is off-limits. When he presses, they become rude in telling him to leave.
Peter ducks out of sight, wondering what is more creepy: SHIELD agents acting like local law enforcement or the idea of the Trask and Stark families being related. He uses his Spider-strength to jump over the wall and lands inside the Xavier estate. With his Spider-sense quiet, he figures the cost is clear.
As he turns around, he sees how wrong he was, as a Sentinel has discovered him. It warns him to stand still or deadly force will be employed. It begins scanning him. Discovering he is non-mutant is enough for it and it walks on, ignoring him, much to Peter’s relief.
He finds the emptiness creepy. All the other times he came here as Spider-Man, there was always this incredible sense of life. Now it feels so empty. He can’t believe that this time the X-Men died. But when he looks down at the crater, where he mansion used to stand, he admits to himself that he can’t deny the truth any longer. Nobody could have survived a blast that strong.
Suddenly, his spider-sense tingles. He turns around and hears a familiar noise coming from the shrubbery, a “bamf.” Nightcrawler’s teleportation sound, he realizes. Peter follows the noises at Spider-speed as his quarry teleports in small jumps. And no reaction at all from the Sentinels, he notes. They would have noticed something. Was he imagining things then, hoping against hope for a miracle? He isn’t aware of the slim shape watching him from the trees.
Elsewhere in the state orphanage of Omaha, Nebraska where Dr Robyn Hanover, director of the orphanage is discussing matters with her boss - a very peculiar boy. Robyn muses that she finds it hard to believe that the X-Men, Xavier himself, are gone. Without them the world seems somehow… empty. Nathan sarcastically tells her to indulge herself, but he has other things to ponder. Burnout for one. Robyn points out that he has lived far longer than any other mutant she has ever heard of, even Wolverine. Surely that means something. It means he’s likely living on borrowed time that may run out at any moment! He replies forcefully. Which means he has no time to waste.
He shows her a file. An updated dossier on the Summers family, he explains. This is his namesake, the progeny of Scott and Madelyne. Robyn muses the boy looks older than she recalls. With a smirk Nathan agrees. One of many reasons he thinks it best that the boy be brought under the direct care of Mr. Sinister…
Night time in Manhattan:
Spider-Man swings over the rooftops, musing about matters. He shot lots of pictures, but not good enough for Jonah though Robbie took some Sentinel shots for the archive. A story he thought interesting, just not enough to print. Sometimes he really hates the life of a freelancer. Which is his cue to go swinging about the city in search of evildoers to bring to justice…
Suddenly, his spider-sense tingles. It’s the same sensation he felt at Xavier’s. He follows it.  Looking down to an alley way, he sees a dark silhouette watching a mugging. The silhouette looks familiar to him. How many guys are there with a tail, after all?
The muggers are suddenly attacked by what looks like a female Nightcrawler. She quickly takes the three out, then disappears.
The victim runs outside the alley, calling for help. Spider-Man swings down to him, assuring him everything is all right. The man is hysterical, though, shouting out “a monster!” and runs away. He swears sometimes his life feels like an improved episode of “Tune Town” he sighs. Thing is, the man sounded really scared. Never known Nightcrawler to have that intense an effect on people.
He turns into the alley to find the three muggers unconscious. Not his friend’s style at all! Not his friend’s face either! he blurts out as he comes face to face with the changed Rogue.


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[Assistant]
A Night on the Town
Manhattan, a bar on the lower eastside:
A smartly dressed woman tells the barkeeper she is a federal agent and needs information. She got a warrant? he asks unimpressed. She warns him not to go there. She shows him a photograph showing Rogue and Nightcrawler shortly after their transformation. Has he seen either of those two people? They are not people, they’re freaks! he mutters, and he wants nothing to do with them.
A patron sitting at the counter announces that the girl busted up a fight a couple of hours back. Hits pretty hard. But then she disappeared. The woman demands all details. In her dreams, he snorts. She doesn’t do dreams, she replies and suddenly transforms into a monster, she prefers nightmares!
At the same time, elsewhere in a back alley in Manhattan, Spider-Man has found his quarry, the changed Rogue, but it’s not quite the person he thought. He introduces himself and admits he’s a little confused now. He knows it sounds crazy but is she related to a guy named Nightcrawler? They were friends. And, well… she looks just like him.
Rogue replies curtly that Nightcrawler and the X-Men are dead. She teleports away, causing Spider-Man to observe that her teleportation effect is just like Nightcrawler’s, down to the stench. No reaction from his Spider-sense though, the woman is no threat, at least not to him. Strangely, her voice seems familiar.
”Rogue, is that you?” he asks, as she reappears on the roof. He assures her she can trust him. He is on her side!
Rogue distrustfully tells him that’s easy to say, especially these days when mutants are the world’s number one public enemy. Spider-Man notices the anger and sadness in her voice. He admits to himself that if she is Rogue, with all that’s happened lately she has good reason. He asks her not to run and promises he means no harm. He only wants to talk. Talk is easy, she shoots back, finding someone who believes the truth that’s hard! He reminds her who she is talking to. That’s the story of his life! He’s also had a great listener… She had an accident, she replies evasively, and woke up looking like this. He promises her that she actually looks great.
Suddenly, they hear a burglar alarm coming from somewhere. Care to blow off some righteous steam? he asks and she joins him.
The site of Xavier’s school, now a restricted area patrolled by Trask’s SHIELD agents and Sentinels. The mansion seems to have been blown to smithereens but actually now exists a split moment apart in time.
Everyone’s busy in their own way. Fury’s SHIELD agents are patrolling the grounds, too.
Kitty Pryde has taken over Storm’s attic and is meditating.
Gambit is helping Nightcrawler get accustomed to his “normal” body.
‘Ro is gathering information about the island state Genosha and the African principality Wakanda.
Dr. Moira MacTaggert has been examining Sabretooth, trying to find a way to help his faltering healing abilities against the Burnout that is affecting him.
Lt. Daisy Dugan and Colonel Nick Fury are watching Jean Grey, who is using Cerebro to keep tabs on the overall mutant population, making sure nothing tragic has happened to any of the folks they know, Nick explains to Daisy. Something tragic may be heading their way, Jean retorts, as Rogue has gone off the grid!
In the office that used to belong to Charles Xavier, Scott Summers muses on events so far. They’ve spent six weeks in the shadows without the Sentinels, SHIELD or anyone else finding them. Thanks to Kitty they are hiding in plain sight, just a second out of phase with the rest of the world. The activation of the tesseract field looked to the Avengers and to any electronic sensors just like a monstrous explosion. As far as the world is concerned, the X-Men are dead, which should give them freedom of action to move against the Consortium, especially now that they’ve sunk their hooks so deeply into SHIELD.
Looking at a picture of his family, he muses that the problem is the effect on those left behind. Warren and Betsy know the truth, so does his father, but he didn’t tell his son Nate. The less he knows, the safer he is.
That moment, his reverie is interrupted as Fury, Daisy and Jean step into his office. They have a breach Fury announces. Jean telepathically informs him about Rogue missing. Scott continues their conversation the same way, asking why she didn’t spot this sooner. She’s not a hall monitor, Jean replies sharply. She trusts her colleagues, though she admits she should have kept an eye on Rogue. Nice to see she isn’t quite perfect, Cyclops shoots back.
Finally noticing what is going on, Fury points out that their mental private conversation is bit rude. It saves time, Scott replies. Jean remarks that she can’t get a psilock on Rogue. Angrily, Fury rants that he thought Summers’ people understood the situation. This plan works only if they stay down. The moment they are seen their cover is blown! They’ll find her, Jean tries to reassure him. That’s not good enough, he retorts.
Fury orders Daisy to scramble an Alpha team. Daisy admits to a problem, Rogue is invisible to all their sensors, hardware, mansion systems, Shi’ar tech, everything! Jean and Scott explain that the goddess Roma cast a spell on Rogue. Because of this she is functionally invisible to all form of electronic detection. She can’t be recorded. That’s probably how she thought she could get away with this. People would see her but there would be no record.
Is that supposed to make him feel better? Fury seethes. She can still be captured or worse. This mess could still raise questions they can do without. Cyclops decides the X-Men go after her themselves. Minimal team, strength and stealth, people who know her. Jean to try and establish telepathic contact, and Kitty and Kurt. The rest of them will monitor their progress from here.
A diner at Trumbel, Alaska where Corsair, his mother and his grandson Nate Summers are eating. The boy is dejected, missing his father. His family asks him to have faith. His great-grandmother reminds him she thought her son, his grandfather, lost forever, and yet, here he is. Miracles do happen.
A slim woman with black hair in a business suit joins them, looking for Christopher Summers. She introduces herself as Robyn Hanover, explaining she wants to rent a plane. She was told flying is the best way to see Alaska. And that Summers Air were the best people to take her. Nathan speaks to her via a comm.-link speaks to her, praising her charm. He couldn’t refuse her himself. He reminds her that for now she should just watch. How fascinating to meet Scott’s family, he muses. He thinks he liked him better as an orphan. Which means eventually they will all have to be dealt with…
In the meantime, back in Manhattan, Spidey and Rogue are having the time of their lives, fighting criminals galore and even a super-villain, the Rhino.
Later, on a rooftop, they watch the sunrise eating bagels. Spidey notes that Rogue doesn’t say much. She is still getting used to herself, she explains. Everything for her has changed. New look, new reality. A tail apparently with a mind of its own. Spidey tells her she seems to be coping well. As the night wore on, he could see her getting better. He advises her to follow her heart. She jokes she may just take that advice. She is about to kiss him, then shouts out in pain.
The three X-Men looking for her are in a back alley. Jean still had no luck telepathically. It looks like she made a friend, Kitty observes. The more they follow Rogue’s trail, the more they find of Spider-Man’s webbing. That should thrill the colonel, Jean sighs. On the other hand, Spidey’s thoughts should be easier for her to track. Kitty suggests they move fast. The city is starting to wake up. They are running out of time. Wrong time, Kurt tells her, looking up as a duo of Sentinels have found them and are getting ready to kill.
In the meantime, the mysterious redhead walks the streets of Manhattan, wondering how to improve her search. She is simply reacting to things. Destiny never had that problem. She always knew what was coming and faced it with courage, even the moment of her death. She passes the window of an electronics store, the TVs show the news. Spider-Man is fighting thugs alongside a figure that seems woozy and cannot be recognized yet seems very familiar to the woman’s eyes. Apparently, the ghost effect still holds true for Rogue, she muses. But her new partner seems to be enjoying the spotlight enough for both of them.
Then the news switch to show Sigrid Trask, new director of SHIELD who announces that she is planning the deployment of a contingent of Sentinels to patrol New York City.
Elsewhere, the three X-Men attack the Sentinels. Ziggy Trask isn’t wasting any time fulfilling her agenda, Kitty remarks. A Sentinel foot stomps on her. However, she phases through it, then claws at it.
Nightcrawler is at a disadvantage as the power he got from Rogue don’t work on robots, he can only try to duck. However, a moment later, he is hit and taken out. But before the robot can finish him off, it’s Rogue to the rescue who jumps on its head. He loves her sense of timing, Kurt announces. She certainly took her time answering her psi-call, Jean remarks pointedly. She didn’t, Rogue retorts. She sensed Kurt was in danger. There seems to be some special bond between them. Didn’t they nail these robots in space? New improved model, Kurt replies. Good grief, Rogue swears, telling them to follow her, as she jumps up a wall. She’ll show them how to deal with them.
The Sentinel gets trapped in the webline of Spidey, who then punches out one Sentinel.
Suddenly, Sigrid Trask shows up, ordering the other Sentinel to stop. It does for one moment, than realizes that there is something wrong about “Sigrid.” She shouldn’t be a purely biological being. It blasts at her. But the distraction is enough for Jean Grey to take over.
Kitty urges they have to go. The Sentinels have probably already alerted SHIELD but Jean is in her element. Since the moment they attacked she’s been scrambling their com-circuits. She telekinetically turns the Sentinels into so much scrap metal as she explains that all the information is stuck inside their heads and now she is shredding the memories along with crushing their bodies. Cool, Rogue announces while Spider-Man finds her scary and Kurt and Kitty have noticed a hint of Phoenix around Jean.
Rogue happily hugs Spider-Man, assuring him he has nothing to fear from them, while he thanks her for one of the best nights of his life. What? Kitty exclaims and instinctively unsheathes her claw. Don’t ask, won’t tell, Spidey replies. Is she gonna use that? Is he gonna talk about them? she asks. Talk about who? Spidey asks. Kurt thanks him.
Jean announces it’s time they got home. Rogue asks what about the woman who helped them. She’s likely been hurt. From the smoke rises a female shape, announcing she needn’t worry. Rogue of all people should remember how hard she is to kill. Harder it seems than even Logan. Her condolences on his loss, by the way, Mystique announces. As Miss Pryde can testify, she and Wolverine have known each other a long time. She considered him a friend.
What is she doing here? Rogue demands. Aside from saving her life? Mystique retorts. The answer is quite simple. She is there to join the X-Men!


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[Assistant]
Stolen Lives!
The site of Xavier’s school:Lieutenant Daisy Dugan has become interested in Sabretooth in the past few weeks. Still on the fence on why she is attracted to him, she is bringing a book to read to him (Rudyard Kipling’s “Just So Stories”). However, when she enters the infirmary where Sabretooth and Dr. MacTaggert should be she finds it thrashed and empty.
Elsewhere in the tunnels under Manhattan, Morlocks led by Masque are leading the tied up Mora and the unconscious Sabretooth away. Moira demands to know how the Morlocks found them or got through the barrier. Masque scoffs that some of the Morlocks’ powers put those of the X-Men to shame. The X-Men may be able to hide from the flatscans and their toys, but not from them!
In the meantime, the X-Men’s raptor in stealth mode is on its way home from Manhattan. The X-Men are uneasy, due to their guest Mystique, who notes they aren’t going much faster than a car. To this, Rogue points out they are flying cloaked through the most crowded airspace on Earth.
As they begin to land, Rogue asks why Mystique is here. Looking away from her estranged foster daughter, Mystique replies she is paying a debt, balancing the scale. Debt to whom? Rogue presses. Her, Mystique replies, and Kurt. Day late and a dollar short, Rogue scoffs. How harsh and unforgiving, Mystique states. Did she learn that from the X-Men?
Rogue snarls she has no right to judge her! She sent her away! And she abandoned her son, the day he was born, Mystique adds. She has a lot to atone for. Today is when she starts.
The Raptor lands at the base which is an eyeblink out of phase with reality. In the hangar, Scott Summers and Nick Fury are already waiting, wondering what Mystique is up to. Are his people ready? Scott asks Fury. They can handle her, comes the reply. Scott reminds him that she’s been hiding in plain sigh for years. The only times she’s ever been caught is when she decided to let it happen. And the moment she changed her mind, she was gone, Fury adds. He knows what she can do.
When the X-Men exit the jet, Scott takes Rogue aside, asking her what she was thinking. She wasn’t, she admits. Just going stir crazy. She wanted to get out and then all of a sudden she was. One bamf, she was out; another, she was out of the estate. After that, she just kept going. She apologizes. Surprisingly smiling, Scott reminds her that Jean dealt with the Sentinels and they can trust Spider-Man, so minimal harm, no foul. But they should work on her teleporting so this won’t happen again.
How supremely rational, comes a new voice, as Mystique is the last to leave the plane. She’s good at keeping secrets too. He’s willing to trust Spider-Man. Care to extend that consideration to her?
The only consideration she’ll get is the size of her prison cell! Nick Fury snarls and orders his people to take her into custody. How predictable, Mystique sighs, addressing him as “Nicholas.” Reports of his death certainly haven’t improved his disposition.
Nightcrawler steps between them, stating there is no need for this. Now Mystique is surprised at her defending him. He calls things as he sees them, Kurt replies and reminds everyone Mystique came to their aid in Manhattan and put herself on the line to divert the Sentinels. Kudos for her, Fury, retorts, he isn’t convinced. Kurt admits he doesn’t entirely trust her either but is willing to give her the chance. Mystique thanks him. Fury points out he is older and a lot more cynical. Mystique has lived her life as a lie for so long she probably doesn’t even know what is reality anymore. He has a point, Kurt admits.
Mystique states that honor has to be earned, nevertheless thanks Kurt for trying. She is here by choice. She knows what she has to prove. She’ll give her word to behave. Fury is almost inclined to believe her. Almost. True she admits, as she is led into custody. She lies nearly as well as he does.
Fury orders Kurt to stop glaring at him. He knows Fury’s right. Problem, is, so is she, Kurt replies. Fury wants guarantees, Kurt prefers faith.
Daisy Dugan interrupts their argument shouting that they have a problem. Sabretooth and Dr. MacTaggert have been kidnapped!
In the Morlock Tunnels, Masque explains to their prisoners who they are. He mocks the chained Sabretooth, stating life has treated him cruelly. No eye, only one hand. Isn’t he supposed to have a healing factor? He touches the stump and a new hand grows. Another few seconds, he announces, and the healing will be permanent… or not. The new hand slides off the stump.
Enraged, Sabretooth announces he has Masque’s scent. He can never hide from him. Scary, Masque mocks. They haven’t forgotten what he did to them during the Mutant Massacre. He tried to exterminate them. Consider this righteous payback!
Moira asks them to stop and asks why bring them here and leave them alive. Masque wants something. So stop playing and make his offer! Sabretooth interrupts: they aren’t making a deal unless it’s paid in blood! Theirs!
Their blood is exactly what this is about, Masque states. They’ve been following MacTaggert’s and Xavier’s research and know about Burnout. When the Marauders attacked their tunnels months ago, they learned about it firsthand. They saw some of the oldest among them – the strongest – literally consume themselves in their defense. They know she is using Sabretooth’s healing factor as the basis for a cure. They are not even close, Moira protests. And they are desperate, Masque insists. From the look of things Sabretooth isn’t healing like he used to. But he guarantees she will stay transformed forever. So save them or suffer!
At the mansion, Jean is using Cerebro to search for their missing friends. Noting that she is tight-lipped, Fury asks what is wrong with her. Cyclops explains that when they were still with X-Factor she and Banshee were captured by Masque. He assumes it wasn’t pretty. She’s never talked about it and he’s never asked.
Fury wonders if she can find them with Cerebro. The Morlock tunnels are shielded. Jean explains that she has a flash-link with Sabretooth. He and Moira are in the tunnels. No sense though of Masque or who grabbed them.
They have to be good, Cyclops points out, and possess powers to cross the tesseract wall. Jean wants to go. Her telepathy can track their friends and she knows the tunnels. Then they may have a problem because he needs Ms. Grey here, Fury announces. His interrogation can wait, Scott protests; they have people in danger! And limited resources, Fury shoots back. Suppose Mystique is connected? They need her to talk. They need a second telepath, Scott announces. How about the next best thing? Daisy suggests. Jean stays to help Fury and Cyclops goes with the away team. They are always in psychic synch. Anything goes wrong, she’ll know and the rest of them can come to their rescue. The team she suggests consists of herself, Cyclops, Shadowcat and Gambit. ‘Ro offers to help and Gambit forbids it. Her powers are too unstable and it’s dangerous. They get to have all the fun, she sulks.
Elsewhere in the building, Mystique is tied to a chair and guarded by SHIELD agents while an agent is questioning her. Behind an observation window are Rogue and Kurt. This is going nowhere, Nightcrawler sighs, she is just playing with him. Did he expect differently? Rogue asks. He had hope, he sighs. She’s been dancing that waltz before the two of them were born. Listen to her; she’s the one getting all the answers. Kurt admits she is good, but he wants to believe her. Does a kid good when his mom steps up to the rescue, Rogue points out. Doesn’t she mean “their” mom? Kurt asks. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Rogue point out. Familiarity breeds contempt
Fury enters the interrogation room and the men salute. He asks how well it is going. About as well as one might expect, Mystique chimes in, when you put the farm team against the pros. Is it really so hard to trust her? He doesn’t know her, he replies bluntly. So why should he even try? That’s what happens when you judge by appearances, she replies, changing her voice. A voice he recognizes. Mystique adds the face that belongs to the voice, that of a middle-aged black-haired man. Think back, she urges him, to 1942. Raven! he exclaims. There was him and her and Logan and Seraph, she reminds him… and, of course, Nazis. She saved his life, remember? She was Logan’s friend, but she fought side by side with Sergeant Fury. She earned his confidence. He remembers, Fury admits. She’d like the chance to do so again, Mystique continues.
Back in the Morlock tunnels in what passes for a lab there, Moira angrily announces Masque is expecting a miracle and she’s fresh out. Charles and she have been working on Burnout for year with the best resources imaginable and they’ve found nothing! What makes him think she can do better here?
Perhaps he’s not providing the proper incentive, Masque muses and touches the chained Sabretooth’s chest. Flesh begins to change in horrible ways and Sabretooth screams, a scream that is heard some distance away by Cyclops’ rescue team. Daisy realizes Sabretooth is giving them a marker and urges them to go. She runs off and they have to follow, even though they are aware trouble expects them. What they are unaware of is ‘Ro sneaking after them.
Far above the tunnels in a plane, new SHIELD Director Sigrid ‘Ziggy’ Trask is informed of an alert. They have been reactivating the subterranean sensor web in the Cold War tunnel network beneath Manhattan, she is told. They have some metahuman activity down there. Does she want them to dispatch a Sentinel patrol to investigate? No, just make sure they have access to the appropriate telemetry links. She orders to notify the heli-carrier and dispatch an alpha strike team to the location, fully armed with R & D’s latest toys. She’d like to see what SHIELD can do on its own…
Back at Xavier’s, Fury tells Mystique he’s tired of hearing about their so-called past. He wants answers. He wants the truth. She’s been giving both all along, she replies mildly. Fury accuses her of playing them. Again she replies evasively. Angrily, he walks out off the interrogation room.
He confesses to Jean that she could be right. She could be a friend. For all he knows, she could have been his old lady! Jean reminds him of what Kurt said. She wants them to take her on faith. Fury has none and orders Jean to get inside Mystique’s head and tell him what’s real.
As Jean prepares, Mystique warns her to be careful. She was thinking the same thing, Jean begins flippantly, but then cries out. Mystique’s mind is utter chaos. Jean breaks off the contact. And she thought Rogue’s mind was a mess. It’s going to take all her concentration, she tells Fury. She’ll need some time to prepare.
Meanwhile in the Morlock tunnels:Masque demands results from Moira, who again reminds him there are no guarantees the concoction will work – quite the opposite! However, they don’t listen and so she is forced to inject a volunteer with her antidote. Moments later, the Morlock begins to wildly and painfully mutate. The other Morlocks react with anger and Masque threatens that if she likes to see people transform into monsters and cause them pain, she should be prepared to take the consequences.
Before they can grab her, an optic blast levels the firs attacker. Cyclops, Gambit, Kitty and Daisy have arrived. They don’t look too friendly, Gambit remarks. They thought they were safe down here till the Marauders nearly wiped them out, Kitty explains.
First the Marauders, Masque snarls, now Burnout! Always the surface world tries to make them extinct, but still they survive. This is the Morlocks’ domain and the X-Men are not welcome here!
Displaying her claw, Kitty reminds him the Morlocks started this by stealing their friends. Suddenly, they hear a noise from behind. Believing it to also be attackers, they turn around to find ‘Ro. Angrily, Cyclops and Gambit argue with her; even Kitty has turned around. Masque uses the opportunity and jumps through the phased Kitty to touch Gambit’s and Cyclops’ faces and transform them. They scream in pain and next reveal terribly changed faces, much to Ro’s horror.


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[Assistant]
Dead Reckoning!
‘Ro is wildly running through the Morlock tunnels, desperately trying to flee. She wanted to prove herself to the X-Men. Now, perhaps too late, she’s having second thoughts. She falls into the dirty water. Around the corner she sees a red energy blast and exploding charged-up objects. Soon, the two whose powers signatures she saw have found her: a horribly disfigured Gambit and Cyclops who are attacking her. Please don’t! she cries frightened. She runs again. Smart play would be manifesting some lighting. But with her control over her powers that could kill, and she won’t do that to her friends. So she runs. Into even more trouble, namely Masque and his crew.
Masque mocks that she can’t escape the Morlocks on their own ground. She can make them pay for what he did to her friends! she retorts, trying to blow him away. But she cannot generate enough wind. Now it’s his turn Masque leers, about to touch her face. But his hand phases through her thanks to Kitty Pryde who phases ‘Ro along with herself.
As the two begin to flee together, Masque angrily orders one of his people, Scarshriek, to let them scream. Scarshriek’s scream acts as a sonic pulse dazing Kitty. They’ll have to fight, she fears. Maybe not ‘Ro replies as Cyclops’ optic blast now hits the Morlocks. Cyclops and Gamit have regained control over their minds and bodies and warn Masque, to  cease hostilities or be prepared for this tunnels to get really bloody.
Meanwhile, back at Xavier’s, the other X-Men are busy with their mysterious guest Mystique. Nightcrawler, Rogue and Nick Fury watch critically behind a glass window as Jean Grey is repeating her attempt to enter Mystique’s mind. Rogue fears it won’t do Jean much good. Mystique’s mind is a maze. Deeper you go, more likely you are to get lost!
As Jean stops, Mystique remarks that Rogue tried probing her once after she absorbed telepathic power. She came up empty and had a killer headache for over a week. Jean silently admits that she’s right. She hasn’t had this much trouble scanning anyone’s mind since Logan. And the memory of him hurts. No wonder she’s off her game, she figures.
Mystique smirks as she notices Jean is distracted and decides to play with her. Is her mind on something else? she asks. She takes on the likeness of Professor X, chiding Jean. He trained her better than that. Next she becomes Cyclops. “C’mon, red, you know how it’s done. Show no mercy!” Beast next: It’s a fascinating challenge, perhaps if she perceives the brain in its totality, cataloguing its strengths and weaknesses. And finally Wolverine who recommends she stop pushing so hard and take a break, find her center.
Stop it! Jean shouts. Just trying to help, is all, darlin’ “Logan” states. Jean goes ballistic. Surrounded by Phoenix fire, she orders Mystique to never call her that. She hasn’t the right! Has she struck a nerve? Mystique asks. She has no idea, Jean threatens. She’d listen if she were her. This is her only warning! And Mystique realizes Jean is serious. She’s never seen powerlevels like this. While the X-Men are not even reacting. Jean retorts that their exchange is totally private. But the consequences for Mystique will be very real… The fire stops, she turns to normal as she realizes what she is saying. She storms outside.
Still surprised, Mystique figures the rumors about Jean have a basis in fact. Now how can she turn this to her advantage? The other three outside wonder what just happened, as they saw nothing of the exchange. Fury orders Kurt to get Mystique’s memories the only way they can. With his help.
Back in the Morlock tunnels, X-Men and Morlocks are still fighting. Daisy frees Sabretooth who has to lean on her and is unable to coordinate his senses. She asks why they hurt him. Long ago a guy named Sinister got a sample of his genes, he replies, grew a copy of him which helped slaughter the Morlocks. They don’t want the explanation, just revenge, and he can’t blame them. But Sinister is dead, killed by Summers. He lost his chance to balance those scales…
Daisy fires her gun up in the air to get everyone’s attention. That’s enough! she orders and tells them to listen. Sabretooth admits he likes her style. There’s no need for this, she explains. The X-Men aren’t the Morlocks’ enemies. They are pretty much the only thing standing between them and annihilation! They need to stand together! Words are easy, Masque scoffs. They know better. The X-Men won’t weep to see the Morlocks gone. Considering their history, considering what he alone has done to hurt them, is that any surprise? Kitty points out angrily, but then concedes that Daisy is right. Burnout changes everything. They have to stand united and that has to begin with some basic trust.
They don’t trust a man who slaughtered children. It wasn’t him Daisy assures them. The creature they fought was a clone. Daisy asks them to show some brains. Even now the X-Men wouldn’t fight to defend the Sabretooth they are talking about. They are telling the truth. Moira gets into Masque’s face, telling him she is the only hope they have, but raw compassion only goes so far. Here are her terms. Set right what he’s done and bring his people back with them to the mansion. After that she’ll do everything she can to help. She wants them to trust her? he asks.
What’s his answer? she presses and Masque agrees, for the time being. Moira demands he set right what he did to her friends. But they look so sweet, he mocks. Just imagine what he could to her? She declines. Pity, he remarks as he restores Gambit and Cyclops, adding that a while ago he did wonders for dear Callisto. She didn’t appreciate his work either.
‘Ro runs to hug Remy. He assures her he is fine but tells her to listen next time. Now help Sabretooth, Daisy orders. Can’t be done, comes the curt reply. He made a new hand for him before but his body rejected it. Try again! Daisy urges. Masque scoffs that the first thing a mutant learns are limitation. Some barriers can’t be by-passed. He learned that the hard way. It’s how he got such a handsome face. Daisy aims her weapon at him. Masque taunts her, asking if they aren’t the good guys. He can’t help him. A shot is fired and Masque falls. She didn’t do that, Daisy announces. They have hostile company! Cyclops shouts.
Kitty points out that Masque was hit with a knockout dart. This looks like SHIELD issue. So much for their secret, Gambit sighs as Trask’s SHIELD troops find they are still alive. However, at the moment they cannot pass that information on to the headquarters as their commlinks are blocked. Everyone open fire! their boss orders.
Sabretooth urges they kill them, whereas Cyclops decides they take them prisoner. A Morlock intervenes, telling them to get out, this is the Morlocks’ fight. Some of them remember Callisto’s rules and Storm’s. The X-Men have always proved themselves as friends. They tried to protect them from the Marauders. Consider this their chance to repay the debt.
Unhappy, the X-Men leave. ‘Ro looks back; she has a creepy sense of déjà vu about the tunnels, as if she’s been here before. And when that guy mentioned Callisto, the name sounded familiar. How can that be?
Meanwhile at Summers Cove, Corsair and his mother are talking to a potential client, Dr. Robyn Hanover, who tells them she is looking for adventure (and is single). Mrs. Summers remarks that flying will take some time with the weather coming up; however they invite Robyn to stay in one of their guestrooms. They can use the time to work out an itinerary and set the price. Robyn thanks them and assures Chris she’ll enjoy getting to know his family better. Especially his son…
Back at the X-Mansion, Kurt confronts Mystique. He figures she’s proud of herself. Is everything a game for her? It helps pass the time, she retorts, it also keeps her interrogators off-balance. To what end? he demands. She just likes to win? Depends on his definition of the term, she replies with a smile. What’s her goal? he insists. She needs to know what he wants so she can help him best. Kurt doesn’t believe her. So what comes next? she asks. He’ll absorb her powers and memory? She admires his courage. Then tell them what they need to know, he pleads. She told him the only thing that truly matters, she insists. She gave her word. He takes off his glove, it isn’t enough. “Then do what you believe you must, my son,” she states calmly.
Kurt decides not to. All his life he has trusted his own instincts. His body may have changed, but not his soul. People used to condemn him for his looks. His deeds didn’t matter. He will not paint her with the same brush.
Rogue teleports in. Is he crazy? she demands. Perhaps, but he also knows he is right. Can’t he see she is just playing him, same as she does everyone, Rogue shouts, till she gets her own way? Not today, Kurt insists. Sometimes instincts can be wrong, Rogue shoots back and grabs Mystique by the throat. Mystique gurgles that those words cut both ways. Maybe, Rogue agrees, but if she wants in here, then she owes them, owes her the truth!
The truth is she has seen everyone she loves die! Comes the reply. With Rogue and Kurt fate’s given her a second chance to set things right! She hugs Rogue, telling her in all their years together, neither Destiny nor she could ever touch Rogue before now. This moment alone is worth all the pain.
Cyclops’ team, back from the Morlock tunnels, enters. Moira announces that Mystique is immune to Burnout. As her son, so was Kurt. When they switched powers, that immunity transferred to Rogue. They need to find out what the resistant factor is in the family genome and whether it can be made into a vaccine. She isn’t a lab rat, Rogue protests. Right now, they  are all lab rats, Moira retorts. She needs to run comparisons between the three of them.
She is asking quite a lot, Mystique announces. Sabretooth tells Daisy it’s only a matter of time before mystique takes what she wants, cuts and runs and leaving her sucker kids to pick up the pieces. Daisy retorts she thought he’d of all people would believe that even the worst can change.
Mystique continues that normally a gift like that comes with a commensurate price. How much to save an entire species? Kurt and Rogue silently look at her. Irene would be ashamed at such a thought, she sighs. She was such a dreamer and a far better soul than she. Whatever Moira requires, she is at her service. Moira orders the three of them to her lab.
Fury thanks Mystique. The least she could do for old friends, she replies. They look at each other coldly. That’s a look she remembers, she smirks. How nice. If they are in a generous mood, perhaps some new clothes might be in order. If she is to play the hero from now on, she should look the part.
In the Morlock tunnels, the SHIELD agents have captured the Morlocks, equipped them with powers cancelling devices and now roughly drive them upward. Still no link with the helicarrier though. One agents is about to torture a Morlock to get answers. A moment later, tentacles grab him from above. Other attackers help, taking down all SHIELD agents in the blink of an eye.
A newcomer informs Masque he was told to leave. She wanted to kill him for what he did to her. Ororo ruled with mercy. But now the windrider’s gone. So her rules apply, Masque calmly replies to Callisto. Does that mean he is dead? She warns him not to push his luck. As it turns out, she has need of him. He comes with her. His friends get scouted to Archangel’s custody. As they have learned, the tunnels aren’t safe anymore. Soon they will have Neo-Sentinels down here and it will be the massacre all over again, only worse.
So they are going to run? Masque protests. Give up everything they’ve built? Consider it evolution in action, she replies. They adapt, then change, then overcome!
Acquisition complete! she informs someone over a com-link. But she has a surprise. Guess who is not dead?
“Why am I not surprised?” the other person replies Said person stands on a roof in Hammerbay, Genosha, clad from head to toe in a silver panther armor, reminiscent of the Black Panther. Where the X-Men are concerned, that trick never works! “I should know, the Ghost Panther is simply following their lead!”


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Scream a little Scream!
Nathan Summer suffers a nightmare; he is trapped in water, held by cables and tubes, aware that the monster will always be after him. The monster called Mister Sinister will one day come to reclaim him!
Nate wakes up calling for his parents. Belatedly, he realizes he is in his grandmother’s house and tries to tell himself he is safe. The door opens and their houseguest Robyn Hanover enters, asking if he is okay. She assures him everything is going to be all right. She’s come to take him home.
Meanwhile at Xavier’s: in the lab Moira is working with Sabretooth, informing him that the gene therapy is working a little. Thanks to Mystique, they’ve managed to kick start his healing factor. All the lesser wounds Masque dealt him are as good as gone. While they were unable to restore his eyes, the scan of his right arm is promising. Question is how long until things regenerate? he asks. And how to protect it till then? Kitty offers a solution. She and Sikorsky have come up with something from the Starjammer’s database…
Meanwhile in Xavier’s office, Cyclops gets a call from his father Corsair. Chris tells him how things are in Alaska and begins talking about their new guest but the signal is breaking up, due to some kind of interference. Something that shouldn’t be possible considering communications are routed through the Starjammer.
Scott runs downstairs and calls Jean Grey and Nick Fury. Jean explains that she already alerted Fury’s people who are running a full-spectrum diagnostic of both the equipment and environment. At this end, everything looks fine, Fury announces. Scott insists they route all the communications at his grandma’s through the Starjammer, just to prevent this kind of glitch. Jean points out that sometimes a glitch is no more than it seems.
Fury asks Agent Tuko if there is anything on the threat board. Nothing out of the ordinary, comes the reply. Cyclops demands he focus satellite imagery on Alaska. What they find is a storm front moving in which has been building for a week. Nothing unusual for this time of year. Scott admits it looks normal enough but if he were making a move this is precisely what he’d use for cover. It could be the Consortium again or Storm or worse. Jean accuses him of overreacting. He’s trusting his instincts, he insists. He orders the agent to keep scanning Summers Cove and keep trying to re-establish the comlink. He wants regular updates. He tells Jean to alert the X-Men. They may be needed.
In the meantime, Callisto has brought Masque halfway around the world to Genosha. Masque didn’t know they had such resources. They have a friend, she replies. Masque reminds her that this place enslaved mutants. Why should they care about them. She specifies that she doesn’t care about the old ruling class. A new day has dawned? Masque scoffs and accuses her of being a dreamer. She warns him to shut up. Has he struck a raw nerve? Masque mocks.
From the shadows, the Ghost Panther suggests Callisto is tired of hearing his voice. The Panther is and he has only been listening to it for a moment. A storm is approaching. This nation stands on the brink of war and, if Masque helps to stop it, the Morlocks won’t ever be outcasts again. They’ll be heroes!
Back in Alaska, Chris Summers tries to reach his son in vain. He calls out for Sikorsky, explaining they have a problem, grabs a raincoat and heads outside. Sikorsky replies over comm. that apparently they have experienced a lightning strike which affected the house electronics network and link to the Starjammer. Corsair asks he thought Sikorsky’s design compensated for local weather. Murphy’s Law, Sikorsky suggests.
Corsair heads for the shed to find a mess that definitely wasn’t caused by lightning, it looks like it was torn apart. Isn’t he Mr. Perception? a voice behind him mocks. What he did to his precious shed is nothing compared to what he is about to do to him! Sabretooth snarls and claws for him, though Corsair dodges. He manifests his blaster and fires, hitting Sabretooth’s shoulder. Sabretooth mocks that he heals fast, can Corsair say the same? Wish he could, Corsair admits as he uses his raincoat to distract him and runs.
He wonders what’s going on here. Last he saw Sabretooth, he was fighting alongside the X-Men. Why did he switch sides? Or was he a traitor? He fires at him again but Sabretooth follows. Another shot is fired, this time a plasma blast coming from the cavalry, Havok, along with his girlfriend, Polaris. And here he thought this op was gonna be a bore, Sabretooth mocks. Bust the house, kill everyone, grab the kid, as basic a caper as can be… now he gets himself some fun! “Grab the kid?” Corsair repeats. He asks Lorna and Alex to handle this. He figures Sabretooth didn’t come alone.
He runs toward the house and uses the comm.-link to alert Hepzibah. He asks her to make an intruder sweep and alert the Starjammers. They’ve got a fight on their hands!
Inside the house, he finds his mother unconscious. He calls Sikorsky for medical attention and orders them to start scanning for Nate and Dr. Hanover who may be on the run.
Robyn leads Nate through the rain, just telling him this is for his own good. She calls Sinister, informing him she has the boy, but why send in the Marauders? Is she questioning him? Sinister asks. The Marauders are there to deal permanently with the loose ends. He strongly suggests she not be one of them.
Was she talking to someone? Nate asks. Only to herself, she claims. She does that sometimes when she’s scared. He’s scared too, Nate replies and offers to hold her hand.
Corsair run towards the lighthouse which is actually a holo-projection covering the Starjammer. Inside the ship, Raza, Ch’od and Hepzibah are already alert. He orders to get the Skimmer into the sky and find his grandson. The ship becomes airborne. He tells them to take it slow and low, making them unfortunately a target. Suddenly, a rock is thrown at the ship courtesy of Blockbuster. The rest of the Marauders have arrived.
Raza confirms eight hostiles, all with significant enhanced abilities. Seems like rampant overkill against an ordinary human family, Ch’od observes. Do they know the Starjammers are here? That, on the other hand, Raza considers an insult to the Starjammers.
Prism hits the Skimmer with a blast while Vertigo disrupts the concentration of everyone aboard. The ship crashes. Vertigo preens as the Marauders move in.
A little later Raza, Hepzibah and Ch’od emerge from the ship, ready to fight. Hepzibah advises the boys to keep the slaughter to a respectable minimum. After all, they are guests here.
Corsair, in the meantime, makes his getaway into the tower and the Starjammer and asks Sikorsky how his mother is. Sikorsky is more worried about Corsair’s injuries. No time, he replies and orders Sikorsky to continue scanning for Nate. He’ll be right back. He enters the teleporter.
At Xavier’s school, the real Sabretooth tries out the bionic hand Shadowcat developed. The bionics integrate into his central nervous system and the housing protects his arm to allow for the continuous healing of his real hand… Sabretooth is impressed.
A moment later, Corsair rematerializes. Kitty sees he’s injured and asks who did this to him. He did! Corsair shouts and draws his gun on Sabretooth…


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[Assistant]
Luck – Runs Out!
Nathan, seemingly just a young boy, stands back in a room full of screens where he watches his Marauders fight Havok, Polaris and the Starjammers in Summers Cove, Alaska. Of course, he never shows himself to his troops. After all, what self-respecting Marauder takes his orders from a boy? That’s what he built Mr. Sinister for. For the whole of the 20th century, Nathan walked the Earth amassing the kind of power - an unnatural lifespan the least among them - most tyrants only dream about. But now, a decade into the 21st century, he’s starting to wonder if he’ll ever grow up to truly enjoy it. As a mutant, he is threatened by the inherent terminal disease Burnout.
At Xavier’s school, Corsair has calmed down. He is now dressed in one of Cyclops’ spare uniforms. Gambit suggests he sit the battle out as he was injured battling the Sabretooth clone. Corsair refuses. They attacked his home, hurt his mom and stole his grandson! He didn’t borrow the spare uniform so he’d look pretty. No way do they leave him behind! Now he knows where he gets his stubbornness from, Scott jokes.
For a secret hiding place that Alaska house sure draws a lot of attention, Sabretooth points out. And he ain’t all too thrilled about helping a man who just put a pistol in his face. Hasn’t he done worse? Gambit reminds him. Chris repeats he already apologized. He wasn’t taking any chances after his twin attacked him. Cyclops explains the Marauders are clones. When they die they just get reborn. What worries him is their boss. If the Marauders are back, the same could be said for Mr. Sinister.
They teleport to Alaska where the battle between Starjammers and Havok and Polaris against the Marauders still rages. Hepzibah is struck by an unknown assailant, who then puts the Malice choker on her. Possessed, Hepizbah awakes. A moment later, the other Marauder is hit by an optic blast as the X-Men have arrived and attack.
Scott blasts Blockbuster while reminding the team he wants prisoners. They need to be able to track the villains back to their source. Corsair reminds him they first have to win. Scott orders ‘Ro back to the house and gives her the job of looking after Sikorsky and his Gran alongside Lockheed. “Hepzibah” offers to go with them and make sure they are all right. ‘Ro and Lockheed who is suspicious follow.
Jean tries to scan for Nate, then announces he isn’t alone. He is with a woman; a doctor named Robyn Hanover. Before she can reveal more, Scrambler touches her and scrambles her powers. As Jean sinks down, Cyclops immediately blasts him, then orders Sabretooth and Gambit to get on his son’s trail and protect him.
They find that Hanover is moving fast. Sabretooth suggests she knows where she is going and has a purpose. To escape, Gambit points out. That’s one way of looking at it, Sabretooth replies. He doesn’t trust anybody. He has another scent to follow. Can Gambit handle the chase solo? Gambit asks what it is. Something personal, comes the reply. This takes precedence. They separate.
At the airfield, Robyn tells Nate to get inside a small plane. She tells Nate they saw what happened to that ship. Whatever’s happening involves people with serious superpowers. They are no match for that. They have to get clear and call for help. Nate is convinced his grandfather has all he help he needs. Nevertheless, he obeys while Robyn starts the plane and promises to always keep him safe.
Sabetooth, in the meantime, has locked on a certain scent but is distracted by another. A moment later, the clone Sabretooth attacks him and tears into him. He gloats that, unlike the original, he has a healing factor that works whereas the other man is already blind, and has a fake hand. How is he gonna beat him? Just watch him, punk! the real Sabretooth threatens.
Elsewhere, Cyclops blasts at Prism, trying to protect Jean who is still woozy.
Mystique finds that her bullets do not hit Vertigo, as she is distorting the other woman’s perceptions. Grimly, she vows to bring a machine gun next time.
Rogue is keeping Riptide and Harpoon busy.
Northern Japan, the ancestral home of Clan Yashida:
Mariko Yashida, current clan head, kneels in front of a shrine. The picture atop it is of Wolverine, once upon a time the great love of her life. She pledged her heart but he betrayed all their dreams, she muses. Using a katana, she slices the picture apart. Now he is gone and she has nothing save for a righteous hunger for vengeance! She steps outside, accompanied by bodyguards. Death may have taken him beyond her reach but there is still the woman who stole his heart. Before she is done, Jean Grey will suffer, she vows.
Back in Alaska, the battle still rages. Raza admits that Scalphunter is almost too fast for him to hit, possibly even a worthy adversary!
Nightcrawler touches Arclight, absorbs her powers and creates a shockwave to rattle her and Blockbuster.
Meanwhile in Wakanda, her advisors wonder why Queen Ororo has summoned the grand council. Not even the director of intelligence or minister of state knows. What has he heard from abroad? the director of intelligence asks and is told that Washington wants to trust the queen but they need a clear vision of her intention.
Queen Storm enters, announcing that trust is an expression of faith. To require proof essentially invalidates the fact. What the great powers want is a Wakanda that knows its place, and will behave. For them, Africa has been little more than a victim. It is time for that to change! Her beloved T’Challa set them in motion along this path. She shall bring his dreams to fruition! She wishes her government to embark on plans for the annexation of the island of Genosha!
Back in Alaska, Kitty sees Scott in trouble with Prism. She asks Ch’od to throw her over there with a fastball special. With her claws she shatters Prism to Cyclops’ disgust, whereas Jean is more pragmatic. Kitty tells herself she just killed a clone. Scott argues that X-Men have to stand for something better. As he did when he killed Sinister? Jean shoots back. Kitty senses something out of sight and disappears into the woods.
At the X-Mansion, Nick Fury asks Daisy Dugan about the X-Men’s status. Their files list the Marauders as destroyed. They are clones, Daisy points out. Perhaps their boss has simply cycled out a new batch. Fury points out he’s registering an anomalous signal that doesn’t fit any of the profiles, any active ones. Scanners won’t lock on it. Could it be Pryde? Fury asks. They ask Moira who disagrees. While Kitty has undergone significant changes she is still Kitty Pryde. Then they may have a problem, Fury fears…
Back in Alaska, clone Sabretooth is giving the real thing a hard time. He is about to administer the coup de grace when Kitty slashes him in the back. She follows it up with more cuts and kicks until he is down. Beaten by a girl! she exclaims. That was brutal! the original admits Just doing what comes naturally, Kitty smirks. And she’s even starting to enjoy-- Suddenly, she falls silent in pain as six boneclaws puncture her stomach.
Unable to see, Sabretooth still senses that her heart as gone into overdrive, he can smell blood… those are killing wounds!
Kitty falls down in agony, just trying to tell herself to stay phased. She looks up at her attacker, refusing to believe, as does Sabretooth… for standing above her, eyes filled with hatred, is Wolverine!