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Untitled
Green Ridge, Colorado, where civilians look up at the sky, as the Death-Flight has risen. Archangel drones soar over the city. They are a host of twisted angels, come to herald in the new world. A world where the unfit are exterminated at the moment they draw first breath – a world where the blood of the pitiful weak will rain from the sky in a torrent, and murder-priests will make sacrifice of the unworthy. So speaks Genocide. While Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock is stalked by Fantomex through a forest, she pauses for breath, unaware that he is several trees behind her. Raven Darkholme a.k.a. Mystique has Warren Worthington III as her prisoner, while Magneto battles Genocide. 'I would have thought you'd love this, Magneto. I'll scrape the feeble off the surface of the world...scrub them away like a bad rash...and the mutants – the strong – will rule again. Unless... you don't think the mutants are strong enough to survive anymore' Genocide remarks. Magneto offers no response. 'Can you hear it? They're singing! Their choirmaster has arrived and the Death-Flight is howling their evensong!' Genocide declares, as outside, a strange noise is emitted from the Archangel drones.
'The sermons! They can't be true! Not this!' a woman shrieks as she throws her arms into the air. 'Oh, Lord! Please!' another civilian gasps, dropping to the ground, while others cover their ears. 'No! No! Make it stop!' someone pleads.
Betsy looks out from the edge of the forest, 'That screeching... so full of pain and anger... cuts to the root of my teeth' she remarks to herself. Fantomex watches her, as Betsy makes psychic contact with Warren. 'What have you... what have I... brought down upon these people?' Betsy asks telepathically.
'Let me in. Let me -' Betsy calls out to Warren, then she finds herself within his mind, in front of a devastated church. '...in his holy temple... iniquity is an aberration...cut the sickened flesh away...earthy thoughts, be silent now' a voice calls out. 'Bloody hell' Betsy utters as she walks amongst the destruction. '...pluck it out and throw it away! Our soils, in pure devotion...must be purged... cleared off... your flesh to feed the flock...' the voice calls out, as Betsy switches to her Lady Mandarin armor, and walks towards the church seats, where rotting corpses lie. '...temples for thy worship be... ensure... he is with us now and ever...when we call upon his name... he will welcome us into his embrace!'
Betsy gasps as she sees a large statue of Apocalypse on the church altar, dripping in blood. She hangs her head, 'Where are you, Warren? These are thought fragments. There's something going on inside your head' Betsy calls out. She knows he is here somewhere, and asks him not to hide from her. 'Please... talk to me' Betsy cries.
Her plea is heard by Warren Worthington, who is still being held by Mystique. 'I... hear you. I hear you... but I'm afraid. So afraid of the darkness...' Warren utters. '...of the death I heard into the world' Warren declares, while Magneto blasts Genocide, knocking the villain backwards. Mystique calls out to Magneto, informing him that Angel is talking crazy again. 'What do you want me to do hear? Can I just shut him up once and -' Mystique begins, before she moves backwards, releasing her hold on Warren, she tells Magneto that something is happening: 'His wings – they're growing again!' Mystique announces as indeed, new feathered wings sprout from Angel's back, while Angel screams in agony. 'Yes! His wings grow again and again! He births the ravagers of worlds! Strong flesh from the weak! More harbingers to reap!' Genocide declares.
'Perhaps you have succeeded, Genocide. Perhaps your angels will scour the Earth. But you will not be here to see it' Magneto tells Genocide, lifting the son of Apocalypse into the air with his magnetic power, Magneto deems Genocide weak, and unworthy. Genocide tells Magneto that he should stand by his side, that they want the same things. 'Maybe I want to wipe the slte clean...but at least I'm not a hypocrite -' Genocide begins, before he screams, as Magneto tears his body into pieces of scrap. Magneto and Mystique stand over Genocide, and Mystique remarks thar he is bleeding radioactivity – that she can feel her cells instinctively changing to heal from it. 'There's no telling... what prolonged exposure might do' Mystique points out as they look around the lab at the fallen Clan Akkaba scientists. Magneto announces that they are not staying. He points out that Genocide and Akkaba have fallen, but that the real fight has never been with them.
'They promised to stop the maddening wings from spawning my flesh... to keep me from becoming the Apocalypse. And – like a fool – I believed them. They've used my own flesh to create these... things... to destroy the world' Angel utters. Magneto surrounds himself, Mystique and Angel in a magnetic force field. 'Yes. Let's go set that straight' Magneto decides. 'Whatever you say' Mystique replies, before pointing out that, all things considered, they might be better off staying below ground.
But, beneath New York City, Monet St Croix is just inches away from, the tongue that lashes out at her from Emplate's hand. 'You're not lying, are you, sister? You're telling the truth when you say you'll stay with me?' Emplate asks. 'That's right, Marius. Leave the Morlocks alone... leave all other mutants alone... and you'll never have to worry about going hungry again' Monet assures her brother. 'Prove it' Emplate tells her, claiming that he can already feel nothingness pulling at him. He tells Monet that if he doesn't feed soon, he will be pulled out of synch with this world. Wide-eyed, Monet asks 'I – now?' She looks nervous as Emplate asks her what is wrong. 'You promised me!' he declares. Monet extends her hand to his, and tells Marius that after all this time, after every horrible thing he has done to her and to others, she still pities him, and feels ashamed when she looks at him. Instead of Monet connecting with Emplate's hand, she grabs his wrist and flips him over. He lands on his back, and Monet tells Emplate that there is a reason why he can't stay connected with this reality – because there is no place for him here. 'You're too horrible...too pathetic for this world!'
Emplate leaps to his feet: 'Witch! Liar! You lure me away from my minions... from my food... to betray me?' He lunges at Monet, he backs away from him: 'And you believed me. Poor little Marius, so desperate to be loved. Like I said – pathetic!
Emplate explains that he absorbed enough of Monet's feral friend's powers to manifest his claws, and warns Monet that he will gut her before he fades from this world. He lunges at Monet again, but misses. 'Sooner or later, Sabretooth would do it himself -' Emplate starts to tell his sister, until she grabs him from behind, 'That's kind of sweet, looking down your trunk-like nose at the boys your little sister hangs around with' Monet tells Emplate, adding that now he is done wiith his brotherly duties, he can just let go. 'Maybe the reason it hurts so much being torn from our world is because you fight against it. Just let it happen, Marius' Monet utters. 'For once, be at peace' she tells him, when, suddenly, a gas pours from the mouth on Emplate's hand.
'You... you'd just let me vanish... you'd let me fade away... like nothing' Emplate utters. 'I'd relish it!' Monet declares, when suddenly, her eyes glow red, and Emplate tells his sister that he has such bad news for her. 'Whether you like it or not, I'm not going any -' Emplate begins, before Monet screams, as the green gas consumes her, and Emplate fades away. Monet falls to the ground and hugs herself, before sitting up, as Sabretooth a.k.a. Victor Creed rushes towards her. 'You've got a lot of nerve, frail...running off like that. You're lucky you -' Creed begins, before holding Monet, and asking where Emplate is. Monet hangs her head and doesn't respond.
'There has to be some part of you out there... some part of you that can hear me. Warren – it was you who told me how to find this place – you helped me then... please... help me now' Betsy telepathically calls out to Warren, as Fantomex places his gun inches from the back of her head.
The Death-Flight continue to fly over Green Ridge, their infernal screeching loud over the town. 'No need to be afraid... here for you... to free you... here to cut away the rotten flesh...' a voice calls out as the civilians look up at the Death-Flight. Suddenly, Fantomex turns away from Betsy. 'Ah – what's the point? Why bother with petty vengeance...here at the end of the world?' Fantomex asks himself, when suddenly, the Death-Flight begin to dive down amongst the civilians, and grab some of them, while other civilians try to run in fear. 'Get off the street! Get inside!' Psylocke calls out to the civilians as she leaps into the chaos and attacks the Death-Flight. 'They'll slaughter you if you don't take cover!' Betsy warns the civilians. As one of the Archangel Drones that she attacked looks up at her from where it sits on the ground, Betsy tells everyone to hide, that she will stay behind and hold them back.
'Let them come for me' Betsy tells the townspeople, when suddenly a voice calls out, 'They can come for us, Elizabeth'. Betsy looks up and sees Magneto, Mystique and Fantomex have joined the battle. 'They can come for all of us' Magneto declares as he takes one of the Archangel Drones out.
'Actually, Magneto... I think that's exactly their plan' Mystique remarks. Betsy tells Magneto that if they survive this, then she wants him know, that he has a lot to answer for.
Nearby, Warren, whose wings are still emerging from his back, watches the battle. Fantomex fires his gun at the Death-Flight, while Betsy adds 'A great deal, in fact' as she and Magneto fight back-to-back. 'We all do, Elizabeth. And now might be as good a time as any. After all – this appears to be the moment of judgment' Magneto remarks, as one Archangel, with six, large, deadly-sharp wings looms over them. Magneto asks Betsy if she can reach him, but she tells Magneto that she isn't sure. 'All this time, I've been searching within Archangel to reach Warren...but Warren and Archangel... they're two separate beings now... and they're lost without each other' Betsy explains, looking between Archangel and Warren.
Betsy continues, announcing that without Warren's influence, without the anchor of humanity, Archangel is just a shell carrying out a vestigial mission. The Archangel remains emotionless as he looks down at Betsy, while Warren looks to the sky: 'God help me' he utters. 'The flesh... the unclean flesh... I wanted to cut it away... to be done with it' Warren explains. Betsy looks at Warren and asks him what he is doing. 'I'm stopping him' Warren replies as he confronts Archangel. 'Lord, help me, I don't want to... but I'm stopping him. He needs me to be... human. This is my... our... cross to bear' Warren announces as Archangel wraps his metal wings around the human Warren. There is a blinding flash of light that engulfs Warren and Archangel. Betsy and Magneto stare at it, and from the light emerges one being – blue-skinned, with metal wings. 'Warren? Is that you?' Betsy asks. 'I am... Archangel' comes the response. 'Whatever I was before... this is all I am now' Archangel replies.
Nearby, Fantomex and Mystique start to make their getaway. 'Best bolt, Raven... before the dust clears' Fantomex suggests. 'Yes. We just helped save the world. Let's run and cower' Mystique replies.
'Savior... killer... harbinger of hope and destruction... I am unsure who – or what – I am' Archangel declares, but states that he would like to find out.
War Room X, within the Savage Land:Betsy and Magneto stand at a large window and watch as Archangel flies outside. 'How is he doing?' Betsy asks. Magneto reports that Archangel is adjusting to his transformation. 'Why are you beating around the bush, Erik? Just ask me what you want to know. Directly' Betsy replies. Magneto looks at her and asks Betsy if she has detected any traces of the Dark Angel persona, to which Betsy reveals that it is quite the opposite – Archangel has sworn off violence. Magneto points out that this makes his usefulness in field operations limited. Betsy remarks that at the very least, Magneto is not going to be able to use Archangel as his personal predator drone any longer – and adds that she wonders if he really needs any of them. 'You've got Mystique... Fantomex... running around, being your hush-hush group of X-Men. Did you plan on ever telling me that?' Betsy asks. Magneto explains to Betsy that if he is going to help their people, it will not be through brute strength alone. 'I'll count secrets among our saving graces' he adds.
In her quarters, Monet sits on the end of her bed and looks at her hands, the strange tongues lashing out of them. '...you can keep us hidden... but only if we let you... and if you want us to cooperate... then we must feed!' a voice from the hand calls out to her.
'Monet?' Sabretooth asks as he enters her room. She doesn't acknowledge him, so he walks over to her: 'I wanted to make sure...are you doing all right?' he asks. 'I'm fine, Creed. I don't need you looking after me. I just need -' Monet begins. Creed interrupts her: 'I know what you need, frail. I was there, remember? Your brother... he might be gone... but he sank his claws into you... left you with his hunger' Creed points out. He kneels in front of Monet and touches her face. He tells her that if she isn't ready to tell the others, then that is her call, but that in the meantime, he is here for her. 'If you need to feed, I'm your Huckleberry'.
In Archangel's mind:'It's so good to see so many familiar faces here tonight. So many of you... gathered here to hear a message of peace... of restraint'.
Betsy approaches a church, and enters it, where many versions of Angel and Archangel are seated in the pews.
'I know, I know. We've all heard such mixed messages,. We've been told we're a hero... a role model... a lost cause... a destroyer' announces the preacher Warren as he stands in front of the others. He has no wings protruding from his back. He tells the others that those are unclean words, even those that sound so pleasing to their ears. 'No one else can tell us who we're supposed to be. Those decisions for good or for ill... are ours and ours alone'.
Reality:Betsy and Archangel stand face to face, their psychic connection in place, and they smile at each other.


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Untitled
Utah, at the Elk Run Research Facility, a sign warning that this is a military area, that there is to be no trespassing and that photography is prohibited is suddenly burned through. Standing outside the facility building, two soldiers are at their post. '...so I told him there's a big difference between a Creedence song and a Fogerty song' one of the soldiers remarks, adding that he doesn't mean any slight against anyone, as he likes both – but to lump them all in together is just uncouth. 'You agree, right? You know what I'm -' he starts to ask the other, who suddenly clutches at his head and makes gasping sounds. 'Hey – are you all right?' the first guard asks, but the second guard has transformed into a primate-like creature, and grabbing the first guard's weapon, smashes it across him. 'No! No! Wait! What are you -' the guard asks, but the transformed guard keeps bashing him with the gun, splattering blood across him. 'Guh?' the transformed guard asks standing over his fallen comrade. 'Bloodshed was unnecessary. You could have transformed both of them in your devolution wave' someone calls out.
'A little additional cannon fodder wouldn't have hurt'  a bald man with a thick beard remarks as he and six others wearing plain black costumes walk through the wire fence, which one of them has dissolved. 'That's not how my gift works. Only individuals with a specific gene potential can be changed' the man with a goatee-beard explains. 'You, for instance' he adds, looking at the bald man. 'Don't even think about it' the bald man warns his companion. 'Enough of that. We have enough to worry about without threatening one another. Proceed with the mission' a voice calls out telepathically. The bald man then announces that he is detecting the thoughts of at least two dozen people. He tells the others that once they have entered the room, they will have to strike quickly. 'Get ready, then. My acidic haze will have us through in a matter of seconds' a woman with short blonde hair tells the others as she puts her hand to a wall, and starts to burn through it.
One through the next room, the group has engaged the soldiers. A tiger-like humanoid leaps at one soldier, while an ape-like member of the group thrashes about. A woman with gray skin participates in the battle, while the blonde woman uses her acidic haze against the soldiers.
'Even though mutants are all but extinct... these fools create weapons to kill us... to finish the job. They fear our ruthlessness. Our strength. Our minds' a telepathic voice states. The bald man uses his psionic power against some soldiers. 'Our speed' the telepathic voice continues as one of the group races past some soldiers, knocking them over. 'Most of all, they fear the possibility that we might come together in some organized fashion. They fear that we might rise up. And now – today – we are bringing those fears to light' the telepathic voice declares.
With the soldiers taken out, the group stands before a large tank. 'Here, they have crafted these tanks... used bits and pieces of devilish Sentinel technology to create new murder machines. These weapons were created to destroy us, but we claim them now for our cause' the telepathic voice tells the group.
The bald man with the thick beard reports that he is detecting thoughts throughout the facility. 'They are on alert. They know we're here' he adds. The telepathic voice states that it doesn't matter, and that additional strike teams have been dispatched to aid them. The bald man with the beard informs the others that he can feel them – the soldiers and scientists winking out of existence. 'Just as mutant lives would vanish if this world has its way' the telepathic voice points out. The tiger creature licks its paws, while another bald man exclaims 'All these people dying. I never wanted this. I just wanted to sleep. I wanted -' he doesn't finish his sentence as he is struck with a surge of energy and collapses to the ground. The others gather around him, as the telepathic voice declares 'Very well. We have more than enough soldiers to fight the good fight. So, if you wish to sleep... then by all means... sleep'.
War Room X, in the Savage Land.Two large long-neck dinosaurs trample through the jungle, while several winged dinosaurs fly around the top of War Room X. Inside her quarters, Monet St Croix is huddled on her bed. Clothes are strewn about her room and the blinds are closed. 'They know. They know I'm here with you, Monet' a voice calls hisses. 'Shut up. They don't know' Monet responds. 'But they suspect. They know you're acting strangely' the voice insists. Monet looks at her hand, where a mouth full of jagged-teeth has appeared. Monet points out that the X-Men are scattered and too caught up in their own drama to worry about her. 'And if I'm acting strangely, it's because you refuse to give me a moment's peace' Monet adds, reminding her brother that he decided to hijack her body, to hitch a ride and haunt her. 'If you don't want anyone to realize you're here, try shutting up every now and again' Monet suggests.
Emplate speaks to Monet, telling her that he knows she hates him, hates him because he saved himself. 'But I can help you... guide you... because the last thing you want is for your friends to realize what you've become. Emplate suggests to Monet that she can distract them, though – by giving them something more interesting and juicier to worry about. At this proposition, Monet looks up.
Inside a gymnasium, Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock is doing some kickboxing, when Magneto approaches her. He tells her that he hopes these facilities are not a disappointment to her. He adds that he realizes this is a bit basic compared to the Danger Room. Betsy punches one of the bags and turns to Magneto, agreeing that it might be a bit old fashioned, but that it does the trick. 'What do you want, Erik?' she then asks, before pointing out that she has noticed Magneto has taken to wearing his helmet more often. 'I wanted to make sure you were all right. After our encounter with Akkaba, you seemed -' Magneto begins, but Betsy interrupts him, assuring him that she is fine. 'I'm a big girl. It takes more than a brush with a doomsday cult to rattle me' Betsy boasts. 'And Warren -' Magneto starts to ask. Betsy reminds Magneto that Warren and Archangel have merged, and where there were two individual entities, now there is one. She adds that he isn't the man he was, but she is hopeful they will get there, and that she is working with him, but there is still a long way to go. 'So don't worry. I'm not going anywhere just yet'.
Betsy and Magneto narrow their eyes at each other, as Betsy informs Magneto that she thought about leaving, as he was working with Mystique and Fantomex behind her back. 'I don't appreciate being kept in the dark' Betsy declares. Magneto does not respond, and simply walks out of the gym. 'Damn it, Erik. All you had to do... just this once... was tell me the truth!' Betsy mutters to herself. Suddenly, she unleashes a powerful kick destroying one of the kickboxing bags. Sand pours to the ground as the bag falls onto the floor.
'Burns you up inside, doesn't it? Magneto's secrets... his lack of faith in his team' a voice points out. Betsy turns around and discovers Monet, who is now dressed in her costume, standing behind her. 'What if I could help you uncover what Erik's hiding? What if I could point you in the right direction? I'm talking about real “X marks the spot” specifics' Monet offers. She smiles at Betsy and tells her that all she has to do is what she has always done. 'Simply... trust me'.
Outside, Victor “Sabretooth” Creed rushes through the jungle. He pauses to sniff the air then looks out from behind a large bush, before moving swiftly through some undergrowth. He looks out through the leaves of other bushes, then suddenly, leaps forward, growling as he lunges at a smell raptor-type dinosaur, which hisses and tries to run away, but Creed lands on the creature. They scuffle, with the raptor scratching Creed and drawing blood. They separate and the dinosaur looks back at Creed, hissing at him again. Sabretooth grins, then the raptor lunges at him, claws and teeth ready to strike, but Creed slams his fists into the raptor, knocking it to the ground, where is screams. Sabretooth positions himself on top of the creature and holds it down. He is about to bite into it, when suddenly he stops. He glances sideways, and lets the raptor go. It runs off into the jungle, shrieking.
Sabretooth wipes his mouth, 'What the hell was that?' he wonders. 'Blood pumping. Heart racing. Gotta rein it in. This ain't me, not anymore. This is-' Creed begins, before he picks up a scent once more. 'The hunt' he declares as he suddenly leaps after the raptor, who is a small clearing up ahead. The raptor screams as Creed lands on it and bites down on the creature's neck. He tears at the flesh, and blood seeps out of the raptor's neck wounds. 'Sorry. I like to think you'd understand. This ain't personal' Creed tells the raptor. He sees his reflection in the raptor's eye as he adds 'It's instinct'.
Suddenly: 'I hope I'm not interrupting anything important' a voice calls out. Creed turns around and sees Warren Worthington III a.k.a. Archangel hovering in the air behind him. 'Archangel. Doing a bit of wandering on your own? How long have you been there?' Sabretooth asks.
'I have been here... long enough. Long enough to know that your path and mine are surprisingly similar, Sabretooth' Archangel replies. 'Don't reckon you'll judge me, will you? You understand...same as the dinosaur' Creed responds. Blood is splattered across his face, and Creed tells Archangel that he suspects that one day the two of them are going to have a long talk about it. Archangel doesn't respond to that comment, he simply informs Creed that he is needed back at base, and that they are leaving, before he flies off. 'What, no lift? The least you could do... is tell me where we're going' Creed calls out.
The Hellfire Club, New York branch, where partygoers are enjoying the decadent surroundings of the Hellfire Club. Betsy and Creed are dressed in civilian clothing, and as they walk through the socialising and dancing, Creed tells Betsy that if she wanted to do a little spying on the Hellfire Club, she might have picked a time when the clubhouse was a little less crowded. Betsy explains that she is not sure that is possible. She informs Creed that her family has been a part of this organization since she was a child, and there is one thing she has learned in all that time – there is always a party taking place. 'If you got the connections, why not just be straight-forward?' Creed asks. Betsy points out that there is a huge difference in being a member of a social club, and taking part in the clandestine Inner Circle, which has tried to kill the X-Men on more than one occasion.
Creed asks Betsy if she thinks Magneto is involved with them, and Betsy points out that is what they are here to find out. Creed wonders if they should have stopped at a tuxedo rental on the way here, as he is feeling a bit underdressed. Betsy tells him to stay close. 'These people may look like effete snobs... but they will chew you out, and feed you to their young' Betsy declares. 'Speaking of snobs... why isn't Monet with us on this?' Creed asks. Opening a door, Betsy tells Creed not to worry about Monet, as she is already here.
Entering the next room, they are confronted by the new Inner Circle – Sebastian Shaw! Briar Raleigh! Black Tom Cassidy! Magneto and... the new White Queen - Monet! Monet tells Betsy and Sabretooth that it is about time they showed up, and now the Hellfire Club and the X-Men can get down to some serious business!


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Untitled
Months ago:Genosha, amongst ruined buildings and refugee tents during the middle of the night, where Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock is meeting with Magneto. 'I hope you don't take this the wrong way, Magneto...but I heard you were dead' Betsy tells him. 'I was dead, Elizabeth. In more ways than one. I would think you could relate' Magneto replies, adding that he, unlike the majority of their people, has the luxury of another chance at life. He announces that he doesn't plan on squandering it. 'I imagine not' Betsy responds, pointing out that it is bad out there – bad for mutants, and she wouldn't expect him to sit back and do nothing. 'But what if you make it worse?' she then asks. Magneto replies that he is not sure that is possible, but that is one of the reasons he wants her at his side – he wants a partner in his endeavors, and isn't interested in a blind follower. 'No' Betsy replies, turning to the silent Archangel a.k.a. Warren Worthington III who stands nearby, Betsy supposes that Magneto has enough of those. Archangel offers no response.
Magneto tells Betsy that she can help their people, while helping Warren at the same time. Betsy falls silent, before asking about the rest of the team. Magneto informs Betsy that he has a couple of candidates in mind, but wanted to gauge Betsy's involvement first. 'All right. I'm in' Betsy announces. She informs Magneto that she has a few matters to attend to first, but that she shouldn't be long, and will be back as soon as she can. Before she leaves, Betsy turns back to Magneto and tells him: 'About dying... the way we both have in the past. That's the thing us X-Men have in common. We die a lot. Let's do what we can to change that'.
Magneto remains silent as Betsy leaves, before he turns to Archangel. 'Well... that make three of us'. He raises a hand, and several computer monitors switch on. 'Now... the rest!' Magneto exclaims as images flash across the monitors: Havok, Apocalypse, Mojo, Stryfe and Mister Sinister. Warrior Woman from the Squadron Supreme, Medusa, Triton and Karnak of the Inhumans, Storm, Mystique, Fantomex and Sabretooth, Briar Raleigh, Rachel Grey, Cable, Rogue, Sebastian Shaw and the Black Tom, a Sentinel, Psylocke and Archangel, Hellfire Club soldiers, Cyclops, Deadpool, Right soldiers, the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, the Red Skull, and the time-displaced versions of Cyclops, Iceman, Angel and Jean Grey.
Present:New York City, inside the Hellfire Club, where partygoers are enjoying the evening. But inside another room, Psylocke is not enjoying herself. She stands with Victor “Sabretooth” Creed, and they have just discovered the new Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club, which includes Magneto and Monet St Croix. 'Time and time again... these people have proven themselves the enemies of the X-Men. How can you throw in with them... when they have so often tried to out-and-out kill us?' Betsy asks. Magneto points out that times have changed, the world has changed, and the X-Men and Hellfire Club can be allies.
'Hear! Hear! Let's drink to the notion of letting bygones be bygones!' Sebastian Shaw exclaims, holding up a glass of wine which he hands to Psylocke. 'First of all, Shaw, I would never so much as sip anything you offered me for fear of whatever a skeevy little man like yourself might drop into a lady's drink. Second of all, if you don't get that glass out of my face, I'm going to jam it sideways straight up your bum'.
Betsy frowns at Magneto and asks him to explain this to her. 'I am unsure how much explanation is required' Magneto replies. 'The threats we face... the doom that consumes our people... is a burden I cannot bear alone'. 'That's why you have the X-Men' Betsy reminds him. 'And even they are not enough' Magneto replies. He states that in order to save their kind, he will forge alliances with as many others as he can – friends, rivals, enemies – mutants cannot afford for him to leave any stone unturned. Magneto and Betsy look over to Monet as Magneto assures Betsy that he intended to tell her, in his own time. 'She deserved to know' Monet declares.
Sabretooth looks at Briar Raleigh and states that the last time he had dealings with the Hellfire Club, there were children running the show. 'We sent them to bed without their dinner' Briar Raleigh jokes. 'All adults here now, lucky for us both' she smirks at him. 'Yeah... doesn't seem like that much has changed' Creed replies. 'What else have you been hiding from me?' Betsy asks Magneto.
'If I told you that all my secrets had been revealed, would you believe me? Of course not. And you should not. There are many pieces in play, Elizabeth. Some, by their very nature, cannot be divulged' Magneto explains. Annoyed, Betsy tells Magneto that he should have told her, and she shouldn't have heard about this from anyone else. 'Tsk, tsk. You're right, of course, lass. But now that the cat's out of the bag, we should tend to the introductions, yes?' Black Tom Cassidy suggests. Black Tom grins, and remarks that everyone knows him, of course, rightful heir to Cassidy Keep and dashing ne'er-do-well, and now against his nom de guerre, is the White Bishop of the Inner Circle. 'At your service' he exclaims, before offering to be so bold as to introduce his counterpart, the Black Bishop, the only non-mutant within the Inner Circle, but thanks to their recent escapades together, Magneto vouches for the lovely Ms Raleigh. 'You can call me Briar' the woman smiles.
Wearing an all-white outfit, Monet smiles and announces that she guesses that makes her the White Queen. 'And let's be honest... it's about time'. Shaw tells Ms St Croix that he couldn't agree more, and that the Club is lucky to have her in such a role. 'Just as it is fortunate to have the name Sebastian Shaw once more synonymous with the title of the Black King' Shaw boasts, adding that Magneto has once again assumed his rightful position as the White King.
'All the powdered wigs in this little clubhouse of yers are making my nostrils twitch' Creed mutters, holding his nose. 'Are you all daft?' Betsy asks, throwing her arms up. 'Can you be bothered to listen to yourselves?' She exclaims that this is simply a grand collection of malcontents here, but she fails to see the point of all this pomp and circumstance. 'Playing dress-up and throwing parties will not help mutants' Betsy declares.
'It's a shame you feel that way, Ms Braddock. We thought to offer you a seat upon this Council – as our Black Queen' Shaw announces, reminding her that her family has long been affiliated with their order. 'You don't have to remind me' Psylocke snaps. 'The leather and lash parties were oh-so-helpful during my formative years' she adds, before turning back to Magneto and telling him that she doesn't understand what he is trying to accomplish here. She declares that the Hellfire Club is not interested in the betterment of mutant kind – their only goal is to strengthen their own holdings, but Magneto replies that he does not agree. Magneto explains that the agendas of the Hellfire Club are not focused on the survival of their species, but he has found places where their schemes and strategies coincide. 'Believe me – they have their uses'.
Briar Raleigh smiles as she announces that there are some doors that can only be opened with copious amounts of money. 'You've gotta love free commerce and corporate espionage, am I right?' Briar adds, before remarking 'Believe me, your inner mutants' rights activist is going to get a real jolt from the olive branch I'm about to hand you'. Briar holds up a small green vial that contains an odd substance. 'I'm sure you haven't forgotten about the Someday Corporation. She reminds everyone that the company has been renting safe cryogenic harbor to mutants who fear death with the Terrigen Mists. 'What is this? Brain matter?' Betsy asks as she takes the vial. Briar informs her that it is something they picked up from Someday – the latest in cerebral encryption. 'Take a peek. You might like what you find' Briar suggests, announcing that while Psylocke and her band of revolutionaries have been fighting the good fight, the Hellfire Club's spies have been digging up some surprising dirt that she is sure Psylocke will find too tempting to pass up.
Shortly, Betsy is in a room within the Hellfire Club. She looks at the brain matter – or cerebral encryption – then turns to a black corset that has been placed on a stand nearby. 'Elizabeth... may I join you?' Magneto asks as he enters the room. 'Why not? The entire world's your domain. You're the bloody White King after all' Betsy replies. She admits that this is a nice place, and that it reminds her of the Mansion, save for all the kink. 'Those were simpler times' Betsy laments. 'They were not as simple as you might believe' Magneto replies. 'I know' Betsy replies, adding that she is in the mood to lie to herself. 'Maybe you've inspired me' Betsy adds, before telling him that Monet is hiding something from them – from him. 'You realize that, right?' Betsy asks, adding that Monet is protecting it, but she can sense it. Magneto falls silent, before informing Betsy that he was going to tell her. 'But you didn't' Betsy snaps. 'I understand, I really do. You've got your fingers in a lot of cookie jars. The X-Men are just one piece of a much larger puzzle'. She holds up the vial and points out 'That just leaves this'.
Betsy continues, remarking that it is a clever way of securely delivering messages, a piece of gray matter kept alive by minor electric shock containing intel only a psychic can pick up. 'Makes me wonder whose brain got sliced and diced to pass this on to me' Betsy adds. Magneto asks her if she learnt anything from it, and Betsy confirms that she did – she learned that the Hellfire Club is right – the Someday Corporation is playing dirty pool with the mutants in their care. 'I want to see what they're up to firsthand.
Soon, rain pours from the night sky over rough waters in the Atlantic Station, where the Someday Corporation has a Research Station sticking out of the water like an oil rig, with nothing else for as far as the eye can see. The X-Men's Blackbird descends and lands on the research station. 'Where is everyone?' someone inside the jet asks. Betsy, Monet, Sabretooth and Black Tom Cassidy, along with several Hellfire Club soldiers step out onto the rain-drenched station. 'Despite the storm they should have seen us coming' Betsy tells the others, recalling that every time they have dealt with Someday in the past, they have put up a fight. Sabretooth announces that he can smell the cryonics, and informs Betsy that there are definitely cold storage units on this rig. 'And we're not alone. I can smell people – plenty of them – and they're not all in stasis. They're circling... trying to flank us' Sabretooth reports.
Betsy turns to the Black Tom: 'We're here on this eerily quiet research station. The Hellfire Club gave me just enough information to know that someday is up to no good. Tell me the rest. What exactly is the Someday Corporation doing with these mutants?' Betsy asks. Tom smiles and tells Betsy that he thinks she is about to find out. 'But, just in case it doesn't become painfully obvious – they've weaponized them' Black Tom announces as three mutants lunge towards the group, including the tiger-like man, the woman with the blonde hair who has an acidic haze, a woman who creates some solid stars, while the bald man with the thick beard can be seen standing atop one of the buildings on the research station. The tiger-man slashes his claws towards Betsy, who steps backwards. 'These are mutants who wanted to be placed in stasis?' she asks. 'Aye, lass. But they're sleeping no longer. Someone's turned them to wee little puppets, dancing on a string!' Black Tom exclaims as he attacks the tiger-man.
Nearby, several Hellfire Club soldiers gasp for breath as the acidic haze from the blonde woman passes across them. 'It burns!' one of them screams. Sabretooth rushes over to Monet and tells her to watch the fog as it is like acid. 'Corrosive acid death cloud – yes' Monet replies, flying away from the fog, she asks Sabretooth how much good it does for him to stand in front of her like a big, bad protector. 'Find something you can claw, Creed. I'll take care of this!' Monet exclaims as she slams her fist into the blonde woman. The woman with the stars flies over to Monet: 'Just imagine...I wanted to sleep. What on earth was I thinking?' she asks as she casts some stars towards Monet, who is knocked backwards mid-air. Back on the ground level, 'We've taken out their support team... burned them with acid...or transformed them with my devolution wave!' the mutant with the goatee style beard declares as he transforms the remaining Hellfire Club soldiers into primates, who confront Sabretooth. Sabretooth defends himself, 'Whatever's been done to you poor dirtbags...I don't know if it can reversed...but the way you're fighting...makes me start rethinking my decision to go easy on you!'
Suddenly, the tiger-man mutant appears behind Sabretooth, and leaps at him, knocking them both off the edge of the rig, they plummet to the choppy ocean below. 'What's that, fur-baby? You want a shot at the title? Bring it on, then!' Creed exclaims, before they land with a mighty splash in the water. Back up top, Monet has fallen to the platform as the star-woman stands over her. '...cut me up but good...bleeding out...' Monet utters. The star-woman tells Monet that there is no need to keep struggling. 'You're on the wrong side, anyhow' she adds. 'Just let my little pets put you out of yout misery, 'kay?' she offers. 'I...must feed!' Monet suddenly shouts, lunging at the star-woman with her hands showing off the jagged teeth which she latches on to the star-woman's face. 'Mmmm...better' Monet utters, ignoring the telepathic call from Betsy, who asks her where she is and if she is all right. 'Creed! Can you hear me?' Betsy cries out, but Creed is nowhere to be seen, a pool of blood appears on the surface of the water.
Betsy looks behind herself and her telepathic cries continue: 'If you can hear me... we need you! Get over here post-haste! The sleepers we fought...they were only the first wave!' Betsy declares as she and Black Tom Cassidy find themselves surrounded by dozens of other weaponized mutants.
Months ago:The Hellfire Club, where Magneto is waiting outside the front door. A red car is parked nearby. Magneto announces that he hasn't been here in quite some time – the last time, he and the Black King nearly killed each other, and he has found little use for social amusements. 'That's why you brought me along. You speak tyrannical megalomaniac... and I speak old money' a woman with a cybernetic brace on her right leg declares as she steps out of the car wearing a white dress. She puts her arm around Magneto's and adds that she would like to point out that Magneto just described almost killing someone as a “social amusement”. Magneto asks Ms Raleigh what her point is and she replies 'Just watch me... and follow my lead. You want a seat at that table... I'm the woman to help you with that'.
But as Magneto and Briar step into a room within the Hellfire Club, they find a scantily clad Monet St Croix who declares 'Actually, I don't remember seeing your name on the membership list, either. So let's not get ahead of ourselves, hmm?' The glamorous Monet points out that they know Magneto, but her, not so much. Monet tells Briar to play her cards right, though, and maybe they can all play together, while Sebastian Shaw and Black Tom Cassidy stand nearby. 'This way, if you please. I'd love to get this meeting over with before my afternoon flogging' Shaw remarks. Magneto and Briar follow Monet and the others into another room.
'Fun bunch, Erik. My kind of degenerates' Briar whispers. 'Not exactly sure where you fit in, though' Briar adds. Magneto tells Briar that he doesn't have the luxury of being fastidious. 'In today's landscape... we are all X-Men. And we'll need as many as we can get, as cannon fodder, if nothing else. As a friend told me not long ago: X-Men die a lot!'


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Untitled
The Someday Corporation Research Station in the Atlantic Ocean. Rain pours down on Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock as she battles weaponized mutants on the oil-rig like facility in the dead of night. She thinks to herself that in a world where the air itself has turned toxic to mutants, the Someday Corporation offered sanctuary - “Come to us” - they said. “Let us shield you until these troubled times have passed” they announced. 'And they bloody well charged out the arse for the privilege' Betsy reminds herself, while recalling that Magneto suspected Someday of ulterior motives – of course he did, he's Magneto, after all.
'From the looks of it, he was right' Betsy decides as she telepathically takes down one of the mutants, while kicking another in the face. Nearby, Black Tom Cassidy of the re-formed Hellfire Club uses his staff to fire a blast of energy at the weaponized mutants as Betsy thinks that she is now fighting against the sleeper mutants, only they're not rightly sleeping anymore. Betsy looks over at her uneasy ally, Black Tom, then to Monet St Croix, who has been an X-Man since she was a child, and the new White Queen of the Hellfire Club for Lord knows how long. 'One of her many secrets, I suppose' Betsy thinks to herself as Monet flies through several of the mutants, knocking them over.
Unaware that Victor “Sabretooth” Creed is battling a tiger-man mutant under the choppy water surrounding the facility, Betsy thinks that he might be the only teammate she can trust right now, but at least she knows where she stands with him, even if she has no clue where he has gotten off to. Betsy punches her way through the mutants, unable to get a psychic read on them.
'We've seen everything we need to see! We need to withdraw! Get to the Blackbird!' Betsy shouts. Betsy realizes that some force, a telepath stronger than her, is locking her out. She can't if the mutants are acting of their own volition or if they are being controlled by whatever Someday has done to them – she supposes it doesn't matter.
'They've cut us off, lass! I don't know that -' Black Tom calls out, before one mutant blasts him with energy.
Monet finds herself confronted by several mutants and she informs Betsy that their powers have been augmented somehow. 'They're running hot!' she calls out, '(I can taste it)' she remarks to herself. But innocent or not, Betsy decides, they are out for blood – and that means they don't have the luxury of pulling their punches. Up above, Archangel hovers in the cloudy sky.
Betsy goes over to Black Tom and tells him to get on his feet. 'We might be in a spot of trouble, Lady Braddock. Our intel might have come back to bite our backsides. These sleepers... they were waiting for us!' Tom exclaims. 'We need to punch our way out of here... but I can't do it on my own! We need more muscle!' Monet shouts as she slams her fist into one of the mutants. 'Has anyone seen Sabretooth?' she asks, unaware that Creed still battles the tiger-man beneath the surface of the water.
They struggle, and suddenly, the tiger-man gasps for breath as he breaks the surface. He starts to climb up the side of the rig, when Mystique a.k.a. Raven Darkholme reveals herself. 'Sorry, kitty. The bosses want to have a word with one you sleepers. Looks like you win the prize' Mystique smirks as she shoves a needle into the tiger-man's neck. 'From what I hear, you want to go night night anyway, right?' Mystique adds, as the mutant falls backwards towards the water.
'We know you have plenty of options when it comes to booking a flight. Thank you for choosing Clandestine Abduction Airlines. Now sit back, relax and enjoy the short duration of your flight to torture and interrogation' Warren Worthington III a.k.a. Archangel jokes as he swoops down and grabs the tiger-man before he lands in the water. At the same time, Sabretooth breaks the surface and gasps for air.
Betsy, Monet and Black Tom find themselves surrounded by dozens of mutants, and Betsy can't help but wonder whether Magneto send them here with the knowledge that they would probably die – if this was some ruse to draw their enemies into the light, to churn the waters with their blood. 'More than the bruises and burns and cuts... that stings... because, against my better judgment, I had started to see Magneto as a friend' Betsy thinks to herself.
'We have them. How would you like us to proceed?' the bald mutant with the thick beard calls out telepathically. 'Yes. Yes, I understand' he responds after he receives his telepathic commands.
Black Tom tells Betsy and Monet that if either of them have any ideas as to why they are not falling on them to finish the job, whether they would mind sharing their theories with him.
Betsy ignores Black Tom and thinks that the more time she spends with Magneto, every time she lets him dispatch her on some mission, she realizes that she is just another pawn in some grand game.
'They're vanishing!' Monet exclaims as the weaponized mutants all start to fade.
'They had us dead to rights. They could have finished us' Betsy declares as the rain continues to drench her. 'I think, lass...we just got our wrists slapped' Black Tom remarks. 'Fine, whatever. Let them have their moment. Ours is yet to come' Monet mutters, as Mystique, who has shifted into the tiger-man, disappears with the other mutants.
'Tell me I didn't... miss the rest of the scuffle?' Sabretooth asks as he climbs back onto the rig. He joins Monet, Betsy and Black Tom as they start to walk towards one of the doorways. Betsy announces that the mission is not over, and tells the others that this was always something more than a fight. 'We came here because we feared Someday was experimenting on the mutants in their care. I want answers before we leave' Betsy tells the others. 'Seems to me, you got 'em, Betsy' Sabretooth replies. He asks if those mutants were sleepers – 'They scurried to Someday... paid good money to be put into stasis so they could ride out the Terrigen Mist crisis'. They enter the facility, free from the rain now, as Sabretooth points out that for a bunch of frightened little lambs, the mutants certainly seemed capable of handling themselves in a fight.
'You'd think the Hellfire Club... with all their ill-gotten knowledge... would have been able to warn us' Betsy tells the others. Monet narrows her eyes and replies 'I know it chaffs, Psylocke... probably more than that bikini you used to call a uniform... but the Hellfire Club and the X-Men are working together on this'. Monet adds that someone had to follow up on the threads Magneto had been pulling, otherwise, they might get lost in the day-to-day chaos of being an X-Man. The group come across stasis chambers and come to a stop.
Betsy thinks to herself that this place, this rig, is just another “safe house” for mutants seeking protection. 'From the looks of it, though, they discovered a truth that Magneto's been preaching for a while now. There is no safe place' Betsy thinks to herself. Sabretooth looks closely at one of the stasis tanks and remarks that somebody did a number on them, before someone points out that all of the bodies in the tubes are decked out like employees of the Someday Corporation.
Betsy examines the stasis chambers and reports that there is some sort of computerized medical system built into the chamber housing, but that she gets the impression that whatever was going on with these sleepers, it was psychic in nature. 'I could feel it... a telepathic presence... buzzing all around us'. Betsy tells the others to get back to the Blackbird and that they are leaving in five minutes. Betsy knows that whether she likes it or not, whatever is going on here – the answer lies with Magneto.
The Hellfire Club, New York City, where Betsy meets with Magneto the White King, Sebastian Shaw the Black King and Briar Raleigh the Black Bishop. 'They were powerful, the lot of them. They would have killed us. But someone was pulling their strings... someone much stronger' Betsy reports, adding that she couldn't get a fix on whoever was holding their leash, but they pulled the sleepers out before they could finish them off. Betsy closes her eyes. She can still taste blood in her mouth – the smell of sweat and the rain. She knows that tomorrow she will be bruised in two dozen places, and here she is, reporting to the perfumed masses like some sort of lackey.
Shaw asks if this could be linked to the technology Fantomex saw. 'What did he call it?' Shaw tries to remember. 'I don't think so, Shaw. From what Ms Braddock is saying, these mutants were striking against Someday' Briar Raleigh smiles.
Betsy looks at Magneto and thinks that even he, who is no stranger to getting his hands dirty, falls too easily into the role of puppeteer.
Magneto asks Psylocke to come with him, as there is still work to be done – her talents are needed.
Monet stands over the tiger-man mutant who is being held in a lab. Magneto, Betsy, Sabretooth, Briar Raleigh and Black Tom enter the lab. Magneto tells them all that their encounter with the sleepers could have gone more smoothly, but the mission was still successful, as they were able to apprehend one of them. 'Perhaps he can give us the answers we need' Magneto wonders. 'Good luck. His mind is locked up tight' Monet reports.
Betsy frowns at Magneto and tells him that he could have told her – he could have let her in on the joke. 'If I had known the goal was to grab one of them -' Betsy begins. 'What if you had known? Would the results have been any different? We achieved our goal. Be happy with that. Job well done' Briar Raleigh smirks. Magneto and Betsy look down at the tiger-man, and Magneto remarks that he is almost a physical match for Creed. 'He could have been born to mutantkind. Instead he chose to sleep through these troubled times'. But Psylocke reminds Magneto that he wasn't sleeping on that rig, and he wasn't exactly being friendly to them. Betsy tells Monet to stand aside so she can make herself useful.
Flashback images inside Bu Jun's mind:Betsy's telepathic butterfly effect materializes, as Betsy enters the mind of the tiger-man. She finds herself walking the streets of a run-down village and learns that his name is Bu Jun, who was born in inner Mongolia, abandoned as a child, he grew up alone and sick and hungry – not strong like he is now. He wasn't fierce, but frightened. The Someday Corporation found him, and he became one of the first to be offered sanctuary. They told him that eventually mutants would pay to be kept safe – but they were offering him a chance to sleep, to escape this miserable world for free. The landscape changes to a Someday Corporation laboratory, where Betsy sees Bu Jun inside a stasis chamber. She learns that he volunteered for this, and didn't care if he ever work up, even though he was playing guinea pig for someday. For once in his life, he wasn't – 'AHH! Some sort of mental block – strong! Trying to force me out -' Betsy screams, before manifesting her Lady Mandarin armor.
Present:Betsy continues to stand over Bu Jun and announces that it isn't often that she feels anything like this, stronger than her – like a psychic land mine in his memories. But there is no one here to fight her, this is all just some sort of booby trap, trying to rip her right out of Bu Jun's head.
Betsy informs Magneto that she can protect herself, but that the psychic turmoil might be too much for him, it might kill him if she doesn't stop. 'This man has something to tell us, Elizabeth. Press on' Magneto instructs her. Betsy tells herself that she could have guessed Magneto's reaction, as in the end, the life of one mutant, the integrity of another, means ironically little to the man who has sworn to save their people – a reminder that they are all just worker bees, easily replaced because there is always more where that came from.
Elsewhere, Bu Jun strides down a sterile corridor. 'Where the hell am I?' he grimaces, before carrying on down the corridor, where two mutants approach him. 'What are you doing here? You're a soldier-class. You're not supposed to be in this area' one of them remarks. Bu Jun suddenly fades away as Mystique reveals her default blue form. 'From the sound if it – I'm right where I need to be' she smirks, before kicking both of the mutants, then grabbing the gold-skinned one by his neck: 'Where are we? Who are you working for? Is this the Someday Corporation?' Mystique demands. The mutant doesn't answer her, so Mystique starts to take his form, then cracks his neck. 'Never mind. I'll find out for myself' Mystique mutters as she carries on down the corridor.
Eventually, Mystique comes to a laboratory, where she finds scientists operating on someone. 'Hello? Anyone home? I'm here to distract you from your work and probably kill you all' Mystique, still posing as the gold-skinned mutant, calls out, but gets no response. The scientists' eyes are glazed over, and Mystique realizes that they are focussed on the surgery, mind-linked or something. Mystique supposes that they probably have no medical training at all and are taking their orders from somewhere else. She watches as they remove some sort of wet-tech from their patient's flesh.
Back at the Hellfire Club, Betsy knows that there are answers out there, answers to almost any question you could ask, but finding them is only dependent on how far you are willing to push – and what you're willing to sacrifice. Bu Jun's mouth suddenly splutters up some blood. That sacrifice might be one man... or everything you stand for.
Flashback images inside Bu Jun's mind:Betsy looks at Bu Jun inside the stasis tank. She kows he was asleep for less than an hour – he didn't even have time to start dreaming before the pain started. She watches as he cries out. The pain is suddenly amplified a thousand times at Betsy, it tries to drown her, suffocate her with agony.
Present:Monet informs Magneto that the sleeper isn't going to survive. 'It's likely Psylocke won't either' Monet adds – but Magneto declares that she will make it.
Flashback images inside Bu Jun's mind:Betsy survives the pain, she is through – the pain is still there, it's always there. She stands before Bu Jun, who has been transformed. 'Look at what they've done to me. Look at the monster they've turned me into. They lied to me... promised me peace... then turned me into a weapon'. Bu Jun looks up at the projection of Psylocke and tells her that is not the worst of it: 'That was before... before he came. Before he ripped into my mind and -' Bu Jun begins. Energy starts to ripple around them, as Betsy protects Bu Jun from it, she asks him who did this. 'We can stop him from using anyone else – if we know who we're dealing with... and where to find him'.
Present:Elsewhere, Mystique has reverted to her blue form, and knocks aside a table in the lab, as a telepathic voice calls out: 'Ah...so it would appear we have an interloper'. The voice greets Mystique, suggesting that they dispense with the disguises. 'Through me, my servitors can see you for what you really are' the voice boasts.
Flashback images inside Bu Jun's mind:'This is where he frees us... where he enslaves us all over again!' Bu Jun exclaims as he and Betsy run from the energy. '... trying to bring it all down around us... trying to stop him from revealing the truth... can't break away... so strong... relentless' Betsy utters.
Present:'I like it better this way. After all the masks... I like this... just being myself' Mystique remarks as she kicks one of the scientists and stabs another in the neck with a scalpel. 'You know who I am. Why not tell me who I'm dealing with?' Mystique asks. The telepathic voice informs her that she will find out soon enough.
Flashback images inside Bu Jun's mind:'What is this? Where are we?' Betsy asks Bu Jun as they approach a memory littered with bodies. 'I need you to focus...to tell me who -' Betsy begins, but Bu Jun tells her that he is focusing. 'But he'll kill me before he lets me reveal his identity. I can't tell you who he is...but I can tell you what he wants' Bu Jun announces, and Betsy goes wide-eyed.
Present:Mystique runs down another corridor, and pushes a mutant out of her way as the telepathic voice tells Mystique that they don't have to be enemies. 'We want the same thing' the voice confirms. 'Keep talking. Soon enough, I'll find you...and I'll show you what I want' Mystique responds.
Betsy watches as Bu Jun coughs up more blood, and she informs Magneto that the weaponized mutants are going to strike an anti-mutant rally, where they are going to kill everyone. She adds that they are hoping the government comes to the defense of their victims – as they want to punish them.
Suddenly, Mystique opens a door and goes wide-eyed. 'Oh... oh, beautiful... of course it's you... Exodus!' Mystique gasps as the powerful mutant hovers over her. Exodus frowns and declares that he has rescued the sleepers. 'Who knows what Someday would have done with them'. Exodus boasts that they will now be used for a divine purpose – his purpose – and mutants will be feared once more!


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Untitled
The Hellfire Club, New York City, where Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock is connected to the mind of the weaponized sleeper mutant, Bu Jun. 'I... I know what the sleepers are going to do...' Betsy reports. '... and attack of an anti-mutant rally in Washington... they're going to slaughter people by the thousands...' she reveals. 'On whose orders?' Magneto asks. Betsy looks annoyed as she tells Magneto that Bu Jun's mind if full of psychic booby traps to protect that information – and if she keeps pushing, it will kill him. 'We need to know' Magneto declares. 'No. No. You want to know!' Betsy replies, before pointing out that right now they have everything they need – they can stop the attack and stop a damned tragedy. Betsy starts to walk out of the lab and declares that she isn't going to murder this man in order to point Magneto towards another enemy – not when they know exactly where they are needed.
'I know you like her... but I don't think she's that much of a team player, Erik' Briar Raleigh smirks at Magneto. Sebastian Shaw supposes that Ms Braddock is right – they know where the sleepers will be striking, so they know enough. Monet St Croix asks Shaw if he hasn't figured it out – whatever intel they dig up is never going to be enough – not for Magneto, not for the cause. She remarks that if they don't find out who is pulling the strings, they are just twiddling their thumbs until the next attack. 'Good thing you've got me around' Monet smiles. 'No offense, Monet, but when it comes to telepathy, you're in over your head' Briar declares, adding that Psylocke couldn't uncover the truth. 'How do you expect -' Briar begins, before Monet scowls and interrupts: 'First of all, I don't like you, “Briar” not nearly enough for you to address me by my first name. Second of all, don't ever think you're in a good position to tell me that I'm in over my head'.
'Monet -' Magneto begins. 'Whatever. I can do this, Magneto' Monet assures him as she steps over to the table where Bu Jun is strapped. Monet remarks that Psylocke was tiptoeing through his head, but the neural pathways have been primed. 'And where she was trying to be careful – I don't mind being a bull in a china shop' Monet smirks. Magneto looks at Monet but remains silent, so Monet tells him not to act so surprised. She informs him that she will do what needs to be done to accomplish the mission. 'Just let me work... while you tend to your errant X-Man'.
Shortly, Magneto finds Betsy sipping tea in another room. Betsy informs him that she is going to finish this cup of tea – something to soothe her nerves after dealing with his stubbornness, and then she is leaving to stop the sleeper attack – with or without the rest of the X-Men. Betsy tells Magneto that, unlike him, she is not willing to let countless other mutants die. 'You're willing to let humans die... while trying to track the head of the snake' Betsy adds, before telling Magneto that this is not what she signed up for – it hasn't been for some time. Magneto tells Elizabeth to go and confront the sleepers, and to take the X-Men and the Hellfire Club with her. 'Do what you must. I will do the same' he adds.
Just then, Monet enters the room and asks Magneto if she can have a word. 'It's done' Monet announces, blood trickling from her nose. 'I know who we're looking for' she reveals.
The Someday Corporation Research Facility in Sierra, Nevada, Magneto strides down a corridor, a determined look on his face, he suddenly uses his power to rip part of the facility away. Doors open and he steps into another room, where a voice calls out 'Welcome, Magneto...my Lord'. It is Magneto's former Acolyte, Exodus, who sits on a chair, while Raven Darkholme a.k.a. Mystique is huddled at his feet. 'Bennet Du Paris. Exodus. We should talk' Magneto declares. 'Yes, of course. We've been orbiting around one another for so long now. We've been striving to reach the same goals. This chat is long overdue' Exodus smiles. Magneto looks down at Mystique, and Exodus tells him that his little emissary has proven quite interesting to him, remarking that she is naturally resistant to psychic intrusion. 'Changing...I'm collapsing in upon myself...twisting...' Mystique babbles, while Exodus points out that she has proved a challenge. 'But you knew she was sent by me, did you not? Why put her though such torment? A punishment?' Magneto asks. 'Or are you still trying to teach me some sort of lesson?' he enquires.
'A lesson, my Lord? For you? Never' Exodus replies, remarking that he thinks of the passing of time, the ebb and flow of the mutantkind's wellbeing, the pending extinction of their people, has educated Magneto better than he could have ever dreamed. 'Let her go' Magneto declares. 'Hm. Or perhaps I've misjudged you after all' Exodus wonders, before Magneto asks Exodus if he has the Someday mutants, the sleepers, under his control as well. 'Post-telepathic suggestions for the most part, with a nudge here and there' Exodus explains. 'Release them' Magneto orders. 'Release them all' he warns Exodus as energy starts to crackle around him. 'So... a lesson after all' Exodus smirks, before raising a force field around himself as Magneto blasts energy at his former ally. 'All mt efforts... everything I've accomplished...have been for you!' Exodus announces. When Magneto stops blasting Exodus, he finds himself blasted back in kind, as Exodus fires beams from his eyes, which strike Magneto. 'I built an army for you! Now – even in the face of extinction – we are legion! This is what you wanted!' Exodus shouts.
But Magneto uses his control over metal to raise scrap metal and other metal objects in the room and fires them towards Exodus, knocking him backwards. 'You know nothing about what I am' Magneto declares. 'I know my Lord... that you didn't come here to fight me. You came to welcome me into your service once more' Exodus grins. He reminds Magneto that the world at large believes that mutantkind is doomed, and they rejoice. 'Our numbers dwindle. We fall to the very air we breathe...and our enemies see this as an opportunity. Waiting for our death rattle is not enough for them. They see us scattered and demoralized and weak...and they hope to hasten us on the way to our ending'. Exodus wants those who hate and fear them to see them just once more, the retribution their hate has wrought, and why they should fear mutantkind. An army – an army striking out against their enemies.
As Exodus makes his speech, the weaponized sleeper mutants have arrived in Washington DC where they are attacking the anti-mutant rally protestors. The mutants are relentless in their attack. Signs with slogans like 'Human Rights! Not Mutant Rights!” fall to the ground, covered in human blood. The Blackbird descends from above and Psylocke, Monet, Victor “Sabretooth” Creed, Warren Worthington III a.k.a. Archangel, Sebastian Shaw and Black Tom Cassidy engage the weaponized mutants.
Exodus flies towards Magneto and tells him that, one way or another, the sleepers would have been turned into weapons – for them or against them. 'Someday was changing them!' he exclaims. 'With me, they remained pure! Pure mutants! As I knew you would have desired!' Exodus shouts. Manipulating some scrap metal into a large armor around his arm and hand, “Pure mutants”? He quotes Exodus. 'Listen to yourself!' he exclaims, using his armored hand, he punches Exodus in the face and declares that he would never condone this psychic tampering. Exodus falls back, but steadies himself: 'And yet you found me. You must have dabbled in “psychic tampering” to get here' Exodus remarks, before asking how fares the mutant who divulged his location. Magneto is knocked back and his helmet falls off as Exodus strikes him with energy. 'You said it yourself, Magneto. Many times. There is no such thing as a mutant bystander. I am only honoring your words'.
Magneto gets back on his feet and releases a magnetic surge, claiming that he never forced anyone to fight. 'No. And how does your army compare to the one i've raised for you?' Exodus asks as he fires some energy, which clashes against Magneto's magnetic surge. 'You have leveraged every favor at your disposal... made alliances with former enemies...blackmailed pawns...played spymaster...and you still have but a handful of soldiers at your side'. 'At this moment, my “handful of soldiers” is crushing your vast army. Free will is on my side. Conviction versus conscription' Magneto replies, magnetically lifts his helmet towards Exodus, who boasts that he could make Magneto come around to his way of thinking. 'Without your helmet, you're exposed. It might take time, but your defenses wouldn't last against -' Exodus begins, interrupted as Magneto uses his power to tear up part of the floor around them, knocking Exodus back.
'Do you know what your problem is, Exodus? Your devotion has turned to fanatacism' Magneto points out, adding that in his fanatacism, he crafted some perverted vision of his agenda. 'I look at you... look at what you've done...and I realize I have no use for you' Magneto annnounces as he slams his helmet into Exodus's face, taking him out.
With Exodus knocked out, the sleeper mutants in Washington DC suddenly get confused. 'My head!' one of them screams. 'What is this?' another asks. 'I...I don't want to be here' a woman screams.
Magneto tells Exodus that it disgusts him, because he can see his hand in it. His helmet strikes Exodus again and admits that he can see how Exodus's devotion to him might have led him down this path. 'But blind followers are only good for one thing – sacrifice' Magneto points out.
In Washington DC, one of the sleeper mutants who finds himself with Sabretooth's arm around his neck gets confused: 'Where am I? What is this? Please! Please let me go!' he pleads. Sabretooth points out that something has happened to the sleepers – they are losing their will to fight.
Exodus drops to his knees: 'My Lord...you'll see...there will be losses...you'll need pawns...' he calls out. 'Perhaps. But not a pawn who sees himself as a king' Magneto responds. Mystique wakes and as she recovers she informs Magneto that Exodus's hold is broken, his concentration is shattered. 'But don't stop on my account' she adds. 'Hit him...hit him...again' she asks Magneto as she gets to her feet.
The X-Men and Hellfire Club members gather together and watch as the sleeper mutants stop fighting. Shaw remarks that whatever Magneto did, it worked, as the mutants are now free. 'Yes, but we can't just let them wander off...not this time' Psylocke declares.
Later, back at the Hellfire Club, 'It's over' Psylocke announces. 'Yes, Elizabeth. The hold Exodus had over the sleepers has been severed' Magneto confirms, adding that they are free of his influence, and that the combined efforts of the X-Men and Hellfire Club prevented significant loss of both mutant and human life. 'No. I mean this is over. My involvement with your team. I'm done' Betsy declares. Magneto falls silent as Betsy adds that she thinks the writing has been on the wall for some time. Shaw, Mystique, Black Tom, Monet and Sabretooth all listen as Betsy speaks to Magneto, who replies 'Very well, Elizabeth. As you've said, we both knew this was coming'. He turns his back to Betsy, who frowns.
'If this means there's an opening in the X-Men -' Black Tom Cassidy begins, stroking his moustache. 'Don't bank on it, pal' Sabretooth quickly tells him. Betsy gives Magnet one last look, before bidding everyone goodbye. But before she vanishes, Betsy stands in a doorway and tells Magneto that the sleepers need help, not marching orders. 'Don't worry, Elizabeth. They will be protected... and offered the seclusion they desired' Magneto responds.
Later still, in Tibet, the Blackbird has landed by a temple, where Monet and Sabretooth are assisting the sleeper mutants carry boxes and supplies as Magneto asks Shen Xorn if he can watch over them, even though there are so many. Xorn responds by telling Magneto that he believes so, and admits that he was growing lonely, anyway. 'But you will be able to provide essential provisions, yes?' Xorn asks. Magneto assures Xorn that the Hellfire Club has funding aplenty for these charitable endeavors. Xorn informs Magneto that he is sorry to hear Ms Braddock will no longer be working at his side. 'I feel she was a good influence' Xorn comments. 'She kept you in check' he points out. 'In check?' Magneto asks. 'Oh, come now. You know it is the truth. That's one of the many reasons you admired her so' Xorn replies.
Flashback:As she leaves the Hellfire Club, Betsy telepathically tells Magneto that she believed in what he was doing, she wants him to know that. 'I thought mutantkind needed someone like you. I still do. But I didn't expect all the secrets' she adds. 'A psychic never does' Magneto replies.
Present:Xorn remarks that he is curious, and reminds Magneto that he told him once that he did not believe in a mutant refuge. 'But is that not what you are creating here?' Xorn asks. 'Perhaps...at least to some degree. But I made a promise...or a concession...to a friend' Magneto reveals.
Flashback :Betsy and Magneto's silent looks continue as Betsy warns Magneto that she is not going far, and that she is going to be watching him – and watching out for him. 'A guardian angel?' Magneto asks. 'An avenging one' Betsy replies.
Present:Entering the temple, Magneto points out that a refuge in a sanctuary, mutants might start to feel safe – that must never be the case. 'Because one day, Xorn, they may very well be forced to fight' Magneto announces. 'Is that not what you saved them from? Is that not a failure?' Xorn asks. 'It is the bulwark against which complancency breaks' Magneto responds. 'And so my temple becomes your arsenal' Xorn remarks as he opens a large set of doors. In that room, a stasis chamber containing Exodus has been placed. 'Another failure?' Xorn asks. 'No, Xorn. A fail-safe' Magneto explains as he looks at his former Acolyte.
Flashback :As she steps through the door, Betsy tells Magneto that she is no longer going to offer him counsel and is not going to try and reason with him. 'But if I think you're going down a path from which mutantkind cannot return...' her telepathic voice begins, while she speaks to him, telling him that the sleepers need help, not marching orders. 'Don't worry, Elizabeth' Magneto replies, as Betsy gives him one final telepathic message: '...I'll kill you'.


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Baltimore, Maryland, where Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock moves with stealth through a run-down industrial area. She recalls that Magneto did not even try and stop her from leaving – that battle was already lost and he knew it, so he let her walk. She wonders if maybe that was his way of turning a “loss” to his advantage – maybe this is what he wanted all along. Betsy moves into one of the warehouses and tells herself that she is on her own, no longer one of Magneto's X-Men – but she still serves his purpose. 'At least the same dirt sticks to the skin... caked under the nails...' Betsy thinks to herself as she is suddenly confronted by a group of Omega Sentinels. She slices one of them with her sword, while her psi-knife is ready to protect herself from another. Betsy knows that the Omega Sentinels are human cyborgs infected with murder-tech and programmed to hate. The large Omega Sentinel identifies Psylocke as an intruder with maximum threat level, and states that core command demands her immediate termination. 'Kill her ass!' the Omega Sentinel orders.
Betsy continues to fight them as she remembers that the Omega Sentinels vanished but resurfaced recently – and violently, coming back when mutants were at their lowest. She recalls Magneto predicting as much for dozens of potential threats. The X-Men vanished, fleeing the Terrigen Mists, fleeing persecution. The X-Men were the antibodies that held back the hate and violence, and with them gone, even for a short time, their enemies started to thrive. 'The Omega Sentinels revere the Terrigen Mists that poison my people. Cyborg butchers with religion. Scary stuff'.
Betsy slices off the hand of one of the Omega Sentinels, slams another with psychic energy, and punches another right in the face, before shoving her sword through the chest of another. She stands over their bodies and tells herself that the Omega Sentinels haven't cornered the market of being the stuff of nightmares – they know fear, too.
The large Omega Sentinel confronts Psylocke and tells her to heed the will of the Mist. 'Your k-kind are finished!' the Omega Sentinel announces, suggesting she offer herself to central command, and then she will know peace. 'Not bloody likely' Betsy replies, before pointing out that she has never heard a Sentinel stutter before. She releases some psychic energy at the Sentinel, asking it if that is some sort of glitch in its system, some disconnect between its cybernetics and the big brain it carries around. 'Or are you afraid?' Betsy asks, unaware that an Omega Sentinel is nearby, watching her. 'Find the Sentinels. Destroy the Sentinels. It's a play right out of Magneto's manifesto' Betsy decides, getting into a small aircraft that is parked nearby, she thinks that at least in this instance the dirty work feels right.
'So. Who's next?' Betsy asks, touching a control panel that brings up several images on a screen – Mr Sinister, the X-Cutioner, a Reaver. Her jet takes to the sky as she reminds herself that during her time at War Room X, she gathered as much intel as she could, gleaned bits and pieces, potential targets from Magneto's naughty lisst. She wishes should could shake the feeling that Magneto only allowed her to find the information he wanted to divulge, and as her jet speeds through the air, she is followed by another small jet.
Later, Betsy is in Cambodia, where she is battling Dr Karl Lykos who is in his Sauron form. The winged villain holds Betsy over an old structure, where worshippers look up at the battle. Sauron tells Psylocke that she should not have come here, as this is a holy place and that the mutants here are under his protection – and control! Betsy reminds herself that Sauron is a energy vampire, a hypnotist, a Jekyll and reptile Hyde – a mouthy dinosaur with a god complex. Sauron drops Psylocke, warning her that to try and strike at him here is to stir his wrath! Betsy gathers herself, and flips to the ground, while telling Sauron that he has a nice set up here – gathered a flock of humans and mutants, using his mesmerism to keep them docile while he feeds. Betsy leaps towards Sauron's followers and tells her foe 'That's some feat, you know... being so foul that your transformation into a monster is the least creepy thing about you'. Sword ready, Betsy warns Sauron that the beating she is about to give him, he deserves it.
Sauron hovers above Psylocke and tells her: 'You will not harm me! You – will serve!' Betsy remembers how she used to like telling people about her psychic knife – she would get on about how it was the focused totality of her telepathic might. She wonders if it is because she spent so much time with Magneto, but sometimes she has to stop herself from grandstanding like that. She doesn't need to tell Sauron about the knife's power – she lets him feel it as he dives down towards her, mouth open wide. Betsy shoves her psi-knife into his mouth and through his head, causing him to scream. 'Another name crossed off the hit list' Betsy thinks to herself, unsure why Sauron's name was on the list in the first place. She look around at his followers, who appear confused and disorientated, and wonders if Sauron was a threat to be eliminated, or another pawn to be recruited? 'Is there really a difference in Magneto's eyes?' Betsy asks herself.
San Francisco's Chinatown: Betsy walks down a busy street where people are going about their business. She thinks that she could have joined Storm's X-Men, but knows that there is still too much that needs to be done – and she still gets a perverse thrill from the idea of preemptive strikes, but she is no longer willing to dance across the minefield of Magneto's secrets. 'Stopping the enemies of mutant kind was not enough for him' Betsy thinks to herself, recalling how, in order to bolster his forces, Magneto has made deals with the likes of the Hellfire Club, Fantomex, and God knows who else. He is putting together a network of allies – but that network is full of “friends” who might be more dangerous than the enemies they face.
Betsy approaches an alleyway and starts to walk down it, where two men are standing outside a door. One of them tells her to turn around, that she doesn't want to be here. Betsy tosses the trench coat she was wearing aside, and walks towards the men. 'I'm not messing around with you. Go back to wherever you came from, before I have to -' one of the men begins, but Betsy gets past him and forces the door open – revealing a warehouse where Mutant Growth Hormone is being produced.
The gang members inside turn to Betsy, who reminds herself that MGH gives non-mutants powers, and gives mutants power boosts. The MGH is harvested from mutant cells – living and dead, and Betsy recalls that Magneto has used it before. Some of the men in the warehouse look scared, while Betsy decides that it isn't too hard to imagine Magneto wanting to control this lab as an asset, rather than destroy it. She wonders if she should give him the benefit of the doubt, but decides she would rather take away that option.
Betsy leaps down into the warehouse, where three of the Nasty Boys rush towards her. Gorgeous George extends his arm to try and grab her: 'Not nice! Not nice! Do we come into your place of business and start breaking #$%&?' he asks, while Betsy kicks Hairbag in the face. 'I've got her!' Slab declares as he tries to punch Betsy, who recalls that the Nasty Boys used to run for Mr Sinister. She wonders if they still do.
Gorgeous George cries out in pain as Betsy uses a psychic attack to keep him back, deciding that perhaps they work for someone else. She hates thinking that way, and hates Magneto for making her think that way. A brief mental connection formed when Betsy psi-blasted George, and she realizes she is just being paranoid. 'Breathe deep, pretty lady!' Hairbag calls out as he rushes towards Betsy, a toxic gas flowing from his mouth. Betsy is relieved that the Nasty Boys are not working for Magneto – not knowingly, at least. It doesn't make her any less angry, though, and she takes it out on them in spades – slamming her psi-knife through Hairbag, and telekinetically moving his gas towards Slab. 'Toxic breath!' Slab gasps, as he breathes it in and he falls backwards, slamming his head into a table.
The lab is wrecked, and the supply is ruined. The gang members rush to the door to escape – they have had enough. A bald man looks back at Betsy, unimpressed. Betsy is still not satisfied and turns to Hairbag, who snarls 'All right, witch! You and me! Gonna gut you – and good!' 'God bless the Nasty Boys' Betsy smiles.
Soon, Betsy walks down the alleyway, dragging the tip of her sword along the ground. She hangs her head, then suddenly looks up as the bald man from the lab appears behind her. 'No. I don't think I'm going to let you follow me anymore' Betsy announces, turning around, she holds the tip of her sword to the bald man's face. 'Oh, that's rich. Gonna pretend you knew I've been tailing you all along?' the bald man asks. 'That make you feel better, Psylocke? That give your confidence a little boost?' the man asks, when suddenly, his form begins to shift: 'I bet you think that'll throw me off my game, yeah? Well, that won't work, honey. You've had this coming for too long... and I'm just so damned excited that I get to put you in your place!' Mystique declares as she spins around and kicks the sword from Betsy's hand, and knocks Betsy back with the same kick.
'Older than the hills, but she moves more quickly than I ever have' Betsy thinks to herself about Mystique, who has decades of experience never dulled by age. 'No you don't' Mystique exclaims as Betsy reaches for the sword, but Mystique grows some tendrils which flow out and grab the  sword. Betsy looks up at Mystique and knows that her shape-changing physiology makes her agile, strong and completely mad. 'Let's go, ninja-girl! Let's see what you've got!' Mystique grins, raising the sword to Betsy, who decides that Mystique is unpredictable – weaponized schizophrenia. 'But we all have our tricks' Betsy tells herself as she releases her psi-knife, extending it longer than usual, she raises it to Mystique, who uses Betsy's sword against the psi-knife. 'Not bad. I can see why Magneto thinks so highly of you' Mystique remarks, before kicking Betsy in her stomach, and telling her that she bet's she is curious, and would love to know whether she was sent to watch her, or watch out for her – or to kill her.
'What I want to know... is why Magneto's so willing to surround himself with people he can't trust!' Psylocke replies, shoving her knee into Mystique's stomach, causing Mystique to fall to the ground. Betsy stands over her, psi-knife at the ready and declares 'Every time he brings someone like you into the fold... he puts himself at risk... he endangers the people working with him... and he jeopardizes the cause!'
Mystique asks Psylocke what she is going to do, and suggests that perhaps Magneto just has a thing for wild cards. 'That's just it, Mystique. You're not a wild card at all. You always betray your teammates' Psylocke points out, adding 'The only thing about you that can be trusted... is that you can't be trusted'. 'And yet... you're the one who turned on him!' Mystique reminds Psylocke, shifting her form into a monster, she roars and leaps up at Psylocke, her large mouth, full of sharp teeth clamping down just inches away from Psylocke's face.
Betsy knows that Mystique is resistant to telepathy, something to do with constant, subtle shifts in her brain tissue. But Betsy is able to pick up traces of her thoughts, chaotic, random, changing along with her physical form. Mystique slams her monstrous arm into Betsy, who falls backwards. Betsy knows that her defenses are weakened, and recent psychic trauma has left her exposed. Betsy can feel Mystique's volatility at work, her physical changes twisting her personality. And, what Betsy never expected – she feels how much it torments Mystique. Mystique reverts to her default form, 'What... what are you...?' she calls out in anguish, as Betsy telepathically pulls thoughts from Mystique's mind, discovering that Mystique wasn't sent her to assassinate her – it was her own decision to try, Magneto just wanted her to follow and not engage. 'But it hurts, doesn't it? Your personality... always shifting... changing... it would drive a sane person mad... never knowing who you are... what you stand for... what you want' Psylocke declares to a wide-eyed Mystique.
'But I can fix it. I can stabilize your ID, ego, and super-ego. I can forge pathways to help make you... whole' Psylocke announces. Mystique looks calm, then asks 'Whu... what did you do to me?' Betsy informs Mystique that she made her trustworthy, at least, as trustworthy as she can be. 'Consider those radical mood swings of yours officially curbed' Betsy adds. Mystique frowns at Betsy and tells her that she had no right, no right to turn her into something she is not. 'You're still the same loathsome piece of trash you always were, Mystique... only you're in a little more control of just how repugnant you choose to be' Betsy explains.
Betsy watches as Mystique walks down the alleyway. She can sense that Mystique still wants to kill her, and decides that if she wants to chase that feeling, she will indulge her. 'Next time' Mystique calls back over her shoulder. Betsy believes her and watches as Mystique shifts form into an elderly woman. 'She won't change her mind, at least not due to shapeshifting' Betsy thinks to herself, and is left to ponder the question Mystique posed – why did Magneto Mystique to follow her? Was she a spy? An assassin? Betsy wonders if she just sent Mystique back to Magneto – as an even more valuable asset?