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Weapon X-Force, part three
Inside a darkened back room of Moe's Liquor Shack in Darien, Connecticut, where three unique individuals are playing a game of poker: 'So... I heard Stryker's back, Kidnapping mutants' Michael Suggs a.k.a. Hairbag remarks as he reclines on his chair, with his feet on the table. 'Oh yeah? What for?' St John Allerdyce a.k.a. Pyro asks as he looks at his cards, a stack of cash next to his hands. 'I dunno. But he got Lenny last week You know, someday he's really...he's really gonna kill us all!' Hairbag declares. 'Whoa! Buzzkill!' Pyro tells him. '...unless we stop him' Hairbag suggests. 'I'm trying to play cards here' Karl Lykos a.k.a. Sauron snarls at Hairbag, who tells him that they have all seen what Stryker does – he comes back again and again. 'And unless we do something -' Hairbag begins, but Sauron interrupts him, reporting that the last he heard, Stryker was just a feeble old man with some primitive cybernetic enhancement.
'I'm an energy vampire with the body of one of prehistory's greatest predators! What could he do to me?' Sauron asks, before suddenly, he is struck by a blast of red energy, which causes him to shriek. 'I got an upgrade' Reverend William Stryker boasts as he tears open the roof of the back room and looms over the criminals in his large cyborg form. 'Stryker! Why're you bothering me? I'm not even a mutant!' Sauron calls out as he struggles to get up from the floor. 'You consort with them. Now, you can die with them' Stryker exclaims, eyes flashing red with energy.
Later, in Aspen, Colorado, Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth rubs his head as he comes to inside a cell. Arkady Rossovich a.k.a. Omega Red stands at the cell bars, his carbonadium coils flicking about. Yuriko Oyama a.k.a. Lady Deathstrike examines the cell, while Neena Thurman a.k.a. Domino sits up, 'Whoa. What the heck...' she asks, looking at her wounded arm. Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool and Monet St Croix sit slumped against the cell wall. Omega Red them starts to shake the cell bars, while roaring. 'Get back!' a cult member wearing a red cloak snaps, using an energy weapon to knock Omega Red back from the bars. 'What the hell is this?' Deathstrike asks. 'Magic. Or to be precise, demonic energies' Monet explains, adding that she is not sure of all the details, as when she was under Mentallo's control, things got a little fuzzy – but Stryker sold his soul to Hell.
'Wait a minute, isn't he the Reverend Stryker?' Deathstrike asks. 'Yeah, with a church and everything!' Domino replies, adding that Stryker thought the Big Guy was telling him to kill all mutants. 'And that didn't really work out for him... so... given the clear lack of divine support for his mission... he could either give up his hatred to mutants...' Monet points out. '... or switch gods' Deathstrike realizes. 'Whoa' Domino gasps. Sabretooth turns to the cloaked cult member standing guard and asks 'So you guys got devil sticks now? You think that'll hurt us?' he asks. 'Obviously' the cult member smiles from beneath the red hood covering their head. 'But the Reverend's got something special planned for you' the cult member adds, pressing a button on the wall, which opens a panel in the ceiling above the cell, releasing dozens of weapons like swords, axes and maces into the cell with a loud clang.
'Dang! Can't a guy get any sleep around here?' Deadpool asks as he wakes and stretches his arms overhead. The cult member tells the mercenaries to pick out something they like, as the games begin in ten minutes. 'Games?' Domino asks. 'This is bad' Deathstrike remarks, while Deadpool takes an arrow from the pile of weapons. 'Ooh! Shiny!' he exclaims. Sabretooth takes a sword and tells his team that it is pretty obvious where this is going – Stryker wants them to play with his food a little. 'Let's see if we can at least get stuck in his craw' Creed suggests. Monet has picked up a large axe, and Creed walks over to her, telling her that he is sorry – it looks like he busted her out only to get her into a worse mess. Monet turns to Creed and tells him not to apologize, as it sounds weird coming out of his mouth.
'I'm... I'm serious, though' Creed tells Monet. He looks at the sword in his hands and remarks that Monet has been one of the few people who treated him decent. Creed looks slightly forlorn as he reminds Monet that she worked with him when everyone else thought he was just faking being a good guy. 'And then when you got into trouble, I wasn't there for you' Creed adds. Monet assures him that it is not his fault, and reminds him that she was possessed by Emplate. 'I was a straight-up monster' Monet declares. While Deadpool, Domino, Omega Red and Deathstrike collect their weapons, Sabretooth puts a hand on Monet's shoulder and tells her that is exactly why he should have been there for her. 'I mean, who else knows better'n me what that's like'. Sabretooth is about to tell Monet something else, when Omega Red comes between them, interrupting them, he tells Creed not to be sorry, and points out thaty at least Monet is no longer mind-controlled. 'She will die free' he exclaims. 'Yeah. That sounds great' Monet mutters.
'Come on! Nobody's gonna die!' Deadpool calls out, several weapons now attached to belts and buckles. Domino tells him that she wouldn't have pegged him for the inspiring speech moment. 'Seriously, though. I mean, you've got that ridiculous luck power thing going on' Deadpool tells Domino. 'I don't know if that -' Domino begins, when suddenly, one of the crossbows Deadpool is in possession of releases – straight towards Domino's face – but the arrow misses her, clangs against a pipe and then against the wall – and then into Deadpool's head. 'You were saying?' Deadpool asks her. 'Okay. Right. Good talk' Domino tells Deadpool, who starts to remove the arrow from his head, and points out that the rest of them have incredible healing factors. 'They can't kill us. And besides, we're all in other books, right?' Deadpool adds. 'What are you talking about?' Monet asks him. 'Oh, riiiiight... except you' Deadpool mutters. '... and you...' he adds, turning to Omega Red. 'Huh?' Omega Red remarks, confused. 'Shoot. And you, too' Deadpool points out, looking at Deathstrike. 'Hmp' she mumbles, folding her arms.
The cult member outside the cell tells everyone to move it, and opens the cell bars. 'Okay! Forget I said anything! Have fun! Play hard!' Deadpool tells the others as they walk into a large arena, lined floor to ceiling with seats, filled with cultists who throw their arms up in the air, and Mentallo, who sits on a platform extended out from the cultists. 'Friends! I present our first offerings!' Mentallo exclaims, and the cultists shout and cheer. 'So, what – they're just bloodthirsty maniacs now?' Domino asks. 'No more “church for prosperity” or whatever?' she enquires. Monet explains that they are all being mind-controlled by Mentallo. She supposes that there is no need for the bad guys to sugarcoat things anymore. 'To hell with this. We're carving right through 'em and busting out of here' Creed tells the others. 'Charge on three. One, two -' he begins, as Deadpool interrupts him: 'Wait, does that mean we charge when we say “three” or do we say three and then charge on four?' he asks. 'Come on, man! I just said charge on -' Sabretooth begins, when suddenly, 'THREE!' Sauron shouts as he appears in the arena, waving a large hammer around, which narrowly misses Sabretooth, but slams into Deadpool's face.
Hairbag rides on Sauron's back, while Pyro unleashes a burst of flames alongside them. The warriors known as Agent X, Snare and Turk run along behind them, along with seven other beings. Snare lunges at Omega Red, forcing him to the ground, while Domino faces off against a man in a black costume with a mask over his mouth, and some sort of energy powers that glow green. 'That was pretty good. Credit where credit's due' Deadpool utters. Deathstrike finds herself up against Pyro, while Omega Red is under assault from a woman with a white bathing suit style costume, and a dark body suit underneath. Monet knocks aside two of the other combatants as Creed calls out to Sauron. 'You don't have to -' he begins, to which Sauron responds by opening his mouth and blasting a flaming energy across Sabretooth's body. Sabretooth informs Deathstrike that the others are mind-controlled and asks her to inject them with her nanobots – but before she can do so, Deathstrike finds her deadly claws under attack by Pyro, who sets them alight. Deathstrike screams, and Deadpool fires a crossbow at two of the others, 'Tch. No solo book for you' he tells Deathstrike, while Monet flies towards a woman in a green costume with yellow hood and cape, who fires a light green energy at Monet, but misses her.
Sabretooth runs from Sauron and asks him what the hell he is even doing here. 'You're not a mutant' Sabretooth reminds Sauron, who replies that he iis a friend to mutants, particularly when he can partake of their life energies. Sauron grabs Sabretooth's wrist, and begins to drain his energies. 'Tell ya what, pal...you can have all the mutant life energy you want...long as you start with them!' Creed exclaims as he hurls Sauron towards Pyro and several of the others, where he collapses on top of them. Suddenly, Reverend Stryker drops down into the arena, and tells Sabretooth that his mutant cunning may buy him a few more minutes, but that his sad story ends today. 'Rev Stryker... always talking big. Why don't you just kill us instead of yapping about it if you're so hot now?' Sabretooth asks. 'Ix-nay on ill us-kay, dude' Domino calls out.
Energy whirls around Stryker, who announces that his new master likes a little ceremony before the blood sacrifice. 'Thralls! Force them to the pit!' Stryker shouts at the other combatants, as a panel in the ground opens up, revealing a large pit with several whirling, razor-sharp blades inside it. Mentallo uses his psionic control over the combatants, 'You have heard the Reverend, friends. You have cast your lot in with him. So cast his enemies into the pit' Mentallo orders them. The battle continues to rage, with Omega Red, Domino, Deathstrike and Deadpool amongst thr thick of it. Sabretooth and Monet are on the edge of the battle, as Sauron swoops down towards them, pushing them closer to the pit – and the razor sharp blades within. 'Monet...I'm sorry...' Creed calls out. Monet tells Victor to stop apologizing and to think of something. 'Or I'll shove you in the pit myself!' Monet warns Creed, while a blade whirls near her head. Sabretooth grins, 'Ha! All right, all right' Creed replies, before calling out to Deathstrike, asking her if she still has that stash of Nuke pills.
Deathstrike looks up from where she is holding Hairbag to the ground and tells him that she does. 'But I don't see what – ah. Yes. I see' Deathstrike replies as she tosses the bag of Nuke pills towards the cultists in the audience and calls out to Domino, telling her to make some luck. 'Way ahead of you, Dee' Domino replies as she flips backwards, as Deadpool trips over Hairbag, and lets go of the crossbow, which Domino catches, then aims at the bag of Nuke pills, shooting the bag, the pills explode over the cultists. 'How do you do that?' Deadpool asks, while Mentallo watches in shock, as the remains of the pills float down over his flock – who suddenly become aggressive and start to fight with each other. 'Wait! Friends! No! Please!' Mentallo calls out to them, suggesting that they just say “no”. The cultists, however, turn their attention on to Mentallo and swarm around him, grabbing at him. 'Gah! Your minds! So disordered! Listen to me, you morons!' Mentallo calls out psionically. 'Your true enemy is – ah ' he begins, before screaming 'Not me! Not me!' Mentallo calls out to Stryker who is still down in the arena, and begs him for help. 'Idiot' Stryker mutters.
Sabretooth and Monet have meanwhile freed themselves from Sauron, who looks confused, and turns to Stryker. 'Whose ass do you wanna kick?' Sabretooth asks. 'Well, your life force is, frankly, delicious...' Sauron replies, before flying towards Stryker, and grabbing him, informing Creed that he is now second on the list,  as he begins slashing away at Stryker, before tossing him into the pit of razor sharp blades. 'Let's take this outside!' Sauron calls out, blasting a hole in the wall, he leads everyone out of the arena towards some woods surrounding the facility. 'You don't have to tell me twice' Domino replies as she follows. Stuck in amongst the pit of blades, Stryker calls out to Mentallo, but Mentallo is still surrounded by his cultists. 'Sorry' he utters, when suddenly, Stryker roars, and a huge amount of crimson energy spreads upwards through the citadel it forms a large wave of energy in the sky overhead.
Everyone comes to a stop once they are far enough into the woods. Hairbag thanks Sabretooth and tells him that he supposes this means they owe him one. 'Yeah? Cool. Cause I got a job for ya' Sabretooth replies. Hairbag asks him what that might be, to which Sabretooth announces that they are going to circle back and kill that piece of garbage once and for all. Everyone stares at Sabretooth in surprise. No one speaks, until Domino breaks the silence by pointing out that this is usually the point where Warpath or somebody says “We don't kill”. Sauron remarks that he doesn't see Warpath around, and as she puts a hand on Sabretooth's shoulder, Monet adds that she doesn't, either. Sabretooth and Monet turn and walk alongside each other, back towards the facility, followed by Deathstrike, Deadpool, Omega Red, Pyro, Hairbag and Domino, while Sauron flies overhead, and the others follow or fly behind them. 'I love this team' Sabretooth smirks.


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Weapon X-Force, part four
Aspen, Colorado, the secret murder arena in the basement of Reverend William Stryker's church. Stryker, now a monstrous cyborg, laughs as he is trapped in a pit of whirling blades. Flames dart around him and the arena.
Marvin Flumm a.k.a. Mentallo approaches Stryker, asking him if he is all right, while shielding his eyes from whatever the blades are doing to Stryker's body. 'I'm more than all right, fool. Those stupid mutants thought they could damage my earthly form...but I am reborn once again in the flames of our master!' Stryker declares as he emerges from the pit, his cyborg body strong, energy glowing around his hands. 'Oh, good... 'cause I'd have been real disappointed if there wasn't enough of you left to kill!' Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth, leader of Weapon X-Force, snarls as he leaps at Stryker and slashes his claws across Stryker's face. Stryker wipes his face and asks Creed if he thinks his little claws can defeat his hellfire. 'Eh, maybe not...that's why I brought some friends' Sabretooth replies.
Suddenly, Stryker looks behind him as the rest of Weapon X-Force – Neena Thurman a.k.a. Domino, Yuriko Oyama a.k.a. Lady Deathstrike and Arkady Rossovich a.k.a. Omega Red, along with their mercenary Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool and ally Monet St Croix lunge at him. With them are the many mutants and other prisoners of Stryker's basement arena including Hairbag, Pyro, Sauron, Agent X, Snare, Turk and many others. The mutants dog-pile on Stryker, using their combined powers, strengths and abilitites against him, preventing him from fighting back, they overwhelm him. Mentallo uses this moment to make his getaway, rushing to where a guard stands near a staircase. 'Shouldn't you be helping the Reverend?' the guard asks. Mentallo replies that he thinks the Reverend is doing just fine and claims that he is going to head into the back for reinforcements. 'I don't think so' the guard declares, dropping her disgusise, Raven Darkholme a.k.a. Mystique, the missing member of Weapon X-Force, replies, kicking Mentallo in the face and knocking him backwards.
Sabretooth sees this and calls out 'Nice one, Raven! I knew you'd show!' to which Sauron adds 'Once the job was pretty much done'. 'We showed 'em, didn't we?' Sabretooth grins, warning Stryker not to mess with Weapon X-Force, as someone's foot smashes into Stryker's cyborg body breaking it open and releasing what appears to be his soul, which quickly floats down into the pit with the blades, and begins to laugh.
'That... sounded like Stryker' Domino remarks. 'He put a “mouu” before a “ha ha ha”. That’s definitely Stryker' Deadpool remarks. Sabretooth goes over to the pit and looks down into it. 'Dammit, Stryker! We killed you, man!' he exclaims, but Stryker's voice can be heard telling Sabretooth not to flatter himself. Within the pit, skulls and bones line the ground and walls, as flames begin to break through and form up around Stryker's soul, giving him a new body. 'I've been dead for years! But I cut a deal with Satan to finish my work! I spit at you from Hell, Weapon X!' Stryker exclaims. 'Weapon X-Force' Sabretooth corrects him. 'Whatever' Stryker mutters, warning the mutants that he will come for them – with all the powers of his master. 'I will come for you!' he shouts, before the pit erupts in flames and collapses inwards.
'I guess... he'll be in touch later, then?' Deadpool asks. One of the mutants floating above the others, a woman in a black and white costume with long hair, remarks 'He... just said he was coming for Weapon X, right?' to which Sauron, Pyro and Hairbag looks at each other. 'Riiiiight...' Sauron agrees. 'See ya!' he calls out as he takes flight back out of the remains of the church, followed by Pyro, Hairbag and the other mutants.
'Hey!' Sabretooth exclaims, but gets no response. Weapon X-Force, Deadpool and Monet regroup as Domino mutters 'So... we're gonna get killed by an actual factual demon'. Monet runs a hand through her hair and tells Victor that this isn't good. 'I know' Creed replies. 'I mean, unless anyone happens to know someone with some pull in Hell...' Mystique begins, before she and Creed look at each other and smile.
Washington DC, in the dead of night, a nervous congressman walks through an empty building, he calls out 'Listen here, Mister... I know you're the hottest thing on K Street – every single person in my caucus says you're some kind of damn miracle worker – but I've heard that song before, and more often'n not, I end up paying through the nose for advice that ain't no better than my wife's latest fad diet!' He looks around the shadows of the building and claims that his situation is serious, that he can't use no one-size-fits-all solution. He reveals that polling says he is trailing by sixteen points in his district, which he carried by six last election. Sweat beads form on his face, he wipes them with a cloth as he explains that someone spilled his Begas video, which is nothing but consenting adults minding their own business in private, and now he has a holier-than-thou primary challenger peeling away his PAC money, while every loony is out there picketing his office every time he so much as breathes funny. 'I mean, what the hell! I just say what everyone's thinking!' the congressman adds.
At a table obscured within the shadows, someone is devouring a plate of...snakes. 'Congressman. Trust me. Now that you have retained my services... you have nothing to worry about' the mysterious man remarks as he brings a forkful of snakes to his mouth. The congressman turns to the sound of the other man's voice, 'Well, as Saint Ronnie said “trust but verify” I'm not buying this mystery man act!' he exclaims, telling the mystery man that for the amount of money he is demanding, he needs to know that this isn't just some hail Mary pass. 'Now if you don't mind, I'd like to see who I'm talking -' the congressman begins, holding up his phone, the flash lights up as he attempts to take a photo of the man sitting in the shadows eating snakes – but there is a larger flash of light as candles on the shelf behind the man in the darkness light up, revealing the man in a suit, with a red tail whipping behind him, a plate of half-eaten snakes on the table behind him, he assures the congressman that it isn't Mary he will be hailing.
The congressman falls backwards as the mysterious man known as Azazel walks towards him. 'No – I don't – I mean – I didn't know!' the congressman utters. Azazel, leader of Neyaphem, tells him to shush and not to speak. Azazel grins wickedly as he tells the congressman that his initial reaction is “how is this possible”, and tells him to contrast it with this – to think of all the times he stamped his boot down on the oppressed and scorned because it made him feel good to win an easy victory – because the wealthy and corrupt let him stand by their side for a time, it almost felt like he was as important as them. 'When you did all those things...you already served me. Now we're just putting it in writing' Azazel smiles, kneeling down beside the congressman.
Azazel stands up and helps the congressman to his feet as the congressman remarks that he is curious about something. 'Yes?' Azazel asks. 'What's someone like you... need money for?' the congressman enquires. He opens a briefcase full of money and explains that it is a pretty significant chunk of his campaign war chest, and that there are lots of other things he could put it to. 'I know. That is why I  need it. In a transaction such as this... it is customary to make a sacrifice' Azazel explains as he takes a candle and drops it onto the briefcase full of money – which goes up in flames right before the shocked congressman. 'Noooo! Not the money! It hasn't done anything wrong!' he utters. A woman walks over to the congressman and starts to escort him away. He brushes his sleeve where the flames darted around him and Azazel tells him to fear not, that those who plan to vote against him will find their IDs have gone missing, their names suddenly vanished from the rolls, their cars breaking down on the way to the polls. 'You will retain your power, congressman. And I, in return...will retain mine' Azazel declares as the congressman is led from the room, he walks down some stairs, a gaping hole in his chest – as if he has sold his soul.
Inside the other room, Azazel places a red block – presumably the congressman's soul – in a cupboard with other red blocks and calls out 'Gail?' to which the woman who escorted the congressman out enters and asks 'Sir?' to which Azazel asks her if she wouldn't mind staying for just a moment. He closes the cupboard and tells Gail that he was wondering why she wpuld make all this effort to spy on him, and then not even speak 'You were once my beloved' he reminds her, looking at her with a forlorn expression on his face. 'Was I? I don't know if that would be the word I'd use' Mystique responds as she drops the disguise, and tells Azazel that, regardless, she needs help – of an infernal nature. Azazel goes over to Mystique and takes her by her wrist as Mystique explains that firstly she wanted to see if, in his exile, he had become more or less trustworthy. 'And what is your verdict?' Azazel grins. Mystique smiles and tells Azazel that she sees he will always keep his promises, in ways that benefit only he.
'But you're gonna help us, hot stuff -' Sabretooth calls out as he charges into the room. 'Uff' Mystique mutters, unimpressed, as Sabretooth warns Azazel that if he doesn't, they are going to make this Hell on Earth for him. Domino, Deathstrike, Omega Red, Deadpool and Monet are with him. 'Seriously?' Azazel asks, glancing at Mystique, who slaps her hand to her forehead and apologizes to Azazel, explaining that her new associates only have so much patience for the subtle approach. 'Unhand her, demon -' Omega Red calls out as he rushes towards Azazel. 'Idiot. He's the world's greatest teleporter. Don't let him -' Mystique begins, but as Omega Red attempts to grab Azazel, he vanishes. '- do exactly that!' Mystique snaps at Omega Red as Azazel teleports over to Monet. 'A St Croix?' he asks. 'I've had many dealings with your family ever the years -' Azazel begins, to which Monet tells him that this shall be his last, but he quickly teleports away with Monet, and throws her at Lady Deathstrike. 'Eh? What is this? An Oyama?' Azazel asks, before punching Deathstrike in the face and telling Mystique that she has gathered such a collection of sinners here.
Deadpool attempts to slice Azazel with his sword, 'Almost gotcha! Wow, this game is fun!' Deadpool calls out, while Monet almost kicks Azazel, who tells Deadpool that he is not so good at obeying orders, and teleports onto Omega Red's shoulders, explaining that not following orders is how he was damned in the first place. He then teleports over to Sabretooth, who knocks him back and points out that their sins make them immune to his pacts and temptations, so he better give them what they want, if he knows what is good for him. Azazel teleports again, and looks up to see Domino standing over him, aiming her guns at him. 'Oh, look. You just happened to “bamf” into where I was pointing my guns. Lucky' she jokes, while Deadpool stands beside her, sword in hand, he tells her that it is easy and to just follow the smell of farts. 'That would be the invigorating scent of sulfur and brimstone, Wade Wilson' Azazel smiles, before telling Deadpool to get used to it as he quickly teleports behind Domino and Deadpool and slams their heads together. 'For it is the odor of your eternity' he adds as Deadpool and Domino drop to the ground.
Sabretooth moves closer to Azazel and asks him what he is saying. Azazel then reveals that he has been permanently exiled from the lower realms. 'I could not return even if you were not so inept at dispatching me' he explains, quickly teleporting over to Sabretooth, and telling him that it warms his heart to know that is where he will end up. 'Quit hopping around for one dang minute!' Sabretooth calls out, as Azazel disappears again, re-appearing on the chandelier above. 'I'm trying to tell you – we wanna go to hell!' Sabretooth explains. 'And you're well on your way, monster' Azazel responds. 'Hey! Victor has changed!' Monet snaps. 'Changed. But not redeemed' Azazel points out as he teleports down to Sabretooth and punches him in the face. Sabretooth falls to the ground and Azazel stands over him, revealing that even with Creed's “inversion” he can see into his soul, the fingerprints of the evil he often committed still remain there. 'If you think you've washed any of them clean... you are a fool' Azazel declares, surprising the wide-eyed Sabretooth.
Domino, Deathstrike, Mystique, Omega Red, Deadpool and Monet move in towards Azazel, as Mystique points out that they are talking in circles. She tries to explain to Azazel that they are in pursuit of an enemy who has swoorn to strike at them from beyond the grave Azazel telepors away from the mutants, and Mystique turns to him again, informing him that they have to take the fight to him in Hell, otherwise he will just come after them until the deed is done. Azazel tells Mystique that if it were just her making this request, he would fulfil it gladly, but since she chose to approach him with one whom she has also coupled and spawned children, she has inspired his jealousy. 'Seriously? Grow up. I don't have time for this' Mystique replies. Sabretooth grins and declares that Mystique knows the real deal when she sees it – and when she doesn't. 'You know what I'm saying, Azzy? Hah!' Sabretooth laughs.
Azazel goes over to where a sword is displayed on a wall, he takes the sword and tells Mystique that she has transformed jealousy into wrath, and informs Creed that he will grant his request – 'GO TO HELL!' Azazel shouts as he teleports over to Sabretooth and uses the sword to slice off his head!


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Weapon X-Force, part five
The sounds of a life-support monitor fill Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth's head as he slowly wakes. 'You going to Jhanteigh's thing on Saturday?' he hears a nurse ask another nurse, who replies 'I'm on the fence. I mean, I love her, but her boyfriend -'. Sabretooth coughs up some blood, his guts feel twisted into knots, and every breath hurts. He keeps pressing a call button to get a nurse's attention, but no one comes. 'Ugh, I know. I have no idea why she hasn't dumped his dumb ass yet' one of the nurses remarks, to which the other tells her that she is worried that if she has to sit there and talk to him she is going to drink herself into a coma. 'Hello, ladies? Over here?' Creed croaks, trying to get their attention. He looks at a wristband which says “Creep” and mutters that they can't even get his name right.
Suddenly, someone screams 'THE BURNING, THE BURNING, IT BURNS!' they cry out over and over. Creed is unable to sleep – but unable to keep his eyes open, either. There is more screaming 'ON FIRE MY WHOLE BODY IS ON FIRE -' someone calls out. Creed wonders if this guy ever lets up, before realizing that he is in Hell. This place is Hell. The curtain surrounding his bed and equipment suddenly opens and a woman appears. 'Hi, Mr Creep. My name is Ms Duverne. I'm here to discuss your situation' she announces. Creed touches the stitches on his neck, 'Uh, hey, Doc...' he replies, as Ms Duverne tells him that it may not seem like it right now, but for someone who has suffered as serious an injury as he has, he is really hanging in there. Ms Duverne sits on a chair next to Creed's bed and looks at a chart, informing him that unfortunately, that trauma has severely compromised his immune system.
Ms Duverne continues, informing Creed that he has a “who's who” of nasty opportunistic infections. 'Immune...but that's crazy. How is that possible? I have a healing factor' Creed grins, adding that he has never been sick in his life, before coughing up some more blood. 'Well. You've answered your own question right there, haven't you?' Ms Duverne replies, before Creed tells her that his throat, his guts and his head feel like they are on fire, and asks her if she can give him something for the pain. 'Oh, I'm not a doctor. I'm from accounting' Ms Duverne smirks. 'I'm here about your bill' she adds, holding up the thick chart. 'My...what? Do you -' Creed begins, before the person on fire screams again. 'Hey, buddy, how about suffering in silence for once? Some of us need our beauty rest' Creed shouts, before he starts to cough up more blood again.
'So, unfortunately Mr Creep, it appears you don't have any insurance. And you've racked up quite a number of charges' Ms Duverne points out, looking over Creed's chart again. 'Like what? You've itemized every little thing?' Creed enquires. 'Yes. Everything' Ms Duverne smirks. 'Every little thing you've done' she adds, sternly. Suddenly, Creed looks worried, and asks Ms Duverne if he knows her. 'Wait. Wait. Yeah, you were -' Creed begins, before his mind wanders back, seeing this woman some time ago, cowering in the tunnels. 'Oh no' Creed utters, wide-eyed. 'Yes' Ms Duverne tells him. 'I was one of the Morlocks. You remember? In the sewers beneath New York?' she asks, two extra pairs of lips suddenly appearing on her cheeks, and extra eyes on her forehead, she informs Sabretooth that she was called Many-Face, an okay, mid-level telekinetic. 'But I was no match for you' she reminds Creed.
Many-Face turns to another page of the bill and informs Creed that this page is just of the Morlocks he killed while working for Sinister. Creed is still confused, and asks Many-Face how she can be here. 'Well. I was a match for those frat boys who disrespected me. After what I did to them...' Many-Face smiles, before informing Creed that she was like him when she woke up here: “Whatever did I do to deserve this?” she mocks. Creed frowns and tells Many-Face that he doesn't deserve this, and that he got inverted, so he is kinda like a hero now. 'Hmmmm. Interesting. “Inverted” you say? Let me take a look here...' Many-Face responds, flipping through the many pages of the chart, she comes to a page and points to several little lines at the bottom of the page, informing Creed that these are the credits he has earned for his “inversion” period. Creed looks annoyed and tells her that it isn't fair and that he doesn't belong here.
'What do you mean? This facility offers generous financial assistance' Many-Face replies, explaining that it is designed to pay everything off in instalments. She then pokes her finger into a wound on Creed's arm, causing him to scream. 'Over a very long period of time' Many-Face smiles before she gets up and starts to leave. Creed calls out to her, telling her that he needs something for the pain. He repeatedly presses the call button again for a nurse, but no one comes. 'You know that's not hooked up to anything, right?' Many-Face asks. Creed looks at the cable connected to the call button and sees that it has been severed. He sighs, 'Figures'.
Creed looks at the clock which is on 3:00. He thinks that this is not fair, he is one of the good guys – now, at least – and there are way worse types who deserve to be here instead of him. He decides that once he gets his strength back he is going to get out of here and make them all pay – starting with that smirking Many-Face. He is glad he killed her – what a jerk she turned out to be. Creed tells himself that as soon as he doesn't feel like yesterdays dried dog puke, he is gonna get right up and kick ass, Sabretooth style. A strange woman looks in on him – her face is blank except for one red eye in the center of her face. She stares at Creed, who then closes his eyes, 'Yeah, once I get some sleep... gotta get my rest...'.
A piercing scream wakes Sabretooth – 'You gotta be kidding me' he thinks to himself, deciding that he has had just about enough, he struggles to sit up in bed, and wearing just the green hospital gown, lumbers down the corridor, with each step, he feels like the screaming man sounds. 'NO NO NO ENOUGH MAKE IT STOP' he hears the agonized man plead. Creed has known pain – gobs of it – but this, this malaise, this black cloud – he has never felt that before. He holds himself up against the wall, he needs to catch his breath, unscramble his thoughts and figure a way out of here – and if it means shutting this guy up, put a sock in his mouth or something, if it takes more than that – well, what are they going to do? He grabs a pillow from a nearby trolley, while the man screaming behind a curtain calls out 'The fire the fire...'. 'Damn me?' Creed wonders, before pulling the curtain back and informing the “patient” that he has some noise complaints. 'So you gonna be reasonable... or do I have to... to...' Creed's voice trails off as he sees the screaming man. He goes wide-eyed and falls silent. Chained to the bed before him is... Graydon Creed – his son!
'Ohhhh, father! You're here! You're here! Make it stop! Make it stop!' Graydon pleads. Sabretooth puts a hand on his son's shoulder and asks him what is wrong with him, and tells him that he looks great. 'No, no! Lies!' Graydon exclaims. 'They tell me there's nothing wrong with me, but I know they're wrong! This place is packed with liars!' Graydon declares, before reminding Sabretooth that he and Mystique abandoned him when they found out he wasn't a mutant. 'I exist because of you!' Graydon points out. Graydon asks his father why they did that, and tells him that this consciousness, this self, is burning up inside him. Graydon notices the pillow in Sabretooth's hand and tells him to use it, to help him end it. Sabretooth holds the pillow up, he looks at it and wonders 'This. This is where I belong'.
Elsewhere: 'Guys? Hello?' a voice calls out, before light is plunged onto Deadpool. 'Ow! Hey. What's the big -' Deadpool begins as a voice exclaims 'And next up, it's Wade Winston'. 'Wilson' Deadpool mutters as he stands on a stage, 'Let's give him a big hand, folks. He's gonna need it' the announcer remarks, as Deadpool looks out from the stage to a packed audience. 'Whoa. Okay. Uh...okay, right. So funny thing happened to me on the way to the club...' Deadpool begins. 'You suck!' someone calls out. 'I'd have a great response to that, but they cancelled the MAX line a few years back' Deadpool replies. 'Ugh' someone in the audience complains. Deadpool explains himself, informing the audience that the “MAX line” is a comics reference to a mature readers imprint. 'See? Very meta, very funny'. 'This is embarrassing. Let's get out of here' someone in the audience tells their companions. 'Check, please!' someone calls out.
'Okay, okay. Inside joke, fine, I get it' Deadpool replies, claiming that he has other material. He begins by asking the audience what is the deal with cereal – you know, grown people eating it for dinner. 'It's weird, right' he remarks. The audience responds with silence. 'Tough crowd' Deadpool remarks, sweating under his mask, he rubs the back of his head, he jokes that he would say he is dying, but he is already dead, right. 'Hello?' Deadpool calls out, but gets no response. 'Hello?' he asks the audience, but still no response. 'This thing on?' Deadpool wonders, tapping the microphone. He falls silent, then looks out the audience and tells them that these are jokes. He still gets no response, so tells the audience that it has been real, and starts to leave – but to his shock, discovers his feet have been nailed to the stage in a very bloody manner. 'Oh my God...' Deadpool utters, turning to the stage to see a horned red-skinned man leaning against a wall and telling him that he isn't going nowhere. 'You think you're so funny? Make with the jokes'.
'That's all my material, pal. I've just got ten minutes, pal' Deadpool replies. 'No. You got eternity' the horned man smiles. Deadpool claims that he is really more of an improviser, which is totally different to stand-up, as you work as a team and build off of each other. 'Nah... you're the stand-up guy on the improv team' a voice calls out from the crowd – it's Domino, who holds a drink and declares that Deadpool is the guy who ruins what everyone else is building up with his stupid one liners. 'You get the laughs. But you don't contribute' she snaps. 'Dom? Is that you? What are you doing here? This is – this is my hell!' Deadpool exclaims. Sipping her drink, Domini points out that apparently her hell is listening to his jokes.
Suddenly, Omega Red bursts into the room, 'Go away stupid devil nightmares!' Omega Red exclaims as he extends a carbonadium coil around Domino and lifts her out of the audience, pulling her onto the stage. 'Oh my God, thank you!' Domino tells him, as Deadpool mutters 'Come on, it wasn't that bad'. Omega Red declares that his hell was puppies and rainbows – disgusting, then the magicks of Azazel brought him to his senses. The trio rush towards Mystique who tells them that they just need to find Sabretooth. They appear on some sort of ledge that extends out above a maze-like series of buildings. Domino asks about Lady Deathstrike and Monet, to which Mystique tells her that they are upstairs keeping Azazel honest. 'Victor! Where are you? Come on, we gotta -' Deadpool calls out, when suddenly, there is another crash of someone bursting through  the “room” and Mystique looks up to see Sabretooth. 'Dang. You look...' Domino remarks as Sabretooth growls. '...fine' Domino tells him, while Sabretooth holds onto Graydon, whom he has brought with him.
Mystique tells Victor to pull himself together and reminds him that they are here to find Stryker. 'And you've got the best nose for -' Mystique begins, while Sabretooth asks her if she doesn't see, and holds Graydon up towards her: 'Look what they've done to our boy!' Creed tells Mystique. 'Ugh. Put him back where you found him' Mystique replies. 'To hell with that! We're taking him back home!' Sabretooth retorts. Mystique tells him that if this is Graydon, he is dead, and that this is where he belongs. 'We've got more important things to do -' Mystique begins, to which Sabretooth interrupts her, remarking that they can't just leave him, but Mystique reminds Creed that Graydon tried to kill them both and asks him what is wrong with him. 'That is it. Hell is what's wrong with him. Getting under skin. Making feel guilty. Boy's probably just shade. Trick to keep us off feet long enough for -' Omega Red begins, before there is a blaze of enrgy and the red-skinned, horned being appears, with wings this time, hovering over the others.
'Oh my God!' Mystique calls out. 'Quite the opposite. Now let's see...you still stink of the living...and of the demon Azazel. He's helping you, isn't he?' the mysterious being remarks, aware that Azazel is being watched over by Lady Deathstrike and Monet St Croix, he discovers that Azazel killed the others – decapitating Sabretooth, and somehow killing Mystique, Domino, Deadpool and Omega Red, and set their souls free to wing their way into his realm, somehow using his teleportation powers to freeze their bodies in time and space so at any moment he can allow their healing factors to resume, and bring them back to life.
'That's how this all works? That's a relief' Deadpool declares, adding that he thought they were officially dead. 'I didn't really think that. I mean, that would be ridiculous. You don't kill me in a book I'm just guest starring in' Deadpool whispers to Domino. 'Dude, shut up' Domino snaps. The horned man then identifies himself as the Devil himself, Marduk Kurios and asks them if they are trying to cheat him. 'You set the rules. It's not cheating if we find loopholes' Mystique retorts. 'Perhaps. But  your hairy leader appears to be trying to steal one of my prisoners' the Devil points out, motioning to Sabretooth, who is still holding up his son. 'Back off! The boy's coming with us!' Sabretooth snarls at the Devil. The Devil tells Creed to put away his claws, and announces that he isn't going to stop them, explaining that all he ever really does is let people walk through the doors they have already opened. 'But I'm curious... why go to all this effort? Surely not just for Graydon Creed...' the Devil asks.
Sabretooth falls silent and looks at Mystique. 'Come on. You remember' she tells him, before Sabretooth looks back at the Devil and reveals that they are looking for the soul of William Stryker. 'Of course. The mutant hater' the Devil replies. Mystique informs him that they killed Stryker back on the sutrface, but he keeps coming back, so they are going to kill him down here. 'Are you now?' the Devil responds, before motioning to a large castle and informing the mutants that he can find Stryker in his castle. 'Wait he – he gets a castle?' Sabretooth asks, adding that he thought if you sold your soul to the Devil you got punished when you died. The Devil assures Sabretooth that Stryker is getting punished. 'Hate is Hell. And William Stryker can't ever let it go. No matter what riches and glory he acquires he can never enjoy it. He just wallows here in all-consuming fury... thinking about the mutants who have offended him... humiliated him... murdered him' the Devil reveals, while in his castle, getting angrier, he throws a bowl of food at the wall, some of it falls through a window.
The Devil notices this and tells the mutants that it is quite tedious and that he can't have a normal conversation with him. 'It's always “and then do you know what the mutants did”?' The Devil explains that then, soon enough, Stryker is called back to Earth and the cycle repeats. 'He tortures himself, really. I barely have to lift a finger'. Sabretooth suggests that they end the cycle, to which the Devil grins and points out that there he goes, repeating his own cycle. 'Huh?' Sabretooth asks. The Devil informs him that he is welcome to try, but that they better hurry, before Stryker finds his way back to Earth and ends the story on his own terms.
And, in Aspen, Colorado, the ruined compound of Stryker's cult, Mentallo grins and holds a fist up as the cult members stand in a line, walking towards the pit with the whirling blades. 'Onwrds, friends, into the maw!' Mentallo calls out, boasting that when they have spilled enough blood in tribute, Lord Stryker will return and burn this world clean in his vengeance!


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Weapon X-Force, conclusion
'We're going to save my son. We're going to kill William Stryker. And then we're going to fight our way back from Hell...and we're going to do it together' Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth announces as he carries his adult son, Graydon, through the flames of Hell. Alongside him are Raven Darkholme a.k.a. Mystique, Arkady Rossovich a.k.a. Omega Red, Neena Thurman a.k.a. Domino and Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool. 'Victor Creed with an inspiring speech? I can't believe my ears' Mystique smirks. Creed turns to Raven and tells her to believe them, and that he ain't fooling around anymore. He places Graydon on some rocks near the castle within Hell where Stryker resides and tells him to wait here, that he will be back and then they will get him out of here. Sabretooth asks his team if they are all okay with this, to which Deadpool points at someone and remarks 'You know... you might want to ask him'. Creed turns and looks up at the Devil, 'Yeah. This is your realm. What do you say?' Creed asks.
'Be my guest' the Devil responds as he hovers over Weapon X-Force. 'Sounds kind of ominous coming from him' Domino smiles. 'What are you talking about?' Deadpool replies, scratching his head. Domino explains to him that it is a pun: “Be my guest. My guest in Hell. Forever”. Deadpool then bursts into laughter, 'I get it!' he exclaims. Omega Red smiles and tells Domino that he gets it as well, but suggests that it is more a double meaning than a pun. Domino hangs her head, exasperated. 'Whatever. I ain't had it. The Devil's had his due. A thousand times over from every one of us. Every one of us has been cut up, tortured, experimented on and murdered more times'n we can count' Sabretooth announces. Memories flash through the minds of the others, as Sabretooth points out that they came to Hell – literally – to stop Stryker from murdering more of them all over again – and this time, it's going to be different. 'As you wish' the Devil replies, narrowing his eyes.
“As you wish”? Deadpool quotes as he walks alongside Weapon X-Force, telling them that one is not quite as funny. 'It's not a joke' Mystique frowns. 'It's just the Devil telling us he's going to win in the end' she explains. Sabretooth tells her to shut up. “As you wish” Mystique quotes. 'He said before he just opens doors for people. We all just walk in on our own'. Mystique reminds Sabretooth that they are who they are, and they will all end up back here soon enough. 'I said shut up' Sabretooth snarls as they walk through more flames towards the castle, with Sabretooth telling the others that it is time to finish this. Suddenly, Omega Red points to a portal above the castle: 'New castle defense?' he asks as a red glow looms over Stryker's castle. 'I don't think so...' Domino replies, as she sees a platform above the castle, and standing on it is Mentallo with his cult followers, who are still performing their creepy ritual – trying to bring Stryker back to life. They see Stryker's body begin to re-form, and one of them declares that they are too late. Sabretooth disagrees and tells his team to get back to the surface and make Azazel send them to Aspen and slow the cult down. 'What about you?' Mystique asks. 'Stryker's mine!' Sabretooth declares.
In Washington DC, inside his lair, Azazel watches over the bodies of Weapon X-Force members, and notices Domino's begin to twitch. 'Done already?' he smiles.
Sabretooth meanwhile makes it into Stryker's castle, as Stryker's body continues to reform. 'STRYKER!' Sabretooth roars as a group of red-skinned, horned demons attack him. He fights them off, 'You ain't getting away from me!' Sabretooth calls out as he breaks past the demons and continues his search through Stryker's castle – 'I'm canceling the resurrection!' Sabretooth exclaims as he finds Stryker and lunges at him. 'NOOOO!' Stryker calls out.
In Aspen, Mentallo realizes that Stryker is under attack. 'Spill your blood now and bring him home!' Mentallo calls out to the cultists who continue to leap to their doom, jumping into a deadly pit of swirling blades. 'Spill... our... blooooood' the cultists chant. 'For you, Lord Stryker' one of them utters as he falls to his death. Suddenly, before any more cultists can fall,
Deadpool, Domino, Mystique and Omega Red are teleported into the citadel, along with Yuriko Oyama a.k.a. Lady Deathstrike and Monet St Croix. 'Not today, kids!' Domino calls out. Deadpool begins shooting at Mentallo, who runs in fear. He extends his thoughts out to Stryker, 'Reverend! Hear me now! I was a z-lister – a putz – until you lent me your infernal strength. I need that strength again now!' Mentallo pleads.
As he holds Sabretooth at bay, Stryker hears Mentallo's plea. 'You who have asked, Marvin Flumm – so shall you receive' Stryker responds, his own body in a transitional stage between human form and demon form. Sabretooth roars as he continues his assault on his hated foe.
'Hey, Mentallo! Meet Bullet-o!' Deadpool jokes as and Domino open fire – but their bullets are deflected by a forcefield that Mentallo constructs around himself. 'A sphere of pure psychic force? Isn't that usually above Flumm's pay grade?' Monet asks. Suddenly, Mentallo emerges from the force field, his body is now red, and wearing a black suit, he has a demonic form and grins wickedly: 'Haven't you listened to anything I've said this whole time? Anything is possible...with the right friends!' he shouts as he releases a powerful psychic wave that knocks back Weapon X-Force.
Back in Hell, Sabretooth has forced Stryker to the ground. His claws are ready to strike as he tells the Reverend that he would ask him if he has any last words, but he is going to tear his throat out so they will be more like last thoughts. 'Destroy me – or let your friends die?' Stryker asks, as a viewing pool appears above them, Sabretooth sees the cultists holding his teammates up above the pit. 'Spill their blood!' the cultists exclaim. 'Aah... they'll be fine' Sabretooth snarls. Stryker declares that Sabretooth really does belong down here, as all he knows is hate. 'You'll give up everything for it' Stryker points out. 'Look who's talking!' Sabretooth retorts, telling Stryker that he doesn't understand him at all, and revealing that he promised to get his son out of here, and is not leaving without him – no matter what. 'Then watch your friends die, you filthy mutant!' Stryker shouts. Sabretooth looks at the portal – Monet is about to be hurled into the pit. 'Dammit!' Sabretooth exclaims, tossing Stryker aside.
'Azazel! Take me to the others!' Sabretooth declares as he suddenly revives himself in Azazel's lair. Azazel sighs and mutters that it would have been much more convenient to have done this all at once. 'NOW!' Sabretooth roars. An instant later, Sabretooth appears in Aspen. 'Mentallo! Back off!' he shouts as he rushes towards Mentallo, who turns to Sabretooth and knocks him back with enhanced psychic energy. 'Excellent! The set is complete' Mentallo remarks, telling Sabretooth that he is nothing more than a weak-willed animal andthat soon he will yield – but Sabretooth fights back, forging on through Mentallo's attack, edging closer and closer. 'Ha! You're trying to fight it. But my mind is a thousand times stronger than yours' Mentallo boasts. 'Fine...if my mind's my weak point...I'm just gonna... looosse...' Sabretooth utters, before roaring and letting his animal instincts take over.
'Throw them in! NOW!' Mentallo booms – but before the cultists can carry out his orders, Sabretooth leaps at them, knocking them all backwards and forcing them to release their hold on the Weapon X-Force members. 'Fine' Mentallo mutters as he reaches for Domino's gun. 'We'll use your blood!' Mentallo declares as he opens fire on Sabretooth who was standing near the pit. Monet looks up, horrified as nearly a dozen bullets are fired into Sabretooth. 'Victor!' she calls out as Sabretooth plummets into the pit of blades – that cut him to shreds. 'VICTOR!' the shocked, wide-eyed Monet screams. Mentallo warns the rest of Weapon X-Force to get back, and aims Domino's gun at them – when suddenly, 'Oh look. I got to do something' Deathstrike mutters as she appears behind Mentallo and shoves her clawed hands through his chest. 'Too late. The sacrifice has been made...' Mentallo utters. 'And now my lord returns' he declares.
At that moment, Stryker laughs in Hell as a portal opens and Sabretooth falls from it, towards him. 'How sweet...that it is your sacrifice that frees me!' Stryker points out. 'No' Sabretooth snarls as he slices his claws straight across Stryker's neck, decapitating him. 'Didn't come back for you' Sabretooth adds as he hits the ground. Sabretooth wearily announces that if he is going to sacrifice himself, it is for his son, Graydon. Suddenly, Graydon's body is lifted from where Sabretooth left him earlier, up towards the portal. 'What?' Graydon utters, confused. 'Told you... told you I'd get you out' Sabretooth calls out to his son.
'What is happening?' Omega Red asks as a burst of energy appears before he and the others – Graydon Creed has been reborn. 'Sabretooth happened' Mystique snarls as she stands near Omega Red and Deathstrike. Domino and Deadpool are with Monet, who asks 'But... but what happened to Sabretooth?'
'Back again so soon?' the Devil asks as Sabretooth appears before him. Sabretooth is unable to speak, he simply growls, his eyes enraged. 'Ah. Mentallo couldn't stop you... but he's broken you, hasn't he?' the Devil realizes. Sabretooth simply growls in response once more. 'Or maybe just fixed you. Returned you to your true state' the Devil wonders. He frowns, as he can't enjoy this – Sabretooth came back for noble reasons, but he isn't mentally competent enough to appreciate the terrible irony of earning damnation while saving his own soul. 'No. I can't claim you like this' the Devil decides, opening a door which he beckons Sabretooth towards. 'Yes, beast. Look, a door... that's it. Go back to the land of the living' the Devil instructs Sabretooth, who crawls through the door, and finds himself in a forest in Saskatchewan. The Devil points out that Sabretooth is now free from that thin cloak of morality  and humanity he had tried so hard to pull around his shoulders. 'Go, my son. Embrace your true self once again... and earn your way back to Hell'. With that, Sabretooth turns and scurries off into the dark forest.


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untitled
Chapter I: The Circus of Death:
In the fourth century, Saint Jerome said that the face was the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart. I wear a false face, true. One that is hideous and deformed to hide my true nature. Or perhaps it is the mask that is real and the face…perhaps the face is the disguise…
Wearing his blue Demon mask, Kurt Wagner presents himself to the circus audience in Transia, alongside his trapeze partner Jimaine Szardos, the Red Rose. The crowd chants his artist name: Demon. The ringmaster presents them and greets their special guests in the audience, Prince Wyn’Garde and his family and friends.
The Prince smiles to the audience and waves while one of his men asks whether that is the woman they were speaking over wine the last night in the tower. Indeed it is, Wyn’Garde replies. The first speaker, the prince’s cousin, admits she is as lithe and delectable as he claimed. Imagine what pleasures one could indulge in with that body… Wyn’Garde warns his cousin to have a care. He may be talking about his future queen! His cousin replies he understands that she is betrothed to that Wagner fellow, the Demon. He was once her foster brother.
Wyn’Garde explains that they are invited guests to his private tower in the castle. He is sure, given time, that he could convince her of the folly of her choice in suitors. After all, this demon character apparently has to jump and frolic all over creation to keep a woman’s attention…
Kurt Wagner has taken off his mask, a handsome, fine-boned man with black hair.
Wyn’grde takes the Ringmaster’s megaphone and thanks his subjects for helping him in welcoming these able and talented performers to their beloved land. Though their countries are not always, as they say in the New World, “bosom buddies,” that is hardly the fault of these poor intrepid souls who braved the mountainous crossing in order to entertain them with their humble skills.
Kurt seethes at the barely veiled insult and Jimaine asks him to be careful. Kurt steps up, stating that such humble performers as they are honored. And, of course, they could never hold it against his highness, the questionable tactics used against their people. After all, it is war. Not yet, Wyn’Garde corrects him while the Ringmaster becomes nervous. And surely it never will be, Wyn’Garde adds with a smile. Their people are brothers! Surely, brothers quarrel, but eventually brothers… and sisters – he takes Jimaine’s hand – come together! Of course, he wouldn’t expect an artist to know of such matters, he continues in a normal voice. It is the arena of brave men, he is afraid.
Ah, bravery, Kurt remarks mockingly. A subject to which he has of late given much thought – behold! He draws a black cloth from something looking like an altered electric chair with additional traps. This is the Rose’s Embrace, he explains, a trap that Houdini himself would not attempt to escape. The physical embodiment of man’s courage. As simple as it is deadly. A series of straps and locks to keep the victim firmly in place and, once the timer goes off, the bear trap snaps shut, killing the victim. Unless he escapes. He doesn’t suppose the Prince would like to try it?
Nonsense, Wyn’Garde scoffs. He doesn’t know the trick. There is no trick, Kurt assures him. No secret button to press and release the trap. No hidden key to open the locks and escape death. It is one’s wiles and one’s skill alone that will save you. And, of course, courage.
Circus hyperbole, the Prince scoffs. Her brother never lies, Jimaine announces. Regardless, Wyn’Garde points out, he has practiced this trick. Kurt interrupts, this is not so. With a flourish and a grin he announces this is the first and perhaps only time he will attempt this escape. Perhaps tonight is the night for the Demon to meet his infernal maker! Donning his mask, he adds that this is how he keeps a woman’s attentions. With him secured to the chair, it is dragged up into the air, spikes below it.
Wyn’Garde’s cousin sardonically remarks he seems to have impressed the lady Szardos. The Prince orders him to be quiet. He will have her! However many traps that German scumescapes, he won’t escape his clutches for long. She and her country will be his!
He changes the subject. Has his cousin caught sight of their mystery man, yet? He’d hate to think he exposed himself to the rabble for nothing. Not yet, he is informed. His men are watching but he understands from his contacts in his government that he is man that is not seen unless he wishes it. Bah! Wyn’Garde scoffs. He hates spies. Damn odd choice for a meeting place. With or without Weapon X, whatever the hell that is, they will have their war and will emerge victorious! Let the whole world burn, if need be!
Everybody is looking up at the Demon when, suddenly, a shot rings through the tent. Prince Wyn’Garde is hit.
A clown tries to get past the guards, announcing he is an agent of the American government. But in vain.
A little later, it is announced that the Prince has been shot. What happened? Kurt asks, just having freed himself from the Rose’s Embrace. The Prince’s cousin gives order to attack him. The shot came from above so the Demon must have been the killer! That’s impossible! Kurt protests. He was strapped down and locked tight. He barely got out alive!
Don’t worry, the cousin replies. His next trap awaits him and he won’t escape it. Take him away! He’s innocent! Kurt shouts as he is dragged away. He’s never even fired a gun!
The man who was dressed as a clown before picks up the Demon mask at his feet. He is not a Godly man, he muses, but he’s heard tell that the face is the mirror of the mind and soul. And that man’s face tells him one thing… he is innocent.
He drops the face mask he’s been wearing in front of the feet of a boy. “Don’t worry son,” he tells him, He was done with that face. He turns away. He left his home of verdant forests and lush country for this land of blackness and stone in order to prevent a war… a World War, if one can imagine such a thing. To help these aristocratic fools find this Weapon X and capture it… or stop it… looks like he found a mystery instead. Good.
Chapter II: The Black Tower:
The Prince’s cousin smirks, musing that his late cousin often liked to take his evening repast here. He liked to dine in this very room and discuss the matters of the day with the sounds of the tortured souls housed in these cells filling their ears. He used to think it would one day drive him insane. The Prince used to laugh at that. Of course he is now dead. And they both know it was Kurt Wagner’s doing…
Outside the tower, a blond thin man with an eye-patch arrives and walks up the tower. He enters the room, announcing the king is very upset. Is this him? he asks, referring to Wagner who is roughed up and tied to a chair. It is, the Prince’s cousin agrees, he murdered the Prince. That’s not true, Wagner protests. Liar! the cousin shouts and strikes him in the face. Who sent him? he demands and warns him he will reveal his secrets or they will hear his screams all the way to Berlin. He continues and Kurt screams. Then he orders the American who has witnessed all this to go.
He doesn’t look like much, the blond man, Andreas Strucker, observes. Perhaps he should take over the interrogation. He thought his sister was the expert in persuasion, the Prince’s cousin remarks, calling him Andreas. Andrea is consoling the king, comes the arch reply. And call him Fenris or he will kill him very slowly!
Suddenly, the American draws his gun and hits the Prince’s cousin in the face. He fights Fenris, who warns him he is a master of combat with or without weapons. He will be the judge of that, the American replies.
They fight for several minutes. He believes him, the American announces. He can tell a master. He knows this because after watching Fenris, now he is. He imitates the other’s moves and beats him.
The Prince’s cousin realizes he is the American spy Rankin. Is he going to be trouble? Rankin asks. He didn’t think so. He turns to Kurt trying to get him out of the chains, but Kurt has already freed himself. Why didn’t he do that before? Rankin asks. He didn’t believe he could overpower the guard, Kurt explains. Knocking comes from outside and someone asks for Lord Fenris. The Prince’s cousin warns them, there is no way outside. There is always a way out, Rankin corrects him and shoots down the chandelier. “Okay, Jerry, time to go,” he tells Kurt, who corrects him that his name is Kurt. Pleased to rescue him, Rankin replies.
As the guards force their way in, Rankin and Kurt grab the chandelier’s chains and use them to swing outside and downward the tower.
Chapter III: Blood Red Rose:
Inside, the guards try to drag the chain upward. Any ideas? Rankin asks. He thought Rankin was rescuing him? Kurt points out. A contribution right now would be helpful, comes the reply. Hold fast! Kurt orders and stems his legs against the tower wall.
The Prince’s cousin suggests he let them drop to their death but Fenris wants them alive. However, he loses his grasp on the chain and it slips through the window.
The two men fall and luckily land on the roof of a carriage. Quickly, they take out the coachmen and drive away. Kurt announces that this is all a mistake. He is innocent of this crime. Eventually, the truth will come out. “Don’t count on it, Jerry,” is Rankin’s reply. He is being framed. Again Kurt tells him his name is not “Jerry.” And how can he be so sure? He’s got a nose for these things Rankin replies, his true face in sight, a scarred mess. Mein Gott! Kurt exclaims.
Fenris and the Prince’s cousin take a car to give chase before their quarry get to the bridge. They don’t manage and Kurt and Rankin collapse the bridge after them.
Kurt thanks Rankin for saving him. Rankin warns him not to thank him yet. This isn’t over yet. What does he mean? Kurt asks. Is he not to rejoin his friends and leave this wretched country? Yes and no, Rankin replies, having gotten another face. The circus caravan is indeed hightailing it out of the country as they speak. They should be able to catch up with them close to the border.
He changes faces very quickly, Kurt observes. In his line, he gets a lot of practice, comes the reply. May he ask how he received those terrible scars? The best way, Rankin replies, he betrayed someone he loved. But he’ll find out about that soon enough. What does he mean? Kurt asks. Does he think whoever set him up out there just picked him out of a hat? Rankin asks. He didn’t come there to meet the Prince; that was pretence. He came here to meet him, the circus to be specific.
Over the past four years, in every country his damned circus rolls into, a major political figure dies. Usually not as dramatically as the Prince. But an assassin, someone that his government believes is this Weapon X people keep whispering about… seems to be trying to cause a world war. And guess who’s been with his little menagerie of freaks for the past four years? His girlfriend, Jimaine Szardos. Her real name is Amanda Sefton and she killed the Prince of Wundagore. And when Rankin got too close, she betrayed Kurt.
The final chapter: The Secret of Weapon X:
Rankin announces their coach should be catching up to the circus caravan soon. Assuming they are hauling ass back into Kraut-land. He does not see the point in assisting Rankin if all he is going to do is falsely accuse his fiancée of murdering the prince of Wundagore, Kurt replies stiffly. Rankin reminds him that he rescued Kurt. He is not a player in this. Secondly, it’s not a false accusation. From that vantage point, Jimaine was the only one in a position to shoot the prince. But he loves her, Kurt protests. He knows it’s hard to hear but people do all kinds of things for all sorts of reasons, Rankin replies. If it makes him feel better, it doesn’t mean she doesn’tlove him.
After a moment’s silence, Kurt tells him he is running the horses into the ground. Their hearts will burst. Their hearts are not his concern. A moment later, shots hit the coach. Their pursuers are gaining ground. Ranking hands Kurt a gun. When Kurt asks what to do, he calls him a dumb jerry and tells him to shoot back. Kurt immediately fires at their pursuers and shouts at Rankin not to call him jerry!
They reach the circus caravan convoy. Jimaine shouts at the others to stop. It’s Kurt!
Fenris catches up with them. He tells the circus people to get back. Those men are coming with him! He is going to get to the bottom of this. What does he mean? Wagner murdered the Prince, Wyn’Garde’s cousin states. Fenris replies he is no fool. He could tell that interrogation was a farce. That bucket of blood in the cell? The man barely has a mark on him! He is right, the Prince’s cousin admits. He does think Fenris a fool. He shoots him.
However, a moment later, he is executed by Kurt who also kills his men, then points the weapon at Rankin. What is he doing? Jimaine exclaims horrified. Rankin laughs, remarking he is such a yutz and tells Jimaine he will explain. He had his suspicions about Kurt. He can see Rankin isn’t calling him “Jerry” anymore, Kurt remarks. Oh, he always extends professional courtesy to his peers, Rankin replies. That’s what Kurt is, of course. A spy. He had also noticed the cow’s blood and had he had a moment to think he would have noticed Kurt’s injuries didn’t quite measure up to the staged scene. The weapons, et cetera… What should have torn it was Kurt’s handling his gun like a pro. Hadn’t he yelled out when he was arrested that he’d never even fired a gun before? What he doesn’t get is how Kurt shot the Prince when he was still trapped in the Rose’s Embrace.
That was the easiest part, comes the cold reply. Because he is the greatest escape artist that ever lived. But why would he do this? Jimaine asks uncomprehending. Yeah, what’s the game? Rankin agrees. If he just wanted to assassinate the Prince, why all the rest?
Hasn’t he surmised? Kurt asks, calling him Herr Rankin. Of course, comes the reply. How else would he know his real name unless he is the game. Quite, Kurt agrees. There are very intelligent and rather ruthless men in Berlin eager to unlock the secrets of his special abilities. Being able to transfer those talents to an army of supersoldiers would make the oncoming world inevitably turn in their favor. He is Weapon X.
Only one thing, Rankin asks. Kurt may have a gun on him, but he has the feeling he could take it away from him if he wanted to. Possibly, Kurt agrees. The rest of the circus acrobats threateningly surround Rankin, save for Jimaine who is disgusted.
Kurt tries to embrace her, telling her the war is coming. Nothing can stop it. He has assured them a place in the new order where they can be safe and hap—Get away from her! Jimaine strikes him away, still holding the torch which burns his face. Reflexively, he shoots her.
Horrified at what he has done, he holds her corpse. While he is led away Rankin calls Kurt “Demon,” saying he guesses he has his own scars now, bought for and paid. As good as he is, he can’t escape fate!


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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What if Charles Xavier and Magneto had created the X-Men together? - Ascension
The Watcher explains how his race has always observed the unfolding history of the cosmos, with his special charge being Earth. Among the humans there is a genetic subset called mutants and, championing their cause, is the teacher Charles Xavier and the team he founded, the X-Men.
Heroes are invariably shaped and defined by their adversaries. In Magneto, the X-Men faced someone who was at once their mentor’s best friend and most implacable foe. Xavier believed in coexistence, while Magneto saw two species struggling for supremacy on a world they could not share. What if, the Watcher wonders, Xavier and the man who called himself Erik Magnus Lehnsherr had remained friends and colleagues instead of adversaries?
(flashback)The crucial moment was many years ago when a broken hearted Xavier traveled to Israel. There, he met Lehnsherr and became instrumental in the treatment of another survivor of the Nazi death camps, a young woman named Gabrielle Haller.
When Gaby was kidnapped by a mysterious paramilitary organization, the Hydra Brotherhood, Xavier and Lehnsherr followed to discover Gaby was the key to a fabulous hoard of gold, which Hydra sought as seed money of their worldwide terrorist operations. Xavier and Lehnsherr rescued Gaby and the gold and there is where the two friends parted company.
Lehnsherr, standing over the defeated Strucker, accused Xavier of being far too naïve, as he believed in the essential goodness of humanity. Mutants would not go meekly into the gas chambers, he proclaimed. They would fight and they would win!
He starts levitating the hoard of gold away, as he announces that once Homo Sapiens is no more, Homo Superior will claim their rightful place as lords if the earth.
(present)That’s how it was, the Watcher announces, and this is how it might have been:
(other reality)Instead of remaining quiet through Lehnsherr’s outburst, Gaby asks him to stop. Incredulously, he asks if she is asking mercy for Strucker. She was in the camps, as he was.She doesn’t want mercy, Gaby cries, she wants vengeance. But if she did that, they would win. She’d become like them, just another monster. The Nazis gave ordinary people the license to commit evil and not be bothered, because their laws said Jews weren’t human, little more than garbage. But she refuses to be debased by them and she refuses to be debased by Erik.
Reaching out in a patronizing manner, Erik tells her she is a child. Gaby brushes his hand aside and reminds him she is as old as he. The Nazis defiled everything that gave civilization meaning, she continues. Can’t they find a way to do things better?
Xavier points out their remarkable powers. Have they learned nothing from history but to propagate the mistakes of the past on a grander scale? Are they heralds of a golden age for humanity or harbingers of the apocalypse?
The defeated Strucker ironically advises Erik to listen to those dreamers and follow their lead. It will make his final victory all the sweeter. Erik turns to Strucker with a menacing smile, stating he is glad Strucker feels that way. That makes his decision easier…
(Years later)Xavier’s Good Sheperd Clinic at Raven’s Rock, Vermont. A bright room, whose wall is full of pictures and pertinent newspaper articles. One picture shows Xavier and Lehnsherr with Arafat and an Israeli politician, another Xavier with Ororo Munroe. The article headlines mention that Strucker has been sentenced to death as a war criminal. Another celebrates Middle East peace after Palestine and Israel have signed treaties. Yet another celebrates the end of the Cold War, and the last mentions Ororo Munroe being elected as president of Kenya.
On the desk there are several books and folders, a report to the president about mutation full of stickers regarding mutants, “Purity,” Genosha, Trask… and Wolverine’s whereabouts, the book “Understanding Magnetism” by Erik Lehnsherr and his wife Gabrielle Haller Lehnsherr, Xavier’s calendar and the student evaluation file of Kitty Pryde, who is on probation from the University of Chicago.
Said student is sitting at the desk, writing Xavier a note that with the help of Doug she has built him a supersmall and superpowerful new computer. On the shoulder of the girl who is wearing a blue wig and is dressed in what could best be describes as a punk schoolgirl uniform sits a small purple dragon who reminds that he is hungry.
Kitty looks at the watch and realizes she is late. Asking her dragon why he didn’t say anything, she phases outside the room to run into a woman in a skintight purple uniform with a hooded jacket – Sage. Kitty asks where the professor is and Sage informs her that he is in the gym with the ‘gang of four.’ Kitty thanks her and phases through the floor, not noticing that she is leaving her clothes behind, much to Sage’s amusement.
Downstairs in the gym, Xavier is playing basketball with Alexei Vazhin (of the Federal Security Bureau), while a young tall man sits on a bench and watches them. Xavier’s other three weekly guests, Val Cooper (the presidential assistant for national security affairs), Nick Fury (of the National Security Council) and Brigadier Alysande Stuart (of the Weird Happenings Organization) are present in holographic form.
While shooting a hoop, Xavier discusses Bolivar Trask, who apparently believes that mutants pose a threat to humanity’s survival. Vazhin states that Trask’s son, Larry, controls one of them most powerful corporations on the planet. He’s worth more personally than some countries. A dangerous combination, Charles muses. Vazhin suggests that sometimes it is better to let sleeping dragons lie. Have Xavier’s people found out anything? Nothing yet, Xavier replies.
Fury and Cooper interject. They understand Xavier’s concern but, in the meantime, the president needs him to broker negotiations with Genosha. Val stresses that he is the only one they trust.
Xavier’s attention is diverted, as Kitty rushes in, phasing through the wall, despite Lockheed’s fervent attempts to hold her back. The new patient is there, she bursts out. Somewhat embarrassed, but not as much as Vazhin’s young companion, Xavier reminds Kitty of the talks they had regarding concentration and focus when using one’s powers. Kitty doesn’t understand until she looks down. Then she phases away, leaving wig and dragon behind. Does that happen often? Vazhin smirks. A lot less than it used to, Xavier sighs.
Getting more serious, he explains their problem. After all these years, the mutants there are virtually all they’ve found. They believe there are so many more out there, but they have no way to find them and help, unless they manifest their powers in public or come to them.
A short while later, an ambulance pulls in and a young comatose woman is transported inside. The young doctor introduces himself to Xavier as Hank McCoy. Xavier assures him they’ll do everything they can for Jean. Hank admits that Xavier is his last hope.
Changing the subject, Xavier asks why Hank stopped playing football. It stopped being fun, Hank replies evasively. A (dressed) Kitty (complete with short, light brown hair this time), Vazhin and his companion have joined them and Xavier introduces Kitty as one of his associates. As Hank looks in disbelief, Kitty helpfully explains it’s child labor. Xavier is running a sweat shop.
Vazhin takes Charles aside for a moment and tells him he’ll like his young lieutenant. He stole him from the Red Room. He was personally trained by the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, herself. A Romanoff training a Rasputin, Xavier asks. Actually they were lovers, Vazhin adds. For Russians, fate is never without a sense of irony. And she let him go? Xavier asks amused. Well for Russians, irony is always cruel, his friend adds.
Xavier tells Kitty that Peter Rasputin is joining them as liaison with Colonel Vazhin. Once Ms. Grey is settled, Kitty can give him and Dr. McCoy a tour. Do they call him “Bones? Kitty asks Hank. The three young people begin to introduce themselves to each other.
Meanwhile, on the interstate, a group of trucks is pulled aside by a policewoman. The cop asks the first driver for his license and registration. A little above on a cliff, Wolverine watches.
The man in the passenger seat looks at a kind of scanner and tells his partner the cop is a mutant; it must be a trap! The driver shoots her in the face. Not anymore, he announces coldly. Shouting ‘Mystique,’ Logan jumps down and lands beside the track, tearing up the passenger door. The driver shoots him pointblank as well.
The cop gets up again and tears out the other door and the driver, as she begins shifting back to her true blue form. The passenger orders “Code omega hot launch – now!”
Wolverine runs to the truck’s roof, but something bursts out, almost frying him. The things in the other trucks follow suit.
Mystique announces that she couldn’t see for all the smoke and noise. What was that? Wolverine doesn’t know either, but they better warn Charley that trouble is probably coming his way.
In the clinic, Hank describes Jean’s case history to Xavier, while he searches her memories. In late childhood, Jean was involved in a hit and run accident. Her best friend, Annie Richardson, was killed. Jean herself suffered no physical injury but, immediately afterwards, lapsed into a coma from, which she has never awoken. Her condition was presumed to be permanent. But, recently, objects around her have started flying around, leading the doctors to a re-valuation of her condition and prognosis.
Afterwards, Hank joins Kitty and Peter, who is sketching her outside in the lush garden. Kitty starts leading the two men across the spacious building, explaining that she builds things for Xavier, audio, video, computers. What she doesn’t do is cook. Hank offers that he is a great cook. Leading them down a stairway, she explains that the house is actually a front. Underneath is a bunker complex. They have labs for every conceivable discipline, a great library, access to the latest tech, a garage, a hangar, state of the art aircraft. She shows them to a room where they can tap into any datanet. She explains that mainly they are a think tank. Is Peter an associate too? Hank asks. He’s on loan, Peter replies and adds that he is a secret agent.
Sage joins them. Having taken off her glove, she greets Hank with outstretched hand. Hank grasps it and wonders why they are showing him all those things. Charles has an instinct about people, Sage replies, as she licks the finger of her hand. Analyzing the traces of skin in the saliva with her computer shades, she silently confirms Hank as a mutant. With a smile, she tells the others she has some data to process and leaves. Kitty tells the disturbed Hank that Sage creeps out everyone. She seems to like him.
Upstairs, Erik Lehnsherr, now with a beatnik ponytail, goatee and earrings, has joined Charles, who tells him that, according to Sage, Hank is a mutant. And he believes the same of Jean? Erik asks as he holds his hands on the sides of Jean’s skull. Energy begins to flow, as Erik states that he senses none of the signs of a normal comatose patient. On many levels, this brain is extraordinarily active. The readings are similar to Xavier’s in their overall potential and power gradient. They also remind him of Kitty. They’ve determined that her mind straddles multiple dimensions, even though she isn’t consciously aware of it. Jean broadcasts similar resonances, as though existing simultaneously on multiple planes of being.
After Erik has finished his examination, Charles inquires if they can bring her out of this state. Should they? Erik retorts. Perhaps there is a reason her mind has shut down completely. Like a set of circuit breakers engaging for the organism’s own survival. If they upset the balance, who knows what will happen?
Charles questions the ethics of that suggestion, when suddenly there is the sound of a detonation, as the wall caves in courtesy of a group of Sentinels. Erik tries to use his powers on them, but finds the automatons composed of plastics and ceramics. So his power has no effect. Charles runs to protect Jean, as the roof caves in above her. He shouts at Erik to try hitting them with a big rock. He has alerted the others.
Downstairs, Hank winces from hearing Xavier in his head. Kitty announces that the Institute is under attack. As she starts phasing through the wall, she asks them to stay here. They’ll be safe. Peter tells her to wait. This is what he is trained to do. She grabs his hand and takes him along.
Sage comes running up to Hank, two rifles in her hand. Can he use a gun, she asks. He’s a doctor, he protests. Time to learn something new, she replies, as she tosses him a gun and orders him to follow her lead.
Kitty has grabbed a bag and drags Peter outside, where the Sentinels are bringing destruction. Kitty walks up on air, phases through the Sentinel and, on top of him, dropping the grenades from her bag. The robot detonates.
She walks down to see Peter, now in armored form. Look at him; he’s some kind of Colossus, she jokes. He tells her to watch her back, as he hits another Sentinel with the leg of the one she destroyed.
On a grassy knoll nearby, Sage and Hank emerge from a hidden trapdoor. She reminds him of what she explained. Lock the sight on target; pull the trigger. What kinds of guns are these anyway, he asks. Rail-guns, she explains. They fire rounds of depleted uranium at the speed of light, so they better not miss. What are they shooting at? Based on current data, she suspects they are agents of Larry Trask, Sage explains, as she shoots off the head of one. He uses Trask software, Hank marvels. He and the rest of the world, Sage explains. They make him rich and he has dedicated those resources to destroying what he hated and fears: mutants.
Suddenly, a truck drives to the building at breakneck speed. Wolverine’s at the steering wheel. He jumps out and observes Peter is new. How’s his pitching arm? He rooted for Havana against the Yankees in the last World Series, the Russian replies. Logan tells him to make a ‘fastball special.’ Throw him at the robot as hard as he can. Peter does so and Wolverine’s claws do the rest.
One robot left but the others start repairing themselves. And the last robot manages to deflect Sage’s rail-gun rounds. They are adapting. They are so screwed, Kitty announces.
A moment later, the robots are engulfed in a Phoenix raptor, which scatters the robots down to their compound molecules. Lehnsherr? Wolverine asks. Not even close, Sage replies. Logan points out they still have the robot in their truck. If they take it apart, they lean how to beat them.
Does this happen often, Hank asks nervously. First time, Kitty replies. Xavier’ telepathic voice addresses them to come at once. They run to find Jean awake. Jean surrounded by the Phoenix raptor, cradling an unconscious Xavier, who’s dreaming of a Shi’ar woman. Can they help him, Jean asks. Can they help her?
Later, within the building, Xavier is still trying to process what happened. He just knows that Jean saved him and all of them. Her power speaks for itself. They have no choice but to deal with it. Is there any chance of nailing Trask legally, Mystique inquires. After all, his name is on all the trucks. With his lawyers, they can forget about that, Logan scoffs.
A now green-haired Kitty chimes in that she has examined the surviving robot. There’s some kind of sensor array specifically calibrated to the mutant genome. So he can track them anywhere, Mystique states. But they can also use it to start building a catalogue of mutants, Kitty replies.
One step at a time, Xavier suggests. Before they save the world, they need to resolve the threats that are on their doorstep. Is she one of them, Jean asks fearfully.
Manhattan, the Hellfire Club. Surrounded by his fellow Lords Cardinal, Sebastian Shaw, Harry Leland and Donald Pierce, Larry Trask wonders what went wrong with the Sentinel attack. But they’ll learn. He vows that the mutant threat will be eliminated.
Outside Xavier’s clinic, in the woods, three men watch the smoldering building. Addressing the other two as Marauders, Sabretooth tells the Summers brothers, both dressed in black leather, that they are being recalled. Cyclops protests that those robots were built to kill mutants. He and Havok could have helped to fight them. Not their mission, Sabretooth reminds him. The Marauders weren’t created to save Xavier’s crew, but to help bury them. But first Sinister wants a debriefing on today’s events. And especially all about Jean Grey.
Back at the clinic, Xavier tells the others that the world is changing and humanity can either be overwhelmed by those changes or they can try to manage them. Somebody has to blaze the trail over this brave new horizon, set an example that others can live by. He believes that is their job, if they are willing to shoulder the burden. The letter ’X’ usually refers to the unknown. That applies to them and to what lies ahead. Who better to wrestle destiny for the fate of that undiscovered country than a band of X-Men?