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Chapter One – First Contact
Orbiting the Earth is the large N.A.S.A. space station, Simulacra. Today, the station’s personnel work hard out in the harshness of space to retrieve the Mars Lander. N.A.S.A. Command down on Earth sends a message up the station to ask them if they copy. One of the crewmen outside confirms that the signal is good. The team on Earth then asks if final preparations for the arrival have been completed, to which the astronaut confirms as well. The space shuttle Titan has been moved to the lunar side of the station and the retrieval team, led by Lieutenant Rodriquez are in position. Rodriquez announces that he has visual confirmation of the Mars Lander, which has just entered the station orbit. It appears the back burners are functional and are slowing down its descent.
The crew, tethered down to the Simulacra, float out to catch the Mars Lander. They make contact and slowly guide it back to the arrival bay safe and sound. Rodriquez announces to N.A.S.A. Command that they are hooking the Lander and reeling her in as he speaks. The crew brings the Lander in as someone in station control seals the airlock. Once the doors are closed, Rodriquez proudly announces that the mission is complete. N.A.S.A. Command congratulates the team, but suddenly something goes horribly wrong. One of the astronauts yells that something is wrong. Another voice screams to Command that there has been a Code Red breach. The station is put into full lockdown, prompting N.A.S.A Command to ask the Simulacra what is wrong. Suddenly, there is a horrible scream… then silence. N.A.S.A Command repeatedly asks the Simulacra for a status report, but no one answers. At that moment, the left side of the Simulacra blows up.
Sometime later, the doorbell rings at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning in Westchester, New York. The doorbell rings three times before it finally wakes up Wolverine, who was slumbering in his bed. Irritable, Wolverine mutters that there is no way to get any sleep around the mansion. As he wonders where the rest of the team is, he does not notice a note on his door saying that they are in Danger Room if he needs them when they wake up. Still in his wife-beater and boxers, Logan reaches the door and tells whoever it is outside to stop ringing unless he really wants a handful of claws up his rear end. He opens the door and finds himself face-to-face with the Fantastic Four.
The Thing greets Wolverine and asks him if they have any coffee brewing, because it sure looks like Wolverine could use some. Wolverine looks at the three members in front of him and then closes the door on the Thing, Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic. As Wolverine heads back up the stairs, the Thing opens the door and tells Wolverine to hold on for a moment. How is he going to be like that? Is this any way to treat an old friend?
As he continues to go up the steps, Wolverine tells Thing that it is too early in the morning and he needs his beauty sleep. What are the Fantastic Four doing there anyway? Thing replies that his team’s big brain wants to speak with their team’s big brain. Then Reed should use that big brain of his to make an appointment, replies Wolverine rather rudely. Calling Wolverine a baby, Thing asks him if he doesn’t like surprises. Wolverine stops at the top of the stairs and smiles. He tells Thing that he likes surprises. One never knows when one will pop out at you. With that said he pops out his claws and leaps straight at Thing.
The two end up crashing right through the main doors to the mansion. The Human Torch looks at the two and wonders why this always happens when those two are together. The Invisible Woman reminds her husband that she said it would be a bad idea to come unannounced. Wolverine tells Sue that she doesn’t know the beginning of “bad idea.” He then brings his claws up to Thing’s face and asks him if he is right. Thing bats Wolverine away and tells him to get off of him. Johnny gets out of the way as Wolverine flies by and announces that it had to hurt. “Yes, I imagine it did,” says a voice from above.
Storm descends from the sky and asks for someone to explain why the Fantastic Four are assaulting her teammate. Johnny flies up to Storm and quickly tries to explain that this is a misunderstanding. Ben and Logan are just blowing off some steam and goofing off. Storm tells Johnny that she thinks everyone present needs to cool down. With a huge gust of wind, she extinguishes the Torch’s flames and sends him to the ground. Nightcrawler teleports beneath Johnny to catch him and orders the young man to go limp. Annoyed that Storm and Nightcrawler are ganging up on him, the Torch erupts in flames again, just as Nightcrawler catches him. Nightcrawler screams in pain as Johnny flies off.
As Wolverine and Ben square off, Sue looks up as Johnny attacks Storm. She asks Ben if he sees all the trouble he has caused. Shocked that Sue blames him, Thing reminds Sue that Storm was the one who attacked Johnny. Reed points out that she was probably lashing out in defense of Wolverine, who was riled up by Thing. Wolverine announces that he is way passed riled. He then leaps at Ben, but Sue puts up an invisible wall between the two. Thing orders Sue to let him fight Logan, but Sue refuses to budge. Logan taunts Ben for hiding behind a lady.
Suddenly, a powerful voice booms through all their heads and tells them all enough. As the psychic pain subsides, all turn to the ruined mansion doors to see Emma Frost. She announces that the ringing in their ears will end soon and apologizes for using her telepathy, but they were acting like some of her students. She then addresses Reed and asks him if he and his team are willing to join her in the parlor to discuss this invasion like adults.
Moments later, the Fantastic Four meet with a few X-Men in the parlor. Outside the parlor window, three students like in at awe at the sight of the Fantastic Four. Sophie exclaims that the Fantastic Four are there. While Josh tries to peer into the window, Laurie wonders out loud why they are there. Inside, the Fantastic Four are met with the four X-Men they met outside, as well as Cyclops, Beast and Gambit. Emma admits that their arrival was rather unexpected. She then asks if the phones to the Baxter Building were broken. Sensing Emma’s hostility, Reed apologizes on behalf of his team for barging in on the X-Men like that. However, he felt that this trip was necessary considering the nature of what he is about to request.
In her usual rude manner, Emma asks what the request is. Do they need help rounding up naughty mutants to improve their public image? Not wanting anymore trouble, Cyclops asks Emma to stop and then asks Reed what he needs. Reed admits to Cyclops that he was hoping that Charles could arrive first before he explains things. Wolverine smirks and tells Reed that he doesn’t seem to be up to current events. Charles Xavier no longer runs the mansion; he is gone and left the mansion to Scott and Emma.
Disappointed, Reed admits that he did not know that. He supposes that they must continue the meeting with Xavier. Reed then asks if he could borrow their television, as it will make things easier to explain. Reed turns on the television, which shows an image of a space station. Storm immediately recognizes it as the Simulacra. Reed confirms this and informs the team that this morning the Mars Lander was to return to the Simulacra after a year of collecting data. The docking was successful, or so it seemed at first. The image on the television then switches to one of the left side of the Simulacra exploding. Beast and Storm are shocked at the sight, but Reed continues on to explain that this event occurred nine hours ago and that there has not been any communication with the Simulacra crew since.
Cyclops asks about how many crewmembers were aboard. Twelve station members and six retrieval team members, replies Reed. In other words, eighteen crew members in total. Cyclops asks about the survivors, but Reed is unsure of how many are left. All scans have been ineffective. It is as if something is blocking any signals in or out of the station. Beast wonders if the blast created some sort of distortion field around the station. Perhaps, agrees Reed, however, communications before the blast indicated a breach. Figuring out where Reed is leading the discussion, Beast asks him if he thinks something hitched a ride on the Mars Lander and penetrated the Simulacra.
Though concerned, Storm wonders why the Fantastic Four came to them of all people. Reed announces that he wants to use Cerebra. Shocked, Emma demands to know how he even heard about Cerebra. Reed explains that Professor Xavier once mentioned the device to him and explained how it could locate mutants across the globe. He was hoping to use Cerebra to scan for life on the Simulacra. Impossible, replies Emma. Even if Cerebra could be modified to scan for human life, the sheer distance is too much. Taunting Emma, the Thing asks her if she isn’t up to the task. Smiling, Gambit tells Thing to be careful with his choice of words around Emma. Angered, Emma turns to Thing tells the “ignorant piece of rock” that no telepath on Earth would be up for the task. Pleased by Emma’s attitude-filled response, Thing tells her that now she is talking his language.
Cyclops turns to Reed and asks if the probe would work if a telepath could get close enough to the Simulacra. Reed assumes that it is possible, but Beast adds that it would only work if the distortion field didn’t interfere. Emma turns to Scott and asks him if he really isn’t proposing that they go up there. Scott tells Emma that men and women might be alive up there. They are their only hope. Without doubt or hesitation, Emma tells Cyclops that she is not going into space. Cyclops reasons with her and reminds her how he almost lost his dad to space, but was lucky enough to get him back. She should think about the families of those people. Shouldn’t they at least try to help them get their fathers and mothers back?
Thing steps in and tells the group that he doesn’t want to rain on the X-Men’s feel-good moment, but how doe they plan to get up there without a spaceship. Gambit taps Thing on the shoulder and tells him that the Fantastic Four aren’t the only ones with friends in high places. Wolverine motions for the Four to follow him to the hangar to see what they got.
The Fantastic Four enter the hangar to see the X-Plane. Reed takes one look and admits that with a few adjustments if could be in space in no time. Not so convinced, Thing tells Reed that the plane will need a little bit more than a few adjustments. To appease Thing’s trepidation, Beast informs him that the X-Plane is equipped with the best Shi’ar technology this side of the galaxy. Impressed, Thing asks Beast if he means that this thing has accessories. Beast informs him that it has shielding, propulsion and pressurization that N.A.S.A. would kill for. Reed tells the group that with a few adjustments to the doorway and docking gear they should also be able to get into the Simulacra. The Thing checks out the interior as Cyclops comes in to announce that they have one problem: only six seats.
Obviously, continues Cyclops, since Emma is the only telepath in the group one seat is for her. That leaves five left. Beast takes out a pad and pencil and starts to jot some notes. If there are survivors then they will have to go in obviously. Since the station is pressurized he advises that anyone with energy-emitting powers should not go. That rules out Cyclops, the Human Torch and Storm. However, continues Reed, if there was a breach as they suspect then he suggests that the heavy hitters go up. Those would be Thing and Wolverine. The Thing pats Johnny and tells him sorry since he can’t go. Cyclops suggests that Nightcrawler and Gambit go. Kurt’s teleportation can be invaluable and Gambit is quite… resourceful. Gambit thanks Scott for the compliment.
Suddenly, Sue announces that she will take the last seat. Reed is not sure, but Sue explains that if something goes wrong her invisible shields will be the only thing to protect them from the cold harshness of space. “Well, up, up and away we go…” says Wolverine.
Some time later, the X-Plane is prepped and ready to go. Reed and Sue share a tender hug in case it is their last, while Emma and Scott kiss. Emma notices Sue take a long look at her brother and husband as she boards the plane. The woman asks Susan if she is not used to this by now after all she has been through. Sue tells Emma to call her Sue, and adds that one will never get used to leaving family behind. Emma takes a look at Scott and then boards the plane. The six heroes strap themselves in and take off for the Simulacra.
Once in space, Sue turns to Emma and admits that she noticed how close she and Scott have gotten. Emma admits that they have, to which Sue questions how the other X-Men are handling it. Realizing that Sue is referring to Scott’s relationship with Jean Grey, the offended Emma supposes that they handle it just the same was when Namor comes to visit. Sue then falls silent.
In the front, Nightcrawler wonders if they should rename themselves the Fantastic 6 or X-4. Wolverine tells Nightcrawler to save the chit-chat because they are at the Simulacra. Nightcrawler is taken aback to see the wreckage of the Simulacra, which is barely together on one side. As the X-Plane heads to dock, Wolverine tells Thing to watch out for debris. Sue notices that the remaining part of the station is holding together well, which mean the inner blast doors must have held. Gambit turns to the Thing to dock the plane on the other side of the station with the Titan ship. The Thing does and Wolverine turns to Emma, announcing that it is time for her to tell them if they came all this way for nothing. Emma uses her telepathy and in moments she senses that there are survivors. There may be six. All are terrified.
Nightcrawler wonders what the survivors are terrified of. Being trapped in space should be enough, replies Wolverine. He then asks Emma if she senses anything else. Emma tells the group that it is all she senses. Sue tells the team that knowing that there are survivors is good enough for her. The time has come to head in and save the day. Nightcrawler announces that the docking bay is pressurized and the outer doors are opening. Sue puts up a bubble just in case of trouble and has Thing take point. Wolverine pops out his claws. “Like the lady said,” explains Wolverine, “Just in case.”
The team enters into the docking area and head toward the inner doors. Emma closes the door to the outer doors. Thing turns to the others and wonders what is behind door number three. Wolverine tells Thing to hit it, to which Thing obliges him. As the doors open, Wolverine welcomes the team to the Simulacra. “Let’s see whose open for business.” Unseen and awaiting them in the darkness are a hose of Brood aliens.


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Chapter Two – Untitled
At the Xavier Institute, deep below in Beast’s lab, Reed Richards looks at some incoming data and begins to worry. Beast joins Mr. Fantastic at the monitor and stares at the image of the sun. Not understanding what is wrong, Beast asks the man beside him about what in the image worries him. Does he care to explain it in layman’s terms?
Reed notices that Beast still has his sarcastic wit, despite his recent transformation. He then apologizes for his simplistic analysis a few seconds ago. However, this new sun flare that they are witnessing right now does not bode well for the rescue mission that Sue, Thing, Wolverine, Emma, Nightcrawler and Gambit are currently engaged in. Reed explains that he has been tracking a unique cosmic irregularity in the orbit of the Simulacra space station. Concerned, Beast wonders why Reed didn’t care to mention that before they sent their loved ones out. Reed tells Beast that, at the time, there was no reason for concern, but now the neutrino levels of the flares are rising.
Beast asks Reed what they are looking at now with this situation. Reed simply states that they are looking at a possible recreation of the cosmic phenomenon that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. Long ago, Ben, Sue, and Johnny accompanied him into space on his prototype rocket. They quickly learned that the ship’s shielding wasn’t strong enough to keep out the cosmic rays they flew into. After crash landing on Earth, they changed in ways no one could predict.
Beast interrupts Reed and reminds the man that the origin of the Fantastic Four has been quite documented, but what he wants to know is what will happen to Ben and Sue if they are bombarded by more cosmic rays. Reed, however, tells Beast that he is more concerned about the X-Men. There is not telling what could happen to someone with the mutant X-factor. Fortunately, the team should be fine as long as they don’t run into any unnecessary delays.
Simultaneously in space, the group of heroes who have been sent to the Simulacra space station find themselves confronted by a horde of Brood warriors. Trying to make light out of the situation, Emma points out that they at least know what happened to the crew aboard the ship. Thing asks the X-Men what exactly the Brood are. Wolverine pops his claws and explains that the Brood warriors are alien parasites who inject their eggs into human hosts, who act as incubators. Thing then comments that he hates bugs.
One of the Brood tells the Thing that they hate humans too, if that is what he really is. Surprised that the creatures can speak, Thing admits that aliens usually can’t talk in the movies. Nightcrawler informs the rocky man that he will find that the Brood are a bit different from any alien he has seen on film. Indeed, replies one of the Brood, as it whips the Thing in the chest with its tentacle like arms.
Thing supposes that the time for pleasantries is over and asks Nightcrawler one last question: do the Brood have acid for blood? No, replies Nightcrawler. Pleased with the answer, Thing then smashes his fist into the head of the alien who attacked him. The other Brood warriors charge the heroes. Emma turns into her diamond form and punches one Brood warrior away. Nightcrawler leaps into the air, as the Invisible Woman erects a field to protect herself.
Nightcrawler arrives on Wolverine’s side. The Brood warriors recognize Wolverine, as stories have been told of how he has slain so many of their brethren. Wolverine tells the aliens that most legends are based on facts, so its time they came face to face with those facts. Nightcrawler finds a pipe lying on the ground and decides that it should do well as a weapon. Wolverine remarks on how this fight is like old times for him and Nightcrawler, and then asks his old friend if he is ready. Armed with his pipe, Nightcrawler responds that he is ready now. The two then charge their opponents.
Suddenly, a warrior tells his brothers to back off, as they should attack from afar. The Brood then begin to distance themselves from the heroes, but find themselves bombarded by kinetically charged playing cards. Gambit steps forward and tells the Brood that they can fight close up or far away, but it makes no difference to the X-Men or Fantastic Four.
Sue looks up to see that only two Brood warriors remain. Emma sets up a telepathic network between all of the heroes and explains that, since the odds are a little even right now, she and Sue will go find the crew members while the boys stay behind to finish the fight. Thing tells Emma that there may be more Brood around, so the girls should take Gambit with them in case. Gambit agrees with a smile, commenting that saving damsels in distress is his specialty. Sue and Emma turn to Gambit and give him looks, as if he is actually serious that he could ever consider them damsels. Gambit tries covering up his tracks and states that he was referring to any crewmembers who needed his assistance. “Nice try,” comment the Thing.
Wolverine tells the ladies to get going and the guys will take care of the Brood. Emma, who has already telepathically located the crewmembers, has Sue and Gambit follow her down a corridor. Thing, Wolverine and Nightcrawler prepare for battle, but are unaware that the Brood themselves are telepathically communicating. In fact, one of the warriors informs mother that the heroes are coming for her.
Elsewhere, Emma leads Sue and Gambit to another room and tells them that the crew is inside. Sue tells Emma and Gambit to stick close to her, as she turns all three of them invisible. The three then enter the next room, which is mostly barren. In one corner, Sue spots four, motionless crewmembers. The three rush to the survivors, dropping their invisibility along the way. Sue lifts up the head of the female crewmember and asks the woman if she is all right. However, what she sees is not what she is expecting.
Sue finds two holes in the woman’s abdomen and wonders what the monsters have done to the poor woman. Gambit sorrowfully informs Sue that they are too late, for the Brood have already implanted the humans. Sue asks the two what the crew are implanted with. Eggs, replies Emma. Sue questions if the eggs are Brood eggs. Suddenly, an inhuman voice responds yes…her eggs.
All three turn to see the Brood Queen round the corner menacingly. The large Brood Queen tells Sue that she will become a host as well now. When they reach the Earth, her friends, husband and children will also be hosts. Angered, Sue asks the Queen if she dares threaten her family. She informs the creature not to count her eggs before they hatch. Sue then lifts herself up in to the air with an invisible platform. She then creates a sword, which she uses to chop off the Queen’s tail. The Queen screams in pain, but informs Sue that she is only part of a scouting party. Where they go the Brood armies follow.
Sue does not listen and, in a rage, stabs the Brood Queen over and over. With her final blow, she tells the Queen that her armies will follow her to the abyss then. With Brood blood all over her face, Sue finally comes down. Gambit is in awe and vows never to make a damsel in distress joke ever again. Emma puts her hand on Sue’s shoulder and admits that she didn’t think the woman had it in her. Sue replies that she goes to great lengths when pushed. Emma hopes that Sue is ready for what comes next. Sue is confused and asks what they have to do.
Emma coldly states that that all the crew are infected by the Brood. They cannot be allowed to live. Angered, Sue asks the other woman if she is out of her mind. Emma grabs Sue by the shoulders and tells her to be rational, not emotional. Each of the crew is now a host to a Brood egg, which will hatch and take over the bodies of the host. They are no longer human, so they should be put out of their misery. Sue breaks away from Emma and refuses to accept that fate for the crewmembers. Reed can most likely cure them. Emma warns Sue that she will telepathically restrain her, but suddenly Sue knocks away the telepath with a force field.
Gambit goes over to the downed Emma and comments that it is hard to catch a telepath unaware. Sue informs Gambit that Emma’s not the only one who has powers that work at the speed of thought. Gambit admits that Emma is not his favorite teammate, but she is handy in a fight. He hopes Sue has a plan. Sue walks over to a computer and finds that a jamming device has been planted on the controls.
As Thing, Wolverine and Nightcrawler join the rest of the group, Sue disables the jamming device and hails the Xavier Institute. Reed replies and is glad to see his wife, as there is little time left. Wolverine comments that he hates it when Reed says that. Sue is confused and asks her husband what is wrong. Reed explains that the X-Men and Fantastic Four must evacuate immediately. Solar anomalies have created a cosmic storm like the one that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. Cyclops and Beast arrive; the former informing that there is no way for them to know what effect it will have on the physiologies of the X-Men. Cyclops then notices that Emma is missing and asks about her.
Sue questions about the fate of the crew but, after an inspection, Wolverine tells her that they are as good as dead. The eggs are hatching now and it will be only a few hours before they become full blown Brood. Wolverine pops his claws and announces that they have no other choice. Before he can kill one of the crewmembers, though, Sue restrains him with her powers. She tells Logan that there is always a choice, but Thing reasons with her and reminds her that the choice here is them or the crew. He doesn’t like the situation either, but if he were infected he would want to be put out of his misery as well. Sue throws Wolverine back and announces that they are leaving the crew members alive, Brood or not. Once the storm has passed they are coming back for them. Wolverine complies, but hopes that they are not making a big mistake.
The X-Men and Fantastic Four rush back to the X-Jet and take off from the Simulacra. However, Thing soon finds that they have cut things too close and orders everyone to hold on tight. Wolverine asks Ben if they are going to make it, to which Thing replies that Logan should always trust the pilot. Unfortunately, it is too late.
There is a blinding flash of light and suddenly the X-Jet begins to shake. Nightcrawler wonders what is going on, but the conscious Emma realizes that the cosmic storm has caught up to them. The X-Jet is then hit by the storm, causing immense pain for the four X-Men aboard, but doing nothing to Thing or Sue. Wolverine falls over in his chair, much to the dismay of Thing.
The X-Jet reenters the atmosphere and crash lands in the woods behind the Xavier Institute. It streaks across the forest until it finally comes to a stop. All is still in the X-Jet, when suddenly four odd creatures walk out: a half visible Nightcrawler, a rock hard Emma Frost, a Gambit who is covered in flames, and Wolverine whose arms are stretching forth. Unfortunately, none of them look too happy… or sane.


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Chapter Three – Untitled
In upstate New York, the Fantastic Four’s Fantasticar zooms through the air at top speed. Aboard the ship are Reed Richards, Beast, and Cyclops, while the Human Torch and Storm fly through the air under their own power. Reed looks ahead and down into the woods, informing his companions that the X-Jet that their loved ones and teammates were aboard crashed just ahead. A little emotional, the Torch asks Reed if he could stop using the word crash site. Thing is one of the best pilots there is and he probably landed the jet just fine.
Cyclops agrees, but points out to the Torch that there has been no word from their teammates since they reentered the atmosphere. Beast continues, and tells Johnny that the landing may not have been as smooth as they think. Storm remains optimistic and points out that they have all survived worse. With their combined abilities, the passengers surely protected themselves. Cyclops, however, is still hesitant to agree, as the screams he heard from their last transmission sounded contradictory to what Storm thinks.
Reed turns around and agrees with Cyclops. It seems that their teammates were unable to avoid the cosmic storm, which might have unpredictable results for the X-Men. Obviously painful, too, replies Cyclops. Reed tells Scott not to jump to conclusions just yet, which shocks Cyclops, who recalls Reed mentioning earlier how the cosmic rays may not mix well with the mutant gene structure. Reed confirms that in theory this is true, but there are too many variables to think about. Angered, Cyclops tells Reed that he doesn’t care about variables. He refuses to bury another X-Man. Beast assures Scott that they won’t have to, when suddenly three adamantium rods slam through the Fantasticar.
As the heroes wonder who is ambushing them, balls of kinetic energy come flying into the air. Storm uses her winds to catch the crashing Fantasticar, while she sends the Human Torch to find the attackers. Three more kinetic energy balls come flying at Johnny, who uses a wall of fire to block the attack. Storm lands the Fantasticar but is shocked at another site, which she can’t believe. The Torch stops in his tracks and tells Storm that unfortunately it is true. Reed looks forward and discovers that the attackers are actually the X-Men!
The heroes are in shock to see their transformed teammates: Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Emma Frost and Gambit. Scott sees Emma, who stands stoically alone, but with cracking rock-hard diamond skin, much like the Thing. Scott is confused at first and asks Emma if that is really her. Beast yells at Scott to look out as he tackles the man out of the reach of Wolverine’s elongated arms. The Torch sends out a blast of fire to cover the X-Men’s backs, but Storm uses her rain to douse it, as she does not want her attacking teammates to be hurt.
Angry, Johnny asks Storm why she stopped him. The X-Men attacked them and they are not her teammates anymore. They are monsters. Reed calms Johnny down and tells him that Storm is right. Those are the X-Men and the heroes cannot hurt them, no matter what the heroes have transformed into. Johnny points out that the X-Men are still hostile, and also adds that he doesn’t see Sue or Ben anywhere. Before Reed can respond, the four X-Men charge them.
Cyclops orders the heroes to take down the X-Men without hurting them. However, he is cut off mid-sentence when Nightcrawler’s tail seemingly comes out of nowhere and wraps itself around Cyclops’ neck. A half-visible Nightcrawler then whips Scott away with one powerful motion. Reed quickly catches Cyclops, but observes that Nightcrawler now has Sue’s invisibility powers. In the air, the Torch sees that Gambit has inherited his powers. Gambit flies up into the air after Johnny, radiating with kinetic fire. Johnny is shocked to see that Gambit has mastered his new powers so quickly.
Down below, Emma punches Reed in the face, much to the dismay of Cyclops. He calls out to his love and asks her if she can hear him, then asks her what happened. Emma stops in her tracks and in a delirium she calls out Scott’s name. However, she swings around and backslaps Cyclops in the face. The powerful hit sends Cyclops flying back into a tree. Emma begins to charge, which leaves Cyclops with no other option. He apologizes to his girlfriend, and then tells her that this will hurt him more than her. He then lets loose with an optic blast, which stuns the woman.
While she is distracted, Beast leaps from the forest and knocks the woman down with his feet. He then grabs Scott and drags the injured man away, comforting Scott by telling him that Emma is much better looking than the Thing.
Up in the air, the Human Torch tries a new tactic. After having his own flames extinguished numerous times, he has learned how to do it himself. Johnny then creates a cyclone of fire, which blows away all the kinetic fire from Gambit. Before Gambit can recharge, Johnny knocks him out with one good punch.
Johnny grabs the unconscious Gambit and brings him to Reed. He then asks his brother-in-law for an explanation of how the X-Men have the powers of the Fantastic Four. Reed suggests that the cosmic storm altered the genetic structure of the X-Men, giving them powers similar to those of the Fantastic Four. However, this troubles Reed, as it implies that the powers are not random variation at all. Not caring for the science behind it, Johnny asks Reed what happened to Sue and Ben. As Johnny powers down, Reed tells him that since Sue and Ben have already been altered by the cosmic storm they should have been spared from the effects of it.
Johnny is relieved to hear that, though he is still concerned as to where his sister and friend are. Behind him, an invisible Nightcrawler tries to wrap his tail around Johnny’s neck. However, Johnny senses the mutant and flames up before Nightcrawler can do so. Reed jumps at the chance to wrap up Nightcrawler with his body. With Nightcrawler trapped in him, Reed tells Cyclops to shoot an optic blast at the furry X-Man. Scott is hesitant at first out of concern for Reed, but Reed assures him that since Scott’s blasts are concussive it won’t harm his elastic body. At most, it would hurt him. He then tells Scott to shoot before Nightcrawler teleports away.
Cyclops lets loose an optic blast right at Reed, which knocks out Nightcrawler. Dizzy, Reed loosens up his hold and returns back to normal shape. Cyclops asks Reed if he is okay. Reed feels a bit tingly, but is all right. Cyclops is relieved, as his blasts usually do more than tingle. Beast takes a tally real quick and sees that Gambit and Nightcrawler are down, Emma is temporarily indisposed… so that just leaves…
There is a loud boom of thunder. In the air, Storm screams at Wolverine and asks him why he won’t fall. The stretching Wolverine sends his arms into the sky and almost stabs Storm with his adamantium claws. Fortunately, he misses and rips her outfit instead. However, Storm is stuck to the claws and is thrown to the ground when Wolverine pulls her down. The Human Torch comes to Storm’s aid, but finds that Wolverine is too flexible and is evading all the attacks with his new body. Wolverine is about to stab Storm in the head when a voice asks Wolverine if he can dance with his date.
The Thing screams that it’s clobberin’ time and then proceeds to smash his fists into Wolverine. Johnny is happy to see his friend and welcomes him to the party. Sue arrives and tells Johnny that, if this is a party, she is sorry she only brought a present for Emma. She then uses a force field to contain the wild former White Queen. Reed is also relieved to see his wife and friend and asks Sue what happened in the shuttle. Sue tells Reed that they need to deal with their priorities first. Can she get help dealing with the wicked witch of the west?
Reed grabs Cyclops and asks him for his assistance. He takes the man to the field in which Emma is encased. A concentrated blast to the forehead should work. Cyclops understands and positions himself at the base of the field bubble, which is in the air. He then shoots a blast, which nails Emma in the forehead and knocks her out.
Beast rounds up the other two unconscious X-Men, but warns Reed that they may not stay out for long. Reed informs Beast that a transport is already zeroing in on their position. Reed’s labs will probably be the best place to examine the X-Men. Beast agrees with Reed and volunteers to go along, as two heads are better than one.
Nearby, Thing warns the others that they may need a spatula to pick up Logan, as he is going to get a beating. Wolverine slashes Thing’s chest, but luckily does not damage. The other heroes group up and Sue pleads to Wolverine not to do this. Thing taunts Wolverine instead, but the feral mutant instead uses his stretching limbs to escape and retreat into the forest. Storm loses track of Wolverine, while the Torch is amazed that Logan knew that he should retreat even in his crazed state.
Sue states that the X-Men were out of control as soon as they transformed. Cyclops asks Reed if violence is a side effect of exposure to the cosmic rays. No, replies, Reed, but pain is. The pain may have caused the X-Men to lash out. The genetic alterations of the mutant chromosomes must be excruciating. This concerns Cyclops, who is afraid that Wolverine might lash out at the next person he sees. He sends Storm and the Torch to find Logan from above. The rest of them will head back to Xavier’s to track him via Cerebro. Beast adds that he and Reed will do their best to reverse the effects of the radiation. Ben mumbles that he has heard that line before.
Later on at the Baxter Building, the three captured X-Men are placed in stasis tanks until further notice in Reed’s lab. Beast is perplexed, however, and asks Reed how it is possible that the X-Men were mutated further, especially with the same powers as the Fantastic Four. Reed admits that he has always wondered if the powers granted by the cosmic rays were random, or rather if there was some elemental connection. However, he could not draw any real conclusions.
Beast ponders this and states that Johnny is fire then. Sue must be air and Thing Earth. Does that make Reed water? Reed confirms this and reminds Beast that elasticity is a form of fluidity. However, there is no scientific fact to explain this phenomenon, not the first time, nor the second.
The two scientists begin to correlate their information. Reed points out that Gambit’s power would make him more fire based. Beast adds that Nightcrawler’s teleportation displaces the air around him. Reed then remembers that adamantium is classified as a liquid metal. Could that be the connection in Wolverine’s case? He knows that he is stretching the link, though, if Beast will pardon the pun. Reed admits, however, that he cannot understand Emma’s situation.
Beast tells Reed that it is simple as Gambit’s situation. Diamonds come from Earth. Reed is confused and asks what diamonds have to do with anything. Emma is a telepath. Beast informs Reed that the ability to take on a diamond form is Emma’s secondary mutation. Once again, Reed is confused, this time about what a secondary mutation is. Beast explains that there has been a recent phenomenon in recent years. Mutants have been gaining new secondary abilities.
Reed is interested and asks if Nightcrawler, Wolverine or Gambit have displayed secondary mutations. Beast informs Reed that, to his knowledge, no, they have not. This excitedsReed, who feels that Emma may be the key to solving this situation, as she was the only coherent one during the battle. He goes back to his microscope and asks where Emma’s chromosomal coding was again. Beast tells him that he will have to have one of the X-Men send them her sample from the mansion.
Suddenly, a message arrives from Storm and Sue. Beast greets his teammate and tells her that they may have gotten onto something good there, but then asks about Wolverine. Storm tells Beast that they have found Wolverine, but something more pressing has occurred. Reed asks Storm what could be more important.
Storm switches to an N.A.S.A. video feed, which displays the space shuttle, Titan, the shuttle of the dead crew of the Simulacra. Storm informs Reed and Beast that the shuttle is heading to Earth with an adjusted flight plan. Reed asks where the shuttle is landing, to which Storm informs him that it is headed towards New York City.
Reed asks Storm if there were any survivors on the Simulacra. Storm switches the feed to an up close feed from the shuttle. As Reed and Beast see a group of Brood piloting the shuttle, Storm replies that, in a manner of speaking, yes, there were survivors.


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[Assistant]
Chapter Four – Untitled
High above Times Square in New York City, the space shuttle, Titan, heads towards the area at perilous speeds. Standing atop a skyscraper, watching the shuttle arrive, are Storm of the X-Men and the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four. As the shuttle comes ever closer, Storm asks Sue if she is sure that she wants to do this. Sue replies that no one available can handle this besides her. It was her mistake to allow the Brood-infected crew to live, so she must deal with the repercussions.
Storm turns to Sue and tells the woman that she made no mistake. She was only trying to help the Simulacra’s survivors. Storm comforts Sue and assures her that she would have done the same as well had she been there. Touched for a moment, Sue pauses to think. She then turns back to Storm and tells the weather goddess that she had hoped that a cure could have been found and the heroes could have returned to help the crew. Storm tells Sue that there is a chance that they still can. She was once cured and so have others. First, though, they need to save the city. Sue agrees and, via her communicator, she asks her brother, the Human Torch, if he is ready.
The Torch streaks overhead and confirms that he is ready for action. Sue informs him that the friction from re-entry is creating an enormous amount of heat around the shuttle. Fortunately, the Titan is staying intact, but unfortunately it is white hot. Storm joins the Torch in the air as he tells his sister that he knows the plan, which is to have him absorb the heat from the shuttle so it can cool down. Storm adds that at the speed at which the shuttle is going it will be as if a bomb hit Manhattan. Therefore, their job is to cool and slow down the shuttle. Torch asks Storm about the Brood inside the shuttle. Storm assures Johnny that the Brood are trapped in the shuttle, thanks to the heat and velocity, and cannot do anything until the shuttle has crashed.
Sue wishes the pair good luck, as they reach the streaking Titan. Johnny tells Sue not to worry, as they will slow down the ship. She, however, should get ready to land it. As Storm flies above the Titan, the Torch flies beneath it and presses his body against its bottom, as he begins to absorb its heat. Johnny tells Storm that he is in position. Storm has also gotten into position and calls forth rain. For the next few moments, the two are able to decrease the temperature of the ship. After a moment, the Torch tells Storm that he has the heat under control. Now they need to slow down the ship. Storm flies ahead of the shuttle and uses a massive force of wind to begin the deceleration of the Titan. As it begins to slow, Johnny contacts Sue and tells her that they are going up Broadway so she better be ready.
Sue spots the Titan and creates a giant invisible slide leading down into Times Square. Johnny is concerned at first for not being able to see anything, but Sue assures him that she has set up the slide. A few seconds later, the shuttle hits the slide and travels down. Declaring that the shuttle is hers, Sue concentrates to hold the slide together as the shuttle reaches the bottom and comes to a halt in the middle of the earlier evacuated Time Square. Sue falls to the ground from exhaustion, as Storm and the Human Torch regroup with her.
From the Fantastic Four headquarters, Mr. Fantastic and the Beast watch the video feed of their teammate’s actions. Reed announces to Beast that the shuttle has been stopped. Though happy, Beast reminds Reed that stopping the shuttle was only the first step. The Brood have to be contained now that they are on the ground. Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. were able to evacuate midtown, but with the recent circumstances concerning the Avengers, it is up to the X-Men and Fantastic Four to stop the Brood from spreading. Reed adds that to do that they need to be at full strength, which isn’t the case at the moment, with four of Hank’s X-Men down. Beast agrees, but announces that they should be ready soon.
Reed puts his hand on Beast’s shoulder and tells him that his idea is very risky. Beast agrees, but at the same time it is viable. Reed, this time, agrees, but adds that there are so many variables in the mutant genome, and that is before factoring in the unknown variables of adding in radiation. Beast firmly tells Reed that it is a risk he is willing to take. Reed again asks Hank if he is sure. In response, Beast asks Reed what he would do in this situation. Reed answers that he would do it in a heartbeat.
Having heard all he needs to hear, Beast starts sequencing the chromosomal codes based on the X-Men’s pre-transformation genetic makeup. He then asks Reed to start matching the radiation patters he calculated earlier. One last time, Reed informs Beast that this may be their only chance to cure the X-Men. Beast acknowledges that he knows, which is why he prays that Thing and Cyclops find Wolverine in time and get him back.
Simultaneously over Canada, Thing pilots the Fantasti-car and shows Cyclops a hut where they seem to have tracked Wolverine down to. Cyclops asks if they should land, but Thing advises against it as Wolverine might hear or smell them coming. He suggests that he goes first. Thing then jumps out of the vehicle and falls through the sky and crashed through the roof of the cabin.
For a moment, nothing stirs in the wreckage of the cabin. Suddenly, the Thing comes flying out, as Wolverine attacks in a feral rage. Thing is thrown into a series of trees, as Cyclops lands the Fantasti-car. Thing recovers, as he mutters how Wolverine used his elastic body to shoot him back out. It seems that Logan still has brains somewhere in his messy body. Wolverine then stretches his arms to attack with his claws, but misses. He then picks up boulders and begins to chuck them at the two heroes, again missing.
Thing picks up a tree and chucks it at Logan, who stretches his body into a series of loops to avoid being hit. Shocked, Ben is surprised that Wolverine has already learned the Loopdy-Loop maneuver that Reed often uses. Cyclops tells Thing that it is no use to attack from a distance. They have to get in up close and personal.
The Thing volunteers to go, as he charges Wolverine head on. Wolverine, however, wraps his body around Thing. Thing grabs Wolverine, and jokes for the feral man not to think that Thing likes him just because they are all touchy-feely now. Thing holds the man in position and orders Cyclops to cut loose. Cyclops does and blasts Wolverine out with his optic blast. “Wuss,” comments Thing, as Wolverine’s unconscious body hits the ground.
Cyclops and Thing return to Four Freedom Plaza, where they rendezvous with the Human Torch on the roof. Cyclops asks if the Brood have emerged from the shuttle, to which Johnny replies that there is no sign of the aliens. They could be dead. Cyclops, however, believes that the aliens might be waiting for something. Thing tells Cyclops that both of them don’t have to take Wolverine to the lab, so why doesn’t he join the Torch at the site of the crash? Cyclops at first refuses, stating he wants to see Emma, but Thing tells him that maybe it would be best if he didn’t see the woman till after she is cured. Cyclops pauses, and then agrees. The Torch then flies Cyclops to the site.
In the Baxter Building, Reed tells the approaching Thing to quickly place Wolverine into the tube next to Gambit, Emma and Nightcrawler. The tube has already been preprogrammed with his genetic code. “Nice to see you too,” replies Thing, as he complies. Wolverine is sealed into the tube but, before anyone can proceed, Thing’s attention is drawn to the window. The three men look out to see two symbols in the sky made out of fire: one an X, the other a 4. Realizing that it is a call to them, the three decide that something bad is happening at the crash site.
The three heroes rush to the crash site in time to see hundreds of Acanti, the living ships of the Brood, in the air all around Manhattan. That is when the doors to the Titan open, and the Brood pour out.


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Chapter Five – Untitled
In Times Square, Cyclops, Storm, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and the Thing square off against a horde of Brood, who attack from both the air, as well as the ground before them. Before any battle cries can be yelled, the Thing grabs one Brood by its tail and swings it into a car. Storm creates two mini-whirlwinds to take care of the Brood accosting her. Sue traps one in an invisible bubble, before impaling it with some spikes. The Human Torch unleashes a wave of fire, as Cyclops blasts away Brood with his optic blast.
As another wave of Brood steer straight towards the heroes from the sky, the Thing mutters that the Avengers picked a perfect time to disassemble. Feeling overwhelmed, Sue tells Storm that there are just too many Brood for them to fight like this. They need to fall back and come up with a better defense against the aliens. Storm agrees, but tells the woman that they need to curb the tide first before the Brood can overwhelm them.
Cyclops looks up to the air to see that the Human Torch has spread himself too thin, though Scott admits that they all have. He then calls all the heroes to his side. The group gathers to his side and he tells Storm that he needs her to fly him up to the approaching Brood swarm. The Torch is shocked and asks Cyclops if he actually intends to go up there. Cyclops tells Johnny that they should take the fight to the Brood and asks the rest to be prepared to fight whatever survives the drop. Will you be doing the dropping, asks the Torch. Cyclops smiles and tells the other man that just like in football, he is about to go long.
Storm lifts Scott into the air and, once they are high enough, asks him if he is sure if he is ready. Ready as I’ll ever be, replies Scott. He then exclaims that he is ready to end this fight now as he unleashes an out of control optic blast at the next incoming swarm of Brood warriors.
Cyclops continues his barrage of optic blasts, as the Brood fall hundreds of feet to the asphalt below. The Torch and Invisible Woman are surprised, however, to see that the Brood are surviving the impact. The Thing begins to punch the Brood, as he claims that the aliens do not know the meaning of impact. Sue begins to encase the brood in her fields, leaving them exposed to the white-hot fire of the Human Torch.
Back at Four Freedoms Plaza, Mr. Fantastic monitors the battle via video screen. Beast asks his ally how their teammates are doing. Reed informs Beast that they are holding their own, but are running out of steam. Hopefully the cavalry will about to come calling, says Beast. However, how will they stop all the Brood? Mr. Fantastic tells Beast to have faith, as he has already come up with an idea to stop the Brood. It all depends if the reversal of the transformation of the X-Men works. Beast assures Reed that it will work. Reed is unsure, and mentions all the variables. Beast reminds him that all the variables have been accounted for.
Beast asks Reed who of them needs faith now. It is unlike him to be self-doubting. Reed apologizes, but Beast has already surmised what the problem is. Reed is worried about Ben. Reed acknowledges that it is true. He has tried, but to date he is unable to find a cure for the Thing. Now they are on the verge of curing Hank’s teammates and it leaves Reed wondering if he has tried hard enough to help his own friend. Beast reminds Reed that the situations are different. The mutant genome has prevented the changes in the X-Men from being permanent. Reed knows this, though, and is worried more about Ben’s emotional response. He might lose faith. Perhaps, replies Beast, Ben will have hope again. Reed realizes then, that Beast is correct.
Reed tells Beast that they should know see if they can make these monsters mutants once more. The two begin the experiment, as four fine laser beams are aimed at each respective tube containing Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Emma Frost. Suddenly, changes begin to occur in the X-Men. The tubes all shatter as the X-Men awaken. However, Wolverine begins to growl in a feral way.
Back in Times Square, the remaining heroes continue to fend off against the Brood. The Torch descends from the sky and asks Thing where Ripley is where you need her. Thing assures Johnny that the game isn’t over yet for them. As Storm uses her lightning to defend the city, she finally gives in and admits that the Brood are not giving up. Sue is not sure how much longer they can all keep this up.
Soon, Sue, Storm and Cyclops find themselves trapped inside a circle of menacing Brood. Suddenly, a familiar voice tells Cyclops that there is no need to be in the defensive when they have a killer offense ready to join the game. All turn to see the recovered Wolverine, Gambit and Nightcrawler with the Beast.
Thing asks Gambit if he is up to his old tricks again. Old tricks, questions Gambit. He then kinetically charges a car and tells the Thing that he always has something new up his sleeve. Thing chuckles and admits his mistake as he lifts up the energized car and chucks it at a swarm of Brood in the air. Wolverine turns to Sue and asks “Miss Fantastic” if she could give him a push in the right direction. That’s Mrs. Fantastic to you, replies Sue, as she uses her powers to throw Wolverine at another approaching swarm of Brood. Wolverine tells Sue that he will try to remember that as he slices the Brood to pieces.
Storm tells her teammates that there is no time for banter. The Torch agrees and announces that they have a war to win. He then sets a group of Brood ablaze. Nightcrawler, armed with a sword, teleports all around the street as he slices the Brood to pieces. Beast enters the fray and uses his might to punch the beasts around as well. Cyclops tells Beast to exit to the side, as it is time to bring down the house. He then lets lose with another optic blast. The blast hits the top of a skyscraper and knocks a load of rubble onto another swarm of Brood.
As the heroes continue to turn the tide of the battle, Cyclops finds a moment to relax and ask Hank how Emma is, as he does not see her. Beast informs Scott that Emma is fine and that everyone is back to normal. When Cyclops asks where she is, Beast responds that he has a plan. Cyclops wonders why Reed would need Emma. Beast responds that Emma is the only one who can use Cerebra.
At Cerebra at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, Emma puts on the Cerebra helmet and tells Reed not to take this in the wrong way, but this is the stupidest plan she has ever heard of. Reed tells Emma to please call him by his first name, and then asks why she thinks it is stupid. Emma asks Reed that if he wanted to boost Cerebra’s capabilities now, why not have done so in the first place instead of sending some of them up to the Simulacra?
Reed tells Emma that she is referring to two completely different scenarios. The Brood’s Acanti whale-ships are in the Earth’s atmosphere, and are in Cerebra’s new range. Emma asks Reed if his scheme will work, to which Reed replies that they are all out of options. Emma then hooks Reed up to Cerebra and tells him to get ready to send the Brood on a trip that they will never forget.
Inside one of the Acanti whale-ships, a Brood tells his commander that the humans are persistent, but will soon fall. Suddenly, he sees something that causes him to panic and orders the crew to engage evasive maneuvers. Another brood informs the commander that they cannot as they are being blocked. The commander takes one look at the current situation and declares that Earth is doomed. He then calls off the attack and orders all Brood to retreat.
All the Brood’s attention is called to the sky, or rather to two omnipotent beings above them: the Phoenix and Galactus! The Brood are terrified that the two most powerful forces in the universe are here, with their attentions seemingly on each other. The commander orders the Brood to retreat, as they still have a chance to escape before the two beings begin to fight. The Brood on the ground are more terrified, however, as Galactus begins to approach them as the Phoenix begins to attack. The hundreds of surviving Brood then fly back up to the Acanti, which all turn and head back out into space, leaving the X-Men and Fantastic Four confused.
Storm wonders what is happening, as the Torch spies all the Brood retreating. Storm corrects Johnny, as it seems that they are fleeing in terror. On the ground, the Thing is equally confused, though Wolverine does not care as long as the Brood are all gone. Nightcrawler and Gambit agree. Sue turns to Beast and asks him why she has a feeling Reed had a hand in this. Beast responds that she is married to an amazing man.
Soon, the Fantastic Four and X-Men begin to clean up the wreckage in Time Square. The Fantasti-car arrives with Emma and Reed aboard. Emma and Scott embrace one another as Sue goes over to her husband. She tells him that he seems to be getting a hang of stopping alien invasions. Reed responds that he will try to not make it a habit. Beast approaches Reed and thanks him for all the help. Reed responds that neither team could have stopped the Brood on their own. They each owe each other a great deal. Emma tells Reed that his plan to use Cerebra to project a massive hallucination into the Brood’s simpler minds was not as stupid as she thought.
Thing slaps Wolverine in the head and asks him how he is, as Ben ought to wring his neck for all the trouble he gave them today. He wants to know how Wolverine stretched his adamantium like that. Clean living, replies Wolverine. Beast admits that Thing has a point as the transformation on their mutant physiology was as fascinating as it was horrifying. Now that the effects were reversed, maybe they should study the ones affected a bit longer. What does Reed think?
Reed and Ben share a look and, after a moment, Reed apologizes to Ben for not being able to do more for him. Ben tells Reed not to mention it. He saved the lives of the X-Men. If he was a mutant, Reed could probably cured him, but Ben is not a mutant. His day is coming though; he knows it for sure. Does Reed want to know why? It is because he trusts Reed. If he cannot trust his best friend then who can he trust? Reed thanks Ben and tells him that he won’t let him down. Ben then asks the others if they can get back to cleaning up this mess so they can let the people back into Manhattan.
A few days later at the Xavier Institute, the X-Men and Fantastic Four find themselves having a baseball game. Wolverine is the pitcher and asks the batter, the Thing, if he is ready for the fastball special. Thing swings and tells Logan that he will be chasing that ball back to Canada. In the stands watching are Sue and Emma, the latter commenting that the more things change… Sue interrupts and finishes by saying that the less they stay the same.
Emma is confused, but Sue tells Emma that she cannot deny that this whole experience hasn’t affected her on some level. Emma smiles and admits that, molecularly, she probably was. Is that all, asks Sue. Emma pauses and tells Sue that she doesn’t need her powers to see through her does she? Not when she can see Emma looking at her teammates, responds Sue. Emma looks at the others and tells Sue that it is nice to know that you are not alone in the world and to know that you have people who will look out for you no matter what the danger is. That’s what family is all about, says Sue.


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WildC.A.T.S / X-Men: The Golden Age
Paris, taken by the Nazis. Uncanny, Nazi Oberst Eikert marvels. You seem not to have aged in years. It is no wonder I did not recognize you… Herr Logan.
Only ‘cause Eikert was too busy hoistin’ this big soiree for his Nazi buddies, Logan, dressed in a smoking and calmly smoking a cigar, replies nonchalantly. He didn’t take the snub personally or nothin’.
As arrogant as ever, Eikert fumes and orders his Hauptmann to show his old friend here how much Eikert would appreciate it if he’d turn over the property he attempted to steal. The Hauptmann obeys and fires a round of bullets into Logan who doesn’t even move and disinterestedly remarks he hopes Eikert isn’t paying this guy by the bullet.
Did he actually think he could get away with this? Eikert demands as he takes the old scroll Logan was holding. Which this? comes the reply. The sneaking into the party right under the Nazis’ noses this or the fact he could steal this piece of scrap paper out from under them this? Yeah, well, it sounded like a good idea at the time.
Eikert holds the scroll in his gloved hand an announces this may well be the most powerful artifact in all the Fuehrer’s arcane arsenal. It must be pretty powerful; it already has him sounding like a low-grade funny book villain, Logan states.
Eikert turns to another underling named Tungston and tells him he knows what to do. Quietly? Tungston asks as he rolls up his sleeves. Not necessarily, comes the reply. He thinks the guests might like to hear what they do with enemies of the Third Reich. He leaves. Great, Logan mutters. He’s gonna die as a party game.
Is this gonna come out of his salary? he asks the tall German who is nonplussed until Logan grabs the antique Louis XVI chair and hits him in the face with it. Does it taste as expensive as it looks? Logan asks.
“So here we are,” he tells the two guards. Just the thee of them. The men draw their guns Suddenly, the lightbulbs are shot out. He’s responsible! one of the soldiers shouts. He wishes, Logan mutters. The Nazis fire at him.
Enough, one finally decides. He could not possibly have survived that. With flashlights, they find him. However, a closer look tells them the corpse is Tungston. He must have used the man’s body as a shield, the Nazi realizes and turns around to ask his companion Kristopher’s opinion. Kristopher is unavailable on account of being dead, Logan explains and finishes him off as well with a saber that hung from the wall.
From another room, Eikert asks the Hauptmann if he heard it. The third body to hit the ground in as many moments. Take the most heavily armed soldiers to investigate. One of the guests asks if there is a problem, only to be told that nothing is wrong and to enjoy themselves. The he orders the Hauptfeldwebel to have the car brought around.
Outside, a striking woman with short white hair breaks the guard’s neck and carefully makes her way inside.
Soon, soldiers inform Eikert that the others are dead and the American can not be found. Still calm, the Oberst orders the Hauptfeldwebel to see to the safe departure of their guests. Is that wise? he protests and another soldier points out that they have reconnoitered this party. There is nothing to fear. A moment later, there is an explosion.
Hiding behind a pillar, gun drawn, Logan mutters if he didn’t know better he’d think he had back-up there. Ceptin’ the high muck-a-mucks in Canuck intel said this was a solo mission.
Nearby the white-haired woman points her gun at the Oberst, demanding the scroll. A popular item, it seems, he remarks, still calm. Especially considering the world is not supposed to know of its existence. He will tell her as he has told her friend…
Friend? she asks confused.
…the answer is no!
Two soldiers shoot at Logan who find his own gun empty. Running away, he complains why is it the bad guys always have the heaviest artillery. He hates that!
Nearby, the woman is fired at by the Hauptfeldwebel, who orders her to drop her weapon. And if she refuses? Then she’ll die! Oberst Eikert replies. After him, she vows, then too runs. By Hecate! she swears. This is not over!
Both of them jump out of windows, she from the first floor, Logan from the second, and land close to each other.
They are everywhere! Logan shouts when he sees her while she offers him he may surrender and live. Hitting her, he promises he plans to live a long time, calling her Nazi. How dare he associate her with this filth, she shouts and kicks him. She has killed many for much less. Now tell her where his commandant has left to or taste her blade!
She reaches for her sword. Logan realizes that they might both be making a grade-A mistake. Let’s not complicate it further by getting killed, he suggests and shoves her aside to get them out of the way of Eikert’s car (of course he’s leaving with the scroll).
Looks like this is where they part company, Logan tells her. Unlike her, he planned ahead. Unfortunately, his escape route, a motorbike, already has someone at the controls. Her. She ignores his order to get off and remarks that securing the scroll is of paramount concern to insure the continued existence of what passes for civilization. Would he rather she leave him behind?
With gnashed teeth, Logan accepts to ride next to her. If they weren’t in such a rush, he threatens, he’d kill her. Calmly she retorts, if they weren’t in such a rush, he’d be welcome to try. As it is, while an obstacle up until now, he may yet prove of some value. As a back-up? Logan asks. As a target.
They reach the car and Logan fires at it, remarking he hopes her driving is better than her comedy. Coldly she retorts, she has found in the past that it is better if one actually aims something. There is no shame in surrendering his firearm to her. Yeah, that’ll happen, he snorts. He’s just trying to lull them into a false sense of security.
He manages to shatter the car’s rear window and Eikert orders his men to dispose of them. The Nazis fire back. The woman gets close to the car and Logan jumps onto the roof. One of the Nazi observes he is like a wolverine. Once he has sunk his teeth into something he doesn’t let up. Logan decks him. In the back of the car, Eikert, suddenly not looking human any longer, orders the driver to lose them or die!
Atop the car, one Nazi still fights Logan while the woman almost shoots the driver. He speeds up, but there’s a bend up ahead. Logan dodges a knee and throws off the Nazi. He gets into he car and tries to turn the car but is held up by a tentacle.
Looking inside the car and seeing the tentacle, the woman realizes it is as she suspected. Eikert is one of them. Which means either the Daemonites have infiltrated the Nazis or they are somehow… allies?
What are you? Logan shouts at the thing that was Eikert. Does it matter… human? comes the reply.
The woman jumps off the bike onto the car.
He is the last thing he will ever see, Eikert promises Logan, when the woman on the car roof slices at Eikert with her sword. She’s had some experience with his kind. She’s sure if the situation had been reversed, Logan would have made a strong, albeit unsuccessful attempt to accomplish the same. She suggests they get off as the car is heading for the abyss. She jumps off. Logan grabs the scroll and does the same an instant before the car falls and explodes.
Ha, he laughs. You okay lady, he asks. Lady? She sneaks up behind him and takes him out. The name is Zannah, she remarks as she bags the scroll. And thank you, human.
The next day:
Logan is meeting with an American sergeant and is not in the mood to bail out their sorry American butts on account of a say-so from his Canadian bosses. I love you too, furball, comes the other man’s reply. But Logan takes his assignments same as he. Blah blah blah, comes the witty reply.
And so, cleaned up, he finds himself at Vienna train station, only to see his mysterious blonde friend currently in trouble with a Nazi officer who states her papers are out of order. She is certain she filled out the proper forms, Zannah insists. Not quite, the Nazi replies and adds an insult in German, but if she’d like to step into his office, he would be more than happy to arrange safe transport. She sees, she replies icily. And what if she merely disembowels him right here? Before the Nazi can react Logan interferes and asks in German whether there is a problem. The Nazi says no and leaves cowed.
For someone who claims to be on the side of the Allies, he spends an awful lot of time acting like a Nazi, Zannah states. For someone who was trained by the Coda, she spends a lot of time putting herself in bad situations, he retorts. She expresses her surprise that he knows the Coda. He points out that she isn’t clumsy enough to be the Hand and not vicious enough to be Si-Fan. So, yeah, that narrowed it down. She did not require his assistance. Right, he snorts. What was she gonna do, mind control him? If need be. She’s kidding, right?
Logan joins her in her compartment. They don’t notice an androgynous well-dressed man with a fedora passing them. A Nazi plane closes in on the train.
Way he sees it, Logan states, sitting comfortably with his feet propped on the opposite seat, she owes him. Oh? Zannah asks shortly. For helping him at Eikert’s? Or eviscerating the villain? Or… Yeah, yeah, yeah, he interrupts. Look, his bosses ain’t telling him anything he doesn’t need to know, only what they think and he thinks aren’t the same thing.
The plane fires a missile-shaped capsule at the train.
Why is that piece of paper so important to everyone? Logan asks. That paper is the Lazarus Scroll. Zannah hesitates, then explains it belongs to a race of aliens who have sought dominion over the earth for centuries. Great, he scoffs. Next thing ya know she’s gonna tell him there are a bunch of mutating humans trying to star a genetic civil war. She’s heard that prediction as well, Zannah admits, but it’s not supposed to occur for another few decades.
From the capsule, a daemonic being emerges.
Assuming he believes her, Logan states, how do ya take these critters out? One at a time, comes the reply. Bad news, Logan states as his senses pick up the Daemonite’s scent. Another one of her thingies is here. He’s got a… thing for aromas, he’s picking up a scent. The smell of death… just waiting!
A family has hard a noise. The father checks the compartment and soon, in the entire train, one can hear a scream.
They gotta help those people, Logan decides. Zannah has changed into more practical combat wear and reminds him their primary concern is the Lazarus Scroll. It must be protected at all costs from the Daemonites and the Reich. The safety of the passengers is secondary.
He calls her a heartless witch. She doesn’t care about anything other except that scroll, does she? At the moment? No, she admits and draws a gun. And as far as she is concerned, he is as expendable as the other people aboard this train. He simply does not realize what is at stake here. Then why doesn’t she try to explain it to him? he suggests. Otherwise she’s just gonna have to fight those thingies all by her lonesome.
Very well, Zannah begins. He thinks her heartless. Heartlessness is a people that allows the Nazi menace to swallow half of Europe. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, France. Before anyone takes a stand. Now multiply that same apathy across an entire galaxy and he will have the slightest inkling of how that unrelenting unstoppable evil that the Daemonties bring forth went unchecked. Planets scorched. Children slaughtered. Any hope vanquished. Only a handful of them have drawn a line in the sand. Foregoing their families. Their personal desires. And if the cost to stop such a foe is the wants of a few, so be it. For the alternative is more horrible than they can imagine. So he sees, she is familiar with sacrifice.
Good, he replies. Then she understands that sometimes you gotta help the little guy, even when it seems like the rest of the world is afraid of ya… like they hate ya… just for bein’ different.
Well put, Zannah replies and hands him a carved box. He will need a weapon. She shouldn’t have, he replies wryly and opens the case. Nice work. A set of three claws which he can attach to his lower arm. She suspected he’d like it, Zannah states. They exit the compartment.
Greetings Zealot, the Daemonite greets her. Zealot? Logan asks. It’s not a term of endearment, she states. Got it. Actually, he is quite pleased to see her again, it leers.
 Ah, children, someone behind them sighs dramatically. They turn around to see the thin, androgynous, well-dressed man standing there, holding a long sword. How pleasant it is to see everyone getting along.
Kenyan! both Logan and Zannah shout, finding they both have a history with the mystery man. Kenyan is hers, Zannah states as she draws her own blade. Suits him, Logan replies.
She cannot defeat him, Kenyan prophesies. Destiny rides at his side. The Daemonite hisses. Not too late to change dance partners, Logan suggests.
Elsewhere, a clock ticks, a bomb attached to the pillar of a bridge and the train is closing in.
The battle between the two pairs begins. In the swordfight, Kenyan quickly has the upper hand. She disappoints him, he states. Mixing outside her own kind has made her soft. She thinks she has it in her to do what is necessary. His sword pierces her gut. While he never had any doubt. He takes away the scroll.
“Blondie!” Logan cries. Dead, the Daemonite who has him by the throat announces. Join her!  Bub, Logan tells him and stabs him, don’t be counting your chickens and all that. He turns again to Zannah but finds she is gone.
She has joined Kenyan on the train’s roof, just as they are approaching the bridge. She warns him that that which he seeks will destroy him first. He’ll take that chance, Kenyan announces. He can’t control her, Zannah states. No one can.
Logan joins her on the roof. The bomb ticks closer to the explosion. She lives in the past, Kenyan tells her. The future is his!
A Nazi fighter plane throws down a stepladder and he grabs it. He left in a hurry, Logan remarks. Can he swim? she asks. Does it matter? he retorts as they jump. The fall will probably kill them.
And the train explodes. The two of them land in the water and wash to the shore. Exhausted, they fall asleep. They awake to the sound of Nazi cars. Got a scent he tells Zannah. Them “friends” of hers…
Soon they are taken prisoner. In the back of the, transport Zannah thanks him. Save it, he tells her. “What’s the wants of a few…?” he quotes. The trucks stop moving in a hangar-like building. Peering out of the truck, Logan ventures this ain’t no beer hall in Munich.
A Nazi officer tells Kenyan they are ready. Wearing a robe and a helmet, Kenyan nods. Indeed. He begins to read alien words from the scroll. The vault opens. He continues: Ebron! You who fell to Earth with the First Ones. You who even the other Daemonite Lords feared. I have come for you.
The Nazis get nervous. This is bad right? Logan whispers. He has no idea, Zannah replies.
Command me, Kenyan continues and a bald beautiful woman with bat-like wings arises. She needs her power, is the first thing she says. And she shall have it, Kenyan replies, pointing at a crystal shard. No, Zannah states and fires her gun at the shard and the Nazis.
She wants for a sacrifice, Ebron continues. He guesses that means Kenyan, Logan states as he lunges at him. This stops now! Zannah shouts as she runs towards the shard. She is hit by an energy beam courtesy of Ebron. She hasn’t even begun, she threatens. Once she is reunited with her lifesource, the oceans themselves will run red to sate her appetite!
Kenyan beats back Logan. Has he pleased her? he asks. She promises that they are but on the threshold of pleasures yet to come. The secret of the Lazarus scroll will… will have to remain just that. Secret, Zannah states and hurls the shard which embeds itself in Ebron’s forehead. There is an explosion.
Logan works himself out of the rubble. Hey, blondie, we did real good back there. He sniffs around, finding no trace of her, just a broken sword. He sits down. Wild… he mutters.


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

[Assistant]
WildC.A.T.S / X-Men: The Silver Age
Then.
A blonde young man sits chained in a cell, a snake with the Roman numeral VII for seven adorns his upper arm. So, mon ami, another prisoner asks as he draws on his cigarette, what’s he in for? Does the term “solitary” mean anything to him? the first man asks. Light? the smoker with the French accent and the red eyes asks and lights the cigarette with the energy coming from his hands. Nice trick, the blond man admits as the other hands him the cigarette.
He doesn’t do tricks, the red-eyed man assures him. Oh, then how did he get out of the shackles? the blond asks. Maybe he just ain’t as dangerous as he is, the second suggests. Maybe, the blond considers and inhales.  But he doubts it. Way he hears it, the red-eyed man remarks with a smirk, he’s been here a while. That depends, the other replies. Does a year and a half count as a while. You spend enough time in a South American prison, time doesn’t mean what it used to.
The door creaks, an one-eyed man smoking a cigar, peers inside. Which one of them is Cole Cash? he demands. De ugly one, the redeyed guy quips. That don’t narrow it down much. Cash gets a choice. Come with him, do this job and he’s free. Stay here and rot. Not much of a choice, comes the reply. Darn he noticed. And so Cole Cash leaves with Nick Fury, leaving Remy le Beau behind.
As they leave in a car, Cole asks what makes him so special. Those soldiers are practically shaking in their boots. And ‘cause he’s driving him out of a three hundred years to life sentence. Maybe he’s a long loss uncle, comes the gruff reply. What’s it matter to him?
In the jungle, they are attacked. There is a sudden explosion. Rebels! Cole shouts. Not quite, Fury replies calmly. He’s been here for a while, Cole insists, as more people fire at the car. Trust him, they are rebels. The gunmen come running towards them. Trust him, Fury replies, they ain’t. . As if on cue they transform into Brood Warriors. Death to the humans! they cry. What the hell is that? Cole asks. Told ya, Fury quips.
Fury suggests he stop gaping and start shooting. And soon they are embroiled in battle. When things start looking bad, Fury hits the pedal, asking if Cole gets airsick. In a jeep? Cole deadpans. No. How’s about a hovercraft? Fury asks as the car flies up in the air. He’ll let him know. But he can tell him this much - their friends here can fly too. Not a problem, Fury retorts and Cole soon sees why as someone is knocking them out of the sky.
Not someone, Fury corrects, something. In the old day they called it the cavalry, nowadays it’s called SHIELD.
Above them they see the Helicarrier. It’s called SHIELD, Fury continues. It stands for the Supreme Headquarters of something something something. In words of one syllable: They are the good guys. Let him correct that. If you’er an innocent country being stomped on by some tinplated despot? Or if some raving loon has got a death ray pointed at yet head? Or if things are just plain SNAFUed? Then they are the good guys. But get in their way – they are as bad as it gets.
And the floating bathtub? Cole asks, as they land. The eggheads call it a helicarrier. He’s always been too embarrassed to ask what that means.
A petite, pretty blonde awaits them, asking if their mission was a success. Fury introduces this “walking sexual discrimination suit waiting to happen” as Ms. Honeygate. If everyone’s done spraying their scent, she remarks, can they get to work?
Work? Cole asks. Saving the world, comes the reply. Welcome to SHIELD, Cole Cash. Here’s hopin’ ya survive the experience.
Madripoor, Eagle’s nest, the south-east Asian estate of Warren Worthington. In the back yard, Iceman and Angel are fooling around. Warren tells Iceman their fearless leader is going to be torqued at him for icing this up. He was planning on using the courtyard for a training session. What do they need to train for? Bobby boasts. Besides old-since-birth Summers isn’t fearless, he‘s humorless. Not to mention, he’s depressed because of Jean.
Before he can finish the sentence, Cyclops’ optic blast throws him off his iceramp. Can it, Cyclops orders curtly. What in the name of his aching icecubes was that for? he protests. Scott reminds him this is no time for games. With Professor X gone, they need to train harder than ever before.
Oh please, Bobby retorts, this isn’t about training, it’s about Scott pretending he hasn’t made the biggest mistake of his life. By letting Jean leave for that modeling in Australia. Without even saying good-bye. Is he done? Good, then get back to work, comes the reply.
In a convertible to the airport sit Jean Grey and the driver Hank McCoy. Annoyed, she asks him why he is trying to make her late. Steering with his feet, Hank plays innocent. Why would he do that? Because he’s her friend, maybe? she suggests. Because he’s holding out hope that at the last possible second her on-again off-again boyfriend is going to pull his head out of his visor long enough to understand how much she loves him? How it’s okay for all of them to have a life outside of being mutants? Hank is taking that job at Rand, her modeling career is taking off.
How positively loquacious of her, he remarks. And here they say he’s the one with the way with wayward words in their dysfunctional family. While those are nice sentiments, to be certain, he was merely having trouble reading Madripooreese.
Good, Jean states forcefully, because it’s not going to happen. She is certainly a Marvel Girl, he remarks as they reach the airport. Because for all her vast mental powers she, like most people in love, can’t see what’s right in front of her face. He points to Angel, carrying Cyclops.
Did he miss anything? Scott asks. Hamming it up, Hank asks if Cyclops was making an attempt at humor. Who would have thought he’d live that long?
Jean is happy to see him. Oh Warren, you’re here too, Angel states dramatically. How sweet of you to put aside your own crush in order to help out your buddy. I’m so happy I could hug you both! While Jean hugs Scott, Hank remarks Angel has realized nobody’s listening to him, right?
Soon, after the newcomers have changed to streetwear… Angel takes Jean aside, suggesting he fuel the Worthington jet and he flies her down personally to her modeling job Down Under. They can spend their time together away from all this and declare their unspoken love for each other. That’s very tempting, Jean admits. But she doesn’t love him. Give it time, Warren suggests. She knows him since ninth grade, Jean reminds him. If it hasn’t happened yet…
Um, Jean remarks, giving Warren a pointed look. He supposes they want a moment alone, Warren remarks. And who says all that thin air is bad for you, Scott jokes. He takes Jean’s luggage to see her to the gate. So, they both state. He guesses he’ll see her when she gets back, he states. Doesn’t he mean to say he’ll miss her? Jean asks. Yes. With all his heart? Yes. Well, she is glad they had this talk. See you, Scott waves after her, chastising himself to tell her. He thinks that he loves her. She loves him too, she sends back. In the plane, Jean wonders whether she should get off…
On the Heli-carrier Fury briefs Cole about SHIELD. It’s a top-secret organization of international spies. So how come he never heard of them? Cole wisecracks. Fury tells him to shut up and listen. Most of the time they are slugging out with terrorists, an occasional pan-dimensional rifts, but this time it is different. Right now it looks like they are staring eye to eye with an invasion from outer space!
Life is tough, Cole replies. What does any of this have to do with him? Everything, comes the reply. He thinks Fury drafted him into SHIELD on account of his fashion sense? What Colonel Fury is saying the petite blonde adds, turning to a gun arsenal, is if Cole agrees to take the case he’ll have the finest array of support technology available anywhere on Earth. Nah, what said is what he said, Fury states gruffly. If he says no? Cole asks. No ain’t on his menu, comes the reply.
Ms. Honeywell assures him they’ll provide him with weapons so state-of-the-art that they haven’t even been named yet. Great, he retorts, so he takes it, none of them have been field-tested yet. Against the aliens? No. But the pen works. So it writes? he asks. No, but it makes a great laser.
Is that a mask? he asks. Among other things. It’s more like armament wear. The tunic and trenchcoat are made of Kevlar armor. The mask works as an airborne toxin inhibitor, an infra-red night vision locator, an octagon 360-degree microscopic receptor and analyzer. All that and he’ll fit right in at Mardi Gras, he deadpans. So why him? Two reasons, Fury replies. One because they got it on good authority that he rates real high in the psi department. Two, they don’t expect him to come back. He’s 100% expendable. She’d appreciate though if he brought back the laser pen. It’s a prototype, Miss Honeywell adds.
On the plane, Jean tries to read while the captain greets the passengers, telling them if there is anything they can do to make the trip more enjoyable, please notify their flight attendant. Here’s a suggestion, a gruesome voice hisses. He can start by dying. Jean is startled, suddenly finding herself surrounded y reptilian, vicious beings.
What are they? she asks. Calling her “Agent Maslow,” one of them orders her not to feign ignorance. For months Maslow scoured the globe in search of evidence of the Brood’s unholy alliance with the Daemonites. Agent Maslow will never get anywhere near the Heaven’s Gate!
Jean snaps out of it, realizing this was something between a dream and a psionic assault. The way the creature was talking to her, was almost like it wasn’t’ talking to her at all.
A flight attendant asks her if she is okay. She’s fine Jean claims, but then notices a nervous sweating man nearby. She realizes that his panicked thoughts were intruding on her own. So who is this Agent Maslow? Who are these aliens that are after him? And why does she suddenly feel she’s not going to have much time for modeling on this trip?
Below, on the ground, Miss Honeywell explains to Cole that his contact is on the plane, an agent named… He’s read the dossier, Cole cuts her off. What he wants to know is what a nice quiet, well-toned but repressed babe like her is doing knee-deep in this cloak and dagger crap? She hints that she’s always been a lot smarter than she looks. A regular savant, huh? he asks. That’s one way of putting it, she agrees. That explains the how but not the why, he insists. She explains that the operative Cole and Maslow are supposed to free… she has a personal interest in making sure she gets out alive. Family? Cole asks. He turns around again to see she’s gone.
Great, he mutters as he grabs his gear and gets moving. He thought he put all this behind him when he left Team 7. Part of him is telling him he should leave this to people who actually enjoy this stuff. But there is something else, tugging at the back of his brain, telling him this about more than saving the world. About saving his own world. Crazy as it sounds, he feels like he’s off to meet his …destiny.
The plane has landed. At the airport, Jean addresses Agent Maslow, who asks her not to talk to him.
In the crowd, Cole recognizes Maslow from the picture. He wonders though how come Maslow is attracting attention to himself by hitting on the hottest redhead Cole’s ever seen. So he’s made him, chances are somebody else has too.
An elderly couple in the crowd believes Jean to be Maslow’s contact. Drawing futuristic weapons, they decide to kill them both.
Cole cries out a warning. Jean is taken by surprise and so unable to use her telekinetic power to protect Maslow, who is hit several times. Yo Ma and Pa Kettle, Cole addresses the couple as he tackles the man, he hopes they’ve got more up their sleeves than a handful of weapons!
Unfortunately they do. They transform into reptile-like beings. Yeuuck, Cole swears, isn’t anybody what they’re supposed to be anymore? The creature tackling him down mocks him, calling him a fool and goads him with the truth… it is one of the warriors of the Brood, a forward scout for their race, determined to destroy all human life in this sector. But when they arrived, they discovered another race was already there… the Daemonites. Rather than fight they decided to… Cole tells him to slow down, he has to get a pen to write it all down.
Meanwhile, Jean cradles the dying Maslow. She tells him she can’t save his life, but she can help him deliver the intelligence he’s gathered. He has to open his mind to her freely and trust her. He begs her to stop them. The mental transferred complete, Jean vows, gladly.
With her psychic powers, she attacks the aliens around Cole and now they turn their attention on her, overpowering Jean. Interested they note, she seems to be some kind of mutant. Perhaps they should bring her to the head geneticist who has proved so useful to their plans.
Cole decides he has to help, no matter how much he may hate to do this. He shouts in agony as raw psionic power pours out of him, killing the aliens. Not again! he moans. Got to stop the rush! Tore apart the team. Won’t let it destroy me!
Jean reaches out to him and pulls his mind back together. Looking up, Cole weakly states she’s an angel. Thank you, Jean replies, but actually she’s a mutant. But actually comes a policeman’s voice, they are under arrest. But actually they are not, Jean replies, snaps her fingers and mentally freezes the cops. She and Cole walk out.
Less than twenty miles away, off the coast of Sidney. A nice house. Somebody gets a radio transmission from the merc called Pike, who informs him that those halfbreeds (and he doesn’t mean that in a derogatory way), half Brood half Daemonites he spliced together, turns out they are getting antsy, difficult to control. Instead of staying out of the public eye, they just tried to take out some human SHIELD agents at the airport.
And Pike is telling him that because…? the other man asks. Why, mister? Because he’s been employed to see to it nothing happens to foul up tonight, Pike reminds him. Then do your job, comes the reply. That was instructional, Pike scoffs. Anything else he can do for him, Mister? Yes. Stop calling me Mister, Mister Sinister orders.
From a hotel room, Jean, now dressed in her Marvel Girl costume, calls Xavier’s but only gets the answering machine. She gives a brief account of what happened and asks the X-Men to come… And Scott, hurry! she adds, looking at Cole.
So was he home? Cole asks, while she finishes bandaging his injuries. Who he? Jean asks. Her boyfriend he, Cole specifies while he winces. What makes him think she has a boyfriend? Didn’t he tell her – he’s a mindreader. Not the way he hit those aliens with that psionic sledgehammer, he‘s not, Jean retorts. Which reminds her, thanks for saving her life earlier. Cheater he calls her and touches her chin. He was about to thank her for saving his life. Go ahead, she tells him after a pause.
Cole kisses her for a long time, but finally breaks it off. She wasn’t kissing back. She’s sorry, Jean tells him. Her boyfriend is a very lucky guy. Tell him that when he meets him, she suggest. Sometimes he forgets. Jean turns away. Wait. They can still save the world, right? he asks. Yes, they can still save the world, Jean agrees.
Evening. And the two of them, dressed up, enter the Luxury Cruiser called Heaven’s Wave. The term is not much to go on, Cole remarks. But it was the dominant thought in agent Maslow’s mind, she explains. And it’s the name of this ship hosting this fundraiser. Too bad Maslow didn’t leave them tickets at the door, he remarks. He did a great job of talking them through those bouncers, Jean admits. Quit the grifter, isn’t he? She thinks? Thinking is the second best thing she does, Jean assures him.  He won’t ask, Cole sighs.
But what does she think of all these international movers and shakers in one place? She thinks if a race of body swappers wanted to insinuate themselves into ever corner of the globe, this would be the place to do it. Cole’s instincts agree. There is a booming noise and the lights go off. Good instincts, Jean states wryly.
Amidst the smoke a costumed and armed man appears, introducing himself as Pike. On behalf of the Brood / Daemonite alliance, he’d like to thank all of them for their donation this evening. The life they give tonight – that is their own – will go a long way to providing a pleasant home for some disadvantaged young Hybrid. Now he’s sure they are all in a rush to get started. Jeeves? A harmless Butler turns into a hybrid and Pike orders him to get these people updeck to be prepared for the incubation process. The hybrids obey.
Jean and Cole, in the meantime, have taken off and are getting to their outfits which they have stashed outside the ship. Jean telekinetically lowers them. How do they get back inside? she wonders. With this, he tells her and gets his pen. Using the laser, he creates an entrance.
Pike informs Sinister that everything is ready. Sinister orders him to bring them down one at a time.
Elsewhere on the ship, Cole tells Jean that she doesn’t have to do this. It isn’t her fight. From what she understands, he was drafted. Technically, it’s not his fight either. No, but it was not his fight first. Ready, they decide.
They find the junction box, Cole cuts the electricity. The next moment, they are attacked by Hybrid. Cole fires at them, apologizing to Jean he is not used to covering someone’s back. He usually works on his own. Her? She usually works with four other guys. Well, maybe someday she’ll be secure and good enough to strike out on her own, he patronizes her.
One of the creatures makes its getaway and they follow. It leaves through a hydraulic door that shuts after it. Jean orders Cole to stand back. Why? he asks. She can’t possibly be hiding a key anywhere inside that miniskirt. The one thing she does better than thinking is this, Jean replies and telekinetically blasts the door apart.
What exactly do those four other guys have to do when she’s around? he asks. Maybe someday he’ll be secure and good enough to be part of a team, then he’ll know for himself, she retorts. It’s going to have to be a pretty big team, he deadpans, seeing the army of hybrids on the other side.
Run? Jean suggests. Running works, he replies, getting off some shots. The next moment, they are stopped by a biokinetic blast courtesy of Pike, who easily takes out Cole with a kick that takes Cole through the wall. Knocked in the chamber beyond, Cole lands in a certain lab where Sinister is currently experimenting on his shackled prisoner, Coda warrior turned SHIELD agent, Zealot.
Zealot suggests Sinister surrender. She can sense the redhead is a mutant. Yes, and they do so love to travel in groups, don’t they? Sinister agrees wryly. He crouches next to the unconscious Jean Grey, taking a cell sample.
While he and Pike are busy with Jean, Zealot roughly kicks Cole, ordering him to get up. She berates him for being useless. Is he going to continue to kneel before her or at least try to help? They didn’t have a gag anywhere? he mutters.
Pike suddenly noticed their interaction, warning Sinister. Zealot is the last person he wants running free around here. Hearing a very familiar noise, Sinister tells him he begs to differ. He recognizes the sound of that optic blast. Before Pike can ask what an optic blast is, Jean takes him out with a telekinetic blast. Sinister slides into the shadows while Jean is busy with Pike and the Hybrids, pleased that his identity remains secret for today. He was right, he muses a moment later when an optic blast is fired.
Seeing the four X-Men, Cole asks Jean to tell him those are the other four guys on her team. Let’s just say they are not the Beatles, Angel quips.
Cyclops orders Cole to drop the gun. Unwilling to be ordered around, Cole warns him he had a bad day and points the gun at Cyke. It just got worse, Scott warns him. That moment, Cole’s gun backfires and Scott’s optic blast is deflected courtesy of a pissed-off Marvel Girl. Men! she and Zealot state derisively.
Later, the X-Men fly off. So who’s her friend? Scott asks Jean who looks down pensively. Just some guy, she states.
Down on the ship, Zealot remarks that, if he is through mooning over that woman who is certainly too smart and too in love to even bother giving him a second look, perhaps they can commence with his training. She senses great power in him. If he agrees, she will begin teaching him to best control that power. But the lessons will be… rigorous. He will have not time to waste thinking about pleasures of the flesh.
With her around, he doesn’t think that will ever pop into his head, he promises. What is that supposed to mean? she asks coldly. Read my mind, he tells her. All the best babes can.