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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Invasion of the Baby-Snatchers
‘Who dares to summon the dread N’astirh and his N’asteris from this stygian depths of Limbo? What is this babble of swords…and interdimensional journeys?’ The dread N’astirh stands, flanked by his N’asteris on the edge of a cave in the dimension known as Limbo, while the demon known as S’ym stands several feet away, arms folded across his chest as he stands near a very special sword. S’ym informs N’astirh that this sword holds Limbo stable, adding that it is the Darkchilde’s token of dominance.
N’astirh declares that it is more than just a token, but the key that locks limbo to the Darkchilde. ‘That keeps it safe from you…who would steal it for yourself!’ S’ym calls N’astirh “Horse-Face” and boasts that he will rule this dimension and the one beyond as he smashes N’astirh in the face. N’astirh tells S’ym to have a care, and shifting his physical form so that he is bigger than S’ym, N’astirh declares that those who risk what petty power they possess in a play for more chance losing it all!
S’ym tackles N’astirh to the ground, forcing him down hard and boasts that he has gathered enough power already, explaining that each time the Darkchilde takes the sword, his own power grows. S’ym warns N’astirh that if he threatens him or his plans, then he will lose what life he has. N’astirh reminds S’ym that his magicks protect him against S’ym’s transmode virus, but S’ym boasts that his power is greater still.
S’ym declares that it is time to talk journeys and orders N’astirh and his servants to take a trip to Earth where they will find and steal thirteen power-filled babies and bring them to the chosen place - for the performance of S’ym’s dread rite - and the attainment of S’ym’s dread purpose! S’ym points out that the sword has vanished, meaning the Darkchilde took it and left the door unlatched!
S’ym exclaims that another reality beckons and order N’astirh by his power that he will travel there, the vanguard of S’ym’s army. One of N’astirh’s little N’asteris addresses N’astirh as “Mawthur” and asks him if he is going to let S’ym get away with sending them to another reality. ‘You didn’t even try to fight him!’ The little demon exclaims that N’astirh could have won and then they could have stayed. ‘I seen you fight -’ N’astirh calls the demon Crotus and tells him to shut up, revealing that he has his own aspirations concerning this invasion of Earth….
Shortly, on Earth, a man with long grey hair and a long grey beard sits at his desk while reading a copy of Tales from the Crypt when he spies a flash of light out by the old mausoleum nearby. The squat man takes a lantern and leaves his home, treading down a path into the nearby graveyard he wonders what it could be - heat lightning perhaps? Instead though, the man stumbles upon N’astirh and his N’asteris who have arrived on Earth. N’astirh asks Crotus if he can feel the ambient energy of the planet - how it enriches his power - even in this repository of the dead!
N’astirh decides that this is an appropriate base from which to begin their work - safe from the prying eyes of Earth’s natives. ‘Dead lord!’ exclaims the frightened man as he shines his light upon the dwellers of Limbo. N’astirh shields his eyes from the bright light of the lantern as he orders his servants to bring the man to him. The man drops his lantern and begins running for his life - but the N’asteris are fast and drag him back to N’astirh.
‘Pathetic earthling, what is your name?’ N’astirh asks the squat man. ‘Bill’ the man replies in fear. N’astirh replies that this is excellent, as they need a guide, someone who is familiar with this world.
‘But first you must join us!’ N’astirh exclaims, green slobber drooling from his mouth as he holds Bill in his clawed hands. N’astirh exclaims that pieces of Bill - his heart and flesh - already fit the mold, but he must sheer away the rest. Bill screams as N’astirh engulfs him - only to spit him out, now shaped like a demon, still very squat, and wearing his clothes, though they are far too big for him now.
The Bill-demon waddles away from N’astirh who exclaims ‘No word of thanks? To be expected since you can no longer speak!’ N’astirh orders the Bill-demon to join his companions, since henceforth he will serve the N’asteri as one of them. N’astirh declares that he requires thirteen infants of power and purity, and orders his subservants to bring them to him. One of the demons asks “Mawthur” how they will know them. N’astirh explains that their senses will lead them to the children.
‘Like this, “Mawthur”? Have I found one?’ another demon asks holding up a large rat very close to his jagged teeth. ‘Fools! Cretins! Incompetents!’ N’astirh shouts, telling the N’asteris that the ones they seek are human, much like their new friend Bill, only small with large heads and no hair - and round, innocent eyes!
Elsewhere, two pairs of round and innocent eyes watch as the lives of four super powered teens are about to be turned upside down. ‘You know why I have to go!’ Russel “Rusty” Collins tells his girlfriend and teammate Sally Blevins a.k.a. Skids. ‘No I don’t!’ Sally replies, ‘You explained it - but it just doesn’t make sense!’ Sally and Rusty have their arms wrapped around each other outside Portsmouth Naval Prison in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Several Naval officers stand nearby, while the mutant super heroes X-Factor - Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman and Beast - stand in the other direction. Sally and Rusty’s friends and teammates Boom-Boom a.k.a. Tabitha Smith and Rictor a.k.a. Julio Estibeen Richter wait with them. The two pairs of round, innocent eyes belong to the faces of Artie Maddicks (the pink one) and the Morlock Leech (the green one).
Rusty reminds Sally that when his flame power first manifested he was in the Navy, and he hurt some people, so he ran away. He adds that if X-Factor hadn’t found him, he thinks he would still be running around. He exclaims that X-Factor helped him, so now it is his turn to help other mutants. ‘I don’t see how your surrendering - and going to prison - will help anybody!’ Sally exclaims. Rusty points out that they were both born with an extra wrinkle in their genetic structure that gives them powers - but when it comes down to it, they are just people, who have the same rights - and duties - as everyone else.
Rusty reminds Sally that there is now the new law - the Mutant Registration Act - that tries to force mutants to register with the government. A law which says that they are dangerous weapons that Uncle Sam needs to keep track of. Rusty declares that he thinks it is a bad law, but that he will surrender to the Navy, after all, he did go AWOL, but he will never sign the petition. One of the Naval officers goes over to the young lovers and tells them that their time is up. He tries to force Rusty along, but an annoyed Rusty tells them to get back, reminding them that he is surrendering voluntarily, and to prove a point, bursts into flames.
The Naval officer quickly moves out of the way while Rusty stands engulfed by the flames. Sally doesn’t move either, standing by her man, she is not harmed by the flames thanks to her force field. Rusty tells the Naval officers that he will come with them when he is ready. The Naval officers are just amazed at how Skids can stand there and the fire doesn’t touch her, but Rusty knows what Sally is doing and tells her to stop shutting him out.
Rusty holds his girlfriend close, assuring her that he doesn’t want to leave her, but points out that they are famous now, so he has a chance to focus publicity on that law and maybe help mutants win this one in court. ‘Maybe I can use what’s happened to me to make life better for mutants everywhere’. Sally agrees, telling Rusty that he made her life better, reminding him that before she met him her force field cut her off from everybody.
The young lovers both drop their respective powers and touch skin-on-skin. ‘You taught me to do this - to touch, to feel! I don’t want to lose you. I love you!’ Sally exclaims. Rusty tells Sally that he loves her too, and points out that he has a good lawyer, so it will all be okay. Rusty then reminds Sally that X-Factor is shipping her and the others off to boarding school, which is almost as bad as prison. ‘How can you make me laugh at a time like this? Can’t you see how miserable I am!’ Sally exclaims.
Rusty notices Artie and Leech approaching him and he asks him what is going on, suggesting that Leech stay back from Artie so as not to cancel out his mutant powers. Artie, who communicates by psychically projecting images into the air shows images of he and Leech waving goodbye, and a broken heart, alongside a four-leaf clover and a horse shoe for good luck. Rusty hugs his two teary-eyed companions, thanking them and telling them that he loves them too - before he is lead off by the Naval officers.
Several days later, Jean “Marvel Girl” Grey telekinetically flies herself carrying Artie and Leech down to a school, and she congratulates Leech for having his damper field in real close without cancelling out her power. The first X-Woman tells the boys that she knows they are a little nervous, but that this is an excellent school with a long waiting list, so they are lucky to be accepted in so quickly. ‘I guess there’s something to be said for being famous public figures, isn’t there?’ Jean remarks.
A woman approaches Jean and the boys and as she shakes Jean’s hand she introduces herself as Dr. Gloria Johnson, the headmaster of St. Simons, before introducing her assistant, Lynne Huntington. Jean exclaims that she is delighted to finally meet them both in person, before introducing them to Leech and Artie Maddicks. Gloria and Lynne both kneel down to greet Artie and Leech, and Lynne tells the boys that Jean told them all about how they learned to control their special mutant abilities. ‘And she’s asked us to help you master your “human” ones,’ Gloria adds.
Lynne begins to lead Artie off while Gloria leads Leech in another direction. Lynne tells Artie that if he works as hard with them as he did with X-Factor, then she believes that in no time at all he will be able to speak, to read and write and do math. ‘Won’t that be fun!’ Across the courtyard though, Leech cries ‘No!’, causing Gloria to stop and ask him what is wrong. Artie projects his thoughts, an image of he and Leech together and happy, next to an image of them being separate and sad.
Gloria and Lynne walk over to each other with the boys in tow, and smiling, Gloria declares that it shall be written that Artie and Leech are never to be separated. Jean follows them, smiling, while further back in the courtyard, a wheel-chair bound boy mutters ‘Yuck!’ He thinks to himself that he has been different…a freak…stuck in this dumb wheelchair ever since the accident - when hi mom and dad died, leaving him all alone. Tears forming from behind his eyes, the boy thinks to himself that Artie and Leech are even freakier than he is - even if they do have powers
Less than a mile away is the Phillips Academy, in Exeter, New Hampshire. Bobby “Iceman” Drake creates an ice ramp and Skids, Rictor and Boom-Boom follow on it as he informs his young companions that Warren - Angel - went here as a kid, and he set up a scholarship for mutants kids some time ago, but the three of them will be the first to take advantage of it. ‘Somebody shoulda told Warren not to do us any favors!’ Boom-Boom mutters quietly.
Down below on the campus grounds, students all begin to gather around the ice-sled. ‘Ha! Beats the way most kids arrive at Exeter!’ A jock mutters to a prissy girl standing next to him called Muffy that they will let anyone into the Academy these days. ‘I didn’t realize Affirmative Action applied to mutant urchins!’ Muffy exclaims cruelly. Another boy remarks that his mother will be appalled. ‘Would you just look at those stiffs!’ Sally exclaims to Rictor and Tabitha as she motions to the Academy kids. Rictor whispers to Sally and Tabitha that he would like to wipe the smirks off the other kids faces. ‘Dumb, aren’t they Rictor? Standing under the ice ramp like that!’ Tabitha grins, a time-bomb ready in her hand.
Sally remarks that they are here to get an education, to which Boom-Boom exclaims that she thinks they should give them one! But before she can toss her destructive time-bomb onto the ice-sled, Julio tells Tabitha to let him handle it, and he touches the ice ramp near him. Suddenly, the Academy kids all hear a rumble, then a crackling, and they look up above them - only to see the ice-sled fall down on them. Sally, Julio and Tabitha all walk past, innocently.
A teacher walks over to the students and they greet her, while Sally, Rictor and Boom-Boom all stand innocently. ‘Gosh, how’d that happen? Structural flaw in the ramp?’ Rictor asks. Boom-Boom adds that she saw it coming and was hoping that those poor kids would move. Bobby frowns. ‘Sure you did’ he scolds Boom-Boom, before telling the trio that after this, Exeter can deal with them - ‘If they’ll still have you!’
Meanwhile, back at St. Simons, Lynne sits with Leech and Artie who are drawing. Artie is trying to communicate with her, but Lynne points out that Leech is too close and dampening his power. Leech informs Ms. Huntington that he is not scrambling Artie’s powers, but Artie is trying to say that talk is pictures - so why does he need letters? Suddenly, the wheelchair bound boy zooms past in his chair, exclaiming ‘Ha! They couldn’t make me walk…or learn to read…and I don’t think you should learn to read either!’
Lynne Huntington addresses the boy as Takeshi, but before she can stop him, he asks ‘So what if we’re dyslexic and aphasic - I can build things, like my souped-up double-wheelie-racier-chair!’ Takeshi exclaims that it is the most special chair in the world. He tells Ms. Huntington that Artie can talk with pictures, which is even cooler than being able to talk regularly, or read.
Another woman remarks to Dr. Gloria Johnson that Taki was so disappointed when his latest operation failed, and that he has such faith in technology, that it has taken him weeks to snap out of it. Gloria exclaims that this is the first interest Taki has ever shown in of the other kids. Gloria adds that Taki is a bright kid, but she wishes he would get that mountain-sized chip off his shoulder.
Suddenly, Taki’s wheelchair skids and collapses on top of him. Leech approaches Taki, who tells him to get away, calling him a menace and exclaiming that it is all his fault. ‘Look what you did! You screw up everything you get around! Get away from me now!’
While at Exeter, the stuck-up Muffy leads Sally and Boom-Boom to their rooms, and calling Tabitha “Tabby” assures her that she will be comfortable here. ‘Tabby?’ Boom-Boom whispers to Sally, who points out that it is short for Tabitha. Muffy tells Sally and Tabby that Exeter is a very broad-minded school, and they accept people from all walks of life. ‘Just one little boom - right down her back, that’s all I ask!’ Tabby whispers to Sally, who tells her teammate to shush.
Muffy opens the door to Sally and Boom-Boom’s room, telling them that she expects it will be more than adequate considering what they are used to. ‘I understand you lived on a boat…?’ Muffy mumbles. Sally explains that it was a ship - a space ship, when suddenly Muffy thrusts at them their blue school uniforms. ‘Yuck!’ Sally exclaims. ‘Barf city!’ shouts Tabby. Muffy informs Sally and Tabby that they all wear uniforms at the school so no-one need feel inferior.
Muffy begins to leave the room, informing Sally and Tabby that dinner is in half an hour, while mumbling ‘An ice-sled - such an amusing way to travel. Does remarkable things for your hair, doesn’t it?’ Muffy tells Sally and Tabby that they should tidy up before dinner. Angry, Boom-Boom creates a time-bomb, but Sally tells her not to - but it’s too late, Tabby tosses it into the closet. ‘Skids, just look what you made me do!’ she exclaims sarcastically. Horrified, Muffy rushes back into their room and holds up the tattered remains of the dresses. ‘They’re rags!’ Muggy gasps. ‘Such a terrible shame, Muffy…we’ll simply have to wear the rags we have on!’ Boom-Boom exclaims gleefully.
Seven days later, in the dorm for resident students at St. Simon’s Academy. Taki sits in his room, muttering that his uncle shipped him off here, but he doesn’t care, because he is a computer genius inventor. ‘I’m practically a computer myself ya know, so filled up with chips and stuff!’ Taki reveals that the doctors put them into him in an operation, thinking they would focus energy from his nerves to his muscles to help him walk - but theory is one thing, and it’s results that count. ‘And their results sucked pickled eggs!’
Taki sits in the darkness, tinkering at some invention, while Artie stands next to him, and Leech further back in the room. Taki exclaims that he has got the wires clamped, and asks Artie for the pliers. Taki makes it known that this doesn’t mean he likes Artie, just that he is letting him hand his things over - ‘But not Leech!’ however at that moment, Leech walks over, and Taki’s invention begins to go haywire.
‘I knew it!’ Taki shouts as he points a finger accusingly at Leech, ‘My inventions don’t work when you get near - and I feel funny too!’ Taki exclaims that Leech makes him feel funny and tells him to get out, that he doesn’t want him around here. Taki exclaims that this invention will measure the energy fluctuations in the air around them, before turning to Artie and ordering him to get a screwdriver. Artie doesn’t respond, just stares at Leech, then suddenly pokes his tongue out at Taki and walks over to Leech.
Taki turns and declares that he doesn’t care, that he doesn’t need them - ‘I don’t need anybody!’ Leech exclaims that he needs someone, and puts an arm around his best friend Artie. Taki complains that he still feels really funny, and calling Leech “Frog-Face” declares that it must be him. Taki once again tells Leech to keep away from him, while exclaiming ‘Oh man! Look at it! It’s my best invention ever!’ Taki exclaims that there is some really weird energy around here, when suddenly energy is expelled from his contraption and it hits him, knocking him backwards in his wheelchair.
Artie and Leech go over to Taki who wonders what is going on, as his invention shouldn’t have done that. Taki sees Leech and tells him to get back. ‘See what you made me do!’ Leech begins to leave, when suddenly Taki calls out for him to come back, apologizing and exclaiming that he feels better when Leech is around. Trapped under his wheelchair, Taki holds out a hand. ‘Come back…please’. Artie and Leech help Taki back into his wheelchair and Taki reveals that when Leech backs away from him, he can feel the energy. ‘I guess maybe you can stay with me after all’ he mutters.
Later that night, Artie and Leech are in their room, lying in their beds when they begin to hear scratching and cackling outside. Leech looks over at Artie, then climbs into his friends bed. Artie then projects an image of a saw cutting into a piece of wood, while in Taki’s room, Taki thinks that he feels funny, like that energy, when he hears a scrabbling noise, and looking out the window sees the N’asteris - only he doesn’t know what they are.
His bed is against the window, so Taki opens it and looks up at the demons, who are saying things like ‘Smell them!’ ‘Taste power!’ outside of Artie and Leech’s window. Taki calls out to the demons, telling them to get lost, but when they don’t he wonders if they cannot hear him, before remembering seeing on television, around Christmas, there were supposedly some goblins who stole some babies from a hospital in New York. Taki clambers into his wheelchair, exclaiming that he didn’t believe it, after all, he is a scientist - ‘I still don’t believe it!’
Leaving his room, Taki wonders what the demons are doing here, when he suddenly feels that strange energy again. ‘I don’t know why I’m bothering. I don’t even like kids!’ He wonders what he cares if anything happens to Artie and Leech, when he pushes open their door and sees the demons putting Artie and Leech into sacks. ‘No! Get away from them!’ Taki shouts, when suddenly Crotus leaps over to him, ordering him to shut up. Crotus then discovers that Taki is filled with power and wonders if they should take him with them.
Suddenly, there is a loud zap, and a burst of light as Crotus is shot back from Taki. A puzzled Taki sees a gun that has strangely appeared on his wheelchair and wonders how it got there. ‘What’s going on? Did I do it? Is it cause of the computer chips?’ he wonders. Another demon suggests that they leave Taki, as “Mawthur” says the babies should be little. ‘Is little!’ another demon points out. Taki realizes that he must have don’t it, and wonders how, before realizing that it doesn’t matter.
Suddenly his wheelchair has changed form and is armed with more lazers as he speeds over to the demons in his “Goblin Buster”. What matters, he exclaims, is results - but as the wheelchair approaches Leech, it returns to normal, and Taki falls from it due to the speed. Leech exclaims that Taki is a mutant. ‘Leech...stop powers…close!’ Leech cries out as he is carried away, adding that he is sorry. ‘I’m…what?’ Taki asks. Ione of the demons tells the others to grab him, ‘He be three!’ But another smacks Taki across the room, ‘Mawthur says…should be bald! Leave him!’
Sometime later, Taki wakes from his beating as Lynne Huntington kneels over him, asking him if he is all right. Taki replies that he is fine, and asks what happened. Taki looks around the room, realizing that he is still in Artie and Leech’s room he exclaims that goblins came in the window then stole Artie and Leech. ‘Goblins?’ asks Lynne. A man gets Taki’s wheelchair and motions to one of the beds, pointing out two effigies - small dolls resembling Artie and Leech. The man declares that this is crazy, before remarking that if they know their myths, leaving effigies in place of stolen children is classic goblin behavior! He informs Lynne that he will call the police while she gets Taki back to bed.
Shortly, Lynne sits on the edge of Taki’s bed as he informs her that the goblins had wings and horns and said they weren’t going to take him because he has hair. He declares that he tried to stop them, ramming them with his wheelchair but that they knocked him over and took off without him. Lynne thanks Taki and tells him to try and get some sleep. Lynne leaves Taki’s room, but he sits up in bed and listens to her standing outside the door and talking to some police officers, who tell her that Taki’s story was pretty fanciful and that he is certainly very imaginative.
The police inform Lynne that they tried to phone X-Factor but that all lines into New York are in use. ‘At this time of night?’ Taki thinks to himself, before deciding that something weird is going on here, ‘Who can blame them if they think I’ve popped my cork?!’ Taki thinks that even Lynne didn’t believe him, and that he didn’t even tell her the weirdest part of all. Taki gets into his wheelchair and sneaks from his room deciding that if X-Factor cannot be reached then he could try and ring the big kids, after all, he heard Lynne say they were at Exeter.
Taki reminds himself that he has only seen the big kids on TV, but he knows they will be used to this stuff, so they will believe him…he hopes. Taki manages to get through to the other Academy and introduces himself as Takeshi Matsuya and exclaims that he urgently needs to talk to Skids about some goblins. Muffy is on the other end of the phone and replies that practical jokes are the lowest form of wit - especially at three-thirty in the morning. She adds that the dorm phone will be off the hook for the rest of the night and bids Taki a good night.
Taki changes his clothing and sneaks out of the Academy, deciding that all there is left to do is to wheel over to the older kids Academy, even though it is over a mile away. He supposes that when he gets there, he will throw rocks at their windows, before realizing that he doesn’t even know which is the girls dorm. He wonders why he is bothering, as he hates kids, before realizing that, right now, he hates grown ups even more, for they should have listened to him but didn’t. ‘Fanciful imagination!’ he mocks.
Suddenly, Taki wonders what he is doing, after all, he is a mutant, and he can make his wheelchair into anything he wants! Excitedly, he transforms his regular mode of transport into a copter - but it doesn’t do anything, it just sits there. He wonders why he isn’t moving, before realizing that he must need a power source. He supposes that a small generator might work, and boasts that he sure is lucky he is an inventor genius.
Taki’s copter takes off, and he boasts that a mile is nothing, before exclaiming that he is a mutant like Artie and Leech, that he can make his wheelchair take him anywhere, make it do anything. ‘I never have to feel alone again!’ he shouts.
Approaching the other Academy, Taki spots what he thinks might be the girls dorm, as there is lace on the curtains, and even if it isn’t, then hopefully whoever it is can tell him where the girls dorm is. ‘Hey, Skids! Skids of X-Factor!’ Taki shouts loudly. ‘Are you in there?!’ Sally and Tabby open their window and Sally calls out ‘Yeah, I’m Skids - what’s going on?’ other girls in the dorm all being poking their heads out of their own windows too as they watch the commotion.
Taki lowers a rope ladder from his copter as he informs the girls that Artie and Leech got kidnapped by goblins, before informing them that he is also a mutant and explaining that the police could not contact X-Factor, so that is why he is coming to them. ‘X-Factor’s off saving the world or something - that’s why they stuck us here!’ Boom-Boom informs him.
Suddenly, a woman pokes her head out of another room with a phone in her hand, ‘Police? I’m calling to report a disturbance on campus!’ she exclaims while pointing at Skids who is climbing up Taki’s rope ladder. Taki tells the girls to hurry and assures them that his copter can hold more than one person. Tabby tells Sally to wait for her, ‘If you’re cutting classes, I’m cutting classes!’. However Boom-Boom’s added weight causes the copter to topple, and Skids almost falls out of it. ‘What kinda crummy helicopter is this anyway? Doesn’t it have any lift?’ Tabby shouts.
Rictor pokes his head out of a nearby window, it seems he overheard the recent conversation and asks his roommate, Ed, to take notes in class for him. Ed replies that he will, before asking Rictor if he can help. Julio jumps out of the window and grabs the rope ladder, thanking his roommate for the offer, before pointing out that they will be lucky if the copter can carry them as it is.
Several police officers arrive and standing under the ladder tell Julio that they knows this is summer, but stunts like this can land them in hospital - or jail! ‘Tell me about it!’ Rictor mutters in reply, before asking Taki if this cannot go any higher. Taki explains that they cannot take four of them, as he cannot generate the power for it! Tabby grins and tells Rictor that if she were him, she would climb, fast. With that, she drops a time-bomb down at the police officers.
Rictor safely makes it up the ladder and Taki asks what those were. Tabby replies that they are energy pellets, her “time-bombs”, explaining that she makes them, they’re her power. Taki informs his new companions that he is going to dump the generator, as they have better ways to use their mass. Down below, someone cries ‘Get back! It’s gonna crash!’, while Tabby asks Taki if he is crazy. Calling Tabby “Motor-Mouth”, Taki points out that her time-bombs release energy, so she should just pop one of them into the compartment and then everyone needs to brace themselves.
Tabby does as she is told, but the copter just falls to the ground - until the time-bomb explodes, then the copter blasts off into the air, with a new design able to hold all four easier. ‘Who needs wings when you’ve got rockets!’ Taki exclaims. Sally remarks that they have almost everyone now. ‘Almost?’ Taki asks, to which Sally replies that they have to go and get Rusty. Taki asks what they need him for, to which Sally explains that he is their leader, he will know what to do, adding that he has even had military experience. Taki asks where Rusty is, and Sally informs him that he is at the Portsmouth Naval prison, which is not too far from here.
Shortly, the jet arrives at the prison and Sally asks Taki if he can made the jet hover over the building so they can listen and find out where the cells are. ‘You mean he’s in prison?’ Taki asks. ‘Sure, don’t you read the papers?’ Sally replies, before telling him to shush. The jet hovers by an office, where two Naval soldiers are remaking that the “mutant kid” is well behaved and seems to have adjusted to prison life. ‘Just as well - I hear the administration’s going to make an example of him!’ another officer exclaims.
The first replies that he heard that too, ‘They’re gonna throw away the key!’ he declares. ‘Oh no! They can’t! We gotta get him outta here!’ Sally gasps. ‘Uh…that’s against the law…isn’t it?’ Taki asks. Tabby declares that it is, but they are all minors, and have to think of what is best for Artie and Leech! With that, she tosses a time-bomb at the building, causing the officers to be knocked off their feet as the wall around them bursts open.
Taki transforms the copter into a tank and the former wards of X-Factor, still dressed in their nightwear, rush into action. ‘It’s an invasion!’ one of the officers cries. ‘Guards!’ shouts another. Sally tells her friends to remember their teamwork and warns Boom-Boom to make sure no one gets hurt. ‘Don’t tell me - tell them!’ Tabby replies as a group of Naval officers enter the room with weapons. ‘Halt!’ one of them orders, until Rictor claps his hands together, creating a seismic shock and knocking the officers back.
Sally protects herself from a barrage of bullets thanks to her force field, while she calls out for Rusty. ‘Yo! Rus-tay!’ Tabby and Rictor shout in unison. Sally tells Taki to keep plowing ahead and trying to find Rusty’s cell while she extends her force field to shield everyone as much as she can. But entering the cell block, Sally sees that there are hundreds of cells, but begins calling out to Rusty, asking him where he is. Rusty eventually calls out, not realizing it is his girlfriend and teammates, he is shocked when he sees them.
Rusty asks his friends what they are doing here, ‘Was it you making that racket? Why aren’t you at school? He asks. Sally tells her lover that they are getting him out of here, to which Rusty asks if they are all bucking for their own cell, pointing out that it is a federal offense. ’See!’ mumbles Taki. Rusty declares that he has got to “face the music”, reminding his friends that this is a voluntary act of protest. Rusty declares that he will not register as a mutant, but that he is willing to be held accountable for his crime so long as it is judged under human law!
‘Skids, don’t you see? We cant let them treat us like…aliens or something!’ Rusty exclaims. ‘We’re humans, born with special gifts!’ There is a loud BOOM as Boom-Boom tosses a time-bomb against Rusty’s cell as she exclaims ‘We sure are…and we’re using them! Now!’ Rictor pulls Rusty into the tank, but Rusty protests, asking his friends if they didn’t hear what he said. ‘Yeah we heard all right - you haven’t shut up!’ Julio exclaims, before telling Rusty that he should listen for a change. ‘You think we’re doing this for you?’
Sally tells Rusty that Artie and Leech have been kidnapped. ‘By goblins!’ Taki adds. ‘What!?’ exclaims Rusty. Suddenly, the soldiers enter the cell block, well armed. ‘There they are! Fire when ready!’ one of them orders. Rusty agrees to go with his teammates, but points out that this will make it a whole lot harder for other mutants to get a square deal. ‘Not to be a pessimist, Rusty, but I don’t think a square deal is exactly what they had in mind!’ Sally exclaims as she blocks the bullets fired by the soldiers.
Taki forces the tank out of the cell and transforms it into a jet once more as the group take off into the sky. Sally declares that she doesn’t care about a square deal for mutant kind right now, she is more worried about Artie and Leech. ‘All right, I’m convinced!’ Rusty assures his girlfriend, before asking how they are going to find them….


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

[Assistant]
Speed Demon
A cemetery, no zombies are rising from the ground tonight. Instead, goblins are dropping from the sky! ‘There below - N’astirh’s palace of the dead!’ one of the demons exclaims motioning to a large mausoleum. Another demon declares that they should get inside quickly, as the sun is rising. Two of the demons are carrying two special children - Leech and Artie Maddicks! Mutant children, formerly wards of X-Factor, now in deep, deep trouble! The demons, or N’asteris as they are actually known enter the mausoleum and call out to their lord N’astirh, who is currently standing by a pentagram of fire where he is communicating with Cameron Hodge, assuring him that he will recall his creatures, provided Hodge speaks the truth. ‘You will not die…and your organization will prosper’.
Suddenly the N’asteris collide with one another and bump into N’astirh who is knocked into the flaming pentagram. ‘Clumsy fools!’ he shouts. ‘You interrupt my communications!’ One of the N’asteris calls to Crotus, motioning to Belasco’s ancient book of spells which N’astirh has. ‘Mawthur has it!’ Crotus exclaims. ‘Master stole it!’ the other goblin corrects. Crotus asks his “Mawthur” what he needs it for. N’astirh replies that it is the template by which he will create his kingdom here on Earth, spells for the communication and acquisition.
N’astirh informs his servants that the ether of this world is dense, so magicks require more finesse, more effort, and more time. The demon remarks that time is the great enemy, he needs time to contact those who will be his allies - and those who he will exploit! N’astirh adds that to twist what his rival, S’ym, will do here and in Limbo, to further his own needs.
N’astirh then looks down at the ground, where Artie and Leech are cowering, and asks ‘And what are these?’ ‘Infants, Mawthur, like you say! Human infants…filled with power!’ ‘Little, see? But innocent eyes…and bald!’ N’astirh smacks the goblins on the head and shouts ‘No! These creatures may be human…but they are too large to be infants!’ He looks at Artie and Leech and adds that only “the green one” glows with power.
N’astirh declares that he has avoided the transmode virus that has changed S’ym into a techno-organic monster and thus rendered him unfit to rule Limbo. Shifting his form, N’astirh exclaims that he has extend his vast power to protect all that serve him - ‘And this is my reward? I am attended by incompetents and fools!’ N’astirh orders his N’asteris to take “those creatures” out - and destroy them, while at the same time, Leech whispers to Artie, ‘Go!’
But Artie and Leech cannot run fast enough, and they bump into Crotus. Crotus picks Artie up. ‘No power? But Mawthur…taste!’ he exclaims as he licks Artie. ‘Is filled with power!’ Crotus declares. Leech exclaims that he has power, but Artie has no power. ‘Let Artie go!’ Crotus tells N’astirh that this is strange, for he is certain both of them had power when he captured them. Crotus tells another goblin to take “the pink one” away from the other, and N’astirh picks Artie up, then examines him closer. ‘You are right, Crotus - he glows with power!’
Suddenly, Artie projects an image of X-Factor - Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman and Beast - all fighting N’astirh. N’astirh tosses Artie to the floor as another message is projected, depicting the location of the mausoleum. ‘What kind of spy have you brought me, here, Crotus?’ N’astirh demands. Artie’s next image depicts he and Leech been carried away by the goblins, but tossed next to Leech, it fades away, as another goblin points out to N’astirh. ‘No powers, Artie - Leech sorry!’
Meanwhile, four mutant teens and their new companion Taki see the fading image appear before them as they fly high in the air in Taki’s wheelchair which has been transformed into a jet. ‘What was that!?’ exclaims Tabby Smith a.k.a. Boom-Boom. Russel Collins, better known simply as “Rusty” remarks that it is obviously one of Artie’s projections, trying to tell them where he is, and to bring X-Factor. ‘I know that’ Boom-Boom mutters, before asking what those creatures were and where they took Artie and Leech - somewhere that looked like a cemetery.
Takeshi Matsuya reminds Boom-Boom that he already told here what they were, as he was there - they’re goblins, or perhaps demons. Boom-Boom exclaims that there is no such thing as demons - ‘Is there…?’ Julio Esteban Richter, aptly known as “Rictor” suggests that they might have been evil mutants that look like demons. Rusty remarks that whatever the creatures are, they have taken Artie and Leech to New York, for he recognized the Twin Towers.
Rusty takes control of the situation, informing his friends and Taki that they are going to New York also, though he admits that how to get there might be a problem. Rictor mumbles that unless one of them brought a map, they don’t even know which way New York is. Taki smiles and declares that it is no sweat, and motions to a computer console on the jet, showing them on a map where they are now and where they need to go.
Tabby tells Taki to “gun it”, ‘New York, here we come!’ she exclaims, ‘Gonna kick some demon - or whatever - tail!’ Rusty tells his friends to hold up, pointing out that they are hours from New York, not to mention most of them are in pyjamas and he is in his prison clothing. Rusty adds that Taki’s transport isn’t that fast will all five of them onboard, before telling them that he appreciates them breaking him out of the naval prison to lead them, ‘But where I’m leading you is to a phone!’ Rusty declares that they are going to bring in the big guns by calling X-Factor!
Meanwhile, in New York, the goblins tell N’astirh that they are hungry. ‘If human children no good for magic, we can eat them!’ Crotus exclaims. N’astirh assures his N’asteris that they can eat the children after their work is done. N’astirh chains Leech and Artie together, ‘One power will cancel out the other - and prevent their escape!’ he declares.
N’astirh turns back to his subservants, reminding them that he requires infants, thirteen of them, and points out that other squadrons even now perform their assigned duties. ‘Find me those infants of power and purity! Bring them to me!’ he shouts. N’astirh warns Crotus and the other goblins that if they take too long, then he will eat Artie and Leech himself, before announcing that he must contact the Goblin Queen.
N’astirh remarks that even a simple spell of contact takes much too long, minutes to saw the spells and more to strengthen them! Crotus picks up the glasses that N’astirh used to examine Artie and Leech and decides that he will use them for his self. Standing in front of the flaming pentagram, N’astirh exclaims that time is running out and that there must be a quicker way. He then announces that he will feed both Artie and Leech to the demon who brings him a faster way to do his magicks.
Elsewhere, the jet lands as someone points out a telephone at a gas station. Someone else mutters that they still don’t see why they have to call X-Factor. ‘We’ve got powers! We can handle this ourselves!’ someone else exclaims. ‘Besides, none of us have money, how can we call?’ another of the teens remarks. They exit the jet and Taki transforms it back into his wheelchair. Rusty exclaims that this is an emergency and asks Rictor if he thinks he can shake down the soda machine for a few quarters.
‘Sure, why not?’ Julio replies as he stands before the vending machine in his pyjama pants and exclaims that X-Factor trained him and honed his vibratory skill for emergencies just like this! Rictor cracks his knuckles as he tells his friends to stand back. ‘It’s really a matter of finesse!’ he boasts as his seismic powers are unleashed on the soda machine. The vending machine rattles and rumbles for sometime, then, finally, a quarter pops out of the change dispenser.
‘Good grief! All that to shake out a quarter? One lousy, little quarter?’ Boom-Boom complains. ‘I’ll show you finesse!’ she brags. Holding up a time-bomb, Tabby jokes that first you have to have the right currency - ‘Energy pellets - better than American Express, ya know?’ Boom-Boom inserts her plasma explosive into the coin slot, then urgently runs from the vending machine. Rusty realizes what is about to happen and urges his girlfriend Sally “Skids” Blevins to extend her force field, and quickly.
There is a mighty explosion, and Sally’s force field is splattered with sticky soda, lucky for Skids and the boys, none of them get covered in it. ‘Voila!’ exclaims Tabby as coins begin to drop from the change return slot and land in a pile of soda. ‘Quarters from Heaven!’ Tabby remarks, before expressing her disgust at the sticky soda.
Annoyed, Rictor declares that this is exactly the mess he was trying to avoid. Sally speaks up for the first time since the break out and angrily exclaims that she doesn’t know what Boom-Boom was trying to prove, or who she was proving it too. Rusty points out that the soda machine is destroyed, so the gas station owner will need to pay for it. Arms folded across her chest, Boom-Boom tells her teammates that she doesn’t know why they are yelling at her for, after all, they wanted quarters, and she got them quarters!
‘Hmmm…the Pepsi challenge!’ Taki remarks to himself, before wheeling over to the machine and using his powers to fix it, better than new, he exclaims that the real challenge is to use their inborn powers to make a contribution to society. ‘Ta-da!’ he exclaims proudly displaying the new and improved vending machine.
After using some of the quarters to buy food from another vending machine, Tabby exclaims that it is too bad Taki cannot reconfigure the Pepsi as well, as she could use a soda to wash these fruit pies down with. Rictor tells Tabby to, next time, think about that before she explodes the soda machine. Sally stands by the phone as Rusty tries to get through to New York, but he announces that the call will not go through. ‘Is it the sticky quarters?’ Sally asks, but Rusty replies that he doesn’t think so, and remarks that it almost sounded like the phone lines are laughing at him.
Shortly, the young mutant heroes are back in Taki’s wheelchair-turned-jet, and Rusty supposes that they will have to contact X-Factor from New York, before asking Tabby if she has any chocolate pies left. Taki asks the teens how they can even put that stuff in their bodies, all that sugar - ‘It’s white death, you know!’ Tabby exclaims that it doesn’t taste like white death, ‘Tastes like golden, tender sponge cake and creamy filling! It’s the cutting edge of fine taste!’ She holds one out to Taki, ‘You know you really want it!’ she exclaims. Taki pulls away, replying that what he really wants are some bean sprouts and tofu on brown rice with miso - ‘But I’d settle for granola and yogurt!’
Meanwhile, in Montebello, New York, a woman checks in on her baby, Timmy, and sees that he is asleep, which is no wonder, she thinks, as the sun isn’t even up yet, She ponders whether or not to wake baby Timmy, and take him down to see his father, but decides against it, and heads downstairs, where she is greeted by her husband, who asks her how she manages to look so gorgeous so early in the morning. ‘There’s a hideous portrait in the closet, in curlers, face cream and a robe. Want some toast?’
The woman’s husband replies that he just wants some coffee, as he is never hungry this early. The blonde woman suggests that they have coffee in the parlor, before motioning to the newspaper her husband is reading and asks how is the world of high finance. The man replies that it is more “bullish” than “bearish”, for now at least, which he thinks they can be grateful for, before remaking that the big news seems to be the weather. ‘New York continues hot and humid…and it’s going to get worse. Not a break in sight and this is barely June’ he reads from the paper.
The man jokes that you have to practically be a fire-walker to make it from the train to the brokage firms, and remarks that people are saying the darnedest things. Addressing her husband as Tim, the woman asks ‘Like what?’ Tim replies that one of the secretaries said her scarf tried to strange her, and his friend Bob claimed a manhole cover attacked him. Tim’s wife asks him if what is going on is heat-stroke induced paranoia, to which Tim replies that he thinks so, and remarks that he is thankful this house has central air conditioning so at least Timmy can sleep in comfort.
The woman leans back on the couch and exclaims that it is beautiful here, the kind of house they had always dreamed of, a perfect place to raise a family. She adds that it seemed like such a bargain - before the crash, Tim’s commissions made it all seem so affordable…her voice trails off as she asks her husband if he is sorry they bought the house. Addressing his wife as Helen, Tim assures her that they will manage, reminding her that they wanted to get away from the city so Timmy could crawl in the grass and chase butterflies. ‘But that long commute - and all the overtime you have to do!’ Helen points out.
Outside the house, Crotus and several other demons fly towards it, ‘There! Mawthur’s glasses show glow! There in that house!’ Crotus exclaims. One of the other goblin declares that there must be new power in there, and another asks if it is an infant.
Tim tells Helen that he is lucky to be making the commute, as he is one of the lucky stock-brokers who actually kept their jobs. He remarks that he will work overtime with a smile, as it won’t kill him. Helen glances sideways nervously as she reveals to her husband that she has thinking about getting a job - going back to teaching or something to help out. Tim tells Helen that is all the more reason for her to be home with Timmy.
Upstairs, Crotus and the other demons flap about outside Timmy’s window. ‘Shhh! Lift window silently!’ ‘Is cold in there!’ they exclaim.
Suddenly, Helen asks Tim if he heard something. Tim gets to his feet and remarks that Timmy probably woke up, unable to have his father leave without a hug and kiss. Tim and Helen climb the stairs to their sons room and Tim tells Helen that as he works in the city and reads the papers, he knows Manhattan is becoming a jungle, so he feels good knowing that Timmy will grow up here safe and sound - but opening the door to their sons room, ‘NO!’ shouts Tim.
Entering their sons room, Tim and Helen see Crotus and the other demons lifting Timmy from his crib and leaving in his place an effigy. Crotus hisses at Timmy’s parents, while another goblin exclaims ‘Take!’ Helen cries out for her son while Tim suddenly is attacked by a demon who lunges for his throat, drawing blood. Helen manages to poke her fingers into the eyes of one of the demons, ‘Give him to me!’ she screams, but Crotus holds her son, and flies out the window with his fellow N’asteris, leaving a screaming Helen and the wounded goblin hanging out the window.
Shortly, and not too far away, Sally, Rictor and Boom-Boom, all still in their night clothes, huddle, with Tabby exclaiming that it is freezing up here in the wind - even if it is Summer down there. Rusty holds up two flames with his hands, and agrees, pointing out that his fire isn’t helping that much, ‘Not much. Maybe we should just land and tell the cops’ suggests Skids. ‘No way!’ Boom-Boom exclaims, pointing out that Taki tried that already, and suggesting that it might help if they had some music.
‘You want music, Boom-Boom? You got it!!’ Taki exclaims as he programs the radio on his wheelchair-turned-jet, where a radio announcer reports that three mutant teenaged charges of X-Factor were kidnapped from Exeter tonight. ‘What do they mean kidnapped? You came voluntarily!’ Taki exclaims. The radio announcer adds that there is an investigation to see if this incident is tied to the escape of Rusty Collins from the Portsmouth Naval Prison, adding that the teens were last seen heading towards New York City.
‘Well, that tears it - no cops. We’re wanted by the entire East Coast!’ one of the teens exclaims, while another suggests that perhaps they should land, as Boom-Boom is practically blue, and they need clothes - if only to make themselves less conspicuous when they reach New York.
Nearby, Crotus and the other demons spot the jet streak past, and one of the demons exclaims that N’astirh’s glasses reveal power. ‘Old power!’ one of them adds. Crotus exclaims that he can smell the boy who fired at them with the magic chair!
Taki lands the jet on a rooftop and Boom-Boom exclaims that there is a clothing store right here, adding that they are better off grabbing clothes while the town is still asleep. Tabby creates a time-bomb, ready to blow a hole in the roof - until her friends stop her. ‘You want the entire town to descend on us?’ Julio asks Tabby as he grabs her. Rusty tells his friends to calm down as he uses his flame powers to apply some heat to the solder in the sky light, so they will be able to lift it off. Rusty tells Tabby and Rictor to make themselves useful while they want and help Taki to separate his wheelchair from the rest of the jet.
Tabby and Rictor do, and shortly, they lower Taki down into the shop through the skylight. Boom-Boom informs her friends that she has already checked out the shop and the clothes are downstairs. The young heroes make their way downstairs and begin going through the clothes. Rictor tells Boom-Boom that she may have been born to shop but points out that they do not have a lot of time. ‘We’re like on the lam…you dig?’ he remarks. Tabby holds up some clothes and snaps back that they still don’t have to grab the first thing on the rack.
Boom-Boom remarks that it will take as much time to put on great clothes as it will crummy ones, and takes a leather jacket with no arms over to Rictor, telling him that he will look really hot in leather. At the same time, Rictor turns to Taki and asks him what he is doing with the sports equipment. Taki replies that he is modifying it to his own specifications. Taki then holds up a customized helmet. Rictor has put on some jeans and Tabby adjusts his new jacket, ‘See? You look really hot! You know, with my help, you could almost be a hunk!’
Tabby moves over to Sally, exclaiming that they all have to look their best as she puts a blue jacket on her friend. ‘We are the newest super mutant team in town!’ Boom-Boom declares. Rusty is standing on the sidelines, not interested in getting out of his prison garb as he asks ‘Are we?’. Boom-Boom replies that they have powers right, which means they are super-mutants. Tabby adds that they are going to fight the evil mutant-goblin-whatevers and rescue their friends - ‘That’s the hero part!’ she exclaims, pointing out that working together means they are a team.
Tabby looks at Sally, then motions to Rusty, ‘He’s the sort of traditional hero-type, don’t you think? Maybe something in red?’ Tabby suggests. Sally starts taking off her boyfriends’ prison shirt and exclaims ‘Mmmmm! He would look good in tights, wouldn’t he?’ ‘No tights!’ Rusty exclaims quickly. ‘Whatever you say!’ Boom-Boom shouts as she rummages through some more clothes, telling Rusty that she hopes he understands the hallowed significance of this moment.
Boom-Boom tosses some more clothes at Rusty then tells him to hurry up and get dressed. ‘Haven’t you heard that clothes make the super group?’ Moments later, everyone is dressed - Sally in a yellow spandex one-piece with a small blue jacket, blue boots and a blue sash. Rusty has military style brown pants, red boots and a red and yellow spandex top. Boom-Boom is wearing green puffy pants with yellow suspenders and a pink top. Rictor has tight jeans and an open leather jacket with no arms. Taki has a red and gray space-suit style outfit.
Outside the store, Crotus and the other goblins look in through the window, asking what the teens are doing in there. ‘They try on clothes!’ one of them exclaims, while another remarks that they may have power, but are too big for infants, so why are they watching them? ‘I hungry - hey…maybe we eat one in bag?’ a demon asks, but another declares that they can’t, as lord S’ym needs them to bring Limbo to Earth. Crotus watches the teens through N’astirh’s glasses and exclaims that N’astirh will focus power through spells in Belasco’s book - if he can do spells faster, and adds that the boundary between dimensions already things - already Limbo’s magic begins the transformation of the nexus.
Back inside, Rusty asks his teammates if anyone has an idea how they, as “super heroes” are going to pay for all of this. ‘I got some yuck-quarters left!’ Rictor exclaims as he reaches into his jeans. Taki tells Rictor not to worry about trying to unstick his cash, as he has the answer to all their problems. ‘Wow! Dig it! Taki’s wielding plastic!’ Boom-Boom exclaims, asking him if it is a trust fund. Taki boasts that he just made it, and explains that it accesses the money from his trust fund. He adds that his Mom and Dad left him loaded. ‘Just…how loaded…?’ Tabby asks.
Taki hooks his wheelchair up to the cash register and Tabby if the word “Mitsubishi” means anything to her. Taki adds that while he pays for the clothes, he is paying for the skylight and the gas station quarters. ‘Isn’t it amazing how computers allow instantaneous transfer of information?’ Boom-Boom listens intently as Taki reveals that even before he found out he was a mutant he was always the best at computers. Boom-Boom asks Taki how he can handle that stuff, for wasn’t his school a school for kids with reading problems? Taki replies that his real problem is with writing, but his computer helps, as it even has a spell checker.
‘A checker…to check spells!?’ Crotus exclaims after overhearing Taki. Crotus announces to his fellow N’asteris that the child can transfer information - fast - and can also check spells. Crotus reminds the other demons that their master, N’astirh, has lots of spells, and no time, so the child is just what “Mawthur” needs. Suddenly, the sound of police sirens startle Crotus and other demons who fly for cover. Nearby, a police car pulls up. One of the officers asks his companion if he saw what just flew off. ‘Forget the pelicans! There’s someone in there!’ the other police officer replies.
By now, Skids, Rusty and the others are safely back on the rooftop, while the police officer shouts ‘Halt! Come out!’ Rusty tells his friends to hurry along, as they may be financially straight with these people, but they still broke and entered. As the jet flies off, one of the teens asks how the police could have known they were in there. Another suggests that there might have been a silent alarm. ‘Who’d have thought they’d have those in a hick town like this?’ Tabby grumbles.
The N’asteris watch as the teens fly off, and Crotus smiles to himself, exclaiming that “Mawthur” will give him those little humans for dinner now. Another of the N’asteris tells Crotus that he is crazy, while another exclaims that they have to go and get more babies, otherwise they will report him to the master, then the master will give them the children to eat.
Boom-Boom asks her friends what they are going to call themselves now. ‘How about Mud. We’re single-handedly muddying mutant’s name!’ Rusty exclaims. Rictor tells him not to be such a downer, before suggesting “X-Terminators”. Boom-Boom agrees. ‘Yeah, “X” for the X-factor in our genetic structure that makes us mutants!’ Rictor reminds his friends that it is also what X-Factor used to call themselves. ‘Yeah! X-Terminators - ‘cause we’re gonna severely x-terminate some evil mutant-goblin tail’ Boom-Boom exclaims.
Later, ‘I can’t believe we couldn’t find X-Factor’s Ship!’ Boom-Boom complains as the X-Terminators arrive in New York. Rusty remarks that it was out there over the ocean - somewhere, to which Sally points out that they could hardly see three blocks ahead of them in all that haze. Boom-Boom suggests they land and call X-Factor’s hotline, to which Taki remarks ‘With the accent on hot! It feels like a scene from Blazing Inferno!’ The X-Terminators leave the jet and Taki transforms the excess materials from his wheelchair as Boom-Boom tells her friends to listen to all the cars honking. Rictor reminds his friends that the radio said the traffic lights were screwed up throughout the city.
The heroic teens and Taki round a corner, and Sally motions to all the garbage on the streets, asking if there is a strike on. Rictor announces that the radio said the workers at the sanitation plant are actually working overtime, all ready collecting seven times more garbage than usual this week. ‘They said it’s almost as if it grows out of thin air!’ Taki adds.
Rusty goes over to a phone and asks Julio if he has any quarters. Taki wonders if the goblins have anything to do with it, to which Tabby asks Taki if he isn’t supposed to approach things from a scientific point of view. ‘I am! Empirical evidence!’ Taki replies, informing the others that the goblins make him feel really funny, but this whole city makes him feel funny. ‘Hello?’ Rusty exclaims into the phone, but a recorded message tells him that his call did not go through. ‘Dumb thing hung up on me - and ate my quarter!’ Rusty exclaims, before asking Julio if he has another one.
Rusty dials the number again, but this time a recording tells him that the number is no longer in service. ‘Got another one?’ Rusty asks again, and Rictor hands it to him, informing him that this is the last one. Tense, Rusty puts the quarter into the slot and asks for the operator - except she - or it - just laughs at him and hangs up. Rusty furiously rattles the receiver to try and get his quarter back, but nothing.
He slams the phone down and storms off, declaring that they do not have time to spend on this junk. Taki is shocked when the telephone box suddenly looks like it has a face and glares at him, while Rusty announces that they will do something about Artie and Leech themselves. Taki informs the X-Terminators that the phone made a face at him, to which Boom-Boom replies ‘Well, there you have it! Taki is the first to crack!’ she tells him that it isn’t his fault, that it is his inexperience and the way the sun beats down on his helmet. ‘I know what I saw!’ Taki snaps back.
Meanwhile, half and island away, a group of children are playing in a park. ‘Hey, Jermaine! Wanna play lazer tag?!’ one of the kids asks, explaining that his ‘stupid sister and her cry baby friend just split’ so they have two extra rings. Jermaine replies that he can’t as he has to watch Russel. ‘Aw, come on, man! I’m talking lazer tag!’ the boy tells Jermaine to leave Russel under the tree, pointing out that he isn’t crying. The boy hands Jermaine and another boy the lazer tag equipment and promises to help keep an eye on Russel. Jermaine replies that he supposes it can’t hurt for a minute. The infant Russel watches the older kids go onto the field to play lazer tag - when suddenly a nasty green hand grabs him.
Soon, the boy who wanted Jermaine to play lazer tag asks him where Russel is. ‘Huh?’ Jermaine replies, before turning to the pram. The boys all rush over, only to see an effigy of Russel in the pram - then, suddenly, a demon swoops down over the older boys, clutching onto the infant Russel and laughing wickedly.
Shortly, that demon flies back to the mausoleum, exclaiming that humans leave infants all alone, making them easy prey. ‘Too bad big boy not infant too!’ another demon exclaims, referring to Taki. The goblins approach N’astirh and hand him two new infants. N’astirh asks where Crotus is, to which the other goblins reveal that Crotus is being bad, hunting a big human. ‘WHAT?’ shouts N’astirh.
Another demon informs N’astirh that Crotus thinks he will help N’astirh do spells faster by giving him this older human, then in return, Crotus thinks that N’astirh will give him human children to eat. ‘Crotus is not paid to think!’ N’astirh shouts angrily. The goblins declare that they are good, brining two babies, before asking if they can eat the human children now, referring to Artie and Leech. N’astirh informs his subservants that other goblins have already brought two already, so this is only two more. N’astirh declares that he needs thirteen children and will have them. He orders the N’asteris to leave, and warns them that he doesn’t want to hear of their needs until his own have been satisfied.
Shortly, the demons N’astirh just yelled at find Crotus, peering through N’astirh’s glasses as he watches the street below him. ‘What you do down there? Where you squadron?’ the demons ask Crotus. Crotus replies that he left his squadron because they were fools. ‘Not smart like you!’ he exclaims. The green N’asteris tells Crotus to go away as this is their part of the city. The green one reveals to Crotus that there are lots of humans with babies and they have found two filled with power already. Crotus grins and hands up the glasses, ‘You find even more…with these!’ he exclaims. The goblins recognize their master’s glasses and ask Crotus where he found them, how he got them and if they can use them. Crotus grins wickedly and tells his fellows ‘Not so fast! But do Crotus’s bidding…and glasses will be yours !’
Meanwhile, Rusty tells his teammates that, this time, they are to think things through before they leap into trouble, to which Sally exclaims that the first thing they do is rescue Artie and Leech. ‘From the goblins!’ Taki shouts. ‘Whatever’ Tabby mutters, before remarking that the main thing is to figure out where they are. Rictor points out that from the message Artie sent them it looked like he was in a graveyard. Sally adds that from the angle, it looked like Queens. Taki notices a goblin flying down an alley and calls out to the X-Terminators, but none of them pay any attention to him.
Rusty declares that there must be hundreds of cemeteries in Queens, so it would take days to check them all. ‘Listen, guys! I just spotted one of those nonexistent goblins!’ Taki cries out. Still none of the X-Terminators take any notice of him. Someone suggests that they could get an aerial map of Queens, and Boom-Boom suggests they go to the library. Taki begins to wheel his chair through the traffic jam of cars muttering that since he couldn’t possibly have seen one because there isn’t any such thing, he will go and check it out himself. ‘No, don’t try to stop me. My mind’s made up, and it’s as safe crossing here as wheeling through a parking lot!’ he mumbles to himself.
Entering the dark alleyway, Taki tells himself that he will find the goblins then transform his chair to blow them away. ‘I’ll bring you back some goblin pelts - and Artie and Leech too!’ Taki boasts, before muttering that the X-Terminators are so caught up in their plans that they didn’t even hear him, they act like he is not there. He tells himself that he thought things would be different, that he would be part of the team, but now he feels that he is more alone than before.
Suddenly, ‘You not alone any more, boy!’ Crotus shouts as he and the green goblin swoop down and grab Taki, pulling him from the wheel chair and up into the air. ‘No! Get away from me!’ screams Taki. His cries startle the X-Terminators, who call out to him. Skids sees him first, ‘Over there! Across the street…down that alley!’ she exclaims while Taki reaches in vain for his wheelchair. ‘Boy wiggle! More trouble than infant! You sure you want him?’ ‘Yes. Present for boss!’ Crotus replies while announcing that the boy must not touch his chair as it is a weapon to hurt them all.
‘Holee morolee! There are goblins!’ shouts Rictor as he and the others rush into the alley in time to see Crotus flying away with Taki. ‘I told you, but you wouldn’t listen!’ Taki calls back. ‘We’re listening now!’ Boom-Boom shouts as she orders the goblin to let him go, and tosses a time-bomb which hits Crotus in the back. Crotus drops Taki and Tabby exclaims that she did her part, so now someone else has to rescue Taki before he splats. Sally extends her force field to cushion Taki’s fall, and Rusty also holds out his arms - but just as Taki is about to fall into them, Crotus has regained himself and swoops down to re-collect his prisoner - which is when the rest of the N’asteris reveal themselves and begin to attack the X-Terminators.
‘Teach worthless humans not tamper with goblin plans!’ one of the N’asteris declares. Rusty blasts them with his fire while asking how many of them there are. ‘A dozen?’ asks Sally as she pushes them back with her force field. ‘A thousand at least!’ Boom-Boom exaggerates adding that they are coming faster than she can make time-bombs. Sally pulls Boom-Boom into her force field, exclaiming that they last thing they need now is to lose her too. Sally calls out to Rictor, telling him to come in where he will be safe too, but Julio replies that there is no way he is hiding behind Sally’s force field. He tells her to keep it up though, because he is getting rid of these things once and for all.
With that, Rictor slams a fist onto the ground, using his powerful seismic powers to create a might quake, which scatters the confused goblins. The young heroes regroup. ‘There were goblins!’ Rictor exclaims. ‘And now they have Taki - and none of us can fly!’ Sally declares. Boom-Boom points out that they just made fun of him, they didn’t believe what he said. Rusty announces that they believe him now, and no matter what kind of monsters they have to face, they are going to get him back!
Back at N’astirh’s domain, Crotus tosses Taki in front of the demon, ‘Mawthur…Crotus bring you present!’ Crotus exclaims. N’astirh exclaims that he does not want presents, but obedience - that and thirteen infants of power and purity who will act as focuses for his power - and force open Limbo’s gates! N’astirh adds that by all his efforts, the wall that separates this dimension from Limbo grows thing - but he is hard pressed to complete and reinforce all spells required in the short time that is left.
Crotus informs N’astirh that he has brought him a gift, not of time, but of speed. ‘This boy got special sorcery of this dimension - he got computer…tell him boy…tell him what computer do!’ Crotus exclaims. Behind Taki, Artie and Leech are still chained together, and the kidnapped infants cling to them as Taki unwillingly explains that you program the computer and it processes information really quickly.
‘It even got checker for checking spells, Mawthur!’ Crotus give him to you, freely. But, Mawthur, Crotus hungry, Crotus need renewal, Mawthur…will you not feed Crotus mutant children?’ Artie and Leech just look at each other, frightened….


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

[Assistant]
Guess, who's coming to dinner ?
The New York Public Library’s main branch is on 42nd Street, smack dab in the middle of Manhattan. A couple of blocks from Times Square. Anything a person needs to know can be found out within its four walls…down one of its winding, book-filled corridors…even at a time when the city itself seems to be going mad.
Right now, the library has four very special visitors - the teenage mutant heroes known as the X-Terminators - Rusty! Skids! Boom-Boom! Rictor! The four friends have a massive book out on a table in front of them and Rusty Collins exclaims ‘Thank Heaven for aerial maps!’ before remarking that the point they have decided on must be the cemetery where the goblins have taken Artie and Leech. Rusty’s girlfriend Sally “Skids” Blevins agrees, and motions to the mausoleum.
Julio a.k.a. Rictor remarks that they were lucky Artie was able to mind-send a picture of it before they shut his power off. ‘And now we gotta do something about it!’ Tabitha “Tabby” Smith, better known as Boom-Boom declares. Suddenly, in the book shelves high above the X-Terminators, voices exclaim ‘Do something? Ha!’ ‘We do something about you!’ and some of the goblins - actually N’asteris from Limbo - push a whole lot of books down on to the teens.
‘The books are attacking us! RUN!’ screams Boom-Boom, while Rusty lets loose his mutant power of flame - until Sally, who is protected from the falling books thanks to her force field, tells him to cut it out, that he cannot use his power here as the building is filled with paper! As a book smacks him in the head, Rictor mumbles that they have to do something. ‘Now I know why I always hated going to the library!’ Boom-Boom grunts as a large book slams into her back.
‘You would!’ Sally remarks about her friend as she pulls Boom-Boom into her now extended force field, telling her that it is not the books fault, as normal books don’t behave this way - it is as if they are possessed or something. Rusty joins the girls in the force field while Rictor exclaims that the rest of this city is possessed also. Sally calls out to Rictor to come into her force field, but as he makes his way over after grabbing the map, the leg of the large table they were gathered around comes to life and trips Julio up then holds onto him. Boom-Boom tosses a time-bomb at the leg, and upon impact it releases Rictor, who rushes into the force field, thanking Tabby, before Rusty points out that every book in this library is after them.
Suddenly, civilians begin to flee the library, ‘It’s like something out of Ghostbusters!’ one of them yells. Rusty points out that Sally’s force field is now covered in books, and they are trapped, to which Rictor exclaims that it is no problem, and uses his mutant powers to create seismic vibrations, thus forcing the books to fall off the force field and setting the X-Terminators free. ‘Holy cow! What a mess!’ Rusty exclaims. Boom-Boom asks what they are going to do now, to which Rictor suggests, for the library’s sake and their own, that they get out of here.
Sally lowers her force field, and tells her friends to run. They do, and in moments are outside the library, with Boom-Boom pointing out that it is rather hot out here. Rictor makes a comment about how whatever it was inside was making things hot for them, when suddenly a statue of a lion that is outside the library comes to life, and reaches down for Boom-Boom - until it is knocked back thanks to a burst of flame from Rusty.
The statue reverts to stone like it is supposed to be, and the four friends take a breather on a nearby park bench. ‘Whatever demon-goblin magic is causing this mess, I wish it would back off!’ Sally exclaims. Boom-Boom points out that at least now they have found the cemetery in Queens where the demons took Artie and Leech, and probably Taki too. Rictor exclaims that somebody sure as heck doesn’t want anybody even thinking of going there, which unfortunately for the X-Terminators is just where they have to go!
‘Hot as heck!’ a police officer remarks to his colleague, ‘Feel like a bit-player in a fifties horror film!’ he exclaims as they walk through a graveyard, with a mausoleum in the back ground. The second officer replies that he would rather be investigating the disappearance of a cemetery grounds keeper in Queens - which is what they are doing - as opposed to walking a beat in Manhattan right now. ‘Talk about your horror scenario!’
The first officer asks his colleague if he thinks this has anything to do with what is going on in Manhattan, when suddenly the second officer motions to freshly turned dirt on a lot of the graves - and some bones which have been scattered around. One of the officers asks what kind of animal makes footprints like the ones in front of them, when, suddenly, several N’asteris burst from the ground and pull the officers to the ground.
One of the officers fires his gun into the air, while one of the demons asks what they do now. ‘Eat them?’ another asks. ‘Old ones tough!’ another demon points out. ‘But fresh! Not like ones in ground!’ another exclaims, referring to the deceased. Another demon declares that they are not to eat them, but take them to the mausoleum for Lord N’astirh. The demons begin dragging the police officers to the mausoleum, one of them exclaiming that they can now show N’astirh that they are good guards, hoping that he will give them the little mutant humans to eat for dinner.
Inside the mausoleum, Artie Maddicks and the Morlock Leech are looking after the kidnapped babies, while Crotus holds Taki in front of N’astirh, except N’astirh isn’t interested and tells Crotus that he is wasting his time with all this babbling, and reminds his lackey that time is of the essence. ‘You bring me this boy when I require babies, infants of power and purity to act as lenses to focus the magicks that will open the transport portal!’ N’astirh exclaims, before adding that the infants will later be sacrificed so that the portal will remain open, to provide free access between Limbo and Earth.
N’astirh remarks that the ether of this dimension is dense, and it makes creation and maintenance of even a simple spell arduous and time consuming. Calling N’astirh “Mawthur” as usual, Crotus asks him not to be mad with him, and points out that while others are brining him infants, he has brought him a gift, not of time, but of speed. ‘Boy mutant, can’t walk…but can change shape of things. Shape stuff into computer, Mawthur!’
Crotus tells Taki to explain to N’astirh what the computer can do. N’astirh picks Taki up in his claws as Taki informs him that you can program the computer and it processes information very quickly. ‘It even got spell checker, Mawthur! I give him to you, now you reward good Crotus?’ the eager underling exclaims. N’astirh replies that perhaps he will, if it works, and asks Taki to give him a demonstration. ‘No way, monster! Not even if you kill me!’ Taki replies defiantly.
At that moment, the N’asteris from outside approach N’astirh with the police officers. ‘Master, look what we have!’ one of them exclaims. ‘Humans sneaking around our hide-out!’ another reports. The first N’asteris asks N’astirh if he will feed them the mutant children now. One of the police officers suddenly exclaims, ‘You’re under arrest…whatever you are…for the murder of the groundskeeper!’
N’astirh reveals that he has not murdered the groundskeeper, but given him a small alteration. N’astirh offers to show the police officer what became of the groundskeeper, and still holding on to Taki, N’astirh boasts to Taki that he too is a master of transformation, and warns Taki that what is about to happen to this officer could just as easily happen to him. With that, N’astirh begins to savage the police officer as he remarks that there is evil at the core of every human - evil which civilization hopes to minimize and saints struggle to subdue.
N’astirh declares that all he has to do is shear away the good, and see what remains! ‘Master…how may I serve you?’ the transformed police offer asks. N’astirh orders him to join his other demons, as his forces have recently sustained losses, which the newcomer will now fill. N’astirh remarks that he needs other servants and motioning to Taki, wonders what shape evil takes in him. Hands folded across his chest, Taki looks away and tells N’astirh that he will need some other way to find out, because that might mess up the x-factor in his genetic structure that makes him a mutant able to change things.
Taki continues, explaining to N’astirh that if his x-factor was messed up, then he might not be able to transform anything, which would be a shame, cause he is the best at transformation - which is why he is called “Wiz Kid”. ‘And, frankly, you look too smart to make that mistake!’ Taki adds, trying to get N’astirh on his side. N’astirh retorts that he would hate to take that chance as Taki so rightly points out, so instead he will transform one of his little friends - then the other, then other captured humans until Taki does his bidding.
Taki looks over at where Artie and Leech are playing with the captured Inferno Babies and a tear rolls down his face. Crotus cries out to N’astirh, ‘No! You promise! Feed green and pink childs to demon who brings way to speed up spells!’ Crotus reminds his master. Another demon declares that Artie and Leech are his reward, while N’astirh turns back to Taki and asks him if he will try to save them. ‘I say “try” because I don’t know that you can do what you claim!’
Taki tells N’astirh that he wins and agrees to show him what he can do, however he explains that to demonstrate his power he needs something technological in origin. Taki remarks that there isn’t much around here though, before spotting the police officers guns and suggesting he could use those. ‘Yeah, both of them you stupid monster’ Taki thinks to himself as N’astirh hands Taki both of the guns.
Taki begins to demonstrate, explaining that he takes the technological implement in his hands and thinks about the design he wants to imprint, and reforms it. ‘like…this!’ he exclaims as he transforms the two guns into one bigger weapon. Taki points it at N’astirh, declaring that it shoots lazers and boasting that he will blow N’astirh’s head off just for fun. Taki orders N’astirh to put him down so that he, Artie, Leech and the babies can all leave.
‘Ha! Ha! Ha! Technology! I have my own way of dealing with technology!’ N’astirh bellows as he uses his own powers to transform Taki’s gun into a little demon which begins snapping at Taki. N’astirh informs Taki that in this same fashion he has been transforming the island of Manhattan, but that the work has been slow, painstaking and exhausting. ‘Now you are going to help me speed it up!’
Meanwhile, Sally, Rusty, Boom-Boom and Rictor rush down into a subway, as Sally exclaims that the subways used to be the fastest, most reliable way to get anywhere. ‘If not necessarily the pleasantest’ Rusty interjects, before Sally finishes what she was saying - that things aren’t right here, and the later in the day it gets, the more wrong things seem. Rictor asks his teammates about tokens, to which Boom-Boom motions to the ticket operator in the booth and exclaims that she wouldn’t buy anything from that “token dude” even if she had the money.
Suddenly, Tabby exclaims that she hears a train, and suggests to her friends that when it gets to the station, leap the turntables and dive for the open doors. ‘I’ll bet the Avengers never have this problem!’ Rictor jokes as he and the others all begin to run, then leap over the barriers. Rictor is in the lead, so Rusty tells him to grab the door and hold it open, while Book-Boom watches as a man tries to put his token into the turntable, only for the turntable to clamp down on his hand with jagged teeth. ‘Gross!’ Tabby thinks to herself, before tossing a time-bomb at the possessed turntable and setting the man free. ‘Quit playing around, Boom-Boom, and come on!’ Sally exclaims as she enters the train.
‘But I wasn’t! Didn’t you see…?’ Tabby protests, before she sees Rictor struggling to hold open the train doors, which have also developed a nasty case of jagged-teeth syndrome. Rictor is shocked by this and tells Tabby to hurry, or else he wont have hands to hold it open with - but as the doors indeed try to cut his fingers off, he is forced to let go of it, and the doors slam in Tabby’s face. The young mutant begins banging on the door, before wondering if a time-bomb would work.
Rictor heard that comment and tells Tabby not to, as it would take his hands off along with the door. Rictor begins to use his own powers on the doors, telling the monster to open up or else he will shake it into shards of twisted metal. The doors suddenly open and Tabby falls into the carriage, muttering that perhaps the subway wasn’t such a good idea after all. Rusty looks around the carriage and points out that there should be a big lunch hour crowd right now, ‘There’s not! There’s nobody!’ Sally exclaims.
Suddenly the windows in the train all slam closed, startling the young heroes who all fall on top of one another. ‘Get your feet out of my face, Boom-Boom!’, ‘We must be travelling at a hundred miles an hour!’, ‘Just what I was afraid of - the subway’s haunted too!’, ‘Yeah, I wonder if we’ll ever get to Queens!’ the X-Terminators exclaim as they are tangled together.
N’astirh squashes the little critter between his long claws as he declares that he must access the spells in his book, many spells, almost simultaneously. He remarks that he will use Taki and the computer that he will make for him - ‘A computer like the one Crotus described…one that will process my spells quickly - and check them for accuracy!’ N’astirh exclaims. N’astirh remarks that S’ym, the demon lord he serves in Limbo, underestimates the need for magic as he tosses Taki to the ground.
N’astirh reveals to Taki that S’ym was infected and transformed by the Transmode Virus, and has come to rely, almost solely, on the abilities that he, N’astirh, imparted to him. N’astirh explains that S’ym has placed him on Earth to do the drudge work, to create and manipulate the forces that will bring Limbo here to Earth. ‘S’ym thinks he uses me, but, in truth, I am using him!’ The massive book of spells hovers above N’astirh, who remarks that S’ym forgets that the demon who makes the magicks knows them most intimately - and therefore controls them!
N’astirh remarks that, through these forces, he will be the true ruler of the demonic kingdom that is coming. A burst of flames signals a scrying spell, which is simple magi anywhere except here on Earth. N’astirh shows Taki, through the spell, Limbo, where S’ym is menacing the New Mutants. ‘Behold, the great and powerful S’ym…the master whom I must serve!’ N’astirh exclaims, remarking that technology has become S’ym’s master, giving him illusory strength in the war to overthrow the Darkchilde, which leads S’ym to pride and forgetfulness of the old demon ways.
N’astirh boasts that S’ym is not fit to rule Limbo or Earth, when Taki asks N’astirh if he hates technology so much then why does he need him for it. N’astirh replies that he dislikes technology only as an end to itself, that technology is a tool, like magic, for him to use, ‘As I will use you!’ he finishes. ‘All right, Nasty, I’ll do it…but it’ll have to be my way!’ Taki exclaims.
Young Leech, holding on to one of the kidnapped babies rushes over and exclaims ‘Taki! No!’, but Taki turns to Leech, and quietly tells him not to worry, as the big kids - the X-Terminators - will come for them. Taki explains that his job is to stall and keep them all alive till the X-Terminators get here. Taki turns back to N’astirh and declares that he will need Artie and Leech as assistants, as the demons make him feel “funny” and he cannot work when he feels funny. Taki continues, informing N’astirh that he needs health food, organic, natural bean sprouts, brown rice, foods like that, as processed foods upset his body’s bio-chemical balance and he cannot work when he is off balance.
Taki adds that he needs stuff for the babies, as he cannot work with them squawking, not to mention machine parts and computer chips. ‘The more high-tech stuff the better!’ Taki informs N’astirh that the meta-physics of materials already carrying a technological imprint makes them better candidates for transformations, when N’astirh angrily interrupts, ‘You, mutant, are in no position to bargain!’ he shouts. Taki shrugs his shoulders and tells N’astirh that what he is asking him to do is hard under ideal conditions. ‘You want good work, you gotta be a little flexible…’.
Back in the subway train, the X-Terminators all slide along the floor of the carriage as Rictor exclaims that they must be going over two hundred miles an hour, and practically straight down at that. His ears pop, so he announces that they have gone under the East river and are heading into Queens. ’Great! We’re there! We’ve arrived! Somebody pull the emergency brake! Stop this thing!’ Boom-Boom shouts.
Suddenly, the conductor - or at least a skull-faced demonized version of him, pokes his head out of his booth and declares ’Enough of that screaming! I run a tight train! There’ll be no horsing around neither!’ He tells the X-Terminators to sit quiet and peaceful, because where he is taking them, it is the last peace they are going to get. ‘Figures!’ mutters Rusty as he smacks the possessed train driver in the head, before asking Sally if she can drive this thing. Sally replies that all of the Morlocks knew how to, to which Rusty asks her to drive it, as the conductor returns to his normal, although unconscious, self.
Sally remarks that it was just like the lion at the library that became solid again, to which Rusty remarks that something very strange is going on. Boom-Boom points out that the train has started to head up again, when suddenly she hears a strange noise and asks Rictor if he heard it too. Julio replies that it sounds like metal crunching together, before exclaiming that the walls are closing in on them, trying to crush them! ‘Uh…Skids -?’ he calls out. Sally replies that she is way ahead of them, and semi-jokes that at least the brakes work.
As Rusty begins to melt an exit through the metal walls, Boom-Boom mutters that she doesn’t want to tell him how to do his job or anything, ‘But maybe we could hurry it up a bit?’ Rictor grabs the unconscious conductor and tells Tabby to quit yapping and help him, for although he was demonized, it’s no reason to let him be crushed. Rusty finishes melting an exit, and steps through it before taking the conductor from Rictor, ‘He’s too heavy for you!’ Rusty exclaims, despite Rictor protesting. Rusty throws the conductor one shoulder while lighting the way through the darkened tunnels with his flame power. Rusty remarks that he has been working out, when, suddenly, hundreds of rates leap up and attack the young heroes.
Meanwhile, back in the mausoleum, ‘Here! All natural, organic health food!’ exclaims one of the N’asteris as it carries sacks of food past the area where Artie and Leech are entertaining the kidnapped children with toys. ‘Blankets for babies!’ another demon shouts, while several others approach a very smug Taki with several boxes. ‘Many computers - one of every kind!’ Taki remarks that it is pretty good, but not good enough, that he needs several more, before pointing out that those blankets don’t look quite soft enough - not to mention the fruit looks over ripe, and he cannot eat over ripe fruit.
‘Boss, we tired!’ one of the N’asteris remarks. ‘We hungry! All we eat was bones!’ another exclaims. ‘We done our part!’ one of them decides. ‘You feed us little pink and green mutants…NOW!’ another shouts. Taki tells N’astirh that he couldn’t possibly work if his friends were eaten, as he would be too traumatized. ‘You would, boy? Why, then…your friends are safe…’ N’astirh assures Taki, before exclaiming that his servants will devour the remaining police man instead!
The N’asteris lunge at the other police officer while N’astirh orders Taki to get to work, and motioning towards the feeding frenzy, warns Taki that it will happen to him if he is not careful. ‘All right, Nasty. You win’ Taki replies as he gets to work, beginning with making himself a wheelchair. ‘I can’t work unless I have a wheelchair!’ he snaps at N’astirh.
Miles away, Rusty surrounds a ladder leading upwards out of the subway with fire to hold the rats back, but as Sally points out, it doesn’t faze the rats much. ‘Neither do the time-bombs!’ Julio exclaims, motioning to the bursts of plasma that Boom-Boom tosses down from where she is standing on the ladder. The heroic Rusty still has hold of the train driver and tells Boom-Boom to go on up the ladder, as she is blocking it.
Boom-Boom replies that if she leaves then the rats will swarm after them, but Rictor exclaims that Tabby isn’t the only one with long-range powers, and unleashes a seismic shake, as he shouts ‘There’s gonna be demon-rat all over the walls!’. Indeed, the rats are tossed down the subway like debris in a raging river, while the X-Terminators and the now-conscious train driver make their exit. Boom-Boom complains that it is as hot here as it is in Manhattan, while Rusty informs the train driver that this is an emergency, and after asking him if he will be okay, informs him that the X-Terminators have to go. The train driver replies ‘Yeah. Sure. Go on’.
The train driver enters a nearby pub while mumbling to himself that he has gotta find a phone and complain to the union, as the train was acting really funny! Rictor gets out the map and remarks ‘That wasn’t all that was acting funny…but I guess what he doesn’t know wont hurt him!’ Rusty points to the cemetery and exclaims that it is miles away from where they currently are. A large burly man comes out of the bar and tells the teens to get away from the motorcycles.
Rictor looks at the motorbikes then back to the man and replies ‘We weren’t anywhere near them!’ ‘Bull! You were touching my bike! That makes me mad!’ a short man exclaims as he lunges Boom-Boom, who drops a time-bomb down the back of his pants. ‘Yo, Twinkie - I’m just exactly in the mood to bust heads!’ a large man with a skull tattooed on his chest exclaims as he grabs Rusty and Sally. Another man holds Rictor while his companion begins punching Rictor in the stomach.
The man who attacked Boom-Boom is soon blasted into the air thanks to the exploding time-bomb, while Rictor swings his legs up to hold into the man punching him, then with both men connecting to his body, uses his seismic powers to shake them around. ‘Jerks like that could give demons a run for their money!’ Sally exclaims as she uses her force field to slip free of the man’s grasp, enabling Rusty to smack him hard in his flabby gut. Rictor remarks that, speaking of demons, not to mention the state of the subway, perhaps they would be better off walking to the cemetery. Watching the men run away furiously, Boom-Boom remarks ‘Unless…you think maybe they’d let us borrow their Harleys?’
Miles away at the cemetery, Taki sits in his new wheelchair in front of the massive computer system that he has created. N’astirh leans over the computer and declares ‘Time is passing and still you fiddle with those knobs and keys!’ ‘You wanted this thing customized, right?’ Taki retorts, before exclaiming that it isn’t easy, creating the options for instantaneous transfer of information a customized keyboard  - N’astirh interrupts, declaring that his servants grow hungry again and that the effort of single-handedly creating these spells has exhausted him. ‘Without relief, I may not be able to restrain them…’ N’astirh warns.
‘Hey! Don’t get your back up!’ Taki exclaims, assuring N’astirh that the symbols are nearly I place, just the way that was specified. Flicking through his book of spells, N’astirh remarks that, soon, they will be able to test the efficacy of the plan, and tells Taki to remember that the master spell must be ready to implement by sunset.
Meanwhile, not far away, the X-Terminators are all riding on Harley motorcycles. ‘See how fast this is? I told you ridin’s easy!’ Tabby exclaims, before revealing that her boyfriend used to have the most righteous old Shovelhead, not as vintage as this, but - Rictor interrupts her and gets everyone to look at the mausoleum on the hill to the left. ‘I think we’re here!’ Julio announces.
Sneaking through the cemetery, the heroes see one demon sitting on a tombstone. Boom-Boom exclaims that it is a little one, so it will be snap to deal with him, and begins to create a time bomb, only for Julio to tell her not to. ‘We’re sneaking up on them, remember?’ he remarks, before declaring he can handle this, and putting his hand to the ground, creates a small earthquake, which topples the demon from his post. ‘You think I easy! Ha!’ the demon laughs as it increases its mass, boasting that its master makes new spells, better spells. ‘Master give me power to defend!’
Tabby suggests to Rusty that he blast the demon, as perhaps it will go back to normal, after all, it worked on the lion! Rusty unleashes a burst of flame - then there is a mighty explosion. Luckily, Sally throws up a force field around herself and the others, while everyone looks at the pink mass of goo on the ground. ‘Holy cow! That wasn’t normal…even for demons!’ Rusty exclaims. Sally remarks that without her force field they would all be “crispy critters” right now, and Julio motions to the mausoleum, suggesting they hurry up and get inside.
Entering the darkened building, Rusty remarks that at least it is cooler in here. ‘”Cold as the grave”?’ Sally suggests, before exclaiming that this answers any questions they might have about whether what is happening in New York and the kidnapping of Artie, Leech and Taki are connected. Standing on a ledge by the entrance way, high above N’astirh and the others, Boom-Boom points out that the demons have got other prisoners - babies!
N’astirh exclaims that he requires one more infant to channel power for the entrance spell, and three more after that for final transformation, but points out that the problem is now being solved. N’astirh declares that things are proceeding to schedule, so shall now write the spell that will transport them to Times Square. But as the uber-demon touches Taki’s computer, it shorts out. Taki grins and tells N’astirh that he thought that might happen, and remarks that if his equipment shorts out when a little demon touches, it makes sense for it to go haywire if a big demon touches it.
Taki suggests that it probably has something to do with the electro-magnetic vibes that N’astirh gives off. Taki begins to tell N’astirh that he makes him feel funny just standing so close, when N’astirh grabs Taki in his claws and shouts ‘Then you will do it for me, or this experiment will end in bloodshed!’ One of the N’asteris asks if that means they can eat the babies, to which N’astirh shouts ‘NO!’ Taki tells N’astirh that he wins, before informing him that he has dyslexia, which means he has trouble reading and even more trouble writing. ‘A mistake…’ Taki begins, ‘Well cost the infants and your friends their lives!’ N’astirh exclaims, before telling Taki which is the first key to press.
Sally motions her friends to the floor, which started to glow as soon as Taki hit the first key. Rusty declares that something bad must be going to happen with that computer, so they better stop it, and with that he leads the X-Terminators down the stairs and into battle with the N’asteris. Leech and Artie and excited to see their friends, and Leech exclaims ‘Taki go slow! Taki say you come!’ While Sally goes about collecting the babies, she warns Leech to keep his power disruptor field pulled in close, before throwing her field around Artie, Leech, the babies and herself.
Sally exclaims that the big demon is throwing bolts of energy at them, while he still has Taki. Rictor and Boom-Boom run towards Sally with a couple more babies and Julio tells Sally to keep her field up to protect the children, while they go and rescue Taki. Tabby tells Sally that it is no problem for them, as acing these demon-goblin dudes is a piece of cake - until several more N’asteris enter the mausoleum. ‘We bring baby!’ one of them shouts, before they enter the fight against the X-Terminators.
At that moment, Sally’s force field dissolves as she is standing too close to Leech. ‘Power gone. Leech sorry!’ the green-skinned Morlock exclaims. The demons swoop down and one by one knock the X-Terminators out. One of the demons declares that they are weak with hunger. ‘Babies young and tender. Maybe we eat just one?’ N’astirh remarks that the “larger ones” came near to disrupting his plans and allows his servants to eat them all.
‘NO!’ screams Taki, pointing out that N’astirh still needs him to complete the spell, and that would make him too upset to cooperate. ‘I might make a mistake!’ he exclaims. N’astirh decides to keep the X-Terminators alive, warning Taki that the minute he demonstrates less than his whole-hearted co-operation, his friends will die!
N’astirh begins reading the spells to Taki who enters them in the computer, while the X-Terminators are trapped in a ball of energy, all telling Taki not to do it. N’astirh declares that this is a spell of transport which will take them all to the most central source of negative energy in Manhattan - Times Square! The computer, N’astirh, Taki, the imprisoned X-Terminators, and demons holding onto the babies - including Nathan Summers - arrive in Manhattan.
N’astirh orders his N’asteris to take the infants up and fly over the city in the designated configuration. ‘And now, boy, we shall begin!’ he shouts before spouting off more keys for the spell. Taki slams his fist down on the computer, declaring that he won’t do it. N’astirh points out that he has come so far, and tells him that there is only one more key, a simple multiples key. ‘Would you let your friends die…all for the lack of a single stroke?’
Taki taps the key, then the babies being held by the demons all light up in the form of a pentagram. Down below, civilians see the strange star in the sky, while N’astirh remarks that it is an inverted pentagram, with the babies as the points, focusing beams of power around Times Square, the babies are vessels for his magic - mutant infants, who, because of their purity and openness are natural, living conduits who cannot block the flow of power, and who won’t know how to shut it off. The X-Terminators, still imprisoned, can only watch in horror as N’astirh exclaims that the infants genetic structure make them strong enough to withstand the incredible stresses involved. ‘And now…see what you mutants have together accomplished?’
Civilians wonder what the light in the sky is, while N’astirh explains to the young heroes that the wall between this dimension and Limbo grows thin - the Darkchilde who controls Limbo’s teleportation discs forces her way through…’But it is I who control this disc!’ N’astirh boasts ‘I, who hold it open as all of Limbo pours into Manhattan…and I, N’astirh will rule the Inferno that Manhattan will become!’
Tears fall from Taki’s eyes as he thinks to himself that he saved his friends, but didn’t know what N’astirh could do, he could never have imagined this. ‘And now, because of me…millions of people will die!’ He knows he has got to stop it, to save them - but how?