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[Assistant]
The Job Shadow
Outside the grounds of Xavier’s school, Jean Grey looks around to see if she is really alone. Seeing she is, she then focuses, admonishing herself to think happy thoughts and slowly begins to levitate. High up in the air, though, she loses control and falls, only just managing to grab a hold of a tree. That moment, the others find her.
Bobby Drake comes upward on an iceslide and asks what happened. Is that a tree? Is she getting tree powers? Tree powers? Jean asks confused, before admitting she was trying to fly. Beast climbs upwards and admonishes her that flying is a hard discipline. One must understand pitch and yaw, roll…
Angel, who has flown up to join them, interrupts Hank. Flying’s easy, he assures Jean. Watch. Annoyed, Jean slides down Bobby’s iceslide, asking them to give her some space already. But Cyclops and Xavier are waiting at the bottom. Scott instantly berates her for practicing on her own without supervision. Arrgh! Jean groans and strides away. Scott calls after her that she can’t just run away in the middle of a discussion. It’s not a discussion! she shouts back angrily.
Warren lands, confused, as he asks where she’s going. He was going to show her some sweet loops. Maybe it’s… you know… Scott suggests tactfully. Xavier remarks that this is his fault. He has been remiss in his duties towards Jean. He asks the boys to consider how difficult it is to be the only female on the team. She has no peers she can closely identify with, or role models. He has had some ideas towards this end that he may finally implement. And no, he cuts off Bobby, he will not put on a long wig as a solution. Please think your jokes more quietly.
Another morning. Hank knocks on Jean’s door and brings her some books on women she might consider role models, biographies of women pioneers like Amelia Earhart, Grandma Moses and Susan B. Anthony. Jean has already read all those bios but thanks him.
Xavier telepathically contacts them and the others, asking them to come down to the greeting room in full uniform. They have a visitor. Jean and Hank wonder why they should greet the visitor in uniform, but they all comply.
As the X-Men run into the room, the male members are all held back by something invisible. Only Jean can run forward to meet their guest: The Fantastic Four’s Invisible Girl. Jean is awestruck.
Xavier apologizes to Sue for the school’s practice to keep the students anonymous. The public is still very wary of mutants and he wishes to protect their identities, so they can appear in public like anyone else. Sue considers this very sensible. From the moment her team and she gained their powers, they’ve been in the public limelight. She often wishes she had put a mask on. Once you’re known like that, there’s no more being an ordinary person anymore. You’re always on duty. Case in point, she sighs as her signal-device on her belt begins beeping. Looks like the FF need her back in Manhattan.
Jean speaks up, wishing Sue didn’t have to leave. She’d like to hear more of her insights. She will, Sue replies as she takes Jean’s arm, because she’s coming with her. Jean’s delighted as she flies off with Sue in the Fantasticar. Scott suggests timidly that the team needs her. Jean replies they’ll be fine without her and thanks the professor, who reminds the Invisible Girl that they’ll need an evaluation later.
Now that’s the way to go, Warren states enviously. Yeah, blasting off in a sweet air car while they are all cramming into a minivan on missions, Bobby adds sourly. That van gets excellent mileage, Xavier points out defensively.
While Jean is still delighting in their ride, Sue notices something and asks Jean if she is used to fighting big unstoppable things. Below them, the rest of the Fantastic Four are busy fighting the Thinker’s Awesome Android. Legally, that’s his Awesome Android, Mr. Fantastic tries to point out before being hit by an energy blast.
With the body of the Thing held in one hand, the Android opens a sewer line with the other, the full brunt of the water being directed against Mr. Fantastic. Now that’s mad thinking, the Thinker comments gleefully.
As the Android drops the Thing he adds that he can now go to his new home in the sewer. And his next mad thought is to take out the second greatest mind in the country. He again blasts Richards with an energy ray from his tripod.
Suddenly, though, the tripod falls, thanks to the Invisible Girl, who informs Jean that a sneak attack is always a great way to start. Of course, that best works with her powers. Marvel Girl has to play to her own strengths. Jean gushes that she didn’t know Sue could make her invisible too. That really helps to get in close for a telekinetic punch. The Torch finally moves again to ask with glazed eyes whether that is the X-chick.
Sue asks Jean to move Reed out of the warpath. Jean complies and asks if Sue isn’t worried about him. Always, comes the reply, but Reed’s extremely resilient. Jean notices the Android getting up and the two women turn invisible again. The Mad Thinker compliments Sue on becoming more formidable all the time, but, he continues, her powers would have more effect, if his Android relied on vision which he clearly does not. The Android catches Sue and Jean in his fists. Yow! shouts Jean while Sue clearly isn’t that impressed.
She shouts down the sewers for Ben. Where is he? He thinks he’s in China, comes the reply. She wouldn’t believe how deep this hole is. The Thinker orders the Android not to crush them yet, as they now have a valuable bargaining chip and a new costumed friend who seems to have a breakdown of some, sorts he remarks about Jean who is scrunching her face. No, she replies, she’s just thinking. Telekinetically, she lifts the Thing to join the Thinker on the tripod. Ben grabs the Thinker’s neck and orders him to shut the Android down or the world loses another psychopath.
Some time later, SHIELD and the media have arrived. The Thinker rants that he could not deprive the world of his brilliance. Would you dam off Niagara Falls? Block out the constellations? If he’s trying to build an insanity defense, it’s working, Reed remarks. The reporters are curious about Jean’s presence and wonder whether this could be the possible beginning of the Fantastic Five.
Back at Xavier’s, the boys are flabbergasted. Jean dumped them! Bobby exclaims. Hank tells them to calm down. The newscaster said that, not Jean. Jean’sgoing to dump them, Angel concludes. Cyclops complains that Jean does the same stuff with the X-Men and everyone wonders if they’re the real threat. But with the Fantastic Four, they’re ready to hand over the keys to the city, Warren adds. Hank nervously notes how at ease she seems.
He hopes she calls one in a while, Bobby muses dejectedly. She can’t leave, Warren stammers helplessly. She still has to finish her course work, right, professor? Xavier calmly explains that Jean is free to do as she likes. Perhaps it would be better if she did join the FF. What better platform to show mutants in a positive light? He thought they were going to earn their respect all on their own, Scott replies as he closely watches TV. But Xavier’s right, she can do whatever she wants. She’s a grown-up.
On TV, a reporter asks the Torch what he thinks of his guest teammate. Touching Jean’s shoulder, Johnny replies that he’s a big fan. It’s easy to tell why she’s called Marvel Girl. And Scott Summer is dumbstruck.
Jean Grey’s job shadow journal:
Later, we had to find the Mad Thinker’s hidden lab and shut down any other dangerous experiments he may have been running. Dr. Richards narrowed the location to a rock quarry north of New York City, but he had to stay behind to help contain the android.
The rest of the Four and Jean have arrived. Sue takes charge, explaining that the Thinker must have elaborate anti-detection equipment running. Ben will take the whole south end of the quarry. Johnny the north. Flying up, Johnny suggests Marvel Girl can help him search. Yeah, right, the Thing remarks cynically. Jean giggles as she watches Johnny fly off.
As Sue and she search through a dump yard Sue remarks that, while she’d love to have Jean around more, she can’t give dating her brother a full endorsement. Jean quickly explains that she was just watching how he flies. He makes it look so easy. She tried flying the day before, she admits. She got stuck in a tree. Well, her power isn’t about flight; it’s moving things with her mind, Sue reasons. She can imagine how difficult it would be to try to step outside herself and treat her own body as a subject. Yes, Jean exclaims. That’s what she was trying to tell the guys, but she couldn’t express herself.
They have reached the top of the quarry. Jean goes on that Cyclops just said she shouldn’t practice by herself. Sue muses that he doesn’t know how embarrassing it is to risk failure in front of the others, especially when you’re a woman and everyone doubts your abilities already. Jean hugs Sue gratefully.
Jean looks down the top critically. This is the highest point, but she doesn’t see any signs of a base. Sue orders her to keep looking because she can only do this for a few seconds. Sue concentrates and makes the rocks invisible. The basis is right below them. Sue… you’re a little bit on the awesome side, Jean states, impressed. Recalling from memory where the door was, Jean uses telekinesis to lift the rocks above the doorway. Now look who’s awesome, Sue teases.
Suddenly there’s a rumble. Jean has tripped a defense system. Rocks come alive trying to attack them. Sue envelopes herself and Jean with a forcefield. Jean can’t fight them, though, as they’re too heavy. Sue calls the rest of the tea for help as the big reveal weakened her.
One rock monster suddenly stops, becoming brittle thanks to Iceman, and Beast smash through it. The rest of the X-Men have arrived, thanks to Cerebro. The second rock monster is taken care of by Cyclops’ optic blast, leaving only the third, which Angel diverts until the Human Torch burns the monster, telling him to back off from Angel. He’s in the flying guys union.
The Thing arrives disappointed. No more dirt-guys to hit? The X-Men become apologetic – Warren stating they didn’t mean to be insensitive, Bobby adding that they read this book Beast found and Scott finally asking Jean to come back to the X-Men.
Jean calms them. The FF aren’t recruiting new members…  Unless Ben quits, Johnny throws in. They’re a family, Marvel Girl continues, and the X-Men are hers.
She hugs Sue again, telling her that the girl-time means a lot to somebody new to all this. Sue advises her to just let her powers develop at their own speed. She expects to see her fly to New York one day. Turning to the other X-Men, Sue admits she really envies them. They’re so lucky to have someone like Professor Xavier guiding them to get them ready for this life. The FF were thrust into theirs so fast.
Speaking of fast, Ben chimes in, before Reed gets there and makes them comb the whole hidden base, anyone want a ride back in the Fantasticar? Everyone’s up to it save for Angel, who takes care of the X-Men’s car.
Job Shadow Evaluation: “Marvel Girl”
A very responsible young lady, especially for someone so powerful. Marvel Girl showed initiative, resourcefulness, and works well with a team. But you already know that.
I can’t read minds like you, Dr. Xavier, but I’m guessing the real point was so she could see how I deal with my team. To that end, I hope I passed muster!
-- Yours, Sue


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[Assistant]
Island X
Scott Summers muses that he never stops being surprised how fast a day can change since he came to live at Professor’s Xavier’s house. The Professor has taken a flight down to Washington D.C. He is checking in with his friend, Agent Duncan of the FBI. The X-Men are having some downtime, avoiding studies for a change. The creepy petrified Mastermind is by now being used as a coat rack. Hank is trying to pass off wearing a utility-kilt like it is perfectly normal. In fact, he tries to convince the others it’s more than fully functional and, in ten years, everybody will be… Dude, Angel tells him disgustedly. He knows what’s cool and that is not cool. Hey, he can wash all these colors together, right? comes Bobby’s question.
Suddenly, out of the blue, the Professor telepathically calls them about a mission that has to be handled at once. Xavier informs them that a terrible threat is coming on an island in the Pacific. He gives them the coordinates and orders them to get there at once. He will contact them again on the island.
The X-Men charter a merchant vessel to get them as close to the restricted area as possible and with a small boat they travel the rest to land on a bleak foggy island.
He thought islands in the Pacific were supposed to be tropical paradises, Angel complains. Right, Bobby remarks, still sitting in the boat that Beast is dragging ashore. When’s the last time the Professor said: My X-Men, I need you to go to a tropical paradise full of beautiful native girls? Well, he seems to think that servants are supposed to carry him around, Beast remarks, That’s not dissimilar. They’ll just have to wait until the Professor has further instructions, Jean suggests.
That very moment, Xavier contacts them telepathically again, informing them that now they must make their way to the north side of the island. There is a secret base where a deadly weapon is being made. It could change their entire world if they implement it. Who are they? Beast asks. Xavier shows them images of an alien as he replies that they are a secret cult bent on overthrowing their whole society. There is speculation in the FBI and at the Pentagon that they are aliens. He will be able to give them more intelligence soon. He wishes them good luck on traversing the terrain.
Are you still alive, my X-Men? Bobby mimics Xavier. Cool, gotta go. Cyclops agrees that his transmissions are a little brief, but it must be something big that’s demanding all his focus. Angel flies ahead to find them a path.
Cyclops finds the whole thing weird but the Professor hasn’t steered them wrong yet, so he decides to trust him. While they are waiting Bobby creates an iceflag with his initials. Since this place doesn’t seem to have a name, he hereby declares this the Republic of Bobbyland. Hah, the best section will be Hankville, Beast retorts.
Suddenly Angel comes flying back in a panic. Nevermindstayingherethefogistheplacetobe he rattles. They are all just trying to creep out the girl, Jean decides, and it’s not going to work! Telekinetically, she dissolves the fog…
And in front of them, they see huge dinosaur-like creatures. She takes it back, Jean states. The five start running as the monsters give chase. What is this place? Bobby asks panicked. Proof that the Professor hates them and always has! Warren shouts back equally panicked.
Hank suggests that they head down the ravine. Oh, like they can’t just step down there, Bobby shouts. It was the only way open, Beast shouts back. Cyclops sees a possibility and orders Jean to put all the force she can muster over that monster’s foot. She does so. Cyclops blasts it and it stumbles to fall down. Excellent use of the fulcrum principle, Beast commends them.
With the one monster down, the other gets busy trying to eat him. Not just trying, Warren remarks. Jean orders then to come on and they walk through jungle-like territory. Jean hopes the walking building stay out. The bats she can live with. Those bats look kind of chubby, Warren worries. Perhaps they are fruit bats, Beast hopes. Does fruit make you chubby? Warren wonders.  The bats come closer. As they attack they reveal themselves to be not bats but flying bloodthirsty monkeys.
Not in her hair! is Jean’s first reaction as the X-Men run away. This is like the part of Wizard of Oz he had nightmares about! Bobby rambles. Cyclops shouts at Bobby who is still in human form: doesn’t he have a power or is his memory going? Bobby ices up and shoots ice at them, adding they should tell the wicked witch he as a water bucket with her name on it.
The monkeys flee. Bobby shouts after them: that’s right, childhood trauma. This is not little Bobby in his underoos. You’re dealing with Iceman now! At least it’s cathartic for him, Beast whispers to Cyclops. Has he ever read of animals like that? Scott asks him. Not the closest, the X-Men’s resident genius admits
Xavier contacts them, suddenly, asking if they have reached the volcano yet. He rushes them to stay on schedule and blinks out again. Can’t he just stay a minute and tell them what going on? Warren protests unnerved, but he’s gone already. Beast gets suspicious. Cyclops reminds them there is no telling what the Professor might be up against. Whatever the threat is he’s probably attacking it on multiple fronts counting on them to be one of the fronts.
-eetim nau… unsider ink yohnna comes a voice from far off. Hank is the first to hear it. Yor bleefs ank. There it is again, he shouts. Are there other people? Warren wonders. Kana pee. Mon guize! Cyclops decides to follow the voices, Jean believes one sounds like a woman.. Bobby gets nervous… somehow they sound  familiar.
zisway thing. Lika wummin! They’re so close now, Warren wonders as they fight their way through the jungle. Why can’t they see anyone?  Perhaps there’s some odd echo property to the forest, Beast marvels. Bizarre, it sounds like right here… He touches what looks like wood underground. It’s a hole full of teeth which seems to project the echo voices. Tentacles come alive, trying to pull the youngsters inside. The tree is going to eat me, Warren screams. Cyclops frees him with an optic blast.
As they run for their lives away from the trees, Bobby shouts that the Oz nightmare is replaced now, thanks. This is insane Scott shouts. Fascinating though, Beast marvels. A tree that regurgitates voices it heard to lure in prey. He’s never seen anything like that.
They reach the edge of the forest. He’s ready to just face the giant monsters again, Warren states. He liked them better. Her too, Jean agrees. As they sit down exhausted, she shouts unnerved that they’ve been over this before but Where! Are! They!? Scott admits he doesn’t know but if there is some big danger to the world, this is a perfect place for it to be from.
Beast is the only one who hasn’t lost his backpack and he finds some sandwiches which the others happily devour. Warren points up to some flying monsters which are quite similar to dinosaurs. As one of them throws flames at the other, Bobby assumes that they aren’t a couple, after all. Hank suggests it’s part of a mating ritual. They would mate like that here, Warren agrees. Jean wonders if this place is like another Savage Land. Cyclops corrects her that the Savage Land is mostly full of animals from history. He doesn’t know where these things came from.
From right here, he would think, Hank states. This is a very secluded island after all. Consider the Galapagos Islands. Cut off from any influx of new predators, the archipelago allowed tortoises to grow to massive size, and otherwise helpless birds like the flightless cormorant to prosper. Evolution was allowed to take a very specific diversion there.
Jean points out that everything on this island seems to be a predator. What could cause all this to grow so specialized? Maybe an indigenous food source, Scott speculates. Or maybe the cause is something they are completely unfamiliar with, Hank muses. They mean all those things could be mutants? Warren asks, looking suspiciously at some butterflies. Hank agrees. What if a charged meteorite landed here millions of years ago, influencing the gene pool? Or if even that volcano brought up some radioactive ore?
Or, hey man, what if an atom in his hand is a tiny planet and the Earth is just an atom in an even bigger guy’s hands? Bobby trails off. He means, whoa… Annoyed, Jean orders him to shut up. Impatiently, Bobby explains that they are all missing the point. The monsters were created by whomever they were sent here to stop. Duh.
Actually, that’s not a bad guess, Scott muses. And all they can do is guess because the Professor isn’t going to stop lunching it up with his pals in Washington to clue them in, Warren sulks. Enough, Scott orders sternly. Marveling at a butterfly that landed on her hand, Jean remarks that at least these evil villains made humongous butterflies and that’s cool. It’s like nature loves them again, Bobby adds. Ok, he likes this part of the island.
However, more and more butterflies are coming up till the air is thick with them and they begin to turn nasty and sting. Warren has had enough and beats them off by flapping his wings.
Butterflies that want blood? Scott asks. Iceman ices up hoping that they don’t like the snow. She’s so over this island, Jean shouts annoyed. Warren suggests Bobby make them an ice raft or something and they clear out. Scott tells him to knock off that talk. He knows they are here to do a job. What job? Warren shouts. What’s this mission that’s so secret it’s a secret to them? He shouts into the air, hoping the Professor will hear him. Is this some big nutty mutant test? He demands answers.
He demands his presence?  Xavier’s mental projection asks. Uh, Warren replies eloquently. Xavier scathingly remarks that he’s sorry world security ranks well behind their other needs. He’s been devoting all of his mind to assessing the proper attack on this threat so his young team can walk away alive after the operation. Except for those moments when he contacted them which at this distance requires a tremendous artificial boost from technology. Yet with each visit, he sees they are barely any closer to the north end of the island.
Jean defends them, explaining that the place is swarming with monsters and deadly plants. They couldn’t… The whole United States will be the same way if they don’t succeed, he interrupts her coolly. He was totally right about the evil plan, Bobby states smugly, ignoring the others’ glares. He wouldn’t have sent them here if he didn’t believe they could handle this place, Xavier continues. They are supposed to set an example for a whole race of mutants. He suggests they start living up to that. He will speak with them again when they reach that volcano. With that he disappears again.
Scott angrily fires his optic blast at the ground calling himself an idiot. He’s a blind soldier. He doesn’t question anything the Professor says. He just automatically starts figuring out how to make it happen. So he tells them the Pentagon has a problem he’d like them to deal with. So they have to catch a ride on a merchant vessel? They can’t be dropped off by a destroyer?
Yeah, that would have been cooler, Bobby agrees. Hank suggests that perhaps because this is an international quarantined section like the Captain said. No Cyclops replies. Hank is rationalizing, trying to make sense when it doesn’t. The only think they know is that they are trapped on this island. It not like the Professor is going to forget they’re out there, Bobby asks nervously. He’ll send someone for them. Won’t he?
And in Westchester, Xavier has just arrived, shouting that he is back with interesting news. But his students are gone. Only the Mastermind coat rack has remained behind…


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Island X – part two (1st story)
A Buddy in Scarlet (2nd story)
1st story:
Decree from the republic of Bobbyland:
 X has stranded us on this stupid island full of monsters and I’m bored, so I’m coming up with laws… Bobby-style
1.	Bobbyland will be divided into 6 sections: New Bobby (that’s the capital), Hankville, Jeanatropolis, Scottsylvania, Warrenburg and B.D. VIP (for when the Bobby needs alone time).
2.	Since the trees here apparently wanna eat us, “shoot-first-ask-questions-later” is the norm when it comes to the shrubbery.
3.	Sandwiches will be passed out like so: Bobby gets first choice (I want tuna), then Jean, then Hank, then Warren, then Scott (because I’m pretty sure he’s too boring to experience flavor).
4.	When we run out of sandwiches and chocolate, we’ll eat Hank first. Then Warren. We’ll draw straws after that.
Professor Xavier sits in the Cerebro Chamber, having been telepathically searching his missing students for hours. But he can find no trace. There are several dead spots that his mind simply cannot scan. He still hasn’t worked out the system bugs of this chamber, but he doesn’t think the interference is from the equipment. There are no signs of a struggle or emergency… yet also no messages to say where they might be. He has taken for granted the ease with which he can usually contact the five. If they are in trouble he has no way to help them… He can only hope their training is serving them now somewhere in the world.
On the mysterious island, the X-Men sit huddled around a campfire. Angel transports to them the bags they left on the raft. Is that the one with the chocolate in it? Bobby asks eagerly. Sorry, Hank apologizes, he replaced Bobby’s candy with granola bars. Bobby shouts at him that he sucks and fires a snowball volley at Hank, who defends himself pointing out that they need nutrition.
Ignoring the commotion and protecting herself with a telekinetic shield, Marvel Girl asks Cyclops whether he still thinks that something is wrong with the professor. He doesn’t know, the X-Men’s leader admits. Everything seems normal when he communicates with them but then, afterwards, it doesn’t feel right. He asks them to pay attention next time and see if they notice anything odd. Warren yawns and unrolls his sleeping bag. For now he’s just going to study the back of his eyelids.
The five are fast asleep when, suddenly, Hank is startled awake by noises. Pale bug-eyed beings are searching through their belongings. Hank calls for the others to wake up but hey can’t see in the dark. All of them but Bobby get up. Cyclops lights the place u with his optic beam. Jean captures the thieves with telekinesis and Hank finds and lights the lantern.
He explains that the beings are clearly nocturnal, possibly even subterranean dwellers. Were they attacking? Scott inquires. Warren states that he believes they were just robbing them and shouts at one of them to give back that food. Jean tells him to let them have it. They are obviously hungry. They will be too, tomorrow, Warren pouts. They don’t need anymore enemies here, Jean replies and lets the beings go who quickly scarper. Jean should remind him of that when they’re eating their gloves, Warren replies.
The sun is going up and Warren notices that Bobby is still sleeping. He has headphones. He didn’t even wake up for that. Suddenly, without any notice, they are again contacted by Xavier. They have not reached the volcano yet? What is the delay?
Sorry, Warren apologizes sarcastically. They’ve been getting into this whole sleeping during the night thing and the sun just came up. “Insolence!” the Professor shouts. Is he suddenly not their Professor? Have they forgotten how important their work is? What’s at stake? Chastised, Warren apologizes. Bobby jumps to his friend’s defense. He didn’t mean it. They just woke up. Xavier too apologizes. He is tired from his endeavor on his side. He failed to correct for the time difference for the island and New York. Yet now would be an excellent time to infiltrate the volcano lair. He suggests they proceed quickly.
With Xavier gone, Bobby sarcastically tells Warren great way of getting them on Xavier’s list. As they pack their sleeping bags, Warren defends himself that he’s never seen Xavier so crabby. He still hasn’t, Scott states calmly. He doesn’t know what’s up but that’s not the professor.
It certainly seems like him, Hank points out. No, Scott’s on to something, Jean remarks. You know that ringing sound you get in your head usually before Xavier connects? She heard it, but not until after he appeared, when he was mad at Warren. It’s like  that quality of… like when Xavier is looking for them, fading in and out until he connects. But then he cut out fast again, Scott agrees. And he said New York, when he’s supposed to be in Washington.
As they start walking, Warren asks if they’re thinking that wasn’t the Professor and that the real one is having trouble finding them. Scott agrees. The thing they are talking to is keeping them hidden. He thinks when it got mad at Warren it lost some concentration and the professor was able to get though. Of course, it’s all just guesses on his part. He doesn’t theorize often, Hank admits, but when he does it’s often right.
They approach another part of the jungle. So, Warren gathers, big Charles doesn’t know they’re out there and someone is trying to get them killed. What can they do? Just what Warren did, Jean suggests. Break his focus so Xavier can get through to them. In the meantime, they should go where he wants them to, so it looks like everything is according to plan. Let him think it’s working.
Hank is suddenly alert. There’s a wrinkle in the plan. A forehead wrinkle. They find themselves on the forehead of a huge, displeased monster. Bobby saves himself on an iceslide, as Angel makes a grab for Scott and Jean while Hanks tries for a waterlanding. The next moment, he holds fast to a tree branch as huge piranhas are snapping for him. No! No waterlanding! he decides.
Iceman moves his iceslide into his direction and grabs Beast. The monster in the meantime is following Angel. Higher, Cyclops orders him. He’s trying Angel snaps back and recommends the two of them lose weight. It’s Scott, Jean immediately claims. He snacks!
Hank, in the meantime, is having trouble staying on Bobb’y slippery iceslide. The monster has almost caught up and Jean can already smell his breath. Scott asks whether Warren could stay ahead of it by himself. He’d never catch him if you two tubbos… Warren begins unkindly. Scott orders Warren to put him and Jean back on the monster’s head. Iceman steers his slide towards the monster’s head as well. And the four of them ride on the monster – the biggest ugliest taxi ever - while Angel flies ahead.
Some distance away, they see the volcano and Scott realizes that whoever tricked them wanted them to cross this land, because there’s no way they could make it out alive. He orders Bobby to create an exit ramp and then beats the monster off with a well-placed optic beam. They see the psychic effect announcing Xavier’s psychic presence. Cyclops orders them to follow his lead and act casual.
Xavier appears, asking if they have reached the volcano. He breaks off in surprise as his students are sitting relaxed in the grass. It’s their old pal Chuck, Scott announces. Chuckster! Warren echoes in greeting. What’s up? Bobby asks. They made it to the volcano? Xavier asks in astonishment. Oh yeah, easy, Jean remarks. They saw the bad guys Xavier talked about and beat them, Scott mentions off-handedly while Warren mimics the fight.
No they must be lying, Xavier announces. Why are they saying this? Why doesn’t he read their minds and tell them? Scott suggests slyly. How dare they? Xavier shouts. He’s their leader! He is the great and powerful Oz, Hank retorts. Silence! Xavier orders as his face begins to change to reveal his true shape… that of the mutant illusionist Mastermind… whom they last saw at the mansion …
“As their glorified coat rack!” Mastermind shouts. Every day his body suffers indignity while he is still painfully aware. That cursed alien, the Stranger froze his body, but his mind still functions. In fact his psyche is growing free of its physical restraint, able to travel the world at short bursts. In his travels he found this island, the perfect deathtrap for them. When Xavier left for Washington, he saw his chance to send them there. He knows it will soon claim them, though it takes all his energy to hide this area from Xavier.
Of course, he should have predicted this possibility, comes the voice of the real Xavier, as he has finally found them. Xavier’s head appears opposite Mastermind’s. He blames himself for not dealing with his physical form by now. He blames him as well, Mastermind hisses. Now that his power has grown, Xavier will pay for his transgressions. He is not paying for anything! Giant head fight! Bobby shouts as the two psychic constructs begin to battle on the mental plane. Warren shouts an encouraging Go professor. X! X! X! comes from Bobby. Go for the cerebrum, Sir! Hank helpfully suggests.
Finally, there is a booming noise and only Xavier is left. He explains that Mastermind is back in his frozen body but his time in stasis has let him expand his consciousness. He must move him to a facility that can negate his ability. Out of the mansion.
Can he tell where they are? Scott asks. Xavier explains that are on a secret reserve known to the world’s governments as Monster Island. Now who could imagine that would be the name, Warren states sarcastically. Xavier promises to take the jet and arrive soon. In the meantime, he asks them to stay alive. Warren and Hank wonder how long it will take him. Bobby asks what if this was really Mastermind who… Jean puts her hand over his mouth, ordering him to be quiet.
2nd story:
Jean is in her room, intending to update her diary about their odd trip to Monster Island, when the phone rings. At first, the voice on the other side sounds cold and mysterious like a Russian spy. Thees is Vanda… Maxeemoff. I am callink for Marvel girl.  Jean realizes that the caller is the Scarlet Witch.
Wanda asks her if she wishes to… hang. What? Jean asks confused. Is that not the right term, Wanda asks equally confused. Jean realizes that Wanda just wants someone to pal around with, probably not having any friends in America yet. She agrees to meet her down at the shore.
Changing into a skirt, she heads for Warren’s room, asking if he has any extra money lying around. Busy at the computer, Warren notes there’s some on the dresser. She can help herself.
As the young women meet, Wanda is still in her costume. She admits that she doesn’t have any other clothes. Then their plans are made, Jean decides and drags her shopping. She shows Wanda a cute pink minidress, deciding that dress is her. This dress embodies everything about her personal character? Wanda asks seriously. Umm, yes. Jean decides.
Jean begins to understand that Wanda had never had a girl pal at all as a result of a pretty isolated upbringing and of course a super-fast overprotective brother doesn’t help things. After some fun at the beach and the fair they’re heading for burgers. Pietro checks on them at super speed to see if everything is all right. They are fine, Wanda stresses annoyed.
As Wanda finally begins to open up on the fair they hear shots. Three armed robbers in superhero masks are trying to rob the merchants. Is that American street theatre? Wanda wonders. No, this is American crime, comes Jean’s reply. They’ve got to disarm them. Wanda snaps her fingers and the men instantly lose their masks, have their weapons disassemble and drop their pants, much to the amusement of the crowd. Giggling, Wanda wonders if fighting crime is always this fun. It can be, Jean replies and suggests Wanda consider calling her next week to team up.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Road Trip
The students at Xavier’s are busy packing for their holidays. Her folks are there, Bobby who is standing at the window informs an excited Jean, who telekinetically levitates her luggage down and announces that she’s going to Switzerland. “Bring me back a clock!” Warren shouts.
Bobby turns to Scott, telling him his brother is out there as well. Are there Kayaks on his jeep? and excited Scott asks. The answer is yes and the two Summers brothers greet each other while Xavier exchanges pleasantries with the Greys.
Scott tells Xavier good-bye and then asks Bobby if he’s sure he doesn’t want to come along. He has to visit his cousins, Bobby claims. Warren suggests he blow that off and come to Maine with him. He can’t get out of it, Bobby replies. Then forget driving, Warren decides and puts down his bags. He’ll just buy new clothes when he gets there. As he flies off, he asks Bobby to put that stuff back in his room.
With everyone else gone, Xavier remarks that he doesn’t recall Bobby having any cousins. Bobby reminds Xavier that he knows where he’s from. Sure he misses his folks, but he doesn’t miss the rednecks who hate anyone different from them. If it weren’t for Xavier and Scott getting him out of that place, he doesn’t think he’d have lived to see college. Xavier understands but warns him from isolating himself. He can stay at the school during break, but the cleaning staff won’t be coming until class is back in session.
So it’s just Bobby and Hank (with a stack of books). Excited, Hank suggests that the texts for the next quarter have already arrived. They can get a jump on their course work. Whee! Bobby replies sarcastically, definitely not excited.
Xavier telepathically addresses Hank and orders him not to let Bobby know. He thinks the two of them would benefit from some time away from academics. Hank again points out that getting a jump on their studies would be useful. Understanding his teammates is invaluable, Xavier points out. Hank concedes this.
Hank turns to Bobby announcing that there will be plenty of time for studies during session. They should use the break and go somewhere. Now Bobby is excited. Of course they need transportation, Hank muses. He could check the train and bus schedules. Dragging out Warren’s car keys, Bobby has a better idea.
And so very soon they are on the road in Warren’s convertible. Is Bobby sure Warren said it was ok to use his car? Hank asks suspiciously. Yeah, well, he thinks he did. Or he might have been talking about his bike. Either way. So where are they going first? Hank begins a sentence containing the science museum in Connecticut. Boring! Bobby interrupts. The Aquarium? Pssh. Old Ironsides in Boston? Uh… no. There’s a Civil War re-enactment. Nope. An architectural tour of – Nyet. The – Uh-uh.
One hundred miles later, a sign points towards the “Devils’s Vortex. See the laws of physics destroyed.” Finally both of them agree that they want to go there. As they walk through the forest, a loudspeaker announces: As you enter the Devil’s Vortex you will notice a powerful repelling force. Do not be afraid. Push on further. Wow. It’s right, Bobby marvels. What is this? A mysterious phenomenon called gravity, Hank retorts wryly.
They reach a small wooden house and Hank explains that this just takes advantage of the overall grade of the area. They’re actually on a steep incline, but their surroundings don’t reveal that.
A guide leads an impressed family around the house. Up is a relative term when you’re in the vortex, the guide explains and shows a marble moving on a seemingly straight surface. Wow! the boy exclaims and the guide continues that there are different theories about this place. Some say it’s a buried meteorite; others attribute its properties to a curse.
Inside the house, Hank still isn’t impressed by the phenomenon. The house is carefully built to cheat the horizon line, he explains. Then it’s tilted and placed on this deceptive incline. There is no vortex affecting this differently, he pontificates to Bobby. The boy has been eavesdropping and looks disappointed. Bobby orders Hank to shut up; he just took all the fun out of it! “Oops,” Hank suddenly shouts and hangs from the ceiling head down. Gravity is out of control here. The boy is happy and the guide flabbergasted.
Later back in the car, Bobby nervously asks if Hank noticed any gas station? They passed seven in the last thirty minutes comes the reply. But now the tank is empty. Hank has to push the car and complains it’s like being in the Devil’s Vortex again. Oops, Drake apologizes, he had the emergency brake on all this time. There’s a station around the corner he quickly changes the subject. While they have their tank filled for a worth of six Dollars and 70 cents, they find that neither of them has brought an ATM card or has much more money. Why didn’t he grab some money from Warren’s dresser? Bobby moans, before deciding on a change of course to get some gas money.
A little later, they are at a Blackjack table in an Atlantic City casino, much to Hank’s displeasure. He disagrees with gambling on principle. That’s why they’re not going to gamble, Bobby points out. Hank’s going to use that big brain of his to keep track of the deck. Hank tries it out and wins repeatedly. After some time, he asks Bobby to cash in those chips or get them out of the way.
The croupier, in the meantime, hits a hidden button to alert security that Hank is counting cards. A little later, security asks them how they’d like a nice steak dinner and a free hotel room compliments of the casino. Dragging Hank and Bobby away, they ask if he is figuring the cards out in his head? Of course he is, Hank replies. There’s no law against that. Law? One of the security men laughs and Bobby protests they aren’t hungry. The security man points a gun at his back. He’s hungry.
They are led outside the back entrance and Bobby insists they get the money. Suddenly, he ices up the gun. Hank evades a blow, informing them that they will no longer frequent their establishment and then somersaults him into the garbage container.
A little later, they drive to a camp ground. Bobby protests that they’ve got all this money. They can stay at some swank hotel with pools and robes. To this, Hank points out that he bought a posh tent. A little later a frustrated Bobby gives up on building a campfire and heads for the “bathroom,” a Dixie toilet and storms out again disgusted.
Later at their camping fire roasting marshmallows, Hank insists this isn’t so bad. And much safer than their last camping trip on Monster Island. He didn’t get into the pit toilet, Bobby mutters. He’ll recover through therapy one day. But for now s’mores are helping him cope. Irritated, Hank slaps his neck. Mosquitoes! Aren’t they biting Bobby? Yes, they are Bobby replies and lowers the temperature of his skin to freeze the mosquitoes, but they’re not enjoying him, he states satisfied.
One the next day, they drive on to stop at a stand that offers boiled peanuts. One shouldn’t boil peanuts, Hank states disgusted. It’s great Appalachian caviar Bobby insists. During their snack, Bobby suggests they head down towards Florida next and that Hank drive for once. Hank makes excuses, stating he’s better suited for navigation, but Bobby won’t have it. He’s tired of driving. He tosses Hank the keys. Okay, Hank mutters as he takes his seat and stares at the steering wheel. It’s an internal combustion engine, so some kind of spark must trigger that combustion, he reasons. Ah, of course, that’s what the ignition switch must do.
Annoyed and disturbed, Bobby asks if he doesn’t know how to drive. He had excellent public transportation where he grew up, Hank defends himself. And he rode his bike. Okay, so that’s the honk. D is drive, right. Yeah, now push the gas, Bobby orders him. No, that’s the brake! Brake, brake! He screams as they near a rock wall.
Two stressful hours later, Hank has gotten the hang of it, strangely enough by steering with his feet.
In Dilling, South Carolina under a gorilla statue Bobby tells Hank about a spoiled cinema date between Angel and the Scarlet Witch. Wanda clapped when everyone bowed to the hobbits and as a result Warren’s wings popped out of his shirt and they had to leave the cinema.
In Savannah, Georgia during a thunderstorm, Bobby states that one could really put Cyclops’s ruby lenses into some styling frames. That’s not the point. They need to be functional, Hank retorts.
During lunch in Orlando, Florida Hank informs Bobby that the professor does not shave his head to look cool. His hair fell out when he was younger.
Riding the waves in Miami, Florida, they argue whether Jean likes Warren or Scott better.
Finally, they visit Hemingway House in Key West. While the tour guide informs the tourists that Hemingway wrote much of For whom the Bell Tolls over there by the pool Bobby and Hank examine some six-toed cats. They’re polydactyls, Hank explains. Essentially, they’re … mutants.
The guide suddenly cuts the tour short, having heard that a tropical storm off Cuba has changed direction and is coming their way. Oh and it has been upgraded to a hurricane. And the storm already starts.
Hank and Bobby drive away over a flooded street trying to get to the mainland with Hank attempting in vain to get the convertible’s top up. Around them they see chaos with the island being flooded. The roads will wash out, Hank realizes. It will be impossible for the Keys to be evacuated. Bobby orders him to take the wheel as he ices up. This is a job for the two coolest X-Men (literally in his case). Hank grabs a mask from the glove compartment. He alerts the people to get back to the road as Iceman creates an express icetunnel to protect the road from the flood.
Hank orders him to leave some entrances for cars. He’s on the job, Bobby replies and tells him to keep his foot on the wheel. With the tunnel finished, the people now are able to get out of the danger zone, but the hurricane is still coming and Bobby creates an icedome around them and the car as shelter.
Looking up, Hank tells him thanks for making him take a vacation which wouldn’t occur naturally to him. He heard from his window how Scott and Warren invited Bobby along and he gave them excuses. He still feels like the tagalong of the team, doesn’t he? Just because he’s a little younger than everyone.
Bobby admits that’s the case. It’s dumb. He’s trying to get over it. Hank tells him he considers it a privilege then. Usually, he’s the one everyone feels uncomfortable around. Bobby knocks his fist together with Hank’s. He’s his main nerd. Is this what the cool kids do? Hank asks. He has no idea what cool kids do, Bobby replies and they fall asleep in their sleeping bags.
The next morning, Hank creates a hole in the dome. Oh my, he mutters a moment later. Warren calls them on the cell remarking that his car is missing. Do they have it? Yeah it’s fine, Bobby replies. But getting back with it is going to be a problem. Everything around them is flooded.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Smash
 The Talking Board
1st story:
The five X-Men walk through a forest landscape.
Hup-two-three-four… give it up-two-three-four! Bobby chants. Is he ever going to stop that, Jean asks annoyed. They are out here to help the army, after all, Warren points out, reminding them that they’ve failed to catch some big monster guy, so X’s government pal Agent Duncan asked if he can help the cause. Which naturally means them, Hank adds.
Jean remarks that the professor usually has good intel, but they’ve been on it all day and haven’t seen anything rowdier than a doe. Normally this “Hulk” thing stays around the desert. It’s unlikely he’s come this far north. Still, there are worse places to do a search in than the Colorado wilderness.
Looking up, Hank sees a giant shadow moving towards them. Perhaps they’ve been looking down too much, he ventures.
The Hulk lands before them. Immediately, he smashes a rock with the splinters flying towards the X-Men, angrily announcing that he left the desert to get away from Ross and his army. They couldn’t kill him. So the cowards are sending those punks for them now! When you destroy military bases, people tend to frown on that, Cyclops retorts as he fires an optic blast to deflect the rock fragments. Beast jumps at him, but the Hulk doesn’t even flinch.
Angel tosses a rock at the Hulk’s head from above, betting he will feel this. Bet again, the Hulk suggests, throwing a much larger rock back.
Iceman lets loose with an ice barrage at the Hulk, freezing him. While Bobby congratulates himself, Jean shouts at him to get back. A moment later, the Hulk, more furious than before, bursts free from his icy cage. Man, they are doing awful, Warren mutters, protecting himself with his wings from the ice.
Calmly, Cyclops touches his visor and fires point blank at the green giant who goes down hard. Slowly, he stands up and smirks. Not bad… That deserves applause. The Hulk claps and the shockwave sends the X-Men off their feet. Jean slowly gets up. Copying the Hulk’s previous smirk and gestures, she admits not bad… Oh, come on now, the Hulk mocks in disbelief. A little girl is all they have left? Yep, Jean retorts undeterred. Just one little girl. Suddenly, the Hulk notices he is floating helplessly in the air as Jean sends him away.
At a certain secret army base in Colorado, General Ross shouts that he wants that freak contained to the southwest. Don’t they have some ding-dong egghead tracing him? Another official asks Xavier if his team had any luck. Xavier concentrates and mentally reaches the team. Have they found the Hulk?
Yep, Warren replies. They beat him. He’s gone for good. Can they come home now? Warren is being facetious, Hank admits.
At the army base, Ross demands an update whereas Xavier realizes this isn’t as straightforward a mission as they were told. They may be changing the mission. He’s having trouble focusing in this war room. Military aides and officers keep interrupting him.
Speaking of interruptions, Scott worries, as he hears a booming noise coming closer… Their subject is back. The Hulk snarls and Cyclops sends another optic blast into his direction. He’s starting to get on his nerves with that, the Hulk threatens. He slams the ground hard and a rift opens beneath the X-Men. Angel grabs Cyclops and Marvel Girl, Iceman saves himself on an iceslide and Beast has his acrobatics to fall back on.
Incredible, Xavier finds, as he tries to control the Hulk. He waves off the army people trying to interrupts him, but finds he cannot concentrate in this room and the Hulk’s rage makes it too hard. He must find a different room. His thought form disappears.
He thought Xavier was going to solve this, Bobby remarks disappointed. Hank tells them to be careful. They’re being approached from the other side as well. If there’re two of them, I quit, Marvel Girl protests.
A young man on a motorbike drives between them and the Hulk and orders them to stop the attack. The Hulk isn’t hurting anybody! Worried for the boy’s health Hank jumps in the Hulk’s face, with Scott following. Hulk grabs Beast and tosses him into the air, while telling Jones to get away. All he does is catch X-Men, Angel mutters as he flies after Beast.
The others in the meantime have come up with another plan. Iceman has created an iceslide behind the Hulk, Jean telekinetically pushes him and the slide propels him into the air.
Rick Jones angrily tells them now he’s never going to calm down. Why don’t they just give up and hightail it back to Thunderbolt Ross before they get hurt? What is he talking about? Jean wonders.
Rick explains that the Hulk is sick of the army always coming after him. If everybody stopped provoking him, things would be fine.  Cyclops remarks that he looks like a menace at large to him, even if he does have a teenage sidekick for some reason. While Angel and Beast return Rick explains that the Hulk is not a menace. He saved Rick’s life. Is he a military weapon gone wrong? Jean asks.
Rick relates how he got through to the army test ground on a dare. He didn’t know they were going to set off a gamma bomb. Br… he corrects himself, this guy pushed him out of the way and caught all the radiation instead of Rick. Now he’s the monster they are hunting. It’s his fault there is a Hulk.
That moment the Hulk is back, slamming the ground with all his strength. Jean and Iceman barely manage to shield the others from the flying debris. Cyclops pushes Ricks aside and blasts some debris as well.
The Hulk is totally out of control now and Rick shouts at them that they have to leave. There’s no reasoning with him now. Hulk stomps, making them lose their balance and grabs Jean and Scott, intent on crushing them.
Beast and Rick try to hold him back when suddenly he stands there frozen. Xavier has control of him now that he can concentrate. He finds the Hulk’s mind as incredible as his might. Really? He doesn’t strike him as a big thinker, Bobby mutters.
Now that he is calm, another part of his personality is asserting himself. Who are they talking to? Rick asks. Before their eyes the Hulk is turning to … Dr. Bruce Banner! Hank shouts. How does he know some nuclear physicist? Rick asks. He has a set of obscure scientist trading cards, Bobby quips.
Cyclops introduces them and explains they thought they were looking for a threat to national security. That’s what they found, Banner replies glumly. The Hulk is maybe the greatest technological disaster ever created. And he happens to be Banner. He’s trying to find a way to control the change, before the army does it for him.
Xavier’s astral form makes itself visible to Banner and Rick. He’s a mutant then, isn’t he, Hank asks. Not a mutant, but a form of mutation, the professor concedes. If he’s thinking about recruiting the Hulk into the X-Men, stop thinking about it, Warren warns Hank. The mansion would be leveled in no time. But the professor could control the Hulk, keep it suppressed, Hank pleads.
Banner thanks him for the offer but his transformations are becoming more erratic. He’s not sure how he’s going to end up. Rick interrupts, calling Xavier mister big-floating-head-guy. They outnumber him and Banner, they can run them in. But did they notice that he Hulk wasn’t tearing through a populated area? He’s hiding out here in the country, trying to be left alone. The change seems to come now when Doc feels threatened. They’re just trying to stay away from threats.
Well, said, Xavier commends him. He knows something about this kind of persecution well. They have nothing to fear from the X-Men. Observing the officers there confirms Rick’s suspicions – they want the Hulk’s power for themselves. As a weapon and the X-Men have a stance on that.
Right, they’ll head back, Cyclops announces as Xavier disappears. What stance? Banner asks. The search turned up nothing, Cyclops tells him with a smile. They’re not even sure there really is a Hulk, Jean adds. Cool pants, yo, Bobby concludes as they take their leave.
2nd story:
The four male X-Men sit in the den around an Ouija Board Warren has brought. Hank scoffs at the superstitious nonsense while Warren assures him it worked at his aunt’s house. They talked to a ghost that haunted the place. There’s bound to be some ghosts here, Bobby remarks nervously. The mansion is pretty old. What do they do? Scott asks eagerly. Warren instructs them to lightly touch the planchette and ask it something.
An amused Jean secretly observes the boys from the staircase.
Warren begins: are there any sprits in this house? The planchette moves out of their hands and points to “yes.”
Jean grins and the boys collectively gasp. Hank mutters something about a draft from the fire place.
Did anyone feel that cold chill run through them? Warren asks. That was him, Bobby apologizes
Now the planchette moves although nobody’s touching it. I died here 100 years ago it spells. I watch you as you sleep. Are you a friendly ghost? Bobby asks nervously. The planchette points to “no.”
What do you want? Bobby asks while all the boys look decidedly nervous. Jean decides to break it up and confess.
I want five young souls , the burning image of a devil suddenly screams at them. And upstairs Xavier smiles to himself.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
The Catalyst
(1st story)
Xavier’s consciousness soars though space. He sees asteroids, he describes, extending as far out as he can sense. Another voice confirms this: the probe has just entered the asteroid belt. Prepare to project off the X-Y axis, onto Z. Xavier begins projection and gets close and closer, nearing the path of the comet. He enters the comet’s coma and scans for anything resembling mental activity.
Earth, the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Hooked up to a helmet, Xavier tries to sift through the radio static to find a pattern. His students look on critically. Bobby summarizes: so the professor s going to divert the comet, so it will crash into Jupiter with a sweet explosion saving all of Earth. No, that’s not what’s happening at all, Hank calmly corrects him. It’s just what should happen, Warren points out.
Hank reminds them that the comet presents no danger. It simply has an unusual quality. Very unusual, one of the scientists agrees as she checks the readouts. Something from the comet responded to METI transmitters in a very deliberate sequence. Messages of Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, Hank translates for the others.
The scientist continues that, even though NASA isn’t part of the program, they couldn’t ignore the chance to make contact with a lifeform. Especially one so close to their own solar system. Thankfully, when they contacted Professor Xavier he had the ability to amplify one of their probes for this long range metal scan. Of course he demanded to become the first “Cerebe-Naut,” another scientist gruffly adds. Still, he made some good finds along the way.
Can life exist inside a comet? Cyclops wonders. Not as they would recognize it, the first scientist replies. Hopefully, their teacher’s incredible mind will find what the equipment can’t. There’s even the possibility that what answered had a short lifespan and is already dead by now.
Xavier stirs. He can’t project any longer; it’s leaving him… and indeed the probe is drifting out of range. Suddenly, Xavier screams startled a moment before the connection is severed.
Is he ok? Scott asks worried. Charles assures them he’s fine, but found nothing that he recognized as life. Still, a fascinating endeavor. The scientists thank him.
Elsewhere in space, a small bit of energy leaves the comet and flies towards Earth.
The next morning, Hank awakes in his room. He tries to jump right into his slippers and misses, instead awkwardly landing on his knees. He heads towards Bobby’s room asking if he is awake. Angrily, Bobby mumbles that it’s Saturday and attempts to fire a snowball at him. To no avail.
Jean joins them, asking why they are making such a racket so early. Hank tosses a book (Darwin’s Origin of Species) at her. Instinctively, she tries to catch it telekinetically and can’t. All of them are nonplussed when there’s suddenly a shout of happiness. Scott rushes out of his room, asking them to look at him. His eyes have turned off! He doesn’t need the visor or glasses anymore. It’s over! Maybe the mutations aren’t forever.
Hank points out how strange it is that they all lost them at the same time. He liked his power, Bobby protests and Jean realizes Warren isn’t out there with them. She runs to his room. Is he ok? Dazed, he sits in his bed, surrounded by the feathers he’s lost.
Hank goes into the kitchen, where he finds the professor seemingly lost in deep thoughts. Is he affected as well, he asks. The professor sees Hank’s now normal-sized hands and realizes it isn’t just him. They’ve all lost their powers. Is this natural? Xavier doubts it but can’t mentally scan for the source of the problem. However, they still have one powerful weapon in their arsenal.
And so, a little later in the classroom, Cerebro informs them that other mutants such as the Maximoff twins seem to be unaffected. It’s a local phenomenon. Xavier asks Cerebro if it can determine any source that may have affected their genetics. He wants Cerebro to devote all its processors to this. Cerebro finds nothing.
Scott remarks he cannot think of any of their enemies who could pull this off. The scariest thing is it may not involve their enemies, Hank points out. No, that’s the scarier thing Jean replies, looking at the window with a Sentinel peeking in. A moment later, the robot monstrosity has grabbed Jean.
Xavier realizes there was no alert because he wasted all of Cerebro’s drive on their current dilemma. He orders it to resume normal processes and implement mansion defense. With that, Cerebro has a steel plate fall down the window, separating the Sentinel’s arm from the rest, thus freeing Jean. The Sentinel prepares for full assault and the X-Men run to escape the attack just in time.
As the Sentinel smashes the wall, Scott orders the others to get the professor to the basement through the elevator. Xavier reminds him that they all have to go to the shelter. They are all vulnerable now. They still have their training, Scott replies. That’s better than a power sometimes. He swings outside, runs past the Sentinel and goads it to try hitting a running target. It misses.
It follows Scott… into the Danger Room. Barely inside, Scott gives the order initiate full wargame scenario – all safeties off. Immediately, the Sentinel is hit from a dozen sides at once and all that’s left is a pile of junk. Jean and Bobby join Scott. He doesn’t ever say this, Bobby admits, but Scott freaking-rocks!
Is the professor safe? Scott asks. Hank informs him he is in the fallout shelter and fine. Looking up, Warren points out that they are really, really not. Dozens of Sentinels land on the Mansion grounds. This day just keeps getting worse.
(2nd story)
Jean Grey is about to visit Wanda Maximoff. Warren throws her the keys to his lucky car and Jean remarks she’s sorry it didn’t work out between him and Wanda. He should cheer up. She knows it’s tough when you’re rich, handsome and can fly. Warren agrees glumly.
A little later, Jean drives up the driveway of the Maximoffs’ current home. Wanda asks Pietro to leave as he promised. But, why does she need friends? She has him for a brother. he asks unconvinced, though obeying. Racing past Jean, he wishes her a good evening, then races back because he forgot something, then leaves again.
A little later inside the house, Wanda and Jean read newspapers, trying to find a crime they can solve together. They have to find the right one, Jean insists. They don’t want to bite off too much on their first night out. Though they are insanely powerful.
Wanda suggests that the bubblehead villain who fights the Spider-Man – referring to Mysterio – is on the loose. Jean is for keeping it simple, as Wanda is a newbie. She finds the case of a museum that’s been losing artifacts at night without any evidence of the crime. They’ll arrange to stay there overnight. With a bit of influence by Xavier, the curators believe the two young women to be FBI agents.
3.00 a.m. and the two are bored out of their minds and a lot less enthusiastic.
However, suddenly pale yellow hands lift the tiles on the ground and little subterranean creatures, similar to those the X-Men saw on Monster Island, come out. They immediately zap the security guard and grab artifacts before the girls can react.
The two girls decide to follow them down the hole. They walk through a tunnel that goes on forever, causing Wanda to exclaim that they should have gone after Mystery bubble after all. Finally, they find the true culprit… the Mole Man. Those treasure would long have been his, he shouts, if the Explorers Club hadn’t spurned him.
Jean is loath to attack. The X-Men don’t need another super-villain enemy right now. What if he sends giant monster to stomp the mansion? Wanda has an idea. She grabs Jean’s mask and demands her gloves and boots as well. After the girls have partially switched costumes, Wanda seemingly levitates before the Mole Man (courtesy of Jean’s telekinesis). Calling herself Marvel Witch, she exclaims she’s going to take the artifacts back.
When the Mole Man tries to command one of his creatures to fry her, Wanda uses her own powers to turn the creatures against each other. She grabs the artifacts with Jean’s help and the two girls quickly run for it, collapsing the tunnel behind them.
In the morning at Wanda’s place, they are still in a self-congratulatory mood until Xavier contacts them, asking whether they happened to run into the Mole Man. They seem to have made a big impression on him. He tells them to observe the news.
A news report shows the Mole Man, flowers and candies in his hands, monsters behind him, wreaking havoc and threatening that his monsters will search the wretched surface world until he finds the brave beauty who must rule the underworld by his side… Marvel Witch!


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
The Catalyst – part two
Xavier’s School:
The X-Men are staring through the hole in the wall left by a Sentinel. They’ve woken up powerless and, through sheer bravery and creativity, beat one Sentinel. Problem being what to do with the other 99 or so that are currently hovering around the school.
But they destroyed the base that made them, Jean points out. Not everything, Xavier everything. Scott suggests he get back down to safety. If they insist on facing the Sentinels without powers, then so shall he, Xavier retorts before explaining that Cerebro has scanned the Sentinel that Scott destroyed. It comes from a production chamber that the Master Mold built separately, unknown to the government. The remote facility has continued building a separate series of the mutant hunters. They were to resume their search and destroy mission once their garrison reached a certain number. A very large number.
This is it, isn’t it? Bobby panics. Xavier tries to calm him. Scott has proven that they still have their minds. And Cerebro’s. Cerebro attempts a viral infiltration of the Sentinel, but they easily fend it off and take over Cerebro in the process. Using Cerebro the Sentinels scan the X-Men, who are expecting the worst, but not that the Sentinels turn around and leave. Of course, Xavier realizes. They’re not Homo superior anymore. No longer part of their objective. Proceeding to next mutant cell, one of the Sentinels announces.
Jean suddenly gets agitated. They’re safe, Scott tries to calm her. But Wanda’s not! she exclaims. The Sentinels pulled out Cerebro’s data, right? Then they know where Wanda and Pietro are. They’re going after them next! Jean runs to the phone to warn them while the others get the van ready to head for the jet (wondering if it can beat the Sentinels in speed). While they are busy, a strange green fluid amasses outside the mansion.
Elsewhere, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff are back at their small shack after shopping for groceries. Wanda teasingly tells her brother he should have asked that clerk for her number. Dismissively, he replies that she was just being nice because the American store forces her to be so. Or does she think…
As he stores away the groceries, Wanda wonders why there are twelve messages. She listens to Jean’s warning. The next moment, the Sentinels already attack.
Wanda! Jean shouts in their plane. The line is dead. At the helm, Cyclops suddenly feels weird. His eyes begin to glow and despite his visor he lets loose an optic blast that thrashes right through the plane.
They are in a downward spiral. Warren is in pain as he gets out of his seat. He jumps outside as his wings regrow. As he flaps them at high speed, he holds on to the plane and slows their descent. While he’s being Super-Angel, can he put them down? Jean asks. Because Wanda needs them now. Wanda is holding her unconscious brother. They are surrounded by Sentinels.
Hank smashes right into a Sentinel with newfound superstrength, while Angel steers the plane through another one cutting through it. Jean too senses her powers returning as she holds the entire plane afloat, thus allowing Angel to let go of it. How could they all do that? Bobby asks and where’s his sweet power?
Wanda asks them for help as more Sentinels land. Jean telekinetically opens a rift beneath them and throws them in. Wanda follows up with a hexblast, taking them apart. Just her regular power is pretty awesome sometimes, Jean admits. Yeah, that’s giving him serious chills one of the others remarks. No, Bobby points out, icing up. That’s him. Creating a huge iceshield, he exults that they are not getting through the great wall of Bobby.
Beast asks if Xavier has a theory on what’s happening. Cyclops replies that Xavier hasn’t responded in the last two minutes. He thinks he’s changing too, like he has. Look. He wears no visor. Beast orders him to aim away but Scott explains he can actually control his powers now.
Let’s go finish the Sentinels, he tells Jean. Marvel Girl easily deflects the Sentinels’ blasts, remarking it’s not even trying. She’s crazy powerful. He too, Scott replies with a grin and blasts the robots apart.
While Bobby goes to help Scott and Jean, Wanda asks Beast for help for her brother. He needs a doctor. Angel lands and tells them to hang on. He can’t explain it, but he feels like he can help here. Angel touches Pietro’s chest wound and, just like that, it closes and Pietro becomes conscious.
The three other X-Men quickly destroy the Sentinels as Xavier telepathically urges them to hurry. They have little time to waste. They must act quickly or lose their humanity. He orders Bobby to place another wall between the shore and the road. Local police are trying to investigate and they need time.
That was worthy of myth, team, Hank tells them afterwards. Jean orders him away from the edge and telekinetically reconstructs the Maximoff cabin. Then Xavier telepathically gives her the specifications of the jet and, using the Sentinel parts as material, Jean rebuilds the jet well.
Wanda asks what’s going on and Xavier explains that they have been affected by an extraterrestrial force. It pulled their power back to premanifestation and began them again with no limits. They must return to the mansion and confront the force. Good-bye. They X-Men leave and the twins give each other weird looks.
The Mansion has almost been overgrown by shrubbery. Thanks to Xavier, they find the alien, a green globe. Xavier admits he cannot tell whether it is sentient or a sophisticated machine, but his scan through the comet attracted it to them. From what he discerned it travels the galaxy, unlocking potential in those it encounters. It will cease to function if not moved off-planet. By then they will be irrevocably changed and so would the world, They must undo its work and send it away.
Bobby protests. Look how they wiped out those Sentinels. They could completely crush evil… period. Which is more power than anyone should have. Look at what they are becoming. Soon they’d be able to change nearly everything on the planet they wished and they wouldn’t be able to consider the views of humanity. He already feels speaking to communicate is unnatural. They must reject this power now while they are still human. Scott glumly agrees.
Xavier tells Jean that it will takes their minds in conjunction to compel the catalyst to restore them. She’s following his lead, she replies. Together they’re pulling back, limiting their genetic potential to before they were altered, pulling back, getting through, and they are returned to normal.
A little later, a rocket leaves Cape Canaveral to return the catalyst to space. Being free of Earth’s gravity is all it needs, Xavier explains. Before the change, she could have just sent it home by herself, Jean muses. She wasn’t getting used to becoming all powerful, was she? Scott asks. Well, she wouldn’t have cried if it had left her able to fly…


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

[Assistant]
Adventure into Fear
Four X-Men make their way through swampland looking for their missing team member Iceman, following his trail of icechunks. Unaware of what’s looming behind him, Cyclops orders Beast and Angel to go on ahead as they can move faster in this swamp. Beast looks at him and shouts a warning. To his right – there’s someone… or some thing!
They become aware of the red-eyed, muck-encrusted, hulking creature that once used to be as human as they – the Man-Thing. Angel is the first to gather his wits and flies at the creature believing it has got Bobby. Vines suddenly shoot forth at him, ensnaring him.
Hank uses his athletics, intending to kick the creature back, instead he finds his feet sinking into the creature and becoming stuck. Suddenly, he cries out in pain. Cyclops attacks the creature with an optic blast, inadvertently causing a large hole which frees Hank. They look at the creature seemingly only made of plant matter and mud in confusion and Marvel Girl recalls how things began: yesterday when they thought things would get back to normal. Well, normal for them
Flashback:
At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, they witnessed how the entity that had played havoc with their powers was sent back into space. Once free of Earth’s pull, it separated from the rocket and returned to the comet it came from. But then they found out that everything hadn’t gone off without a hitch, as one of the scientists informed them of a strange energy reading during launch… from the south. A big lightshow went off a few hundred miles away when the rocket passed over.
The NASA scientists were interested, but not worried, chalking it up to atmospheric conditions. The Professor thought it was important though and suggested they pay a visit to a friend near that area.
And so not much later, the X-Men visited Dr Curt Connors, whom Hank and Warren tangled with when he was the Lizard. He saw the phenomenon too and added that this area of the country has lots of unusual things. Including him of course, right? He addresses Hank and Warren who politely pretend not to know what he’s talking about. Now, Connors continues, they are saying an extraterrestrial caused this effect…
Hank quickly summarizes what happened. They aren’t sure if it was truly alive or a complex machine, but it briefly altered their mutant genetics. Xavier adds that he believes its strange properties triggered another phenomenon in this area. They can’t see it in the sky now, but it’s still there. When he’s projects his consciousness toward this area he gets a… bizarre feedback. He’s misdirected to other areas and possibly other times.
If they want to investigate, Connors offers them the use of his hydrofile and Cyclops immediately wants to drive it. Soon, the five X-Men are off with Xavier keeping telepathic contact.
However suddenly they run up on something. Something being a German WW II submarine The Nazis immediately fire at them and Bobby shields the others with an iceshield. While Jean lifts them as they land again Beast notices that time itself seems to be going awry. More than time, Jean comments dryly, as they are suddenly attacked by Valkyries on flying horses.
Cyclops shoots one of them down. What devilry, another announces who is reined in by Warren – a winged man! Oh like a winged horse is all natural and he’s all weird, he fumes. The Valkyries vanish like the sub, only to be replaced by a sea serpent that breathes fire at them.
Iceman evades the serpent chased by it on an iceslide. Scott fires at it and it disappears, but so does Bobby. They follow his trail of icechunks which ends with finding their newest monster pal.
Present:
The Professor contacts them and the mud creature actually seems to sense his presence. Connors remarks that he has seen bad drawings of it but it is a local legend called the Man-Thing. Like the Bigfoot of the Everglades.
The Man-Thing isn’t attacking anymore. Xavier finds its mind hard to fathom but warns everyone to remain calm. It seems to mirror the emotions around it. Hard to be calm. They’ve been attacked by Nazis, valkyries and sea serpents.
Suddenly, a hole in the sky appears, an arm reach out to grab Jean, shouting there she is. Beast grabs her hand and jumps after her. Warren and Scott want to follow but Xavier warns them to stay back. On the other side of the swirl, they see a hairy blue-back ferocious creature that roars and attacks them. The Man-Thing follows them through the swirl and Scott realizes that Xavier is in contact with him. They hold onto the Man-Thing, who takes them back to the swirl and reveals that the former monster is Hank.
He moans that it was so hard to think like he’d gone feral. Xavier explains that he was assimilated into another reality. One where his mutation went too far.
As they crossed through, torrents of information rushed through him. This area of the Everglades is a nexus point… a confluence of times and realities. Normally closed, but their alien catalyst opened it on its trip back to space. The Man-Thing has a special connection to the Nexus. Somehow he can find his way through the phenomenon with his will. Without him, they may never have found the way back. His consciousness allowed Xavier to come along. He focussed on the three of them and he walked right into the exact alternate existence. Let us try again, Xavier decides. Can he find the missing Marvel Girl and Iceman?
The Man-Thing takes them to another reality, a post-apocalyptic one where New York is in ruins. Destroyed Sentinels and dead mutants (among them Magneto, Colossus, Wolverine and Psylocke) are lying on the ground. The only one left in this final hour of the final mutant war is Jean Grey as Dark Phoenix in her final incarnation, more powerful than all her previous rebirths.
What is this? Scott asks. She simply pulled their powers from them, comes the reply. She can easily do this with them. Then she recognizes him. How can it be Scott? They killed him. That’s why they all had to die.
She takes off his visor and holds back his optic blast. He doesn’t know what this is, but she has to come back, Scott pleads. He’s so young, Phoenix mutters, but he’s gone. He and Xavier.
Scott points towards the Man-Thing. The professor is with them, he assures her, in that body. Dark Phoenix flies toward the Man-Thing who then proceeds to literally pull Marvel Girl out of her. With that, they follow the Man-Thing through the vortex, a confused Jean asking what that was. Some reality where things went horribly wrong, Hank replies and advises her not to worry, it’s over. Scott reminds them they still have to find Bobby.
They are led to another future where all of New York seems to be covered in ice. Okay, this is another opposite-of-utopia-type deal isn’t it, Angel asks. Dystopia, Hank corrects him curtly. It must be a new ice age, Jean assumes.
I say thee nay! an enraged voice shouts and they find the mighty Thor battling an ice giant. Thor shouts that he warned him of where his power could lead him and identifies the frost giant as Robert Drake. No one warns the Ice Giant, the monster snaps back. The humans tried to erase his kind from the planet. Now they have learned what they are truly up against. Do any of them end up happy and retired? Angel moans.
Cyclops orders Jean to telekinetically levitate the Man-Thing up to the giant. Thor strikes at the frost giant, shouting he could have been the most powerful hero rather than a frost giant. Now he must die like one.
Just in time, the Man-Thing drags present Bobby out of him. With Jean’s and Warren’s help, they return to the vortex and finally the present. He never thought he’d be so glad to see this swamp again, Bobby mutters. Jean insists that still they should leave now.
Xavier telepathically guides them back and the Man-Thing leaves. Warren tries to thank him, but Xavier informs him that he cannot understand. His mind is unfathomable. He thinks he let Xavier step in because he liked his clarity. And lack of emotion, oddly. He learned that the Man-Thing once was human. A scientist who let his own work take him over and transform him into something else.
Later at Connors’ home, Xavier informs them that the effect is subsiding and the nexus is closing up. Good because he hates it, Bobby announces. Are they doomed to become the future versions they saw? They were possibilities Xavier replies. It’s possible one of them could be their future, but he prefers to think not. Because they were afraid when they passed through the portals their fear took them to places they would find horrifying. Like a mirror. Perhaps that’s why he was burned by the creature’s touch, Hank muses. As the guardian of the Nexus the Man-Thing hates fear. So does she, Jean admits soberly.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
The New Recruit
(1st story)
The Heli-Carrier. As Nick Fury trains, a guard begins to announce the Black Widow. However, she cuts him off. She can announce herself. She is ready to give her report. Not stopping, Nick remarks that everything she says is being recorded. Of course, she replies amused. They all love her Cossack accent. He’s heard worse, he admits, and wants to hear it from the beginning. He already knows the beginning, she smirks.
The Black Widow’s report:
As usual, she was interrupting people having a perfectly normal life, though they weren’t perfectly normal people, were they?
The two people she’s observing are Wanda Maximoff and Jean Grey ice-skating. However, Jean is barely proficient at it, unlike Wanda. She takes Jean’s hand and the other girl quickly improves. Too quickly. Wanda jokingly accuses her of cheating with her powers and tries to use her own power to cancel that out. Instead, she breaks the ice beneath Jean’s feet and Jean falls into the icy water.
Natasha sees this as confirmation of Wanda’s power and gets ready to move. As Wanda gets the freezing Jean out, Natasha arrives and offers her coat plus some extra clothes Jean may change into.
At the cabin, Wanda offers to help. Ticked off, Jean replies she’s done plenty. She steps inside with Natasha to change. Shortly, Natasha comes out alone, stating that Jean went home. She seemed quite bothered, but ok. Wanda feels hurt. Natasha leads her to her slinky car and states that westerners are not used to such discomfort. Wanda strikes her as from the Carpathians like much of Natasha’s family. Ride? Wanda agrees and the two introduce themselves with their first names.
They have barely left when Jean comes out, wondering where Wanda is.
On the road Natasha inquires about Wanda’s life: Is she in college or working? Wanda replies evasively. She was unhappy in her last job. Now she can do whatever she wants. She supposes she is at a crossroads. Natasha hints that she works for an organization that might be a good… Suddenly, an alert bleeps. SHIELD requires Black Widow; assistance needed immediately. Coordinates are in her autopilot. Natasha sighs and the car begins to fly.
Meanwhile an agitated Jean is phoning Xavier’s, asking the professor to scan the northern hemisphere for Wanda. Patiently, the professor points out that Cerebro wasn’t built for that purpose. Please, Jean pleads and he gives in, remarking a moment later that’s impressive. Somehow, Wanda has already made it to the Massachusetts coast.
There, the new submarine, Arronax, is introduced to a gathering. It is meant to be to deep sea research and transport what the shuttle is to the space program. Among the crowd, watching are Wanda, Natasha and her colleague, “Dum-Dum” Dugan.
This is a dangerous mission? Wanda asks incredulously. No, this is a waste of time, Natasha replies. Her employers received last minute intel. And rather than compromising their forces elsewhere, they gave her this duty.
Dugan tells her to come on and adds to Wanda that what Natasha is not saying is that her bosses trust her to be worth a whole regiment of agents. And they’ve got ole Dum Dum there for back-up. Is this their new recruit? Wanda incredulously looks at them both. Not likely, Natasha retorts, since he and Fury have destroyed every subtle path she may have taken.
Suddenly, several HYDRA agents attack, intent on stealing the Arronax. Natasha tells Wanda to take cover as she reveals her Widow’s costume. Wanda is more concerned with how Natasha managed to change so fast.
Feel the Widow’s sting, the Black Widow shouts at one HYDRA agents as she takes him down with her trademarked blast. Feel Dugan’s knuckles, comes the more down to Earth cry from Dugan. Three more HYDRA agent shout Hail HYDRA, ready to fire at them. At this moment, Wanda gets into the game. Using her hex power, she makes the men lose control of their weapons. Not bad for a beginner, Natasha commends her.
In the meantime, the rest of the HYDRA agents have reached their goal: the Arronax. The Black Widow manages though to throw a tracer on one of them, enabling them to follow the sub. Dugan talks with the coast guard to give them a chase vehicle. “Exciting, no?” Natasha asks Wanda, who’s really getting into it.
Soon, the X-Men on their plane are getting close, the only thing they see is a coast guard cutter. Cyclops apologizes for being unable to help as there’s nowhere for him to land the jet.
Wanda, in the meantime, has changed and announces she’s ready for anything. Good, Natasha remarks as she looks up, they are being followed by a jet and it has launched something at them.
Something being Angel, carrying Marvel Girl. Man, Wanda’s just going to think he’s carrying a torch for her, Warren complains. It’s not all about him, Jean points out annoyed. Is she sure? he asks.
False alarm, Natasha decides. The sun was interfering. She was just seeing a bird. A large bird? Wanda asks hesitatingly.
The next moment, Warren attacks Dugan and Jean jumps at Natasha. Take that, Witchnappers! she shouts. What are they doing there? Wanda asks, rescuing them. Punk made him lose his derby, Dugan complains, as he climbs back aboard.
Natasha suddenly pushes the coast guard captain at Angel, ordering him to take the man out of there. He doesn’t work for her, he protests. Wanda asks him to do it. She’s one of the good guys. He’s lost, Warren mutters as he obeys. Well, he’s found him, Dugan announces as he hangs onto Warren’s other arm. The Captain points out that their friends are being taken away, by that whirlpool.
There’s darkness. I think a whale ate us, one of the ladies announces. No, a HYDRA did, Natasha corrects them. The lights go on. Indeed. “Hail HYDRA!” a HYDRA agents announces, Clamp the SHIELD agent, guns on the others. Rude, Jean protests and Black Widow warns them not to resist until they know the situation.
They are led inside the HYDRA underwater base. Not that this doesn’t happen to her all the time, but who are these goons? Jean inquires. HYDRA is the largest subversive organization in the world, dedicated to overthrowing all national alliances, Natasha rattles down, echoed by a chorus of HAIL HYDRA from all the agents guarding them. They are the mainforce they in SHIELD battle to the end, Natasha adds.
They reach a throne where another agent, a higher one stands beneath the symbol of the HYDRA. HYDRA can never end, Black Widow, he announces. She knows this. Cut off one head… And two more will take its place… the agents echo obediently. While SHIELD wasted men storming a false operation, they were actually stealing the submarine for this new undersea base, the Black Widow realizes. Exactly, he agrees. Now isn’t she tired of being one step behind? Wouldn’t she rather be part of an organization that thinks ahead like that? Ha, Natasha scoffs.
While they are engaged in their battle of wits, Jean asks Wanda why she went along with that woman. Jean left her, Wanda angrily snaps back. No, she didn’t, Jean explains. She was taking a hot shower and the woman said she’d tell Wanda that she had calmed down.
Just like Magneto all over again, Wanda realizes. She should never trust. She doesn’t think that woman is as bad as the Brotherhood, but hey, she can trust her, Jean points out.
An agent orders them to break it up. Fed up, Jean tells him  to break it up as she levitates the agent and his gun away from her, and she’s ready for the two more that will take his place.
Too soon, Natasha mutters. A powerful one, perfect for indoctrination, the HYDRA agents decide and hit Jean with gas. Wanda, grabbed by another agent, threatens them, but the leader is unimpressed. Using her powers to make things malfunction within a pressurized base would not be very smart. He bets her old boss, Magneto, had to constantly fix every base she ever walked though.
The dizzy Jean is strapped into a die, barely seeing Natasha who warns her that they are going to brainwash her. She must resist!
Her image is replaced by that of Professor X, who addresses Jean and Wanda. They only have moments before they begin tracing Jean’s neural pathways and imprinting their own code. She must protect her greatest resource: her mind. He can help deter the machine’s effect for a moment. Angel and Scott contacted him and he read the SHIELD agent’s mind. They’re sending reinforcements. Wanda just needs to cause some chaos.
Wanda points out she hasn’t got enough focus. The Black Widow can create enough trouble for everyone he replies. They must both concentrate their powers on the encasements on her arms. He is guiding them.
The girls concentrate and the encasements break. The next moment, the Widow is among the HDRA agents, fighting up a storm. Wanda uses a hex to make the machine Jean is strapped into malfunction. Thanks sis, Jean tells her, before informing the HYDRA agents this is what she can do with clear thinking as she levitates them away.
The leader boasts they cannot escape. They are still under the sea. Widow points out the SHIELD frogmen hard at work outside. A little later, the whole base is being carried aloft by the Heli-Carrier.
Later, Jean, Angel and Wanda debriefed by Dugan and the Black Widow while drinking a cup of tea. So they want to make a secret agent out of her, Wanda asks. Black Widow says yes. They knew she was unaffiliated. They had word she had followed Magneto. That’s bad, Dugan remarks. But they left him, Wanda points out. That’s good, Dugan agrees.
And she’s on friendly terms with the X-Men, Natasha states. They don’t know what that means, Dugan adds. It means she is comfortable working in neutral territory like a SHIELD agent has to, Natasha replies smoothly. But ultimately for the good cause. The X-Men may get off there.
As will she, Wanda decides and climbs down the stepladder to Xavier’s mansion with Jean.
So she’s an X-Man now? Natasha asks. No, but she’s more like them than an espionage agent. They do not lie to her. Understood, Natasha replies and thanks them for their assistance.
(Present)
And there you have it, Natasha finishes her tale. Mission not accomplished.
Fury advises her not to be so hard on herself. They got some free work out of her after all. She would have been a great asset in sabotage, Natasha muses. More important is the balance of power, Fury replies. They were worried she might fall in with the villains again, but that’s clearly not the case. Odds are she’ll hook up with the FF or the Avengers at some point instead.
Does she think they hovered there long enough? For intimidation? Yes, she decides. And the X-Men and Wanda cheer as the Heli-Carrier takes off.
(Second story)
Fighting HYDRA agents, the Black Widow decides that’s it. She’s sick of her fishnets catching on everything. Tell SHIELD she wants a new uniform!
No, she decides, as they dress her up with a paramilitary look and an hourglass eye-tattoo.
The skimpy ninja outfit with the hourglass cleavage gets an even more decided no.
As does the partner look with Dugan and his derby. He suggests she take a look at what the other action girls are wearing.
Natasha does just that and catches Marvel Girl’s look. Red hair and a black body suit – perfect! And even the HYDRA agents whom she takes out admit – the new look is pretty hot.