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Lethal Weapons
Wolverine and Cable. The first is a mutant, born with an altered genetic structure that gives him more-than-human powers. The other, is a man shrouded in mystery. Here in Madripoor, the two powerful men are locked in a battle from which the death of one, or the other, can be the only result. Wolverine a.k.a. the Logan of the X-Men has gifts including animal sharp senses and reactions, plus a healing factor that makes him almost indestructible - and which has enabled his body to accept the implants of adamantium steel that lace his bones, and lethal claws that burst through from housings in his wrists.
Cable's gifts are less specific, but no less impressive. Cable's cunning and bravery are as prodigious as his speed, endurance and strength. He is among the best at everything he does, and in his short time as leader of the New Mutants, he has convinced his young charges that he does everything well. Wolverine lunges at Cable, who blocks the stocky X-Man by smacking him in the neck with his spiked cuffs, while three of the aforementioned New Mutants - Julio Richter a.k.a. Rictor, Bobby DaCosta a.k.a. Sunspot and Rahne Sinclair a.k.a. Wolfsbane - can only watch and await the outcome of the fight with looks of horror on their faces.
However, this is a clash of the titans, a battle that the New Mutants would have given their eye-teeth to witness. If only it wasn't happening here and now, at a time when the world is in desperate need of all their strength and co-operation - and if only both men were not their friends. Cable forces Wolverine back, knocking him into some wooden crates at the back of the alley. Logan tells Cable that it was a good move, using his momentum against him, before suggesting that he doesn't get too cocky, ˜Cause I wont even need my claws to finish you!' Wolverine boasts as he retracts his lethal weapons
Wolverine rushes over to Cable and smacks him hard in the face, to which Cable reciprocates by smashing Wolverine with his bionic arm, telling Wolverine that if he thinks his fists alone can stop him, then he is even more stupid than he looks. "Bad move, bub - you insulted me!" Wolverine exclaims, ready to make his next move.
Meanwhile, not far away, remaining New Mutants Tabby Smith a.k.a. Boom-Boom, Sam Guthrie a.k.a. Cannonball, the alien Warlock, and their ally one-time X-Man Shiro Yashida a.k.a. Sunfire are captives of the terrorist faction known as the Mutant Liberation Front. The deadly assassin known as Dragoness has been left to watch her prisoners.
Strung up above the ground by chains, Boom-Boom tells the winged Dragoness that the New Mutants know what the MLF has got planned, that the MLF is going too poison the water supplies of the world's capitals as they think it is going to bring world attention to the plight of mutants everywhere. Cannonball tells Dragoness that it is crazy, for killing people is not going to help mutant kind in any way. The sultry Dragoness asks the New Mutants how they plan to stop the MLF while trapped in stasis beams, before admitting that their interference in the MLF's affairs has caused them some difficulty, though it will not stop their mission. "The bigotry of humans will be returned upon them!"
"Our leader, Stryfe, believes in an eye for an eye! Hatred for hatred!" Dragoness exclaims as she tells the New Mutants that they have forced Stryfe to step up his agenda, revealing that they will leave tonight, to deploy the drug, and after that, the world will listen to the political manifesto of the Mutant Liberation Front. Cannonball is surprised by the revelation that the poisoning will take place tonight, and asks what the MLF's manifesto is. Sam points out that they are all mutants and that if the MLF is going to kill people in his name, he would really like to know why.
This intrigues Dragoness, who asks Cannonball why he is so interested, before declaring that she believes Cannonball is sorry that she shall be leaving him, and calling him handsome, places a kiss on his lips, before turning and making her way out of the room, adding that she thinks now he will miss her even more, and promising Sam that when she returns, they can discuss Stryfe's plan in more depth.
Boom-Boom frowns and tells Sam to get that goofy look off his face, before asking him "What's with you, flirting with the scaled nightmare anyway? She's a killer!" Gazing longingly, Sam replies "A killer ... with lips a man could die for!" Boom-Boom is shocked, "Lips? Is that all men think about? Sheesh! Are you insane? People are gonna die - tonight!" Tabby exclaims, before suggesting that perhaps Dragoness hypnotized Sam, "Besides, she probably gave you rabies!" Tabby adds. "Rabies huh? You really think so? A beautiful girl like that?" Sam asks.
Boom-Boom is shocked, "Beautiful? Man I gotta snap you out it ... what can I do ... except this?" Tabby exclaims, before telling Sam that if he thinks Dragoness is so great, "Let me show you how a real woman kisses!" Sam is wide-eyed as Boom-Boom kisses him on the lips, before Tabby pulls away and tells Sam that he never told her he could kiss like that. Sam replies that she never asked, before pointing out that he never meant to evoke quite that reaction from her, before explaining that he was not as dazzled by Dragoness as he looked, that it was a trick.
Sam explains that it was his discussions with Cable about "down and dirty strategy" that sparked the idea, and now it seems to have paid off. "What worked?" Boom-Boom asks, to which Sam grins and reveals that he stole the key card from Dragoness' headdress when she was kissing him. "Then you were so steamed, I couldn't resist!" Sam jokes. "Teasing me?!" Tabby shouts, while thinking to herself that Sam is a creep, but she did take the bait after all, but she is glad she did, and gets them impression that Sam is too. Tabby thinks to herself that she never thought Sam could be so underhanded - or so awesome!
Sunfire tells Warlock that Cannonball is actually quite smart, to which the alien Warlock asks Sunfire why he is so surprised, as the New Mutants have been trained by Xavier, Magneto and Cable. Cannonball tells Sunfire that the New Mutants aren't exactly novices, before holding up the key card he stole from Dragoness and suggesting that they get out of here.
Outside, the fight which has lasted mere minutes seems to the New Mutants to have gone on for hours. So far, the young heroes have not entered the fray for fear of alerting Stryfe's sentinels who patrol this area. But as Wolverine lunges at Cable, and Cable smashes the long-time X-Man back, the New Mutants know that they must act quickly, before one of their heroes is dead. "For a guy who's already one arm already... you seem real eager to lose another!" Wolverine exclaims, claws barred as Cable holds him high in the air. "Brave speech, Logan, for a guy so near the end!" Cable replies, when suddenly, up above, Rictor tells Rahne that they have to stop Cable and Wolverine, and he knows how! Rictor then uses his powers to knock a large water tank from its fixture, down below, it crashes near Cable and Logan, and sends water pouring over them.
The three New Mutants rush towards the older heroes, who have been separated, and Sunspot remarks that it must have been tons of water and seems to have done the trick. Rahne asks what they are going to do now that the water has knocked them down - sit on them? Rictor replies that they can at least try, and don't let them up until they are willing to discuss their differences rationally.
Wolverine gathers himself and remarks that Cable has learned a few moves since they last met. "Been saving them up, just to surprise you" Cable replies, before telling Rictor that it is all right, that the fight is over - for now. Cable assures his charges that he and Wolverine did not mean to alarm them, and that such extreme measures will not be necessary. "They won't?" Rictor replies. Wolverine lights a cigar and remarks that Rictor seems disappointed, before asking him if he is really that eager to play shish-kabob.
Wolfsbane exclaims that she understands now - the fight wasn't real, they were just having a bit of fun, but she and the others were so worried about them. Logan tells Rahne that she is "half right", adding that the fight goes way back, and it is real enough. Wolverine reveals that he and Cable have been trying to come to a reckoning off and on for years, but that every time they get close to a reckoning, something like that deluge the New Mutants cooked up intervenes. "Ruined a perfectly good cigar, too!" Logan exclaims, tossing the cigar which is water logged to the ground, and asks Cable what he is doing in Madripoor.  "Same as you, probably" Cable replies. "The Mutant Liberation Front plans to poison a lot of people". "And we plan to stop them!" Sunspot exclaims.
Not far away, a soldier informs Stryfe that the New Mutants have escaped. "You bring bad news, dog!" Stryfe replies, smacking the soldier hard in the face, before asking who the last person was to visit the prisoners. Kamikaze replies that Dragoness was, and begins to say that she would never set them free, but Stryfe interrupts, exclaiming that Dragoness will be punished. "As for Cable's young pups, send my soldiers to track them!" Stryfe orders. Kamikaze points out that ordinary soldiers will not be able to stop them, as they are good. Stryfe replies that it doesn't matter, and reminds Kamikaze that he and Sumo are needed for the dispersement of the poison, and that the soldiers are expendable, after all, they are merely human. Stryfe remarks that the pursuit will distract their former captives, and even if they escape, once the poison has been successfully deployed, Cable and his children will have no chance in stopping the MLF.
Nearby, Cannonball, Boom-Boom, Warlock and Sunfire are about to enter another corridor when Sam tells everyone to keep back, as someone is coming. "I hope they're hungry, cause those suckers are gonna eat time bomb!" Boom-Boom boasts. A group of warriors are making their way down the corridor, and one of them exclaims that he doesn't like this, as those mutants have proved themselves to be dangerous. Another agrees, before reminding his colleagues that for this assignment, Stryfe is paying them more than their yearly wage.
Sunfire exclaims that those assassins will walk into a sheet of nuclear-powered plasma, but Cannonball tells Sunfire to wait, as it is not the MLF's higher-ups, just some grunts, and tells Sunfire to back off, as this is the time for subtlety and secrecy - not noise and flame. Annoyed, Sunfire asks Cannonball who he thinks he is, ordering around a son of Japan. "I am not one of your team, and I will do as I see fit!" Before Sunfire can act though, Boom-Boom tells him that she understands where he is coming from, as she hates being bossed around also, before telling him that secrecy counts right now, and that if they manage to get to Stryfe and destroy this sleet drug, they could save millions of lives!
Sunfire steps back and tells Boom-Boom that she is right to remind him, Stryfe is the enemy, and the one he must slay to avenge those he slew testing his evil drug. Shiro turns to Cannonball and tells him that this time, they will do it his way. Sam asks Warlock if he is ready, and the alien replies that he is. Cannonball tells his teammate to take out the guards quietly and easily, but reminding him that if the plan doesn't work, to blow these suckers to kingdom come! Sam and Warlock round the corner and ambush the guards, some of whom Cannonball grabs as he blasts down the corridor, taking them with him.
Warlock grabs the soldiers by their throats and warns them that if they make a sound or give he and the New Mutants a moment of trouble, then Sunfire will ignite his hands as he has threatened - "And you will burn!" Sunfire and Boom-Boom join the fray too, taking their opponents down without the loud use of their powers. Boom-Boom kicks one of the soldiers hard in the stomach and exclaims that it is a good thing Cable has been making them practice their martial arts, as it comes in real handy.
Sunfire has his hands around the neck of one soldier and backs him up against as wall, ordering him to take them to the place where Stryfe has stored his poison so that they can destroy it. The guard replies that he dares not to, as Stryfe would torture him, kill him. "And do you think that I will not?" Sunfire asks angrily, before declaring, for the last time, "Do as I command, silently and swiftly!" Sunfire brings his hands up over the soldier's face, warning him that if he makes a single sound, gives them a moment of trouble, then he will ignite his hand, "And you will burn!"
Meanwhile, on the roof of Stryfe's warehouse, Cable, Wolverine and the three New mutants crouch silently, when suddenly, there is a beeping, and Wolverine announces that the Cerebro unit is registering mutants down below. "Ours?" Cable asks. "Won't know till we look!" Logan replies, before leaping through the skylight window. Glass shatters everywhere as Logan drops into the warehouse. "Are you insane?" Cable asks as he follows. "What happened to stealth?" Claws ready, Wolverine points out that they wanted to get in, now they are.
The New Mutants soon follow, and landing in the warehouse are reunited with their teammates. "So you beat us here!" Wolverine remarks to Sunfire and the others. "Of course" Sunfire replies, adding that they managed to get this soldier of Stryfe's to lead them here, where the drug is stored, which Stryfe will later use to contaminate the water supplies of all the major capitals in the world. Cable exclaims that many of these crates hold explosives, meaning this warehouse is a cache of weapons, before pointing out that other creates are unmarked, thousands of them, and they have no way of knowing which ones will hold the sleet.
Rictor declares that they better find out, and Boom-Boom reminds exclaims that Stryfe is planning to transport the drug tonight, before seeing Stryfe, Dragoness, Sumo and Kamikaze enter the room and shouts that it looks like their time just ran out. Stryfe asks where Zero is, as he should have been here by now to transport the poison, when Sumo quickly alerts Stryfe to their foes up ahead.
Cable comes face to face with his foe, "You've ruined enough innocent lives, mister!" he exclaims, "You'll die before I let you slaughter more!" Cable quickly draws a weapon and begins firing at Stryfe, who just stands there as the bullets bounce from him, boasting that bullets till not stop him, nothing will stop him. Stryfe then calls to the MLF and orders them to rid him of these obstructions of their power and noble plan.
"As you wish, my master!" Sumo exclaims, grinning as his obese form drops down towards Boom-Boom, which Warlock sees, and realizes that Sumo will crush her, but remembering his lessons in strategy from Cable, Warlock shifts his alien form into a large net, capturing Sumo's massive form. Warlock calls out to Sunspot, asking him to use his strength like David in the Bible, where Sumo is the goliath to be felled. Bobby remarks that Warlock gives a convoluted explanation, but that he gets the idea, and begins to stretch the Warlock-net ass far as he can, then suddenly lets go, "The bigger they are, the farther they fly!" Bobby exclaims as Sumo is thrown out of the warehouse rooftop.
In the air, Cannonball flies over to Kamikaze and smacking him in the face, tells him the bad news: "I'm invulnerable as long as I keep blasting!" Sam explains that the impact of Kamikaze's explosion will not faze him, but he knows his fists can faze Kamikaze. Wolverine unsheathes his claws while Wolfsbane calls out to him and Cable, remarking that when Stryfe showed them the poison earlier, she caught its scent, and informs them that the box she is next to reeks of the poison."Good going!" Wolverine exclaims as he slashes the box open, asking Wolfsbane if she can find another.
Cable tells Wolverine to keep going and destroy that garbage while he takes care of Stryfe. Seeing Stryfe approach him from behind, Cable tells the armor-clad villain that he is nothing but a terrorist, a murderer of women and children. Stryfe asks what he cares for human women and children. Stryfe asks Cable if he, who is so proud of his intellectual superiority, doesn't know what humans are doing in places like Genosha. "They will do to all of us in time, unless we stop them!" Cable smacks Stryfe hard, while Stryfe exclaims that humans will never give them what they want unless they force the humans' hand!
Cable tells Stryfe to save his speeches for the fools who follow him, "You hide a lust for power behind fine-sounding phrases ... and humans aren't your only victims!" Cable exclaims. "My victims are all who oppose me" Stryfe bellows as Cable smacks him hard across the warehouse.
Overhead, Sunfire once again confronts Dragoness, flame against flame. The winged Dragoness tells Sunfire to admit it, powerful as he is, he cannot stand against her, as he is too cautious. Rictor is on the ground below and thinks to himself that Dragoness is right, Sunfire is holding back. Rictor decides to use his powers on Dragoness, to vibe her out of the sky and take her out once and for all. He does, and with fear, Dragoness slams into the crates below as she hits the ground. Sunfire calls Rictor a fool, â"Our power is fire! I was cautious for a reason, which now you understand!" Shiro exclaims as flames begin to spread through the warehouse.
Rictor rushes for safety, thinking that he does understand now, there are boxes of explosives here, if ... when... one of them catches fire... his thoughts trail off before calling out to Cannonball, "I blew it - big time - trouble! Fire!" Sam replies that he understands and tells Rictor to grab the others and get out of here. Sam swoops down and grabs hold of Cable who is standing over the motionless body of Stryfe. Sam then gets a hold of Wolverine, and apologizes for doing so, before pointing out that the whole place is going to blow sky high!
The New Mutants, Wolverine, Cable and Sunfire regroup on the dock and watch as the warehouse explodes in a blaze so horrific that no one inside could have possibly survived. Boom-Boom remarks that she hates to think of anyone trapped in there - even Stryfe! Sunspot points out that it is funny, for in a way, the New Mutants were the instruments of Stryfe's destruction, and yet this inferno and Stryfe's fall, were all caused by his own explosives.
Cable declares that if Stryfe has really fallen, he finds it hard to believe it was accomplished so easily. Boom-Boom reminds Cable that Stryfe captured Skids and Rusty, so if he is gone, how will they ever find their missing teammates? Cable replies that once the head is gone, the organization, the body tends to crumble, and promises Tabby that finding her friends will be next on the New Mutants agenda.


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Shell Game
This is Genosha, an island nation lying just east of Africa. Once little more than a barren rock, lacking even the most elementary natural resources, it is now a prosperous jewel in the Indian Ocean, whose population has achieved prosperity due to the efforts of a relatively few super-beings. These are the mutates, bio-engineered candidates whose minds are wiped clean of memory, even as their latent powers are encouraged, and their wills turned to the good of the state, nameless creatures whose numbers denote their place in an unnaturally ordered universe. It is from the citadel, headquarters of the Genoshan state security, that the mutates who drive Genosha’s economy spring and the only thing a native Genoshan fears is that he might become one chosen to serve...
Some of them using their powers to melt the ground, several of the mutates are working on a construction site. Looking up to the huge triangular structure on top of the citadel, they notice a flash of energy. One of the mutates states what they all know; it can only mean that Pipeline is sending more mutates and new slaves. His colleague tells him not to get back to work as their boss is watching and, frankly, he considers it none of their business.
Inside the citadel, the mutant Magistrate called Pipeline stares at a computer screen as he enacts the various phases of his power to digitize people into electronic people and to reassemble them at a different location. “Coded. Locked. In Transit. Acquisition.” The forms of four mutants materialize; they are Boom-Boom, Rictor, Storm and Wolfsbane and have just been attacked and kidnapped from the Xavier estate near Westchester. Disoriented and confused, the four mutants wonder where they are. Looming above and behind them, a monstrosity answers them that they have arrived in Genosha. About ten feet tall, the creature looks like a huge mechanical spider with a scorpion tail. It’s outfitted with several weapons and six legs that can also serve as tentacles. In the center of the massive body, there’s a human head.
Not daring to look behind himself, Rictor thinks to himself that the voice sounds like that of Cameron Hodge. Meanwhile, with a cocky remark Boom-Boom addresses the fact that they are all stark naked, asking if this is a “come as you are party.” Not bothering to answer, the mechanical man-spider alerts the captive mutants to the re-materialization of the fifth prisoner, Warlock. With an expression of shock and horror, the young alien collapses to the ground and in a mocking tone, the cybernetic creature pities that Warlock didn’t make it though the transition as well as the others.
Analyzing their situation, Storm thinks to herself that their being naked must be a side-effect of Pipeline’s power, but she decides to leave it to Boom-Boom to state the obvious. Knowing Wolfsbane to be rather shy and modest, Ororo thinks that it must be torture for her and is surprised to find that Rahne handles being nude quite well; it’s almost as if she doesn’t even notice it. Storm takes this as a sign that they are being drugged, and Rictor has reached the same conclusion. He feels the poisons raging in his mind, calming his reactions, and partially he is glad to have an excuse for not having to go up against the mechanical monstrosity that is their captor. Rahne too feels the effects of the drug, finding it hard to think until she sets her eyes on the still form of Warlock.
Her teammate in distress, Rahne gathers enough willpower to resist the drug. As she shifts into her transitionary form, Rahne answer’s Boom-Boom’s earlier comment about them being naked with “Naked and helpless they may have brought us here, Boom-Boom, but we will na‘ remain so!” While Wolfsbane runs over to Warlock, Tabitha asks how they are supposed to cover their being nude, as they can’t shapeshift. In a weak voice, Warlock answers that at least they are alive. Hearing her alien teammate talk, Rahne is relieved, as she actually feared he was dead. Looking up at the man-headed mechanical spider, she demands to know who he is, what they did to Warlock and what he wants of the New Mutants.
The villain cryptically answers that she will find out in time, even though by then it will be too late. Confirming himself to be Cameron Hodge, the man-headed spider turning to Rictor, who hasn’t spoken a single word since the mutants’ arrival, and asks him if the cat got his tongue. He assures him that even worse will have it when they are finished. Apparently having teased and taunted his prisoners enough for now, Hodge tells the guards to signal the Wipeout that’s safe to come in and that he wants him to remove the four mutants’ powers. That, Storm says, she can not allow.
Even while the guards point their guns at her, Storm creates a wind to lift her up in the air. Boom-Boom tells the de-aged X-Man that a little gust of wind will not get them out. Evading the gunfire, Storm fears that Boom-Boom is right. In her current body, her powers are uncertain and her mind is still sluggish from the drugs. While she managed to summon the wind, she doubts that she can call up a lightning. Cameron Hodge knows that as well, and he tells the guards to keep on firing. There being not enough room to maneuver, Storm begins to sink down, and the guards try to grab her. Blaming Storm for their current situation, thinking they wouldn’t have been captured in the first place if not for her, Boom-Boom creates a time-bomb to aid the X-Man. However, as Tabitha begins her countdown, she can’t help but admire Storm when she does create a small lightning bolt, keeping her pursuers at bay. Well aware that this won’t hold the guards for long, Tabitha claims that it’s up to her again to save the day, and she throws her time-bomb at one of the Magistrates.
Meanwhile some of the other guards have surrounded Wolfsbane, who is still holding the weakened Warlock in her arms. They tell her not to give them any trouble, and that she will soon have forgotten all this trouble, happily serving the state instead. Rahne answers that they must be fools if they really believe what they say, and that they have a rather twisted idea of happiness. She then lunges forward, using her claws on one of the Magistrates approaching her. Having just entered the room, another Magistrate notes that the ground around Rictor is trembling, and that the effect is spreading to the whole building. Deducing that he must have some seismic power, the Magistrate tries to talk Rictor out of using his ability, reminding him that he could collapse the entire citadel and all inside, including himself and his friends. Rictor doesn’t care though, answering that he prefers death to serving Hodge any time.
Hodge calls that a perspicacious answer, though he says that Rictor will not profit from his wisdom. He then orders Wipeout, the Magistrate who was arguing with Rictor, to stop whimpering and to finally do as told. Wipeout uses his gift and blocks the four mutant teenagers’ ability to access their powers. Immediately, Storm drops out of the air, and Wolfsbane finds herself transformed back to plain human. Thus defeated, the four students of Xavier’s are made to kneel before their captors, their hands behind their backs. Hovering above them, Cameron Hodge declares them prisoners of Genosha, slated to face trial and execution for crimes against the state.
Boom-Boom protests, saying that they have never been to Genosha before, but Hodge corrects her - Storm has been to Genosha in her adult incarnation. He then calls Storm’s effort to delude the Magistrates by playing the helpless child pathetic, as her gene-print confirms her true identity beyond question. Officially, Hodge continues, they will stand trial as X-Men. Unofficially, he adds, they are in his power now, and he will see to it that they will never escape to wreak their mutant havoc upon an unsuspecting world.
At the Xavier estate in Westchester, Gambit and Sunspot climb through the access hatch to Xavier’s underground complex and join Cable and Forge topside. Roberto says that, strong as he is in his Sunspot form, it took him quite a while to open the hatch, as it seems to have been fused shut. Looking around, he notes many weapons, ruined cycles and clothing on the ground and wonders what happened. Cable replies that Boom-Boom, Rictor and Wolfsbane were on the surface, renewing their acquaintance with Stevie Hunter, when there was an alarm. He, Forge, Banshee and Cannonball responded, but as they reached the hatch to the surface, Storm shoved Stevie through the opening and slammed the door. Forge adds that Stevie told them that the kids were under attack by persons unknown.
Cannonball and Banshee land near the others, having finished a quick aerial recon. Cannonball reports that Cable was right in assuming that there must have been lots of attackers, but now there’s no trace of them, as if they all vanished into thin air. Banshee confirms Sam’s report; he too believes that the attackers are truly gone by now, prompting Gambit to ask what became of Storm. When Cable asks if the fate of the other kidnapped mutants doesn’t concern him, the Cajun replies that he doesn’t care for people he hardly knows; it is only the fate of his partner that matters to him, just like Cable thinks first and foremost of his charges, the New Mutants. Cable and Forge explain that when they tried the hatch a second time, after disentangling themselves from Stevie. It had been fused shut. Instead, they left the underground complex through the lake access, but by the time they got to the surface, they only found the weapons and the other equipment left behind by the attackers.
While Cable and Forge examine the weapons, Gambit wants to know who could have taken Storm or where she might have been taken to, and Forge answers that this is what they are trying to find out. Unfortunately, nothing on the attackers’ equipment provides a clue where they came from. Forge can only tell that these weapons are the most sophisticated money can buy, which makes it seem rather strange that the attackers chose to abandon them, Gambit agrees. Sunspot interrupts, saying that he found Rictor’s and Boom-Boom’s swimsuits on the ground, as if someone teleported them right out of their clothes. Right then Stevie emerges from the hatch. Bobby asks her if she remembers what Rahne or Storm were wearing, and she offers to help him search the ground for their clothes. First though, she informs Cable that she reached X-Factor by phone and that they are on their way to join them.
Meanwhile, in Genosha, the powerless mutants have been dressed in the skin-tight colorful suits that are worn by all mutates; in fact they serve as self-regulative systems and are bound to the flesh during the transformation process into a mutate. Locked in a communal cell the captive New Mutants and Storm are pending their arraignment. In disbelief, Boom-Boom keeps on ranting about the guards who told them that from now on they have no names but will answer to numbers instead. She lets out all her frustration, saying that they have been grounded for life without having done anything. “Except to be associated with the X-Men,” Storm says. Angrily, Boom-Boom answers that it figures; it’s always the X-Men’s fault.
Wolfsbane corrects her teammate, reassuring her that, whatever the X-Men did to the Genoshans, they surely must have deserved it. However, Rahne points out that this happened in the past, and that they have a much more pressing problem at their hands, namely Warlock. Holding the weakened alien in her arms, Rahne explains to him that they no longer have their mutant abilities because of Wipeout’s power, and asks if his alien physiology was affected as well. Warlock denies it, his condition isn’t Wipeout’s fault, but an unpleasant side-effect of their being teleported to Genosha. When Warlock was reassembled from the electronic impulses that Pipeline digitizes his passengers into, most of the life-energy that animates the alien was lost.
Hearing this, all of the young mutants gather around Warlock. Wondering aloud if he really intends to just lie there and get weaker and weaker until he is dead, Rictor offers for Warlock to take some of the New Mutants’ life-energy. Warlock is touched by this gesture, and says that they must truly be the best friends in the world, though he also warns them of the dangers involved. Sharing their energy might infect them with the transmode virus, same as Warlock fears Doug Ramsey was months ago. Storm answer that Doug is dead so they don’t know for sure if he was infected, but it doesn’t matter; without taking some of their energies it is Warlock who will be dead. Rahne agrees, they are all in this together - and if he takes only a little from them each, it should lessen the danger. Boom-Boom pretends that she is doing it for her own good, as they might need Warlock safe and sound to rescue them later on, but Warlock sees through the ruse and accepts her for her noble offer, same as the other mutants’.
Just as they are about to link hands for Warlock to absorb the needed life-force, Cameron Hodge makes his presence known, secretly having entered the cell while the mutants were occupied. “Away from him, little nameless numbers! Little mutant un-persons! That is not what I had in mind,” Hodge exclaims. He continues to explain that it will not be Warlock’s teammates but he who gets infected by the alien’s transmode virus, so that he gains the ability to alter the shape of his body at will. Storm demands to know how Hodge managed to sneak up on them so quietly. Belittling her for being a powerless child and no more the powerful leader of the X-Men, the mutant hater answers that for all its unconventionality, his mechanical body has many advantages. To demonstrate, he uses one of the spider-legs to grab Wolfsbane and lifts her up in the air.
Rahne cries in pain, the tentacle-lie leg squeezing her upper body. Storm and Rictor try to help her, and run towards Hodge, but with some of the other spider-legs, he slams the two mutants into the cell walls before they can even reach him. Rictor says that they believed Hodge dead, but no matter how he survived or what has happened to him, he thinks it’s fitting that the mutant-hater now has a monster’s body to match his monster’s soul. Addressing Rictor as “Unit 2347,” Hodge says that what he did to him before was nothing compared to what he has in mind for the mutants’ future – and, even that, will seem like nothing compared to the ordeals that Hodge himself went through.
Providing an explanation for both his survival and his altered appearance, Hodge then mentions his bargain for immortality with the demon N’astir’h. His head continued to live on after Archangel cut it off, and Hodge had his cybernetic experts construct this strong and deadly mechanical body for him. Through Warlock’s shapeshifting ability, Hodge hopes to re-gain a human appearance once more, without having to lose any of the mechanical body’s powers. He then lets go of Rahne and picks up the weak alien instead. The young mutants helplessly watch as their captor phases out through the cell wall, with Warlock in tow. They know that Hodge is mad and that they need to escape somehow.
Meanwhile, in the lab complex of the huge citadel, the Genegineer Dr. Moreau is talking to a boy named Michael, who is also wearing on of the mutate suits. Michael’s genetest, required of every Genoshan citizen on their thirteenth birthday, showed some useful mutagenic properties. Dr. Moreau asks Michael to calm down and to accept what’s happening, soon a telepath will erase his memories. Michael, however, says he wants to remember his parents because they love him. Then he thinks of what’s ahead of him; his head will be shaved, he’ll have a number on his forehead and he’ll be forever bonded to his mutate suit. Michael is concerned that his friends and his family will see him like his. The Genegineer assures Michael to assign him far from his former home as it’s not his intention to cause his family pain, though he also points out that they probably wouldn’t recognize him anyway; most people do not look beyond the colorful suits and the numbers to see a mutate’s face.
Beginning to panic, Michael says that he has done nothing wrong to be punished like that, but Dr. Moreau replies that it’s his duty to the state that succored him. Michael’s eyes widen in shock and terror upon seeing Cameron Hodge who just entered the room, still carrying Warlock. Having overheard the last part of the conversation, Warlock says “Self does not understand. Does duty mean sacrifice of self? To wipe out memory is a crime! Why punish boy? Why punish selfriends New Mutants?” Hodge answers that young or old, they are all part of the same team, all enemies of the Genoshan state. The X-Men’s existence threatens the status quo of the Genoshan society, and for each mutate they free, they will pay fivefold.
Dr. Moreau demands to know why Hodge brought Warlock to his lab, where he creates the mutates who provide for Genosha’s well being. Calling the Genegineer a hypocrite, Hodge answers that he has a plan of benefit for no one but himself, and he needs the Genegineer to assist him with his expertise. While the mechanical man-spider places Warlock on a lab table, Dr. Moreau reminds Hodge that the captured mutants are to be transformed into servants and supply new genetic material for his genebanks. Hodge doesn’t deny that, though he points out that Warlock is no “real mutant” but an alien, and as such his genetic material would be useless to him anyway.
Noticing that the two men are so engrossed in their argument, Warlock realizes that they have forgotten him. While too weak to stand, the young alien has kept his eyes and ears open to learn all his enemies’ weaknesses as well as the fate the Genoshans have in mind for his teammates. Just like his friends offered their energy to save him, Warlock wants to rescue his teammates and begins to slither off the table.
In the prison cell, Storm and Boom-Boom examine the bars and come to the conclusion that they are no ordinary bars but force-field generators. That, Storm reasons, must be how Hodge was able to pass through them. Boom-Boom answers that one little timebomb would blow the bars aside, that is if they still had their powers. Storm says that she still can’t get over the fact that Havok was one of the Magistrates who captured them, to which Boom-Boom angrily says that this is why she got them captured in the first place, to go after one of her “precious lost X-Men.” Boom-Boom blames Storm for shutting the hatch to Xavier’s underground complex, thus stopping Cable and the other from helping them when they were attacked. Storm defends her action, saying that it was a gamble, a calculated risk. When Boom-Boom asks what she was gambling on then, Storm explains that she saved the others from getting caught as well, so that they could start a rescue mission and come after them. However, Boom-Boom points out that the others don’t even know where they are, and says that while Storm may have been great in the old days, raging teenage hormones must have addled her brain.
On the other side of the cell, Rahne sits by Rictor, who says that they all must think him to be a coward as it took him so long to react to Hodge. Rahne tells him that this is not true and asks why they should think that. Rictor replies that he was so scared it must have shown; from the second he heard Hodge’s voice he could hardly move. Rahne answers that they were all frightened, but Rictor knows it was different for him. He explains that Hodge had captured him once before, when he was younger. Back then, Hodge had him tortured, trying to make him topple San Francisco with his seismic powers, and if not for X-Factor saving him, he might have well succeeded. Further opening up to his teammate, Rictor says that he was glad when he heard that Archangel had killed Hodge and that for the first time in a long time he felt safe. But now, Hodge is back, and they are all trapped in Rictor’s worst nightmare.
Having made his way back to the cell, Warlock tells his friends that they need to escape. He fills them in on what he learned from listening to Hodge and Dr. Moreau. Hearing that their memories will be wiped and that numbers are going to be written on their foreheads, Boom-Boom thinks that the strain must have been too much for Warlock and that he is delirious, but Storm confirms this to be the regular treatment of people undergoing the mutate bonding process. As the de-aged X-Man states once again that they need to escape before its too late, Tabitha makes a snappy remark of her sounding like a broken record, when neither one of them has an idea how to break free.
Warlock says that he has studied the Genoshan technology and that he might be able to free the others; however they need to act fast before Hodge and the Genegineer notice his disappearance. As he begins to interface with the computers that regulate the force-field generators, Boom-Boom protests, stating that it will short out his circuits and further drain him. Storm, though, knows that Warlock is their only chance, and it’s too late to stop the young alien anyway. There’s a flash of light as Warlock channels the electric power though his own body, and with the words “There, selfriends.... it is... done...” he collapses to the ground. Concerned, Storm asks if he is dead, but Boom-Boom finds her teammate to be alive – barely. Immediately, she offers Warlock to take some of her own life-energy, but he says that there is no time. He can already hear some guards approaching.
As the mutants leave their prison cell, Storm and Boom-Boom try to carry Warlock, though it’s clear to him that he is too heavy for them to carry him for long, and too weak to walk on his own. Therefore, he makes the only possible choice and tells the others to leave him behind, to run as fast as they can and to alert X-Factor. All he hopes for is that his sacrifice was not in vain. Hearing this, Rahne turns back, not wanting to leave Warlock behind, but Rictor convinces her that they have no other options. They need to split up and try to get out of the citadel. Rahne reminds him that they have no powers, but Rictor says that it doesn’t matter as they have been trained in hand-to-hand combat by Cable. Reluctantly, Rahne agrees and promises to Warlock that they will come back for him. “Last mutant to the American Embassy is a rotten egg!” says Boom-Boom in a desperate attempt to lighten up the mood, before the four depowered mutants run out of the prison complex.
Scant seconds later, a team of Magistrates secure the area. Reporting to Cameron Hodge, Havok sums up that the mutants escaped though that they left the alien behind. The monstrous mutant-hater orders Havok and the Magistrates to hunt down the escaped mutants without mercy, but to bring in “that genejoke vermin” alive. In regards to Warlock, Hodge says that the alien’s power will now be his.
In upstate New York, a small craft carrying the members of X-Factor arrives at the Xavier estate. The team meets with the remaining X-Men and New Mutants, and Cyclops states that they can as soon as they received the call. The others fill X-Factor in what happened, and still carrying a grudge, Cable states that no matter what danger threatened his students, he thinks that Storm had no right to take matters so completely into her hands and to lock them out of the battle by slamming the exterior hatch to the underground complex. Taking a closer look at the hatch, Cyclops notes that it’s been partially melted by some sort of plasma blast - similar to the one his brother Havok used to wield before he disappeared. At that point, Cannonball flies by and interrupts, saying that X-Factor’s sentient ship forwarded a call from Val Cooper, the secretary in charge of mutant affairs in Washington. She wanted to inform them of an announcement about the trial and execution of some captive mutants.
Inside the citadel, Rictor and Wolfsbane have reached a point where the corridor branches again. Rahne tells Rictor to take the left path while tries out the right one. Noticing that Rictor doesn’t fully agree, she asks him what the matter is. After all, he was the one who earlier said they should split up so that they would have a better chance of breaking free. She then realizes that Rictor doesn’t trust her, and accuses him of thinking that the second he turns his back, she will go back for Warlock. Rahne asks if he truly thinks her to be that daft to confront Hodge on her on. “Yes. No. I...” Rictor hesitates, and doesn’t know what to say. He then wishes Rahne good-bye and promises to wait for her at the embassy. Before the part ways they share a passionate kiss. As Rictor runs off, Rahne thinks to herself that while she loved Doug, he never made her feel like this - so wonderful that it must be wrong.
Next, she thinks that Rictor was right to suspect her and she hopes that he won’t be too angry when he finds out. She hopes that, while he will reach the outside and contact Cable, she can find Warlock and keep him alive, even if it’s only by sharing energy with him. Eventually, she makes her way through the citadel and reaches the lab complex. From one room she hears the voice of Cameron Hodge. “Strap him into the transmutator, the bands go there... and connect to my body here. Now - activate the machineries,” he says, and what Rahne hears next is the scream of her teammate. She thinks of Rictor one last time, that she loves him and that she would like to do as he wished, but she can’t stand the thought of yet another teammate after Douglas sacrificing himself for her. Having reached a decision, she storms into the room.
Immediately, she gets a grasp on the situation: there are several Magistrates in the room and Warlock, glowing white-hot, has been strapped to a machine that is to transfer his shape-shifting power to Hodge. Wondering if such a thing is even possible, Rahne leaps over several Magistrates and evades their gunfire with quick and sudden moves. Thinking that Cable’s training is really paying off, Rahne places several kicks and blows and tears through her opponents with a ferocity that she would normally show only in her wolfen form. However, she is hopelessly outnumbered, and Cameron Hodge encourages the Magistrates that they only need to distract her for a few more seconds. Indeed, the machine is doing what it was designed for, and Rahne notes that one of Hodge’s tentacles begins to alter its appearance, already somewhat resembling a hand. She knows that she has only one chance left. Gathering all her strength, she leaps forwards and sunders the bond between Warlock and Hodge, thus stopping the transference.
“You have doomed me to this body!” Hodge yells, apparently it being too late to re-establish the connection. Knocking Rahne over with one of his spider-legs, Hodge says that Warlock is likewise doomed – he is dying. Tears in her eyes, Rahne can do nothing but look as Warlock glows brighter and brighter, eventually fading with there only a pile of ashes remaining. Touching the ashes, Rahne apologizes to him; she tried, but she couldn’t save him. Quite angry that the chance to re-gain a semi-human appearance is now lost, Hodge promises to make Rahne pay with her life’s blood. For now, though, he takes satisfaction in the fact how much Warlock’s death is hurting her already.
At Xavier’s underground complex, X-Factor and the remaining members of the New Mutants and the X-Men watch the news on TV. Genosha’s president recites a shear endless litany of crimes that are blamed against the X-Men. The speech ends with “... the minister of defense has just handed me a note, saying that the mutant Warlock has been killed while trying to escape. An incident which Genosha sincerely regrets. Our other mutant captives will be tried as enemies of the state and if found guilty, will be executed! Rahne’s image is shown, prompting Cable to say that at least she is still alive. At the same time, he wonders about the fate’s of the others. Marvel Girl agrees that they have to go to Genosha and get them back, before the Genoshans can carry out their mad plans.
Suddenly, the phone rings. Forge picks up; it’s Val cooper again, informing them that the president of the United States requests their presence in Washington. The assembled mutants are left wondering, though, whether he wants to offer them assistance or if he wants to stop them from acting. The Beast says there’s only one way to find out - if they hurry, they can make it to Washington in less than half an hour.


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United we stand
In the streets of Hammer Bay, Genosha’s capital, 3-D images, broadcasted by a so called telemutate, appear. They portray the recent capture of the dangerous X-Men Wolverine and Psylocke. Some kids talk about how cool it must be to own such a telemutate, whose images are much better than those of a usual TV. Actually they believe that to be the reason why the X-Men “stole“ the mutate Jenny Ransome (Uncanny X-Men #238, though  obviously Genosha’s cizizen have been fed some cover story for the incident). Suddenly a small patrol consisting of two Magistrates and a tracking mutate arrives, they are hunting the escapees Boom-Boom and Rictor. Soon they run into Jubilee who was trying to buy some food without being noticed, since she was the only one still dressed in normal clothes. Anyway the tracker recognizes her as a mutant and a fight starts. Jubilation runs away, with the patrol hot on her tracks, but suddenly Ric and Boom-Boom jump on them from a nearby roof. Even though they are currently powerless, they are able to knock out the Magistrates with combat moves learned from Cable. Without his masters the mutate is scared, he tells that he just emerged from the Genegineer’s labs and is not yet properly trained. The three teenagers wonder what to do, as they hear others troops nearby. Again they run and order the mutate to accompany them. Jubilee wonders why they do not run towards X-Factor‘s coordinates which Psylocke gave them mentally; but Rictor points out that they can’t endanger their friends by leading Magistrates to them.
Meanwhile the rescue team of X-Factor and the remaing members of X-Men and New Mutants are discussing strategies in an abandoned warehouse near the citadel. They come up with a plan, and after Marvel Girl bids Cyclops farewell, she telekinatically lifts half of the group towards the citadel, while the rest reamains behind as a back-up force.
Inside the citadel Commander Cameron Hodge questions the Magistrate Havok, why the Genoshan forces performed so bad agaist the invading X-Factor and X-Men (in X-Factor 62) and why they haven’t been captured yet. Alex apologizes that obviously Forge must have designed some devices to hide their mutant energy signatures, secretly he still wonders about Cyclops‘ claim to be his brother. Hodge wanders off to the labs where the Genegineer has already prepared Wolfsbane for the mutate bonding process. Already her head has been shaved and genetic material has been removed to create more tube grown mutates. A telepathic mutate is ordered to completly mindwipe her, but in the last instant Hodge intercepts. He wants not all of her memories erased, in some dark corner of her mind she should remember what has been done to her, yet unable to oppose Hodge’s commands.
In the streets Tabitha, Rictor, Jubilee and the tracker have eluded the Magistrate patrols and break into an empty appartment to gat some food and shelter. Suddenly the owner, a Magistrate, comes home, but he is taken by surprise and the mutants defeat him. They switch on the TV and are surprised to see Rahne on national TV. She has been turned into a mutate and reads a speech, claiming that she “willingly offered to serve Genosha in expiation for the terrorist crimes of the X-Men“. Rictor storms off and wants to rescue her from the citadel, but Tabitha is able to hold him back and talk some sense in him. At least they should have a plan. Jubilee vouches that rescueing a friend is a worthy cause, even if it is a suicide mission, and surprisinigly also the tracking mutate says that Rictor reminds him of his mother, who tried to stop his mutate process and so he will help as much as his programming allows.
At night Jean and her team consisting of Cable, Gambit, Sunspot and Forge plant various bombs around the citadel. They are almost finshed and shielded from electronic detection thanks to Forge’s scrambles as a guard spots them from a balcony. Gambit tries to stun him with an energizes throwing card, but the soldier falls off the balcony and shouts. Alarmed more guards arrive and a fight starts, while not far away, the three teenagers and their mutate emerge from the sewers. As Jubilee becomes aware of the fight in front of them she wants to join the battle, but Tabitha and Ric hold her back since they know first hand about the power negating effect. Jubilee points out that they themselves blamed Storm for making a similar decision (Uncanny X-Men 270), but Tabitha admits that Ororo was right, which she now sees. Only seconds later Hodge and Wipeout arrive at the battleground and the fight is over as all mutant powers of Jean’s team are cancelled. Seeing his masters the tracking muate runs towards them and the three teenager already think their cover is blown, but as the mutate is questioned he reports the area. Jubilee, Ric and Boom-Boom continue to watch from a safe distance as Hodge presents another surprise to his captives. Mutate 490 (Wolfsbane) steps from the shadows, she announces that all of them will be tried and condemned and will become mutates like herself. Rictor is shocked to his love in the zombie-like state. He thinks that the key to defeating the Genoshans lies within Wipeout, kidnapped he could be forced to return their powers.


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War
Cyclops just fired an optic blast against Commander Cameron Hodge after his mutant power was restored by Storm, but the mechanical monster is only slightly damaged. From downloading the Genegineer’s files he knows that Ororo is the key to restoring the canceled abilities of all other members of the X-teams and so he attempts to kill her. Scott fires more optic beams to hold Hodge at bay, giving Ororo enough time to restore Jean Grey’s abilities with a lighting. Then all three together attack from a safe distance staying out of the range of the monster’s tentacles. However Hodge slowly gains ground and Storm does not dare to turn around to restore any other mutant. Suddenly an explosion shakes the citadel and Hodge, fearing for the information stored in his labs, phases through the floor. Cyclops reveals that the explosion was caused by a robot auto-bomb designed by Forge to seek out the technological heart of the complex. To ensure this secret back-up plan Forge had willed himself into a voluntary coma to prevent any mindscans.
(Switchback to a few seconds before the explosion)
Rictor, Boom-Boom and Jubilee are still following the Genegineer, who has a mining mutate create a secret tunnel to the citadel’s lab complex. Right as they finally reach their destination, Forge’s auto-bomb goes off. Fortunately the three teenagers are unharmed, but Dr. Moreau gets knocked out and his mutate is killed in the blast. They hear someone approaching and hide themselves and the injured scientist behind debris as Cameron Hodge comes in. Angrily he checks’s the lab’s equipment and tosses around some stuff, but at last he finds the computer’s main frame still operational. After discovering remnants of Forge’s bomb he leaves again to finally deal with the X-teams. Ric, Jubilation and Tabitha are relieved that he did not notice them, suddenly they stumble over a small box with Warlock’s ashes.
Many floors above, Cyclops wakes up Forge with a posthypnotic command. The maker is surprised to see Storm restored to adulthood again. Ororo starts to kiss him, which Gambit is not too happy about, since he has a personal intrest in the windrider himself. After Ororo returned everyone’s powers, Chief Magistrate Tam Anderson explains that she and the Genegineer started backplotting for the country’s welfare. They knew that the madman Hodge was only intrested in his personal revenge and feared that Genosha’s economy and society would be ruined by his actions. Since then they placed many obstacles in his path, one of which was the Genegineer faking Storm’s genemod process (in Uncanny X-Men #271), while he instead installed her the ability to reverse Wipeout’s power-negations. After Forge repairs his bionic limbs and Cable’s techno-organic arm, the mutants divide into three groups. Two teams will search for Hodge, while Cable, Cannonball, Sunspot and Storm will search for Rahne.
In another portion of the building is the cell block where Havok has been taken. The prison too has been damaged by the explosion and Alex is able to dig himself out of the rubble. He even finds some dead guards which have a key for his power inhibiting collar.
In the basement, Rictor, Boom-Boom, Jubilee and Dr. Moreau investigate the remains of the labs. As they enter another chamber they are suddenly attacked by mutate 490 (Wolfsbane). She jumps onto Rictor and starts to strangle him as her last order was to let noone enter the room, but the Genegineer orders her to cease the attack and she complies. The mutants are shocked to see their teammante in this reduced state, and they get even more depressed as they discover what Rahne was guarding – the dead body of Wipeout. With the power-canceling Magistrate gone there might be no way to restore their canceled abilities. Jubilee gets very angry and starts to threaten Dr. Moreau with a sizzling firework ready to explode. She wants him to give Ric and Tabitha back their powers, but the Genegineer repeats that this might be an impossible task. Right in this instant Storm, Cable and the other New Mutants enter the lab. Ororo thanks the Genegineer for giving her the special treatment and then uses her lighting to restore Rictor, Boom-Boom and Rahne. In Wolfsbane’s case it is more of a tranformation than a restoration; from now on she has her free will and is bigger and stronger in her wolf-form and in-between states, but in human form she will always be the mindless and obedient mutate. Rahne is angry for the things that the Genegineer has done to her and she approaches him, about to attack, but he reasons with her that the real enemy is Hodge. He ordered her genemod process and observed the procedure; Moreau was unable to make any alterations like he did with Storm.
Elsewhere in the citadel Cameron Hodge hunts the mutants who in turn are hunting him, but the mechanical monster has the advantage of his in-built sensors, maps and computer files, which warn him of various bodyheats in the rooms of the floor below. Knowing that the mutants expect him to attack from ahead or behind, he surprises them by phasing through the ceiling above them. Hodge is disppointed to see that Storm is not among this group, but regarding that Iceman is iced up, he is already too late to stop her restoration of her teammate‘s powers anyway. Still he has the element of surprise and easily takes out Bobby with a laser and Banshee with a bola-like weapon. Psylocke knows that her powers are pretty useless in a physical fight and decides to telepathically warn the other group led by Cyclops of Hodge’s unique entry way. Then she too goes down, leaving only Gambit, Forge and Beast, who tries to rip out the wires connecting head and body.
Meanwhile in the basement lab complex, Rahne blames herself for failing to rescue Warlock, but the Genegineer states that she did the best she could, and at least she prevented Hodge from gaining the techno-organic shapeshifting ability, which would have made him nearly invincible. Since the computer’s main frame is still operational the New Mutants start to destroy all machinery they can find in the labs, severing much of Hodge’s sensory input. The Genegineer applauds as this was also his original plan when he had the tunneling mutate dig him a secret access to the place. Many levels above Hodge has almost defeated the mixed group of X-Men and X-Factor members as he experiences his systems one by one going off-line. He understands that someone must be at the main power source and phases down immediatly, leaving six injured and beaten mutants behind. He emerges through the lab’s ceiling and quickly nails Jubilee and Sunspot to the wall with shooting spikes. Boom-Boom makes the biggest time bomb  ever and blows off one of Hodge’s spider legs which really annoys him, earning her the spike to the wall treatment too. The others try a more grouped attack but Hodge outmatches them with his many inbuilt weapons. The Genegineer enters the fight taking a specifically designed blaster from the lab equipment, that is actually able to hurt the mechanical madman, sadly not enough as Dr. Moreau is caught by a tentacle. Cameron Hodge hurls the Genegineer around till his neak snaps instantly killing him, then he phases out of the room as his construct body needs time to repair itself for the challenge ahead. The New Mutants regroup, Storm and Cable decide that Cannonball, Boom-Boom, Sunspot and Jubilee are too injured to fight and order them to leave the building, while they along with Rahne and Rictor will help X-Men and X-Factor to hunt the madman down. Before parting Rahne asks Tabitha to scatter Warlock’s ashes on Doug Ramsey’s grave.


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Kings of Pain - part 1: Pawns of Senescence (1st story) - The Killing Stroke - part 1: The First Cut (2nd story)< - Close Encounters of the Mutant Kind (3rd story)
First story:St. Simons Academy, Vermont:Three mutants jump from a helicopter onto the academy grounds, quickly neutralizing the nighttime security. They are the Alliance of Evil, a group of mutant terrorists. As they stomp the guards, Artie, Leech, and Wiz Kid watch on in fear, as Artie reminisces about how X-Factor battled these mutants before. Leech wonders if he should steal their powers, and Taki agrees that they should all attack because it would take too long to call X-Factor. Taki quickly modifies his wheelchair into a flying machine to attack, and cries out that the X-Terminators ride again.
Outside, and inside the Alliance helicopter, a young boy named Piecemeal is crying because he doesn’t want to go outside. However, his armored guardian, Harness, finds his crying unacceptable, and whips him into stepping outside. The Alliance calls for them to hurry up, and Harness tells the boy to hurry up and smell some goodies.
Suddenly, Taki and the boys bust through a window, and almost hit the two women of the group. However, the male has the ability to grow several stories tall, and quickly does so, swatting the boys out of the air with ease. The leader of the group orders the other woman to get the green one first, since he leeches power. Quickly, she hits Leech with a lightning bolt.
On the other side of the grounds, Harness whips Piecemeal, and forces him to eat some odd energy that exists in the area. Piecemeal cries out that it hurts too much, but Harness merely whips him more and forces him to continue. As Piecemeal rolls on the ground in pain, Harness starts walking back to the helicopter. The giant mutant says he wants one last bit of fun, and stomps on the immobile Taki.
(the next day)Taki wakes up in the hospital, surrounded by the former New Mutants now calling themselves X-Force. Boom Boom introduces the new team to Taki. Cable immediately gets to the point, and begins asking Taki what happened. He prods the boy for information, and just twenty minutes later, the New Mutants are airborne, looking for this new version of the Alliance of Evil. Warpath notes that they keep making hit and run assaults on random targets that don’t appear to be of any importance. Cable can’t understand it, but uses the Cerebro-system to track them, and finds information on three of them. Stinger has the ability to throw electrical discharges from her hands, Frenzy, the leader, has super strength, and Tower has the ability to change his size from a few inches to 40 feet. Cable says that there was a fourth operative named Timeshadow that doesn’t seem to be with them anymore. Warpath says that there isn’t a lot they can do until they know exactly why the Alliance of Evil is making these attacks. Cannonball says that they need to do so to get ahead of the game. Cable says that the Alliance has been moving up the East Coast, and they’re going to find out why.
Sayville, Long Island – Genetech Research Facility:Mr. Rosen, a director with Genetech, addresses his board of governors, telling them that the terrorists of the Alliance are continuing to strike targets, with the latest being St. Simon’s school. Genetech’s research team found energy readings identical to the ones that they have recently been developing. One woman asks if perhaps the Genetech project is of a questionable legal nature. Rosen says that he isn’t sure, but in light of recent problems with the superhuman community, they have to keep their noses clean. He allows the CEO, Harmon Furmintz to step to the podium. Furmintz tells the board that he doubts the group that is paying them to develop the genetic strain in question has anything less than noble intentions. He says that Genetech is there for the benefit of mankind. A man asks why then the Alliance is stealing energy of the same pattern. Rosen says that it appears they may be in a race to develop the needed strain, and it is a race they had better win.
Manhattan, New York – IDIC Corporation:A man in a darkened meeting room says that the Alliance completed another successful absorption mission last night, and that they are sitting at 63.7% of complete absorption. The leader asks how the containment casing is coming along, and another replies that it should be ready to mass produce in a few weeks. He says that their employers should be very pleased with these developments.
Vail, Colorado:Two men obscured by shadows are playing chess in a mansion, far away from the other events. The shorter man says that he moved his pawn – several of them during the game, in fact. The taller man with long hair says that this is the way of things – the pawns battle so the kings may rule. The short man moves a knight, asking whose pawns will make them rule – his own Genetech, the controllers of mind and body? The taller man says his pawns – Advanced Idea Mechanics – may allow him to rule. They continue to play chess, agreeing that they shall see soon.
Niagara Falls:The Alliance appears again, ordering everyone to evacuate the region or they will get hurt. Frenzy tells Harness to move out again, and Harness drags Piecemeal out to the falls, ordering him to sniff out the energy. Piecemeal begs to get down, as he is afraid of the height. Piecemeal says that the energy is out over the falls. Harness reacts with frustration and surprise, and tells Piecemeal that her harness will keep him safe. Harness kicks him off the ledge, and tells him to start eating. Piecemeal complies, and absorbs a lot more ambient energy . Harness tries to pull the boy back up, but instead falls off the cliff. Harness dangles by his fingers, trying to pull himself up.
Above, X-Force jump off of their helicopter, and pick their targets. Cannonball goes after Stinger, since she can’t hurt him with her blasts. Sam quickly takes her out. Meanwhile, Warpath pounces on Frenzy, taking her by surprise. Tower tries to walk away, whining about having to fight these punks, but doesn’t see Shatterstar sneak up behind him and slit his ankles, knocking him to the ground. Frenzy fights back against Warpath, asking him how he can take it. Warpath tells her not to insult his Native American heritage, and knocks her out. Feral jumps on his back, and asks “Hiawatha” if he’s going to hit her again. Warpath says no, and tells Feral that if she makes any more comments about Native Americans, he’ll wrap her around a fire hydrant. Feral replies: “Promises, promises… Tonto.”
On the edge of the falls, Harness has retrieved Piecemeal and pulled him back up. However, Boom Boom is waiting there for him, and holds a bomb out for her to take. Harness grabs the child and jumps off the edge quickly. Tabitha tells Sam to catch Harness quickly, but it is too late, Harness activated a teleportation device and disappeared. X-Force surround Tower, the only one left conscious, and tell him to start talking.
Vail, Colorado:The two leaders continue their chess game. The short one says that he is a better student than anyone ever gave him credit for being, and that the other man is teaching him quite a bit as well, sacrificing his pawns for the greater goal. The short one puts the other in “check.”
Genetech grounds:X-Force approach the facility in their plan. Cable plots out a course to get to the main computer room, and tells them all how to break the security. He tells them to go in, get the information, and get out. Boom Boom jokes that he gets way too into this. Cable asks for Shatterstar’s assistance, and the man channels his force of will through his sword, causing the security doors on the building to blow open. Shatterstar complains about tiring himself out by doing this. Feral tells him to shut up. As they walk into the building, the security alarms go off. As the security begins to swarm on them, Cable orders Boom Boom to use a cluster assault, and she throws a handful of time bombs, sanding most of the guards flying. Cannonball, Shatterstar, and Feral take out more guards, complaining about how weak they are. Domino is back on the shuttle, tracking their positions. The team comes to another blast door, this one apparently shielding the main computer room, and Cable orders Warpath to take it out. Warpath breaks the door down. As the team looks for a computer they can access, a microwave blast stops them in their tracks – the New Warriors are guarding the facility, and Night Thrasher tells them if they make one move it’ll be the last they ever take. Cable tells everyone:“Everyone, on my mark… take one step forward.”
Second story:Kuwait City:In the heart of the Gulf War, the American operatives Freedom Force are ordered to obtain German physicist Reinhold Kurtzmann and transfer him from a resistance cell to the Allied forces. Should they fail to get him to the Allies, they are to terminate him.
Crimson Commando leads his team into the Kuwaiti streets, and orders Blob to dispose of the tank patrol. Blob stops one tank while Avalanche uproots the others, and the Commando throws teargas into their hatches. Pyro begins cooking the people inside the tanks. Super Sabre finds a few loose Iraqi troops, and beats them all quickly. Avalanche asks if it would have been helpful to keep some of the soldiers alive for questioning. The Commando says that they already know where Kurtzmann is, so there was no point. If the Iraqis were to get Kurtzmann, they would quickly develop nuclear capability, which would be horrendous. Commado points everyone to the safe house where he is held, and the go inside. Sabre checks it out quickly by speeding through it, and finds it empty. He finds a cellar trapdoor, thinking this could be the hiding place, but nothing.
Sabre returns outside to report to his comrades, but as he tells them that Kurtzmann must already be in Iraqi hands and that they need to clear out fast, something goes flying by, and Super Sabre is decapitated in front of everyone. Pyro looks terrified, and looks for what happened, as they are outside in the clear where nothing should approach unseen.
Suddenly, the air begins filling with a thick fog, and before long, nobody can see a thing. Crimson Commando begins checking out everything with his infrared goggles, but still sees nobody. Blob and Pyro demand to evacuate. The Commando begins picking up heartbeats on his computer, and Pyro begins throwing fire at them. The fire doesn’t help, though, as they can’t see anything. The Commando gives a countdown of their approach, but as he hits “five,” something whizzes by and cuts his arm off. He screams in pain, and Pyro unleashes another barrage of flame. Pyro, Avalanche, and Blob escape the fog, with Blob carrying the armless Commando, and try to get back to their evacuation point. However, the speedster whizzes by again, this time cutting Avalanche badly. Pyro tries using his fire again, but someone uses the flames against him instead. Blob puts down the Commando and offers to fight them out in the open. A group of superbeings appears in front of Fred, and holds up the struggling Dr. Kurtzmann. The woman at the head of the group says that if Blob is ready to die for this man, then Desert Sword is ready to comply.
Third story :St. Simon’s Academy - Exeter, New Hampshire:Cyclops and Marvel Girl enjoy an evening together watching the Thanksgiving pageant that is being put on by Artie, Leech, Taki, and their classmates. The couple is happy that the children are no longer depressed over recent events. As the concert ends, Scott and Jean go to give the boys a hug, and Leech dampens Scott’s powers so that he can take off his glasses. Leech asks them to stay, but Scott says they need to go home now. As the adults say goodbye to the boys, Taki tells the others not to be bummed out, because he has a surprise for them – he unveils a project he was working on, a flying saucer. Taki invites Artie and Leech for a ride after dark. Leech says that he will bring food, but Taki says for him not to bring junk food.
That night, the boys go on their flying saucer trip. Leech brings back a bag oozing with jelly, and Taki says no thank you. As they begin flying around the town, Leech begins crying, thinking of his dead mother. Taki says he understands, as he hasn’t seen his parents in a long time. As the boys fly over the houses, old Ida Fassbender looks out the window, and panics at the sight of another UFO. She quickly grabs her camera and takes pictures, then calls the police. The police accuse her of taking too many drugs. The old lady tells the police that she’ll call NBC, and CNN, and all the newspapers to find someone who believes her. Within hours, Fassbender’s lawn is filled with reporters and UFO fanatics.
The next day, the boys watch television at the academy. On the evening news, they see Mrs. Fassbender warning everyone about the UFO’s, and her picture looks real. Leech tells the others that the lady looks like his mama, and he wants to help her. They all seem to think that the UFO is real and don’t understand that it was really them out for a joyride.
Meanwhile, the police organize extra security, as many townspeople have gathered their weapons looking to blast something without even knowing what it is.
That evening, the boys go for another flight in the flying saucer. However, Leech loses control of his power while they are in mid-air, causing Taki to lose control, and the saucer crashes in front of the people. The boys are frightened, as the spectators are chasing them with guns. Leech is worried that the people will think he and Artie are aliens because of the way they look. Wiz Kid turns his wheelchair into a motorcycle, and helps the boys get away. At Fassbender’s house, Taki boosts Leech to see if the old lady is home. As Leech presses his nose to the window, Mrs. Fassbender sticks her head out, and they look into each other’s eyes, startled, and both scream. Leech falls, and the boys are found by the nearby police. The cops ask Taki if the others are aliens, but Taki explains that they are just regular boys, but special. Leech cries out for his mama, and the police try explaining to Mrs. Fassbender that St. Simon’s really is a school for special kids. Ida shows the chief her picture. Taki quickly whips up a model of a UFO, and says that it was all his fault. One officer holds Leech back, saying that people don’t like “muties.” Leech screams out for his mama. Mrs. Fassbender realizes that she was all wrong. Ida grabs Leech from the officer and holds him, telling him she’s sorry for scaring him. The chief scolds the officer for frightening the boys. Mrs. Fassbender invites the kids in for hot cocoa. Leech accidentally calls her “Mama” again. Mrs. Fassbender tells Leech that she can’t be his mama, but she’s been so lonely in seeing things all the time. She tells all three of the boys that they can call her Grammie, and come visit any time they like.


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[Assistant]
The Beginning Of The End: part 1: The End Of An Era!
(A very secluded room in a very secluded mountain chalet in Vail, Colorado. 8:22 AM, December 3)
As per the wish of Gideon, Adam opens the fighting sequence in his training room. Gideon can train with the best robots Shaw Industries has to offer him. Gideon isn’t impressed, as he beats them easily, and because the robots are too noisy. He orders Adam to send a note about that to Sebastian. Adam doesn’t understand how Gideon’s powers can defeat the robots, but Gideon demonstrates his powers to his partners and shows off.
After the morning workout, Adam informs Gideon about his agenda for today: at 12:00, he has a meeting with the Taylor Foundation. At 12:30, he has lunch with Ms. Chaffee, and at 2:00 he’ll have to be check the DaCosta stock inquiry. At 3:00, the Roxxon and the Savage Land oil leases, at 4:00 another workout, and dinner remains open.
Gideon suggests visiting New Orleans, maybe with Ms. Chaffee, if lunch goes well. He wants to know if they’ve got someone with their dear old friend, Emmanuel DaCosta. Adam informs that they have their agent, Eve, present. That’s splendid, and so Gideon orders to have her proceed as planned.
Cable has a hard time in the Danger Room, fighting some simulative robots. Cannonball tries to help him out, but Cable orders Sam to stay back. Sam wants to practice his powers, so he ignores his boss. That’s fine by Cable, who lets Sam rescue him, but commands the Danger Room to start a more advanced program. Sam has to dodge some spikes, which come out of the walls, and ends that perfectly. Cable wants to try out something different. He wants Sam to dodge several things that come at him at the time. Cable transforms his metal arm into a blaster, and shoots at Sam, who can just barely dodge the blast.
(the school, 9:12 AM, December 5)
Sam knows that he could dodge the attack, but he wanted to try to turn down the volume of his blast field at the same time as well, and he failed to do that. Sam asks Cable what’s up with the armblaster, but he simply answers that he thought it was time for some improvements. Nonetheless, Cable admires Sam for the good thinking about trying to try to damp the volume of his force field, as he thinks it would be a great asset for the team.
Sam becomes angry, as he tells Cable that there isn’t much left of the team. Cable knows that. He checks the team roaster: Warlock died in action, which soldiers often tend to do. He’s a casualty of war. Cable thinks that Wolfsbane or deserted the team, or is a prisoner somewhere. Sam corrects the boss that they aren’t soldiers: they’re a family. Cable doesn’t agree, as they are fighting in a war, which makes them soldiers. And he tells Sam that he would do best to start acting the part.
(office of Emmanuel DaCosta at Brazil, 1:22 PM, December 4)
A day earlier. Eve, Emmanuel’s secretary, gives him the coffee he had ordered. Eve leaves. Emmanuel drinks of it, but the coffee has been poisoned, and the man dies. Eve smiles.
(sub-basement of X-mansion, 2:45 PM, December 5)
Rictor angrily tries to convince Boom-Boom to help him find Wolfsbane. He is sick of not hearing from her, but Tabitha doesn’t know what they can do with their “puny powers.” She fears that they are going to end up the same way like Rahne: either killed or captive or missing. That’s fine by Rictor. He tells her that he doesn’t need Tabitha, and goes out to find Rahne himself.
(the school  library, 2:51P.M.)
While Cable is reading some books, he is suddenly shot! Luckily, he survives and meets his attacker, who introduces himself as Deadpool. He explains to Nathan that he has been hired by Mr. Tolliver to find him, which he now has. Oh, and Deadpool jokes, Tolliver also hired him to kill Cable! Deadpool doesn’t have anything personal against Cable, but he just does his job. Cable tells Deadpool that Tolliver got himself into trouble because he talks too much. Deadpool claims that Tolliver informed him that Cable is the cause of all his troubles, so that’s why he wants him down.
Cannonball successfully manages to attack Deadpool from behind, and has succeeded in turning the volume of his force field down. Deadpool gets up and throws some wires at Sam, which go through his force field and capture him! Deadpool jokes about it, and thereby doesn’t notice Cable attacking him from behind. Cable punches the assassin, breaking his jaw. Deadpool hates when that happens, so he takes out his knife and throws it into Cable’s leg!
Deadpool is attacked by Rictor, who used an earthquake to startle the man. The rest of the New Mutants show up as well, and Deadpool seems to know them all. Deadpool throws some more wires, which take out Rictor first, because Deadpool sees Rictor’s vibratory powers as the one most dangerous. Rictor tries to shake the coils loose, but Deadpool warns the New Mutant not to do that, because the more energy Rictor expends, the tighter they’ll constrict. Sunspot attacks Deadpool, who prepares to throw some knives at him.
But once more, he is attacked from behind, and gets thrown three blades in his back! The man collapses, and Domino steps forward. She came because Cable called, like always. Cable thanks her for that and asks Domino where she has been. Around, she answers, and back again, it seems. She asks Cable how his “baby-sitting” is going. Cable answers that it could be worse, or better. They tie Deadpool up, and both smile as they plan to send him back to Tolliver – since they know how he deals with failures. The New Mutants are surprised to actually see Cable smile.
(11:45 PM)
Domino and Cable check their options for the team. Rusty Collins is aligned with the Mutant Liberation Front, and too difficult to liberate right now. Skids Blevins is also with the MLF, but Cable doesn’t like her powers in the field. He doesn’t see Xi’an as a team player, and thinks she has her own agenda. Domino finds that a shame since telepaths can come in handy. Domino likes Magma’s fire powers too, but Cable informs her that Amara is holding up in Nova Roma, the jungle civilization, and doesn’t seem her worthy of the effort. Last up is Danielle Moonstar, who became a Valkyrie and stayed in Asgard. Domino doesn’t understand that, but Cable tells her not to try.
Domino doesn’t see much they can work with. Cable either, but he claims to have already taken steps to remedy that.
(11:53 PM)
Rictor writes Boom-Boom a note that he has left to find Rahne. He leaves the basement and takes off.
(1:32 PM)
Gideon approaches the sleeping Sunspot. He wakes Bobby and informs him with some terrible news: his father has had a heart attack, and is dead!


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[Assistant]
The Beginning Of The End: part 2
(New York City, 7:34 PM, Morlock Tunnels, December 13)
Masque and his servants Brute and Hump are trying to capture Feral. They do, and try to convince her to join their army of Morlocks in an upcoming war against the upside world. Feral refuses to participate in that, but. Masque gives her no other choice, threatening that he’ll have to kill her then. Feral won’t allow that, and fights back. She runs away, and escapes.
(Morlock Tunnels, 10:24 PM, December 13)
Feral takes a rest, and it’s been a while since she has last seen a sign of her followers. However, they catch up on her and attempt to fight again. Feral suddenly notices an access hatch, and kicks it open and jumps to the surface. Masque knows that Feral thinks to have escaped, but he realizes that instead she now faces two hunters. Masque finds it a shame, but knew that they had to go up against them eventually.
(tavern on Central Park, Manhattan. 12:43, December 14)
Cable meets up with James Proudstar. After the proper introductions, Cable offers James to join X-Force. James says that he’s happy at the reservation he currently stays, and finally feels useful again after his brother died. Cable informs James that it’s his job to prepare young mutants for war, but James believes that Cable’s overreacting. Cable explains that there are five kinds of mutants: the mollifies, the abusers, the used, the hunted and the hidden. Cable is trying to created the sixth kind: the prepared. He’s trying to prepare everyone for a very bleak future. James jokes about it, but promises to think about it. That’s good enough for Cable, who makes sure that James understand that there’s no pressure on it, but reminds him again of the five kinds of mutants. James steps into his cab and leaves.
Gideon is watching Cable, and finds it very good that Cable’s preparing. Adam warns his master that Sunspot has arrived. Gideon walks over to him, and gives the boy his condolences for the loss of his father, but mentions that there are certain things that have to be prepared. Bobby knows that. Gideon informs the boy that he spread the word to his mother, who was on an archaeological expedition in New Guinea. Gideon wants things prepared for Emmanuel’s funeral, and the corporation’s future. Bobby agrees. Gideon informs Bobby that such a big firm needs to be leaded with a firm hand, especially when the director is someone as young as Bobby. He doesn’t understand. Gideon’s surprised to hear that, as he thought that Bobby was aware that his father always wanted him to inherit the firm, should his time have come.
Sunspot doesn’t know what to say, as he and his father didn’t threat each other so well over the past few years. He asks why his mother wasn’t chosen. Gideon says that’s because their relationship was strained, at best, and informs Bobby that he’s well aware of his bad relationship with his father, as he remembers Bobby that he was there from the beginning. Gideon knows that he hasn’t been such a good friend to Bobby over the past years, but he was busy trying to get his house prepared after their mom died. He remembers Bobby that they aren’t kids anymore. It’s time to grow up and face reality. There’s work to be done, and Gideon is here to help Bobby with that.
Gideon promises to take of the needed things in Emmanuel’s office in Manhattan, if Bobby promises to tie up the lose ends here at the school. Bobby doesn’t really know what to do, since the school has meant so much to him. But he admits that there isn’t much left of the school he grew up in, so he thinks that perhaps Gideon is right, and it is time to move. Gideon doesn’t say anything, but turns around and smiles.
(the underground bunker, 3:13 PM)
Sam and Tabitha summon up Cable and Domino, and inform the two about Rictor’s departure to Genosha. Domino suggests a rescue mission, but Cable doesn’t want to and decides that Rictor is on his own now. Sam doesn’t agree, since Rictor is part of the team and they should go after him. Cable makes Sam understand that he isn’t his baby sitter, and that he can do whatever he wants, so if he wants to go he can. Sam gets angry and notices that the team is falling apart, and Cable doesn’t seem to care much. Angry, he walks away, and Tabitha follows him.
(Phoenix, Arizona. December 7, 4:22 PM)
James steps out of his plane, and rides back to Camp Verde. But when he arrives, he finds the Camp in flames, and has burned down to ashes! He finds a Hellfire Club mask, and holds Emma Frost responsible. He swears revenge.
(the school  library, 8:47 PM)
Roberto walks over to Cable, who’s reading. He informs Cable about his father’s passing, and Cable feels sorry. He tells Bobby that he lost his father too at a very young age, and knows how difficult that can be. Bobby explains that they weren’t that close. Cable understands, and would also understand it if Bobby would want some time off to take care of things. Bobby explains that he might need more time than just a little, and might not come back. Cable says “whatever” and Sunspot angrily walks out. Sam has heard the whole thing, and can’t believe that Cable just lets his best friend walk out like that. He wants to know what kind of game Cable is playing. Now!
(the Danger Room, 8:53 PM)
Domino and Boom-Boom are working out together. Domino tries to get to know her better, and congratulates Tabitha on her agility. She explains that she picked up a few things when living on the streets. But she tells Domino not to act like they’re the best girlfriends or something, because she doesn’t trust her. Domino asks why. Tabitha tells her because she and Cable seem to be very close and planning something, but won’t tell the team what it’s all about. Tabitha also finds it suspicious that neither of them seems to care that both Rahne and Rictor are lost. Domino believes that they made the choice themselves, so that’s why they didn’t do anything about it.
Tabitha doesn’t believe that. Domino reveals that she has known Cable for a very, very long time now, and the two things she knows about the man, is that he’s real big on self-reliance and self-determination. Both Domino and Cable agree that the New Mutants aren’t kids anymore, and that the time for them has come to make their own decisions. Tabitha asks her if she means decisions like stay or go, stay alive or get killed. That’s exactly what she means. She explains that Cable is going to show the team the roads they can take. He’ll even offer them to join him on the road he has chosen. But each member of the team will have to make the decision for themselves.
(the library, 8:45 PM)
Cannonball again asks Cable angry what game he’s up to. Cable shouts back that they are not playing a game, but are at war, but that Sam has been sheltered for too long to actually see it. Sam doesn’t buy that, as he has seen friends die in action, and friends leave because they couldn’t handle things anymore. Cable calls them casualties, and explains that he has seen thousands of people die. His entire life has been clouded by pain and loss! Sam figured as much, but had hoped that people like the New Mutants, who cared about Cable, might help him get over the pain. He walks away, and guesses that he thought wrong. Cable says nothing, but thinks.
(December 8, 9:10 AM)
The team takes goodbye of Sunspot. He and Sam hug, and Roberto leaves with Gideon. Domino notices that, apparently, they’ll have to start from scratch. Cable explains that the only way to make this work is to build it up from the ground up. The right way. His  way.
(the War Room, 2:48 PM)
James arrives at the school. Domino brings him to Cable, who has seen James’ destroyed village on the news, and is sorry. James informs him that the Hellfire Club is responsible. Cable asks James if he’s sure. He is. James wants revenge, but he knows he can’t do it alone. He wants Cable to promise to help him fight his war, and in return James promises to fight his. None of them notice that Feral is stalking them from above, and believes that if that line is going to work for the Indian, it’ll also going to work for her.
(the Danger Room, 3:13 PM)
A mysterious man lies unconscious in the Danger Room. He wears a costume, and has a sword in his hand.