X-Men 196: Appearances
Pages 1-2: Phoenix v. Karma, Everyone else v. Madness
We have a cover page with the image of the Phoenix Effect covering the top third of a central park south hotel and we can see other fires dotting the Manhattan skyline as riots break out across the island.
Credits Box: making an appearance are Written by Myles "Nightcrawler" Corcoran Penciled by Samantha "Rogue" Mullaney Inked by Lisa "Colossus" Padol Colored by Kris "Ariel" Keegan Lettered by Joshua "Phoenix" Kronengold Edited by Brian Rogers Rachel Rogers, Editor in Chief
Inside the hotel room there’s the ongoing battle between Karma and Phoenix.
We cut back inside where Karma is continuing to press hir attack, the distinctive squared off jagged lines of hir power around hir head and lancing out to Phoenix's. Both combatants are floating in the room - Karma is now perfectly upright, hands crossed over hir chest, index fingers touching thumbs in an almost meditative stance while Phoenix is considerably more dynamic.
Phoenix has clearly calmed down a bit, but her voice bubble and lettering are still using the somewhat inhuman "phoenix force" signature. "This is no good. I don't want to hurt you. Well, I don't want to hurt the person you're supposed to be...Karma--the real one--where are you!"
Phoenix worms her way through Karma's shields, searching through hir mental space for a sign of Xi'an's original personality. As the Professor had said the two are so completely intertwined, with Tran knotting around her and holding her in, that the task would seem impossible. And as much as Phoenix has the whole of the spacetime continuum backing her Karma's powers and formidable, and Tran has spent years locking himself in to this body. She can feel the slight concentration lapse of this attempt giving Tran a little more leverage in the assault on her, and there's the legitimate chance that she may have taken too much of a risk....
Rogue has slumped into almost unconsciousness when she feels the Professor's telepathy force through her pain and mental shields forgive me child, but I require more of you.
She forces herself upright I ain't lettin' these %#@! win, Professor. No way.
The rubble underneath her shudders at the force of her take off as she rockets towards the hotel window.
The window explodes inward, the shards of glass cutting everything in the room to ribbons except the three human forms. Rogue grabs Karma by the lapels and slams hir into the wall, pinning the hir and knocking the breath out of her. Instinct makes Tran lash out to take control of Rogue, hitting her with the totality of his sister's borrowed powers. Carol Danvers is knocked unconscious under the blow and Karma seizes control of Rogue's mind....
Just a second too late.
Phoenix, eschewing subtlety, grabs hold of the thread that made up Tran's cancerous presence and unleashes the full force of her connection to the space-time continuum into it. There's a brutal scream ripped from both Xi'an's and Rogue's throats as in a flash of power Tran Coy Mahn ceases to be.
Good heavens, Rachel, I had no idea.... Well done. the Professor thinks, before shifting his attention elsewhere.
In the park here's the scenario: the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club are gone from the scene, Shaw having been teleported away, Frost and Forge running from their encounters with Magik and Wolverine respectively. Angelica Jones and her father are also safe, in a room set aside by the Professor for them that Magik transported them to.
The three Hellfire Knight remote-control robots are out of the action (two Colossus broke up, the other inert because its controller ran away), the HC techs are trapped in their van by Colossus and Frost's muscle Jose has just lost his gun thanks to Ariel. There are any number of small fights breaking out as the city is under the effects of the Psycho-Man's attacks in recent issues of FF. The X-Men are currently engaged in some small-scale rescues. There's a torch bearing mob outside the Avengers Mansion right now which people with higher altitudes can see. Colossus has seen a Morlock on the wrong end of a beating nearby in the park. If you guys want to describe another set of actions feel free
Colossus closes the distance to the threatened Morlock and slams his hands together, creating a deafening shockwave that not only stuns the attackers but sends them flying several feet in all directions. He is able to scoop the wounded Morlock up in one arm (taking care not to exacerbate his injuries) and move to safer ground.
Unfortunately, nowhere in the area is truly safe, and a crowd of other enraged humans start charging his position. Colossus quickly moves his charge into a nearby tree limb and then slams his foot into the ground, creating a second earthquake-like shockwave that sends all of his erstwhile attackers sprawling.
Inside the 'Rime and Reason' storefront, Wolverine pulls himself to his feet. With a grunt he dislodges the disk Forge slapped onto his head. What the flamin'? he thinks, staring at it, and then slides the thing into his belt.
Wolverine are you well?
Just peachy, Chuck, he replies. Whatever's messing with people's brains is winding down.
I've ascertained that as well, and think I know the cause. Please rejoin the rest of the team outside.
Out in the park the rest of the X-Men see everyone near them freeze in their current position.
This will pacify our immediate situation. Reed Richards at the Avengers Mansion assures me he has dealt with the outbreak's driving force and things should calm down quickly. Despite this confusion I'd call today's activity a success.
Rogue, you're in too poor a shape to further assist here. Please carry Xi'an back to the mansion. Nurse Friedlander is waiting to check on both of you.
You got it, Prof, Rogue replies, and she wraps the suddenly fragile girl in a hotel blanket to protect her from the cold - both in the room and on the upcoming flight. Xi'an is awake but clearly stunned, and is perfectly willing to follow directions. She stops for just a moment to reach out to Phoenix, who at this point is still blazing with the glory of the entire cosmos
[BR: but not for long, and hoo-boy is she gonna crash for a bit after that].
"Thanks you. Thank you so much."
Phoenix's attitude of sympathy runs in contrast to the amazing power she is still displaying. "It's...what was done to you was wrong. Anyone would have done the same."
"No one else could have." Xi'an replies, before she slumps into Rogues arms to be cradled by the injured mutant.
Rogue streaks off across the sky with Xi'an while the rest of the X-Men contemplate next actions.
Normally I would defer to Ariel's long-term plan for public relations via civic recovery, but given the animosity inherent in this assault I question it's efficacy. the professor sends. I also have the Jones family to focus on once the madness dims. Does anyone have a suggestion other than vacating back to the mansion?
"Professor, one of the Moorlocks is wounded. I should get him back to the Alley." Colossus is holding the older figure, whose torn clothes reveal the enormous sword tattooed onto his back.
Of course. In fact, Reed's analysis indicates this was the culmination of a long subtle manipulation via extra-dimensional radiation sources - any Morlock that spent time on the surface might be a carrier. The Alley's construction prevents telepathic confirmation, but if focusing Ariel's civic relations on the community of our subterranean brethren you could accomplish considerable good.
Nightcrawler considers the Professor's words. "We need to get off the street. Given the esteem in which the X-Men are generally held by the public out of sight and out of mind would be best. The Alley should also shield us from any lingering mind-altering effects."
More quietly as an aside to Colossus he adds, "It will also give us the opportunity to check up on our Morlock friends and see if this madness has affected more than poor Claymore here."
Logan shakes his head, "No offense, but I gotta get out of here. While the effect is fadin' I don't trust myself to not haul off on someone. Given how tetchy Callisto's band is, probably better I don't do it down there.
"Very well. Logan, you head for the mansion and back up Rogue. She may be shakier than she let on, and we need someone to cover her and Xi'an while Nurse Friedlander does her work."
"Kitty," Nightcrawler continues with a gesture at the asphalt. "Can you get us down into the tunnels under the street quickly so that we're out of sight and can make way to the Morlock's dwelling unobserved?"
"No problem," Ariel says, a bit tersely. In a private thought: I figured I'd have to go down there soon anyway ...
While the others are communicating, Kurt hears the professor on a second, separate channel in his head. Nightcrawler, I infer from your outburst that you were as shocked as I about the scope of Rachel's sudden empowerment and its ramifications considering her heritage. Has she manifested at this scale previously?
Nein, Herr Professor, not to my knowledge. I'm not afraid to admit I am terrified at what this might mean. Has the Phoenix Force taken Rachel too?
I most sincerely hope not, but we have to be aware of that risk, Xavier replies somberly. For all of humanity's sake.
Pages 3-5: Storm and Magneto
First panel is an image of Storm’s face seen by someone who is lying down. Storm’s hair style has changed, and rather than the Mohawk it is close cropped but even. We can see Forte some distance behind Storm.
“Move slowly; you’ve been the in the healing chamber for two months.” She says.
“Calm yourself, Storm. I know what shape I’m in,” Magneto says as he levers himself upright. “Not ideal, but I’ve been far worse. I could have been out of this tube weeks ago, but I reprogrammed it to restore my muscle tone before I awoke.”
Storm stares at him, “You did what?”
Storm waves her concern away with a hand, “I did design the machines, and weak as my magnetic powers were, adjusting their controls remains a trivial affair. Besides, my monitoring made it clear you had the situation well in hand.” He is already walking out of the room, the machines shutting down behind him under the command of his powers.
Storm strides after him, and Forte hurries after them both, clearly enjoying watching Storm get yanked around by Magneto.
“Your _what_?” Storm asks again, clearly getting exasperated.
“You don’t think I was going to leave things entirely unsupervised, did you?” Magneto says as they walk down the hallway past a supply room that once held plentiful medical supplies and is not at best half full. “I trust you, certainly, but the investment of many of my resources wouldn’t certainly demand some attention. I particularly appreciated your handling of Captain Okimbe’s failed betrayal, once I brought it to your attention.”
“You did what?” Storm says again before realizing how absurd she must sound, as they exit into the dining area.
“You had inklings in that direction, no doubt,” Magneto goes on, “but my psychc nudge doubtless solidified them… what?”
Magneto is forced to pull up short as Storm gets ahead of him and blacks his path.
“Stop.” She says, and then points to one of the chairs. “Sit. And explain to me what you are going on about.”
Magneto smiles, clearly having relished this little bit of humor, but ultimately complies, the metal chairs sliding out from the table to accommodate them as they sit. Forte continues to stand by the doorway, possibly trying to pass herself off as Magneto’s bodyguard.
“Of course. I regained intermittent consciousness about a month ago, and since then have been using my astral form and telepathic powers to monitor your efforts, assisting where needed. Since those moments were few, I felt some additional recovery time was in order and reprogrammed the machine accordingly.” The look on his face makes it clear that he doesn’t see how all this is so confusing.
“You have an astral form?*” Storm queries with an arch eyebrow.
[*ED: He does, believe it or not! Check out really old issues of X-Men for some examples of it.]
“Scott and Charles never mentioned?” Magneto replies, “Charles taught me many things, long ago, such as how my powers could mirror aspects his, such as an astral form and telepathic contact. They were little more than tricks, mostly used to corral my disorganized troops a decade ago. I have had little need for them since my full powers were restored, of course, which is why you have never seen me use them.”
“They were useful in the healing tube, however, to keep an eye on things.” Magneto smiles, “I must say you have done a superb job in my absence. Your X-Factor has quite upended the status quo ante. Still, there is much to be done that only I can do.”
Magneto can see Storm bristle, and she feels his telepathic voice in her mind
Forgive the arrogant theatrics, Ororo. They are for our audience, she sees his eyes flick to Forte, nothing more. It is essential that I re-establish myself as having no loss of prowess, lest any of our adversaries decide to press a presumed advantage. Forte is an excellent vehicle for that disinformation.
Is there an advantage to press, then? Storm asks.
Of course. My powers are painfully reduced at perhaps one tenth what they were. Based on past experience, might not recover without extraordinary outside intervention; hence the reliance on these tricks. But the world, when it sees me, must not see me stumble. I must be an asset to your efforts here, and not a detriment.
In so doing don’t undercut my own hard-won authority, Storm counters. Our allies must respect us as a people, and not as proxies for your power.
There’s a brief pause and Magneto says with all seriousness, Of course. Though I will warn you that such of a sharing of authority does not come naturally to me.
I hadn’t noticed, she replies.
“Naturally,” Storm says out loud, their conference having taken just a second. “Only your power and expertise will see to the infrastructure of this nation while Forte coordinates X-Factor with the local troops to solidify the border and end the war.”
“Naturally,” Magneto replies with a nod, and at that stands and walks over to Forte. “My monitoring of events showed me that you have acquitted yourself with skill beyond my expectations. I’m glad to see that when I named you the first daughter of our new nation, I was not incorrect.”
The girl stands taller at that, and looks after Magneto as he strides out of the room. Storm comes up behind her.
“Come on, we have work to do.”
The next panel shows Magneto, having changed into fresh clothing, striding around the base – confident, fit, secure and definitely being seen by anyone present – until he spies someone in a green and gold bodysuit across the compound. He changes direction and walks over to that figure, who is busy going over an inventory on a clipboard.
“Jamie.”
“Aaaah!” Jamie Madrox jumps, clearly startled, and turns to see who just snuck up on him. When he spies Magneto his face goes white.
“Remember what I told you the last time I saw you, Jamie Madrox? That I would never forgive you for the indignities you, and Xavier and MacTaggart had heaped upon me in my regressed state?”
“Yes…” Jamie manages to say.
“I was angry, and spoke without consideration.” Magneto extends his hand. “Know that I bear you no ill will, Jamie. I will never look back on those years with fondness, but you, at least, did your best by me. You provided companionship and stability to a confused and angry child. I thank you for that.”
Jamie, relief visible in every line of his face, takes Magneto’s hand. “Thanks. You weren’t that bad a kid.”
“Perhaps,” Magneto’s tone indicates that Jamie, while forgiven, should avoid making light of that sensitive time. “Thank you also for your commitment to our cause here. Storm recruiting you was inspired, and your skills and mutation have done much to make this possible.”
Jamie blushes at the praise, “Everyone else does the dangerous work.”
“You are our ambassador to the people, Jamie. Don’t reduce your importance. I noticed that our medical supplies were diminished – provide me with a list of your needs and I’ll see they are filled.”
“OK, will do.”
Magneto nods and walks away, continuing his tour. Jamie sits heavily on a crate and breathes a sigh of relief. Then another one of him appears to continue the inventory while the original works through what just happened. The work, after all, doesn’t go away.
Page 6: Sebastian Shaw
Shaw pulls himself out of the river, looking sanguine about recent events. “I only have to win once,” he mutters to himself. He strides bare-chested across the waterfront towards the road, dropping his formal jacket and ruffled shirt along the way, in the name of more fan service for the distaff contingent.
He hasn’t gone terribly far when a limo pulls up. He opens the door and steps in – Tessa is inside. She is dressed in a modernized version of her Hellfire Club outfit – short black skirt, basque bodice and a band holding in her dark hair – so that we have equal opportunity HC fan service. He doesn’t question how she knew where to get him – it’s her job to handle these details. “The island went mad – some sort of area effect anger generation.”
“Just as well I’m clear of it. The others?” Shaw asks, and at her small shake of the head looks concerned. “Emma?”
“No. Coy Mahn. Statistically I think we have to assume Tran is a loss and Xian is once again in control.”
“Scrub his assets via the link and then scuttle the link, obviously,” Shaw says, pouring himself a drink from the limo’s mini-bar. “Emma lost the girl?”
Tessa nods and hands him a sheaf of paper “Yes. In addition its clear Xavier has learned to identify the telepresences. There isn’t a single operational goal that can be considered even a partial success.”
“Hrm.” Shaw grunts, flipping through the after-action report written in Tessa’s perfect calligraphic hand. “Wolverine broke into the Storefront?” he queries, looking up and into space. Tessa doesn’t bother to nod, since it wouldn’t be in her report if it didn’t happen.
Eventually Shaw says “Inform Emma that our corporate assets have been identified, likely by Pryde and Ramsey, and get things operational for a short term shadow account to make a new set of corporate acquisitions with no connection to us to serve the same purpose.”
He takes a drink and goes on. “Break the intelligence link we have with Xavier’s mansion – given how much of a rout they set up for us it’s almost certainly compromised. Order all inner circle members to perform a complete physical hardware check for computer infiltration. Once that’s complete re-encrypt data feeds on a new cypher.”
She nods, taking notes on her pad as he puts down the report
“Was Forge able to rescue the data telemetry of the X-Men’s powers for the Sentinel feed?”
“I don’t believe so. He commented that both sites were compromised, but given his abilities he might be able recover it.” She gets a concerned look and hands him another paper, “There is something else on the Sentinel project. Several Shaw Industries plants are now under guard by military units reporting to Wideawake agents. All of the Sentinel construction facilities have been nationalized as of this afternoon. Shaw Industries direct control of any aspect of the project has been suspended to accelerate the production of key materials.”
The old fashioned glass shatters in Shaw’s hand, spreading neat whisky all over his already wet clothes. Tessa, with the foresight for which she is justly renowned, had a tea towel ready protect herself, and then hands a second one over to Shaw.
“What makes Gyrich think this is even remotely legal?” Shaw says quietly.
“I spoke with him briefly – he called while you were engaged earlier. Mr. Gyrich was apologetic and acknowledged that Shaw Industries would doubtless win in court, but that he had to streamline production delays, that we would be properly compensated, and he trusted on your discretion and patriotism to keep this out of the public eye.”
Shaw dries his face and hands with the tea towel and appears to have composed himself. “Just as well the key coding is already in place. The Hellfire Club and its allies fall outside of the Sentinel programming, we still have some backdoors, and none of the public sites have any of the Shi’ar tech to operate from, correct?”
Tessa nods curtly, taking the towel back and depositing it in a small hamper. “Correct – they won’t be able to back engineer our proprietary alien technology. There is one concern – I anticipate a 82% chance that DARPA aspects suborned by Wideawake have also been forced into the new production line. That might mean additional pre-recruitment Forge technology could be installed without Hellfire Club overrides.”
Shaw smiles, “Part of the reason why we brought Forge on board. He’s already working on a shielding against the mutant nullification weapon, and assures us that his detection devices were never compromised*. Since the Sentinels will only be operating with our mutant detectors the Hellfire Club will be immune to them, while the X-Men, most assuredly, will not.”
“It has not been a good day, Ms. Tessa, but it’s certainly something we can recover from. Send my regrets to Emma regarding Ms. Jones. And step up surveillance on Mr. Wagner. He and I now have unfinished business.”
“Of course, Mr. Shaw.”
And with that Sebastian looks out the limousine window, planning for another day.
[*ED: he’s wrong in this – Mystique stole Forge’s designs in issue 188 and handed them over to DARPA edited to not locate Brotherhood members in 189. Yes, this means that the Sentinels will have one set of sensors that can’t see the Hellfire Club and one that can’t see the Brotherhood. Someone’s in for a surprise!]
Pages 7-9: X-Men
[Brief bookkeeping note: Rachel has had a chance to catch her breath, and is now at 44 health rather than 14. It will be a little bit longer before she’s not suffering from the hangover effects of her spacetime conduit stunt and is at -1 rank on her mental powers until she has a chance to get a longer rest than the 10 minutes in the park.]
The opening panel of this page is Ariel dropping down through the ceiling of one of the Alley’s numerous exit tunnels, holding hands with Phoenix on one side and Nightcrawler and Colossus on the other. The group touch down but (likely) don’t solidify as a precaution, not knowing what to expect down here.
Colossus immediately makes out their position – one of the Morlocks high tunnels that interests with the Alley about halfway up its considerable height, accessed via stairs reminiscent of a fire escape bolted onto the Alley wall. The X-Men know that their fears of the emotional effect reaching the Alley are well founded the within instants as there is riotous and unpleasant noise coming from the Alley proper.
The next panel is them overlooking the Alley from the ersatz balcony and seeing the clear signs of conflict along its length.
[BR: The damage is most obvious to Peter, who is well aware what were ramshackle constructions before vs. what has been recently reduced to ruin, and with that in mind it doesn’t look that bad. Certainly not as bad as what’s been happening on the surface.]
On the ground, not terribly far from their current position once one gets to the floor a hundred feet below, is a knot of conflict – Sunder is leading a group of people with shaved heads and monastic robes armed with rakes, hoes and whatnot in a conflict against a group behind a barricade. Circling around the feet of the attackers is an ochre mist that as they watch rises up to engulf one of the monastics, causing the fellow to gasp and choke.
As this is happening Sunder crashes his hand through the barricade, grabbing one of the people inside – either one of reduced size due to their mutation or a child – and yanking them out into the open with a furious scream. Whatever he plans to due to the small figure it isn’t likely to be friendly.
Colossus telepathically dumps his knowledge about Sunder, the monastics and the Colonel to Phoenix as he makes a running jump off the platform and into the Alley. His hope of being able to hit Sunder square on the leap are stymied by the movement in the scrum of people, and Colossus has to twist his body in midair and land with a forward roll to avoid splattering one of the monastics.
Still, we get a lovely shot of Colossus-as-Wolverine rising up out of the mist from a crouch.
Peter, you have the best chance of restoring order here. X-Men, follow Colossus's lead and try not to damage any one.
Rachel, can you calm them down?
I might be able to calm some of them down, Rachel responds, I'm still not even close to recovered from my fight with Karma.
Phoenix reaches out with her power to calm the minds of the people in the combat - just as she had kept the people in the collapsing building calm - and finds within the ones on Sunder's 'side' of the conflict the psionic energy she felt on the surface. She is able to easily calm all of the people inside the barricade and the mind inside the gas, and with a push she clears out the psionic residue of the monastics. The residue is much more deeply rooted in Sunder and she's not able to calm the big man down.
The X-Men hear Phoenix's words and then see all of the combatants save Sunder (and the little kid, who has obvious reasons to panic) stop short and look at each other with a 'what the hell were we thinking' clarity.
Sunder, on the other hand, is getting ready to smash Colossus with his improvised, organic club.
Ariel maintains position and her immaterial grip on poor Claymore, who got left out of the description above.
"Ariel, drop Claymore and come with me!" cries Nightcrawler as he takes Kitty by the hand. There's a bang! A puff of foul-smelling smoke, and the two mutants appear above the crowd of belligerents. Nightcrawler's feet grasp the rough ceiling over the mob as he swings Ariel circus performer style over them to pluck the unfortunate out of Sunder's grip.
"For the love of God, Ariel, grab the child!"
Ariel's hand extends as far as it can, and she just manages to snag the girl by her long scraggly hair as the child is swung towards Colossus. That contact is all that's needed to extend her power, slipping the girl from Sunders grip (and Ariel from Nightcralwers) and let her get both of them up and out of range of the combat.
This completely foils Sunder's attack on Colossus, but there's no sign on the big man's face that his fury has abated, and he is clearly getting ready to engage in more conventional attacks on his occasional sparring partner.
Colossus runs forward and scoops up Sunder, his charge taking both of them away from the rest of the immediate conflict. The goal is clearly to slam both of them into the wall where Colossus armor would give him more shielding from the attack, but Sunder is able to twist out the way so Colossus slams ineffectually into the wall while Sunder rolls on the floor, comes up and proceeds to hammer in attack after attack on the big Russian.
To the untrained eye it looks Colossus is taking an irresistible pummeling but Colossus is actually subtly blocking and sifting to blunt the force of each blow, keeping himself the focus of Sunder's murderous rage while taking no damage himself. As he does so, he's trying to reason with the enraged Morlock
PUNCH
"You don't really want to do this!"
THUD
"Psycho Man sent a psychic ray!"
CRUNCH "It drove everyone mad -- you don't really want to hurt the Morlocks!"
but to no avail
For the rest of the X-Men the fight is clearly too dangerous to engage in - Sunder's strength is such that even a casual shrug could be crippling to anyone present, and might undo Peter's current strategy. They are in a momentary tableau. The monastics are watching dumbfounded the unnatural hatred brushed out of their mental landscape, the people behind the barricade are continuing to huddle out of sight, the Colonel is still in a cloud shape around the battlefield (though the monastic he incapacitated earlier is still inside his form and might be in some jeopardy). Nightcrawler is clinging to the wall just to the right of the barricade and Ariel is holding a weeping, clearly panicked young Morlock girl in her arms.
Phoenix telepathically locates the monastic within the cloud and sends his location to Nightcrawler.
Understood, Nightcrawler acknowledges Phoenix's communication. He takes a deep breath and 'ports into the cloud, grabs the unfortunate, and 'ports away again.
As soon as Nightcrawler materializes inside the cloud he screams , as does the cloud - while normally Kurt's materialization will push aside the gasses at his entry point the Colonel's psionic ability to keep his gaseous state integrated prevented that from occurring, functionally overlapping both mutants bodies. Kurt collapses, unconscious from the pain, and the Colonel re-solidifies his form, hacking and retching.
On the plus side the gaseous cloud is gone and the shock of Kurt's scream has snapped everyone out of the tableau, and the sides immediately reconcile. There are Morlocks climbing out from around the barricade to watch the Sunder-Colossus fight, others pick up wounded or stunned friends to move them away from danger and both of the injured parties have monastics tending to them almost immediately. The one looking at Kurt looks up and says "Someone go get Healer."
That large, goateed Morlock is already arriving on the scene - perhaps someone had already called him, perhaps he was in route - and takes a second to look at the Colonel for patting him on the shoulder to let him know he'd be fine. He takes a look at Nightcrawler and gets a grave look before lifting the X-Men's leader up and intoning "I will shelter him."
"Shhh," Ariel says to the terrified girl, moving back onto the balcony and returning them both to solidity. "It's over, you're safe now ..."
Kitty speaks in reassuring tones and looks deeply into the girls' eyes, were she can see lights beginning to spark and crackle. Rather than tears Kirby dots are starting to leak out of her eyes.
However, before whatever biochemical circuit can close inside the girls' body Ariel's soothing presence and calming words bring her back from the brink. The mutation is obviously still there, but dormant, for today is not - Ariel had sagely realized - the day to go experimenting with such things.
From her perch Kitty sees Healer sweep out of the room with Nightcrawler in his arms, doubtless bringing him to what he refers to in his stentorian tones (the few times he does speak) as his 'houses of healing'. Colossus spent some time there recovering from the time that he was petrified - Kitty knows where the place is and how to get there, and Healer, for all his wizardly affectations, has been one of the most trustworthy Morlocks.
Seeing that reasoned discourse is not carrying the day Colossus spies an opening and lunges forward to get a grip on Sunder. He does, but not for long as the big man slips away from the grip, grabbing hold of Colossus and lifting him as if to throw him across the room. Colossus scissors his legs around Sunders arm, preventing the throw and sending both men crashing into the wall. The two circle each other for a moment, arms out, looking for a hold, before Sunder reaches out and snags Colossus wrist. Lightning fast Colossus counters, grabbing Sunders exposed arm and yanking the big man off his feet in a move that would be impossible for normal combatants, even those of their relative size. Once he has Sunder airborne Colossus spins him once, twice and then slams him full length into the wall.
The wall gives way under the impact, showering both combatants with stone but as Sunder starts to recover Colossus vice-like grip yanks him off his feet again, denying him a chance to get his bearings. Sunder comes flying out with a chunk of masonry that he crashes, ineffectually, into Colossus face before being spun again and slammed into the floor. In the brief moment of silence after Sunders exhalation of air Colossus steps on Sunders should blade and turns this wrist grip into a painful lock.
A few seconds more and Sunder's head drops to the floor. The Morlock's big man is out.
Pages 10-12: Storm and Magneto
We’re back in the Sudan, and it’s clear that in this part of the story some time has passed since Storm’s hair is longer than the last time we saw her. She and Magneto are in a magnetic effect hovercraft of his design flying over the Sudanese landscape.
“Are you sure this is wise,” Storm tells him as she banks the open cockpit vehicle closer towards the ground.
“I have seen to everything that can be seen to in the base, Ororo. The matter converters are functioning sufficiently to keep Jamie stocked in crude medical supplies, the weapons are all stocked and charged,” Magneto smiles. “Plus, I have made sure I was publically visible long enough for your Wakandan friends and the American spies I wasn’t supposed to notice to send report back that I am both undiminished and apparently not aggressive.”
“Now it is time to show them that I my temper is not without an edge.” There’s a sparkle in his eyes.
“You're enjoying this, aren't you?” Ororo asks.
“Aren’t you?” he shoots back
“There are more losses than I’d like – this war was not bloodless, for all that I tried. That taints the parts I do enjoy. I had thought that I was past that, more chaotic, hardened against matters of life and death” She runs her hands through her hair, “But then I had to order others off to battle, to possibly die, far from where I was sitting. I would not do so again.”
“Hopefully we shall never have to,” he advises her, but for now…” Magneto furrows his brow.
Forte, are the troops still in position?
Yes, she sends back – we see a panel of her in the tall grass, completely concealed, watching a small military unit via some high tech binoculars. The Northerners have just moved over the border – conventional troop transports, an advanced tank.
SHIELD?
Doesn’t match the description. Haven’t seen the style before.
Very well. Tag the transports, then withdraw.
There’s a slight pout in her reply, but she says understood From her lying position she makes a pair of nigh-impossible shots, firing a rifle with her telekinetic arms from multiple kilometers away to attach small devices to both transports.
“Your intelligence was sound, Ororo, and Forte has attached magnetic deconstructers to some of the vehicles.”
Ororo nods, “putting defensive screens to max, bringing us in range. Don’t kill anyone.”
“That would draw the wrong sort of proof of my powers,” Magneto tells her, which isn’t really an answer.
After an ad for Hostess cupcakes in which Hulk stops some terrorists attacking a post office we get a massive two page spread of Magneto standing upright in the hovercraft that Storm is bringing in at a dangerous angle. Magneto’s powers are lifting the entire high tech battle tank, deforming it in places and causing its plasma cannon blast to fly ineffectually off panel. The two troop transports are busy tearing themselves to pieces, every metal part separating from every other metal part. The Sudanese soldiers look terrified and are fleeing the scene with all speed.
There’s a small panel at the bottom of the second page where Magneto collapses back into his seat as Storm carries them away. He’s pale and in a cold sweat. “Damnation. Dealing with a simple tank was almost too much strain.”
“I doubt they noticed,” Ororo says to him.
Pages 13: Nightcrawler
Kurt comes to, aching all over, in a small, candlelit room. Clearly still in the Morlock tunnels, his attempts to move are immediately hindered by the chain riveted around his le – the other end is attached to a disturbingly large piece of masonry.
“Don’t bother trying to teleport out,” a harsh voice says from the connecting room, “The little fella has his evil eye on you.” There’s a rasping chuckle. Nightcrawler doesn’t need the robed and hunchbacked figure to step closer to recognize Masque.
The supposedly imprisoned Morlock is using his power on Healer, and that bare chested ersatz arcanist is smiling as his features melt, thick hair springing up all over his body, his upper and lower jaws distending slightly, his canines growing longer. The moderately muscled figures grows enormously so and his fingernails stiffen and turn to blunt but still dangerous claws. The whole scene is all too much like a Kronenburg movie for comfort.
A quick glance around the room reveals who Masque was referring to: a small figure with mottled, greenish skin and large eyes is watching Nightcrawler with a curious expression. He recognizes this Morlock as well, but only from reputation – Kitty encountered him in the tunnels when Callisto tried to force her into that sham wedding with Caliban. The child’s name is Leech, and those in his presence are unable to use their mutant powers.
“There you go, Ursus, as promised,” Masque croaks to the man-ear hulking in the corner. He tosses the fellow a scarf that Kurt thinks looks familiar but can’t place. “Now you just fulfill your final task…”
“Right,” Grunts the bear, and he walks out of the room with a spring in his step.
Masque turns back to Nightcrawler, “That’s me, making people happy. Ursus there was one of the non-mutant Morlocks, always wanted to have powers. In exchange for a couple little things I gave them to him. Thicker bones, more muscles, claws, fangs, stronger sense of smell, better night vision,” he gives his raspy chuckle again, ‘Not sure what the boy thinks he’s going to do with that, but as long as he does what I need I really don’t care.”
“But he was smart enough to have the hostage he brought me be you. Now wasn’t that a stroke of luck?”
"Masque! I should have guessed you be behind any new trouble among the Morlocks. I don't suppose you have the actual Healer to hand? Teleporting into that gaseous Morlocks wasn't one of my brighter ideas."
He shifts awkwardly favouring his aching torso.
No harm in playing up my injuries to Masque. He's holding all the cards ... for the moment.
[MC: I'm going to have Kurt try catching Rachel's attention telepathically, fully expecting the nature of the Alley (and the evil GM) to block the transmission. He'll again intermittently as appropriate.]
RACHEL! RACHEL! CAN YOU HEAR ME? MASQUE HAS ME PRISONER!
Kurt keeps an eye on the power dampening child, thinking he may prove the key to getting out of here.
Masque catches the look. "No help there, Nightcrawler. No, Archibald will keep you nice and pinned down in return for what I'm giving him."
He lays his hand on the boy's head. "Like I said, I make people happy. Poor Archibald here grew up in a nice Catholic household with a deeply devout mother. When his mutation came, he was sure he was cursed by the devil and fled. Poor Mom thinks he was kidnapped, and Archibald wants nothing more than to get home to her, looking like he did."
Masque awkwardly takes a seat on a three-legged stool in the room. "I'd love to help him, of course, being the gentle soul I am, but his power prevents that. For as long as he's alive at least. But if he were to die...well, his power would stop and my power works just fine on the dead. Mom would get her nice, normal loving boy back for a moving open casket funeral. That's all Archibald wants in this world. So, he's been training in his power, learning how to focus it on just one person, leaving other people's powers running. As long as I stay a few feet away from him your power won't work... and mine will. "
He leans in to Nightcrawler, his huge calloused hand reaching out, "Now what about you? What would you give to look like the swashbuckler you want to be? To be able to go to church in the light, maybe even get yourself a girl?" there's a little raspy chuckle, "I'm just someone who likes to help people. How can I help..."
"You can't help Archie with your evil lies, Masque! In God's name, child, don't listen to this man. Your mother would be heartbroken. God loves you as you are, and she can too if you give her the chance."
"I don't need to change the way I look , Masque. I made my peace with those demons long ago [ED: See Classic X-Men #4 back-up story], and I trust people to take me on my own terms, God willing."
A conflicted look crosses the young German's face as he forces himself into a neutral posture. "Masque, there is more to life that fear and hatred. I don't know what you want out of this, but let us talk. Let me help. There has to be a better way..."
"THERE IS NO BETTER WAY!" Masque screams back, "I'm offering you a better a life! A NORMAL life! Of all the damned pretty-boy X-Men you at least should get it! I'm here to curse THEM and to save US! All the slick, charming beautiful people who get to walk around in the light!"
He hurls himself up, "Fine. Rot in your &^%* blue fur. Let them hate you. Never know the honest love of a woman. Never be as God made other men." He stomps out of the room. "Keep him there Archie, and you, Nightcrawler, can go to hell. I'll arrange it."
Kurt is left alone, chained to a rock, in a room with the still silent, squamous child who continues to stare at him.
I'd keep my mouth shut and refrain from mentioning Amanda then...
Once Masque has left, Kurt checks himself over and tests the ankle chain, for form's sake more than in the hope of working himself loose.
"Well, Archie... it is Archie isn't it? Colossus mentioned your name. Well, Archie, it looks like it's just you and me for while."
Kurt watches the boy for a long pause. "Is it true what Masque said? That you'd rather go back to your mother a corpse than face her as you are?"
The boy gives a small, barely noticeable nod. In the dim light Kurt can just make out a wetness on the child's cheeks.
"I used to be terrified by how I thought people would react to me. I've been this way," he gestures at himself, "since I was born. A blue, furry freak even in the cradle, some people said. Some people even wanted to kill me, so frightened they were of how I looked, and what I represented to them."
"I was different, other. There are people who can't tolerate difference, Archie, and eventually I realised that I couldn't please them, or hide from them forever. I could only be myself."
"You too can only be yourself. And I hope your mother can understand that."
Kurt reaches into a concealed pocket of his costume. "Here, take this. It's a gadget I once needed when I was less brave. It's an image inducer. It projects a disguise. It let me pass as just another person in the street. Maybe you'll need it, Archie, to help you be brave, but I suspect you're braver than I was."
Archie stares at him, at the outstretched hand, for several long painful minutes and starts to reach out to take the device from his hand, but after nearly doing so he drops his hand. Kurt can see the slump in his shoulders, and the look of self-administered defeat against hope. Finally, there's another shake of the head, with the child looking sad, pathetic and worthless.
Kurt smiles at the mutant boy, remembering his own childhood pain.
"OK, Archie, the image inducer can wait. I can't imagine how you're feeling, with your mother missing you and worried. I was an orphan, you see. My adopted mother loved me, but I never knew my birth mother."
The boy nods, accepting Kurt's sympathy, from one mutant freak to another. He cocks his head slightly at hearing that Kurt never knew his birth mother and gives him a sympathetic smile in return.
"Ach look at us, two lost boys, eh? Well, if there's one thing Margali Szardos taught me it was that moping solves nothing."
Kurt fiddles with the anklet again. "Have you met my friend, Peter? He's been helping out Callisto and other the Morlocks with farming and the like. He'd have me out of these chains in moments. Peter's a powerful man, a man of steel in fact, but gentle with it. I truly wish we X-Men could be more like him sometimes. Trouble and chaos follow us like crows it seems."
The blue-furred mutant trails off for a moment. When he glances back up at Leech he sees the boy is weeping openly - something he's said in the last few seconds triggered a response in the child. He presses on.
"Archie, please talk to Peter before you follow through with any plan of Masque's. He only has the best interests of the Morlocks at heart. Even if Masque delivers on his sinful promise to you, it will come at a cost to your friends here."
Archie shakes his head sadly, and the look on his face is a desperate plea for understanding, something he thought for a moment he had received from Kurt. But if it wasn't Peter....
Kurt reassesses and looks at the boy. "Archie, I'm no priest and I cannot absolve you for what you have done ... or may be about to do. God loves all of us, Archie. Don't give up on God's love. I know life can be black and seem hopeless.
Unconsciously, Kurt knits his unusual hands into a gesture of prayer.
"I know a priest, Father Bowen, who has helped me through such darkness. Would you consider meeting him? Father Bowen can reach out to your mother, help you both to be a family again."
Pages 14-15: X-Men sans Nightcrawler
In the Alley things have quieted down. Once Sunder is unconscious Phoenix is able to easily clear the emotional detritus out of his mind, ensuring that when he does wake up he’ll no longer be murderous. Kitty has been able to ferry down her charges – both the little girl (Midge) and Claymore.
“I’m grateful for the help,” the Colonel says to the X-Men. The beefy man is sitting on the barricade, still catching his breath from the unexpected trauma of Nightcrawler’s teleport.
“A while lot of people went a whole lot of nuts, including my little girl. The Mrs. Is keeping an eye on her, but Calisto told me to hold down the fort here. I don’t think anyone was expecting Sunder to be hit with whatever this was.”
[BR: In this Colossus knows the Colonel is talking about Aviary, his adopted daughter/ Aviary is actually Mrs. P’s daughter; like her mom she has a bird-related mutation. I expect we’ll see more of her later]
“Any idea what happened,” Yells a familiar voice. Calisto, Caliban and the ominous bulk of Memento are approaching. Calisto is walking in her long-determined stride. Caliban is bumbling along behind her, trying to keep his big, floppy features concealing hat over his head as he half runs, his other hand trying to straighten his outfit. Memento’s walk is more sheepish, as if he really doesn’t want to be here.
"Yes," says Colossus, straightening. He's glad to see her -- and relieved that she doesn't seem to be under the influence of the Hate Ray. Also, anyone paying attention to such things probably notices he's going into reporting-to-team-leader mode. (He's probably not entirely conscious of this.) "Psycho Man used his Hate Ray over several weeks, building the effect so slowly that no one realized until rioting started above. Reed Richards built a machine to reverse the effect."
"Unfortunately," Rachel says, "the same properties of your tunnel that guard you from psychic influence also blocked the Richards machine from reversing the effect here. I've done what I could to help, but you're going to want to make sure everyone gets some open-air time soon."
Caliban, who has been subtly edging close to Ariel, pipes up, nodding in agreement to . "Heartweb is been most angry around those who go upside, Caliban can feel it. Hatepoison built up in them, burst out now."
Colossus nods. This seems to him a fine description of the situation.
Calisto snorts. "There are days I hate this frikin' town."
Colossus smiles. Callisto is in snark mode. All is well with the world.
Memento nods, saying something slowly in Polish. The X-Men, either natively or telepathically fluent in Russian, can make out the rough edges of it - Memento is asking who among them spends time up above.
Calisto starts ticking off major ones, "Sunder, Claymore, Leech, Dreamer, Aviary. Plague had been up there a lot but broke her leg in the quake. Never thought I'd be grateful for that. Couple'a dozen non-mutants."
The Colonel pipes up, "Aviary's definitely messed up, but we got her locked in." he looks over at Phoenix, "Once we get things settled her I'll have her mom bring her topside."
Everyone looks down at Claymore and Sunder and Callisto adds, "They ain't much of a problem right now. How come Healer didn't take a look at him," she adds with a nod of her head at Claymore.
"That's a good question," Rachel says. "Not that we don't appreciate the care, but shouldn't you be dealing with your own injured before us, unless someone's dying?"
"Healer was here," The Colonel adds, but he left with Nightcrawler after he and I had a little, er, intersection."
"Yes," Ariel says. "I was helping Midge here, and Healer left before I could get his attention for Claymore." She smiles down at the injured Morlock. "He seems like a tough guy, but I can bring him along to Healer's place if he doesn't mind."
"Yeah, do," says Callisto, clearly chewing on something in her mind.
"I'll go with spritechild, help carry Claymore!" Caliban says, hefting the wounded Morlock with considerable strength and delicacy.
Ariel looks extremely conflicted. Do I have to? she thinks. And in a separate thought bubble, Yes, I have to. But she doesn't say anything aloud.
Colossus gives the pair a worried look, given the history, but also says nothing.
Callisto makes a face, but nods. "Colonel, get Midge and the rest to somewhere you can lock down. I think any crazies we have left are on the move."
She turns to Phoenix, and Caliban before he can leave, "is this bad mojo going to work its way out normally?"
Caliban stares into space for a minute. "Heartweb still very angry, but less now."
"I think it's fading, yes," Phoenix says, "It's not magic, so as long as it's not getting refreshed it will fade eventually."
"OK. So, we wrestle anyone who is nuts upstairs for a bit, and anyone we don't find will calm down eventually. Good enough." Callisto doesn't look happy, but does look a little less angry.
"Callisto!" someone yells from outside the Alley. It's Shuffle (last seen in issue 186 boosting cars), and he's running towards them at a fair clip. "I just checked the cage. Masque's dead. Someone beat his head in."
Callisto's eyes narrow. "I ain't buyin' it. Caliban!" she yells at the departing pair of Ariel and Caliban. "Masque?"
Caliban looks faraway again, "Still in the heartweb," he confirms.
"%#@&!" She looks at Colossus. "We got a problem."
Colossus nods grimly. "Who is dead is his place?"
"We'll have to find out." Callisto shoots back "We'll pick up his trail there. Caliban, you start looking for him as soon as Claymore is dropped off, and tell Healer to lock up until he hears otherwise."
She then rattles off something in Polish to Memento, who nods, then looks at Phoenix, "The big lug says he's good for now - take him along for backup while you look for Masque with those fancy mental powers. Don't let Masque touch you."
Phoenix looks askance at Memento, but sighs. "Makes sense. I take it he's good for more than eating inconvenient futures?"
Callisto nods, "He spits 'em out, too."
She turns and starts walking away, expecting Colossus to keep up.
The Colonel, seeing her leave, looks up at Colossus, "I'm taking the to the Farm and locking the door. Good hunting." He then starts ushering his charges in a crowd down the alley, with the monastics holding up the still unconscious Sunder. It's obvious he's trying to keep them in the light and in the open as much as possible.
Colossus nods and moves to keep up with Callisto.
Page 16: Storm and Magneto
Storm, Magneto, Siryn and Madrox are at the outskirts of a South Sudanese village. One of the Madroxes is talking to the villages while another – and the other three mutants – are standing next to a magnetic hover-transport carrying a large box. We can tell again that some time has passed as Storms hair has grown out even more.
Siryn is, incongruously, laying on the ground.
“Isn’t it traditional to use a crooked stick?” Madrox asks her
“Shut yer gob and let me work,” she shoots back, then she puts her lips to the ground and lets out a ‘Ping’ before flattening her ear to the dirt. “Aye, its down there. Pretty deep, but it’s there,” she says, standing and dusting off her hands.
“Excellent,” Storm says, before turning to Madrox. “When did you have time to learn how to read hydrological charts?”
Jamie shrugs, embarrassed, “Idle hands, I guess, with the fighting all but over. It’s not like I’m an expert in it.”
“But you could be, Jamie Madrox,” Magneto tells him with a shake of his head. “You are first in line of the people who have been underestimating you for years. What else have you been up to?”
Siryn wraps an arm around his shoulder with a suggestive grin, “Keepin’ me outta trouble….”
Jamie blushes crimson, and Magneto admonishes “Appearances, Siryn.”
Jamie continues “Languages, mostly. I’ve had bodies in Juba picking up the Arabic dialect, and I can get by in Dinka and Zande.”
“But everyone speaks English…” Siryn says.
“Perhaps,” Magneto replies, “But the core of diplomacy is making people think you care about their history and needs. Speaking of which….”
He waves his hand and an enormous drill bit, easily five tons in size, lifts from the box and floats to the spot where Siryn indicated. It starts spinning, tearing out earth which bubbles up outside the hole, forming a crude wellwall. The townsfolk are clustering around to watch this minor miracle.
“I’m repurposing the drill bit on the way down, converting into a durable metal wall to hold the well in place,” Magneto informs them.
Suddenly water erupts out of the well, as if under pressure. The people of the town start dancing in jubilation.
I sense that wasn’t natural, Storm sends to Magneto.
Perhaps not. But it was memorable. Humans are short sighted, however, so we need to make sure there’s an understanding of water rights across the country.
I’ve already drawn some up, she informs him, Just enjoy the moment.
Page 17: Ariel and Caliban
Ariel finds herself floating through the grimy dimness of the Morlock tunnels, staying intangible lest Masque leap out from somewhere, alongside the remarkably spry Caliban, who is carrying the still unconscious Calymore with remarkable delicacy. There are several awkward seconds before Caliban speaks.
“So…how is Spritechild?” save for the fact that the pale skinned Morlock has enormous eyes one could comment at how he was making moon eyes at her, but he does that to everyone. Still, has comment has a graceless air of forced casualness.
"Well enough," she says cautiously. "I'm working on some things that I hope will have a real positive effect on the world. Maybe even for the Morlocks."
"Caliban knows. Caliban has always known. Very Bright Spritechild is center of heartweb"
She astonished. "Er," she says, "how big is the heartweb, Caliban?" To herself she thinks, I assumed it was just the people down here ...
"All mutants in heartweb," Caliban says, looking at her with his infuriatingly earnest love. "All mutants everywhere."
Eventually the pair reach Healer’s chambers. As before the place is decked out in mid-80’s D&D fanatic basement – at the center of the room is a bleached skull lying atop a velvet-covered table next to a big dribbly candle. On one wall is painted a pentagram, on another a design that comics readers will recognize as the skylight to Dr. Strange’s brownstone and on the third is an arcane design that Kitty eventually places as the Zidljan logo. The far wall would normally be blocked off by a hanging curtain to Healer’s more private space but that is pulled aside and pinned up by a sash in good order. There’s no sign of a conflict, but there is also no sign of Nightcrawler or Healer.
"Hello?" Ariel calls out, in the pointless way that people do.
Caliban points to an hourglass on one side table. After a second Kitty realizes that the sands are running up. “Lifegift from Memento; it shows duration time till Healer’s return. Heartweb says he is well.”
Kitty’s quick mental calculus shows that healer will be back here in about twenty minutes, but he should have been here long since.
"But - where else would Healer bring him?" Ariel says - and then her eyes narrow in suspicious thought. "Unless - what if that wasn't really Healer that we, that I, saw before?"
Before Ariel can expand on this thought there's a mad roar from the door to the room. A huge shape rushes in - is that a Bear?!? - and with a single backhand swipe knocks Caliban across the room and into the wall, where he hits with a bone cracking thud. The bear, no wait bears don't have legs like that, presses its advantage in the moment of surprise and hits the prone Caliban again.
Kitty knows that Caliban's strength and durability increase based on how many mutants he's near, but with just her and maybe Claymore in the room she has no idea if he can withstand this sort of assault.
"No!" Ariel cries, and speeds across the room to grab the attacker by the nape of the neck.
"Who are you and what do you think you're doing?!" she demands.
The bear man struggles in her psychic grip, letting out a primal roar, but in the end contest between his muscles and Ariel willpower is no contest at all. After several seconds of flailing produce no result other than beads of sweat on Ariel's brow as she continues to press her power in this fashion he relents.
- Just ... have to ... make him *not* move instead of move ...* she thinks.
"Ursus," he growls. "Masque sent me here to incapacitate Caliban so he could get away...."
There's a dejected, lost boy tone in his voice - the contrition of a 15-year-old who just smashed his parent's car.
Caliban stands up during this exchange and is clearly the worse for wear but still hanging on. "Heartweb doesn't hold Bearchild. Masque made him thus."
Ariel says "..." and "You wanted to look like this?"
"Yeah!" his voice has a 'duh' tone to it. "He made me stronger, faster tougher. Made me super."
That's when her communicator crackles to life and she can hear: . "No, wah...what are you doing to him?" she can tell that's Phoenix' voice
"Getting even. I was there when we found him. Mine was the first Morlock future he ate. The one where I became normal. HE TOOK THAT FROM ME!" He shrieks at the end, and then recovers. "That I'm still like this is his fault, so this is the score I'm settling on the way out. But I won't kill him. Not unless you make me. You want his life on your hands?"
"Masque" Caliban whispers. "Madness place."
"Get away? On the way out?" Ariel wonders. "Where is he going?"
"Cacheplaces, Masque likely has. Masque could run sell services to drugmen again, but Callisto might find him. Caliban can find him. Come."
He motions for Kitty to follow him, somehow ignoring her holding up the anthropomorphic bear boy.
Ariel hasn't forgotten the kid, however. "Right," she says, talking close to his ear, but plenty loud enough for Caliban to hear. "You are going to stay here and do something to make you worthy of respect - volunteer to be Healer's assistant. Until I say otherwise.
"Unless you want us to tell Callisto exactly what you did here?"
"Gulp." Ursus freezes at the thought of that consequence, now that it's been so clearly brought to light. Kitty can feel him trying to nod. When she lets him go, he conspicuously goes over to check on Claymore, making sure Ariel sees he's doing his new job.
Ariel flits to the doorway and offers Caliban her hand. "I hope you don't mind, Caliban ... he did hit you pretty hard, but ..."
He stammers a little, then takes her hand silently. After a second he says "With Spritechild nearby pain is not bad...."
Page 18: Colossus and Callisto
Colossus hustles slightly to catch up with Callisto, who is making a straight-line stride to the cages in tense silence.
Once they get there she steps into the open cell and crouches over the body, eventually pulling out a sheathed knife and using it to push the head slightly to get a better angle on something. The head is a mess – someone hit him either really hard once or a whole bunch of times with a rock or whatnot. “Jacob. Dammit. Masque got someone,” she pauses to sniff, ”several someone’s to open the door for him. Found Jacob’s body, dragged it in here and dummied it up.”
"So... Masque didn't kill him. Who did?" says Colossus.
She glances up at Colossus as if this should be obvious, then softens her look a bit. "Sunder. Sunder tagged him once right here," she taps the side of the corpse's head with the point of her sheathed knife, "and that staved in his skull. I'm guessing he was unconscious immediately but died from the hematoma."
She shakes her head. "I could argue that Masque could have saved him with his power, but it’s a stretch. This was probably a corpse when Masque and his cronies found it. And that's just a little ^%#&ing inconvenient"
"I'm sorry," says Colossus, not referring to the inconvenience of Masque not having killed him.
"Yeah, me to. Jacob was a reliable guy, and didn't need to get caught up in a vendetta between some idiot and a bunch of ivory tower godlings. But that's what happens to everyone in this town."
“Masque didn’t need an damn hate-ray to make him angry, but if other people were feeling more hate he’d find a way to play on it.” She spits.
“OK, I got his trail, let’s go.” They take a few steps and her head jerks around, catching the presence of someone Colossus had not noticed.
“Kerri, what are you…AGH! Bitch! You…” Callisto’s had had flown up to her face, and her fingers are pulling free a small dart from her cheek. “You…no…it’s not…”
Colossus glances between Callisto and the figure who is stepping out of the shadows. Said figure is not Kerri, who he’s seen in passing several times over the last few months and is a short, squat, mousy-looking (metaphorically not literally) Morlock with wildly cropped hair and a croaking voice. This is a statuesque figure with lovely symmetrical features, long ebony hair, flawless skin. She’s wearing a pleated skirt and sweatshirt combination (it’s a Carnegie Mellon shirt, btw). The look on Callisto’s face is pure terror.
“Thought I was dead?” the figure asks, “No, I’ll always be with you, sweetheart.”
Colossus steps between them and grabs for the woman's wrists.
The woman is faster than Colossus hoped, or perhaps he's too concerned about Callisto, but in any event she slips away from the grab. She's not running, however, just stepping slightly to be able to keep herself in Callisto's view.
"Ugr...you are too dead, you..." Callisto crouch-steps to the side as well and throws her knife at the woman. It hits her square in the gut for what should be a lethal, if not incapacitating move, but instead the woman doubles over with a grunt and then straightens up, the knife clattering to the floor. The woman looks a little shocked at the move, but unharmed. In the Morlock twilight Peter can see that, incredibly, Callisto forgot to unsheathe the blade before she threw it.
"I..." the woman stammers, then recovers "I can't wait to see how everyone reacts to my being back." There's a taunting lilt in her voice, and she's absolutely acting as if Colossus isn't there.
"Kill...you..." Callisto murmurs to Peter as her knee gives way and she falls to the floor. Her eye is still fixed on the woman, as if this figure is taking up all of her attention.
Colossus moves to block Callisto's view of the woman (or vice versa). He's not entirely sure here whether Callisto's below par because of the dart or because of some power of this woman, but he doesn't want her getting clear line of sight on Callisto. (Heck, she might not even be whoever it is she appears to be, but I think Colossus has kind of forgotten that point for the moment.) He grabs for her again, staying in metal form, obviously.
Thought balloon: Is this... the person who led the Morlocks before Callisto? It doesn't seem to make sense, but... Callisto is... afraid... of her?
This time Colossus snags her, wrapping her in a metal arm and heaving her into the air and then into his chest to keep her from seeing Callisto. The woman puts up no resistance, and even without his metallic form she probably couldn't. Her body feels soft, pliable - deeply, almost idealized femininity under the loose collegiate sweatshirt and co-ed's skirt. She gasps when Colossus snatches her up, but when she catches her breath she keeps talking. Even if her voice is muffled against his chest it is still audible
"I'll go back and tell them I was wrong. I'll beg for their forgiveness."
Colossus is able to keep his hold on the woman and keep himself between her and Callisto while twisting his head to get a glimpse at the Morlock leader. Callisto is still staring at where the woman is, straight through Colossus, and her dense, tautly muscled form is a tense line sketched out against the floor. One hand is up to her cheek and her other arm is partially elevated at an odd angle, as if paralyzed.
"Never...you...bitch..." and her eye closes. Her head and hand drop to the floor, but the rest of her remains immobile, as if trapped in a seizure, with one arm still outstretched.
"Callisto! What's wrong? Who is this person?"
The one-eyed mutant has no response, or indeed any movement at all.
On the off chance Phoenix is in range, he thinks Rachel, I need help. Someone threw a dart at Callisto, and I've got the attacker, but I can't leave Callisto alone.*
Phoenix, somewhere behind the psychic baffles of the Morlock tunnels, also is silent.
His current prisoner, after a moment, is not. She still can't see Callisto, but she's clearly still talking to her "Hello? Helloooo sweetheart? Ha! Hahahahahahaha! It worked! I'm free!"
It suddenly hits her that she's being held by a super-strong, possibly irate metal person and start struggling. "Put me down! Put me down!" there's a pause as she considers something then adds, "She's dying over there! If you don't go help her she'll die! Do you want to let her die, Colossus? Do you?"
Salient as that question is Peter doesn't feel it carrying any additional emotional weight. Whatever it was about this woman that so terrified Callisto doesn't seem to have any effect on him, unless his earlier surmise was correct and it's because he has prevented her from making eye contact.
"Perhaps you should be worrying about whether -you'll- die," says Colossus, starting to squeeze (with a suitably menacing expression on his face, even though she can't see that).
The next panel shows his conflicted expression and a thought balloon: "No... no. We don't kill."
He lowers her unconscious body, then moves to Callisto, kneeling (as, iirc, she's pretty much fallen to her knees) and putting his hands gently on her shoulders.
"Callisto? Callisto?"
There's no response. The dart wound has turned black, as have several veins leading from that site, tracing a spiderweb on her cheek. Her body is warm, but she doesn't appear to be breathing and he can't feel pulse. With his metal fingers, however, this is hardly proof. He lays his hand flat on her upper lip and after several agonizing seconds is rewarded by seeing a miniscule cloud of condensation form on the reflective metal. She's breathing. Incredibly slowly and shallowly, but she's breathing.
Colossus looks relieved, but only somewhat. He releases Callisto and turns to the mysterious woman, fist clenching as if considering staving in her skull with a blow.
In the next panel, he carries her into the cell and locks her into it.
Returning to Callisto, he calls her name again. If he still gets no response, he picks her up in a fireman's carry and heads cautiously through the tunnels, hoping to find Healer, but wary of finding Masque or someone still feeling belligerent.
That's when his communicator crackles to life and he can hear: . "No, wah...what are you doing to him?" he can tell that's Phoenix' voice
"Getting even. I was there when we found him. Mine was the first Morlock future he ate. The one where I became normal. HE TOOK THAT FROM ME!" He shrieks at the end, and then recovers. "That I'm still like this is his fault, so this is the score I'm settling on the way out. But I won't kill him. Not unless you make me. You want his life on your hands?"
Callisto lifts her head up slightly, and Peter can see her mouth "Masque."
Peter looks worried. He heads in whatever direction he thinks will get him to Rachel and Masque, but will follow Callisto's directions if she tells him he's going the wrong way. He also tries to be receptive to telepathic contact, on the off-chance Rachel contacts him that way.
Peter has a good knowledge of the tunnels, and with head jerks from Callisto as a guide he starts working his way through them, continuing to hear the drama unfold. Whispering over the com link he say “Ariel, I have an idea, but it needs you to get someone….”
Page 19: Phoenix and Memento
Phoenix and Memento are moving through the Morlock tunnels. Rachel is walking slowly, her awareness mostly focused on trying to find Nightcrawler in the bewildering baffles that weave through this subterranean structure. She’s been in these tunnels hundreds of times, having spent years living in them with her parents and the New Mutants, years in her past and decades in her future. The changes in the tunnels between those times, partially in minor layout changes but mostly in how the rooms are used, is a little disorienting but the more she relies on her memories the easier it is to navigate. Neither she nor her mother were ever able to suss out the true nature or history of the Morlock tunnels – who built them, and how they inserted those telepathy-limiting properties – in their moments of mournful downtime in the war against the Sentinels.
She can hear a low, nearly inaudible hiss, almost like radio static, coming from Memento. Memento motions her to stop, points two fingers towards his forehead and then over to Rachel’s forehead, clearly asking for a telepathic contact.
Thank you. come his thoughts, this is better. I am sorry for last time. I did not recognize you. You grew up here, yes? I can feel you. Reaching into your past.
I did, yes. It was a good place to hide from the Sentinels, for a while. We never learned why the tunnels were telepathy blocking--but it also blocked the Sentinel mutant detection hardware.
Memento shrugs, Do not know. Always this way. Always. After a second he goes on I worry, the children. Was growing up here...good? For your spirit?
"He ate my entire future," Rachel thinks--"how much does he remember of it?"
I think so. The fear wasn't, but it wasn't that bad. They might never have found us if we hadn't started striking back.
He nods, You had to. Fast death over slow. Still, happy to know. More children here every year. But life is hard - like Poland after war. Adults can cope, but afraid children would scar. We may yet need this place, as you did.
You might -- but I hope you won't.
He grimaces, Just because one is gone, others might be like it.
With that Memento stops for a moment and pulls something out of the space in front of him, almost like a conjurer produce a dove from mid-air. It's a small black square, and he hands it to Phoenix. For you. As thanks.
It's a polaroid. Rachel recognizes it - Miss Scarlet had pulled out a camera from one of the Morlock storerooms and they had been messing with it. This shot was Marvel Girl, Kid Fantastic, Miss Scarlet, Longshot, and Bellebête, striking clowning poses. Longshot has a girl on each arm, and they both leaning in to kiss his cheeks with exaggerated moues. Franklin has an arm on Rachel's shoulder, and she can see her younger self desperately unsettled at how much she wants that and while trying to play it cool for the camera.
It's..oh Tears spring from the corners of Rachel's eyes as she looks at it, immersing herself in the world of might-have-beens. I don't know what to...thank you.
Is nothing, he says, shrugging and obviously a little embarrassed at her display of emotion. Not permanent. Last year, maybe two, so make copy.
Rachel's thoughts are still a bit fuzzy from the onrush of memories, but she suddenly spots something past Memento - a pair of child's legs jutting out from underneath a large rock and assorted debris.
Oh, no! Phoenix directs Memento's attention to the child, before telekinetically lifting the rocks, in case the child is still revivable.
Memento turns and sees what she sees, letting out a sad moan at the sight. He heads closer to the body to try to identify the child and once he is able to see it, he gets a deeply confused look, muttering something in Polish.
It's not a child, he thinks. It's a dog.
And he's right - the dead canine is perfectly normal for the front half of its body, while the back half is the lower body of a human. He shifts the body to get a better look at it, which is what dislodges the handle on the concussion grenade.
Phoenix's telekinesis absorbs the worst of the blast, but the costumed mutant is thrown against the wall as the grenade explodes, knocking her and Memento down.
Phoenix comes to no more than a few seconds later - a biokenentc scan tells her that the force field collapsed under the concussion but protected her - but this is a kicker on her already battering and exhausting day. Her eyes slit open and she sees Masque standing over the stunned Memento. He has his hands on the big man's chest, which means he is literally holding Memento's life in his hands.
"You've had this coming for years, you bastard," Masque is saying. "But I'll make sure things stay even - I'll leave you wishing you had a future, just like you left me..."
A bolt of energy flies from the apparently stunned mutant's head...
But her concentration is still too scattered for it to be ineffectual - worse still she nearly blacks out upon trying it. It is enough to catch Masque's attention, and he's shifted position enough to be able to see Phoenix. He's now essentially holding Memento by his chest - one hand is embedded in it, the other hand is up against the Polish mutant's face, which is currently lacking a mouth or nose - with the Memento interposed between Masque and Phoenix.
"Hello, pretty," He says. "See where we are here? If you don't leave me to my business the Pole here chokes to death. Now I don't want that, and you don't want that. I'm pretty sure he doesn’t want that. So you can just walk away."
Using a touch of TK Phoenix reactivates Kitty's communicator
Phoenix moves, more groggily than she actually is, and visibly opens her eyes. "No, wah...what are you doing to him?"
"Getting even. I was there when we found him. Mine was the first Morlock future he ate. The one where I became normal. HE TOOK THAT FROM ME!" He shrieks at the end, and then recovers. "That I'm still like this is his fault, so this is the score I'm settling on the way out. But I won't kill him. Not unless you make me. You want his life on your hands?"
"No, no, don't kill him, I'm going!" Phoenix flees into the darkness, prior to circling 'round and sneakily approaching Masque/Memento under cover of darkness.
Pages 20-21: X-Men
“Now that the meddling chit is out of the way,” Masque says, bending down over his victim, who is still stunned from taking the brunt of the concussion grenade. “Let’s get down to business…”
“Y know what you did to me, ate my one chance. Think on that for a minute. Think on that while you struggle for air, desperate, willing to do anything for another breath, and realize that what I’m going to do to you is even worse….”
From her position in hiding Phoenix hears the ragged intake of breath that indicates Masque has restored Memento’s airways.
“Now, how far can I push your skull into your brain and leave you alive...” he reaches down, his huge calloused hand covering Memento’s face and…nothing happens.
“What?” He mutters, turning into a scream. “What?!?!?”
He spins and sees Nightcrawler leading Archie out of the shadows.
Nightcrawler has Archie's hand in his, "Thank you, Archie." He adds a reassuring squeeze of Archie's hand.
"Stand down, Masque. It's over."
Also stepping into the space are Caliban and Ariel from one direction, and Colossus and Callisto from another – While Callisto is on her feet its clear Colossus is supporting her.
Masques looks around uncertainly, like a caged animal, but whatever he is considering is halted by Colossus asking "Masque, why do you think there is only one future where you're normal?"
That’s when Rachel reaches out with her mental powers and, as she had done earlier, dampens all of the hate and anger bubbling in Masque’s psyche. Unlike earlier this is not imposed from the outside but an entire layer of his being, a festering shell of resentment and hatred against the world. Rachel nearly passes out at the strain of restraining that, but perseveres because she knows it’s essential to the next part of the plan.
Rogue steps out from behind Ariel and Caliban, having been hidden in the shadows behind them, and at the telepathic nod from Phoenix reaches out and lays her bare palm against Masques face. The man drops like a stone, and Rogue’s sways for a second, integrating his personality into her own.
No way this could work if he was fightin’ me”, she thinks, “but Rachel kept him calm just long enough.
With an imperceptible shudder Rogue bends over and lays her hand back onto Masque’s face. His power, now in the hands of someone else, is free to mold the flesh that had contained it for so long.
Kurt watches, half hopeful, half horrified. Rogue is taking a great risk here. I hope she doesn't maintain contact too long. Who knows what would happen should Masque's pysche infect her own.
Sotto voce, he prays. "Please Lord, don't let Rogue lose herself."
Masque’s face melts, the scars surrounding it clearing up, his left eye coming out from under its ridge of deformed bone, the nose taking a more normal shape rather than the mushroom it had been. His spine straightens; the hump being absorbed and repositioned into his body’s other tissues. The oversized, malformed hands thin out, the calluses clearing away. Just looking at him Kitty estimates that Rogue’s repositioning of his mass has added a couple of inches to Masque’s height.
After several agonizing seconds Rogue yanks her hand back, staggering up against the wall and pulling her glove back on with a desperate speed. Seeing the others stare at her she takes several deep breaths hand says “It’s OK. It’s OK. He’ll wake up in about an hour. This is the face he wanted.”
Everyone involuntarily turns and looks at the face Masque will wake to – thin, symmetrical and clear-skinned with just a trace of a widow’s peak in the hair. Kurt’s love of old movies lets him recognize the ominous irony of Masque becoming the spitting image of Hurd Hatfield, best known for his performance as Dorian Grey.
Page 22: Storm and Magneto
Back in Magneto’s base in the Sudan, which has expanded considerably now that its master is awake. We are viewing it at first from the same balcony where Storm and Magneto spoke months ago, right before the Wraithworld invasion. From that vantage point we can see that the complex holds many more people – too many for them to be mutants, making it clear Magneto or Storm has opened the doors for this to be a shared community, or at least meeting place.
Working amongst the crowd, helping to shift some large burdens, are Barbarus and Gaza. Lupo* can be seen at an even greater distance, his wolves playing with several of the local children.
[*ED: Members of the Savage Land Mutates, created by Magneto and last seen running from the tatters of Belasco’s plans in issue 190.]
“They appear to be settling in well…” Storm says dubiously.
“Not as well as I’d like,” Magnto replies. “They are content because I am here. In all of the Mutates save one there is a strong sense of submission to authority. Equilibrus and Lorelei were bad enough, but bringing the Mutates in under my banner makes more of this…mine. And it cannot all be dependent on me.”
He swirls his drink, “I am hoping to generate perhaps a loyalty to the state, rather than to my person, but….” He takes a sip, then goes on, “I am no longer comfortable with that inbred submissiveness. I created them, and owe them much for that hubris, but I fear that they will never be truly mutant, not even truly human.”
“And the remaining one?” Storm queries.
“Brainchild? He is a sociopath. Much as the revelation of your reversion of him galls me, he is a thornier problem with no good answer. Belasco left him in torment, and by restoring him and placing him in stasis I have ameliorated that, but if I were to revive him…” He shakes his head. “I am not Charles, but my telepathic probes make clear that his instinct would be to undermine this place, seize control of it, unless I constantly suppress him.”
“Charles would find another way…” Storm starts to say, but Magneto cuts her off.
“I am not Charles. I lack his mercy. And I don’t think we can drag him, or the X-Men, into the military and political mire that is our nation. He, and the Pryde girl, clearly have their own plans afoot, and I dare not disrupt hem as they are bearing fruit. For now, Brainchild stays in stasis until an answer presents itself.”
“You could ask him directly,” she says. “We are due in New York soon.”
He looks at her squarely. “I do not trust your plan. It has been not quite two years since I flattened a Soviet city. I dare not place myself at their mercy.”
“It has been not quite four months since you saved the world. And you are not going to be judged. You are going to apologize, and WE are going to claim in law what is ours in fact. The war here is won, the border is stable, the Sudanese government lacks the resources or will to contest this without outside backers. We must delegitimize those backers now, before they have time to react to the speed of our victory.”
“I will not apologize,” he glowers.
“You will,” Storm shoots back, equally steely eyed. “Unless Magneto’s pride is worth more than the state you asked me to create for you.”
There are several tense moments of silence, followed by “Fine. I shall apologize. And Genosha shall be recognized.”
