Trish Tilby reports on the worsening relations between
the United States and Genosha, as Genosha declares to the world that the X-Men
are still alive and that they’ll stop at nothing to bring the “Mutant
Terrorists” to justice! Meanwhile, Storm and Jean Grey spar in the Danger Room,
overseen by Banshee, Forge, and Stevie Hunter. Jean takes an early lead before
Storm is able to turn the tides with some creative and sneaky uses of her
powers. While Forge and Banshee show pride in this test of Storm’s abilities,
Stevie argues that Storm is physically still a child and may not be able to
handle the strain or danger of the life they lead. Rictor arrives to request
the use of the Danger Room but is told they’re in the middle of an evaluation,
leaving him to sulk. Though Storm has Jean caught in a whirlwind, Stevie feels
the strain is too much for her, and shuts the session down. She’s proven right
when Storm starts to feel faint and has to be caught and lowered to the floor
by Jean. Just then, Cable kicks the door in and announces that it’s time for
the New Mutants’ workout and tells everyone to clear out! Cable and Banshee end
up butting heads a bit, with Cable insinuating that he stepped up to do the job
of leading the New Mutants that no one else wanted to do. Storm breaks it up
and tells the two teams that they’re going to have to get used to sharing a
space again, for everyone’s sakes.
Meanwhile, in California, Strong Guy tells a
frustrated Freddie Stanachek that Dazzler’s left without saying where she went.
Though Freddie pushes, Strong Guy ends up carrying him off the premises, saying
that clearly Dazzler just wants to live her life in peace, without him! As
Freddie finally drives off, Strong Guy witnesses a huge flash and realizes that
Lila Cheney has returned. She teleports in, exhausted and injured and warns of
danger, saying she needs the X-Men’s help, before passing out! Back in
Westchester, Storm and Jean catch up at a diner, reminiscing about old stories
and wondering about their current predicaments. All the while, the two are
being watched from a van by a group of Genoshan magistrates, as they ready to
make their move! Storm and Jean head back to the mansion grounds and the two
say farewell as Jean heads back to X-Factor HQ, both glad the other isn’t dead.
Storm is then approached by an angry Wolfsbane, who yells about the unfairness
that Storm and the X-Men can come back to life but not Cypher, and runs off
wishing she’d never found Xavier’s school! Storm admits to Stevie that the plan
to make the world think the X-Men were dead may have been a mistake, and only
served to hurt the very people they were trying to protect.
While Storm ponders this, she and the New Mutants
outside are ambushed by the Genoshan magistrates. Their opening salvo knocks
everyone off balance, and Stevie tells everyone to retreat to the woods while
she carries an unconscious Storm. Inside, the others are made aware of the
attack while Storm awakens and makes it to the hatch down to the sub-basement. While
Boom-Boom and Rictor hold off two of the armored magistrates, one activates a
portal that leads the rest of their forces right there! Storm shoves Stevie
down the hatch and seals it up behind her, to prevent the magistrates from
finding it. Storm then notices one of the magistrates firing a familiar energy
from his hands and feels she knows that power signature! While the others try
to contact X-Factor for assistance, Banshee, Forge, Cable, and Cannonball head
out through the lake to assist. Outside, Storm redirects one of Boom-Boom’s
time-bombs into the magistrate she recognized, revealing him to actually be
Havok, turned against them! Warlock gets tagged with a special round, allowing
Pipeline to transmit him away to Genosha, while the others get rounded up and
captured as well. Not long after, the others get there to find an empty
battlefield, and Cable swears that the magistrates are going to pay! To be
continued!
Story continued in New Mutants #95
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