Storm attends the Britain ballet with Stevie Hunter at
Lincoln Center, a gift to Stevie from Kitty. They enjoy the show, rather
awkwardly in Storm’s case, as she still has misgivings about Stevie, when
suddenly the curtains close around their box. They are both tapped on the neck
by Miss Locke, associate of Arcade, revealing that she’s dosed them both with a
quick-acting temporary poison. Stevie falls unconscious and as Storm begins to
feel the effects as well, Miss Locke explains that her boss Arcade has been
captured by Doctor Doom due to a perceived insult. Miss Locke further explains
that she’s kidnapped many people close to the X-Men including the Greys, Moira
MacTaggert, Candy Southern, Amanda Sefton, and Illyana Rasputin to hold hostage
as incentive for the X-Men to rescue Arcade from Doom. Storm succumbs to the
poison and when she awakens, Miss Locke is gone, having captured Stevie as
well. Storm flies to Amanda’s apartment and the Greys’ house to find they have
all indeed been kidnapped.
Back at the mansion, the X-Men contact Beast, hoping
he can give them any information the Avengers may have on Doctor Doom.
Wolverine balks at the idea that Professor X seems to be giving in to Miss
Locke’s demands, saying that they can’t submit to blackmail. Storm agrees, and
states that she has a plan to rescue both Arcade and their loved ones.
Professor X then mentally reaches out to Havok and Polaris and urges them to
return to the mansion. He then does the same with Iceman, and when he reaches
out to Banshee, he finds Sean already heading back, having been alerted of the
danger by Moira’s kidnapping. Xavier notes that he couldn’t contact Cyclops,
due to strong magnetic interference, possibly the work of Magneto, straining
his mental abilities. Speaking of Scott, we find him washed ashore the Bahamas,
without his protective ruby-quartz glasses. It seems he and Lee Forrester had
been tossed overboard their ship the night before and now the two find
themselves on an island, unsure how far they are from civilization.
With all of the X-Men assembled, Xavier and Storm
detail the plan. Storm will take the main team to confront Doom and rescue
Arcade, while the reserve team of Havok, Polaris, Iceman, and Banshee will head
to Murderworld to rescue their kidnapped loved ones. Storm and the others head
out after saying a quick goodbye to a bed-ridden Kitty Pryde. The X-Men arrive
at one of Doom’s castles in New York, and Storm loudly makes her presence known
at the front gate. Doom meets her and offers to discuss the matter of Arcade’s
release inside. While Storm keeps Doom occupied at the front, the others sneak
in elsewhere. Angel carries Nightcrawler high above the castle, where Kurt then
teleports, taking out two guards at the top tower, and leading the way for the
others to make their way there as well. They make their way inside to where
their intel says Arcade’s cell is. Colossus smashes the door down to find the
cell empty! The group is then ambushed by armored guards, and a huge battle
ensues!
In the main dining area, Doom treats Storm to a
banquet and she can’t help herself but be fascinated by the man. Meanwhile,
Doom has been watching the others since they arrived, on secret surveillance
screens, as he watches the fight unfold. The X-Men quickly turn the tides,
Wolverine slashes apart one armored guard and Nightcrawler teleports, causing
two of the others to blast each other. The remaining guard flees, and Doom
notes that he’ll have to punish him for his insolence. Doom then reveals that Arcade
is here as his guest, not as his prisoner, and Storm realizes too late that the
whole thing has been a trap! Doom hits Storm with a small sphere, that quickly
turns her into chrome, leaving her as a living statue! The X-Men bust down the
door but are quickly taken out as well by Doom’s defenses, all except Colossus,
who Doom takes out personally with a neural disruptor to paralyze him. The trap
has been sprung and the X-Men are defeated, now at Doom’s mercy! To be
continued!