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Issue #5 |
"Lost Dreams" Part Five: Epilogue Written By Doug Bookey and Aaron Stanley |
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The moon set over New York, as the X-Men return from their mission to Genosha to rescue their leader, Cyclops. As their jet moves over Westchester County, the pool behind Charles Xavier's mansion slides back, revealing the hangar underneath, into which the jet descends, the pool moving back into place, the X-Men disembarking.
As the X-Men shuffle off the plane, Cecilia Reyes, recalled from her practice in nearby Salem Center, enters the hangar.
"Is anyone hurt?" Cecilia yelled, running up to the X-Men.
"Most of us have minor injuries, but Jean is wounded, and needs medical attention," answered Storm, carrying Jean in her arms off of the plane.
"Okay, put her on the stretcher over there," Cecilia said, pointing to the stretcher and leading Storm there.
"I shall join her, and offer my assistance," Beast said, bounding across the hangar in huge leaps, following Cecilia and the injured Jean to the infirmary.
Cyclops hesitated, wanting to inform Xavier of what he learned of the X-Men's new foe, before Iceman puts a hand on his shoulder.
"Scotty, buddy, why you standing here? I can tell the Prof about what went down, you go look after Jean," Bobby said to his longtime friend.
"Thanks, Bobby," Scott replied, running off towards the infirmary and his injured wife.
As Cyclops ran off, Professor Xavier joins the X-Men.
"Welcome home, my X-Men. Havok, if you could please fill me in as to the mission and what happened." Xavier requested, looking at Cyclops' brother.
"Warren, could you please take Madrox to the danger room, and follow the standard procedure?"
"Gotcha Professor," Warren said, pushing Madrox along in front of him. "C'mon, Jamie, let's go."
"Sure thing Professor. We reached Genosha, and began the insertion. We meet heavy resistance, and came under lots of fire," Havok began.
"Yeah from energy projectors. They got some powerful mutants
on their side
Professor," Iceman interrupted.
"Thank you, Bobby," Xavier said. "Please, continue Alex."
"Well, once we hit the ground, half of us distracted the 'rebels' and the other half sunk around, in search of Scott," Alex continued.
"Yeah, rebels, as in the X-Corps," Bobby interjected.
"Yes, we distracted the X-Corps," Alex began again, frowning at Bobby's interruption. "As the distraction team ran interference, Jean, Hank and myself entered the complex, and began looking for Scott. We three engaged several groups of opposition on our way to the control room, where we believed we'd be able to locate Scott. Once there, we found his cell, and began to move towards it. Once we reached the cell, we." Alex was once more cut off.
"While those three had been running around, the topside group, Warren, me and Storm, had been holding the line. We'd decided to back up the others, and entered the complex, where we meet up with them right outside the cell, after taking care of Multiple Man and Cannonball. Once we all entered the cell, we took on Bishop, that traitorous bastard, and then we fought through MORE Multiple Men, and the other X-Corps cronies, and came home, chalking up another win for the home team," Bobby said, grinning.
"Damn it, Bobby, the Professor wants ME to tell him, not you, you idiot, so just shut up all ready," Havok yelled, turning on Bobby.
"Well, if you wouldn't miss stuff, I wouldn't have to fill in your blanks," Bobby retorted, glaring at Alex.
"If you'd ever paid attention to anything the Professor said, instead of goofing off all the time, you'd know this is just a preliminary debriefing, and I'd fill in the blanks later, moron," Alex said, moving closer to Bobby. "Don't threaten me buddy... what are you going to do, hit me? Well, c'mon tough guy, let's see what your made of," Bobby said, egging Havok on.
"Don't tempt me, Bobby, or I'll hit you so hard..." Havok
began, raising his fists.
"BOBBY! ALEX!" the Professor's telepathic voice yelled,
ripping through the minds of Iceman and Havok. "Stop this madness,
you are teammates."
"I'm sorry Professor, I dunno what got into me," Havok said, instantly sorry.
"I do... you've always been a hothead, Summers. It's why you'd never be a good leader," Bobby sneered.
"Bobby... if you'd stop being so insecure, and mature, you would realize that YOU are the one who will never be a leader. Alex was doing specifically what I had asked and you were interrupting, every chance you had," Xavier said, glaring at Iceman.
"Fine, whatever... I can tell when I'm not wanted," Bobby yelled, moving quickly out of the hangar.
"Professor, I'm sorry," Alex started, before being cut off by the Professor.
"Alex, say no more... Bobby has always had problems such as that. But lately he has been maturing, and working on his powers for the first time in years. That statement I made was more to incite Bobby to anger, to prove himself... I feel that one day, just like you, he could lead the X-Men... and if what I just 'heard' in the telepathic conversation with Cecilia, the X-Men may just need a new leader soon," Xavier said, smiling.
"Why, what is it? Is Jean okay?" Alex said concern for his sister-in-law evident on his face.
"Oh, she's okay... a bit shocked but okay. Please, follow me Havok, I wish to continue this debriefing in the war room, with the others," Xavier said, turning his hoverchair around and moving towards the war room.
In the infirmary, Cecilia and Beast are running several diagnostics
on Jean, as Scott and Storm stood near.
"Storm, you don't really need to be here, if you don't want to," Scott said to his friend.
"Jean is like a sister to me, I shall watch over her every moment I draw breath, my friend," Storm replied. "And, I was hit by several energy bursts from Random, and think I may have suffered some injury myself."
"I'm having some pain along my shoulder too... Bishop hits
hard," Cyclops said.
Overhearing this, Beast moved to his friends. "You two need to
be looked at," he said, ushering them into another room.
Running Scott through an X-ray machine as Storm waited, Beast found that Scott had a broken collarbone. Dressing the damage, Beast tells his friend that he can join the other in the debriefing Professor Xavier has just called in the war room in five minutes then turned to Storm.
"Well, Ororo, what happened to you?" Beast asked, moving to her side.
"You know what happened Henry, or else you would not have forced me in here," Storm responded, smiling.
"True, but is it a crime to wish to her your voice, m'lady?" Beast replied, smirking.
"Oh, Henry, you make me smile," Storm laughed. "I was hit by energy blasts from Random, and am not sure if I suffered any major injury, other then some burns."
Beast begins to check Storm over, his hands moving softly over her. "Hmmm... nope, you seem to be fine. So off you go to the Professor's meeting," Beast said, lifting Storm off the table.
"Are you not going to join us?" Storm says, disappointment clouding her features.
"Oh, I will, post haste. I just wish to check on Jean's condition," Beast responded.
"Excellent. I shall save you a seat, Henry," Storm says, her eyes locking on Beast's, her gaze lingering, before she turned and left, heading for the War Room.
As Beast checked on Jean, his thoughts return to the just departed Storm.
Slowly, the X-Men file into the conference room located below their
mansion home. The room is dominated by a large circular table, which
has Shi'ar holographic technology in the center, seats ringing the
table. As Storm sits, the Beast hurriedly enters the room, and sits
next to Storm, who smiles at Henry, who returns her smile.
"Okay people, take a seat, Charles has something he wants to say to us all," Cyclops said, turning to his mentor. "Go ahead Professor," he said, taking the remaining seat.
"Thank you Cyclops... now, if we can begin, I'd like to say that we have entered an unprecedented era, my X-Men. I'm glad you all mad it home safely..." Xavier started.
"Not everyone Professor... Goblyn and Pathway were killed. They were two young mutants that were picked to help in the mission... they died in the cave in," Cyclops said, sadness creeping into his voice.
"Scott, you know there was nothing you could do... don't beat yourself up over it," Beast said to his friend from across the table.
"Our foes have a face, and it is a familiar one," Xavier said dramatically, the lights dimming and the holographic projection screen activating. "The X-Corps... comprised of what seems to be past friends, and allies, such as Multiple Man, who is currently detained in a holding cell in the..."
"Hold on a minute her, Professor. What's the idea of locking up Jamie?" Havok interrupted.
"Alex, please... we've detained Madrox until we can ascertain why he is here... we have to be sure he isn't trying to gather intelligence for the X-Corps," Xavier responded, folding his hands in his lap.
"You think he's a spy?" Havok yelled, jumping from his chair. "Your amazing... you're as paranoid of your friends as Magneto was of everyone," he said, before exiting the room.
"Alex, I don't think that's called for, locking up Jamie in the Danger Room," Havok retorted.
"I understand, that is why immediately after this mission, I'm going to do a mind probe of Jamie, and then release him, if it can be allowed," Xavier said calmly.
"Fine," Havok said, sitting back down and fuming about the situation.
"Well, that was pointless... can we continue Prof? National Cheerleading Championships are on ESPN in twenty minutes, and I wanna get some popcorn, and set the recorder on my VCR," Iceman said.
Xavier stares at Iceman for several seconds, before continuing. "As I was saying, X-Corps seems comprised of former allies. Thus far, from what Cyclops has told me in the debriefing, we know what the objective of X-Corps is to subjugate humanity to its wishes. We know some of the members of the X-Corps," as Xavier says this; the holographic projector displays images of the mutants named. "Bishop... he seems to be higher up in the structure of command... Random, Fatale... both former mercenaries, Random is less likely to sign up for 'the cause' than Fatale. Most likely, it is money they will steal from humans that interests Random, as such we can surmise they plan on retaining humanity's infrastructure. Also, we have Cargill, a former Acolyte of Magneto, one of the more fanatical of the group. Also Reaper of the Mutant Liberation Front, and a mutant who has no hesitation in killing humans. And finally, Scalphunter, of the Marauders, also a mass-murderer, he participated in the slaughter of the Morlocks. That is all the members Cyclops saw, as well as the former member Madrox. We can assume that X-Corps has a telepath, as Madrox was unable to take control of his duplicates, who continue serving with the X-Corps." Xavier finished, looking around the room.
"Charles, we also encountered several other former allies. I myself saw Cannonball and Katherine Pryde," the Beast says, adding to the list of X-Corps troops.
"I saw Black Tom," Archangel adds.
As the X-Men continue to list mutants that they saw, Xavier's focus turns inwards to his thoughts.
'Has the war which Magneto spoke of for so long begun?' Xavier thought to himself, his attention being brought back to the debriefing by Cyclops, and the silence in the room as all the assembled X-Men looked at the Professor.
"Professor, are you all right?" Cyclops asked his mentor.
"Yes, Scott, I'm fine. Thank you for your attention," Xavier replied, gathering himself and his thoughts. "It would seem my X-Men that we must change how we think, and how we conduct ourselves, as the X-Corps is comprised of many that we once counted as friends. They know our tactics, and as such, we must be ready to change those tactics, so that when next we engage them, the battle is on our terms, not theirs."
Storm spoke up for all the X-Men, when she asked the Professor what
he meant.
"I do not know yet... all I know is that a new threat is on the
horizon, and we must be prepared," Xavier said, stating the obvious.
"If no one has any more concerns, I believe I shall retire for
the evening." When all assembled shook their heads, Xavier turned,
and left the war room, followed by all of the X-Men.
In the infirmary, the fog was gradually lifting from her vision, and
the world snapping back into focus for Jean Grey, as the sedatives
wore off.
"Ugh, I hate that, waking up and all the minds flooding back in," Jean muttered to herself, holding a hand to her forehead and closing her eyes, as she closed her mind off to the voices that her telepathy is constantly picking up.
In the small office attached to the infirmary, Cecilia noticed the movement, and moved to Jean's side as Jean tried to sit up, with Cecilia helping her, and raising the top of the bed to support Jean.
"Take it easy Jean, your pretty beat up," Cecilia cautioned her friend.
"What happened? The last thing I can remember clearly is fighting the Madrox duplicates, and being hit from behind... everything else is a blur," Jean asked of Cecilia, her emerald green eyes focusing on Cecilia's brown eyes.
"As far as I know, you were beat on by a large number of Madrox
duplicates,"
Cecilia answered. "I'm sorry I don't know much about the battle,
or what happened. All I know is I've run a full checkup on you, to
be safe, and I've found something."
Jean, fearing the worst, grasped Cecilia's hand firmly. "What
is it? Am I okay?"
"Yes, Jean, your fine," Cecilia responded, gently rubbing
the back of Jean's hand. "Actually, this news is reason to celebrate.
Jean, I dunno how to put this, but you're..."
In the war room, the X-Men are just concluding the debriefing when Cyclops heard Jean's voice along the psychic rapport.
"Scott, honey... can you come to the infirmary... I have some news, and it's... well, just come to the infirmary," Jean's telepathic voice says inside Scott Summers' mind.
"What is it, Jean? Are you okay?" Scott thinks along the rapport, not getting a response as Jean has closed off the rapport at her end.
Scott, anxious as to the condition of his wife, began to run towards the infirmary.
Jean closed her end of the rapport, lying back on the bed, and closing
her eyes.
"This can't be possible," Jean said, shaking her head softly.
"I'm sorry to tell you Jean, but it is true... I checked the results several times," Cecilia replied, holding Jean's hand.
At that moment, Cyclops comes running through the infirmary's door, rushing to his wife's side.
"What is it Jean? Are you okay?" Cyclops took his wife's other hand, and looked at Cecilia. "What is it? What's wrong with my wife?" the X-Men's leader demands.
"Nothing is wrong with her, Scott..." Cecilia said standing and handing Jean's chart to Cyclops. "And I think your wife should tell you what it is... I'll leave you two alone," Cecilia leaving the two alone, drew the curtain around Jean's bed.
"Jean? What is it?" Scott asked his voice full of concern.
Pulling her husband close and hugging him tight, Jean gently whispered in Scott's ear, "Congratulations 'dad', I'm pregnant."
Startled, Scott pulls back and looks at Jean.
"What? Are you sure?" the incredulous Scott Summers asked.
Jean nods as she looks at her husband. "I'm sure Scott. Cecilia tested, and then retested, to make sure. I'm about 3 weeks along."
"Oh Jean..." Scott said, his voice cracking as he pulled his wife close and hugged her, tears slipping down from underneath his glasses. "I-I don't know what to say."
Jean hugged her husband back, smiling. "Me neither, 'dad', but I'm supposed to be getting some rest, so can we talk bout it when I get out of the infirmary?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah... sure, I'll let you and the baby sleep," Scott says, grinning from ear to ear. As Scott Summers left the infirmary, he turned and looked back at his wife, who was already asleep. "I'm going to be a dad," he whispers to himself in happiness, before returning to his room.
So this is Aaron and I last issue together, and I wanted to thank
Aaron for his hard work and making the first arc awesome. Coming in
is Thomas Moses, He is the writer of Mimic and he will be taking over
as writer on Uncanny as well. So stay tuned until next month.
