YOUR TRANS ADHD ACID TRIP FANTASY COME TO LIFE

*THE XAVIER INSTITUTE. MORNING*

SCOTT SUMMERS STANDS IN HIS OFFICE, SURROUNDED BY EMMA FROST, WOLVERINE, DANI MOONSTAR, BEAST, COLOSSUS, AND KITTY PRYDE. HE RECAPS THE RECENT EVENTS. IN JUST TWO MONTHS, THEIR STUDENTS HAVE BEATEN THE PURIFIERS, DEFEATED NIMROD, AND SAVED THEM ALL FROM BELASCO. AND THEY’VE FAILED THEM IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. HE PICKS UP A PHOTO OF SANTO IN HIS NEW LAVA FORM FOR EMPHASIS.

WOLVERINE: WELL, WAY I SEE IT, WE SHOULD JUST RETIRE NOW. LET THEM DEAL WITH ALL THIS SHIT.

EMMA: LOGAN, YOUR SENSITIVITY IS APPALLING.

SCOTT: WE HAVEN’T PROTECTED THEM. WE DON’T KNOW THEM. THAT ENDS TODAY. THEIR PROTECTION IS OUR IMPERATIVE.

WOLVERINE: I DIDN’T KNOW WE HAD A LAVA KID.

BEAST: THAT’S ACTUALLY ROCKSLIDE. I’M STILL FIGURING THAT OUT.

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS

A SHORT WHILE LATER, BEAST TENDS TO SOORAYA IN THE MEDBAY, TELLING HER THAT SHE DISLOCATED HER SHOULDER. SOORAYA TELLS HIM THAT SHE DIDN’T WANT TO BE A BOTHER AND BEAST SAYS THAT AFTER FACING BELASCO, SHE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BOTHER THEM. MEGAN SITS BESIDE HER, CONSTANTLY JIBBER-JABBERING.

MEGAN: SOORAYA AND I ARE TEAMMATES NOW, DOCTOR MCCOY! AND WE’RE PROBABLY GONNA BE BESTIES!

SOORAYA: ARE YOU INJURED, MEGAN?

MEGAN: I LOST A PIECE OF MY SOUL, BUT THAT PRETTY SORCERESS LADY AND SOME GUY NAMED DOCTOR STRANGE CHECKED ME OUT AND THEY SAID I HAD PLENTY OF SOUL TO SPARE.

AS MEGAN YAMMERS ON, BEAST SEES THE DISTRACTION AND SNAPS SOORAYA’S ARM INTO PLACE. MEGAN BLOWS SOME BUBBLEGUM AND KEEPS YAMMERING.

MEGAN: WOW! THAT MUST HURT! ARE YOU OKAY, SOO? OH, HEY, DID I TELL YOU I CAN DO MAGIC NOW? I HAVE THIS CUTE LITTLE SOUL DAGGER AND I ALREADY LEARNED A SPELL! I CAN TELEPORT!

SOORAYA LOOKS AT HER, UNSURE HOW TO REACT.

SOORAYA: UH… GOOD…?

MEGAN: AND DOCTOR STRANGE SAID HE COULD TEACH ME MORE BUT IT’LL HAVE TO BE EIGHTEEN AND I’D HAVE TO TAKE A VOW OF SILENCE.

BEAST STARTS TO EXIT, SAYING THAT THEY’RE ALL HOPING THAT HE’LL TAKE HER EARLY AND SUBTLY EXPRESSING HIS ANNOYANCE AT MEGAN’S INCESSANT JABBERING.

MEGAN: SO WHY D’YOU WEAR THAT BURQA ALL THE TIME? YOU’RE SO PREEEETTY! AND EVERYONE’S SEEN YOU WITHOUT IT BY NOW AND IT’S GOTTA BE REALLY, REALLY HOT.

VOICE: IT IS NOT A BURQA. IT IS AN ABAYA WITH A NIQAB VEIL.

SOORAYA TURNS TO SEE NEZHNO, MEDITATING, AS HE TELLS PIXIE TO SHOW SOME RESPECT TO SOORAYA BY LEARNING ABOUT HER. MEGAN INSTANTLY TURNS HER ATTENTION TO HIM, GUSHING OVER HIM LIKE A LOVESICK FANGIRL.

MEGAN: NEZHNO! YOU TOTALLY SAVED MY LIFE BACK IN LIMBO! WHY DON’T YOU EVER USE YOUR POWERS? YOU’RE LIKE THE HULK! AND WHAT HAPPENED DOWN THERE? IT’S LIKE YOU HAD A SPASM!

NEZHNO: IT WAS A SEIZURE, MEGAN. EVERY TIME I USE MY ‘POWERS’ AS YOU CALL THEM, MY STRENGTH INCREASES. SOON, MY BODY WILL BE UNABLE TO CONTAIN ITS OWN POWER. ONLY THE VIBRANIUM TATTOOS KEEP MY POWERS IN CHECK, BUT IT WILL NOT LAST. AND THEN I WILL DIE.

FOR ONCE, MEGAN IS COMPLETELY SPEECHLESS. AT THAT MOMENT, CESSILY POKES HER HEAD INTO THE ROOM, WEARING A BASEBALL SHIRT AND CAP.

CESSILY: YO, GUYS… QUICK QUESTION. HOW OLD ARE YOU?

*THE LOUNGE*

VIC SIGHS, PLAYING A VERY ANNOYING GAME OF POOL WITH LAURA AND SANTO AS HE TELLS THEM FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME THAT THEY ARE NOT CUTTING OFF HIS OTHER ARM.

SANTO: OH, C’MON! I’VE HAD THIS IDEA FOR A WHILE AND I’VE BEEN DEAD FOR HALF A YEAR! BEAST SAID IT’D GROW BACK ANYWAYS. IT’S PART OF YOUR POWER. OH! WE SHOULD DO YOUR LEGS TOO! YOU’D LOOK LIKE AN AWESOME DRAGON GUY! LAURA ALREADY AGREED TO DO IT! SHE SAID IT WOULDN’T EVEN HURT!

LAURA STATES SIMPLY THAT SHE WOULD MAKE A CUT AT THE GLENOHUMERAL JOINT AND IT WOULD BE OVER QUICKLY. SHE SLICES A POOL BALL IN HALF WITH HER CLAWS FOR EMPHASIS. AS VIC SAYS THAT HE LIKED HIS ARM AND HE’S KEEPING THE ONE HE HAS LEFT, SANTO POKES HIM IN THE CHEST AND CALLS HIM A SISSY.

VIC: WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?

AS VIC GLARES AT SANTO, CESSILY POKES HER HEAD INTO THE ROOM TO ASK THEM A QUESTION.

*JOSH’S ROOM*

JOSH SITS BY HIMSELF IN HIS ROOM, JAY’S ITEMS NOW CLEARED OUT, AS CESSILY ENTERS, ASKING WHAT HE’S DOING. JOSH TELLS HER THAT HE’S THINKING AND CESSILY COMMENTS THAT IT’S NOT VERY HEALTHY TO BE THINKING IN THE DARK WITH YOUR SHIRT OFF, BUT THAT’S NOT HER BUSINESS.

CESSILY: UM, ANYWAYS, I SHOULD KNOW THIS BY NOW, BUT… HOW OLD ARE YOU?

JOSH GIVES HER A SERENE EXPRESSION AS HE REPLIES.

JOSH: I CAN FEEL MY CELLS AGING. THEN, CELL DEATH. I KNOW ALL THERE IS ABOUT AGING. THE QUESTION IS… CAN I STOP IT?

CESSILY BACKS OFF, CLEARLY UNNERVED.

CESSILY: OOOOOOOKAY. THANKS, JOSH. AND, Y’KNOW, GOOD THINKING, MY DUDE.

A FEW MINUTES LATER, SHE KNOCKS ON JULIAN’S DOOR, TELLING HIM THAT SHE THINKS JOSH HAS FLIPPED OUT AGAIN. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE DOOR EXPLODES IN GREEN TK, KNOCKING CESSILY BACK.

CESSILY: DUDE! THIS SHIRT IS VINTAGE!

JULIAN: EVER SINCE MISS FROST GAVE ME THAT BOOST, MY POWER’S BEEN ON THE FRITZ. ANYTHING SMALLER THAN A FRIDGE AND I CAN’T DEAL WITH IT. AND WITH MARVEL GIRL IN SPACE ON SOME KINDA MISSION, MY ONLY OTHER OPTION IS GOING TO AVENGERS ACADEMY AND TRAINING WITH SOME IDIOT WHO CALLS HIMSELF “JUSTICE”.

CESSILY DUSTS HERSELF OFF, TELLING JULIAN THAT SHE KNOWS HE CAN DO IT. SHE HONESTLY DOESN’T KNOW ANY TELEKINETIC THAT’S MORE POWERFUL THAN HIM. WITH THAT, SHE THEN ASKS HIM HOW OLD THE CUCKOOS ARE.

JULIAN: OLD ENOUGH.

CESSILY: PERV. I’M BEING SERIOUS.

JULIAN: THEY’RE TWO. ARTIFICIALLY AGED TO SIXTEEN. LONG STORY. WHY?

CESSILY: MATT LANDRU.

A SHORT WHILE LATER, CESSILY ELABORATES ON THIS AS SHE STANDS WITH JULIAN AND THE CUCKOOS IN CEREBRA.

CESSILY: YESTERDAY, A MUTANT KID NAMED MATT LANDRU GOT HIT BY A CAR. LAURA AND I WENT WITH THE X-MEN TO HIS FUNERAL AND I REALIZED THAT SOMEWHERE, THERE IS THE YOUNGEST MUTANT ON THE PLANET. AND WITH EVERYTHING GOING TO SHIT, I NEED SOMETHING TO DISTRACT MYSELF.

JULIAN: THAT’S ACTUALLY AN INTERESTING QUESTION, CESS, BUT THERE ARE MUTANTS BEING BORN EVERYWHERE. AND I’M GUESSING THAT IF THAT’S THE CASE, THAT MUTANT WILL HAVE A HUGE TARGET ON THEIR BACK. WHAT ABOUT THAT ONE GIRL IN LOS ANGELES. THE RUNAWAY? SHE’S A MUTANT, RIGHT?

CELESTE: SHE’S NOT REGISTERING ON CEREBRA. TECHNICALLY, BEAK AND ANGEL’S YOUNGEST CHILD TITO IS THE YOUNGEST-

JULIAN: GROSS. DON’T REMIND ME. HE DOESN’T COUNT.

CESSILY: WHAT ABOUT FRANKLIN RICHARDS? YA KNOW, THE FANTASTIC FOUR’S KID? ISN’T HE A MUTANT?

JULIAN: ALSO DOESN’T COUNT. NO ONE’S GONNA SNIPE MISTER FANTASTIC’S KID. HE’S PROBABLY GOT HIS OWN TV SHOW. LET’S JUST STICK WITH FINDING OUT THE YOUNGEST MUTANT IN THE SCHOOL AND MOVE ON FROM THERE.

AS THEY START TO EXIT CEREBRA, MONET APPROACHES THEM, TELLING THEM THAT SHE HAS SOME IMPORTANT NEWS. SHE JUST APPLIED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE NEW X-MEN.

*OUTSIDE*

BEAST AND COLOSSUS WAIT OUTSIDE FOR SANTO, UNSURE IF HE CAN ACTUALLY TELL TIME. SUDDENLY, WE HEAR THE SOUND OF WHINING FROM ABOVE AND WE SEE SANTO CRASH TO THE GROUND, BEING PUMMELED BY VIC.

SANTO: OWWW!!! QUIT HITTING ME! I SWEAR, I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WERE SO SENSITIVE!

VIC: SHUT!!!! UP!!!!

BEAST: AH, THERE HE IS.

*LATER*

SANTO LOOKS AT BEAST IN DISBELIEF AS HE REALIZES THAT HE WANTS HIM TO BLOW UP AGAIN. BEAST SAYS THAT HE DIDN’T REALLY GET THE CHANCE TO ANALYZE HIM, WHAT WITH THE ANNIHILATION WAR, BUT HE FIGURES THAT ONCE APOCALYPSE SHATTERED HIM, HE UNLOCKED A SECONDARY MUTATION AND HE IS NOW TECHNICALLY A PSYCHIC ENTITY ABLE TO FORM AND CONTROL A STONE GOLEM AND HIS FORMER ABILITY TO FIRE OFF HIS LIMBS DOESN’T WORK WITH HIS NEW FORM, BUT HE WANTS TO SEE IF HE CAN DO IT AGAIN AND COME BACK.

SANTO: WHAT? NO WAY! WHAT IF I DON’T COME BACK?!

BEAST: YOU’VE ALREADY DONE IT… I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES.

SANTO: NOPE. NO WAY. I’M NEVER USING MY POWERS AGAIN!

VIC SMIRKS.

VIC: MORPH WAS RIGHT. YOU ARE A PUSSY.

SANTO: OKAY, THAT’S IT, YOU’RE GOING DOWN!

WITH THAT, SANTO EXPLODES AND BEAST USES COLOSSUS AS A HUMAN SHIELD. SANTO SLOWLY FORMS ONCE MORE FROM THE EARTH AND BEAST GRINS, SAYING THAT HE’S GLAD HIS HYPOTHESIS WAS RIGHT. AN IRATE COLOSSUS HUFFS, ASKING BEAST IF THIS IS WHAT HE BROUGHT HIM FOR.

ELSEWHERE, NORI MAKES THE ROUNDS, ASKING HER FELLOW STUDENTS WHAT HAPPENED TO DAVID IN LIMBO. WE CUT TO VARIOUS PARTS OF THE INSTITUTE AS SHE BEGINS HER INTERVIEW. THE OTHER STUDENTS TRY THEIR BEST TO DOWNPLAY WHAT HAPPENED, LEST THEY INCUR NORI’S RAGE.

HOPE: I MEAN, I SAW HIM FALL AND IT MUST HAVE HURT, BUT… I DUNNO. SOMEONE ELSE CAN TELL IT BETTER.

SOORAYA: I… I THINK HE BROKE A RIB? BUT ELIXIR HEALED HIM.

SOFIA: AH, YOU KNOW, I THINK HE BROKE HIS WRIST WHEN HE FELL. BUT CESSILY WAS CLOSER. SHE PROBABLY SAW IT BETTER.

CESSILY: YEAH, HE PROBABLY BROKE HIS ARM OR SOMETHING WHEN BELASCO DROPPED HIM, BUT SOFIA WAS CLOSER. SHE PROBABLY SAW IT BETTER.

JOSH: NOTHING HAPPENED. JUST A FEW SCRATCHES. NO BIG DEAL.

LAURA: …AND THEN BELASCO PLUNGED HIS FINGERS INTO DAVID’S CHEST, PIERCING THE SKIN AND SEPARATING THE MUSCLES BENEATH. THE STERNUM AND SEVERAL LIMBS WERE DEFINITELY SHATTERED. HE THEN PULLED OUT DAVID’S HEART, SHREDDING THE ENTIRE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM. BUT BECAUSE JOSH GOT TO HIM QUICKLY, HE WAS SAVED FROM ANY BRAIN DAMAGE.

AFTERWARDS, NORI THANKS LAURA FOR BEING 100% TRUTHFUL.

LATER, NORI STALKS DOWN THE HALL AS MEGAN BUZZES AFTER HER, TRYING TO GET HER ATTENTION. WHEN NORI FINALLY TURNS, MEGAN SAYS THAT NOW THAT THEY’RE TEAMMATES, SHE WANTS TO SAY THAT SHE AND DAVID MAKE A REALLY CUTE COUPLE. BEFORE NORI CAN REPLY, SCOTT APPROACHES HER, TELLING HER THAT THEY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE PLANNED STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES. WHEN NORI SAYS SHE’S BUSY, MEGAN VOLUNTEERS TO GO WITH HIM, BUT LOGAN TELLS HER THAT SHE’S COMING WITH HIM.

MEGAN: WHERE ARE WE GOING?

LOGAN: DANGER ROOM.

MEGAN: GULP.

*ELSEWHERE*

CESSILY AND JULIAN GATHER IN EMMA’S OFFICE FOR THEIR CONFERENCE AND EMMA SAYS THAT THEY’VE PROBABLY ALREADY HEARD THAT MONET HAS JOINED THE TEAM. SHE THEN ASKS HOW THEY’RE DOING AND CESSILY GIVES HER AN IRATE LOOK.

CESSILY: I HAVE A BETTER QUESTION. WHAT ABOUT WITHER? YOU REMEMBER, KEVIN FORD? ONE OF YOUR HELLIONS WHO YOU MANIPULATED UNTIL HE LEFT THE SCHOOL? AND THEN HE JOINED ANNIHILATION, RAN AWAY DURING THE BIG FIGHT, YOU COULDN’T BE BOTHERED TO FIND HIM, AND NOW YOU’VE LOST HIM?

EMMA: KEVIN BETRAYED THE SCHOOL, CESSILY.

CESSILY: HE WAS STILL ONE OF US! AND THAT’S NOT EVEN THE POINT! YOU MANIPULATED HIM, MONET, AND ALANI AND YOU EXPECT US TO JUST FORGET ABOUT THAT?

BEFORE EMMA CAN GET A WORD IN, JULIAN SPEAKS UP.

JULIAN: YOU’VE LOST IT, HAVEN’T YOU? YOU’VE BLOWN US OFF SINCE THE PURIFIER ATTACK AND NOW THIS? PUTTING A LITTLE DISTANCE BETWEEN US IN CASE WE DON’T MAKE IT? IS CYCLOPS MAKING YOU DOING THIS?

CESSILY: WE ALL THINK IT’S PRETTY SAD.

WITH THAT, THEY WALK OUT THE DOOR AS EMMA ANNOUNCES THAT THEY’RE DISMISSED.

MEANWHILE, DANI APPROACHES SOFIA AND CLARICE’S ROOM, FIRST ASKING IF THEY’RE DECENT, AND THEN TELLING THEM THAT THEY’RE DOING STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES. THE GIRLS TELL HER TO ENTER AND DANI COMES IN, ASKING THEM IF THEY’RE OKAY.

SOFIA: HONESTLY, I’M PRETTY SHAKEN UP. BETWEEN THE PURIFIERS, NIMROD, AND LIMBO… IT’S HARD TO RELAX WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT SOMEONE TRYING TO KILL US.

DANI: WELL, CESSILY AND SOORAYA TELL ME THAT YOU WERE PRETTY BRAVE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BELASCO.

SOFIA: ON THE OUTSIDE. ON THE INSIDE, I WAS TERRIFIED. IT’S JUST… YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN SOMEONE’S GOING TO TRY TO KILL YOU NEXT, RIGHT?

SOFIA PAUSES WHEN SHE NOTICES THAT DANI IS CRYING. CLARICE ASKS HER IF SHE’S OKAY.

DANI: THIS IS ALL MY FAULT. ALL OF IT.

CLARICE: DANI… NO…

DANI: IT’S TRUE. I LEFT YOU GUYS WHEN YOU NEEDED ME THE MOST. I… I TRIED SO HARD TO PREPARE YOU GUYS FOR WHAT WAS WAITING FOR YOU OUTSIDE THIS SCHOOL AND… SEEING THOSE KIDS DIE… I REALIZED WHAT KIND OF A WORLD YOU GUYS WOULD SEE. I WAS AFRAID. I NEEDED SOME SPACE TO CLEAR MY HEAD. AND MY SELFISHNESS GOT TWO MORE KIDS KILLED. MAX AND JAY’S DEATHS ARE ON ME. I… I COULD’VE DONE SOMETHING IF I HADN’T BEEN SO…

SOFIA PUTS A HAND ON DANI’S SHOULDER.

SOFIA: I GET IT. YOU WERE SCARED. BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THIS CHAOS, WE’VE GROWN TOGETHER AS A TEAM. AS FRIENDS. AS A FAMILY. WE DON’T BLAME YOU FOR ANYTHING, DANI.

CLARICE: YEAH. YOU TAUGHT US EVERYTHING YOU KNEW ABOUT BEING X-MEN. AND WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. BUT YOU COULDN’T HAVE KNOWN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. WE WERE ALL HURTING, BUT I KNOW THAT YOUR HURT WAS DIFFERENT. THAT YOU NEEDED TO TRY TO MAKE THE HURT GO AWAY. BUT YOU’RE HERE NOW, AND THAT’S WHAT MATTERS.

DANI SMILES AND HUGS THE GIRLS, THANKING THEM.

*JOSH’S ROOM*

AS JOSH SITS IN THE DARK, KITTY KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. WHEN HE DOESN’T OPEN IT, SHE PHASES THROUGH THE WALL AND POKES HER HEAD IN.

KITTY: HEY, JOSH. STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE. UM, WHY ARE YOU… SITTING IN THE DARK?

JOSH: JUST THINKING.

KITTY: ABOUT?

JOSH: LIFE. DEATH. TAKING. GIVING. I GIVE LIFE AND I TAKE IT. WITH EVERYTHING MY POWERS CAN DO… REALLY, MISS PRYDE, WHAT CAN’T I DO?

AT THAT, KITTY BACKS OUT OF THE ROOM WITH THE SAME LOOK AS CESSILY.

KITTY: OOOOOKAY. NICE TALK. I’LL… UH… I’LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.

*KITCHEN*

LAURIE AND ALANI SIT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE, EATING ICE CREAM. BY NOW, CESSILY AND JULIAN’S SURVEY HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE OTHER STUDENTS AND ALANI IS SURE THAT PIXIE IS THE YOUNGEST. SHE NOTICES LAURIE ACTING A BIT MOODY AND ASKS WHAT’S WRONG.

LAURIE: IT’S JOSH. HE’S BEEN REALLY… DISTANT. AND I’M REALLY WORRIED. I’VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK UP THE NERVE TO SPEAK TO HIM, BUT…

ALANI: IT’S FINE, LAURIE. I’LL TALK TO CLARICE AND SEE IF MAYBE SHE CAN…

ALL OF A SUDDEN, MEGAN FLIES PAST THEM, SCREAMING HER HEAD OFF, A CLOUD OF GLITTERY PINK DUST TRAILING BEHIND HER LIKE EXHAUST FROM A JET ENGINE. WOLVERINE RUNS BEHIND HER, SLASHING THROUGH THE DUST WITH HIS CLAWS.

WOLVERINE: MOTHERFUCKING UNICORNS!

AS THE CHAOS BEHIND HER FADES, LAURIE SAYS THAT SHE HATES THIS PLACE.

MEANWHILE, DAVID KNOCKS ON THE DOOR TO NORI AND MARROW’S ROOM, OPENING IT TO FIND MARROW SQUATTING ON THE WINDOWSILL IN THE DARK. HE GIVES HER AN UNEASY LOOK.

DAVID: UM… SARAH? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

MARROW: NORI’S NOT HERE SO I’M JUST GONNA HANG AROUND HERE. I MIGHT DO SOME INTERPRETIVE DANCE IN THE NUDE SOON OR JUST GROSS OUT ANYONE WHO COMES IN HERE.

DAVID: OKAY. UM, HAVE YOU SEEN NORI?

MARROW: CYCLOPS WANTED TO TALK TO HER. SOMETHING ABOUT A STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE. SHE TEXTED ME.

DAVID: WAIT. YOU HAVE A PHONE?

AT THAT, MARROW JUMPS DOWN ONTO THE GROUND AND STARTS TAKING OFF HER CLOTHES FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED INTERPRETIVE DANCE. DAVID IMMEDIATELY BACKS OFF AND MARROW CALLS FOR HIM TO COME BACK ANY TIME.

*LOUNGE. LATER*

PARAS GAVASKAR, A.K.A. INDRA, SITS DOWN ON A CHAIR, SCRIBBLING ON A NOTEPAD. A CROWD OF STUDENTS GATHERS AROUND HIM.

PARAS: …AND MIRROR GIRL. THAT’S EVERYONE.

AMASS: SO WHO IS IT?

PARAS: HANG ON. I’M COMPARING BIRTH DATES. WAIT. HOW CAN THE CUCKOOS BE TWO YEARS OLD?

MORPH PULLS NOCTURNE ASIDE AND TELLS HER THAT IT’S GOT TO BE PIXIE. DAVID NOTICES NORI WALK IN AND ASKS HER HOW HER MEETING WITH CYCLOPS WENT, BUT SHE SAYS SHE DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

ALEX: C’MON, INDRA! HURRY UP! WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE YOUNGEST MUTANT AT XAVIER’S. IT’S LIKE A ONE-WAY TICKET TO DEAD!

AS DAVID TRIES TO GET NORI TO SPEAK TO HIM, PARAS FINISHES WRITING.

PARAS: YEAH, IT’S YOU, HOTORU. YOU’RE THE YOUNGEST MUTANT AT XAVIER’S.

MAGGOTT: EXCEPT FOR BEAK’S KIDS!

TJ: THEY DON’T COUNT!

AS MEGAN SIGHS WITH RELIEF, HOTORU JUST LOOKS UNBOTHERED BY THIS. SUDDENLY, CESSILY LOOKS AT THE NOTEPAD.

CESSILY: WAIT, PARAS… YOUR NAME ISN’T ON THIS. WHEN’S YOUR BIRTHDAY?

PARAS LOOKS AT THE NOTES AGAIN, STRESSED.

PARAS: WHAT? IT’S… OH, NO. IT’S ME. I’M THE YOUNGEST MUTANT AT XAVIER’S.

AS THE OTHER STUDENTS START TALKING ABOUT THIS, NORI WALKS OVER TO JULIAN, IGNORING DAVID. SHE THEN GRABS THE TELEKINETIC AND KISSES HIM FIERCELY, TO EVERYONE’S SURPRISE. LAURA POPS HER CLAWS AND SANTO TURNS TO INDRA, TRYING TO BREAK THE TENSION.

SANTO: DUDE, INDRA… YOU’RE DEAD.

*A FEW MINUTES EARLIER*

CYCLOPS TRAINS IN THE DANGER ROOM WITH NORI SITTING NEARBY. HE TELLS HER THAT SHE DID GOOD IN LIMBO, BUT NORI PROTESTS THAT THEY WON ON PURE LUCK. SCOTT SAYS THAT SHE’S BASICALLY JUST DESCRIBED HALF OF THE X-MEN’S WINS AND THEN TELLS HER THAT HE’S A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT HER TEMPER. LEADERSHIP THROUGH ANGER WILL ONLY GET HER SO FAR, SO SHE NEEDS TO GET HER EMOTIONS UNDER CONTROL.

NORI: HOW’D YOU FEEL WHEN JEAN GREY DIED?

SCOTT LOOKS AT HER, CONFUSED.

NORI: YOU LOVED HER, RIGHT? SO HOW COULD YOU DO IT? WEREN’T YOU SCARED? HOW COULD YOU PUT HER IN DANGER LIKE THAT? WEREN’T YOU WORRIED SHE WAS GONNA DIE AND YOU COULDN’T PROTECT HER? AND… WHEN YOU COULDN’T… HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH THAT? HOW CAN YOU LOVE ANYONE NOW?

SCOTT LOOKS SURPRISED AT HER SUDDEN OUTBURST.

SCOTT: WHAT COULD I DO? TRY TO STOP HER? THEN YOU DIDN’T KNOW JEAN GREY. YOU CAN’T MAKE DECISIONS FOR PEOPLE, NORI. YOU’LL BE TEMPTED EVERY TIME BUT BEING AN X-MAN IS THEIR CHOICE. AND YOU LOVE THEM BECAUSE OF THAT.

NORI LOOKS DOWN AS AN IDEA RACES THROUGH HER HEAD.

NORI: WHAT IF YOU COULD HAVE SAVED HER, BUT SHE HATED YOU FOR IT? WOULDN’T THAT BE WORTH IT?

*NOW*

DAVID WATCHES IN SHOCK AS HIS GIRLFRIEND KISSES JULIAN RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. AS HE STORMS OUT THE ROOM, JULIAN SHOVES HER OFF HIM, TURNING OVER TO LAURA. BEFORE HE CAN SAY ANYTHING, SHE RUNS OUT THE LOUNGE.

JULIAN: LAURA! LAURA, WAIT!

CESSILY: I’LL TALK TO HER.

JULIAN GLARES AT NORI AND THEN FLIES OUT THE ROOM. SOFIA TURNS OVER TO NORI TIMIDLY AND ASKS HER WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO ABOUT PARAS.

NORI: WHAT?

SOFIA: YOU KNOW… INDRA? HE’S THE YOUNGEST MUTANT AT THE SCHOOL, MORE OR LESS, AND HE MIGHT DIE. WHAT DO WE DO?

NORI LOOKS OUT AT THE ASSORTED FACES AROUND HER AND THEN TURNS AWAY.

NORI: DON’T LET HIM.

THE STUDENTS LOOK AT HER, TRYING TO PROCESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

ALANI: DRAMA.

PARAS: UM… GUYS… I’M REALLY SCARED. WILL YOU STAY WITH ME TONIGHT?

SANTO: I CALL FIRST SHIFT!

PARAS: WILL SOMEONE ELSE STAY WITH ME TONIGHT?

*DAVID’S ROOM*

DAVID STORMS INTO HIS ROOM, PACKING HIS BAGS FRANTICALLY. HE GRABS A PICTURE ON HIS NIGHTSTAND OF THE PALADINS SQUAD. MAGGOTT STANDS IN THE CENTER AS THE LEADER WITH BEAK, ANGEL, AND ANDREA TO HIS LEFT. DAVID STANDS TO THE RIGHT OF MAGGOTT WITH NORI BESIDE HIM, HOLDING HIS HAND WHILE MARROW LURKS TO THE SIDE.

VOICE: YOU SHOULDN’T DO THAT.

DAVID JUMPS, NOTICING MARROW STANDING BEHIND HIM.

MARROW: I SAW WHAT SHE DID. AND I KNOW THAT THAT’S NOT COOL. EVEN FOR ME.

DAVID: WHAT DO YOU WANT, MARROW?

MARROW: I KNOW WHY SHE DID IT. SHE WANTS YOU TO LEAVE. SO YOU’LL BE SAFE.

DAVID: WELL, IT WORKED. I’M LEAVING.

MARROW SITS DOWN ON ANOLE’S EMPTY BED, EXAMINING THE BONES EXTENDING FROM HER ARM.

DAVID: YOU DON’T GET IT, SARAH. MY POWER’S USELESS. I BARELY EVEN USE IT. YOU ALL ARE HERE TO BE SUPERHEROES, BUT I… THAT’S NOT WHO I WANNA BE.

MARROW: THEN WHY DIDN’T YOU LEAVE?

DAVID: WHAT?

MARROW STANDS UP AS DAVID LOOKS AT HER, CONFUSED.

MARROW: WHEN THE BUS WENT KABOOM. SAMMY AND THE OTHERS LEFT. WHY DIDN’T YOU?

DAVID: BECAUSE NORI NEEDED ME.

MARROW MAKES A FART SOUND.

MARROW: BECAUSE YOU WANT THIS. YOU WANT TO USE YOUR POWERS FOR GOOD. FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, YOU COULD LEARN FROM SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL FIGHTERS JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM. BUT YOU DON’T USE THAT POWER. BECAUSE YOU’RE LYING TO YOURSELF. BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU DON’T WANT THIS.

DAVID: THAT’S CRAZY! YOU DON’T KNOW…

MARROW: …WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT? TRUST ME, DAVEY… I DO.

MARROW LOOKS OUT THE WINDOW, A FARAWAY LOOK ON HER FACE.

MARROW: WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT THIS WAR BETWEEN HUMANS AND MUTANTS. I JUST WANTED TO LIVE MY LIFE. BUT WHEN THE MARAUDERS CAME AND MIKHAIL RASPUTIN BROUGHT ME TO THE HILL, I REALIZED MY TRUE PLACE IN LIFE. IF I STAYED ON THE SIDELINES, I WAS JUST GONNA KEEP LETTING PEOPLE KNOCK ME DOWN. IF I WANTED TO SURVIVE… I HAD TO FIGHT.

DAVID: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

MARROW SUDDENLY PULLS OUT A BONE BLADE AND SLASHES AT HIM. INSTINCTIVELY, HE GRABS HER HAND, WRENCHES IT TO THE SIDE, AND SHOVES HER TO THE GROUND.

DAVID: WHAT THE FUCK, SARAH?!

MARROW: DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU JUST DID? YOU JUST USED YOUR POWERS.

DAVID LOOKS AT HIS HANDS IN REALIZATION AS MARROW’S WORDS SINK IN.

MARROW: SO ARE YOU GONNA KEEP BEING A PUSHOVER? OR ARE YOU GONNA SHOW THE WORLD WHO YOU REALLY ARE?

*THE LOUNGE*

AS SANTO AND PARAS PLAY VIDEO GAMES, PARAS THANKS HIM FOR STAYING WITH HIM. HE NOTICES HOW QUIET IT IS AND STARTS TO WONDER IF MAYBE HE’S WORRIED FOR NO REASON. AT THAT MOMENT, SANTO EXPLODES AND PARAS GOES INTO HIS ARMORED FORM IN SURPRISE. SANTO IMMEDIATELY REFORMS AND CACKLES AS PARAS GIVES HIM A DEADPAN STARE.

SANTO: HAHAHAHAHA! SUCKER! YOU SHOULDA SEEN THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE! I SWEAR, I’VE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE SO SCARED!

PARAS: I’M GOING TO BED.

*GIRL’S BATHROOM*

CESSILY WALKS INTO THE BATHROOM AFTER LAURA TO FIND IT TOTALLY DESTROYED. LAURA SLUMPS AGAINST THE WALL, COVERED IN GASHES. CESSILY COVERS HER MOUTH IN SURPRISE.

LAURA: I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME. I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M FEELING. AND I’M SCARED I’M GOING TO HURT SOMEONE.

CESSILY: OH, LAURA…

CESSILY REMOVES HER CAP AND KNEELS DOWN BESIDE LAURA, HUGGING HER.

CESSILY: SHHHH… IT’S OKAY, SWEETIE. EVERYTHING’S GONNA BE OKAY. YOU’RE NOT ALONE ANYMORE.

*OUTSIDE*

SNOW FALLS AS JULIAN SITS ON THE ROOF OF THE SCHOOL, THINKING. SOORAYA WALKS UP TO HIM, ASKING IF HE’S OKAY.

JULIAN: NOT REALLY, SOO. MY HANDS OUR GONE, MY BEST FRIEND IS DEAD, MY OTHER BEST FRIEND WAS DEAD AND NOW HE’S NOT ANYMORE, MY MENTOR ABANDONED ME, OUR HEADMISTRESS HAS FLIPPED OUT, I’M IN LOVE WITH A GIRL WHO SCARES THE SHIT OUT OF ME, AND NOW… NORI.

HE SIGHS AS SOORAYA SITS DOWN BESIDE HIM.

JULIAN: IT’S ALL TOO MUCH. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN SO SURE, AND NOW I HAVE NO FUCKING CLUE WHAT I SHOULD DO NEXT. AND THERE’S NO ONE HERE TO SHOW ME.

SOORAYA: I’M SORRY.

JULIAN: WHAT DO I DO, SOORAYA?

SOORAYA’S ABAYA BLOWS IN THE WIND AS SHE PUTS A HAND ON JULIAN’S SHOULDER.

SOORAYA: IT’S SIMPLE. DO YOU LOVE LAURA?

JULIAN: YEAH. A LOT.

SOORAYA: AND DO YOU LOVE NORI?

JULIAN: NO. SHE’S WITH DAVID. I’M AN ASSHOLE, BUT I’M NOT THAT BIG OF AN ASSHOLE.

SOORAYA: THEN I THINK YOU SHOULD START THERE.

JULIAN LOOKS AT HER, A BIT SUSPICIOUS.

JULIAN: DID CESSILY SEND YOU UP HERE?

SOORAYA: …YES.

JULIAN SMILES AND HUGS HER.

JULIAN: THANKS, SOO.

ELSEWHERE, JOSH SITS ALONE IN HIS ROOM IN THE DARK. HE CONTINUES BROODING AND AS HIS THOUGHTS MIGRATE TO DARK PLACES, THE BLACK PORTION OF HIS BODY MIGRATES TO HIS FACE.

BACK IN THE LOUNGE, THE STUDENTS HAVE STARTED BRINGING SLEEPING BAGS AND TENTS INTO THE ROOM. AS A LARGE GROUP OF THEM SIT ON COUCHES, SANTO IS BUSY ROASTING MARSHMALLOW’S ON MATCH’S FLAMING HEAD.

BEN: I HATE YOU, SANTO.

SANTO: WHAT? WE’RE DOING A CAMPOUT. AND EVERYONE LOVES A CAMPFIRE.

VIC INTERJECTS, TELLING HIM THAT THE LAST TIME THEY DID THIS, THEY GOT SUCKED INTO HELL, WHICH WAS TWO DAYS AGO. ROXY LOOKS OVER AT WHERE JEN IS COMFORTING INDRA AND SAYS THAT IF THEY WAIT HERE LONG ENOUGH, SOMETHING HORRIBLE IS GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM. SOME RANDOM SNARLING MONSTER IS GONNA COME THROUGH THE WALL AND MURDER THEM ALL. THIS IS THEIR LIFE NOW.

SANTO: HEY, YOU GUYS WANNA LAY DOWN AND DIE? ROX? INDRA? GO FOR IT. BUT NOT ME. IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU’RE THE YOUNGEST MUTANT IN THIS SCHOOL OR THE OLDEST. WE’RE MUTANTS. SOMEONE’S BOUND TO COME AFTER US. AND WHEN THEY DO, I’M GONNA GO DOWN FIGHTING.

SOFIA: AS AM I. BECAUSE WE’RE X-MEN. AND THAT’S WHAT X-MEN DO. AND AT LEAST WE’LL DO DOWN TOGETHER.

VIC SMILES AT SANTO, FOR A CHANGE. CLARICE INTERLOCKS HER FINGERS WITH SOFIA’S. LAURIE AND ROXY SIT BY EACH OTHER IN SOLIDARITY FOR THEIR LOVED ONES THAT AREN’T THERE RIGHT NOW. SUDI PUTS AN ARM AROUND ALANI AS SOFIE DOES THE SAME WITH BECCA. IDIE GIVES VALENTIN A LIGHT SMILE. BEAK AND ANGEL SIT ON A COUCH WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

…AND THEN SANTO RUINS THE MOMENT.

SANTO: NOW SHUT UP AND LET’S START BONDING. I’LL GO FIRST: ANOLE’S GAY!

VIC’S SMILE TURNS TO A LOOK OF HATRED AS THE OTHER STUDENTS DON’T LOOK SURPRISED.

LAURIE: PLEASE. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.

VIC: …HATE… YOU…

SANTO: HEY, IF WE’RE GONNA DIE, WE MIGHT AS WELL GET IT OUT IN THE OPEN. BESIDES, I’M COOL WITH IT. MORE CHICKS FOR ME.

ALANI: SAYS THE GUY WITH NO JUNK.

AS THE STUDENTS LAUGH, BEAST ENTERS THE ROOM, ASKING WHY EVERYONE IS PUTTING UP SLEEPING BAGS.

BECCA: HI, PROFESSOR. WE’RE HAVING A CAMPFIRE.

BEAST: INDOORS? INTERESTING. WELL, I HAVE NEW UNIFORMS FOR YOU.

THE FUZZY X-MAN REACHES INTO A BOX, PULLING OUT A BLACK TRAINING UNIFORM WITH A HORIZONTAL YELLOW STRIPE RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE. DRAPED ACROSS THE OUTFIT IS A YELLOW BELT WITH A BIG RED BUCKLE WITH A BLACK X ON IT.

ALANI: DO WE HAVE TO?

BEAST: THEY’RE BULLETPROOF.

THE OTHER STUDENTS LIGHT UP, INTRIGUED.

CLARICE: OH, HEY…

SOFIA: I NEEDED A NEW COSTUME.

VIC: SIGN ME UP!

PARAS: ME TOO!

MEGAN: CAN I HAVE TWO?

*NORI AND MARROW’S ROOM*

NORI SITS IN HER ROOM, CLEARLY DISTRAUGHT BY HER CURRENT FEELINGS. DAVID ENTERS, WEARING ONE OF THE NEW YELLOW AND BLACK TOGS, MUCH TO NORI’S SURPRISE.

DAVID: I’M STAYING, NORI.

NORI: DAVID?

DAVID: PRODIGY. MY NAME IS PRODIGY. AND IF I’M GONNA DIE, THEN I STAND WITH THE INSTITUTE. THIS IS WHERE I BELONG. YOU DON’T GET TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR ME.

NORI GETS UP, ANGRY AND SCARED.

NORI: NO! YOU’RE GONNA DIE IF YOU STAY HERE! I’M NOT GONNA LET THAT HAPPEN! I CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN!

AS DAVID WALKS TOWARD HER, NORI TRIES TO SHOVE HIM OUT THE DOOR.

NORI: WHAT DO I HAVE TO SAY TO MAKE YOU LEAVE?! TELL ME AND I’LL DO IT!

WHEN HE DOESN’T BUDGE, NORI HITS HIS CHEST, SOBBING HYSTERICALLY.

NORI: I DON’T WANT YOU HERE! I DON’T LOVE YOU! YOU’RE USELESS! I LOVE JULIAN! LEAVE!

NORI REARS BACK A FIST, ABOUT TO PUNCH HIM WHEN HE PULLS HER INTO A HEADLOCK. ALL OF A SUDDEN, EMERALD TK SLAMS INTO DAVID AS JULIAN STANDS IN THE DOORWAY.

JULIAN: GET AWAY FROM HER!

NORI: RELAX, JULIAN! IT’S DAVID! HE WOULDN’T-

SUDDENLY, DAVID STRIKES JULIAN THREE TIMES, KNOCKING HIM TO THE GROUND. HE LOOKS DOWN AT HIM COLDLY.

DAVID: ISRAELI SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING. WOLVERINE AND SHADOWCAT KNOW IT. AND NOW, SO DO I. THERE ARE THREE PARTS OF THE BODY THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY UNBREAKABLE. I JUST USED ALL THREE ON YOU.

JULIAN: I… I DIDN’T… FUCKING… KISS HER…

DAVID: I KNOW, JULIAN. YOU SHOULD SEE EITHER ELIXIR OR TRIAGE FOR YOUR RIBS.

HE THEN TURNS TO LEAVE THE ROOM, NOT EVEN LOOKING AT NORI.

DAVID: BY THE WAY, NORI… WE’RE THROUGH.

AS DAVID LEAVES, NORI TRIES TO HELP JULIAN, BUT HE SHOVES HER AWAY.

JULIAN: DON’T TOUCH ME! YOU FUCKED UP MY LIFE, ASHIDA! LAURA’S PROBABLY GOING TO SLIT MY THROAT IN MY SLEEP AND CESSILY’S DEFINITELY GONNA HELP HER HIDE THE BODY! I SWEAR, IF YOU EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN… I’LL KILL YOU. I SWEAR, I’LL KILL YOU.

AS JULIAN LIMPS OUT, NORI SLUMPS DOWN IN THE RUINS OF HER ROOM. MARROW POKES HER HEAD OUT OF THE BATHROOM AND COMMENTS THAT NORI HAS ISSUES BEFORE LEAVING THE ROOM, CLOSING THE DOOR BEHIND HER.

SAD PIANO MUSIC PLAYS AS DAVID ENTERS HIS ROOM. SLOWLY, HE BEGINS TO SING ‘SAY SOMETHING’ BY A GREAT BIG WORLD, EXPRESSING HIS HURT AS HE MAKES THE DECISION TO LET NORI GO.

DAVID: SAY SOMETHING, I’M GIVING UP ON YOU. I’LL BE THE ONE IF YOU WANT ME TO. ANYWHERE I WOULD’VE FOLLOWED YOU. SAY SOMETHING, I’M GIVING UP ON YOU.

WE CUT TO NORI’S ROOM AS SHE SINGS THE SAME SONG, REFLECTING ON THE ANGER AND HURT SHE INFLICTED NOT ONLY ON DAVID AND THE OTHERS, BUT ALSO ON HERSELF.

NORI: AND I AM FEELING SO SMALL. IT WAS OVER MY HEAD. I KNOW NOTHING AT ALL.

AS SHE KEEPS SINGING, WE HEAR DAVID’S VOICE AS WELL.

NORI AND DAVID: AND I WILL STUMBLE AND FALL. I’M STILL LEARNING TO LOVE. JUST STARTING TO CRAWL.

THEY SING THE CHORUS TOGETHER, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE ROOMS, THEIR VOICES MINGLING IN A PAINFUL ARIA. DAVID LOOKS OUT THE WINDOW AS NORI LOOKS AT A PICTURE OF THE TWO OF THEM SMILING TOGETHER.

NORI AND DAVID: AND I WILL SWALLOW MY PRIDE. YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I LOVE, AND I’M SAYING GOODBYE. SAY SOMETHING, I’M GIVING UP ON YOU. I’M SORRY THAT I COULDN’T GET TO YOU. AND ANYWHERE I WOULD’VE FOLLOWED YOU. SAY SOMETHING, I’M GIVING UP ON YOU!

SLOWLY, THE SONG DIES DOWN. DAVID LOOKS DOWN THE WINDOW, A TEAR ROLLING DOWN HIS CHEEK. NORI FALLS TO HER KNEES AND CRIES, HER VOICE HOARSE WITH EMOTION AS THEY SING THE FINAL PART.

NORI AND DAVID: SAY SOMETHING, I’M GIVING UP ON YOU. SAY SOMETHING…

THE SONG ENDS AS WE GET A SPLITSCREEN VIEW AT THE TWO BROKENHEARTED LOVERS.

*THE ASTRAL PLANE. XAVIER INSTITUTE FACULTY MEETING*

SCOTT, EMMA, WOLVERINE, XUAN, BEAST, KITTY, COLOSSUS, AND DANI SIT IN A CIRCLE IN THE ASTRAL PLANE, DISCUSSING THE RESULTS OF THEIR STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCE.

DANI: THEY ALL SEEM PRETTY SHAKEN UP. THESE EVENTS HAVE DEFINITELY RATTLED THEM.

XUAN: TELL ME ABOUT IT. I TRIED TO TALK TO MARROW, BUT ALL SHE DID WAS STRIP OFF HER CLOTHES UNTIL I LEFT.

KITTY: I’M WORRIED ABOUT JOSH. HAVE ANY OF YOU TALKED TO HIM SINCE LIMBO? HE’S KINDA SPOOKY. EVEN LAURIE CAN’T WORK UP THE COURAGE TO TALK TO HIM.

BEAST: AND IF WHAT THE STUDENTS SAY IS TRUE… IF HE REALLY RECONSTRUCTED DAVID ALLEYNE’S HEART… THEN HE’S TAKEN A MASSIVE LEAP IN HIS POWERS.

WOLVERINE: YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT PIXIE. BECAUSE IF SHE EVERY USES THAT FUCKING PIXIE DUST ON ME AGAIN, I’M GOING TO KILL HER.

COLOSSUS: THE STUDENTS SEEM TO THINK THAT THE YOUNGEST AMONG THEM IS DESTINED TO DIE… A STUDENT NAMED INDRA. THERE’S NO REASON FOR THEM TO THINK THAT, IS THERE?

EMMA: MORE THAN HALF OF THE STUDENTS HAVE SERIOUS EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA FROM THE EVENTS OF THE LAST TWO MONTHS. THE ANNIHILATION WAR, THE PURIFIER ATTACK, LIMBO… IT HAS WELL BEYOND TAKEN ITS TOLL. THEY MAY HAVE SINGLED OUT INDRA, BUT THEY TRUTHFULLY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE ALL GOING TO DIE.

THE ASTRAL PLANE FALLS SILENT AS THE FACULTY TRIES TO PROCESS THIS.

KITTY: YAY. SCHOOL SPIRIT.

COLOSSUS: SO IS THIS WHAT IT HAS COME TO?

AS ‘DUMB WAYS TO DIE’ BY TANGERINE KITTY PLAYS, WE FLASH THROUGH SEVERAL IMAGES. WE SEE SOFIA AND CLARICE IN A SLEEPING BAG AS LAURIE SNEAKS PAST THEM, LAURA, SOORAYA, AND CESSILY LYING DOWN AND GAZING UP AT THE CEILING, NORI SITTING IN THE WRECKAGE OF HER ROOM, AND DAVID LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW, A SERIOUS LOOK ON HIS FACE. THE CUCKOOS STAND IN THEIR ROOM, THEIR FACES FLAT AND SERIOUS.

COLOSSUS: IF NOBODY DIES… IF NOBODY IS TORTURED… IF NOBODY’S SOUL IS TORN APART… IS THIS TRULY HOW WE MEASURE A ‘GOOD DAY’, NOW?

DANI: MAYBE. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT HAS TO STAY THAT WAY. THE BEST THING WE CAN DO NOW IS REBUILD. TRAIN MORE STUDENTS TO FIGHT FOR THEMSELVES. I’LL SPEAK TO ISCA ABOUT TEACHING SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES. WE WILL KEEP THESE CHILDREN SAFE, BUT LIKE IT OR NOT, THEY’RE ALL IN THIS WAR NOW.

KITTY: I DUNNO, GUYS. I STILL THINK ELIXIR IS A REAL PROBLEM. IF WE DON’T THINK OF SOMETHING, WE COULD BE TEACHING THE NEXT MAGNETO. I MEAN, REALLY…

WE CUT OVER TO JOSH, STILL IN HIS ROOM WITH HIS SKIN STILL COMPLETELY BLACK.

KITTY: …HOW DO WE STOP A TEENAGER FROM BEING DARK AND TWISTY?

VOICE: JOSH?

JOSH LOOKS UP TO SEE LAURIE STANDING IN THE DOORWAY, NERVOUS. HE TILTS HIS HEAD, CONFUSED.

LAURIE: I’M SORRY I DIDN’T COME SOONER. I JUST… WAS TRYING TO WORK UP THE COURAGE TO SPEAK TO YOU. I’VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THINKING LATELY AND WITH EVERYTHING WE’VE BEEN THROUGH AND THINKING IT’S GOING TO GET WORSE… I WAS WONDERING… DO YOU WANNA MAKE OUT?

JOSH PAUSES. SLOWLY, HIS SKIN GOES FROM BLACK TO GOLD AS HE SMILES AT HER.

JOSH: UH… SURE?

ELSEWHERE, IN THE LOUNGE, SOFIA WAKES UP TO FIND NORI STANDING OVER HER. SHE WHISPERS THAT THEY NEED TO TALK. SOFIA GETS OUT OF HER SLEEPING BAG, HOVERING OVER THE SLEEPING STUDENTS, AND FOLLOWS NORI INTO THE KITCHEN.

SOFIA: IS THIS ABOUT WHAT YOU DID? BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT OKAY, NORI.

NORI: I KNOW. AND IT’S NOT JUST THAT. IT’S ALL THIS. THIS LEADER SHIT. IT’S TOO MUCH. I WAS SO FOCUSED ON CARRYING THAT RESPONSIBILITY THAT I LOST EVERYTHING. THAT’S WHY YOU HAVE TO LEAD THE TEAM, SOFIA.

SOFIA LOOKS UNSURE, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF NORI’S JOKING OR NOT.

NORI: DAVID… JULIAN… PROBABLY EVEN SARAH… THEY DON’T TRUST ME ANYMORE. I DOUBT THE OTHERS WILL AS WELL. BUT YOU… I KNOW YOU CAN CARRY THE WEIGHT OF BEING THE LEADER. YOU CAN LEAD THEM THROUGH LOVE AND NOT ANGER. AND HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN KEEP THEM FROM GETTING KILLED. YOU… YOU WERE BORN TO LEAD THIS TEAM, SOFIA. YOU KNOW IT.

SOFIA SIGHS, PLACING A HAND ON NORI’S SHOULDER.

SOFIA: VERY WELL. I WILL LEAD THIS TEAM. AT LEAST UNTIL YOU CAN RELIEVE THAT BURDEN FROM MY SHOULDERS.

AS NORI WALKS AWAY, SOFIA GOES BACK INTO HER SLEEPING BAG, GIVING CLARICE A KISS.

ELSEWHERE, JULIAN WALKS OVER TO LAURA AND SOORAYA’S ROOM, GOING FOR THE DOOR, HESITATING, AND THEN KNOCKING. CESSILY OPENS THE DOOR AND JULIAN LOOKS AT LAURA.

JULIAN: I WAS HOPING TO SPEAK TO LAURA. ALONE.

CESSILY: SURE. GO AHEAD.

AS SOORAYA AND CESSILY LEAVE, CESSILY CLOSES THE DOOR BEHIND HER. JULIAN LOOKS AT LAURA, NERVOUS AND SCARED.

JULIAN: I… I’M REALLY SORRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND I’M SORRY I HURT YOU. BUT NORI… SHE MEANS NOTHING TO ME. THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE ENTIRE CLUSTERFUCK, YOU’VE BEEN THE THING THAT KEEPS ME GOING. YOU SCARE THE FUCK OUT OF ME, BUT I LOVE YOU ALL THE SAME. I KNOW YOU PROBABLY WANNA KILL ME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT. YOU CAN DUMP ME; YOU CAN AVOID TALKING WITH ME ALTOGETHER. I DESERVE IT. I JUST-

LAURA SILENCES HIM WITH A PASSIONATE KISS. JULIAN’S FACE GOES BEET RED AS LAURA’S HANDS ROAM AROUND HIS BODY. OUTSIDE, CESSILY AND SOORAYA SIT BY THE DOOR, LISTENING.

JULIAN: UM, LAURA? LAURA, WHAT’RE YOU DOING? UM… HEY, LAURA, THAT’S MY DICK… ARE YOU SURE YOU…? OH, WHAT THE HELL.

AS MOANS AND GROWLS ENSUE FROM THE CLOSED DOOR, CESSILY GRINS AT SOORAYA.

CESSILY: LOOKS LIKE SHE FORGIVES HIM.

SOORAYA: CESSILY, I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD BE HEARING THIS.

CESSILY: YEAH, BUT WHERE’S THE FUN IN THAT?

*LATER*

AS ‘LIFE IN TECHNICOLOR’ BY COLDPLAY PLAYS, SCOTT AND LOGAN STAND IN FRONT OF THE CROWD OF STUDENTS.

SCOTT: YOU MAY BE THE LAST GENERATION OF X-MEN. WE MAY ALL DIE TOMORROW, A YEAR FROM NOW, OR WE MAY ALL LIVE FOREVER, LIKE WOLVERINE HERE.

LOGAN: LUCKY ME.

SCOTT: BUT UNTIL THAT DAY, THIS IS A SCHOOL. AND YOU HAVE WORK TO DO. TEAM BUILDING EXERCISES WILL NOW BE A DAILY PART OF YOUR LIVES AGAIN. INDIVIDUAL POWER TRAINING WILL ALSO RESUME. DANI MOONSTAR AND ISCA THE UNBEATEN WILL TEACH HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT. IF NONE OF THE SENIOR STAFF IS AVAILABLE, PRODIGY WILL SUBSTITUTE UNTIL WE RETURN.

WE THEN TAKE A LOOK AT THE STUDENTS, NOW DRESSED IN THEIR COSTUMES. VIC, SOFIA, CLARICE, LAURA, MARROW, NORI, CESSILY, AND ROXY’S COSTUMES ARE SHORT-SLEEVED AND TWO-PIECE, EXCEPT FOR VIC’S. SOFIA HAS ON HER SIGNATURE SASH AROUND HER WAIST. SANTO IS COMPLETELY SHIRTLESS. SOORAYA IS STILL IN HER NIQAB AND ABAYA.

SCOTT: YOU’RE THE NEW X-MEN. AND YOU’VE STILL GOT A LOT TO LEARN.

LAURA, CLAWS UNSHEATHED, STANDS BESIDE A COCKY JULIAN. MONET CLUTCHES THE LIGHT OF GALADOR IN ONE HAND AS SHE STANDS BESIDE VIC AND JOSH. MEGAN PERCHES ON SANTO’S ENORMOUS SHOULDER WITH AN IMPISH GRIN. CESSILY STRETCHES HERSELF UP TO SEE PAST SANTO AS ROXY STANDS BESIDE HER. MARROW HOLDS A BONE BLADE IN ONE HAND AS SHE STANDS BETWEEN A SERENE SOORAYA AND A SURLY NORI. SOFIA AND CLARICE ARE IN THE CENTER, HOLDING HANDS.

SCOTT: OH, AND I RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT WIND DANCER IS NOW TEAM LEADER. ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS, SURGE?

NORI LOOKS OVER AT DAVID, AND THEN NODS. SOFIA SMILES, LOOKING AT THE TEAM.

SOFIA: OKAY, PEOPLE, YOU HEARD THE MAN. LET’S GET TO WORK.

*THE WASTELANDS, LIMBO*

AS MEGAN HOVERS UPSIDE DOWN, SURROUNDED BY PINK ARCANE ENERGY AS ILLYANA TEACHES HER A TELEPORTATION SPELL, SANTO IS GIVING VIC A HARD TIME AS USUAL. HE GRIPES THAT IF VIC’S PLAN IS TO HAVE EVIL ILLYANA TURN PIXIE INTO DARK PIXIE SO THEY CAN GO FIGHT THE DEVIL, HE SHOULD REPLACE CYCLOPS RIGHT NOW. VIC TELLS HIM TO SHUT UP AND BLINDFOLD TELLS SANTO THAT HE SAVED PIXIE. AS MEGAN FAILS THE SPELL, ILLYANA SNAPS AT HER.

ILLYANA: YOU ARE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH! YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW THIS BY NOW!

MEGAN: BUT THIS ISN’T EVEN ENGLISH! AND THERE’S A LOT OF WORDS! AND YOU’RE MEAN!

ILLYANA: AGAIN!

MEGAN SIGHS AND CONCENTRATES ON THE SPELL.

MEGAN: SIHAL… NOVARUM… CHINOTH…

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS

*OUTSIDE BELASCO’S CASTLE*

NORI, JULIAN, AND DANI’S SENTINEL ARE FIGHTING THE ENCROACHING DEMON HORDES AS THEY SWELL IN NUMBER. DANI YELLS AT THE TWO STUDENTS TO GET TO THE CASTLE WHILE SHE HOLDS THEM OFF AND NORI NODS. THEY SHOOT OFF IN A JET OF TK, AND DANI STAYS TO FIGHT THE DEMONS.

*INSIDE BELASCO’S COURTYARD*

BELASCO GRABS SOORAYA BY HER TATTERED BURQA AS JOSH STAGGERS UP TO A WOUNDED LAURA. SOFIA LIES IN A PUDDLE ONCE KNOWN AS CESSILY, UNCONSCIOUS.

BELASCO: I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU CHILDREN! I WILL FIND MY APPRENTICE AND YOU WILL NOT DENY ME!

BELASCO GLARES AT SOORAYA AS FEAR SHINES IN HER EYES.

BELASCO: THE DEVOUT LITTLE GIRL. DON’T YOU KNOW LYING IS A SIN? AND SINS MUST BE PUNISHED.

SUDDENLY, A TK BLAST HITS BELASCO, CAUSING HIM TO DROP SOORAYA. HE TURNS AROUND ONLY TO BE ZAPPED BY NORI’S ELECTRICITY. JULIAN SLAMS THE DEMON LORD INTO THE GROUND, TURNING TO HOLD BACK NORI.

JULIAN: SURGE, STOP! IT’S OVER!

NORI: GET OUTTA MY WAY, JULIAN. HE KILLED DAVID.

JULIAN: THAT DAVID OVER THERE?

NORI TURNS AND SEES DAVID ALONG WITH A NOW-FREED CLARICE AND THE CUCKOOS. SUDDENLY, A BLAST OF ARCANE ENERGY KNOCKS THEM BACK. BELASCO PRESSES HIS FOOT AGAINST JULIAN’S HEAD AND GRABS NORI BY THE THROAT.

BELASCO: YOU BOTH WERE WITH HER! I CAN SMELL IT! WHERE IS MAGIK?! WHERE IS ILLYANA RASPUTIN?!

VOICE: SIHAL NOVARUM CHINOTH!

IN A FLASH OF PINK, ILLYANA, MEGAN, SANTO, VICTOR, BECCA, ROXY, JEN, AND NEZHNO APPEAR IN FRONT OF THEM. SANTO CRACKS HIS KNUCKLES.

SANTO: ALRIGHT, WHICH ONE’A YOU CHUMPS IS ‘BELASCO’?

SOORAYA: SANTO?

CESSILY: SANTO!

BELASCO SNARLS AND RELEASES NORI AND JULIAN, TURNING TO ILLYANA WITH A SNEER. SILVER ARMOR FORMS OVER THE DARKCHYLDE AND SHE LEAPS TOWARD BELASCO.

VIC: DARKCHYLDE, WAIT!

BEFORE BELASCO CAN SHOOT ILLYANA, SANTO GRABS HIM.

SANTO: YO, DARKCHICK! ANOLE SAID WAIT!

AS SANTO ASKS IF IT’S OKAY FOR HIM TO POUND BELASCO A LITTLE, THE DEMON TELLS S’YM TO KILL THEM ALL. S’YM CRACKS HIS NECK AND THE DEMONS CHARGE.

BECCA LEAPS ONTO EMBER, FORMING A PSIONIC BOW AND ARROWS. AS A DEMON LUMBERS TOWARD SOFIE, BECCA FIRES HER ARROW AND IT LODGES IN HIS SKULL.

BECCA: I’M NOT GONNA SAY IT AGAIN. GET YOUR SLIMY PAWS OFF MY GIRLFRIEND.

AS ROXY AND JOSH HELP FREE THE OTHERS, SOFIA RUNS UP TO CLARICE, ASKING IF SHE’S OKAY. CLARICE SMILES BEFORE FLIPPING OUT AT THE SIGHT OF SOFIA’S BRUISES.

CLARICE: ANGEL! ARE YOU OKAY?

SOFIA SMILES. HER EYES FILL WITH TEARS.

SOFIA: I AM NOW, MI AMOR. I AM NOW.

AS THEY KISS, JULIAN PULLS LAURA FROM THE SPIKES. CESSILY AND SOORAYA DASH TOWARDS THEM AS LAURA OPENS HER EYES JUST AS JULIAN PLANTS A KISS ON HER LIPS.

AS JEN, NEZHNO, NORI, SANTO, AND SEVERAL RECENTLY FREED STUDENTS FIGHT THE DEMONS, ILLYANA LOOKS AT MEGAN, TELLING HER THAT SHE NEEDS MORE POWER. SUDDENLY, BELASCO GRABS HER FACE, TELLING HER THAT IT’S TIME TO CORRECT HIS MISTAKE. SUDDENLY, A CLAW SLASHES ACROSS HIS SIDE.

LAURA: SHE WAS NOT YOUR ONLY MISTAKE.

BELASCO LEERS AT THE WOUNDED CLONE, GNASHING HIS TEETH.

BELASCO: INSOLENT ABOMINATION! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I KILL YOU FOR YOU TO LEARN?!

LAURA STEPS TO THE SIDE, REVEALING THE NEWLY-FREED CUCKOOS.

LAURA: I’VE LEARNED ENOUGH. HE’S ALL YOURS.

PURPLE PSIONIC ENERGY BATHES THE SISTERS AS THEY LOOK AT BELASCO WITH A COLD, EMOTIONLESS GAZE. HE SCREAMS AS THEY RIP THROUGH HIS MIND.

CUCKOOS: YOUR HELMETS. WE DIDN’T LIKE THEM.

SOFIA, CLARICE, CESSILY, SOORAYA, ROXY, JOSH, DAVID, AND NORI FORM AROUND THEM AS IMAGES FLASH THROUGH BELASCO’S MIND.

CELESTE: YOU KIDNAP THE INNOCENT. WE CAN SEE THEM. BEATRIX. SHANNA. ILLYANA.

MINDEE: BUT ILLYANA WAS DIFFERENT. SPECIAL. YOU CLAIMED HER AS A SACRIFICE, BUT YOU CAME TO FEEL FOR HER. YOU WANTED HER TO BE YOURS, BODY AND SOUL.

PHOEBE: YOU LOST HER, JUST LIKE THE OTHERS. BUT WITH HER, THAT LOSS CUT DEEPER. THE THOUGHT THAT SHE HAD RETURNED… THAT FUTILE HOPE… IT WAS TOO MUCH TO BEAR. YOU DIDN’T EVEN REALIZE THAT WHAT YOU SAW WASN’T EVEN REAL.

CELESTE: YOU COULDN’T FIND HER. SO YOU TRIED TO RECREATE HER.

MINDEE: HER BODY… HER MIND… BUT IT WASN’T ENOUGH. YOU WANTED MORE.

PHOEBE: YOU’RE NOT LOOKING FOR HER FOR REVENGE, OR FOR POWER…

DAVID BLINKS IN CONFUSION.

DAVID: YOU DID ALL THIS… BECAUSE YOU LOVED HER?

CLARICE: EEEW! THAT’S KINDA CREEPY… BUT ALSO KINDA CUTE.

SOFIA: LOVE WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS, MI AMOR.

AS ROXY RUNS UP TO CESSILY, GIVING HER A SMOOCH, THE CUCKOOS GRUNT AS BELASCO STARTS TO RESIST THEM. GREEN ARCANE ENERGY SURROUNDS THE COURTYARD AND BELASCO VOWS TO BRING EARTH TO LIMBO AND BURN IT ALL AWAY UNTIL HE FINDS HER.

OUTSIDE, DANI LOOKS THROUGH THE SENTINEL’S MONITOR AND SEES NEW YORK CITY APPEAR NEARBY. SHE SHAKES AMANDA AWAKE AND THE SORCERESS TELLS HER THAT BELASCO IS BRINGING EARTH TO LIMBO. AND SHE DOESN’T KNOW IF SHE CAN STOP IT IN TIME.

THE NEW X-MEN CHARGE AT HIM, POURING ON ALL THEIR POWER. ILLYANA TURNS TO MEGAN AND TELLS HER THAT IT’S TIME. MEGAN IS SCARED, ASKING WHY SHE’S SO IMPORTANT.

ILLYANA: BECAUSE OF ALL THE CHILDREN I FELT COME TO LIMBO, YOUR SOUL WAS THE MOST PURE. HERE, YOU ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY X-MAN. IF YOU CAN’T DO THIS, ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS WILL DIE.

DAVID SCRAMBLES OVER TO THE UNCONSCIOUS TRANCE AS SANTO IS SENT FLYING INTO THE STASIS BEAM THAT HOLDS THE X-MEN. BELASCO GRABS SOFIA BY THE THROAT, EXPRESSING HIS DELIGHT TO KILL THE CHILDREN OF THE X-MEN. WITH NEWFOUND COURAGE, MEGAN FLIES FORWARD AND SHOVES HER SOUL DAGGER INTO HIS BACK. ARCANE ENERGY FLOODS THE ENTIRETY OF LIMBO.

BELASCO FALLS TO HIS KNEES, LOOKING AT ILLYANA AS SHE HOLDS THE BLOODSTONE AMULET. HE BEGS HER TO SPARE HIM. HE GAVE HER LIFE.

ILLYANA: YOU GAVE ME A LIFE WITH NO SOUL. A LIFE OF ETERNAL HELLISH TORMENT. AND I HAVE FOUND THE POWER TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. LOOK, DAD. I’VE MADE A BLOODSTONE JUST LIKE YOU TAUGHT ME. AREN’T YOU PROUD?

BELASCO: I WILL FIND HER.

ILLYANA: NO. YOU WON’T.

WITH THAT, SHE UNLEASHES A BLAST OF MAGIC HADOUKEN-STYLE. WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS, BELASCO IS NOTHING BUT A SMOLDERING CRATER.

MEGAN: CAN WE PLEASE GO HOME NOW?

ILLYANA: NO. NOT UNTIL I FINISH WHAT I HAVE STARTED.

THE GROUP LOOKS AROUND AS ALL THE DEMONS BOW BEFORE ILLYANA.

SOFIA: UM, WHY ARE THEY ALL BOWING?

ILLYANA TURNS TO MEGAN, HER EYES FLASHING HUNGRILY.

ILLYANA: LIMBO BELONGS TO ME NOW. AND YOU, LITTLE PIXIE… YOUR SOUL BELONGS TO ME AS WELL. ONE BLOODSTONE IS POWER, BUT FIVE? I WILL BE A GOD.

VOICE: GODS ARE OVERRATED.

ILLYANA TURNS TO SEE SOFIA AND THE OTHERS, READY FOR BATTLE.

SOFIA: BACK OFF, DIABLA. WE MAY BE TIRED, BUT WE CAN STILL BEAT YOU.

VIC: ILLYANA, PLEASE DON’T DO THIS.

ILLYANA WHIRLS ON VIC, GLARING AT HIM.

ILLYANA: DON’T CALL ME THAT! MY NAME IS-

VOICE: SNOWFLAKE?

ILLYANA PAUSES. HER RED EYES LOSE THEIR GLOW. THE NEW X-MEN TURN TO SEE COLOSSUS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE MONSTER THAT USED TO BE HIS SISTER. ILLYANA’S LIP QUIVERS.

COLOSSUS: SNOWFLAKE, IS THAT YOU? ILLYANA, HAVE YOU RETURNED TO ME?

ILLYANA’S EYES FLASH RED AND SHE TURNS AWAY FROM HER BROTHER. SHE TURNS TO THEM ALL, FRENZIED.

ILLYANA: STOP! DO NOT LOOK AT ME! ALL OF YOU, JUST GO AWAY!

BLUE ARCANE MAGIC CRACKLES IN HER HANDS AS EVERYONE IS SUCKED INTO A STEPPING DISC, TELEPORTING AWAY. OUTSIDE THE CASTLE, THE SENTINEL IS DESTROYED AND DANI AND AMANDA ARE ABOUT TO MAKE A FINAL STAND WHEN THEY VANISH AS WELL. MEGAN ASKS ABOUT HER SOUL BEFORE SHE VANISHES AND COLOSSUS LOOKS AT HER SISTER WITH HOPE IN HIS EYES.

ILLYANA: GOODBYE, BROTHER.

WITH THAT, COLOSSUS VANISHES, LEAVING ILLYANA ALONE IN LIMBO.

*THE XAVIER INSTITUTE. EARTH*

VIC SITS BESIDE MEGAN AND ROXY, RECAPPING THE EVENTS. THE BUILDING IS BACK TO NORMAL AND TRANCE WOKE UP ONCE HER BODY GOT BACK TO EARTH. COLOSSUS WANTED TO GO BACK, BUT AMANDA SEFTON SAID THAT LIMBO IS SEALED OFF. ROCKSLIDE’S STILL MADE OF LIMBO ROCK.

VIC: AND MY ARM ITCHES.

MEGAN: MY SOUL ITCHES.

ROXY: AND MY COOCH ITCHES.

VIC: TOUCHE.

MEGAN LAUGHS AT ROXY’S JOKE AS SANTO WALKS IN. VIC SIGHS, TELLING HIM THAT HE’S TOO TIRED TO YELL AT HIM.

SANTO: GOOD, THEN JUST LISTEN. I JUST TALKED TO SURGE AND CYCLOPS. I TOLD THEM THAT IF THERE WASN’T ROOM ON THE TEAM FOR YOU GUYS, I’D QUIT TO MAKE SOME. CESSILY SAW THE OPPORTUNITY AND REQUESTED THAT YOU JOIN US TOO, ROXY. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I AGREE.

MEGAN, VIC, AND ROXY SHARE A WIDE SMILE AS SANTO SAYS THAT THEY DESERVE IT… AND THEN CALLS THEM NERDS.

*EPILOGUE. LIMBO*

ILLYANA, NOW DRESSED IN A RED GOWN, SITS ON A THRONE, SURROUNDED BY S’YM AND N’ASTRITH. S’YM ASKS WHAT SHE DOES NOW AND ILLYANA FORMS AN IMAGE OF MEGAN AND COLOSSUS IN HER HAND. SHE SMILES WICKEDLY.

*GERMANY*

THE SCREEN IS BLACK AS DOCTORS TRY TO REVIVE AMANDA SEFTON, WHO HAS FLATLINED AFTER DAYS IN A COMA. BLUE LIGHT SUDDENLY FILLS THE SCREEN AS NORI ADMINISTERS AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND AMANDA COMES TO. DANI RUNS TO HER SIDE, ASKING AMANDA IF SHE KNOWS WHERE SHE IS.

AMANDA: I… I DON’T… OH, GOD. BELASCO. HE’S COMING FOR THEM… THE X-MEN’S CHILDREN.

JULIAN: NO SHIT, LADY.

DANI SIGHS, TELLING AMANDA THAT THE INSTITUTE WAS ATTACKED SIX HOURS AGO. AMANDA GASPS FOR BREATH, TELLING THEM THAT THEY NEED TO FIND THE SOULSWORD, WHICH IS IN THE POSESSION OF NIGHTCRAWLER.

DANI: KURT’S NOT HERE, AMANDA. HE’S IN SPACE RIGHT NOW.

AMANDA’S FACE FALLS.

AMANDA: THEN THEY’RE DEAD. THE X-MEN… THE STUDENTS… THEY’RE ALL DEAD.

NORI: SHUT UP AND GET DRESSED, ZATANNA. YOU’RE TAKING US TO LIMBO. NOW.

NORI’S EYES GLOW ELECTRIC BLUE TO EMPHASIZE HER STATEMENT. AMANDA LOOKS A BIT SCARED.

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS

*LIMBO. THE WASTELANDS*

MEGAN SCREAMS IN PAIN AS AN ARC OF MYSTICAL ENERGY JOINS HER WITH THE DEMONIC DARKCHYLDE.

DARKCHYLDE: I WAS SIX YEARS OLD WHEN BELASCO TOOK MY SOUL APART TO FORM THE BLOODSTONES. I REMEMBER I HAD A NAME. ILLYANA RASPUTIN. AND HE TOOK MY INNOCENT SOUL AND USED IT AS A SACRIFICE TO THE ELDER GODS. WITH ALL FIVE PIECES OF MY SOUL, HE WOULD BRING THE BLOODSTONES TO EARTH. YOU AND I, LITTLE PIXIE, WE WILL USE YOUR INNOCENCE AGAINST BELASCO.

NEARBY, THE OTHER STUDENTS ARE STILL ENCASED IN EMERALD ROCK ERECTED BY THE DARKCHYLDE. SLOWLY, A RED GEMSTONE FORMS ON ONE OF THE POINTS OF THE MEDALLION.

JEN: ROXY, YOU WERE A SQUAD LEADER! DO SOMETHING! SHE’S HURTING MEGAN!

ROXY: I CAN’T! I CAN’T MOVE! NEZHNO! CALICO! WAKE UP!

BLINDFOLD: VICTOR, YOU MUST SAVE HER, YES PLEASE.

VIC: WHAT?!

BLINDFOLD: YOUR ARM. YOU HAVE STRENGTH WITHIN YOU.

MEGAN CONTINUES TO SCREAM AS HER SOUL POURS OUT OF HER.

MEGAN: PLEASE STOP! IT HURTS!

DARKCHYLDE: I KNOW. I REMEMBER.

AS A SECOND BLOODSTONE FORMS ON THE MEDALLION, VIC STRUGGLES AGAINST THE ROCK. HIS PRISON SLOWLY STARTS TO BREAK AS A SWORD BEGINS TO FORM IN THE AIR.

DARKCHYLDE: THE SOULSWORD IS YOUR LIFE, MEGAN. YOUR INNOCENCE CAN KILL BELASCO. WITH THIS SWORD… I CAN KILL BELASCO.

VIC: NO!!!!

VIC PUNCHES HIS BIG ARM THROUGH THE ROCK, HITTING THE DARKCHYLDE AND KOCKING HER DOWN. MEGAN IS DAZED. HER PINK HAIR NOW HAS BLACK STREAKS RUNNING THROUGH IT. BEFORE THE DARKCHYLDE CAN RETALIATE, THE GROUND TREMBLES.

VOICE: GET… GET AWAY…

SUDDENLY, SANTO REFORMS IN FRONT OF THE DEMONESS. HE IS ENORMOUS, EASILY FIFTY FEET HIGH, AND COMPOSED OF EBONY ROCK WITH MOLTEN LAVA VISIBLE UNDERNEATH.

SANTO: YOU GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY FRIENDS!!!

VIC BLINKS AS SANTO CHARGES AT THE DARKCHYLDE, SWINGING HIS MASSIVE FISTS. SHE UNLEASHES A MYSTIC BLAST AT HIM AS HE ROARS THAT HE’S GOING TO RIP OFF HER STUPID HORNS AND USE THEM FOR TOOTHPICKS, NO MATTER HOW HOT SHE IS!

WITH THE DARKCHYLDE DISTRACTED, VIC RUNS TOWARD MEGAN AS SHE STARTS TO GET UP. HER WINGS, ONCE RESEMBLING BUTTERFLY WINGS, ARE NOW JAGGED, MAKING HER LOOK LIKE AN EDGY FAIRY. AS VIC HELPS HER UP, MEGAN SEES A SMALL DAGGER BESIDE HER, GLOWING WITH BLUE LIGHT.

MEGAN: MY… MY SOUL…

SANTO SLAMS THE DARKCHYLDE INTO A WALL, TELLING HER THAT HE SAW HER HURT PIXIE AND THE REST OF HIS FRIENDS. HE COULDN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT NOW HE’S GOING TO KILL HER.

VIC: SANTO! WAIT!

SANTO LOOKS OVER AT VIC AND INSTANTLY SNAPS OUT OF HIS REVERIE.

SANTO: BORKOWSKI! DUDE, WHAT’S UP?

VIC: FOCUS, NUMB NUTS! WE NEED HER TO TELL US WHERE THE OTHERS ARE!

DARKCHYLDE: THE ROCK PERSON’S NEW FORM MAY BE IMMUNE TO MY MAGICS, BUT I WILL KILL-

SANTO SWITCHES FOCUS, SLAMMING HER INTO THE WALL AGAIN.

SANTO: YOU SHUT UP, GOAT-LEGS! YOU’RE GONNA DO WHAT WE SAY NOW!

DARKCHYLDE: I… I CAN’T. HIS CASTLE IS PROTECTED FROM MY POWERS. I…

SHE BLINKS SUDDENLY, LOOKING CONFUSED, AS IF THERE’S STILL A PART OF ILLYANA RASPUTIN TRAPPED INSIDE.

ILLYANA: WHO… WHO ARE YOU? WHERE’S KITTY? WHERE ARE DANI AND SAM? PLEASE… WHERE IS MY BROTHER?

SANTO, VIC, AND MEGAN ALL LOOK AT HER, CONFUSED.

SANTO: COME AGAIN? THIS TIME IN OUR EARS?

MEGAN: GROSS.

*BELASCO’S CASTLE*

BELASCO GROWS IMPATIENT, SHOOTING SOFIA WITH A MYSTIC BLAST. SHE LANDS BESIDE MARROW, WHO WHISPERS TO HER. SOFIA LOOKS AT ONE OF THE BONES STICKING OUT OF HER BACK AS BELASCO GRABS CESSILY BY THE THROAT.

BELASCO: I GROW TIRED OF THIS FOOLISHNESS! TELL ME WHERE SHE IS! NOW!

CESSILY SUDDENLY CALMS DOWN, LOOKING AT BELASCO.

CESSILY: YOU’RE RIGHT. I’M SORRY. ILLYANA… SHE’S ALIVE. WE’RE HIDING HER.

BELASCO: I KNEW IT! WHERE IS-

BEFORE HE CAN SAY ANYTHING ELSE, HIS EYES WIDEN. WE ZOOM OUT AND SEE SOFIA SHOVING A BONE BLADE THROUGH HIS CHEST.

SOFIA: I’M SORRY.

CESSILY: NICE ONE! I SAW YOU A MILE AWAY, SOF!

AS THE GIRLS GATHER, JOSH JOINS THEM, ASKING IF THEY NEED ANY HELP. SOORAYA EXAMINES BELASCO’S FALLEN FORM, SUSPICIOUS.

SOORAYA: THIS IS NOT RIGHT. YOU CANNOT KILL THE DEVIL.

AS THE OTHERS HEAR HER, A FLASH OF ARCANE ENERGY COMES CRASHING DOWN ONTO THE DEMON LORD.

*GERMANY*

AMANDA SEFTON, NOW DRESSED IN HER MAGIK COSTUME, STARTS FOCUSING ON A TELEPORTATION SPELL AS JULIAN APPROACHES NORI, TELLING HER THAT DANI THINKS SHE’S LOST IT. HE TOLD HER THAT SHE’S FINE, BUT HE WANTS TO KNOW IF HE’S RIGHT.

JULIAN: YOU KNOW HOW TRANCE IS. DAVID COULD BE FINE, NORI. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED FOR SURE. SO ARE YOU GONNA BE OKAY?

NORI: ASK ME AGAIN ONCE BELASCO IS A SMOKING PILE OF ASH.

SUDDENLY, THEY LOOK UP, NOTICING A GIANT SENTINEL APPROACHING THEM. THEY START TO POWER UP WHEN IT SPEAKS TO THEM.

SENTINEL: STOP! IT’S ME, DANI! I CALLED IN SOME FAVORS FROM A GROUP CALLED THE O*N*E. THEY’RE REWIRING SENTINELS TO MAKE THEM LESS… HARMFUL TO MUTANTS. I FIGURED WE COULD USE SOME FIREPOWER.

AS DAVID AND NORI RELAX, AMANDA SMILES SLIGHTLY AT THEIR REACTION.

*THE WASTELANDS*

THE OTHER STUDENTS ARE FREE NOW AND THEY TURN TO FACE ILLYANA AS SHE SPEAKS SOMBERLY.

ILLYANA: I… I REMEMBER MY LIFE WITH PIOTR AND THE X-MEN AND THE NEW MUTANTS. I REMEMBER THE DARK TIMES… THE INFERNO. THEN… NOTHING. WHEN BELASCO RECLAIMED LIMBO, HE USED HIS MAGIC TO RESURRECT ME… PULLING EVERY MEMORY HE COULD FIND. BUT MY SOUL WAS MISSING. INSTEAD OF ILLYANA, BELASCO GOT THE DARKCHYLDE.

SANTO: THAT’S FUCKED UP. IF YOU WENT TO CHURCH, WOULD YOU CATCH ON FIRE?

VIC: SO HE WANTED YOU… BUT NOT YOU?

ILLYANA: HE WANTS MY SOUL, NOT ME. HE WANTS TO HAVE EVERYTHING THAT I WAS. SO I HAVE TO KILL HIM BEFORE HE GETS IT.

SANTO: YEAAAAHHH, OKAY. WHATEVER YOU SAY, EVIL ILLYANA. EVILLYANA. THAT’S KINDA CATCHY.

VIC SIGHS, TELLING ILLYANA THAT THEY NEED TO GET TO BELASCO’S CASTLE TO SAVE THEIR FRIENDS. ILLYANA SAYS THAT SHE CAN’T GET THEM THERE, BUT PIXIE CAN. THE CREATION OF THE BLOODSTONE MADE A HOLE IN HER SOUL, WHICH IS NOW FILLED WITH DARK MAGIC. SHE NOW HAS A SOULSWORD… OF SORTS.

MEGAN: OHMIGOD! I’M EVIL NOW! YOU TURNED ME EVIL! YOU BI-

ROXY: WHOA! MEGAN!

VIC: LOOK, ILLYANA… HOW CAN PIXIE GET US THERE?

ILLYANA: I CAN TEACH HER A SPELL. A TELEPORTATION SPELL.

*BELASCO’S CASTLE*

THE AFTERSHOCK OF THE ARCANE BLAST HAS LEFT JOSH AND THE GIRLS WEAKENED. BELASCO STANDS OVER THEM, TELLING THEM THAT HE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT THEM, BUT HE WILL KILL THEM UNLESS THEY TELL HIM WHERE ILLYANA RASPUTIN IS. SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY, HE REFORMS LAURA’S BODY, GRABBING HER BY THE HAIR.

BELASCO: THIS CAN LAST AS LONG AS YOU WISH. TIME HAS NO MEANING HERE. BUT PAIN AND SUFFERING DO.

HE THEN RAISES A PIKE FROM THE GROUND AND IMPALES LAURA’S BODY THROUGH IT, KILLING HER AGAIN. THE DEMON LORD’S BODY GLOWS WITH ARCANE ENERGY AS HE TELLS THEM THAT HE WILL KILL THEM AND BRING THEM BACK TO LIFE OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL THEY TELL HIM WHAT HE WANTS TO KNOW. AND IF NOT, HE WILL PULL ALL OF EARTH INTO LIMBO TO FIND HER.

CLOSE TO THE CASTLE, THE SENTINEL CONTAINING AMANDA AND DANI TELEPORTS IN ALONG WITH SURGE AND HELLION. DANI NOTES THAT SHE CAN’T CONTACT XUAN AND AMANDA TELLS HER THAT THEY’VE CROSSED OVER INTO LIMBO. THE SENTINEL ONLY WORKS BECAUSE OF HER MAGIC. SHE KEELS OVER, EXHAUSTED, AS SHE SAYS THAT HER SPELL SHOULD SYNC UP TIME SO THE STUDENTS HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR A FEW HOURS NOW, NOT YEARS.

JULIAN: YEARS?! ARE YOU KIDDING?

NORI: SHUT UP, KELLER. NOW WHERE’S THAT CASTLE?

DANI: DAMMIT! AMANDA PASSED OUT. THE STRAIN MAY HAVE BEEN TOO MUCH.

JULIAN: I REALLY HATE MAGIC. I CAN’T SEE SHIT.

SUDDENLY, DANI NOTICES SOMETHING ON THE SENTINEL’S RADAR. SHE IMMEDIATELY ASKS THE TWO NEW X-MEN IF THEY SEE IT TOO, AND NORI AGREES. OUTSIDE, AN ENDLESS HORDE OF DEMONS CHARGE AT THE TWO MUTANTS AND THE SENTINEL.

JULIAN: WELL, IF I WAS GONNA DO A CLIFFHANGER, I’D PROBABLY DO IT HERE.

*THE WASTELANDS, LIMBO*

THE MOTLEY CREW OF STUDENTS STARE AT THE FACE OF THE DARKCHYLDE. SANTO IS STILL IN PIECES AND VIC IS BARELY CONSCIOUS. BLINDFOLD STANDS TO THE SIDE MYSTERIOUSLY.

ROXY: THE DARK-WHAT?!

BECCA: MOTHER SAID. SHE SAID THERE’D BE GOBLINS.

JEN: WHOA! SHE’S GOT HORNS! AND A TAIL! WHO IS SHE?

THE DARKCHYLDE RAISES AN ARM, ENCASED IN SPIKED ARMOR, POINTING A FINGER AT PIXIE. SHE TELLS HER DEMON PET, N’ASTRITH, TO BRING HER.

MEGAN: OH, SPIT.

THE DARKCHYLDE RELEASES THE CHAIN AND N’ASTRITH GOES FLYING, KNOCKING BACK ROXY AND JEN LIKE RAG DOLLS. SUDDENLY, A FIST SLAMS INTO THE DEMON’S NOSE AS NEZHNO STANDS IN FRONT OF MEGAN. HIS VIBRANIUM TATTOOS GLOW AND HIS MUSCLES SWELL AND EXPAND DRAMATICALLY. SUDDENLY, A SURGE OF POWER EMANATES FROM HIS TATTOOS AND HE FALLS, CAUSING MEGAN TO CRY OUT.

THE DARKCHYLDE LOOKS CONFUSED, DISSOLVING HER ARMOR AND TELLING THEM THAT SHE BROUGHT THEM HERE. IF NOT FOR HER, THEIR ENTRAILS WOULD BE STRUNG ACROSS BELASCO’S CASTLE. THE STUDENTS SHRINK BACK AS HER EYES GLOW.

DARKCHYLDE: SO IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FRIENDS AGAIN… I NEED ONE OF YOUR SOULS.

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS

*BELASCO’S CASTLE, LIMBO*

THE CAPTURED MUTANTS WATCH AS DAVID’S BODY FALLS. AFTER A WHILE, LAURA TAKES ACTION. SHE POPS HER CLAWS, SHATTERING THE GAUNTLETS THAT ENCASE HER HANDS. HER FOOT CLAW EXTENDS AS SHE SEVERS THE TENTACLES THAT HOLD TRANCE.

LAURA: TRANCE! GO!

TRANCE’S ASTRAL FORM SHOOTS OUT FROM HER BODY AS JOSH’S SKIN TURNS BLACK, CAUSING HIS DEMON TO RELEASE HIM. THEY RUN TOWARDS DAVID AS TRANCE FLIES TOWARD THE LIGHT.

HOPE: PLEASEDON’TLETMEDIEPLEASEDON’TLETMEDIEPLEASE…

AS BELASCO WATCHES, THE OGERISH DEMON, S’YM, ASKS IF HE CAN KILL THEM. BELASCO TELLS HIM TO WATCH THE OTHERS AS JOSH RUNS TO DAVID’S SIDE. LAURA LEAPS UP THE DAIS, FREEING MERCURY, DUST, AND WIND DANCER.

LAURA: SOFIA! CESSILY! SOORAYA! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT!

AS LAURA LEAPS AT BELASCO, JOSH PLACES HIS HANDS ON DAVID’S CHEST, RECITING ALL THE PARTS OF THE HEART AS HE TRIES TO CREATE A NEW ONE. SLOWLY, A NEW HEART BEGINS TO FORM FROM THE SURROUNDING TISSUES AND DAVID SHOOTS UP AS JOSH PASSES OUT.

LAURA SLASHES AT BELASCO, BUT HE GRABS HER BY THE THROAT, EYES GLOWING WITH DEMONIC FIRE.

BELASCO: PITIFUL CHILD. YOUR SOUL ISN’T EVEN WORTH TAKING. IT REEKS OF THE SCIENCE OF MAN. YOU AREN’T EVEN REAL…

GREEN ENERGY SHOOTS FROM HIS HANDS, WRAPPING AROUND LAURA. SHE HOVERS IN THE AIR AND HER SKELETON IS SUDDENLY PULLED OUT OF HER BODY! AS HER BONES CRUMBLE AT HIS FEET, BELASCO TURNS TO THE GIRLS, ASKING THEM ONCE AGAIN WHERE ILLYANA RASPUTIN IS.

*EARTH. THE XAVIER INSTITUTE*

NORI AND JULIAN TRY TO BREACH THE MYSTICAL BARRIER, BUT THEY’RE NOT HAVING ANY LUCK. SUDDENLY, A BLUE LIGHT SHOOTS OUT THE BARRIER AND REFORMS INTO TRANCE.

HOPE: AM I BACK?

NORI: HOPE! ARE YOU GUYS OKAY? WHAT’S HAPPENING?

TRANCE SLOWLY STARTS TO FLICKER OUT OF EXISTENCE AS SHE RAMBLES FRANTICALLY.

HOPE: HE TOOK US TO HELL! HE’S GONNA KILL THEM ALL! HE SAID HIS NAME WAS BELASCO.

HOPE’S ASTRAL FORM FIZZLES OUT, BUT SHE’S ABLE TO RELAY ONE FINAL PIECE IF INFORMATION.

HOPE: BELASCO KILLED DAVID…

*BELASCO’S CASTLE, LIMBO*

BELASCO STRIDES ACROSS THE DAIS, TELLING THE STORY OF HOW HE WADED THROUGH AN OCEAN OF BLOOD TO TAKE BACK WHAT WAS RIGHTFULLY HIS. BELOW, TATTOO STRUGGLES AGAINST HER CHAINS AS S’YM SILENCES HER.

CESSILY, SOFIA, AND SOORAYA QUICKLY FREE THEMSELVES, FACING BELASCO AS HE DEMANDS THAT THEY TELL HIM WHAT HE WANTS TO KNOW. THE WIND RUSTLES THROUGH SOFIA’S HAIR, SOORAYA GOES INTO HER SAND FORM, AND CESSILY’S WHOLE BODY, INCLUDING HER HAIR, GOES COMPLETELY SILVER.

CESSILY: SOFIA, I… I CAN’T DO THIS.

SOFIA: IT’S OKAY, CESSILY. WE’LL DO IT TOGETHER.

SOORAYA: THE DEVIL COMES. PLEASE, DO NOT LET ME FIGHT ALONE.

CESSILY: OKAY… OKAY.

SOFIA’S WIND TURNS SOORAYA’S SANDSTORM INTO A TORNADO THAT ENCIRCLES BELASCO. CESSILY STRETCHES UP TO HIM, HER FINGERS ELONGATING INTO SHARP KNIVES. BELASCO SAYS THAT HE KNOWS THEY WERE WITH ILLYANA AND DEMANDS THAT THEY TELL HIM THE TRUTH.

CESSILY: WE WEREN’T WITH HER! WE DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

BELASCO: YOU ARE AFRAID. ALL THREE OF YOU. I CAN TASTE IT ON YOUR SOULS.

HE FIRST LOOKS AT SOORAYA, HER FACE BARELY VISIBLE IN THE SANDSTORM.

BELASCO: YOU, AFRAID OF THE DEVIL. AFRAID OF BEING UNWORTHY OF YOUR GOD’S LOVE.

NEXT, HE LOOKS OVER AT SOFIA AS SHE COMMANDEERS THE STORM.

BELASCO: AND YOU, AFRAID OF BEING HURT. AHHH, HURT AGAIN. OF BEING A PAWN USED FOR EVIL. OF HURTING YOUR FRIENDS.

FINALLY, HE LOOKS AT CESSILY AS SHE BARELY MAINTAINS A HUMAN SHAPE IN A SEA OF LIQUID MERCURY.

BELASCO: AND YOU… AFRAID OF LOSING MORE OF YOUR FRIENDS. OF WATCHING THEM DIE KNOWING YOU COULD NOT SAVE THEM.

SOFIA: NOW!

BELASCO CACKLES AS HE BLASTS CESSILY WITH MAGIC. AS SOFIA FLIES BESIDE HER FRIEND, CESSILY STARTS TO SWELL AND INFLATE BEFORE BURSTING INTO A BUBBLING PILE OF GOO. SOFIA IS KNOCKED BACK AS SOORAYA’S VEIL IS SHREDDED, REVEALING HER FACE.

BELASCO: I AM THE DEVIL. AND YOUR TIME IN HELL IS JUST BEGINNING.

*THE XAVIER INSTITUTE. EARTH*

DANI, XUAN, JULIAN, AND NORI LOOK AT THE FORCEFIELD SURROUNDING THE SCHOOL, TRYING TO FIND A WAY IN. JULIAN ASKS DANI IF SHE STILL HAS HER VALKYRIE POWERS, AND DANI SAYS THAT IT WOULDN’T BE OF ANY USE. THIS IS SOME NEXT LEVEL MAGIC. XUAN, ON HER LAPTOP, TURNS TO LOOK AT THEM.

XUAN: I’VE GOT SOMETHING. I TRIED CROSS-REFERENCING THE S.H.I.E.L.D. DATA WITH THE X-MEN’S FILES RELATED TO KEYWORDS ‘BELASCO’ OR ‘LIMBO’. TWO DAYS AGO, A WOMAN KNOWN AS AMANDA SEFTON WAS CHECKED INTO A GERMAN HOSPITAL. SHE’S IN A COMA.

DANI: SHE’S NIGHTCRAWLER’S EX, AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THE CURRENT RULER OF LIMBO.

NORI: THEN SHE CAN GET US IN. WE’RE GOING TO FIND HER.

DANI: NO. I LEFT YOU GUYS ONCE AND PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES. WE’LL SEND OUT AN ALL-POINTS BULLETIN. CONTACT X-FORCE, EXCALIBUR… MAYBE EVEN X-FACTOR.

NORI’S GAUNTLETS CRACKLE WITH ELECTRICITY. JULIAN GLOWS WITH GREEN TK. DANI TAKES A STEP BACK.

DANI: OKAY, POINT TAKEN.

*BELASCO’S CASTLE, LIMBO*

DAVID SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET, TRYING TO WAKE JOSH AND TELLING HIM THAT HE THINKS LAURA’S DEAD. JOSH IS TOO OUT OF IT TO MOVE AND DAVID REALIZES THAT BELASCO TOOK DOWN THE PSYCHICS. THEY’RE A THREAT TO HIM.

DAVID: WE HAVE TO FREE THE CUCKOOS.

ELSEWHERE, BELASCO PUMMELS SOORAYA TO THE GROUND, STARTING TOWARDS A SLOWLY REFORMING CESSILY, WHO IS PISSED OFF. SOFIA STAGGERS TO HER FEET, THE WINDSTORM DYING DOWN.

BELASCO: YOUR TRANSIENT FORMS MAY BE IMMUNE TO MY MAGICS, BUT YOUR FRIEND CAN BE HURT. I WILL KILL HER IN FRONT OF YOU UNLESS YOU TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!

CESSILY: NO.

CESSILY RISES TO MEET BELASCO ONCE AGAIN, HER FINGERS GROWING INTO CLAWS AND HER LOWER HALF TURNING INTO AN OCEAN OF LIQUID METAL.

CESSILY: I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT AND I DON’T FUCKING CARE. I’LL DIE A THOUSAND DEATHS BEFORE I LET YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE.

SOFIA: AND I STAND BESIDE HER.

SOFIA FLOATS IN THE AIR, HER HAIR AND CLOTHES WHIPPING IN THE WIND AS HER EYES GLOW.

SOFIA: MY FRIENDS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME. I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU DO TO ME. I’M NOT GOING TO LET YOU HURT THEM ANYMORE.

SOORAYA: NEITHER WILL I.

STRENGTHENED BY SOFIA’S WIND, THE SANDSTORM RESUMES. IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL IS SOORAYA, HER FACE EXPOSED AND HER DARK HAIR BILLOWING AS HER EYES GLEAM BOLDLY.

SOORAYA: IF TODAY IS THE DAY I DIE, LET IT BE A DEATH THAT MAKES ALLAH PROUD.

AS THE GIRLS SURROUND HIM, BELASCO’S EYES GLOW.

BELASCO: SO BE IT.

*THE WASTELANDS*

THE DARKCHYLDE WALKS PAST THE FALLEN BODIES OF JEN, ROXY, AND NEZHNO, TELLING MEGAN THAT SHE CAN FEEL BELASCO TORTURING HER FRIENDS. SHE KNOWS WHAT HE’S THINKING, BUT HE MADE SURE THAT HE’S STRONGER THAN HER. VIC, STILL BARELY CONSCIOUS, IS BEING HELD BY BECCA.

BECCA: VICTOR, SHE’S COMING. WH-WHAT DO WE DO?

VIC: I… I DON’T KNOW. BECCA, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING. QUICK.

MEGAN: I… I DON’T GET IT. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

THE DARKCHYLDE SIMPLY GIVES HER A SINISTER SMILE.

DARKCHYLDE: THE ONLY THING THAT CAN KILL BELASCO… IS A SOULSWORD. AND I’VE LOST MINE.

BECCA: GET AWAY FROM HER, GOBLIN!

BECCA LEAPS FORWARD, PSIONIC ARMOR GLOWING ON HER BODY. A SWORD FORMS IN HER HAND.

BECCA: EMBER…!

THE DARKCHYLDE FIRES A BLAST OF MAGIC, HITTING BECCA AND SENDING HER SKIDDING AWAY.

MEGAN: BECCA! NO!

THE DARKCHYLDE WALKS TOWARDS MEGAN, TOUCHING HER CHEEK. SHE TELLS HER THAT IN ORDER TO FORM A SOULSWORD, SHE NEEDS A SOUL. AND SHE ASKS MEGAN IF SHE’D GIVE UP HER SOUL TO SAVE THEM.

MEGAN: YOU… YOU WANT MY SOUL?

ROXY: NO!

ROXY AND JEN REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESS, HELPING VIC TO HIS FEET. JEN SLOWLY SHIFTS FROM HER BIRD FORM TO THAT OF ONE OF THE DEMONS.

ROXY: VIC, JENNY, ON MY COUNT… ONE… TWO… THREE!

THE DARKCHYLDE SMILES WICKEDLY AND WITH A SNAP OF HER FINGERS, THE STUDENTS ARE ENCASED IN GREEN STONE BLOCKS. MEGAN STARTS TO CRY AS THE DARKCHYLDE STANDS OVER HER.

DARKCHYLDE: NO MORE SAVIORS, LITTLE PIXIE. YOU ARE ALONE.

THE DEMONESS SLOWLY RAISES A MEDALLION WITH A PENTAGRAM DRAWN ON IT. ON EACH POINT OF THE PENTAGRAM IS A HOLE WHERE A STONE CAN FIT INSIDE.

MEGAN: PLEASE, STOP. I DON’T WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE FRIENDS. I’LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.

THE DARKCHYLDE SMILES MANIACALLY AND RAISES HER HANDS, TELLING MEGAN NOT TO SCREAM. BLUE LIGHT FILLS THE WASTELANDS AND PIXIE SCREAMS AS HER SOUL IS PULLED FROM HER BODY.

*THE XAVIER INSTITUTE FOR HIGHER LEARNING*

DARKNESS FALLS OVER THE LOUNGE AS A GROUP OF STUDENTS SIT CROSS-LEGGED ON THE CARPET. SANTO IS IN THE PROCESS OF TELLING A STORY, SURROUNDED BY ANOLE, PIXIE, CALICO, ANIMALIA, AND ROXY WITH BLINDFOLD LURKING NEAR THE WINDOW. VIC AND BLING! LOOK UNAMUSED.

SANTO: …AND THAT’S HOW I DEFEATED THE SENTINELS, SINGLE-HANDEDLY BEAT ANNIHILATION, TOLD XAVIER TO GO TO HELL, SAVED HELLION FROM WOLVERINE AND HIS MAGIC SWORD, SCORED WITH LADY MASTERMIND, DEFEATED THAT CURSED BOARD GAME AND SAVED THE CUCKOOS FROM THE PHOENIX FORCE. AND, UM, THE WORLD-THINGY.

JEN: COOL!

ROXY: HE’S MAKING IT UP, JENNY.

VIC: YOU WEREN’T EVEN ALIVE WHEN THE TEAM SAVED THE CUCKOOS.

SANTO: OH, YEAH? WELL I’D LIKE TO SEE YOU COME UP WITH A BETTER ONE! IF YOU TOOLS HAVE ANY CHANCE OF MAKING IT ON THE TEAM, YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO LEARN TO SUCK UP BETTER!

AS SANTO ARGUES WITH VIC, MEGAN WALKS UP TO BLINDFOLD, ASKING HER IF SHE HAS A STORY TO TELL. SHE TURNS AROUND, A PALE FILM COVERING HER EYES.

BLINDFOLD: SHE DOES, YES, THANK YOU. YOU NEED TO KNOW, PLEASE. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHY. YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW IT BEGAN.

WE THEN SEE AN IMAGE AS BLINDFOLD TELLS HER STORY. IN IT, WE SEE A RED-SKINNED MAN LEERING ABOVE A SMALL GIRL BATHED IN LIGHT. FIRE RAINS AROUND THEM.

BLINDFOLD: *VOICE-OVER* THE DEMON LORD CAME FROM HELL TO TAKE THE GIRL, YES. HE WANTED HER INNOCENCE, HER SOUL TO APPEASE HIS DARK MASTERS, TO LET THEM ENTER OUR REALM AND FEAST. A GROUP OF HEROES TRIED TO WIN HER BACK. THEY FAILED. THE GIRL FELL TO DARKNESS. THE DEMON LORD WAS HER MASTER.

*REALITY*

AS BLINDFOLD PAUSES, THE OTHERS STARE AT HER, SPOOKED. MEGAN IS HIDING BEHIND SANTO’S ROCKY FORM AND JEN’S HAWK-LIKE WINGS.

SANTO: WHOA.

VIC: JEEZ, BLINDFOLD.

MEGAN: YEAH, COOL STORY. BUT IT’S OVER NOW, RIGHT? PLEASE?

BLINDFOLD: THE HEROES FEARED HER LOST, THEY DID. THEN SHE APPEARED BEFORE THEM ONCE MORE, BUT CHANGED.

MEGAN: WELP. GUESS NOT.

BLINDFOLD: OLDER. DARKER. CHANGED. HER SOUL WAS STAINED BLACK. THEY DIDN’T REALIZE, EXCUSE ME, THAT TIME WAS DIFFERENT THERE. THAT FOR THE MINUTES SHE WAS GONE, THE GIRL WAS TRAPPED IN HELL FOR YEARS.

THERE’S A BRIEF PAUSE BEFORE SANTO SPEAKS UP.

SANTO: OKAY, BUT WAS THE GIRL HOT?

VIC: SANTO!!!!

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS

*BLINDFOLD’S STORY*

WE ARE TREATED TO ANOTHER IMAGE. HERE, THE GIRL IS A TEENAGER, HOVERING CROSS-LEGGED IN THE AIR. THE DEMON IN THE RED CLOAK STANDS BEHIND HER, ABSORBING HER LIGHT.

BLINDFOLD: AND IN THE TIME SHE WAS TRAPPED, YES, THE STOLEN CHILD BECAME THE PUPIL OF THE DEMON LORD. FOR SEVEN YEARS, HE RAISED HER AS HIS OWN. HE TAUGHT HER THE DARK ARTS, GAVE HER A TASTE OF THE POWER WITHIN HER. BUT SLOWLY, HE SHATTERED HER SOUL. AND FROM THE SHARDS, HE CREATED BLOODSTONES, ALLOWING HIS MASTERS ENTRY TO OUR WORLD.

IN THE NEXT IMAGE, WE SEE THE GIRL TURNING AGAINST HER MASTER, BLASTING HIM WITH MAGIC. SMALL HORNS SPROUT FROM HER HEAD AND SHE SPORTS A LONG DEVIL’S TAIL. IN HER RIGHT HAND, SHE HOLDS A FLAMING SWORD.

BLINDFOLD: THE DARKNESS INSIDE HER WAS IRRESISTABLE. AND SHE WAS NOT ALONE IN HER STRUGGLE. SEVERAL OF THE GIRL’S HEROES HAD REMAINED IN LIMBO, WHERE THEIR BODIES AND SOULS WERE CORRUPTED BY THE REALM’S DARKNESS. THEY HELPED THE GIRL REBEL AGAINST THE DEMON LORD. SHE FORGED HER SOULSWORD AND ROSE UP AGAINST HER MASTER. AND SO, BELASCO WAS BANISHED FROM LIMBO.

*REALITY*

SANTO SEEMS VERY DISAPPOINTED BY HOW THINGS HAVE TURNED OUT, COMMENTING THAT BLINDFOLD SHOULD’VE HAD HER CUT OFF THE GUY’S HEAD WITH BLOOD SHOOTING UP FROM HIS NECK, AS THAT WOULD BE WAY MORE GNARLY. VIC CUTS HIM OFF, SAYING THAT HE THINKS THIS IS REAL. HE READ ABOUT IT IN THE X-MEN’S FILES.

VIC: THAT STUFF WITH BELASCO AND THE SOULSWORD… THOSE ARE REAL THINGS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO THE X-MEN.

SANTO: HEY, MY STORY WAS REAL TOO. ESPECIALLY THE PART ABOUT LADY MASTERMIND.

IN ANOTHER PART OF THE LOUNGE, NEZHNO ABIDEMI, A.K.A. GENTLE, IS MEDITATING. THE SILVER-TATTOOED STUDENT OPENS HIS EYES AS VIC AND SANTO YELL AT EACH OTHER. MEANWHILE, JEN ASKS BECCA IF SHE SMELLS SOMETHING BURNING.

VIC: WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT THAT ALREADY?!

SANTO: YOU’RE TOTALLY JEALOUS, LIZARD BOY!

VIC: SHE’S A PRECOG, SANTO!

SANTO: YEAH, WELL, IF SHE’S TELLING STORIES ABOUT THE PAST, THEN SHE’S A RE-COG!

NEZHNO SIGHS AND WALKS UP TO THEM, ANNOYED.

NEZHNO: COULD YOU PLEASE LOWER YOUR VOICES? I AM ATTEMPTING TO MEDITATE.

SANTO: NO, YOU SHUT UP!

NEZHNO: ESPECIALLY YOU, ROCK PERSON. YOUR VOICE GRATES.

MEGAN ZIPS UP TO HIM, SHUSHING HIM AND SAYING THAT BLINDFOLD IS TELLING A STORY.

*BLINDFOLD’S STORY*

WE SEE THE DEMON NOW KNOWN AS BELASCO AS HE STRUGGLES, CAST DOWN FROM HIS PLACE OF STATUS.

BLINDFOLD: BELASCO WAITED, YES, HE WAITED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO STEAL HIS APPRENTICE BACK. AND THEN… SHE DIED. WHEN BELASCO RETURNED TO LIMBO TO COLLECT MORE SOULS FOR HIS MASTERS, A HUMAN SORCERESS HAD TAKEN THE MANTLE OF MAGIK. AND BELASCO WAS DEFEATED ONCE AGAIN. THE ELDER GODS EXILED HIM. PUNISHED HIM.

BLINDFOLD: BUT EVEN EXILED TO THE HELLISH PIT BENEATH, BELASCO WAS NOT WITHOUT POWER. AND HE SENSED SOMETHING IN THE WORLD OF LIGHT ABOVE HIM. WITH A BLOOD SACRIFICE OF A MINOR DEMON, HE WAS ABLE TO ACCESS OLD MAGICS. THE SIMPLEST OF SPELLS. AND THROUGH HIS SPELL, HE SAW REALITY CHANGING. AND HE SAW HIS APPRENTICE…

IN THE STORY, BELASCO KILLS A FISHLIKE DEMON, PROJECTING A GIANT MIRROR IN FRONT OF HIM. AND THROUGH THAT MIRROR, HE SEES A FAMILIAR BLONDE TEEN IN A BLACK COMBAT SUIT WIELDING A SWORD. WE RECOGNIZE WHO THIS IS.

BLINDFOLD: ILLYANA RASPUTIN.

VIC: HANG ON, HANG ON, HANG ON.

WE CUT BACK TO REALITY AS THE OTHER STUDENTS HAVE QUESTIONS.

VIC: YOU’RE SAYING HE SAW ILLYANA RASPUTIN?

ROXY: THAT’S COLOSSUS’ SISTER, RIGHT? ISN’T SHE, YA KNOW, DEAD?

VIC: BLINDFOLD, WHAT KIND OF STORY ARE YOU TELLING US? IS THIS REAL?

MEGAN: SO IF COLOSSUS’ SISTER IS IN THIS STORY, IS CYCLOPS ALSO IN IT? BECAUSE THAT’D BE COOL.

BECCA: WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘REALITY CHANGED’? IF THIS STORY IS REAL, WOULDN’T WE KNOW ABOUT THAT?

JEN: WHO’S THIS ILLYANA PERSON AGAIN? IS SHE REAL OR NOT?

SANTO: WHO’S COLOSSUS?

VIC TURNS TO LOOK AT HIS DIMWITTED FRIEND AS BLINDFOLD IGNORES THEM.

BLINDFOLD: BUT JUST AS SUDDENLY AS ILLYANA REAPPEARED AMONG THE LIVING, SHE DISAPPEARED ONCE AGAIN.

*BLINDFOLD’S STORY*

BELASCO, NOW GIVEN A PURPOSE, CLIMBS UP A STAIRCASE OF FLOATING ROCKS. AN AXE IS STRAPPED BEHIND HIM.

BLINDFOLD: NOW BELIEVING HER HIDDEN IN THE REALM OF LIGHT, BELASCO BEGAN HIS QUEST TO TAKE BACK WHAT WAS HIS. AND SO HE BEGAN HIS JOURNEY THROUGH THE DIMENSIONAL VEILS TO LIMBO.

IN THE NEXT IMAGE, WE SEE BELASCO, AXE IN HAND, FACING OFF AGAINST TWO ROCKY GOLEMS. HE SWIFTLY DISPATCHES THEM.

BLINDFOLD: BUT THE HELLISH REALM BELASCO ONCE CALLED HIS HAD CHANGED. IT WAS NOW IN THE HANDS OF A SOUL NOT AS BLACK AS HIS. THE MOMENT HE STEPPED FOOT IN THE CHANGED LAND, SHE TURNED IT AGAINST THE DEMON LORD. AS WELL AS LIMBO’S DENIZENS.

BELASCO LOOKS AROUND AS AN ARMY OF DEMONS, ARMED WITH WEAPONS, FACE HIM. HE CHARGES INTO BATTLE, HACKING THEM APART.

BLINDFOLD: FOR MONTHS, BELASCO CUT THROUGH THE DEMONS OF LIMBO, EVERY BLOODY STEP BRINGING HIM CLOSER TO THE SORCERESS WHO USURPED HIS THRONE. THEY SENSED EACH OTHER, YES, AND SHE WAS A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS OF LIMBO. BUT SHE DID NOT KNOW OF THE RAGE THE DEMON LORD WOULD UNLEASH UPON HER.

NOW, BELASCO FACES OFF AGAINST A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN SILVER ARMOR. LIGHT FORMS IN HER HANDS AS SHE FACES HIM AND HIS DARKNESS.

BLINDFOLD: FOR YOU SEE, THE SORCERESS HAD TAKEN THE NAME MAGIK, AND NAMES HAVE POWER. WHEN FIRST THEY FOUGHT, BELASCO COULD HAVE REVEALED THE IDENTITY OF THIS PRETENDER, BUT PERHAPS PART OF HIM WANTED TO BELIEVE HIS APPRENTICE WAS ALIVE. BUT NOW, THE DECEIT ANGERED HIM, AND THAT GAVE HIM POWER. AND THE SORCERESS WAS NOT ARMED WITH THE TRUE MAGIK’S SOULSWORD.

IN THE NEXT IMAGE, THE SORCERESS STUMBLES OUT OF THE CASTLE, BADLY WOUNDED. A LOOK OF FEAR IS WRITTEN ON HER FACE.

BLINDFOLD: THE DEMON LORD’S POWER AND RAGE WAS TOO STRONG, AND THE SORCERESS WAS EXPELLED FROM LIMBO. BELASCO DID NOT CARE WHETHER SHE LIVED OR DIED. AMANDA SEFTON FELL. SHE FELL TO EARTH TWO DAYS AGO.

NOW, BELASCO STANDS REGAL AND PROUD, HIS AXE CLUTCHED IN HIS HAND. DARKNESS SWELLS AROUND HIM.

BLINDFOLD: BELASCO RECLAIMED LIMBO ONCE MORE, AND THE LAND BECAME DARKER THAN EVER, YES. HE RESURRECTED HIS DEMON ARMY THIS MORNING AND LOOKED UP TO THE REALM OF LIGHT. HE COULD NOT SENSE HIS APPRENTICE ANYMORE, BUT INSTEAD, HE SMELLED HER ON THE CHILDREN INHABITING THE X-MEN’S MANSION ABOVE.

*REALITY*

A GRIM LOOK IS ON BLINDFOLD’S FACE. SHE REMOVES HER BANDAGES, REVEALING HER EMPTY EYE SOCKETS.

BLINDFOLD: HE BELIEVES WE KNOW WHERE SHE IS, YES. THE DEMON LORD IS COMING FOR US ALL.

THE STUDENTS PAUSE, TAKING THIS ALL IN.

MEGAN: I DON’T LIKE YOU ANYMORE.

VIC: OH MY GOD.

SANTO: THAT IS ONE FREAKY CHICK.

VIC WRINGS HIS HANDS IN A PANIC, SAYING THAT ACCORDING TO BLINDFOLD, AMANDA SEFTON WAS DEFEATED TWO DAYS AGO. THIS SHIT IS REALLY HAPPENING.

MEGAN: ARE… ARE WE GONNA BE OKAY?

BLINDFOLD: NO, THANK YOU. I AM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, MEGAN.

MEGAN: WHAT?!

VIC: WE HAVE TO GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE RIGHT N-

BEFORE VIC CAN FINISH HIS SENTENCE, THE FLOOR OPENS UP, SENDING THEM ALL SCREAMING INTO THE FIERY CHASM BELOW.

*OUTSIDE*

NORI STANDS BESIDE JULIAN AS HE CAN’T STOP RAMBLING ABOUT THE FIGHT WITH NIMROD AND HOW THEY’RE ALL SHAKEN UP ABOUT IT. CESSILY CAN’T STOP HAVING NIGHTMARES. AND TO FACE SOMETHING MADE OF PURE HATRED FOR THEIR KIND… BEFORE HE CAN SAY ANYTHING ELSE, SURGE PUNCHES HIM IN THE NOSE.

JULIAN: WHAT THE FUCK, ASHIDA! HAVE YOU GONE MENTAL?!

NORI: YOU ALL COULD’VE DIED!

JULIAN BACKS AWAY AS NORI JABS A FINGER IN HIS FACE.

NORI: DON’T YOU DARE TRY TO TELL ME THAT YOU’RE SCARED! THIS TEAM IS MY RESPONSIBILITY! YOU ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY! YOU COULD’VE DIED, SARAH COULD’VE DIED, SOFIA COULD’VE DIED AND IT WOULD BE MY FAULT!

JULIAN STANDS UP AS NORI STARTS TO CALM DOWN. SLOWLY, HE ASKS HER IF SHE’S OKAY.

BEFORE NORI CAN SAY ANYTHING, THE CONVERSATION IS INTERRUPTED BY A FIERY EXPLOSION COMING FROM THE INSTITUTE! JULIAN MANAGES TO SHIELD THEM FROM THE BLAST, TRYING TO CHECK ON THE OTHER STUDENTS, BUT HE’S UNABLE TO BREACH THE FIRESTORM. DANI AND XUAN RUN TOWARDS THEM AS NORI SCREAMS OUT FOR DAVID.

FADE OUT…

FADE IN…

DAVID WAKES UP SLOWLY TO SEE SOORAYA LOOKING AT HIM. HE SLOWLY WAKES UP AND IS SHOCKED AT WHAT HE SEES. HE’S CHAINED TO A DAIS WITH SOORAYA, CESSILY, AND SOFIA ENCASED IN ROCK BESIDE HIM. BELOW THEM, AN ARMY OF DEMONS ARE ASSEMBLED. LAURA, JOSH, MARROW, ALANI, VALENTIN, AND THE REST OF THE STUDENT BODY IS RESTRAINED BY THE DEMONIC HORDE.

DAVID: THIS IS BAD. I… I REMEMBER FIRE, LIKE AN EXPLOSION. CESS, SOFIA, DID YOU SEE?

SOFIA: I WAS ASLEEP AND THEN I HEARD SCREAMING. I THINK IT WAS THE CUCKOOS.

SOFIA LOOKS OVER AT WHERE A GROUP OF STUDENTS LIE, THEIR HEADS ENCASED IN METAL HELMETS.

SOFIA: THOSE… THINGS WERE PUTTING THEM IN THOSE HELMETS. THEY HAVEN’T MOVED SINCE. I THINK I SEE MONET AND MARTHA IN THOSE OTHER ONES.

SOORAYA: THEY DID THE SAME WITH THE TELEPORTERS. CLARICE, RAYNA, AND SYZYA ARE OVER HERE.

DAVID: THEY KNEW TO TAKE OUT THE TELEPATHS AND THE TELEPORTERS. NORI AND JULIAN AREN’T HERE. AND I CAN’T USE MY POWERS. I’M GUESSING YOU GUYS CAN’T EITHER?

CESSILY STARTS TO GET MORE AGITATED, THRASHING AGAINST HER ROCK PRISON.

CESSILY: DAVID, YOU HAFTA GET US OUTTA HERE.

SOFIA: CESSILY…

CESSILY: DON’T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, SOFIA!

AS CESSILY STRUGGLES, THE ROCK TIGHTENS AROUND HER. SHE LOOKS FRUSTRATED.

CESSILY: GET THESE THINGS THE FUCK OFFA ME, DAVID!

DAVID: CESSILY, STOP! YOU’RE JUST MAKING IT WORSE!

SOORAYA: OH, NO… NO…

DAVID LOOKS UP TO SEE BELASCO, HIS RED CLOAK BILLOWING AS HE GREETS HIS DEMONIC HORDE. A PURPLE OGERISH DEMON STANDS BESIDE HIM. BEHIND THEM, THE X-MEN ARE TRAPPED IN A BEAM OF LIGHT. SOORAYA’S EYES WIDEN IN HORROR.

SOORAYA: SHAITAN. WE ARE OUT OF ALLAH’S REACH. WE ARE IN HELL.

BELASCO FLOATS IN THE AIR TOWARD DAVID, BURNING A HOLE THROUGH HIS BRAIN WITH HIS STEELY GAZE.

BELASCO: WHERE IS SHE?

DAVID: WHO…? WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US?

BELASCO ROUGHLY SEIZES DAVID BY THE FACE, PULLING HIM FORWARD.

BELASCO: I CAN SMELL HER ON YOU. ALL FOUR OF YOU. SO TELL ME WHERE SHE IS OR YOU WILL ALL SUFFER.

IN THE CROWD BELOW, HOPE ABBOTT, A.K.A. TRANCE, SQUIRMS IN THE GRIP OF A TENTACLED DEMON. LAURA TURNS HER HEAD AND CALLS OUT TO HER.

LAURA: HOPE ABBOTT. ACCORDING TO YOUR FILE, YOU ARE AN ASTRAL PROJECTOR. USE YOUR POWER TO GO UP THERE.

HOPE LOOKS UP AT THE LIGHT ABOVE THEM, STILL TOO GROSSED OUT TO FOCUS, SHE ASKS WHERE THAT LEADS AND LAURA TELLS HER THAT IT’S THE INSTITUTE.

LAURA: I HAVE EXCELLENT VISION.

BESIDE HOPE, JOSH REASSURES THE STUDENTS, TELLING THEM THAT NO MATTER HOW BAD BELASCO HURTS THEM, HE CAN FIX THEM. LAURA SIGHS, TELLING JOSH THAT SHE KNOWS HE WON’T HURT THEM.

JOSH: THAT’S GOOD, RIGHT?

LAURA: NO. HE WILL NOT HURT THEM… BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO KILL THEM.

*ELSEWHERE*

SANTO STRUGGLES TO HIS FEET AS HE, VIC, JEN, BECCA, BLINDFOLD, MEGAN, NEZHNO, AND ROXY STAND ATOP A SEA OF FIERY JAGGED ROCK SLABS.

SANTO: OKAY. WHAT WAS THAT? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LOUNGE? IT LOOKS LIKE SHIT.

MEGAN PUNCHES SANTO IN THE ARM, POUTING.

MEGAN: YOU JERKFACE! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING US! YOU’RE A ‘NEW X-MAN’!

SANTO: SHUT UP! I’M THINKING.

MEGAN: OH, GOD. WE’RE DOOMED.

VIC LOOKS AROUND, AFRAID, TELLING THEM THAT THEY’RE IN BIG TROUBLE. THEY’RE IN LIMBO.

JEN: THE X-MEN WILL SAVE US, RIGHT?

VIC: NO OFFENSE, JENNY, BUT THEY DON’T EXACTLY HAVE THE BEST TRACK RECORD WHEN IT COMES TO OUR WELFARE.

BECCA: IT’S OKAY. NOBODY PANIC. WE’RE GOING TO BE OKAY.

NEZHNO TURNS TO BLINDFOLD, ASKING HER WHAT SHE SEES WITH HER POWER. THE PRECOG LOOKS AWAY, SAYING THAT ‘SHE’ WILL COME, BUT NOT IN TIME.

SANTO: RUTH, I’M GONNA KICK YOU IN THE JUNK IF YOU DON’T SHUT UP. LITERALLY EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS BAD.

VIC: YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S SUPPOSED TO TAKE CHARGE, SANTO! WHAT THE FUCK IS MISS FROST TEACHING YOU?!

SANTO: I JUST PUNCH SHIT, LIZARD BOY! I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!

BLINDFOLD: YES, PLEASE, ANOLE. SHE WILL NOT LISTEN TO YOU. YOU MUST SAVE PIXIE. SHE MUST NOT FALL INTO THE DARKNESS.

SUDDENLY, MEGAN SCREAMS AND THEY SEE A HORDE OF DEMONS CHARGING UP THE CLIFF TOWARDS THEM. BLINDFOLD SAYS ONCE MORE THAT SHE WILL NOT COME IN TIME.

THE STUDENTS SPRING INTO ACTION. ROXY SKEWERS THEM WITH HER CRYSTAL JAVELINS. BECCA SUMMONS EMBER, ACTIVATING BARNSTORMER MODE. JEN DIVES DOWN, SLASHING DEMONS WITH HER TALONS. SANTO CLOBBERS A DEMON AND ASKS VIC WHAT HE SHOULD DO WHILE NEZHNO STANDS TO THE SIDE CALMLY, TELLING HIM TO WATCH HIS SIDE. VIC JUMPS ONTO A DEMON AND PUNCHES IT WITH HIS GIANT ARM AND TELLS SANTO TO PROTECT BLINDFOLD.

MEGAN FLITS AROUND BLINDFOLD, NOTICING A HORDE OF DEMONS SURROUNDING HER. THINKING QUICKLY, SHE SHOWERS THEM WITH PINK SPARKLES, CAUSING THEM TO FREEZE IN PLACE. IN THE DEMONS’ PERSPECTIVE, MEGAN AND BLINDFOLD ARE REPLACED BY RAINBOW BUBBLES AND A GIANT TEDDY BEAR.

BUBBLES: HEY, THEY’RE NOT RUNNING.

TEDDY BEAR: EXCUSE ME, WHAT DOES THE PIXIE DUST MAKE THEM SEE?

BUBBLES: I HAVE NO IDEA. I BET IT’S SOMETHING AWESOME.

SANTO RUNS OVER TO THE DISTRACTED DEMONS AND PREPARES TO FIRE OFF HIS ARMS TO HIT THEM. BLINDFOLD CALLS OUT TO HIM THAT IT DOESN’T WORK ANYMORE, BUT HER WARNING COMES TOO LATE. SANTO’S ATTACK BACKFIRES AND HE EXPLODES INTO MILLIONS OF TINY PIECES. VIC TRIES TO TELL THEM TO REGROUP, BUT IS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A DEMON. BEFORE IT CAN FINISH HIM OFF, AN AXE SLICES OFF HIS HEAD.

BLINDFOLD: SHE IS HERE. THE DARKCHYLDE IS HERE.

THE GROUP OF MUTANTS WATCH AS A GIRL WITH LONG BLONDE HAIR IN A TORN LEATHER BIKINI AND SKIRT WALKS UP TO THEM. HER EYES FLASH RED. DEMONIC HORNS GROWN FROM HER HEAD AND SHE HAS HOOVES FOR FEET AND A LONG DEVIL’S TAIL. SHE HOLDS A BLOODY AXE IN ONE HAND AND A CHAIN IN ANOTHER THAT IS LINKED TO A COLLAR WRAPPED AROUND A GREEN BAT-LIKE DEMON. EVERYTHING ABOUT HER SCREAMS ‘BADDIE’.

MEGAN: WE’RE IN TROUBLE.

*BELASCO’S CASTLE*

BELASCO LOSES HIS PATIENCE, ROARING AT DAVID TO TELL HIM WHERE ILLYANA RASPUTIN IS. BELOW, LAURA YELLS AT CESSILY, SOFIA, AND SOORAYA TO FIGHT. DAVID’S EYES WIDEN IN REALIZATION.

DAVID: I’M REALLY SORRY. ILLYANA RASPUTIN IS DEAD.

BELASCO PAUSES, PROCESSING THIS RESPONSE.

BELASCO: YOU LIE!

WITH THAT, THE DEMON LUNGES FORWARD, GRABBING DAVID BY HIS SHIRT. HE THEN PLUNGES HIS HAND INTO DAVID’S CHEST, RIPPING OUT HIS HEART! AS DAVID’S CORPSE FALLS TO THE GROUND BELOW, BELASCO TURNS TO THE GIRLS, HOLDING THEIR FRIEND’S HEART IN HIS HAND.

BELASCO: NOW… I’LL ASK AGAIN. WHERE IS SHE?

EPISODE 1: BACK IN THE SADDLE

THE NEW X-MEN BEGIN THEIR SPRING SEMESTER, TRYING TO MOVE PAST THE EVENTS FROM WINTER BREAK.

EPISODE 2: MURDER ME, MUTINA

A CONTROVERSIAL NEW HORROR FILM PROJECTS MORE BAD PUBLICITY ONTO THE XAVIER INSTITUTE.

EPISODE 3: DAY OFF

WHEN ANOLE GOES OUT ON A DATE, THE NEW X-MEN SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO CLUBBING.

EPISODE 4: TECHNETTING AROUND

CLARICE FINDS HERSELF PURSUED BY A STRANGE GROUP OF INTERGALACTIC MERCENARIES.

EPISODE 5: HOME COMFORTS

SANTO MUST HELP THE TECHNET AS THEY TRY TO REPAIR THE INSTITUTE.

EPISODE 6: PAPPARAZZI

CESSILY MUST GO UNDERCOVER AT THE DAILY BUGLE WHEN A SERIES OF MURDERS OCCUR CENTERED AROUND CONTROVERSIAL ACTOR BOBBY CARR.

EPISODE 7: UNCONVENTIONAL ASSASSINATION

DURING A TRIP TO COMICON, THE TEAM IS TARGETED BY ASSASSINS WHO HAVE A SCORE TO SETTLE WITH LAURA.

EPISODE 8: RETRIBUTION

LAURA IS SET ON REVENGE AGAINST THE RED RIGHT HAND, BUT WILL THIS REAWAKEN HER KILLER URGES?

EPISODE 9: ROOKIES TO THE RESCUE.

WHEN TWELVE FRESHMEN ARE CAPTURED BY THE VILLAIN ARCADE, MELTER, MURMUR, SHATTER, SKEIN, SYZYA, PERSUASION, PIROUETTE, SHARD, GOLDBALLS, GRAYMALKIN, THRENODY, AND WASHOUT MUST PUT ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES IN ORDER TO ESCAPE MURDERWORLD.

EPISODE 10: CULTURE SHOCK

THE SCHOOL GAINS FIVE INHUMANLY NEW EXCHANGE STUDENTS.

EPISODE 11: NEIGHBORHOOD THREAT

WHEN A FRESHMAN STUDENT IS FRAMED FOR MURDER, THE NEW X-MEN MUST DELVE INTO HER PAST TO LOCATE THE TRUE CULPRIT.

EPISODE 12: NEON NIGHTS

WHEN DANCERS FROM THE GROUP'S FAVORITE CLUB GO MISSING, SOFIA MUST POSE AS A DANCER HERSELF TO TRACK DOWN THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE.

EPISODE 13: FIGHT THE FUTURE

THE NEW X-MEN ARE IN FOR A SURPRISE WHEN A GROUP OF VISITORS FROM THE FUTURE TELL THEM THAT THEY MUST STOP SELENE AND HER SISTERHOOD BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

*EAGLE PLAZA. DALLAS, TEXAS*

FORGE FLIPS A SWITCH AND PINK LIGHT FILLS THE AIR AS NIMROD STARTS TO TRANSFER ITS CONSCIOUSNESS INTO A NEW BODY. IT DETECTS THE NEW X-MEN AND IMMEDIATELY CALCULATES A TERMINATION SOLUTION.

A FEW MILES AWAY, THE BLACKBIRD BEEPS AS CESSILY ASKS IF EVERYTHING IS OKAY. DAVID SITS IN THE COCKPIT WITH LAURA RIDING SHOTGUN.

DAVID: WE’RE FINE, CESS.

LAURA: NO, WE ARE NOT.

DAVID: YES, WE ARE.

LAURA: I’VE BEEN WATCHING YOU. YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FLY THIS PLANE.

DAVID: I MEAN, I KNOW HOW TO USE THE AUTOPILOT.

LAURA: THAT IS NOT FLYING.

AS CESSILY ONCE AGAIN ASKS IF THEY’RE OKAY, DAVID SWITCHES ON VERBAL INTERFACE AND AN AUTOMATED VOICE INFORMS THEM THAT THERE’S A MASSIVE ENERGY BUILDUP FROM EAGLE PLAZA. BEFORE DAVID CAN DO ANYTHING, A BEAM STRIKES THE JET, DAMAGING IT. IT FALLS TO THE GROUND AS THE GROUP PANICS.

SANTO: WHERE’S THE OXYGEN MASKS?!

NORI: KELLER! SOFIA! DO SOMETHING!

MARROW: THIS IS GONNA HURT…

DAVID GRABS THE CONTROLS AS THE BLACKBIRD CRASHES AGAINST THE GROUND.

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS

*THE XAVIER INSTITUTE*

VICTOR BORKOWSKI SITS AT A TABLE AS XUAN INTERROGATES HIM, SWEATING PROFUSELY. XUAN LOOKS BOTH CONCERNED AND FRUSTRATED AS SHE ASKS WHERE HIS CLASSMATES ARE.

VIC: I… UH… I THINK THEY MIGHT BE WITH NO GIRL! YEAH!

XUAN: “NO GIRL?”

VIC: OR THEY MIGHT BE IN THE DANGER CAVE! DID YOU CHECK THERE? OR ARAKKO? I THINK THE GATEWAY IS WORKING AGAIN!

XUAN: VIC, I’M NOT EMMA FROST, SO I WON’T TRY TO INVADE YOUR MIND, BUT I MIGHT THINK ABOUT IT IF YOU KEEP THIS UP. YOUR FRIENDS COULD BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. NOW WHERE ARE THEY?

VIC: SOMETIMES STUDENTS JUST GET RANDOMLY KIDNAPPED! OR WORSE! THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SUCKED INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION!

XUAN STARES AT HIM INTENSELY AS VIC KEEPS BABBLING.

VIC: I’M SERIOUS! THEY COULD BE IN ASGARD! OR SPACE! YOU REMEMBER MOJO, MISS MANH? THEY COULD’VE BEEN TURNED INTO BABIES!

DISSATISFIED, XUAN DECIDES TO CALL CYCLOPS.

*EAGLE PLAZA*

A BURST OF TK BLOWS OFF THE ROOF OF THE BLACKBIRD AS THE NEW X-MEN EMERGE, MOSTLY UNSCATHED. JULIAN SIGHS, LOOKING AT DAVID.

JULIAN: NICE LANDING, ALLEYNE.

SANTO: AND DON’T GIVE US THAT ‘ANY LANDING YOU CAN WALK AWAY FROM’ BULLSHIT BECAUSE THAT LANDING SUCKED ASS.

DAVID: YOU CAN FLY NEXT TIME, SANTO.

SANTO: YUSSS! PROMOTION!

SOFIA GINGERLY RUNS A HAND OVER SOME BURNS OVER HER SHOULDER, LOOKING AT THE PLAZA AND WONDERING IF NIMROD KNOWS ABOUT THEM. NORI TELLS HER THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER. THEY’RE GOING IN.

A FEW MINUTES LATER, SANTO SMASHES THROUGH THE DOOR AND NORI GROANS, TELLING HIM THAT THERE WAS A CHANCE NIMROD THROUGHT THEY WERE DEAD. THEY WERE SNEAKING IN. AS THEY WALK IN, CESSILY NOTICES THAT IT’S VERY DARK. NORI PROVIDES SOME LIGHT AND THE OTHERS LOOK AROUND. DAVID NOTICES THAT THE BUILDING SEEMS TO BE VIBRATING AND LAURA SAYS THAT SHE HEARS SOMETHING HEADING THEIR WAY.

SUDDENLY, A ROBOT HITS SANTO FROM BEHIND, SEVERAL MORE SURROUNDING THE NEW X-MEN. NORI’S GAUNTLETS PULSE AS SHE LIGHTS UP THE ROOM, REVEALING THEIR ADVERSARIES.

MARROW: LOOK LIKE TIN-DICK BROUGHT REINFORCEMENTS.

NORI: LET’S GO!

WITH THAT, THE NEW X-MEN CHARGE INTO BATTLE.

ELSEWHERE, NIMROD FULLY TRANSFERS INTO THE NEW BODY, ABOUT TO TERMINATE FORGE AND THE NEW X-MEN, WHEN FORGE INITIATES SOME PROTOCOLS, YELLING AT THE ROBOT TO OVERRIDE ANY FOREIGN PROGRAMMING. WITH THAT, THE ROBOT SPARKS WITH BLUE LIGHT AND LISTS ITS FIRST PROTOCOL, TO PROTECT THE NEW X-MEN.

FORGE: I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT WORKED. NOW INITIATE FULL DEFENSIVE MODE AND GET DOWNSTAIRS! THERE ARE MUTANTS IN TROUBLE!

DOWNSTAIRS, THE NEW X-MEN ARE IN BATTLE AGAINST THE ROBOT GUARDS. CESSILY STABS HER BLADE THROUGH A ROBOT’S HEAD. LAURA FLIPS IN THE AIR, SLICING A ROBOT IN HALF. SOORAYA SHREDS THEM IN HER SANDSTORM WHILE SOFIA’S WIND SLASHES AT THEIR METALLIC HIDES. SANTO CRUSHES THEM BENEATH HIS ROCKY FISTS. JULIAN AND NORI BLAST THEM WITH TK AND ELECTRICITY. MARROW LETS OUT A GUTTERAL YELL AND EVISCERATES ANY ROBOT IN HER VICINITY. SANTO SMILES AT HER SLIGHTLY.

SANTO: HEY, I KNOW I DON’T EXACTLY HAVE THE… TOOL KIT, BUT MAYBE WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER…

MARROW: NOT ON YOUR LIFE, ROCK BOY.

SUDDENLY, A ROBOT ABOUT TO ATTACK NORI EXPLODES AND THE GROUP TURNS TO SEE NIMROD 2.0 FLOATING IN FRONT OF THEM. NORI GIVES THE ORDER AND LAURA SLASHES ITS FACEPLATE, FOLLOWED BY CESSILY, MARROW, SOORAYA, AND SANTO. NORI TURNS TO JULIAN AND SOFIA AND TELLS THEM TO STAY WITH DAVID, WHO SUDDENLY REALIZES SOMETHING.

DAVID: SOMETHING’S NOT RIGHT. DID… DID WE ACTUALLY SEE THAT THING ATTACK NORI?

AS LAURA AND MARROW SLASH THE ROBOT, IT LISTS ITS PROTOCOL TO PROTECT MUTANTS, CAUSING SOFIA TO GASP.

SOFIA: DAVID, YOU’RE RIGHT. IT SAID ‘PROTECT’.

DAVID: NORI, STOP!

AS FORGE ENTERS, CESSILY JUMPS ON THE ROBOT’S BACK. ONE OF HER BLADES SLAMS INTO HIS BACK AND SHE RAISES THE OTHER ONE, READY TO STRIKE.

FORGE: NO! STOP ATTACKING! NORI, GET EVERYONE AWAY FROM THAT MACHINE!

IT’S TOO LATE. CESSILY’S SECOND BLADE SINKS INTO THE ROBOT. ELECTRICITY SURGES THROUGH HER AS SHE SCREAMS IN PAIN. SOFIA RUNS TOWARD HER BEST FRIEND, BUT FORGE PULLS HER BACK, SAYING THAT THE DISCHARGE WILL BURN HER TO A CRISP. THEY NEED TO GET HER OUT OF THERE.

SLOWLY, LAURA JUMPS FORWARD, CLAWS EXTENDED. IN ONE SWIFT MOTION, SHE SLICES OFF CESSILY’S HANDS. AS THE SENTINEL REBOOTS, SOFIA RUNS TO HER SIDE AS CESSILY’S HANDS REFORM.

SOFIA: THANK YOU, LAURA. CESSILY…?

CESSILY: I’M… I’M OKAY, SOFIA.

NORI: FORGE? WHAT HAPPENED?

FORGE: NIMROD CAME TO ME FOR REPAIRS, BUT I TRANSFERRED HIS A.I. INTO ANOTHER BODY. AN ANTI-SENTINEL UNIT I CREATED TO DEFEND THE INSTITUTE. I OVERWROTE NIMROD’S PROGRAMMING, BUT THIS… THIS IS BAD.

SLOWLY, NIMROD COMES BACK ONLINE, SHIFTING BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL FORM, AND PROCEEDS WITH TERMINATION. SECONDS LATER, AN EXPLOSION ROCKS THE BUILDING. THE CAMERA GOES BLACK.

THE CAMERA SLOWLY FADES IN AS BRIGHT LIGHT FROM NORI’S GAUNTLETS LIGHT UP THE ROOM. SANTO AND CESSILY ARE HOLDING UP THE REMAINS OF THE BUILDING. LAURA, SOORAYA, AND DAVID ARE TENDING TO A SLIGHTLY DAZED FORGE, JULIAN, AND SOFIA. MARROW CROUCHES DOWN, ONE OF HER BONE BLADES SEVERELY FRACTURED. SOFIA SLOWLY COMES TO, HER LEFT ARM DISLOCATED.

SANTO: MY NOSE ITCHES. AND… THIS BUILDING IS REALLY HEAVY, GUYS.

DAVID: SOFIA, YOUR ARM’S BEEN DISLOCATED. WE NEED TO RESET IT. BITE DOWN ON THIS.

DAVID TEARS A STRIP OF CLOTH FROM HIS T-SHIRT AND GIVES IT TO SOFIA TO BITE DOWN ON. WITH THAT, HE SNAPS HER ARM BACK INTO PLACE.

SOFIA: JESUCRISTO! THAT HURTS!

LAURA LEAVES FORGE SLUMPED AGAINST THE WALL, OBSERVING MARROW’S FRACTURED BONE. SHE GRIPS IT AND TELLS THE MORLOCK THAT THIS WILL HURT.

MARROW: THEY ALWAYS DO.

LAURA COUNTS TO THREE AND THEN PULLS THE BONE OUT OF HER BACK. AS MARROW SCREAMS IN PAIN, LAURA SAYS THAT THE MACHINE IS CUTTING A PATH TO THEM. SOORAYA HOLDS ONTO A BARELY CONSCIOUS JULIAN.

CESSILY: IS HE OKAY?

SOORAYA: I AM NOT SURE. I THINK HE NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION.

LAURA: NO. HIS HEART RATE IS INCREASING. HE WILL WAKE UP SOON.

FORGE STAGGERS TO HIS FEET, SUFFERING FROM A CONCUSSION, AND TELLS THE STUDENTS TO RUN. NIMROD WILL KILL EVERYONE. THE STUDENTS, THE ARAKKII MUTANTS, THE X-MEN… IT WON’T STOP UNTIL EVERY LAST MUTANT IS ERADICATED. NORI SAYS THAT THEY SHOULD WARN THE X-MEN AND BUY THEM SOME TIME SO THEY CAN EVACUATE THE INSTITUTE, BUT AS SHE SAYS THAT, CESSILY POINTS OUT THE OBVIOUS FACT; THEY’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.

MARROW: NOT IF WE DON’T GET RID OF THE DEAD WEIGHT. WE’LL LEAVE FORGE AND HELLION BEHIND AND-

NORI: WHAT THE FUCK, SARAH?!

MARROW GLARES AT HER FRIEND.

MARROW: I KNOW YOU’RE THE LEADER, BUT IN THESE SITUATIONS, THAT’S HOW YOU SURVIVE.

NORI: THAT MAY BE TRUE IN THE MORLOCK TUNNELS, BUT IN HERE, I’M IN CHARGE. AND I’M NOT LEAVING ANYONE BEHIND.

AS JULIAN SLOWLY REGAINS CONSCIOUSNESS, LAURA REALIZES THAT NIMROD IS CLOSE. IT BURSTS THROUGH THE RUBBLE AND SHURGS OFF NORI’S ELECTRICAL ATTACKS, BEFORE ACTIVATING A PULSE THAT KNOCKS AWAY ANYONE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY. MARROW STRUGGLES TO GET UP AS SHE SEES NIMROD POINT ITS ARM AT JULIAN.

NORI: SARAH, GET UP! SARAH!

SUDDENLY, VOICES START TO FLASH THROUGH MARROW’S MIND AS SHE LOOKS AT JULIAN’S PRONE FORM.

DAVID’S VOICE: I KNOW SHE’S YOUR BEST FRIEND, NORI, BUT YOU NEED TO FACE FACTS. SHE’S SELFISH. AND THE MORE SHE STAYS ON YOUR TEAM, THE MORE LIKELY SHE IS TO GET EVERYONE KILLED.

NORI’S VOICE: THAT MAY BE TRUE IN THE MORLOCK TUNNELS, BUT IN HERE, I’M IN CHARGE. AND I’M NOT LEAVING ANYONE BEHIND.

MARROW GRABS HER BONE BLADES AND LEAPS TOWARD NIMROD.

MARROW: HEY CHROME DOME! GET YOUR STINKING HANDS AWAY FROM-

A BLAST FROM NIMROD’S CHEST HITS HER POINT-BLANK, SENDING HER SKIDDING TO THE GROUND. IT’S UNCLEAR WHETHER SHE’S DEAD OR NOT. JULIAN AND NORI IMMEDIATELY RETALIATE, FIRING ON NIMROD WITH ALL THEY’VE GOT.

OUTSIDE, DAVID RUNS TOWARD THE RUINS OF THE BLACKBIRD, SIFTING THROUGH THE CONTENTS INSIDE. THEN, HIS EYES LAND ON A DUFFEL BAG WITH THE XAVIER’S LOGO ON IT.

BACK ON THE BATTLEFIELD, LAURA AND SOFIA SLASH AT NIMROD AS IT FIRES OFF FRENZIED SHOTS AT THEM. NORI LOOKS OVER AT CESSILY, WHO IS TENDING TO SARAH.

NORI: CESS! C’MON!

CESSILY: SARAH, PLEASE WAKE UP… PLEASE WAKE UP!

AS NORI STREAKS TOWARDS HER, SHE’S HIT WITH A BLAST FROM NIMROD. BUT JUST BEFORE IT CAN DELIVER THE KILLING BLOW, A BULLET STRIKES ITS FACE, BLOWING PART OF IT TO SMITHEREENS. DAVID RUNS TO NORI’S SIDE, AN ASSAULT RIFLE IN HIS HAND.

DAVID: IT’S OKAY, NORI. I’M HERE.

NORI: DAVID… THAT… WAS SO STUPID.

JULIAN: MOVE, LOVEBIRDS!

AS JULIAN AND SOORAYA HOLD OFF THE ROBOT, THE OTHERS REGROUP, TRYING TO MAKE A PLAN. CESSILY LAYS MARROW TO THE SIDE, TEARS IN HER EYES.

SANTO: NOT TO BE THAT GUY, BUT I THINK IT’S TIME TO CUT OUR LOSSES AND SPLIT.

SOFIA: I’M WITH SANTO. WE NEED TO GET MARROW TO THE INFIRMARY.

NORI: NO. FUCK THAT. I’M DONE RUNNING. THIS ENDS TONIGHT.

FORGE: NO. THAT’S SUICIDE.

LAURA: YOU SHOULDN’T WALK WITH A CONCUSSION. IT’S VERY BAD FOR YOU.

DAVID LOOKS OVER AT WHERE NIMROD IS WARDING OFF ATTACKS FROM JULIAN AND SOORAYA.

DAVID: FORGE, YOU SAID YOU TRANSFERRED NIMROD’S CPU INTO SOMETHING YOU CREATED. MAYBE IT HAS A WEAKNESS THAT THE ORIGINAL NIMROD DOESN’T?

FORGE: NO. NIMROD UPDATED THE ANTI-SENTINEL WITH ITS OWN HARDWARE. IT’S UNSTOPPABLE. UNLESS…

HIS EYES WIDEN SUDDENLY.

FORGE: NOT EVERYTHING INSIDE THE ROBOT IS NIMROD.

SANTO: IN ENGLISH, PLEASE? NOT ALL OF US PASSED BIOLOGY.

FORGE: THE TIME DEVICE! THAT’S HOW NIMROD GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IF WE OVERLOAD THAT, IT WOULD DETONATE AND TAKE HIM DOWN FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

NORI: SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. I’LL NEED A DISTRACTION.

SANTO: THAT’S MY MIDDLE NAME, CHIEF! SOFIA, WANNA HELP?

SOFIA: BASICALLY ACT ANNOYING? SOUNDS LIKE FUN.

AS A STRAY LASER BEAM CLIPS JULIAN, DAVID STEPS IN FRONT OF HIS GIRLFRIEND.

DAVID: NO. IT’S TOO DANGEROUS. YOU’D HAVE TO GET THROUGH NIMROD’S ARMOR, EXPOSE THE DEVICE AND KEEP IT EXPOSED WHILE YOU ATTACK. THAT THING WILL KILL YOU.

LAURA: UNDERSTOOD. I WILL OPEN UP THE SENTINEL.

CESSILY: I’M WITH YOU. THAT THING HURT ONE OF OUR FRIENDS. I’LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.

DAVID: GUYS, PLEASE…

NORI STEPS AWAY FROM THE GROUP, REMOVING HER GAUNTLETS. HER NAKED FLESH SPARKS WITH ELECTRICITY.

NORI: WE HAVE TO STOP THIS, DAVID. IT ENDS TONIGHT. NO MATTER WHAT.

AS JULIAN PUTS UP A TK SHIELD, SOORAYA’S DUST STORM BLINDS THE ROBOT. IT THEN FIRES A LASER INTO THE STORM, FORCING HER TO SWITCH TO FLESH. SUDDENLY, A SHARP BLADE OF AIR HITS ITS FACE.

SANTO: HEY, PORCO! OVER HERE!

SOFIA: COME AND GET US!

NIMROD FOCUSES ITS ATTENTION ON THEM, BUT IS MOMENTARILY DISTRACTED WHEN LAURA SLASHES OPEN ITS CHEST. DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS AS NIMROD FOCUSES ON HER.

A BEAM OF PINK LIGHT CASCADES FROM ITS CHEST, HITTING LAURA. SHE FALLS TO THE GROUND, HER FLESH CHARRED. JUST AS THE ROBOT STARTS TO REPAIR ITSELF, CESSILY’S FINGERS ENLARGE INTO CLAWS, FORCING THE HOLE OPEN.

CESSILY: NO! I’M NOT GONNA LET YOU HURT ANYONE ELSE!

NIMROD TURNS ITS ATTENTION TO CESS, ACTIVATING A SHOCKWEB THAT ELECTROCUTES HER. ALL OF A SUDDEN, NORI LEAPS ONTO THE SENTINEL, SLAMMING HER ELECTRIC FISTS RIGHT INTO ITS TIME DRIVE. AS CESSILY FALLS BACK INTO SOFIA’S ARMS, NIMROD MAKES A SERIES OF ERROR NOISES THAT ARE DROWNED OUT BY NORI’S PRIMAL SCREAM.

SLOWLY, A PINK BUBBLE STARTS TO ENCASE BOTH NIMROD AND NORI AS NIMROD STATES THAT IT IS IN JEOPARDY. FORGE GASPS, TELLING THE GROUP THAT THEY NEED TO GET HER OUT OF THERE.

NORI: DAVID… I… I LOVE…

JULIAN: ASHIDA… SHUT UP…

IMMEDIATELY, JULIAN WRAPS NORI IN TK, PULLING HER AWAY FROM THE ROBOT. NIMROD COLLAPSES IN ON ITSELF, AND THEN IT IS GONE.

SMOKE FILLS THE RUINED BUILDING AS DAVID RUNS OVER TO NORI, WHO LOOKS FOR HER GAUNTLETS. SOORAYA YELLS IN ARABIC AS FORGE TENDS TO HER. SOFIA, SUFFERING A FEW MINOR BURNS, FALLS BACK INTO SANTO.

SANTO: I GOTCHA, SOF.

SOFIA SMILES.

SOFIA: YOU KNOW, WE MADE A GREAT TEAM.

SANTO LOOKS OVER AT WHERE CESSILY IS TENDING TO MARROW. NORI LOOKS OVER AT HER BEST FRIEND, PRAYING THAT SHE’S OKAY. JULIAN SIGHS, SAYING THAT HE WAS JUST STARTING TO LIKE HER.

SUDDENLY, MARROW’S EYES OPEN AND SHE SITS UP, WONDERING WHAT’S GOING ON. NORI LAUGHS AND TELLS HER THAT THEY BEAT NIMROD, WHICH MARROW EXPRESSES HER DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MISSING OUT ON.

JULIAN: SARAH… YOU SAVED ME. WHY?

MARROW SMILES AT NORI AND DAVID.

MARROW: I GUESS I DIDN’T WANNA BE SELFISH FOR ONCE.

NORI SMILES BACK AS MARROW DUSTS HERSELF OFF.

MARROW: NOW IF YOU’D EXCUSE ME, I’D LIKE TO GET LAID. HARD.

SANTO SMIRKS AND MARROW GRIMACES AT HIM.

MARROW: STILL NOT GONNA HAPPEN, BUDDY. HEY, WHAT’S UP WITH HER? SHE DON’T LOOK SO GOOD.

JULIAN TURNS AROUND AND GASPS. LAURA’S CHARRED BODY WRITHES AND HEMORRHAGES IN SOORAYA’S ARMS. JULIAN WRAPS HER IN TK, TELLING THEM THAT THEY NEED TO GET HER BACK TO JOSH, BUT DAVID SAYS THAT THE BLACKBIRD IS WRECKED. THERE’S NO WAY TO GET HER HOME IN TIME.

JULIAN: THEN I’LL CARRY HER THERE.

JULIAN WRAPS HIS GIRLFRIEND IN HIS ARMS AND SHOOTS OFF INTO THE SKY AS CESSILY SCREAMS AFTER HIM. SANTO TURNS AND SEES SEVERAL POLICE OFFICERS POINTING GUNS AT THEM.

OFFICER: EVERYONE FREEZE! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU PEOPLE?

THE GROUP STANDS PROUDLY. SANTO WRAPS A COLOSSAL ARM AROUND CESSILY AND DAVID DOES THE SAME WITH NORI. SOORAYA, HER VEIL SHREDDED, STANDS BETWEEN SOFIA AND MARROW. NORI GIVES THE OFFICER A SIMPLE ANSWER.

NORI: WE’RE X-MEN.

ELSEWHERE, JULIAN STREAKS THROUGH THE AIR, TELLING LAURA THAT HE’S NOT GONNA LOSE HER TOO. SUDDENLY, HE RECEIVES A TELEPATHIC MESSAGE FROM EMMA FROST.

EMMA: JULIAN?

JULIAN: MISS FROST! PLEASE HELP ME! LAURA… SHE’S DYING AND I CAN’T FLY FAST ENOUGH!

EMMA: JULIAN, THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO. IT’S TOO DANGEROUS…

JULIAN: PLEASE! I... I LOVE HER! I DON’T WANNA BURY ANY MORE FRIENDS!

AFTER A WHILE, EMMA SPEAKS.

EMMA: I’M OPENING THE PART OF YOUR MIND THAT CONTROLS YOUR POWER. THIS MAY HURT.

JULIAN’S EYES GLOW GREEN AND HE SHOOTS OFF LIKE A ROCKET, SCREAMING IN PAIN. BLOOD POURS FROM HIS NOSE AS HIS TK LEAVES A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE. FINALLY, HE REACHES THE INSTITUTE, CRASHING THROUGH LOA AND MIRROR GIRL’S DORM AND THE LOUNGE BEFORE REACHING THE INFIRMARY. CLARICE LOOKS UP IN SURPRISE AS JULIAN GRABS JOSH WITH HIS TK.

JULIAN: ELIXIR! C’MON! SHE’S DYING, FOLEY! YOU NEED TO SAVE HER!

JOSH REMAINS UNRESPONSIVE AND JULIAN GRABS HIM BY THE NECK.

JULIAN: HEAL HER, GODDAMMIT! I KNOW YOU KILLED STRYKER, BUT YOU’RE NOT A MURDERER! YOU’RE A HEALER!

CLARICE: JULIAN? WHAT’S GOING ON? HOLY SHIT, IS THAT LAURA?

JOSH: C-CAN’T…

JULIAN: THAT’S BULLSHIT! JUST BECAUSE YOU COULDN’T SAVE THE OTHERS DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T SAVE HER! C’MON, FOLEY! SAVE HER!

JOSH PLACES HIS HANDS ON LAURA’S TEMPLES AND BATHES THE ROOM IN GOLDEN LIGHT. LAURA’S BURNS FADE AS JOSH’S SKIN STARTS TO TURN GOLD AGAIN. WHEN IT’S OVER, LAURA LIES ON THE GROUND, HER UNIFORM SHREDDED.

JULIAN: LAURA?

FINALLY, LAURA OPENS HER EYES.

LAURA: HI.

JOSH: HI.

WITH THAT, JULIAN COLLAPSES JUST AS THE X-MEN RUN INTO THE INFIRMARY.

FADE OUT…

*ONE WEEK LATER*

FADE IN…

FROM AN UNKNOWN POV, WE SEE THE SCHOOL, NOW REBUILT AS IF THE PURIFIER ATTACK HAD NEVER HAPPENED. DANI AND SOFIA STAND BY THE ENTRANCE SOMBERLY.

VOICE: I’VE BEEN HERE THREE TIMES NOW. EACH TIME, I NEVER STAYED LONG. SO MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE SAM FIRST CAME TO THE SCHOOL. HE TOLD ME WHAT TO EXPECT. HE DIDN’T WANT ME TO COME. BUT I HAD TO BE HERE FOR JOSHUA… AND FOR SAM AND PAIGE AND MELODY TOO.

DANI: PAIGE IS GETTING SAM NOW. WE’RE SO SORRY, MA’AM.

SOFIA: WE SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE.

THE CAMERA FOCUSES ON THEIR GUEST. IT’S LUCINDA GUTHRIE.

LUCINDA: THANK YOU… THANK YOU BOTH FOR LETTING ME SAY GOODBYE.

*JOSH’S ROOM*

JOSH SITS ON HIS BED, LOOKING AT THE SMALL SPECK OF EBONY ON HIS HAND. NORI, DAVID, AND LAURIE WATCH HIM.

JOSH: IT CHANGES BUT I CAN STILL FEEL IT MOVING ACROSS MY BODY. IT FEELS WEIRD.

NORI: CAN YOU STILL…?

JOSH: KILL? YEAH. BUT I’M NOT GOING TO.

LAURIE: I MEAN, YOU SAVED LAURA’S LIFE.

JOSH SMILES AT HER BEFORE TURNING SERIOUS ONCE AGAIN.

JOSH: SOMETHING CHANGED IN ME WHEN I KILLED STRYKER. AND AGAIN WHEN I SAVED LAURA. IT WAS SOMETHING JULIAN SAID, OF ALL PEOPLE… I CAN BE MORE. I CAN DO MORE. I JUST HAVE TO CONTROL IT.

WITH THAT, BEAST ENTERS, CARRYING A HUGE STACK OF BOOKS THAT HE LAYS ON JAY’S EMPTY BED. NORI LOOKS AT THE BOOKS IN SHOCK.

DAVID: WHAT, DID YOU ASK FOR THE WHOLE LIBRARY?

JOSH: NO, JUST THE STUFF ON BIOLOGY. I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT THESE POWERS, SO I MIGHT AS WELL GET STARTED.

*THE LOUNGE*

VIC STANDS BESIDE BEN HAMMIL, A.K.A. MATCH, AS SANTO IS IN THE PROCESS OF BRAGGING TO THEM. SOORAYA STANDS WITH HIM, LOOKING A BIT UNEASY.

SANTO: SO FOLEY’S GONE ALL ZEN OR SOME SHIT AN’ PROBABLY ISN’T COMING BACK TO THE TEAM. THE TEAM THAT TOOK DOWN FUCKING NIMROD. DID I MENTION THAT? I DON’T KNOW THIS FOR SURE, BUT THERE COULD BE AN OPENING SO… HAVE EITHER OF YOU DIED OR COME BACK TO LIFE LIKE ME, LAURA, JULIAN, OR SOFIA?

VIC AND BEN JUST GIVE HIM CONFUSED LOOKS.

SANTO: TOO BAD. NOW, HAMMIL, YOU’VE GOT A FLAME HEAD AND SHIT SO THAT’S PRETTY COOL BUT WHAT IF WE WERE DOING STEALTH SHIT? YOU’D BLOW IT!

BEN: WELL, ACTUALLY…

SANTO: AND VIC, YOU’VE GOT THE CAMO THING AND JULIAN TELLS ME YOU ALREADY LOST AN ARM WHICH IS PRETTY FUCKING COOL, BUT WHAT’RE YOU GONNA DO IN A FIGHT AGAINST, OH, I DON’T KNOW, NIMROD?! YOU GONNA FUCKING TONGUE HIM?!

VIC: WHAT IS IT WITH YOU AND JULIAN ALWAYS CALLING PEOPLE BY THEIR LAST NAMES? YOU NEVER CALL ME BY MY LAST NAME.

SANTO: ‘CUZ YOUR LAST NAME IS BORKOWSKI. FUCKING LAME! AM I RIGHT, QADIR?

SOORAYA: CESSILY ASKED EVERYONE TO BE NICE TO YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR RETURN TO US. YOU ARE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT. AND PLEASE STOP SWEARING.

SUDDENLY, SOORAYA NOTICES LUCINDA GUTHRIE WALK BY WITH SOFIA.

SOORAYA: WHO WAS THAT?

VIC: THAT’S LUCINDA GUTHRIE. JAY’S MOM.

SOORAYA IMMEDIATELY TAKES OFF DOWN THE HALL.

SANTO: SOORAYA, WAIT! DON’T… DON’T KEEP BEATING YOURSELF UP.

SANTO SIGHS AND LOOKS OVER AT VIC.

SANTO: WAY TO GO, LIZARD BOY. YOU’RE OUT.

VIC: WHAT?!

*JOSH AND JAY’S ROOM*

LUCINDA LOOKS AROUND AT HER SON’S PART OF THE ROOM. JOSH IS GONE AND SOFIA LEANS BACK, LOOKING AT JAY’S GUITAR AND SOME PICTURES OF JULIA AND THE NEW MUTANTS.

LUCINDA: HE DIDN’T WANT TO COME HERE AT FIRST. HE WANTED TO STAY WITH JULIA. BUT I MADE HIM COME. HE WROTE TO ME A LOT. HE SAID THAT IN TIME, THE PAIN EASED. IT DIDN’T GO AWAY, BUT IT EASED. HE FOUND FRIENDS. HE BEGAN TO LIVE AGAIN. THANK YOU, SOFIA, FOR HELPING HIM.

BEFORE SOFIA CAN REPLY, SOORAYA WALKS IN, REMOVING HER VEIL. HER EYES FILL WITH TEARS.

SOORAYA: MISS GUTHRIE? I…

LUCINDA: YOU MUST BE SOORAYA. MY SON TOLD ME WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PERSON YOU ARE.

SOORAYA COLLAPSES TO HER KNEES, SOBBING. AS LUCINDA GOES TO HUG HER, SILENT TEARS FALL DOWN SOFIA’S FACE.

SOORAYA: PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

LUCINDA: OH, HONEY, IT’S OKAY. THERE’S NOTHING TO FORGIVE YOU FOR. THIS ISN’T YOUR FAULT.

*LATER*

THE STUDENTS OF THE XAVIER INSTITUTE GATHER AROUND THE FOYER, DRESSED IN BLACK, AS LUCINDA SPEAKS. CESSILY LAYS HER HEAD ON ROXY’S SHOULDER. CLARICE HOLDS SOFIA’S HAND. JULIAN PUTS AN ARM AROUND LAURA. SAM, PAIGE, AND MELODY STAND IN THE DOORWAY. ‘TURN TO STONE’ BY INGRID MICHAELSON PLAYS.

LUCINDA: WHEN SAM WAS YOUNG, THE WORLD HATED SPECIAL BOYS LIKE HIM. WHEN HE DISCOVERED HE WAS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER KIDS, HE WAS SCARED… AND SO WAS I. BUT THEN CHARLES XAVIER BROUGHT HIM TO THIS SCHOOL. THIS SCHOOL IS WHERE MY SON BLOSSOMED AND BECAME A MAN. THIS SCHOOL GAVE MY CHILDREN SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT THEY’D HAVE… HOPE. JOSHUA LOVED IT HERE. HE LOVED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. YOU ARE HIS FAMILY. HORRIBLE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED HERE. BUT I STILL BELIEVE. I BELIEVE CHARLES XAVIER’S DREAM THAT HE TOLD ME ABOUT WHEN I BROUGHT MY FIRST CHILD HERE. THE X-MEN ARE A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS. THEY REPRESENT HOPE FOR A BETTER WORLD. AND WHILE I WORRY FOR SAM AND PAIGE AND MELODY, I COULD NEVER TELL THEM TO STOP FIGHTING FOR THAT DREAM. BECAUSE INSIDE THESE WALLS, THAT DREAM HAS COME TRUE, AND YOU ARE THE ONES WHO WILL SHARE THAT DREAM WITH THE WORLD. MY SON BELIEVED THAT AND SO DO I. WE MISS YOU, JOSHUA. WE LOVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEARTS.

STUDENTS TRAIL OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL, EACH ONE HOLDING A CANDLE. THEY GATHER AROUND THE COURTYARD AS DANI STANDS AT A PODIUM. EACH STUDENT HANGS THEIR HEAD, REMEMBERING A FRIEND OR AN ALLY THAT WAS LOST TO THEM.

DANI: WE REMEMBER JOHN PROUDSTAR AND ILLYANA RASPUTIN. WE REMEMBER JEAN GREY. WE REMEMBER SARAH VALE. WE REMEMBER MAX JORDAN. WE REMEMBER MARK SHEPPARD, ANDREA MARGULIES, FLOYD CARTER, AND JEFFREY GARRETT. WE REMEMBER BRIAN CRUZ. WE REMEMBER ESME AND SOPHIE CUCKOO. WE REMEMBER GERMAINE CARUSO AND MIKE COLUMBUS. WE REMEMBER JOSHUA “JAY” GUTHRIE.

WITH EACH NAME THAT IS CALLED, THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY RAISE THEIR CANDLES.

DANI: WE REMEMBER ALL THE STUDENTS LOST IN THE VIOLENCE OF THESE PAST FEW DAYS. WE GATHER TOGETHER FOR SUPPORT, TO NEVER BE ALONE, AND TO REMEMBER THE ONES WE LOVE. TO HONOR THEIR MEMORIES AND KEEP THEM ALIVE IN OUR HEARTS. LET THEM BE AT PEACE. WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.

*EPILOGUE. GERMANY*

IN A SMALL FARM TOWN IN GERMANY, A FIERY PORTAL OPENS IN THE NIGHT SKY, SPITTING OUT WHAT SEEMS LIKE A FIERY COMET. IT IMPACTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, CREATING A SMOKING CRATER. CRAWLING OUT OF THAT CRATER IS A BLONDE WOMAN DRESSED IN SILVER. SHE LOOKS AROUND, BADLY WOUNDED.

WOMAN: HELP ME… HELP ME, PLEASE. HE’S BACK.

*THE CHURCH OF REVEREND WILLIAM STRYKER*

THE CHURCH LOOKS LIKE A WARZONE. THREE CORPSES LIE COVERED BY SHEETS. MONITORS BLINK AND FLASH. THE AVENGERS KNOWN AS IRON MAN AND CAPTAIN MARVEL EXAMINE THE SCENE.

IRON MAN: I’M PICKING UP A DISTINCT ENERGY TRAIL. WHATEVER THIS THING WAS, IT MOVED DOWN FROM THE CROSS, KILLED THOSE TWO MEN, AND CAME TO THIS BODY HERE. THE ENERGY TRAIL LEFT THE CHURCH AND TOOK FLIGHT… HEADED SOUTHWEST, THEN JUST STOPPED COLD ABOUT A MILE AWAY.

CAPTAIN MARVEL: SO WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER ONE? POLICE REPORTS SAY HE DIED FROM A BULLET WOUND.

THE BLONDE AVENGER KNEELS DOWN AND REMOVES THE TARP, TAKING A STEP BACK. HER EYES WIDEN IN HORROR.

CAPTAIN MARVEL: OH GOD… IT’S JUST A KID.

IRON MAN WALKS OVER TO THE CORPSE OF JAY GUTHRIE. HIS RIGHT ARM IS EXTENDED AND THE WORDS ‘NIMR’ IS WRITTEN IN BLOOD BESIDE HIM WITH A HALF O. HIS FINGERS ARE DAPPLED IN DRIED BLOOD.

IRON MAN: A KID TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING.

CUE INTRO AND CREDITS

*THE XAVIER INSTITUTE*

JULIAN WATCHES AS THE X-MEN TRY TO REPAIR THE DAMAGES DONE BY STRYKER’S ATTACK. CESSILY WALKS BESIDE HIM, ASKING HIM HOW HIS SIDE IS. WHEN HE REPLIES BRUSQUELY, CESSILY PUTS A HAND ON HIS SHOULDER.

CESSILY: JULIAN, I KNOW MISS FROST MADE NORI LEADER OF THE TEAM AND I KNOW YOU MISS BRIAN AND THE OTHERS… BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT.

JULIAN: YEAH. I GET THAT A LOT. I THOUGHT I KNEW HOW BAD IT COULD GET, Y’KNOW? ALL THAT SHIT WITH MY HANDS, ANNIHILATION AND ARAKKO, ALMOST DYING… BUT I WAS WRONG.

HE LOOKS AROUND AS CESSILY SIGHS.

JULIAN: WHERE ARE CLARICE AND SOFIA?

CESSILY: WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… MURDER MAKES FOR STRANGE BEDFELLOWS.

IN CLARICE AND SOFIA’S ROOM, THE TWO GIRLS MAKE OUT AS ‘I’LL MAKE LOVE TO YOU’ BY BOYS II MEN PLAYS. CLARICE LOOKS RELUCTANT AS SOFIA TRIES FRANTICALLY TO REMOVE HER UNIFORM.

CLARICE: SOFIA… ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS? WITH EVERYTHING THAT’S HAPPENING, IT FEELS… INAPPROPRIATE.

SOFIA: WE COULD HAVE DIED TODAY. AND RIGHT NOW… I JUST WANT TO FEEL ALIVE. THAT’S WHAT BRIAN AND THE OTHERS WOULD WANT. FOR US TO LIVE OUR LIVES.

CLARICE: I MEAN, USUALLY, I’M ALL FOR A BEAUTIFUL SEX GODDESS COMING ON TO ME, BUT… IS NOW REALLY THE TIME?

SOFIA CEASES HER FRANTIC DISROBING AND LOOKS AT CLARICE. HER EYES SHINE WITH TEARS.

SOFIA: CLARICE, I’M SCARED. I’M TERRIFIED. IT FEELS LIKE MY WHOLE WORLD IS CRUMBLING AROUND ME, AND… I NEED YOU TO BE BY MY SIDE. I NEED YOU TO HELP ME.

CLARICE SMILES AND KISSES HER.

CLARICE: IT’S OKAY. I’M HERE. I’M HERE AND I’M NOT GONNA LET GO.

SOFIA: I KNOW. I LOVE YOU, CLARICE.

*CEREBRA*

SOORAYA PACES BACK AND FORTH AS SHE AND LAURA WATCH THE CUCKOOS TRY TO FIND JAY. MINDEE CONCENTRATES AS CYCLOPS TELLS HER TO FOCUS ON LOCATING HIM.

MINDEE: I… I CAN’T SENSE HIM. HE’S EITHER BEING SHIELDED SOMEHOW, OR…

PHOEBE: OR HE’S DEAD.

SOORAYA: NO… ALLAH, NO… THIS IS MY FAULT. I SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH THEM.

LAURA: THEN YOU WOULD DIE.

CELESTE SUDDENLY TURNS TO CYCLOPS, RECEIVING A MESSAGE FROM COLOSSUS. HE HAS A VISITOR. IN THE LOUNGE, COLOSSUS, THEIA, XYBER, WASHOUT, AND SYZYA STARE OUT THE WINDOW IN SHOCK.

COLOSSUS: TELL HIM IT’S URGENT, CELESTE.

WASHOUT: WHOA.

*INFIRMARY*

JOSH, HIS SKIN STILL A DEEP EBONY, THRASHES AROUND IN HIS BED. HIS ARMS ARE HELD DOWN BY LEATHER STRAPS AS HE SCREAMS IN PAIN. LAURIE, DAVID, AND NORIKO WATCH.

DAVID: MISS FROST SAYS THAT IT’S NOT A MENTAL CONDITION. IT’S ALMOST LIKE… HE ALTERED HIS OWN BRAIN CHEMISTRY.

LAURIE: THIS IS MY FAULT. I SHOULDN’T HAVE TOLD HIM TO JOIN THE TEAM IN THE FIRST PLACE. I SHOULD’VE KNOWN HE WAS HURTING.

NORI: IT’S OKAY, LAURIE. NONE OF THIS IS ON YOU.

DAVID: THE BEST WE CAN DO NOW IS WAIT FOR HIM TO SNAP OUT OF IT. SAM’S GONNA BE OKAY, THOUGH. HE WAS SHOT THREE TIMES, POINT-BLANK IN THE CHEST. DOCTOR MCCOY TELLS ME HE WAS IMMORTAL.

THE DOOR TO THE INFIRMARY OPENS AS MARROW LOOKS AT JOSH IN AMAZEMENT. LAURIE CROSSES HER ARMS, ASKING HER WHAT SHE’S DOING.

MARROW: NEWSFLASH, BLONDIE. YOUR BOYFRIEND DID SOMETHING THAT ONLY A MORLOCK COULD DO. I DIDN’T EVEN THINK HE HAD THE BALLS TO DO THAT. BUT THAT… THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

LAURIE: WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU? JOSH COULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT… HE MAY BE IN THIS STATE FOREVER… AND YOU WANT TO FANGIRL OVER HIM?!

MARROW: HEY, WAY I SEE IT, IN THIS WORLD, YOU’RE EITHER FIGHTING OR ON THE SIDELINES. YOU MADE YOUR DECISION. SO STAY THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY.

LAURIE STORMS OUT OF THE ROOM AS NORI GIVES SARAH A LOOK.

NORI: NOT COOL, SARAH.

MARROW: WHAT? DON’T TELL ME YOU’VE GONE SOFT, ASHIDA.

NORI: JOSH COULD HAVE PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE. AND LAURIE’S WORRIED ABOUT HIM. WE ALL ARE! THIS ISN’T A GAME, SARAH!

MARROW GRIMACES, POINTING A BONE BLADE AT DAVID.

MARROW: IT’S YOUR FAULT, ISN’T IT? YOU DID THIS TO HER. YOU MADE HER WEAK.

DAVID: NO ONE DID ANYTHING, SARAH. FORTY-THREE OF OUR FRIENDS ARE DEAD. SO FORGIVE ME IF I DON’T FEEL LIKE REFLECTING ON THAT. NOW PLEASE GET OUT OF MY FACE.

MARROW LOWERS HER BONE BLADE, MARCHING OUT IN A HUFF. DAVID TURNS TO NORI, CONCERNED.

DAVID: I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU SEE IN HER.

NORI: SARAH’S… DIFFERENT. YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND, DAVID.

DAVID: I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE JUST CALLED YOU WEAK. THAT SHE TREATS EVERYONE LIKE TRASH. SHE PLAYS THE VICTIM BUT SHE ALWAYS ACTS LIKE SHE’S BETTER THAN EVERYONE.

AS DAVID SPEAKS, THE CAMERA PANS TO MARROW, LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION.

DAVID: I KNOW SHE’S YOUR BEST FRIEND, NORI, BUT YOU NEED TO FACE FACTS. SHE’S SELFISH. AND THE MORE SHE STAYS ON YOUR TEAM, THE MORE LIKELY SHE IS TO GET EVERYONE KILLED.

*MEANWHILE*

CAPTAIN MARVEL SHIFTS UNCOMFORTABLY AS SHE TALKS WITH SANTO AND CESSILY. SHE AND CESSILY SHARE AN EMBARRASSED LOOK AS SANTO PRATTLES ON.

SANTO: THAT’S A GREAT COSTUME. REALLY GREAT. IT LOOKS REALLY, REALLY COMFORTABLE.

CESSILY: SANTO, PLEASE SHUT UP.

SANTO: I DID PREFER YOUR OLD ONE, THOUGH. WITH THE… LEGS.

VOICE: CAROL!

CAPTAIN MARVEL: OH, THANK GOD.

SCOTT HUGS THE BLONDE AVENGER, TELLING HER THAT HE WAS WORRIED SHE’D LEFT FOR STORM’S WEDDING ALREADY. CAROL SIGHS AS JULIAN, LAURA, AND SOORAYA ENTER, TELLING SCOTT THAT THEY SHOULD TALK IN PRIVATE.

SANTO: SHE WAS TOTALLY INTO ME, CESS. YOU KNOW YOU’RE JEALOUS.

CESSILY: SHUT UP. PLEASE JUST SHUT UP.

JULIAN: WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ABOUT?

LAURA SNIFFS THE AIR, A BIT SUSPICIOUS.

LAURA: SHE WAS WITH HIM. SHE SMELLS LIKE ICARUS.

SOORAYA: WHAT?

JULIAN: CESS, YOU’D BETTER GET THE OTHERS.

A FEW MINUTES LATER, CESSILY BRINGS DAVID, NORI, MARROW, CLARICE, AND SOFIA OVER TO WHERE LAURA IS SITTING BESIDE THE DOOR TO CYCLOPS’ OFFICE, RECITING WHAT SHE HEARS.

LAURA: THEY ENTERED THE CHURCH… THERE WERE A LOT OF BODIES… STRANGE TECHNOLOGY… SHE’S WEARING A LOT OF PERFUME.

NORI: WHAT’S GOING ON?

SANTO: WE’RE EAVESDROPPING. SUMMERS IS MEETING WITH THE HOTTEST AVENGER EVER.

CLARICE: WHY IS BLACK WIDOW HERE?

SANTO: NO, NOT HER! THE OTHER HOT ONE! THE ONE WITH THE FISTS! BLONDE BLAZER!

JULIAN FACEPALMS.

CESSILY: THAT’S FROM DISPATCH, YOU MORON. HE’S TALKING TO CAPTAIN MARVEL, CLARICE.

JULIAN: THEY WENT TO STRYKER’S CHURCH. BABE, KEEP GOING. WITHOUT THE COMMENTARY, PLEASE.

LAURA CONTINUES WHILE SANTO GIVES CESSILY A CONFUSED LOOK, AS IF HE ACTUALLY BELIEVED THAT THE AVENGER WAS NAMED BLONDE BLAZER.

LAURA: THERE WAS AN OBJECT THAT LEFT AN ENERGY TRAIL, BUT IT DISAPPEARED TO THE SOUTHWEST. THEY LOOKED AT THE THIRD BODY AND…

LAURA PAUSES, LEAVING THE OTHERS ANXIOUS.

SANTO: SPIT IT OUT, LAURA! YOU’RE KILLING US!

LAURA FINALLY SPEAKS, HANGING HER HEAD.

LAURA: JAY GUTHRIE IS DEAD.

THE GROUP GASPS, TRYING TO PROCESS THIS INFORMATION. SOORAYA STARTS SOBBING.

LAURA: HE WAS SHOT IN THE…

JULIAN: STOP. THAT’S ENOUGH, LAURA.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, EMMA APPEARS BEHIND THEM, TELLING THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR ROOMS. SHE THEN OPENS THE DOOR AS THE NEW X-MEN SCATTER.

EMMA: CAROL, DARLING. TELL ME, ARE YOU THE WORLD’S GREATEST SUPERHERO YET? DID DOCTOR PHIL OFFER YOU A SPOT ON HIS SHOW?

SCOTT: EMMA, YOU NEED TO HEAR WHAT-

EMMA FOLDS HER ARMS HAUGHTILY, GIVING CAPTAIN MARVEL A LOOK OF DISDAIN.

EMMA: OH, I KNOW WHY SHE’S HERE, SCOTT. I READ HER MIND THE SECOND THE ARRIVED AT THE INSTITUTE. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY TARDINESS, BUT I WAS RELEASING ANOTHER STUDENT’S BODY TO HIS GRIEVING PARENTS.

THE REGAL TELEPATH’S EYES FLASH AS SHE GLANCES AT SCOTT.

EMMA: HAS SHE TOLD YOU WHY SHE’S REALLY HERE? BECAUSE IT ISN’T TO TELL US ABOUT JAY.

SCOTT: CAROL?

CAPTAIN MARVEL SIGHS, FACING THEM BOTH.

CAROL: WE’VE… WE’VE STARTED A SCHOOL. AVENGERS ACADEMY. I KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENED, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE SOME OF YOUR STUDENTS MIGHT FEEL MORE SAFE…

EMMA: SO NOW YOU WANT TO POACH FROM OUR SCHOOL?!

CAROL: NO, EMMA, I THOUGHT…

EMMA: YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THE AVENGERS HAVE NEEDED US, WE’VE BEEN THERE. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION… WHERE WERE THE AVENGERS WHEN WE NEEDED HELP? WHERE WERE YOU?

IN A FLASH OF PSYCHIC ENERGY, CAROL FINDS HERSELF IN THE WRECKAGE OF THE BUS. FLAMING CORPSES SURROUND HER. EMMA’S TELEPATHIC VOICE RINGS IN HER HEAD.

EMMA: FORTY-TWO OF OUR STUDENTS LEAVING FOR WINTER BREAK WERE KILLED BY A RELIGIOUS MANIAC. FORTY-TWO CHILDREN. THE YOUNGEST WAS A GIRL NAMED AMBER. SHE WAS GOING TO TURN THIRTEEN. IT’S STRANGE… I DON’T SEE THE AVENGERS PULLING HER BODY FROM THE WRECKAGE.

NEXT, CAROL APPEARS OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTE, LOOKING AT A CEMETARY. A CASKET LIES BESIDE HER.

EMMA: THIS IS THE FUNERAL WE HELD. THE X-MEN ARE ABOUT TO PUT BRIAN CRUZ’S BODY IN THE GROUND. HE JUST WANTED PEOPLE TO LIKE HIM, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER TEENAGER. BUT HE GOT THIS INSTEAD. SURELY THE AVENGERS CAME TO THE FUNERAL, RIGHT? NO? A PITY.

NEXT, CAROL WATCHES A WOMAN INSIDE A FLORAL-PRINT KITCHEN, HOLDING A PHONE IN HER HAND.

CAROL: EMMA, PLEASE…

EMMA: THIS IS LUCINDA GUTHRIE. I HAVE TO CALL HER TO TELL HER THAT ONE OF HER SONS IS DEAD AND HER ELDEST SON HAS BEEN TERRIBLY WOUNDED. SHE SENT HER CHILDREN HERE TO PROTECT AND EDUCATE THEM. AND NOW, ONE OF THEM IS IN A COFFIN, HIS YOUNGER SISTER GREATLY TRAUMATIZED. TELL ME, CAROL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THIS PHONE CALL WITH ME? BECAUSE I DON’T THINK IT WOULD BE AN EASY ONE TO MAKE.

FINALLY, CAROL APPEARS IN A COFFIN. SHE LOOKS AROUND TO FIND MAX JORDAN LYING BESIDE HER.

EMMA: 22 HOURS AGO, THE SAME MAN WHO BLEW UP THAT BUS STAGED AN ATTACK ON THE INSTITUTE. YOUNG MAXWELL JORDAN WAS MURDERED. AND WHERE WERE YOU?

WITH THAT, CAROL APPEARS BACK IN THE OFFICE, DISORIENTED AND AFRAID.

EMMA: THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO FIND MUTANTS, MISS DANVERS. SO UNLESS YOU WANT TO GRAB A SHOVEL AND LAY TWO MORE INNOCENTS TO REST, THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER.

CAROL TRIES TO PROTEST BUT FALLS SILENT. SCOTT PUTS A COMFORTING HAND ON HER SHOULDER AND WALKS HER OUT.

EMMA: OH, AND CAROL… IF YOUR WAR WAS ANYTHING LIKE MUTANTKIND’S… YOU’RE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF SHOVELS.

NOW ALONE IN THE OFFICE, EMMA FALLS TO HER KNEES AND WEEPS.

*MEANWHILE*

THE NEW X-MEN GATHER IN JULIAN AND SANTO’S ROOM AS CESSILY WONDERS WHAT THE HELL ‘NIMR’ MEANS. NORI SUGGESTS THAT SINCE JAY THOUGHT HE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE, HE COULD HAVE BEEN TRICKED OR BRAINWASHED.

SOFIA: WE’RE MISSING SOMETHING. LAURA, YOU SAID THIS THING LEFT AN ENERGY TRAIL?

LAURA: YES. IT DRAGGED ITSELF ACROSS THE FLOOR INSIDE, BUT THEN FLEW OUTSIDE AND DISAPPEARED SOUTHWEST.

SANTO: I BET THAT CHICK FROM MEDIUM COULD FIGURE IT OUT.

CESSILY GLARES AT HIM.

CESSILY: SANTO, SHUT UP.

SANTO: WHAT? WE NEED SOMEONE LIKE HER! OR THAT OLD CHICK FROM MURDER, SHE WROTE. I MEAN, WHAT THE FUCK’S A NIMMER?

DAVID TUNES OUT THEIR BICKERING, STARTING TO REMEMBER SOMETHING. HE FLASHES BACK FIRST TO THE NIMROD SIMULATION IN THE DANGER CAVE, AND THEN TO THE STRANGE GAUNTLET ON STRYKER’S ARM. HIS EYES WIDEN AS HE PIECES TOGETHER THE PUZZLE.

DAVID: NIMROD.

SANTO: HEY. UNCOOL, GLASSES.

DAVID: NOT YOU. NIMROD.

SANTO: STILL FEELS LIKE YOU’RE INSULTING ME.

DAVID: NO, I MEAN NIMRO… AW, FORGET IT. WE NEED TO TELL MR. SUMMERS. NOW.

*DALLAS, TEXAS. EAGLE PLAZA*

FORGE GRIMACES, TELLING NIMROD THAT HE’LL NEVER HELP IT. PINK ENERGY GLOWS IN THE DAMAGED SENTINEL’S HAND AS IT TELLS HIM THAT THIS IS ILLOGICAL. IT HAS SUFFICIENT ENERGY FOR ONE TELEPORTATION EVENT AND ONE TERMINATION BEFORE TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE. FORGE’S EYES WIDEN AS HE ASKS WHAT IT’S TALKING ABOUT.

NIMROD: 62 DEGREES 27’ NORTH. 3 DEGREES 24’ EAST. THE MAKER WILL REPAIR THIS UNIT’S TIME DRIVE. TARGET LOCKED…

NIMROD THEN DISPLAYS AN IMAGE OF A BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN WOMAN WITH LONG WHITE HAIR WEARING A CEREMONIAL DRESS. FORGE GASPS IN SHOCK.

NIMROD: ORORO MUNROE. X-MAN. DESIGNATION: STORM. COMPLY, OR SHE WILL BE TERMINATED.

FORGE: NO. STOP. PLEASE.

THE INVENTOR SINKS TO THE GROUND, DEFEATED.

FORGE: I’LL HELP YOU. JUST LEAVE HER ALONE.

NIMROD: SATISFACTORY. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IN PROGRESS. THE MAKER WILL REPAIR THIS UNIT.

*THE XAVIER INSTITUTE. HANGAR*

DAVID WALKS WITH CYCLOPS AND WOLVERINE TOWARD THE JET, IN DEEP CONVERSATION. HE TELLS THEM THAT HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW STRYKER GOT A HOLD OF IT, BUT THIS EXPLAINS EVERYTHING. HIS GAUNTLET, HOW HE KNEW WHEN THEY WEREN’T AT THE INSTITUTE… IT MATCHES EVERYTHING CAPTAIN MARVEL SAW.

SCOTT: THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE. NIMROD WAS SENT THROUGH THE SIEGE PERILOUS AFTER IT… IT’S A LONG STORY. BUT NIMROD, BASTION, MASTER MOLD… WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT… IT WAS DESTROYED.

SOFIA: MAYBE THIS IS ANOTHER NIMROD. OR A NIMROD FROM A DIFFERENT POINT IN TIME.

WOLVERINE: I REALLY FUCKIN’ HATE TIME TRAVEL.

SCOTT: NIMROD WAS DESTROYED, SOFIA. I KNOW HOW YOU ALL MUST BE FEELING, BUT THERE’S NOTHING TO FEAR. I’LL HAVE CABLE INVESTIGATE THIS AND WE’LL TALK LATER.

DAVID AND SOFIA SIGH, RETURNING TO THE GROUP AS NEZHNO ABIDEMI, A WAKANDAN STUDENT, JOINS CYCLOPS AND WOLVERINE IN THE JET.

SOFIA: WELL, THAT COULD’VE GONE BETTER.

CESSILY: I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY’D JUST LEAVE US HERE AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.

SANTO: I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT FUCKING NEZHNO GETS TO GO TO FUCKING STORM’S FUCKING WEDDING AND WE FUCKING DON’T!

CESSILY ROLLS HER EYES.

CESSILY: HE’S WAKANDAN, SANTO. STORM IS MARRYING THE BLACK PANTHER.

SANTO: SO?

CESSILY: HE’S THE KING OF WAKANDA.

SANTO: SO?

CESSILY SIGHS, CLEARLY IN PAIN.

CESSILY: NEVERMIND.

JULIAN: WELL, I GUESS WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR A GIANT ROBOT TO COME AND KILL US ALL. SUCH FUN.

AS THEY WALK OFF, ELECTRICITY BLAZES IN NORI’S EYES.

*LATER THAT NIGHT*

NORI THRASHES AROUND IN HER SLEEP, HAVING A NIGHTMARE. SLOWLY, HER GAUNTLETS START TO GLOW AND SHE OPENS HER EYES SLOWLY. IN FRONT OF HER IS A HOLOGRAM OF NIMROD POINTING A CANNON ARM AT FORGE. SHE SCREAMS.

NORI: DAVID!

A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE GROUP, MINUS MARROW, IS LOOKING AT THE HOLOGRAM. DAVID SAYS THAT THIS MUST BE A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

CESSILY: WHY GO AFTER FORGE? THERE’S TONS OF MUTANTS HERE. WHY GO THERE?

LAURA: LOOK AT THE HOLOGRAM. NIMROD IS DAMAGED. IT MUST BE GOING TO FORGE FOR REPAIRS.

SOORAYA: WE MUST TELL SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY.

SOFIA: SHE’S RIGHT. I’LL GET THE CUCKOOS.

JULIAN SCOFFS.

JULIAN: WHY? SO THEY CAN CONTACT THE PEOPLE WHO ASSURED US THIS THING WAS DESTROYED? WHO LEFT US HERE FOR STRYKER TO PICK US OFF ONE BY ONE LIKE LITTLE INDIANS?

SANTO: DUDE, THAT’S RACIST.

CESSILY: UGH. IT’S A REFERENCE TO THE AGATHA CHRISTIE BOOK, SANTO. IT’S ONLY SLIGHTLY RACIST.

JULIAN: WHATEVER. THIS GUY IS FUCKED.

NORI: NO.

EVERYONE LOOKS AT NORI AS SHE GLOWS WITH BLUE ELECTRICITY.

NORI: THIS HAS TO END. FORTY-FOUR OF US ARE DEAD. JAY IS DEAD. BRIAN IS DEAD. MAX IS DEAD. LAURIE WAS ALMOST DEAD. JOSH WENT INSANE. AND KEVIN TURNED TRAITOR ON US. THE X-MEN CAN’T SAVE US AND THE AVENGERS DON’T GIVE A SHIT. SO IT’S UP TO US. FORGE COULD STILL BE ALIVE AND IF HE’S NOT, NIMROD IS COMING FOR US NEXT. THIS THING HELPED STRYKER KILL OUR FRIENDS. SO WE’LL SAVE FORGE. AND WE’LL TAKE THIS THING DOWN. OR DIE TRYING.

VOICE: AMEN.

EVERYONE TURNS TO SEE MARROW, BUCK NAKED, STANDING IN THE DOORWAY. SANTO JUMPS, HIS HANDS CLEVERLY HIDING MARROW’S BREASTS AND CROTCH FROM VIEW.

SANTO: WHY?! WHYWHYWHYWHYWHY?!

MARROW: I’VE STARTED SLEEPING IN THE NUDE. IT’S VERY THERAPEUTIC.

SOORAYA: <ALLAH, FORGIVE ME…>

MARROW: ARE YOU GUYS SNEAKING OUT? BECAUSE I’M IN.

JULIAN: OKAY. YOU CAN COME. JUST… PLEASE PUT SOME CLOTHES ON.

EVERYONE TURNS BACK TO NORI AS SHE SNAPS BACK INTO LEADER MODE.

NORI: WE LEAVE IN FIFTEEN MINUTES.

WE CUT OVER TO LAURA AND SOORAYA’S ROOM AS SOORAYA PRAYS IN ARABIC, TELLING ALLAH TO WASH AWAY THE BLOOD ON HER HANDS. LAURA GIVES HER A LOOK.

LAURA: THOSE MEN WOULD’VE KILLED YOU, SOORAYA. AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE PRAYED FOR FORGIVENESS AFTERWARDS.

SOORAYA: JEAN GREY TOLD ME THAT X-MEN DO NOT KILL.

LAURA: AND WHERE IS SHE NOW?

ELSEWHERE, A SILVER HAND COVERS VIC’S MOUTH. HE LOOKS UP TO SEE CESSILY AND MARROW STARING AT HIM.

CESSILY: WE NEED A FAVOR. XUAN, HUSK, AND THE REMAINING X-MEN ARE GONNA COME LOOKING FOR US IN ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES. WE NEED SOME COVER.

MEANWHILE, SOFIA AND CLARICE WATCH JOSH AS HE LIES ASLEEP IN HIS BED IN THE INFIRMARY. SOFIA TURNS TO LOOK AT HER GIRLFRIEND AS NORI AND DAVID STAND BESIDE THEM.

SOFIA: YOU SHOULD STAY HERE WITH JOSH. MAKE SURE HE’S OKAY.

CLARICE: ANGEL…

SOFIA: PLEASE, CLARICE. I CAN’T WATCH YOU DIE TOO.

CLARICE NODS AND GIVES SOFIA A KISS. NORI LOOKS AT DAVID AND SAYS THAT HE SHOULD STAY TOO. DAVID TELLS HER THAT SHE NEEDS HIM. BESIDES, HE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN FLY THE BLACKBIRD. NORI HUGS HIM AS HE SAYS THAT HE’S GOING FOR HER.

A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE GROUP HEADS TOWARD THE BLACKBIRD AS JULIAN SAYS THAT THEY NEED TO GET OUT, BUT TAKING THE BLACKBIRD’S EXIT COULD ATTRACT SOME UNWANTED ATTENTION.

DAVID: DON’T WORRY. BEFORE THE MANSION WAS DESTROYED FOR LIKE, THE FOURTH TIME, I THINK, THERE USED TO BE A TUNNEL THAT LED TO THE CLIFFSIDE ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF FROM HERE THAT THE BLACKBIRD USED. WE’RE TAKING THAT.

JULIAN LOOKS TOWARD THE ENTRYWAY, COMMENTING THAT THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT IT’S SEALED TIGHTER THAN A VIRGIN’S HOO-HA ON PROM NIGHT. BUT NOTHING HE CAN’T HANDLE. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE GROUP GATHERS IN THE JET.

LAURA: I BROUGHT GUNS.

DAVID: WONDERFUL.

AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF COMEDIC ARGUING AND CESSILY YELLING AT SANTO, THE BLACKBIRD SHOOTS FROM THE CLIFFSIDE ENTRANCE IN A STREAK OF GREEN TK. JULIAN GRINS AND FLEXES HIS MECHANICAL FINGERS.

CESSILY: MISS FROST IS GONNA KILL US. HELL, EVEN CYCLOPS IS GONNA KILL US.

NORI: WERE WE SPOTTED?

LAURA: NO. WE’RE IN THE CLEAR.

THE NEW X-MEN LET OUT A SPONTANEOUS WHOOP OF TRIUMPH AS DAVID SAYS THAT HE CAN’T BELIEVE THAT WORKED. SANTO LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY.

SANTO: OH, MAN, WE ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!

*EAGLE PLAZA*

FORGE HUFFS AS AN IMPATIENT NIMROD DEMANDS THAT HE COMMENCE THE REPAIRS. HE TELLS IT THAT ITS TECHNOLOGY IS TOO ADVANCED, BUT HE CAN GIVE HIM SOMETHING BETTER… A NEW BODY. HE PULLS BACK A SHEET REVEALING A BLUE ROBOT THAT FORGE SAYS SHOULD SERVE NIMROD’S NEEDS. NIMROD FINDS THE SOLUTION ACCEPTABLE, INFORMING FORGE THAT IT WILL COME ONLINE IN 27 MINUTES. IN 24 MINUTES, NINE MUTANT SIGNATURES WILL ARRIVE AT THE LOCATION.

AS NIMROD CONTINUES TALKING, WE FOCUS ON THE NEW X-MEN AS THEY FLY IN THE BLACKBIRD.

NIMROD: DESIGNATION: NEW X-MEN. ACCESSING REVISED DATABASE. ASHIDA, NORIKO. DESIGNATION: SURGE. WILL DIE FIRST. 31 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: KINCAID, CESSILY. DESIGNATION: MERCURY. WILL BE TERMINATED 34 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: RUSHMAN, SARAH. DESIGNATION: MARROW. 38 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: VACCARO, SANTO. DESIGNATION: ROCKSLIDE. 37 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: MANTEGA, SOFIA. DESIGNATION: WIND DANCER. 36 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: QADIR, SOORAYA. DESIGNATION: DUST. 35.6 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: KELLER, JULIAN. DESIGNATION: HELLION. 35 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: ALLEYNE, DAVID. DESIGNATION: PRODIGY. 35 MINUTES FROM NOW.

NIMROD: UNKNOWN FEMALE. DESIGNATION: TALON. 38 MINUTES FROM NOW. SOLUTION IN PROGRESS. BEGIN TRANSFER.