Dark Avengers #8

Continued from UNCANNY X-MEN #514.

In UXM#514 Dani Moonstar went to the Inferno Club in Las Vegas. Now we learn that the owner she's gone to see is Hela the Norse Queen of Hel. She's asking for a ride and a sword.

Back in San Francisco the Dark X-Men have cornered Simon Trask at St Francis Hospital and they arrest him in his new form of (what uncannyxmen.net calls) Human Sentinel Zero. This ends the menace of the Biosentinels.

That was Tuesday. Wednesday to Friday see DXM members doing their rounds (except Daken who's doing the town). On Saturday Norman Osborn and Prof Charles Xavier (really Mystique) go on TV to big up the team. Cyclops tells Colossus and Dazzler he's waiting for the X-Club scientists to complete their work. And on Sunday the DXM are all in action together.

On Alcatraz Island they watch Dark Beast's Omega Machine drain a mutant's power to boost that of their teammate Weapon Omega. The process is painful for the drainee, and Emma Frost overhears Cloak and Dagger's disquiet. And Iron Patriot (NO) tells his Dark Avengers (minus Daken who's now with the DXM) that they're heading back to New York because the DXM have things well under control.

On the seabed in the Bay of Oakland Madison Jeffries and Psylocke do 1 last check of their handiwork and return to the X-Sub to join Dr. Nemesis and Kavita Rao. Then they fire up the 5 engines they have installed on a large lump of rock. Nemesis contacts Graymalkin Industries to inform them all is ready.

Back on Alcatraz Dark Beast uses the machine to transfer power from this reality's Beast, who's looking much the worse after repeated 'transfusions'. Weapon Omega takes it but demands more - he's becoming addicted. DB goes to choose another victim but is shocked to find all the prisoners gone.

Then he finds X-Force with Magik and Mindee of the Stepford Cuckoos. Mindee had allowed herself to be captured (UXM#514) and nobody suspected she could use her connection to the other Cuckoos to guide the the others here. Magik teleports her away and X-Force menace Dark Beast. (Presumably Magik ported them here and then already sent all the prisoners away.) DB desperately calls for Omega who rushes to his side.

NO and the DAv are on the point of boarding their plane when a H.A.M.M.E.R. trooper brings word of trouble in the prison cells. Dark Queen leads her Dark X-Men to deal with it, and Osborn tells his guys to hang back to mop up afterwards.

In Graymalkin Industries Yuriko Takiguchi tells Cyclops that the rest of the X-Club scientists have completed their work. Now Scott Summers can trigger the rest of his plan. (The way I understand it even X-Force should have waited to do their prison break-in until this point.) He tells their resident priest Nightcrawler to assemble everyone in the chapel.

Watched by Takiguchi, Iceman and Pixie Cyke tells the X-Club to 'rise'. Pixie races off to tell Kurt Wagner in the chapel it's time, and she starts teleporting small groups 'home'. Boom-Boom, Nightcrawler and Northstar go 1st.  Colossus and Magma are next. Pixie says she'll take them all in time, aided by Magik when she returns from her other job (getting the Alcatraz prisoners to safety).

On Alcatraz Warpath and Wolverine take Dark Beast while Angel, Domino and X-23 gang up on the powered-up Weapon Omega. They have them both down when the DXM arrive. Daken and his dad Logan hurl threats at each other - but Emma Frost breaks it up by slamming Daken's head on the ground. Her secret ally Sub-Mariner knocks Mimic out. And she knows that Cloak and Dagger will join her even before she asks them. As they all teleport away she says that "Scott has a plan".

When the 4 remaining Dark X-Men (including Dark Beast) recover and report to Norman Osborn they find him watching a large asteroid with buildings atop it rising in San Francisco Bay. He knows that Emma Frost, Namor and Scott Summers have outplayed him.

Cyclops welcomes Emma, Namor and C&D to the risen rock and announces to the mutants assembled there that they are all on the same side. Nightcrawler bamfs in with a reporter and cameraman, and Cyke gives a speech. He doesn't want any trouble, but the mutant nation has just seceded from the United States.

Norman Osborn suits up as Iron Patriot and prepares to lead his forces to *give* them trouble.

To be concluded in DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN: EXODUS.