At Xavier’s School, Havok blasts through the door,
only to find the mansion completely empty. He searches all throughout, checking
up after several unanswered calls. He’s eventually found and ambushed by
strange, contorted versions of the X-Men, getting his powers and essence
absorbed by the strange Rogue. The X-Men taunt him as he feels worse and worse
before awaking with a start, the whole thing having been a terrible nightmare.
With the energy inside him too built up, Havok runs outside to expel it, letting
loose an enormous blast of energy that lights up the sky like a star! Polaris
checks on him, pointing out he’s had that same nightmare every night since he
recently went to check on the X-Men, like in his dream. Feeling something is
terribly off, Havok decides to head out alone to New York to find some answers.
Polaris takes him to the airport, while the Marauders stalk them from afar,
having chosen Polaris as their new target!
After landing in New York, Havok heads to the mansion
only to find it as empty as in his dream. He leafs through Magneto’s journal to
find he has a meeting at the Hellfire Club that day, a concept that utterly
confuses him. Back in New Mexico, the Marauders make their move on Polaris.
Arclight generates an earthquake, knocking the entire house off balance before
Scalphunter blows it up with one of his weapons. Though they think their job
done, Sabretooth senses that Polaris is still alive and heads to hunt her down.
Back in New York, Havok heads to the Hellfire Club to find Magneto in a meeting
with Emma Frost. When Alex expresses his confusion, they reveal that Magneto is
now the White King of the club, at the X-Men’s insistence. Havok is angry and
frustrated at being completely in the dark on everything that’s going on, and
Magneto is less than forthcoming, telling him the team will contact him when
they are able. Alex storms out and tries calling Moira MacTaggert but only
reaches Callisto, who is similarly less than helpful, leaving Havok feeling as
lost as ever.
Meanwhile, Sabretooth tracks down Polaris who fights
back as best she can. She traps him in the ground and tries to take to the air
but ends up getting blasted by Scalphunter. Back in Manhattan, Havok discreetly
follows Magneto down into the subway station, hoping to find some answers. His
pursuit eventually leads him to the abandoned Morlock tunnels where he finds
the X-Men having a secret meeting. He overhears from Storm about the Morlock
Massacre and the Marauders’ pursuit of them. Storm plans to become more
proactive in fighting back against their enemies by faking the X-Men’s deaths
so as to be able to move more freely and hopefully prevent any more of their
loved ones from being targeted. Havok feels this must be another nightmare and
skittishly blasts someone coming up behind him, who turns out to be Rogue. Back
in New Mexico, Polaris suddenly exudes much greater control over her powers,
subduing the three Marauders pursuing her!
In New York, a terrified Havok runs while the X-Men
try to subdue him. He blasts wildly at Dazzler, who ends up getting saved by
Longshot, much to Havok’s relief. He’s finally stopped by Psylocke and learns
that his confusion and nightmares are a result of the X-Men having mind-wiped
him after he visited previously, ostensibly in order to protect him! Regardless
of intention, Havok is not happy with this revelation. Now that he knows too
much, Psylocke suggests killing him but Storm elects instead to explain
everything that has happened recently with the Morlocks and the Marauders.
Feeling he can’t sit on the sidelines anymore, Havok asks to join the team and
Magneto reluctantly agrees. Back in New Mexico, “Polaris” taunts the fallen
Marauders, leading them to realize that Malice has possessed her! With this
test of her teammates finished, she plans to use Polaris to lead the Marauders
to new heights! To be continued!
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