Uncanny X-Men, The (1981 series) #259

In an apartment complex in Soho, a few Genoshan magistrates throw Phillip Moreau and Jenny Ransome into an abandoned flat. They stop Jenny from moving with some activation words from her genetic modifications, as Pipeline sets things up to send them back to Genosha. They’re then confronted by someone else in the apartment, a naked and amnesiac Colossus. He tussles with the magistrates and ends up getting shot in the process, before Phillip holds a gun to his attacker, ending the encounter. Later, Colossus gets patched up at a small local hospital, while the magistrates get taken in by the police. Across the country, in Hollywood, the Beale production studio is shutting down. A former friend of Dazzler’s, Freddie Stanachek, is cleaning things out that he bought in the clearing auction, when he comes upon a tape of an unreleased Dazzler movie! Speaking of, some days later, Guido (Strong Guy) finds Dazzler unconscious on a private beach owned by Lila Cheney, with no clothes or memory. Shocked to see her, he takes her back to the house not far away, owned by Lila’s band, hoping that the advanced systems there can patch Dazzler up.

Elsewhere, Masque takes pictures of Callisto, having changed her face in order to try and break her spirit. He shows Callisto what he’s done to her and she cries out in shock! Back in Soho, Phillip and Jenny try to get Colossus set up in their apartment complex, saying he can work as the caretaker for room and board. The superintendent agrees and they inspect the damage to the apartment from their tussle with the magistrates. Colossus admits that he doesn’t remember anything before that night, except for his name, Peter Nicholas. He then spots a billboard across the street showing a beautiful woman and becomes fascinated with her. Back in Hollywood, Freddie shows the unreleased Dazzler movie to some executives in the hopes they can get it completed and released. Despite his pitch, the executives feel it’s old news at this point and pass on his request. Freddie sits out in his car and laments what isn’t meant to be as back in the Cheney band’s high-tech house, Dazzler tries to get her bearings. The house’s systems tell her as much about herself as it can, up through her life as a superhero and X-Man, and her apparent death. Feeling stir crazy, Dazzler decides to go out and try to have some fun.

On Muir Isle, Moira MacTaggert tries hooking Legion up to Cerebro, hoping that he’ll be able to use it to find the X-Men. However, as soon as it boots up, Legion causes a huge psychic backlash, stunning everyone in the room! Forge witnesses an image appearing over Legion of Amahl Farouk, the face he encountered in his vision, telling him Storm is in Cairo, just before he passes out! Back in Soho, Peter ends up literally getting run into by the beautiful woman he saw on the billboard! She seems to be in trouble but refuses his offers to help, before getting into a limo and driving off! Peter is unable to stop thinking about her, while back at the apartment, Phillip wonders if perhaps Peter should let it go. Phillip then finds some of Peter’s sketches and recognizes one of Jenny, from before her modifications! Peter asks Phillip why the magistrates were after him, and he replies that they’re enemies of the state of Genosha! On Genosha, Phillip’s father, the Genegineer, is informed of how the operation to retrieve his son failed. He authorizes the use of the entire Press Gang to bring Phillip back, feeling justice must be served, no matter the cost!

Back in California, Freddie strolls around a ritzy nightclub with a couple of friends, and isn’t exactly taken with the scene. He spots Dazzler at the bar and approaches her but quickly discovers she doesn’t recognize him. He offers to take her someplace more civilized and she happily agrees, leading to the two ending up at a classic jazz club. Dazzler watches Freddie play saxophone in the band, until he persuades her to come up and sing with them. Though she’s initially hesitant, she ends up capturing the crowd with a beautiful performance, until a couple of thugs barge in to hold the place up! Dazzler ends up easily taking care of the two would-be robbers, confirming to Freddie that it really is her! Freddie tells her that he’ll make her a star as the news reports Dazzler’s heroic act. In a secluded mansion room, covered wall to wall in pictures of Dazzler, disgraced former movie executive Eric Beale watches the news report. Obsessed with Dazzler, Beale swears that he’ll come back better than ever, and plans to do so with Dazzler’s death! To be continued!