Welcome to Genosha…
It’s an island-nation near the Seychelles, off the east coast of Africa. It was once a green and pleasant land. Now, it is a land torn apart by a long, bloody, civil war between the humans who make up the bulk of the island’s population, and it’s former slave population, the genetically-engineered mutates.
Standing in the rain and lurking in the shadows, Jenny Ransome asks Phillip Moreau if it’s safe to go. Phillip checks things with his binoculars and didn’t hear what Jenny just ask him, so she repeats the question. He denies it, explaining he saw a drone, class D. heatseaker. Jen jokes Phil should give it something else to look at. Phillip says that’s easy, and throws his cigarette towards the flying drone. The drone immediately spots something behind it, alerting the object that it’s in violation of the Genoshan curfew. It’s “enemy” needs to stop where it stands and wait for the Magistrate authority. The drone activates its light on the cigarette, repeating its last sentence non-stop, not realizing it isn’t dealing with a human.
Jen and Phillip make it into the house they were supposed to get in. While the world outside has its hopes pinned to the United Nations peacekeepers here, those who actually live in the charnel house that Genosha has who have to pray for something of a miracle. There are those who don’t believe in miracles and have instead tried to take action. Both Jen and Phillip belong to a bipartisan rebel group made up of both humans and mutates, people having found common ground who seek to bring sanity back to this ravaged land. It is a dangerous life. There are also others. The human elite hope to return to a time when mutates did the work and they enjoyed the rewards. They fund the opposing force, which is intent on shooting out the rebels. For months now, the scales have tipped back and forth. Until tonight…
In the dark house, Phillip holds his gun ready and warns Jen to watch her head. “Always do,” she responds. Jen still hears the drone repeating it’s arrest sentence, and wishes it would just shut up. Phillip jokes that’s part of the job. They walk on a pipe and open a hatch, to which Phillip climbs down first. When he ask Jen to hold his gun, she jokes she thought he’d never ask. Jen quickly follows Phillip down the shaft, and they enter in a large room. Phillip lights up a cigarette and notices their appointment is late. Jen is sure he’ll come, as the guy never let them down before. Besides, they need the information he has. They’re getting so close. Phillip agrees. It’s just… sometimes he feels like… eventually, everyone lets you down. Jen promises she never will. Phillip thinks that goes without saying.
They say the apple never falls far from the tree – but this couldn’t be further from the truth for Phillip Moreau. His father, Dr. David Moreau, was the nation’s Genegineer, credited with the invention of the mutate process. It was a technological breakthrough that transformed the country’s mutant population into docile workers. It split Genosha by race: human and mutant; casting an ugly shadow over the countryside. It’s a shadow Phillip wears to this day. When Phillip’s lifelong love, Jenny Ransome, tested positive for being a mutant, their world shattered. Phillip’s own father gave the order to have Jenny undergo the excruciating bounding process. Rebelling, Phillip sided with Jenny and together they became expatriates. Now, they are back. With a little help, they are Genosha’s last hope.
Jenny asks if he doesn’t find it odd, but he doesn’t understand. She mentions that, for months now, their ally has helped them. The weapons. The classified documents. All of it. And he’s never asked a thing in return. She wonders why anyone would do that. On that moment, the ally appears from the shadows, telling Jenny that perhaps he’s just an “interested party” looking for his own interest. Jenny is glad to see their partner again… the man called… Essex! Phillip wants to know what Essex has brought them this time. Not realizing they are actually dealing with the evil Mr. Sinister, he just answers the question. He came with a warning. They are very close to uncovering Genosha’s darkest secrets. And he himself is dangerously near to being discovered for his part in it. This will be their final meeting.
He wants Jenny and Phillip to ask themselves something. They need to think about the one who invented the mutant bounding process. Jenny says Phillip’s father did. Everyone knows that. Sinister’s response: “None are so blind who will not see.” Jenny wonders who invented it, then. Sinister doesn’t answer and just says he needs to go. Jenny asks him to wait as they still need his help. Sinister’s lasts words to them are that help is coming, and then disappears.
Outside…
A green lightning bolts hits Genoshan soil, and… Cable and Domino are back! Cable asks Domino where they are. Domino is a bit sick from the transportation and holds herself tight to Cable’s body. She looks around and isn’t sure where they are. She jokes she thinks she left her stomach in the year 2010. Cable realizes they need to figure out where they are. As she finally lets go of hi, she tells Cable that she hates the rain. There’s also an unbearable heat hanging in the air, and she can see nothing but burnt out buildings. And, she jokes, she is without a beach towel. Cable believes they better go find some cover for this storm. He doesn’t know why they’re so far off their mark, as they should have landed back home.
Domino jokes that perhaps Blaquesmith’s losing his touch. Cable already leaves, and she asks him to wait for her. She has to jump in front of Cable to get his attention. She wants him to talk to her. Cable takes out a communicator from his utility belt, but it isn’t working. He thinks perhaps it’s because of this storm he can’t reach anyone at Xavier’s. Domino thinks in herself she’s known Cable for a long time now. She knows it can’t have been easy for Nathan to leave his own timeline again. But after all that has just happened, she wonders how she’s ever going to be able to tell him about what happened to Grizzly, and what she discovered about Tyler.
On that instant, the same flying drone from before appears and alerts Cable and Domino about disobeying the Genoshan curfew, meaning they are under arrest! The drone opens fire on the two, and they are shocked to discover where they are. Domino ducks Cable down, rescuing him from harm. Cable quickly takes out his gun, realizing he doesn’t have much time, as the drone has them in their sight. He gets up and shouts at the drone that it picked the wrong night to tick him off, and points his gun at the machine.
However, before Nathan can take a shot, someone else does, and destroys the robot. Cable wonders who did that. He turns around and sees Phillip and Jenny standing on a hill, with a group of other people behind them. Phillip notices Cable doesn’t look like he’s a Magistrate, so he has a question for him, namely: are Cable and his partner friend or foe? Jenny quietly compliments Phillip on the nice shooting, but thinks they better get moving before more drones appear. Phillip wants to hear his answer first. He thinks he knows Cable. He thinks he’s one of the X-Men, and immediately suspects if the X-Men have returned to their fight. “Not exactly,” Cable says.
Elsewhere…
Deep in the forbidden Ridgeback Mountains that run the length of the mountain, someone has built a lair for himself. An alarm sounds off and a red dot appears on a large, green map. A mutant with four arms appears out of the shadows, thrilled that “he” has come. He was looking for the guest, and now he came for him. The mutant believes his target knows he wanted to get him before the others. His target is young and powerful. He dared finish him off, without muss or fuss. Yet, the mutant kept his secret for twenty years. And nobody will catch... the Sugarman! Nobody will catch him… unprepared. This will be too bad for… Nate Grey!
Magistrate headquarters, at Hammer Bay in Genosha…
This was formerly a glorious city of hope but, today, Genosha’s capitol city is a war-wrecked ruin.
Having to stay inside because of the heavy rain outside, the Magistrates kill the time by playing cards together. Pipeline hates the rain, as it stinks like everything else in this city. Hawkshaw wants to know why he’s complaining so much. Pipeline is just saying that this stupid war has gone on for too long. It’s bad enough they have them running errands and scooping up wandering rebels like Renee Majcomb. They receive an incoming message of priority one importance. Punchout reaches out to the computer to answer it. Pipeline reminds Hawkshaw who they are. They had a good life before it all broke down. Hawkshaw grins he’s sure they’ll have it again, as soon as they kill every rebel, and put those genejokes back into their place. Punchout closes the message and informs her friends they may have that chance right now, and asks them if they’re up for a raiding party.
Underground, in the tunnel system beneath Hammer Bay…
Cable asks Phillip and Jenny where he’s taking him and Domino. Phillip enigmatically smiles that they’re going somewhere safe, and Jenny promises they don’t have to worry, as they know the way. She tells Cable and Domino that, if they want to believe it or not, they were told help was on its way. Domino asks what that means, as they landed here by accident. Or did they? Cable tells Domino he knows she had the same gut feeling he had. He thinks it’s likely landing here wasn’t an accident. Besides, he adds, isn’t the “why” of any situation secondary to the situation itself? Domino jokes that they’re three thousand miles away from home, and Cable has gone all Zen on her. Cable corrects he’s actually quoting Askani, but she doesn’t care.
They reach a large and very closed steel door. Phillip confirms it’s like Jenny said: they have a friend. A reliable source. Someone who feels now is a critical time for their course. Phillip places his hand on the door and a security device confirms his identity. Energy opens the door, allowing them entrance. Phillip welcomes Cable to “Safehaven.” Cable looks inside and is immediately impressed. Phillip explains that Genosha is long overdue for a change, and thinks that Cable’s coming here may very well light that fuse.
Domino follows Cable, and it is difficult for the both of them not to be overwhelmed at what they see. Not only by the sheer size of Safehaven, but by the number of the rebel force. But, for a country whose technology was the envy of the world, Cable feels something disturbingly primitive about the camp. Phillip continues to explain they don’t have much, but their numbers are growing. And it isn’t just mutates who are with their cause, humans are working along side them as well. Their group believes there is a power behind the power structure and, if that can be toppled, it’s time the first step toward healing the nation Phillip’s father and that man’s friends tore apart. He realizes it won’t be easy. Their camp can’t stay a secret forever. And when the Magistrates get a lock on them, they’re going to need all the help they can get.
Cable reveals to Phillip he has taken part in lots of civil wars, and they weren’t won simply or without great cost. Jenny confirms to Cable they understand the cost. They live here. Everyone here is willing to do what is necessary to stop this insanity! Upon hearing that, Domino asks Cable for a moment alone. Domino admits to herself that Jenny’s passion for her cause reminds her a lot of Aliya… Jenskot. And if Jenny reminds her of Aliya, she can only imagine what it’s doing to Cable. She stares quietly at Cable, and can see him thinking about helping out.
Realizing Cable won’t let her have a minute, Domino asks Phillip if perhaps he can show her his group’s communications rig. After all, hers and Cable’s… friends need to know where they are. Phillip explains they can’t do that. No outside frequency, as they can’t risk that they’d be monitored. Domino understands, but only reluctantly. She thinks about telling Nathan they’re in knees deep here. Every bone in her body is screaming for them to get out of here as fast as they can before something terribly happens.
Cable crosses across the hideout and looks at all the many mutates around it. He recalls how many camps like this he visited over the years, and how many more he helped built. He continues to look at the mutates and is amazed by them. No matter how the government tried to rip them of their identities, they’ve somehow maintained a kind of… dignity. And yet, Cable can’t help but think about something. He wonders out loud why they, and the world for that matter, haven’t done more to help the rebels. Domino says it’s because they both know there is no simple solution.
She slowly walks over to Cable, who turns his back on her. Domino gently touches Cable’s hand, saying she knows him, probably better than anyone else, and if they’re going to get into this… Cable stops Domino right there and turns around, but keeps holding her hand. He doesn’t think they really have a choice, as they must have been sent here for a reason. Domino says they just left one battlefield just to be thrust into another one. She wants to hear it from Nathan himself that he doesn’t need some time alone. Cable agrees that perhaps he does, but then wants to know where that leaves all the people there.
While Cable and Domino discuss this, Jenny asks Phillip if this is the help that they were promised, only to have him disappear now when it seems so critical. Phillip tells Jenny to look at Cable’s face. You can just tell that he has a past he can’t hide from, and a future he fights for. Phillip hopes he’ll have that strength… that character… as there is so much more that has to be done. Jenny compliments Phillip he already has that strength. That, and more. Phillip appreciates hearing that. But every he time he looks at a Genoshan that has a number branded on him or her, he tries to tell him himself it’s not his fault his father did that. He really tries. Truth is, that without Jenny, and her amazing defiant spirit, he might have ended up just like his father.
Jenny recalls she never had a choice. Once she found out she was chosen for the process, that took her away from her family… and from Phillip, she realized they can never go back to the easy life. The afternoon teas, the cricket matches… the trips to Ridgeback… that’s all lost to them. And, she adds, Phillip, who had everything to lose, turned his back on his father… his whole life! Just to be with her. Phillip smiles it wasn’t that hard. He has loved her since the first day he laid eyes on her. They kiss.
Cable sees it, and mourns that it has been a long time since he could do that. Domino reminds Cable it hasn’t been that long, but that’s not what Cable meant. Domino asks Cable if he wants to talk about it, realizing something’s up with him. Cable doesn’t want to talk about leaving Aliya again, as he’s not ready for that yet. But Domino knows him too well, and that he can’t keep it bottled up forever.
On that moment, a shot is fired between Domino and Cable! This is followed by the collapsing of a wall… through which pour the Magistrates! Hawkshaw congratulates Pipeline on a job well done, as they’re in. Pipeline shouts they’ve hit the mother lode and is ready to do it. Punchout yells the Magistrates have their orders: they’ll kill every one of these traitors in sight!
But they’ll have to go through Cable to do that…
