In the deep dark caves of The Core, Illyana Rasputin and a black haired girl named Ace cower in fear. The Sugar Man is coming. Illyana explains to Ace that nothing may be done to draw his attention. The Sugar Man paces down the walkways of the caves, sniffing the air. He comes to the entrance of the girls' cave and sniffs twice, squinting his eyes. He decides against it and walks away. The two little girls embrace each other for comfort; both glad and regretting that they are still alive.
Above the complex, two guards brag about their night's kills. One of them makes a crack about keeping on task unless you want to join the rest of the gene fodder. This disturbs the other as they crawl into a black shuttle car driven by a suspicious looking Spaniard. One of the guards asks the driver to take them to the club because of their hard day. The driver turns around to reply, his passengers are unaware that he is the mutant Skin. The guards get in and discuss the good points of their high lord, Apocalypse. The other guard pulls out a cigar and turns to the other passenger in the carriage asking him if he has a light. Chamber releases a burst of psionic energy killing the two guards. Skin yells at Jono to keep the light show down but Jono just dismisses his comment and tells him to keep driving.
Colossus and Shadowcat stand on a ledge in front of The Core discussing their plans for breaking in. Shadowcat doesn't believe that they can do it, but Colossus just says that he will do it by himself if she is unwilling to participate. He storms off, leaving Shadowcat by herself. She pulls out a cigarette and is lighting it when someone grabs her from behind, yanking her into the shadows. Colossus turns back to check on his wife and sees her struggling behind a rock in the shadows. He runs forward and rips the boulder out of the ground, holding it above the attacker, a psychic assassin called an Undercloak. Shadowcat quickly impales her attacker while he is distracted. Colossus slams the boulder down onto the Undercloak as his wife asks if he thinks they killed him before he had time to telepathically contact the base. He says that it doesn't matter; they are going in.
In the spa downtown, an undercover Husk is bathing Quietus. He questions her about the regular girl and she tells him that she is sick. He says that she will do, since she is just a lowly human and he walks out of the bathroom. After they are dressed, they sit around and Husk makes casual conversation about Quietus' career. Quietus says that she talks a lot and she apologizes. He leans forward and kisses her. Husk gags and starts to cough uncontrollably. Quietus walks over to a vaporizer in the corner of the room and explains that it makes most mutants violently sick, except him of course, and he uses it to detect mutant spies. He punches Husk as hard as he can, sending her flying into the nearest wall. He questions Husk on who she works for, but she replies that it is none of his business.
Quietus says that he wants a drink, eyeing the flask that Husk had brought in with her and left on the table. She pleads with him not to take it; it was her mothers. He walks over to the flask and guzzles down its contents as a diabolical grin sneaks onto Husk's face. Quietus picks Husk up from the ground, slamming her into the wall. He starts going through a long list of enemies saying that she can't belong to the Human High Council and she is too young to be an X-Man. Husk grins a bloody grin and tells him that she is. Quietus pulls out a gun, pointing it toward her face. Suddenly, Quietus complains about his stomach as he lurches forward and a swarm of bubbles bursts forth from his body.
The swarm continues to swirl tempestuously, spraying blood and body parts everywhere. Vincente materializes out of the bloody mess saying that he will never cover for Husk ever again. Husk tries to explain that it was his idea to hide in the flask in his liquid state, but he counters with the fact that he didn't think that he would be drank. Husk goes over to the vaporizer and smashes it to pieces with a golf club. She wonders why they are going through so much trouble for one little girl and Vincente explains that she could be their last chance for saving the world. They start to rummage through Quietus' files to try and find information on Illyana. Husk asks Vincente if he honestly believes that and he says no, but dishonestly, why not?
In the courtyard, a man is checking the energy gages. Mondo materializes out of the brick wall, yanking the man towards him and digesting him into himself. He hears someone coming and quickly melds back into the wall. Vincente and Husk are arguing and telling each other to be quiet so as not to give them away. They are masquerading as Quietus: Husk shifting into the head and most of the body of Quietus and Vincente using his power to fill in the added mass. Mondo tells them that he wouldn't have guessed that it was they. Husk still voices her concern, but Vincente tells her to shut-up and get in character, since they are getting closer to some of Quietus' staff.
"Quietus" walks over to one of his guards and asks if there is anything to report. Chamber telepathically asks Skin if he thinks that Quietus is really Vincente and Husk. Skin says that there is one way to find out and he stretches his nose out, hitting Quietus in the back of the head. Quietus reels around to see Skin grinning and smirking. He tells his guard that he wants Chamber and Skin to come with him on the morning rounds, making an excuse about if you hang out with the ugly ones ...
Below in The Core, a fat man with a trident walks amongst the caves, telling the children to wake up and get to work. He spews water out of his mouth onto Illyana and Ace, waking them up. They peer out of the cave to see if it is safe and Illyana says that it is as safe as it is going to be.
