First Story:
On the outskirts of Cairo in the dark of night, Havok and Wolverine arrive at an abandoned storefront. Alex is convinced that this is where the Cult of the Living Pharaoh is holding his friend, Leila O’Toole.
Havok powers up and with a single blast, shatters the wooden door. Wolverine springs into action, jumping into the darkened room with his claws ready to attack. He offers to sniff out any potential foes and asks Alex if he’s positive this is the place where they’re holding his girlfriend. Havok says that she’s not his girlfriend and explains that the Cult’s temple is here and underground but he’s not sure how to get inside.
Alex begins to explain that last time he had “help” just as an energy blast strikes from above. It barely misses the pair of heroes who realize that they are definitely in the right place. There appear to be two Trackers and Wolverine tells Havok to take the one on the right and he’ll take the one on the left. As he is about to finish his sentence, a dozen cultists also come into view. Havok tells Wolverine to handle things quickly and the two X-Men strike at once.
Several trackers wearing animal masks attack Wolverine. He is hit by energized eye beams from one of them and then a good number of men dogpile on him. Havok sees this and goes to his aid. He blasts them aside with his plasma beams, declaring that all he wants is to find Leila. He notes that she’s the only normal woman in his life, someone who doesn’t know about or want him for his powers. He says that he’s going to find her but won’t lose his best friend in the process.
He can’t see Wolverine and shouts out to him in panic. Wolverine lifts up a hatch hidden in the floorboards and tells Alex to calm down. The two head down into the hidden tunnels below and are surprised that they are not followed.
As they traverse the underground tunnels, Wolverine tells Havok to stay close, as there’s a weird smell in the air. As they enter an empty throne room, Wolverine urges caution since the room is empty. Just as he says this, a brilliant bolt of energy nearly strikes him. This angers Wolverine as he tells their attacker to “come out and fight like a man.”
He is hit square in the chest by another blast as Plasma reveals herself. She tells the fallen mutant that she cannot fight like a man for she is a queen. Havok asks what she has done to Wolverine and notes that he’s not breathing. She tells Alex not to worry for his friend as she has heard he is quite durable.
Havok fires a full-powered plasma blast at Plasma and asks if she is as durable as Logan. Plasma crashes through a stone wall as Havok advances on her, demanding that she tell him where Leila is. Plasma rises and asks for more of his blasts, telling him it only makes her stronger. Alex steps back and powers up, again asking where Leila is. He tells Plasma that he doesn’t want to hurt her. She backhands him and tells him that he cannot hurt her. He is thrown back by her assault and lands on the ground with a heavy thud. Plasma says that she will answer his question. She lifts up her headpiece and visor to reveal that she is Leila O’Toole!
