Strapped in a seat within an X-jet, a strained Storm asks the piloting Beast if they are clear. Almost, he replies. She swears, trying to keep control. Energy builds up around her and she groans. Few more seconds, he encourages her, as she creates cold around her, trying to lock down her emotions. Are they clear? she screams. He replies yes, as they’ve passed the atmosphere.
With a scream, Storm lets go of the pent-up energy and all over Earth a spectacular aurora borealis can be seen: in Mexico where Marisol Guerra is working on her parents’ farm, in New York where Callisto is trying hard not to be impressed and in Kenya where Forge realizes something is wrong with Ororo.
Four hours later, the spectacle is over. Henry asks her how she is. Exhausted. She asks about the planet. Everything fine, Beast assures her. No electro-magnetic disruptions or damage. In fact, most people seem to be having a wonderful time. “Aurora” is trending in thirty countries and over three million people have uploaded photos and videos.
Storm thanks him. Hank assures her it was beautiful. Logan would have loved it. Maybe, she muses, but it won’t bring him back, will it?
Back at the Jean Grey School, they wish each other a good night and retire. Ororo realizes he is still worried, but she’s all cried out for now. She enters Logan’s office and cuddles up to his jacket, missing him. She’s disturbed by a sound. Someone sent a text message to Logan’s cell phone, someone being their mutual friend Yukio: You’re late! I’m dead! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?
Eight hours later, Storm meets Yukio on the roof terrace of a Las Vegas hotel. Yukio shouts she loves it, referring to the Mohawk. And she’s back in a wheelchair, Ororo admonishes her. Happens to ninjas from time to time, Yukio shrugs.
She pours them both champagne and recalls the last time Ororo wore a Mohawk she went a little crazy. She was going through a lot, Ororo replies. And she’d just met her. Blame it on the bad girl, Yukio laughs. Does this mean she’s ready for a little fun? “Fun?” Ororo asks, silently recalling the last time she met Yukio throwing herself off a rooftop was what she did for fun.
Did Logan tell her— He didn’t tell her anything, Storm replies, observing she still has that wild look in her eyes. But there’s something else, making her voice crack a bit.
Yukio tells her to forget it and asks where Logan is. He’s not coming Storm replies. Impatiently, Yukio tells her she isn’t trying to steal her boyfriend. She means she could if she wanted. But this is just business. It’s serious though. Were the hell is he? Ororo tells her he’s dead.
Yukio looks at her in shock then dismisses the news. When Storm repeats it, Yukio shouts he’s been burned to a skeleton! Chopped into little pieces! He went to hell and survived that! Tell him she’s not putting up with this bull—
Ororo gently explains he lost his healing factor. He’s really dead. Okay, Yukio replies silently and wheels herself to the edge of the balcony. She lifts herself over it then throws herself downward laughing. Storm catches her with her winds. She can’t let her go, can she? Yukio asks. Never, Storm replies and hugs her.
Yukio swears she’s late. Storm wants to know more and presses the subject, despite Yukio’s warning. Yukio retorts Storm likes running with her because it makes her feel naughty. But she’s never really going to understand what Yukio does. Not the way Logan did. Storm tells her she knows she is in trouble and she wants to do what Logan would have done.
The elevator goes underground and Yukio warns her to stand behind her and look tough.
They are greeted with the announcement they are late. Yukio retorts she is the boss. She’s always on time. Roll call, she demands. A large alien female fighter begins: Kuva of Breakworld, Oakland clan. A cyborg: Davis Harmon. CEO, Eaglestar LLC. Aqiria Clan. Next is Super-villain Moses Magnum. President, DRC Weapons. Kigali Clan. And Boss Yukio, Kyoto clan, Yukio finishes the roll call. They’ve all got things to do. Let’s get this over with. New business?
Harmon asks where Wolverine is. On his way, Yukio claims. Storm is filling in until then. The Queen of Wakanda? Moses Magnum scoffs. He doesn’t think a royal highness is ready for their kind of business.
Storm corrects him that she is no longer a queen and she goes wherever her friends need her. She drops the temperature around Magnum to icy cold and he finds his drink has frozen. So as she was saying, new business? Yukio repeats.
They gather around a table. Magnum start with concession rights to the new AIM base in the Red Sea. Harmon points out it’s ten miles into his territory. But it’s mobile, Magnum retorts. It’ll end up on his side soon enough. They have no way of knowing that, Harmon scoffs. He wants to run it solo? Magnum offers. Thirty percent rental fee. Five, Harmon haggles. Twenty-five is his last offer, Magnum warns. Sorry, gonna have to fight him on that, Harmon decides.
Is that a formal challenge? Yukio interjects. Absolutely, Harmon tells her. Yukio asks Magnum. Let’s do it, he announces.
Yukio leads the way to a huge fighting pit, announces the item on the agenda and orders the two clans to send out their champions. The pit below is entered by an armored woman and a man dressed in black with many weapons.
Ororo turns to Yukio questioningly. She tells her to stay frosty and enjoy the show. What the hell is going on? Ororo demands as the battle begins. She reminds Yukio they were in the Arena together. Drugged slaves forced to fight! She can’t seriously—
This is different, Yukio interrupts her. Everyone here’s a professional killer. If they weren’t settling things down here like, this they’d be killing each other in the streets above. Wolverine understood. None of these gangs have killed a civilian in the last three years.
In the pit, the armored woman gains the upper hand, slamming her foe’s head against the ground.
Storm has had enough and intercepts. Enough! she orders and flies into the pit. Angrily, the woman shouts she can’t do that. More goons jump in and Ororo takes on them all.
Wolverine’s not coming, Harmon remarks, is he? And Yukio’s new girl isn’t exactly with the program.
Kuva shoves Yukio aside and grabs the microphone. She announces the rules of the clans have been broken by Boss Yukio’s own champion. She challenges Boss Yukio for leadership of the Clans! Who will fight for her?
Yukio shouts Storm’s name. To hell with that, Storm shoots back. Grinning, Kuva announces to the warriors of the four clans that a new age begins today when Kuva of Breakworld leads them out of darkness to crush this world’s weak rulers and seize their great thrones and riches!
Storm feels Yukio’s terrified eyes bore into her but all she feels is anger. Yukio allied herself with murderers and monsters. There’s nothing she can say— What would Wolverine do? a panicked Yukio wonders aloud. Dammit Logan! Storm swears.
