X-Factor (1st series) #99

Issue Date: 
February 1994
Story Title: 
The Cure
Staff: 

J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Jan Duursema (penciler), Al Milgrom (inker), Glynis Oliver (colorist), Richard Starkings (letterer), Kelly Corvese (editor), Bob Harras (X-editor), Tom DeFalco (editor in chief)

Brief Description: 

Polaris and Forge continue to discuss the situation, and Polaris eventually agrees that they should pursue Haven, when Random arrives - as Forge has hired him to assist X-Factor in going after Haven, and then to help track down those who tried to assassinate Polaris. At her citadel, Haven confides in Dr Valerie Cooper, when X-Factor arrives, though their journey to Haven is not without drama as Wolfsbane struggles with the bond between her and Havok. Upon arrival though, X-Factor are confronted by Monsoon - Haven’s brother - and a battle ensues between him and his soldiers and X-Factor. Haven ends the battle, and X-Factor are shocked to find Valerie allied with her. Haven tells X-Factor more about her plan to bring about the Mahapralaya in order to usher in the new humanity, before Wolfsbane attacks Valerie - only for Haven to use her power to cure Wolfsbane of her mutate state, reverting Wolfsbane to her human form and freeing her of the bond between herself and Havok. Much to Havok’s protest, Wolfsbane promptly allies herself with Haven!

Full Summary: 

The mysterious woman called Haven wonders ‘Why do they hate each other so? Children of the same father. Branches of the same tree. Yet the murder in God’s name. War upon each other - then seek moral justification. Racial cleansing. Genetic purification. Black, white. Hindu, Moslem. Mutant, human. Madness. A madness that will end in a fire-storm of purification. In global suffering that will cleanse this Earth - and bring forth peace. Light. Hope. Haven’.

Meanwhile, at the Pentagon, Washington, DC. Forge, X-Factor’s Government Liaison, pours himself a mug of coffee as he tells Lorna “Polaris” Dane that she has seen all the intelligence reports and watched the video-taped interviews with the field agents and informants, so she must be convinced by now that Haven is - “A terrorist threat unlike any previously encountered” Lorna quotes, while stretching her arms, the green-haired beauty tells Forge that she has read those files so many times that she has memorized them. ‘How many hours have we been at this?’ Lorna asks. ‘Not enough - if you’re still not convinced’ Forge replies. Lorna tells him that she agrees that there is enough evidence to cast a cloud of suspicion over Haven, but that when you take the source of the information into consideration - Forge interrupts, asking Lorna if she thinks the reports are fabrications.

Alex “Havok” Summers sleeps, slumped over the table, while Polaris tells Forge that she thinks the intelligence community sometimes comes to the conclusions it wants to come to. ‘Look how they overestimated the Soviets for all those years. They wanted a red menace - and they made sure they had one…regardless of the facts’ Lorna declares. She adds that it is the same with X-Factor. ‘I’ll bet if you read your own file - you’ll find yourself labelled a “mutant menace”’. Lorna declares. Forge frowns as he tells Lorna that distortions based on personal prejudice are one thing, but hard facts are quite another. ‘Alex - will you please talk some sense into this woman?’ Forge asks. ‘Alex?’ - but he gets no response, as Alex is now reclining in the chair, sleeping soundly.

Lorna gets to her feet and stretches again, ‘You know…when he’s right, he’s right’ she remarks, reminding Forge that they have been at this for hours, and that Forge and Alex were at this for hours before that. She suggests to Forge that they knock off and talk about this after they have had some rest. Forge admits that he could use a shower and a shave, before telling Lorna not to plan on resting too long, as X-Factor has to be airborne in three hours. ‘We’ll see’ Lorna replies. ‘Three hours, Lorna’ Forge states once again.

Lorna walks over to Alex and whispers in his ear: ‘Alex…honey…time to wake up -’. But Alex mumbles ‘Hmmph’. ‘C’mon, sweetie - let’s take you home to bed’ Lorna whispers. ‘Bed…?’ Alex smiles as Lorna places her arms around him. ‘Nice silk sheets…fluffy down pillows…your one true love wrapped up in your arms -’ Lorna exclaims, before a voice declares ‘Aw, gee - don’t that sound cozy?’ Alex leaps up: ‘That voice -!’ he exclaims. ‘Want me t’come along and read you a book after Polaris tucks you in?’ the new arrival asks. ‘Random!’ Alex declares as Marshall Evan Stone the Third appears, standing in the doorway.

‘Try t’contain yer excitement, Summers - I know how much you’ve missed me!’ Random mocks. ‘’Of all the arrogant - you take on a contract to assassinate Lorna - who, I’d like to remind you, kicked your butt halfway across Washington - and then you have the audacity to show up here?!’ Alex exclaims, angrily. ‘Pretty gutsy of me, ain’t it?’ Random replies. ‘You smug son of a -’ Alex declares as he blasts a beam of solar energy at Random - who tells Alex that he should know by now that anything he can do, Random does better - like creating an opening in his body for his plasma-blast to pass right through.

And in manipulating his malleable form to do so, the plasma blast strikes someone who approaches Random from behind - Guido Carosella a.k.a. Strong Guy, who shouts ‘HEY!’ as he is knocked backwards. ‘Congratulations, hotshot - you just nailed your own man!’ Random tells Alex. Rahne “Wolfsbane” Sinclair goes over to Guido as he asks if there is a super hero rule book that says “shoot first and ask questions later”. Guido gets to his feet and asks if you get thrown out of the union if you don’t attack everybody on sight. ‘Guido?’ Alex exclaims, to which Rahne tells Alex not to let Guido make him feel guilty, as they did the same thing when Random showed up at the Brownstone. ‘Thanks ever so much for pointing that out’ Guido mutters.

Soon, everyone gathers in the meeting room, and as Rahne crouches at Alex’s feet, Alex asks what is going on and what Guido and Wolfsbane are doing here with “this maggot” as he calls Random. ‘Maggot? He couldn’t mean me, could he?’ Random asks. ‘You think this is funny?’ Alex exclaims. Random replies that it is mildly amusing. ‘Why, you insufferable -’ Alex begins, but Strong Guy tells him to take it easy, admitting that Rahne is right, he was ready to take Random apart. ‘But then, after we talked, I realized that -’ Guido begins, before Alex interrupts: ‘Talked - to this homicidal bounty-hunting amoral scum?’

Cigar in hand, Random grits his teeth and declares that Alex has hurt his feelings and is going to go home and cry himself to sleep. Turning to walk away, he points out that if he leaves that means he cannot give them the low-down on the creeps that hired him to bushwhack Polaris. ‘But, hey, if ya don’t want me around, what can I do?’ ‘Wait!’ Lorna calls out as she flies over and stop Random from leaving. ‘You wanna insult me, too?’ Random asks. Lorna declares that what she wants to know is why Random has suddenly turned on his masters. Random replies that he doesn’t have any masters - just good sources of income. ‘You pay the price, you get the goods…but the lowlifes that hired me to take you on, played me for a jerk - promised me a steady gig, then back out at the last minute’ Random adds that they added insult to injury by having the nerve to send a hit-squad after him as well.

‘So now you’re going to turn on them…by selling us their identities, right?’ Havok asks, poking Random in the chest. ‘You’re smarter than you look, pretty-boy…now let’s see how good you are at writing a check’ Random replies. ‘Isn’t there anything you wouldn’t do for a buck?’ Alex asks. ‘Nope’ Random declares, to which Havok informs him he is not getting a dime out of X-Factor. Rahne snarls at Alex’s side, while Polaris manages to get in between Alex and Random, declaring that there has been too much violence lately and that she is sick to death of it.

Lorna suggests that if they can solve this with a check, then they should do it. Lorna points out that the Pentagon spends a thousand dollars a year on a box of nails. ‘Do you think they’re gonna miss a little more?’ she asks, adding that she has a right to know who has targeted her, and why. Wolfsbane tells Alex not to worry, that Lorna may not have the stomach for it, but she will take care of Random. ‘Just say the word and I’ll tear him to pieces! Eat his flesh! Suck his bones!’ Rahne exclaims. Concerned, Havok tells Rahne to wait a minute and to calm down, adding that perhaps Lorna is right, that they should hear Random out.

Suddenly, Forge announces that they will hear Random out, and that they are going to get their money’s worth - but not just yet. ‘Spilling you guts for a couple of thousand is one thing, Random. But I’ve got a check right here for ten thousand dollars - that you’re going to have to really work for’ Forge announces, waving the check in Random’s face. Random asks Forge what he is talking about, to which Forge informs him that his people are three hours away from embarking on a dangerous assignment, and they can use all the extra muscle he can provide. ‘Me - work with these bozos? Forget it, Forge! I don’t do teams!’ Random declares.

Forge then offers Random fifteen thousand for this assignment and the information on the men that hired him, adding that they will replace the car that Lorna wrecked during their battle. ‘My car? Okay…but there’d better well be cruise control, air-condition and a CD player in that baby!’ Random replies, taking the check. ‘Forge - you can’t be serious!’ Alex exclaims. ‘Dead serious’ Forge replies. ‘Fine. Fine! But the first time he doesn’t follow one of my orders - he’s gone, do you hear me?’ Alex shouts. ‘Everybody heard you’ Random mutters. ‘Ooo…look… “top secret”!’ Guido remarks as he looks at some papers on desk.

As Alex walks away, Lorna asks him where he is going. ‘Out!’ Alex replies, while Wolfsbane crawls at his side, announcing that she is right behind him. Polaris sighs, ‘Random, can I ask you a question?’ she ass. ‘First one’s free. Rest’ll cost ya’ Random replies. Lorna explains that she has been thinking, and tells Random that the day he came after her, something just wasn’t right. Random asks Polaris what she means, to which Polaris declares ‘I didn’t bet you, did I? At the end…you held back. You let me win’. Random frowns and asks Polaris why he would do a thing like that. ‘That’s what I’d like to know ‘Lorna replies.

Random walks away and holding his check up exclaims that if he could have whacked her, he would have, but she trounced him fair and square. ‘Now, if ya don’t mind, I gotta go deposit this check’ he exclaims. ‘Give me that’ Forge mutters as he snatches the paper out of Gudio’s hand. ‘Gee whiz! Nobody ever lets me read the “top secret” documents’ Guido complains. Lorna folds her arms and frowns.

Elsewhere, ‘You have journeyed into the nothing - and returned to the everything. Your soul has been cleansed…your eyes opened to the truth of my cause. You are mine, Valerie Cooper - and I am glad!’ the mysterious Haven exclaims to Dr Valerie Cooper, X-Factor’s former Government Liaison, who stands near Haven, inside her citadel in the mountains of Northern California. Haven points out that Valerie’s years in Washington, walking between the worlds of humans and mutants, makes her an invaluable asset.

Valerie replies that she doesn’t think she is invaluable as Haven thinks, but that she will do anything she can to help. Val tells Haven that when she read her book, it was like something just clicked. ‘Your vision of man and mutant evolving together into a new species…a new humanity - it made so much sense. Touched something so deep in my heart…’ Valerie explains. ‘I felt the same when the vision came to me. When he showed me the future’ Haven replies, revealing that she too has walked the worlds of man and mutant and was saddened - sickened - by what she saw. ‘Each trying to subjugate the other. Claiming dominance, superiority. Even those who cried out for tolerance…peaceful co-existence…were blind to the truth’ Haven adds.

Valerie and Haven walk through the fortress, and Haven declares that with the help of brave ones like Valerie, the truth will go out into the world, rise like a wave and wash this planet clean. She reminds Valerie that she tried to tell them that in Maryland the other night, but they would not listen. ‘Some of us have heard you, Haven. More will…with time’ Valerie replies. They enter a communications room, and Haven replies ‘Time? There’s no time left: humankind has suffered far too much, far too long’. Haven reveals that she was one of the lucky ones. As various followers go about their business, while Haven explains that in a nation of pain and suffering, she grew up privileged, and in an odd way, that made her even more sensitive than the pain around her. Haven tells Valerie that as a little girl, she would pray every night for God to save not just India, but all the world.

Haven reveals that years later when she worked with the destitute in Calcutta, bathing lepers and cradling dying children in her arms, her prayers were answered, as a voice - his voice - spoke inside her, and showed her the way to universal redemption. Gazing at the large screen in front of them, Haven tells Valerie that even now the way is opening. She smiles as she exclaims ‘They’re coming to me, Valerie! They’re coming!’

At that moment, X-Factor are in their aircraft, flying across the country. ‘Hey - those air-sickness pills really helped! I don’t feel like barfing at all!’ Strong Guy announces. ‘Thanks for sharing’ Lorna mutters. ‘Don’t mention it’ Guido replies, before asking her how she is doing. Sitting higher than the others, Lorna is arched back and explains that using her magnetic powers to propel the ship is actually quite a rush. Guido tells her not to have so much fun that she forgets to steer, while Alex asks her if she is sure she is okay. ‘I’m fine’ Lorna replies. Havok reminds Polaris that she has been through so much these past few days and suggests that they should switch to the back-up engines for a while.

‘Alex…sweetheart…this is the perfect way for me to relieve stress’ Lorna replies, telling Alex to stop worrying. Baring her fangs, Wolfsbane, in her full wolfen form, tells Alex to stop worrying about her. “Sweetheart” she mocks, as she grabs Havok by his face and tells him to start worrying about her. ‘Rahne! What are you -?’ Alex begins. ‘But ye don’t worry about me, do ye? Ye don’t even care!’ Rahne exclaims. Havok tells Wolfsbane that she is not making sense. ‘Sense? I dinna know what sense is any more!’ Rahne declares, moving her saliva-covered mouth closer to Alex’s as she tells him that the psychic bond between them is tearing her apart, that he is in her mind and her heart, and she cannot get rid of him.

‘I dinna know where muh thoughts and feelings end - and yuirs begin - an’ it’s driving me mad!’ Wolfsbane shrieks. Rahne raises a claws hand as if to strike Alex, announcing that she wants her own mind back, her own body, her own life - that she wants the bond between them broken. Out of the corner of her eye, Lorna watches the situation and thinks to herself that if she knows Alex, he is not going to raise so much as a finger in his own defense. Wolfsbane declares that Professor Xavier can’t help her, Alex won’t help her, so she supposes she will have to break free of him anyway she can.

Alex doesn’t flinch as Rahne’s claws hand hovers over his face. Lorna goes wide eyed, thinking that Alex is betting that no matter how out of control the Genoshan bonding has pushed Rahne, she is no killer. Suddenly, Wolfsbane pulls back: ‘What am I doing? Dear Lord - what am I doing?’ she cries out. ‘I only hope - that he’s right’ Lorna thinks to herself as she sees Rahne pull away. Transforming into a full wolf, losing all of her human state, Rahne tells Alex that she is so sorry, and rushes away from him. Alex calls out to her, telling her to wait and that they need to talk about this. Guido gets up and tells Alex to hang back, as the only thing Rahne needs now, is a friend. Guido goes over to her, and a teary-eyed wolf, rests in his arms.

On the other side of the vessel, Random gets up from here he was seated between James “Multiple Man” Madrox - or at least two duplicates of Madrox - and declares that it is no wonder Forge wanted him along for the ride. ‘You people are pathetic!’ he declares. The dupe who supports Haven admits that it is true they have their troubles, but that Haven will show them the way. ‘She’ll heal our troubled spirits, and -’ he begins, while the other dupe exclaims ‘Look, dope - we’re not going after Haven so she can heal our inner children - we’re going to kick her butt’ the aggressive dupe declares, warning his fellow that if he does anything to screw up this mission, he is going to wish he was never duped.

‘We;;, we’ve heard from “Curly” and “Larry” - what’ve you got to say for yerself, “Moe”?’ Random asks the real Madrox - who sits slumped over. His hollow eyes and withered form looks up at Random and replies ‘Nothing. Nothing at all’. Random walks away, ‘Like I said - pathetic!’ he calls back.

Lorna tells everyone to get ready, as according to the co-ordinates Forge gave them, they have arrived. The aircraft hovers over Haven’s fortress and Alex tells Lorna to bring them down low and slow, as even with their radar hamming devices, there is a good chance that Haven’s technos can still “read” them. Guido points out that the whole place is carved out of the mountain. ‘Very cool!’ he exclaims. ‘Can the chatter! We’re not here to sightsee!’ Havok snaps. ‘Well, excuse me!’ Guido replies. As the vessel lands, Alex apologizes to Guido, telling him that he didn’t mean to bark, but he is a little tense.

Alex adds that as much intelligence as they have got on this place, they are still pretty much in the dark, so they have to be ready for anything. The vessel opens, and X-Factor and Random emerge, with Random telling Alex not to worry, that with the first sign of trouble, he will save all of their butts. ‘We attack only when provoked - and on my order’ Alex declares, reminding everyone that they are here to apprehend a suspected terrorist. But before Alex can continue, Random shouts ‘Hold it!’. ‘Since when are you giving orders?’ Alex asks. Everyone comes to a stop as Alex tells him to shut up and listen. ‘Hear that?’ Random asks. Alex replies that he doesn’t hear anything, while Wolfsbane remarks that Random is right, and announces that she is picking up a scent - strong, and getting stronger.

Strong Guy sniffs under his arms and remarks that it isn’t him. ‘But I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that it could be - THEM!’ Guido declares as he looks upwards, where several armoured warriors wielding swords stand ready - and an Indian man calls out ‘Intruders! I am called Monsoon - and in Haven’s name, I order you to lay down your arms!’ ‘We’re not carrying any arms! Should we lay down our legs?’ Guido calls out, before being scolded by Alex. ‘Maybe you losers ain’t packing guns…but me…I’ve always got one handy!’ Random exclaims as he transforms his arm into a massive weapon, despite Alex telling him not to.

Too late though, as Random unleashes the shot, which strikes the ground under Monsoon, knocking him over. ‘Monsoon - should we?’ one of the warriors begins, but Monsoon gets to his feet: ‘No. I’ll do it…MYSELF!’ he booms as he unleashes a massive rainstorm down on X-Factor, sweeping them back. ‘Looks like we got a new mutant on our hands!’ Lorna declares as she surrounds herself with magnetic energy. ‘Not necessarily! He could’ve been bitten by a radio-active storm front!’ Strong Guy jokes, to which Alex asks him to stop joking and make himself useful. ‘I thought you’d never ask’ Guido replies as he leaps up onto the cliffside where he slams into Monsoon, knocking him over.

X-Factor and Random engage the warriors in battle, with Polaris telling Alex that this is exactly the kind of nonsense she wanted to avoid. Polaris reminds her teammates that she only agreed to this because Alex said they were going to talk to Haven, to discuss the charges against her, and then bring her in peacefully. ‘And it was a good plan, too - till our newest recruit ruined it!’ Alex remarks as he blasts one of the warriors with a plasma burst. ‘Ruined it? I saved yer stupid butts! Let’s face it - if yer pal Haven’s such a saint - what’s she doing with her own private army?’ Random asks as he blasts one of the warriors.

As Wolfsbane asks Multiple Man why he is just standing there, the Haven-loving dupe asks everyone if they cannot see that this is wrong. He declares that Haven is their only hope, and that if they turn against her, they are lost. ‘Look, yutz - I told you if you got in the way I’d take you apart - and I mean it!’ the aggressive dupe exclaims, while the real Madrox asks them to stop arguing and help him. Slamming his fist into the side of the cliff, Madrox remarks that he cannot seem to create more than a few dupes, and they are all listless and confused, that he cannot control them.

Suddenly, two figures appear on the Cliffside overlooking the others, and the moon glows red down upon them. ‘STOP!’ one of them booms - it’s Haven and she orders Monsoon to call back his men and cease firing. Haven informs X-Factor that Monsoon was under orders to guide them to her, not initiate hostilities. She apologizes for her brother, explaining that he has always been quick to anger, but that his heart is good. ‘I hope you will forgive him’ Haven adds. Alex admits, though he doesn’t like to, that there is nothing to forgive Monsoon for, as X-Factor started all of this. ‘Well, not all of us…just the moron with the bandana on his head’ Alex adds, motioning at Random.

‘HEY!’ Random shouts, before Havok declares that does not change the reason that they are here. Alex informs Haven that they have a warrant for her arrest. ‘We’d prefer not to bring you in by force, but -’ Alex begins, before he is interrupted by the other figure standing on the cliff - ‘But when you hear all that Haven has to say - you won’t want to bring her in at all. Take my word for it, Alex’. X-Factor and Random go wide-eyed, ‘VAL?!’ Random gasps as thy see Valerie standing up with Haven. ‘You’ve got it all wrong’ Valerie announces, while Havok asks her what she is doing here. Valerie smiles and tells Alex that if he would drop the macho posturing and come inside, she thinks Haven can explain everything.

Soon, inside, Haven sits on her throne, with Monsoon and Valerie standing at her side, while X-Factor stand in front of her and gaze around at their surroundings. Haven reminds the heroes that at “Brahma House” they heard her speak of a world where man and mutant are not separate, but one. ‘Destined to join together to form a new - and vastly improved - species’ Haven explains, adding that in order for that day to arrive, a global chance in consciousness must occur. Haven remarks that the people must see that the divisions between them are illusions - lies.

Haven implores X-Factor to join her, as Valerie and so many others have - and help bring about this transformation. Havok replies that they have their own vision of the future, and have dedicated their lives to it. ‘What makes you think yours is any better?’ he asks her. Haven points out that X-Factor’s mentor, Professor Charles Xavier, sees only part of the picture, while Magneto and the others who oppose the X-Men are blinded by hatred and prejudice. ‘What d’ye know about Xavier and the X-Men?’ Wolfsbane snarls. Looking at the décor, Guido tells Lorna that it is quite a layout, very sixties, and that the only thing it is missing is a lava lamp.

Haven replies that she knows that their beloved Professor chases dreams, yet she bears witness to reality. Haven declares that she knows that all who follow Xavier’s dream are as good of heart as her brother, and as often misguided. Haven tells X-Factor to follow her, to help her usher in the golden age. ‘Together - we’ll redeem the world!’ Haven announces. ‘Redeem it? How? By destroying it?’ Alex asks, before suggesting to Haven that they get to the point, and informs her that their intelligence reports say she is a terrorist, a murderer many times over. ‘Do you deny the charges brought against you?’ Havok asks, while Wolfsbane foams at the mouth by his side.

Haven stands up and replies ‘Deny them? No. What you say…is true’. Images of fire, destruction and suffering appear around her, and Haven tells Alex to believe this: ‘Some time in the next seven hundred years, three-fourths of the world will die. The great destruction…the Mahapralaya…will come…followed by an age of peace and beauty beyond all comprehension. He has told me! I have seen it!’ Haven declares, adding that until then, there will be centuries of continually escalating human suffering - centuries of it. ‘How can we stand by and allow that to happen?’ she asks X-Factor, explaining that is why her followers are working to bring the Mahapralaya about now.

Haven declares that across the globe, they spread the seed of chaos, creating famine and flood - inciting war and revolution. ‘Don’t you see? The sooner the end comes, the sooner we’ll all arrive - at the new beginning!’ Haven shouts. Havok asks Polaris if she heard that and it that convinced her. ‘And what about you, Val? Maybe she sucked you in with all her talk about higher consciousness and the glorious world to come - but now that you’ve heard what your “savoir” really stands for - you can’t possibly think that she -’ but Alex is interrupted by Valerie, who reveals that she has known about this all along, and that she thinks Haven is right.

‘You what? Have you lost your MIND?’ Alex shouts as he, Rahne and Guido walk over to her, with Guido telling Alex to calm down and take a few deep breaths. ‘I don’t want to calm down!’ Alex snaps back, to which Guido asks Alex if he has not caught on yet, explaining to him that in her current state, Rahne is like a walking mirror of Alex’s ID - feeding off his violent emotions and acting them out. Suddenly, Rahne growls and lunges at Valerie, knocking her back on the stairs, her fanged mouth bares down close to Valerie’s shocked face, Rahne shouts ‘Now ye’ll pay, woman - for betraying Alex…for turning yuir back on X-Factor! An’ ye’ll pay dearly!’ Rahne shrieks.

Suddenly, ‘I think NOT’ Haven declares as she picks Rahne up by the scruff of her neck, and comes face to face with her, lifting Rahne up. Wolfsbane growls and exclaims that Haven’s throat will do as well as Valerie’s. ‘Poor child. You’re so much like this trouble Earth of ours: tortured…sick…and in desperate need - of healing!’ Haven declares as she holds Rahne up above her head, weaves energies around the young mutant, who vanishes in a ball, which Haven, without expression casts overhead. The ball begins to dissipate - and yet when Rahne emerges - she is in her human form!

Shocked, Rahne sits down in front of Haven, while X-Factor rush over to her, ‘Rahne…sweetie…are you okay?’ Polaris asks, explaining that it all happened in a matter of seconds, and they didn’t have a chance - ‘I - I’m fine. I think’ Rahne replies, rubbing her head, she remarks that she cannot seem to focus her thoughts. Haven explains that the dizziness and disorientation will pass in a few moments, and that then her new life will begin. “New life?” Alex quotes Haven, asking her what she has done to Wolfsbane. ‘Looks to me like whatever it was…it was an improvement’ Random points out. ‘Nobody asked you, Random!’ Alex snaps, to which Guido remarks that Random is right, their Rahne is as good as new.

Havok asks Rahne what happened and whether she can remember anything. Rahne replies that it was like everything she is - her very essence - it just dissolved, and became nothing, and then it all started to come back together again. ‘I canna believe it!’ Rahne exclaims, before smiling, she goes over to Alex and asks him if he can feel the change. ‘I don’t know what you -’ Alex begins, while Rahne touches her head and exclaims that the bond - the psychic link between them is gone. Rahne tells Alex that he is not swimming around in her head anymore, pulling on her heart so hard that it hurts. ‘Muh thoughts…muh feelings…they’re muh own again! They’re all muh own!’ Rahne announces, throwing her hands into the air, she smiles and begins to cry, ‘Oh sweet Lord in Heaven - I’m FREE!’ Rahne shouts.

Suddenly, Wolfsbane rushes over to Haven, asking her how she can thank her for what she has done. ‘Even the Professor - even he couldna do it!’ Rahne exclaims, throwing her arms around Haven. Valerie and Polaris watch Wolfsbane, while Haven pats her on the head and tells her that her joy is thanks enough. ‘Get your hands off of her, Haven!’ Alex declares, yanking Rahne away from Haven. Wolfsbane asks Alex what he is doing. ‘Are ye mad? She cured me!’ Rahne points out. Havok declares that they don’t know what Haven has done.

‘And until we find out for sure, you’re not going to -’ Alex begins, bur Rahne pushes him away, telling him that she will do what she pleases, that he will never control her again. Rahne declares that she is her own person now, with her own mind, and from now on will make her own decisions. ‘And what I choose - it t’stand with Haven!’ Rahne announces as she walks over and stands alongside Valerie, Monsoon, and a very smug looking Haven….

Characters Involved: 

Havok, Multiple Man, Polaris, Strong Guy, Wolfsbane (all X-Factor)

Forge

Dr Valerie Cooper

Random

Haven

Monsoon

Haven’s followers and army

Story Notes: 

A real photograph is used for the exterior shot of the Pentagon, as has been common practice in recent issues.

Random and Polaris battled in X-Factor (1st series) #95.

Random was attacked by the hit-squad in X-Factor (1st series) #97.

Haven held a conference in X-Factor (1st series) #97, before it was interrupted by Havok and Forge.

Curly, Larry and Moe are the Three Stooges.

Wolfsbane was transformed into a Genoshan Mutate in the “X-Tinction Agenda” crossover. Her mysterious connection to Havok - that of a slave/master relationship thanks to the mutate bonding process - was revealed in X-Factor (1st series) #89.

Issue Information: 
Written By: