The Watcher introduces himself from the Blue Area of the Moon, where he observes alternate realities, divergent universes which appears much as one's own, but that upon closer observation are different. One such reality, this one, mutants are a persecuted minority, and Xavier's group of X-Men have formed, searching for peaceful co-existence. Here, their first encounter with the mutant-hunting Sentinels occurs differently than on another world, altering the group dynamics in subtle ways. 'Witness the destruction caused by Sabretooth, gaze upon the wrath of the outcast turned against an unsympathetic socieity. Look at the result of man's ostracism and hatred unleashed! See what this distorted mirror reflects...'.
Sabretooth roars as he lifts a car overhead and embarks on a rampage. 'HERE!' he shouts as he tosses the car towards a camera crew, filming the trouble. 'Another outbreak of mutant violence today in New York City...' an announcer's voice can be heard saying, while a middle aged couple watch the report on the news.
'She's one of them, you know. One of those mutants – our own daughter – Jubilee. Remember how the VCR was melted after she used it? You know what we have to do' the man remarks to his wife. 'You mean register her with the government like she was some sort of criminal? Never, Martin!' the wife exclaims, but Martin asks his wife what she wants him to do – break the law? 'It's for her own good. She needs help' Martin decides. The woman tells Martin that he would never suggest this if Jubilee was their own daughter, and not adopted. 'Martha, be reasonable. You know what'll happen if the neighbors found out. Please...' Martin remarks, putting a hand on Martha's shoulder. 'But she's so young Martin. So young...' Martha replies, both of them unaware that Jubilee has been listening from the staircase.
'Register her with the government? Oh – they'll take me away from Mom and Dad. I'll never see them again!' Jubilee realizes. Tears fall from her eyes, and she clutches her head, wondering why she was born this way. 'I didn't ask to be what I am. Just let me be a normal kid like my friends. It's not my fault! Not my fault!' she thinks to herself, before slumping to the floor.
She puts her head into her arms and wonders if anything could be worse than this, unaware that outside, in the still of the night, a large purple and pink robot has descended into the neighborhood. It lands with a mighty THOOM and starts to lumber down the street, its target has been pinpointed, with imminent distance twenty meters away. It scans the houses along the street, until it gets to 764 Lucille Court West. A file pops up in the robots' eye, and a headshot of Jubilee confirms that she lives at this home. 'Execute target acquisition, subroutine' the robot declares, positively identifying the mutant, it commences target acquisition by plunging its massive arm through the window of Jubilee's bedroom and grabbing her bed, yanking it out into the open air. But the large robot sees that it has made an error. 'Non-mutant pillow in contour of human body covered by blanket' it states, announcing that Jubilee was not in her quarters. With the target's new whereabouts unknown, the massive robot takes to the air to recommence its search.
But hearing the commotion, Martha and Martin rush into Jubilee's room, 'Omigod! What's happened?' Martin gasps as they see the destruction. 'Jubilee? Jubilee?' Martha screams.
Jubilee, however, is alive and safe at an arcade in large shopping mall. 'C'mon, you robot goonies! I'll teach you to invade my universe!' she exclaims as she fires the guns at robots in space. 'Yeah! That's it! No robot's getting me!' Jubilee declares as she blows up the robot on screen. Suddenly, colorful sparks burst from her hands, and the controls make a hissing sound.
'Hey! Look what you did to my game! Ya melted it with yer hand! You must be one of them blasted muties I been seeing on the tee vee!' the arcade owner shouts. Letting go of the melted joystick, Jubilee tells the man that she is sorry, and assures him that she will get her mom to pay for it. 'Gotta go now!' she adds as she rushes from the arcade, out into the general walkway space in the mall. 'Get back here, mutie! Yer gonna pay for what you did! Hear that! Yer gonna pay!' the arcade owner shouts after her. 'Man, am I in dutch! If they catch me, I'm a goner!' Jubilee thinks to herself, deciding that she can't go there again. 'And they had such neat stuff! Nuts!' she laments, while a shopper nearby notices a large shadowy figure approaching the mall, seen through the large glass windows. 'What the heck is that thing? A Macy's parade float?' they wonder.
But it is the large robot again, and it bursts into the mall, reaching down for Jubilee to acquire its target. 'Great! Now I got a giant Transformer on my butt!' Jubilee exclaims as she looks up and sees the robot.
Nearby, three brightly dressed people are doing some shopping. 'Rogue! Do you think Storm pursues the bargains here, or -' begins a man in a trenchcoat to a woman with a white stripe through her hair, referring to another woman in a white costume who takes flight. 'Hush, Gambit! Yuh all heard that loud sound'a breaking glass! Something's happening! Let's go!' Rogue exclaims, while Storm shouts 'This way, X-Men!' and as the trio move into the center of the mall.
'That child - under attack by some giant! Assume offensive posture!' Storm tells Gambit and Rogue. 'She just loves handing out orders, don't she, Gambie?' Rogue remarks. Gambit replies that he has taken orders from worse, before suggesting to Rogue that they take to arms. 'Ah'm with yuh!' Rogue replies with her thick Southern accent.
The large robot announces that the mutant designate Jubilee's apprehension has been achieved, and he pulls her towards him by wrapping her in a large coil.
'Release her, monster! That child will not be harmed!' Storm calls out. 'Keep ya cables to yourself, bozo, or I'll bust your ball bearings for ya!' Jubilee warns the robot. 'I said unhand her!' Storm calls out once more, and the robot turns to her and the others, stating that these mutants identities are unknown. 'Ulp. Heard that, lead head? Lemme down!' Jubilee exclaims.
Storm flies over to Jubilee and tells her to remain still, while she fires a lightning bolt that cuts through the cable and hits the robot in the face. 'Not moving a muscle, lady' Jubilee replies, while Gambit tells Rogue that it is her turn and asks her what she has up her sleeves. 'Oh, I got a few steps I been dying to try, Shugah' Rogue replies as she rips the escalator up, 'Check 'em out!' Rogue exclaims as she swings the escalator steps right into the face of the robot. Storm holds Jubilee safely in her arms, and Rogue suggests to Gambit that he charges up one of his playing cards with some “kinetic whoop-de-do” and gets this show on the road. 'Oui. I never refuse the beautiful lady's request!' Gambit responds as he tosses a kinetically-charged playing card towards the robot, 'Do you play the card game, mon grand ami? I don't think so' Gambit tells the robot as it is struck, and staggers backwards. 'Nice moves, Gambit! Least we know this guy'll take our charged cards, heh' Rogue jokes, asking the robot to excuse the pun, as she slams her fist into its face.
The robot checks its systems and reports that the damage to the cranial components are repairable. It engages back-ups, and states that it will use an aggressive response to the unregistered mutants. It does so, but releasing a powerful energy surge from its hand, striking Storm, Rogue and Gambit. The robot then turns its attention back to Jubilee.
'Okay, you wanna play rough, Stumbo? Remember – I got enough stuff in this one hand to make you into silly putty!' Jubilee warns the robot, hoping that it doesn't see her knees knocking. 'Here goes nothing' Jubilee thinks to herself, as she raises her hands, and colorful light explosives are emitted. The robot covers its face as it states that the subject is unleashing plasma bursts of unknown composition, and its systems function has been temporarily taken out, it reports that it is working on an alternative containment tactic. 'Yipes! What ya got there, buddy? Christmas bulbs?' Jubilee asks, as she runs past the robot, which drops some red balls, which a green gas starts to emit from. 'What good are they?' Jubilee enquires, when suddenly, she starts to reach for her throat, realizing that it is gas. 'I think Im gonna be - sick' Jubilee before she falls to the floor, in front of a man wearing a blue and gold costume.
'This has gone far enough' the man declares. 'Wuh?' Jubilee wonders, looking up, she sees the man wears a visor over his eyes, and he shouts 'Not bad. You took that child down without breaking an oil-sweat. Now let's see how you do against me!' With that, he releases a powerful optical blast from his visor, at close range, it severs the robots head, and Jubilee looks on in awe.
Hours later, in New York's Westchester County, Jubilee wakes to find herself in a bed, hooked up to a monitoring machine. Storm smiles at Jubilee and introduces herself as Ororo. She informs Jubilee that she is in Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, home of the X-Men. 'We took you from the mall' she adds. Jubilee introduces herself and asks 'Aren't you a little old for school?'
Storm replies 'Not this one' and explains that it is where they learn to control their mutant abilities for mankind's benefit. She tells Jubilee not to look shocked, and that they suspect she is one as well. 'Y'mean you're all weirdos like me here?' Jubilee asks.
'Who you calling a weirdo, squirt?' a voice demands. Storm and Jubilee turn to the door, and Storm addresses Logan, informing him that Jubilee is their guest, that she was the young girl menaced in the mall. Storm introduces Jubilee to Wolverine, another of the X-Men. 'W-W-Wolverine?' Jubilee asks, pulling the sheets up around her. 'Yup. Minus the first two W's' Wolverine replies, before informing Storm that they have to hit the War Room, as the Professor is checking out Mister Machine's head, and he wants them all present for the dissection.
Storm leaves the room and states that she will keep Jubilee hooked up to the monitors in case there is any change in her condition. 'Relax, Jubilee. I will return shortly' Storm assures her. Wolverine narrows his eyes at Jubilee and tells her to stay bed-ridden, as the Professor wants a word with her later. 'Me, too' Wolverine adds.
In the Danger Room, the supreme training center where Professor Xavier's charges hone their remarkable abilities to razor sharpness. Small gray robots are attacking, while red laser beams are fired through the room. Gambit is present, and he tosses a playing card towards a robot, while a furry blue man bounds across some discs in the air, and a man in a standard blue and gold costume with a brown jacket swings from a beam. Morph – why the unwarranted interference in my daily exercise regimen?' the blue man calls out to the other man, who replies 'I just want you to see you're not the only lady-killing beast here, Mr McCoy', referencing the blue man's code-name. Beast. 'Behave yourself, mon ami!' Gambit calls out, while the Beast dodges some laser beams and announces 'Utilizing your changeling powers to become a pallid imitation of yours truly – does not the bashful bouncing Beast make... as I note you've unceremoniously ascertained!' the Beast exclaims as Morph transforms into a copy of the Beast, but is struck in the stomach by a platform. The Beast swings down and pulls Morph to safety, 'Allow me to spare you the indignity of singular splat on the unyielding floor below' the Beast offers, pulling Morph to safety. Morph thanks the Beast, and admits that he is one of a kind after all, before a voice can be heard, instructing the X-Men to cease all Danger Room activities and report to the War Room at once. 'Mes amis, we have been summoned' Gambit points out. 'Indubitably' the Beast agrees, while Morph jokes 'Nothing gets by you, Gambit'.
Back in the infirmary, Jubilee decides that she has to make a break for it, for although she likes Storm, that Wolverine dude gives her the creeps. She uses her power to short-circuit the monitor, and climbs out of the bed, putting her yellow trench on, she thinks that her Mom and Dad msut be worried sick about her by now. She wishes she was normal, then theh wouldn't have any problems. 'But I'm a mutie, and I'll never be anything but' Jubilee thinks to herself, while hoping that another one of those giant things didn't come after her at her house. She then wonders what grief her parents are going through right now.
And indeed, back at Jubilee's home, a man with short red hair and dark glasses holds a photo of Storm and Rogue up to Martha and Martin and exclaims 'I'll ask you again, Mr and Mrs Dobson, does your daughter have any mutant friends? The Federal Government wants to know. She was seen only hours ago with these women – both known mutants'. He points at the couple and warns them that it is a very serious offence to withhold information. He adds that Washington intends to keep tabs on mutants, and he is authorized to use whatever means necessary to ensure that occurs. 'Are we clear on that?' he asks. Martin tells the man, whom he calls Mr Gyrich, that their daughter has only been with them for a year, and that she is a foster child, so they don't know her friends at all. 'We love her with all our hearts... but we intend to cooperate with you' Martin adds. 'Good. By the way, the government will compensate you for the damage done to your house – even if you have homeowner's insurance' Mr Gyrich reports.
Moments later, a block away, Jubilee hops off a bus, and tells herself that sneaking out wasn't too difficult, and that she is glad to be back in New Salem, although it seems quiet. 'Uh-oh! Spoke too soon! Another one of those robots!' Jubilee realizes, as she looks up and sees the monstrosity looming over her. 'You better not hurt my parents, you creep! Keep away from us!' Jubilee screams as she fires a burst of colorful plasma at the robot. 'Leave me alone!' she adds, while looking around, she doesn't see a second robot approach her. She knows that she can't run home, and will have to run the other way while the robot is screwed up. 'Target mutant apprehended' the second robot states as it fires a gas at Jubilee, causing her to drop to the ground. Henry Gyrich appears, and standing over Jubilee, he tells her to sleep now, for when she awakens, they have much to discuss.
Back at Xavier's School, the X-Men are in the War Room, seated or standing around a table, where the hover-chair bound Professor X points to the head of the robot, placed on the table, and reports that after a cursory exam, he cannot yet determine who built this machine and why. 'All its systems are highly-sophisticated, state-of-the-art technology' he adds. Cyclops announces that it is obvious the robot targeted the girl because she is a mmutant. 'I saw her unleash energy blasts from her palms at the mall' he explains, before asking his teammates if any of them have any suggestions or theories. 'If only Yorick's memory tapes could be accessed we might -' the Beast begins, but Cyclops tells him that they tried, and it is no good. Professor X informs his X-Men that at least a dozen mutants have disappeared in the past two days in the North-Eastern US, and all had registered withh the Agency for Mutant Affairs. The building that the Agency for Mutant Affairs is housed in appears on a monitor, and someone asks the Professor if he thinks that the government is secretly rounding up mutants.
But Professor X reports that the Agency has always been helpful, so someone on the inside must have have their own hidden agenda. Xavier informs the X-Men that he wants them to break into the Mutant Affairs Department and erase the files they have on mutants. 'Professor – that'd be breaking the law' Cyclops declares. Wolverine pops his claws and waves them in front of Cyclops as he remarks 'Maybe you don't hear so well, bub. Twelve of our own disappeared in forty-eight hours. This ain't no credit card agency selling info on us. It’s the feds. Now, maybe you need some gentle persuading to see what's right. If so...' his voice trails off and Cyclops tells Wolverine to retract his claws or lose them. 'Tough talk, Cyke. But we're gonna do this whether you're leading the troops – or here wringing yer hands pansy style'.
Professor X tells Wolverine and Cyclops to stop their bickering and informs everyone except for Cyclops to return to their quarters until they hear further instructions. As the others leave, Cyclops apologizes to the Professor. 'I know I'm deputy leader and I shouldn't challenge your decision, but...' he begins, as Professor X declares that the decision does not come easily to him, but someone is using the information in those files to kidnap mutants. 'We've never faced a threat this grave – and our enemy remains unknown'. Pofessor X assures Cyclops that he sympathizes with his doubts, but that he needs his leadership more than ever. 'Of all my X-Men, it's you who've made me most proud, Scott' Xavier remarks, and Cyclops thanks the Professor.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned auto-plant in New York State, Jubilee has been tied to a small bed in a dull room, some laser instruments pointed down at her. 'Wake up... wake up...' a voice calls out. A panel opens and Henry Gyrich looks into the room, 'That's better. Now, if you use your mutant powers to try and escape, this chamber will be flooded with toxic gas' Gyricch informs Jubilee, announcing that he wants to know about the mutants who helped her at the mall – those X-Men. 'I – I don't know anything!' Jubilee exclaims. Gyrich tells Jubilee that she has her whole life ahead of her. 'You would like to have a life, wouldn't you?' he adds.
Elsewhere, the much sough-after X-Men secretly arrive outside the headquarters of the Federal Security Agency. 'What do you see, Cyclops?' Storm asks as the X-Men emerge from their jet, the Blackbird. Looking through a high-tech scanner, Cyclops reports that there is a fence, no visible guards, he doesn't like that, but there is a guard tower. He has focused on the entrance they will be using. 'Let's move, team' Cyclops orders. He turns to Storm, 'We discussed...cover' he reminds her. 'Yes' Storm replies, raising her arms, dark clouds roll in to cover the moonlit sky, Storm tells Cyclops that she, too, shares his reservations about their mission. 'Perhaps in our hearts we fear – the role of renegades may suit us more than we wish to believe'. Wolverine, Beast and Morph move to the fence, 'That's what I call darkness' Wolverine tells the others, before pointing out that there is still the matter of this fence. 'The merest of impediments, my hirsute compatriot' the Beast responds, as he and Wolverine toss Morph over the high fence. 'Too bad Gambit ain't down here to give us an allez-oop' Wolverine remarks. 'Your linguistic fluency never fails to impress, Logan' the Beast replies.
Morph peers around the corner of the building and gets a look at the guard, he is now able to copy the guard's appearance, and he moves forward. 'Hey, come over here a minute. Look what i've found!' Morph calls out to the guard. 'Huh? What're you doing away from – no – it's me – my face! You got my face!' the guard exclaims. 'And boy am I gonna be happy to get rid of it! Okay boys – party time!' Morph calls out as he punches the guard, knocking him back. Beast and Wolverine leap over the fence, 'Hopefully our fearsome slavering visages will precipitate a quick surrender of the remaining defenders' the Beast suggests, to which Wolverine tells him to shut up and get over the fence before he really loses it with him. Back up near the jet, Rogue, Gambit and Cyclops wait, and Rogue asks Cyclops what is going on down there, and Cyclops reports that they are inside without a hitch. Beast, Wolverine and Morph come to the doors, and Morph announces that they are all that stands between them and the files now. 'HALT!' a voice calls out, and the X-Men turn to see three guards rushing towards them. 'Apparently your pronouncement was a tad preamature, lad. It appears the local constabulary has us at a disadvantage' Beast declares.
'That's it, Hank. Keep 'em thinking we're caught until -' Morph begins, as Storm suddenly appears overhead, and blasts the guards with a bolt of lightning. She remarks that it is a mild electrical shock that will relieve them of their senses. 'Be thankful no harm has yet come to the X-Men' she adds. 'Nice work, beautiful. Just hope ya zapped 'em hard enough to they stay out for awhile' Wolverine tells Storm, before remarking that they have places to go and he hasn't got time to knock. With that, Wolverine slices the front doors open. 'Logan, with due consideration to this being a federal facility, damage should be kept to an absolute -' the Beast begins as they rush down the corridor into the facility. 'They can bill me, bub' Wolverine interrupts the Beast. 'I'll refrain from the obvious rejoinder... bub' the Beast replies. Suddenly, they come to a halt. 'You are hesitating' Storm tells Wolverine, who reports that there are electrical eye beams. 'I can smell 'em. Ozone'
Wolverine explains. 'And we shall see them as well' Storm announces as she creates a fog, which makes the beams visible. 'One side, madame, as the blushing Beast assumes center stage whilst engaging in a reminiscence – of the late, lamented Mission Impossible celluloid extravaganzas wherein each laboriously chosen team member showcased his unique abilities...yet worked harmoniously toward the group objective, sans grandstanding' the Beast declares as he leaps up and swings across on the pipes above them.
'Would that such egregious displays of talent were not a part of this furry felons make-up, but alas...' the Beast continues, before coming to a panel on the wall, 'Aha. Unless I'm suddenly bereft of brain matter...that box-like protuberance ahead – contains the eye beam cut-off switches, thus granting out unencumbered and unwarranted access – to the facility's innards' the Beast announes as he flicks the switch, turning the beams off. 'Hey, good work, Beast, but it's getting real dark in here!' Morph points out, adding that everyone is fading out, he can't see them anymore. 'What's going on?' he wonders. Suddenly, Morph sees a large purple hand reaching out for him. 'Morph – Morph – come to me...' a voice exclaims. 'That hand – coming through the door – no! No!' Morph calls out, before a flaming purple robot grabs Morph, who screams 'NOOOOO' and is engulfed in flames. Morph collapses to the floor, 'What happened here? Looks like he saw a ghost' Wolverine points out. Storm suggests it might have been a seizure, while a wide-eyed Morph reports that he saw something – that something is going to happen here – and it is going to happen tonight!
