Aboard a jet, Professor Charles Xavier recalls the time when Wolverine attacked him in the mansion. Eventually, he yells out “enough, for God’s sake, enough!” He keeps coming back to that one moment and it’s agony each time. He’s seen enough. Logan tells him no, he hasn’t. Believe him because he’s walked this road. Xavier begins to say but… Logan cuts him off and tells him no buts, just listen. Hints and half-truths, glimpses, fragments, they’re worse than useless. He needs the whole story or else nothing, and nothing ain’t an option. He can’t walk away from this.
Holding his head, Xavier tells him that he’s not trying to but his mind. There’s so much that’s been severed and then badly patched together again, it exhausts him. Logan replies yeah and asks him that this ain’t about the guilt. Xavier tells him of course it’s about the guilt. He, Logan, tried to kill him and he responded by… Nothing he discovers now can change that monstrous act, or make it bearable. Logan tells him to read his mind. Xavier tries to tell him that he already… Logan says not the attack, what happened next, stop hiding from it. Xavier tells him that he knows what happened next. Logan replies glimpses, half-truths, what did he just tell him. He has to relive it all, however much it hurts. He has to see it.
Putting his head in his hands, Xavier asks him experience his own cruelty, his own loss of control, from the point of view of the victim? He pleads with Logan to not ask that of him. Logan replies that Daken is missing. They found dead bodies and a Hellfire Club mask where he was supposed to be. Time’s running out and he’s not asking. Xavier finally concedes and tells him all right, he’ll try again. Reaching out, he touches Logan’s temple.
Years ago, a bandaged Professor Xavier and Moira MacTaggert observe an enraged Wolverine who is shackled to the wall. Logan informs Moira that he’s been like this ever since he attacked him, if he hadn’t managed to shut down his motor functions with a psi-blast… Moira tells him that he’d be dead, Wolverine is more like an animal than a human being. Xavier replies that it’s possible that someone programmed him to do this. That it was a deliberate attempt on his life, rather than an atavistic frenzy. Moira states “but he chose Wolverine himself.” Xavier says that he chose him because he came to his attention. The timing was, very convenient. Moira points out that he has a lot of enemies. Xavier remarks that he does but not many who could do this. If he’s right, it was the most powerful brainwashing he’s ever seen – a twisted masterpiece. Moira asks what he will do with him, he can’t turn him loose among the X-Men and keeping him chained… Xavier says that he knows. There are no easy answers, his mind has been broken into pieces and then reassembled, probably many times. So it ought to be a relatively straightforward matter to break it again.
Exhausted, Xavier falls into Logan’s arms and tells him that he can’t do this anymore without resting. As their jet they are on passes the Statue of Liberty, Logan replies that there’s no time for that. That vibration from the hull means they’ve switched into VTOL mode. In other words, they’ve arrived. Xavier warns him that they shouldn’t confront the Hellfire Club without a plan. Logan tells him that he’ll scope the place out before he goes in but he doesn’t have a whole lot of choice. They’ve got his son and he’s taking him back if he has to pull the place down around their ears.
In Panama, Sebastian Shaw welcomes Daken to his mansion. He adds that it’s a very great pleasure to see him at last. When Daken asks him who he is, Claudine tells him that he’s the friend she told him about, Sebastian Shaw. He’s gonna help him. Daken asks help him, how and why. What does he get out of it? Putting his arm around Daken, Shaw tells him that his amnesia was deliberately induced and that he’s going to give him those memories back. And in return, if he wishes, he can do a favor for him. Daken inquires as to what kind of favor and Shaw tells him a violent favor, the kind he’s best at.
Looking around the mansion, Daken remarks that it’s a nice place, nicer than the monastery. Shaw says if he likes it, it’s his. Daken laughs and asks seriously? Shaw informs him that he bought it specifically as a place where he could recuperate. After that, he has no further use for it. He then tells Daken to take a look around and to make himself at home.
While Daken takes a look at the books in the library, Shaw asks Claudine if she has looked into Daken’s mind yet. Claudine replies that he told her not to. Shaw remarks that she did as she was told, good. Claudine states that she knows Shaw’s afraid he’d sense a psychic probe but he wouldn’t. She’s good enough already to get in and out without him feeling a thing. Pouring himself a drink, Shaw tells Claudine that he saw no point in taking the risk, the young man is dangerous. Claudine replies that so is she. Shaw remarks that they should put that to the test then.
Standing on a rooftop adjacent to the Hellfire Club’s headquarters in New York, Xavier remarks to Logan that it looks like the place is closed for business. There’s no lights on or anybody going in or out. Logan asks him what he’s reading from inside. Xavier tells him nothing, nothing at all. The building is a dead spot in the psionic field. It must be covered by a shield of some kind. Logan tells him that somethin’ stinks there. The club didn’t even close when they captured the X-Men, all of them. Somethin’s going down. Daken’s probably a part of it, but there’s got to be more. When he sees a delivery truck pull up and Hellfire guards approach it, Logan tells Chuck that it’s time to go hunting.
In Panama, Claudine sits with Daken and tells him that she wants him to relax. She tells him to close his eyes and think of something nice. If he runs out of ideas, she can probably help him out. Daken tells her that he can’t relax; it doesn’t seem to be something he does. Claudine replies okay; in that case they should just hold hands. Grasping Daken’s hands, she asks him if he can feel that. When Daken tells him no, she tells him that she’s right at the edge of his mind, just getting a generalized sense of what he’s feeling. Playfully, she adds some of what he’s feeling, she’ll take that as a compliment.
Taking his hands again, Claudine tells him that she’s going deeper, this is where it gets interesting. Recent memories are no problem. She is surprised at all the sensory information. He just drinks it all in, doesn’t he, every sight, every smell. Further back though, it gets a whole lot muddier. When she tries to go further back, she gets nothing. When she expresses shock, Daken asks her what’s the matter. Claudine informs him that he is putting up a wall, keeping him out. Daken replies that he wouldn’t have any idea how to do that. Claudine states that maybe it’s just a conditioning block of some kind. If she pushes hard enough…
After numerous attempts, she comes up with nothing. Seeing her in distress, Daken tells her that he’s sorry. Claudine tells him that she’s fine and to just leave her alone. She then says that they’ll pick this up later. Walking away from him, she tells Shaw that they should consult.
Once they are alone, Shaw asks Claudine what she means. Claudine replies that she’s trying to, his brain is wired. That’s the only way she can put it. There’s this wall which she guesses is just a kind of natural resistance to telepathy. And then behind the wall, there’s something else. When Shaw asks “something else,” Claudine tells him that when she pushes it, it pulls her in towards it. She only just broke free. She’s telling him, it’s a trap. Some psycho set a trap inside Daken’s mind. With a look of concern on his face, Shaw remarks the ever-elusive Romulus, he leaves nothing to chance. He needs to consider this. As he starts to walk away, he tells Claudine to go and reassure the boy, make him happy. Claudine asks keep him happy, he’s an amnesiac psychopath with hair-trigger killing instincts. Shaw tells her yes, is that a problem with her? Claudine tells him no, she just likes saying it.
In New York, the delivery truck pulls up to the entrance of the Hellfire Club. When it pulls up, the guard tells the driver, Skinner, that he has to put his hand on the plate. Skinner asks the guard why, he knows who he is. The guard says that he knows who he looks like, not the same thing. Skinner tells the guard, Polk, that he’s a real piece of work. He’s on overtime as of half an hour ago. Once clear, the truck enters the warehouse with Logan underneath it.
Inside the warehouse, one of the guards tells the others that they need to get busy and that everything goes up to storeroom C. They need to tick off the inventories as they go. Nothing moves unless it’s on the docket. Rifles – 200, tasers – 200 – all good. When the only man left in the warehouse is the driver, Logan comes out of the shadows and calls out pulley block. Confused, the driver says what, there’s no… Before he can finish his thought, Logan cracks him over the head with a pulley block and takes his uniform.
On the deck of the mansion in Panama, Claudine tells Daken that it’s kind of romantic if your mind works that way. Daken tells her that he’s not thinking about romance. When Claudine asks him no, Daken replies that he doesn’t know who he is. Claudine remarks that from a romantic P.O. V., it could be a turn-on. Daken informs her that when she was inside his head, she stirred up images – blood, death, pain. Claudine moves closer to him and tells him that he is so talking her language. With that, the two of them share a romantic kiss.
At the Hellfire Club in Manhattan, three members of the Inner Circle discuss their situation. When Castlemere states that it’s not enough, the bald male of the group says not enough? They could conquer a small country with the weapons they’ve laid in. Castlemere tells the bald man, Mister Turner Scholl, unfortunately they don’t have to conquer a country. They have to out-maneuver Sebastian Shaw. He adds that Da Costa’s resignation threw everything into question. Selene might have held the Circle together, but she’s nowhere to be found. Shaw has already begun his bid for power and that ten people loyal to him have died in the past three days.
Mercedes pipes in and states that Shaw led the Hellfire Club effectively for many years, but he’s a spent force now. Scholl adds that he has no power base to build from. Financially and logistically, they hold all the aces. Castlemere tells them that they may hold all the aces they know about but he wouldn’t put it past Shaw to have entire decks up his sleeve.
In Panama, Sebastian Shaw sits in his study and tells Claudine, Ms. Renko, not to linger on the threshold and come in. He also tells her to inform him how their little stray is doing. Claudine informs him not too shabby, all things considered and that he is performing well in difficult circumstances. Shaw then tells her that he’s given some thought to their problems, both tactical and strategic. Claudine remarks cool and asks if anything popped up. Shaw tells her that her assessment is that Daken’s mind can’t be manipulated safely because it has been booby-trapped in some way, is that correct? Claudine tells him that is correct. Shaw adds that a mind of sufficient power to break through Daken’s natural psi-resistance would trigger the trap. Claudine admits that is so.
Shaw then tells her that all they need to do is to co-opt a telepath stronger than herself, and allow him to go in first. Then she can follow and overwrite Daken’s memories in any way that suits them. Taking a swig from a bottle, Claudine states Xavier. When Shaw tells her indeed, Claudine asks why he’s gonna fall for that. Shaw tells her because he’s a repentant sinner, full of the need to atone. Claudine tells him yeah but he dropped a stitch. Shaw replies that he thinks not but Claudine reminds him about Wolverine. Shaw replies that there’s no problem there. They’ve arranged it so that Logan thinks the Hellfire Club stole his son and he always goes directly for the jugular.
At the Hellfire Club in Manhattan, Castlemere tells the others that the have to find out where Shaw is and take the fight to him. Scholl asks why should they, this building is impregnable, let him come to them. Meanwhile; Logan, in disguise, listens to them talk. As he does, one of the guards asks him what he is doing there and who he reports to. Holding his stomach, Logan tells the guard that he was looking for the head but then he missed a turn and got lost. Pointing his weapon at Logan, the guard informs him that he’s in a shedload of….
Before he can finish his though, Logan punches him out. As he begins to drag him out of the way, a voice behind him tells him nicely done assassin. But Sebastian Shaw ought to have known better than to send one man against the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. When Logan turns, he sees a man with the power of electricity (Castlemere), a man who has the appearance of a lion (Turner Scholl), and Mercedes.
