Four miles of the West Coast of the United States of America. The dead rise. And Utopia, home to over two hundred mutants, including the Uncanny X-Men, burns. ‘It’s the mist! They’re coming out of the mist!’ Kurt “Nightcrawler” Wagner exclaims as he dodges the sonic attack of deceased X-Man Sean “Banshee” Cassidy. ‘Then let us go in after them!’ Piotr “Colossus” Rasputin exclaims while he grapples with deceased mutant Louis “Stonewall” Hamilton. Scott “Cyclops” Summers tells Colossus to stay where he is, and let them come to them, as he blasts the deceased Dark Rider known as Spyne with his optic blasts, and Elisabeth “Psylocke” Braddock takes on the deceased Dark Rider called Tusk.
Cyclops asks the Stepford Cuckoos what they are reading, and the three blonde girls - Phoebe, Celeste and Mindee - reply that it is all fuzz and static. ‘Changing all the time. They’re out there - but we can’t bring them into focus’. Suddenly, the deceased former X-Man known as Maggott runs towards Cyclops, who is helping Psylocke up. ‘These are dead men, Scott. What are we supposed to do, kill them again?’ she asks. ‘If that’s what it takes, yes’ Cyclops declares, as he blasts Maggott across the area, where he smacks into a column. Cyclops declares that they hold this base and protect their people. ‘And then we take the fight back to whatever’s doing this. Any questions?’ he asks.
Suddenly, Ruth “Blindfold” Aldine appears on the battlefield of Utopia, ‘I believe - no thank you. Not yet. But I have an answer. To a question you haven’t asked yet’ she declares. Cyclops asks Blindfold what she is doing here, to which Ruth asks if they could talk somewhere quiet. ‘Somewhere quiet? We’re in the middle of a war zone!’ Cyclops points out. ‘Yes, please. I would speak quickly. She said - it might not be too late to stop this’. Psylocke tells Blindfold that she really picks her moments, while Cyclops turns to the Cuckoos, who instantly know what he wants them to do. ‘On it!’ they exclaim in unison as they send Cyclops and Blindfold to the Astral Plane.
Getting in touch with her surroundings, the young blind mutant feels around, before exclaiming ‘This - this room -’, to which Cyclops explains that the Cuckoos took it from her memories. ‘Presumably it looks like this because you only knew it by feel’ he adds, before telling Ruth that even at subliminal speeds they do not have any time to waste. ‘Yes. Excuse me. She said - “Genosha. Muir Island. Not just the Queen, but the cancer, too”!’ ‘She said? Who said?’ Cyclops asks. ‘Destiny’ Blindfold reveals.
Meanwhile, on another island nation, formerly Genosha, now known as Necrosha, a dark mist covers much of the land, while in the palace dungeon, ‘You! Keep your hands away from the bars!’ a handsome shirtless man exclaims as he walks past the cells. ‘Does that anger come from fear, child?’ the deceased mutant Irene Adler, better known as Destiny, asks as she grips the bars. ‘Fear? You think I’m scared of you, you old bag of bones?’ ‘No. Of yourself’ Destiny replies. The young man readies a whip and exclaims that the Queen said she was not to talk, not to move. ‘I think maybe you need a lesson in obedience!’ he exclaims as he moves the whip behind him.
‘I’ve had many. But I’m not an apt pupil’ Destiny replies, staring at the young man, she exclaims ‘You died by fire. And now you’re alive. Is that not wonderful, and terrible? To be drawn up again into the light, like a fish on a hook. And without even knowing why?’. Destiny declares that his name is Leon Matheson, and that he was twenty-three years. She adds that his power was influencing rainfall and his ambition was to buy a farm. ‘But your girlfriend wanted to see the world. And you’d finally bought the plane tickets on the day your world ended’. Leon readies the whip, preparing to bring it down, he asks Destiny who told her all this stuff. Destiny replies that she is a mutant, like he, and that is part of her gift. ‘I see timelines. The past, and the future. I’ll trade you, Leon. My freedom - for your fortune’ Destiny offers, extending an arm through the bars as she reaches out to him.
Back in the Astral Plane, ‘Wait. Destiny was on Utopia?’ Cyclops asks. ‘In a dream. A true dream. I felt it become true as she said it. Muir Island. The other monster. I have to stare into his face’ Blindfold exclaims. ‘And that’s all you can tell me?’ Cyclops asks. ‘”To fight a war on two fronts…” Exactly. We don’t choose it’ Blindfold replies. Scott asks why then do they do it, to which Ruth replies ‘All the old reasons. All the old wounds, coming back. It - it changes’. Ruth touches a stuffed toy on a chair, ‘Please. You said my mother was dead. Was that true?’ she asks. Cyclops tells Ruth that when she was found, as a child, in the room, there was a dead woman beside her. ‘You didn’t come to us until much later, and the records had mostly been lost’ he explains, telling Blindfold that they will talk about this another time. Scott informs the Cuckoos that they are finished here, while Blindfold picks up the toy, ‘I had a name for this toy. It was -’ she begins, unable to finish her sentence as she is surprised when they return to reality, and the toy vanishes from her hands.
As the mist rolls in around them, Cyclops tells Nightcrawler that he needs him to lead an away team. ‘Cyclops, we’re under attack. Where are we going?’ Kurt asks. ‘To Muir Island. I’ll brief you as we walk’ Cyclops announces. Psylocke approaches Blindfold and asks her if she is okay. ‘No. Not really’ Ruth replies as Betsy puts a hand on her shoulder. ‘I can see where I go, but not what I do. Or who it is I’m fighting’ Ruth exclaims. The Stepford Cuckoos, run from a blast of fire, and Psylocke helps Blindfold evade the flame, telling the young mutant that she needn’t sweat it. ‘Whatever happens, Cyclops is going to make sure you and your friends stay out of danger’ Betsy adds. ‘Oh no. You’re wrong. We’re right in the middle of it’ Blindfold replies.
Three hours later, in international airspace across the North Atlantic, where inside the Blackbird, Nightcrawler sits on a console, while Colossus pilots the jet. Psylocke sits up the back with Blindfold. Accompanying them on the mission are Rogue, Erik “Magneto” Lehnsherr, former X-Woman Paige “Husk” Guthrie, and Blindfold’s teammate Hope “Trance” Abbott. ‘Okay, explain it to me again, Kurt. Because I’m still not getting it’ Husk exclaims. Nightcrawler tells her that In order to explain it any better he would need to understand it himself. ‘And since that mist rolled in off the sea I have understood very little’ he adds, before explaining that Blindfold was visited by Destiny, who said that their enemies are both on Genosha and Muir Island, and that Blindfold’s own visions agree with this.
Nightcrawler reveals that the Genosha part was confirmed by spikes in Cerebra, so Cyclops felt that they could not ignore the Muir Island part of the warning. ‘Thus, we’re leaving our friends behind to battle an undead army of our former friends and foes’ Kurt adds. ‘Seriously? All this because of Hide-And-Seek girl? Trance asks. ‘Do you know how often she gets it wrong?’ Magneto turns to Rogue, ‘No welcome for the sinner that repents?’ he asks her. ‘I’d hoped you might be pleased to see me back in the fold’ he tells her. Rogue apologizes to Magneto and tells him that she doesn’t have feelings one way or the other. ‘No? A pity. I entertain pleasant memories of our time together in the Savage Land. We seemed to find a kindred spirit’ Magneto tells Rogue.
‘We did’ Rogue replies. ‘Then you went and killed someone again. Ah sort of lost mah enthusiasm ‘round about that point’. Magneto touches Rogue on the cheek and remarks that he must remember to do that less around her, before telling her that it is heartening she admits to being enthused. ‘There’s a kiss that stands out in my mind. On the most unlikely occasions - a child’s funeral’ he recalls. Rogue pushes Magneto’s hand away as she calls him Magnus and tells him it doesn’t count, as she was trying to absorb his powers so she could beat the tar out of him, before Nightcrawler announces that they have arrived, he tells everyone to prepare for landing.
The eight mutants leave the Blackbird, and as the ocean laps at their feet, Kurt asks Ruth if her vision showed them where they are going to meet this enemy. ‘Yes, indeed. In the ruins. Where the baby was found and Xavier shot’ Ruth replies. Magneto suggests that they do not go into the Island’s interior until they are sure the site is secure. ‘Thank you, Magneto. It’s good to have you on my team. From now on you can be in charge of stating the obvious’ Nightcrawler declares, before telling Trance to search the cliffs thoroughly in her astral form, and if she sees anyone to tell Rogue or Colossus. ‘Yes, Mr Wagner’ Hope replies, while Kurt announces that he is going to check out Moira’s lab to make sure they are not walking into a trap. He teleports away, while Trance releases her astral form.
Sitting on a rock on the shoreline, Colossus watches Psylocke walk through the wet sand and asks her what she is doing. ‘Scanning for other minds’ Psylocke replies, adding that if they are dead, then they might not think the same. Piotr asks Betsy if her powers have shifted back to what they were then - telepathy rather than telekinesis. ‘Why are you asking?’ Betsy replies. ‘Only because the timing is unfortunate. If ever we stood in need of a heavy hitter, now would seem to be -’ Colossus begins, before Psylocke uses her telekinesis to slam him across the beach, sending some gulls flying for their lives as his heavy armored form hit’s the sand and skids along. ‘Heave enough for you?’ Betsy asks as she puts a foot on Colossus’ chest. ‘Da. I believe so’ Colossus exclaims, before Psylocke helps him off the sand.
Nearby, Rogue approaches Blindfold, ‘Tell me everything she said’ she exclaims. ‘What she said, I told. Then she fell silent’ Ruth replies, adding that the silence was part of the message, too. ‘A secret she chose not to tell’. Blindfold then reveals that it seems Destiny thought she was Rogue. ‘Why’d you say that?’ Rogue asks. ‘She called me daughter. Yes. Then seemed surprised when she saw my face’ Blindfold explains. ‘Of course - most people are’ she remarks as she lifts the wrap from around her eyes, revealing that she has no eyes - skin covers her eye sockets.
Back on Necrosha, ‘Majesty - your servants have failed you’ Lois “Mortis” London exclaims as she stands before Selene, with Leon Matheson on his knees. ‘In what respect?’ Selene asks as she sits on her throne. Mortis reveals that they found this one trying to hang himself, and failing of course, but that the old crone has escaped. ‘He set her free, and she stole a seaplane from the dock’ Mortis reveals. ‘Please! Please let me die again! It’s not fair! She didn’t get brought back! I can’t live without her!’ Leon exclaims, reaching out to Selene. Mortis shoves Leon’s head to the ground and asks if they should go after Destiny. ‘Please - please -’ Leon cries, but Selene declares that there is no need, as the die is already cast. ‘And she told me all I needed to know. What she does now is irrelevant. Let her chase ghosts and shadows as much as she likes’ Selene declares, while another of her Inner Circle, Senyaka, drags the unconscious James “Warpath” Proudstar of X-Force to Selene. ‘I promise you - there’ll be ghosts enough for all!’ Selene exclaims.
Back on Muir Island, Nightcrawler teleports over his former home and headquarters, before reaching Moira’s lab. He checks it out, before teleporting back to the Blackbird, telling his allies that they have a clear route to Moira’s lab. ‘There’s no sign of any opposition’ he exclaims. Blindfold ties her wrap back around her eyes, while Rogue asks Kurt what the plan is. Nightcrawler announces that they will go in from two sides, while he will teleport the teams into position and give the signal to move in. ‘We treat the terrain as hostile - and we take down anyone we see’ he announces.
Moments later, Colossus punches down one wall of the lab, while on the other side, Psylocke busts the wall open with her telekinesis, and Magneto and Husk follow her in. ‘Nothing’ Psylocke announces as she, Magneto and Husk regroup with the others. ‘And nobody’ Colossus exclaims as he walks in front of Rogue, Blindfold and Trance. ‘Didn’t’ see any footprints on the way in, either. Place is as quiet as - pardon my language - a tomb’ Husk declares. Rogue turns to Blindfold, asking her if she is sure about what she saw. ‘It was here?’ she asks. ‘Right where we’re standing, yes. But - I don’t know what it is I do. Or why his face is hidden’ Blindfold exclaims, before suggesting that perhaps he doesn’t have a face - perhaps he is just a pretty pattern.
Trance exclaims that it looks like they are wasting their time, but Nightcrawler tells her that is his call, which he is not prepared to make yet. ‘We don’t leave until we’re sure there’s no threat here’ Kurt announces. Colossus tells Blindfold not to worry, assuring her she was right to tell Cyclops what she saw. Head in her hands, Blindfold replies that there is not much of him to see. ‘No? But then what did you -?’ Colossus asks as he puts a hand on Blindfold’s shoulder. Blindfold moans, and energy crackles around the two of them, before Blindfold lunges away from Piotr.
‘What’s the matter?’ Rogue asks her. ‘His hands! His hands. Oh, God, can’t anybody see it? The blood on his hands?’ Ruth asks, before exclaiming ‘Leave me alone! Leave me alone!’ and running away from the others. ‘I’d better -’ Kurt begins, but Rogue tells him to leave it to her. ‘Ah’ll talk to her. And then Ah’ll bring her back’ Rogue exclaims as she leaves the group. Husk runs her hands through her hair, muttering that it gets better and better. ‘People could be dying back home’. ‘True. But we were warned twice - first by Destiny and then by Blindfold. Do you believe they were both wrong?’ Magneto asks her. ‘Right now? No. I think they were both lying’ Husk declares.
Meanwhile, Blindfold runs through a corridor, before falling over. She puts her hand on a wall as she helps herself up, and the same energy crackles. ‘Here. You were here. But so long ago! What - what do you want from me? Who are you?’ she calls out, when suddenly, a voice exclaims. ‘Shhh, child’. Ruth screams, ‘We mustn’t spoil the surprise’ the voice calls out. Blindfold turns around, and another voice calls out to her, ‘Ruth - I’m sorry I brought you here. I hope there’s still time to put that right. Please stand still. You mustn’t touch anything’ exclaims Destiny as she walks out from the shadows. ‘You! What do you mean?’ Ruth asks as she slowly walks towards Destiny. ‘He used me. I saw him, in my mind’s eye - saw him kill Rogue, right here on the Island. I tried to warn her. Tried to warn you all’ Destiny declares cryptically.
A small amount of the pink energy flickers around the base of her skull as she exclaims that he clouded her sight, and she only saw what he let her see. ‘And the warning was part of his plan’ she exclaims. ‘It - it opens out of your words. I felt that. But there’s something else -’ Blindfold begins. Destiny tells her not to move, as hi energy is everywhere. ‘And now it gathers, it eaves itself into one skein. Locked in the soil. In the walls. In the people he touched’ Destiny exclaims. Ruth shouts that she doesn’t care. ‘You came to me by mistake, but what was it that brought you? What do you know about my mother? Is it you?’ Blindfold asks as she reaches out to Destiny, who exclaims ‘N-no! Ruth, you mustn’t -’ but it’s too late, as Destiny is knocked out, and the pink energy soars into Blindfold.
The voice from earlier now comes from Blindfold, who smirks, ‘Aaaah! Yes! I believe this is what they call critical mass!’ .’Ruth? Ruth, darling, I heard shouting!’ Rogue exclaims as she finds Blindfold. ‘Rogue’ Ruth exclaims, with the strange voice. ‘Are you okay?’ Rogue asks. ‘Oh, aye. And I’d prefer it if you kept yuir distance’ Blindfold exclaims without looking Rogue - before Rogue is knocked backwards onto a bench. Blindfold hovers above Rogue, ‘She knows about yuir touch. She knows yuir dangerous’ the voice from within Blindfold declares. ‘There. Better’ the voice declares as Rogue suddenly finds herself wrapped in steel beams. ‘This - this isn’t possible. Ruth Aldine can’t do any of these things!’ Rogue exclaims. ‘No. Of course she can’t. But they’re child’s play for Proteus…!’
