Stryker and Kitty, still covered with the Mandroid armor, float above pedestrians on the street. Many people are startled to see them passing by them and some are almost driven from the road as the two aberrations float through their vehicles.
Amazingly, in the Rockies, Storm has gone crazy with her powers and the X-Treme team is forced to hang onto their surroundings for survival. The team is forced through extreme wind, heat, and cold until Logan commands Bishop to attack Storm. Bishop does as he is commanded, but only reluctantly. He makes himself a target for Storm’s rage, as Logan sneaks up behind her. Storm sends lightning through Bishop and Sam uses his blast field to protect him and Sage from the tempest she creates. Logan grasps Storm from behind, but she warns him that taking her out will only cause more problems and it would be better for them to help her put the environment back into the right cycle. Using Bishop as a conduit, Storm forces all of her energy into him. Screaming in pain, Storm finally makes the tempest end. Shockingly, Bishop’s body continues to glow from the large amount of energy stored in his body.
Behind the X-Treme team, a Purifier tells them that Storm’s stunt is the reason mutants around the world should be killed; to save normal humans everywhere from destruction. With that said, Storm begins to pass out and Bishop begins to feel nauseated. Logan catches Storm and Bishop tells the others that at moments like this he can see the Purifiers point. Cannonball asks what happened to Storm, because he has never seen her act like that before. Storm mutters, as she is cradled in Logan’s arms, that she felt like large claws were being scrapped across the Earth’s lines of natural defense!
Sam, still questioning, wonders aloud who could have done such a thing? Morbidly, Sage looks at the others and says, SHADOWCAT! Sage explains to the others that Kitty has the ability to disrupt electrical circuits when she phases through them and her ability applies to biological systems as well. Sam, in disbelief, tells Sage that it is impossible for Kitty to have caused so much damage, since she is only a child. Storm begins to stand to her feet and she tells Sam that she hopes this event never happens again. Falling into Logan’s arms once more, the team is shocked to see their leader’s inability to stand. Logan explains that, with such a blow to her system the damage might have caused her recent injury at Viper’s hands to worsen once more. Sam, scratching his head, asks Logan if her condition is only a passing phase? Not taking his eyes off of Storm, Logan tells Sam that they will soon see. Storm orders Sage to use her scanning array to find out about the recent anomaly. Bishop, barely glowing, asks Storm if they shouldn’t still be searching for Stryker? Storm tells Bishop that she has a bond with the earth and she knows that what just transpired was not natural.
Just beyond the town of Twisp, Washington, an RV full of apparent tourists are heading their way up the mountain. The father tells the others that he wished he wouldn’t have driven so fast through the mountains, because the Okanogan National Forest is supposed to be some of the most beautiful land in all of America. His wife comments that the family had already discussed what they needed to do and they agreed that traveling by night would be the safest for them all. Suddenly, a young woman appears before them in the road! Jorge, the father, swerves to miss her but it is to late and the RV runs right through the young lady. The family, in the back, notices that the lady isn’t being crushed, but she is actually phasing through the motor home.
Stopping the vehicle, the Garza family runs out to see if they can be of any aid. The young lady is Katherine Pryde and she is lying unconscious on the ground. Rico, the grandfather, and Jorge try and pick Kitty up, but her body is partially phased and they can barely get a grip on her. Louise, the mother, suggests calling for help, but Jorge reminds her about their location and the distance of the nearest authority. The daughter tells the others that the young lady seems like a ghost. Timidly, from behind the young daughter, a young boy that looks half cat and half human steps up to them. He calls out to Louise, his mother, and tells her that he thinks he can help her.
Back in the Rockies, Storm is using her powers to help her fly. She asks Logan how she looks and, teasingly, he tells her that she shouldn’t even ask that question. Landing on the ground, Storm tells Logan that her legs seem to be working just fine now. Testing her statement, Logan lunges for Storm with his claws bared. Storm falls to the ground and Logan tells Storm that it seems she is wrong. Lifting her to her feet, Logan tells Storm that, if she over-extends herself by using her powers, she may lose the use of her legs. Smirking, Storm tells Logan that it is good that Xavier no longer requires his wheelchair then. Storm asks Sage for her report on Kitty and Sage informs them that Kitty has become missing. She tells the others about how Stryker’s wife was once the tutor to the Oyama family and he has known Yuriko since her birth. Sam questions how Yuriko has anything to do with the recent anomaly that caused the Earth so much pain? Bishop explains that Yuriko has a large amount of knowledge with adamantium and, if somehow Kitty phased a large enough piece, the damage to the earth would be comparable. Logan tells the others that if they want to find Stryker, it seems they will need to find Kitty first. Storm tells him to leave that part up to her.
Storm uses Sage’s high tech glasses to follow Kitty’s phasing trail to the point in the mountains, where the Garza family picked her up. Bishop notices the tire marks on the road and tells the others that Kitty must have hitched a ride from there. Sam asks Sage if her glasses can follow the camper’s trail? Logan tells Sam that as long as Kitty isn’t phasing he can track her with his sense of smell. With that said, the X-Treme team heads off to find their missing friend.
Kitty’s Dream
Elsewhere, Kitty is playing at Wrigley Field. She is the pitcher, while the batter she faces is Colossus. Kitty is playing for the Cubs, while Colossus plays for the New York Yankees. It is the World Series and, if Kitty can strike out Peter, her team will win the Series. The pitch is thrown and, “swing,” the pitch is missed; the Cubs win! Her teammates, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and others, lift her on their shoulders. After the excitement, Kitty runs to her parents in the stands, where they hug her in congratulation. Kitty tells her mom and dad that she won the game for them and how happy she is. Suddenly, her parents and the crowd begin to fade into purple smoke and Kitty cries out that she wont lose her parents again! In the smoke, flesh appears again, but this time it is Stryker’s face and he tells her that he is the resurrection and her life! The surrounding area goes black and Kitty is dressed in a nightgown. She cries out that it is not fair and she doesn’t want to be alone. A ray of light shines in and a voice is heard telling her that she is not alone.
Back in the present
A young man’s face appears in front of Kitty and he tells her that she is among friends. Awaking from a dream, Kitty notices she is in someone’s house. Sitting up from the bed, she pulls the blanket to her chest to hide herself from her unknown savior. Kitty tells the young man that she doesn’t remember how she got there. The man tells Kitty about the Garzas, who had a hard time getting her body into their motor vehicle. The man introduces himself as Paul, the local minister. Kitty questions Paul, “local”? An aura surrounds Paul’s head and he tells Kitty that, as soon as she gets ready, he will take her on a tour. Kitty smiles and tells Paul that she would like that a lot.
Minutes later, Paul asks Kitty if she feels better. Kitty stands looking very somber, wearing stockings and a dress, with a sweater tied around her neck. She tells Paul that she feels different. Paul quotes scripture, telling Kitty that she is as “fair as the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley.” Smiling, Kitty tells Paul that he makes her blush and Paul tells her that he is telling the truth. Stepping outside, Kitty is greeted by many mutants strolling down the street as happy as can be. With Kitty’s senses still adjusting, Paul welcomes her to Mt. Haven.
Kitty tells Paul that the people here are all… God’s children, Paul finishes. Paul tells Kitty that God created a holy land for the Israelites and this land is the chosen land for mutants. Touching the adamantium collar around her neck, she catches a glimpse of Stryker, still in his Mandroid Armor, out of the corner of her eye. Looking again, she sees that Stryker is not there and thinks she must have been hallucinating. Continuing to walk, Paul and Kitty run into the Garza family and the greet one another. Kitty introduces herself and thanks them for their rescue.
Inside a diner, Dave Garza (the mutant child) and Kitty talk about Dave’s change and how he found his way to Mt. Haven. Dave tells her that his dad found a link on the web and they decided to come here. Dave is wearing a Lila Cheney shirt and Kitty asks him if he likes Lila. Dave tells her that Lila rocks and Kitty tells Dave that she worked as a roadie for Lila for a time. Dave tells Kitty that he can taste colors and hear things as silent as a heartbeat. Remembering talking to Storm about the same thing, years ago, Kitty tells Dave that change is natural and it’s all right to be scared. Eating some of his ice cream, he tells Kitty that as long as he doesn’t have to become a superhero he will be fine. Kitty, agreeing with Dave, looks up to see Stryker, in his Mandroid Armor, approaching Paul. Kitty jumps up from her seat crying that, he is here! Herman Garza asks Kitty who is here? Kitty notices that Stryker is bolting meaning he is real.
Running into the back Kitty tells Paul that she will be right back. Kitty runs into the men’s room after Stryker and phasing through different walls she notices he is no where to be found. Coming back into the diner, Kitty is suddenly attacked by a headache. She worries that she has a tumor. Gaining her composer, she walks near Paul and the Garzas, apologizing for her panic. Paul takes the family and Kitty out of the diner. Kitty wonders why she has lied to them about Stryker’s presence, as they walk down the street.
Walking down the street, Paul talks about his dream of turning this small town into a haven for mutants everywhere. Kitty thinks about how Paul’s words seem so much like Xavier’s and how, since Xavier started the school, they have dreamed of a place like this. They walks near a hospital that has apparently been destroyed and Kitty is told that accidents happen, but they have no need for a hospital when they have so many mutant healers. Thinking something is wrong, Kitty wonders where all that adults are, since she has only seen mutant children. Shockingly, Kitty is attacked by another headache and the pain nocks her unconscious. Jorge Garza tells Paul that he will call 911, but Paul reminds them that they have no cell phone service in Mt. Haven. Paul picks Kitty up off the ground, as the sweater falls off of Kitty Paul tells the others that if they have faith, he will find a way to save her!
