Year 5348:
The withered, skeletal form of Gideon lies encased in a glass pod. He gasps, over and over, scratching at the glass to break free, there is a hissing noise as the glass pod opens, and the robotic form of Eve, Gideon's assistant appears, and welcomes back her master.
Year 5352:
Gideon and Eve walk across a harsh desert landscape, and as Gideon takes some water from a flask, Eve informs him that she is sensing life forms. Gideon tells Eve that she is malfunctioning, that there is nothing, everything is gone. 'You were saying?' Eve asks as several hideous creatures appear before them.
Year 5361:
'What's this? Why is there an X-Mansion in the middle of Central Park? I must've missed the housewarming party' Gideon remarks as he, Eve and the creatures appear before the ruins of the X-Mansion. They make their way into the complex. The words “It started here” can be seen scratched into the wall. Gideon instructs Eve and the creatures to look for good and supplies, while he goes and sees what other goodies might be waiting for them. Gideon goes into some sort of supply room, and runs his hand through the thick layer of dust on a bench, before he locates a locker, and pulls from it one of Cable's cybernetic arms. Gideon returns to Eve and the creatures. 'Looks like one of Cable's time-traveling, gun-toting, who-knows what else arms. I bet it makes a mean cup of coffee, too' Gideon remarks, before Eve asks if it is still operational. Gideon tells her that if it isn't, he is sure there are enough gadgets around here to get it up and running. He holds the arm up over the creatures and announces that their struggle is over. 'We're leaving this time... and going home' he smirks.
13 years and two days ago:
New Orleans, the rain pours down in the middle of the night, and Candra makes her way through her home, 'Hello? Who's there?' she calls out, before she looks very surprised, as Gideon, holding a machete, appears before her. 'Evening, Candra... it's been a while' Gideon declares as lightning crackles outside. 'Gideon...' Candra utters.
13 years ago:
Two days later, in Gideon's secret base within Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado, Cable roars in pain as Gideon's psychic army has attacked him and his allies – Shatterstar, Longshot, X-23 and Armor, while the savage creatures from the future stand ready nearby. 'Doop! We need a TK shield ASAP! Where's Doop?' Cable calls out. 'Someone wake Doop!' he exclaims. Despite the psychic attack, X-23 moves forward and punches Doop, who had been taken out of the battle earlier, waking him. Drooling, Doop rubs his head, and utters something in his native language. 'Doop! We need a shield!' Cable calls out, and Doop replies, complying with the request. The psi-shield returns, and Cable tells his associates that Doop's shield will have bought them a minute at best, so they need to make it count. He then opens fire against the psychics.
Longshot returns to the battle and throws his blades into several of the creatures, while Shatterstar slices his way through the psychics. X-23 does the same with her own claws, while Armor increases the armor around her body and swats the psychics away. Doop clutches his head and utters something, before he is taken out again. Cable goes over to him and tells Doop that he did good. He puts Doop around his shoulders and tells everyone that they need to move out. They all race to an exit, and Cable declares that the longer they spend on these monsters, the more distance Gideon is going to put between them.
Down a corridor, the heroes come to a stop as a loud screeching noise sounds. 'What is that infernal noise?' Shatterstar asks. The door ahead of them suddenly seals as a computer reports that a breach has been detected. The computer then initiates the self-destruct of the complex. 'No! I'm not dying in some stupid mustache twirler's dumb underground base!' Armor shouts as she uses her armored form to bash against the door as the computer counts down from ten. Cabler tells Armor to leave the door, as it is not going to give. 'It's the only way out' Armor replies, hanging her head. 'Were not going to make it out that way. Not in time' Cable announces. He then tells Armor that he needs her to do exactly what he says. 'Okay' Armor replies, looking up as the computer reaches number four in the countdown. 'Everyone! Fall in!' Cable declares. The heroes move in closer around Cable and Armor as the creatures move closer and as the computer counts down to one, there is a massive explosion that ripples through the complex.
Tonasket, Washington, where the Blackbird jet that Gideon stole descends above Selene, Nicodemus, Crule, Absalom and Blink. Gideon emerges from the jet and tells Selen that she is still looking good after all these years. 'Gideon...' Selene replies, before Gideon tells Absalom, Crule and Nicodemus that he is surprised to see them working with Selene again after what she did to them. 'To us' he adds. He moves closer to the other Externals and asks 'Are you whelps really so weak as to turn back to your abuser for protection? Even if the four of you were to defeat me, what makes you think that she wouldn't turn on you again?' he asks them. Selene grits her teeth and asks Gideon if that is the stance he is going to take – that they should just split up, let him kill them because of something she did ten years ago?
'You're just as much of a pompous ass as I remember, Gideon. I'm going to take great pleasure in killing you. Again' Selene declares, before lashing out at Gideon, who leaps back, dodging Selene's attack, before he blasts her with a power surge, and knocking Selene back, Gideon tells her that she isn't just fighting him anymore – she is fighting Candra, Burke and Saul as well. Selene falls to the ground and Gideon hovers over her, explaining that their spirits, their powers are now his – and that means he outnumbers her – five to four. Selene warps the landscape around them, raising the ground under Gideon, she uses it to knock him backwards and tells him that his speeches are as bad as his math. 'The five of us will have your head for what you've done to the others' Selene declares, before turning to her associates: 'Don't just stand there, idiots. Attack!' she snaps at them.
As Crule moves towards Gideon, Absalom suddenly shoves his spiked hand through Crule's chest. 'Absalom! You traitor!' Selene calls out. Absalom declares that Burke was right, and that he is so tired of this life. He adds that he has lived long enough and he just wants it to end. 'Clearly you're not capable of giving me what I need. So, I've sided with the one who is' Absalom reveals as Crule lands on the ground with a thud. 'Tell me, Selene...why did you stop all those years ago? You were so close. Just one External shy of eliminating us all' Gideon grins as he blasts Selene at close range. Suddenly, 'Don't run, Nicodemus. Accept the inevitable' Absalom calls out as he throws several spikes through the tall External, who falls backwards. Selene uses the ground as a shield, warping it upwards to block Gideon's next attack. 'You must've been able to taste it. To feel it' Gideon tells Selene, who exclaims 'Shut up. I can't take another word of your -' but Gideon interrupts her, and boasts that with each life, each External, he is that much closer to godhood. 'Ready to take what you couldn't' he declares.
Blink watches as Gideon blasts through the ground that was protecting Selene, then Absalom lashes out at Selene, 'I've got her, Gideon!' he calls out, before Blink moves in, 'Selene!' she exclaims as she crouches beside Selene, who utters 'Blink...get us out of here' and an instant later, Blink teleports herself and Selene away as Gideon fires another powerful blast at her. 'Dammit' Gideon snaps as he lands on the ground where Selene was, now scorched thanks to his blast. 'I guess that two out of four isn't terrible for a day's work' Gideon remarks, looking at Absalom, who tells Gideon to take his life and make it three. 'No' Gideon replies as he starts to walk towards Nicodemus' body. 'We had an agreement! I spy on Selene and the other Externals and you end my suffering!' Absalom declares. Gideon reaches over Nicodemus and tells Absalom to get off his knees, as he is embarrassing himself and angering him. 'I have every intention of following through on my promise, but until Selene is defeated... you are of use to me Gideon explains as he rips out Nicodemus' heart.
Back in Colorado, at the ruins of the Ophrah Industries facility, there is a rumbling, then a clatter under the masses of rubble – as a large armored fist pushes up through the concrete and steel, 'Oh my God. I didn't know I could do this. So cool!' Armor gasps from within the massive armored form that she has created, Cable and the others floating inside it as well. Cable tells Armor that she did great and that she can power down now. Armor does so, and lets the others down to the ground, asking Cable if he knew she could extend her force field that far. 'I did. Without you, we would have been dead' Cable replies. He thanks Armor, before asking Shatterstar for a status report. Shatterstar announces that Gideon took the Blackbird, and asks how they are supposed to get out of here now.
'We walk' Cable declares as everyone begins to trudge through the rubble. 'Are you for real? We're in the middle of nowhere' Longshot exclaims. 'You're not wrong' Cable agrees, before Shatterstar asks him if he can't bodyslide them out of here. 'I thought that was a thing you did' Shatterstar remarks. Cable explains that it used to be, but it has been a while since he has been able to do that. 'Pretty sure I saw you do it recently' Shatterstar mutters. Cable tells him that must have been the past him, but he cannot. 'Time-traveling mutants are impossible to keep track of' Shatterstar frowns, while Doop, hovering next to him, utters something in his Doopspeak language. Armor asks Cable how they are going to find Gideon, to which Cable reports that he is working on it – when suddenly, there is a blinding light, 'We'll bring you to him... if you promise me that you'll kill him!' Selene announces as she and Blink appear through a portal.
