Zero has tracked down the man who had been posing as the arms merchant known as Tolliver. He questions the shadowed man how he can claim to be desirous of non-aggression, but yet deals in machines of war. The man claims that it was the only way of obtaining vengeance against those he felt had ruined his life. Zero points out those whom he is referring to with holographic images, which include Cable, Stryfe, General Haight, and Apocalypse. The shadowed man then uses his abilities to create images of his own past, of the day that Stryfe’s pet telepath, Frisco, damaged his mind and of when Cable sacrificed him to save one of his other teammates. Zero points out that due to recent experiences, he has learned that some weapons can be used for peaceful purposes. The man asks if Cable’s actions were one of salvation, to help him. Zero adds that when faced with a no-win situation, who can determine the difference between right and wrong. The shadowed man comes into the light, revealing himself to indeed be Tyler, and argues that he was his son. And now he wants vengeance for what his father did to him, and he’s willing to use the Askani as pawns in his game. When Zero asks how he’s willing to proceed in his plan, Tyler answers that he has enlisted others to begin it for him.
Salem Center:
In a graveyard, Cable stands in the midst of tombstones, looking at one in particular. The one marked Madelyne Pryor-Summers. Behind him is another figure, who states that she would like to know why she is there. Cable explains that the grave belongs to his mother, and that she wasn’t a real person…but a clone of Jean Grey. He then explains that while Scott and Madelyne had a son, he himself is a clone of that child, while the original grew up to become Stryfe. He asks her to help him sort out his mind, since the attack on him by Sinsear, he’s been screwed up. Cable goes on to explain that Sinsear is from the future as well, having come back in time to kill Tolliver.
The name Tolliver makes Domino upset, since he was the one who had her imprisoned for a year and then sent Copycat to mimic her during that time. She asks why an assassin from the future would come back to kill a two-bit arms dealer like Tolliver, especially one that was thought to now be dead. The answer, however, doesn’t come from Cable, but from Mr. Sinister, who appears behind them and explains that Tolliver is actually Tyler. Sinister goes on to introduce himself to Cable, and says that he would like to chat about his mother.
Outside Xavier’s School of Gifted Youngsters:
Just at the waterfront of Breakstone Lake, a figure emerges from a flash of light. The woman looks like the Askani, the person who had come back through time before to save the life of Cyclops’s young son, Nathan. This new Askani has a new mission, to protect “the ones of the chosen”, who turn out to be none other than Cyclops and Jean Grey. The Askani makes her way to the house, and scans the interior. After detecting Professor X, she finds Cyclops practicing in the Danger Room, and Jean Grey sitting down with a book. Seeing the “first ones” almost becomes too much for the Askani, as she drops her scanner and slumps to the ground. Her mind flashes back to just minutes before, just as she was to use the Askani technology to travel back into time.
(flashback)
Before she leaves, she meets the Mother Askani, who warns the woman that she cannot fail in her mission. She then pulls down the hood covering her face to reveal the scarred face underneath, scars that are reminiscent of the Hound marks Rachel Summers wore and then she’s gone.
(the present)
The Askani collects herself, knowing she cannot fail to save the lives of Scott Summers and Jean Grey.
The Graveyard:
Domino asks what this is all about and Cable answers that Sinister is a manipulator, playing games with other people’s lives. Sinister admits it, as well as stating that he has become a pawn in this mad game as well. When Domino attempts to pull a gun on Sinister, he calmly blasts it from her hand. He goes on to explain that he had cloned Madelyne Pryor from Jean Grey, for the purpose of creating a child that he could cultivate and possess. He wanted to create a perfect weapon from the genelines of a powerful heritage, that will eventually go one to become the savior of the planet.
Domino doubts Sinister’s good intentions, at which point Cable agrees, especially in light of what Stryfe eventually turned into. Sinister asks what Stryfe has to do with anything, going on to explain that he was just a side-effect in his overall plans. Cable argues that Stryfe was Nathan Summers and that he is the clone, but Sinister disagrees. Grabbing Cable by the throat, Sinister exclaims that he is tired of giving out important information just to have it ignored, and proceeds to smash Cable’s head against a tombstone. Sinister warns Domino to not do anything, that her powers are nothing against his. Sinister goes on to explain that the grave of the woman they are visiting is actually Cable’s literal mother, and that the sins of the father live on in the son and that Cable should accept his destiny.
Cable dismisses Sinister’s rantings as nothing but words. Sinister continues by saying that time is not his enemy, but he is its master. He wants Cable to let loose the monster within, so that he may take the last step in defeating “him” forever. And as he begins to teleport away, he blasts Cable with some form of energy that knocks him to the ground.
Domino rushes to Cable’s side, but finds something gravely wrong. When she asks what Sinister had done to him, Cable merely turns to her and states that he has given him his freedom, and then telepathically blasts Domino to the ground and into unconsciousness. Then picking himself up from the ground, “Cable” says that he’d never understood what “he” saw in Domino, and then curses him for shaving off his beard.
At the Mansion:
The Askani is stopped short from the house when she detects that “HE” is back. However, before the Askani can do anything more, a burst of light appears before her, and Tyler and Zero emerge from the teleport. The Askani recognizes Tyler, and she questions him as to why he’s in possession of an Adam-Unit. Tyler states that he is there to prevent disturbances in the timeline from propagating themselves, and that Zero is there to make sure she helps him do that. Using his powers, Zero binds Askani’s energy form, and then the three proceed to teleport away, despite the protests of Askani that the Chaos-bringer has returned. Tyler informs her that he knows, and that he finds it ironic that this act will affect two sets of parents across two generations. They disappear in another flash of light.
Inside, Jean Grey suddenly drops her book and cries out “NO!” She telepathically cries out Cyclops, who then rushes to Jean’s side. Jean exclaims that “He’s” back, and when Cyclops asks who, Jean answers that it is Stryfe. She had felt his anger, his hatred and insanity, and that he wants to see them dead.
