Republic of Genosha, two minutes ago:
Forge is busy working on some contraption. Callisto watches him, remarking that he is up late. Forge explains that he found a strange energy signature where Shortpack disappeared, some sort of transference pattern. He is attempting to ping the source. Callisto suggests that he should rest a bit, if he actually wants this thing to work. Self-confidently he tells her that rest is overrated and he doesn’t make mistakes. Right, Cal states sarcastically before wishing him a good night.
Moments later, he looks up in surprise, as a figure stands in the doorway. How’d you get in here? he demands.
Now…
Xavier is getting the shock of his life, as his late agent, Prudence, stands before him, asking if he has missed her. Xavier is confused and dizzy. He can’t find her mind. Is that really her? Who else would she be? she asks with a smile, before taking out her knife and ordering him to hold still. She holds his head down and states he has brought this on himself.
Before her knife finds its target, she is hit by energy rays and falls against the wall hard. Shifting back to her true form, Mystique ironically congratulates Forge on his shot. Taking aim again, he warns her he’s not done yet. This time, Mystique evades the shot and tosses her knife at him. Forge swats it side with his rifle, takes aim one last time and tells Raven to say ’good-bye.’
‘Bye,’ Mystique shouts, as she jumps outside a hole in the wall. Forge turns to Xavier, who mumbles that he must have been drugged and they have to stop her. Forge tells him they have to stop his bleeding first.
Elsewhere:
Watching what has happened though his scrying ball, Steinbeck cries out in anger, literally spitting fire. He sinks down in despair, stating that everything’s ruined. Shepard asks him to pull himself together… to be a man.
On Genosha, Mystique shouts out for Shepard to pull her out of here, now! She runs through the ruins of Genosha, followed by the motley crew Xavier has assembled so far.
Elsewhere, the Quiet Man states that he mustn’t capture her. He can’t know. Shepard has to get her. Shepard tries, but finds he can’t. There’s some sort of interference. Apparently, she is travelling at supersonic speed, but that’ impossible… She is just gone. The captured Shortpack just watches and listens intently.
Night in Brooklyn, Avenue X:
Mystique silently slips into her safehouse. Suddenly, someone reaches for the lightswitch and a voice exclaims :Hey, oldtimer… been a while. It is Wolverine, comfortably sitting in the living room. Behind him stands Rogue with crossed arms and an angry expression on her face.
Logan continues that the other X-Men all figured this’d be the last place she’d turn up but he knew she couldn’t leave all that behind. Old fogies like them are sentimental about their junk, aren’t they? As if to make his point clearer, he plays with Oscar Wilde’s pen Shepard gave to Raven.
Mystique addresses Rogue, who spits back that she shouldn’t even dare speak to her. The last time they saw each other, Mystique stabbed her. She was her mother and …
She tried to forgive her, but now after what she’s done to the Professor… With tears streaking down her face, Rogue informs her that, as far as she is concerned, Mystique isn’t her foster mother anymore. She’s not even a person. She is a monster. And she has no pity for monsters.
Rogue turns away and Mystique asks if they are gong to turn her over to the police now? Or to Xavier? Too late for that, Wolverine states matter-of-factly, as he pulls on his mask. He advises her not to fight. He’ll make it quick. Mystique asks him to let her say something first. She doesn’t know if she could explain what led her to do… what she’s done… even if she could they wouldn’t believe her, but, she addresses Rogue, she wants her to remember that she always wanted the best for her.
Wolverine advises Rogue to stay calm, as the young woman gets enraged. She tears off her glove and touches Wolverine in the face, absorbing his powers. Sporting bone claws, she attacks Mystique. Their battle takes them into the next room, the kitchen, as Rogue wildly flails at her, repeatedly shouting not my mother!.
Wolverine steps in holding Rogue back, warning her that she doesn’t want Mystique’s death on her - Instinctively Rogue backhands him, thereby slashing his face. Seeing what she’s done she apologizes.
Suddenly, Mystique, who now sits on the windowsill, tells Rogue to hold onto Logan, she’ll need his strength. Gas is rising up from the stove and Mystique makes herself impossibly paper-thin as she takes out a lighter. Rogue shove Wolverine down as, moments later, the kitchen explodes.
Paper-thin, Mystique is carried away by the brunt of the explosion and lands on the ground hard. Everything within the apartment burns, including the framed picture of Raven’s lover, Irene Adler
On the ground, Mystique sheds a tears. Wolverine walks outside, carrying Rogue and seeing Mystique lying there some distance away. He gently puts Rogue down and the girl accuses herself of screwing up. Wolverine tries to calm her and looks at the spot he lay moments ago. She’s gone. Not far away Mystique drags herself through a back alley.
Elsewhere, the Quiet Man sits on his throne when Shepard comes bursting in, announcing that she is back. Mystique showed up at a hospital in Brooklyn. The Quiet Man asks him to get her. He’ll do better than that, Shepard announces as he cocks a gun. After all… she’s no longer of any use to them alive.
