The child-aged heroes known as Power Pack search the night skies for a missing girl. ‘She’s got to be here somewhere - but where can she be?’ Julie Power a.k.a. Molecula asks in her cloud form. ‘I don’t know!’ Katie a.k.a. Starstreak exclaims, adding that she hopes their Mommy and Daddy don’t wake to find them gone, as she drags a de-gravitized Jack a.k.a. Counterweight and Alex a.k.a. Destroyer behind her through the air. Julie tells everyone not to worry, as she left them a note that told their parents they were gone because they were given powers by an alien so that they could save the world, and they have to go after the new little mutant girl on TV because she was kidnapped by the Bogeyman. ‘Great! That oughta calm ‘em right down!’ Jack mutters. Katie announces that she doesn’t want their parents to find out about their powers that way.
As they keep searching through the air, looking down at the darkened city below, Jack declares that he doesn’t want his parents to find out any way, and that he would rather they keep getting punished for going out than to have their parents know. He adds that if they know, they will stop them.
‘I’m sleepy’ Katie complains. ‘Yeah, tell me about it. We musta been looking for her for hours!’ Jack points out, adding that Alex is powered up so bright that he can’t see anything. ‘Look - I can’t help it! If we run into danger, I better be armed and -’ Alex begins, before suggesting to his younger siblings that they might have this all wrong and just because the Bogeyman grabbed Rebecca here doesn’t mean that his headquarters is around New York.
Jack declares that everybody knows the crook always returns to the scene of the crime, so he has got to turn up around here eventually. Suddenly, Alex sees something over the neighborhood below. ‘Hey, look!’ he alerts his siblings. ‘What is it?’ Jack asks, as Katie swoops downwards, dragging her brothers behind her. ‘I don’t know. Let’s catch it and find out!’ she exclaims as they approach what appears to be some sort of space ship. ‘Katie - wait! It’s going too fast, you’ll never catch it unless -’ Alex begins, before he lets off a power ball to distract the ship and try to slow it down. ‘Hey, look!’ Katie calls out as the ship comes to a halt. ‘It worked!’ Alex exclaims. ‘It’s stopping!’ Jack adds, while Katie points out that the ship is opening. ‘Uh-oh’ Julie mutters, as someone speeds from the opening in the ship, and flies straight towards Power Pack, crashing into the young heroes, and grabbing Alex.
‘Let go of him! So says Molecula, Mistress of Density!’ Julie exclaims as she switches from cloud form to super-dense small form, dropping into their attacker’s head. ’Yeah!’ Katie calls out, as she drops Jack onto their attacker. ‘Ouch!’ Jack complains as his gravitized normal form strikes, but their attacker flies away with Alex, and Jack is left holding onto his sore knees. Julie has switched back to cloud form: ‘That didn’t work! My super-dense Jackhammer didn’t even touch him!’ she points out. Katie adds that her double-gee battering ram didn’t touch him, either. ‘I’ll touch him!’ Jack exclaims, but Katie tells him the way that energy glow burns he should stay back.
‘Not gonna burn much longer, dude. Think you’re so tough, dude? Try flying now!’ Destroyer exclaims to the young man who has grabbed him. ‘What the heck -?’ the “attacker” asks as Alex keeps getting brighter.
Suddenly, they both plummet downwards. ‘What’d ya do?’ the “attacker” asks. ‘Omigosh - what’d I do?’ Alex gasps, adding that he better fire a power ball, as the recoil might slow them down. ‘Power ball?’ the “attacker” asks, turning to Alex, they both exclaim ‘Hey, wait a minute! Aren’t you -’, before Alex calls out to Starstreak, ‘Get the heck down here! Now!’ he calls out, when suddenly, ‘Do not worry, self-friend! Self will save you!’ a voice declares, as the ship opens, and a mattress appears, just in time as Alex and the other young super being land with a thud. Alex gets onto his hands and knees and looks around, ‘Warlock? The New Mutants! You’ve got new costumes! Why’d you attack me? What the heck is going on?’ Alex exclaims. The rest of the New Mutants - Illyana “Magik” Rasputin, Bobby “Sunspot” DaCosta, Danielle “Mirage” Moonstar, Rahne “Wolfsbane” Sinclair, gather around, and Magik points at Sam “Cannonball” Guthrie, who is rubbing his head, and laughs: ‘I don’t believe it! He’s just a kid - but he took you out, all right!’
Destroyer remarks that he almost took himself out, and thanks Warlock for saving him. Cannonball gets to his feet and grabs Alex by his wrist, while telling Warlock that he might have used a it more padding. Warlock apologizes to Cannonball, adding that it was a miscalculation. ‘So you guys’re Power Pack. You’re good’ Magik remarks, as Molecula, Counterweight and Starstreak make their way over to the Warlock ship. Cannonball, smiles, ‘Course they’re good. The kid’s a fighter… and smart to think of that great way to stop me’ he adds, pointing out that nobody else has used that method, so far, and there are a batch of reliable witnesses that it works. ‘Hey, dude, you sure you don’t wanna join the New Mutants?’ Cannonball asks. Alex runs his hand across the back of his neck, but doesn’t say anything.
‘I’m a good fighter. Why didn’t they ask me?’ Katie mutters as she follows her siblings into the Warlock ship. ‘Cause you’re a baby, that’s why!’ And besides, Warlock caught ‘em, not you’ Jack tells his younger sister, before telling Warlock that he made a good catch, and asks him if he ever considers going out for baseball. Warlock extends his face down close to Counterweight, while Mirage introduces Molecula to Magik, and explains that she is a teleporter.
‘See… same thing happened to Cannonball that happened to me’ Sunspot calls out. ‘He was so freaked by that… attack… and your different powers… it took him a few seconds to figure out what was really going on!’ Sunspot remarks. Warlock shifts his head into a video game console and tells Jack that he has been practicing the catching concept via a video game he has devised. ‘Oh, wow! Man o man, can I try?’ Jack asks.
Wolfsbane notices Katie doesn’t look very happy. ‘I am not a baby and I can fly really fast… and I am a good fighter!’ she shouts at Jack, who is now ignoring her. ‘It’s hard being the youngest, sometimes… isn’t it, Starstreak?’ Wolfsbane asks as she shifts into a full wolf form, and goes over to the young hero. ‘Yeah, Wolfsbane’ Katie replies, hugging Wolfsbane. ‘Especially when you really wanna be the boss’ Katie adds as Wolfsbane starts licking her face.
Someone tells Warlock to set down on the rooftop nearby, while one of the Power Pack kids asks the New Mutants what they are doing out here. ‘You know that little mutant kid, Rebecca, who was kidnapped on TV?’ one of the New Mutants replies. ‘Sure, we do. We were there’ one of Power Pack replies, adding that the guy who took her was the Bogeyman, one of their old enemies, who thinks they are mutants, and he hates mutant kids. ‘We tried to stop him only he went too high for us’ they add. Warlock points out that on television, small-mutant-Rebecca disappeared into a cloud. ‘That was me, Warlock - in my cloud form!’ Molecula reveals.
‘Talk about disappearing… that’s some act you’re pulling!’ Jack exclaims as Warlock’s form shifts again, and he remarks that he is pleased to provide amusement for self-friends. ‘We’d never have known it was you, Molecula!’ Mirage announces. Magik adds that the cameras were so far away that you couldn’t tell much about what was happening. ‘Just as well. The last thing we need is for us to get on TV and our Mom and Dad to see us there’ Katie exclaims, while Destroyer announces that the Bogeyman already took pictures of them using their powers and sent them to their parents. He adds that he disintegrated all but one of them, and luckily that one just looked like he and Counterweight were standing on their window ledge - but that was enough to get them an instant grounding. ‘Exclamation! Self-friend New Mutants, too! Headmaster Magneto has threatened to ground us forever!’ Warlock adds after returning to his true form, the ship surrounding everyone vanishing.
Mirage informs Power Pack that they have to go out on this mission secretly - if they are going to find that poor little girl. ‘Hey, wow - us too! Our parents don’t even know about our powers’ Destroyer declares. ‘Lucky you’ Cannonball mutters. Molecula points out that adults mainly want to keep them safe, that they don’t seem to care if what you do is important. ‘They just think you’re too young - or too dumb, to decide what’s right’ Magik remarks, as Mirage tells Power Pack that they are better off keeping their secret, if they can. Counterweight informs the New Mutants that the Bogeyman’s headquarters is secret, and they don’t know where he has taken Rebecca, or how to find him.
Suddenly, Destroyer announces that he has an idea. ‘Am I a genius or what? We’ll fight fire with fire!’ he exclaims, informing everyone that if they can’t go to the Bogeyman, they will make him come to them. ‘All we need is a camera’ he explains. Alex smiles and calls out to Starstreak, ‘What?’ Katie replies, hands on hips. ‘How’s about flying home and getting the Polaroid?’ ‘NO!’ Katie shouts, telling her brother that he always orders her around and makes her do all the crummy jobs because she is the littlest. ‘And you always get to stay places and have fun!’ Katie adds, holding her arms But Destroyer tells Starstreak that he only wants her to go because she is the fastest. ‘No’ Katie replies again. ‘Awright, you win! If you get the camera, then only you get to be in the pictures. Just you and Warlock’ Alex grins. ‘Me and Warlock? Really?’ Katie replies, eyes-wide. She then takes flight, announcing that she will get it, ‘But you can’t be in them! I’m getting the camera and I won’t let you!’ she declares. ‘Okay! And bring some sunglasses, too, okay?’ Alex calls out.
Alex turns to Mirage and asks her to pull and image out of his head - the thing he wants most right now. Mirage concentrates, and does as asked - an image appears overhead, ‘There it is… but what is it?’ Mirage asks as a short man in a brown costume with a mask covering his face is shown. ‘Hey, Ah get it. It’s the Bogeyman!’ Cannonball exclaims, while Destroyer is surprised that it worked, he asks Warlock if he thinks he can copy that guy. ‘Self will make every attempt to render mirage in three dimensions!’ Warlock responds, as he shifts his form, attempting to appear as the Bogeyman. ‘Not quite, ‘Lock. Too ugly. You been watching monster movies?’ Destroyer remarks. ‘Self has a great fondness for them’ Warlock replies. ‘It figures. The mask’s all wrong. It’s kinda like a diving mask. And you should look a little more… delicate’ Julie explains. ‘Like this, self-friend Molecula?’ Warlock asks as he shifts his form and stands on tip-toes.
‘Nooo! It just gets worse. At least make the arms and legs match!’ Jack calls out. Warlock changes his appearance for a third time, and Alex tells him that the glove is right, the suit is close, but he should lose the #1 sign and the light bulb. Alex adds that Warlock should be smaller, with a diver’s mask, not a helmet. ‘And air pipes leading a back pipe!’ Julie points out. Jack shakes his fist when Warlock shifts his form into that if a diaper with a skateboard attached to his back, and tells Warlock to get serious. ‘Serious?’ Warlock asks. ‘Why did self-friends not tell that to self in the first place?’ he asks, shifting to a replica of the Bogeyman. ‘That’s it!’ Jack shouts. ‘You’ve got it!’ Julie exclaims, while Alex tells him that it is perfect, and to stay just as he is.
But at that moment, Starstreak returns with glasses and a Polaroid camera, and sees the Bogeyman on the rooftop. ‘He came back! And they fought him! And they lost and I gotta save them’ Katie exclaims, muttering that she knew they would do something good while she was gone. But as Katie swoops down to the rooftop, Warlock calls out to her, telling her not to be alarmed. ‘It is only Self!’ he declares. Katie hands the camera and glasses to Jack, while Julie tells her that she will fix her hair. Alex watches as Julie changes Katie’s hair: ‘Hey! That’s a ponytail! I wear two ponytails!’ Katie exclaims as she puts the glasses on. ‘Yeah, you do but Rebecca doesn’t!’ Julie reminds her little sister. ‘But, Molecula, that’s silly! I’m not Rebecca!’ Katie replies. Julie tells her that she is now, while Alex tells Katie to ask herself what if there was someone who saw the kidnapping - and got a shot of the Bogeyman?
Soon, the New Mutants and Power Pack hold up the Polaroid pictures, and Sunspot exclaims that they turned out great. ‘Lemme see! Lemme see!’ Katie calls out as she flies out of the sack that Warlock is holding and grabs the photo from her sister. ‘Hey! With the sunglasses and in the bag, you can’t even tell it’s me!’ Katie exclaims, adding that it is not fair. Destroyer tells Starstreak that if they could tell it was her, then nobody would think she was Rebecca - and that is what they want. Destroyer points out that it is time for phase two, and asks if anyone has a pen. Warlock announces that he can be a pen, and so holding the Warlock pen, Alex starts to write underneath the photos on the white space under the images. He writes that this is the Bogeyman and that he stole Rebecca, and the photos are proof. Molecula points out that all they have to go is get them to the police and newspapers and TV studios all over New York. ‘Don’t look at me!’ Starstreak exclaims. Magik tells her not to worry, as she can manage it. She explains that she is a teleporter,, and nothing could be easier than moving stuff from here to there. With that, Magik teleports around the city with ease, dropping different photographs on the desks of Jonah Jameson, radio announcers, police officers and news readers.
The next morning, around the breakfast table at the Power apartment, the kids are eating their breakfast, while their mother, Margaret, apologizes for having to run out, but that if she doesn’t get the corrections done by this afternoon, it won’t be dry by Monday. ‘And if it’s not dry by Monday, Sid will have a hissy-fit, right, Mom?’ Julie asks. Katie suggests to her mother that maybe she should give up oils and use acrylics, as they dry really fast. Margaret tells Katie that she knows, but she is old-fashioned and likes oils.
Jim Power walks into the kitchen, adjusting his tie, ‘Can you believe I was dumb enough to accept a guest lecture spot on Saturday morning?’ he asks. Margaret reaches for her car key and tells her kids that they will both be home as soon as they can. Jim tells his children that he hopes they aren’t too disappointed, and assures them that they will have a family day tomorrow. ‘Oh… that’s all right. We’ll find something to do’ Katie smiles.
‘Now, where did I put my portfolio?’ Margaret wonders as she leaves the room. Jim looks at the television: ‘What’s this? The news instead of Goo-Gamms? This is Saturday, isn’t it?’ he asks. ‘Want me to switch it for you, Katie?’ he enquires as he changes the channel. ‘No. Stop. Switch it back!’ Katie shouts, before calmly explaining that she thought she would find out what is going on in the world, and stuff like that. An unseen news announcer reports that Rebecca Littlehale disappeared yesterday after a firebombing incident. ‘Rebecca’s mother tells the story’ the announcer remarks. Jim watches thoughtfully as Rebecca’s mother can be heard saying that they were returning from home when their house exploded into flames. She explains that Rebecca ran from her arms, towards the house to rescue her dog, and seconds later, there was a burst of light in the sky. She thinks Rebecca must have seen it, because she disappeared - that is what her power makes her do - teleport from light to light. ‘And then she was gone’ Mrs Littlehale concludes.
Jim turns to his kids and remarks ‘The pain those people are enduring. I felt like that when you kids were kidnapped by the Snarks. I almost went crazy with worry’. One of the kids reminds their father that they got home safe, and bets that Rebecca will, too. ‘Hey, look, Dad!’ they exclaim, as an image of the “Bogeyman” holding a sack containing “Rebecca” appears on the screen, and the announcer reports that no one can explain last night’s simultaneous appearances in newsrooms across the city, of Polaroid snapshots featuring the alleged kidnapping of Rebecca by the villain called the Bogeyman. Jack and Alex give each other the thumbs-up signal under the table, while Margaret and Jim look at each other. The announcer adds that the origin of the photos remain a mystery, but that they have sparked a manhunt. ‘See, Pop! No sweat! Rebecca’s practically rescued already!’ one of the kids exclaims. Margaret tells her family that it is not that she doesn’t think children can handle super powers, many of them probably can, better than some of the adults, as kids are so much more flexible, but that powers of any kind practically invite danger - kidnapping, exploitation…it would be the end of childhood! ‘And if you don’t get to your studio, it’ll be the end of you!’ Jim tells his wife as he ushers her out.
‘Yeah, the dreaded agent Sid from outer space will destroy you!’ Julie jokes. Jack reminds his siblings that their Mom is worried about kids’ powers inviting danger to them. ‘The Bogeyman firebombed Rebecca’s house… endangered her parents, too… and now we’ve practically begged him to attack us here by sending around those photos!’ Alex exclaims. Jack tells his brother that it is a good plan, and asks what else they could do - ‘Leave Rebecca with the Bogeyman?’ Alex raises his hand to the window and releases a glow of energy, hoping that the New Mutants can see this as it is awfully bright outside. An instant later, ‘We’re here!’ Cannonball exclaims as he, Magik, Mirage, Sunspot, Warlock and Wolfsbane are teleported into the Power living room. ‘At least that part of the plan worked!’ Alex remarks, before the New Mutants and Power Pack huddle together, as Alex announces ‘Now here’s what comes next…’.
And soon: ‘Get your head back, Warlock. He might not attack us if he thinks you’re -’ Starstreak begins as she climbs out onto the ledge out of the window, while Warlock pokes his head out, when suddenly, ‘Gotcha!’ a voice shouts as someone flies past and grabs Starstreak by her wrist. It is the Bogeyman, who shoves Starstreak into a sack. ‘You little brats took that photography, splashed my identity all over the news! But I’ll get even. And I’ll make a profit doing it… a huge profit!’ the diabolical villain exclaims, adding that each one of them will disappear, just like Rebecca did. He laughs as he looks back at the Power apartment, where the kids look out the window, concerned. ‘He wasn’t supposed to attack, now!’ Julie exclaims, adding that he has Katie, so they won’t be able to fly fast enough to catch him. ‘Maybe…Warlock? Hey, Lock…?’ Wolfsbane calls out. ‘Warlock, where are you?’ Wolfsbane asks again when she gets no response.
‘Self is up here’ Warlock declares as he follows the Bogeyman over the city by latching on to the Bogeyman‘s boot. Warlock calls out to Starstreak and tells her not to be afraid, as he is holding on. He points out that Starstreak is in the bag and asks her if she can burst out. Katie tells Warlock not to speak so loud and explains that it is not ordinary plastic, but anti--power plastic and that it is strong. She tells Warlock that it is nice to have him here, but she wishes they had been ready, as the others will never find them now. Warlock replies that they will, as he is unraveling a self-thread to lead them, like in the story with the minotaur - monster and maze. ‘Self only hopes they notice’ Warlock adds.
Back at the Power apartment, the kids make their way out onto the ledge, Destroyer announces that he is powered up and tells everyone that it is time to go. Mirage points out that Katie could be in serious trouble, while Magik adds that this is not exactly the way they planned it, and wonders what will happen if they lose him. ‘The way we work it when we travel, is I de-gravitize everybody and Starstreak drags us. But now -?’ Counterweight asks. Cannonball tells him it is no sweat, and asks him if he thinks he can de-gravitize all of them. ‘Sure’ Jack replies, and an instant later, Molecula, in her cloud form, floats alongside Cannonball, who blasts through the air, carrying Counterweight behind him, who has de-gravitized everyone else, and pulls them along after him. ‘Then we don’t have a problem. Starstreak’s not the only one that knows how ta fly’ Cannonball points out, before Wolfsbane announces that she can’t see the others anymore. ‘We’ve lost them!’ Mirage declares.
Suddenly, Molecula notices something trailing ahead of them. It’s a long piece of yellow…something. ‘There’s more! It’s gotta be…Warlock!’ Cannonball declares as they follow the self-thread down onto a rooftop, where Warlock is lying, clutching his head, dazed. ‘Warlock, what happened?’ Cannonball calls out as everyone gathers around him. Warlock explains that he grabbed the Bogeyman and unravelled so his self-friends could follow, until there was nothing left to unravel. Molecula tells Warlock that it was a good idea, and they know he did his best. ‘It wasn’t your fault you lost her. We’ll find her somehow’ Molecula adds. ‘Oh, Self did not lose her. Self-friend Starstreak went… up there!’ Warlock reveals, pointing to the top of a building nearby.
‘Some people take out the garbage… I just keep bringing it in!’ the Bogeyman declares as he removes his helmet and stands over Starstreak and Rebecca, who along with her dog, are also inside one of the sacks. ‘Valuable garbage, though. I’ll get a pretty price for you’ he boasts, adding that he will rid the world of mutant scum at the same time. The Bogeyman walks down to another part of the complex, while Starstreak introduces herself to Rebecca and assures her that she is here to rescue her. ‘No you’re not. You tried before. You’re just trying to cheer me up’ Rebecca replies, pointing out that Starstreak is stuck in that bag and can’t use her powers either. ‘No, really. My brothers and sister and some friends are coming… I hope’ Starstreak replies, adding that even if they don’t, they will think of something. Starstreak then asks Rebecca what her superhero name is going to be. Rebecca replies that she doesn’t have one. ‘But how’ll you be a hero if you don’t have a name?’ Starstreak enquires. Rebecca replies that she has a name - Rebecca - and that she doesn’t feel like a hero, nor does she want to be a hero, she just wants to go home.
A horse-faced demon appears on a monitor in the Bogeyman’s facility - it is N’astirh, who asks the Bogeyman if he has a bundle for his perusal. ‘Two bundles, N’astirh. Two squeling piglets in plastic pokes for sale!’ the Bogeyman responds. As the young heroes move from the rooftop to the Bogeyman’s complex, N’astirh asks the Bogeyman about his masters, the Right. ‘They had a deal with me’ he points out. ‘So what if they did, demon? Their leader’s gone. Their operation’s in shambles’ the Bogeyman announces, adding ‘That mutant garbage is mine to sell, as I choose. ‘Ah…but I’m also interested in the ownership of your soul. I thought the Right had brought it’ N’astirh remarks. The Bogeyman replies that the Right defaulted on the payments, so his soul was returned to him.
Outside, the New Mutants and Power Pack look down into the complex though a skylight, where Magik announces that she sees Rebecca, Katie and the Bogeyman. ‘He’s really gone over the edge this time. That is one weird conversation. Who’s he talking to, anyway?’ Molecula wonders. ‘I dunno. It sounded like he said…demon’ Counterweight remarks.
The Bogeyman tells N’astirh that what he is selling is mutant children - to the highest bidder. ‘And you, N’astirh, bid very high’ he points out. The demon repliers that he will pay the weight of the children he buys in gold, but that they must be special children - channels of power. The Bogeyman assures N’astirh that these two are the ones he wants, and that there are three more where they came from. ‘They must be pure’ N’astirh replies. ‘As the driven snow!’ the Bogeyman smiles. N’astirh adds that they must be infants. The Bogeyman replies that they are almost infants, barely out of infancy. N’astirh tells the Bogeyman he toys with him, as the dark-haired one is too old to be of any use. ’No matter. There are others interested’ the Bogeyman replies. N’astirh announces that the blonde one is of small interest, and that his creatures inform him that they have utilized her power before.
Back outside, ‘He wants to buy Katie!’ Counterweight exclaims, while Molecula declares that they have to do something. ‘The first thing we’ve gotta do is get inside’ Cannonball points out. ‘For a teleporter… that’s no problem…at all!’ Magik announces as teleports everyone inside. ‘WHAT?’ the Bogeyman gasps. ‘Hooray! Rebecca, do you see? They’ve come - just like I said!’ Starstreak exclaims. ‘So …you came for a play date with the Bogeyman, did you… and brought your little friends!’ the Bogeyman grins, before pressing a button on the console beside him, ‘Well, play with these!’ he declares as the button activates toys, including two large robots, in the room, which come to life and start to attack the young heroes. Wolfsbane switches to full wolf form and bites one of the robots’ legs, while Destroyer fires a blast of energy at it. ‘Man… you been taking villain lessons from Arcade?’ Cannonball asks as he slams into the other robot.
Counterweight slams his fist into one of the robots and declares that they are aluminium. Mirage ducks down and the robot falls over her. ‘Thanks, Mirage!’ Counterweight exclaims. ‘My pleasure’ Mirage tells him, while Sunspot asks ‘He can’t believe we’d be stopped by these…flimsy trinkets?’ Magik opens two teleport discs, as a large toy truck drives through one of them and appears at the other, slamming into another toy that is trapped in the disc. ‘What kind of low budget production is this, anyway?’ Magik asks. Counterweight tells her that he isn’t surprised, as the Bogeyman was always cheap. ‘Weren’t you, Carmody?’ he calls out as he holds a large piece of equipment overhead. ‘You were cheap when my Dad worked for you…and you’re still cheap!’ Counterweight declares as he throws the piece of equipment at one of the robot toys. ‘And you always underestimated the opposition!’ Counterweight adds, when suddenly, he is struck in the head, and falls into a sack that the Bogeyman holds out to catch him in.
‘And you - cocky mutant brat - have finally met your match!’ the Bogeyman boasts, turning to the monitor, he tells N’astirh that these are the mutie kids he was talking about, only he didn’t think they would become available quite so fast. ‘You interested in them? Or any of ‘em?’ Bogeyman asks. N’astirh laughs and suggests to Bogeyman that he might consider a surplus sale. ‘Though it appears that soon you might have a few less items on the shelf’ he points out, as Warlock moves to Starstreak and Rebecca, his hands turned into scissors to cut the sacks open. ‘Oh no you don’t!’ the Bogeyman calls out. Sunspot tells Warlock to duck, while ordering the Bogeyman to drop the gun. Bogeyman fires, narrowly missing Warlock as the alien mutant shifts his body to dodge the bullet. Sunspot grabs some wires and moves towards the Bogeyman who replies ‘I’d never use a gun on you, mutant!’ instead he grabs a toy that is floating nearby and throws it at Sunspot’s head, causing the young hero to drop to his knees.
‘You’re much more valuable alive!’ the Bogeyman points out, while Warlock frees Starstreak and Rebecca. Starstreak takes flight, and tells Rebecca to keep her eyes shut and they will save her. ‘Don’t count your money ‘fore it’s in the bank!’ Starstreak calls out to the Bogeyman, telling him that Sunspot was just distracting him. ‘And you’re so dumb it worked!’ she adds as she darts around the Bogeyman, her rainbow effect trailing after her. Suddenly, ‘Skippy! No! Come back!’ Rebecca exclaims as her dog rushes out of her arms. She still has one hand covering her eyes. ‘Skippy!’ Rebecca calls out again, ‘No! Come back!’ she tells the dog as it stands before one of the large robot toys. The dog’s tag glints in the light, and Rebecca decides that she should look towards where he is. Rebecca opens her eyes, and then vanishes, before re-appearing in front of the robot. ‘Skippy! Leave my dog alone!’ she screams as she closes her eyes and pulls her dog free of the robot.
‘He’ll be alone, all right!’ the Bogeyman declares as he appears behind Rebecca, aiming his gun at her. ‘I’ll teach you to act like a hero, mutant brat!’ he adds. Suddenly, Mirage steps between them, ‘Hey, Bogeyman! Look!’ Mirage calls out, as she pulls an image from his mind - a cemetery with dozens of gravestones, all marked “mutant”, and lots of money floating through the cemetery. ‘That’s what you most want?’ Magik asks. ‘A graveyard… filled with the graves of mutant children! Children buried under piles of money!’ Magik does not look happy, and she switches to her Darkchilde form. ‘And I thought I had a dark side’ she remarks, before holding her Soulsword towards the Bogeyman as he falls backwards. ‘Enough kids have died!’ Magik declares, adding that she has had it with mutant haters. A portal opens behind the Bogeyman, he turns around, and screams as he falls through it. ‘Where am I? Noooo!’ he exclaims as he falls into the darkness.
N’astirh observes this on his monitor, and laughs as Mirage asks Magik ‘Where’d you put him?’ Magik switches back to her regular appearance and assures everyone that she didn’t hurt him, she just put him in Limbo - where he deserves to be. N’astirh remarks that the Darkchilde continues to populate the realm she was once sole mistress of - and her subjects grow restless. N’astirh declares that demons will deal with the Bogeyman, and as for these children, they really are too old for his present purpose. He decides that dealing through human intermediaries has proven annoying and fruitless, and he realizes now that he must travel to Earth personally to oversee the collection of the infants, if S’ym’s plan is to succeed. ‘And mine through him!’ the demon declares.
‘Well, that’s that…and a real mess it is, too!’ Sunspot exclaims as the New Mutants, Power Pack and Rebecca regroup. ‘Gosh, do you really think the Bogeyman could have been talking to a demon?’ Molecula asks. Destroyer tells his sister to give him a break, as everyone knows there is no such thing as demons. Molecula smiles as she tells Rebecca that how she saved Skippy was really brace, and smart, considering what happens sometimes when she opens her eyes. Destroyer informs her that they know the X-Factor guys and supposes that they will be able to help her. ‘Or maybe you could come back to our school’ Sunspot offers. Rebecca tells everyone that it is nice of them, and maybe someday she will, but right now, she just wants to go home.
And soon, Warlock has transformed into a ship large enough to carry everyone, except Cannonball and Molecula who fly alongside him. Warlock has a sun-glass shaped shade put up over the ship and announces that he is pleased to provide dark glasses for the trip. Suddenly, someone notices that there are a lot of reporters down below. ‘Look what they did to our house! I didn’t see it…before’ Rebecca adds as she sees the partly destroyed house. Someone informs Rebecca that they are going down behind the fence under Molecula’s cloud cover. The young heroes gather behind the fence, and Molecula tells Rebecca that they would like to take her further, but that they can’t as they have to keep their identities secret. Rebecca replies that she understands, and wishes her identity was secret, then none of this would have happened.
Rebecca says goodbye to Molecula, and they hug, with Molecula assuring Rebecca that the Bogeyman is gone and that she should be safe. ‘Yeah, right. Don’t worry, I won’t tell about you’ Rebecca replies. ‘We know’ Destroyer tells her, adding that there are some TV lights behind her, so if she looks that way, she could teleport home. ‘Okay…here goes’ Rebecca replies as she turns around, opens her eyes, and as she remarks that she is almost getting used to this now, she vanishes. A glow of energy across the street at the Littlehale home signals that Rebecca is safe at home. ‘I don’t blame her for being kinda scared. That’s a scary power’ Cannonball remarks, adding that she can’t keep it secret. ‘We have each other…and Rebecca’s all alone’ Cannonball points out. ‘Not all alone! Look…!’ Destroyer calls out, as they watch Rebecca’s parents rush towards her. ‘Rebecca! Darling!’ Mrs Littlehale exclaims. ‘You’re home!’ her father adds. The reporters and police officers gather around, as one reporter asks Mr Littlehale what his plans are now. ‘Plans? My daughter was kidnapped. Our house fire-bombed. We have been harassed…by reporters, mutant haters and mutant supporters alike’ he points out.
Mr Littlehale continues, declaring that offers for movie rights have poured in, but that they won’t have Rebecca treated like freak. Mrs Littlehale hugs Rebecca, while Skippy the dog stands nearby. Mr Littlehale announces that Rebecca is not a freak, she is their special little girl, and she has a very special ability. He adds that they will go away and change their names, try to live in peace until Rebecca is old enough to decide what she wants to do with that ability for herself. Rebecca announces that she knows what she wants to do - when she grows up she will use her power to help people, like some kids she met, and her name will be Light-Trakker. ‘But now...till I get used to everything…I just want to be your kid’.
Across the road, Molecula announces that it seems like they made a difference. ‘She sure seems to feel a lot better about what she can do’ Mirage agrees. Counterweight blushes as Magik kisses him on his head, while Cannonball and Destroyer shake hands. ‘You sure you don’t wanna join us?’ Cannonball asks. ‘I do!’ Starstreak calls out. Destroyer just smiles, while Cannonball assures Starstreak that they will keep her in mind. ‘Without you, none of this could have happened’ he points out. ‘Yeah! That’s right! Did you hear, Jack?’ Starstreak exclaims, as the two teams of young heroes bid farewell to each other, Magik teleports the New Mutants away. Starstreak remarks that it would be real neat to teleport home, and that it is too bad when Whitey came to space, he didn’t give any of them that power, too.
The young heroes fly off in their usual fashion, and Starstreak tells her siblings that Rebecca’s dad made a good speech, that he seems really nice and loves her, even if she does have a power. ‘Yeah…but look at the rotten things that happened to them’ Counterweight adds. Destroyer points out that their Mom is right about powers being a magnet for exploitation and violence. ‘It’s bad enough when nobody knows’ he adds. ‘I say we’d be crazy to tell’ Counterweight calls out. Molecula asks if it wouldn’t be wonderful to have it out in the open, to have no more secrets. But Counterweight points out that Rebecca didn’t have a secret, and look what happened to her - Carmody, reporters, deals, problems for her family.
Alex wonders if it was the Bogeyman who burned Rebecca’s house, or one of those ant-mutant crazies, as they were as bad as old Carmody. ‘Yeah. It seems like the real Bogeyman is hatred’ Julie decides. ‘You know, telling might be nicer for…some of us…but it wouldn’t doing Mom and Dad a favor’ one of the kids remarks as they round a corner, obscured by a skyscraper. ‘Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut’ another points out. ‘Then it’s settled! For better or worse, we won’t tell Mom and Dad. We keep our powers a secret’ another of the kids declares, while the last adds that from now on, they will just have to be real careful….
