Xavier’s…
Scott sits alone under a tree, and sighs. When Bobby walks over to him and asks if he’s okay, Scott says he doesn’t understand. A bit unsure, Bobby admits he’s worried about him, with Jean gone, and he’s worried about her, too. And since Rogue’s back in the “don’t touch me” mode, he doesn’t really have anyone to talk to. Scott asks Bobby to sit down, and he does.
Scott explains that he and Jean used to come to this tree, to sit. They’d talk and relax. One of the few times he’s opened his eyes without the glasses, or the visor, was right here. Scott doesn’t think he’s ever told Jean how much she meant to him, and how much he cares about her. Bobby promises they’ll get Jean back, reminding Scott about the “dude” from the future who’s going to help them. That guy’s got all the dirt on Cable and Bobby is confident they’ll get her back with that info. Scott wishes he were sure about that.
Bobby, a bit disappointed, tells Scott they’ve got to follow him into battle and asks for a little confidence. Scott doesn’t think he can help Bobby there. He knows people say the most important trait a leader can have is his confidence, something to inspire his troops with. Scott claims he didn’t ask to lead this team, and sometimes he feels like “Xavier’s first student” was his only qualification. He’s worried about his girlfriend and thinks he’s allowed to be like that. In short, he’s all out of confidence right now.
Bobby tells Scott nobody’s blaming him for that, and apologizes, as it just caught him off guard. Bobby wants to go back in, as Bishop’s meeting is in a few minutes. Scott asks Bobby to wait, as he’ll walk him inside. Along the way, Scott wants to know how things are with Rogue. Bobby shamefully admits things aren’t going well, as with Gambit’s powers just fading away blows. Now they’re back to square one, which is... no place at all.
Elsewhere...
Syndicate is on the phone with Xavier, and explains to him he seriously was able to use electricity for almost two hours before he slipped up. He congratulates the Professor for being right and he did everything he said. He was able to store up his E.M.P. signal for a more controlled burst, and he may have complete control over it soon. He apologizes for interrupting, but he was just so excited to tell him. He asks Xavier what he wanted to say. Xavier, while playing a bit with his cat, Mystique, wants to explain Syndicate’s next mission to him. He was interrupted before he could tell him last time they talked and it’s been a chore finding time to call him back due to some recent events there at the school.
Xavier wants Syndicate to go to Basin Mill Road in Queens. The street number is three hundred and seventeen. He has some colleagues there who will tell him what to do next. Syndicate jokes he can sure go to just an address. Xavier smiles he knows he can, and promises to contact him again soon. Xavier ends the conversation and hangs up his specialized X-cellphone. He opens a drawer in which he places the phone, and then locks it with a key.
The Professor goes outside, where he meets Storm in the hallways. He asks Storm how Kitty’s doing, knowing she was with her. Storm explains Kitty’s fine, but adds that Kitty isn’t happy there, because she told her that in the infirmary. Xavier says that Kitty has been unhappy here for quite some time now. Her relationship with Peter Parker is only serving to further drive her away from the school. As much as he hopes that everyone would view the students there as their family and the school as their home... Xavier is aware that it’s just not happening with Kitty. Storm thinks the Professor doesn’t understand: Kitty said she wants to leave. The Professor knows, as he has been monitoring Kitty, making sure her health is stable. It’s impossible not to listen in to at least a small degree. He also asks Storm how her play is going, as he has been meaning to ask her that. Storm guesses it’s going fine.
Later, at the McCoy Memorial Hall...
Bishop explains to the entire gathered team that time travel is not an easy task. It takes an immense amount of energy and is not something that can be done twice in a day. He doesn’t think Cable took Jean to the future. Bishop rather thinks it’s more than likely Cable has a base there, in this time. Their teleportation skill still works there, meaning Cable could be anywhere. Professor Xavier can’t locate either of them with Cerebro. Luckily, time travel leaves a chronal imprint, an energy signature Bishop can track. He adds it will eventually dissipate, but believes if they move quickly they should have enough time to locate Cable.
Bishop has a plan: Wolverine, Storm, Iceman, Rogue and Colossus are with him. He wants Cyclops to stay here with the Professor, who will be the last line of defense if Cable tries to come back there. But Bishop doesn’t want Cyclops and Xavier to fight Cable. If he comes, they need to run. That’s the only way to ensure the Professor stays alive. He asks for any questions.
Rogue has one. She wants to know who Bishop is and why he’s at the front of this class. Xavier doesn’t like Rogue’s remarks. He informed them all of Bishop’s presence and motive. He has found him to be honest and trustworthy and expects them all to trust Bishop’s judgment. After all, Bishop may be the only way to get Jean back. Scott doesn’t care about that. There is no way he’s sitting here while Jean’s life is on the line. He just wants to know where Cable is and he’ll go there.
Bishop refuses to inform Scott in that case. He doesn’t want the team to make a mistake: he was allied with Cable, but doesn’t want the X-Men to doubt his loyalties. Bishop watched Cable fall from the great man he knew to the psycho they had an encounter with earlier. They were both part of a group that upheld the Xavier Doctrine above all else, which was the only thing their people had left to believe in. As time went on, Cable started forming new ideas, piecing together unrelated events from the past to support some wild theory that Xavier was responsible for the hellish world they inhabited.
Bishop wants the X-Men to trust him when he says he knows Cable. He’s certain Cable won’t stop until Professor Xavier is dead. He will not rest until his mission is completed. He warns that, if they leave the Professor unprotected, they might as well kill him themselves. Scott angrily stands up and just refuses to be left there, but Bishop refuses to change his mind. He explains to Scott that his emotions are getting in the way, clouding his judgment and he’s getting out of control. Bishop states that, if Cable comes back, chances are he won’t be bringing Jean. And Scott’s aggression will work to his advantage here. Out there in the battle, he’d be worthless.
The Professor agrees with Bishop and suggests they let the other X-Men handle this. Scott storms out, ordering the team to just bring her back. Bishop tells the others to suit up and meet him in the hangar in ten minutes. The team leaves, but Wolverine warns Bishop that, if he double-crosses them, he’ll gut him before he even sees it coming.
Ten minutes later...
The X-Men are battle-ready and meet Bishop in the hangar in front of their plane. Bishop got some readings and mentions that, if they are correct, Cable is in an abandoned military in Finland. That rings a bell with Wolverine, and he thinks both he and Rogue know what that place is. Rogue wonders why Cable would be at the old Weapon X complex. Iceman also wonders how they are going to get there. The X-Wing is damaged meaning they’ll have to take the X-Jet prototype, which is slower. It could take hours for them to reach Finland, though, he doesn’t really know where Finland is. Storm asks Bobby to shut up.
Bishop has the transportation covered. He takes out a device out of his pocket, presses a button and a teleportation portal opens. The X-Men stare doubtful at him, but Bishop says it’s okay, as he’ll go first.
Finland, the former Weapon X headquarters...
Standing outside the complex in the snow, Bishop warns the team to stay alert. The chronal detection he used to get them there works in two ways and Cable could already know they’re there. Wolverine looks around and says this compound is a place he never wanted to return to. Though he was never at this particular headquarters, knowing what happened there makes his skin crawl. Rogue knows how Logan feels, as she always thought she was going to die there.
On that moment, Rogue gets shot in her arm!
Rogue’s arm starts to fall apart and Logan rushes to her rescue. He touches her and suggests she absorb his healing factor. She can take as much as she needs. Rogue tries but it’s not working fast enough... she’s dying. Rogue faints, and Logan gently puts her on the ground. Domino and her teammates appear, and recognize the X-Men. She mentions that they’ve been waiting for them, and tells Bishop it’s good to see him again. Wolverine snikts his claws out and angrily attacks Domino, but she shoots Logan in his stomach and he falls down! Domino smiles that the history books could be wrong... but she believes she just took out the X-Men’s front line.
Iceman runs towards Rogue, but the other members get attacked by Domino’s team. Bishop says they’ve still got their adversaries outnumbered and warns everyone not to let them get the upper hand. They have to remember what’s at stake here! Domino orders her big teammate Grizzly to take care of Colossus. Hammer has to defeat Storm and she orders Kane to clean up the rest. She’ll take down Bishop herself! Domino points her gun at Bishop, but he simply grabs it and absorbs the gun’s energy. He warns Domino they’re not going to make this easy for her.
Colossus tries to hit Grizzly, but he dodges. Peter mocks that Grizzly’s codename doesn’t seem appropriate. Grizzly denies that, and transforms into a huge, red grizzly-bear! Iceman creates an ice-slide and moves himself and Rogue on it towards Bishop, warning him they’ve got to take her back to the mansion now. Bishop quickly opens a portal directly towards the school’s infirmary. Bobby jumps through it, holding Rogue in his arms. Kane hits Bishop in the back of his neck, calling him a traitor and says Bishop makes him sick. Hammer pounds his fists on the ground, creating shockwaves in the hope to take Storm down with them. Storm flies up, mocking Hammer with his codename. She doesn’t think Hammer could know better though, as M.C. Hammer couldn’t have made it into the history books.
Xavier’s, the infirmary...
Iceman drops Rogue on a bed and asks Kitty to call the Professor. Shocked to see Rogue with only one arm, she screams out the Professor’s name. Upstairs, an impatient Scott is pacing in circles and the Professor points that out to him. He hears Kitty’s call and informs Scott they immediately race to the infirmary.
Finland...
The battle between the X-Men and their enemies continues, and Wolverine is still out.
Inside the compound...
Cable can see everything on his monitors and is confident the X-Men aren’t going to win. He was hoping he could stay in reserve for the finale but he realizes that’s not an option. He thinks he better goes to check up on his prisoner. He open’s Jean’s cell, and Jean was again experiencing visions of the strange, green goblin-like creatures crawling over her. Cable congratulates Jean on the good effort, but claims it’s not going to work. He wanted to ask Jean something and doesn’t know if he’s going to get another chance for this.
He asks Jean that when she uses her telekinesis... if she sees the goblins doing all the work?! Jean is speechless. Cable thought so, as that was the first sign. He’s certain “it” will happen soon and just wanted to let Jean know she’ll get through it. It will take some time... but she will. He leaves.
Xavier’s, the infirmary...
Xavier, Scott and Kitty stare in disbelief at Rogue, whose arm is starting to grow back. It hurts, but she thinks she’s going to be alright. The Professor quickly leaves the room and Scott follows him, wanting to know where he’s going. Charles wants to put a stop to this right now. He won’t have his students be put in harm’s way because someone is after him. He refuses to behind these children any longer. He wants Scott to initiate the launch of the X-Jet, and shall meet him in the hangar in a few moments.
However, Scott reminds the Professor about what Bishop said: he’s too important and Cable will kill him. Scott wants to go himself and bring everyone back there. But Charles doesn’t want to talk about this. He leaves, but Scott again follows him. He says that being there, knowing Jean is in danger, and that the team is in danger trying to bring her back, it’s driving him crazy. He knows how the Professor feels but he’ll get her back. He can do this! But the Professor can’t go. He’s too important and is the prime target. He wants to know why the Professor would be so careless.
The Professor becomes angry with Scott at hearing that remark, thinking he has to spell it out for him. He... is in love with Jean!!
