Evan Sabahnur aka Genesis sits outside on the grounds of the Jean Grey School, reading a book when another student, Quentin Quire, addresses him as “lips,” telling him he was having some trouble with his homework and was hoping Evan could help. He tosses a book at the confused Evan, who asks why he should know anything more than him. He looks at the book: Lectures on Evolution by Thomas Henry Huxley. Given the subject, Quentin replies, he figured Evan would be an expert.
They are unaware that Evan is being watched and identified as Apocalypse by Sabretooth…
Paris, France:
Deadpool watches a man about to enter a secret doorway. Quickly, Deadpool takes him out, as the door opens and takes his place, now looking like a handsome blond man.
He is welcomed in a high tech complex by a gorgeous redhead who addresses him as Mr. No-One. Where are the exactly? he asks, to be told he is in the White Sky Showroom. An undisclosed location, for obvious reasons. It was all in the brochure. She is sure, he remembers. She takes his bag.
Cavern-X:
Psylocke awakes from her night with Fantomex. She had nightmares like every night. Conversations with the dead. But she sold her sorrow and cannot mourn anymore. What’s left is rage.
Sneaking away? Fantomex asks. That ninja stealth does come in handy. Don’t take it personally, Betsy replies. This was selfish of her. Surprised, he asks what exactly happened here last night. A one night stand to satisfy her curiosity, she replies.
She doesn’t like him very much, does she? he asks. He is a living contrivance, she replies, a product always presenting the front of a very disaffected and roguish man of action. A hall of mirrors, with no end. There is no true “he” to have feelings for.
There is a him, he insists and he very much wants to be with her. It was something they both wanted to happen and it did. Last night he saw something, felt something!
She cuts him off. Not all misdirection requires mutant ability… Let’s leave it at that and agree it won’t ever happen again.
At the White Sky Showroom, the redhead leads Deadpool around, showing him a wide choice of assassins and spies intended for corporate espionage. He asks for her name and she assures him that, to ensure his privacy, she will self-destruct soon and needs no name. As he can see from the lovingly crafted models, they have a passion for assassination. Unique servants, to fit all his protection or murder needs.
And why is this better than hiring some remarkable and famous mercenary like… say Deadpool? he asks. They grow their assassins to the customer’s s specifications, is the reply, and can implement any memory imaginable. A traditional assassin is high risk; he might be bought by a higher offer. Imagine he wants to strike at the Roxxon Corporation. They’ll grow him assassins who believe Roxxon was behind the death of their families. That’s hard to compete with, he admits.
Now as for choosing his assassin’s skill sets… He has an idea! he interrupts. A cowboy and pirate king who has the power to crap through time! When will the doo doo land? Look out, caveman! Watch yourself, Napoleon! No one can save you, Brutus! Patiently, the woman informs him they cannot yet bend time.
They turn to three transparent cages which are empty. She explains that the Omega Clan has been purchased. Their most expensive models. Unlike the others, these were derived from the remains of the actual Omega Red.
A tentacle snares Deadpool form behind. Smirking, the redhead informs him they’ve been undergoing programming to grow a personal hatred towards their new targets. Addressing him as “Mr. Wilson,” she asks if he has guessed who these targets are. He and his friends, naturally. And the Omega Clan truly hate them, programmed to their client’s exact specifications.
Wolverine sits musing in Cavern X while the Age of Apocalypse Nightcrawler practices with his sword and complains about the quiet. Wade’s on a recon mission. Thinks he’s Robert Evans this week. He told him the spook he is tailing is a Hollywood financier.
Nightcrawler muses that back home Wolverine’d doppelganger is the plague of his world. But he is actually beginning to like Wolverine. He thinks he’ll stay a bit longer. Given what a surly son of a bitch he’s been, Logan replies, knowing he’s sticking around is such a relief. Lightens his heart up! If he was a cynical man, he might think Nightcrawler was getting him buttered up to help him kill another hometown refugee. Yes, Kurt agrees, the Blob.
How personal is it between them? Logan asks. Kurt flashes back to the image of a murdered woman in the Blob’s arms. No more than the rest of them, he claims calmly.
Deadpool’s emergency alert goes off. They localize it coming from a mile above the Pacific Ocean. Better gather the troops!
Psylocke apologizes. They are going to be one shy. She is quitting X-Force. Angrily, Wolverine insists they need her. And she needs to process her situation, she replies coolly. Warren, Jamie, overcoming the Death Seed… it’s all too much. Telepathically, she tells Logan alone she is dying inside. She can’t continue to kill. He insists what they do is necessary. They are murderers, she replies brutally. How can that be a necessity? She kisses him goodbye, as she tells him he’s given in to the worst part of himself and she won’t stay to see how far down he will let it take him.
Fantomex suddenly stands next to Wolverine. And where the hell is he going? Logan demands. No more Warren. No more money, he replies simply. No more him. Right, all of a sudden, Wolverine scoffs. Because of the money. Looking at the leaving Betsy, Fantomex agrees. He’s glad Logan understands.
So looks like someone is relieved he’s sticking around after all, Kurt gloats. Or did Deathlok leave his cell number?
Betsy visits the Jean Grey School and asks after Angel. Kitty Pryde tells her he’s been fine, all things considered. He’s been exhibiting so many different characteristics and abilities. But he’s not Warren anymore. He won’t remember her. Does she want to say ‘hi’ anyway? But Betsy has already stealthily left.
Kitty tells Beast what Betsy is going through breaks her heart. Yes, Logan and his clan of murderers should be given their utmost respect and sympathy, Beast mocks, but he understands. Warren is one of his oldest friends. But they must move forward. Chin up! If she’s down now their field trip is sure to raise her spirits. Not so surprisingly, the idea of a fieldtrip to Genosha is anything but.
Meanwhile, Wolverine and Nightcrawler are on their way to the White Sky Showroom. Nothing here but that cloud. They figure Wade’s inside. Kurt teleports them inside to find the redhead and a group of armed people are already expecting them.
Retreat? Nightcrawler asks. Kill them all, Wolverine replies and begins fighting savagely. Place to let out the beast, he figures and wonders if Betsy was right. The hell with her and all of them, he figures. No matter what they say, this is what they want from him and it’s what he’s best at. Soon as somebody’s gotta be opened up, who gets the call? And he lets them. Let it define him. Let it lead to X-Force - team-sized excuse to kill. To bring some friends with him. An Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with mandatory drinking contest.
He gets distracted when he seen an out-of-costume Wade, who tells him to run (and follows his own advice). He should have listened, the Omega Clan members inform him as they capture Nightcrawler. Wolverine smells their scent; it’s that of Omega Red, a dead man. One of their tendrils pierces him and fills him with something worse than poison.
Nightcrawler teleports free and onto the back of Omega White to kill him with his sword. His foe uses his mental powers to subdue him. As Nightcrawler begins to age rapidly, Wolverine swells up and the female member crows that from X-Force’s foul misdeeds their family was ended and a new one was born. Suffer their retribution, suffer the Omega Clan!
