---

Graymalkin Island
Now

While the X-Men were not a name that was new in the world of powered individuals and heroics, the team that had been assembled was still ‘young’ in many regards. Outside of the age of some of the members, they were still learning to work together and had not been assembled for long.

“Your ratings are still steady as they were for the old team, but they are not at the level they should be.”

Jean’s eyes rose to the woman that spoke as well as the large graphics on the screen behind that were filled with charts and graphs and numbers of all sizes and makes. The woman was one Kate Kildare, a public relations officer hired for the team because she was the one that represented Dazzler and various others in the past, including a time where she worked for Iron Man, or so she claimed. The various graphs and numbers represented the popularity of the X-Men’s ‘brand’ in the world: public appearances, toys, merchandise, airtime on the television and the internet, and many other areas that Jean was probably not even aware of just yet.

“I’m going to assume that is what the red graph there is representing?” the redhead asked as she rubbed at her temple, numbers always causing her to feel a slight headache.

“You would think, but no. That represents the declining sales of your action figures. They’re old. People want something new and trendy.”

“I signed off on the figures like three months ago.”

“Exactly, they’re old. You need something new and flashy! Kung-Fu grips and bendable joints are so last year.”

Jean sighed. “So what would you suggest then, and which is our team ratings you were talking about?”

“Let our R&D division come up with something new, something tech savvy and able to get the kids and collectors attention. We have this entire assortment of alien tech at our disposal and should use it for something amazing. Oh and it’s the green graph there.”

“Wait…what?” Jean said as she let her hand rise to slow the woman down. “R&D division? When did we get one of those?”

“Six months ago? Or was it seven? Oh I’m not sure, but quite a bit ago.”

“All right, not sure how I missed that but I’d rather not be using Shi’ar technology to create toys for young children and…collectors…to buy for their personal use. There is so much wrong with that I can’t even choose where to begin.”

“All right, fine, no Shi’ar tech toys, but we need to do something new to keep the people interested in you.”

“I’m going to stop you there,” Jean said. “When I agreed to run this team I was all for keeping up the celebrity angle. It’s a new light that is good for mutants as a whole. It brings us out of the shadows and into the light as I said and it gives mutants a hope as the world embraces us. That being said, I will not turn the X-Men into a soulless ratings and money making machine.”

Kate started to speak but was cut off as Jean continued on. “Furthermore, the goal of this team is to be heroes on top of all other concerns. That is what we’ll be doing and that is how we’ll gain all the ratings and market share and whatever else it is that you’re speaking about. I’ll be the first to admit that I know next to nothing about all the terminology and workings that go into your job and what you’re doing for us, but I know what it takes to make a team and be a hero. I’m hoping I know enough to be an effective leader and that’s where I’ll shine. We hired you because not only did Dazzler speak highly of you but you’re good at what you do, so do what you do but without the Shi’ar tech and other gimmicks. Can you do that?”

There was silence at first as the other woman rubbed at her chin with her fingertips. Then a broad smile broke across Kate’s face as she nodded. “Oh yes, that I can do. Ms. Grey I have a feeling we’re going to have a wonderful working relationship.”

---

The Surface

A thin sheet of sweat dotted Alison Blaire's brow, along with the rest of her body as she moved through the slow motions of Tai Chi. Her breathing was kept at a slow and calming pace. Early morning on the island was a perfect time to work out. This was something she found out quickly upon joining the team so many months before.

The singer was clad in a tight white body suit that left her arms bare and ended at her knees leaving the legs below that bare as well, and her blond hair was tied up into a ponytail as she moved around. Being back among the X-Men felt odd at first but then just right; it no doubt helped that, unlike the times past where the X-Men were basically vigilante resistance like fighters, this time around they were celebrities and in the spotlight as much as she was. Just where she liked to be.

“It works easier if you don't try to move so quickly,” Alison offered as she glanced over at her two work-out partners, one of which was going too fast.

Jubilee grumbled as she tried to slow down and follow the movements of the singer. Theresa tried to stifle a laugh as she moved along with Alison's movements just as slowly and smoothly. The three women stood atop the island in a small bit of woods that had been grown on parts of it.

“Stupid slow moving stuff,” Jubilee grumbled. “Who came up with this stuff anyways?”

“It’s Chinese, Jubilee,” Alison said.

“So it’s like ye, lass,” Theresa said with a chuckle. “So ye should be an expert, right?”

Jubilee wanted to be mad at the Irish woman, but it was just too hard to do. It was infuriating but endearing at the same time. It must be an Irish thing she figured as the woman’s father was the same way. “Don’t make me bring the leprechauns into this, Irish.”

“Ouch, that’s taking it too far, Jubes.”

“You have really great cereal though, the marshmallows really sell it.”

“Young people,” Alison said with a shake of her head as Theresa giggled. “Can we focus ladies?”

Jubilee’s eyes rolled. The woman got on her nerves. Wannabe disco star trying to be a pop star. There was also the matter of Longshot that probably didn’t help. Dating the man that used to be the husband of another teammate, when that other teammate and the man in question almost had a child together that was lost before it could be born, was probably going to cause some tension and sore spots. Sometimes life really was just like a soap opera. Not that Jubilee ever watched such things…maybe once or twice only.

“Yeah how about we take that focus and shove it ri…”

Jubilee never got to finish as there was a loud sound and then suddenly a figure came to a crashing stop nearby, debris and dust shooting into the sky. Stepping out of the crater was a woman with dark curly hair and a black and white skintight outfit. There were pouches on a belt around her hips, including a strapped on gun which seemed very unnecessary. The Mossad super-agent was easily recognizable.

“Sabra,” Theresa said as she moved towards the woman. “Are ye blind? Just crashing in like that, could have hurt someone.”

“No time for subtlety, Siryn. I need to speak to Jean Grey. There is a matter of urgent attention.”

---

War Room

With Sabra's surprise arrival, word had quickly gotten to the rest of the team as they filed into the large room. Each took a seat around the round metal table with a large X across its center. Phoenix did not take a seat as she stood at the head of the table and met the eyes of all, as Sabra stood at attention behind her.

“Many of you are familiar with Sabra, for those who are not listen up. Agent Ruth bat Seraph, better known as Sabra, is an Israeli mutant high up in the Mossad. The X-Men have worked with her in the past. It is actually one of those past times of meeting her that informs her coming here to us today.”

With the press of a button the images on the screens behind the team leader shimmered and then shifted to show a map of part of Europe. At the same time a hologram of the same appeared over the table.

“This is Puternicstan, a small European nation situated between Symkaria and Latveria. Two nations I'm sure you are all familiar with in the form of their most famous rulers,” Sabra said as she stepped forward, images of Silver Sable and Dr. Doom both appearing as well. “Forty-eight hours ago all contact from the nation ceased as sensors picked up the detonation of a force that registered as an EMP. It fried all things across the nation and even some into the borders of both Symkaria and Latveria respectively. After the detonation of the EMP, apparently a great majority of the country's population was slaughtered. Many were able to escape in the chaos into the wilderness and across the borders.”

A frown crossed the face of Gabriel Jones as he stared at the images. “Is there any visual or evidence pointing to a source? Revived aggression from the neighboring nations?”

“Revived aggression?” Jubilee questioned.

“Both Symkaria and Latveria are assuring all that they had nothing to do with the attack on the nation. In fact, they accepted the refugees into their countries until SHIELD was able to step in and evacuate them to a safer area for the moment. Until the source of the attack can be determined they will not be allowed to return to their homes,” Sabra said in response to Jones's question before turning towards Jubilee. “Until very recently there were many border skirmishes and invasions of Puternicstan from both Symkaria and Latveria at times in order to gain natural resources and the disputed land. There was never a formal declaration of war as it was mostly just skirmishes. With the forming of the Genosha Compact through your associate Pietro Maximoff, the hostilities came to an end as both Symkaria and Latveria joined the Compact.”

“Basically old Doomy and Sable are leaving them be because it would perhaps cause issues with their new deal with quick britches,” Multiple Man offered up glibly.

Sabra sighed. “While stated in less than...professional terms, yes that is the essential reasons.”

“This doesn’t seem like our sort of thing, don’t you usually go to the Avengers or SHIELD for all this big nation mumbo jumbo?” Jubilee said, speaking the question on most minds in the room.

Jean frowned and stepped forward. “As I mentioned there is a reason Sabra came to us. One that is related to our team and something she dealt with in the past herself.”

As the redhead nodded at Sabra, she returned to speaking. “The magnetic signature of the EMP dissipated rather quickly but it did register on sensors for a scant few moments and the information gathered from that brought to our attention that it was a very familiar signature.”

A click came as a video, grainy and wavering but still easy to see, came to life on the screen. A figure was seen running screaming as the pictured jumped some giving away that it was someone filming on a handheld device, most likely a cell phone.

“This video was recovered off one of the many viral sites online, as the person filming managed to upload before the EMP took full effect. In a moment you will see why we contacted you.” The video continued as the figure filming whirled to the side and began to film a hovering figure. With a bit of a zoom the purple cape and red and purple colors of the outfit and helmet were unmistakable. A gasp sounded in the room.

“Magneto has returned.”

---

Lichtenbad

If you asked anyone about the Principality of Lichtenbad, they would probably just ask you “What?” because almost no one even knew about the tiny speck on the map of Europe. It was a walled city that was built like a medieval fortress, though once the hero Daredevil had helped to overthrow the tyrannical leader Duke Klaus Kruger, who had kept the principality as a slave state. Truly that was the only notable moment that the people of Lichtenbad could ever speak about. Until the day Magneto came.

Magnetic forces ripped through the walls that kept the principality apart from the world around it. The armies that had been brought together by the new leader of the principality Anya Kruger, benevolent daughter of the former leader, assembled to take out the threat. They were not prepared.

Bullets were flung back at them, killing most almost instantly while the others were injured and brought to the ground. The palace was hardest hit as it was literally ripped apart with the very walls being used to slice and crush everyone inside including Anya Kruger.

In only twenty minutes the main section of the Principality of Lichtenbad was reduced to rubble and scores of bodies. Hovering over it all, the purple and red clad figure seemed to stare at what they had wrought before turning and floating away. There was more to be done.

---

“Seriously, who didn’t see this coming?” Madrox asked, leaning back in his chair. “No offense, but just about everyone in this room has been presumed to be dead at some point.”

Jean felt the sting of that comment, even if there was some truth in it, but she pushed past whatever temporary emotion she felt. “We need to verify this and not leap to any assumptions. There are a number of potential explanations for this so we shouldn’t automatically assume a resurrection.”

“Either way, I think we probably need to give Pietro a buzz, see what he has to say,” Madrox said, still comfortably relaxing in his chair.

Jean shook her head. “No, we wait on that. Genosha has been too unpredictable of late. Telling Pietro about this, assuming he isn’t in on it somehow, could cause him to go berserk. He might lash out and make an even bigger incident…and considering the people he can turn to now that would not be a good idea.”

“I don’t think Pietro has anything to do with this,” Longshot said while juggling a couple of his knives in the air. Jean found the practice reminded her a bit of Hank’s playfulness and thought Madrox squirming in the next to him priceless.

“Why? I think a grieving son should be our number one suspect,” Dazzler said. Jean detected some hint of bitterness in Ali’s tone and she immediately hoped it wasn’t a mistake putting the two of them on the same team. She trusted that they could act like capable adults, but emotions were a powerful thing.

“Whatever grief Pietro had has been replaced with something else. I grew up seeing a being in absolute power. The Magnus is entirely comfortable with his lot of it and bringing back his father would complicate that,” Longshot reasoned.

“Show me a psychology degree and then we’ll talk,” Sabra said. “We don’t take Pietro off the table, but we don’t contact him either. Jean is right about setting off an incident. Let the Genosha Compact put their time into Wundagore for now.”

“So what do we do?” Jubilee asked. “Twiddle our thumbs until he attacks again?”

Sabra put a hand up to her earpiece and Jean watched her expression turn sour. The temptation to use her telepathy was there, but Xavier had given her more than enough discipline to resist it. She waited patiently while Sabra got whatever news was being delivered to her. The Mossad agent’s expression went from grim to serious as she looked at Jean. “We have another attack in Lichtenbad. It’s being reported as Magneto.”

Jean rubbed the bridge of her nose. A fight with Magneto was always dangerous. She had never had a hostile encounter with the man that went easily. All she could do was keep hoping in the back of her mind was that this was some kind of hoax…that the Magneto attacking these small European countries was just some android. She wished that she had the time to communicate all of this to Xavier. He deserved to be prepared for the possibility, but they just didn’t have time.

“Everyone suit up and meet in the hangar bay in ten minutes. If you aren’t there then we’re just leaving you. This is Magneto, people, so you better be ready for the fight of your lives.”

Jubilee stood up and winked at Longshot. “Guess we’ll have to cancel our dinner date.”

Longshot laughed. “We could always bring something on the plane.”

Dazzler rolled her eyes at the two of them and walked out of the room. Jean didn’t think she was jealous because Ali never struck her as that type. She had been independent for too long to be fighting over a man. Jean figured what upset her was the flaunting of it all. She could only imagine how aggravated she would be if Scott blatantly flirted in front of her. But now wasn’t the time or place to worry about it. Those kinds of problems were handled on down days. Today was anything but.

“I’m coming with you,” Sabra said.

“I didn’t expect you to do anything else,” Jean replied. She trusted Sabra as a friend, but was still going to keep an eye on her. Sabra was a good woman, but she ultimately served the interests of the Israeli government. Jean had been around long enough to know that there weren’t too many times when the interests of a government lined up with the interests of the X-Men.

Still, they were going to need all the help against Magneto they could.

---

The team’s jet landed in what was the military district of Lichtenbad’s capital. Now it was a wrecked disaster area with litter strewn all about. Buildings were cracked open like eggs and metal was twisted into awkward shapes. It was like walking into a jungle of metal vines. Pipelines had been torn from the ground and cars were squeezed into cubes. The evidence before the team as they stepped out of the jet was that this clearly had the marks of an angry Magneto.

Jean still wanted to hold on to the hope that it was something, anything else. Magneto being back would change so much and she could only imagine how he might derail all the progress mutants had made. Pietro may be a wildcard but that was because he actually tried to run Genosha like a country and not some mutant army training camp. She shook her head at the destruction around her. It looked so much like Magneto.

“Madrox, split up and start covering some ground. Dazzler, add a few of your light holograms into the mix too. Karma, Jubilee, Wolfsbane and Longshot follow Sabra’s lead. Siryn and I are going to cover the air.”

The team didn’t even have time to begin following Jean’s orders before an 18-wheeler was sent barrel rolling down the street at them. It came at them with speed too quick to be natural and Jean barely had time to erect a telekinetic dome to protect everyone. The vehicle slammed into the shield like a missile and exploded with terrible force, blowing out more windows and obliterating more property. Jean fell to her knees trying to maintain the dome against the impact.

“That didn’t hit us by accident,” Sabra said.

“You think?” Jean said, using her telekinesis to send the smoke created by the impact upwards. When the area in front of them was clear, what Jean feared was floating only yards away from them.

It was Magneto, fully armored, with a smug smile on his face. Jean needed to know that this man was flesh and blood. “We need to get his helmet off.”

Madrox put his hand on Longshot’s shoulder. “I say we let Mr. Luck here have a shot at it.”

“I second that,” Allison said.

Jean turned her head and narrowed her eyes at Madrox. “Not a time for jokes.”

“Who’s joking?” Allison asked. “Longshot is our best chance. We just need to give him time to make it happen.”

“Let’s give it a shot,” Jubilee smiled. “Pun sincerely intended.”

Jean sighed and initiated a telepathic web with her team. Ok, soon as I drop this field we come at him from top and bottom. Siryn, Sabra and I go high. The rest of you hit low.

Dropping the field, Jean propelled herself towards Magneto like a rocket. She slammed into Magneto’s magnetic field and wrapped her telekinesis around it, pushing him towards the ground. Jean didn’t mean to take off from the rest of her team, but she was afraid of what Magneto might do. As much as she wanted to avoid it, something in her gut told her that this maniac was the real deal. She wouldn’t let him hurt any part of her team. So she was going to pile drive him into the Earth.

And it happened in a span of a few short seconds. She looked over her shoulder and saw Sabra and Siryn finally catching up to her. Sabra started attacking the other side of Magneto’s magnetic field with superhuman blows. Siryn joined in the frenzy with her sonic screams against another part of the field. Jean could see that Magneto was starting to strain under the multiple attacks. Soon, Jubilee and Dazzler joined in with their own attacks as well.

Jean could almost feel the strands of energy making up Magneto’s magnetic field, but she made no attempt to reach out to them. Her telekinesis was strong and her control of it ever growing, but she wasn’t sure that molecular manipulation was something she could pull off yet. So she just continued to use her telekinesis like a vice around Magneto’s protective field. He began to groan and Jean said, “Pour it on!”

Jubilee and Dazzler began to sweat as they intensified their attacks and Magneto shouted. Metal started flying towards him from all directions and right in the way of this debris was Jean and her team. Deflecting as many she could with her TK, Jean also started pushing her team members out of the way, as anything that came at her deflected off of her own personal telekinetic shield. The metal began to wrap around and cover Magneto like some protective cocoon.

Pull back! Jean ordered telepathically as everyone back pedaled away from the large pile of metal. It was strangely ordered into a dome shape despite the many disparate pieces of metal.

The dome rose into the air and started to shape itself into what looked like a man. Jean wasn’t going to sit by and let him finish the process. She stretched her arms outward and started to tear at what looked like it was going to become an arm. The limb was pulling away from the rest of the body and Jean sent out a thought command.

Attack it! Don’t give him the chance!

Jubilee and Dazzler both struck it dead in the center with their high-colored blasts. Jean felt something strange occurring with Jubilee’s attack. A telekinetic scan showed her that Jubilee’s power was literally breaking down the molecular structure of the metal it was attacking. Was this the potential Emma had sensed in her? Why was it choosing to manifest itself now?

She looked at Dazzler and nearly laughed. Could her subconscious thoughts of being in competition with Ali be pushing Jubilee’s power to the next level? It seemed a silly and juvenile trigger, but Jean had seen more ridiculous things. Whatever the cause, Jubilee was burning a hole right through Magneto’s metal dome. Eventually, Jean saw Magneto in his hastily made structure, trying to keep it together.

“My turn,” Longshot says, tossing a knife into the air and flinging it right at the opening Jubilee had created.

The knife flew with the full force of Longshot’s arm behind it and knocked Magneto’s helmet clean off. Jean took her opportunity and began to mind scan Magneto. He gripped his head and the metal he tried to surround himself with collapsed to the ground. As the metal was collapsing, he bolted away with supersonic speed. Jean was forced to stop mind scanning him and cover everyone’s heads to protect them from the resulting sonic boom.

“He turned tail fast,” Rahne said as Jean descended down from the sky.

“What did you find out from him?” Sabra asked. She was a bundle of nerves and energy. Jean figured that Mossad was stressing that she find answers.

“I have good news and bad news,” Jean said. She took a moment to catch her breath. Everything she had done to fight Magneto and protect her team had fatigued her. She put her hands on her hips to steady herself before speaking. “Which one do you guys want first?”

“You know I just got an 18-wheeler thrown at me,” Madrox said, scratching the back of his head. “I think I rather have the bad news first so we can end on a good note.”

“Bad news, we’re going to have to do a lot more fighting. Good news, he isn’t Magneto.”

Sabra breathed a sigh of relief. Jean shared the feeling. Magneto really being back from the grave would have disrupted the world of mutants tremendously. His death had brought so many positive things. Jean never wanted to celebrate anyone’s death but Magneto’s seemed to be a necessary one for the good of mutants everywhere.

“So what is he? Or who? Hell, I don’t know the right pronouns anymore,” Karma said.

“He’s a clone. There’s more where he came from I’m afraid, but I did get an idea of where he was going. Somewhere in Spain.”

Karma laughed. “That’s a lot of ground to cover.”

“Did you get anything more?” Sabra asked.

Jean nodded. “Something about a place called Radical Ideas. That’s all I was able to get.”

Sabra rubbed her chin. “R.A.I.D.”

“Are we sure that bug spray is an appropriate topic right now?” Madrox asked.

“Radically Advanced Ideas of Destruction,” Sabra said, giving a side eye to Madrox. “It’s a splinter group of A.I.M. and they fashion themselves as a step up. We’ve seen activity from them all across Europe and North Africa lately.”

“Ok, so now we just gotta go to Spain and find them,” Jubilee said with her typically whimsical tone. “Can we stop in Barcelona?”

Sabra rolled her eyes and took out her cell phone. “I’ll make some calls and see what I can find out.”

“Ooo she’s going to hit up her spy buddies. Always thought I’d make a good spy. What do you think?” Madrox asked. He had a big grin across his face.

“No, Jamie…absolutely no,” Siryn laughed. “Just stick with us ok?”

Karma joined in. “I don’t think S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to be making any calls to you anytime soon.”

“You ever thought about being a delivery man?” Jubilee asked.

“You could be a one-man ship crew,” Dazzler suggested with a playful smile.

Madrox frowned. “Sheesh, you guys know how to lay it on thick.”

---

It took some doing, but soon enough the Mossad agent knew just where they needed to be. While the so-called Magneto clone had returned and the scientists of R.A.I.D knew that the X-Men had attacked their project, nothing could prepare them for the response. With a groan the entire roof of the facility was peeled back like a cat food lid, flung aside as Jean hovered overhead. Sweat beaded down her forehead as she used every last bit of power to achieve the feat and it was worth it.

“X-Men, take them down!” she called out as the scientists began to scramble.

Longshot and Wolfsbane flung themselves in as the interdimensional actor began to sling knives at the moving targets. None of them were fatal hits, most striking arms or clothing to pin the fleeing people down. It was better to have them around to arrest and question later than to have to clean up a bloody mess. Really bloody would have been the outcome no doubt.

While Mojo’s creation was using knives, Wolfsbane went for good old fashioned hands-on attacks as she went into full wolf mode and tackled various scientists. Her claws ripped easily through the black outfits that the scientists wore, radically different from the yellow bee keeper like outfits of A.I.M., yet missing their skin in most cases. A few got nicked, but really they were terrorists so it didn’t matter all too much as far as she was concerned.

Wolfsbane’s head flew back as an unnatural howl ripped from her lungs to echo through the entire room. Multiple Man paused in his beating down R.A.I.D scientists alongside his duplicates to glance her way. “Rahne went full wolf guys,” he called out.

“She’s in control still, I can sense it,” Phoenix said as she soared overhead, grabbing various assailants telekinetically and slamming them into one another. “We need to keep pushing through. Find the Magneto clone and bring it down.”

“Easier said than done,” Jubilee muttered as she blasted a few figures against the nearest wall.

Longshot came to a stop near her. “The thrill of battle would not be if it was easy. Pause for the cameras!”

“Shot…there are no cameras!”

Jubilee’s cries went unheeded as the man bounded away, as if the entire thing was being broadcast to the world. “I don’t even know why I try sometimes.”

Dazzler smirked, a bit happy that there was friction with the two, before she wiped it away to focus on the battle. Part of her was upset that she was acting like a jealous schoolgirl. Her time with Longshot was over, he had died on her. This wasn’t even her Longshot. Not even close. So why be jealous?

“Dazzler, on your left!”

Siryn’s cry brought the singer’s attention back in time to take the man down before he got the drop on her. A blast right to the chest sent him soaring away. “Thanks Irish, let my mind get clouded for a moment.”

“No worries, ye got this,” Siryn said as she finished with a massive sonic scream that shook the entire room. Windows and test tubes shattered in her path as the scientists all grabbed their ears and fell over moaning.

Catching the sound waves as they reverberated around her, Dazzler concentrated and unleashed a blast of light that blinded all those around her. Using the sound she formed hard light weapons that were used to attack the various terrorist scientists since they were all effectively blind at the moment. It was a solid plan in her book.

The ground began to rumble as the far wall shattered, metal beams twisting and flying forward as the clone of Magneto appeared in the hole. Power emanated from the man as he unleashed the full fury of magnetic fields upon them.

Leaping up, Wolfsbane easily bounced off each beam or piece of metal flung her way, while Longshot did much the same but only moved slightly to watch the pieces luckily slip past him. The rest was caught by Phoenix’s telekinetic field as she concentrated.

As the entire complex began to shake, an entire wall collapsed as wave upon wave of purple and red clad Magneto clones came forth. R.A.I.D had been busy it seemed. There were more than Phoenix could or wanted to count. There was no way the team could take on so many Magneto-level powered individuals all bent on their destruction.

“Keep them busy!” Phoenix yelled at the others. “I’m going in.”

“Going in where?” Multiple Man called out before realizing what she meant. “Oh—ohhhhhhh.”

“You heard the woman, let’s do this!” Dazzler called out as she unleashed the full extent of her abilities upon a group of the clones and a few straggling R.A.I.D members.

---

As the others leapt into battle, Jean focused on the mind she had touched earlier. The clone they had first fought. It was the one that R.A.I.D had been using the most and clearly there was something about it. Reaching far into the mind she began to dig to see if there was a way to stop the Magnetos.

“Hello?”

Pausing, Jean glanced around. There was a voice, weak and tinged with confusion and just a tiny bit of fear. It wasn’t the main mind in control of the body. No, it was something different. Something more.

“Is someone there? I’m not sure where I am.”

Gliding forward through the trails of the mind, she reached a spot that was darker than the rest, closed off from the rest of the mind. Not on purpose though, an artificial manipulation from outside the body had caused it. Another failsafe against something R.A.I.D didn’t want getting out.

As Jean parted the veil around the area and entered, she stopped as the figure huddled in the corner stood out to her. While the image of them had long finger and toenails, was covered in a fine sheen of dirt and grime and had a really long white beard she could tell who it was. It wasn’t hard because not only could she tell by sight but the bit of mind she was touching at the moment was very familiar.

“Joseph.”

The man’s eyes glanced up and seemed to squint before recognition could be seen in them. “Jean...I don’t know...it’s all so confusing.”

Moving forward she placed a hand on the man’s shoulder to soothe him. “It’s alright. You’re back.”

“Back? But...but I died...I sacrificed….how?”

“Some very bad people, they have clones of you. Somehow they must have reconstituted your psyche and used it as a template for the other clones.”

“I can’t control anything, It’s just so dark here.”

Jean focused on the world around them in his mind and began to knit together the connections that the scientists had severed in their quest for control. There were so many but they were easily coming back together. With every thought and notion she was moving closer to making him a whole man. As the process was completed, she knelt down once more before the part of the mind that was Joseph.

“Joseph, I need you to do something for me.”

“What?”

“Focus. Think about who and what you used to be. Let your mind spread out.”

Nodding, Joseph seemed to fade slightly as he began to focus. Suddenly the mind began to glow and whirl as the big of Joseph faded away. While his aspect faded away it was clear to feel him spreading through the entire mind. Little by little what R.A.I.D had created faded and the man they had tried to put away returned.

Joseph had returned.

---

Wolfsbane let out a guttural cry as she flung herself at another clone, blood caked under her fur along with chunks missing, all signs of the prolonged fight they had been part of. Multiple Man was down as his dupes were dwindling away. Jubilee and Dazzler had sought shelter as clones bombarded the area with giant hunks of metal. They were a strong team, but no team could take on a swarm of brainless Magneto clones.

Suddenly it all changed as they all froze. Every clone froze and tumbled to the ground. Metal fell as well as their powers waned and control was gone. Silence filled the lab as the X-Men came out and stared at one another.

“So….what was that?” Jubilee asked.

“I’m not sure but I’m guessing we can chalk that up as a win,” Dazzler said. “Whatever it was.”

“It was me.”

All eyes turned to see one of the clones still floating in the air. As they leapt into battle poses, the team watched as the man rose a hand and cast off his helmet and the outfit. In its place floated a man clad in an old style yellow and blue X-Men training uniform. Long white hair hung down his back and a full face white beard added something to his look, but still made it clear that the man was younger than the Magneto they knew.

Sabra paused and squinted before she crossed her arms and grunted. “The clone.”

“Yeah...they were all clones…” Jubilee said.

“This is different, Jubilee,” Jean said as she walked up behind the team. “This clone is the original, so to speak. This is Joseph.”

“Whoa wait, the Joseph? The one we all thought was Magneto who joined the X-Men like forever ago and then turned out to be a clone of Magneto and was super aged and then like died being dispersed through the atmosphere or something like that?” Jubilee asked. “That Joseph?”

“The very same,” Jean said. “R.A.I.D used his template to create all the clones, leaving him as the main one. Instead of making each clone individual they were all running off the same mind, or programming, if you will. Making it simple for Joseph to take control and shut it all down.”

“I could not have done it without you, Jean,” Joseph said.

Dazzler rubbed her chin and glanced around. “So I figure we contact S.H.I.E.L.D about this base and what was going on, so no one else gets their hands on these clones. Then...we have a Magneto of our own?”

Joseph visibly cringed. Jean placed a hand on his shoulder. “No, not a Magneto. Magneto is dead and buried, best left as a memory. This is Joseph. A man all his own. An X-Man.”

Meeting his gaze, the redhead smiled lightly. “So how about it Joseph, would you come back with us and be part of our team?”

There was a moment of thought on the man’s face before his head shook. “Not...not yet. I need to gather my thoughts and come to grips with being back as well as with finally knowing where I came from and what my purpose in this world truly is. Also with the blood that is now on my hands because of R.A.I.D. I will come, though, once I have found myself.”

“That’s all that I can ask, and I understand completely,” Jean said.

With a nod, the man rose into the air and nodded at them. “Thank you, X-Men, our paths will cross again.”

Watching as he flew off, Jean sighed and nodded at the others to prepare for the next step. She hoped that Joseph had success at finding himself and centering his mind. She knew what it was like to come back after being thought dead and having to come to grips with the world that had changed around you.

“Good luck Joseph.”

---

Epilogue

A cold air circulated through the glass tube, keeping the occupant in a cryogenic sleep. Meaning they would not be awakening anytime soon. Walking around the tube, a hand was placed on it feeling the cold rise up through the flesh. With a shiver and a smile, a nod was given to the other occupant of the small space.

Clad in the black outfit of R.A.I.D, the scientist stood proudly before the tube. His eyes took all in from behind the mask, watching his potential client touch the tube and seemingly appraise the merchandise.

“I assure you all is in order and the package is quite authentic. Unlike the others, this one runs on its own, not networked together. It was our prototype for the next line we were going to pursue, before the X-Men shut us down,” the scientist said. “You also saw the provided clips of what just one of the product can do to a populated area?”

Nodding, the client watched the air roll around enough that the purple and red outfit of the Magneto clone was visible.

“He’ll need something less garish and recognizable. Something less 1970’s like. I’ll get my people on it.”

“Does that mean you’ll take it?” the scientist asked hopefully.

Smiling, the client nodded. “Oh yes I will...take it.”

“How much?”

“I think you’re missing the point of the chosen words. I’ll take it.”

Before the scientist could respond he felt a burning feeling and then coldness as blood began to seep from the gunshot in his stomach. Gasping, the man staggered back before hitting the ground.

Sighing, the man dropped the gun and turned back to his package. “I so hate having to do my own dirty work. That’s why I have you now, my friend. We’re going to have good times ahead. Factor Three has great plans for you.”

With a smile, Shinobi Shaw turned and walked out of the room whistling. It was good to be bad.

---

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Next: In Astonishing X-Men #14: X-Men Love Chicago!

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Previous Issue | Next Issue

ASTONISHMENT
Months have gone by since the last issue of this fine title dropped for you to read, seasons changed in that time span. The road of Astonishing X-Men has been a slow one. I took over the title in 2009, and since then only twelve issues plus an annual have come out (that’s not counting the re-write done of the issues that were already done before I took over the title). Many titles have come and gone in that time span, some left behind by writers others reaching their planned climax and coming to a conclusion. This is all a long roundabout way to point out how slow I’ve been at this title and bringing it to proverbial shelves. I could cite any number of reasons why this was but in reality it all stemmed from aimlessly wandering the creative roads of life never fully committing to taking the time needed for such an endeavor.

I bring this up now because next issue is the last. The last issue of Astonishing X-Men. Yes indeed it has come.

The last issue in volume one of the title.

You see I came to realize awhile back that I was trapped in this loop and the title wasn’t fully what I wanted it to be and I was trying to live up to what had been decided for the title before I came on board without adding a bit of myself into the mix. I seriously contemplated leaving the book and doing something else but then realized that I could not leave my favorite mutants behind.

So instead Astonishing X-Men Volume Two was born. It’s perfect because the current site event focused on the X-World, X-Men Rising, is perfect to help bookend my time on this series first volume. Big changes come out of X-Men Rising and will be reflected in the new volume.

The goal of Astonishing was to show the X-Men as celebrities and heroes much like the Avengers, and showing them being big and just amazing to the world, Astonishing the world around them. Volume two takes that concept and pushes it so much further. New members, including non-mutants, along with just more and more that shows the celebrity and popularity focus as well. Talk shows, movies, mutant selfies, action figures, big time fights, their own in-house producer, reality television, taking on big time villains, and just truly trying to astonish the readers.

So sit back and strap in for the next epic journey down this road, as I prepare to take you to new places. On a better schedule this time around. I’m so excited for the next volume, I’m writing ahead. I hope you're excited too!

Prepare for the end and check out the next, and final, issue of this series as well as X-Men Rising! Unlike Marvel we truly can say and mean the phrase: nothing will ever be the same again!

Excelsior! (PS: This spot will be used for author notes and reviews/critiques going forward!)

05/26/14
Scott Redmond