“We appreciate your assistance with this,” said the detective. “This was kind of a...strange case and since you boys decided to come set up shop, we couldn’t be happier.”
Sean Cassidy smiled at the detective. “We’re just happy t’ help, boyo.”
The detective led the three X-Men up the stairs of the small apartment building. Banshee was first behind him, with Longshot and Shadowcat following close after.
“When did you get the call?” asked Shadowcat.
“This morning. One of the neighbors complained of an odd smell, the landlord went in to investigate and then called us,” said the detective. “Poor woman nearly had a heart attack when she saw the body.”
At the top of the fourth floor, the detective led them down the hall to a single apartment and opened it up. “Frankly, we’ve got no idea what to make of this, so we thought we’d call in the experts.”
Banshee stepped in first, taking careful notice of the body. It was in an advanced state of decay. He moved closer, kneeling down to get a better look at it.
“Jesus...” muttered Longshot. “How long has the body been here for?”
“That’s the thing,” said the detective. “Neighbor who complained of the smell? Said she saw him come in early this morning, around four in the morning, with some chick.”
“Yeh can’t be serious,” said Banshee. “This man looks like he’s been dead for weeks.”
“Forensics said the same thing,” said the detective. “Hey listen...if you don’t mind, I’m gonna get myself a cup of coffee. This thing is weirdin’ me out enough without having to look at it.”
“It’s okay, we’ll take it from here,” said Banshee.
The detective nodded and left the apartment. Once he had gone, Shadowcat moved closer. She didn’t want to look at the body, yet she couldn’t pull her gaze from it. “So what do you think, Sean?”
“Not sure,” said Banshee.
“I thought you used to make a living doing this stuff,” said Longshot.
“Aye, worked for the NYPD and Interpol,” said Banshee. “But that was long ago, lad, before Factor Three got their claws in me. An’ detective or not, I’m no doctor. We’d need someone like Hank t’ examine this poor soul.”
“We have scanners back at the island. I could use them to see what’s going on here,” said Shadowcat.
“You could also ask the psychometric to see what he can figure out,” said Longshot. He wiggled his fingers. “I assume that’s why you brought me along for the ride?”
“Good lad; let’s see what yeh find,” said Banshee.
Longshot knelt down by the body. “I can’t feel any spirits here, which is strange enough.”
“Why’s that?” asked Shadowcat.
“Usually, a spirit will hang around the place of death for at least twenty-four hours,” he said. “This time...nothing.”
“His entire body completely decayed in only a few short hours,” said Shadowcat. “I think it’s obvious why we’ve been called out here—only a mutant could have done this.”
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#2
FEB 09 |
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“Lifestyles of the Freakishly Famous” Part One
“...and welcome back. As promised, today we have a very special guest. He and his friends have been making waves all over Chicago and all around the world. So please, give a big welcome to Scott Summers, Cyclops of the X-Men!”
Applause broke out from the crowd as Scott Summers emerged from backstage, dressed not in his uniform but jeans and a t-shirt that bore the logo of the Xavier Institute on the front. His ruby quartz sunglasses concealed his eyes, but his smile gave away his emotions as he hugged the talk show host.
“So, no uniform today?” she asked.
“Well, you told me I should feel comfortable,” said Scott. “I thought that extended to clothing as well.”
The crowd and the host laughed in response.
“How long have the X-Men been in Chicago now?”
“Not very long, only a few months,” he said, “but so far we love it out here. The people have been great and we’ve gotten nothing but the full support from the mayor and his office.”
“One of the interesting things about this whole situation is how fast it’s all happened. It seems like yesterday that people weren’t sure whether the X-Men were terrorists or heroes.”
Scott chuckled slightly. “We’ve...gotten some mixed reviews, I admit. I think we brought part of it on ourselves. For years, the X-Men tried to stay hidden because we were afraid. Mutants aren’t exactly the favored minority.”
“That seems to be changing here in the Windy City.”
“Yeah, that’s true, this city has been very accepting of us,” said Scott. “But with anti-mutant sentiment so high back when we first came together—and you have to remember, we were all teenagers back then—we were worried how mankind would react if we tried to put on a public face like the Avengers or the Fantastic Four. So we hid, and in retrospect that probably wasn’t the best idea. A great way to make people suspicious is to stay secretive. If we had come out into the light, things might have been different.”
“What about some of the X-Men’s past associations? There have been a few known terrorists and criminals among your ranks—Magneto, Sabretooth, Rogue, Marrow, Gambit, even your own brother.”
“A few things, there,” said Scott. “First off, my brother wasn’t a terrorist—he was working undercover in conjunction with the United States government to bring down the Brotherhood of Mutants. Second, one of the principles Charles Xavier always advocated was redemption. Rogue, Marrow and Gambit all saw the error of their ways and they became very effective X-Men, saving many lives. As far as Magneto goes, he’s often danced on both sides of the fence, not unlike the Sub-Mariner. And in regards to Sabretooth, that was an attempt to redeem him and we actually kept him under lock and key. Eventually, it backfired at it hit us harder than anyone else.”
“But you can understand people’s suspicion when it comes to you and your team.”
“Oh sure, I can understand it. I’d also like to give an alternate argument—the Scarlet Witch.”
“...I don’t think I understand.”
“The Scarlet Witch, Magneto’s daughter,” said Scott. “She’s one of the most popular Avengers, according to opinion polls. If you go on eBay, you’ll find people still hocking cheap memorabilia from her wedding. And when she first appeared, she was a terrorist working alongside Magneto.”
“You make a good point, Scott, I’ve gotta give you that.”
“We’re not perfect,” said Scott. “We’re not saying we’re perfect. All we want is acceptance.”
“What about the notion that mutants are the next stage of human evolution? That has all sorts of people up in arms, especially creationists.”
“Look...I barely passed Bio 101,” said Scott with a grin, garnering laughter from the audience. “I’m definitely not a scientist and if you asked me to explain what the difference is between a Neanderthal and modern-day humans, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Bottom line, I leave that sort of stuff to the people who know what they’re talking about.”
“So...you’re saying you don’t believe mutants are the next stage of evolution?”
Scott shrugged. “I’m saying I don’t know and I’m going to leave the research to those who understand that. What I do know is I can shoot energy from my eyes and my wife can move things with her mind. And ever since I first discovered these powers, all I’ve ever wanted is to be able to live without fear. And that’s all the X-Men are, that’s what we represent—a life without fear. And that goes for mutants and humans alike. We don’t want to be scared of you, and we don’t want you to be scared of us. And I hope mankind feels the same way.”
“Well, I for one know that I’ll sleep a lot better at night knowing Chicago finally has its own team of superheroes.”
Island X
Jean Grey-Summers turned off the television.
“Hey, I was watching that!”
The protest came from Bobby Drake, who sat next to her on the couch in Island X’s spacious lounge. In addition to the fifty-two inch HDTV attached to the wall in front of several couches and love seats was a pool table, a dartboard, a small kitchen and a fully stocked bar. The perfect spot for the Astonishing X-Men to relax after a hard day’s work.
“You’ve got a TV in your room, Bobby,” said Jean, “or you could just go back to your apartment.”
“Yeah, but neither of those sets are as nice as this one,” he said. “Besides, I like watching Cyke in big-screen hi-def. If he’s looking directly at the camera, you can actually see his eyes through his glasses.”
“I’ve had enough of the talk show circuit,” said Jean. “Can’t we watch a movie or something?”
Bobby slid closer to her. “You feeling okay, Jean? Seems like you’re adjusting the least to this. Every time the cameras flash, you get nervous and you barely speak to reporters unless you have to. And even then you just give short answers.”
Jean motioned to the television. “Doesn’t this seem a little...strange to you?”
“Not really,” said Bobby. “Everything’s gone HD now, seems only natural that we should to—”
“I mean all this publicity, the fame,” said Jean. “Is this really Charles’ dream? Or has it just turned us into a spectacle? The new ‘in’ thing? How is this any different from circus freak shows?”
“Well, for one, we’re all beautiful young people,” said Bobby. “...except for Shiro. Being on fire and hiding your face behind a Japanese mask tells me you gotta be hiding something hideous under there. And Sean’s no spring chicken, either...but you get my point.”
“And Scott.”
“I dunno, I mean I was never a fan of the uptight Clark Kent look he always sported, but this whole rugged manly thing he’s got going is pretty sexy...I mean...y’know...if I noticed those things...”
“Bobby...”
“...which I don’t...”
“Bobby.”
“...not that there’s anything wrong with that...”
“Bobby!”
He snapped from his mumbling. “Sorry...that photo shoot’s just got me a bit nervous, is all.”
“I’m talking about his personality,” said Jean.
“Is that what’s bugging you?” asked Bobby. “Jean, c’mon...Scott went through something that completely redefines the term ‘near-death experience’. It’s bound to make him see things in a new perspective. You should know that better than anyone...except maybe the Professor...or Rachel...or Magneto...or Alex... Y’know, we cheat death a lot.”
“Can you just be serious for once?”
“Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood a little. Yeah, things are different but that doesn’t mean bad. Scott’s just gotta get time to readjust. Watch—once we start getting out in the field more and more, I’m sure Scott will turn into the same old stick in the mud he always used to be.”
Jean offered a playful smile. “Promise?”
“C’mon, we’re talking about Scotty here. You know he’ll need to shove that stick back up his ass eventually.”
Danger Room
Within the palm of her hands, Angelica Jones held a ball of flames, resembling a miniature sun. It began to grow larger in size. Her eyes focused on it, barely acknowledging the flaming man hovering in front of her.
“More,” said Shiro Yoshida. “Increase the temperature.”
Firestar closed her eyes as she followed his instructions. The ball began to pulse, quickly growing larger and then snapping back.
“Control the size.”
Sweat began to appear on her brow, but more from exertion than the incredible heat. “I—I can barely control it...”
“Try harder.”
The ball expanded but this time it didn’t shrink down.
“Are you listening to me?” asked Sunfire. “I said control it!”
“Too...too hard...”
The temperature rose as well as the flaming orb. Increasing in size and shape, now as large as its creator’s head. “I-I’m losing it...”
“No, you’re not. Regain the control.”
“I can’t, it’s—it’s too much!”
The ball expanded rapidly, beginning to engulf both Firestar and Sunfire in it. The Japanese hero raised his hands, his own eyes burning brightly and the ball reduced in size, absorbed into his own flaming body.
Firestar fell from her hovering position, but before she could strike the ground she halted suddenly in midair. Her fiancee, Justice, hovered before her, having emerged from the observation booth where he had watched the entire training scenario.
“That’s enough, Sunfire!” he shouted.
Justice lowered both himself and Firestar to the ground, allowing her to steady herself by leaning against him. “You okay, Angel?”
“Yeah...I’m fine, thanks,” she said.
Sunfire hovered lower, his arms folded across his chest. Justice faced him. “You’re pushing her too hard.”
“And you’re coddling her too much,” said Sunfire. “Need I remind you she was the one who requested this training session?”
“I don’t care, it’s over,” said Justice.
Sunfire narrowed his eyes. “Boy, if I so desired, I could boil you from the inside and your little pink bubbles would do nothing to stop me.”
Justice’s eyes began to glow with that selfsame telekinetic energy. “Don’t. Push. Me.”
Sunfire scoffed. “An Avenger for all of five minutes and you believe yourself to be special.”
“That’s enough,” said Firestar, first looking at Justice. “I can fight my own battles, Vance. I don’t need some sort of shining knight, you got it?”
“I’m sorry, I just—”
“And you—” she pointed to Sunfire, “—I appreciate everything you’re doing, but if you ever threaten my fiancee again, I’ll see to it there’s hell to pay.”
Sunfire smirked. He admired the young woman’s passion, it reminded him slightly of his own. Even if he knew that in a fight she wouldn’t stand a chance against him, her courage was impressive.
“As you wish.” He looked at Justice. “Kono yarou.”
Firestar held out her hand and a burst of microwave energy appeared before Sunfire’s face. “Don’t make me repeat myself, Shiro.”
“Whoa, looks pretty intense in here.”
The trio looked to the door, where Jubilation Lee leaned against the opening, red sunglasses over her eyes, wearing a waist-length yellow leather jacket. “Is this a private argument or can anyone join in? Because I’ve been meaning to tell Sunny that mask of his is damn creepy.”
“What do you want?” asked Sunfire.
“Just been a little bored walking around here, thought I’d take a trip into the city and came to see if anyone wanted to join,” she said.
“We’re training,” said Sunfire. “Perhaps you should try it some time.”
“No, you’re training,” said Justice. “Angel’s done for the day.”
“Excuse me, I’m right here and I’m perfectly capable of speaking for myself,” said Firestar. “And no, I’m not done.”
“What?” he asked. “But you exerted yourself too much, you need to take a break.”
“I know my limits, Vance,” she said, “and I’ll take a break when I say it’s time to take a break. So let’s go again, Shiro.”
“Once he leaves.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Justice.
“Yes, you are,” said Firestar. “Look, you’re distracting me, making it harder for me to improve. I’ll be fine.”
Jubilee linked her arm around Justice’s. “C’mon studly, looks like you’re my date.”
“What? But I—I—”
“Take him, Jubes,” said Firestar with a smile. “He needs to get out more.”
Albany Park
A small bar known as the Hollywood. A man with short, dark hair sat across from his appointment. The younger man had spiked hair, a net shirt and leather jeans and a jacket. A giant M was tattooed on his face and other inks lined the young man’s body, as well as piercings.
“This place is a dive,” said the man.
“Hey, this is my favorite bar.” The young punk drained the pint glass of the last bit of Guinness then slammed it down next to five other glasses. “Ahh, that’s the stuff.”
“Are we ready to talk business?” asked the man in the suit.
“How much for this gig?”
“One million. Cash.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Cash, eh? You just said my favorite word, buddy. So, what do you want done?”
The man handed the punk a photograph of a giant X in the middle of Lake Michigan. The punk looked up at him. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Island X, home to the X-Men,” said the man. “I want you to wipe it off the map. Think you can do that?”
The young punk ran his finger on the rim of the glass. His eyes began to glow brightly and the glass disintegrated into nothing. The punk smiled. “They don’t call me Warp Savant for nothing.”
To Be Continued...
Previous Issue | Next Issue
Applause broke out from the crowd as Scott Summers emerged from backstage, dressed not in his uniform but jeans and a t-shirt that bore the logo of the Xavier Institute on the front. His ruby quartz sunglasses concealed his eyes, but his smile gave away his emotions as he hugged the talk show host.
“So, no uniform today?” she asked.
“Well, you told me I should feel comfortable,” said Scott. “I thought that extended to clothing as well.”
The crowd and the host laughed in response.
“How long have the X-Men been in Chicago now?”
“Not very long, only a few months,” he said, “but so far we love it out here. The people have been great and we’ve gotten nothing but the full support from the mayor and his office.”
“One of the interesting things about this whole situation is how fast it’s all happened. It seems like yesterday that people weren’t sure whether the X-Men were terrorists or heroes.”
Scott chuckled slightly. “We’ve...gotten some mixed reviews, I admit. I think we brought part of it on ourselves. For years, the X-Men tried to stay hidden because we were afraid. Mutants aren’t exactly the favored minority.”
“That seems to be changing here in the Windy City.”
“Yeah, that’s true, this city has been very accepting of us,” said Scott. “But with anti-mutant sentiment so high back when we first came together—and you have to remember, we were all teenagers back then—we were worried how mankind would react if we tried to put on a public face like the Avengers or the Fantastic Four. So we hid, and in retrospect that probably wasn’t the best idea. A great way to make people suspicious is to stay secretive. If we had come out into the light, things might have been different.”
“What about some of the X-Men’s past associations? There have been a few known terrorists and criminals among your ranks—Magneto, Sabretooth, Rogue, Marrow, Gambit, even your own brother.”
“A few things, there,” said Scott. “First off, my brother wasn’t a terrorist—he was working undercover in conjunction with the United States government to bring down the Brotherhood of Mutants. Second, one of the principles Charles Xavier always advocated was redemption. Rogue, Marrow and Gambit all saw the error of their ways and they became very effective X-Men, saving many lives. As far as Magneto goes, he’s often danced on both sides of the fence, not unlike the Sub-Mariner. And in regards to Sabretooth, that was an attempt to redeem him and we actually kept him under lock and key. Eventually, it backfired at it hit us harder than anyone else.”
“But you can understand people’s suspicion when it comes to you and your team.”
“Oh sure, I can understand it. I’d also like to give an alternate argument—the Scarlet Witch.”
“...I don’t think I understand.”
“The Scarlet Witch, Magneto’s daughter,” said Scott. “She’s one of the most popular Avengers, according to opinion polls. If you go on eBay, you’ll find people still hocking cheap memorabilia from her wedding. And when she first appeared, she was a terrorist working alongside Magneto.”
“You make a good point, Scott, I’ve gotta give you that.”
“We’re not perfect,” said Scott. “We’re not saying we’re perfect. All we want is acceptance.”
“What about the notion that mutants are the next stage of human evolution? That has all sorts of people up in arms, especially creationists.”
“Look...I barely passed Bio 101,” said Scott with a grin, garnering laughter from the audience. “I’m definitely not a scientist and if you asked me to explain what the difference is between a Neanderthal and modern-day humans, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Bottom line, I leave that sort of stuff to the people who know what they’re talking about.”
“So...you’re saying you don’t believe mutants are the next stage of evolution?”
Scott shrugged. “I’m saying I don’t know and I’m going to leave the research to those who understand that. What I do know is I can shoot energy from my eyes and my wife can move things with her mind. And ever since I first discovered these powers, all I’ve ever wanted is to be able to live without fear. And that’s all the X-Men are, that’s what we represent—a life without fear. And that goes for mutants and humans alike. We don’t want to be scared of you, and we don’t want you to be scared of us. And I hope mankind feels the same way.”
“Well, I for one know that I’ll sleep a lot better at night knowing Chicago finally has its own team of superheroes.”
Island X
Jean Grey-Summers turned off the television.
“Hey, I was watching that!”
The protest came from Bobby Drake, who sat next to her on the couch in Island X’s spacious lounge. In addition to the fifty-two inch HDTV attached to the wall in front of several couches and love seats was a pool table, a dartboard, a small kitchen and a fully stocked bar. The perfect spot for the Astonishing X-Men to relax after a hard day’s work.
“You’ve got a TV in your room, Bobby,” said Jean, “or you could just go back to your apartment.”
“Yeah, but neither of those sets are as nice as this one,” he said. “Besides, I like watching Cyke in big-screen hi-def. If he’s looking directly at the camera, you can actually see his eyes through his glasses.”
“I’ve had enough of the talk show circuit,” said Jean. “Can’t we watch a movie or something?”
Bobby slid closer to her. “You feeling okay, Jean? Seems like you’re adjusting the least to this. Every time the cameras flash, you get nervous and you barely speak to reporters unless you have to. And even then you just give short answers.”
Jean motioned to the television. “Doesn’t this seem a little...strange to you?”
“Not really,” said Bobby. “Everything’s gone HD now, seems only natural that we should to—”
“I mean all this publicity, the fame,” said Jean. “Is this really Charles’ dream? Or has it just turned us into a spectacle? The new ‘in’ thing? How is this any different from circus freak shows?”
“Well, for one, we’re all beautiful young people,” said Bobby. “...except for Shiro. Being on fire and hiding your face behind a Japanese mask tells me you gotta be hiding something hideous under there. And Sean’s no spring chicken, either...but you get my point.”
“And Scott.”
“I dunno, I mean I was never a fan of the uptight Clark Kent look he always sported, but this whole rugged manly thing he’s got going is pretty sexy...I mean...y’know...if I noticed those things...”
“Bobby...”
“...which I don’t...”
“Bobby.”
“...not that there’s anything wrong with that...”
“Bobby!”
He snapped from his mumbling. “Sorry...that photo shoot’s just got me a bit nervous, is all.”
“I’m talking about his personality,” said Jean.
“Is that what’s bugging you?” asked Bobby. “Jean, c’mon...Scott went through something that completely redefines the term ‘near-death experience’. It’s bound to make him see things in a new perspective. You should know that better than anyone...except maybe the Professor...or Rachel...or Magneto...or Alex... Y’know, we cheat death a lot.”
“Can you just be serious for once?”
“Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood a little. Yeah, things are different but that doesn’t mean bad. Scott’s just gotta get time to readjust. Watch—once we start getting out in the field more and more, I’m sure Scott will turn into the same old stick in the mud he always used to be.”
Jean offered a playful smile. “Promise?”
“C’mon, we’re talking about Scotty here. You know he’ll need to shove that stick back up his ass eventually.”
Danger Room
Within the palm of her hands, Angelica Jones held a ball of flames, resembling a miniature sun. It began to grow larger in size. Her eyes focused on it, barely acknowledging the flaming man hovering in front of her.
“More,” said Shiro Yoshida. “Increase the temperature.”
Firestar closed her eyes as she followed his instructions. The ball began to pulse, quickly growing larger and then snapping back.
“Control the size.”
Sweat began to appear on her brow, but more from exertion than the incredible heat. “I—I can barely control it...”
“Try harder.”
The ball expanded but this time it didn’t shrink down.
“Are you listening to me?” asked Sunfire. “I said control it!”
“Too...too hard...”
The temperature rose as well as the flaming orb. Increasing in size and shape, now as large as its creator’s head. “I-I’m losing it...”
“No, you’re not. Regain the control.”
“I can’t, it’s—it’s too much!”
The ball expanded rapidly, beginning to engulf both Firestar and Sunfire in it. The Japanese hero raised his hands, his own eyes burning brightly and the ball reduced in size, absorbed into his own flaming body.
Firestar fell from her hovering position, but before she could strike the ground she halted suddenly in midair. Her fiancee, Justice, hovered before her, having emerged from the observation booth where he had watched the entire training scenario.
“That’s enough, Sunfire!” he shouted.
Justice lowered both himself and Firestar to the ground, allowing her to steady herself by leaning against him. “You okay, Angel?”
“Yeah...I’m fine, thanks,” she said.
Sunfire hovered lower, his arms folded across his chest. Justice faced him. “You’re pushing her too hard.”
“And you’re coddling her too much,” said Sunfire. “Need I remind you she was the one who requested this training session?”
“I don’t care, it’s over,” said Justice.
Sunfire narrowed his eyes. “Boy, if I so desired, I could boil you from the inside and your little pink bubbles would do nothing to stop me.”
Justice’s eyes began to glow with that selfsame telekinetic energy. “Don’t. Push. Me.”
Sunfire scoffed. “An Avenger for all of five minutes and you believe yourself to be special.”
“That’s enough,” said Firestar, first looking at Justice. “I can fight my own battles, Vance. I don’t need some sort of shining knight, you got it?”
“I’m sorry, I just—”
“And you—” she pointed to Sunfire, “—I appreciate everything you’re doing, but if you ever threaten my fiancee again, I’ll see to it there’s hell to pay.”
Sunfire smirked. He admired the young woman’s passion, it reminded him slightly of his own. Even if he knew that in a fight she wouldn’t stand a chance against him, her courage was impressive.
“As you wish.” He looked at Justice. “Kono yarou.”
Firestar held out her hand and a burst of microwave energy appeared before Sunfire’s face. “Don’t make me repeat myself, Shiro.”
“Whoa, looks pretty intense in here.”
The trio looked to the door, where Jubilation Lee leaned against the opening, red sunglasses over her eyes, wearing a waist-length yellow leather jacket. “Is this a private argument or can anyone join in? Because I’ve been meaning to tell Sunny that mask of his is damn creepy.”
“What do you want?” asked Sunfire.
“Just been a little bored walking around here, thought I’d take a trip into the city and came to see if anyone wanted to join,” she said.
“We’re training,” said Sunfire. “Perhaps you should try it some time.”
“No, you’re training,” said Justice. “Angel’s done for the day.”
“Excuse me, I’m right here and I’m perfectly capable of speaking for myself,” said Firestar. “And no, I’m not done.”
“What?” he asked. “But you exerted yourself too much, you need to take a break.”
“I know my limits, Vance,” she said, “and I’ll take a break when I say it’s time to take a break. So let’s go again, Shiro.”
“Once he leaves.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Justice.
“Yes, you are,” said Firestar. “Look, you’re distracting me, making it harder for me to improve. I’ll be fine.”
Jubilee linked her arm around Justice’s. “C’mon studly, looks like you’re my date.”
“What? But I—I—”
“Take him, Jubes,” said Firestar with a smile. “He needs to get out more.”
Albany Park
A small bar known as the Hollywood. A man with short, dark hair sat across from his appointment. The younger man had spiked hair, a net shirt and leather jeans and a jacket. A giant M was tattooed on his face and other inks lined the young man’s body, as well as piercings.
“This place is a dive,” said the man.
“Hey, this is my favorite bar.” The young punk drained the pint glass of the last bit of Guinness then slammed it down next to five other glasses. “Ahh, that’s the stuff.”
“Are we ready to talk business?” asked the man in the suit.
“How much for this gig?”
“One million. Cash.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Cash, eh? You just said my favorite word, buddy. So, what do you want done?”
The man handed the punk a photograph of a giant X in the middle of Lake Michigan. The punk looked up at him. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Island X, home to the X-Men,” said the man. “I want you to wipe it off the map. Think you can do that?”
The young punk ran his finger on the rim of the glass. His eyes began to glow brightly and the glass disintegrated into nothing. The punk smiled. “They don’t call me Warp Savant for nothing.”
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To Be Continued...
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