Mystique and Destiny are on the trail of the missing Vanisher-- The Brotherhood take care of their own! But what strange friends must they forge to find their way to Nightcrawler, who was the villain that took down the Vanisher? And what will happen once they find him?
Usually mutants use the Brotherhood's network to make their way to the Amphitheater under New York City, but this time Mystique and Destiny are using the network in reverse, as they navigate to major cities where the mark of The Brotherhood can lead them to familiar places. Mystique is about to give up when they finally meet someone who can help them-- Peter Quinn, or just call him Peepers, everyone does.
The information Mystique has been seeking will be found nearby. Peepers confirms it because his enhanced vision allows him to see a brilliant flare every time the mutant teleports. Oh, and then there's the stench of brimstione and sulfur. "Yes, sounds like our man."
Peepers and the "seer," Destiny, make a great pair-- two kinds of visions helping Mystique to navigate an abandoned factory. Sure enough, she is able to locate Nightcrawler. Before he can teleport away, as is his first inclination, she uses her own shape-changing to intrigue him enough with visions of Scarlet Witch, Magneto, and ... his mother, the gypsy who raised him? Nightcrawler is enraged by this, and 'ports and attacks Mystique and her allies on mulptile fronts, all at once! But again, Peeper's special vision gives him a split second advangate, good enough to dodge. And to Destiny, it's easy to not just dodge but to call the shots. In effect, Nightcrawler is running into fists and pistol fire on his own free will.
Gaining the upper hand, Mystique reveals her true self, and says she knows where Nightcrawler can find his true mother. But first, he needs to take them to rescue ... the Vanisher.
Nightcrawler tries to get Mystique to relent, but she's resolute. No Vanisher, no information. Well, that is harder than you think, because Nightcrawler abandoned Vanisher in the middle of his 'port, and that was only possible with the Scarlet Witch hex-boosting his powers! If Mystique wants to find the Vanisher, she'll have to find the Scarlet Witch, first!
*****
Elsewhere, Zala Dane, aka Southstar, uses her magnetic powers to land a giant transport into the jungles of the Savage Land. She had promised to find Angelo Unuscione, aka the Pariah, a new location for the underground community of mutants. No longer do they need the Amphitheater-- here, they can create their own nation of mutants in paradise. (Toad, Blob, Avalanche, and Pyro aren't so sure. "Just don't get eating by the dinosaurs!") Pariah demonstrates his push-field. That shouldn't be a problem. This sets them all to arguing again-- Toad and Blob like Magneto's original vision for the Brotherhood, while Pariah knows no Brotherhood could truly offer sanctuary unless it was fully divorced from the rest of the world.
Their arguments are stopped by the arrival of native peoples to the Land. It's a tense moment, until Southstar makes her presence known. The mutants are then welcomed by the Sun People, who cater to Zala as their former Jungle Queen. Garrokk the Living Sun God is especially happy. It is as he had forseen so long ago when he urged Zala to join The Brotherhood after their battle with Iceman. She has come full circle, and has brought new life, new ideas, and new powers to their community. Zala will stay for the celebration in her honor, but she knows she will be returning to New York. There's still too much to do there, and still too much she doesn't remember. (Uhm, yeah. Plus the other Brotherhood members need a lift back home.) Garrokk gives her a gift, however. It was something they found just recently in the belly of a beast. It is a metal thermos, long-since unused, but with the logo "Demi" on it. Hmmm.
And without them knowing, a figure watches the mutants celebrate in the Sun City. The figure nods. This will do nicely... nicely, indeed.
Cover and text by Danny Wall
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