Issue+51+-+'Remix'


 * Issue 51 - 'Remix' **




 * Plot**

“True mutant” Kaga’s control of Hellfire Club: Tokyo’s Crimson Branch, the vampire alliance, and adult mutants has ended. His four-pronged assault on Academy X, the X-Corporation: Los Angeles tower, the Mutant Revolutionary Front’s secret headquarters in the Tenderloin, and Hellfire Club: Tokyo Ebon Branch’s Chinatown complex was a failure. While the co-leader of X-Corporation Los Angeles (Thornn) was killed, as were several members of the Mutant Revolutionary Front and Hellfire Club: Tokyo, and many were afflicted with Hope, Kaga failed to remove all mutants in the region. With his death, the adult mutants seem to have lost their mutant abilities, though they must live with any physical aftereffects.

With the entirety of Hellfire Club: Tokyo under Maki’s control, the vampires scattered and in hiding, and no word from the Mutant Revolutionary Front or the Church of Humanity, things settle down for the summer. The staff of Academy X finishes their bachelor’s degrees, spends time with loved ones, and works on various projects. Unfortunately, Cameron loses control of his new secondary mutation (turning his body to air) and disappears during an arraignment about his attempted murder of Guardians! And while David will soon be on trial, at least Maria Hill is found not guilty. In other legal matters, the remaining members of The Guardians have taken a plea deal. They’ve been sentenced to 5 years in prison.

The staff of Academy X learns that the new member of the Academy X Board of Trustees, Maki Matsumodo, will be appointing Cameron’s replacement. She hires a Japanese mutant named Honoka Ogawa. Honoka is a Japanese woman with expertise in technology. She will also be teaching Japanese and blaster classes. She is a mutant with the ability to generate “darkforce” energy, including a darkforce blade and darkforce blasts.

Additional news close to home is that the gubernatorial campaign continues. Peaceful Coexistence Party (PCX Party) candidate James Sangrey continues his bid to become governor of California. The PCX party convention is coming up over Labor Day weekend. The PCX party disavows any involvement with the Mutant Revolutionary Front (MRF), even though the eXalts saw evidence that points towards a connection. News on the street is that the MRF has been rebuilding their San Francisco base (a former Hellfire Club: San Francisco building from before that group disbanded). It seems Cougar is still in charge and that former Academy X student Christine is a member. The latest rumor is that former Academy X student and dropout Rodrigo has joined.

Other groups are keeping busy. Hellfire Club: Tokyo seems to be recruiting recent Academy X graduates to work for a company called the Pacific Trading Company. Another Hellfire Club: Tokyo company, Benetech, seems to be making Hope once again. The Morlocks have been quiet, but that’s normal for them.

Several new students join Academy X, including a new class of freshmen. These students include seniors Kenji, a Japanese mutant with the ability to create and manipulate organic technology, and Laurie, a blue-skinned girl who can enhance her physiology and fly at incredible speeds. The one new junior is Gilberto Cohuelo, a Mexican mutant who can move at super-speed. There are two new sophomores: Kim Jin-Hek, a Korean with unknown powers and Teon Macik, a Ukranian who is somewhat feral, but has superhuman physical abilities.

The freshman class has a mixture of backgrounds and powers. Alexia is a Brazilian with an eidetic memory. Bobby Joe is a Texan that can mimic sounds. Evan Sabahnur is a pale-skinned Arabic mutant with a variety of mental and energy-related powers. Guo Long is a Chinese mutant with a monstrous appearance. Henrietta, or Etta, is Cameron’s niece. She has limited precognition powers. Hunter Stone is a “normal” looking Morlock that can animate his creations. Idie is an African girl that can control temperatures to the point of crating fire or ice. Jaleel is an African-American that can’t be detected by taste or smell.

Next among the new freshmen is Juan Jose, or JJ. He’s a Mexican mutant with enhanced reflexes and marksmanship abilities. Lee Willapana is a Thai mutant with black feathered wings and avian vision. Marisol Hernandez is a Mexican-American with prehensile hair. Miguel Indelicato is a Puerto Rican that can fire blasts of radiation. Seth Walker is a human mage from Xavier’s. Shadae Parker-Quiñones is a biracial girl of African-American and Hispanic heritage whose odd mutation is that her body produces sugar instead of salt. Lastly, Wendy Hightower is a Caucasian girl whose skin is purple… and that seems to be the extent of her abilities.

Changes are afoot for the eXalts. Bastienne has quit the team. David is still confined to Academy X. Cameron is gone. That leaves Sam, Dane, Mac, Billy, and Dagan as the remaining eXalts. New teacher Honoka Ogawa likely plans to join the team, but the group’s lineup will look quite different this semester. As for Dagan, she has an apartment in Half Moon Bay close to Academy X. She’s enrolled in San Mateo Community College for the fall semester (they have a campus in Half Moon Bay). Academy X ally Agape is still living in San Francisco. Jubilee is living with Mac. Cordelia has left the school again on another of her mysterious missions. Matt, Ruth, and Jess remain busy with Academy X duties.

Time marches on, and soon enough the end of summer arrives. On the Friday before the new semester, the group looks forward to student staff arriving on Saturday for training and the rest of the kids arriving on Sunday. Then, Wednesday, mutant registration begins. Then, before the staff meeting on Friday, the school receives a phone call from Michael “Discord” Schwartz. He’d like to visit Academy X…

The group has a staff meeting to discuss the school year and other issues. In attendance are Bastienne, Billy, Dane, David, Jessica, Lucius, Matt, Mac, Ruth, and Sam. Dagan is upstairs visiting and taking care of the kids. Jubilee, no longer staff, is upstairs. First the group assigns the incoming students to teams. Next they vote on the question of whether Michael should be allowed to visit. Despite Bastienne’s objections, the group agrees. Before moving on, the group is shocked when Cameron appears literally from thin air.

The Canadian mutant explains that the stress of trying to decide how to plead at his arraignment lead to him losing control of his secondary mutation. It’s been uncontrolled ever since. He can barely hold his consciousness together while in his air form, and he drifted wherever the wind took him. Sam can’t even sense his mind when he’s made of air. All Cameron remembers is dreamlike images of floating over valleys, mountains, deserts, and finally corn fields. When Cameron was able to gain control, he found himself naked and stranded. He headed west towards Academy X, but kept dissolving into air.

The staff warmly welcomes Cameron back. Mac loans him his jacket and gets him food. Bastienne sends a text message to Emma Frost at the east coast school to let her know what’s happening. Samantha calls Cameron’s girlfriend, Agape, at her job in a San Francisco hospital. Bastienne calls the school’s lawyer, Evangeline Whedon. Agape and the lawyer both hurry towards the school.

During all this chaos, Cameron disappears and reappears repeatedly. Then they have a visitor: Honoka Ogawa, their new teacher, has arrived. Dane greets her at the door. They bow in greeting and Dane takes her bag. They exchange pleasantries. Miss Ogawa speaks in perfect unaccented English and is quite professional, despite a red tattoo over one eye and dyed blue hair. She is brought to the staff meeting and introduced to the group. By this point the lawyer has arrived. She advises the group that they must contact the authorities about Cameron, as he is a wanted fugitive. Otherwise they will be accessories. Dane calls Agent Owen of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Owen is second in command under Daisy Johnson, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s west coast commander. He orders a team to arrest Cameron immediately.

Agape arrives before S.H.I.E.L.D. and tearfully embraces Cameron. Their reunion is short-lived, however, as Cameron disappears again. This time it seems to be for good, as he does not reappear. The S.H.I.E.L.D. team arrives and is frustrated. Dane asks if they can loan Academy X power-dampening equipment for when Cameron returns, but Agent Owen says he cannot loan such technology. Before everyone turns in on Friday night, David visits Miss Ogawa. He tells her that he knows she’s spying for Maki and Hellfire Club: Tokyo. Honoka says she can’t control what he thinks, but says she will be professional and hopes he will be as well. David says he’ll be watching her, then departs.

On Saturday the student staff arrives. This includes Amanda (Head Girl), Gunther (Head Boy), Tierra (Senior Prefect), Julian (Senior Prefect), Ginny (Junior Prefect) and Liam (Junior Prefect). When notified of their new positions, Julian is visibly upset. He later accosts the headmasters and accuses them of only appointing Gunther Head Boy ahead of him because they feel guilty that Gunther once “died.” He storms off, but later rejoins the group. The staff worries about him since he is acting like their former classmate Michael was when he was denied Head Boy as a senior.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The student staff goes through Danger Room training. Amanda demonstrates her new ability to teleport herself with magic. Gunther can now solidify his whole body if he concentrates. Tierra is now a true telepath and empath. Julian is as powerful a telekinetic as ever. Ginny can perform all kinds of combat stunts with her electric whip, such as disarming and tripping opponents. Liam’s telepathy has improved. The mentalists do not perform in the Danger Room as well as the others, but the training goes well overall. David announces he wants to train the six as a separate team.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Later that day Dane and Sam meet with Honoka. As co-leaders of the eXalts (though Sam is the field commander), they want to talk to her about joining the team. Honoka says that Maki asked her to join the eXalts during her interview. She agrees. That afternoon there is an eXalts meeting where the team watches Honoka work out in the Danger Room. She’s very impressive. She carries a hilt without a sword that she uses to create a black blade out of darkforce energy. She acrobatically tumbles past hazards, blasts the Danger Room robots with darkforce blasts, and uses her sword to take down other robots. She also spars with fellow eXalts and uses her sword to stun her opponents. She chooses Nightwind as her code name. Sam asks if she can contact Honoka mentally in the field, but Honoka says that Maki had a mental shield placed in her mind. It will harm anyone who attempts to read her mind. This is a precaution that will allow Honoka to protect any confidential information she learns as an Academy X staff member or as an eXalt.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Sunday morning the group has breakfast before students arrive. Agape, who is staying at the school in hopes that Cameron returns, asks Sam if she can join the eXalts. While her distance (living in San Francisco) is an issue, Dane agrees that it’s a good idea. They’ve lost two blasters (David and Cameron) recently. Honoka meets with the headmasters to discuss her student team, the Paragons. She chooses a team leader (Aliyah). Bastienne asks if she can sit in on Honoka’s first team meeting, and the Japanese mutant agrees.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After breakfast students begin arriving. Billy drives back and forth to the airport in the school van to pick up those that are flying in. Others are brought by family or take the bus. There are two visitors. The first is the grandmother of an eighth grade mutant that is interested in sending him there next year.Jessica gives her a tour of the school grounds. The second visitor is Michael “Discord” Schwartz himself. David meets him at the door. He can tell it’s probably Michael due to a star-shaped scar on his neck. It’s a detail most shapeshifters would probably miss. David also makes sure he’s solid and not an illusion. Michael thanks David for the advice he’s given (taking over the Mutant Revolutionary Force, perhaps?), but he’s there to see Mac.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mac and Michael take a walk around the school grounds. It’s not a private discussion – Michael says he has nothing to hide. He speaks in front of Billy and the visiting grandmother. He wants Mac to consider joining his candidate’s team. Assuming mutant gubernatorial candidate James Sangrey of the Peaceful Coexistence Party (PCX) wins, Michael is hoping that Mac would become an advisor to the governor. Michael says that, while he would appreciate Mac’s healing abilities, he isn’t trying to start some kind of “Superfriends.” Most of the mutants working within the PCX have minor mutations, such as minor physical mutations or useless mutant abilities like being able to clone people but without duplicating a mind.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mac is flattered and agrees to join. Michael then asks if he’ll give a speech to introduce the gubernatorial candidate before his big speech at the PCX convention over Labor Day weekend. Once again, Mac is honored and agrees. Mac thanks him and leaves. Billy then approaches Mac and warns him about Michael. Michael once tried to join the Brotherhood of Mutants, was an Academy M staff member, joined Hellfire Club: Los Angeles before it was wiped out, and now is in charge of an organization that is a front for the Mutant Revolutionary Front. Mac listens but is willing to give Michael a chance.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The rest of Sunday goes according to plan. There is a picnic lunch for new and returning students. The staff welcomes the students at a whole school meeting and goes over school rules. Then each of the six teams meets independently. David announces Combat Club will begin a week from Monday. A mid-year Last Mutant Standing competition will choose the team’s new leader.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Several events take place that week. First, on Monday, the Republican candidate for governor drops out of the race. He had a late start due to the previous candidate’s assassination. He wasn’t able to get enough funding to be viable. In a surprise move, he endorses James Sangrey, the PCX candidate! On Tuesday, at the weekly staff meeting, the group argues about how to handle mutant registration which begins Wednesday. Some want to encourage the kids to register, such as Jessica. They don’t want to encourage the kids to become criminals. Others, like David, want to urge the kids to take up civil disobedience and refuse to register. In the end, they decide to tell the kids they can’t force them to register. That being said, the kids that are wards of the school must do so or transfer east to Xavier’s school. On Wednesday, most of the school registers. This involves DNA samples, fingerprints, and registering a place of residence. Some choose not to register, including David, Mac, Julian, Reuben, Adonis, and Morgan. Seth doesn’t have to register since he’s human.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Peaceful Coexistence Party convention begins on Friday. It seems everyone at the school is watching. There are many stirring speeches for equality from both humans and mutants. Saturday is the big day. Mac will be introducing James Sangrey. When the time comes, Mac gives a well-received speech about the long history of discriminatory laws, ending with Proposition X. Then Sangrey begins his speech. He describes how he is an American first and a mutant second. He details his military service and his love of country. During the speech, Cameron reappears at Academy X! Before the group can react, there is an explosion at the convention center. From his vantage point at the front of the hall, Mac can see a group of mutant kids killed by the sudden blast. Appearing through the smoke are a group of flying humans – biosentinels!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sangrey and Michael attempt to counterattack, but the robotic humans are too strong. Mac realizes they are dressed in familiar robes. They are Purifiers! While Mac tries to help the injured, Sangrey is knocked unconscious. Meanwhile, the eXalts spring into action. Nightwind (Honoka) reveals her ability to teleport when she disappears and returns with Icegirl (Agape). Blur (Billy), Vortex (Cameron), Glimmer (Dagan), Panzer (Dane), and Phantasma (Sam) join them in the Blackbird and they rocket to the scene.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By the time the eXalts arrive, it’s chaos at the convention complex. The Purifier biosentinels have blocked the exits from the main hall and forced the escaping mutants into a courtyard. There another group of Purifiers has taken up sniper positions. They’ve created a kill box to kill as many mutants as possible. Medic (Mac) runs into the chaos to heal whoever he can, but mutants are falling left and right. Medic sees Michael collapse after being hit.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Icegirl flies in on her ice slide and blasts a Purifier. Blur uses his super-speed to save several downed mutants. Vortex, proving his blaster abilities to be as sharp as ever, takes down two biosentinels. Phantasma lifts several to safety using telekinesis, then pulls enemies to the ground so Panzer can attack. Panzer finishes one, then uses his shockwave power to target others. Glimmer blasts a Purifier, but is taken down by a coordinated assault. Medic surprises everyone by using his previously unseen power of teleportation to move next to his downed ally to save her. Nightwind teleports into midair to strike flying Purifiers. Finally most of the foes are defeated. The remaining robots fly into nearby crowds and blend into the mass of humanity.

Before S.H.I.E.L.D. arrives to clean up the scene, the eXalts get a blood sample from a downed Purifier. The eXalts assist with the aftermath of the attack. The group learns that over twenty mutants kids were killed in the bombing and another half dozen died in the kill zone. More would have died if not for Medic’s healing. A few are in comas, but Medic has healed those in critical condition. As the eXalts help S.H.I.E.L.D. clean up the scene, the official number of dead is reported by the media: 22 mutants died in the initial blast and 6 more died in the courtyard for a total of 28. Back at Academy X, David flies out to the protestors before the school. He makes a statement to the press stationed outside. He criticizes the human authorities for their response and decries mutant registration. He urges all mutants to refuse to register.

By the time the eXalts return to Academy X, the media has reported that the biosentinels were members of the Church of Humanity. The immediate public backlash towards the church and its murder of innocent kids causes the Humanity Now! coalition, a group of anti-mutant churches and groups associated with the Church of Humanity, to disband.

The staff of Academy X holds an emergency staff meeting. Given recent events, several staff members argue for the school to take an official stand against mutant registration. These staff members include David, Mac, and Matt. David also convinces Billy. On the other side are Bastienne, Dane, Jessica, Lucius, and Samantha. They worry about the consequences of breaking the law and advocating their students to do so, as well. Ruth and Honoka abstain. After the heated exchange, a vote is taken: the school will not officially endorse breaking the law. At the end of the meeting, Agape calls with startling news. When she arrived for her overnight shift, she learned that one of the mutants that died in the convention center bombing was former Academy X student Christine “Tattoo” Cord.

Finally there is nothing more for the group to do but go to bed. Mac tosses and turns for an hour. He finally gets up and writes an e-mail to James Sangrey, gubernatorial candidate for the Peaceful Coexistence Party. He also copies the e-mail to Academy X staff. In the e-mail, he urges the creation of a “Unity Campaign” to bridge the gap between humans and mutants. Finally everyone gets some sleep. The next morning, Bastienne awakens and turns to the person in bed next to her. It’s not Jessica, her wife – it’s fellow eXalt, Billy! Then there’s a knock at the door. The door opens, revealing none other than Academy X foe Mystique! She asks when the couple will be heading down to breakfast. What is happening?...

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Next (Issue):** __Issue 52 - 'Exiled'__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Next (Storyline):** Age of X: Homefront, Part 1 of 4 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Previous (Issue/Storyline):** Issue 50 - 'Sanctuary'