Issue+49+-+'Devil+Town'


 * Issue 49 - 'Devil Town' **


 * Plot**

Dracula has arrived at Academy X, bearing the severed head of their foe Xarus as well as information for the mutants. As a token of thanks for his recent resurrection, Dracula shares what he’s learned from his errant son: Xarus was working for a Japanese man named Kaga. Kaga is an old man dependent on his wheel chair apparatus for survival and he harbors a hatred for mutants. Kaga’s plan is to destroy all mutants on the west coast. Dracula believes the vampire sects may know more about Kaga. He’s learned that the vampire sect leaders will be gathering in a conclave on the night of the summer solstice at midnight. The location is a hidden basement under Coit Tower on top of Telegraph Hill. The group asks the undead lord what his plans are. Dracula says he hasn’t decided between uniting the sects under his leadership or wiping out the sect leaders. Dane asks Dracula if he could help reattach his arm. Dracula says he can – for a price. Dane must drink his blood three times. Dane declines. Dracula says he has more torment in mind for Xarus and leaves. Following Dracula’s departure, the group discusses what to do about Jessica. Since learning she’s the source of the mysterious transmissions from the school (which are recordings of everything she’s heard), they’ve kept her away from any sensitive information (including the conversation with Dracula). On one hand they consider ways to block the signals, but on the other hand they consider the opportunity for sending false information to whoever is listening in. For now they decide to have Jess work in the basement to avoid her overhearing anything useful. As it is near midnight, the staff heads to bed.

On Monday Agape fills in for Jessica in the security room. She’s working at Academy X in addition to her job as a receptionist at the hospital in order to make more money. Jubilee was going to be her roommate and help her with expenses, but since Jubilee was turned into a vampire Agape has struggled to get by. Mac notices she’s tired and offers to give her a boost using his powers. Agape agrees. Even after giving her energy, however, Mac notices she seem distracted. He runs into Cameron (Agape’s boyfriend) and explains his concerns about the young mutant. Cameron asks Samantha to read her mind to see what’s going on. Samantha reluctantly agrees. She sees nothing odd in her memories, but upon reading her mind she sees that Agape can’t stop thinking about a male co-worker. Sam gets flustered and admits to Cameron what Agape’s thinking, but she feels terrible about the whole thing. Cameron flies off to blast trees to deal with his frustrations. The only other news that night is that the deadline for a verdict on Proposition X is postponed. The next day the group realizes that Jess knows about the escape tunnel, meaning it could be a liability. Over the course of the week Cameron’s class designs a security door to block entrance from the tunnel. Dane works on some projects, including recharging the Masters of Silence gear. Bastienne keeps Jessica company since she’s been exiled to the basement. The group holds a “fake” team meeting with Jessica in earshot. As part of the meeting they say they’re leaving the vampires alone (even though they’re planning to do something about the sect leader meeting on the solstice) to pass on false information to whoever is receiving the transmissions. After Jess leaves they have the real meeting. Mac spends time with Jubilee and is frustrated by his inability to be “close” to her. David spends time with the former Academy M kids and other students. Later in the week Dane is looking through Meghan’s possessions and finds a letter she wrote to her unborn son. On Friday night Cameron notices that Agape seems unusually strong – he then realizes she’s probably been turned into a familiar by vampire at the hospital. He decides not to tell anyone about this.

On Saturday the Excelsiors win the baseball championship game to claim the title of the best Academy X team. They’ll be heading to Xavier’s school to play their champion. Bastienne plans the trip to the east coast. In that week’s team meeting, Mac mentions that he’s concerned about Lucius’ activities after hearing that he’s been taking further blood samples from Jubilee. Mac previously learned that Lucius has been using vampire blood in some mysterious experiments. Dane decides to speak to him. Lucius gets anxious and evasive when Dane asks what he’s been up to. He knows Lucius is hiding something. When Lucius refuses to reveal what he’s been doing with the vampire blood, Dane goes to Bastienne to see if she’ll agree to violate Lucius’ privacy to see what he’s doing. Bastienne doesn’t agree however, and they decide to trust Lucius despite the problems his experiments have caused previously. Meanwhile, David reads the “Nothing Can Stop the Blog!” website. He turns up a few interesting items in the comments section: some people suspect that the Peaceful Coexistence Party and the Mutant Revolutionary Front may be colluding. Also, one commenter has accused X-Corporation: Los Angeles of using telepaths to manipulate politicians (to start a homeless shelter for homeless adult mutants) and possibly to affect the verdict in the recent trial of the X-Corp: LA leaders.

The Blackbird leaves on Saturday with the Excelsiors and Bastienne, Jessica, and Rafé as chaperones. Most of the X-Men are still in Wakanda dealing with Doctor Doom’s invasion. Kitty Pryde has a suit that allows her to leave the medical lab even in her insubstantial form and Bastienne also gets to see her in addition to Piotr and Warren. Warren tells her that he’ll be joining X-Factor at the end of the term. Bastienne also gets to visit with some of the east coast students. The kids are surprised that she’s lost her physical mutation. The Academy X kids beat Xavier’s kids in the baseball game. Back at Academy X, David has a surprise visitor: Magneto! Magneto’s powers are still tapped from bringing Kitty back to earth, so he’s returned from Wakanda. His powers are evidently still good enough to allow him to bypass the school’s security system. He admits to David that he heard from Tatiana (who inadvertently stole David’s memories) that David may be heading down a villainous path. Magneto has begun the process of redemption, and he counsels David that a redemptive path is still available to him. David is unsure, but listens to the man who is possibly his father. He then allows Magneto to visit with his grandson, Davan. At next week’s team meeting the group discusses what to do about the vampire sect meeting as it is only a week away. Ultimately the staff decides to involve Hellfire Club: Tokyo (the ebon branch). While they realize that helping Hellfire Club: Tokyo to wipe out the vampires will allow the group to become even stronger, they’re more comfortable with the Japanese organization having power than the undead. Dane calls Maki and sets up a meeting to trade information for favors. Dane and Bastienne meet Maki at her penthouse office at midnight. Dane says he has information that could lead to the downfall of the vampires. He asks for several favors in return. Maki agrees to help cure Jessica of whatever was implanted into her. Maki has a former Hellfire Club: Tokyo crimson branch scientist that is now working for her that is an expert on nanites. That expert may also be able to help Dane regain his missing arm. Once the deal is struck, Dane reveals the location and time of the vampire meeting. Maki expresses a desire to kill them all, and Dane agrees. Maki says she has three or four samurai that are experienced in fighting the undead who can fight by the eXalts’ side. She also has agents that can help the team sneak into Coit Tower and surprise the vampires. She’ll also provide silver equipment.

Before the night of the solstice, Samantha receives word from the Morlocks: they need her help, and they ask her to bring the twins. Samantha feels obligated to help her adopted family and departs. Bastienne announces that she’s leaving the eXalts – after the attack on the students at Academy X she doesn’t want to leave the school again. The group finds two replacements for their strike team: they recruit Thornn from X-Corporation: Los Angeles and ask Jubilee to help out. Meanwhile, Dane and Jessica meet with Maki’s nanite expert. He performs several scans of Jessica. He says her spinal column has been turned into a transmitter. He believes he will be able to reverse the process, and he has ideas on how to reattach Dane’s arm. The night of the attack arrives. The eXalts meet Hellfire Club: Tokyo in a warehouse. They meet their three allies: Base (a mutant that can control one element at a time), his brother Tattoo (a mutant that can animate his tattoos to help him fight) and a Japanese Ghost Rider called Yoshio. Maki hands over a vial that contains nanites that will undo the changes done to her by the vampires’ implant. The team takes their silver weaponry. Glimmer uses Blade’s silver ammo. Some don their Masters of Silence armor. Finally, it is time to strike.

The strike team is made up of Panzer (team leader), Dagan, Blur, Medic, Vortex, Jubilee, Thornn, Tattoo, Base, and the Japanese Ghost Rider. Maki is true to her word and the team sneaks in without being detected. Maki is waiting outside with snipers, prepared to finish off any that try to escape. The team enters the secret basement and finds the sixteen sect leaders engaged in a meeting. The battle begins! Blur engages the Moksha sect leader, hoping to quickly take out the magic-user. Ghost Rider rides by the Atlantean vampire and hurts him with his flaming chain. Tattoo charges the Krieger and Mystikos vampires, but is badly hurt by the physical might of the Krieger. He is knocked out. Panzer charges in and dusts the Mystikos vampire with one shot of his silver brass knuckles! The Charniputra stuns Medic with several well-shot arrows, keeping him out of the fight. At this point, several vampire lords transform and escape, including the Nosferatu, Shadow, and Ancient sect leaders. The Atlantean lands a solid blow on Ghost Rider, knocking him unconscious. Glimmer and Blur team up on the Moksha, finally dusting the dangerous vampire before he can use any magic. Base takes several hits and keeps standing. He finishes off the Pureblood leader. Blur is assaulted by the tongue attack of the Adze and the Yuki-Onna’s bullets and is knocked out. Thornn is hurt by several strikes from the Siren and Claw vampires and falls to the ground. Panzer is badly hurt by the Anchorite’s claws and the Tryk’s bone spears. The Lunatic confuses Medic, Vortex, and Glimmer. The battle is not going well.

Medic shakes off his confusion and steals energy from the unconscious Tattoo. He heals Base from his many wounds. Vortex, even though confused, blasts the Lunatic and forces her to flee. He then comes to his senses and flies over to Base, giving him the benefit of his concealment. The Adze, Anchorite, Atlantean, Claw, Krieger, Siren, and Tryk are held off by Base and Vortex long enough for Medic to heal Panzer and revive Blur. Thornn regenerates from her damage and awakens. The tide of the battle turns. Base finishes off the Atlantean vampire. Glimmer and Blur team up to dust the Krieger and Siren leaders. Panzer takes out the Tryk vampire. The sect leaders attempt to flee. The Adze turns into a serpent and tries to slither away, but Vortex knocks her and the Anchorite out in quick succession. The Charniputra flies up the elevator shaft while the Claw and Yuki Onna vampires use their super speed to escape. Outside the Hellfire Club: Tokyo snipers open fire. The Claw and Yuki Onna leaders are dusted, but the Charniputra flies to freedom. Only five have escaped: the Nosferatu, Shadow, Ancient, Lunatic, and Charniputra. Medic saves the downed team members. The eXalts turn the unconscious vampires to ash. Vortex searches the Moksha and finds the ritual that was used to give the vampires immunity to sunlight. He pockets the parchment. The team is surprised when a television screen flares to life: it’s Kaga! He says he hates mutants – his mother survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, but it left Kaga deformed with numerous genetic abnormalities and disorders: a true mutant. He says he hates mutants for their perfect bodies and superhuman abilities, while his mutation is only disfigurement. He says he’ll destroy them all!...

**Next:** Issue 50 - 'Sanctuary' **Previous:** Issue 48 - 'Deception'