Issue+38+-+'Temptation+Waits'


 * Issue 38 - 'Temptation Waits' **




 * Plot**

Following the rogue Helicarrier’s attack on San Francisco and the eXalts’ subsequent humanitarian efforts, things settle down for the staff of Academy X. S.H.I.E.L.D. is still in upheaval, however. Maria Hill has been removed as west coast commander of the organization and she may be brought up on charges. She is no longer reachable by any form of communication. A new director of west coast operations is installed: Daisy Johnson. Commander Johnson makes it clear that she has no desire to work with the eXalts.

The leaders of X-Corporation: Los Angeles, on the other hand, are more than happy to work with the eXalts and Academy X. Heather (“Lifeguard”) Cameron and Lucia (“Thornn”) Callasantos are mostly busy dealing with two legal cases: the ongoing trial of the former X-Corporation: Los Angeles staff that were brainwashed into attacking the Governor of California and the legal wrangling over the recently-passed Proposition 10 (“Prop X” – The Mutant Control and Registration Act). They’re also keeping an eye on the Humanity Now! coalition and the Church of Humanity following the disappearance of Simon Trask. Lastly, X-Corp: LA believes that the Mutant Revolutionary Force is no more following their defeat by Simon Trask’s bio-sentinels. MRF’s leader, Cougar, is also missing.

Hellfire Club: Tokyo, meanwhile, has taken control over most of the west coast underworld through various operatives, such as bribed politicians and Yakuza agents. They seem to be keeping their word about stopping the Mutant Growth Hormone trade. Hope is still being manufactured at Benetech factories, however. At least the east coast school is willing to do Academy X a favor. Not only do they take all the Academy X kids for the winter break (including the former Academy M students), Beast is willing to perform tests on Sarah’s hand to make sure Selene’s modified techno-organic virus that she spread to Lucius is gone.

Just before winter break, Julian wins the Last Mutant Standing competition and gains the title of Combat Club Leader for the rest of the school year. A large party is thrown to celebrate the various winter holidays for students prior to their departure east. Dagan is the only student that stays at Academy X over break. She trains in the Danger Room and learns to “borrow” other mutants’ powers while still using David’s. She also demonstrates the ability to use other powers she borrowed (such as Gorgon’s telepathy) even days afterward!

At Christmas, several staff members spend the holiday at the Lisowski household, including Jess, Bastienne, Billy, Lucius, Mac, Sam, and Matt. Sam and Matt also visit the Morlocks. Cameron goes to Canada to see his family. Dane and Ginny go to the Midwest to spend the holidays with their mother. David sees his family on the east coast. Meanwhile, Agape finds an apartment in San Francisco and moves just before New Year’s. The timing is fortuitous as a very pregnant Meghan needs somewhere to stay. Also at New Year’s, the staff of Academy X receive an untraceable e-mail from a mysterious sender. It is from someone who calls himself Dolphin. Dolphin claims to have killed a violent mutant – the third he’s killed – and that the mutant only recently manifested its powers in adulthood. He asks them to investigate and not to trust S.H.I.E.L.D…

After New Year’s, the staff is busy with college classes (except for Mac, who already has his degree). Sam spends time taking care of the twins, working on the Blackbird, and teaching Bastienne and Matt to fly. Matt checks with the Morlocks to see if they’ve heard anything about adults developing mutant powers. The Morlocks have heard about back alley places where people can get MGH to “power up” for a while. They also pressure Matt to choose “Morlock names” for the twins. Matt surprises Sam with helicopter lessons as a holiday present. On one of her trips back from the lessons, Sam sees a Church of Humanity rally outside a church in San Jose.

Mac spends time with Jubilee over break. Jubilee is planning on getting a job and an apartment now that Sam’s maternity leave is over. Mac also does some research into the mutant killings Dolphin mentioned. He finds evidence of a gang fight in Sacramento where some of the gang members were believed to be high on MGH during the battle due to their strength and toughness. Lucius also keeps busy with research. He is unable to trace Dolphin’s e-mail, but he finds examples of a few rare mutants that manifested their powers as adults. He can’t seem to find a connection to those mutants who have been manifesting their powers as adults, however.

Billy continues to work on his time powers. He’s able to slow time on objects for short periods of time. Cameron trains as well. He spends time with Dagan and David in the Danger Room. He also spends time with Agape. Agape has found a job as a receptionist at San Francisco General Hospital and seems happy there. Over break David and Cordelia spend a fair amount of time together. Cordelia continues to come out of her shell. David asks if she’ll teach a class in the new semester, and she agrees to at least try a stint as a guest lecturer. David suggests to Heather Cameron (of X-Corp: LA) a mutant outreach campaign. Heather likes the idea. She wants to try something considering the recent upheaval. S.H.I.E.L.D. has begun to go on the offensive against the violent mutants popping up around the state. In January they use their “Capekiller” units to break up a gang of mutants using their powers to commit crimes.

Dane is busy dealing with his new wealth. It was acquired from selling the vibranium ripped from his body by the Phalanx. He sells it to Wakanda and uses some to take care of his family. As the “PR Guy”, he also does some interviews where he publically supports the X-Corporation: Los Angeles staff members on trial for attacking the governor. Dane also spends a lot of time with Meghan. He takes her to doctor’s appointments and even begins to have lunch dates with her. He takes her to one doctor’s appointment where she decides to find out the gender – surprisingly, it’s a boy! Then Bastienne gets a call from recent Academy X graduate Thomas. He’s working as a page in the Los Angeles City Hall and he’s noticed lots of odd activity – blackouts, slow responses to fires, extra police patrols, underworld violence, new neighborhood watch groups, proposals for closing bars and nightclubs early, and more. He’s never seen it so bad since the Hellfire Club: Los Angeles members were assassinated and he’s wondering if something like that is going on again…

As the new semester approaches, the staff of Academy X is informed of three new students that will be transferring in: a senior known only by “Wicked” that was a survivor of the Genoshan genocide a few years back that has some unspecified telepathic abilities, a junior named Carlos from Guatemala who uses a wheelchair and has some kind of shapechanging ability, and a freshman named Nicholas from the Midwest who can change his size. Then, just before students return, the staff of Academy X receives another e-mail from Dolphin. He claims to have stopped another group of violent mutants planning to kill their coworkers. Dolphin’s G-reader read them as mutants, even though they manifested their powers for the first time as adults. What does this mean?

The staff has little time to consider the implications. On Saturday before the new semester starts, the student staff returns. At breakfast, the headmasters, unable to decide on punishment for the sophomore spies, open the issue up to the rest of the staff. It is decided to make them work extra shifts on cleanup and cooking in addition to taking away their communication devices for two weeks.

Also in attendance at breakfast are Agape (on an overnight visit), Jubilee (about to move into a new apartment), Meghan, and Matt with the twins. David is gone on a secretive mission with Cordelia. Soon the student staff arrives. Rafé has returned from the east coast school with a box containing Sarah’s hand. According to Dr. McCoy, it no longer has the techno-organic virus! Bastienne takes Sarah downstairs for a reunion with Lucius while Amanda and Melissa visit with the twins. Dane discusses with Dondre his plans for creating an escape tunnel for the school and Santo, Joni, and Rafé visit with the rest of the staff.

After student staff training and a session in the Danger Room, it is time for the rest of the students to return on Sunday. The kids arrive in waves throughout the day as their planes come in or their parents bring them. On the first plane from the east coast is new student “Wicked”. Bastienne, as Academy X Headmistress, greets her. Wicked gives mostly monosyllabic responses. Her new friend Tatiana shows her around the building. Bastienne also meets Carlos, the new student in the wheelchair. He is an exceedingly polite student and grateful for the opportunity to be at Academy X. Rafé takes him under his wing. Lastly, Nicholas arrives with his parents. He’s an outgoing young man who’s interested in sports. He’s also an attractive boy and instantly draws the attention of his female peers.

Bastienne speaks to Tierra, whose mutant ability has developed into mind reading. She dislikes it because she can’t always control it and she doesn’t like hearing what everyone is thinking. Then Bastienne meets an interesting visitor. It’s the father of one of the seniors, Lisa Wright. Her father, Scott (AKA “Micromax”), is a D-list mutant that’s been on a few X-teams. He seems to have an elevated sense of his own importance. He suggests to any Academy X staff member within earshot that he should give a presentation on 21st century mutant teams or tactics. It’s finally suggested that he give a lecture to the Combat Club on Monday. Julian reluctantly agrees.

The mood of the day is upbeat as students visit with friends they’ve missed and couples reunite. Reggie and Latoya are happy to see one another, as are Hayley and Chelsea. Tatiana’s cat gets some odd looks from the staff. Meghan gets a lot of attention at the barbeque luncheon due to her pregnancy. At one point Bastienne and Samantha notice Tatiana and Wicked are nowhere to be found. Sam follows their mental patterns to the graveyard and memorial area. There Wicked is conversing with several “ghosts” – psychic signatures of those that are gone. These include several deceased students (Maya, Chancy, Toxin, etc.) and Ruth. As the teachers approach, Wicked dismisses the apparitions. She tells them that the “ghosts” said the place is cool. The students rejoin the barbeque.

Classes begin the next morning. First Micromax gives a boring lecture to the Combat Club. Dagan takes over for David while he’s gone. Cameron gives the first project to his technology class: creating structural supports (for the escape tunnel). At lunch Jessica suggests that they let Leong and Nga choose their codenames (as well as Julian, due to winning the Last Mutant Standing competition). Everyone agrees. Later in the week there’s news that the trial of the X-Corporation: Los Angeles members is wrapping up. Former Academy X student Hugo Garcia is on the stand. In addition, there is coverage of a S.H.I.E.L.D. raid on a group of African American mutants in Los Angeles. Once again, Capekiller units were used to apprehend the suspected criminals. The kids begin discussing Proposition X again and what it could mean for them. After these discussions, Matt catches Samantha looking at wedding dresses. Worried about Proposition X’s implications for mutant marriage, he suggests they get married sooner rather than later. They agree to get married on Valentine’s Day in the school’s back yard. Bastienne approves. The wedding planning begins in earnest. There is also news from another couple – Jubilee tells Mac that her new roommate is Agape! They have an apartment together in San Francisco.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Wednesday evening, Dane takes a trip into the San Francisco suburbs to a lumber yard to get supplies for the escape tunnel. On the way back he sees fresh graffiti of the letters “MRF” – the Mutant Revolutionary Front. Are they still active? Back at Academy X, Samantha is surprised to find that Matt has a visitor. It’s Valerie, another “normal” Morlock running an errand for their family. She’s dropped off wedding supplies for the couple. Samantha can tell she interrupted something when Valerie begins acting awkwardly and quickly leaves. Sam scans her mind as she goes and finds that she’s jealous of Sam. Apparently there was some kind of history between Valerie and Matt. Matt seems unconcerned and begins talking about the wedding again.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During lunch on Friday, Matt interrupts on the communicators to inform the staff of Academy X that there is breaking news. The teachers hurry to Sam and Matt’s room to view a press conference conducted by a new team called “The Guardians.” Comprised of Watchman (team leader and martial artist), Bullethead (flier), Blitz (speedster), Liberty (strong and tough), Phantom (invisibility and visions), Dr. Ohm (lightning), The Badge (baton and shield), Outcry (sonic yell), and Beacon (telepath), the team vows to “retake the streets” from mutant vigilantes. As their first act, they have stopped the robbery of precious metals from the San Francisco Mint. Dane receives an e-mail on his smartphone from Dolphin – “Are you going to do something about this or should I?” At an impromptu staff meeting, Lucius notices that the security camera footage of The Guardians stopping the robbery has some oddities – the fingertips of the criminals disappear into the boxes they’re carrying, and the feet of people in the film sink a bit too far into the floor. It’s an illusion!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dane, acting leader of the eXalts in David’s absence, decides to send Vortex and Phantasma to investigate. Cloaked in a swirling cloud of debris from Vortex’s powers, they fly above the press conference in Union Square as it is ending. One of the police vans looks suspicious, as if an illusion is cloaking it, so they follow it until it disappears into the Broadway Tunnel. Later a food delivery van that never entered the tunnel departs with another suspect car. The two eXalts follow the vehicles into Oakland. The vehicles stop at a closed convenience store. At the store, the drivers and passengers unload suspiciously heavy boxes into the closed store. Before Dane can order them to investigate further, their communicators go dead!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The eXalts spring into action. Bast decides to stay behind for unknown reasons. By tracking the GPS signal on Vortex and Phantasma’s communicators, the eXalts are lead to an abandoned lot next to a Korean grocery. The group investigates and discovers that the communicators (and possibly their missing team members) may be in the basement of the grocery. Suddenly the basement doors blast open and Vortex and Phantasma fly to freedom! They were knocked out but have come to – and are followed by The Guardians!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A fierce battle breaks out. Mac is paralyzed by Watchman’s “chi blocking.” Cameron nearly knocks out several Guardians, but is then knocked out himself. Joni is knocked out, but Dagan manifests Mac’s healing abilities to revive her. The tide of the battle turns and several Guardians are dropped. As they fall unconscious, however, they disappear! Then the entire team disappears. A splash in a nearby puddle reveals that an invisible car has escaped the scene. Back at the convenience store the stolen metal is also gone.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Upon returning to the school there is another surprise – Jubilee and Meghan, out shopping for maternity clothes, were ambushed by what appear to be vampires! Meghan, still in possession of David’s light powers, vaporized a few of them. But Jubilee was kidnapped!

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Next:** __Issue 39 - 'Taste of Blood'__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Previous:** Issue 37 - 'Walk Through the Fire'