Issue+21+-+'Needle+in+the+Hay'


 * Issue 21 - 'Needle in the Hay' **




 * Plot**

After the battle at the Purifiers’ church, David remains to talk to S.H.I.E.L.D.. Maria Hill arrives with her team and they cordon off the area. Maria tells David that this war between the Purifiers and the mutants needs to end. David tells her to do her job and stop the Purifiers. Meanwhile, Samantha returns on the jet with a comatose Billy and Cameron. Bast and Dane are also aboard. They return to a school in chaos due to the school bus bombing and Ruth's death. Daniel is downstairs in the Danger Room with students in shock. There are press helicopters and vans everywhere broadcasting footage of the destroyed garage.

As soon as the jet lands, Billy runs off. Cameron is brought to the sick bay where he is met by Jess and Oldeani and is healed. Dane puts out a message to the press and handles the police, fire, and other emergency personnel. They find no human remains in the wreckage and the eXalts assume that Billy has already left with Ruth’s body. Eventually the students are brought out of the Danger Room and allowed to go back to their rooms. Dane addresses the students with Jess and they pledge to have counselors available. David sends Gunther in his ghost form to scout around the church to see what became of the Purifiers.

Later on Sunday Dane receives phone calls from several parents, including the parents of Oldeani, Hugo Garcia (the spider student), Brian Cruz, Aaron Turner (melts plastic), Darryl Webster (shifts into a werewolf form), Dondre Cook (the tunneler), Rodrigo Sanchez (has a flaming skull head and can terrorize his foes), and Sarah Rabinowitz (anatomic independence). He tries to convince the parents to leave their students at the school, but the parents of Oldeani, Hugo, and Brian decide to withdraw their children.

The next day Cameron realizes he has invitations to do interviews with several news outlets. Dane says no and puts new filters in place to prevent the media from contacting students. The press reaction, however, is sympathetic to the eXalts and the mutants in general. Later that day Maria Hill forwards some S.H.I.E.L.D. intel to David and Dane. It details the efforts to retrieve data from the destroyed Purifier warehouse. In the reconstructed computer files the S.H.I.E.L.D. technicians have been able to determine where the Purifiers have been recruiting as well as the names of several recruits, but nothing else of use. Dane shares the intel with his source. She tells him that she may have need of him in the future and she'll pay him for his time. Gunther finally returns from his scouting mission and says that there is no sign of the Purifiers but there is a large weapon cache below the church.

Tuesday is Ruth’s memorial service. No press are allowed. Kurt attends as an envoy from the east coast school. He spends some time with Samantha, who tells him of her pregnancy. He is shocked, but happy for her. When he leaves he takes Erica (bug girl) with him to try to help her. At the faculty meeting that night the group discusses hiring a new teacher as a substitute for Billy since he hasn’t returned (Jorge Ramirez, former classmate of the group and a Head Boy of the east coast school, has applied). Meghan has been teaching Billy’s classes, but they agree they need to hire someone else. Jess brings up the topic of the new headmistress. There is some debate about whether there should be a new headmaster at all, whether it has to be a female, whether it should be an eXalt, and whether it should be someone from inside or outside the school. Bastienne expresses interest, but they table the decision. The group also decides to allow Daniel to go to Academy M with information about the destroyed Cerebra.

After the meeting, David takes his secret team to the church to secure the Purifiers' weapons, but they’re already gone. A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent meets them there and says they’ve taken them (due to a tip from Dane). He also tells them that one of the tunnels leads to the sewers and there’s no way to track the Purifiers.

On Wednesday classes resume. Meanwhile, Daniel arrives at Academy M. After being allowed in by security he is greeted by Cordelia Frost herself. She welcomes him to the school and shows him to his posh accommodations. Academy M is similar to Academy X, but with greater luxury and freedom for the students. Daniel turns over his report on Cerebra and begins taking classes.

Samantha invites Matt to attend the Thursday staff meeting. She reveals her pregnancy and everyone seems happy for her. She says she can still act as an eXalt. The group then discusses the topic of the headmistress again. Jess gets upset when it seems Dane and David won’t consider Bastienne or Samantha for the position. Samantha says she’s not interested due to the pregnancy, but Bastienne says she is. Finally, Dane says he’ll interview her. It’s revealed that Ember Peterson (“Flare”), along with Jorge Ramirez ("Aftershock"), are interested in the substitute teacher position. The group decides to interview both candidates. Lastly, Lucius says he could give Daniel MGH made from Thomas (“Duplicate”) so Daniel could be at both schools at once. It’s agreed to go forward with the plan. Lucius also reveals he’s been e-mailing a woman about a cure for Hope. Later, David asks Maya to read Lucius’ e-mail to see what’s going on between them.

On Friday night Sam goes with Matt to visit the Morlocks. They are greeted by the entire community - several dozen mutants. The elder questions Samantha, but eventually welcomes her and blesses her child. Sam learns that the Morlocks have lost 4 of their family, including 2 healers and a precognitive mutant. The first to disappear was later found in an alley in San Francisco. There were signs he was experimented upon. She spends the rest of the weekend with the Morlocks, participating in dances and feasts. On Saturday, a group of eXalts slip Daniel MGH while he’s on his shopping trip to the mall and he splits in order to attend both schools.

Saturday also brings the scheduled Danger Room sessions for the seniors. They do fairly well. Afterward they are allowed to choose codenames. The rest of the weekend is quiet. On Monday, during one of his classes, Dane receives a phone call from his mother. She’s worried about his younger sister – she’s seemed distant and “different.” During the call she notices that a truck’s been parked outside for a long time. Meanwhile, Lucius has detected that the other line was bugged. Fearing danger for his family, Dane quickly assembles the eXalts.

The Blackbird arrives at the Kansas farm just after Dane’s sister, Virginia (“Ginny”) got off of the afternoon school bus. Purifiers burst from the garbage truck outside the Lightfoot residence and attack her. The eXalts spring into action first. Panzer fires at the Purifiers from the Blackbird, distracting them before they can target Ginny. The other eXalts engage the Purifiers. It is a deadly combat. Several eXalts are shot, and when the Purifiers seem to be losing, several detonate themselves. Phantasma is badly hurt and is only saved due to quick action from Mustang. During the fight Ginny reveals the mutant ability to generate an energy whip.

After the battle Samantha is brought to the Blackbird. Before she can be further treated the plane receives a call from Jessica – her younger brother Gabriel is in trouble! She wants to know what to do before her brother is taken or killed…

**Next:** Issue 22 - 'Light My Fire' **Previous:** Issue 20 - 'Uncomfortably Numb'