Val Cooper and her boss, Bowser, are at the scene of Forge and Mystique’s crash. There is no sign of them in the Potomac River. They head over to Fall’s Edge, the scene of a huge explosion. Bowser wants to enter the facility in order to secure Forge’s technology, which he feels his government will put to good use. Despite Val’s protestations, Bowser joins her and six troopers in searching the compound. Inside, one trooper is killed by spikes shooting from the ground, and a second vanishes down a deep pit. Bowser is determined to continue, even after two more troopers are killed in an explosion. They finally reach a large room, and the troopers try and fix a leak. Unfortunately, the leak becomes a major problem, releasing a toxic gas. The trooper’s suffer, one of them in a hideous manner, and Bowser orders Val to get him out. She then erects an electrostatic field to contain the leak. For all intents and purposes, X-Factor’s members are dead. Inside, Forge and the rest of X-Factor are pleased that their little rouse has worked, and Val played her part in the deception well. Now, they can get down to making X-Factor a little more respectable. Meanwhile, Jamie Madrox visits his best friend, Guido, who is in a coma. Whilst there, Havok tries to speak with him about joining his Brotherhood. Jamie cannot be more set against the whole idea, and Havok is forced to leave without him. Jamie says his goodbyes but, as he leaves, in the darkness, Guido’s hand moves very slightly.