Overview

There are lines that the X-Men have sworn never to cross. But after the shocking events of “Messiah Complex,” Cyclops realizes that some enemies need to be dealt with permanently… and the X-Men can never know about it. Enter WOLVERINE, WARPATH, X-23 and WOLFSBANE…X-FORCE.

Spoilers!

At Angel's Colorado Rocky Mountain retreat, Wolverine is visited by Cyclops and Wolfsbane. Cyclops tells him that seventeen hours ago, the leader of the Purifiers, Reverend Matthew Risman, turned himself in to S.H.I.E.L.D. It turns out the Purifiers had a mole inside and they ended up killing sixteen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. This is the first time they killed humans. The plan was to steal something deadly that could be used against mutants. Cyclops wants Wolverine to re-form X-Force and put a stop to them, permanently. He's tired of sitting back watching mutants die on their doorstep. When Wolverine says he's impressed and asks what Emma thinks about this, Scott replies that she doesn't know about it.

At Camp Verde, Warpath is preparing a burial for Caliban. He regrets that he died trying to save him. He swears a blood oath that the Purifiers will die for this.

Wolverine tells Scott that Warpath may be able to make the decision to be on X-Force but Laura doesn't. His whole reason to bring her to Xavier's was so she could learn to be a person. Scott tells him he already asked her. At that exact moment, X-23 is inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility checking out the scene. She sees the surveillance footage and gets Risman's scent. She radio's Cyclop and asks what her next move is. Wolverine decks Scott saying she's his responsibility and he should have asked him first. He also says that Rahne can't be in this either. Rahne insists that she needs answers.

The Purifiers are tracked to the North Dakota Church of William Stryker. Inside they have the body or Nimrod and Bastion. They join the body of Nimrod with the head of Bastion. When it is activated, it immediately detects mutants. Wolverine, X-23, and Warpath are outside.

It's a slash-fest inside. They soon discover that Risman has Rahne held captive. He tells them to stand down as he holds a gun to her head. Laura says he's bluffing. Before Wolverine can stop her, she makes a move. Seconds later, a gunshot is heard...

Overview

As X-Force searches for their missing teammate, Wolfsbane strikes—and she’s not taking any prisoners! But the Purifiers have more than an ace up their sleeve— they’ve got the deck stacked. And when Wolverine, X-23, and Warpath learn the truth behind Risman’s nefarious plan…no one is safe. And no one is guaranteed to get out alive. Part 3 (of 6)

Spoilers!

The Purifiers are gathering villains from all over the globe, all of them anti-mutants. Some—like Cameron Hodge and Graydon Creed—are dead, while others among the living are gathered—like Donald Pierce and Leper Queen.

Risman tells Eli Bard and Reverend Craig about how William Stryker saved his life and why he's committed to his dream of annihilating the X-Men and the mutants. He is willing to keep on with his plans despite Bastion's orders to abort them and focus on his own plans.

X-Force finds Rahne in Montana, drugged and barely alive.

Although she is alive, Risman lies to Bastion and says that she was killed.

Bastion suspects Eli Bard is lying, since he can't find any information about him or his background. Risman stands up for him and convinces Bastion to spare his life, on the condition that Risman himself will investigate Bard and kill him if he turns out to be an enemy. He promises to Bard that he will help him to get out of this situation.

-Bastion takes Risman to a room where he keeps the people he gathered. Also in there is an offspring of Magus of the Technarchy. Bastion takes control over the Technarchy and reprograms it. He merges it with the people and dead bodies in the room.

X-Force arrives at Angel's safe house in Colorado. Rahne is having a seizure. When Warren insists on helping help, Wolverine sends him to get Elixir.

In the Purifiers' HQ, Bastion explains to Risman that there is no terrestrial solution to deal with the X-Men, therefore he forged one by using an extraterrestrial being.

In front of a horde of Purifiers Bastion presents his "new" pawns: those who will bring an end to Mutantkind. Among the ones gathered are Stephen Lang, William Stryker and Bolivar Trask.

Overview

Following the events of MESSIAH COMPLEX, X-Factor Investigations is in shambles. Jamie is a basketcase from his trip to a nightmarish future, Layla’s fate is completely in the air, and Wolfsbane has to leave the team to join X-FORCE, though none of her friends can know about it. What will Wolfsbane tell the X-Factor team? What are they going to do about Layla? How is Jamie coping with his guilt? Get onboard here for X-Factor’s brand-new direction!

Spoilers!

Siryn goes to church to confess her sins of using the Lord's name in vain, coveting M's iPhone, impure thoughts about Jamie, and getting "knocked up" with his kid.

At X-Factor Investigations, Rahne is telling Jamie that she has to leave X-Factor. He doesn't understand why and she is unable to tell him it is to join the secret covert team, X-Force. He just can't forgive her for leaving at such a bad time. As he begins walking out the room, she jumps in front of him and tell him that she killed him and Layla in the future. Tryp Senior showed her the vision of them being dead on Jamie and Layla's wedding night (when she was grown up). Jamie said Layla's gone so it's okay. Rahne says that she'll be back.

Rictor is out walking and thinks he sees Layla walk around the corner. Rictor runs after her. Turns out it's not her but a young girl that looks like her, working the streets. He begins to lecture her and grabs her wrist. When she says that hurts, her pimp and his cronies is nearby. Itching for a fight, Rictor slugs the guy. With four against one, (the girl zaps him with a taser), things don't look too good. Until Strong Guy comes and saves him. Rictor is tired of everyone thinking he constantly needs help.

M laughs when she hears Rahne is leaving. She doesn't believe her. Monet takes out an iPhone and says it's for her. She says that she got one for Theresa because she kept eyeing hers and it was bothering her. She didn't want everyone being jealous so she just bought one for them all. Right as she's going to hand it to Rahne, she crushes it in her hand since she's leaving. She tells her if she changes her mind and comes back, she still has one in the box that was meant for Layla.

Strong Guy calls Jamie outside the hospital where Rictor is getting patched up. As he leaves a message, Jamie walks by him. He says he's looking for someone to beat up. Guido follows him as Jamie walks into an apparent condemned building that is really a local chapter of the Purifiers. Jamie just strolls in and the leader recognizes him right away. He says he should have killed him the instant he saw him. Jamie tells him he's right, takes out a gun and shoots the guy. Stomping his foot, there are more ready to take on the entire room full of Purifiers.

It turns out that Jamie used a tranq gun on their leader. Interestingly enough, the M on his face reappears.

Theresa tells Monet that she's pregnant. Rictor tries telling Jamie about the sudden split going on in Mutant Town since some have lost their powers and mutant-appearance. There's other stuff going down but no one will listen to what he's seeing. Then he finds out that he's not even talking to Jamie but rather one of his dupes. He figures Rahne will listen to him. Going upstairs he finds her room empty save for an envelope with his name on it.

THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN, PART 3 OF 5

As Rictor faces down death underneath a rapidly lowering, swinging blade, the rest of the team finds themselves in a Mutant Town transformed into the vicious Murderworld of the diabolical ARCADE! But who has hired the red-haired assassin to take out our heroes? This issue ends with an explosive finale that will literally change the landscape of New York City.

Spoilers

Monet finds Rictor, but before she manages to free him, she's be hit by an electric jolt and knocked unconscious.

The man who hired Arcade is revealed to be a former Purifier, the one who recruited Rictor and was later kicked out after Rictor exposed himself as a spy. He seeks revenge on Rictor, but Arcade wants to make it more than personal and get rid of the whole community of Mutant Town.

Guido is still stuck to a big rock, rolling around the "jungle" and about to smash everyone in his way. Guido barely frees his hands in time to save a woman pushing a baby cart.

The woman, however, is part of Arcade's amusements and takes a gun out of the cart and starts shooting at Jaime.

In the last moment before the axe hit him, Rictor breaks part of the board he's tied to and blocks the blade. Theresa and a Jamie dupe arrive to help him.

Though the plan seems to fall down, Arcade says he'll execute a failsafe plan. To keep everyone in Mutant Town and prevent an outside help, Arcade activates a force field.

Jamie takes down the shooting woman, after she killed and wounded many of his dupes. After he hits her, Jamie discovers that it was a robot. He is then sure that Arcade is behind it all—that and his sign on the rock from last issue.

Jamie is fooled by another robot, this time of his, thinking he's a dupe. The robot shoots him in the shoulder. Guido shows up and squashes the robot with a rock.

Rictor is being hunted by a horde of cars, Theresa saves him.

Monet is awake and pissed off, looking for the man responsible for her electrocution.

Outside of Mutant Town the police and army can't get through the force field without getting harmed. Valerie Cooper arrives and hears the sit-rep, knowing that X-Factor are somehow involved.

Jamie's dupes calm down the civilians while Monet traces the location of Arcade with the robot's head.

They find the client alone. He says Arcade escaped through a hatch and Monet goes after him.

The former Purifier tells X-Factor about his bad experiences in life and how the Purifiers saved him. Now it's all gone he has no reason to live.

He tells them that Arcade's last plan was that he'll be attached to a bomb that will blow all Mutant Town when his heart stops working. He just finished drinking a glass of poison and lost consciousness.

Overview

"DIVIDED WE STAND" Part 2 (of 3)

Cyclops and Emma Frost adventure to the strangest land of all – San Francisco. The city has transformed into a bizarre version of itself circa 1968, complete with VW Bugs, flower power and hippies as far as the eye can see. Will they be able to lure Angel back to reality? Or will they succumb to their groovy desires and embrace the love generation forever? Also, Colossus (with Wolverine and Nightcrawler in tow).

Overview

“DIVIDED WE STAND”

In the wake of Messiah CompleX, there are no X-Men…Something strange is going on in San Francisco and Archangel gets pulled into the middle of it. Can Cyclops and Emma Frost save him and get out alive? And Wolverine, Colossus and Nightcrawler’s road trip takes a turn for the dangerous.

Overview

Professor X is trying to rebuild memories of his past using other people's minds. But the past is coming back to haunt him in another way, as a swathe of tragic deaths turns out to be linked by only one factor: Brian Xavier, the Professor's long-dead father. And solving the mystery means paying a visit to the Hellfire Club...

Spoilers

Juggernaut is sleeping in a shack located in what appears to be the southeast. He awakens with a start as he can "feel" someone trying to pry into his mind. He yells at his invisible foe that just because he's sleeping doesn't mean he's an easy target. As long as he has the helmut on, nothing is getting through. He does acknowledge that the psi-powers were stronger than anything he's felt before, even those of his step-brother (Charles). He vows to locate and deal with this person.

In a motel in New Mexico, Charles dreams of his twin sister, Cassandra, while they were in the womb. He tells her that he believes looking into the live of their father, Brian, will give him some answers. She tells him he's just looking for trouble. She continues to chide him and remind him of the failures of fathers when he awakes.

At the Ryking Secure Psychiatric Facility, Charles visits his childhood friend, Carter Ryking. Their fathers worked together when they were young. The doctor tells Charles that his condition was worsen since he lost his abilities after, what the papers called, the M-Day Decimation. He tells Charles not to expect much.

Inside his room, Carter is mumbling a childhood rhyme as he counts tally marks he's written on the wall. Immediately he recognizes Charles and acknowledges him. He tells Charles he's counting down the days and it seems he's down to one. Finally he tells Charles he can look into his mind.

Flashback to their childhood. Charles and Carter are playing as Brian Xavier and his wife, Sharon, talk about the tests he wants to perform on Charles. She's not too keen on them but he says that Charles has the "X form of the Allele." He says Charles is the next thing to come after humanity and if the tests hurt, so be it.

Switch to the office of Dr. Milbury as begins giving them a series of injections. Milbury begins chanting the rhyme Carter had stuck in his head. Charles asks Milbury why they need so many tests. Milbury says it has to do with immortality and that his genes will live forever. As he bends over, a red diamond shape appears on his forehead.

In the present, Charles asks Carter about the mark on Milbury's forehead. Carter says it was always there. It was made of energy and only he could see it. Charles says he'll return the next day to talk some more. Carter utters some more rants about the rhyme and mentions they're down to one.

Charles walks to his rental car and thinks. He thinks about the geneticists that were gathered back then: his father, Kurt Marko, Irene Adler, and Dr. Milbury. As he approaches his car, he senses he is being watched. Someone is looking at him through the scope of a sniper rifle. He can't get any information off of them because they appear to be using a mind-shield. Charles sends a flock of pigeons to distract the man as he drives away.

At the Hellfire Club in Manhattan, Da Costa is coming down on Sebastian Shaw over the device that went off and fried the brains of two of his men. Shaw says it doesn't have anything to do with the Hellfire Club or his position in the inner circle. He says the device belong to his father. His father wasn't a remarkable man but did belong to the English chapter of the Hellfire Club. He never spoke of those years but told Sebastian to keep the device close to him before he died. Da Costa tells him to look into it and report any further information directly to him.

At the psychiatric facility, Carter is yelling about "his eyes." The orderlies try holding him to sedate him. Carter repeats one several times then reaches zero. As he does, his eyes roll back and he's out. An orderly says he's dead.

Charles is back in his motel room thinking about his father, Marko, and Dr. Milbury. As he tries searching for answers, his mind wonders to a time with Jean (as Phoenix). She talks about life and preparing for death. This conversation makes Charles think about right before his "death" with Bishop firing upon him.

He can sense that something is going on outside his room. He tries searching but can't sense anything more. Some costumed men cut the lines to his room and prepare to enter. Before they can, a charming man with a cajun accent is there waiting.

Overview

In the wake of Messiah CompleX, there are no X-Men and mutantkind still lies in ruin. With Magneto depowered and Xavier gravely injured, it seems their reign as the preeminent mutants has ended. But neither of these old soldiers is willing to go gentle into that good night, as Exodus learns when he squares off against Xavier on the psychic plane, with the fate of Professor X’s mind at stake.

Spoilers

As Professor X and Exodus face off against each other, Exodus tries throwing the Professor's past mistakes in his face to unbalance him. Omega Sentinel and Magneto look on at their physical forms as they battle. Magneto decides to do something and charges Exodus' body with a steel pipe. Exodus manages to send him flying back with a blast even though he is fighting on the astral plane. Omega Sentinel tells him not to forget how powerful Exodus is. Her readings are showing that they are at a full scale war against each other.

Exodus tries distorting Charles' memories to unnverve him. It doesn't really work. Finally Exodus pulls out scenes of the destruction of Genosha. Seeing the entire population be obliterated, brings Charles to his knees.

Across the world, Emma can sense two powerful telepaths fighting each other and recognizes one as the Professor. She tells Scott that he's alive out there somewhere.

Next is a scene of Charles training his new X-Men (that would perish on Karkoa). Moira says he's pushing them too hard but he says it's what they need. Then he watches as Krakoa wipes them all out. Then Jean (Phoenix) sacrificing herself on the moon in front of Scott. Colossus injecting himself with the Legacy Virus to cure the mutants. The scenes of his X-Men dying continue.

Exodus moves towards Charles asking if he yields to him. Charles looks up and tells him it stops now. He hits Exodus with a mindblast that sends him flying.

On the physical plane, Karima asks Charles if he's okay. He says he's fine but Magneto might have internal injuries. Exodus tries talking to Charles. He quickly stops him saying he could permanently shut his powers down mentally. Exodus tells the Professor that he didn't want to fight him. Everything he did, bringing him back and fighting him, was to ask him to lead the Acolytes. Mutantkind needs him. He proposes they find the Messiah baby and train her to fulfill her destiny.

Charles tells him he's a fool. He asks how he could want him to lead them after seeing all that have died under his care. He says his answer is no, he's leaving, and they shouldn't bother trying to stop him. Seeing the Acolytes downstairs, he recognizes Amelia but says he doesn't remember anything about her. He says since she wasn't in the images of those he's hurt, perhaps he's made her happy.

Outside he says goodbye to Magneto and Omega Sentinel. He says he wants to visit people that knew him to try to fill in the gaps in his memory. Before he leaves, Karima wants to know how he was able to beat Exodus when he was clearly beaten himself. He tells here that Exodus' judgment was wrong. He sought to break him down by throwing all his mistakes and guilt in his face. The mistake was those were the mistakes of Charles Xavier. He says the man that made the mistakes is dead. Now he has the chance to be someone better.

Epilogue One, Australia. Rogue pulls up to a gas station on a motor cycle. The attendant comments that she's headed into six hundred miles of desert and her bike could probably only cover two hundred and fifty. She goes anyway.

Epilogue Two, the Manhattan Hellfire Club. As Roberto Da Costa talks to the inner circle as they dine, a man asks to speak to Sabastian Shaw. He tells him that the machines in "room seventeen" were activated. At the room, he sees destruction and dead bodies. Shaw tells the man to seal the room, get rid of the bodies, and to bring him a file from his desk marked "Cronus."

Overview

Writer Jason Aaron (Scalped) and artist Ron Garney (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN) bring you a searing 4-part epilog to the biggest X-Men Event in a decade. In the searing aftermath of "Messiah CompleX," Wolverine has just one thing on his mind: revenge. But who is the focus of his rage, and what dark secret does he share with them? And how far over the edge is Wolverine willing to go to get what he wants?

Spoilers

Flashback to the Sondran Desert, Mexico, 1921

Wolverine is a bloody mess. He's been beaten and is locked up by the local police. The guards grab him, beat him a little more and take him away. They tie him to a post to be shot by a firing squad. A voice next to him asks if he's a murderer. Wolverine says he's worse, a horse thief. The person next to him turns out to be Mystique. She's about to be killed also for being blue. The locals think she's a witch or something. She explains that she was simply born different and Wolverine laughs at meeting someone like him there of all places. The firing squad shoots.

The Safed Koh Mountains, Afghanistan. The Present.

Wolverine is in costume and on the hunt. Coming across a couple kids, he grabs one, pops his claws and demands to know where "she" is. He says her stink is all over the place. The local folk all stare at him as he sniffs around. Finally he grabs one of the veiled woman, says hello to "Raven" and guts her. The people stare in disbelief. He tells them to watch as she's about to change. Moments go by and nothing happens. He then tells them they have five minutes to turn her over or else there will be a lot more deaths.

It turns out that three days earlier, Cyclops asked Wolverine to go after her after she slipped away. Wolverine told him he'd get her alone. Scott is upset after the way she betrayed them. He tells Wolverine to understand that he's not asking him to bring her in alive.

1921

Mystique stands surprised that Wolverine was able to survive the firing squad. She asks how he knew she'd be able to untie herself before the guns went off. He said he didn't. When she asks where he's going to next, he says the nearest bar. She introduces herself to him and says she has a group of friends in Kansas City that he'd probably like to meet and they walk off together.

The Present, Afghanistan

Wolverine walks up to the town and finds the dead woman with three puncture wounds in her chest. He curses at Mystique and calls her out. Hiding behind a building, Mystique stands in the guise of Wolverine. He finds her and tells her to come out and he'll make it quick. She says maybe another time. Behind him, the town's men have gathered up their weapons and are pointing them at him, thinking he killed one of their women.

Overview

In the aftermath of "Messiah CompleX," Wolverine's quest for vengeance continues, taking him from the desolate hills of Afghanistan to the war-torn streets of Baghdad. Along the way, with his quarry throwing more and more innocents into the line of fire, Wolverine must ask himself: just how much collateral damage can he live with?

Spoilers

1921, Kansas City, and Mystique tells Wolverine about her little group who scam people. At that moment Mystique and Wolverine walks past one of her scammers, a man with an extra finger, using it to scam people playing cards. The men who are playing realise that it’s a scam, and one of them pulls out a knife to cut the scammers fingers off. Wolverine insists that they let go but the man tells him to mind his own business. He insists again, but this time, the man shouts at him to mind his own business again and stabs Wolverine in the hand. Wolverine simply pulls the knife out, and the man pulls a gun out and fires it at Wolverine.

Next, we see the man with the gun on the floor, with his fingers cut off and Wolverine holding a bloody knife. Wolverine tells them to never to come here again. The extra finger guy fusses over Wolverine because he’s been shot, but Wolverine just says that it ain’t the first time, and it won’t be the last.

In the present, a bullet filled Wolverine is being thrown over a cliff edge by the villagers.

Flashback to ten minutes ago, and the villagers shoot Wolverine. A villager tells Wolverine (lying on the floor filled with bullets): “I send you to hell now, American do.” And just as Wolverine goes to tell him he’s Canadian, he’s shot in the head.

Back in the present, and Wolverine is standing and walking away.

Two days pass and Wolverine walks into a bar. He has a sniff, and then walks up to the bar and asks for “a bottle of the strongest stuff you got. And two glasses.” He walks over to a nun at a table, and asks if Raven wants a drink. She tells him sure.

Raven (the nun) explains that she’s not looking for trouble, and she’s just there with orphan boys. Both of them drink some, and Wolverine spits out a bullet. Wolverine pours another drink, and after they finish, they both stand. Raven slaps Wolverine and shouts “HOW DARE YOU GET FRESH WITH ME, YOU FILTHY BEAST!” Raven leaves with the orphans, and a man walks up to Wolverine, and tells him to leave the sister be. Wolverine provokes him, asking him to give him something so he won’t feel sorry for kicking his ass. He tells Wolverine that he smells, and Wolverine throws him through a window.

The orphans watch from outside, and Raven breaks into an army truck. She reverts to her Mystique form, and tells the orphan to learn to adapt.

Back in Kansas City in 1921, and Wolverine is looking out a window. Mystique talks to Wolverine, saying it’s hard to trust people, but they can be a family.. She tells him to trust her, and they both kiss.

Back in the present in Syria, and some guy and woman are getting ready to sleep together. The man asks can they do some crazy positions like last time, and she asks like this one, and breaks his neck, killing him, with her legs. She reverts to Mystique yet again, and then morphs into the man, and walks out side. There we see that the man was the head of an army, and she comments “You boys are sure a lifesaver”, while looking at several dozen (at least) armed troops.

Two hours later, and Wolverine arrives at the location, and finds the man dead. He realises what Mystique’s done, and the next day, Wolverine walks up to a cave in Al Anbar. Armed men shot that someone’s coming, and Wolverine shouts that he’s there to see Modad, and that he saved his life in Russia in ’86 and he’s calling in the favor.

Overview

Your name is Nathan Summers. You’ve just met a nice Jersey girl. She’s blonde, soft-spoken, and she doesn’t mind the fact that you have a kid…or a bullet in your chest…or a big scary guy with a robot arm that wants to kill you. But you can’t stay here. The future of mutantkind is resting on your shoulders and the longer you stick around, playing house, the bigger the risk. Especially when an old friend comes blasting out of the past...

Spoilers

The issue begins with the lorry falling from the sky at Cable and the Baby, while Cable inner-monologues re-caping about what happened in the past two issues. The truck plunges into the road and destroys the front of the car Cable and the Baby were hiding behind.

Back to Bishop, and he's praying that this is the end. He then throws-up, apparantly because his "Stomach's a wreck from jumping". He tries pulling it together but he's hit on the head with the back of a gun by one of the gang members. The gang members talk about what Bishop did (levitating the lorry), and they realise that he is a mutant, and another member says that there hasn't been a mutant around since he was a kid. The leader realises if he is a mutant, that they'll get a lot of money for him, and they drag him off.

As the gang drag Bishop away, the waitress Bishop met last issue (Sophie Pettis) panics about the two who'd been supposedly crushed. Luckily, Cable's forcefield protected the two (Cable and the Baby), and he stumbles out from underneath the lorry carrying the child. Sophie grabs Cable's arm, trying to help him stand, and she tells him to come with her, she can take them somewhere safe.

He later lies, presumambly sleeping, on the floor of her apartment with the Mutant Baby clutched closely. Sophie tries to touch her but he opens his eyes and tells her no. Sophie tells him he passed out and she didn't mean anything by it. He tells her that nobabdy holds her but him, and she says fine. She then insists on getting him to a doctor because he's hurt so badly. Cable says there's no time for that, and tries to sit up but it causes pain. Sophie says that if she can't get him to a doctor, can she at least clean his wounds?

He asks if she's ever pulled a bullt out of a person, and she says she's held a gun before, and Cable replies saying that's close enough. He reminds her that he's the only one allowed to touch the baby, and she asks if he's going to stay awake through this? He tells her it's the only way to walk her through it.

Back with Bishop, and he's strapped and chained to a wall, and he inner-monologues. He realies that he's in one hell of a mess, and if he'd waited a few more seconds at the scene and he would've known if they were dead. He is being watched by several members of the gang. He also realises that he's followed Cable into a future that is possibly worse than his own, and that he needs to recharge, and there's only one way to do this. He begins to shout at the members, calling one "mullet-head" to begin, and talling him it must be tough patrolling the streets as a "cop" in those "cute little ponchos". The mullet-man tells him to shut up, but Bishop keeps going, asking if the bosses pick the outfits and do they come in pink? The mullet-man pounds him in the face with the gun, telling him to shout up again. Bishop asks another man if his wife loves a man in uniform? And then replying by saying that he probably loves a man in uniform. The all begin to beat him, and in his monologue, Bishop says for them to give him all they've got.

Back with Cable, and his wounds have been covered with bandages, and Sophie tells him that he should get some rest, but he insists that he has to get out of there. In his monologue, he realises that he'll have to go by foot until he fixes his time machine. But Sophie tells him that he has to rest, and he says fine, but only for a minute. He asks her about what happened, while the baby plays with a remote next to him. She tells him that the Turnpike Authority are suppsoed to keep them "safe". She tells him that when the big flood happened, the rich were prepared, and that they'd been stockpiling for years, and that they had secuity to keep others away, especially the hungry. Cable asks about the goverment, but she tells him that the rich became the govermentcalling themselves the "New State Assembly", and now the Turnpike Authority are free to do what they want. Cable asks what they want, and she tells him the usual such as taxes, complience and fear, and in exchange they let them have electricity and water and stuff, most of thetime. She tells him that there isn't much difference to what it wa like before, except now they kill, steak and rape.

As she continues to talk, we see a flashback where a man stands up the Turnpikes, and in return he gets shot in the head in front of his daughter. She tells Cable that there aren't many good men left, except for him.

Back with Bishop, and some fancy dressed men have come to seehim, the man telling him that he knows that he can do something, so why doesn't he show them? Bishop spits blood in his face, but it's whiped off by an accosiate and one of the gang members punches Bishop. Another fancy dressed man explains that they've taken time out to get there, and if he doesn't impress them they'll put bullets in his head. Bishop insults him, and the man gives instructions for the gang to beat him up, which they do. The man talks to him as a gang member strangles him, and after the man finishes, he asks if he's ready to co-operate? Bishop tells him that the man convinced him, and says that he'll show them what he can do, and at that moment a blue aura of energy begins to glow around him.

Back with Cable, and he says that normally he'd beat the crap out of these guys, but at this moment, the baby is his priority. Sophie understands, and says he should stay and rest, but he tells her that he isn't the man for the job. She says that he's a good father, a good man, and good men don't run, and he says that sometimes, running is the only option. She says he doesn't understand, the only reason she has the job as a waitress is because her brother used to be one of them, and that people are starving. The baby suddenly begins to cry. CAble says she needs milk, but Sophie says that you don't feed a baby cow's milk, but luckily she has "vitamin-fortified protein water", something she snuck home from the diner. They introduce themselves to each other (Cable calling himself Nathan not Cable) and he says that he's trying to prevent all of this, but she tells him that he's a bit to late.

Bishop breaks free of his bonds, and using the metal tentcles (see #2) he breaks one of the gang members neck's and grabs his gun and shoots at another. A man tries to hit him from behind, but using his robotic arm he slams him into a wall. He monologues about how none of this future will exist after the baby's gone. He believes he should bandage his wounds, but there's no time for that, not if Cable and the baby are still alive.

Cable and Sophie hear a craft flying overhead, and Cable asks if the Turnpike Authority have any aircrafts? She tells him no, and he hides the baby behind him, but Sophie tells him not to jump to concluions. He pulls a gun out, and as Sophie approaches the window she hears a large noise. Cable, believing it's Bishop, aims his gun for the door, knowing that Bishop is very resourceful. Cable coughs up blood, and drops his gun, and realises that hell has come knocking. Suddenly, the door is blown off it's hinges, and an older Cannonball enters, holding a gigantic gun, saying "Damn, Cable. You look like $@%&."