New Mutants #5

Dani's quest for mutant teens leads her to the most intriguing, possibly most dangerous prospect yet!

On a trip to New York City, the young group of students (Sofia Mantega, Kevin Ford, David Alleyne, and Laurie Collins) and their instructors (former New Mutants Moonstar and Karma) find themselves in the midst of trouble.

While Sofia plans to meet with her former caretaker, Derek, the two adults plan to recruit a new mutant into the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

However, the two seemingly unrelated events intercept when Derek and Sofia's father are captured by the anti-mutant extremist group the Reavers as bait to lure in Sofia and her mutant friends.

However, the Reavers' newest member, Joshua Foley, is also the mutant that Moonstar and Karma plan to recruit. While he does not know about his own mutant nature, Foley is one of the commandos who tries to attack the young group of friends. When one of his friends go down, Josh discovers his mutant ability to heal. When his friend threatens to out him, Josh knocks him unconscious.

While the rest of the Reavers continue to attack the children, Laurie uses her powers to clear the field while Sofia unleashes a fit of rage against her assailants.

Once the battle seems to have been won, Reavers leader Donald Pierce sneaks up from behind and stabs Laurie in the chest.

Synposis

In New York, the Reavers meet with fresh, young candidates for membership. As leader Donald Pierce motivates the youth to not allow the mutants to take over, he shows his impressive display of cybernetic implants.

Unsure about becoming part machine, one of the new recruits, Joshua Foley, questions Pierce if the cybernetic parts are necessary. Pierce is quite angered and insulted by Josh's insinuation that Pierce is not "normal people". Josh, a cocky and immature young man, embarrasses his friend Duncan who brought him to the meeting.

Pierce continues with his speech and slashes Josh across his arm to demonstrate the benefits of his abilities. Josh is impressed to find that the cut did not even break his skin, thinking that Pierce was quite precise with his psuedo-attack.

Donald Pierce continues with his speech and asks rhetorically how they could possibly lure out mutants from hiding. He holds up a picture of Walter Barrett and answers, "every mutant has a family".

Not too far away, Derek and Walter unpack in a hotel. Derek wants to avoid seeing his daughter at all costs, especially after how her actions--and her mutant nature--has tarnished his reputation. He instructs Derek not to contact her either and Derek sorrowfully agrees.

Back at the Xavier Institute, Professor X offers Karma a job as a librarian and teacher for his school. She accepts and decides to go retrieve her twin little brother and sister, Leong and Nga from David. The three are sitting by a tree while David fruitlessly tries to explain his powers to the twins, who keep asking questions about whether or not he can shoot laser beams from his eyes like Cyclops or bulk up like the Hulk. The Professor suggests David check out a special class on self-defense so he heads over to the gym.

At the gym, Sofia and Laurie watch as Wolverine begins his lecture. Sofia tells Laurie that her caretaker Derek is in town and wants to see her. Laurie admires Kevin from afar as he sits alone in isolation. Sofia suggests she talk to him but Laurie is too shy.

David walks in and decides to sit next to Kevin. Julian tries to warn David about the kid with the death touch, but David ignores his insults and concern.

Wolverine asks which of the students want to be X-Men when they grow up. Everyone raises their hand but David. Impressed, Wolverine chooses him to demonstrate first.

Logan tries to teach his student, but David's power mimics his instructor's skills and outperforms the famous X-Man, much to the class's amusement.

After class, Sofia insists Laurie talk to Kevin, but she refuses. Sofia then takes it upon herself to invite Kevin to lunch with them and he accepts.

*Kevin Ford: "Haven't you heard? I'm dangerous."*

*Sofia Mantega: "We're all dangerous."*

The three then sit with David in the cafeteria where they discuss their future aspirations. Sofia and Kevin eagerly want to become superheroes, but David just wants to be able to go to college. Danielle Moonstar and Karma sit with the students and inform them that they are going to New York to recruit a new mutant. When Sofia hears of the news, she jumps up and asks Danielle if they can tag along so they can also see Derek. Each student drags along another and the plans are set for the group outing.

Back in New York City, Derek hurries to get out of his hotel room. Walter Barrett, Sofia's father, notices him scurrying and angrily accuses Walter of contacting Sofia. Before their argument continues, the pair are captured by masked employees of the Reavers.

In the lobby of the hotel, Sofia and her friends wait patiently for Derek to arrive. Danielle and Karma instruct the kids to stay put until they come back from visiting the mutant they came to recruit. They sit there waiting for nearly an hour and come to the conclusion that Derek isn't coming.

Danielle and Karma find the Reavers meeting hall. The two wonder if their young mutant was trying to sign up with the group when Danielle finds the photo of Walter Barrett and realizes that the kids may be in danger.

Back in the hotel lobby, Sofia approaches the front desk if a message was left for her. She receives a note from Derek stating that her father is very excited to see her and that a change of plans had ensued and it instructed her to meet them in the parking garage on the lower level of the hotel. Knowing that something is amiss if her father is willing to see her, the kids head downstairs where they encounter the Reavers. The four kids encounter Josh and Duncan and Sofia uses the winds to slam the doors shut to retrieve answers from the masked men.

Sofia refines the blasts of the wind to pierce Duncan's metal suit, seemingly cutting his face with sharp blasts of air. After she throws him against a wall, Laurie urges her to calm down and contain herself.

David directs the kids to head towards the center of the parking garage where the two Reavers came from. When more Reavers come dashing towards them, Sofia attacks again. David tells Laurie and Kevin to hide while David and Sofia search for Derek, but the pair end up cornered by other Reavers. Laurie tries to use her powers to force the assailants to like her, but her lack of experience and control with her powers do not produce the results she had desired.

Back in the stairway, Josh tries to help his friend Duncan from the injuries he sustained from Sofia's attack. As he examines his wounds he somehow heals the cuts on Duncan's chest. Duncan awakens and panics and threatens to out him. Josh angrily lunges towards Duncan against the wall, knocking him unconscious again.

Josh tries to leave, but when he opens the door Donald Pierce looms over him in the way. He pretends that he was trying to find backup, but Donald Pierce assures him that he can take care of it.

Back in the garage, Laurie's fear interferes with her desire to make the Reavers "like" her. Instead, they feel her fear and begin to flee from the scene. Unfortunately, her power also affected Kevin and he begins to take off his gloves in defense. He tries to encourage her to control her powers, but she is unable to contain her fear.

As Kevin approaches with his hands ungloved and ready to use his death touch, Donald Pierce appears from behind and stabs her in the chest as Kevin and Josh both watch in horror.