The New Mutants #39

All of the New Mutants bar Mirage, Sunspot & Warlock had been sent to the Massachusett's Academy. The White Queen welcomed the New Mutants and ordered them to change into their new uniforms. She was pleased that she had stolen Xavier's students, but realised that it would involve a lot of work to restore their minds.

The other Hellions greeted their new team-members. Thunderbird was the first to give Cannonball and Cypher a warm welcome. Jetstream challenged Cannonball to a rematch (from New Mutants #17) and tried to tease Cypher over the passive nature of his power. However, the apathetic nature of the two New Mutants was quickly observed by the two Hellions. In the girls' locker room Empath tried to turn his power against the New Mutant girls, however his mutant emotion manipulation had no effect on them. He was scared by Magik's sudden appearance. Her hair was decorated with braids & skulls, and her uniform was half Hellion and Half New Mutant. She threatened to send him to Limbo, causing him to scream. The noise drew the attention of the Hellion girls who soon drove him out of their changing room. When he landed on his feet, he was confronted by the White Queen who demanded an explanation from him.

Both teams of young mutants were wearing the Hellions uniform and posed for a photo in the Training Hall. A week later Magneto received the photograph in the mail and compared it to a joyous photograph of the New Mutants. He was still wracked with self-doubt over losing his students.

In the Danger Room's observation booth Mirage purposefully used her power on herself. She created a dream of the New Mutants in a successful Danger Room scenario that ended with Magneto being pleased with them. She left the room crying.

In Snow Valley, the White Queen finished psionic surgery on Wolfsbane. She ws the last of the New Mutants to be cured of the Beyonder's lasting effects. The White Queen mused at how Wolfsbane'd personality hid a ferocious side that was more suited to the Hellfire Club. When Wolfsbane awaoke she was full of life and pleased to see the White Queen. The former New Mutants reunited with much glee and the White Queen was exceptionally pleased with herself.

Back in New York, Mirage entered Magneto's office without knocking, which irritated him. She chided him over the messy condition of the office and for giving up on the New Mutants too easily. Mirage confided in him the adventure that she and Magik had, where they accidentally returned to the Massachusetts Academy a year in the future and the New Mutants had been turned into Hellions (see New Mutants #17). She had believed that they managed to avoid that future, but it turned out that Magneto was responsible for it. He admitted that it was his failure & shame. Mirage left in tears to make preparations for her journey home. Left alone, Magneto threw his empty liquor bottle against the wall in rage. Meanwhile, downstairs Mirage and Stevie Hunter hugged good-bye. They discussed what had happened, and Mirage admitted that she'd given up, but left messages for the X-Men everywhere. She then gave Warlock a quick kiss good-bye before she mounted Brightwind & they flew off.

In the middle of the night at the Massachusetts Academy, Wolfsbane screamed in her sleep. Catseye, her room-mate, rushed to her air but Wolfsbane hit her sending her flying across the room. Awake, and realising what she'd done, Wolfsbane desperately apologised. Catseye was forgiving, and teased that she would get even. However, both Jetstream and Cannonball came flying through the window (while the others used the door). Thunderbird threw a jacket over Wolfsbane's shoulders as they explained what happened. Catseye then invited Wolfsbane outside for a run around in the snow to cheer her up, and both of them transformed into their animal forms. Still inside the bedroom, the others wondered what to do next. The former New Mutants had shared the same nightmare that disturbed Wolfsbane's sleep. Then they realised that Magik was missing. She teleported into the room when they mentioned her name and revealed that her sleep had not been disturbed as she hadn't been to sleep. However, Magik had been rapidly transforming into the Darkchild without any worries or attempts to hide it. Sat in her office, the White Queen realised that she still hadn't cured the former New Mutants.

Magneto swam and showered. He was disturbed by the sudden reappearance of Tom Corsi & Sharon Friedlander. They were virtually naked, wearing torn leather and slavish chains. Both of them had shaved heads with punk style hair. Sharon was already unconscious, and Tom immediately collapsed on the floor. Magneto took them to the infirmary and waited on them with Stevie's help. While Tom lay unconscious Sharon explained what Empath had done to them. At first it was wonderful to share each other's love, but the desire for more ecstasy drove them both crazy. They went missing from the school while they continued to pursue more and more stimulating experiences. When Magneto learnt that it was Empath's doing he realised that he too had been manipulated.

Furious he created images of both Empath & the White Queen, only to destroy them.

The White Queen knew that Magneto had uncovered her plan. She considered which forces would be best to send after Magneto; the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, the Hellions and the New Mutants. Eventually she called the local sheriff's office and reported that the mutant terrorist Magneto intended to kidnap some of her students.

Note: After the story, there is a page-sized advert for the Firestar mini-series. The tag-line read 'Torn between the X-Men and the Hellfire Club', mirroring the current story line in the New Mutants. The New Mutants also made appearances in the Firestar mini-series.