Overview

The X-Men are back from space! Well, half of them, anyway. The team is shattered, broken and separated. The group that has returned to earth is finding it much worse than how they left it-- especially underground. Attacks in the Morlock Tunnels immediately grab the X-Men’s attention. What do these attacks have to do with the future of the mutant race? Maybe special guest-star Storm can get to the bottom of all this!

Spoilers

In the sewers under New York, Masque, Litterbug and Bliss wait. Masque asks if the “charges” are ready, and Litterbug replies affirmative, and Masque says that they’ll both be there soon, and they both have to play a part according to the prophecy.

In a different part of the sewers, Caliban and Leech are walking through a sewer tunnel, looking for their old Morlock companions. Caliban realises something is wrong, and jumps on Leech to protect him, as an explosion goes off.

Leech tries to wake Caliban as he’s laying unconscious on the floor under some rubble. Bliss appears, and Leech tries to ask her what happened. She tells them it’s okay, and she’s sorry. She grabs him by the shoulders and uses her tongue to bite him. She cradles him in her arms, and Caliban wakes up.

Masque appears and threatens Caliban, and Caliban replies kindly, thinking the two are still friends. Masque tells him they aren’t friends, and now they never will be.

At the Institute, and Nightcrawler is looking for Professor X, who’s in Cerebra. Nightcrawler asks if the Professor’s ready to use Cerebra because of his higher level telepathy, but the Professor says he’s find and there’s work to be done. Nightcrawler continues to question him and telling the Professor that he understands that he’s worried about Lilandra and the others. The Professor simply says he worries about everything.

The Professor explains that he’s going to look for Magneto, as he heard Valerie Cooper think the name Eric, and he had to dig for the rest. Nightcrawler tries to stop the Professor, but he manages to convince Nightcrawler by telling him if they get they’re hands on him or if they try to capture him. As the Professor starts Cerebra, he finds someone, but not Magneto. He tells Nightcrawler to tell Beast to get the medical bay ready, and to find Warpath, because someone is looking for him.

Outside, Warpath and Hepzibah are training. Warpath throws his knives at her, and she does some fancy flips and catches them. After she hands them back to him, they have a heart-to-heart, Warpath telling her that the Professor could probably find a way to get her home. She says she doesn’t want to go home, and she’s tired of revenge and death. He tells her that if she wanted to talk about Corsair that Cyclops probably won’t mind, but she tells him there’s nothing to talk about because he’s dead, and she places a freshly picked flower in her hair.

She thanks Warpath for being a good friend, but the two spot a Sentinel moving, knowing that something must be wrong. Both rush over to the scene quickly, and Warpath tells Hepzibah to stay back, but she refuses. Warpath realises that he knows the scent of the mutant the Sentinels are going after, and as one goes to touch him (he’s lying on the floor), Warpath kicks the Sentinel hand away. We see that the mutant is Caliban, and he’s hurt. Warpath cradles him in his arms, and shouts at the Sentinels to stay away. Warpath goes on to tell Caliban everything will be fine.

Inside the Sentinel, the pilot talks to a governor, identifying the mutant as Caliban but with something done to him. The governor tells him to take the mutant into custody, but as the Sentinel tries, Warpath shouts at the Sentinel, threatening to cut his hand off.

Nightcrawler bamfs in behind Warpath, telling him it won’t be necessary.

Back inside the Sentinel, and the pilot reports to control that they have a situation. The wind begins to pick up and rain begins to fall, and Storm tells the Sentinel that Caliban is under her protection. And if they try something, then they’re gonna have a diplomatic situation on their hands.

Later, Valerie Cooper is shouting at Professor X, saying that mutants outside the Institute are O*NE’s problem, but he tells her that any information they learn will be passed on. He insists that they keep Caliban in the Institue, and she agrees on the terms that she gets a report by six hundred hours.

In the med bay, Storm, Beast, Warpath and Hepzibah are looking over Caliban. The Professor comes in and asks how they’re patient is. Beast still doesn’t know what happened to him, and just says that they’ll have to ask him later. The Professor knows that Masque deformed him, and he tells Storm that that’s why he called her, because the Morlocks are up to something. After a small chat, Storm tells the team that she’ll call the Black Panther, and tell him she won’t be home for a few days.

Back in the Sewers, and leech is now wearing a collar to stop the use of his powers. He tells Masque that it hurts, and asks if their going to hut him. She says no, and turns around to tell Masque that it’s cruel. Erg tells Masque to show him the book, but Masque tells him not to be stupid. After a little short argument with Skids, Masque says that he ain’t going to wait for the future, and he’s going to make it happen his way. Erg asks what do they do next, and Masque tells him they’re going to find Magneto, and Leech is going to make sure he doesn’t kill them. At that moment, Masque begins manipulating Leech’s face.

Overview

Why are the Morlocks terrorizing innocent people? What is their endgame? That’s what Storm and the X-Men are trying to find out. All the while, Professor X and Nightcrawler are on the trail of Magneto! Part 4 (of 5)

FEATURING ENDANGERED SPECIES CHAPTER 10

Beast heads to mutant town with BISHOP! Looking for samples of mutant DNA, Beast turns to drug dealers selling MGH—mutant growth hormone. And he does NOT like what he finds!

Endangered Species, Chapter 10

The X-Men (re-united with Storm) take to the tunnels to discover why the Morlocks have been erupting with violence. It ain’t going to be pretty. Also, Professor X goes off in search of a VERY IMPORTANT character from X-History. Do not miss this tale brought to you by the white-hot team of ED BRUBAKER (CAPTAIN AMERICA, DAREDEVIL) and SALVADOR LARROCCA (NEWUNIVERSAL, X-MEN). Part 2 (of 6)

In Endangered Species part 2 by Mike Carey and Mark Bagley, Beast travels to Wundagore mountain to have a chat with the High Evolutionary.

Spoilers

In the Sewers, Bliss is filling a small container with poison from he tongues mouth. She gives it to Masque, telling him that should be enough. He takes it from her and says according to the book, this has to happen today. He places it in between a few timed bombs, and tells Litterbug this better work. He hands the bomb to Skids, and tells Bliss to look after the boy, and not to try anything funny. Skids puts the bomb into a bag, and she tells Masque that what he did to Caliban was wrong. He says that’s his decision, and that Caliban is serving a purpose.

Up above ground, Warpath, Caliban, Storm and Hepzibah prepare to enter the Sewers. Warpath asks if Caliban is okay to do this, and he says he’s fine, just weaker. Warpath says that he’s going to kill Masque for this, but Caliban says no, just a severe beating will do. Storm snaps at them, and asks them to concentrate. Storm and Hepzibah jump down through a drain hole first, Storm landing fine and dry, while Hepzibah lands in the water, complaining that it’s unclean. After Warpath and Caliban join them, Warpath tells them that they best be quick, because Hepzibah isn’t the only one with enhanced smell. Warpath smells an alligator, and Caliban tells them about Killron who could talk to them. Warpath suspects that now she’s not there they’re probably doing what they want now since Killron’s gone , and tells the rest to watch the water for them.

Back at the Institute, and Valerie Cooper is to complaining Xavier about the report he sent to her that morning. She continues to tell him that her agents have informed her that Caliban is no longer on the grounds of the Institute. He tells her that Storm has taken him to the Baxter Building for a second opinion. She shouts at him, and tells him she knows it’s a lie and they aren’t with the Fantastic Four. She tells him that she’s going to follow them, and that they’re going to be looking for the Morlocks too.

Back in the Sewer, and Warpath is fighting an alligator. Storm tells him to get it over with, but Warpath complains it’s to strong. When Warpath hold it’s mouth open, it’s tail, revealing a hidden tunnel.

A while later, and the four X-Men are walking ruins of the Alley. Storm says it’s so different without the voices, and Hepzibah comments on the smell. Caliban talks about the friends he had there, and Leech must not be the last, and Warpath reassures him that he won’t be. They find another area that has been blown up, one that Caliban and Leech weren’t in when the explosion happened. Heqzibah tells Warpath to shine light inside the hole, and this reveals a big patch of writing on some rocks. Storm inspects the writing, and asks Caliban who used to live here, but he doesn’t remember. Caliban asks her why, and she tells them that all four of their names are written on the wall.

Professor Xavier and Nightcrawler prepare the Blackbird to fly. Professor X plans to leave the Institute with Nightcrawler in the Blackbird to look for Magneto.

Storm has figured out that the writings are predictions of the future, and she tells them it's not a future she wants to see.

Erg is helping Skids up to the surface, and he asks her if this is okay, and she says it's for the future. Skids walks down to a subway station and she gets on a train. On the train she puts the bag in a compartment with wires. She walks to the back of the train, and jumps off, and uses her force field to skate. She detonates the bomb, releasing Bliss's poison. Erg is standing in the trains way, and he uses his powers to stop it. Skids tells him he cut it close, but he tells her that it wouldn't be fun other why. She shouts at him for saying it's fun. Masque appears, and tells her to leave it, and now it's time to send the message. Masque enters the train, and begins to mutate the passangers.

Endangered Species

Beast is typing in his journal in a tent. After a man comes to fetch him, he turns on an image inducer, and he and several other hikers continue to treck. Some of the hikers complain, because people disappear on these mountains. Beast tells them that he' climbing to the top of Wungadore today, and whoever wants to come should come.

As Beast climbs to the top of themountain, he thinks about what the replies of the scientists he asked to help him.

On the way up, Beast saves one of the climbers lives when he nearly falls.

When they finally get to the top they are greeted by the Knights of Wungadore.