It has been 6 months since Lorna went with the Cuckoos
"Ooo YAH!" Andy screams as he shatters into a million different pieces a metal drone which the nascent Hellfire Club had managed to acquire as part of their rudimentary "Danger Room" type testing and training facilities for their recruits.
"Did you SEE that? HUH? Aw yeah that's right who da man" Andy proceeds to enter into a beatboxing session as he does a bit of awkward dancing, while wearing the costume he was given. Cameras record every training session and Sage groans, massaging her temples, and speaks into a microphone "Yes very well done Andrew, now please proceed to Event designation 32-C". Andy gulps, "A-are you sure I'm really ready for that already? I mean... I am Andrew von Strucker I know that. But... well... Lauren isn't here and I just thought-" immediately a voice direct in Andy's brain goes off "We do NOT have time for this! You know Lorna is already getting more advanced in her pregnancy, she may not be able to go on field operations for a while, and you're our only other true heavy hitter. If you can't do this alone, then what good are you Andrew?". Andy pauses and shuts his eyes for a few moments, concentrating, then as they open "Ok. I can do this!"
Fade and Mark are also hard at work, practicing in their own ways, Mark is trying to juggle concrete blocks and Fade is altering his surroundings to become immune to visible wavelength, as quickly on and off as possible, attempting to evade the periodically rotating scanner drones and cameras. Everything is being precisely recorded, analyzed, measured. The recruits are being put through their paces, as they have been ever since that fateful day, the day the plane came down, and nothing would ever be the same.
Lorna is levitating inside of a large metal spheroid, emptying her mind of all thoughts and feelings, becoming one. One with the metal, one with the electricity, one with her developing unborn child. She knows she has to be strong, and kill off her attachment to everybody she left behind. The guilt of it has been haunting her, and she does have times of deep regret over her decisions. But... she is strong. And she will continue on her path that she knows she has to walk, whatever happens.
The Cuckoos have been busy training and prepping the newbies for the war that is to come, the war they know is inevitable. It's not that they enjoy the violence which they inflict on others (usually anyway), but SOMEONE has to do it. And if not them, then who? Clearly the Mutant Underground won't. "Those cowards" thinks Esme, as Phoebe and Sophie instantly get alerted to a change in mood and communicate back telepathically "Easy. We need to not give in to hate. We have to be clear and focused. If we mess up on the mission out there, it's all over. Not just for us, but for all hope for this world." Esme winces at being reprimanded by these... other hers... but she nods back in assent smiling, letting the members of the HiveMind know she is still on the same page.
Elsewhere
"Run! They're coming!" Thunderbird screams at the top of his lungs at Blink, Eclipse, Lauren, Reed, Caitlin, and rest of their enormous entourage. They had been attempting to travel incognito dressed as "civilians" mingling with the common people. It never truly works out though.
"Eeeaarrrgghh I can't hold it go go go" Blink is wincing and sweating as she generates a portal straight to their new HQ and out of the way of the incoming SS agents who are on their trail. Everybody jumps in, and they arrive... in the sewers. The abandoned subway system is home to many outcasts and dregs of society, and these days, that largely includes mutants as well. "Welcome back, you get the stuff?" greets Shatter. "No. We had some issues again" Eclipse responds, looking at his feet ashamed. "Alright man, that's cool, can't win everytime" is Shatter's way of trying to go easy , but he knows this cannot continue for much longer. They need supplies. Lauren is upset "It's my fault. Why am I not able to do more? You know I could have stopped them from attacking us!" Caitlin and Reed both immediately try to comfort her, but she smacks their hands away and storms off to get some air. She's been that way.
Blink and Thunderbird embrace, happy to at least be together, and have one another, despite the setbacks, the failures, the struggles. In their mind, what matters is taking things day by day, one moment at a time. They are grateful to have even met the Morlocks, that Shatter and Blink's connections let them in. Even if Blink did have to do battle with their leader first.
The younger and more enfeebled members of the Underground mix with the Morlocks and other outcasts, many of them have had a tough time accepting this is to be their new lot in life. Sure, they knew they were on the run and had to ditch their own families, all because humanity doesn't accept how they were born as. But... living in sewers? Being around obviously disfigured mutants who simply can never fit in? It does give some of them the creeps. Also... they miss the ones who left. Andy and Lorna especially formed pretty strong bonds with a lot of the younger Underground, and many of them now wonder if they made the right decision staying behind that day.
The Morlock leader, Callisto, eyes her surroundings with a twinge of both disgust and glee. She is ashamed that she lost in a no-powers combat to Blink, and had to admit in the members of the Underground. Morlocks don't take kindly to outsiders, and there are even flatscans among them. "Pretty boy muties don't even count" she thinks to herself. "These folk ain't never gonna get it." She shrugs her shoulders, figuring sooner or later it'll become obvious and they'll leave the Morlocks behind. Everyone always does in the end.