Sensational X-Men

Issue #28 – Revenge – Part Two

Inside the wreckage of a spaceship

"I don't understand. Why are you doing this? Are you still possessed?" Sway asked as the cool metal barrel of Iceman's gun on her forehead made her nervous.

"No, my dear, I'm not possessed," Iceman said as he watched the girl carefully.

"Then why are you pointing a gun at me and why is it that Océana is laying here injured and not on the ship?" Sway asked as she calmly tried to reach for her powers deep within her.

"Don't even think about using your powers. I guarantee I can put a bullet through your head faster than you can freeze either me or the bullet," Iceman said as he glanced from Sway to the injured mutant on the floor trying to decide what to do next.

"What's with the… Bobby, what are you doing here?" Emma Frost asked in surprise as she finds Bobby Drake leaning over an unconscious Sway examining a large bump on her forehead and a severely injured Océana under a bunch of debris.

"Frost," Iceman said as he got up and faced the diamond woman that had just walked into the room.

"What happened here?" Frost asked keeping her ice on the man of ice.

"Océana wanted to help look for her friends so she snuck down here. I quickly followed her to make sure she stayed out of trouble. When I walked in on the two here talking, Wendy jumped and backed into the wall causing the ceiling to collapse. She pushed Sway out of the way and was caught in the collapse while a loose chunk hit Sway on the head. Sway will be okay but I think Warren's sister may need some medical attention," Iceman rambled quickly as he stared right at Emma Frost.

"Warren, we need you," Frost said into her com-badge as she started to move towards the two female mutants but then suddenly shifted, pinning Iceman to the wall by the neck with both her hands.

"Emma?" Iceman strained to speak.

"Cut the act and don't even try anything. You so much as blink I'll shift to my sharp form and with the way both my hands are around your neck you'll be lucky if you head stays attached," Frost said glaring into the surprised mutant's eyes.

"Emma, I'm telling the truth," Iceman said as he was barely able to speak the words from the pressure around his neck.

"Before entering this room I scanned it with my mind. I was only able to pick up Sway's thoughts and she had images of you and Océana. Confused by this I radioed up to Tessa-2 and was surprised to find that Bobby Drake is still onboard the ship," Emma said eyeing iceman.

"Emma, come on. It's me, Bobby. Let me go," Iceman pleaded and then screamed as Emma used the momentum of her foot to make a piece of debris scrape his leg.

"Funny, men of ice don't bleed. I've been very confused about you but this confirms it. Game's over. Tell me what you're up to, Mystique before I sever your head," Frost demanded as the shocked face of Iceman was suddenly gone and replaced by a very agitated looking blue skinned female mutant.

Back on the X-Men's Ship

"I still don't see why I couldn't have gone down and helped," Stacy X pouted as she sat in a chair watching Tessa-2 and Bobby Drake going over the ship's computer consoles.

"Because Emma and Alex both said no," Tessa-2 said without looking her way.

"Your past history and all, I can't imagine why," Slipstream said from the other side of the deck.

"Hey guys, lighten up. You can't blame all this on her," Iceman said as he glanced over at the former member of the X-Men.

"Most of this would not have happened if she hadn't snuck along and found that chest," Slipstream added.

"Technically, if she had stayed on Earth both Bobby and Warren would most likely have died from their injuries and we would never have found them," Tessa-2 added without any emotion.

"See, she actually did good this time. In a roundabout way," Iceman said making Stacy X smile slightly.

Stacy X sighed. She knew that she hadn't lead a very good life and seemed to cause more trouble than good when she was with the X-Men, but she really meant to prove herself this time. That's why she snuck along when all the X-Men had been called on by Charles Xavier. All her life she had been used by men, physically and emotionally and she had allowed it or endured it to survive. She may not come across this way, but deep down she truly wanted to be loved and live a respectable life. A majority of the time she just couldn't do it but this time, she wanted to try and turn her life around. So she had gone with the X-Men into space to just that. Unfortunately, like always, things didn't go her way.

"Actually, I'm not detecting Océana here but Bobby is standing right next to me," Tessa-2 suddenly responded into the com system.

"What's going on?" Iceman asked as he and Slipstream looked over at Tessa-2.

"Emma radioed in. Seems Océana has snuck down to the ship below. She asked if you were here too. She let me go and has just alerted Warren that she needs his help with a wounded," Tessa-2 responded.

"Radio down there and find out what's going on. If they need our help," Iceman began to say when a strange boom followed by a two second hum rattled the ship.

"What's going on?" Stacy X asked as the power went out leaving them in complete darkness till the emergency lights kicked in giving them a dimming light.

"Powers completely out and we're sitting dead in space. Only thing I'm reading is life support. I can't even pull up Tessa-2," Slipstream said as he pounded on the computer boards.

"Tessa-2, please respond. Tessa-2, are you still with us?" Iceman called out confirming Slipstreams report.

"What caused this?" Stacy X asked.

"I don't know," Slipstream said.

"Can you get the power back up?" Iceman asked.

"I'm trying, but what ever that boom was it completely shut down our power," Slipstream said as he continued to fiddle with the dead system.

"What did you guys do to the power?" Avalanche asked as Magnus used his mystical electricity to pry open the doors to let them onto the deck.

"We didn't do anything. Something hit us and now were sitting dead," Slipstream said.

"Oh great, now we're trapped out here alone and were going to die," Avalanche cried out.

"Chill out," Iceman said as he tried to ignore the Brotherhood member.

"Sbro Fo Thgil!" Magnus shouted as he waved his hands and invoked a spell that caused dozens of balls made of electricity to form and spread out around the deck giving them light and full sight of their surroundings.

"I still can't get over that your Wanda's son," Iceman said in awe.

"Don't forget, Magneto's his grandfather," Avalanche added. "Where's Tessa?"

"She went offline along with the ship," Slipstream said.

"No, you got to bring her back," Avalanche began to scream.

"You think you can bring our power back with your electricity?" Stacy X asked as she eyed the cute young man with red hair.

"I'll try," Magnus said as he tried to keep from blushing.

Magnus closed his eyes and began to concentrate. Just as he was about to release his spell something hit the ship that caused him to break his concentration while trying to keep from falling down. He looked over to see the others all doing their best not to fall flat on their backs. After a few moments the ship quit shaking and they all looked at each other with puzzled looks.

"What was that?" Iceman asked.

"I think we're being attacked," Stacy X said.

"What makes you say that?" Iceman asked.

"Because of that," Stacy X said as they all turned to see out the deck's window at a large spacecraft facing them.

"You suppose they are going to blow us away?" Avalanche asked.

"Shut up, Dominic," Slipstream said as he used his powers to track something outside.

"What's wrong?" Iceman asked.

"There's a trail leading from that ship to ours. I think that what ever hit us was a docking pod of some kind," Slipstream said.

"Then they're on the ship?" Stacy X asked.

"Yes, and it is good to see that the trail I've been following has lead me right to the ship I've been looking for," came a voice as a five figures stepped through the doorway all pointing guns at them.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Iceman asked as he began to call on his ice powers.

"I am Zekk and we are the Hunter's Five. You are going to tell us where our bounty and the ones that helped them escape me can be located," Zekk said as the Hunter's Five moved in.


Alpha Flight

Rebuilding – Part One

Ground Flight Industries – Few Months Later

"Good to see you, Heather. Mac, Logan," Sean Bernard said as he got p to shake the three visitor's hands.

"I still can't believe she's here," Mac whispered under his breadth to Logan.

"Mac, I know you don't trust her but she was on the up and up when I worked with her. She was just as surprised as we were to discover Director X and Guardian to be demons in disguise," Heather said back quietly.

"I still don't see how she could have worked that closely with him and not know," Mac said.

"Well, so did I and I didn't even have a clue," Heather responded.

"If it helps, I don't smell anything other than cheep perfume coming from her," Logan smirked as he headed into the room and took a seat.

"Heather," Mac began.

"James, please. If this is going to work we need to trust one another and work together. I even had a full background check done on her. She comes up clean and her real name is Reena D'Quem," Heather said as Mac huffed and they took their seats.

James Macdonald Hudson looked around the small table where a group of them had decided to assemble. It felt good to be back among them, well most of them. He had felt a sense of duty when they had all talked a few months back about putting together another Flight team, but they all knew everyone needed some time to recuperate and tend to other things, business and personal before going any further. With that, they took a few months and decided that if this was something they really wanted they would meet again. Now, the time had come and here they all were. Mac looked to his left at Sean first.

Sean and Jodi, after their daughter had been injured and placed in a coma had moved their company back here to Canada. He still had a division working in Los Angeles, but his main focus was the new Ground Flight Industries he built here. The business here was a front for something more. Even though to the eye and day to day operations looked like a business, a medical and holding facility among other things were hidden deep below the complex. With his daughter and others, including once considered "bad" needing care and observation, he knew that he and his wife had the skill and technology to do it. Now after a few months, things on both sides were working out great and Sean and Jodi decided to keep the company here and return home.

Next to Sean was Eugene Judd, the Alphan known as Puck. He was a dear and old friend to both Mac and Heather. It seemed that no matter what happened with him or Alpha Flight, he could be counted on to be there. Next to Eugene was another old friend, Walter Langkowski the Sasquatch. After first helping Mac out with his Team Alpha, he decided to leave and went to Bersgville, Pennsylvania to retire. He ended up becoming par t of a team called the Wild Pack but that was short lived after the Demon Storm destroyed their city and he ended coming back here to Canada to help them again. Now, he and Lillian Crawly have set up a place where they are guardians, mentors and trainers of the remaining four students of Beta Flight. Those kids have been through a lot, but they are in good hands with Walter. Mac's smile faded when he looked to Walter's other side.

Next to him was Madam Q. No matter what Heather said, he would never trust that woman. Wanting to waste no more energy and thoughts on the woman he glanced to the man sitting next to her. Good ol' James "Logan" Howlett. It seemed for long ago but yet just like yesterday that he and Heather had discovered the feral man in the Canadian wilderness. If anyone at this table has been through a lot it would be the hairy mutant called Wolverine. This man's history was wrapped in plots, programs and secrets that stemmed around Department H, Weapon X and more. He had always hated Xavier for taking him from his team, but over the years, being an X-Man had helped stabilize and humanize the wild beast.

Has much as he wanted to fully like the man, he had to admit that Logan still made him nervous. He was always a loose cannon and keen to do things his way. Preaching the killing rule fell on deaf ears. The man followed what rules he wanted when he wanted to but in the end Mac knew that there was no one better to have your back in a fight than Wolverine. Plus, Heather seemed to trust him more than anything and if she placed her faith in him than so would he. Even if he wasn't too happy about how chummy they were becoming.

"What?" Heather asked from his right.

"Oh, nothing. Was just thinking sitting here with everyone it reminds me of the beginning days of First Flight and then Alpha Flight," Mac said as Heather smiled and then stood up.

"Now that we are all here shall we begin?" Heather asked as she looked around at everyone.

"Have at it darlin'," Logan winked causing Mac to frown.

"First of all I'm so glad you all could be here. It great to see all your faces and makes it fell like old times," Heather said with a smile.

"That it is," Eugene answered back as a memory of old times from when they used to date put a smile on his face.

"Now, thanks to Mac and my contacts and reputation along with some influences Reena still has, we were able to get authority from Parliament and the Queen herself to run and operate a team here. Our team will be the sole authorized team to operate in Canada. Even though we have been granted permission and power, they will not fund us or be tied to us. We will be responsible for ourselves," Heather said.

"That's great," Walter said.

"Really no different than before," Eugene chuckled as most nodded.

"Not really, but there were some conditions put forth on us. There will be no more department H, Weapon Plus or similar programs. We act as a super hero team with no secrets or hidden agendas. That time has passed for this country. They will not interfere in our activities, unless we break the laws or became a threat to Canada, and allow us to operate freely as long as we send them monthly reports on our status and activities and keep them apprised of all team members whose identities will be kept confidential and secure," Heather said as no one really had a problem with the demands.

"I've yet to meet a government, especially this one that doesn't interfere or stay out of things, but as long as I get to do what I do best it don't faze me," Logan smiled.

"I know what you mean, especially with this team and departments past, but this is all legit and promising for once and I've completely agreed to the regulations and have been appointed as the liaison between our team and Parliament," Heather said as she received no complaints or objections from anyone.

"How do you plan to operate with no funding or build a headquarters?" Walter asked.

"That's where Sean and Jodi come in. Even though they have declined to join the official team, they have provided us with a secret base adjacent to their company. On the top it's a storage facility and warehouse but underneath will be our headquarters and living quarters," Heather said as she sat down and Sean stood up.

"We are too comfortable in our lives and after the Demon Storm we feel our place is not on the front line. Jodi's still not happy, especially after what happened to our daughter, but we came to this agreement. By moving here we signed a contract with the government that will pay us enough to properly support you with all your technological needs. Also, with the money Reena had left over from the old Department H, she has reinvested it and will have money coming in that way to support all your team's needs. We do this on two conditions demanded by my wife Jodi. One, Switch is not allowed to join or assist you in any way and two, you stay away from Switch," Sean said with a nervous chuckle.

"We appreciate all you are doing for us. I'm glad to hear Deedra came out of her coma," Mac said.

"Yeah, it's only been a month, and despite her arguments, she has a lot of therapy and recuperating to do yet and her mother feels she can't do that if she's off running around and fighting," Sean said.

"What counts is she is on the mend. Along with Madam Q's connections and financial support, she will fill an administrative role for the team. She reports to me and will be the liaison between Sean and the team and to the government in my absence," Heather said as Mac rolled his eyes.

"What about a team name? Are you sticking with Alpha Flight?" Sean asked.

"Actually, we debated and decided that we needed a fresh start and nothing connected to the original Flight names. We decided on Alpha Prime. This will be the main, best and last incarnation of this team. Alpha Prime will set the positive and powerful legacy we need," Mac said as most of the guys chuckled knowing full well who had picked the name.

"Works for me but I ain't wearing no cheesy costume," Logan said.

"Hey, you should see the costumes Jodi designed. They are fabulous," Heather said.

"And I think we out did ourselves with the new power suits for you and Mac," Sean said with a proud smile.

"I can't wait to try them out," Mac said with an evil childish grin.

"Everything is set so all we need to do is fill the team spots. Both me and Mac will be co-leading this team unless there is any arguments?" Heather asked and when no one objected she continued. "Mac will deal more as field leader while like I said will be handling the more political and other areas of this team," Heather said.

"Since Heather may not be going out into the field as much, we figured me and six others would make a very rounded, solid and manageable team. Heather will keep the Vindicator persona while I take up the Guardian mantle again. We would like to extend the six vacant spots to you Walter and Lillian, Logan if he'll stay, Eugene of course and maybe Nemesis or Earthmover and leaving one spot open for someone we can all vote on," Mac said as he smiled at all his old friends.

"I can tell you right away, that Amelia and Chuck, along with Albert plan on dedicating all their time to Ground Flight and the patients and prisoners we have below," Sean said right away.

"I also have to decline on me and Lil's behalf. Sine moving in together and taking in those kids we've really found a place we belong. As you know I had tried to get out of this once before and that didn't work out, but this time I think it will. I mean if you ever need us in an emergency situation we will help, but for now we want to focus on taking care of and training these kids. If this works, it could lead to opening an actual school for students," Walter said.

"I can understand but I was really hoping to add you to the ranks," Mac said as he wondered if his friend's decision had anything to do with what happened between them when he had left the team before and went to Bergsville.

"Don't take it so hard, Mac. From what I hear there's something else factoring into their decision," Eugene smirked.

"What?" Heather asked looking at Walter.

"Things have been going really well for all of us, especially with Lil. We wanted to keep this low key for now, but you might as well know. We got engaged last night," Walter said with a blush as everyone congratulated him.

"Hope he knows what he's doing and not Lil use him to get one up on Jeffries," Mac whispered as Heather kicked him under the table.

"That is good news. Well that leaves you and Logan," Heather said looking at Eugene.

"You know I'm in for now. Especially with this Weapon Superior out there, but I'm not wearing a matching outfit," Logan said as Heather smiled and winked at him.

"Great, Eugene, we can still count on you right?" Mac asked looking at his old friend.

"As much as I want to, I have to pass for now. Not much is known about my daughter's mother but with the DNA test confirming she is my daughter, I have agreed to go with her on a search to find her. We were able to find a few clues to her whereabouts in Director X's trashed office. We both really need this," Eugene said as he avoided Mac's disappointed look.

"Eugene, you will be missed on this team but I agree this might be good for the two of you," Heather said with a sad smile.

"So it's just the three of us," Mac said purposely not looking at Madam Q.

"Then we better get to recruitin' then," Logan said as he got up.

"Don't worry, we may not be on the team but you will always have our support," Walter said as everyone called out in agreement.

"Thanks, you guys are all great. Here's to the beginning of something great," Mac and Heather said as they all cheered at the future and then they all went their separate ways, for now.

Next: Issue #29 – Revenge – Part Three & Alpha Flight: Rebuilding – Part Two