As Emma and Shalimar entered the hideout tucked strategically beneath a Subway station, Shal pointed towards one of the computers.

"The safe is under the P.C."

Emma was curious about this safe. She had no idea of its existence, but apparently Shalimar and Jesse did. "How do we get into it?" She asked as she reached the computer.

"The access codes are encrypted right into the computer. I just activate a decrypt and it'll be open in minutes." Shalimar rejoined Emma and started to do just what she'd described, typing fluidly.

Frowning, Emma asked the burning question. "How come I've never heard of this safe until now, yet you seem to know all there is to know?"

"Jesse and I were with Adam when he installed it. He's never put anything more than items of personal value in it."

"Until now you mean."

"We don't know if Adam has any idea what it's for." Shal reminded her friend. "Hell, even we don't know what it's for yet."

"Only that Ashlocke probably wants it." Emma corrected.

"Adam has been acting odd lately," Shalimar admitted. "But we shouldn't jump to conclusions about him hiding things from us."

"But it's just not like him to take off like that." Emma said, worry in her tone.

"Adam can take care of himself."

The computer beeped at Shalimar. "Here we go."

A humming drone filled the room as a hatch at the women's feet slowly began to open…and revealed an empty safe.

Shalimar and Emma exchanged looks of both confusion and alarm.

Suddenly the computer's monitor blinked to life and a pre-recorded message started to play.

It was from Adam.

I was afraid your tenacious curiosity would carry you all this far. So for your own good, I've taken the liberty of removing the puzzle to another location. This doesn't concern Mutant X. It's for the greater good that you don't get involved. You just have to trust me on this, guys. Stay out of it!

"Did you catch that, Jess?" Shalimar asked over the commlink, after the initial shock faded.

Loud and clear.

"Now I'm really worried." And it showed on Emma's face.

I'm about to make it worse for you, Emma. We're definitely involved now. I've discovered a little history on our mystery collection.

"Well don't keep us in suspense!" Shalimar urged.

"Tony, Zen, you there?" Emma beckoned.

We're listening. Tony replied.

All of those items belonged to an ancient cult.

That's always a sign of an uplifting story. Tony drawled.

Cults always have beliefs and goals, please continue Jesse. Zenger said.

Right. What these guys believed in, was an apocalypse.

"Big surprise." Shalimar muttered.

Oh it gets worse. They believed that "men greater than men" would be the only survivors, and that it was the mission of the cult to signal the beginning of the end for the "lesser men".

"Men greater than men?" Shalimar repeated.

"You think they're talking about New Mutants, don't you?" Emma guessed.

It makes the most sense.

How do these relics fit into your story? Zenger asked.

I can't be sure yet, but I think they're key in signaling the end.

"Keep looking, Jesse." Shalimar prompted. "We need to know where these things are and what they do."

"And whether or not uniting them is a good idea." Emma added.

We know Adam has the puzzle, the defectors have the Hourglass…

"So we just need the Ruby Cross, the Pendant and the Book." Shalimar cut in.

"Jesse can you send images of the other three items to all of our commrings?" Emma suggested.

It'll only take me a minute. And I think now would be a good time to get Ally and Brennan up to speed.

Shalimar agreed. "Thanks Jesse."

"Adam's hiding something, I'm sure of it." Emma's face was contorted in frustration.

Shalimar's face was set, like stone. "Not for long."


No sooner had Tony and Zen touched down the jet and climbed out, when they spotted Robin running down a narrow alley towards them at full speed.

She wasn't alone.

"Thieves don't have entourages as a general rule, do they?" Tony asked rhetorically.

Zenger was focused on Robin's pursuers. "Nor a fan club."

"HELP ME!" Robin shouted out.

That sold them! These were not friends.

"Cultists." Tony and Zen said at the same time.

They broke into a run.

Tony met the first of the attackers at a run. Blocking one kick and pivoting out of the way of a second, he went into a spin, came around behind the cultist and swung a backfist into his temple. The cultist stumbled forward and Tony kicked him the rest of the way down.

Tony barely had time to recenter himself before another man attacked him, this one carried weapons. They were two curved blades that he swung at Tony on a side angle. Using his feral grace, Tony jumped high and kicked one of the blades out of the cultist's hand, when he connected at the wrist. As Tony landed, he ducked low to avoid the second blade and somersaulted backwards to gain some space. Returning to his feet, Tony had enough time to block the next swing and get a firm grasp of the attacker's wrist, one-handed. Using inhuman strength, Tony squeezed and also brought his knee up to connect with the cultist's wrist. The cultist dropped the blade and found himself reeling to the ground when Tony swung a fist into his face.

Finding himself without an opponent, Tony looked out for Zenger and Robin. Tony was impressed by what he saw. He could only assume that Zen was based in Kung Fu, because though they tried their hardest, Zenger's attackers barely touched him, and he barely touched them before they were defeated.

Robin wasn't doing as well, however. She was constantly on the defensive, and her attackers were relentlessly aiming for her neck.

Tony rushed to help her.

"I'm pretty sure these guys aren't working for my employer!" Robin huffed.

"So are we!" Tony agreed as he fought his way to her side.

"You are all being foolish." One of the cult members barked.

"It's what I'm best at!" Tony rebuked before smacking him down.

Pushing Robin in front of him, Tony ushered her towards the Double Helix. Zenger joined them and they made a run for it.

"Cover your ears!" Robin warned.

"What? Why?" Tony asked.

"I think we should do as she asks." Zenger suggested.

They followed orders and were glad they had.

Now understanding Robin's powers, even with their ears covered, it took all the focus they had to keep moving to the jet.

Robin was a Sonic.

She was able to create an earsplitting shrill to bring the cult members to their knees. Some of them even suffered nosebleeds.

Once they were safely boarding the Helix, Robin muted herself and Tony was able to operate the jet with a clear head.

After a few moments in the air, Tony asked the first question that came to mind. "How does that help you steal?"

Robin laughed a little. "That's only the tip of the iceberg!" Automatically she took the pendant out from under her top and fiddled with it nervously.

Tony had to take a second look at this act. "Wait one second. Robin, may I see that?" He walked over to her and examined the pendant. "It can't be…"

He carefully took it from Robin and showed it to Zen.

"Yet it is." Zenger agreed. "Fortune is smiling in our favor."

"I'll be damned." Tony murmured.

Robin stared. "I take it you guys recognize this ugly thing."

"Adam thinks he has taken away our only link to whatever he is trying to hide. What he couldn't predict, was that a thief would be hired to steal the pendant, and that thief would happen to be a friend of Ally's." Zenger smiled.

"And she came right to us!" Tony added.

Robin looked at them blankly. "Care to run that by me again?"


A pair of cult members had already been sent off with the Hourglass in their care…yet the massacre continued. Blood smeared by Defectors trying futily to crawl away could be seen on most of the walls and floor. Screams went answered only by more screams. It all happened so fast, no New Mutant could have been expected to use their powers to defend themselves.

Out of earshot, but not from view, Gabriel Ashlocke looked upon this sight he'd helped come to be and cackled maniacally. Only when the New Mutants went silent did the last of the cult members leave.

Just beyond the gore, several other cultists, who had not been part of the slaughter, joined those leaving.

"Have you got the pendant?" One, who was wiping his face of blood, asked the new arrivals.

A shake of the head determined a negative. "The target was aided by two anomalies in escaping with it."

"Well did you have them followed?" The first one snapped.

"No sir, they escaped by aircraft."

"That's disappointing. However, we can worry about it and the Puzzlebox after we've collected the other items."

The messenger's expression lightened with the anticipation. "We already have a team retrieving the Cross."

"Finally, some positive news."