We are now back on the island with Markus, waking up from his encounter with Blob but remembered what happened before as it all came back to him
"Uhhh... That hurts, I gotta contact the others, X-Men this is Markus please respond... X-Men come in do you read?... Why don't they answer me?" Markus said as he got out of the jungle and saw tracks of the X-Jet on the ground.
"So the X-Jet was here... Then where is it?" Markus asked to himself as he wondered where it could have went
"You'll find out soon ENOUGH" Lance shouted as he tried to ambush Markus and he used his Psionic energy to punch Lance's chest hard, sending him flying out of the jungle into the beach as Markus ran back to where Lance landed
"Alright pal, Where is Jean? And what is going on here?" Markus asked demanding answers
"Don't worry about your sister, she's fine... For now, and for what is going on, you'll see for yourself. '' Lance explained as he shaked the sand off of him and readied his stance
"Bring it on, rockhead." Markus said as he made his own stance
"Magneto told me this might happen." Lance retorted before he pulled out a short blade to counter Markus's psionic blade before they started their battle and unbeknownst to Markus, Magneto watches as the conflict unfolds with Magneto hoping Markus wins.
Meanwhile with Toad...
"I don't get it... I'm strong, agile... and I've got this killer-" Toad complimented as he sat on a boulder, feeling bad he was left out twice as he was using his tongue to catch flies before Kurt caught his tongue
"Spill it Toad, what happened? Where are the others?" Kurt said as he was seeking answers as he was accompanied by Kitty
"Ok, ok!" Toad said before Kurt let go of his tongue "I don't owe that crummy Magneto nothing no more, that's for sure."
"Who?" Kitty asked
"Magneto, one major mega-mutant... he's screening out the best from the worst, and we lost, what makes us? Losers." Toad explained
"What happens to the winners?" Kurt said as he grabbed Toad by the collar
"They are taken somewhere, I don't know, though I would know if I ACTUALLY won." Toad explained before Kurt let go of him
"That would explain why, like, Rogue went missing, do you think?-" Kitty commented
"Jean was missing, now Rogue, Ella and... Markus! we gotta find Wolverine to sort this out." Kurt said as he and Kitty left to the other side of the beach to find Logan as he figured out that Markus was also missing
Meanwhile on Asteroid M...
"Scott, I- I don't understand." The Professor said confused to the newly arrived Scott and Alex were saying about
"Wait Professor, we are here to listen, that's all." Scott explained
"What about them? Are they here to listen as well?" The Professor said as he showed Scott the prisoners in the pods
"Hey, what is this?!" Scott shouted as he was shocked that his teammates were captured
"Simply a precaution Scott... Not everyone has the maturity to accept the need for change as you do, not yet." Magneto calmly replied
"Scott look at all of this, Magnus is manipulative and he will use you as- Ah, MARKUS! Markus if you can hear me, DO NOT WIN, Magneto is." The Professor tried to explain to Scott before Magneto used his powers to put him in a pod and contacted Markus before passing out
"No!" Scott said as he readied his optic beams
"Do that, and he won't survive the decompression." Magneto retorted
"Yeah? Well, odds aren't great for you, either." Scott said, turning his attention to Magneto
"Hey man, knock it off. So they are having a time-out, what's the big deal? Look, I don't get it either, but no one should get hurt." Alex said, trying to be his big brothers voice of reason
"Ugh, I don't like this." Scott said
"But your brother is right, Scott. I'm not your enemy nor am I Charles. Very soon you'll know the truth." Magneto said as he removed his helmet so the boys could see the sincerity in his eyes
"Ah, I almost forgot... It looks like Markus is winning his duel against Avalanche." He added as he brought up a hologram after being alerted
"Who's Markus?" Alex asked
"He's Jean's little brother." Scott explained as he hoped Markus was gonna be ok from his fight with Lance
Back in Hawaii...
Markus and Lance have dueled for about 5 minutes but Lance had the most control in the conflict
"Hey so, we've been at this for a bit so... yeah why don't we have a break or something?" Markus said trying to stall his enemy
"Yeah right! I don't make peace with scumbags like you." Lance said, angering Markus as he let his rage and hate guide his actions of combat, as he heard the Professor telepathically speaking to him, Lance took the opportunity to stab Markus on his right shoulder, effectively limiting his combat skills
"What's the matter? Did you "space out"? Ha! That's why I'M the strongest, I don't hold back my attacks on ANYONE, without hesitation or mercy." Lance said as Markus crouched down in pain as he readied his sword to end Markus's life before he caught it in the nick of time
"Nice speech rockhead... Did you practice it in the mirror or did you make it up as a spur of the moment?" Markus joked before Lance's hatred for Markus grew
"Why wont you just give up!?" Lance shouted in rage but successfully blocked his attack with his psionic-made shield
"Let's just say I have a stronger will than you do." Markus said as he beat his opponent into submission with his superior tactics and clear mind as rage no longer had a grip on him, then he hit Lance in the head with his elbow, knocking him unconscious and winning the duel, then the unexpected happens as a silvery orb lands in front of Markus
"What the-" Markus commented before the orb operated the tentacles trying to grab Markus
Meanwhile on Asteroid M...
We now get back to Asteroid M as Magneto shows Alex and Scott a machine
"Behold, the next step in our evolution... I built it right into the asteroid." Magneto said
"What is it?" Alex asked curiously
"A genetic enhancer... Perhaps you've heard of the legendary gem of Cyttorak, it was once believed to possess mystical properties, this stone actually emits a very distinctive radiation." Magneto explained as he pulled out the Gem of Cyttorak
"Whoa! Wait a minute, you're gonna nuke us?!" Scott said in a concerning tone
"No I'm going to make you stronger, no pain and no more hiding behind that visor, Scott." Magneto said
"What about them? I want them released." Scott as he was tempted on Magnetos offer but still thought about his team
"They will be, but after you've gone through the transformation... I want them to see what I'm offering and not worry about any "failure" of this machine, I and Sabretooth have been enhanced." Magneto said, encouraging the brothers to accept his offer
"What do you think, Scott?" Alex asks
"Let's do it." Scott said, succumbed to the temptation of controlling his power, while this was happening, Magneto used the pods controls to awaken the prisoners as the two brothers entered the machine
"It's too late now Charles, they are now mine." Magneto proudly proclaims as the duo got out of the machine physically changed with their hair turned white
"Now you can take the glasses off Scott... There now do you understand our TRUE nature, our powers, and our place within this world... and that we the Homo Superior, will dominate this planet-" Magneto said as he started his monologue before the Brotherhood came in
"What is it?" Magneto asked slightly annoyed
"Our radar shows the orb to capture Markus is coming here." Lance replied
"No..." Rogue gasped while she whispered as the others felt sad that their best friend/student is captured
"Good, bring it here, I want to enhance Markus and show Charles what ultimate power looks like
"I would not boast victory prematurely, Magnus." Xaiver said as the orb entered the chamber
"I have already won Charles... WHAT!?" Magneto said
Before he saw a flash bang that temporarily blinded him, The Brotherhood that were checking the orb, then smoke came out of the orb and one by one the Brotherhood, fell victim to Markus's attacks as he silently knocked them out leaving Magneto alone when the smoke cleared
"You're a clever one I'll give you that." Magneto said complimenting the young man
"Eh, I aim to please." Markus replied as he then did battle with Magneto before it was broken off by the Summer brothers who stood at Magnetos side
"Hands off Magneto." Scott said as he and Alex readied their energy beams
"Scott? What happened to you?" Markus said as he was in shock that the field leader of the X-Men now joined the enemy
"Evolution happened." Scott replied with seemingly no remorse
"Regardless, I'm gonna beat you and free everyone." Markus said as he made sword out of psionic energy
"I wouldn't recommend it, my young mutant." Magneto said in a calm collected voice as he helped himself back up to his feet
"Oh yeah? Why shouldn't I?" Markus said in defiance as he didn't want to hear the villains taunts
"Because I know your weakness… You have feelings for this human… Why waste your love for a human when you could be with another mutant of similar powers and could create an ENTIRE generation of mutants more powerful than the last?" Magneto said as he signaled Sabretooth to enter the room with a captured Ella in tow as Sabretooth held her against her will with him holding on to Ella by wrapping his arms around her chest, limiting her arm movements as she continued to struggle. This made Markus feel like his heart dropped to his feet as he hated to see a best friend taken and used against him as Magneto explained how he could be in love with a human instead of a mutant
"Whether you like it or not… We are ALL humans, we're just… born differently, and you're no better than Hiter if you ask me, now let. Her. Go." Markus said in defiance again as he started to compare Magneto to Hitler, unintentionally striking a personal nerve to Magneto while demanding that Ella would be let go
"Destroy him." Magneto growled as he ordered his new minions to destroy Markus as it made Ella struggle even more and protested against Magnetos wishes
Meanwhile on the X-Chopper...
"How close are we?" Logan asked Mystique as she joined the "losers" to get revenge on Magneto and the X-Men's mission is to rescue their captive comrades
"Right there, about two minutes." Mystique said
"Do you think, like, it was a good idea to bring her with us?" Kitty asked to the others
"What choice do we have? She's the only person that can help us find the others who were captured and stop Magneto." Logan explained
"I only hope Markus is- WAIT! There he is, why is Scott and his brother fighting him?" Kurt said as he noticed Markus was fighting Scott and Alex as Magneto watched and Ella continued to struggle against Sabretooths bear hug
"Not for long he's not." Wolverine said as the chopper arrived, Mystique and Logan then start fighting the recently awakened Brotherhood, Kurt distracts Magneto and Kitty is left responsible for releasing the others as she did so
"Stop this Scott!" Jean said as she used her powers to push Scott into a wall which made the machine malfunction, causing the crystal to shatter and releasing Scott and Alex from Magnetos control while the machine exploded, giving Ella the opportunity to strike at Sabretooths face and be free from his grip, and some of its beams hit Markus, causing him to create more psionic energy at a rapid pace, causing the asteroid to destabilize
"Uhhh, what happened?" Scott said as he was suffering a headache after he was released
"Later, we gotta get outta here, where's the Blackbird?" Logan replied as he helped Scott before asking the Professor
"Down this hall." Professor replied as the X-Men, together again, went down the hall to the Blackbird and flew away before the asteroid exploded, their next destination is dropping Alex off Hawaii, back to his parents
"Think that's the last of them?" Jean asked
"Doubtful, given their determination..." Professor said
"Professor... I'm sorry, really, I just want to be free you know? I don't want to wear these visors for the rest of my life." Scott apologized as he explained his actions in temporarily aligning himself with Magneto
"Yeah and I just dont want myself nor others to get hurt." Alex added
"Listen boys: I understand your frustration and pain... but Magneto will use you boys as puppets, when he gets what he wants, he'll get rid of you, I only want for all of humanity to come together whether we have abilities or not and Scott... I forgive you just please be careful." The Professor said as he forgave Scott and Alex
"Thanks Professor... well what a misadventure we've had, huh?" Scott said
"It was nice to see you after all these years" Alex said sighing relic to see his brother again
"You too pal. " Scott replies, with the two brothers hugging again
Later in the day...
Now back in the Mansion, Ella and Markus are alone, doing their laundry
"So... What's been going on with you?" Markus asked, hoping to strike a conversation with Ella
"Nothing much, just checking my mother and sister from time to time, trying going to church, that sort of stuff, what's up?" Ella replied before asking a question of her own
"Nothing much really... I have been meaning to ask you this." Markus said as he got Ella's attention
"Yeah? What is it?" Ella asked
"When Magneto showed Sabretooth off with you as his prisoner… Are you ok? Because I could literally feel my heart drop to the ground, that's how scared I was for you, I didn't want to lose you." Markus said as he expressed his concerns for Ella and what he felt at the moment, it made Ella freeze on what she was doing and sympathized with Markus, knowing that she would have felt the same if they switched positions
"Oh Markie… You're so sweet, yes I'm ok. All I was doing was trying to find you after Blob threw you into the jungle. I tried to find you but after Sabretooth was finished with Logan, he captured me and took me to Asteroid M. But please… Don't worry about me, I'm ok thank God. See you later." Ella said as she turned to face Markus, then she cupped one of her hands unto Markus's cheeks to comfort him, then gave him a quick but warm hug before she left Markus, whom was blushing as he fell in love with Ella once again