The Crimebusters arrived in New York City, and they immediately got themselves the most luxurious rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Jean charged it all on her father's credit card, knowing that she could convince him to pay the bill.

Jean, Kitty and Carlie all got a room together. Lance and Pietro also situated themselves in a hotel room. Since Scott and Northstar already roomed together, they didn't feel like it was a big deal that they shared a hotel room as well. Northstar, did however, pay for the room himself after obtaining cash from a nearby A.T.M., seeming unwilling to accept Jean's offers of paying his hotel bill.

A page knocked on the girls' room one night when they were planning to go shopping. Carlie opened the door and looked at the teenager.

"Yes?" She inquired.

The page, whose name tag read, 'Edward Cullen', withdrew an envelope from the pocket of his snazzy uniform with shiny brass buttons. "I have a letter here to Ms. Carlie Stacy, from a Mr. Northstar," he said casually. "Is that you?"

"Ooohhh," Carlie squealed. "Yes, it is!"

The page frowned. "Seriously? That's your name? The way 'Carlie', is spelled, it looks more like 'Charlie' than anything else. And what kind of name is 'Northstar'?"

"He's Native American," Carlie informed him.

"Really?" The page looked surprised. "Okay, then." He wandered off.

Carlie shut the door and opened the envelope.

"Is Northstar really Native American?" Kitty asked with shock.

"Actually, with a name like 'Northstar', he sounds more Middle Eastern," Jean observed.

"I think that he's actually an alien, but don't tell anyone," Carlie informed them seriously. "He might be one of those nice aliens, like the kind of aliens in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and I don't want to sic the government on him if I don't have to."

"Why do you think he's an alien?" Jean asked, confused.

"Because he is so uncannily beautiful," Carlie responded matter-of-factly. "No regular person has such an eerie aura of beauty and mystery surrounding them.

Jean grinned at her. "Well, Carlie, you're very beautiful yourself."

"Oh, a romantic letter!" Kitty shouted, spotting the envelope with fancy calligraphy grasped in Carlie's immaculately manicured hands. "See what it says!"

"It might not be romantic," Rogue warned, climbing in through the window, wearing a Mystic tan, a blonde dye job, a black domino mask, and a black uniform with a gold lightning bolt across the front.

"Shut up, Rogue!" Kitty scowled at her.

Carlie opened the note and scanned its contents:

Carlie Stacy,

You are aware of your mutant abilities, which have great potential in the espionage domain. I am currently undertaking a rather dangerous assignment of a covert nature, and I would like to request your presence as an ally in the combat field. I would be willing to pay you for your trouble. If convenient, meet me and my employer for dinner at the Webster Hall Night Club NYC. The food there is excellent, so we will be able to dine while discussing a contract.

Sincerely,

Northstar Victor Creed

"Oh, my Jesus, Carlie!" Kitty shrieked. "Northstar wants to go out with you?"

"That sounds like a shifty invitation if I ever heard one," Rogue stated. "Northstar strikes me as quietly psychotic in the way of Draco Malfoy. And what kind of nightclub serves dinner, exactly?"

"Don't ruin Carlie's special time as Northstar's date with your cynicism, Rogue!" Jean abashed her.

"Whatever," Rogue said. "Now that I have the power of Ms. Marvel, I think that I'm going to talk to Magneto."

"You do that," Jean snipped. "I don't really care."

Carlie changed into her bodysuit that shifted from a blend of purple and jet black to a blend of electric blue and jet black. She left her long, silky blonde hair loose and wore a pair of metallic gold thigh-high boots.

"You look amazing, Carlie!" Kitty exclaimed.

Carlie went down to the lobby to meet Northstar. He was waiting for her, wearing a black suit over a white shirt that wasn't buttoned all the way with no tie.

"Hey." Carlie greeted him, winking.

He stared at her expressionlessly. "Hello."

She stared at him, waiting for him to make a move.

He stared blankly back at her.

Carlie giggled. Northstar was shy! He was so cute!

He frowned slightly at her laughter. "Shall we depart, then?"

"Oh, yes," Carlie said enthusiastically.

He turned to walk out the front door without waiting for her.

How rude! Carlie rushed up to him and wrapped her arms around one of his. Northstar stiffened and cast her an unfathomable glance, but nevertheless proceeded out the door.

A 1930's silver Rolls Royce Wraith awaited them out the front door. They settled themselves in the car and Northstar told the driver the address.

The car ride took a very long time. The car pulled up to an enormous, modern-style building on top of a series of wide stone steps.

"This doesn't look like a nightclub," Carlie observed.

"That's because it isn't," Northstar informed her. "My employer wanted to meet you here before we proceeded to the restaurant."

Carlie shrugged. "Okay."

They exited the car and entered the building, where they had to endure numerous security procedures. Eventually, Northstar brought Carlie down to a heavy steel door at the end of a long hallway.

"This is my employer's office," he told her. "The meeting shouldn't take very long at all."

"That sounds fine," Carlie replied nonchalantly. She entered the room.