GIRL: "Did those guys really take Mr. Worthington and that Summers guy with them last night?"
BOY: "Yeah, they also said Autumn and Rogue were taken too."
BLUE HAIRED BOY: "Rogue doesn't count. She's not even one of us anymore."
Bobby lowers his head, getting even more upset quickly.
GIRL: "Please. If they want her so bad, they can have her. It's no loss on our part."
Bobby shuts his eyes, trying to keep calm, and he grabs his locker tightly with one hand. As his grip tightens, his fingertips emit an icy mist that freezes the locker solid.
BOY: "I heard Mr. Logan left this morning with Miss Dane to go look for them. The others I can understand, but why would they want Rogue back?"
LOGAN: "Because Rogue is one of us."
The three teens stop and turn around, as Logan and Lorna walk over to them.
BLUE HAIRED BOY: "Uh... we were just..."
LOGAN: (interrupts) "Getting to class? Then go ahead. Now."
The teens nod and hurry off down the hall... as quickly as possible. Logan and Lorna look over at Bobby and he walks over to him.
LOGAN: "You okay, Bobby?"
BOBBY: "I've been better."
Bobby pulls out his red Physics textbook and slams the locker door shut. The frozen locker door breaks off and hits the floor, shattering into fragments upon impact. Bobby walks off down the hall and Logan watches him leave. Lorna walks over and stands next to Logan.
LOGAN: "I know how the kid feels."
LORNA: "So do I."
Lorna lowers her head and makes her hands into fists.
LORNA: "Since they took Alex..."
Lorna trembles, upset, and all of the locker doors swing open. Logan is also sent flying back and he GRUNTS as he slams into the nearby wall, pinned against it by her magnetism. Lorna opens her eyes and looks at Logan. Instantly, she opens her hands and releases Logan from her magnetic hold. Logan sneers and rubs the back of his neck.
LORNA: "Sorry. I'm just upset."
LOGAN: "I noticed."
LORNA: "Come on. We'd better get to class."
LOGAN: "You're teaching here now?"
LORNA: "I'm substituting for Warren until we find him. I thought it might help me get my mind off of what happened."
Logan sets his hand down on Lorna's shoulder.
LOGAN: "We'll find them, Lorna. I promise."
Lorna glances at Logan and nods. She follows Logan down the hall, while Piotr walks by and to his locker.
Elsewhere, in Essex's storage room, Alex glances over at Scott's table. Two plates are set on a nearby table, with crumbs of food left on it. Two cups, now empty, are also on the table. Alex flinches and struggles against his restraints.
SCOTT: "Are you okay?"
ALEX: "My wrists are chafing. This isn't exactly the way I pictured our little reunion."
SCOTT: "I can't believe we're even having a reunion. After all these years, finding you like this..."
ALEX: "I know. So who was the nut who told you I was dead?"
SCOTT: "My doctor at the hospital, Dr. Lang. He said I was the only one found on the mountainside. I was taken to a hospital down south of where we landed."
ALEX: "You were? I was taken to a hospital up north. The doctors said only I was found there."
SCOTT: "Why were we split up?"
ALEX: "Well, when you collided onto the mountainside and were knocked out, you missed the fun drop and the following tumble down the mountain. When we were rolling down, the tape fastened around us broke and we rolled away from each other. I must've been knocked out myself, because the next thing I know, I'm waking in a hospital bed with a doctor standing next to me."
Scott looks at Alex a moment, puzzled.
SCOTT: "Alex, if I had known... if I knew you were taken away to that hospital..."
ALEX: (interrupts) "I missed you too, Scott."
Scott pauses a moment and turns to the doorway.
ALEX: "What?"
The door opens and Essex walks into the room. Essex stands by Scott's table and smiles.
ESSEX: "I trust you're enjoying your little reunion."
ALEX: "Where are Rogue and Warren? What have you done to them?"
ESSEX: "Oh, don't worry about them. They'll be just fine. We just need to work with them a little bit more for them to be suitably prepared for what we have in mind."
SCOTT: "Leave them alone, Essex. You've done enough to them."
ESSEX: "It's not up to me, Scott. I don't have plans for them, but my master does. I know you think we've been treating them rather roughly. But it'll all make sense. You don't need to worry. I'll take care of you all."
ALEX: "That's what we're afraid of."
ESSEX: "I hate to leave so soon, but this was just a check-up on my part. I still have more work to do."
SCOTT: "With what?"
ESSEX: "You'll see."
Essex turns around and walks out of the room.
In the laboratory of Essex's hideout, Jean is floating in the tank with an oxygen mask over her face and dressed in a black bikini. Jean's wrists and ankles are chained to the inside of the tank, with electrodes on her wrists and chest, over her heart. Apocalypse stands by the tank, keeping watch over her. Jean bobs in the green fluid against her restraints, twitching lifelessly. Apocalypse smiles and turns to the doorway, as Essex walks in. Essex walks to Apocalypse and stands beside him.
ESSEX: "I trust the chemicals are taking effect."
APOCALYPSE: "Our special serum is working faster than I thought."
ESSEX: "Then it'll soon be time for us to finish the job."
APOCALYPSE: "So you have finished construction on the mind-scanner."
ESSEX: "Yes, I have. While Jean's been recovering, I spent most of the night going over her files. Taking Jean's records from Xavier's office was easier than I thought. Still, we need to make sure we do this carefully. We don't want to repeat the same mistake Xavier did."
Apocalypse looks down at Jean, as she twitches in the water.
ESSEX: "But don't worry, sir. Jean is not going to be a problem. Just leave her to me. I'll take care of her and her little Phoenix problem."
That night, in the board room in Washington, the President, Trask and seven Senators sit at the large table. One seat is left occupied.
SENATOR #1: "Should we wait for him to show up?"
SENATOR #2: "We should just start without him. We can't wait any longer."
PRESIDENT: "Hank is an ambassador on our staff. He deserves to be kept in the loop."
TRASK: "He hasn't exactly kept us in the loop lately. He's been at that old school of his for a while now. We can't put off another meeting because he's a no show."
PRESIDENT: "This is a mutant matter, Trask. We should wait for him for a few more minutes."
The door opens and the Secretary walks into the room.
SECRETARY: "Excuse me for interrupting, Mr. President, but I just got a phone call from Dr. McCoy."
PRESIDENT: "Where is he? Is he on his way over?"
SECRETARY: "He can't make it, sir. There's been an incident at the Xavier School."
Trask glances at the President sternly and the President looks away from him to the Secretary.
PRESIDENT: "What's happened?"
Two weeks have past. That morning, in the Danger Room of the X-Mansion, Moira is standing next to Xavier, with his wheelchair set beside two railings fastened to the ground. Xavier is on his feet and is holding onto the railings, as he practices learning to walk again.
MOIRA: "Come on, Charles. You're doing great work. Just keep yourself nice and steady."
Xavier holds onto the handle bars and moves his left leg slightly. Xavier lifts up his leg and moves it forward, taking a step forward.
MOIRA: "Very good. Keep your balance."
Xavier moves his right foot forward and proceeds to take another step. Xavier stumbles and falls, releasing the railings. Xavier hits the ground and Moira goes to Xavier's side, helping him sit up.
MOIRA: "Are you all right?"
XAVIER: "I'm fine. I just lost my footing, that's all."
MOIRA: "Or maybe your mind was on something else."
Xavier looks away and sighs.
XAVIER: "It's been two weeks, Moira, and we haven't found a trace of them. Not knowing where some of my X-Men are is something I'm not used to and it's frightening to me. I could've found them easily by now, if only I had used Cerebro. But without my telepathy to use it..." (beat) "I just wish I could help, Moira."
MOIRA: "I know. We all miss them. But try not to worry. We will find them."
Xavier nods at Moira.
XAVIER: "Thank you, Moira."
That afternoon in Washington, the President and Trask are left alone in the large board room. The President stands across the room and eyes Trask sternly.
PRESIDENT: "I can't believe you're actually discussing this with me."
TRASK: "It's a project we've been trying to get approved for years, sir. It maybe time to consider it."
The President turns and looks at Trask sternly.
PRESIDENT: "Do you realize what you'd be asking me to consider putting up for debate, Bolivar? The controversy we'd spark after what's happened? Especially since Hank is still away on a mutant matter."
TRASK: "People are still scared of mutants, Mr. President, and we've got one of them as an ambassador. We have had more attacks and sightings in this year than the past three alone. Alkali Lake, Russia, the Xavier School... and need I remind you about the Alcatraz incident? Or the Statue of Liberty? I'm just saying that we should consider all possibilities to protect our citizens, sir."
Trask sets down a folder on the table and looks at the President sternly.
TRASK: "Just look over the revised version. There have been some changes you might find interesting. Just read it and then decide for yourself."
The President looks at Trask and then at the folder. The front of the folder reads: PROJECT - WIDEAWAKE.
That night, in Essex's laboratory, Jean is out of the tank and she's lying on her back on a table. She is unconscious and her wrists and ankles shackled down to the table. A metal headband is clamped around Jean's forehead, with various electrodes hooked into it and attached to her heart. The electrodes are hooked up to a machine standing behind her table. Essex stands at the controls and looks at Jean. Jean twitches against her restraints, tensing. Apocalypse walks into the room and stands next to Jean's table.
APOCALYPSE: "Are you almost finished with our patient?"
ESSEX: "The adjustments I've made to Jean should prove to be quite fascinating. There are no traces of her Phoenix persona following our little revival, but I took no chances. Any trace of that persona has been wiped clean from her mind."
Essex flips up a switch and Jean jerks and writhes against her shackles. Jean tenses and Essex smiles at her.
ESSEX: "She's almost ready. The sedatives will keep her unconscious until the procedure is done. And then, we can finally put our plan into motion. I trust you'll find this worth the wait, sir."
APOCALYPSE: "Indeed. I've finished the last work on our little Horsemen. I just need to wait until their serums take effect."
ESSEX: "Well, that shouldn't take long. Besides, the only side-effect our little concoction had was turning the skin of those who ingest it blue. But that was in a test of one out of five."
Essex looks over at Jean, as she continues to writhe in pain.
ESSEX: "In the meantime, I need to finish this little scan. When it's over, I can hardly wait to see Scott's reaction when he sees her again."
APOCALYPSE: "Then I will leave you to your work. I have to prepare my Horsemen for their training."
Apocalypse turns and walks out of the room.
In the hideout's storage room, Scott looks over at Alex, as Scott wriggles his arms against his restraints. Essex opens the door, walks into the room and stands beside Scott's table.
ESSEX: "And how are you both this evening?"
ALEX: "What are you doing here?"
ESSEX: "I'm bringing something for Scott. Something he wants very much."
SCOTT: "Unless you've freed Warren and Rogue, and I highly doubt that, there's nothing you have that I want."
ESSEX: "What about someone?"
Scott looks puzzled and Omega Red walks into the room. He has Jean tied in his coils and he pulls her in with him, with a metal headband device clamped over her forehead and her wrists chained together. Jean is dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Scott stares at Jean, stunned.
SCOTT: (whispers) "Jean?"
ESSEX: "I found your little fiancee in her grave. It took quite a while to resurrect her, let alone return her mind to its normal patterns. I had to undo so much damage Xavier did to her psyche."
SCOTT: "Xavier? What're you talking about?"
Omega Red sets Jean down on her knees before the side wall, near Scott's table. Omega Red fastens her chains to a hook on the wall and grabs a collar from the floor, which is chained to the wall.
SCOTT: "Let her go! Get away from her!!!"
Omega Red fastens the collar around Jean's neck and locks it shut. Omega Red turns to Scott and extends his coil towards him.
OMEGA RED: "You are not in a position to be giving orders to me, comrade."
Essex glares at Omega Red, as his eyes turn red and lose their pupils.
ESSEX: "But I am. Back away from Scott."
Omega Red nods and his coil retreats back from Scott. Alex looks at Essex in shock, as Essex walks over to Omega Red.
ALEX: "Whoa. What happened to you?"
ESSEX: "It's part of my own mutation."
Essex pauses as he hears JEAN MOAN. Scott turns his head and looks at Jean, as she lifts her head up. Essex smiles, as tears form in Scott's eyes. Jean slowly opens her eyes and looks at Scott.
SCOTT: (softly) "Jean?"
Jean stares at Scott a moment, stunned. Jean tries to stand, but her restraints keep her pinned down. Jean looks at her restraints and then at Scott. She stares at him, still stunned. Tears form in Jean's eyes.
JEAN: (softly) "Scott?"
ESSEX: "Welcome back from the dead, Dr. Grey... again."
Jean turns and looks at Essex.
ESSEX: "I can assure you that you and Scott are both very much alive and that this time, you'll both actually stay alive for a long time to come."
JEAN: "Who are you?"
ESSEX: "My name is Dr. Nathaniel Essex. Allow me to show you the real me."
Jean looks at Essex, as he pulls down his collar and grabs the nearly invisible line across the lower half of his neck. Essex pulls the line and pulls off the Caucasian-skinned, paper-thin mask over his true skin - as white as chalk. Alex raises an eyebrow, stunned.
ALEX: "That... was disgusting."
Jean tries to stand, but is unable to get up. Jean looks at Scott and narrows her eyes, trying to focus. Jean suddenly flinches in pain and Scott eyes her in concern.
SCOTT: "Jean? What's wrong?"
ESSEX: "She must be trying to use her powers. But my little neural- blocking device is keeping her from using her telekinesis and her telepathy. It keeps her from reading our minds and using her powers to get all of you free."
JEAN: "My powers..." (beat) "Now I remember. I was with Logan at Alcatraz when..."
Jean stops and lowers her head in fearful realization.
JEAN: (whispers) "Oh, God."
ESSEX: "Don't look so haunted, Dr. Grey. Those dark days are behind you now. You've been reborn for the better. I have to leave you both now. But if you'll excuse me, I still have work to do for Apocalypse."
SCOTT: "Oh, no you don't! You leave Rogue and Warren alone, Sinister! I won't let you hurt them anymore! Do you hear me?"
Essex smiles and walks to Scott, as Jean looks up at them.
ESSEX: "Don't worry about them, Scott. I assure you they'll be all right. We have big plans for them."
JEAN: "What? What have you done?"
Essex looks at Jean and smiles.
ESSEX: "Don't worry, my dear. You'll be there when I show you all the best surprise for last."
Scott futilely struggles to get up and Essex grins. Essex walks off and Omega Red follows him out. Omega Red shuts the door behind them and Scott looks at Jean.
JEAN: "Scott? But how...? How am I alive? I..." (beat) "Oh, God. What have I done? What did I do to you? I... I thought I had..."
SCOTT: (interrupts) "You didn't. I'm here, Jean."
JEAN: "Oh, Scott, I... what I thought I did... what I did after, I..." (sobbing) "Oh, God, I'm so sorry."
Scott looks at Jean in concern and Alex looks over at Jean.
SCOTT: "I'm sorry, Jean. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, whatever happened. I wish I could put my arms around you and tell you it'll be all right. A lot has happened I need to fill you in on." (beat) "I think I should start with introducing you to someone else special in my life... my brother."
Jean looks up and looks at Alex, calming down.
ALEX: "Hi. Alex Summers. I'd shake your hand if I could."
Jean looks at Alex a moment and then she looks at Scott.
JEAN: "Brother?"
SCOTT: "Like I said... we have a lot to talk about."