As the people were looking at the transformed Empire State Building, Beast was trying to call for help on Sinister's ship.
"This is a priority one SOS." He said over the radio. "Do you read?" There was no answer. "Nothing. I cannot tell whether the Phalanx is causing some sort of interference, or if..."
"Or if the whole world has been assimilated?" Forge finished for him as he was looking through his small personal computer. "Don't give up hope yet, Dr. McCoy. Warlock and I have compiled a great deal of assimilation rates of different substances. You're right about the rate being related to conductivity. Metals are more quickly absorbed than non-metals. And while most living tissue is assimilated very rapidly, mutants seem to be immune."
"Perhaps that's why my lab was attacked." Sinister guessed. "It is..." He paused as he remembered how the Phalanx destroyed it. "Was the largest storehouse of data on mutant genetics in the world. Add Xavier's records..."
"And the Phalanx may be learning how to assimilate mutants." Beast realized. "The combined powers of every mutant on Earth. I shudder to think of such a possibility."
"This obsession with mutant power may be the key to stopping the Phalanx." Forge theorized. "We must have time and a lab to study Warlock's reaction to various mutant genes."
"Muir Island!" Beast exclaimed. "It is isolated, and its mutant research facilities are among the finest in the world!"
In the Spire, Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men were struggling against their bonds.
"Let me out of here!" Wolverine raged.
"Silence, mutant!" Technus scolded. "You are to be assimilated!"
Skulker grinned as he looked over Wolverine. "You will be a worthy adversary to hunt. With your enhancements thanks to the Phalanx, you will be even more of a challenge. It will be something to look forward to."
"I ain't no animal you can catch in a bear trap, bub!" Wolverine retorted.
"Wait until Danny gets here; he's gonna kick your combined ass." Jubilee told them.
"He won't!" Technus boasted. "The Phalanx is too strong! Even for him! I modified it so he can't phase through it."
"Can you imagine how much stronger he will be when assimilated by the Phalanx?" Skulker was ecstatic at the thought of it. "I can almost see it now. A worthy battle as I finally take his corpse and place it over my fireplace."
Rogue wasn't happy with that statement as she glared at Skulker. "I'm gonna put you over my fireplace when I get my hands on you! You lay one finger on my boyfriend, and I'll be the one hunting you down."
Skulker approached Rogue and assessed her. "Such a pretty specimen that the whelp has taken for a mate. You will be a pleasure to hunt as well."
"Enough of that." Technus stopped Skulker before an argument broke out between him and Rogue. He turned his attention back to Wolverine. "Let's talk about you. Your healing factor poses quite a problem for us. You resist assimilation even more than other mutants. But your entire skeleton is bonded with adamantium, a very good conductor. By assimilating your bones, the Phalanx will examine you from the inside out."
On Muir Island, Beast, Forge, and Sinister were all working on searching for a cure to fight the Phalanx.
Moira was observing them all. "For all we know, we could be the only ones left."
"Precisely why we must work quickly." Beast stated. He looked through his microscope only to find no progress whatsoever.
"Blast it!" He raged. "This isn't working either!" He took a second to calm down and rub his eyes. "Sorry, we have been on the run since last night, and I fear it is taking its toll."
"Hank, have some coffee." A redhead gave him a cup.
"Hm? Oh, thank you." Beast took the offered coffee before realizing who this lady was. "Amelia?"
"I know." Amelia said. "Bad penny turning up again. I thought I'd pick up the career I dropped for Charles."
"Amelia's a first-year resident here." Moira said of her.
"Mom always wanted a doctor in the family." Amelia joked. "Listen, we can catch up later. I heard the situation. How can I help?"
Beast handed her some test tubes. "I need a gas chromatograph of each of these samples."
"You got it." Amelia said. "How long do you think we've got?"
Outside, a seagull landed on Sinister's jet and poked it, revealing it to be the Phalanx.
Amelia was finishing up some work when she noticed Danny in an empty room, apparently concentrating on something.
"Oh, hey, Danny." Amelia greeted. "What are you doing here?"
Danny sighed. He felt useless, considering he couldn't help the others find a cure. He thought he could at least do something by trying to work around the Phalanx's immunity to his intangibility. "I can't phase through the Phalanx; I'm trying to figure out a way to get around it."
"How?" Amelia asked in interest.
Danny remembered when he was in Dan's timeline. Dan and Valerie were fighting, and during that fight, Valerie threw some grenades at Dan, who phased through it in a completely new way. He turned himself into a gas. Danny thought if Dan could do it, then so could he. But he couldn't tell Amelia about that.
"I remember one time I managed to turn into a vapor form, and now I'm trying to recreate it." He lied.
"I think I can help." Amelia said. "That's my mutant power."
Danny smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
After several hours, Danny had finally achieved the power of turning into a vapor.
Banshee was overlooking the final result of a virus to take down the Phalanx. "Is this a computer virus or a common cold virus?"
"Both, actually." Beast answered. "The Phalanx, like Warlock, is part biological, part mechanical. Our virus combines organic and cybernetic self-replication, attacking the Phalanx's basic programming and structure. Like confusing and smashing a computer simultaneously."
"This magnetically shielded chamber should isolate the sample Warlock assimilated." Forge said.
They watched the sample of Warlock approach the virus as it deteriorated into nothing.
Everyone cheered, even Sinister, at the success.
"You did it!" Moira cried in joy.
"Hold on!" Forge held up a hand. "Don't celebrate yet. We have to trick the Phalanx into assimilating the virus quickly before it knows what it is. One of us will have to act as bait."
"Query." Warlock was concerned about something in particular. "If the virus is successful, what will happen to Self's Lifemate?"
"We're not really sure, Warlock." Forge answered hesitantly. "Perhaps with a bit more research."
"No, it is Self's fault that your world is in danger." Warlock said selflessly. "But if Self's Lifemate must be destroyed to save your planet, then Self will act as bait and be destroyed with her."
Suddenly, a satellite dish came out of Warlock's head. "Alarm! Phalanx! Phalanx is here!"
They all went to check but found nothing.
"I see nothing!" Sinister said.
"No!" Beast noticed Sinister's jet. "Look there!"
"My jet!" Sinister cried as the jet formed into the Phalanx. "Someone will pay for this!"
The Phalanx formed into a giant robot that towered over the heroes.
Banshee unleashed his scream on the robot, with Sinister firing his energy blasts. Danny fired his ghost ray, and Forge shot it with his gun.
"We've got to get the patients out of here!" Moira said with worry. "Amelia, come on!" The two ladies went in to make sure everyone was all right.
"What are you waiting for?" Sinister turned to Forge. "Use the virus!"
"We only have six ampoules." Forge explained. "We don't know what it will take to destroy the core. I won't use them unless there is no other way."
They all retreated inside as the tentacles chased after them.
The group came across Moira in the halls.
"Moira! We've got to get out of here!" Forge told her. "Do you have a plane?"
"But my patients!" Moira protested.
"If we don't make it out of here with this virus, the entire world is doomed." Forge pointed out. "Now where's the plane?"
"Alright, it's this way." Moira went to show them the way as they dodged the tentacles that tried to snatch them.
The plane was in the hanger as the group headed towards it with the Phalanx robot following them.
"Resistance is futile!" The robot said. "You will join with the Phalanx."
"Fuck!" Danny exclaimed. "Now its quoting Star Trek."
"Start the engines!" Banshee ordered. "I'll hold this thing off!"
He blasted it across the room with his scream, but it released a conductive charge through the floor as the tentacles wrapped around Banshee.
"Sean! Run!" Moira begged, but she saw that the tentacles were constricting him. "No! Sean!"
She went to rescue him when Beast grabbed hold of her.
"Moira! You cannot help him!" He told her, but a tentacle had grabbed her wrist.
"Drop her, McCoy!" Sinister commanded.
Beast refused. "No, I can't!"
"You want her to infect the whole plane?" Sinister pushed her off.
"No! Wait!" Danny cried, but it was too late as the plane took off, leaving the infected Moira behind.
"I know an old friend who can help!" Amelia informed them as they left Muir Island. "Sinister, set a course for the Arctic Circle!"
The group was in front of a metal dome with no door in sight.
"No entrance!" Forge announced. "How do we propose we get inside?"
"Stand aside!" Sinister was about to blast it when Danny stopped him.
"I can phase us through." Danny told everyone.
"Then make it quick." Sinister said rudely.
Amelia shook her head at his attitude. "Is he always like this?"
"An asshole?" Danny asked. "Yes."
They phased in and found themselves in a bunch of tunnels. Walking along, they came into a chamber where, in the center, was a man in a chair.
It was Magneto who now sported a beard. "What do you want?"
"We need your help." Amelia answered.
"To do what?" Magneto replied.
"The Earth is in danger from an alien infestation." Amelia informed him. "It has swallowed entire nations whole. Thousands of mutants, including Charles, have disappeared."
"You enter my sanctum unbidden, bringing with you that vile creature, and you ask my help?" Magneto said with disdain.
"Vile creature?" Danny repeated incredulously. "That's a little hypocritical coming from you? How many people have called you a vile creature, huh?"
Magneto was silent as he didn't respond to Danny's reply.
"Magnus, you must believe us." Beast pleaded. "This alien is a threat to all life on Earth, including your own! It is only a matter of time before..."
"Then let it come." Magneto said depressingly. "Losing Asteroid M has made me weary of this life, Dr. McCoy, weary of this endless struggle. Go! Leave me in peace."
"Magneto, losing Asteroid M is not the end of the world." Danny told him. "Not helping us stop this alien can be the end of the world. Now you can stay here and mope around before you're eventually assimilated, or you can help us deal with this and start your life again. There's also the fact that your son has been assimilated. Now I recall you wanting to fix your relationship with your kids. Well, helping us may endear you to at least your son."
Magneto considered this before getting up and putting on his cape and gloves. "Where do we begin?"
On a beach, an unsuspecting man walked to a small building that had been assimilated by the Phalanx.
"We have reached goal undetected." The man said, revealing himself to be Warlock who had covered himself over Magneto to shield him. "Self-friend Hank's plan is working. Self's body was sufficient to shield your organic tissue from detection by the Phalanx."
"Very well." Magneto said. Let us collect our sample before we are discovered." He formed a small magnetic bubble over a small sample of the Phalanx.
Two men saw this and ran toward them.
Warlock saw that they had been discovered. "Self believes it is time to retreat!"
"You have a gift for stating the obvious." Magneto replied as he formed a magnetic bubble over the two of them as they flew away.
"It is pointless to flee!" The Phalanx stated. "There is no refuge from the Phalanx! You will be assimilated!"
The two managed to get back onto the plane as it flew off.
"Fascinating." Beast said as he overlooked the sample. "It appears to be attempting to re-establish its link to the group mind."
"Mr. Sinister, prepare to administer the virus." Forge commanded.
"With pleasure." Sinister responded.
Beast interrupted them. "Just a minute, it's quieting."
The sample formed into the robotic head of Technus.
"Technus?" Danny cried.
Technus smirked. "Hello, ghost hybrid."
"The Phalanx assimilated you too?" Danny asked, believing that to be the reason why it took on his form.
"No, you fool!" Technus cried. "I control the Phalanx. When it came here, it tried to assimilate me, but I took control of it."
"That's why I can't phase through it normally." Danny realized.
"Bingo!" Technus shouted. "I modified it so you can't phase through it or escape assimilation. The world and soon the universe will be ruled by Technus, master of technology!"
"Not everything will be assimilated." Beast pointed out. "The Phalanx can't assimilate mutant tissue."
"It is only a matter of time, furball!" Technus retorted. "All organic life will be assimilated. The Phalanx creates exact copies of itself, a digital system. With Phalanx-perfect beings, the universe will be forever free of individual thought and emotion. Love, hate, curiosity, wonder, all of them will be erased, making the perfect supercomputer."
"I've heard enough." Sinister handed the virus to Magneto, who exposed it to the sample.
"What's this?" Technus asked before screaming as the sample was destroyed, leaving the stone it assimilated unharmed.
"Congratulations, gentlemen." Sinister praised. "It worked."
"Then there is hope that the assimilated humans will be restored, like this stone." Forge said happily.
"Yes, now we must administer the virus to the Phalanx core." Beast said.
"And where might that be?" Magneto asked.
"The Empire State Building." Danny replied.
Back at the Spire, Skulktech was observing as Gambit was slowly being assimilated.
"It is ready." Technus cheered as he looked at Wolverine. "Thanks to you, mutant, the Phalanx can now assimilate mutants as well. The X-factor is ours!"
"The only thing I'll help you do is carve your tombstone." Wolverine threatened.
"Too late!" Technus shot back. "My tombstone has already been carved!"
"Oh yeah." Wolverine muttered. "You're already dead."
"Assimilation of the remaining mutants will begin immediately." Phalanx informed Skulktech.
"Absorbing their powers is much more complex than the other life forms." Technus said. "They must be processed one at a time. Begin with Charles Xavier. His telepathic powers will exponentially increase our ability to communicate."
Xavier tried to reason with Technus. "Technus, stop this!"
"Stop?" Technus repeated. "We've only just begun!"
"Did you lose your humanity when you died?" Xavier asked. "Or did you have any to begin with?"
"I never had humanity in life either." Technus chuckled. "I realized that machines were perfection. No emotions, no stupid squabbling with each other. They do what they're told. They follow their programming. Then I realized that humanity would be so much better if they were like that. So I tried an experiment to evolve humanity, but something went wrong, and you can guess what happened to me?"
As the plane was flying to New York, the heroes were overlooking a small model of the city.
""I believe the Phalanx nucleus is here, in this central chamber." Forge pointed to a model of the Spire. "There is a lower chamber here, where we've detected multiple life signs, probably unassimilated mutants. That's where we'll begin our assault. Danny, can you get us to the lower chamber?"
Danny grinned. "I'll give it a shot."
Using his vapor form, he phased himself, Amelia, Forge, and Sinister into the lower chamber of the Spire.
Forge pulled out a gadget that formed a shield around them. He increased the power so that it formed around the whole chamber. "The power cell will only last a few minutes. We've got to find Jean and Lorna before the force field gives out."
Amelia used a gun to melt the pod that was holding Jean captive.
"Amelia?" Jean muttered as Amelia held her up. "Where am I?"
"In big trouble, Ms. Grey." Amelia answered. "We need your powers to back up the force field."
"It's actually Mrs. Summers, but sure." Jean replied.
Forge managed to free Lorna as the two ladies kept the force field strong.
"Keep it up, Jean! I'll get the others!"
Danny phased Rogue out of her pod. "Hey, honey!"
Rogue hugged him tightly. "Danny, you're all right! I missed you."
"I missed you too." Danny said. "Now let's get the others out of here."
He phased Jubilee out of her pod.
Rogue was in awe of Danny's vapor form. "Whoa! I didn't know you could do that."
"I learned it a couple of hours ago." Danny replied as he woke up Jubilee.
Jubilee's eyes widened in joy at seeing her brother. "Danny! You're okay!"
Danny smiled. "Of course I am."
Jubilee had some information for Danny. "Danny, you need to know that the Phalanx is controlled by..."
"Technus?" Danny answered. "I already know."
"Not just him, sugar, but Skulker too." Rogue added. "They teamed up and merged into one."
"Merged into one?" Danny asked before he realized what Rogue meant. His ghost sense then went off. "Oh, no."
"Oh, yes, whelp." Skulktech appeared before them.
"Skulktech!" Danny cried.
Skulker raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "How did you know our name?"
Danny snorted. "Trust me, it's not that original."
"Now we need offensive power!" Forge freed Wolverine from his prison while Sinister freed Cyclops, who immediately attacked Sinister when he was freed.
"Summers, you fool!" Sinister said in outrage.
"Sinister!" Cyclops snarled. "I should have known you had something to do with this!"
Amelia got in between the two. "Cut it out, Scott! He's on our side!"
"Amelia! Start teleporting everyone to safety." Danny ordered. "I'll take care of Skulktech."
"You sure, honey?" Rogue asked, not wanting Danny to deal with this alone.
"Don't worry, Rogue, I can deal with these two." Danny said confidently.
Rogue kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck."
Soon it was only Danny and Skulktech as they started to fight.
"It's over, Phantom!" Technus boasted. "You can't beat us!"
Four tentacles came from their back as they tried to grab the hybrid, but Danny phased through them in vapor form.
"Huh?" Technus was dumbfounded. "How is that possible? We modified the armor so you couldn't phase through that either!"
"You're not as much of a genius as you think, Technus." Danny said. "Now, Skulker, I can understand why Technus would do all this, but why you?" Danny asked as he fired a couple of ecto-blasts at them.
"To have the ultimate prey!" Skulker roared.
"Ultimate?" Danny shook his head. "Dude, the Phalanx would take away any will. Any unpredictable moments of thought anyone would have. Sounds like it would get boring. After all, one of the reasons you hunt me is my unbreakable will and how I always manage to outsmart you no matter what, along with my creative thinking! You sure the Phalanx will be up to par?"
Skulker contemplated this as he realized Danny was right. The Phalanx wouldn't improve the hunt; if anything, it would detract from the fun of it. "He's right! The Phalanx will just take the joy out of the hunt."
"Shut up and fight him!" Technus ordered.
"Skulker, you've got to stop this madness or hunting will become boring and your obsession won't be fulfilled." Danny warned him. "You'll fade away."
"Enough of this!" Technus took full control of the body as he tried to attack Danny, who kept evading him.
"What are you doing?" Skulker shouted.
"Taking full control!" Technus fired a beam of energy at Danny, who blocked it with a shield.
"No!" Skulker started to fight for control over Skulktech.
"Wait, what?" Technus was confused about how Skulker was able to resist. "How is this possible?"
"Fight him, Skulker!" Danny urged. "Fight him!"
Skulktech ejected Technus from the body. Without the technovillain, the armor soon changed back to normal Skulker.
"No!" Technus bemoaned. "I can't lose! I was so close!"
"Sorry, Technus, but resistance is futile." Danny pulled out a thermos and sucked him up.
Outside the Spire, Magneto, Warlock, and Beast noticed that the Phalanx stopped as they were dealing with the loss of Technus.
"The Phalanx appears to be preoccupied." Magneto observed.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Beast asked Warlock.
"It is Self's responsibility." Warlock answered. "Thank you, Self-friend Hank."
"We are at your disposal." Beast said as Magneto formed a magnetic bubble over them as they pierced through the spire until arriving in the lower chamber.
The tentacles swarmed the bubble as Magneto weakened it enough as they swarmed over Warlock.
"Warlock!" Magneto cried in a mock voice, pretending that this wasn't what they wanted to happen.
As Warlock was being assimilated, he infected the core with the virus.
"Danger!" Phalanx cried. "Virulent agent! Purge core!"
"It's working!" Beast cheered as they saw that the Phalanx was slowly turning into dust.
The Spire was now just the regular Empire State Building and everyone assimilated turned back to normal.
Gambit sighed in relief at being released. "Gambit does not recommend trying that."
"I know what you mean." Quicksilver said in agreement.
"I am glad that it is over." Storm said.
Beast approached Warlock. "Warlock, you're all right."
"That is debatable, Self-friend Hank." Warlock replied as he looked around. "Lifemate? Was she restored?"
"I'm afraid there is no sign of her." Beast said sadly.
Warlock lowered his head. "It was necessary, was it not, Self-friend Hank?" He then sensed something. "Lifemate? Lifemate!" He went further into the building until he found pieces of liquid metal that were his Lifemate. "Lifemate! Query. Can you monitor Self?"
The liquid soon reformed into Lifemate.
"Warlock?" Lifemate said in shock. "Query: Where is self? Self cannot recall anything for the last thirty-nine cycles."
"Another controlled you." Warlock explained as he embraced her. "But now you are safe, and we are together! This is all that matters!"
The X-Men, Polaris, Forge, Magneto, Amelia, Sinister, Skulker, Warlock, and Lifemate all gathered outside the Empire State Building.
"It appears that everything and everyone has been fully restored." Xavier said with gratitude. "It is ironic that a virus would prove so curative. Thank you, all. I never thought I'd see the day when we would all be working together."
"Save it, old man!" Skulker admonished. "I only helped so the hunt will never bore me." He turned to Danny. "And you, whelp, I will hunt you down one day."
Rogue came up behind the hunter and ripped off his head. "Shut up, you old tin can!"
Skulker's body fell to the ground as Rogue shook his head until Skulker fell out.
Everyone just looked at the small green blob with arms and legs.
"That's just weird." Jubilee commented.
"I am the Skulker!" Skulker proclaimed in a squeaky voice. "The greatest hunter of the Ghost Zone! You will all feel my wrath!"
Rogue held her hand out to Danny. "May I?"
Danny placed a thermos in it. "Knock yourself out."
Rogue smirked as she captured Skulker.
"So what are we going to do with the armor?" Jubilee asked as she looked over it.
"I'm gonna put it above the fireplace." Rogue answered.
"As much as I hate to admit it, the hunter was right." Magneto said. "I sense no new mutant solidarity, Charles. With the fate of the planet hanging in the balance, many acted to save their own skin."
"Including Sinister!" Cyclops agreed as he looked for any sign of the mutant. "Where is he?"
They watched as Sinister ran down a corner to escape from them.
"Slunk back into the shadows, where he belongs." Jean said. "Let it go, Scott. I just want to go home."
"Self also wishes to go home." Warlock added. "Self-friends Hank, Phantom, and Forge, you have done much for Self and Lifemate already. But will you help Self to return to the home world?"
"I'm sure we can construct a new ship." Forge replied. "But why do you wish to return?"
"To fulfill Self's destiny!" Warlock declared. "And free the home world from the nexus forever. Self has run from Self's problems long enough."
"Even if you have given up hope for yourself, Magnus, there are reasons to work for a better future." Xavier pointed to Quicksilver coming towards them. "Here comes one now."
"Pietro, thank God you're safe." Magneto hugged his son.
"Sentiments shared by every parent on Earth." Beast said as they watched father and son reunite.