"I don't know what I did to you," Talonhawk began. "But if I could, I would take it all back." 
 Caterwaul spun around and extended his flaws from his fingertips. 
"Some things can't be taken back. The shot's been fired. The enemy had been wounded. War is on the horizon. The best you can do now is defend yourself from any retaliations." 
 "It doesn't have to be this way," Talonhawk reached out. 
 Caterwaul batted his hand away. "Next time you try that, you're going to have a doctor sewing it back on." 
 Talonhawk gripped his arm and stared at Caterwaul as he walked down the hallway… Knowing better than to pursue this further… 

 His name is Jeremy, and he is standing at the foot of his mother's grave. Gently he placed a flower down upon the grave, tears swelling in his eyes. "I know you can see me, Mom… I know you've seen the things I've done… You know all my secrets… I know the pain you always felt is over… but I miss you… I want to hold you one more time and tell you I love you… and that I have always loved you…" 
 He walked away, not turning back. 
 He's trying to make amends for the things he's done. 
 He wants to make his mother proud. Something he believes wholeheartedly that he has never done before. 
 His name is Jeremy, and he's never felt more alone… than he does now. 

 "I ask only because I am concerned," Mindscan said, turning to face Coldfront. 
 "I'm fine," she replied back. 
 "I can't help but notice tension around you… Ever since the time in the kitchen when Caterwaul was reading those lyrics about a Fallen Angel…" Mindscan went on to say, as if Coldfront had not spoken a word. 
 "I said, I'm fine." 
 Mindscan stopped pacing and looked at her. "I'm a telepath. I could tell in one second if you're lying or not. But I don't like to use my telepathy… But I can't count how many times I've been tempted in the last few weeks. Our team is in chaos. Why do we need villains if we can fight so well amongst each other?" 
 She stepped back. "You wouldn't…" 
 "Not on my own will no," Mindscan said. "But I'm growing increasingly more concerned about us. If we can't operate as a team - when the time comes, and one of us messes up because of feelings towards another - and it cost one of members their lives… I can't imagine…" 
 Coldfront was silent. She turned away. "Are you through?" 
 "If this keeps up," Mindscan whispered as he walked out the door. 
"We're all through, not just me." 

 She stood in front of the trailer home and heard the television. 
Her hand reached for the door. Over and over in her mind, she tried to find the right words to say. She realized it was something she couldn't rehearse. Whatever was going to happen right now would surly be anything but easy. 
 She opened the door slowly and saw her mother. 
 "Mom," she whispered. 
 The older woman turned. Her eyes immediately flashed with anger. 
The woman was no older than 45 at the most but all her features seemed so aged. She looked more like she was in her 60's. 
 "What are you doing here? I sent you away!" 
 Her name is Stephanie Golden. She is better known as Thermal. 
Right now she's facing something she has feared all her life. This moment. 
 "Mom, I want to make amends," Thermal began. 
 "Get out of my house! Get out!" her mother screamed. 
 "Mom, please…" she reached out. 
 In retaliation, her mother threw a vase. It struck near Thermal, exploding in ceramic shards. It wasn't a warning shot. She had every intention to have the vase shatter across her skull. 
 It wasn't enough to scare her away. She's been running scared too long. She wanted to fix things now. 
 Her mother picked up another vase. Thermal held out her hand, and it glowed a soft orange. The mother screamed, and dropped the hot vase. 
"You witch!" the mother screamed. "Get out!" 
 "No mom," Thermal said firmly. "Not until you know the truth." 
 "Shut up! Don't try to lie!" the mother was screaming so loud. 
 "Mother!" Thermal screamed. "You can not say it's a lie! You know! And you did nothing!" Her mother continued screaming protests, but now those voices were drowned away as Thermal began to unleash memories, buried deep within her mind. "He beat me, mother! He touched me when I was so young! He took everything away from me! Everything! He left me an empty carcass that knew only hate, and 'love' so tainted and black!" 
 "He did no such thing! Stop! Stop!" 
 "No, mother, I will not stop," Thermal shouted back. "Because you never stopped him! You did nothing! I hated him for what he did to me! 
But I never meant what had happened!" 
 The memories were flooding them both. 
 She was thirteen. Her father had dragged her into the garage after severely beating her, when she dropped her glass of milk in the kitchen. Now he was going to do what he had always done. Make it up to her; tell her he was sorry; and love her the way no father should love their daughter. 
 She was so weak. She was crying. The mother looked on, wanting to stop it; but as she had always done, she did no such thing. She reached out for her mother to stop this; but she only turned away. 
 Anger exploded inside of her. A canister of gasoline ignited… and shortly after exploded. Flames danced, and caught her father on fire. No matter how much he rolled on the floor, the flames always seemed to attack him. Jumped from distances to ignite him time and time again… relentlessly. 
 Little did she know at the time, it had been her own doing. Her anger ignited the spark. Her anger controlled the flames that burned her father. 
 He was dead long before the ambulance ever arrived. 
 That night, Thunder City was the birth of a new mutant. 
 After the funeral, her own mother seemed to age. All those years holding back and doing nothing to save her own daughter suddenly seemed to have caught up with her in one moment. Her mother cast her out of the house when she was sixteen years old. The girl known as Stephanie Golden had to learn quickly how to survive on the streets. How she did it, no one knows. No one asks. No one pries. Until Department H found her and took her in, promising her a better life… and control over her powers. 
 Her mother now fell to her knees, shaking her head… Barely above a whisper, she repeated consecutively, the one word she always wanted to shout. "No." 
 Thermal kneeled down by her mother. "It's okay… it's over now…" 
 Forgiving had always come easy. 
 Forgetting however... 
 She will probably never forget. 
 
 

 "Everybody down," he laughed. 
 Upon his command everyone fell to the ground, like puppets whom had their strings snipped. He laughed uncontrollably. 
 "This is gonna be to too easy, eh?" another laughed. With a wave of his hand, the earth below everyone's feet responded as if it were watery waves. 
 "We got to be careful, mates," the third and finally one said. 
"Ye gotta be on guard. The others know nothin' of what we be doin'!" 
 "You worry too much," the first one laugh. 
 "No," came a voice. "I'd say you've got every reason to be worried." 
 The first turned. He is better known as Compact, a member of Rogue Force. "Aww, cripes, it's that freak." 
 Extending his talons, Caterwaul smiled. "I'm touched you remember me." 
 Tremor didn't hesitate. With a wave of his hands, the earth replied in kind. As if made of water, large waves of solid stone crashed towards Caterwaul. Leaping out of the way with incredible ease, Caterwaul growled. "That trick worked once. Caught me off guard. Not this time. Not again." 
 "Wait till I get me hands on ye, matey!" Wipeout shouted. "I'll cancel yer little healin' factor that I found out ye have, and then we'll beat ye to a bloody pulp!" 
 "Somehow I don't think so," came a woman's voice. 
 They turned. They recognized her. 
 "Cripes," Compact complained. "It's anudder one of them!" 
 Her name is Thermal. With the mutant ability to generate and create fire, she's proven to be a deadly enemy… those wise enough would either quickly surrender to her, or join her. She's with Next Flight now. 
She's one of the heroes. 
 "As if that weren't bad enough," came yet another voice. Looking up, it was Talonhawk. 
 "Enough with the dramatic entrances," Mindscan said. They looked to the door now, and there stood Mindscan and Coldfront. "So, where's the rest of Rogue Force?" 
 "We don't need'em to crush the amateur likes of you all!" Tremor shouted, and again the earth replied to his movement. 
 "I don't think so!" Coldfront laughed. Her hands flared a chilling blue, and seconds later ice covered the tidal wave of stone. 
 "Do you guys have anything to do with the jewelry heists from the previous weeks?" Mindscan called out. 
 The fight continued. What was he thinking? Like someone would answer him. 
 "Watch out for Wipeout," Caterwaul called out. With amazing agility he leapt towards Compact. 
 "Come on, psycho boy!" Compact jeered. 
 Caterwaul hit Compact with every ounce of his energy, with a powerful kick - and felt as if he struck a solid wall. Compact laughed. 
"Shame you didn't read up on me, little psycho! I can control another's density as well as my own! I can make myself completely unmovable! Now how does it feel to - !" 
 Compact never finished his sentence. 
 His body fell to the floor, lifeless. 
 "Blimey!" Wipeout screamed. "Someone downed Compact - permanately!" With a look out the window he suddenly had the answer. 
"Gene-Hunters! Scatter!" 
 Men clad in orange armor hovered outside. 
 "We can't just leave Compact's body here!" Tremor shouted. 
 "Then die here with him, matey!" Wipeout called, and ran out the back. 
 Tremor paused, then ran. 
 A shot struck Caterwaul in the chest. A shot meant for his heart, but his heightened senses heard the bullet whizzing for him. He felt a burning sensation, and knew immediately these were not normal bullets. 
 Caterwaul shouted, "We've got a problem! They're targeting us too!" 
 "What?" Mindscan screamed in disbelief. "Who are these guys?" 
 "I don't think we have time to ask," Coldfront screamed, as bullets began to fill the room. 
 Mindscan looked around when he heard a woman scream. An innocent woman fell, blood pouring out of a wound. "They're hitting innocent people, too!" 
 "No," Thermal growled. "They're going after us, not carrying who gets hit." 
 "We've got to do something," Mindscan shouted above the gunfire. 
 Coldfront was the first to react. Ice blasted from her fists and enveloped one of the Gene-Hunters. Almost immediately, the ice began to melt. "Their armor has defenses built in them!" Talonhawk shouted. 
 "Let's see about that!" Thermal shouted. "If they need help melting that ice, let me do the honors!" Her hands, opposite of Coldfront's flared a bright red. Seconds later, orange armor turned red. 
A man inside screamed. 
 "Retreat! Our armor's not designed to fight these gene-scum!" 
 As quickly as they had appeared, the men in battle armor quickly pulled a retreat. 
 "Why do I doubt that's the last we'll hear of them?" Caterwaul hissed, as his healing factor took care of the wound in his shoulder. 
 Talonhawk looked at the body of Compact. He was their age. And he was dead. A bullet hole through the head. He never felt a thing, Talonhawk told himself. Somehow that didn't ease the stirring emotions he felt inside. 
 "Call an ambulance, people!" came Mindscan's shout. He was next to the woman who had been struck by a stray bullet. 
 Coldfront wrapped her arms around herself. She felt unusually cold inside. She had been a "hero" for some time but never really saw anyone die. They were here, after all, to save lives. To make sure no one ever died. There was a cold that raged inside of her heart; a cold that even made her shiver. 
 
 

(Note: This chapter takes place during Chapter 41 "Surprises" of "Birth of a New Dream") 

 "Sir," Mindscan said, approaching Mark Carr, who was Next Flight's main contact now. "Who were those Gene-Hunters? I looked through the Alpha Index, and there is no mention of them anywhere. What are they? 
Who are they? What do they want? They didn't seem to care who was a hero and who was a villain." 
 Mark turned and faced Mindscan. "Look, it's as simple as the fact - the world is not just black and white. There are gray spots. The Gene-Hunters are an organization that is out to be rid of all mutants. 
Whether good or bad. In their eyes, all mutants are bad." 
 "I don't get it," Mindscan said in disbelief. "We're here trying to help regular humans! We're trying to save the world and they want us dead?" 
 "Unfortunately so," Mark said. "After all, their belief is one that would stem from such ideas, like Rogue Force. They were the original New Generation. They went bad. Whose to say all mutants won't go bad? Not to mention," he paused. "They fear you." 
 "Why?" 
 "You are a slap in the face. You're the next evolutionary step. 
You are what has been called Homo Superior." 
 "I don't understand why we can't work together, for peace. That's why we formed, isn't it?" Mindscan asked. 
 "Yes, it is. Unfortunately, not everyone shares our vision." 
 He looked at the flashing light on the console. "We've got company. People whom you just might want to meet." 
 "Who?" 
 "Come with me," Mark smiled, and led him out of the room. 

 "Vindicator, I want you to meet someone," Mark said. 
 The man known as Vindicator - Mac Hudson - turned, and smiled. 
The one, who stood there, only gawked. He tried to speak. Vindicator reached out his hand. "It's a pleasure," he smiled. 
 Mindscan, a telekinetic and a telepath, couldn't speak. He shook his head after a brief moment and finally took Vindicator's hand and shook it. "Wow. Vindicator. I, wow, I was, well, have been, wow, reading all about you, and well, um, all of Alpha Flight, and well, wow, everything you've all, um, done." 
 "Most of it is vastly exaggerated," Vindicator laughed. 

 In another room, Caterwaul nudged Walter Langkowski. "So, you're the legendary Sasquatch, eh? You up for transforming and doing some practice rounds with me in the Training Room?" 
 Walter's eyes watered for a moment, then he turned away. "No. 
Look. Why don't you go ask someone else? I'm rather tired…" 
 Caterwaul looked puzzled. 
 "Walt can't change into Sassy anymore, eh," a voice said. 
Caterwaul looked down and saw none other than the legendary Puck. "But I will go a few rounds with you, eh?" 
 "You? A sawed off little pint?" 
 The rest of Alpha Flight grinned. 
 This was going to be good. 

 Puck was doing cartwheels around Caterwaul, who was leaping after Puck time and time again. For what it was worth, Caterwaul might as well had been a cat chasing the reflective light of a mirror. For all his heightened reflexes, Caterwaul found himself missing Puck by a long shot. 
Every time he struck out, Puck would effortlessly cartwheel out of the way. 
 Landing behind Caterwaul, he tapped the back of his knee. 
Caterwaul spun around, only to have Puck grab him by the head and leapfrog over him. His every move was done with such incredible ease. He was mocking Caterwaul. 
 Puck wasn't breathing hard, but Caterwaul's own breath was becoming increasingly labored. Puck stopped and turned his back to Caterwaul. Caterwaul knew this was his chance. He crouched, let his strengthened leg muscles wind up, then he released and sprung far and fast; but at the last possible second, Puck ducked, grabbed Caterwaul's leg, and climbed on his back, riding him like a giant bird. Just before Caterwaul impacted with the steel bench, Puck leapt off, did a few flips in the air and landed on his feet. "You forget you leave a shadow, eh?" 
 A slight gash upon Caterwaul's head was already healing itself. 
 Puck wiped the one bead of sweat on his forehead. "That was almost a work out for me," he laughed. He approached Caterwaul and helped him up, throwing him a towel. "Remember, one of my favorite sayings, eh?" 
 "What would that be?" Caterwaul growled, unable to hide his smirk. He was made a complete fool of, in front of everyone who was watching through the observation booth above. 
 "Little green man said it best. 'Size matters not.'" With that Puck left the room laughing all the way. 
 Caterwaul waited till the door was shut and collapsed. 

 Mindscan gently touched Talisman on the shoulder. "Elizabeth?" 
 Talisman turned around. She was quite taken aback. Mindscan was an attractive, young man indeed. "Mindscan, right?" she said, extending her hand. 
 "Um, right," Mindscan said. He took her hand and shook it. "But how did you know?" 
 "I did my homework," Talisman smiled. "When people we're summoned by Snowbird *, I saw your file. Considered summoning you, but just because of you lack of experience… I didn't. Not with what we were facing." 
 "Wow," was all he could mutter. He couldn't help but look at her. 
She was beautiful. Her hair was thick, long, and straight. Her figure, as if shaped by the hands of a man who desired the perfect woman. He shook his head, and felt his cheeks blush. "Um, I wanted to ask something of you." 
 "What is it?" she asked. 
 "Could you come with me?" Mindscan asked. 
 She smiled. 

 "Look here," he pointed at the screen. "These symbols. These were markings that were found after Witchfire was possessed… they were recorded for future analysis. While I was looking for information about a…" He paused. "Well, an elusive robber… I was looking through Alpha Index to see if there was anything that might lead me in the right direction… but I came across this - and noticed it was never analyzed." 
 Talisman looked. "Interesting. They're ancient runes. That's for sure. Let me see if I can figure them out." 
 She moved her hand in a circle; upon the floor a red circle flared. She traced the runes in the air. She stood amide the glowing symbols. Mindscan stared with awe. He had seen much in his days… but never anything that could come close to this. 
 Slowly Talisman levitated. Her voice was not her own. "It's a portal spell." 
 "Okay," Mindscan said. "That's enough. You can break the spell now." 
 "Go!" Talisman screamed. Still her voice was not her own. 
Mindscan didn't know what to do. Go? Go where? Go get others? Go run? Go into the portal? Talisman screamed, "Run little snow-!" 
 From a portion of the spell, a young lady burst just in front of Talisman, collapsing to the ground. Talisman was regaining control of herself, when she heard the voice that had not been hers. "She is safe! 
She is safe…" 
 With that, Talisman collapsed. 
 Mindscan was in the room, horrified, fascinated, and completely frozen by what he had witnessed. 

 The world was so fuzzy. 
 Slowly things were coming in… 
 "My daughter," Shaman was saying. "What happened?" 
 Talisman tried to think. "Mindscan showed me some runes that had been recorded when Witchfire was with Alpha… When she was possessed… runes that were never analyzed… I analyzed them by casting the spell they invoked… and from there, I don't remember anything, but hitting the floor." 
 "What runes?" Shaman asked. 
 "They're on the computer." Talisman answered matter-of-factly. 
 "They're not anymore," Mindscan whispered. "They're gone. As if they had never been." 
 "What?" Talisman asked, sitting up. She saw a blond girl, ice blue eyes staring at her. "Who's she?" 
 "We were hoping you'd be able to tell us, Talisman," Vindicator said. "She came through this apparent portal spell." 
 "We can't understand a word she's saying," Mindscan shrugged. 
"I've tried to probe her mind, but she has some kind of incredible defense. Same force as I encountered when I tried to mindscan Caterwaul once." 
 "Shame Puck's not here. I think he knows how to speak every language that's on this globe! Where's Puck when you need him?" Vindicator sighed. 
 "Out taking Caterwaul for a few drinks, I assume," Thermal replied. "Saw the two of them talking, and heading for the front door. 
Caterwaul boasting that he could at least out drink Puck, with his healing factor…" 
 "Oh no," everyone sighed in unison. 
 
 

 "She's asleep," Mindscan whispered, coming out of her room. One of the many guest rooms of Department H. "I wonder who she is." 
 "I don't know," Talisman answered. "She all right?" 
 Mindscan smiled. "If I knew how to speak her language, I guess I'd know that for sure." He stretched and yawned. "She looks to be about sixteen years old or so." He shook his head. "What a night. Care to join me for some coffee downstairs?" 
 Elizabeth Twoyoungmen smiled. "I'd love to." 
 They walked together downstairs, whispering among themselves. 

 Just as they reached the bottom of the door, Puck kicked the door open, barely able to hold up Caterwaul who was swaying all over the place. "Seems the boy can't hold his liquor either, eh?" 
 Mindscan's mouth gaped open, while Talisman laughed. 
 "I don't believe it," Mindscan awed. "I've seen him drink cases of beer, mixed with hard liquor, and not even sway in the slightest!" 
 "You obviously haven't seen Puck drink," Elizabeth smiled. 
 Puck smiled. "Where should I take the pup?" 
 "His…" Mindscan was still stunned. "His room's up there - Section SDC, room 105…" 
 Puck smiled. "Got it." Dragging Caterwaul more than carrying him now, Caterwaul looked up and saw Mindscan and Talisman looking at him with pity. "Go fer it, leader man!" He imitated a tiger's growl, and passed out once again. 
 "He's going to hate you in the morning, Puck," Mindscan smiled. 
 "Not as much as he's gonna hate his hangover, eh?" Puck mused. 
"See if his healing factor gets rid of that, no?" 
 Mindscan shook his head, as Puck laughed, dragging Caterwaul up the stairs. He wasn't caring too much if Caterwaul banged his head on the stairs or railing. His healing factor that he bragged about so much would surly take care of any bumps and bruises. 
 Mindscan bowed and smiled up at Talisman. "Shall we?" 
 Talisman bowed a small courtesy, and smiled back. "We shall." 

 They sat across from each other. Nothing at all in common, but they never ran out of things to say. Things to talk about. 
 Suddenly a scream tore through the halls. 
 "What was that?" Mindscan shouted, jumping to his feet. 
 "A scream," Talisman remarked sarcastically. 
 Mindscan shot her a smug look, and made a break for the hallway where the scream had come from. It came again. 
 Mindscan and Talisman looked at each other. 
 Their mysterious guest had apparently woken up again. 

 Bursting into the room, they saw the blond girl kicking and swinging her arms about, fighting the covers that wrapped around her body. "Release me foul demon! Release me!" 
 "She's speaking English!" Talisman awed. 
 "I'll explain that later, meanwhile I think we better -!" 
 He never got the chance to finish. 
 The last thing he saw was a large, circular light disk appear. 
 Then a flash. 

 Northstar and Aurora whizzed into the guest's bedroom, only to find it empty. 
 "C'est impossible!" Aurora awed. 
 "No," Northstar whispered breathlessly. "Apparently not, no?" 

 It did not take them long to summon the others. Shaman looked around. "I sense magic - but it is not magic that took them away. The magic residue is very thin. It's the girl. I sensed it on her, though she does not wield magic herself. I can't not explain it." 
 "So what happened?" Talonhawk asked. 
 "They vanished." 
 The room lit up again. 
 "Out! Everyone out!" 
 The flash faded, and there stood Mindscan, Talisman, and their mysterious guest in the bed, which had vanished as well. 
 "That…" Mindscan paused. "Was interesting." 
 Talisman looked around. "We're back." 
 The others peeked into the room. 
 "What's going on here?" Vindicator screamed. 
 Mindscan took a deep breath and sat on the bed, as if in shock. 
"I wish I could tell you. Wow." He turned to the blond, mysterious girl. 
"Do you have a name?" 
 "My name is…" she paused, as if thinking. "My name is Christi." 
 "What?" Talonhawk screamed. "Just several hours ago, she didn't speak a word of English! It was broken at best! And now she's speaking it perfectly!" 
 Mindscan stood. "I can explain that." 
 Everyone looked on. 
 "I read in the Alpha Index while looking for information on… well, a robber, I read that Professor Xavier was able to transmute his thoughts, and basically 'teach' someone a language when they went to sleep by incorporating every piece of knowledge he has into another's mind. While I sat with her, I spoke with her. I tried to figure out who she was or where she came from. She fell asleep, and I tried the trick. 
Apparently it worked. She knows English as well as I do." 
 Puck shook his head. "As confusing as Alpha Flight's life, eh?" 

 Time and time again, Next Flight would train with various members of Alpha Flight. Whoever was on the team at the time, or whoever was available. Their mysterious guest, now only known as Christi - for she could not apparently recall her own last name, and her psionic defenses were more powerful than Mindscan could overcome - had begun to join them in their practices. 
 Apparently Christi was also a mutant. 
 A mutant, able to summon and control disks which she could step into and use to teleport anywhere. This is what had happened in the bedroom with Mindscan and Talisman. She adopted the name "Portal" and became Next Flight's newest member... 
 
 

 "So what's your assessment on this Christi girl?" the voice asked. 
 Mindscan stepped forward. "Sir. I have tried a mindscan on her several times. Her mind is as blocked to me as Caterwaul's. I admit I am not experienced as Professor Xavier, but I'm not a rank amateur either. I mean… she's a great asset to the team. That I can't deny. She can teleport us anywhere. All of us at the same time even! But the only name she's given us is Christi. I seriously doubt that is her real name. I didn't notice it before but in her room there is a picture of Christ. I believe this is where she came up with the name 'Christi.' I have asked her time and time again about her family. She keeps telling me that she has none left and that they have all died. She's sixteen years old sir." His thoughts were a radical mess. "Sir. Look. She's only given us the name 'Christi' and she says she can't remember her last name… yet she knows that her family has all passed away. Sir, she's not even interested in her friends. She says the ones that mattered have also died. When I asked where she was from and what language she was speaking before, she tells me it doesn't matter anymore. What matters is here and now. Sir," Mindscan fell into a chair. "If I may say so, she's probably more mysterious than Caterwaul…" 
 His name is Mark Carr. He's Next Flight's newest contact. He was much more sympathetic towards Next Flight; and for that they were all thankful. He shook his head, and stood up from his chair, folding his arms behind his back. "Perhaps she's not yet trusting of us," Mark Carr said. 
 "If she didn't trust us, she could easily teleport away," Mindscan said flatly. "Not like there's anything we could do about it." 
 "Then perhaps she has had a terrible past. Perhaps her friends and family are dead. We don't know where she came from exactly. Talisman opened some kind of portal. Who knows to or from where she came to us from? She may not wish to discuss her past with us. Aren't we all entitled to our own secrets? I am sure you possess quite a few." 
 "Well yes, but…" Mindscan shook his head. "I don't know if I can trust her." 
 "And perhaps she doesn't know if she can trust you," Mark Carr said. "Trust isn't something all people hand over on a silver platter." 
 "I'm learning that," Mindscan muttered. 

 He was flying. His wings carried him through the clouds… through the skies. 
 "Beautiful isn't it?" came a female's voice. 
 Talonhawk beat his wings to hover in one place and looked around. 
His eagle eyes were dashing here and there, when finally; an owl he spotted came towards him. As it did so, he could see its form changing. 
"Snowbird," he said softly. 
 Her soft form took shape. Her sightless eyes fixing on him. "You look like an angel," she said with a smile. 
 "That's funny, coming from a half-goddess," he smiled. 
 She touched his face, and her own facial features changed. "I am sorry. I did not know there was a death in your family." 
 Talonhawk's eyes blazed over with sadness only to change seconds later into a flash of anger. "What? There was no death in my family! I have no idea what you're talking about!" He pulled his wings inward, and sky dived, reaching incredible speeds, diving downward. 
 Snowbird could have easily caught up… but somehow she thought it wiser not to… and thought about the last few seconds of the conversation… 
 Shrugging, she took owl form again, and flew freely through the skies once more… 

 "I don't get it," Caterwaul sighed. "How does your power work?" 
 "Well the way that Or -!" she cleared her throat. "Or I should say, I 'think' that it works… Earth sits on a 'plane of existence.' That plane is flat. Say like a sheet of paper. Say each corner of the paper is point in a direction, like north, south, east and west. Now say that we're on the West End of the paper. By using my power, I in essence bend that plane of existence, like you would bend or fold a sheet of paper, thus bringing the West End to meet the East End of the paper. But instead of traveling all the way across the paper, it's bent and touching points already." 
 "That's pretty incredible," Caterwaul sighed. 
 They talked for a bit more, exchanging tales. 
 Two spirits with so little found comfort in one another. 
 Caterwaul finally stretched. "Look, I am gonna go get myself a brew. Is there anything I can get for you?" 
 Portal smiled and nodded. 
 "You sure?" he smiled. 
 "Positive," she replied. 
 Caterwaul began walking back towards the department when he saw Coldfront standing in the doorway. As he approached, her cold tone matched her cold demeanor. "She's too young for you." 
 Caterwaul shoved her aside and stood two feet into the hall. 
"That's funny. She's filled my head with more intelligent gumbo than you ever did." With that he turned and kept walking towards the kitchen… 

 The room is dark. 
 Voices speak above a whisper. 
 They could scream and she would never hear them. 
 Her name is Jeanettalynn Braxton. 
 She is shackled to some kind of device, with needles, wires, and tubes weaving in and out of her body. She has been like this for how long - she doesn't know. She hasn't seen the sun or moon in so long. But by the strain on her wrists and ankles, she would say it's been at least a week. Occasionally, someone in a containment suit comes in and gives her crumbs of food and drips of water. Just enough to keep her alive it seemed, but not enough to let her recover her strength. 
 "Hudson came to us several weeks ago, claiming there was no need for himself and Heather to be on Alpha Flight," one man in the observation booth was saying. "He said he would like it if Heather would retire off the team. Of course when Mac brought this up to her, she exploded and said she would not. So, I propose we give Heather a new power suit…" 
 "What's the girl got to do with this?" another asked. 
 "Her name is Jeanettalynn Braxton," the first went on to explain. 
"She is a mutant. She was once known as Igneous… she possesses the mutant ability to control magma and lava flow of the earth… somewhat altering the earth's magnetic field in the earth's surface to push up volcanic eruptions… A slight variation since Mac's suit is able to manipulate the magnetic properties of the earth… now if we could find out how our precious mutant, Igneous, is able to do what she does, we may have ourselves a new suit for Heather…" 
 She hears the humming. 
 She knows the tests are about to begin again. 
 She screams before they do, hoping someone will hear her. 
 She screams louder once the tests begin. 
 Same result. 
 No one ever hears her scream…