"Hello, and welcome to DBS news. This is Elise Chung reporting.

Today the body of Shawn Kane, better known as Tremor of Rogue Force was found in an alley way when several kids were running through there.

Police reports say that the body was several days old already when it was discovered. They are also saying, by the wound inflicted, that it appears he died from the same type of armory that the 'mutant haters' known as the Gene-Hunters have used. This makes the -!"

He turned away from the television.

Another death?

This had to stop. And it had to stop now. He turned towards his mother and smiled. "Mom," he said. "I'm going on a trip."

"Where to?" she asked, looking up with a weak smile. She already knew the answer. When the whole business of the Gene-Hunters became public eye, she knew it was but a matter of time before her son would leave the safe nest of their home. "How long will you be gone?"

"I can't tell you where… I am not even sure where… and as for how long…" He seemed to think. "I will be home as soon as possible."

"… and in related news, the organization known as the Gene-Hunters attacked an unidentified craft that was flying over Canadian airspace… a battle has since ensued… the target, apparently another, unknown mutant… we cut to Marti for some live footage…"

His senses were alive…

And so was he… amazingly.

His name is Adam Peters, but he is better known as Caterwaul.

In an attempt to apologize to Coldfront for his behavior, after Talonhawk's death, she froze every ounce of blood in his body… forcing all his major functions to cease working all at once.

It could have killed him.

It would have… had it not been for Thermal.

Using her mutant power to create and control heat and fire, she got Caterwaul's blood pumping once again… but even then, he was barely alive. He sustained a lot of damage… but his healing factor quickly went to work, and mended all that had been destroyed, by shutting everything off… and leaving him in a coma…

When he awoke, Next Flight was gone… all except Portal.

Apparently, Mark Carr called for a requested vacation; to give everyone time to deal with what they had seen and endured, after Talonhawk's death. It'd been five days since he awoke from his coma, and his body was healed, but he was still incredibly weak…

His heart strained to pump each ounce of blood…

His heart… it still felt broken…

And he wondered… how much of that was physical pain… how much of that was a deep, mental pain that would haunt him for years to come…

Her name is Samantha Doe, and she is Coldfront of Next Flight.

She's not alone in her car… with her is their newest member, and perhaps biggest mystery. A girl who only goes by the name of "Christi"… better known as Portal.

"I'm not going to take part in this mad plan of yours," Coldfront snapped.

"They killed Talonhawk… not only our team mate, but someone you professed to love with all your heart," Portal snapped back.

Coldfront was silent. Her eyes were brimming with tears. "You think I don't know that? Do you think I don't miss him?"

"Then let's strike back," Portal growled. "I was going to ask Caterwaul to -!"

"That madman?" Coldfront cut her off. "That animal?"

"That madman… or that animal as you call him… loved you… probably more than you ever loved Talonhawk… or more than Talonhawk ever loved you," Portal snapped. "You don't know the things he's told me about you!

His heart's desires! He's more than an animal or a madman! There's a man there, who is desperate and alone! He writes poetry about you almost every night! He dreams of a thousand ways to make your world a perfect one! He wants to be -!" She turned away. "Never mind. Forget it." She heaved a deep sigh. "As I was saying… I was going to ask Caterwaul to come with me… before you froze him solid…"

Coldfront was unusually silent.

"It's a shame, you know," Portal whispered.

"What's that?" Coldfront asked in a low tone.

"That your heart is colder than your mutant ability," Portal answered. "So much colder…"

Coldfront heaved a heavy sigh. "It's just that -!" Suddenly she screamed. An armored body crashed on their hood, and immediately they recognized it. "Gene-Hunters!" she screamed.

"Not exactly how I was hoping to find them," Portal hissed…

"It's nice to see you again," Ben said, as he walked along the beach.

Beside him walked Stephanie Golden, better known as Thermal.

"It's nice to be here with you," she admitted.

They walked a bit more in silence.

Ben had always been Stephanie's best friend… whenever anything was wrong, she had always turned to him. If there was a problem with a boyfriend, he had always been the one she turned to. If she didn't have a date for the dance, he would always take her if none other would. Ben was there for her when her mother had kicked her out. He did all he could to help her. He helped her through the troubling times, when she discovered she was a mutant, while she was dealing with her father's death, which she believed to be her fault. She had tried to kill herself more than once, when despair was too much for her, for she felt it was her fault her father died… despite all that he had done, she still loved him… and it was always Ben who talked her down… She would weep endless hours in his arms… but never, in all the years they had known each other, did they ever get involved romantically…

Not for reason that one found the other ugly or wanting… it just never happened, and that was the only reason for it. There were nights that Ben would lie awake, day dreaming of her… holding her… and kissing her… but he never mentioned these feelings, for she never showed any kind of interest…

"So," Ben finally said. "You're in Next Flight now, eh?"

"Yeah," she said. "But I don't know how much longer that's going to last."

"Are you thinking about quitting?" Ben asked, surprised.

"Well, yes and no, I guess. I mean," she kicked some sand. "I want to quit. I want to lead a normal life. But I know I could never have a normal life. People like the Gene-Hunters have sensors that can detect what's called the 'x-factor' in mutant genes, that gives us powers… they'd hunt me down."

"So why the hesitation in your voice?" Ben asked, curious.

Thermal frowned. "Well, several reasons. Like I said, people like the Gene-Hunters would surly hunt us down… kill us… If they get us one by one, we're as good as dead… as a team, we'd stand a chance against them… but with the death of Talonhawk… it just seems like Next Flight is going down…"

"Do you think they'd do that? Disband Next Flight?"

"Anything's possible," Thermal sighed.

"I suppose you're right," Ben nodded. "Anything's possible…"

Even a chance for you and I?

He wanted to ask… but the words never left his lips…

Portal and Coldfront jumped out of the car.

"Freeze!" Coldfront shouted.

Portal shot her a look.

"Don't move!" Coldfront quickly amended. "Or else you're going to find yourself incased in ice so fast and thick, you'll die before your precious little battle suits will ever have the chance to thaw you out!"

"Are you done?" Portal sighed. "I don't think he's going anywhere. Look at his armor. It's all nicked up with small slashing marks. And there are these small razors throughout his armor. And look at his face… the veins… they look like someone put red food coloring in his blood stream… This man's barely alive…"

"Who could have done it? We're the only team in Canada… Alpha Flight wasn't dispatched here…"

Portal was already running around the corner from which the Gene-Hunter had crashed from… Coldfront quickly followed after her, grumbling to herself, that first Portal had said she didn't talk enough, and now she had the nerve to insinuate that she talked too much…

What their eyes saw, they could scarcely believe.

The Gene-Hunters were engaged in combat, using every gadget, gun and device within their armor, designed to hunt and terminate mutants, with the greatest of ease… But to them, as well as to those who observed, they could only see a blur of motion in front of them, as they each fired a shot, used a gadget and activated a device…

And incredibly, each one of them missed… even in the madness of the entire crossfire, not one came close.

But that one finally, after dramatic leaps, landed on a light post. "Now," he said, smiling. "As you will notice, your armor has been damaged, and you all have a lot of nicks and cuts on you. I am giving you the option to surrender, terrans."

"You've got to be kidding me," one of the Gene-Hunters laughed.

"Sure we're bleeding, but I have bled worse from my own razor! Your little attempt to nail us failed miserably. Sure we're not hittin' ya, but you'll get tired eventually, eh? And when you do, you're as good as dead! Squadron DH-1, fire at will!"

"I was hoping you'd say that!" the mysterious figure laughed.

"Burn!"

It's amazing how much pain a body can take… even from the slightest of wounds. It's also amazing how much the human scream can sound like a dying howl, when enough pain and pressure is applied.

Three seconds after he mutters the word "Burn!" there isn't a single Gene-Hunter left standing. One man took down eight Gene-Hunters without even breaking a sweat.

"Hey!" Portal called out.

His every movement was a blur. In seconds, he had six razors in his hands ready to be thrown. "You with them?" he laughed.

"No," Portal quickly shouted. "No, we're not. But we have a qualm to settle with them. What did you just do to them?"

"He moves like Spider-man," Coldfront awed, whispering to herself more so than anyone else. "Perhaps even faster…"

Jumping up, grabbing the light pole, and twirling three times before doing several summersaults through the air and landing on his feet with the most incredible ease, he smiled. "I call it 'flashing' someone." His features were sharp and defined. His ears however, reminded them of Aurora and Northstar, in that they were pointed. His hair was blond, and down to the middle of his back. Four ponytails, two on each side of his face, were braided down. His outfit was a dark blue almost black color.

His belt was riddled with razors all the way around. On his knees he wore armored kneepads, with small spikes. His hands had been equipped with two claws on each that stuck out from his fisted glove. On the side of his legs, and on his shoulders, were large razors, like those found on his fisted glove. His body was strong, his physique incredible… almost as if he were the "perfect human." He smiled as he noticed they were both admiring him. He cleared his throat, and went on to explain, "I can ignite the electrolytes in a person's blood stream, but I have to oxygenate the blood first…"

Coldfront shivered. "Ouch."

He turned back to his ship. "Damn. Those terran bast'jaks fragged my ship."

"Um," Portal began. "I am not sure what you just said… but if you need a ride, we could give you one."

"Where are you headed?" he asked, skeptically.

Portal turned to Coldfront. "Why don't we drag one of these guys back to Department H, and get him fixed up and ask where he works… then we will have your answer for you." Portal smiled. "We'd really appreciate your help."

He smiled. "I suppose I could go. It will be nice to get them back for fragging my ship. Then I will continue on my way to New York."

"Great!" Portal shouted, jumping up and down, and quickly regaining her composure. As they walked back to Coldfront's car, planning to use the one that crashed on his hood for their prisoner, she turned and asked. "So who are you anyway?"

"People call me X-Treme," he answered, and followed behind them.

The human eye can not see in pitch dark.

His armor was far too damaged to do him any good.

He backed himself against a wall, and his hands felt cold steel.

He tried to let his eyes focus… but nothing worked. There was absolutely no light in this room at all. Not even a sliver of light under a doorway. It was as if someone had painted his sight with black paint.

His breathing became erratic as his heart pumped with fear of the unknown… was he blind?

"I can hear your heart pumping faster," a voice came from the darkness.

He yelped and stepped back. "Who's that? Who's here?"

"He has every reason to be afraid," a second voice said.

He recognized the second voice. He had heard it before. His head felt too groggy, he could hardly think straight.

"You've got that right," the first voice said, in a low, rumbled growl, which reminded him of an angry wolf. "My one desire is to rip his heart out and show it to him, while it's still beating."

"I've seen your talons, terran, I know you can frag this bast'jak without even breaking a sweat," the second voice seemed to laugh.

Terran? Bast'jak?

It was the blond mutant. The second voice was the blond mutant he and the other members of Squadron DH-1 of the Gene-Hunters had attacked.

"If I could see you, I'd rip your throat out!" the man called out.

One should be careful what they wish for… or ask for.

The light's came on in a brilliant flash… and as soon as his eyes adjusted, he prayed to God that this was a bad nightmare… he prayed for the darkness… for in there, he could not see, could not know the horror…

It was a terrible sight.

The man known as X-Treme was holding Caterwaul back on a leash, like a wild animal who was foaming at the mouth, and reaching out to snare the man… his razor sharp talons only inches away from his chest.

"Now terran," X-Treme began. "Caterwaul has next to no patience.

He hates you, and wants to kill you. It took a lot to convince him otherwise. Your organization apparently killed one of their members. He's not the least bit happy. He's been looking for someone to take his revenge out on… I am afraid it's you…"

Caterwaul's talon snagged and shredded the chest portion of the man's armor… pieces falling away, as his talons made it seem as if they were made of paper. Caterwaul struck out again, and this time cut deep into the man's chest.

The man doubled over in pain. "You can't kill me. You're a part of Department H. They don't let their heroes kill."

"Need I remind you, terran," X-Treme smiled. "I am not a part of Department H. I do kill. I have no qualm killing." His hands began to flare, his eyes burning. "Caterwaul cut your chest… and cut it deep… right by your precious heart, terran… One flash fry and you're dead… remember what that felt like?"

The man fell backwards now. "You're… bluffing."

"I'm afraid not," X-Treme grinned. "Bur-!"

"Stop!" the man screamed. "Christ, what do you want?"

"The location of the base for the Gene-Hunters…" X-Treme smiled.

"That's it?" the man laughed. "I will give that to you! You're fools if you go there! They will destroy you when you get there! You will be annihilated!"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there…" X-Treme shrugged, uncaringly.

"So what happens to me if I give you this information?" the man asked.

"We do the 'good guy' thing and turn you in to the local authorities…" X-Treme answered. Several moments later, after the man sings like a bird with all the information, X-Treme turned around. "You had better hope you're not lying," he said. "Or else we're coming back after you."

"I have no reason to lie," the man laughed. "You're as good as dead."

"Yeah well," X-Treme shrugged. "I've got but one thing to say to you, terran."

"And what's that?" the man leered, arrogantly.

X-Treme smiled.

"Burn!"

"Looks like a government building," Coldfront whispered.

"It's got to be coated with security cameras," Portal sighed.

"There's two, right in front of those steel doors," X-Treme replied.

"What?" Portal hissed in disbelief. "You can see that far? We're like a mile or so away…"

He only looked at her and shook his head. "Can you get us within thirty feet of that steel door?"

She had to look through the binoculars. "Yes," she replied.

"Good. Do so. I will take care of it from there."

There was a flash of white light…

No matter how many times you see something… no matter what kind of wonders you have bore witness to… there's always something that is going to take your breath away again. For Coldfront and Portal, it was seeing X-Treme in action. No sooner had they barely landed with the teleport, did he throw two razors, without so much as aiming or looking, and easily 'pinged' two high tech security cameras. The cameras were now angled away from the door, but not destroyed. Anyone looking at the camera would only see grass…

X-Treme looked at the door now. He laughed to himself.

"What's so funny?" Coldfront asked.

"You terrans are so far behind the technology I am used to," he answered, matter-of-factly. Pulling a razor from his belt, he began poking and prodding at the wire panel. Within seconds, the door swung open.

"You're amazing," Coldfront sighed.

"No," he said, standing up. "Earth's technology just has a long way to go."

Portal began walking towards the door - however, X-Treme extended his arm out. "Wait. There's more. Coldfront, could you make a mist with your ice? Sort of like the effect dry ice has in water?"

"Sure," she said, stepping forward. In seconds, a soft mist filled the halls…

Revealing infrared motion detectors that were set in a complete random pattern. "I have to give them credit for that," X-Treme admired.

"Without the proper Magna-card, the infrared doesn't turn off."

"I could 'port us in there," Portal offered.

"It's a good bet there's infrared scanners beyond this hall as well. There's a panel in the middle of the hall way, I bet it has the controls for the infrared wiring," X-Treme admired.

"That's good," Portal sighed. "How do you suggest we get there?"

"Watch," X-Treme smiled.

He loved the workout. Either that or he was enjoying showing off.

His body moved as one - even his hair, long and blond - seemed to flow with every instruction his body gave. He moved through the random infrared sensors, never breaking a red beam, with such speed and grace, it was … as promised, breath taking.

Digging the steel claws into the ceiling from his gloves and heels, he clung upside down on the ceiling.

"Show off," Portal sneered.

Reaching down, and prying the panel open with yet another razor; he cut three wires, and reconnected them to another set of wires… the infrared vanished. "We're all clear," he said, clinging upside down still…

Ben shook his head. "This is crazy. I stood in line for three hours for movie tickets. It's supposed to be real good. 'The Legend of the Marie Celeste.'" He looked at Thermal and smiled. "Let me guess, you just want to see it because it has heart throb, Vincent Sagittarius in it?"

Thermal laughed. "Oh, and I am sure you're not going to look at the chest heavy, co-star, Heather Vicede?"

Ben blushed. "How could I look at anything but you?"

Thermal nudged him. "We're going to be in a dark theater."

"But your eyes shine like the stars," he suddenly blurted.

There was a moment of silence between them, until she finally spoke. "That… that was very flattering…"

He shrugged. "Well, yes. So," he said, eyebrows lifted, shifting his weight from foot to foot, trying to quickly think of a way to change the subject. "Do you know about the legend of Marie Celeste?"

She frowned. "No. Not entirely…"

"Well, it is about a boat that set sail almost two centuries ago.

The legendary Marie Celeste was discovered floating in the water with all its passengers and crew missing, including a wealthy family on board. The entire ship was left in perfect condition, ruling out the possibility that pirates may have been involved… Still a mystery today," he went on, flushing. "There's quite a bit of speculation. Of course, the movie doesn't focus on all that. The movie is about the daughter of one of the rich families falling in love with one of the poor deckhands of the ship… and how they discover each other…"

"So it's about finding true love," Thermal whispered softly.

Ben flushed red…

_______________________________

"Caterwaul is it?" came a soft voice.

Caterwaul spun around, cursing himself. His senses were still weak… his healing factor working overtime… he never even heard her approach. "Snowbird," he said softly. "I didn't hear you come up…"

"Few do," she replied, coldly. "Not even Wolverine."

Somehow that comment was supposed to make him feel better, he thought to himself. "What can I do for you?"

"I know this is a difficult time for all of you… with the loss of one of your comrades… Once, it seems so long ago now, Mac died before Heather's eyes. It took her a great deal to overcome the pain."

"So why are you telling me?" Caterwaul groaned, and tried to turn away disinterested.

"Because, I know that you watched Talonhawk die in front of your very own eyes," Snowbird replied.

Caterwaul, if surprised, did little to show any emotion. "And just how do you figure this?"

"I have the ability of post-cognition," she explained. "When your team mate froze you, it was both Thermal and myself that kept you alive long enough to allow your healing factor a chance to work. When I touched you… I saw many things… most of which I do not understand… but one that was very clear was how you had witnessed Talonhawk's death…"

"Okay? So what's the deal? Why tell me? You think I need a shrink or something, lady?" Caterwaul growled, not liking the idea of his past being probed into.

"No," she said. "I don't want you to make the same mistake he did."

"Who?"

"Talonhawk," she answered.

"How do you figure?" Caterwaul asked, turning slowly towards her.

"I believe it was the recent death of his mother that drove him to be so reckless," Snowbird replied.

"Recent death… of his mother?" Caterwaul asked surprised. "She can't be dead. He would have told us. I am sure of it… How do you know?

About his mother, I mean."

"He was flying… I met him, and touched his face to tell him how much like an angel he looked like, and I saw a strong and powerful image of his mother being buried…"

"That's crazy," Caterwaul whispered. "You have to be wrong."

"I rarely am," she replied. "I rarely am…"

He stood up and faced the outside window… into the darkness.

"Sir, you should come with us," the shadowed man hissed. "We have been infiltrated. We need to abandon this place."

The man folded his hands behind his back and only smiled. "Do what you feel is right…"

"We could ready the Gene-Hunters, sir…"

"No. I don't want them involved in this… Go…"

The man hesitated… then ran…

The door shattered like a fragile window. Three figures stepped into a dark room, where one large window overlooked Canada's beautiful landscape. The room was deserted it seemed, the computers turned off…

"Everything's empty," Coldfront whispered.

"Not everything," a chilling voice replied, as a chair slowly turned. "Good evening," the voice added, as it stood up and bowed.

X-Treme immediately drew his razors out. "Speak fast terran, or find yourself begging for mercy."

"So much like Alex," the man whispered. "Temperamental, indeed." The man shook his head, and waved his hands. "Where are my manners.

Please, sit down."

"No," Portal growled. "You're a part of the Gene-Hunters."

The man looked surprised. "Really? Did you find any such evidence to support such a horrid accusation?"

"No," Coldfront spoke up finding herself easily angered. The man was too calm. How could he be? He was responsible for Talonhawk's death!

"I bet these computers are full of enough information to indicate you," Portal snapped.

"Oh really? Please," he waved his hand toward the wall of computers. "Feel free to browse through them. If it prompts you for a password, please ask. I will be more than glad to tell you… Of course, due to security reasons, I will be forced to change them after you've been told. But I am sure you understand that."

X-Treme quickly ran to a computer. His fingers moved across the keyboard with amazing speed… his eyes reading and scanning the text at an astonishing rate…

"It's asking for a password," X-Treme smiled, thinking he had gotten somewhere.

"Where are you at? Ah yes. The password is 'Milbury.'"

X-Treme stood up, and in one fluid movement had four sharp razors between his fingers and at the man's throat. "What did you say?"

"Milbury," the man smiled, not even the slightest bit surprised to have four, extremely sharp razors at his throat. "Is that a problem with that?"

"Why that name?" X-Treme growled.

"I don't know. I didn't assign it originally."

X-Treme's eyes narrowed. "If you're lying to me…"

"Why would I do such a thing? You have four, very sharp razors at my throat. It doesn't seem very beneficial to me to lie about that right now," the man replied with all the coolness in the world.

"Portal," X-Treme growled. "Check what's there."

She stared at him for a moment, in disbelief of being ordered to do something.

"So much like Scott," the man smiled, and said through clenched teeth. "Quick to give commands."

X-Treme turned back to the man. "What did you say?"

"I said those razors look very sharp, and deadly in your hands," the man sneered.

"It's about the cloning of sheep… and some experiments they did with monkeys… and how a cloned monkey successfully had a child…" Portal sighed. "Nothing about the Gene-Hunters anywhere…"

"We're nothing but a scientific lab," the man said. "I assure you."

"Come on," Coldfront said. "I think we've been had by our captive."

X-Treme lowered the razors and spit on the man's shoes. "If I find out you lied… I will be back…"

They walked out of the room, and just before they were out of ear shot, the man smiled, "Please, tell your brothers hello when you see them…"

"I can't believe the movie was three hours and thirty five minutes long," Ben laughed. "I don't even think the voyage of the ship itself was that long!"

Thermal wiped a tear from her eyes. "It was very romantic… How the disease was spreading through the people on the ship… how she died for him… when the rich family found out about her and the poor deckhand… how they were going to make him walk the plank… but instead, she killed herself before ever letting herself see the sight of her one true love dying…"

"Yeah," he said. "And it's doing very well in the theaters. I mean, look at this line already for the next showing… pretty crazy…"

They walked along the sandy border of a lake… somewhere along the line, their hands met and interlocked. They walked without talking… it seems that they did not need to. It was Thermal that finally spoke up.

"So what do you think really happened to the Marie Celeste? I mean, do you think people fled the ship because a disease was running rampant on the ship, like the movie suggests?"

Ben shrugged. "I don't know what to believe. I just leave it up for mystery. One of the things no one alive will ever know the answer to."

"Would you die for true love?" she suddenly asked. "The way she did? When her rich family told her to get on the raft, and she wouldn't without the poor deckhand…?"

Ben sighed. "It's pretty extreme. I mean, if I believed the one I was with was truly my destined soul mate, I suppose I would…"

She smiled. "What would your destined soul mate be like? I mean, you must have an idea?"

He turned and faced her. "She would be just like you…"

And they kissed…

"What do you mean he's dead?" Coldfront screamed.

"Look, I'm just telling you the truth," Mark Carr shrugged. "I went in there to check on him, and it looks like his body decomposed thirty years."

"You're kidding me, right?" Portal screamed.

"Afraid not," Mark Carr sighed.

"I can't believe this is happening," Coldfront screamed, and sat down.

"It was all a ruse to get us to leave him alone, so he could die without ever telling his secret," Portal growled. "But I can't help but feel there was something more to that science lab…"

"You went to a science lab?" Mark Carr asked, turning around.

"What science lab?"

"Apparently a place called 'The Lab of Higher Evolution,'" Portal answered. "Really weird place. Pretty high tech for just being a 'science' lab."

"Especially the way that X-Treme person reacted to that password that we were given…"

"You are not to go there again. Is that understood?" Mark Carr snapped. "I don't know who this X-Treme person is… But I don't want any of you going near there again. That is an order. And it will not be broken. Is that clear?"

Everyone looked at Mark Carr. He had always been so kind and sincere to them. To see him so angered… or perhaps it was fear…?

They nodded their heads in reluctant agreement.

His mind continually drifted to the others. How they were doing.

What they were doing. Life as an ordinary person just didn't suit him anymore. He had found importance in Next Flight. It is where he wanted to be now.

In the beginning he thought that the entire idea of Next Flight would never work out. They were nothing but a bunch of throwaway teens that didn't know their place in the world; brought together from various backgrounds to work together as one. There was always someone hating another, one person who couldn't get along with the other. There was always something. But in the end, they were working as one. They were working as a team. His mind was changing. Perhaps something could become of them yet. They were working as a team. They were showing their individual strengths and pulling them together, to show the teams incredible strength.

Now, after having worked with them and having come this far as a team; nothing felt more right to him than being there again. He wanted to save the world. He wanted to save Canada. He wanted to be a hero. Nothing else in his life excited him as much as the idea of racing to together as a team.

Everything seemed to be working out so well…

Until the death of Talonhawk.

That had thrown the team for an unexpected loop. Then again, death such as his is usually unexpected. It rattled their sense of security. They realized then, even heroes could die… and die young… and sometimes tragic and horrible deaths.

All they had worked for… had worked to become… was suddenly fragile… Then the tensions mounted… and escalated beyond belief… Coldfront had nearly killed Caterwaul by freezing nearly every ounce of blood in his blood stream… there had also been seeing most of Rogue Force being taken down by the same people who had slain Talonhawk… the Gene-Hunters… they were ruthless killers…

"You all right, son? You look like you're drifting in space," the man said.

His name is Thomas Wolfe. He is better known as Mindscan. "Yeah dad," he answered distantly. "I'm fine. Just thinking about some things."

"Girl problems?" the father smirked.

"Sure dad," he answered back, nodding. "Say dad, can I use the phone?"

His father smiled. "Well, of course you can."

"Thanks dad," he said, and excused himself. Walking up the stairs, he thought to himself about calling Department H. Just to see whom - if anyone - had come back. He figured that at least Portal would be there. She said she had no one to go to. Besides, it would be a perfect excuse to check on Caterwaul's condition.

"Alpha Flight is supposed to be showing the rest of the new people around to some of the new additions to Department H. I guess some people that used to belong to Beta Flight will be coming through here," Coldfront said.

Suddenly the phone rang. Portal smiled. "Excuse me." She picked up the phone. "What do you want?" she laughed.

"Is that how we answer the phone now?" a familiar voice said.

"Mindscan! Hey! How's it going?"

"Terrible," he confessed. "All my dad keeps asking me about is girlfriends."

"Well you got plenty of those now don't you," Portal laughed.

"Thanks, I needed that," he replied back. "So how is everyone?"

"Well for the most part, they're all here in my room," she answered. "Coldfront and Caterwaul are here…" She whispered her addition of, "Though they're sitting as far apart as possible, and not even saying a word to one another." She cleared her throat, and spoke in a normal tone again. "Yeah, but Caterwaul is doing all right. What's that? Well, yeah. A few exciting things have happened. We met someone called X-Treme.

Interesting person he was." Portal turned towards Coldfront and whispered. "She seems to be doing a little better. But she visits Talonhawk's grave every day… at least once a day, if not more." Portal got up and excused herself on the portable phone, leaving two people to sit in a room in uncomfortable silence.

"How are the others?" Mindscan asked.

"Others? You mean Thermal? Well, she's apparently having the time of her life. We haven't heard from her since she left."

"What about the others… as in Rogue Force…"

"Oh." Portal paused. "Them." She cleared her throat. "Well, Magistrate woke up from her coma… but it looks like she has some serious brain damage… if she can ever put a basic sentence together again, it will be far more than they could ever expect… then again, she only had a six percent chance or some horrible chance of even surviving… so I guess anything is possible… as for Specta…" Her voice failed her. "She's passed away. It was horrible… the Legacy Virus…" she paused again, as though the words were cancer to her tongue. She cleared her throat again, feeling her own throat constrict. "Her essence basically dissipated like some kind of gas… She simply… ceased to exist… and Imagery… he woke up from his coma as well… but he too has severe brain damage… doctors said he will never walk again… he's blind in both eyes… he's deaf in both ears… they actually said it would have been better for him to die in his coma…" She wiped the tear from her eye. "Magistrate and Imagery are still both under the Department H's medical care… and apparently will be so for life…"

Portal heard voices around the corner. "Oh, and Alpha Flight is showing, I guess Beta Flight, and Gamma Flight, and whatever other kind of Flight there is around Department H's new areas… and I think here they come now…"

The only thing Mindscan heard after that was Portal scream.

Not out of fear.

But out of anger.

Hatred, so deep and loathing.

And he heard one word that rung out so clear.

"… Belasco…"

Caterwaul ran out of the room, and had to stop and catch his breath. The sight had not been what he expected. Mystical arms held Portal against the wall, who was screaming and ranting at the top of her lungs.

"What has gotten into you, dear girl?" Shaman asked. "Do not fight against the mystical bonds - the more you do so, the more uncomfortably tighter they will become."

"If I had studied magic, instead of being hidden away, these bonds would mean nothing to me, Shaman," Portal hissed back. Her eyes almost seemed to brim red with anger and hatred. "Look among you! Do you not see her?"

"Who?" Snowbird asked.

"The daughter of the demon himself!" Portal screamed.

"Whom do you speak of?" Shaman asked again.

"The one you called 'Witchfire'!" Portal screamed. "Trust her not! I've seen her, and all the evil she can do! I've seen what she is capable of… I have seen, more so, what her father can do… he alone is responsible for killing my brother! Do you deny my accusations, daughter of Belasco?"

All eyes turned to the members of Beta Flight, whom Alpha Flight was showing around. Witchfire turned away. "I don't know you…"

"Look closer," Portal screamed. "Look into my eyes, and see the soul of my brother, as his heart is ripped from his chest by S'ym… see my best friend's spirit, twisted and perverted, into a feline like creature… tell me you don't recognize me now…"

Witchfire paused. Her eyes widened. "It can't be you… you… you died…"

"It is me!" Portal screamed. "And I will exact my revenge!" Within a large flash, Shaman found his mystical bonds could not hold back a teleporter. Within seconds, she was out of the bonds, and on top of Witchfire, punching her repeatedly.

"Whoa," Caterwaul shouted. "This is crazy!" Quickly, he and Puck jumped between the madness, and pulled them apart. Caterwaul slammed Portal against the wall, and stared into her eyes. "You've gotta calm down, and calm down now. I'm the resident psychopath, and don't take kindly to sharing that slot. Now what's going on?"

She took a deep breath, surrounded by most of Alpha Flight, as well as Next Flight members… she was on the spot light, and hated it… she could easily summon a teleportation disk and be gone… but they deserved an explanation for her behavior… She took a sip of her coffee. "I can't remember everything clearly… time… it didn't follow the same rules… it was… Another place… possibly another time… I remember her voice… it's so clear in my head… Ororo… I miss her… I was a little girl frightened beyond all measure as I lay in a bed, perfectly still. I listened with all her heart, though I was not the one being spoken to… however, I had been the one they were speaking of. They knew I was there… and that I was listening… I was under their care. But that did very little to ease my fears. I had already seen too many things by this time... I saw my brother, Peter, slain, and faced the devil himself, I believed… but that's when Ororo told me… it was a demon named Belasco… evil and cruel beyond all measure… I remember being on an island… and hearing Belasco's voice calling me… luring me away… I was so young then… perhaps five years old… The last thing I heard was Katherine calling for me… then a flash… Where I was… could only be described as Hell… though, it was not truly… everything made me think it was… a man, with two horns on his head, fangs, evil… demons… dead bodies… Ororo and Katherine came to my rescue… Saved me from Belasco… they told me I was to be used by him, to open some portal for the Dark Ones… apparently, his… gods… or something… Ororo was going to teach me magic, but then thought better of it, knowing that Belasco would be able to sense me then… So Ororo and Kitty kept me hidden in the Limbo, praying for the chance for me to be saved… When Ororo felt a weakening in the Limbo's barrier, she and Kitty quickly took me there… And that's when I appeared here… The Limbo's barrier shattered by Talisman, and sealed by Ororo so I might be saved… But during my time in Limbo, I saw many things… When Ororo had managed to successfully hide me from Belasco, he bore a child through a woman somehow…"

"Witchfire," Mac nodded.

"Right," Portal continued.

"Do you realize what you're saying, eh?" Puck asked. "That you're Illyana Nikolovna Rasputin. You … died here… of the Legacy Virus. How do you explain that, eh?"

Portal smiled weakly. "As I said… time… nor space did not matter in the Limbo… I remember, one night hearing Ororo speak to Kitty… Her tone had been dark when she had said, 'In our own history, she was rescued while the others remained trapped here. This time the reverse may occur. For all we know the entire process may repeat itself yet again. In this dark place, where the rules of time… and space itself… do not apply… anything can happen… anything…'"*

"Wow," Mac awed, rather impressed. "So you're an Illyana from a different time line?" He shook his head. "I've seen a lot of strange things since I have been with Alpha Flight, but this ranks up there…"

"You're not kidding," Coldfront added, under her breath.

"Have you… contacted the X-Men?" Guardian asked.

"No," Portal said, shaking her head.

"You should," Guardian persisted. "I am sure they would be glad to see you."

"Would they? My set of memories are very different than theirs," Portal said. "What I know, they may not. I am not their Illyana. As far as they would be concerned, I am just someone who has a striking resemblance to someone they knew. I have studied the files you all have on the X-Men… in my time… things were much different… there was never a Bishop on the team… or Gambit… and Rogue… she was evil… she never joined the X-Men…"

"So you possess no magic, eh?" Puck asked.

"None," Portal shook her head. "Ororo kept me hidden away from Belasco and never taught me magic herself. She didn't want me to know magic, or else Belasco could channel through me…"

"Well, to clear things up," Mac said, cutting in. "Witchfire … we know about her past… she apparently tried to attack Alpha Flight quite some time ago, in the name of her father… she was stopped… and she was freed from Belasco's hold over her…"

"No one," Portal whispered, "is ever free of Belasco's hold… never…"

There is nothing stronger that love.

It is stronger than any magic, machine, or force known to man.

Right now… right here… two people feel that they are very much in love… and that tonight, nothing can stop them…

Passion was high. They kissed, and held each other tightly in one another's embrace. Her soft lips upon his, his hands over her body.

Everything seemed so right. Her breathing was becoming rapidly faster…

And that is when it happened.

The bed caught afire. She tried to scream denial, but the flames only grew in response to her anger. They both quickly jumped from the bed, and ran into the bathroom and filled a small cleaning bucket full of water, to douse the flame. When it was all done, she turned away.

He reached out. "What happened?"

"Same thing that happens every time I get close to someone," she answered.

"It's okay," he whispered, and gently laid his hand on her shoulder.

She flinched and pulled away. "No it's not. I need to learn how to control my powers if I ever hope to lead a normal life…" She dressed herself, and turned to him. Her eyes were alive with a waterfall of tears. "I'm sorry…" Slowly she walked out the hotel door and closed it behind her.

Ben stood alone, his head hung low.

Only self-doubt was stronger than the flames of Love…

~~~~~~~