Rules of Engagement

• Writer - Chuck Austen
• Penciler - Ron Garney
• Inker - Mark Morales
• Colorist - J.D. Smith
• Lettering - Chris Eliopoulos
• Ass't Editor - Mike Raicht
• Editor - Mike Marts
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  Note: this occurs after X-Men Unlimited 45.

  The Bermuda Triangle: while Lorna's on the cell phone making wedding plans with her mother, Havass shows Alex and Kurt the dig. He's an old teacher of Alex's and is glad he isn't dead. He's been investigating legends of islands that appear only at certain times, and he believes he's found Isla de Demonas (Island of Demons). The site is 15 thousand years old, older than human civilization, and the art and skeletons indicate mutants.

  Suddenly, shots ring out. The Church of Humanity gunmen say, "This sacrilege shall not be made known!", but then explode. Either their equipment malfunctioned, or suicide.

  In the mansion, Warren looks for Stacy, but she's gone for good (in both senses). He finds a video she made for him, naked, taunting him now that he's decided to be with Paige. Paige walks in and tries to leave quickly; Warren catches her, saying Stacy never meant anything, but Paige does, more and more. Moved, she'd like to kiss him but doesn't want their first kiss ruined by images of naked Stacy. Jono walks in and quickly leaves; Paige chases him, while Warren destroys the video.

  Xavier's on the cell phone with his lawyer, Jack White, while Ishikawa tells him the warrants are legal, authorized by the governor. Alpha Flight's warrant is only for Sammy (from Vancouver, iss. 410), and it doesn't look good when they find him playing catch and talking about girls with Cain, a wanted criminal. Xavier tries to keep things calm, but Puck tries to take Carter, Annie resists, and then Cain pounds him. Guardian tries to take the Ghazikhanians; Jean-Paul sweeps his former leader into a stone wall; Sasquatch and Cain collide, making a crater; Vindicator tries to take the Ghazikhanians; Bobby freezes each cell of her suit and encases her in ice; she protests that Sammy's mother doesn't want him going on missions (iss. 412) and wants him back. Cain pounds Sasquatch; Earthmover uses magic powder to create monsters from the earth, which Cain prepares to pound, but Bobby goes postal and smashes them with ice, as well as Puck, Earthmover, and the police cars. Xavier ignores his psi-abilities and asks his lawyer for help; Snowbird in owl-form catches Bobby; Jono blasts some earth monsters; Paige wants him to talk about his feelings, while she tends to fallen Cain. Jono admits he's sorry, especially when he saw her "nuzzling" Warren; she's angry he dated Sugar Kane (iss. 395-398); he says they never had a commitment; she says to hell with him, and she's dating someone else now. Jean-Paul drops Guardian off five miles from the mansion in a shredded suit; Bobby fells Snowbird; Sasquatch and Cain are still at it, and Jono pulls Paige out of their way, though she says she can take care of herself; he says he always knew that, but he still wanted to be there.

  Xavier gets his lawyer to out-lawyer Ishikawa: he threatens to go to the press revealing the governor of New York took money from the Church of Humanity, smearing him as a bigot. Sammy separates Cain and Sasquatch and agrees to go home. Cain hugs him and gives him his helmet, which Sammy realizes is legendary. Ishikawa drives away with him, and Xavier tries to comfort Cain, but he isn't listening to psychobabble and is angry Sammy had to "go back to the hellhole he calls home."