Unnatural Instincts

• Writer - Chuck Austen
• Penciler - Clayton Henry
• Inker - Mark Morales
• Colorist - Transparency Digital
• Lettering - Dave Sharpe
• Ass't Editor - Annie Thornton
• Editor - Mike Raicht
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  The Exiles land on a sand dune in the middle of nowhere; Calvin is angrily questioning Illyana: he thinks she killed the Avengers (last iss.); she denies it even though she still has the Black Knight's helmet, and she belts him. The Timebroker interrupts, because it's time for exposition.

  Things will happen fast on this mission, and it involves Alex, who is dangerously powerful because he's joined "subspatially" to all the other Havoks in every reality and is only subconsciously aware of it. He was briefly the Nexus of All Realities (Mutant X 32), and has been used by the Timebroker as a back door. This convergence explains the radiating headdresses each Alex has used and the instability in his personality and power. Alex is now causing ripples or bugs in the realities, and the Timebrokers want him removed. His death was arranged in each existence (X-Factor 149), but some survived. In once case, two consciousnesses survived in one body (Mutant X 1), an evil and a good (ours), and their struggle is not over. Bad Alex is about to take over and kill Nicholas (Chamber 1) and Carter (UXM 411), and then many others.

  At Xavier's in the normal ("616") universe, the boys are playing touch football at Xavier's; Nicholas claims a touchdown, but Carter insists he tagged him; Alex agrees with Carter, enraging Nicholas, who slashes Alex with his claws.

  Juggernaut carries him to the infirmary, while Nicholas apologizes. Nurse Annie remarks on how small Alex looks cradled in his arms; when she realizes how severe his wounds are, she panics and wants a doctor. The Exiles port in, and Heather goes to help.

  The Tallus says it's too late for Alex, and they should just protect the kids, but Juggernaut stops them, suspicious, so Calvin and T.J. tell him to get the kids away from Alex. Juggernaut doesn't listen; Calvin turns metal; Juggernaut punches him; while Alex flatlines. Calvin yells for T.J. and Kevin to get the kids out of there, but Carter is trying to psychically pull Alex back and says something's wrong. Alex wakes; Heather turns into Sasquatch; Annie tells Alex to tell them everything's all right, but he's evil now. He blames Carter for pulling back good Alex and leaving him in limbo, and he tries to blast him, but Calvin punches him first, and Carter is only knocked unconscious.

  Finally, everybody is on the same page. Calvin and Heather stay to keep Alex busy; the rest flee; Nicholas has run off by himself; Juggernaut is cradling Carter now and wants to find Archangel to use his healing blood; he's in White Plains, so Illyana and Mariko port there.

  Alex, glad to have a body again, blasts Calvin, and to the team, now on the mansion's grounds, it sounds like a bomb went off. Wolverine comes a-running, gets the low-down from T.J., and takes Husk and Kevin to find Nicholas.

  Kevin asks Husk why she didn't go to help find Archangel; she testily explains she was almost killed at Lobo Tech (UXM 417-420) and doesn't want to go back. Wolverine finds Nicholas cowering in the woods and then realizes they're not alone: Lobo's werewolves surround them.

  In White Plains, Iceman asks Archangel what they're looking for; he doesn't know but then finds it: a memo from his uncle Burt to Lobo, showing he's still involved in the family's business even though he's in jail for killing his parents (Ka-Zar II:2-3, X-Men: The Hidden Years 13-16). Over the intercom, Lobo calls Archangel, taunting him, saying he's going to kill Husk. Illyana and Mariko arrive, but Archangel is about to rush off to save his girlfriend. Illyana draws her sword, saying she needs his blood one way or another.