A Blink in Time

• Writer - Chuck Austen
• Penciler - James Calafiore
• Inker - Mark McKenna
• Colorist - Transparency Digital
• Lettering - Dave Sharpe
• Ass't Editor - Cory Sedlmeier
• Ass't Editor - Stephannie Moore
• Editor - Mike Marts
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  Clarice says she's back as their teammate (iss. 37); she realizes Mariko is dead, and Kevin tells her Calvin did it; he tells her not to look at him, as the group is teleported to the next world.

  Gambit waits in the Morlock tunnels, happy the Exiles have finally arrived. Kevin quits the team, refusing to obey the Tallus and screaming at Calvin that he betrayed them. T.J. tries to calm him, but he says Calvin should have killed himself, which is what he would have done. He storms off, and Illyana follows him.

  Clarice talks to Calvin, who's busy blasting the roof with Cyclops's eyebeams and punching the walls with Colossus's arms. He blames himself, saying he should have been able to regain control. He's failed what he believes in, subordinating Xavier's dream to the Tallus's missions, and he realizes peaceful coexistence is even more important on these screwed up worlds. They embrace.

  Illyana catches up to Kevin, saying she's sorry for his loss and that they got off on the wrong foot. He says she's a killer worse than Calvin; she explains if she doesn't fulfill the Tallus's instructions, she'll go back to her world and kill her whole family, and she'd do anything to prevent that. Kevin hugs her, and she kisses him; he gets angry, saying Mariko just died. She apologizes; he wants to take it one step at a time.

  Calvin's eye is fine again (see iss. 37): Wolverine's healing factor. Clarice realizes she has the Tallus now; Calvin agrees she should be the leader. He asks where she's been; she was sent back to Sabretooth's world (iss. 13), after the kids were grown; not all of them survived, and she doesn't want to talk about it. Since the Tallus hasn't given them a mission yet, she has time to share a moment with Calvin.

  Illyana and Morph sit together in the sewer; she's surprised he loved Mariko though she was a lesbian; he says it proves love and sex aren't related, like men have always said. She asks if he really blames Calvin; he reiterates he never would endanger a teammate. All they have is each other, and he violated their trust by keeping things from them. He gets up, returning to the team, not willing to abandon them; she gets him to stay a moment, since this is the first time she's felt normal in a long time.

  Gambit explains to T.J. and Heather: he started lying to Hyperion (iss. 40) about their missions, to trick them into doing what the Tallus wanted so he could get back to Storm on his world. It worked for two missions, but then Hyperion figured it out and blasted the Tallus off his arm, and his arm with it. Ms. Marvel and Spider sided with Hyperion against Gambit, Hulk and Firestar, whose mission was to kill Hyperion. Gambit snuck away from their battle, hiding in the Morlock tunnels. Hyperion must have survived, since the Exiles are here to finish the job. Gambit still has his Tallus, which shifted to his other arm; it now gives him his mission: of the 12 members of both teams, 6 will die.

  Hyperion is enthroned in Times Square, taking tribute from his subjects and displaying the bodies of his victims. Spider finds him, saying his spider sense is tingling, so the Exiles must have arrived. He's happy to have more heroes to kill.