A Blink in Time

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

Summary

  Heather is unconscious and bleeding, so T.J. possesses her and transforms her to Sasquatch form, so her healing factor will kick in. Gambit points out, since she can only do this once a day, it ruins their plan for Hyperion.

  Below, Hyperion scoffs as Calvin shoots eye-blasts, but Hyperion's are stronger, and he and Kevin are thrown back. Calvin says they have to work together; Kevin forms large fists and attacks again. Hyperion just grabs his neck, and when Kevin bites his arm, he punches his head, which deflates like a balloon. Calvin blasts in, steel fists to Hyperion's jaw. Ms. Marvel attacks Calvin before he can regroup; he grabs her with large hands and pushes her through a pile of wreckage. Hyperion catches Calvin's hand and crushes it; he gloats that he killed all his home world's heroes: Thor, Hercules, Galactus (!), and none could stand against him. Calvin tries a point-blank range eye-blast but does no damage. Then he sees Heather blinking in, she drops on them and knocks them both down. T.J. walks out of Heather's body, to let her heal, and Clarice and Gambit arrive to help.

  Hyperion tosses a cement block at Gambit, crushing him; he lands near Illyana's sword. T.J. blasts Hyperion but just gets tossed aside. He approaches Clarice, saying they're annoying and should all just die. She lies at his feet holding what he thinks is just a pointy rock, but when he blasts her, she uses it to open a portal behind him; he blast his own back and falls, paralyzed. Gambit thanks Clarice and says he'll take care of the rest; he thrusts Illyana's sword into Hyperion's damaged back, dedicating it to his Storm. The result is explosive, and they both die.

  The team regroups. Ms. Marvel is dead; Morph is still splattered in the wreckage but gets up and is thanked by some civilians. He's amazed they won, and then the Timebroker pops in. He explains that with the Exiles, and Weapon X, and the Brood possessing Calvin, and Hyperion, their collective subconscious has been disrupted, and he's appeared insane lately, so the conflicting personalities needed to be removed. Kevin, outraged, realizes they were set up to kill each other. Timebroker admits it's true, and says the Exiles aren't the first team "we've" brought together, but they're the most successful. Kevin questions the "we," and the Timebroker claims it's a slip of the tongue. He tells Kevin he can go home now; his reality is repaired. Kevin thinks about it, looks over at his friends, and asks to stay; the Timebroker agrees, promises to keep it secret, and disappears.

  The team finds him; Kevin finally forgive Calvin for Mariko's death, and they hug. Later, they have a rare break and watch TV. The news reports on Hyperion's defeat and thanks the unknown heroes responsible; they fall asleep, while it snows outside.