Schism

• Writer - Chris Claremont
• Penciler - Salvador Larroca
• Lettering - Tom Orzechowski
• Colorist - Liquid!
• Ass't Editor - Nova Suma
• Ass't Editor - Andrew Lis
• Editor - Mike Raicht
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Broken Faith

Summary

  The news reports on the murders in Alaska; local Laramie Co. sherriff Troy says the mutants won't get away with it; Garrett, age 14, has been identified. Meanwhile, Lucas and Sage have popped up naked in Times Square.

  The police arrest them in and give them ill-fitting clothes; mutant rights activist (and fashion don't) Whedon plans to fight for them.

  Lucas and Sage are bothered they underestimated Garrett, but glad he didn't put them anywhere dangerous. Cardones and Moran know they're X-Men, from the Madripoor incident (iss. 10-17) and the Times exposé (X-Treme X-Men X-Posé LS). A sherriff in Alaska saw them on TV and called, saying they impersonated the feds (last iss.), plus they're the prime suspects in the Bogan murders. Lucas says they want to catch the killer, too, and Sage says they can go places he can't, like Xavier's. The police are called away; an anti-mutant mob is mobbing Whedon's pro-mutant group outside. Cardones is hit by a brick and bleeds on Whedon; that triggers her to involuntarily morph into a dinosaur and begin rampaging. Lucas and Sage decide to get involved and jump on Whedon's back. Sage punches her in a nerve ganglion and fells her, but Lucas won't let her kill her; she wakes and climbs a skyscraper while Lucas hangs onto her neck and talks calmly; Whedon reverts to human form, and they both fall, landing on a car. Whedon apologizes, realizing people won't notice the brick-thrower, but a mutant dragon attacking the police; she is duly arrested, but Lucas and Sage are given 24 hours to get Garrett.

  Emma has a pair of Sage's glasses and receives a call from Ororo, who wants to know why she's giving refuge to a murderer; Emma says lawyers will resolve it, and Ororo no longer has official standing at Xavier's, and they should butt out. She hangs up; Ororo calls her a "slag," and Logan agrees. Ororo wonders if Xavier is crazy to trust her, but Logan says he's trusted Magneto, Rogue and even himself. Ororo reminds him Emma switched minds with her once (X-Men I:151); Logan agrees Emma knows her well and says Ororo's scared of her. Ororo denies it, so Logan tells her to prove it; Ororo impetuously calls up a wind and tosses him, but then regrets it. Logan's not hurt, and Ororo decides to call Xavier.

  Emma checks on Garrett; he's scared the police will get him. Emma wants to be his mentor; she wishes she had one. She asks him to trust her and enters his mind, to see his memories.

  They find themselves in Alaska; they get to the ruined lodge, but Jeffrey doesn't want to enter. She forces her way past and finds a frightened maid with bleeding eyes, which seems familiar. Suddenly, Jeffrey teleports Emma over an ice-covered river, which she falls into. Jeffrey reaches through a hole in the ice, pulls her up before she drowns, apologizes, and teleports them back to the mansion.

  Emma telepathically puts Jeffrey to sleep and wonders if Jeffrey is really the killer. She looks at an old picture of herself at the Hellfire Club and wishes she could still use Sebastian Shaw's pet, Sage. Xavier tries to contact her telepathically but she doesn't hear.

  Ororo calls Lucas on his glasses; he's at Harry's Hideaway. She's talked to Xavier and wants him to handle it; Sage says he can only do something if Emma and Garrett allow it. Lucas asks if she knows something more; Sage is busy spying on Emma via the glasses. Xavier still tries to get through, but there's a psionic mist blocking the mansion. He decides to return and orders her to keep Garrett away from the other students.

  Emma has heard nothing; Sage senses that Bogan has captured her telepathically; her eyes bleed; Garrett wakes screaming.