Envisionings (2nd Edition) Part 23 ⛓👁

Storm joins Magneto in the cockpit. "I would like to take this opportunity to parley."

The Master of Magnetism divides his attention. "So Charles' didn't only send you to ensure the safe return of your comrades?"

"This is not coming from Charles. I have heard the points you have made. They are strong. Though I think your methods of making them are counterproductive."

Magneto expresses a slight smirk, as though he wouldn't expect an X-Man to think any different.

Storm: "You dictate we are superior, yet much of your actions repeat human history. There is one key avenue they still are not able to walk. The very one which has lead

the X-Men and the Brotherhood to take their separate stances. . .Do you not think it time

we show them how a world lead by a mutant collective can turn?"

Magneto's expression gives nothing away, save for how he meets Storm's eye. . .

. . .As the conclusion of their expedition draws near, we check back on Cyclops and Jean Grey in the Blackhawk's cabin.

His head lolled to the side indicates his unconsciousness, though Jean observes his mouth moving. Based on his previous slumber, she can assume he's murmuring something, though she can't catch the words this time.

Her expression conveys the oddity of this; not a regular thing for Cyclops to do.

Cut-To

X-Mansion - Medical Bay

Cyclops now lies on an exam bed, still unconscious, as Hank tests the flow of an IV by occluding his vein. "The change in body composition and degree of nutrient deficiency is astonishing given only how long he was held captive."

As he moves from Scott we see the door opening, admitting Xavier who comments on the thought: "Still so much of mutant potential is a puzzle. These recent events have me wishing I had more sight of the picture."

Hank: "I was going to say 'the wonders of mutations never cease'." He is now by a computer next to a privacy screen, behind which Jean lies on another exam table having an electrocardiogram. Consulting the data readout, Hank continues: "As for what was inflicted on you, Jean,

the tests would indicate the assault on your heart to be as phantom as the mutant who performed it."

Jean: "At least that's one relief." She begins removing the electrodes from herself.

Xavier: "And how is Scott?" He turns his attention that way.

Hank: "Not beyond what several rounds of nutrient transfusion and careful physical reconditioning can correct. However, his state of unconsciousness does appear to have reached a peak. Or I should say, a depth."

Jean comes out from behind the screen as Xavier regards Scott's sleeping form:

"The body knows when it can submit to recovery, as the mind knows when it is safe."

Sub-Basement Hallway - outside Medical Bay

Jean and the Professor have left Scott to his rest.

Xavier: "I looked where you reported feeling the residual thought signatures pertaining to missing mutants."

Jean looks to him in anticipation.

Xavier: "Much is entangled. . .I was unable to discern if any of the missing's own signatures still hang in the air. If we can locate the families, however, which shouldn't be difficult, there's a chance I can pick up traces to work from."

Jean (compassionate): "Anything we can do to try and find them."

"Indeed. Whether the process will be straightforward or not is beside the matter. Those mutants will be found."

...At the next day's lunch hour, certain other mutants can be found in discussion at a table...

X-Mansion - Cafeteria

Holo: "There's a mutant who can suck the nutrients right out of you?"

By how she's standing by one end of the table, her tray half on it yet still in her hands,

we get the impression she was passing by when she couldn't help being drawn in by the conversation.

Jubilee: "That's what they said. It's why Cyclops is back in the med bay. I saw Beast having to take him there after he and Jean got back yesterday! It sounds totally weird, but thinking about it there're probably mutants who can do just about anything you can imagine. Heck!

To a point, that's you!"

Holo takes this all in thoughtfully.

. . .That night, Scott's condition is reviewed, his nutrient transfusion replenished, and a loving hand placed on his shoulder before Jean exits. . .Scott sleeping soundly on. . .Until a point in the night where he stirs. Disturbed by something--

F-l-a-s-h-e-s of the Medical Bay from his perspective; tinted - and of a broken darkness; the room he'd been held in - intermixing with a different medical room; brighter lights overhead - this one we settle on in a double-visioned way, yet see it un-tinted by ruby quartz.

The double-image gradually fades back to the Med Bay, seen once again through Scott's typical point of view; the lighting suggestive of it no longer being night.

He looks around, momentarily disoriented. . .puzzled. Was any of that a dream, or all memory . . ?

Transition-To - Later that day

Xavier visiting a noticeably more rested Scott; sitting up. The ruby quartz sleep mask he'd had on in the previous scene replaced by his glasses, and a tray off to the side indicative of Scott having taken in nutrients a more typical way today.

"We never completed the mission."

"While it's true you didn't discover who was behind the placement of the psi-blockers, and why, Jean did disable them. The areas they covered are no longer dark spots to Cerebro.

I will be monitoring activity from there, going forward."

"I think the entire circumstance was orchestrated. To capture me specifically or they would've also taken Jean, given they'd countered her powers."

"It could be that their experiment did include Jean, separately." His voice takes on a more reverent tone: "The way you two were able to connect. . .Distance is something in itself.

But combined with layers of psi-blocking technology. . It is truly remarkable."

"But who could even know to want to test that?"

"Another psychic could sense it."

". . So if they were gauging what would have to be in place to negate our connection,

maybe Jean is who they ultimately want."

"In any case I shouldn't think we'll need to worry. We now have insight into what they are capable of, as well. They may find what they've learned doesn't equate to much, when other variables are inconstant."

Scott appears only somewhat settled. "Well if they do have a next phase, they might be planning it for while I'm still out of commission."

"Making it most prudent for you to concentrate on your recovery." Xavier starts to turn towards the door "Consider that your assignment, until further notice." He casts a teacherly smile ahead of wheeling away.

Despite his unease, a small smile breaks out on Scott's face.

. . .And so we see our optically distinctive hero taking to his "assignment" over a following span of time: walking, at times by himself, other times with Jean; progressing to body weight strength training. . .The artificial -rather, mutational- manner in which he was starved appearing to have an accelerated quality in both directions -- where his body had been affected as though he'd been held captive for weeks instead of days, it now seems more readily capable of recovery than someone having been naturally placed in that condition -- though it's still a gradual process. Still a long road back to form. . .

. . . and outside of the focused activity, Scott seems distant. His body on its way to restoration while his mind remains in another place. . .

During one of his strength training sessions on the sports section of the Grounds, this time working with resistance bands, Scott abruptly pauses.

The count made under his breath not even coming to that of a complete rep.

He turns his head, staring at a point on the ground beyond the basketball court. . .

. . .Next, Close-Up shots of him getting prepped for a more formal training session; reaching into one of the transparent lockers to grab his uniform; ruby quartz glasses swapped out for visor; now-gloved fingers moving purposefully across a control board. . .

Danger Room

Cyclops comes to stand in the center, ready as his programmed session gets underway.

It doesn't last.

As the room reverts to a static state, he raises his gaze to the Control Bay,

where Jean stares down disapprovingly.

Coming back up, the door opens to reveal Jean isn't the only one there.

Xavier: "I shouldn't need to tell you learning a lesson involves applying it, with understanding of its complexities." Off Scott's gaze, Xavier clarifies: "You were correct in the after-action* report you handed in before your and Jean's departure."

*Part 4!

Cyclops sighs, looking down to the side a beat.

"I know I can only be where I am. But in this case, it isn't enough."

Xavier stares at him more closely. "Words that sound as though you're regressing back to a much earlier point in time." He turns his head towards the control panel and viewing windows with a significant look.

Cyclops gets his meaning, but: ". . I'm not." That being said, he strides past them both; message heard insofar as session ended.

In the Sub-Basement's Change Room

Jean comes in to find him sitting on a bench, gaze downward.

". . I'm not obsessing. This is something else. Something I. . I need to prepare for."

Jean sits beside him. "I recognize it feels that way. But Scott-"

she pauses at the shake of his head.

"This isn't a feeling. . not an emotional one. This. . it's something in my head." The words come out as a realization as much as an explanation.

Jean looks like she's putting something together, herself.

"Mind if I take a look?"

In answer, Cyclops shifts on the bench to face her more directly.

Bringing her hands up, Jean sets them on either side of his temples. . .

. . . Following a "trail", she comes across images of a structure, of children playing. . .A car ride -- The images turn superimposed -alike yet dissimilar- doctors leaning over a young patient. . .

Cyclops: "Essex?"

. . .scientists standing aside a grown man; shackled. . .

Enigmatic Voice in his ear: "The final Summers Test. To see the extent of your own power, augmented. . .the extent of what you can endure. Then again, a section of the city looks just as well. . .Either you're in its path, or the populace are--"

"--Essex!"

Snapped out of the focus, Jean stares at Cyclops: "Who is that?"

Vexed, Cyclops explains: "He's the doctor I went to when I lived at the orphanage. . ." the pieces of the puzzle click into place ". . .where he first experimented on me."

X-Mansion Sub-Basement - Hallway

Cyclops and Jean Grey relay these developments to Xavier.

Jean: "Essex had been subliminally messaging Scott this whole time he had him."

She looks to him.

Cyclops: "Jean unlocked what he wanted me to know. He's built a gun fueled by my optic power--all of it. Every time he had me blast, it was into what I'd thought was a simple ruby quartz shield, but he was absorbing and storing every last photon. . To fire back at me."

Cut-To - X-Mansion - Ready Room

Xavier: "When that time comes, I would like you to lead the students on a Disaster Drill into the shelter. We will inform them appropriately of the truth of the matter, afterward."

We see he's been informing the other X-Men, Scott and Jean standing by.

Kitty: "Am I the only one who thinks this is, well, stupid? You just going to let this Essex guy shoot you?"

Scott: "He's gonna' use the ray regardless. The alternative isn't acceptable."

Kitty: "Yeah - but couldn't Jean just put a forcefield around you," she looks between them, "instead of you really taking it?"

Jean: "Scott's power at that concentration would take my attention at my full strength.

At the level I have now I doubt I could hold it for more than a second."

Piotr looks back to Scott: "So this force will be bearing down on you still. You can absorb your own power, yes, but with the augmentation and your current condition, you are confident still?"

"Essex did short-burst tests of that side of my mutation. Even as he drained my energy It only felt disagreeable when he was evaluating different light sources, like electric current.

Now if that's part of the augmentation, and regarding the degree of force, I'll just have to endure it. I still have some time to recondition myself before it happens."

Kitty: "Sure, if you can count on the date he gave you."

Scott looks to her without a shadow of a doubt, giving a nod: "Summers' end."

Hank: "Your tormentor is poetic. Now at the risk of sounding unfaithful, what is the contingency plan?"

"The Professor will be maintaining a telepathic perimetre around the property, waiting to sense when someone crosses it."

Xavier: "Essex will most likely be employing more of his psi-blocking technology, though I should still be able to recognize a ripple through Cerebro."

Jean chimes in: "Which could obviate the need for Scott to even take the blast, if we can get to Essex, first."

Scott concludes: "And Storm will be in the air. In either scenario, we learn where Essex is shooting from and take him out."

Piotr: "How will he know you are playing ball?"

Xavier: "Jean caught a trace of his mental signature in the facility, confirmed to be so when she found the same in Scott's mind. While the nature of it precludes getting a grasp on Essex, we should be able to use the frequency to transmit a message."