Archangel buys out the Vanisher's drug business, while Nightcrawler learns that the Church of Humanity has plans concerning him.
At Worthington Industries Archangel, Wolverine and Chamber sit in Warren's office as Warren's contacts transmit info concerning the Vanisher designer gene business. Logan mocks Warren's methods of tracking down the Vanisher, himself preferring to simply use the tried-and-true "find the bad guy's lair and beat him" technique. Logan asks Jon whose side he is on, and Jono sides with Warren's approach.
In a nearby restaurant, Telford Porter, with total cockiness, proclaims to his new associates his victory in taking over the street-drug trade. He takes one of the drug lords to the secrecy of the restaurant kitchen and demands all info regarding the drug lord's dealers and front companies. Their conversation is interrupted by Stacy X, whom Porter mistakes for a gene junkie. With a touch, Stacy renders the drug lord "unconscious" with her pheromones. She tells Porter that she has a business proposition for him, and asks him if he's ever heard of the X-Ranch.
At St. Paul's church, Nightcrawler 'ports in, demanding an explanation from Cardinal Hammond concerning the dead junkies found in the church's basement. As a syringe falls from the Cardinal's hands, Kurt realizes, to his horror, that Hammond himself is a gene junkie. The Cardinal transforms into a hulking black beast, and mistaking Kurt for a demon, begins to attack him. Given no choice, Nightcrawler begins to choke the Cardinal to death with his robes, but he is flung away by Hammond. As Hammond prepares for the death blow, three soldiers from the Church of Humanity teleport in. With moral outrage, they condemn Hammond for "succumbing to the temptations of mutant immorality," and proceed to blast him to death with their energy rifles. They are about to kill Kurt, when one of the soldiers recognizes him as one who the Supreme Pontiff has "plans" for. They teleport away, leaving Kurt alone inside the church.
(two weeks later)
In Porter's Plaza Hotel suite, Porter and Stacy relax in a jacuzzi. Porter is in pheromone-induced ecstasy. He gloats about how the X-Ranch will be a new franchise, another part of his empire. Stacy touches him, and suddenly Porter snaps out of his state. Stacy tells him that he has been under her influence for two weeks now. Porter declares that she is dead, but Stacy tells him that a friend of hers wishes to meet with him.
Logan arrives at his apartment, and finds Kurt moaning with fear in his sleep. Logan wonders what is bothering his friend.
In the Tavern on the Green, Warren meets with the Vanisher. Porter angrily declares that Warren cannot possibly do anything to hurt him or his empire, which is why he agreed to the meeting. Yet Warren points out that the experience with Stacy proves that he indeed can be touched and harmed. Warren tells Porter to make a call to his people. Porter agrees, confidently telling Warren that he has surrounded himself by his own henchmen in the restaurant. Meanwhile Iceman posing as a waiter, pours wine for an elderly couple.
Porter contacts one of his men, Mr. Finch, who informs him that Porter's former employees have all deserted him because a Mr. Worthington doubled his offer. Porter is shocked: Warren has bought the designer gene trade from under him while he was in his pheromone-induced state. Enraged, Porter begins spouting threats and starts to teleport away. Unfortunately for him, Bobby appears behind him and freezes him in place. Warren declares that, since he now controls the drug trade, he'll have the genes off the streets by morning. Behind them, several waiters inject themselves with syringes. They begin to transform into various types of mutants while the patrons flee in terror as Wolverine watches the action unfold from outside. Iceman tells Archangel to get clear while he deals with Porter's men. After a few seconds, Bobby emerges. The three re-enter the restaurant to see all of Porter's men frozen in a giant block of ice.
Back in Worthington Industries, Warren congratulates the team on their success. Kurt kisses Stacy's hand, commenting on her espionage skills before 'porting out. Jono notices that Kurt has been acting strange ever since Europe. Warren and Logan shake hands, Logan admitting that Warren did a good job. Chamber wonders if Stacy really considers franchising the X-Ranch, though she says it does seem like much of a priority anymore. However if the X-Ranch would reopen, he’d always get a discount.
Logan finds Kurt brooding on the roof. Kurt admits that he has been putting on a front of frivolity to conceal the recent things he has learned about himself. Logan reminds him that everything is changing: Professor X can walk again, Beast is mutating, and Banshee was nearly killed for his efforts to change the world. Kurt responds that even with each good change, the potential for disaster still lurks. Logan assures him that the X-Men have changed the world before, and they will do it again.
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