Uncanny X-Men #1

"Reunion" part 1

Story and Script by: Richard Gutierrez

The X-Men and all prominent characters tm and copyright Marvel Entertainment Group 1998

WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK

It's a clear, calm sunny day in Westchester County, just 30 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of New York City. The calm is broken by the sound of a car door opening and closing.

Colossus (looking at the mansion): Home.

His massive Russian frame slowly picks up his bags and begins to walk toward the only place that he has felt comfortable calling home since he left the fields of Russia.

Colossus (to self): Those you've said, "that you can't go home again", cannot comprehend the feelings that swirl around me has I make my way to this house that is so much more than a "home". It's life given form. So much has happened here. The good times. The bad times. This "home" as seen so much. I never felt at home with Kurt and the others in England with Excalibur. I don't think any of the members did. That's why we all seemed to drift apart and why the team has disbanded. I was on my way back when Jean sent out a psychic "invitation" to return to the mansion for an "X" reunion. They have invited all the old X-Men and even those from X-Force and X-Factor. It will be good to see so many familiar faces.

Just has he finishes the thought, Peter Rasputian, a.k.a. Colossus, sees a "familiar" face sitting on the mansion steps. His head is hung low, like someone who's suffered a great loss. As Colossus steps closer, he realizes it's Alex Summers, Havok, sitting there.

Colossus: Good afternoon, Alex are we the first ones to arrive?

Havok (quietly): No there are other's inside. I just needed a moment to myself.

Colossus (sitting next to him): What is the problem, torvaish? Are the other members of X-Factor coming?

Havok: There is no more X-Factor.

Colossus: What happened?

Havok (slowly choking on the words): There was a battle with a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants headed by the Dark Beast. In the battle....Polar....Lorna was killed.

Colossus: Boshze Moi! What about the others.

Havok (more upset) The others...Shard, Bishop's sister, was killed also. Forge went into hiding. Mystique...who knows. Wildchild went back to Canada to rejoin Alpha Flight. I came back to try and piece my life back together. I've been wandering for so long that I've lost what it means to be part of something worthwhile. So, I've come back.

Colossus: I know how you feel, that is why I've come back too. Let us go inside and see what the others are doing.

As the two get up and enter the house, they are greeted by Roberto DeCosta, Sunspot from X-Force, Robert Drake, Iceman from the X-Men and Ororo Munroe, Storm from the X-Men.

Iceman (twirling and iceball on his finger): Look what the cat drug in. If it isn't Colossus and Havok come on in join the fun.

Colossus: Bobby, it's good to see that somethings never change. Your childish antics or Storm's beauty. Ororo nice to see you again.

Storm (Hugging Colossus): It's nice to see you.

Colossus: Roberto, how have you been? Did you bring the rest of X-Force with you?

Sunspot (shaking Colossus hand): I've been okay. No, I...wanted to come before...Tabi...the rest of the gang. You know settle in for the festivities. Speaking of which when do they start?

Iceman: Yeah, bring on the dancing girls.

Wolverine (from the stairs): I don't know if she'll do any dancing, bub. But I'll bring on a girl for ya.

All eyes turn as Wolverine escorts the lovely Jean Grey down the stairs and into the foyer where all are gathered.

Iceman: My. my my my my. Reoww!

Jean Grey: Down tiger. You know I'm spoken for.

Havok: Speaking of which, where is my brother?

Jean Grey: He left early this morning to get some....AAAARRRGGHHHHH!

Just then a psychic image of immense strength hits her with the force of a thousand bolts of lightning! The force is so great that all in attendance feel and see what she does. They see her husband, Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, being pummeled. He is barely breathing. They see that he is in the Savage Land. The intensity of the vision is so much that Jean is knocked out.

Wolverine (catching her as she falls): Jean...!!!

Storm: Did you all feel that?

Havok: Yes, my brother is in trouble! We must save him.

Iceman: Let's go!

Colossus (to self): Yes, some things never change. I've been here all but 5 minutes and we're off on another mission. It really does feel like home.

Sunspot: Shouldn't we wait for the others to get here?

Wolverine: You can stay if you want, boy. The rest of us will be in the Blackbird and in the air inside of 2 minutes.

Sunspot wonders if he should go. He's not an X-Men. Never was asked to be one. Sam Guthrie, Cannonball, was asked to be a member and still is. Of course while Sam was, you were making time with his girlfriend. You didn't mean to, but you did. What do you do?

Sunspot: Wait up guys.

Meanwhile, in the Savage Land

Mister Sinister: Come on Scott, fight back. I thought I raised you better than that.

Cyclops (beaten and battered): Sinister...I will...beat..you. Count on it.

Mister Sinister: All I'm counting on is that your pathetic X-Men will come running after their leader. Especially the red head. By now I'm sure that the psychic flash has been received and they are scurrying on their way here. Oh, woe is me. HAHAHA! Slither, toss him in with the others.

Slither, one of Sinister's new group of Marauders, wraps his body around the weakened X-Man.

Slither : Come on now thissss won't hurt...much.

Cyclops feels as if all the bones in his body are being grounded into power.

Mister Sinister: Oh, Scott. I hope you like the new visor I got for you to hold in those optic blast of yours. If you open your eyes at all, a current of electricity will shoot down your spine paralyzing you. Enjoy.

Meanwhile, back aboard the blackbird, the 7 X-men race toward the prehistoric area on the continent of Antarctica known as the Savage Land.

Iceman: You know, we go to the Savage Land so much now that I think I'll just start forwarding my subscription to "Mutant Studs Quarterly" here. Maybe Ka-Zar will let Shanna get my mail, Reoww!!

Ororo: Bobby, please be quiet. Logan is trying to stabilize Jean.

In the back of the blackbird, Logan, aka Wolverine, is holding Jean Grey's hand with a gentle firmness that can only be called "love".

Wolverine (to self): Come on Jean. I know you can hear me. You need to focus. Focus on my voice. Come on Red. Don't check out on the "canucklehead" just yet. We're going to need you if we're going to find Scott.

She makes no move. It is has if her mind is someplace else.

Jean Grey (on the astral plane): Scott! Scott! Can you hear me? It's no use, whatever that blast was really did a number on the "Psychic bond" that Scott an I share. I try and reach out to him and I get nothing. Scott what's happened to you?

Sunspot: Guys, that looks like the place just up ahead.

Colossus: That is it. The Savage Land.

The awe in the Russians voice seems to fill the plane. For, even though all of the X-Men present have been to the Savage Land several times before, the site of this thriving prehistoric jungle is still enough to take their breathes away. The site of long extinct dinosaurs roaming the thick jungle foliage. A Tyrannous Rex chasing its prey. Pheyredactels soaring over active volcanoes. The beauty of this places is amazing.

Storm: Alex, I see a clearing just beyond that rise. Set her down there.

Havok: Right aw...

Havok's sentence is interrupted by a blast hitting the blackbirds engine's.

Sunspot: What happened?

Colossus: We seem to have been hit by and energy blast.

Iceman: After this is over, would someone remind me to tell Jean that the "X-reunion" was a GREAT idea.

Havok: I don't know what it was but it blasted the engine! We're going down!

Storm: Not if I can help it.

Storm ,mistress of the weather, summons high intensity winds to try and buffer the jets descent

Storm (straining): It's too...heavy. We're ... moving too ...fast. I can't hold...it!

CRASH!!!!

ON AN ADJACENT HILLTOP...

Tribal man(looking through binoculars): They are down, my Lord.

Mystery man: Very good. Form a search party and bring me anything of value from the ship. My informant made good on his promise that the X-Men would soon be returning to the Savage Land. My time for revenge is close at hand.

Tribal man: What if any of the X-Men survived the crash?

Mystery man: Kill them all except for Colossus. I have something special for him.

(End Issue One)

What plans does Mister Sinister have in store for Cyclops? Did any of the X-Men survive the crash? Who is the mystery man and what is the "special" something he has planned for Colossus? Join me next time to discover the answer to these questions...


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