"Look at them Cordelia! Aren't they magnificent?" Shinobi said directing Ms. Frost's eyes to the Century Tools, which he had encased in a beautifully adorned transparent glass statue of a woman. Each jewel was on the body part it was intended to be on. There was the Century Headband that supposedly granted whoever wore it mind-control abilities. It was a dazzling silver color and a white diamond was in the center of it. Next to the headband was the Century Necklace, which was made of sparkling emerald. The necklace was said to grant the power of flight to whomever took the necklace as their own. A large ruby gem was next to the necklace. The Century Gem was believed to give the incredible power of super-speed to its possessor. Below the headband, necklace, and gem was a long red staff that had a painting of a snake wrapped around it. This Century Staff could grant the ability of teleportation to its holder.

"Splendid darling. Really exquisite jewels, but I had thought there were eight Century Items. Where are the other four?" Cordelia asked trying her hardest to hide the immense boredom that was overtaking her. Shinobi took every little conquest and victory to heart. His pride swelled whenever he made the tiniest step increasing his own minute power. Frost just tried her best to ignore him as much as possible. Many of the other Hellfire members did this as well. Cordelia was no fool though and knew that despite Shinobi's constant gloating he could be crucial in setting her back up to build a new Frost Enterprises. And if she could do that then she would no longer need the Hellfire Club and her purpose for being with them would be fulfilled.

"I have them of course. I can't reveal all my treasures at once," Shinobi smiled wickedly. Cordelia eyed him suspiciously.

"Of course Shinobi."

Michigan

Trevor and Vanisher walked the young mutant man down the walkway towards the black limo that was waiting to take them to the private jet so they could go back to Chicago. The young man looked far too calm for the situation he was in. He was about to go and meet Shinobi Shaw, one of the most powerful men on the planet, and he didn't even seem fazed by it. What was the source of this arrogance? Trevor wondered about.

"You want something to eat kid before we head out," Vanisher asked not really caring if the boy was hungry, but he was really just hungry himself. The young black man didn't even respond to Telford. That really ticked the drug lord off, but he couldn't just teleport the kid to pieces like he did with most other people that he didn't consider of any worth.

Trevor smiled, "I guess you got your answer Porter."

Just then a blur passed in front of the three men's faces. Looking behind them there was a ninja clad all in black. Before Trevor and Vanisher could even react the mysterious assailant flung a dart in each of their necks that knocked them out cold. The young mutant looked dead at the ninja without flinching.

"Take it like a man. I like that," the ninja said as he pulled out a gun and shot the mutant in the head. He was gone before even the first person heard the gun shot.

Chicago PD

Detective Rieger walked out of police station headed towards his car. His day had exhausted the heck out of him. Covering two homicide cases and trying to find something to nail Shinobi Shaw consumed more energy than he had to give. When he reached his old Mercedes the detective slumped in his seat and turned on some mellow classical music.

"Take us to Bishop!" a young man with red eyes and black pupils exploded as he pointed a glowing blue dagger at the back of Reiger's head.

"And if I don't," Jack said angered at how he kept getting into these situations involving Bishop.

"We'll be forced to kill you and whoever else stands in the way of us finding him," another young man with short green hair said in a much calmer tone than his partner.

Reiger believing every word of his threat cranked up the car and drove off to Bishop Investigations. Whoever the heck these guys were they meant serious business? What had Bishop gotten himself into now?

Hellfire Club

"This does not suit well with me!" Emplate said angered as he threw down a newspaper. Mountjoy walked up behind the gene sucker and laughed his sickening cackle. Marius loathed Mountjoy and he would greatly enjoy the day when he sucked that fool dry.

"What's bothering you?"

Emplate laughed, "Not that it matters to you, but the Tan family had has just been made into a bunch of vegetables. I had a great deal of investments with them and with the only viable member of that family being Jubei Tan I'm in a great bind. I have to find some way to save my money."

"Is that all this organization is about? Who has the most money? Money rises and falls. The only solid thing is power. Total power! You must understand this Emplate," Mountjoy said hoping to at least get to a couple of people in this damned club.

Emplate rose up from the mahogany chair he was in and stared at the future mutant with those soulless eyes, "Believe me. I understand where you're coming from. But money is just another path to total power." Then Marius leaned over and whispered in Mountjoy's ear, "And once I'm done with this group I'll personally see to it that Shinobi will be toppled."

As Emplate walked out of the room Mountjoy grinned. All the deceit and double crossing going on in this little get together was like a banquet. He was going to enjoy these guys for quite some time.

Bishop Investigations

The old Mercedes pulled up to the small parking lot in front of Bishop's home/workplace. Reiger didn't know what was going to happen next, but he was going to help Bishop the best he could.

"Now get out of the car and act cool. Or else your brains will meet cold steel," the man with green hair said as he got out of the car first to make sure Reiger didn't try anything stupid. Jack slowly opened up the door to his car and got out. Before he knew it the man with the green hair shoved some type of extremely small gun in his back. "Now walk inside and we'll be behind you."

Jack opened the door and saw Bishop at his desk overlooking some papers. Probably had something to do with the Hellfire Club. The man with green hair and his friend walked in the door right behind Jack trying to have the most pleasant expressions on their faces. Bishop didn't look in the least happy.

"Who's the company Jack?" Bishop asked as he threw his feet up on his desk and leaned back in his chair.

"Their just-ARGHH!" Jack yelled as the man with green hair shot him in the back. The detective fell to the ground unconscious. Bishop instinctively pulled out a gun from one of the inside pockets of his black jacket and pointed the weapon straight at Jack's attacker.

"Hold up Bishop! Don't shoot! We have information to tell you."

"And that would be what? Don't tell me you're with the Hellfire Club too," Bishop said almost with a sigh. The reach of Shinobi and his fellow Hellfire member seemed to extend itself quite far.

"My name is Immanuel Dane and my friend is Timothy LeBeau. We're from the year 2138 and we can't allow you to kill Shinobi Shaw!"

Bishop was taken aback for a moment, "Say what?"

"We're from the future…"

"I got all that. Go back to the Shinobi Shaw part. Why the hell can't I kill the bastard? It'd be no more than he deserves. Honestly though it doesn't really matter because I wasn't going to kill the guy anyway."

"You say that now Bishop, but you'll be pushed to the point where you'll have no other choice in a couple of days. We're here to make sure you don't kill Shaw though because if you do it'll only lead to you becoming the tyrant of the planet," Timothy said. If Bishop was the type of person that let his jaw hang it would be doing that at this moment, but he maintained his composure. At least to some degree.

"Okay I know you bastards are crazy now," Bishop said just about to shoot his gun at Immanuel, but the weapon turned into dust in his hands.

"I can do that with organic things too," Timothy warned.

"Look Bishop we're not joking. I wish we were, but the truth is that if you kill Shinobi you will rule over the planet with an iron fist."

Bishop got up from his chair, "Tell me this. What the hell does killing Shinobi have to do with me becoming a tyrant? If you take the time to look real hard it doesn't make much sense. So give me a good reason to believe you."

Timothy threw a golden disk at Bishop. The X-Man caught it in mid-air and stared at the object in awe. Printed on the gold surface was an older version of himself and above his picture were imprinted the words "Trust in Bishop. War is Peace. Chaos is Hell."

Pamela Greenwood was on the phone with her Mom who she hadn't spoke to for a couple of months, but after all she had been through recently a call back home didn't seem like such a bad thing. In fact it was probably needed.

"So how has work been going down there honey?"

"Fine Ma. I'm looking at meeting up with a couple of execs in a few weeks. My boss knows them so I'm going to the studio in a couple of days and who knows…" Pamela mused thinking on that music career she had hoped to start so long ago.

Her Mom was elated, "Oh my baby finally going to get that music career started! I'm so happy for you."

"Nothing is set in stone yet Ma. I still got a while to go before I actually get started somewhere," Pamela said trying to stop her Mom from getting her hopes up too fast. Looking up at the clock Pamela saw it was about time for her to get dressed for work.

Interrupting her Mom who was talking about Uncle Joe's strep throat Pamela said, "Mom I gotta get ready for work, but I'll call you later on tonight."

"Okay…okay baby take care of yourself now. I'll talk to ya later sugah," Pamela's Mom said as she hung up the phone.

With a sigh Pamela got up from her chair and just as she was about to turn around she felt something sharp poke her in the back and a voice whisper, "Don't scream or I'll kill you. Just take me to Bishop."

"Who are you?" Pamela mumbled trying to keep her cool. Not again? Not again? That was the only thought running through her head. Would her being connected to Bishop cause her to be the target of these freaks he fought all the time?

"I'm Steven Maximoff. I'm from the future. 2198 to exact."

Pamela was so shocked and surprised that she remained silent. That's the effect Steven was going for. He didn't need the woman asking too many questions. It might distract him from his task. Find Bishop and somehow eliminate Timothy LeBeau and Immanuel Dane.

New York

"Bishop edges ever closer to the Century Tools. He's playing his part perfectly."

"What of these time anomalies? Couldn't they pose a problem?"

"They'll only make sure our plans move along faster. I couldn't have asked for better help."

"And what of the mutant boy Trevor and Telford were guarding? What problem did he pose?"

"He knew of my coming. I couldn't allow him to live so I had one of the bodyguards eliminate him. No one must know that we are here. No one!"

"Of course Ramses. Of course."

Hellfire Club

Mystique walked into the highly decorated room with an annoyed expression. Shinobi was sitting in a chair in front of her with his back to her. She didn't know Shaw had called her here, but she did want to know and fast? Putting up with spoiled, depraved brats wasn't something she liked to do on a regular basis.

"You wanted me Shaw?" Mystique inquired.

The young Shaw turned around in his seat and looked at Mystique carefully as if he were trying to bore into her soul. Raven didn't like the look one bit. "Of course my dear Mystique. I have need of your services. I'm trying to start a new cosmetics line for Shaw Inc., which should be very successful. I need one ingredient though. Do you remember Masque?"

Mystique sighed wanting Shaw to get straight to the point, "Yes, I remember the Morlock. He was quite the ugly bastard."

"But someone with his kind of power would be perfect for my cosmetics line. Let me get to the point here," Shinobi said rising from his seat. He opened one of his drawers and pulled out a manila folder. He handed it over to Raven and immediately she looked in it. She saw the picture of an emaciated African boy covered in black robes. "That boy is named Mjobi Indga. He has the exact same powers as the now deceased Masque. I want you and Mastermind to head to Somalia and find him. Of course don't kidnap him. Talk to his family and tell them I will give them 2 million dollars for their son's services for a year. We need to go about this in a legal way don't we?"

Mystique nodded in agreement and Shaw continued, "Normally I might send Telford and Trevor to handle this, but they just cost me one mutant today. I can't afford to have this one dying on me."

"And what if he refuses to come with us?" Mystique asked.

"Get some skin samples. Though a clone might take longer to make I'll still get what I want. First let's try and get him here to us without too much hassle. Oh before you go you might want to take a more…acceptable appearance," Shinobi said almost with a hint of disapproval in his voice.

"As if I didn't know that!" Mystique exclaimed as she walked out of the office and slammed the door behind her.