Bishop sat at his desk reading the latest edition of Time magazine. He was reclined back in his chair and had both his feet propped up on the table. The Century Item business was still bothering him. That guy looked too much like Legion and those jewels in a psycho's hands isn't Bishop's idea of safe. He already contacted S.H.I.E.L.D. and some of the other more prominent organizations, but he was pretty sure they wouldn't get any further than he had.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The detective sprang up out of his seat and went to open the door. And as soon as he did he saw a face he didn't want to see for some time because every time that face came around trouble followed.

"What do you want Remy?" Bishop asked with a clipped tone. He didn't want to have the Cajun here anymore than he wanted any other X-Man to be here. Bishop still needed to do some things on his own first.

Gambit stepped through the door and Bishop closed it with a slam behind him. Remy took off his black hat and laid it on Bishop's desk. He turned around to look at Bishop and said, "I'm not Gambit."

Before this Remy look alike could go any further Bishop already had two guns pointed at the imitator. "Who are you then and it better be quick?"

"I'm an Avenger…well, at least a former one. My name's Shaitan and I've come to ask you for assistance. I took on the form of Remy because I figured his showing up wouldn't cause too much suspicion from you and you trust him. If I was to have come on my own you might have been doubtful of my motives," Shaitan explained.

Bishop lowered his guns, "An Avenger huh? Well, now that the cat is out of the bag why don't you just shed to your true form?"

Shaitan sighed, "My powers don't work that way. Whatever form I take on I'm stuck that way for a random amount of time though I've never stayed as one person longer than two months."

Bishop nodded in understanding and sat at his desk. He pulled out two beers from the cooler in one of his drawers and handed it to Shaitan, "I've found these things to be quite good since I've arrived in this time. So what could a big bad Avenger want with a detective like me?"

"I need you to help me track down a super powered killer. His name is Rebirth and I have reason to believe he's in Chicago," Shaitan explained.

Just then Pamela Greenwood walked through the door with a couple of early showing movie tickets in hand. Seeing Bishop had a complaint she gasped from embarrassment, "I'm sorry Bishop. Didn't mean to interrupt…"

"Don't worry about it Pamela. I'll be out in a second," Bishop said kindly. Pamela and him were going to try and have a relationship. As much as the former XSE hated to admit he found himself extremely attracted to Pamela and more than anything he needed someone with who he could talk about his hairy life to.

Greenwood smiled at Bishop and closed the door behind her. Shaitan grinned, "So a lady friend huh?"

"Yes you could say that. If you don't mind staying here I'll be back in a couple of hours and then we can really get down to the nitty gritty of things."

Shaitan nodded and pulled a Game Boy he had to entertain himself with. Bishop shook his head in disbelief and walked out of the door.

Mystique slept, but her dreams were not at all peaceful….

Raven was on a desolate black field covered with scarecrows of varying sizes. Darkholme walked cautiously through all these scarecrows ever looking for threats of any kind. Her eyes were alert and her body was ready for action.

Really Mystique you must learn to calm yourself. Always so anxious and ready to go. If you never relax you'll just burn yourself out my dear.

"Why the hell are messing with my mind Crow? What do you want?" Mystique asked holding her arms out as if waiting for him to come out of the shadows and stab her.

I want you to remember Raven. That's all I want you to do. Do you even remember when your powers first manifested?

Mystique thought about for a second and slowly she had to swallow her pride and say, "NO! Is that what you want to hear? My past is mumbled and jumbled. Is that what you want to hear?"

Admittance is the first step to solving any problem Raven. We're making progress.

With that Raven jumped out of her sleep clutching at the covers in the cheap African hotel she had to stay in with Martinique Jason.

"What's wrong Mystique?" Jason asked groggily since Mystique's cry had aroused her from her slumber.

"He's right. That's what's wrong," Mystique, murmured.

"Oh that's nice," Mastermind yawned as she went back to sleep.

Shinobi cursed as a bit of wine fell on his Armani suit. He couldn't believe it! He had just bought this outfit. Then just as quickly as he became angered he became calm again. Shaw could just go and buy a hundred more if he felt like it. Then he felt a vibration come from inside his coat jacket. His cell phone was going off. It must be Telford.

"Yes, Porter I'm fine. With Bishop thinking I'm dead I'm pretty sure a lot of pressure he might have thrown on me has been lifted. I see my clone worked perfectly," Shinobi said as he took a bite of his French toast.

"He even imitated you in death. Though Bishop might think the Hellfire Club more vulnerable to attack. He might decide to strike again," Vanisher said nervously.

Shinobi laughed, "Once Bishop gets word that his sister is alive and well I think he'll take all of his attention off of us."

Vanisher was taken aback, "How do you know Shard is alive?"

"Connections. None of your concern. Lets just say that Bishop will be busy for some time. As for you I want you to stay with your cartel a bit and away from Chicago. Things are about to get hectic there," Shaw informed.

"Yeah sure. Whatever you say Shinobi," Vanisher said as he hung up the phone.

Leaning back in his chair Shinobi smiled devilishly. With everyone distracted he was wide open and able to find the Books of Hellfire. Then he would find out all about the Heavenrain event and it's significance to him.

Yani and Maurice stepped into the room of a sleeping man. This man was far from ordinary. He was a mutant that had to feed on other mutants. He had recently joined the Hellfire Club and he was Yani's Feeder. He would help her build her new world. He was one cog in a great, almighty machine. The sleeping mutant was known as Emplate.

"Be careful with this one my child. He is quite dangerous," Yani warned as she and her companion, Maurice, walked slowly towards the bed of Emplate.

Maurice heeded the warning of the black woman and stepped back behind her. He gripped her leg as Yani stretched out her hand. She touched Emplate's shoulder and the body of Marius St. Croix began to glow a bright white. As the body of the mutant began to glow, Maurice grinned. Yani was going to bring these hopeless people hope.

"And so it begins Maurice. The Feeder is ours. Next we shall take the power of Lover. Our great machine of love and hope will soon begin," Yani said as she rubbed the head of Maurice gently.

"Then they'll be free right?" Maurice asked innocently.

"Yes, they'll be free child. Free from hate. Free from want and most of all free from fear."

Detective Reiger walked out of his office and slung his long brown trench coat over his shoulder. He pulled his car keys out of his pocket and scanned through the many keys for the right key. Before he could even open the door to his car a hand grabbed his shoulder. Reiger spun around quickly and would have pulled his gun if not for the sight of the four women before him. To his surprise one of the women was actually completely naked.

"Why do I get the feeling that I've just got involved in some more mess?" Reiger asked to no one in particular.

"You're the Plow that the Harvester will use Reiger," Sapphire said as she stepped forward. Jack backed away from the woman cautiously.

"Don't be afraid," Akaya said to a near fleeing Reiger.

Jack pulled out his gun and pointed it towards the four women. Looking at them with a hard stare he said, "And why shouldn't I be?"

"Because you have far worse things to fear," Sapphire said without an ounce of change in her voice.

"Like what?" Reiger asked skeptically. He didn't move his gun an inch the entire time. He wasn't going to get pulled over again like he did during the whole future situation. He was still recovering from that fiasco.

"Her name is Yani and she will use you to mold the world as she sees fit. Her Grand Engine will be completed and you will be a cog in it. Believe me when I say this is a fate you do not want," Sapphire warned.

Jack lowered his gun and said, "I'll listen to what you have to say. You better be on the level though or I can promise you'll have a couple of bullets in the back of your head."

"Of course. You have our word," Akaya said with a bow.

"Well, come on then. Get in the car before anyone sees you. I doubt a naked black woman with a white cop would go well on my record," the detective said directing the Sisters of the Womb to his vehicle.

Ivan Brown had been born in the streets of New Orleans into the family that had close ties to the Assassin's Guild. As he grew up those ties cost Ivan friends and family. When he was 14 his powers manifested he when a car hit him. Young Ivan miraculously survived, but the first power he ever gained was to be a flaming skeleton. That gave away pretty quickly that Ivan was a mutant. His father had him shipped off to Russia where he became a hitman for the Mafia.

Unfortunately for Ivan he was killed on his first mission out. Somehow he came back, but this time he was now a telepath. It was after his second death that Ivan finally realized his power. He was an immortal and every time he died he was granted a different super power. From that point on he began to call himself Rebirth and pleased himself in whatever way he felt.

Now he took pleasure in the killing of people. His next victim would be the ex-Avenger, Shaitan. And by killing that freak he would have his first super powered trophy.

Mystique walked through the African city with Martinique by her side. She had taken on the form of a local woman to blend more into the surroundings. Raven was pretending to be Mastermind's local guide so as not to draw suspicion. That was the last thing they needed at this point. What they needed was to get back to America and handle Shinobi Shaw.

He is quite the pest isn't he? Shinobi is worse than his father could ever have hoped to be, but you can't really blame the kid. It was all because of the way he was raised and the company his father kept. You can understand that can't you Raven?

The voice was like a spike in her head. Dr. Crow was a specter that had yet to tell her anything. All he did was speak in riddles. Raven could understand none of them. She couldn't respond to him because Martinique would begin to doubt her sanity. She needed Jason's trust and not her doubt at the moment.

I know you can't talk to me at the moment. That's okay though because I just want you to listen. Remember this place. Berlin, Germany 1878. Think hard on it.

Darkholme remembered that place, but the date was of no significance to her. Germany was her home though she didn't acknowledge it often. She knew only bits and pieces of her early past so Germany felt more like a house than a home to her. As she walked alone she didn't even hear Martinique's question.

"Are you okay Raven? You look distant," Jason said.

Jason had to repeat herself two times before Raven finally answered, "I'm fine Martinique. I'm still just a little upset at Shinobi's betrayal. I will have my way with him."

"If I ever knew anything to be true I know that is," Martinique smiled as the two women continued to walk though the hustle and bustle of the African marketplace.

It's your birth date Mystique. I know because I was the doctor that delivered you dear. You're 125 years old. You still quite the beautiful woman for such a ripe age.