{{ This is Trish Tilby for CBNC 11 o'clock Action News. Here in Tampa, Florida, a mutant disaster occurred as an unidentified mutant exhibited a shocking display of psychic energy. What started as a fatal car accident flared out into a tragedy that will be remembered in all of our hearts. Tampa Police received reports of a 1984 Buick Regal enveloped within a bright orange field that caused strong emotions of fear in all those who had gotten near it. 30-year-old mother, Anne Tyler was returning home from a local Wal-Mart with her 3-year-old daughter in the back seat. We have a recording of the 911 call which reported the incident, which we will play now. }}

The image on a screen was a grayed-out background with subtitles and voices appearing across the screen.

911: 911 emergency.
Caller: Hello 911? There's been an accident at Kennedy and--holy s---!
911: Sir?
Caller: I-I-what the hell is that?
Background: Oh my god!
911: Sir! What street corner are you currently at?
Caller: Kennedy and Fifth God d--- it! There's this weird... orange thing surrounding one of the cars... In the other one there's a woman who's been severely injured and there's also a baby screaming its head off in the back seat.
911: Could you describe the orange thing, sir?
Caller: Well, uh... now that I'm looking a little closer it looks like its coming from the guy in the front seat. He looks okay, but the orange thing is like, ah-I dunno, its nothing like I've ever seen. Transparant, uh, like, going in and out of him... kind of like a cloud, but not foggy.
911: Okay, sir, I'm going to ask you to stay away from the-
Caller: (screams)
911: SIR! STAY AWAY FROM THE CLOUD AT ALL COSTS!
Caller: (phone dropping, screams fading away)

{{ As police attempted to calm the situation, they met with disaster as the mutant's psychic aura expanded, as seen in this footage. We at CBNC wish to warn you that this footage features graphic displays of violence, gunfire, and may not be suitable for viewers of all ages. }}

The screen showed a view from a helicopter as the mutant's aura abruptly grew from roughly ten feet around him to about fifty, engulfing the police as they began shooting, hitting some of their own in the crossfire. Then after the aura weakens, the camera reluctantly pans to a short asian girl in a jacket climbing out of the sewer.

{{ Just as the mutant's powers subsided, six young teenagers, some displaying meta-abilities, mutant or not is not known at this time, exited a manhole and began speaking violently to the remaining officers. One of the teenagers has been identified as being a part of the rogue mutant group known as the X-Men, but it is not known what affiliation the other five are. Police have not spoken openly about the young mutant's involvement in the case, but the chance appearance of a known X-Man has fueled anti-mutant groups' arguments. }}

The file footage ended as M flew past the cameraman with a sneer. New footage began at an anti-mutant rally at the site of the incident.

{{ "DAMN MUTANTS DON'T KNOW WHEN TO QUIT!" }} an attendee screamed into the camera, as it changed to a funeral with several coffins trussed in american flags.

{{ A 21-gun salute was held in honor of the officers killed in the line of duty. The woman killed in the car accident was honored as well. }}

The camera showed a distraught father with his hands on a young boy. "

{{ The families have presented a statement to the press. }}

The camera showed a man in a business suit with reading glasses on staring into a small stack of papers.

{{ "We, the familes of the mutant incident at Tampa wish to thank all of you for your support and kindness you've shown us and we'd like to tell the mutant community something. There is nothing you can do to mend the pain in our heart-- }}

*BOOM*

"BASTARDS!!!" Jubilee exclaimed.

"Jubes, calm down!" Everett stated. Everything was normal just a moment ago. They were watching the news and all of a sudden, Jubilee unleashed her fireworks on the TV.

"Can you believe this, Ev?!" Jubilee demanded. "They opened fire on him!! They killed him!! And now, this... this... ASSHOLE is basically saying that mutants should be blamed!!"

"He didn't exactly say that..."

"Pfft, like it's not obvious that that's what he meant!!"

She pulled her knees close to her chest, placing her face in them. Everett placed a hand on her shoulders, trying to comfort her.

"I know this sucks..." he muttered. "But those families - you gotta understand that they lost loved ones... right now, they're just angry..."

"I saw him..."

"Huh? Saw who?"

"The boy... Scott... I saw him..."

"Yeah, I know, we all did."

"No... I mean before..." Jubilee said. "I had a dream about him... he was holding his stomach... and there was his blood... it was everywhere... then he like, flew into the air or something. It's like he was on a cross or something..."

"Before he was shot?"

"Yeah... this happened like, right before Emma called us..."

Everett scratched the back of his head for a moment, then looked at her.

"Look, I'm no expert on dreams or anything... but don't you think you should maybe tell Ms. Frost about something like that?"

"I dunno... maybe," Jubilee replied. "I'll think about it... right now I got some stuff I gotta worry about."

She stood and walked out of the rec room, leaving Everett there to think about what had just happened - and to figure out how he was going to break the news to Sean that another TV was just blown up.

"Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds!
Have mercy, Jesu! Soft! I did but dream.
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
What do I fear? Myself? There's none else by.
Richard loves Richard: that is, I am I.
Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am:
Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why -
Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself?
Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good
That I myself have done unto myself?
O, no! Alas, I rather hate myself
For hateful deeds committed by myself.
I am a villain. Yet I lie, I am not.
Fool, of thyself speak well. Fool, do not flatter.
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain.
Perjury, perjury, in the highest degree,
Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree,
All several sins, all used in each degree,
Throng to the bar, crying all, 'Guilty! Guilty!'
I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;
And if I die, no soul will pity me.
And, wherefore should they, since that I myself
Find in myself no pity to myself?
Methought the souls of all that I had murdered
Came to my tent, and every one did threat
To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard."

Mystique looked up from the book to see nothing but the calm serenity of the campus grounds. She smiled a bit before speaking.

"Well? True, it's been awhile, but what do you think?"

Her silent companion perched in the tree offered no response - yet Raven Darkholme wasn't particularly expecting one. The sound of scratching bark was heard as the mute girl climbed down from her perch. She looked up at Mystique with blank, sky-blue eyes. A crimson, diamond-hard finger was poised at the book, trying to lift it up to see if she could read it. The finger slipped, and a red mark appeared on Mystique's indigo skin. She gasped in surprise and Penance retreated into the woods.

Mystique sighed and closed the book. She looked at the small cut and chuckled to herself.

"'Tis only a flesh wound."

She turned back towards the academy.

Paige Guthrie walked through the Danger Grotto. In her hands was an action figure she found outside of the rec room. Leech must've left it there by mistake, and rather than have the little tyke risk the wrath of Emma Frost, she thought it was better to return it to him.

She looked around for some sign of either Leech or Artie, but saw nothing. Instead, she heard a voice that sounded like Monet's. Except she was giggling - something Paige found a bit rare.

Paige peeked around a tree and saw Monet putting a hand up to her mouth as giggles escaped her mouth. The person talking to her also seemed to be chuckling a bit. He was standing beside the waterfall, dressed from head to toe in black.

"Jono...?" Paige whispered. She almost considered walking up to them, asking them what was so funny. She was amazed that Jono knew any jokes at all - he was usually pretty grim. And now she could hear his psychic "voice" chuckling.

"PAIGE!!!"

"Ah wasn't spyin' ah--!" Paige began, but then cut herself off when she saw who called her name out.

"Cool, you found Boku!! Leech was looking everywhere for it, can Leech have it back now?"

"Y-yeah, sure," Paige said, handing Leech his toy. "Be careful where y' leave it next time. We don't wanna get Ms. Frost angry."

"Okay!" Leech replied. "Thanks Paige!"

He grabbed his toy and ran off, with Artie following closely behind. Paige looked back over to where Jono and Monet were. They were still conversing with each other - almost as if they were in their own world.

*KREAK*

"You wanted t' see me, Mys--Miss Darkholme?"

"Yes, come in Angelo," Mystique noted, standing from her seat. Angelo Espinosa reluctantly entered, curious as to why she would want to see him. "I've been giving some thought to your powers. The obvious assumption is that you can control your extra skin simply for stretching."

"Si."

"What about shape-shifting?"

........

"Angelo?"

"D-did you just say shape-shifting?"

"Yes," Mystique replied. "Let's start out with something small. Concentrate on your nose for a moment."

"My nose?"

"Yes, close your eyes. Imagine it growing. Longer. Extending. Feel the extra skin on your face forming. Stretching."

Angelo concentrated, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

"Open your eyes."

Angelo found himself staring at a mirror, with his nose about a few inches longer. His eyes grew wide in shock.

"Madre de dios!"

He sucked in a deep gasp, and lost his concentration. His nose instantly shrunk back to normal.

"NO!!" he exclaimed.

"It takes time," Mystique stated. "Practice a little bit every day. Shape shifting is like weight lifting. To perfect it, you need to work at it."

"I don't trust her."

"There's a shocker," Sean unenthusiastically replied.

"Don't undermine me, Mr. Cassidy."

"I'm doin' nothin' of th' sort, Em," Sean replied. "Simply stating fact."

"Which would be...?"

"Ye don't like competition - period. Ye seem t' feel threatened by Monet because o' th' nature of th' lass's powers, an' now Mystique's current role at the school also threatens ye because ye feel that Charles undermined yuir authority when he hired her."

"First off - I am not threatened by Monet," Emma snapped. "And secondly, I couldn't care less if Xavier wanted to send someone else here. Mystique is a criminal. She was in a federal prison until recently. The only way she could be trusted in X-Factor was with an implant in her head. And, I should add that she still wasn't trusted all that much."

"Well, the children seem tae like her," Sean stated. "She's making some excellent progress with Paige an' Penny seems a tad more responsive as of late. An' I've found her t'be rather pleasant tae be around. I believe that Charles sent her here because he knew that she could help us - an' because he believes that we can trust her. I think that we can."

"Really?" Emma asked. "Do you really believe that, Sean?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I did nae mean it."

"Interesting..." Emma said. She turned away from him and pressed a button on the console. "Look at this security tape, then."

The tape showed Chamber standing near the computer, watching it for a few moments. He turned away, and his entire body seemed to change into a slender, indigo-skinned woman.

"I don't know about you Sean, but personally, I don't find spying to be a trait common in people I trust."

NEXT ISSUE: Is Mystique spying on Generation X?! And if so, then for whom?