Wings composed of pure light carried him through the air, allowing him to maneuver around the gunfire being unleashed. He twisted in midair, diving down towards one of the drones, talons outstretched. He swung from side to side, until finally reaching his destination. The talons went straight through the robot, short-circuiting it.

Archangel's new powers were a mystery even to himself. They emerged while he was recently in the service of Apocalypse. Somehow, the adamantium-laced wings he possessed vanished, leaving him with these new wings, as well as talons capable of tearing through a person's psyche.* Apparently, they're also able to short-circuit robots. Another mystery.

(* At the climax of M2K's Apocalypse: Ageless Fury crossover - Dino)

He swooped up, flying in the confined area of the Danger Room. The action was performed just in time as a second drone was flung into the wall he was in front of just a few seconds ago. Warren looked down to see Sabretooth standing there with a sinister grin, parts of the robot lying on the ground.

Blink, the youngest X-Man, let loose with glowing, pink javelins. When they struck, the targets were displaced for a fraction of a second, then reappeared. The result on a living being would cause them to pass out. For the robots, it overloaded their CPUs, forcing them to adjust to different locales in such a short amount of time.

Raw strength utilized by Rogue toppled a drone, while the flames of Pyro fried the delicate circuitry. It seemed a bit ironic that these two veteran mutant fighters originally began their careers as enemies of the X-Men. Both began as members of one incarnation of the Brotherhood of Mutants - a terrorist group who support mutant domination and human extinction.

Another odd member of this ensemble is Joseph. His story is a complicated one, so we won't go into it (it gives us headaches just thinking about it).* Basically, he was born Charles Lehnsherr, the son of an alternate reality Rogue and Magneto. Suffering from amnesia, he has taken the name Joseph. The magnetic energies he controls are similar to his father's, but whereas Magneto's powers are much more focused and controlled, Joseph's are more powerful and unpredictable. Still, that doesn't stop him from demonstrating them while he magnetically forces the robots to turn against each other.

(*See issue #17 for all the details - but bring some Advil--Dino)

Psylocke, another longtime member, was currently one of the most-mysterious. Originally only possessed of telepathic abilities, the shadow abilities given to her by the Crimson Dawn seemed to be having some sort of effect on her. It's something that has constantly been on Warren's mind. The way she used them, it seemed almost as if the Crimson Dawn was corrupting her. However, she would argue that Warren's new powers seemed to be having a similar effect on him.

Rounding out the team is Pietro Maximoff - Quicksilver. Recently, he was appointed to head up the team by Bishop, the former leader. From the control booth, he watched his teammates engage in battle, as he controled it all at his fingertips. But despite the fact that he had spent a lot of time planning out training scenarios, he found that his mind was not on the task at hand. Rather, it was on his estranged wife, Crystal, and their daughter, Luna. Until recently, Crystal served as a member of the X-Men as well. But, she felt that the gap between the two of them could never be bridged, so she left.

A week later, and he still hadn't recovered from the initial shock of the situation.

"Sodding flame-thrower..." Pyro muttered as he slid the large contraption off his back. "I've gotta see about getting something a bit more compact. This bloody thing is gonna give me a hernia one of these days."

"If you can get in touch with Forge, he might be able to rig something up for you," Warren stated.

"Why do you need a flame-thrower, anyway?" Joseph asked before he stepped into the shower across from Warren.

"My powers only let me control existing flame," Pyro replied as he removed his mask. "I can't create it out of nothing. So, I need a flame-thrower."

"Ever consider a Zippo?"

The three men turned as Sabretooth traipsed through the locker room, still in uniform. He simply grinned at them.

"What are you doing in here, anyway?" Warren asked. "I wasn't aware that animals cared about hygiene."

"Whatsamatter, you ashamed o' yer shortcomings, flyboy?" Creed asked with a grin across his face. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's jus' the cold air."

The serial killer laughed before walking out the door.

"Ignore him," Pyro said. "It's not that bad, mate,

Warren turned his attention back to the shower, trying to block out thoughts of Sabretooth being dipped in scalding oil. His head snapped back up, and he looked at Pyro.

"What?!"

Later.

"I dunno... I just don't..."

"Don't second-guess yourself, Clarice," Betsy stated.

"But... this just seems so... different..." Clarice noted. "I mean, where I come from, all we really cared about was that we'd be able to live another day."

"Well, welcome t' our neck o' th' woods, sugah," Rogue said.

"Will you be taking the dress, ma'am?" the store clerk asked.

"Umm..." Clarice muttered. "I'm not so su--"

"Yes," Betsy interjected. She handed the clerk a credit card.

"I'm still a little uncomfortable with this..." Clarice said. "I mean... I know this is my world... but I also spent all that time in that other world. So... I don't know... but spending that much money on clothes seems a little..."

"Wasteful?" Betsy asked. "In that case, you'd be right. It is wasteful. But, sometimes, we need to just indulge ourselves."

"Gal's got a point," Rogue noted. "But, ah think I've had just about enough excitement f'r one day. Ah'm about set t' go home an' curl up in front o' the TV."

"I think I should get back, too," Clarice stated. "There are some... things I want to check up on."

"You two go on ahead," Betsy said. "I want to spend a bit more time exploring."

"See ya back at base, Betts," Rogue stated. Betsy watched as the two young women rounded the next corner, no doubt finding a secure location to teleport from.

"Eh...?" she muttered, looking around. She could sense something was following her.

Betsy increased her pace, trying to move faster than the rest of the shoppers. She still detected the presence of something else.

Ducking into an alley, she walked towards the back and checked to see that no one was watching. Here, the shadows hid from the sun. It was the perfect escape if she would need it.

"All right, luv," she stated, as the mark of the Crimson Dawn began to glow. "Show yourself!"

Her telepathy reached outward, and all of a sudden, a figure appeared before her, reeling in pain from her psychic attack.

"Rule number one," Betsy stated. "Don't try to ambush a telepath."

"I'll be sure to remember that in the future," the figure stated. He extended his hand, and Psylocke found she was beginning to get light-headed.

"Wh-what are you...?"

"My apologies, but I can't have you wrecking my carefully-laid plans."

Rogue sat in her room, slipping off her shoes.

"Damn..." she muttered. "If ah'm so invulnerable, then how come mah feet are killin' me after a day o' walkin'?"

She dropped her shopping bags in the closet, too tired to put them away right now. Instead, she just laid back in her bed and grabbed a book laying on the nightstand. She opened it up and removed the bookmark she used to keep her spot.

"Chere..."

She dropped the book and looked up. The sight she saw nearly gave her a heart attack.

His name is Remy LeBeau. The mutant thief known as Gambit. He left the X-Men awhile ago to spend some time on his own.*

(* WAAAAAAY back in issue #7--Dino)

"Remy...?"

"It's me, chere..." Remy replied. "I'm here."

"Th--this can't be real..." Rogue muttered, moving forward.

"It gets better," Remy stated, removing his glove. He reached out and touched her face with his bare fingers.

"Oh mah god!!" she exclaimed. "Is this real...? Are you really here?!"

"I'm here, chere..." Remy replied. "I'm here."

From the corner of the room, a figure appeared in a cloud of mist and chuckled silently. The mist surrounded him once more, and he vanished.

Quicksilver ran across the Danger Room, disassembling the drones faster than the computer could spit them out.

"Pietro..."

He stopped and turned his head.

"Crystal...?"

"Pietro... I've come to a decision..." Crystal stated.

"You've decided to stay?" Pietro asked.

"No..." Crystal replied. "I'm here with somebody else..."

"Who?" Pietro asked. "What are you talking about?"

"She's talking about me."

Pietro's head turned to find Erik Magnus Lehnsherr hovering there. Magneto. The Master of Magnetism. His father.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Pietro demanded.

"Calm yourself, my son," Magneto stated.

"It's all right, Pietro..." a woman stated, placing red-gloved hands on his shoulders.

"No... not you too..." Pietro muttered. "Not you, Wanda..."

"He's our father, Pietro," Wanda stated, as she and Crystal stood beside Magneto. "He's the path of the future. Don't you understand that?"

"Pietro, come with us," Crystal beckoned. "We can live as royalty. No more fighting, no more prejudice. Just us."

"What do you say, son?" Magneto asked, extending his hand. "Will you join us?"

"I.... this isn't real..."

"Oh, but it is," Magneto stated.

"NO!!" Pietro exclaimed, darting out of the Danger Room. Once he was gone, Magneto, Crystal, and the Scarlet Witch vanished.

"Why d'ya need me?" Sabretooth asked.

"I already removed Psylocke from the board, because with her psychic abilities, she could see through my illusions. You were the wild card, though. Your enhanced senses can also see through my illusions."

"So, whaddaya want from me?"

"A truce, Sabretooth. If you keep quiet and don't reveal to the X-Men what's happening, then I promise to release you from this prison they have you in. I shall also compensate you for your troubles."

The man tossed a wad of bills into the cell. Sabretooth picked it up and examined it, insuring that it was real and not an illusion.

"There is more if you cooperate."

"Ya got yerself a deal, bub."

"Blast!" Pyro exclaimed, tossing the game controller to the ground.

"I won?" Clarice asked with shock. Pyro nodded.

"I don't really understand this..." Joseph muttered. "It's a game that's supposed to be fun... but you're getting frustrated?"

"Just think of it as a game, mate," Pyro stated, lighting a cigarette. "Some people get it, some don--"

"Why Mr. Allerdyce... so nice to see you enjoying the company of your enemies..."

"McCoy..." Pyro muttered. "Shouldn't y'be in SHIELD custody?"

"Shouldn't you be there as well--" the Dark Beast began. "--traitor?"

"Y'tricked me, McCoy!" Pyro exclaimed.

"Who are you talking to?" Joseph asked.

"Pyr--?" Blink began, but was cut off when she saw someone coming towards her. "Sabretooth...? How'd you get out?"

He looked like Sabretooth, but he seemed different. He didn't have the eyes of a serial killer that he usually had. And the uniform was all wrong.

"Muh... Mister Creed...?"

"That's right, darlin'," Sabretooth stated.

"Go with him, child," another man stated. Clarice recognized him. The In-Betweener. Her two mentors.

"Something's not right..." Joseph said, watching as Pyro and Blink talked to thin air.

"Everything's fine, Joseph."

"Sister Maria?!" Joseph exclaimed. "How did you get here? How did you know where to find me?!"

"I just knew, Joseph," Sister Maria replied, stepping closer to the man she originally found lying in mud.

All of a sudden, the images vanished. The three X-Men were all that remained in the room. In the shadows though, the Witness watched, and a look of concern fell over his face.

"Somet'in ain't right..." he muttered.

*KNOCK*

"Rogue...?" Warren asked. He lightly rapped on the door again. "Rogue, it's Warren. I was wondering if you knew where Betsy is."

No answer.

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

"Rogue, are you in there?"

Acting on instinct, Warren turned the knob. He saw Rogue lying under the covers. He noticed her clothes tossed all about the room.

"Mmmm..." she muttered, opening her eyes. However, she didn't seem to notice Warren standing there. "Mornin', Remy."

Remy...? But... Gambit left the team... And even if he didn't, he couldn't be sleeping in the same bed as Rogue. But, the way she's talking, she thinks he's right there.

"Rogue!" Warren shouted. "Rogue, are you okay?!"

He walked in the room and lightly shook her.

"Rogue! Rogue!"

No response.

Warren exited the room, and closed the door, just as a woman with long, dark hair passed by him.

"Betsy...?" he asked. He grabbed her shoulder and she faced him.

The first thought that struck him was that this isn't Betsy.

"Candy?!" he exclaimed.

"Warren...?" Candy asked. "Are you okay? You sound like you haven't seen me in years."

"I haven't..." Warren replied. "Candy, you died, remember?"

"What are you talking about, Warren?" Candy asked. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Who are you?!" Warren demanded, grabbing her wrists. "What's going on here?!"

"Warren... please..." Candy pleaded. "You're scaring me!!"

"What did you do to Betsy?!" Warren shouted, keeping a fierce grip on Candy's arms. His skin began to turn blue as his wings emerged from his back, and his eyes and hair began glowing with a bright, yellow light, similar to his wings. Then, he noticed that he wasn't holding onto anything.

"What's going on...?" Archangel asked. "What is this?"

"Oh no..." a voice bellowed from all around. "You discovered this was all an illusion much too quickly. Ruin all my fun."

Smoke began to surround Warren. It circled upwards, and formed into a giant dressed in green with a purple cape and a glass bowl for a head.

"Allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Worthington," he stated. "I am Mysterio!"

Where's Betsy?! Warren tried to shout, but the words wouldn't come out.

Psylocke doesn't matter.

Like hell she doesn't!!

"Where's Betsy?!" Warren shouted.

"Ahh yes, your psychic friend," Mysterio stated. "She is currently at my mercy - as she will continue to be if you do not sign off your fortune to me."

"That's what this is all about?!" Warren exclaimed. "Money?!"

Listen up, Worthington!! You need me to stop him, to help you pierce his illusions.

Only on the condition that you help Betsy.

The Dark One?!

Excuse me?

You cannot possibly ask me to do such a thing.

Either you do it, or deal's off, understand?

I saved you from Apocalypse, and this is how you repay me?

My life's not worth shit without Betsy! Either rescue her, or I'll do whatever possible to insure that our deal's off.

.....

Well...?

As you wish...

Archangel's wings expanded, as his talons grew.

"You cannot hope to defeat me," Mysterio warned, as he vanished in a flash of smoke and light.

"So you say..." Archangel replied. He bent down and his wings covered him then suddenly shot out, releasing feathers composed of light in a radius.

"ARGH!!!" Mysterio exclaimed, his location revealed. Archangel rammed into him at full speed, slamming him into the wall. Before Mysterio could stand, Archangel began slashing him with the talons, tearing through his psyche.

"Where is she..." he demanded, his eyes glowing fiercely.

"In a cell below..." Mysterio muttered.

Archangel prepared to bring his talon down on Mysterio, to completely shred the villain's psyche.

No, you're done.

He must be cleansed.

No! Betsy's more important.

You don't have a choice.

Yes, I do. And I won't let you do this! Not....

"ARGH!!!" Warren cried out, as his wings shrunk back into his back, and his skin and hair turned back to normal. "...tonight."

He looked at Mysterio.

"You were just trying to make an easy buck, weren't you?" Warren asked. "You selfish sonnuva bitch!!"

He delivered a quick punch to Mysterio's head.

*KTSSHHH*

The glass dome which was the villain's helmet shattered. Warren threw him against the wall and ran down to the basement.

"So anyway... like I was sayin', Betts... I ain't such a bad guy once y'get t'know me..." Sabretooth muttered, lying back in his cell. "Any comm--"

"BETSY?!"

"Aw shit..." Creed muttered. "Whaddaya want, flyboy?"

Warren opened the cell across from Creed.

"Her," he stated, motioning to Betsy. He cradled her limp body in his arms. "Betsy...? Are you all right...?"

"Mmmmm..." Betsy murmured, her eyes opening. "Never better, lover..."

"Come on..." he said, helping her up. He looked over at Sabretooth. "You go on up, I'll be right there."

Creed grinned at Warren as the X-Man approached his cell.

"I kept her company for ya."

"You're the last kind of company I want her to keep..." Warren muttered. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"How could ya tell?" Creed asked.

"You sniveling little worm..." Warren muttered. "One day, Creed, you're gonna outlive your usefulness. And then, it's gonna come down to you and me."

"Ooooh... I'm shakin'..."

Warren ignored his comment and exited.

"He's gone..." Betsy stated once Warren approached her. "I can't detect his thoughts anywhere on the premises."

"Let him go," Warren told her, putting his arms around her. "I don't think he's dumb enough to come after us again."

NEXT ISSUE: Be here for the debut of Cable-scribe Brad Horton as scripter of the book, and the Witness finally makes his move!

X-PRESSIONS

Well, it's the end of an era. I'm stepping back from X-Men Omega a bit. I'll still be handling the plots, but Brad Horton, the kick-ass writer of Cable (M2K's best title, IMO) is going to be scripting for the foreseeable future. I know you'll enjoy his work on this book. If you're already a reader of Cable, then you know he kicks ass. If not, then you're in for a treat.

Another great issue by Mr. Willis. Crystal and Pietro's little scene in the beginning was funny, but the laughs stopped when it got serious at the end and Crystal left. Pietro's a bastard, suffice to say. The scene with Joseph and Rogue was cool, too. I liked when Joseph replied simply "Oh." in reaction to Xavier's death. It was kind of awkward, but handled very well by our Die Hard star. I just hope Joseph's not going to start having vibes for his alternate reality mom! Yeesh! That's worse than X-Man and Madelyne Pryor! I'm also intrigued by the Witness and why he's hanging around the Omega team. "Roseanne doing jumping jacks again"? I would've spit something out if I was drinking something at the time. Funny stuff.

-Brad Horton

Yeah, I purposely put Brad's letter first. Anyhoo, thanks for the comments, Brad. Glad you liked the Joseph/Rogue relationship and the interaction between Crystal and Pietro. But no, no attraction between Joseph and Rogue. She belongs with Gambit (don't expect that anytime soon, though). And I'm glad you liked the little commentary about the crisis over in Avengers. For those of you unaware, that was intended to be part of Jay Leno's opening monologue on the Tonight Show. And don't worry, you'll know all about the Witness once I send you the plots.

While reading this I wondered how Dino has so much time to write all these. Speaking of which, the reason I haven't got Marvel Knights in is cuz I had some things to do and to make up for it, I'm gonna send not 1, not 2, but 3 issues in at the same time! Wow! Heh, anyways, good to see the team's number going down, getting to crowded. It was mainly a person story, no action. Wondering what's up with Witness, and now we know hes not a hallucination since Blink saw him too. It was kinda short but I liked it.

Warm Damn

-Adnan Khan

Warm damn?! I just get a WARM DAMN?! DAMN YOU, ADNAN!!!

Alright, just kidding. Aside from Adnan plugging Marvel Knights, he makes some good comments here. Glad you like the slimming of the team. Will there be more slimming? Who knows...

As much as I like Crystal, I can't say I'm very torn up over her leaving this book, as I was never too keen on the idea of a non-mutant being on the team anyway. It's just unfortunate that Quicksilver's marriage had to be broken up again to accomplish this.

This title is still winding down a bit from the massive Wrath of God storyline... which is fine. I actually prefer these stories, where we get a look at what the characters are doing with their downtime and how they relate to each other off the battlefield. Dino gives good dialogue, so he excels at these low-action pieces. The Witness appearing to Blink was a bit of a surprise, and it's good to see Rogue and Joseph getting more comfortable around each other.

The only real problem I'm having at the moment is Sabretooth. I can see why Dino wants Creed on the team -- he's probably a fun character to write and it's always cool to have a loose cannon hanging around -- but the only reason Bishop wanted to keep the guy around was because of his link to Deus. Now, with Bishop gone and Deus neutralized, I can't see why this group would continue to keep Creed in the house, especially considering they all hate him. Pyro at least makes a little sense, as he's a somewhat likeable guy who's worked on the side of the angels in the past. I'm just having a hard time getting my brain around Sabretooth's continued presence, so hopefully Dino will come up with a new reason to have the furball around soon.

-Russ

I really wanted to make Pietro and Crystal's relationship work. But... I just couldn't do it. So, I figure rather than beating the on-again/off-again relationship to death, I figured I'd just put it out of its misery.

Sabretooth is still there because he can still prove useful. He's a tracker, and that's something that the team can use. Don't worry, though. Brad and I have some awesome stuff planned for Sabretooth.