They were born mutants--possessing powers of a genetic origin which made them outcasts of society. But one man -- Professor Charles Xavier -- brought them together to learn to use their unique gifts in the service of a world that hates and fears them...
Marvel 2000 Proudly Presents...
X-MEN ANNUAL #1
"DEATH OF A DREAM"
PART 10
BY
Dino Pollard
"DEATH OF A DREAM"
PART 10
BY
Dino Pollard
Human and mutant.
The two sound so different, yet are so similar. They are one and the same. Just in a different form. However, they despise each other.
Fear. Hatred. Bigotry.
He would change all that. He would unite man and mutantkind. No longer will they hate each other.
Even if he had to die trying.
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Piotr Nikolievitch Rasputin, otherwise known as Colossus, the armored powerhouse of the X-Men, was always a peaceful and gentle man. More comfortable among his paints than on the battlefield. However, when Professor Charles Xavier came to his home years ago and offered him a chance to protect the world, he couldn't refuse.
Peter still recalls the words Xavier spoke to him:*
"Power such as yours belongs to the world, Peter--to be used for the good of all," he had said.
Now, Xavier was dead.** And the X-Men would have to continue on without him.
(* WAAAAAY back in Marvel's Giant-Size X-Men #1 - Dino)
(** Xavier bit the dust in M2K's Uncanny X-Men #4 - Dino)
He looked up from his spot in front of the lake, then continued to paint.
He had been at it for some time, now. Still, it had to be perfect.
"Peter..."
Just perfect.
"Peter, are you okay?"
He turned to see Kitty Pryde walking towards him. She was dressed in casual clothes, rather than her X-Men uniform which had become like a second skin. As the X-Man known as Shadowcat, she was one of the youngest mutants currently living in the Mansion.
"Da," he replied in his thick, Russian accent.
"How are you holding up?" she asked. "What with the Professor's death and everything."
"I shall be fine, Katya," he said. "I have sadly experienced death numerous times. My parents, my brother Mikhail, my sister Illyana, and now Godspotin Xavier. I am more concerned of the others. Such as yourself."
"Yeah, well," she began. She walked over to the lake, sitting down on the grass beside it. She clutched her knees to her chest and held her head down, brown strands of hair falling in her face.
"It has kind of affected me...."
"Will you be all right?"
"He was almost like a father to me, Peter."
"I understand, Katya. He was the same to all of us."
"That's not the only reason I came to talk to you..."
Peter looked up from his painting at her. Something seemed to be troubling her, that he could tell.
"I received a call from G.W. Bridge earlier this week..." she began. "Do you remember when Ogun had invaded the SHIELD computers awhile back and changed all the access codes so only I could use the computers?"*
(* Back in Marvel's Kitty Pryde: Agent of SHIELD mini-series - Dino)
"Da," he replied, not liking where this conversation was headed.
"Well, they want me back."
His eyes grew wide with shock, and his heart became heavy.
"At first I dismissed it, thinking that the team needed me more," she said. "But now, after Professor Xavier's death, I'm thinking that it might not be such a bad idea..."
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He continued his flight across the country. It would be too soon to attack his former masters. Instead, he would need some assistance.
He sped towards his final destination:
The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning.
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"Katya, are you serious?" Peter asked.
"Yeah," Kitty replied. "I mean, there are definately enough X-Men."
"Yes, but after Marrow leaving the team,* and the Professor's death, I don't think this is the best time."
(* Marrow joined the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in M2K's X-Men #3 - Dino)
"Sometimes, these things just need to be done..." she said. "I still haven't accepted his offer, though. I wanted to talk to you about it, first."
"Why me?"
"Look, I know there's a lot of unresolved things between us. And I want to try and get things straight. I know we've been kind of... estranged ever since you joined Magneto.* And then, there was Pete Wisdom.** Now, here we are--back where we started all those years ago."
(* Colossus joined Magneto's Acolytes in Marvel's Uncanny X-Men #304 - Dino)
(** Kitty was in a relationship with Pete Wisdom in the pages of Marvel's Excalibur for awhile - Dino)
"Child, you have no idea."
Peter recognized the voice instantly.
"EXODUS!!!"
With a thought, Peter Rasputin's body explodes with energy, changing his flesh and blood into the armored steel of Colossus!
"Correct you are, Piotr Nikolievitch," Exodus said, hovering in the air. "I am glad I was able to find you."
"I shall change that, butcher!" Colossus exclaimed.
"What does Magneto want from us?" Kitty asked.
"I care not what Magnus wants or does not want," Exodus said. He lowered himself to the ground, his psionic shield diminishing. "I come here by my own accord. Though it may sound cliched, I come in peace."
"I say you've got about five seconds before we alert the other X-Men to your presence!" Kitty exclaimed.
"That would not be very wise, Katherine Pryde," Exodus calmly said. "I have come to a--"
Exodus is cut off in mid-sentence by a punch from Colossus, sending him into the lake.
"Katya, go alert the other X-Men immediately!!" Colossus ordered. "I shall hold off Exodus as best I can."
"You expect me to just leav--"
"GO!"
Kitty looked at him, then ran back towards the Mansion. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Exodus came looking for Colossus after all. So hopefully Colossus could hold him off. If she stayed, Exodus wouldn't hesitate to kill her.
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With a thought, Cyclops' cybernetic ruby-quartz visor opened to release his powerful optic blasts. Without the use of this visor, nothing could control his optic blasts.
As the leader of the X-Men, he's had some troubles as of late. Now, with Professor Xavier dead, he faced the greatest challenge of all. It was up to him to live up to everyone's expectations of him. To many, he was the essential X-Man.
Now, it was time for him to prove it.
He narrowly dodged a laser blast fired from one of the Danger Room's gun turrets. The visor opened to release another optic blast, obliterating it.
A second blast from behind. He turned and was prepared to dodge when it harmlessly dissipated inches from him.
"I knew I'd find you in here, running yourself ragged."
Cyclops looked to the source of the voice. Her name was Jean Grey-Summers. Otherwise known as the telepathic Phoenix. She was like the mother hen of the X-Men. But to him, she was something more.
She was his very reason for living.
"Jean," he said. "Something wrong?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing," Jean said, walking over to him. "Computer, pause program."
The turrets stopped firing after the computer registered Jean's vocal command.
"We have rough days ahead of us," he said. "We need to be ready for anything. I need to be ready for anything. I was gone for too long."
"Ease up on yourself, lover. There's no need to bust your butt for no reason. True, human-mutant relations couldn't be more strained right now, but there are other things to think about besides that."
"I feel like I've failed him..."
"Scott, don't you ever think that. Not for an instant. The Professor was always proud of you. And if he could see you now, he'd be proud of what you're doing. Of your course of action. Now, come on. For one afternoon, let's pretend that the world isn't against us."
"You're right, Jean," he said. "I think it's time we--"
Scott was interrupted by a voice over the intercom.
"There's an intruder breech!! The lake!!"
"That voice, it's Kitty!" Scott exclaimed.
"Looks like our relaxing afternoon will have to wait, husband mine."
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Colossus observed the lake with frantic eyes, searching for some sign of Exodus. Unfortunately for him, he found it.
The water began bubbling. Then, it shot up like a geiser. Colossus looked up, expecting to see Exodus at the top of the eruption. He never considered that Exodus might still be in the lake.
This was something Exodus used to his advantage as he fired a psionic blast at Colossus.
"Why do you attack me, Piotr Nikolievitch?" he asked.
Exodus was cut off as he was struck from behind by an optic blast.
"Pick a reason, jackass!!" Shadowcat exclaimed.
"Ahh.... the X-Men," Exodus said, slowly coming to his feet. "Do not be alarmed. I come in pea--"
He was cut off as Cyclops unleashed another optic blast. Phoenix, Shadowcat, Bishop, and Cannonball were standing behind him.
"YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!!!" Exodus exclaimed. "I'M NOT HERE TO DO BATTLE!!!"
"Could've fooled me..." Cyclops said, the sun reflecting off his visor. "We may not be up to full strength right now, but we'll still manage against you. Bishop and Sam, on my mark, I want a full-out attack. Kitty and Peter, you're back-up. Jean, get ready to attack with me. NOW!!"
On Cyclops' command, the former New Mutant and X-Force leader Samuel Guthrie is propelled into the air by a kinetic energy field which surrounds him, sending him rocketing into Exodus.
The time-lost X-Man known only as Bishop unloads a barrage of fire from his futuristic weapon at Exodus. However, the former Acolyte simply shrugs off the blasts as he unleashes a psionic attack on Bishop!!!
"Thank you..." Bishop said, as the energy began to course through his body. His eyes began to glow as the energy began to appear in his hands, urging for release. "You just hit a human battery. I can absorb and rechannel energy. Care for a demonstration?"
Exodus gave no reply, and Bishop never intended for him to. Instead, the X-Man released the energy from his hands, striking Exodus.
"Jean, now!!" Cyclops ordered his wife as he unleashed another optic blast.
Jean Grey-Summers, also called Phoenix, responded to her husband's command by unleashing a psychic attack on their enemy.
"I said.... ENOUGH!!!!" Exodus shouted, a huge energy aura surrounding him. "I COME IN PEACE!!!"
"Wh--what's going on?" Shadowcat asked.
"Ah can't move!!" Cannonball exclaimed. "What's happenin'?"
"It must be Exodus' doing," Bishop replied. "Just remain calm..."
"No Bishop..." Colossus said. "Let us here what Exodus has to say."
"Thank you, Piotr Nikolievitch," Exodus said, hovering slowly to the ground. "Quite simply, I have realized the error of my ways. There is no Apocalypse or Magneto ruling my life, forcing me to perform tasks which I have questioned. Now, I am finally free. And, I believe in Charles Xavier's dream of human/mutant co-existance."
"Strange words coming from you, Exodus," Phoenix noted.
"Stranger things have happened, Mrs. Summers," Exodus replied.
"So what?" Shadowcat asked. "You want to join the X-Men? Sorry, but it doesn't work that way."
"I have merely come to speak with Rasputin," Exodus replied.
"Very well, Exodus," Colossus said. "I shall speak with you in private.
Exodus hovered in the air, as psionic energy gently lifted Colossus and carried them off.
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"They've been out there for nearly an hour..." Kitty said, pacing nervously.
"Try'n relax, Kitty," Cannonball said.
"Kind of hard for that, Sam," Kitty replied. "I just wish I knew what they were talking about."
"You'll find out soon enough," Jean noted.
"Let's just hope it'll be for the better," Scott said.
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"So, that is the story, eh?" Colossus asked.
Exodus nodded.
"What say you, Piotr Nikolievitch?"
"The X-Men have enough members, now..." Colossus said. "Very well, Exodus. I am in."
"Excellent," Exodus said.
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"I still can't believe you're doing this!!" Kitty exclaimed.
"Please Katya..." Peter pleaded. "There is no need to make things anymore difficult."
"YOU'RE JOINING ONE OF THE X-MEN'S ENEMIES!!!" Kitty exclaimed. "HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO REACT?!"
"Exodus isn't that terrible," Peter replied calmly. "Try to be calm, Katya. I will still visit you in the Mansion."
"No, you won't," Kitty said.
"What do you mean?"
"Once you told me you were joining Exodus, I contacted G.W. Bridge at SHIELD. Starting next month, I become a full agent."
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"Give the rest of the X-Men my regards, tovarisch," Peter said, shaking Scott's hand.
"Will do, Peter," Scott replied. "You'll be missed."
"I am not needed with the X-Men as much," Peter said. "With Exodus, I can make a difference. Moreso than I could with the X-Men."
"It is time, Piotr," Exodus said. "Your destiny awaits."
Peter walked near Exodus, giving one final look to Kitty Pryde. However, she avoided his gaze, and, with a heavy heart, he was carried off by Exodus' psionic powers.
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NEXT ISSUE: Head over to Uncanny X-Men #5 by Cory Wiegel for “DEATH OF A DREAM,” Part Eleven!
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The two sound so different, yet are so similar. They are one and the same. Just in a different form. However, they despise each other.
Fear. Hatred. Bigotry.
He would change all that. He would unite man and mutantkind. No longer will they hate each other.
Even if he had to die trying.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Piotr Nikolievitch Rasputin, otherwise known as Colossus, the armored powerhouse of the X-Men, was always a peaceful and gentle man. More comfortable among his paints than on the battlefield. However, when Professor Charles Xavier came to his home years ago and offered him a chance to protect the world, he couldn't refuse.
Peter still recalls the words Xavier spoke to him:*
"Power such as yours belongs to the world, Peter--to be used for the good of all," he had said.
Now, Xavier was dead.** And the X-Men would have to continue on without him.
(* WAAAAAY back in Marvel's Giant-Size X-Men #1 - Dino)
(** Xavier bit the dust in M2K's Uncanny X-Men #4 - Dino)
He looked up from his spot in front of the lake, then continued to paint.
He had been at it for some time, now. Still, it had to be perfect.
"Peter..."
Just perfect.
"Peter, are you okay?"
He turned to see Kitty Pryde walking towards him. She was dressed in casual clothes, rather than her X-Men uniform which had become like a second skin. As the X-Man known as Shadowcat, she was one of the youngest mutants currently living in the Mansion.
"Da," he replied in his thick, Russian accent.
"How are you holding up?" she asked. "What with the Professor's death and everything."
"I shall be fine, Katya," he said. "I have sadly experienced death numerous times. My parents, my brother Mikhail, my sister Illyana, and now Godspotin Xavier. I am more concerned of the others. Such as yourself."
"Yeah, well," she began. She walked over to the lake, sitting down on the grass beside it. She clutched her knees to her chest and held her head down, brown strands of hair falling in her face.
"It has kind of affected me...."
"Will you be all right?"
"He was almost like a father to me, Peter."
"I understand, Katya. He was the same to all of us."
"That's not the only reason I came to talk to you..."
Peter looked up from his painting at her. Something seemed to be troubling her, that he could tell.
"I received a call from G.W. Bridge earlier this week..." she began. "Do you remember when Ogun had invaded the SHIELD computers awhile back and changed all the access codes so only I could use the computers?"*
(* Back in Marvel's Kitty Pryde: Agent of SHIELD mini-series - Dino)
"Da," he replied, not liking where this conversation was headed.
"Well, they want me back."
His eyes grew wide with shock, and his heart became heavy.
"At first I dismissed it, thinking that the team needed me more," she said. "But now, after Professor Xavier's death, I'm thinking that it might not be such a bad idea..."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He continued his flight across the country. It would be too soon to attack his former masters. Instead, he would need some assistance.
He sped towards his final destination:
The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Katya, are you serious?" Peter asked.
"Yeah," Kitty replied. "I mean, there are definately enough X-Men."
"Yes, but after Marrow leaving the team,* and the Professor's death, I don't think this is the best time."
(* Marrow joined the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in M2K's X-Men #3 - Dino)
"Sometimes, these things just need to be done..." she said. "I still haven't accepted his offer, though. I wanted to talk to you about it, first."
"Why me?"
"Look, I know there's a lot of unresolved things between us. And I want to try and get things straight. I know we've been kind of... estranged ever since you joined Magneto.* And then, there was Pete Wisdom.** Now, here we are--back where we started all those years ago."
(* Colossus joined Magneto's Acolytes in Marvel's Uncanny X-Men #304 - Dino)
(** Kitty was in a relationship with Pete Wisdom in the pages of Marvel's Excalibur for awhile - Dino)
"Child, you have no idea."
Peter recognized the voice instantly.
"EXODUS!!!"
With a thought, Peter Rasputin's body explodes with energy, changing his flesh and blood into the armored steel of Colossus!
"Correct you are, Piotr Nikolievitch," Exodus said, hovering in the air. "I am glad I was able to find you."
"I shall change that, butcher!" Colossus exclaimed.
"What does Magneto want from us?" Kitty asked.
"I care not what Magnus wants or does not want," Exodus said. He lowered himself to the ground, his psionic shield diminishing. "I come here by my own accord. Though it may sound cliched, I come in peace."
"I say you've got about five seconds before we alert the other X-Men to your presence!" Kitty exclaimed.
"That would not be very wise, Katherine Pryde," Exodus calmly said. "I have come to a--"
Exodus is cut off in mid-sentence by a punch from Colossus, sending him into the lake.
"Katya, go alert the other X-Men immediately!!" Colossus ordered. "I shall hold off Exodus as best I can."
"You expect me to just leav--"
"GO!"
Kitty looked at him, then ran back towards the Mansion. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Exodus came looking for Colossus after all. So hopefully Colossus could hold him off. If she stayed, Exodus wouldn't hesitate to kill her.
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With a thought, Cyclops' cybernetic ruby-quartz visor opened to release his powerful optic blasts. Without the use of this visor, nothing could control his optic blasts.
As the leader of the X-Men, he's had some troubles as of late. Now, with Professor Xavier dead, he faced the greatest challenge of all. It was up to him to live up to everyone's expectations of him. To many, he was the essential X-Man.
Now, it was time for him to prove it.
He narrowly dodged a laser blast fired from one of the Danger Room's gun turrets. The visor opened to release another optic blast, obliterating it.
A second blast from behind. He turned and was prepared to dodge when it harmlessly dissipated inches from him.
"I knew I'd find you in here, running yourself ragged."
Cyclops looked to the source of the voice. Her name was Jean Grey-Summers. Otherwise known as the telepathic Phoenix. She was like the mother hen of the X-Men. But to him, she was something more.
She was his very reason for living.
"Jean," he said. "Something wrong?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing," Jean said, walking over to him. "Computer, pause program."
The turrets stopped firing after the computer registered Jean's vocal command.
"We have rough days ahead of us," he said. "We need to be ready for anything. I need to be ready for anything. I was gone for too long."
"Ease up on yourself, lover. There's no need to bust your butt for no reason. True, human-mutant relations couldn't be more strained right now, but there are other things to think about besides that."
"I feel like I've failed him..."
"Scott, don't you ever think that. Not for an instant. The Professor was always proud of you. And if he could see you now, he'd be proud of what you're doing. Of your course of action. Now, come on. For one afternoon, let's pretend that the world isn't against us."
"You're right, Jean," he said. "I think it's time we--"
Scott was interrupted by a voice over the intercom.
"There's an intruder breech!! The lake!!"
"That voice, it's Kitty!" Scott exclaimed.
"Looks like our relaxing afternoon will have to wait, husband mine."
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Colossus observed the lake with frantic eyes, searching for some sign of Exodus. Unfortunately for him, he found it.
The water began bubbling. Then, it shot up like a geiser. Colossus looked up, expecting to see Exodus at the top of the eruption. He never considered that Exodus might still be in the lake.
This was something Exodus used to his advantage as he fired a psionic blast at Colossus.
"Why do you attack me, Piotr Nikolievitch?" he asked.
Exodus was cut off as he was struck from behind by an optic blast.
"Pick a reason, jackass!!" Shadowcat exclaimed.
"Ahh.... the X-Men," Exodus said, slowly coming to his feet. "Do not be alarmed. I come in pea--"
He was cut off as Cyclops unleashed another optic blast. Phoenix, Shadowcat, Bishop, and Cannonball were standing behind him.
"YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!!!" Exodus exclaimed. "I'M NOT HERE TO DO BATTLE!!!"
"Could've fooled me..." Cyclops said, the sun reflecting off his visor. "We may not be up to full strength right now, but we'll still manage against you. Bishop and Sam, on my mark, I want a full-out attack. Kitty and Peter, you're back-up. Jean, get ready to attack with me. NOW!!"
On Cyclops' command, the former New Mutant and X-Force leader Samuel Guthrie is propelled into the air by a kinetic energy field which surrounds him, sending him rocketing into Exodus.
The time-lost X-Man known only as Bishop unloads a barrage of fire from his futuristic weapon at Exodus. However, the former Acolyte simply shrugs off the blasts as he unleashes a psionic attack on Bishop!!!
"Thank you..." Bishop said, as the energy began to course through his body. His eyes began to glow as the energy began to appear in his hands, urging for release. "You just hit a human battery. I can absorb and rechannel energy. Care for a demonstration?"
Exodus gave no reply, and Bishop never intended for him to. Instead, the X-Man released the energy from his hands, striking Exodus.
"Jean, now!!" Cyclops ordered his wife as he unleashed another optic blast.
Jean Grey-Summers, also called Phoenix, responded to her husband's command by unleashing a psychic attack on their enemy.
"I said.... ENOUGH!!!!" Exodus shouted, a huge energy aura surrounding him. "I COME IN PEACE!!!"
"Wh--what's going on?" Shadowcat asked.
"Ah can't move!!" Cannonball exclaimed. "What's happenin'?"
"It must be Exodus' doing," Bishop replied. "Just remain calm..."
"No Bishop..." Colossus said. "Let us here what Exodus has to say."
"Thank you, Piotr Nikolievitch," Exodus said, hovering slowly to the ground. "Quite simply, I have realized the error of my ways. There is no Apocalypse or Magneto ruling my life, forcing me to perform tasks which I have questioned. Now, I am finally free. And, I believe in Charles Xavier's dream of human/mutant co-existance."
"Strange words coming from you, Exodus," Phoenix noted.
"Stranger things have happened, Mrs. Summers," Exodus replied.
"So what?" Shadowcat asked. "You want to join the X-Men? Sorry, but it doesn't work that way."
"I have merely come to speak with Rasputin," Exodus replied.
"Very well, Exodus," Colossus said. "I shall speak with you in private.
Exodus hovered in the air, as psionic energy gently lifted Colossus and carried them off.
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"They've been out there for nearly an hour..." Kitty said, pacing nervously.
"Try'n relax, Kitty," Cannonball said.
"Kind of hard for that, Sam," Kitty replied. "I just wish I knew what they were talking about."
"You'll find out soon enough," Jean noted.
"Let's just hope it'll be for the better," Scott said.
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"So, that is the story, eh?" Colossus asked.
Exodus nodded.
"What say you, Piotr Nikolievitch?"
"The X-Men have enough members, now..." Colossus said. "Very well, Exodus. I am in."
"Excellent," Exodus said.
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"I still can't believe you're doing this!!" Kitty exclaimed.
"Please Katya..." Peter pleaded. "There is no need to make things anymore difficult."
"YOU'RE JOINING ONE OF THE X-MEN'S ENEMIES!!!" Kitty exclaimed. "HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO REACT?!"
"Exodus isn't that terrible," Peter replied calmly. "Try to be calm, Katya. I will still visit you in the Mansion."
"No, you won't," Kitty said.
"What do you mean?"
"Once you told me you were joining Exodus, I contacted G.W. Bridge at SHIELD. Starting next month, I become a full agent."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Give the rest of the X-Men my regards, tovarisch," Peter said, shaking Scott's hand.
"Will do, Peter," Scott replied. "You'll be missed."
"I am not needed with the X-Men as much," Peter said. "With Exodus, I can make a difference. Moreso than I could with the X-Men."
"It is time, Piotr," Exodus said. "Your destiny awaits."
Peter walked near Exodus, giving one final look to Kitty Pryde. However, she avoided his gaze, and, with a heavy heart, he was carried off by Exodus' psionic powers.
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NEXT ISSUE: Head over to Uncanny X-Men #5 by Cory Wiegel for “DEATH OF A DREAM,” Part Eleven!
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