Bishop: War College #3

(in Bishop's World, Earth-63)

It's like looking in a mirror – Lucas Bishop knows that isn't his face – he knows a stranger when he sees one. He is in an alternate world, currently standing before that reality's Quiet Council on Krakoa. 'I know this must be odd. For both of you' this world's Charles Xavier points out as he sits alongside Destiny, Colossus, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Mr. Sinister, Storm, the White Queen and Sebastian Shaw. 'For all of us' Bishop admits, while this world's Bishop stands beside him. 'I never thought Lucas could look like that...' Emma utters, to which Shaw frowns and tells her that he supposes still waters run deep. 'It's like looking in a mirror' this world's Lucas Bishop smiles. The Bishop not of this world looks concerned as he turns to Mr. Sinister who grins: 'He's fascinating,' but Storm tells him not to think about it. 'Here, this might make things easier for all of us' Charles Xavier suggests as he connects the finds of the Quiet Council and both versions of Lucas Bishop so they can share their histories, pasts and words.

Memories and images are shared – of Bishop fighting Sentinels, then fighting Cable. And working alongside Kate Pryde and the Marauders. And from this world's Bishop, of teaching students, encountering Magneto, and of this world's X-Men including Colossus, Wolverine and Cyclops.

'Enough! Enough!' Bishop exclaims, grabbing his head. This world's Storm leans over the Quiet Council's table and asks him how he can live in a world like that – with that kind of pain and cruelty. 'How could anyone?' Colossus asks. 'I guess you're a jerk in every universe, Sinister' Nightcrawler remarks, while Shaw looks at Emma Frost and gasps 'Girl, you were white!' as Emma looks in, shocked, while Mystique utters 'Fascinating'. Bishop then tells this world's Quiet Council that he needs to find Heather Tucker, that somehow, she got him here and can get him back. 'You can't be serious...' Nightcrawler begins. 'Dr. Heather Tucker?' Storm asks, while Emma reveals that Heather Tucker is not on Krakoa, that she isn't a mutant. 'Heather... not a mutant? No...' Bishop gasps.

(Earth-616)

Above planet Earth in another universe, the Orchis Station known as “The Bloom” hovers in the Earth's orbit. Moira MacTaggert stares out a window down at the Earth below, when a voice asks 'No word from the Krakoa team yet, Moira?' It's Kelvin Heng a.k.a. Feilong, the man who united Orchis. 'Frustratingly, no' Moira responds, while Feilong tells her that he always thought trusting the Struckers was a bad idea, as they are worse than snakes. 'We needed them, Feilong. We needed their knowledge of Krakoa' Moira reminds him. 'We need them to find the Pit...where Xavier and his Quiet Council keep the real monsters, the true face of mutantkind. Their worst nightmares'. Moira thinks of the Pit and tells Feilong that they must free the monsters and enable them to do what they do best. 'Having those animals back in the world will give the lie to the happy, peaceful face of Krakoa' Moira explains. Feilong turns and walks away from Moira while telling her that it is a lovely plan, if the Struckers don't mess it all up. Moira turns to Feilong and tells him that the Blightswill they altered is still useful, even if the Struckers fail to reach the Pit, as it will seep into the ground and slowly drive Krakoa mad. 'That will help. When we strike our final blow...' Feilong begins, while Moira grins wickedly and declares that the mutants will lose everything.

Down below on the Earth, deep underground the mutant nation of Krakoa, 'Move! Move!' Andrea von Strucker shouts as she rushes through the tunnels towards several Orchis agents who are standing near a large drilling machine. 'Move!' Andrea shouts again, when sudenly a large rock is thrown at the machine, destroying it. Andrea ducks for cover, but when the Orchis agents turn their weapons in the direction of where the rock was thrown, Andrea tells them not to shoot. 'My brother is still in there!' Andrea screams as she looks up at the mutated form of the Thresholder mutant known as Amass, who has absorbed Andreas von Strucker. Andrea turns back to the Orchis soldiers and tells them to stay back, but to cover her, as she slowly approaches Amass and calls out to her brother, 'I know you're in there, Andreas. I'm going to get you out' she assures him. Amass stares down at Andrea, growling quietly at her. 'I know you know who I am... and you know what a knockout grenade is...' she adds as she throws one down on the ground, causing Amass to scream as the gas is expelled around him.

Andrea puts a gas mask on over her face as Amass hisses and slowly falls to the ground, where, once knocked out, he loses control over his powers and releases both Andreas von Strucker and Cam Long, whom he had absorved. 'Welcome back, brother. Let's get you away from the rabble' Andrea suggests as she pulls her brother away from the other two mutants. 'Tie them up!' Andrea snaps at the Orchis agents, instructing them to tie Cam and Amass up. Andrea tells her twin that now that he is free of that Amass kid's powers, Orchis' bracelet should protect him from the Blightswill – and once he has shaken off the effects, he can take his revenge on them. 'Oh, I will...' Andreas responds, before Andrea turns back to the Orchis soldiers and tells them to get back to work, as there is more of Bishop's little gang on the other side of the collapsed tunnel. 'We can't afford any more interruptions!' she adds, before ordering them to get the drill going. 'No more delays!'

On the other side of the tunnel, 'Okay, I think we're clear' a voice calls out. It's Wrongslide, who stands over Aura Charles, Noriko Ashida a.k.a. Surge and Hisako Ichiki a.k.a. Armor. Wrongslide tells the others that he is glad he found them, and that he followed the Struckers after Bishop and Tempo disappeared – then things went really crazy. Armor tells Wrongslide that it is good to see him, and adds that he showed up right on time. 'What happened?' Wrongslide asks. Surge dusts herself off and informs him that the Fenris Twins are working with Orchis, that they are using Blightswill and made their powers go haywire. 'That's not all it's doing' Aura announces, alerting the others to the Blightswill that is seeping through the tunnel walls, and weakening Krakoa itself. Armor suggests that must be what the Struckers are doing – poisoning the island. Aura assumes that the bracelets the twins were wearing protect them from the effects of the Blightswill. 'But why? If the Blightswill is already sickening Krakoa, then... what are they drilling for?' Wrongslide asks. Surge realizes that they must be going for the Pit. 'Crap' Armor mutters. Aura goes wide-eyed and asks if Sabretooth isn't in the Pit. 'If they break all the psychos out...' her voice trails off, as Wrongslide looks concerned and remarks that it will be a massacre.

(in Bishop's World, Earth-63)

'There has to be some mistake. Heather is a mutant' Bishop remarks as he follows this world's Bishop and Xavier towards a Krakoan portal. 'In your universe, maybe. But here...' this world's Bishop's voice trails off, as Xavier informs Bishop that Heather and her father are brilliant geneticists, but nothing more. If Heather was a mutant, he would know. Bishop decides that if he is here, then Tempo must be here, somewhere. Xavier suggests that Lucas take him through this gate to this world's Dr. Tucker, and points out that perhaps she was drawn to her doppelganger as Bishop was to his. Suddenly, Mystique and Destiny appear, and Mystique tells Xavier that they want a word. 'One second, Destiny' Xavier replies, before Destiny announces that she wants a word with Bishop – the other Bishop.

This world's Xavier and Bishop watch as the lost Lucas Bishop approaches Destiny, 'I don't know you' he tells her. Xavier telepathically tells his world's Bishop that for some people, misery is like a drug, and suggests that the other Bishop needs a detox. 'If I had lived through everything he has? I would too. Anyone would' Bishop responds. The lost Bishop folds his arms and frowns as he asks 'What could you have to say to me, “Destiny”?' he asks. Derstiny states that the threads of time are difficult to read, but some things stand out. 'I do not know you or your world. But... there is darkness ahead. That much is clear. Something is coming for you. For those you love' Destiny utters. 'In my universe, that's a constant' Bishop replies as he walks towards the portal.

'Welcome to New York City' this world's Bishop remarks to the other as they step through the portal, and arrive in a bustling New York City, where mutants with obvious mutations move about freely. Lucas explains that they built this world – mutants, humans, all of them, for all of them – together. 'It can't have been easy. Everyone just holds hands and sings “Kumbaya”? Really?' Bishop asks. Lucas confirms that it wasn't easy, and that there are always malcontents, and dissidents. 'But why is it so hard for you to believe that it could be a different way?' Lucas asks. 'If if could be, where would I belong? Who would I be?' Bishop asks. 'Me. You'd be me' Lucas tells him, as they both look back at their reflections in a window, before Bishop turns away and suggests they got get Tempo.

Lucas motions ahead to a building with a sign that identifies it as the Tucker Clinic, and suggests that they will find Heather Tucker here. 'Of course. I should have guessed' Bishop realizes. Lucas explains that the Tucker Clinic does the majority of genetic testing for the X-Gene, that it is where a mutant's life journey begins. 'It's an institution here' he adds. Suddenly, 'Good sales speech, Mr. Bishop? And who's your friend?' this world's Dr. Heather Tucker asks as she walks over to both versions of Lucas Bishop. Lucas says hi to Heather and introduces her to Bishop, explaining that he is also Mr. Bishop. 'Pleasure to -' Heather begins, before Bishop leers at her and tells her that he knows who she really is. 'Back off, man!' Heather exclaims, surprised, she leans back from Bishop, while Lucas tells him that she is not the Heather he knows. 'I don't know what game you think you're playing, pretending to be -' Bishop begins, while a wide-eyed Heather assures him that she is not playing any game, when suddenly, they are rocked by an explosion, which tears through the Tucker Clinic.

Four armored beings appear. Feilong. Simon Trask. Moira MacTaggert. Tony Stark. They identify themselves as the Human Liberation Front. 'The mutants must fall! Humanity must rise!'