Age of X-Man: Nextgen #4

Glob's dorm room at the Summers Institute for Higher Learning, where Santo Vaccarro a.k.a. Rockslide asks Robert “Glob” Herman if he is sure this is necessary. 'Yes. Just relax' Glob responds as holds a candle up to his form. Rockslide closes his eyes and mutters that he is not sure he is comfortable with this, when suddenly, 'Glob! Anole's on the -' Hisako Ichiki a.k.a. Armor calls out  as she enters Glob's room, stopping herslelf mid-sentence as she sees Glob standing over Rockslide and heating his waxy form, melting some of it onto Rockslide. 'This isn't what it looks like, Hisako. Glob and I were just... ah... we were just...' Rockslide trails off, before begging Hisako not to tell Dean Angel. 'Really, Glob? Rockslide too?' Hisako asks. Glob tells her that the more people who know the truth the better. Armor folds her arms and remarks that they will talk about it later. 'Wait...Armor knows?' Glob asks as some of the wax spreads across his head.

'You don't know anything yet, Rockslide. Not like Armor does' Glob replies, while telling Rockslide that next time they try to mindwipe him, he should be able to remember. 'I think. I don't know if my wax on your head is enough, or if you need it all over your body, or maybe if -' Glob begins, before Armor interrupts him and declares that she tried to get Anole to talk, but Pixie came in and saw that he had a vial of Unveil in his room and freaked out and tried to arrest him, so he ran off. Rockslide asks the others if someone wants to fill him in and tell him what is going on. Armor informs him that Unveil is like a drug that a bunch of people who follow En Sabah Nur use, and it connects them to him. Armor assumes that Pixie has already told Department X and that they are on their way. She reveals that Anole gave her an address, and she thinks they can find him there – but they need to go now.

At that moment, 'Mr Yoshida! Dean Ange! I'm sorry to interrupt!' Megan Gwynn a.k.a. Pixie exclaims as she bursts into an office where Sunfire and Angel are reviewing security footage of Anole. Sunfire begins to tell Pixie that she can't come bursting oin here, but Angel tells him that it is fine and asks Pixie what they can do for her. 'It's Anole!' Pixie exclaims. Sunfire remarks that they were just talking about him. 'You were?' Pixie asks, surprised. Angel claims that it was about an academic issue, before Pixie reports that she saw an empty vial of Unveil in Anole's room. Pixie adds that Armor was there and that she is really worried about her. Pixie reminds Sunfire about everything he said about Unveil in class the other day, with the signs and the symptoms, and reports that Armor has been moody, that she cut her hair and keeps missing class. 'And I think maybe she's on Unveil, too' Pixie explains. She looks sad as she asks Sunfire to help her friend. 'We will' Sunfire responds, while Angel tells Pixie that she did the right thing in coming to them. He picks up the telephone and states that it is better that this is brought out into the light than having it fester in the halls of their school.

Armor, Rockslide and Glob, wearing a cap on his head, leave Glob's dorm room and make their way down a corridor, as Rockslide tells the others that if he is going to come with them, they have got to tell him what is going on. 'Anole's in trouble. Again' Glob responds. Rockslide is confused by this, and points out that Anole is a straight-a student, and that he is never in trouble. 'That's what I was telling you about, Santo. This place...somehow they make you forget. They, like, mindwipe you' he explains as Armor leads them out of the dorm building. Glob informs Santo that Anole has been through this before, and if he gets caught again, that will be his third strike. 'And after a third offense people tend to...they tend to disappear'. Out on school grounds, the trio walk down a path and Armor reports that she has seen it, too. People forgetting, like they have been reprogrammed. 'I don't know how to explain it, but -' Armor begins, before a voice calls out 'Hey, guys!' The trio freeze as Iara Dos Santos a.k.a. Shark Girl comes up behind them, puts her arms around Rockslide and Armor and tells them that she was coming to find them, as she is headed to the cafeteria. She begins to ask them if they want to join her, to which Armor tells her they are sorry, but have somewhere to be right now, a bit of an emergency. 'We'll see you for breakfast' she calls back to Shark Girl as they leave her behind.

At an undisclosed location, Maggott's safehouse sits in the cover of darkness as Victor Borkowski a.k.a. Anole climbs a staircase and looks around nervously before entering the house. 'Brother Borkowski' Maggott calls out as he stands near a table. 'In En Sabah Nur we trust' Anole responds. 'For he is the way' Maggott adds. 'Maggott...Brother Japheth... we have a problem' Anole announces as he pulls back his hood.

A few moments later, Anole and Maggott sit in a circle with Transonic, Match and Scripture, a few candles lighting the room as Anole reveals that he has beenn exposed. He explains that Armor, a friend, said she wanted to help him and claimed to know the truth about what is really happening. 'And what does she believe is really happening?' Maggott enquires. Anole reports that Armor knows about Bling, and about the X-Tracts. 'Then she knows we're not officially associated with the X-Tracts, only that we both follow the words of En Sabah Nur' Maggott responds, adding that the X-Tracts would never do anything like what they are planning, as they are too caught up in love and peace and all that crap that will never lead to change. Anole tells him that he doesn't think it makes a difference to Department X, and remarks that Armor said that Glob can remember everything somehow, and he has helped her remember. Anole remarks that he thinks they can trust Armor, and that he wanted to talk to her more, but Pixie burst in and tried to arrest him. Anole adds that he is worried about who else knows about them.

'And so you came here? What if you were followed?' Transonic asks. Anole assures her that no one followed him – he made sure of it, and thather came here to warn them. The others listen as  Anole declares that if they are going to go through with the plan, they need to do it tonight – before they find them and prevent them from following through. Maggott frowns and pauses, before replying 'Very well'.

'And you have no idea where they went?' someone asks Pixie as she stannds in the doorway to Anole's dorm room. Sunfire and Dean Angel stand next to her, while Department X operatives Betsy Braddock a.k.a. Psylocke and Fred Dukes a.k.a. Blob search the room. Pixie reports that she has no idea, as Armor walloped her pretty good, and when she came to, the room was empty, which is when she went straight to Professor Yoshida and Dean Angel. 'And I called Department X directly' Angel adds, before informing Psylocke and the Blob that he also has footage of Anole defacing school property. He adds that Anole has always been a good student, so he is not sure what has gotten into him lately. The Blob explains that Unveil seems to be making its way into the hands of good children and changing them in ways they cannot predict. 'The important thing is that we find him and make sure he's okay' Blob states. Psylocke turns to Pixie and asks her if she can show her Armor's room, as there might be something in there that will give them some indication of how to help her friend. 'Sure' Pixie replies as Psylocke puts her hand on Pixie's shoulder.

Betsy tells the Blob to finish up in here, and adds that she will report if she finds anything. 'Sure thing' Blob replies as he looks through some drawers, while Betsy and Pixie walk into the corridor and pass the twins Manon and Maxime. Betsy tells Pixie that this is a good thing she is doing for her friend. She adds that one's teenage years can be a confusing time, especially when you're about to graduate and leave behind the comfort you have been used to since your hatch day. 'Do you think that she'll be okay?' Pixie asks Psylocke as they stop at the door to Armor's room. 'Some people just make mistakes. With support from friends like you, we can guide them back to the right path' Betsy replies. Pixie knocks on the door, 'Please answer...' she utters, but gets no response. Betsy tells Pixie that no one is inside. 'How can you -' Pixie begins, before Betsy explains that she did a quick telepathic scan, and unless Armor can mask her mind, she is not here.

Betsy opens the door to Armor's room, and finds it shrouded in darkness. Before they step into the room, Shark Girl appears behind them: 'Pixie? Are you looking for Armor? Because if you are -' she begins. 'Shark Girl!' Pixie gasps, while Betsy turns to the new arrival and asks her if she knows where Armor is. 'Is she in trouble?' Shark Girl responds. Psylocke shakes Shark Girl's hand and tells her that no one is in trouble, and claims that they are just doing a standard safety inspection, and thought they would ask Armor a couple of questions – kinda of like a pop quiz. 'Oh, yeah, okay...' Shark Girl responds, before revealing that she saw Armor, Glob and Rockslide leaving the campus about twenty minutes ago, and that she asked if they wanted to grab something to eat, but they said they had to be somewhere else. Shark Girl mentions that it looked like they were in a real hurry, too. Psylocke turns from the younger women and frowns, thanking Shark Girl as she walks away. 'Happy to help!' Shark Girl responds. Pixie follows Psylocke down the corridor, as Psylocke telepathically reports in, announcing that students Armor, Glob and Rockslide have left the campus. She adds that they have to assume they are all working together – and that they are working with Anole.

At the safehose, Armor, Glob and Rockslide knock on the door, and Maggott answers. 'Can I help you?' he asks, peering out from behind the door. 'Where's Anole?' Armor snaps. 'I don't know who you're talking about' Maggott responds, before Rockslide pushes the door open and knocks Maggott backwards. 'DON'T LIE TO US!' Rockslide shouts, before he calls out to Anole, asking him if he is in here. 'Rockslide, this isn't the way to -' Armor begins, but Rockslide ignores her and declares that they know Anole is here. 'If you don't go get him, we'll...we'll...' Rockslide stops himself mid-sentence, as he looks at some scriptures on a nearby wall in the room that is lit by candles, and a strange smoke wafts towards them. 'What is that...?' Rockslide asks, walking over to the wall, he looks at the words scrawled before him and remarks that he can feel them calling to him. 'Allow the truths of En Sabah Nur to wash over you' Scripture utters as she goes over to Rockslide, while Armor tells Maggott that she is so sorry about that, and assures him that they are here to help him. 'Get your hands away from me' Maggott snaps as Armor reaches down to him.

Armor then holds up the piece of paper Anole gave her with this address on it, and tells Maggott that they know something is going on, and Anole told her that he would have the answers, but right now, she is more concerned with where Anole is, as Department X has to be looking for him by now. Maggott snatches the paper from Armor's hand and motions to her blue uniform, which he tells her indicates to him that she is a civil management student, and that she is wearing the colors of their enemy, yet she expects him to believe that she seeks to help brother Anole, rather than arrest him. 'The words... they're...' Rockslide utters as he continues to read the wall. Transonic and Match go over to Maggott as Match asks him if he is okay. Maggott tells Match that he is fine, but that he will be much better when these three have been escorted out. '...beautiful' Rockslide concludes, entranced with the words on the wall as Scripture stands next to him, some black smoke rising from her as she explains to him that they are the words of En Sabah Nur, that they are the truth behind the lies of this world, and this is why they burn down their homes, as the words imbue themselves upon anyone who lays eyes upon them – the only way to destroy them is to destroy the structure.

Armor grits her teeth as she tells Maggott that they are only here to help, and asks where Anole is. 'You open your mouth and all I hear are lies. Lies upon lies' Maggott responds, before Glob goes over and assures Maggott that Armor is telling the truth. He adds that he doesn't know why, but it might be because of his bio-wax exteriot, but the mindwipes and all the messing with people's heads that this place does, it doesn't work on him – he can remember everything – everything before here. Glob rubs the back of his neck as Maggott, Transonic and Match listen to him, he remarks that he knows that people are disappearing, and that Department X might be involved – he doesn't know if they are killing them or just taking them somewhere else. He knows that this world isn't real, none of it, that they all come from somewhere else. 'Lies' Maggott responds, stating that he believes they are being lied to, but that he remembers his hatch day, and the hatch day of others. 'I've always been here' he asserts.

'No. We all have parents. Real parents. None of us were grown in a lab... well, most of us weren't. Most of us were X-Men. And this man you worship... En Sabah Nur... Apocalypse is, like, a bad guy. Like the worst bad guy' Glob reveals. 'I will not stand and listen to any more of your blasphemy!' Maggott shouts as he lunges forward and knocks Glob to the ground. Armor responds by extending her force field and shoving Maggott backwards. 'How dare you! You come into a house of peace and have the nerve to speak ill of the one who seeks only to bring harmony to this world!' Transonic exclaims. 'You attacked us first, lady!' Armor snaps, while Rockslide continues to gaze at the wall. 'A little help!' Armor calls out to Rockslide when Match blasts her with a stream of fiery energy. Rockslide spins around and knocks Match backwards, 'I turn my back for a second and you guys had to go and start a fight?' he asks.

Maggott lunges at Rockslide, who asks where Anole is. 'We will not condemn one of our own!' Maggott responds, while Transonic flies up behind Armor, and Glob checks on Match, who lies motionless on the floor. 'We're trying to save him. You morons' Armor mutters as she spins around and slams a chair into Transonic, knocking her backwards. Maggott slams his knee into Rocsklide's face, forcing Rockslide to stumble backwards and fall onto a table, which collapses, and a large piece of paper lands on his face. Rockslide looks at the paper and asks Maggott why he has blueprints to the Hope Summers Library.

Elsewhere, with a cap on his head and glasses over his eyes, to obscure his appearance, Anole carries a large bag on his back as he walks down a bust street. 'Hey, watch where you're going!' someone snaps as Anole knocks into them. Anole apologizes to them and carries on, telling himself to get it together, and that he didn't come this far just to chicken out. 'This is for the good of everyone' Anole reminds himself. He walks to the front of the Hope Summers Memorial Library, and as he passes through the front door utters 'In En Sabah Nur we trust. For he is the way'.

At the same time, Psylocke is waiting in the Department X van. 'Took you long enough' she remarks as the Blob walks towards the van. He gets inside and informs Betsy that Dean Angel showed him Rockslide and Glob's rooms as well, and adds that he thought they might have left behind some sort of clue as to where they went. 'And did they?' Betsy asks. 'Maybe' Blob replies as Betsy drives off. Blob holds up a diary that he took from Glob's room, and remarks that despite the warning, he read it – and there is some stuff in here that he thinks the X-Men need to see.

Anole makes his way through the large libraby, nervously looking around, he walks up a large staircase to an upper level, and another, heading for the top floor he keeps checking around him as he goes. Anole passes all the civilians going about their business in the library and walks into some sort of storage room. He looks out of the room, back into the library, then closes the door as he utters 'In En Sabah Nur I trust. For he is the truth'.

Outside, Rockslide, Armor and Glob rush down the street, pushing past civilians as Rockslide exclaims 'They have to be wrong, right? Anole? He wouldn't do something...something dangerous like this. He's -' to which Glob cuts him off, informing Rockslide that Anole has tried before – tried and got caught and they wiped his mind, and it was fine for a bit, but then drifted back toward that X-Tracts splinter group. Armor asks Glob if he knew then why he didn't say something before – like after the first time. Glob explains that if he said anything then he would have been admitting that the mindwipes weren't working on him – and he didn't know what they would do to him, that he was scared. 'And now?' Armor asks. Glob tells her that he is still terrified, but now he has people who he can trust. They rush onwards, and Glob adds that he is hoping they can stop this before something bad happens – too late though, as several feet from the library, the young mutants stop and look up as the top of the library goes up in flames!