Uncanny X-Men #349

The issue opens at the World Trade Center. Maggott is there, experiencing memories of other people and overhearing their conversations. One memory involves a gorilla. Another features an elderly couple, Maryanne and her husband, who discuss how they are going to get through a difficult situation. A third one involves a young boy looking through his binoculars, and his father instructing him that they can see their house in Canada from there. Which the boy finds silly. These random flashbacks have no meaning for Maggott.

Then Maggott finally locates a flashback about the man he is searching for, Joseph. In a scene taken from (February, 1997), he sees Joseph kissing Rogue on the forehead. He is wishing her Merry Christmas. The memory ends and Maggot is confused. He recognizes the man but not the woman in the flashback. He questions what did Joseph do that was so great for her.

One of his two slugs lets out a sound of impatience and attracts Maggot's attention. He asks the "girl" to wait a minute before they do their thing. He asks whether the slugs are capable of thinking. The two of them were able to lead him on Joseph's trail and devoured anything that stood in their way. But now they are looking at New York City, which Maggott thinks is "the biggest city in the world". Are they capable of looking and dreaming? As if in answer, the slugs merge with him. He glows with energy and his skin seems to shift in color.

Maggott gazes down into the city below. He thinks that it was not so long ago that he lived a life of indentured servitude in a place far away from this metropolis. Then he changed, something began to grow inside him. Then came the slugs. Sometimes he wishes that things could go back to the way they were, and that very thought both frightens and shocks him. His thoughts turn back to Joseph. He is confident that they are getting closer to their target and that they are going to meet him face to face. Then things will get better and Maggott may finally be free.

The scene shifts to Antarctica. Trish Tilby looks behind her back and thinks of how she got there. She recalls going on her own to search for other survivors from the crash-landing of their spacecraft. She did find survivors but could not help them when they were carted away by unfamiliar forces. She is trying to get back to the Beast in hopes that he can help. She fears for her own safety while walking these dark tunnels. Suddenly, a hand grasps her from behind.

Two hands cover her eyes and voice asks her to guess who. She recognizes the voice of her blue-furred boyfriend. Hank says that she is close to the truth, but still incorrect. He is her boyfriend but no longer blue. She turns and is surprised to see Hank without his fur, in a completely human form. She claims it is only twenty minutes since they last saw each other, and wonders what happened to him. His hypothesis that a device within these caverns has left some of his own DNA sub-structures dormant. He is temporarily depowered and became a common human, rather than a mutant. He clarifies that there is nothing wrong with that.

The scene shifts to the base of Magneto, built above the caverns below. Gambit sits prisoner alongside the snoring Grovel. He thinks that this should have been the happiest day in his entire life. He and Rogue were finally able to touch each other with no fear of her dormant powers and for the first time were able to fully express their love for each other. Remy is however brooding and thinks this was a mistake. After all he has done, Remy still tried to convince himself that he deserves to be happy. He now faces the fact that this is never going to happen, either for him or for Rogue. He has to face his past once and for all.

Rogue touches him gently from behind. She thinks Remy is brooding over failing to find a way to escape and tries to comfort him. She says that she does not care about anything but the two of them. She thinks back to their first ride on his bike and how she could feel that Remy was a person who actually cared about her. Remy was a person who loved her and a person that she could love. She declares that she does love him, but Gambit protests. He claims that Rogue can not love him because she does not really know him.

Rogue acknowledges that Gambit has his secrets, but she hopes that in time he will share them with her. He is certain that if this happens she will be unable to forgive him. He quickly gets away from her by jumping to the other side of Grovel. A surprised Rogue attempts to follow him, but Spat intervenes and yanks the chain attached to Rogue's neck. Spat stops her from following Gambit and wants to talk about the memory flashes Rogue is having since her powers turned off. After their talk she wants to see how eager Rogue will be to chase after Remy.

The scene shifts back to New York City. Maggott attends an art exhibit and thinks that he can not figure humanity. This exhibit supposedly celebrates what is different in this world. Meanwhile the people involved in it go about their lives and ignore Operation: Zero Tolerance. The Operation is rounding up mutants because they are different and these people do not react. He thinks there is no figuring some types. A voice from the shadows responds to his thoughts, and proclaims that Maggott himself is one of the types that are difficult to figure out.

Maggott is alarmed and prepares for a fight. He challenges his unseen opponent to show himself and allow them to throw down like real men. His opponent turns out to be a woman, Psylocke. She attacks with a series of kicks to his face, which break his glasses and draw blood from fresh wounds. Maggott touches his face and explains that he already figured he would encounter the X-Men types. But judging from their reputation, he expected them to be a bit more reasonable.

Psylocke points that she usually is more reasonable. But she senses a great darkness within him. She introduces herself and finds his codename "Maggott" to be suspicious in itself. She became aware of his existence only moments ago and she is there to prevent him from hurting her fellow X-Men. Maggott seems to transform, as his black skin turns blue and his clothes are torn from raw muscle. He seems pissed and unleashes his slugs. He threatens that "harm" does not even begin to define what they are going to do to her. She is surprised to see the slugs as she did not sense them before.

The scene shifts to Archangel, who is flying above the city and looking for Psylocke. He thinks about the recent changes in his lover, and that she is no longer the same person. His only clue for her whereabouts is that she was last seen staring at the World Trade Center, though he figures it could be something random. He listens to someone screaming about mutants and "giant worms", and decides to respond to the call for help. He comments that he is still getting used to dating "a telepathic ninja".

The scene shifts back to Antarctica. Grovel is awake and has noticed Gambit brooding by his side. He admits that among Gambit's old allies, he is not the one who loved him most. But his race, the Klyruvians, do not like seeing anybody with a sad-on. He encourages Gambit to tell Rogue his secret. He loves her and she loves him, and things like that do not happen every day. He points that Remy can not keep outrunning his past forever.

Gambit tells the "old man", that this is really simple. If he does tell Rogue, he will lose her. Grovel tells the "kid", that this is simpler than Gambit thinks. If Remy does not tell her, he will not lose her. But only because she was never his to lose. The thought seems to get to Gambit.

On the other side of Grovel, Rogue is speaking to Spat. She admits to having had to share her mind with many people over the years. She says this started with Cody Robbins, continued with Carol Danvers, and has since included anybody that she ever touched. But she does not know how to handle the memories from Gambit, which are different than the others. They have left a scar in her own memory but she has failed to make sense of them.

Spat asks Rogue what she remembers seeing in these memories. Rogue responds that she remembers mostly "shadows". A flashback reveals a number of shadowy figures, with none of them recognizable. One figure seems to be kneeling on the ground, and another seems to be towering above it. Others are standing nearby. Rogue theorizes that the kneeling figure is Gambit. Spat instructs that these should be eight people and that Gambit is arguing with the towering figure. (By implication these are the original Marauders and the towering figure is probably an unnamed Sabretooth). Rogue says that she can not hear what the shadowy figures are saying, and the flashback ends.

Spat concludes that Rogue can not listen to them, because she is afraid of the truth. Spat then falls silent, as do Rogue and the listening Grovel. Gambit adds that the truth is subjective and means different things to different people. Their conversation ends when Joseph breaks into their cell, breaking walls. He proclaims that their personal drama is insignificant and informs them of Operation: Zero Tolerance has launched a dull-scale offensive against their mutant comrades. He wants them to break free and go help them.

Gambit wants to know hod did Joseph manage to break free of his own cell and get in their cell, passing through several levels of his own old base. Joseph wants to know if Gambit is still suspicious of him and implying something about his escape. Rogue breaks up their confrontation with a vote of confidence for Joseph. She then notices that Gambit has escaped his own chains and is working on releasing her from the chains. She asks whether Gambit could have freed them at any time before Joseph's arrival. Gambit replies that before they had no plan, now they do.

Gambit released Rogue and works on releasing Spat next. Someone instructs him to leave the bounty hunters behind, as they have no time to waste. (The speaking balloon points at Spat, but the words seem to be Joseph's instead. This is probably an error). Gambit disagrees and points that he is not not going to abandon them in the middle of Antarctica. Spat seems puzzled by his intentions to help her.

The scene shifts to the area of the World Trade Center, where Maggott's slugs are devouring the remains of the art exhibition. Maggott continues to fight Psylocke, although he claims that he does not actually want to hurt her. This is why he has not send his slugs against her. Psylocke finds his attitude condescending, but points that she does not care about what he wants to do. She simply intends to take him down. Maggott feels that she talks too much and is not impressed with her fighting techniques. Psylocke prepares to use one technique that he has not seen yet.

Psylocke strikes Maggott with her psi blade, which cleaves through an individual's mental defenses, disables the brain's higher functions, and briefly bonds her target with her own mind. However she finds that this mind is already tethered elsewhere, connected with his slugs. The slugs seem enraged at the attack and one starts roaring. Psylocke starts feeling the effects of the incomplete bonding, looses focus, and seems dizzy. Maggott is still conscious but looses control of his slugs. He pleads with Meany to not attack, but "she" does anyway. Archangel appears and batters "her" up with a pole, rescuing Psylocke from the attack.

Warren addresses Betsy, pointing that they have more things on their plate. Members of the X-Men have been captured by Bastion and they have to find them. Other members of the X-Men have disappeared into space and they have to figure out ways to contact them. He asks whether she actually needed to go in search of a different threat. Psylocke, who has recovered, claims that Maggot is much more than simply a threat. She looked within him and all she saw was a great darkness. The two lovers look at Maggott's unconscious body and Warren comments that this can not be good.

The scene shifts back to Antarctica. Gambit, Grovel, Joseph, Rogue, and Spat have escaped and are making their way through the caves. Gambit doubts that their captors are going to let them leave that easily. For the time being they are simply following their "savior", Joseph. Joseph finds Gambit annoying and asks him to shut up. He points that Remy's other option is to stay there, wallowing in self-pity for the unspeakable crimes he has committed. Joseph himself has grown tired of being manipulated by events beyond his control. Rogue complains that Joseph is being too harsh with Remy, but he denies it. Spat sarcastically asks whether the X-Men always get along this well. Both Joseph and Rogue answer "no".

A sudden explosion of light and sound right in their way prevents the five from continuing walking. The others seems shocked, but Joseph seems enraged. He wants an end to this "nonsense" and challenges whoever is responsible to step forth from the shadows and confront them directly. Nanny steps forward, with an army of cyborgs and robots standing behind her. She points that Joseph sounds cranky, and she offers a solution. It is time for their nap, their final, eternal sleep (death).

Gambit points that they are outnumbered and overpowered. He says this is exactly the situation he was hoping to avoid. He concludes that they should not have left their cell until they knew what was actually going on here. A mysterious figure watching them from a monitor, the new Erik the Red comments that none of them have the slightest clue as to what is going on.

Nanny claims that she has tried being nice to them, being kind, being patient. But they wanted to play. She proclaims that play time is over. As she speaks, Nanny transforms. The familiar features of the feminine robot in a French maid's uniform change to those of a combat robot. Her eyes glow, her artificial hair are replaced with long sharp tacks, her arms are now metallic fists with spikes, and her lower party is transformed to a giant mace-like Wheel. She seems deadly.

Rogue asks her fellow escapees if any of them have any powers. In turn, Joseph, Gambit, Spat, and Grovel answer that they do not have powers. Nanny prepares to kill them all, but she is suddenly decapitated. As she "dies", the powers of the mutants return. She has time to tell that the foolish children only delayed the inevitable and that the trial has only begun. Gambit realizes that the device keeping them powerless was built within Nanny herself.

Joseph wonders who rescued them, as he can not see who destroyed Nanny. Gambit uses energy to shed a light at the area next to Nanny. The light reveals that the killer of Nanny and their rescuer is Trish Tilby. Trish holds a crowbar in her hands. She greets them and explains that she was only the muscle in this rescue plan. "Blue" (the Beast) provided the brains. Hank appears next to her.

Beast examines what remains of Nanny's head. He claims that he did not attempt to destroy Nanny himself, not because he was a coward. He figured that a regular human like Trish would be able to approach their target without being noticed, staying under the radar. Trish asks the gang to not get used to being rescued by her. She is the superheroine of the day, but she fully intents to return to her career as a news anchor.

Beast points that they still have a mystery to solve. Joseph was not the one who recreated Nanny and upgraded her with the technology necessary to negate mutant powers. But they still do not know who was responsible. They also do not know why they were brought here, Or what drew them into this place. Rogue points that there are more important questions in need of answers. She figures Gambit can provide them with some answers.

She asks her lover what he has been hiding from them all this time. He refuses to answer, but also proclaims that he is also tired of hiding, tired of running from his past, and tired of living with shame. He turns himself in to the bounty hunters, with Spat tying up his arms. He asks Rogue to forgive him, as he will never forgive himself. As Gambit, Grovel, and Spat step away, the story ends.