Ultimate X-Men: The Most Dangerous Game, Part 2
Issue: #55
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Pencils: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger
Colors: Justin Ponsor

As the rescue party of Kurt, Warren, Ali and Piotr discover that Warren’s ability to fly does not include the X-jet, they discuss the fact that they’ve just stolen Professor Xavier’s aircraft and are going to Krakoa against his wishes. Or are they? Kurt and Piotr argue that Xavier could have mentally “nudged” them into taking on this mission. Warren disagrees, arguing that it would have been easier for Xavier just to ask them to go. They’re not even sure the mutant they are going to rescue is innocent of the crimes for which he’s been accused.

Meanwhile, Mojo Adams is filming another take for his show, highlighting a hunter called Arcade, who will be the next one sent in against Centino. Arcade becomes bored with the filming, and threatens to shoot Mojo; Arcade wants to get started on this hunt, as his sister was one of the people killed when Magneto and his Brotherhood blew up the George Washington Bridge, and this is the closest Arcade will ever get to revenge for that. Mojo decides the scene is good enough for the show, and turns Arcade loose. He and his assistant talk about the fact that their ready supply of mutants is drying up; Genosha has exiled most of its mutant population. The assistant suggests looking into mutants imprisoned in other countries around the world.

Scott, Jean, Bobby and Kitty walk through the Genosha airport, noticing that all the television sets in the building seem tuned into Mojo’s program. Kitty and Bobby once again get into an argument, this time over trusting the police’s reports on Longshot; the arguments degenerate into a trading of insults until Jean tells them to stop before they blow the group’s cover as exchange students. We see a shadowy figure watching the X-Men, suggesting that their cover is already blown.

The X-jet lands just outside the Krakoan jungle, and Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Dazzler head out to find Longshot. Angel decides to stay with the plane; he’s still having second thoughts about the mission. Colossus tells him that if they aren’t back in an hour, to take the plane back to Xavier. He adds that if the worst happens, he wants to be buried next to Hank McCoy back at the mansion.

Mojo watches a shot of Centino standing at the edge of a cliff. Concerned that he’s about to jump (which would ruin the season finale), Mojo gives Arcade the mutant’s coordinates. Suddenly the picture dissolves into static; someone has cut the broadcast power. Arcade is undaunted – he’s been expecting something like this. As he approaches the power station that’s gone out, he tells Mojo that Centino is actually quite predictable. Then he sees that three other mutants are responsible for destroying the power station.

Thinking that Mojo has added a few extra mutants to keep the game interesting, Arcade opens fire. Colossus responds first; Arcade stops him with a sound generator. Dazzler uses the energy against him, but he ties her up with something he’s reverse engineered from Spider-Man’s web fluid. Nightcrawler teleports in to defend his colleagues, but Arcade knifes him. At that moment, Centino appears.

He begs Arcade not to pull the trigger on his gun. Arcade shoots anyway – and the gun blows up in his hand. Centino props Nightcrawler up as the mutants prepare to flee Krakoa. He says that his mutant ability is that he’s very, very lucky.

In Genosha, the rest of the X-Men search the spot where Lord Sheele was supposedly murdered. Kitty phases through the ground to search for objects the police might have missed. Jean realizes there’s someone else in the area, just before she’s knocked out. Scott turns to confront the attacker, who reveals herself as a six-armed woman with a variety of martial arts weapons.

Submitted By: Seldes Katne