Despite its reputation, the Center actually maintained a regular staff of two. Doctor Moira MacTaggert was the Island's owner and operator, heading all research. She was a brilliant bio-geneticist and was one of those rare humans who eagerly supported mutant rights. The other staff member, Doctor Roderick Campbell, was an accomplished criminal psychologist and part-time scientist. Any other staff was only hired help brought in now and then.

Though the two weren't the only ones living on the island. Rahne Sinclair was Moira's adopted daughter and lived on the island happily working alongside her mother. Rahne's main reasons for not minding her stay was that she happened to be one of the people that the Center focused on. She was a mutant. A lycanthrope, she possessed the ability to transform into a wolf. She also had a transitional form that allowed her to combine her agility and the grasping capabilities of her human part with the enhanced senses, speed and strength of her wolf form.

Meggan was another young woman living on the island. Her history was a bit more complex, and never completely known. She was often believed to be a fairy of some sort. Her powers were elemental at the core. She could sense earth movements and had minor control over fire, water and electricity. Because of her not-quite-human history, however, she, despite her age, was more like a big kid. She didn't have a full understanding of the workings of things.

Yet recent events in America almost assured that soon, the island would be welcoming many more visitors into its empty halls. Case in point: the first new arrival.

He came early on a flight from New York. His previous place of residency, a school for Gifted Youngsters, helped provide him with a quick and easy move. He walked slowly down the long, metallic hall from the dock where his boat had arrived. It was the only easy way to get to the island after the plane dropped him off in Edinburgh.

He slumped one bag over his arm, his backpack strapped behind him, and his suitcase rolling on its wheels along the floor. His blue eyes constantly flickered about, taking in his surroundings. The light breeze from the air conditioner flickered against his short blond hair.

After continuing his walk for several more yards, he finally came to a computer station built into the wall of the hallway. Putting his hand up against the monitor, the machine hummed to life and began to do exactly as he instructed it. Moments later, a channel was opened up across the island to a specific office.

"Doctor MacTaggert?" the boy asked through the monitor, looking towards the camera placed above it. "It's Douglas Ramsey...Professor Xavier told you I was coming?"

The doctor, on the other end, took but a moment to look up to her camera and reply. "That he did, aye. Follow the hallway down, mister Ramsey...Rhane'll meet ye at the end and take you to the livin' quarters. I'd love tae help ye more, but I'm in the middle o' something. Welcome to Muir. MacTaggert out."

The screen went black as the communique ended. Doug merely shrugged and continued his way down the hallway, making his first steps towards destiny.

In this quaint German town, a traveling circus had found itself a home...for a little while, at least. We find ourselves drawn to this place for one of the circus' star performers.

Kurt Wagner was strange in anyone's book. Since the moment he was born, his appearance was that of a demon: pointed ears, a tail, three fingered hands and feet, blue fur from head to toe, and glowing yellow eyes. If not for the circus, he probably might have never made any kind of a life in the world. He was an extreme acrobat, frightening the audience with his appearance, yet dazzling them with his skill and maneuverability.

Yet there was more to his origin. He was a mutant, a human born with a twist-of-fate x-factor gene that granted him powers that could be both blessing and curse. Beyond his appearance, as his body began to go through puberty, he discovered within himself the ability to teleport. With a burst of fire, the sound of imploding air, and a lingering stench of brimstone, Kurt could teleport anywhere that he could see.

Once upon a time, due to his specific genetic gifts, he was contacted by a Professor Charles Francis Xavier, and was asked to join his School for Gifted Youngsters in America. He was told that, at the school, he could learn about his powers, he could learn that he didn't have to be afraid to show his face...he could learn how to protect a world that might hate and fear him. Kurt declined.

"I told him I wasn't ready to join in any crusade," Kurt explained.

The woman standing before him was the previously mentioned Meggan, along with her pet dragon of purple completion and about three feet in length, Lockheed. She nodded in response. "That was then...but things have changed...or so I've been told. The Professor told Moira that something was coming...something big. He feared for his school, his students, his very dream...that's why he asked her to set up another school on her island."

"And you've come back to recruit me, eh?" Kurt asked, sighing. "I'll admit, this isn't the best life I've been having here...but it's the only one I've ever known. Besides, I can't go anywhere without the fear of being stoned to death by an angry mob fearing my 'devilish' looks. Here, at least, I am safe."

"But, Mister Wagner, think of others who are in your position," Meggan pleaded her case. "Imagine others out there like you...mutants who can't hide among average humans...what if they're not as lucky as you've been? There are mutants out there who could use our help. I'm not pretending to be an expert on anything, but I've heard a lot about this dream of the Professor's...where man and woman and mutant can live together in peace. It's a good dream. He just needs some help making it a reality. It's okay, you don't need to answer me now...but please, I hope you consider it a little more."

Kurt nodded. "I will. And I do appreciate you coming all this way just to speak with me."

"It's alright," Meggan replied as Lockheed began to flap his wings, flying away. Slowly, Meggan hovered into the air, starting to follow after him. "After all...here I am, able to fly. What's the point of being special if you can't enjoy it?"

Kurt watched her fly off for awhile, pondering her words. He'd never had a real purpose...a real dream to shoot for. Maybe this could be what's been missing in his life...?

"Ye must be Doug," the young woman replied with a shy smile. She stood watching from the doorway leading from the long hanger bay hallway and into the main complex of the research center. She had short red hair and bright eyes.

"Rahne?" he asked in response.

"Aye," she nodded. "Lady Moira sent me tae show you to your new room."

He nodded. "Is the whole place so big that they need hallways that long?"

Rahne shook her head. "The hanger is on a separate, smaller island from the main complex. The tunnel leads from one to the other by going underwater. But everything besides that is found here. I'll give ye a tour later, but the island's got a dormitory, a mess hall, a training room, a gym, several medical and research labs, several equipment rooms and more."

Doug nodded once more in acknowledgment. "I'll take a look at the computers and find everything out later."

"So...ye came from America?"

"Yes, from Professor Xavier's school," Doug nodded. "He took me in because of my powers...there were other young mutants like me, but, I guess they didn't want to come..."

"I've only seen a few mutants," Rahne replied. "Besides muhself, that is."

"Oh?" Doug asked. "The school was filled with 'em. What's your power?"

"My power's...er...--!"

"There you are," a big, tall, Russian man said as he walked into the room.

"Er...hi?" Doug said, looking up at the large man cautiously.

"I'm Piotr Nikolievitch Rasputin," he offered his hand. "Peter is fine...though some call my Colossus."

"Colossus?" Doug asked, shaking his hand. "Why Colossus?"

The big Russian grinned as his flesh instantly transformed into organic steel. "This is why, tovarisch."

Doug gasped. "Whoa."

"Rahne," Colossus said as he turned back into his human form, "Moira has requested that we meet Meggan when she returns. We are to discuss her meeting with Wagner."

"I still have to show Doug to his room," Rahne replied.

"It's okay, I'll find my way," Doug said. "I don't mean to be a bother."

"See," Piotr replied. "Come, little one..."

Piotr and Rahne stood side-by-side as Meggan slowly landed on her feet. Lockheed the dragon flew on inside.

"How'd it go?" Piotr asked.

"Okay," Meggan shrugged. "I've gotten him thinking...but that's about it. Is Brian back yet?"

"He's still in London," Piotr replied.

"Still with those people who dress funny?"

Piotr nodded. "The Hellfire Club. Supposedly Moira and Professor Xavier thought it would be a smart move to have one of our own inside the club's Inner Circle...to help keep tabs on mutant activity in Europe. I do not like it. They make it seem as if we are preparing for war."

"We just might be," the voice of doctor Rory Campbell called. He had walked out to meet them. "We're getting another 'evil' mutant shipped here. Name of Copycat. Supposed to be a shape-shifter. Just got her record, too...lots of goodies in her file."

"They're just dropping her on your lap?" Rahne asked. "What about Spoor?"

"They're taking him away," Rory frowned. "Apparently I didn't work fast enough on that homicidal maniac. I can hope for the best on this one, though."

Doug dropped his bags in his new room. He looked around, taking it in. It was a nice room, very spacious, with a bed, desk, closet, computer, a chair, a nice window with a great view of the island...probably even better than where he was staying in America.

He stepped over to the computer and sat down. His mutant power was the ability to immediately understand all languages, foreign, computer or otherwise. It let him become a real computer whiz. He instantly began typing away, accessing all available information about Muir Island, seeing it as the best way to learn about his new home.

In a matter of minutes he had accessed all the blue prints and had committed the layout of the entire complex to memory. He scanned through personnel files, learning of all who lived there. Doctors Moira MacTaggert, Rory Campbell and Brian Braddock...Piotr Rasputin, Rahne Sinclair, Meggan.

Hmm...aside from Moira and Rory, it looks like everyone on the island's a mutant. Hey, what's this file? New Mutants?

In another instant, more files opened.

Cannonball, Magik, Feral, Moonstar and Sunspot...the former New Mutants, young mutants in training? I never knew about those five...it says here the Professor disbanded the team...that's odd. I wonder what happened to them...and it wasn't that long ago, either. Now he just shipped me off...I wonder about the others...Jubes, Ric...the new girl, Kitty...is he gonna get ship them off, too?

A helicopter landed, but didn't even slow its propellers. Two armed men stepped out, their arms holding tightly to one woman.

Meggan, Rahne, Moira and Rory were waiting patiently. Piotr held the arms of the young mutant Spoor. He approached. It was a fair trade. The mutant Colossus released Spoor into the arms of one guard and took Copycat from the other.

"Good luck with this one," one guard said to Piotr.

"What will happen to him?" Piotr asked.

"It's for the courts to decide, buddy," the guard replied.

He stood still, holding the young woman as the two guards got back on their helicopter and slowly began their trip back to the London airport, where they would transfer to America. As the chopper finally left, the noise had died down enough that the others could speak to each other.

"What's your name?" Piotr asked.

"Vanessa," she frowned.

"You will find help here," Piotr replied.

"Yeah...sure," she replied. "Whatever."

"Just bring her to her holding cell," Rory ordered. "It's getting late, and she had a long flight. We'll start in the morning."

Piotr nodded and went on his way, soon followed by Rahne and Rory.

"Meggan?" Moira asked. "Any word from Brian?"

Meggan shook her head. "I've been getting worried..."

"Well, we'll give him 'till the morning," Moira nodded. "Charles got him involved in some...delicate situations. In the meantime, any more word from Kurt?"

Meggan shook her head once more. "If he's going to come around, he's still thinking it over."

Moira nodded. "He'll call. I think whatever ye said was probably enough for him. Now come on, lass...let's get ye to yuir room...it is getting late."

"Yes, lady Moira."

They call it the Blackwall. It is a building in London that somehow remains very much unnoticed. And those who do know it, don't know what's inside of it. Very few people do.

It is home to Black Air, England's CIA (only more secretive) and KGB (only more ruthless). They monitor all situations around England, and many other parts of the world. If something happens...they know about it. Security is more tight than any security system in the world. No one gets in who doesn't belong. And no one escapes...

The guns click, signaling that they were loaded, their safeties were off, and their target was in their sights. Three men wearing full body armor stood before the door.

One man in a black and white suit stopped in his tracks.

"Give it up, Wisdom," one man said. "You can't escape us."

"Yuir at th' end o' yuir line," the second said.

"Game over," added the third. "No one crosses Black Air."

"Right..." the man said, standing ready for anything. "Just how fast do you blokes think you are?"

"Faster than you," one said.

"I've read yuir file," the second said. "Ya cain't catch bullets."

"Who said anything about catching bullets?" the man asked. "I just asked if you thought you might be faster than me."

Before anyone could make a move, hotknives burst from the man's fingers, cutting into and burning the three men in front of him. If they weren't dead, they were in too much pain to possibly stand in his way.

"I guess we know the answer to that," the man said. "Air's gone too far this time...and if I don't do something now...their won't be much left to be done. Where these Neo are concerned...every man, woman and child is targeted for death."