At the time of the explosion, three people were inside. All three were mutants heading towards Muir Island: Piotr Rasputin, Amanda Sefton and Kurt Wagner. The plane stood little chance. And soon after decompression, the plane burst into a ball of fire, eventually colliding with the ground, adding to the explosion.

Kurt Wagner landed in a ball of fire as well. Yet he was almost a hundred yards away from the Flit, landing safely due to his mutant ability to teleport.

"Gott in Himmel," he spoke in his native German as he looked upon the downed jet in the distance. "Lord forgive me . . . I cannot teleport with a passenger . . . the strain . . . would have been enough to kill us both. Amanda . . . I . . . you must be alive. I pray so."

The young man in the velvet fur slowly stepped closer to the growing fire, looking on carefully for any signs of the other passengers.

"Looking for your dead, spike?" a voice called.

Kurt, surprised, turned quickly to see three strangely armored men riding three vehicles of some sort. Three air-skimmers showing off strange technology.

"Somehow, you survived," the lead man spoke. "The Shockwave Riders never leave survivors!"

Kurt's eyes went wide as the lead rider pulled out a glowing whip. With a quick swing it caught Kurt's arm and sent a jolt of electricity through his body. Despite the pain, he concentrated enough to quickly teleport behind the Riders and out of their reach.

"Wh . . . what do you want?" he asked. "I have done nothing! None of us had . . . "

"You exist," another Rider spoke. "Reason enough for the Neo to slay you!"

"If you are looking for a fight, look here!" the armored Colossus burst out from the wreckage, leaping at the third Rider's craft. He grabbed hold of it's nose and sent it sprawling into the ground. The Neo jumped off in time, but his craft was smashed.

"You only prolong the inevitable!" the second Rider said, lashing his whip around Colossus' arm. "You cannot win here."

"You would . . . be surprised!" he answered, despite the pain. Grabbing hold of the whip himself, he yanked the Rider down and sent his skimmer flying off, eventually skidding onto the ground and stopping.

The vehicles must be controlled mentally . . . Kurt pondered. That means they must be extremely deadly. What on earth could they want? They seem as though they are mutant haters . . . but what are they? What is the Neo?

One of the downed Shockwave Riders tackled Kurt. "Get lost in thought, and you'll lose your life!"

Kurt let his years of circus instinct take over, allowing his agility and quick thinking to flow through him. His body went limp, rolling with the tackle until it gave him the chance to flip his foe away with a push from his strong legs.

Colossus ripped the electro-whip from his opponent's arms, and used it swiftly to attack the lead Rider. He was able to knock him off his skimmer as well.

"Your only hope was to finish us with our jet!" Colossus yelled, sending both of his fists across the face of the second Rider. "You boast much . . . but have little to back it up!"

Kurt kicked a Neo in the head, instantly following with a blow to the back of his head. This is insane . . . I'm leaping into the fray like I've been doing this all my life . . . but I am a man of God, taught to turn the other cheek! And where is Amanda?

"We must retreat," the lead Rider said.

"What?" the second replied, still slightly suffering from the blow he received. "It is two foolish spikes!"

"We were unprepared for this level of resistance," the leader frowned. "Farhad, open your portal and let us go now!"

The Neo, unwilling to continue arguing, opened a portal of light. The two jumped inside, leaving their downed comrade behind.

"Are you alright, Kurt?" Colossus asked, remaining in his armored form.

"I am fine . . . what of Amanda?"

"She was not inside," Piotr frowned. "I assumed she was with you."

The downed Neo began to stir and slowly try to stand. Colossus turned to him and lifted him into the air with one hand.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "Why did you attack? Answer me!"

"I'd rather die," he answered, spitting on Colossus' armored chest. The Neo then went limp.

"What happened?" Kurt asked.

"His resolve must have been stronger than any fears," Colossus frowned. He dropped his captive and turned back into his human form. "He killed himself rather than talk."

"What manner of man is he?" Kurt asked, almost disgusted.

"The worst kind," Piotr frowned. "I surveyed the area . . . Amanda is nowhere to be found."

"She is a teleporter," Kurt answered. "I hope she managed to escape . . . "

"I am sure she did," Piotr nodded. "Now come . . . our plane has been destroyed . . . and our enemies have left us with a means of transportation."

"Their skimmers?"

"Unless you would prefer to walk to Muir?"

At night, anything could happen. Especially with the thick fog indigenous to the city and surrounding area. Yet Pete Wisdom hoped it would give him the space he needed to get cover.

This is getting to be more than enough. Bloody hell, I'm looking over my shoulder every five seconds. Tangerine just needs a little more time, piece stuff together an' all that lot . . . so I've just got to steer clear of any Black Air operatives, keep an eye on any information I've got, and try and see if those 'Excalibur' rumors are true.

To think that a group of mutants would actually band t'gether and wear Spandex and fight evil . . . it's ridiculous. Like something out of a damn comic book! But if it is true . . . those blokes'll have the best chance against these Neo fellows. I can't believe Black Air's known about them for years . . . and how they've been waging some secret war against humanity since World War II. The Americans thought the Soviets were causing all their trouble? They don't know jack.

He sighed, digging a cigarette out of the pack in his pocket. Putting it between his lips, he let one finger grow slightly, projecting a hot knife just enough to give him a light.

But Black Air might be giving me more trouble than these bloody Neo. World domination, crazy conspiracies . . . even aliens! They already tested a few they captured in America not too long ago . . . *

*(Back in Young Justice #'s 3 and 4 - Paul, who also writes that title and recommends reading it!)

I'm getting too old for this $%#&. I just want to have a smoke, get a drink, and find some beautiful woman and a hotel room.

Pete continued on his way to a local bar, carefully throwing a few looks over his shoulder. Yet despite his training, he failed to notice the one man shadowing him.

"Soon, Wisdom," he whispered to himself. "Soon . . . "