"Lifeform in range. Analyzing . . . " the voice was cold and empty. It was artificial, coming from a robotic mouth. The robot was tall, large . . . almost bulky. Its legs and arms were a greenish silver metal. Its chest and head seemed to wear yellow armor. It had two glowing red eyes and multiple wires and cables leading from its face to neck. In summation: It was frightening.

Maria Muradyan came to the this peaceful park to add memories to her so-far perfect honeymoon. She was twenty-three and in the prime of her life. Yet this was a memory she would never forget.

" . . . Humanoid . . . " the robot scanned. "Family - Homo sapien superior. Latent mutant. Prepare for processing."

"M-Mutant?" Maria asked, dumb-struck with fear. "Omigod . . . Ged? Ged, Help!"

If not for this random stop on a trail of San Francisco's famous sights, Maria would never have learned that she is gifted with genes that could, in her children, produce mutation. As the robot lurched forward towards her, she feared that she would never have the chance to become a mother, or a wife.

"Second lifeform in range," the robot said as Maria ran to her new husband. "Analyzing . . . "

"Oh no," Ged gasped. "It wants me too!"

"What is it?" Maria asked.

"Run!" Ged yelled, grabbing her, "Run!"

In some other life, Maria might have been discovered by Professor Charles Xavier via his mutant-detecting computer, Cerebro, been given a chance to understand her nature, to be prepared for those who would harm her because of it . . . and to make a contribution to the future of humanity.

"Second lifeform: Homo sapien. Resume processing of first," the robot said as its outstretched right arm began to glow blue.

But in this reality, Maria has lived a normal life. She knows nothing of her potential . . . or how she can possibly save herself.

The robot released a blast of energy, sending a small disc riding it. It impacted Maria's back, stuck on, and began glowing blue itself.

"What did you do to her?" Ged asked. "What are you?"

"Designate: Cerebro," it answered.

"Just what we wanted to hear," the White Queen spoke. She and the Hellions were gathered just a few yards away on a small hill. "Stand down, robot . . . or be destroyed."

The pilots were trained guards from the New York branch of the Hellfire Club. There was a San Francisco branch of the same club, but Sebastian Shaw, Black King of the New York branch's Inner Circle didn't trust them.

Emma Frost was in charge. She was the White Queen, and was a telepath of immense power. Roberta DaCosta was the solar-battery Sunspot, complete with flight, enhanced strength, and the ability to fire blast of heat energy. Martinique Wyngarde was the illusions specialist, Mastermind. And with them were the Hellions.

Bedlam was the leader. He could disrupt the function of a person's mind. Magma could control the movement of the earth's tectonic plates, releasing lava from the ground. Bevatron could generate bio-electric blasts from his hands. Firestar could generate microwave energy and shoot fire from her hands. Empath's telepathic abilities allowed him to subjugate others to his will. Tarot's cards could cause great harm to those she directed their magiks to. Thunderbird's strength was paralleled by few. Roulette had a habit of making those around her have some really bad luck.

"The success of this mission is imperative," Frost continued the debriefing. "We acquired a device called Cerebro from the late Professor Charles Francis Xavier. It is a powerful tool, one that can locate any mutant on the surface of the planet. A terrible power if it fell into the wrong hands . . . and an amazing weapon in our hands."

The late Professor Xavier she says . . . Roberta DaCosta's thoughts drifted. Killed by Magneto, no doubt. His arch-foe. Even when I was a member of the New Mutants, I knew how much to fear Magnus. Looks like he's finally won. No X-Men, no New Mutants . . . and it doesn't seem like Young Justice will be around much longer. All the followers of Xavier's dream are pretty much gone.

He made a glance to Magma, then Thunderbird. Magma had been a member of the New Mutants for a time. Thunderbird, he was an associate of the team for a short while as well. Professor Xavier had sought to recruit him, but the team disbanded before he could join.

Magma stared back, cold and hard. Was there anything left of the peaceful, happy girl he used to know? And what was it about Thunderbird? Ever since the showdown with Young Justice, he'd gone quieter than before . . . like he knew something.

"We took the device and began to implement new technologies into it," Frost continued. "Getting to the point, we made it sentient. It was to be the ultimate mutant tracking device."

"You created a sentinel?" the words leapt from Bobby's mouth before he knew he had said them. The tone was one of both surprise and horror.

"Not a sentinel," Frost frowned. "Sentinels have been around for years. The current models are either very large engines of destruction, or human sized Prime Sentinels that are apparently born out of human flesh. Cerebro was to be far more than a sentinel."

Martinique's eyes glanced quickly over those of the Hellions. She noted their reactions to the word sentinel. Some were afraid. They were smart. So were brave. They were stupid. Others showed indifference. They, too, were stupid. Sentinels were near unstoppable killing machines. And she knew the secrets that Shaw and Frost had . . . she knew the truth about their involvement in Project: Wideawake.

"But none of that really matters at the moment," Frost continued. "What matters is that it escaped and we must retrieve it."

"We've got a possible bead on it," the co-pilot said.

"Possible?" Frost asked.

"We can't tell for sure," the co-pilot responded. "It could just be an anomaly on our sensors, or it could be trying to cloak itself."

"ETA?"

"Three minutes."

"Hellions," Frost said, "get ready."

It's a small Balkan nation, one ruled with an iron fist by the villainous Doctor Doom. Though his origins remained mostly unknown, that did not stop his name of 'face' from being recognized . . . and feared.

Yet one woman approached the castle gate without hesitating, without fear. She was known only as the Lady Tessa, Black Queen of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle. She was an extremely acute telepath, possessing a mind that made her as calculating and effective as a computer, with one-hundred times the memory.

"Halt," a robot guard stopped her before the gate. It was strange they had let her get this far. "Who goes here?"

"Tessa," she answered coolly. "I come with a message from his associate, the Black King."

The robot paused a moment, receiving instruction from inside the castle. The doors slowly opened. "Enter."

Well, that was easy . . . Tessa thought as she entered the castle. It had a dark, ominous interior. He probably doesn't entertain guests often.

Another robot approached. "I will escort you to his conference chamber."

Tessa nodded, allowing the robot to lead the way.

"Stand down, robot . . . or be destroyed."

Cerebro's metal body turned to look upon the White Queen and her Hellions. "Analyzing . . . Homo sapien superior - mutants. Begin processing . . . "

"Don't give him the chance!" Frost yelled. "Take him down, but do not destroy him!"

Bevatron quickly fired a bio-electric blast, hoping to fry the robot's systems. He did minor damage, but Cerebro shrugged it off. Firestar added to the assault, but she, too, did little damage.

"This was foolish," Bedlam frowned to his Queen. "You, me, Empath and Martinique are useless against him! Our powers require living minds!"

"Then you had best hope that your other teammates are well prepared," Frost frowned.

Cerebro lunged forward, punching Thunderbird hard and knocking him back. He fired an energy blast at Firestar, temporarily disorienting her.

This is no good . . . Sunspot thought. We're too disorganized . . .

"Roulette!" Bobby called. "Stay out of the fray, keep hitting is with good luck discs! Tarot, use your magiks to make our chances better, too! Magma, Bevatron, Firestar . . . the four of us'll hit him with everything we have! Thunderbird, follow us up with the strongest punch you can muster!"

The Hellions quickly fell in line. Roulette dished out her discs, and Tarot played her cards. Bevatron started firing first, then Firestar. Sunspot and Magma unleashed their fury, tearing at the robot.

"They better not do too much damage . . . " Frost said to herself.

Thunderbird charged forward and slammed his first into the robot's head. Cerebro went flying back, landing hard on the grass around them.

"Did we do it?" Roulette asked.

A blast of energy emerged from Cerebro, knocking them all onto their butts.

"Systems . . . damage," the robot said, standing. "Initiating . . . escape protocols."

Energy burst from Cerebro's feet as he took off into the air. By the time the Hellions had regrouped, he was out of their sites.

"Damn," Frost frowned.

"Not many are brave enough to enter my castle," Doom frowned at Tessa from across his conference room.

"I go wherever my Lord sends me," she answered.

"Your Lord . . . yes," Doom spoke, watching her closely.

"He tells me that your presence is required in New York," the Lady continued. "He will not take no for an answer. Either you accompany me back, or your membership is revoked."

"Membership was never important to me," Doom frowned. "I sought merely to bend you fools to my own will . . . play you in my game of world domination. But then I found that there was already too much playing going on."

Tessa gave him a confused look. "I'm afraid I don't - "

"You should be afraid," Doom frowned. "Shaw and Frost are against each other. DaCosta is a plant. Wyngarde is a traitor. And you, my dear . . . are another plant."

Tessa's muscles tensed.

"I discovered all about your mission," he frowned. "How one called Xavier planted you in the Hellfire Club long ago to keep tabs on their machinations. How he later placed Sunspot in as well so that, if any plant was suspected, it would be him. The fool has even planted a man in the London branch. He feared those clubs. What a waste of time."

"What do you plan to do with your . . . information?" Tessa asked.

"I'm sending Shaw a message . . . that Doom is leaving his foolish boys club. And with that message, the truth about you and the others. I will not harm you. Doom sees no need. But, if you return to your home . . . chances are, you will be killed . . . alongside DaCosta and Wyngarde."

"Why?" Tessa asked. "Why expose us?"

"Doom needs not explain his reasons!" he bellowed. "Now go . . . before Doom changes his mind."

"We'll return to the mansion and begin searching once more," Frost frowned. "When next we find him, we shall be more prepared."

Sunspot sat in the back of the jet. Martinique sat beside him.

"You must leave," she said quietly.

"Excuse me?" Bobby asked.

"I have . . . sources," she continued. "Shaw knows the truth behind you. He will not act immediately . . . but he will. And so, you must leave."

Bobby gave her a confused look. He knows? Is she bluffing? I . . . I can't take that chance. I'll have to leave . . . soon.

"You failed," Shaw frowned.

"It escaped," Frost replied. She didn't need to be a telepath to detect his anger . . . it was more than just Cerebro. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself with," he continued frowning. "The Sentinels will soon be unleashed upon the world. That is enough. There will be time later . . . to rebuild."

Tarot and Thunderbird sat together in the mansion's garden. He was James Proudstar, she was Marie-Ange Colbert. They were friends. Close enough friends that Jimmy knew when something was bothering her.

"What is it, Marie?" he asked. "I know you're not upset about the mission . . . you couldn't care less about it."

"You are right," she nodded. "It is not the mission."

"Then what?"

"It's the cards, James," she continued. "The cards . . . our future . . . is filled with nothing but death!"

"Are you sure?" James asked.

"Positive," she frowned. "In the near future . . . every member of the Hellions will die!"