X-MEN: INSURRECTION #5
GREAT MINDS
Close up of a computer screen, various dialogue boxes opening up onto it.
1. COMPUTER: Scanning pages 1-2.
2. COMPUTER: Searching ‘The Seven’.
3. COMPUTER: Three matches found.
4. COMPUTER: Cross-referencing ‘Chronomancer’.
5. COMPUTER: One match found.
6. COMPUTER: Go to: Page 2.
PANEL
1
A double-page spread depicting various scenes from Destiny’s Diaries on the computer screen.
1. CAPTION [in handwriting font]: As with all stories, the beginning comes with an end, and quietly, for there shall be no flood, no earthquake, no holocaust, nor rain of fire.
2. CAPTION: Yet two shall mourn this passing – and thereafter all shall fall silent, and for a time, all shall flourish.
3. CAPTION: But then the Harbinger shall come; and with that coming will descend the Scourge of the Chosen – one by one shall they be sacrificed, to give life to that which had ended so soon.
4. CAPTION: If the Evil One be sustained the insurrection shall occur – with time shall Time be stilled and all ended but she who lived through death.
5. CAPTION: Our saviours number Seven.
6. CAPTION: For all to gather one must be born.
7. CAPTION: He shall be born into this world an adult, an orphan, neither male nor female, neither from within this world or without.
8. CAPTION: He shall be called the Chronomancer.
Pan out to see the pictures and text, in a green monotone as the light up the overhead computer screen. In front of the screen stands Sage, a visor over her eyes which plugged into the computer, Xavier beside her in his hoverchair.
1. SAGE: I’ve uploaded the first few pages of the diary number one onto my neural network. The first page is nothing more than a jumbled mess. The second page is a little more coherent.
2. XAVIER: I can tell from the sound of your voice that you’ve discovered something of importance, Teresa.
Sage leans with her backside against the computer and crosses her arms as she faces Xavier.
2. SAGE: I’ve been examining this page since 11:00 pm last night. The first four paragraphs are still a mystery. But the last four I think, are pretty self-explanatory – at least with hindsight.
3. XAVIER: Hmm. Seven saviours, one of them an apparent contradiction. Born as an adult and without parents, asexual, and not of this world.
4. XAVIER: Bishop.
5. SAGE: I surmised the same. He comes into this world without essentially being born, takes the place of his female counterpart, and having no place – no life – in this reality.
6. XAVIER: And the diaries refer to him as the ‘Chronomancer’.
7. SAGE: Chrono – from the Greek, kronos, indicating time. -mancy – from the Greek manteia, to divine. Thus, a diviner of time.
8. XAVIER: Someone who can twist time?
9. SAGE: Hmm. Perhaps.
Xavier leans back in his chair and looks towards Sage.
1. XAVIER: Good work, Sage. I think this sheds at least some light on the reason for Bishop’s appearance in this reality.
2. SAGE: Do you wish me to continue my examination, Professor?
3. XAVIER: No – take a rest, Sage. You’ve done far more than was necessary. I shall, however, need to peruse this material in the meantime.
4. SAGE: My pleasure, professor. Please, feel free.
Sage goes towards the doorway to leave, but Xavier stops her.
5. XAVIER: Oh and Sage?
6. SAGE: Yes?
7. XAVIER: I’ve contacted Karma at Gen Next and asked if we could borrow Cypher. I hope he will be able to help you with your decoding of the diaries.
8. SAGE: That would be very useful, professor. Thank you.
Sage leaves, leaving Xavier alone to mull over the latest information from the diaries.
9. XAVIER: The more we learn the less sense it makes.
10. XAVIER: What secrets were you hiding from us, Destiny? What secrets drove you to your death? Do we see them here in these pages? Or hidden somewhere else?
Bishop is climbing up a black cliff-face in a raging storm. His clothes are ragged and torn, and he is weak, bloody and battered.
1. CAPTION: On the precipice of death the X-Man named Bishop fights for his life.
2. CYCLOPS: He fights harder than he has ever done before in the real world.
A close-up of Bishop as he climbs, his biceps straining hard, his arms cut and bleeding.
3. CAPTION: He feels he raw pain of muscles pumping, limbs straining, fingers burning, rebelling, pores sweating.
4. CAPTION: The further he loses himself in this psychic plane the less he remembers that his fight is not a battle of the physical.
Close up of his face, sweating, teeth gritting.
5. CAPTION: It is simply all in his mind.
After a great feat of strength, Bishop hauls himself over the top of the cliff.
6. CAPTION: Absently he thinks of the age-old philosophy of Descartes. Can the body really exist without the mind? Or perhaps more importantly, can the mind exist without the body?
Looking up, he sees Laura Bishop standing in the rain in front of him.
He staggers to his feet, but keeps his distance from her as if afraid of her.
7. BISHOP: You! But you’re supposed to be dead!
8. LAURA: I am. But a part of me is inside here, with you.
Bishop takes another step back, still afraid of her.
1. BISHOP: No…that’s not possible.
2. LAURA: You’re talking to me about possible? Don’t give me that! Who exactly is a living monument to a time that you came into the past to subvert? Sorry if I call that going against the impossible.
3. BISHOP: Okay, you’ve made your point. But that doesn’t answer how you’re here.
Laura turns away from him with a sigh.
4. LAURA: Before I was killed by the chronal anomaly, a part of me managed to get grafted into you. That, and a part of the knowledge you’re seeking.
5. BISHOP: The only thing I’m seeking, lady, is a way to get out of here.
6. LAURA: For that you’ll need the Professor. But for now, I need to tell you exactly why I was looking for you.
Bishop half laughs weakly – he is wondering whether he’s really dreaming this all.
7. BISHOP: So enlighten me. Seems I have time.
8. LAURA: Heh. You don’t know the half of it. You see, before I became a regular in Team Alpha, I was working covertly for the Professor. He wanted me to investigate the disappearance of several high-profile mutants. During my investigation, I managed to make a positive link between all the missing mutants.
9. LAURA: Almost all the stolen mutants possessed high levels of energy projection. Based on that information, I was led to a mutant heiress, Monet St. Croix, a high-level telepath working for Weapon X under the codename M.
10. BISHOP: And what happened to her?
PANEL
1
A flashback of Laura and Monet sitting over a cup of coffee in an expensive Manhattan cafe.
1. LAURA [caption]: She confided in me that she was being stalked by another mutant.
2. BISHOP [caption]: Stalked?
3. LAURA: Yes. Weird thing is, not only on the physical plane but the astral one as well. This mutant, she said, was alien and not of this world. His mind was well-guarded. Only one thing she was able to surmise – that he was a hunter.
4. BISHOP: A hunter?
5. BISHOP: …Ahab…
6. LAURA: You’ve heard of him?
7. BISHOP: Yes. He is able to ‘switch’ on the genetic scent of others.
8. LAURA: Well, he now has that ablility himself it seems. He scents the mutant he wants, hunts them, and abducts them. M was just one of the unlucky beggars on his hit-list.
9. BISHOP: And let me guess…
10. LAURA: Yes. I was next.
11. BISHOP: But why?
12. LAURA: Yeah, I’m not exactly the most powerful mutant around. Why I was targeted is still a mystery to me, but doubtless you’ll find out the truth soon enough.
PANEL
1
The rain intensifies. Bishop’s breath comes out of his mouth as clouds of mist.
1. BISHOP: How did Ahab get here? He comes from a different timeline – a different world – one that shouldn’t even exist anymore.
2. LAURA: You tell me. After all, it’s your job now. And I have other – pressing – engagements to keep.
3. BISHOP: My job?!
Laura begins to walk away into the distance.
4. LAURA: So long, Bish. Y’know, if I weren’t you and you weren't me…I reckon we could’ve made a great team together. Oh well!
Bishop is left alone.
5. BISHOP: So something’s going screwy with the Timestream. And I have to figure it out – again?
Suddenly the cliff starts to crumble away beneath him.
6. BISHOP: Looks like I’ve got other things to worry about right now.
He starts trying to out-run the crumbling precipice, but is far too weak.
Small insert of the falling cliff catching up with him and his foot slipping off the edge.
Bishop falls down into a dark black void.
PANEL
1
Lightning suddenly flashes across an indigo sky as a nighttime storm bursts into life.
A shot of Jubilee racing down a mansion corridor at top-speed.
1. JUBILEE: Professor!
Jubilee bursts through the door to the professor’s study, pausing only to catch her breath.
2. JUBILEE: Professor!
3. XAVIER: Calm down, Jubilee. What is it?
Close up of Jubilee’s face.
4. JUBILEE: It’s Gambit! He’s back!
A wide shot of the X-Men’s Team Alpha gathered together in the War Room, a still-dripping wet Gambit standing in their midst. The other X-Men don’t have very friendly looks on their faces, except for Jubilee, who is blowing gum nonchalantly.
4. GAMBIT: Long time, no see, professor.
5. XAVIER: Indeed. Welcome back, Gambit.
6. GAMBIT: Funny, dat. Not feelin’ so welcome from where I’m standin’.
PANEL
1
Wolverine glares at him without sympathy.
1. WOLVERINE: Y’ seem to be forgettin’ one word called ‘Genosha’, pal. You ain’t exactly gonna be keepin’ friends by leavin’ them in the lurch.
2. GAMBIT: Dat is tres touchin’, Logan, but I did have my reasons for leavin’ de X-Men.
3. WOLVERINE: Oh yeah? Well couldn’t it have waited? Like until after hundreds had died and Charlie’s brain got frazzled, for instance?
Rogue places a hand of Wolverine’s shoulder, passing Gambit a hard look.
4. ROGUE: Hey, don’t sweat it, short-stuff. He ain’t worth it.
Gambit ignores the two and turns to the Professor.
5. GAMBIT: Believe it or not, I did come here for reason too, Professor. I heard what happened wit’ de singer at the airport a couple o’ days back. Wasn’t surprised to see old Mags had made a comeback.
6. XAVIER: You have information on the Brotherhood?
7. GAMBIT: Heh, you’re a mind-reader, Professor. As it happens, I was trackin’ Sabretooth a whiles back, and a few weeks ago it seems he took a last-minute flight to the Australian outback. I followed to find dis year’s convention for evil mutant terrorists. Looked to me as if ol’ Mags had been hiding in the desert ever since Genosha.
Flashback of Gambit spying on the Brotherhood meeting in the Gibson Desert, hiding behind an outcrop of craggy rocks.
8. GAMBIT: Anyhow, what you saw of the Brotherhood the other day was only half de deal. Quicksilver and Mystique have signed up too – as well as two other lovely ladies I sadly didn’t recognise.
9. ROGUE [caption]: Mystique?! With Magneto?! That’s crazy! She hates him!
Gambit turns calmly to Rogue.
10. GAMBIT: Not anymore, chere.
11. ROGUE: You’re lyin’!!
12. GAMBIT: An’ why’d I do that?
13. ROGUE: Do ah need to answer that?!
PANEL 1
Close up on Xavier.
1. XAVIER: Rogue, this doesn’t help. I agree that Mystique isn’t the type to perform the subordinate role unless it suits her needs. Evidently, Magneto’s Brotherhood has something of great value to offer. We can only speculate what that something is.
2. STORM: I don’t like it, Charles. With Pietro and Wanda at his side, as well as Pyro, Avalanche and the Toad, it sounds like Magneto’s reforming his old Genoshan inner circle.
3. WOLVERINE: Inner circle? You make it sound like some sort of satanic cult or somethin’ ‘Ro.
4. JUBILEE: Or the freakin’ Hellfire Club.
Xavier bangs his fist against his armrest in a moment of inspiration, interrupting the discussion.
5. XAVIER: Of course! He has the other six Diaries!
6. BEAST: Quite right. Perhaps Magneto’s even read himself and his band of acolytes into the prophecies.
7. GAMBIT: Diaries?
8. XAVIER: The key to these mutant disappearances – or so we’ve come to believe.
9. GAMBIT: Y’mean like what happened to Laura?
Wolverine glares at him again, raising a fist as if ready to pop his claws.
10. WOLVERINE: Oh, so you heard about that? Thinkin’ of takin’ yer old place on Team Alpha back, gumbo?
11. GAMBIT: Depends on whether those claws of yours are gonna be comin’ my way or not.
12. WOLVERINE: Catch me on a bad day and you’ll find out.
Storm steps between the two as they glower at one another.
13. STORM: Stop it the both of you.
14. STORM: Professor, I suggest we give Gambit a trial period. Despite his faults he has proved himself more than once, and he has never betrayed us.
1. XAVIER: For now I agree, Ororo. I’ll give you this chance, Gambit. But first, we need to have a little talk. How about we meet for a debriefing tomorrow morning?
Xavier and Gambit shake hands.
2. GAMBIT: Of course, professor. And t’anks.
The X-Men have left the War Room. Gambit is the last to do so, lighting up a cigarette as he walks down the corridor.
His path is blocked by Rogue who is waiting for him, hands on hips, looking piqued.
Gambit calmly removes the cigarette from his mouth.
3. GAMBIT: So we gonna talk, chere, or are you jus’ gonna slap me again?
4. ROGUE: Ah shoulda punched you right into the middle o’ next week, cajun!
5. GAMBIT: C’mon, Roguey, I saved your life, didn’t I?
1. ROGUE: Ah can take care of mahself, Remy LeBeau. Why couldn’t ya just have stuck around and saved Revanche, or Luna, or Alpha Flight, or the durn Human Torch?!
2. GAMBIT: Well, I’m sorry, but I guess you were jus’ higher up on my priority list.
3. ROGUE: Yeah, ah know, always distracted by a pretty face. So you gonna tell me which one lured you away from Genosha that day or not? Y’know, Storm was wrong, Gambit. You have betrayed us, an’ you sure as hell betrayed me.
4. GAMBIT: Ouch. Dat stung, Rogue.
5. ROGUE: Good, ‘cos it’s probably not half of what ah’m feelin’ right now.
6. GAMBIT: Why is it dat de only time you’re honest about the way you’re feelin’ is when you’re hurtin’?
There is a silence, during which Rogue seems to relent.
PANEL 5
7. ROGUE: Jus’ tell me one thing, Remy. If Laura’d never gone an’ taken your place, would you have come back anyway?
Gambit puts the cigarette back between his lips and begins to walk away, leaving Rogue to stare after him.
8. GAMBIT: Like you said, wit’ pretty faces, I’m like a moth t’ a flame, chere. I t’ink you know de answer already.
PANEL
1
Cyclops is in bed, watching on as Jean sits on the edge of bed, undoing her dressing gown. There is an absent look on her face, as though there are thoughts that are troubling her.
1. CYCLOPS: Jean?
2. JEAN: Hmm?
3. CYCLOPS: You okay?
Jean makes no move to get in under the covers. Concerned, Cyclops sits up and places a hand on her shoulders.
4. JEAN: Of course. Why shouldn’t I be?
5. CYCLOPS: You’ve just seemed a little…distant recently.
6. JEAN: It’s just the professor, Scott. You know, he’s even with Bishop now, trying to cure him. He’s…changed. Everything’s changed somehow. I don’t know how or why, I’m just…scared.
PANEL
3
Cyclops leans over and kisses her bare shoulder.
7. CYCLOPS: If you’re scared of the Phoenix, you know you can talk to me about it, Jean.
8. JEAN: How…?
9. CYCLOPS: Your feelings are jumping out at me, Jean. We are psychically bonded after all, right?
10. CYCLOPS: Don't worry, darling. We’ll work through this. Together.
The two embrace and kiss deeply.
10. JEAN: Yes. Together…
PANEL
6
A close up of Jean’s open eye – reflected in her pupil is the raging fire of the Phoenix.
Pan in to see the close up of tongues of flame.
Pan out to see Bishop coming to from unconsciousness, lying on the ground by a blazing fire. The fire is Bishop’s only source of comfort amid his wounds and injuries.
1. BISHOP [think]: Fire? Where am I? Got to think logically. Heh. What’s there to be logical about? I’m in my own head. But then, that should mean there’s something logical in here. Right?
2. XAVIER [off-panel]: Unless, of course, one is dying.
Bishop looks up to see Xavier standing behind him.
3. BISHOP: Professor? How come…?
4. XAVIER: You’re here? Even though you fell from the cliff? I stepped in. Created a sort of safety net to catch you in.
5. BISHOP: Actually I was going to ask how come you’re here.
Xavier reaches out a hand and Bishop accepts it, standing up with some difficulty.
6. XAVIER: Why else? To save your life, Lucas.
7. BISHOP: You…you know my name?
PANEL
5
From over Bishop’s shoulder the Xavier from reality 616 steps out of the shadows and into the light of the fire.
8. XAVIER 616: I can’t speak for him, but I know I do.
PANEL
1
Xavier from reality 616 and Bishop are now sitting by the fire, Bishop looking slightly bewildered. In the background the other Xavier is using his psychic powers to keep the ‘safety net’ in place.
1. CAPTION: Later…
2. BISHOP: So you’re telling me the two of us have both been merged with our alternates from this Universe – a universe that’s about to be destroyed. And that that man is you?
3. XAVIER 616: I suppose you’re thinking this all sounds a little far-fetched.
4. BISHOP: Actually, I’m thinking it all sounds like something I’ve heard before.
5. XAVIER 616: Forgive me. This is all a little…new to me.
6. BISHOP: All right then, a question. Why us? Why do we get dragged into someone else’s reality to save it for them?
7. XAVIER 616: Do you want me to say ‘because Destiny wrote it down’?
8. BISHOP: Come on. You mean fate is written down from day one, that it governs multiple universes, realities and times? Roma told you Time is malleable. If that’s the case, how can anything as rigid as destiny exist?
Close up of Xavier 616’s face.
9. XAVIER 616: Perhaps that is why we are here. To prove that it doesn’t.
All of a sudden the ground starts leaking away from underneath Bishop like quicksand. In the background the other Xavier turns round and calls to them in warning.
10. BISHOP: Professor, just how long is this ‘safety net’ of yours supposed to last?
11. XAVIER: I couldn’t carry on holding it! Bishop’s body’s rebelling! He’s going into arrest!
Bishop begins to fall into the growing hole.
12. XAVIER 616: Bishop!
PANEL
1
While Bishop begins to fall, the two Xaviers stay on to float in the air with their telekinetic powers. With reactions born out of instinct Xavier 616 grasps onto a falling Bishop with a telekinetic grip.
Sweating profusely, Bishop looks down behind him only to look into a chasm of nothingness.
1. CAPTION: Out of instinct he grasps on, unbidden and without thought.
Suddenly the black chasm swirls up like liquid tar, curling around Bishop’s limbs and threatening to pull him into the blackness.
2. BISHOP: Professor…This isn’t going to work!
3. CAPTION: Does he think, for one moment, that he is challenging Death itself?
A close up of Xavier 616’s face, bathed in sweat as he psychically fights to keep Bishop anchored.
4. CAPTION: Is Death fluid, like Time?
5. CAPTION: And if so…
Wide shot of Xavier 616 still managing to keep a hold on Bishop, although the black tar-like substance is up to Bishop’s waist. In the background the alternate Xavier is adding his own powers to Xavier 616’s own.
6. CAPTION: Doesn’t this futile act in the face of the irresistible and indomitable prove the existence of Fate after all?
As the two Xaviers hoist Bishop upward the blackness begins to close in upon the two of them as well.
1. BISHOP: Professor…Stop this! You’re dragging yourself in too! Both our minds will go under!
2. XAVIER 616: There’s a reason I came here, Bishop!
The two Xaviers begin to merge into one entity.
3. XAVIER 616: And that was to save you!
4. BISHOP: And was that written down too?!
The two Xaviers phase into one another, and the telekinetic power that emanates from them begins to push back the blackness.
5. CAPTION: Now Bishop understands. He sees two minds, not one, struggling together, separate and yet one.
Bishop throws back his head and lets out a great cry.
6. CAPTION: The secret is not to push back against that wall of death in order to reject it.
7. CAPTION: It is simply to merge one’s life force with the thing that sustains it.
PANEL
5
Bishop begins to merge with Laura just as the two Xaviers had done.
8. CAPTION: Both reach out from that place in search of a lost half.
Finally the two Bishops phase into one whole.
1. CAPTION: At last forging together molecule upon displaced molecule, recreating one mental whole.
With little difficulty the merged Xavier manages to raise the merged Bishops out of the black liquid, and pushing the substance aside in two massive tidal waves.
2. CAPTION: Charles Francis Xavier has fought with death many times before. But never like this. And never for a reality he did not know existed.
A wide shot of Xavier gently setting a now recovered Bishop onto his feet.
3. CAPTION: It is only when the deed is done that he realises why he is doing this. Why he has sacrificed himself back to a wheelchair, back to his disability, back to the lie his life had once been.
4. CAPTION: It is for a wife he had loved but had never married.
5. CAPTION: For a son he had never had, yet loves just the same.
6. CAPTION: Even if they do not belong to him in his reality, he does this for them.
7. CAPTION: For the life he could have given them, but never did.
PANEL
1
We see the same scene but now it is on a computer screen.
1. CAPTION [in handwriting font]: For all to gather the Chronomancer must taste Death yet must not die.
2. CAPTION: It shall only be by the hand of the mentor that the card of Life shall be dealt. And like the Chronomancer, the mentor shall be two made one.
Pan out to see Sage in front of the computer, wearing the visor over her eyes as she peruses the screen.
3. CAPTION: Only by his merging shall the merging of the Chronomancer be accomplished.
4. CAPTION: Thus shall the Paradox enter into the Game.
A close up of Sage’s eyes as she pulls back the visor.
5. CAPTION: Thus shall there be two of Seven.
6. SAGE: …Professor…?
PANEL
1
Moira and Sage push through the door to the infirmary – through the crack in the door the shadow of Xavier is bent over the bedridden Bishop.
1. MOIRA: Charles?
The two women stop as they see Xavier sit up and look back over his shoulder, a small but tired smile on his face. On the bed, Bishop is now sleeping peacefully, all trace of his psychic sickness gone.
Close up of Xavier’s face.
2. XAVIER: Everything is going to be all right, Moira. Everything’s going to be all right.
End of Great Minds.
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