The Scott and Jean Archives
Cash Cole has been bailed out of life-imprisonment by Nick Fury to help S.H.I.E.L.D. defeat the Brood, an alien race that has invaded Earth. He is being prepped for his mission with “the finest array of support technology available anywhere on Earth”.
With Professor Xavier gone, the X-Men have retreated to Warren’s estate in Madripoor, a small island nation in South-East Asia. Hank has driven Jean to the airport so Jean can catch her flight out to Australia for her new modelling gig. Meanwhile, Cyclops is pushing Angel and Iceman harder in training. Iceman teases Cyclops that his bad mood has to do with Jean leaving.
On the way to the airport, Hank tries to stall time despite Jean’s lack of faith that her “on-again, off-again boyfriend” will show up to say goodbye. Much to Jean’s surprise, Hank directs her attention to the sky where Angel arrives on cue with Cyclops in flight.
Hank: “Because for all your vast mental powers, you -- like most people in love, man or mutant, since time began -- can’t see what’s right in front of your face.”
Jean: “What are you talking about?”
Hank: “If I can call your attention to the centre ring?”
Scott: “Um, hey. Did I miss anything?”
Hank: “Was that -- *gasp* -- Cyclops making an attempt at humour? Who thought I would live so long?”
Jean: “Scott -- You’ve come to see me off?”
Jean embraces Cyclops in silence as Warren changes back into civilian garb. When it’s Scott’s turn to get changed, Warren tries to flirt with Jean but she reassures Warren that she loves Scott, and not him. Scott walks Jean to her gate, and the both of them have a little talk.
Scott: “So.”
Jean: “So.”
Scott: “I guess I’ll see you when you get back.”
Jean: “Don’t you mean to say you’ll miss me?”
Scott: “Yes.”
Jean: “With all your heart?”
Scott: “Yes.”
Jean: “Well, Scott, I’m glad we had this talk.”
Scott: “So...see you.” (Thoughts.) Tell her, you dummy! I love you Jean.
Jean: (Telepathically to Scott.) And I love you too. Dummy.
Scott: (Thoughts.) A message right in my head? One of the disadvantages of dating a mutant.
In mid flight, Jean experiences “somewhere between a dream...and a psionic assault” unleashed by the Brood. The Brood was talking to Agent Maslow, whom Jean located as the man seated behind her on the plane. Agent Maslow was panicking, and projected his thoughts so loudly that Jean picked up on them unaware. Letting her curiosity get the better of her, Jean realizes that this modelling gig is a lost cause.
Cole is already in Australia and tracking down the Brood. Upon landing in Australia, Jean tries to talk to Agent Maslow, who tries to avoid her. Suddenly, Agent Maslow gets shot multiple times by disguised Brood bearing arms. Cole attacks the Brood while Jean tends to the dying Agent Maslow. Jean tells Agent Maslow to telepathically open up to her so she “can help [him] deliver the intelligence [he’s] gathered”. Jean uses her telekinesis to blast away the Brood attacking Cole, but is outnumbered herself. Cole unleashes psionic energy taking out all the Brood, none the likes of Jean had ever felt. When the police arrive, Jean mentally freezes them temporarily so she and Cole can escape.
Twenty miles away, a man named Pike reports the Brood situation to Mister Sinister. It turns out that the alien monsters were “half-brood half-daemonites” Sinister had “spliced together” for a certain purpose.
At Cole’s residence in Sydney, Jean makes a phonecall to the Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngers, having misplaced Warren’s Madripoor number, and leaves a message asking the X-Men for help with the Brood situation. While Jean bandages Cole’s wounds, he draws her into a kiss, but Jean doesn’t kiss back even though she allowed him to.
Cole: “You...weren’t kissing back.”
Jean: “No. I’m sorry.”
Cole: “Your boyfriend’s a very lucky guy.”
Jean: “Tell him that when you meet him. Sometimes he forgets.” (Jean heads back into the house.)
Cole: “Where are you going? Wait! Look -- We can still save the world, right?”
Jean: “Yes, Cole, We can still save the world.”
Jean and Cole are on board Heaven’s Wave, a ship that was “the dominant thought in Agent Maslow’s mind”. Jean thinks that the Brood might be out to get the “international movers and shakers” gathered at this fund raising event. Sure enough, the Brood appears and round up the people for “the incubation process”. With the aid of Jean’s telekinesis, they make their way to the lower deck to their secret costume stash without being noticed.
Marvel Girl and Cole follow a trail of Broods, leading them to a door. Marvel Girl uses her telekinesis to blast the door down, uncovering an ambush. She gets knocked out cold and Sinister extracts her D.N.A. sample, his intention all along. Hearing the familiar sound of an optic blast, Sinister escapes, unnoticed by Marvel Girl who is busily defending herself against Pike.
The X-Men find Marvel Girl, and Cyclops immediately starts attacking Cole thinking Cole is the enemy. When the conflict has been resolved, the X-Men leave with Marvel Girl in their helicopter. Zealot, the woman who Cole rescued, takes him under her wing.