We open with Thunderbird and Captain Britain discussing strategy while reviewing a map of Nova Roma on the monitors. Suddenly there's a large KREEEEEK as the floating islands tilts and both are almost knocked off their feet. As we know from last issue the island is falling out of the sky due to Gideon's attack on its digital systems.
Betsy telepathically asks Dani what's going on and Dani tells her that though Trinary and Wiz-Kid were able to boot Gideon from the system, Gideon did enough damage and the thrusters are failing. Dani says if the island hits the ocean it could break apart. Betsy next reaches out to Rictor and asks if he's up for using his geokinetic talents to prevent the island from crashing into the water. He agrees as time is running out. Shatterstar nearly falls out of the bathroom because of the falling island. He was showering and is wearing a towel. He braces Rictor by the shoulders as Ric summons the earth deep below the ocean. It starts to rise up from under the water. It rises higher and higher until it breaks through the surface of the ocean and...
Well done, boy!
Dani comforts Taki who is beating himself up over what Gideon was able to accomplish. Trinary however is happy to share that she just learned that during the fight they were able to hack Gideon's hack. She says they can retrace his digital footprint and locate Gideon's operation. Overhearing, Sunspot enters the room ready to take Gideon out. However he's exhausted and sweaty, having burned a great deal of his energy to juice up the island's thrusters.
Dani is concerned about him and urges him to sit down. Sunspot says Gideon is expecting them to be wounded and lying low while they recover, making it the best time to strike back at him unexpectedly. Dani says he's in no shape to hit anything and that maybe she'll pull together a squad including Cipher and Magma. But Roberto says no, no one from X-Corps Island or their extended roll call. He says he's been saving up assets and for the right price and right favor, he knows just the man to help Gideon crash and burn.
We're now at a penthouse of a skyscraper in Chicago. Gideon is holding a glass of wine as he tells Burke that this is where they belong, up high looking down on the rabble. He doesn't understand why Selene likes ruling from a jungle ruin (Nova Roma.) Burke suddenly gets a precognitive flash and he describes how he sees metal, gleaming blades, a sneer, and so much blood. Right at that moment an "X" is sliced into the door of the penthouse by two swords.