Group X "An Angel Watching Over
Us"
(Front cover. We see Dark Angel (Shevaun Haldane) hovering in the air over the members of Group X.)
Lotus: Show off.
(Inside front cover. We see the blurbs for Lotus, Diving
Owl, Starshot, Bakerman, Quicksand, Sonnos, and Spyre. Below that, we
see these blurbs:)
Dark Angel: Granted vast mystical powers by an angel, Shevaun Haldane fights a
never-ending task of stopping the notorious Mys-Tech corporation from taking over the world and killing everyone
to feed their deal with Mephisto.
Mys-Tech Corporation: Started in the middle ages, Mys-Tech’s founders are still alive thanks to a deal with Mephisto - they kill people so he can take their souls.
Skilled in magic, the leaders have also woven their life essences into the
essence of Earth, making the idea of breaking them very difficult indeed...
(Page 1, panel 1. Group X
headquarters,
Cap (N1): It’s not often that the members of Group X
can enjoy a nice, quiet day by the pool in the springtime.
Cap (N2): So they enjoy it as much as they can.
(Panel 2. Bakerman pours sunscreen on
his hands.)
Bakerman: Why don’t you let me run sunscreen on you, Sara?
Starshot: I’d like that, love.
(Panel 3. Bakerman rubs sunscreen on Starshot’s back.)
Starshot: Mmm... tha’
feels good, love.
Bakerman: I’m glad you like it.
(Panel 4. Lotus turns around, and lies on her stomach.)
Cap (L1): It’s great to relax for once.
Cap (L2): I had almost forgotten what it was like.
Cap (N): But elsewhere, things aren’t so rosy....
(Page 2, splash page. Leave room for credits here. Mys-Tech
headquarters,
Cap (N1): Mys-Tech
Headquarters,
Cap (N2): And right now, the board is not happy at all.
Cap (N3): There are two big thorns in its side right now.
Cap (N4): Dark Angel,
Cap (N5): and a team of superheroes in
(Page 3, panel 1. Go inside
to see a board meeting of Mys-Tech. The members are
sitting around a table, and the leader, Wytchwood, is
red with anger. Standing nearby is a scared middle aged
man.)
Wytchwood: Look at these stats! Soul
harvesting down 39%! Mystical use up 56%! Technical use up 41%! We’re putting more effort into the
region and getting less! I want to know why!!
(Panel 2. The man speaks.)
Man: Mr. Wytchwood, I have
been running into trouble time and time again with a
band of superheroes that are dedicated to peace and harmony.
Wytchwood: I want results, not excuses!!
(Panel 3. Wytchwood turns to the
board.)
Wytchwood: Mr. Crowe, I want you to go to
Crowe: It would be a pleasure. I haven’t been there since the Revolution.
(Page 4, panel 1.
Cap (N1):
Cap (N2): She was chosen to be a balance between chaos
and order.
Cap (N3): It’s a never-ending task for Shevaun Haldane.
Cap (N4): Fortunately, she’s got some friends to help
her out.
(Panel 2. Enter Dark Angel’s team of helpers, the Encoders.
They are identified with their code names.)
Dark Angel: Look alive... psi-plane
buzz is that there’s something major going down in the States.
Signal: What is it, Shevaun?
(Panel 3. Dark Angel faces the Encoders.)
Dark Angel: I don’t know exactly... but it is major.
We’re going to have to go there immediately.
(Panel 4.
Dark Angel: I’ve got a back up plan, but I can carry
only two people. Collin and I are going, as soon as he comes back.
(Page 5, panel 1. Group X headquarters. We see them still lounging around the
pool.)
Cap (N): And back in
Lotus: You know, it would be nice if we could do this all the time... but then
again, who would save the world from those who would do wrong?
(Panel 2. Enter Sonnos, wearing his uniform.)
Sonnos: Amigos, they’re at it again.
Lotus: Looks like play time is over, gang. Let’s suit
up.
(Panel 3. Go over to a crowded sidewalk. We see a lot of people moving toward one building.)
Cap (N1): Downtown
Cap (N2): The people come not of their own wishes.
Cap (N3): They come because they are under a spell.
(Panel 4. They walk into a building, where several people
wielding machine guns wait.)
Cap (N1): And it’s all coming to a head.
Cap (N2): But this time, it’s going to be very different.
(Page 6, panel 1. Suddenly the members of Group X teleport in.)
Lotus: Sorry gang, can’t let
you do this.
Man: &*@#$!! It’s Group X! Fire on them!!
(Panel 2. The men with machine guns open fire on Group X, who
scatters. Diving Owl turns invisible.)
Bakerman: Just why are you killing all these
people needlessly, anyway?
Man: That’s none of your %*&@# business!
SFX: Pip-ping-pip-ping!
(Panel 3. Bakerman hits the man with
a light disk as he dodges the bullets the man fires.)
Bakerman: When you hurt others unnecessarily... then it
becomes our business.
SFX: Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!
(Panel 4. Starshot fires her laser, hitting the gun another man
was holding. That gun explodes.)
Starshot: An’ hurting others
is not a nice thing t’do.
(Panel 5. Spyre bends the barrel of a
machine gun wielded by another man.)
Spyre: We might stop if you explain why you’re doing this.
SFX: SKRENCH!
(Page 7, panel 1. The men
flee, and scatter.)
Sonnos: They’re getting away!
Lotus: Let them go. We’ve got one of them, and that’s
the important part. We can get all the answers from him.
(Panel 2. Group X briefing room. We
see Lotus, W.E., Starshot, Mindpath, Bakerman,
and Sonnos sitting around one of the men from earlier.)
Cap (N): About 30 minutes, and a call later...
Lotus: Thanks for coming over, Simon.
Mindpath:
Well laddie, we can do this the easy way or the hard
way... which do ye want?
Man: Go to @#*&! I aint tellin’ you nothin’!
(Panel 3. Mindpath smiles.)
Mindpath: The hard way it is, then. Man: Hey, what are you
doing?
(Panel 4. Mindpath reads the man’s
mind.)
Man: Get out of my mind!!
Stop this!!
Mindpath: Just a little more....
resisting me will only make it more painful for yourself....
(Panel 5. The man gets a blank expression on his face.)
Mindpath: Crikey O’Riley...
Lotus: What is it, Simon?
(Panel 6. Mindpath faces Lotus.)
Mindpath: Lecita, we’ve stumbled
upon a worldwide conspiracy. It seems there’s this company
based in
Lotus: Hmm... very tricky
indeed. We need more information.
(Page 8, panel 1. Mindpath continues to talk to Lotus.)
Mindpath: I’ve gotten all I can from the lad.
Lotus: Then let’s turn elsewhere.
(Panel 2. Lotus faces the computer.)
Lotus: Computer, display file on Mys-Tech
corporation.
(Panel 3. Suddenly Dark Angel and Kylun
appear over the table.)
Dark Angel: UHN!!
(Panel 4. Dark Angel and Kylun fall
on the table, out cold.)
Kylun: UHN!
Sonnos: ¡¿Que!?
Spyre: What the--!? Computer: Intruder alert! Intruder alert!
(Panel 5. Lotus and W.E. approach the two of them.)
Cap (L1): Woah.
Cap (L2): Spiritual light is blinding.
Cap (L3): I’ve got to find out more about them.
(Panel 6. Lotus takes charge.)
Lotus: Let’s get them to the infirmary.
(Page 9, panel 1. Infirmary. We see Dark Angel and Kylun
lying on separate beds. Sonnos stands over them.)
Sonnos: Like us, they are mutants. Both of them should
recover momentarily.
Lotus: What are their powers like?
(Panel 2. Sonnos faces Lotus.)
Sonnos: He can produce sounds. She seems to be some
kind of living portal to a spiritual area. I can’t really define her powers;
but I think you can.
Lotus: Well, I sensed both of them being very spiritual when they entered... she’s
on par with me.
Computer voice: Attention: Intruders identified.
(Panel 3. A computer screen displays pictures of Dark Angel and
Kylun. Between the pictures is some unreadable text.)
Lotus: Dark Angel... was detected
by Cerebro several years ago, and helped the X-Men on
some adventures in
Diving Owl: He is Kylun... former member of Excalibur
who possesses enchanted swords that cannot harm the pure of spirit. He can
mimic sounds he hears.
Cap (N): * See the Dark Angel series. (Of course this
is very hard to find in the
(Panel 4. Lotus faces the team.)
Lotus: Well, it’s nice to know they’re friendly... I
hope.
(Panel 5. Dark Angel and Kylun
waken.)
Dark Angel: Uhn....
Sonnos: They’re coming around.
(Page 10, panel 1. Dark Angel nurses her head.)
Dark Angel:
Ooh that hurt.
Lotus: Relax, you’re amongst friends, Dark Angel.
(Panel 2. Dark Angel faces Lotus.)
Cap (DA1): Woah.
Cap (DA2): Who are these people?
Cap (DA3): Who is she?
Cap (DA4): She’s very strong in spirit.
Cap (DA5): I’ve got to find out more.
Dark Angel: How... how did you know my name?
(Panel 3. Lotus introduces the team.)
Lotus (1): We are friends of the X-Men. Call us Group
X. My name is Lotus, and these are
Lotus (2): Diving Owl
Lotus (3): Sonnos,
Lotus (4): Starshot,
Lotus (5): Bakerman,
Lotus (6): Mindpath
Lotus (7): and Spyre.
(Panel 4. Kylun sits up.)
Kylun: That was very painful...
Dark Angel: Do not worry, love. We’re amongst X-people.
(Panel 5. Kylun looks around.)
Kylun: It’s been awhile since I was in the team
Excalibur... I was saddened by it break up. But now a new team rises to take its place?
Lotus: Sort of. You’re in
(Page 11, panel 1. Kylun smiles slightly.)
Kylun: Of course.
Lotus: So what brings you to our little patch of real estate?
Dark Angel: Something very big is about to go down here in
(Panel 2. Focus on Lotus’ face.)
Lotus: Whatever it is, we’ll be ready for it.
(Panel 3. Mys-Tech board
room. We see Mephisto talking to the board of Mys-Tech. Crowe is absent.)
Cap (N1): And in
Cap (N2): About 30 minutes later, allowing for time changes...
Wytchwood: We have the souls you have demanded, Mephisto.
(Panel 4. Mephisto lashes out at Wytchwood.)
Mephisto: Arrogant dog!! You caused
it to happen!!! Wytchwood: Caused what?
(Page 12,
panel 1. Mephisto
is face-to-face with Wytchwood.)
Mephisto: The girl Haldane has met
with Jones!! Two of the Divine One’s most powerful agents
have met!! I worked hard to keep them separate, and
your blundering ruined everything!!! This could spell
disaster for us all!! Separate, they are like flies,
but together, they are like a raging tiger to my plans!!
(Panel 2. The Mys-Tech board members
show concern on their faces.)
Mephisto: You will find a way to deal with them permanently...
or I will deal with you permanently!
Wytchwood: Yes, lord Mephisto.
(Panel 3. Mephisto vanishes.)
Wytchwood (to the other board members): This is a code A1 priority...
we’ve been toying with the girl... but now, she must die... and so must Jones.
Cap (N): Easier said than done...
(Panel 4. Focus on Wytchwood’s face.)
Wytchwood: We leave for
(Page 13, panel 1.
Cap (DA1): I feel so at ease here... like this place was heaven in earth...
Cap (DA2): This Lotus woman is very powerful.
Cap (DA3): Perhaps together, we can bring about true peace in the world.
Cap (L1): Dark Angel is a very powerful woman.
Cap (L2): We’re going to need every ounce of that power.
Cap (L3): I sense the hand of Mephisto delving into
this.
(Panel 2. They meditate.)
All: Aum... Aum... Aum...
(Panel 3. We see the place is a tropical paradise, lavish
foliage, and heavenly in appearance. The people listed earlier are standing
around the scene, wearing swimming attire.)
Dark Angel: Woah...
Lotus: You’ve really outdone yourself, Dark Angel.
(Panel 4. The Divine one appears. This being is a sphere of
reflective foil.)
Divine One: Lecita,
Shevaun...
I am glad I got the two of you together at last.
Lotus: Divine One, guide us. We need understanding.
(Panel 5. The Divine One speaks, and
others are in awe.)
Divine One: The forces of chaos and oblivion are
gathering here for a major assault on those forces that serve me. I have put
the two of you together for one reason: you must defeat these forces, and
attempt to get them to my path again.
(Page 14, panel 1. Focus on the Divine One.)
Divine One: You are two of the brightest stars in my
path... the power within is enough to repel what you will face... And then, work together, so that divineness will reign
across the land.
Lotus: Your will be done, Divine One.
(Panel 2. The Divine One vanishes.)
Kylun: You - you talk to Dri’Kethri
like it was a person?
Lotus: Well, the Divine One is more than the Dri’Kethri you knew on Ee’rath, Kylun... it is God, it is Buddha, it is Allah... and a
whole lot more.
(Panel 3. Kylun is confused.)
Kylun: So what do we do now?
Lotus: Return back, and wait. Let them come to us.
(Panel 4. Go back to the circle. We see those assembled come
out of their trances.)
Lotus: Let the computer monitor for
their activities. However, tonight
we are scheduled to be on patrol. We’ll continue that.
(Panel 5. Lotus faces Dark Angel and Kylun.)
Lotus: You are welcome to join us, Shevaun,
Collin.
Dark Angel: I would be glad to.
(Page 15, panel 1. That evening. We see Dark
Angel, Starshot, Lotus, and Spyre dressed in sleazy
clothing, i.e. halter tops, tight spaghetti-strapped
tops, and the like, and short miniskirts or microskirts.)
Cap (N1): That evening.
Cap (N2): They prepare for patrol.
Dark Angel: I feel like a ruddy tart.
Starshot: That’s the point, Shevaun.
Lotus: You’re not going to catch panderers by wearing a frumpy Victorian style
dress. The more skin you show, the more looks you’ll get.
(Panel 2. Dark Angel faces Lotus.)
Dark Angel: Still- I don’t enjoy catering to some sick
male’s fantasies.
Lotus: Which is why it’s more important to get them off the
streets. We really can’t rest until it’s safe to walk around at night.
Starshot: We’re all ready to go, Lecita.
(Panel 3. They stand on the teleportation pad.)
Lotus: Harry Hines, watch out.
(Panel 4. They disappear in a flash of light. Panel 5. We see Diving Owl, Kylun,
Bakerman,
and Sonnos wearing their uniforms. They face each other.)
Eagle: Our informants tell us of a drug warehouse in
Sonnos: We’re ready, amigo.
(Panel 5. They start to surround the place. Panel
6. Go back to see the Group X ladies standing near each other on a
corner of Harry Hines Blvd. in Dallas.)
Cap (N1):
Cap (N2): Not the sort of place for a proper young woman to be at night.
Cap (N3): Many attempts have been made to clean up the
hookers here.
Cap (N4): Most have failed.
Cap (N5): But working with the police,
Cap (N6): They are taking a small bite out of a crime tonight.
(Page 16, panel 1. A car drives up to them.)
Lotus: Customers.
(Panel 2. A man rolls down the window.)
Man: Say there, red babe. I’ve never seen you here before.
Dark Angel: I am new to this area.
(Panel 3. The man opens the passenger door.)
Man: Why don’t you let me give you a personal tour of
what I know here.
Shevaun: That’s going to need something.
(Panel 4. The man flashes some cash.)
Man: I got what you want, babe.
Shevaun: You certainly do.
(Panel 5. Lotus holds up a badge.)
Lotus: You’re under arrest, mister.
Man: No #$@*& way!!!
(Panel 6. The man drives off, with Dark Angel and Lotus flying
after him.)
Lotus: try for his tire.
(Panel 7. Dark Angel fires at one of the car’s tires, hitting
it.)
SFX: BLAM!!
Dark Angel: We’ve got him now.
(Page 17, panel 1. The car skids to a halt by an abandoned warehouse.)
SFX: SKREE!!!!
(Panel 2. The man jumps out, and Lotus hits him with a
spiritual blast.)
Man: AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!
Cap (DA1): Fascinating.
Cap (DA2): A pure form of spiritual energy.
(Panel 3. The man falls, unconscious.)
Lotus: Computer, teleport him to
jail with the standard explanation.
(Panel 4. They receive an incoming communication from the men.)
Eagle (from off panel): Ladies, we need you here. We
have stumbled upon Mys-Tech.
Lotus: Understood, we’ll be there in a flash.
(Panel 5. Lotus emits a flash of spiritual energy.)
Cap (N1): She activates the unstable molecules in
their clothing.
Cap (N2): Turning a blatant sales-boosting moment into them in their uniforms.
(Panel 6. Lotus pushes her badge.)
Lotus: Computer, lock on the men and teleport us
there.
(Page 18, panel 1. The Group X men and Kylun are surrounded by a bunch of thugs and other
miscreants who are firing weapons. We see the Group X men and Kylun fighting back.)
Cap (N1): And back with the drug deal gone bad...
Cap (N2): The Mys-Tech people were involved. Kylun: I hope our reinforcements get here soon.
(Panel 2. Eagle throws one of the thugs into a bunch of the
other ones.)
Eagle: We’re all hoping that, Kylun.
SFX: WHOMP!!
(Panel 3. The Group X ladies teleport
in, with Dark Angel. All of them wear their uniforms.)
Lotus: My, you’ve gotten yourself in a scrape, haven’t
you?
Bakerman: Feel free to join in things, Lotus.
(Panel 4. We see the Mys-Tech board
members appear.)
Wytchwood: Stop this at once!
(Page 19, panel 1. The Mys-Tech thugs stop
fighting, and the Group X people face the board.)
Wytchwood: Perhaps we have been going about this the wrong
way... I am prepared to make a deal here.
Dark Angel: What’s your game, Wytchwood?
(Panel 2. Focus on Wytchwood’s face.)
Wytchwood: We are prepared to leave this area alone... provided
that Lotus never meet Dark Angel again.
Lotus: No deal. We are the top stars in the Divine One’s
team... it decides that.
(Panel 3. Wytchwood is frustrated.)
Wytchwood: Reconsider, Lotus. Lotus: I know better than to deal
with the devil... and you are more than you seem.
(Panel 4. Lotus fires a spiritual light at Wytchwood,
hitting him. This light burns his skin on contact.)
SFX: HISS!!!!
(Panel 5. Wytchwood reveals himself to be Mephisto as Lotus stops the
light.)
Crowe: You... you were Mephisto
all along?
Lotus: Oh yes... this whole thing was part of his plan to take over the world,
plunge it into chaos... and all of you fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.
(Panel 6. The board faces Lotus.)
Gryffin: But that’s impossible! We saw Mephisto
in the same room with him!
Lotus: They don’t call him the king of lies because he’s really
overweight.
Mephisto: Nice try, Jones... but you see, they have no choice but to follow me.
(Page 20, panel 1. The Mys-Tech board is
despondent.)
Crowe: Yes... for now. It will take several decades to unweave the tapestry
of Earth to accommodate our exit... but we will do it. In the meantime... we serve Mephisto.
(Panel 2. Mephisto grits his teeth at
Lotus.)
Mephisto: Curse you and your ilk!!!
You may have won this round, Jones... but the war is never-ending!
(Panel 3. Mephisto, the Mys-Tech board, and the thugs they
hired vanish.)
Dark Angel: So that’s it, hm?
Lotus: It’s never over, Shevaun... never.
(Panel 4. Lotus pushes her badge.)
Lotus: Computer, teleport us home
now.
(Page 21, panel 1. Group X headquarters, poolside. We see the ladies in bikinis, and the men in swimtrunks.)
Cap (N1): A difficult battle won.
Cap (N2): Mephisto has been given
his biggest setback ever.
Cap (N3): Now, they relax.
(Panel 2. Dark Angel lies down on a reclining deck chair.)
Dark Angel: I see why you like this place so much...
good energy, warm climate... definitely not like jolly old
Lotus: Well, you’ll always have a place here, Shevaun.
(Panel 3. Dark Angel smiles.)
Dark Angel: Perhaps someday, Lecita...
but for now, it’s good to relax from all this war and fighting. I don’t think
I’ve gotten a day off since I started this. Lotus: You really don’t get a day off, ever... it’s just that the Divine One has rewarded us
with some down time to relax.
(Panel 4. Kylun lies next to Dark
Angel.)
Kylun: And there is nobody I would like to celebrate with
more than my newfound love.
Dark Angel: Flatterer.
(Panel 5. Go to Mephisto’s realm. We
see him watching Group X relaxing.)
Cap (N1): Bent slightly, but far from broken.
Cap (N2): Things are about to take a desperate turn.
(Page 22, panel 1. A demon approaches Mephisto.)
Demon: Master, what is your command?
Mephisto: Well, my plans have been
torn asunder... there must be something I can do to prevent this from
becoming permanent...
(Panel 2. Focus on Mephisto’s face.)
Mephisto: I have it. Soon, Group X will regret they tangled
with me.
(Panel 3. Mephisto stands.)
Mephisto: It is time to awaken El Cabezón!
Demon (Concerned): Master, that demon is uncontrollable! Last time he was
awake, he nearly destroyed half of your realm!! He
nearly killed you!
(Panel 4. Mephisto narrows his eyes.)
Mephisto: Desperate times call for desperate measures.
--To be continued--