It was December of that year that the FoH began targeting their attacks on the mutants with telegenic abilities. These had always been among the most feared and misunderstood mutants and the FoH used the public's fear as a weapon, launching a devastating propaganda war against "those who could invade the God-given sanctity of our minds." while stepping up their terrorist attacks.
The plan worked. People began joining in record numbers. Around the country random hate crimes
against mutants, especially telepaths rose. FoH grew bolder, attacking larger and larger targets. Even Magneto's fortress was attacked. It seemed that even the most powerful mutants were no longer safe.
The X-men did what they could, but for the most part the attacks were either too well coordinated, or too random for them to have much success. Their frustration grew more intense as each week reports of
the violence grew. The key to success would be rapid response, the ability to respond to each attack just as it was beginning. But that didn't seem possible.
Then Xavier thought he had found a solution. Using Cerebro to locate the other telepaths, he could link them in a low energy network, not strong enough to be abused for sinister purposes, but, with the help
of the computer, sensitive enough to pick up on the location of any telepath suffering violent attack.
By this time there was no one in the mutant community who wasn't enuinely concerned with the mounting power of the FoH. Most of the ost powerful psychics in the world agreed to help Xavier in the
establishment of the web.
Just planning the logistic for the project was a nightmare. Xavier would be the prime point person out of the mansion, seconded by Jean Grey and backed up by Emma Frost. Across the world other telepaths would be ready, reaching out to him to lend support at the given time. Each of these had to have guards, since they would be powerless against physical attack while they worked.
Medical teams, guards, security all had to be set up. Cerebro had to be reoutfitted. Everyone in the mansion drove themselves relentlessly in preparation, but there was a strange excitement in the air. After
months of helplessness it felt good to be doing something.
*********
Noon, February 26th, the door to Cerebro closed and locked with Xavier, Jean and Frost inside. The X-men took up their positions. Hank went to the medical lab, monitoring them. Scott and Gambit were in the Control Room monitoring the security system while Rogue, Warren and Storm
patrolling the air, and the others fanned out around the perimeter.
Xavier placed the helmet on his head, took a deep breath and then reached out for Jean and Frost. They linked easily as they had dozens of times in practice.
"Good," said Xavier silently in their minds, "now the other hubs."
One by one they found and linked with psychics all over the globe and through them lesser telepaths until in his minds eye Xavier could see a web of light extending from the mansion all around the world.
Then, at the edge of his mind he felt something slip. Frost was suddenly falling out to the web."Emma," he thought "what's happening?" He reached out to her, trying to strengthen their connection. But he was losing her.
In Cerebro Emma Frost took two steps forward and plunged a syringe deep into Xavier's neck.
In the Control Room, Scott dropped to the ground screaming.
Gambit ran over to him, "Cyclops! Cyclops!" But Scott didn't answer.
He thrashed on the ground. holding his head in his hands. Gambit tried to hold him down, afraid the other man would injure himself.
"Cyclops, what's the matter? What's going on?"
As suddenly as he had started Scott stilled. "She's gone." He whispered, and met Gambit's eyes. "Something's wrong."
Together they raced towards Cerebro and found Hank already there, using one of the heavy metal chairs from the hallway to break down the door.
"All their vital signs just went haywire." he panted. "Jean and Frost are unconscious, possibly comatose. Xavier...."
The door gave way under the onslaught and the men rushed in. Xavier was slumped down in
his chair. The women were lying crumpled on the floor.
"Get them to the med lab." Hank bent to pick up Emma and noticed the empty syringe clutched in her hand. "Hurry."
***********
Moira arrived six hours later with Kurt and Peter, met at the landing pad by a hollow-eyed Scott and a handful of the other X-men. Beast was still in the med lab, trying to figure out what had happened.
"Let me see him." she said, without preamble.
They led her down the silent corridors to the med lab where Xavier lay prone on a table, his
hands and waist secured with Velcro.
"We had to secure him." said Hank quietly from behind her. "He was seizing."
Moira put her hand on Xavier�s forehead. "Charles," she whispered. "Charles, you have to hang on. We're going to get you help."
She stood up and turned to meet the eyes behind her. "I have bad news.� She said. �We need to talk."
Ten minutes later everyone was assembled round the table in the Control Room.
Scott began. "Let's start with what we know." he said. "Hank, will you begin?"
"Jean and Emma are in a coma," he said. "They are totally unresponsive to any stimulus. The professor is also unresponsive, but his brain activity is off the charts. I'm afraid he's in danger of stroke. The
cause appears to be an unidentified liquid injected into his neck. I'm still in the process of analyzing it, but it appears to be a highly developed neurotoxin of some sort, engineered especially for
the professor."
"Injected into his neck?" asked Rogue. "I thought Cerebro was locked."
"It appears that Emma Frost was the one who injected the poison." Said Hank. "When I was examining her I found a psybox attached to her skull. I checked the records. Two weeks ago, Emma was on a mission off the grid. She arrived back in Scotland three days late."
Across the table Peter nodded.
"It is my belief that she was captured and held, put through some sort of re-education program with the help of this electronic devise." He held up a silver box, no bigger than the tip of his little figure. "Based on who we know would have interest in our current activities, I can only surmise the FoH was responsible."
"We'll get to our counter strategy in a few minutes." said Scott, �right now we need to help the professor and the others. Can you give us an idea of their prognosis?"
Hank shook his head. "Until I have completed my analysis of the liquid in the syringe there is little I can do. Physically nothing is wrong with any of them. There is still hope that Jean and Emma will recover
on their own. As for the Professor, his brain activity is like nothing I have ever seen before. He is fighting for his life, but against what, I cannot say."
Moira cleared her throat. "I'm afraid it's worse than you realize." She said. "When the professor was poisoned he had already completed the first stage of the web. He was in some way linked to every
telepath in the world."
"Meaning?" asked Scott.
"In our labs in Scotland, the telepaths we had under observation during the link have also slipped into a coma identical to Emma's and Jean's. They are irrevocably linked to Xavier's struggle. We are
certain that if Charles dies he will take every telepath in the world with him."
There was a moment of horrified silence around the table. Then everyone began talking at once, asking questions. Scott held up his hand, then looked at Moira to continue.
She looked at Hank. "You were right when you said that there was nothing physically wrong with him. The nature of this poison is entirely psychological. It is a bastardization of a prototype I have
been working on to treat psychological injuries."
She sighed. "As such there is little you will be able to do. What Xavier needs is someone with a teleability to enter his mind and guide him out, but of course all those with functional mental abilities were trapped in this attack. It was intended to be devastating, to wipe out every telepath
on the planet. Honestly the only reason it has not worked already is that our opponents underestimated Xavier's strength. He is fighting not only for himself, but for the lives of all those linked with him. However, already his reserves are weakening. It is inevitable that unaided he will lose this fight."
"So that's it?" asked Scott angrily. "There's nothing we can do?"
"I did not say that." said Moira. "I said he would lose this fight unaided. To bring him back we must send him aid."
"But you said all those with teleabilities were trapped with Xavier."
"No." said Moira. "I said that those with the requisite functional abilities were trapped with him. There is one here who does not meet that description." She looked across the table and met Gambit's eyes.
"Me?" asked Gambit. "Sorry cher. I don't know what you heard, but I'm all burnt out. I won't be much good to you that way."
"No." said Moira. "You wouldn't. But I believe I can restore the damage to your empathy. We have a new technology, based on Shi'ar science and barely tested yet. I believe it will work for you. With that
restoration you might be able to help Xavier out of the trap in his mind. "
Gambit sniffed. "It sounds like a long shot."
"Yes." said Moira. "Virtually any other plan would be better, I agree, but I don't have any ideas."
"How long do we have until..." Scott stopped. "How long do we have?"
Hank shrugged, "Perhaps ten hours, before his body will be completely exhausted. Perhaps longer. I cannot say."
"Right. Gambit, will you agree to this?" said Scott.
"Of course." Gambit said blankly.
"Does anyone here have a better idea?"
There was silence.
"Then I will pilot Storm, Remy and Moira back to Scotland. The rest of you, stay here and try to think of a better plan."