Three years ago, the X-Men broke apart.

No one had imagined Scott Summers would be the one to leave, but after years of having his orders questioned, his strategies ignored, and his trust repeatedly undermined, he finally decided he was done trying to lead people who no longer believed in him. He didn’t ask anyone to follow him. He simply walked away.

A few mutants chose to go with him.*

Emma Frost became his second-in-command, providing the telepathic support and political influence the team needed. Illyana Rasputin brought unmatched combat skill, Kurt Wagner remained the heart of the team while serving as their infiltration expert, he loved rouge, his sister, but he agreed with Scott. Together they built something entirely new.

In only a few years, Scott’s team had become the world’s first choice for crises that no one else could handle. Governments, Avengers, and mutant communities alike called them before anyone else. Their missions were cleaner, their success rate was nearly unmatched, and their reputation had grown beyond anything the X-Men had ever achieved.

The success only deepened the divide between the two teams.

Then Professor Xavier disappeared.

The evidence seemed undeniable. A distressed psychic message, surveillance footage placing Charles inside an abandoned research facility, and a trail that practically begged the X-Men to follow it. Everyone saw a rescue mission.

Scott saw bait.

He called Rogue before her team could leave.

“Don’t go,” he said without preamble. “This isn’t Xavier. Or if it is, whoever has him wants you to think rescuing him is the objective. The professor is somewhere else. That facility is the trap.”

Rogue’s response came immediately.

“So now you’re tellin’ us how to save our own? You walked away, Scott.”

“I’m trying to keep you alive.”

“No,” she shot back. “You’re trying to prove you’re smarter than the rest of us. We aren’t abandoning one of our own.”

Scott pinched the bridge of his nose, already knowing he wasn’t going to change her mind.

“Rogue, listen to me. Someone wants the X-Men inside that building.”

“And we’re going anyway.” Her voice hardened. “If you get in our way, we’ll treat you like anyone else standing between us and the Professor.”

The call ended.

Silence settled over the command room as Scott lowered his communicator. Emma studied him without saying a word, while Illyana leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Kurt frowned, clearly worried.

“They’re going,” Illyana finally said.

Scott nodded. “I know.”

Emma folded her arms. “You were right before they even answered the call.”

“That doesn’t matter if they’re still walking into it.”

Kurt looked between the others. “Do you believe the Professor is even there?”

Scott shook his head. “No. I think whoever took Charles wants the X-Men to believe he is. They aren’t trying to capture them—they’re trying to make them release something.”