"For the record, Professor," "I still haven't been able to contact Taylor Prescott in over two weeks." "My last conversation with him worried me." "Pretty desolate country around here." "I should arrive in Skull Mesa in 15 minutes." "I'll give Dr. Prescott your regards." "I'm confident one day humans and mutants will live in harmony." "Each of us is blessed with gifts." "Until that time," "I know I can count on you and your X-Men, Charles, to help nurture those whom society would attack or abandon." "His former students, Andrew and Nicole, made this for Dr. Prescott." "Our young friends have come quite a long way since they first visited here." "You know Dr. Prescott he never wants to accept reco!" "gnition for the work he did in establishing a community where mutants could live in peace." "I'm sure he'll appreciate something like this, with the thought that's gone into it." "A plane's approaching the town." "He seems to have images of Taylor Prescott in his mind." "Is he human or mutant?" "It doesn't matter." "Take him down, Watchdog." "What in blazes!" "Scratch one trouble-maker." "It looks like I'm lucky to..." "My glasses!" "My powers are gone." "That weird glow." "Somebody tried to take me out." "Busted!" "I wonder which mountain range Skull Mesa's behind." "Hey!" "Hey, wait!" " Didn't you see me?" " Sorry, mister." "I rarely pick up strangers." "I'm Darrell Tanaka." "Scott Summers." "So, what made you decide to take a stroll in the desert at high noon?" "I was heading toward Skull Mesa when my plane suddenly fell out of the sky." "That's odd." " You got business in Skull Mesa?" " I do now." "Most folks in Skull Mesa don't like strangers." "I'm used to that." "Please, please." "Say!" "What's going on?" "He did it again!" " Get him!" " I'm sorry!" "It was an accident!" "Mutant freak!" "Get out of here!" " Whoa, now!" "Where's the fire?" " I'm sorry Dr. Prescott." "I..." "Here now!" "You boys stop picking on him!" "He wrecked our ball!" "He's a freak!" "You know it's not his fault!" "He's like the rest of you." "He doesn't have anybody." "Now get another ball and get back to your game." " They hate me." " Hate is an awfully strong word, Scott." "They're just afraid of anyone who's different." "But they'll learn." "Now come on." "Let's see if Mrs. Feeney has any ice cream in the kitchen." "I told you, they don't take to strangers." "Now, let's get a look at that head of yours." "You the only doctor around here?" "Doctor and coroner." "In a town this small people tend to do double' duty." "Here." " An old recipe of my grandmother's." " I feel better already." "Good." "Now, what else do you have to do here?" "I've got a better question, Doctor!" "What's going on here?" "What do you mean?" "Who are you calling?" "Someone lust tried to make me a permanent part of your living desert!" "And why is everyone around here acting like scared prairie dogs?" "I'm looking for Dr. Taylor Prescott!" "Know where I might find him?" "Prescott?" "I..." "I didn't realize he still lived here." "He did two weeks ago, Doc." "I'll take a look around town myself." "That's quite a garden you've got there." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." "Folks here don't take too much to strangers." "Is that the town motto?" " I'm Bill Braddock." " Scott Summers." "Heard your plane had trouble." "Landing trouble, wasn't it, Chet?" "Yes." "Where did you hear that?" "I know the owner of the gas station." "He'll fix you up with a rental." "Have you out of here in no time." "Also heard you got a nasty smack on the head." " Isn't that right, Chet?" " Right, Mr. Braddock." "No hospitals around here, Mr. Summers." "A city boy like you'd be better off with a city doctor." " Ain't that right, Chet?" " Yes." "Yep." "That's my advice." "Head back to the city." "For medical attention." " You telling me to leave, Braddock?" " Just being neighborly." "Of course, those who follow my advice are usually happier in the long run." "And healthier." "Tell me, Braddock, while you're being so helpful, maybe you can tell me where I can find a friend of mine." " I'm looking for Taylor Prescott." " Prescott? The old fellow that moved into the Chandler place, Chet?" " Yes." " And moved out." "Funny way for a man to act right after inviting me to visit." "You calling us liars, Mr. Summers?" "No!" "A helpful man like you?" "Now, how about being real helpful, and tell me how to get to the Chandler place." "Just be a waste of time." "I'm on vacation." "I've got all the time in the world." "Good day, gentlemen." "I think Mr. Summers just wore out his welcome." "I need your leep and some directions." "Now!" "Please, go!" "I can't be seen with you any more!" "Dr. Prescott?" "All right, Tanaka!" "I want some answers!" "What have they done to Dr. Prescott?" "You can't help him, no one can." "Game's over, Doc!" "Who shot my plane down?" "What are all the mutants here hiding from?" "He won't tell you, because I don't want him to." "Toad!" "You should have left when you had the chance, boy!" "I would hate for you to travel all this way and not see your friend." "You're sick, Braddock!" "What did he ever do to you?" "He was stupid enough to oppose me!" "He's alive, I assure you." "Toad here is quite versatile." "This particular resin acts like curare." "Prescott is in a state of suspended animation." "You, however, will not be so fortunate." "Tomorrow you will serve as an example to those who disobey me." "Take in all our lovely sights now, Mr. Summers, while you still can." "I have friends, Braddock." "They'll come after me when I don't return." "So?" "Your plane crashed." "We tried to help, but, well, tragedies happen." "You don't understand." "I'm a mutant!" "Like all of you here!" "I don't care whether you are or not!" "It makes no difference." "You got in my way." "He got in my way!" "We came here looking for somewhere to hide." "We kind of took to the place." "Especially when we found out the dear doctor's little secret." "Nothing like a gold mine to make a man wanna put down roots" " and become part of the community." " Braddock!" "My name is Solarr!" "Throw him outside!" "Let him try to get help." "Let him beg for it!" "Scott!" "Come in!" "Let me get you something to eat." "I tried to call for help, but all the phones are dead." "That's Watchdog's doing." "Solarr doesn't want any outsiders finding us." " Because of the mine?" " Yes." "Your friend Dr. Prescott made sure our community would be self-sufficient." "The little gold he had us mine each year was enough so no one was ever in need." "And Solarr made someone tell him about it." "We wanted to live quiet, normal lives." "We thought we could find that here in Skull Mesa." "When Solarr showed up, didn't anyone oppose him?" " Just Prescott." " Nobody tried to help him?" "Look at us!" "Do we look like soldiers?" "All we want is to be left in peace!" "Solarr and his men attacked anyone who so much as questioned his authority." "Then they would never be seen again." "Prescott and the others are alive." "Help me now, and we can rid the town of these criminals!" "Scott!" "I can't!" "How can you call yourself a doctor?" "How, indeed?" " Excuse me." " Evening, Mr. Summers." "I guess there aren't many secrets in this town." " Nope." " I came to ask for your help." "They said you might." "Look, I'd like to help you." "I mean, Doc Prescott is a nice old man." "He got me out of a real jam once." "But I'm just one man!" "Sometimes it starts with lust one." "Dr. Prescott taught me that." "Are you married?" "I am." "I got a family..." "Tusk, Solarr wants to know if you fixed that generator coil yet?" "Almost, sir." "Better let that boy get back to work, Summers." "Oh, Tusk, how's your wife and kids?" " Please, go away." " If I could just talk to you a moment." "We got someone who needs some help here." "Anybody willing to lend a hand?" "Or a car?" "He could drive to the next town for help." "Yeah!" "He's lust dying for some assistance." "Guess nobody's home." "Hey, maybe Prescott can help him." "I don't need help to take care of trash like you!" "Okay, tough guy." "Let's see what you got." "It's crazy." "All my life I wanted to get rid of my powers and be normal." "Wow it's gonna be the end of me." "So much to live for." "So much left undone." "Powers or not, I'm still an X-Man." "They won't take me without a fight." " Good morning, Mr. Summers." " Braddock, don't do this." "My friends will hunt you down to the ends of the Earth!" "Let them!" "No one can hurt me here." "Soon these pathetic fools will have dug me enough gold to fill a palace." "Rich men can buy armies." "Now it's time to give these cowards another lesson in obedience." "Lambert!" "Toad!" "Take him to the center of town!" "Citizens, come forth." "My friends, I have long told you of the efforts of subversives to destroy your perfect community." "A community I have taken into my heart as my very own." "Now, I give you proof." "An outsider, summoned by the traitor Prescott, a spy who wants to steal your gold!" "Do you see this?" "It's a transmitter." "He tried to use it last night to summon his confederates, to come and destroy you!" "That's a lie!" "Fortunately, Watchdog, was able to jam his signal." "And I will soon destroy it with the power of Solarr." "That crystal was a gift for Dr. Prescott." "A gift from two mutants he helped, just as he helped many of you." "Taylor Prescott is no mutant hater!" "How can you let this madman destroy his work?" "A very pretty speech, but I'm afraid they aren't listening." "The time has come for justice!" "Farewell, interloper." "Feel my power!" "What are you doing?" "What I should have done before, neutralize Watchdog's effect on you!" "Meddler!" "We have traitors among us!" "Stop them!" "Watch out!" "You shall be reduced to cinders!" "They're not afraid anymore, Solarr!" "You just lost your town!" "Mr. Summers." "I salvaged a transmitter from your plane." " Some of your friends are on their way." " Change of heart, Watchdog?" "You don't have to be no genius to see how things were going." " How are you, Doctor?" " Happy!" "When the others get here, we'll take Solarr and his friends to the authorities." "No, Scott." "They committed their crimes here in Skull Mesa." "We should take care of them." "That okay by you, Mr. X-Man?" "Yes, sir, Doctor." "Oh, this is for you." "What is it, Dr. Prescott?" "It's kind of a symbol that humans and mutants have much to offer each other." "I think this would be a good place for it." "So, what shall we do until your friends arrive?" " Well, let's catch up on old times." " Good idea." "Do you still like ice cream?"