Villain: Proteus (as police officer, Jennie Banks, Joe MacTaggart)

First Appearance: Jennie Banks, Joe MacTaggart, Wallis

Guest Appearance: Moira MacTaggert, Polaris, Havok, Jennie Banks, Joe MacTaggart

Cameo: Wallis

Death: Jennie Banks, Joe MacTaggart

Letters Page: Page One

As Storm fends off Proteus, Wolverine tries to recover from the senses-shattering experience Proteus just put him through. As Storm is lashed down to the ground by Proteus' bending of reality, Nightcrawler tries to rally Wolverine, but he is frozen in fear! Moira aims at her son through the sight on a rifle specially prepared to hone in on his energy aura, but Cyclops stops her, saying the X-Men want to try and help Proteus, not kill him. Moira says only she knows how to deal with her son, and butts Cyclops with her rifle. In the ensuing confusion, Proteus escapes in Nightcrawler's jeep and races away to find another body.

The X-Men recover and try to put another plan together, but many of them are shaken after their battle. Cyclops senses that Wolverine is rattled, so he tries to shake him out of his stupor by starting a fight with him. The team winds up at Cyclops' throat, tossing their powers at him to stop his seemingly nonsensical attitude, but at a certain point, he stops the fight and declares it was his way of cutting the tension, by having a "Danger Room session" out in the Scottish glen. Wolverine, for one, appreciated the gesture. With their minds at more ease, they turn their attentions back to planning.

Proteus, still in the guise of the policeman, finds young shopgirl Jeanie Banks and takes over her body, then heads towards Edinburgh in her car to find his ultimate target- his father, Joe MacTaggart. Moira is certain that is her son's destination as well, and she has already beaten him there. She confronts her arrogant husband, a wealthy and powerful politician, who has refused for several years to grant the divorce she sought. She came to warn him that her son is after him and wants to kill him, but Joe browbeats her for keeping the fact that he had a son from him all these years. She runs away in tears, while outside, Proteus has crept near Joe's office.

Jean was able to lock onto Moira's mind patterns and they follow her to Edinburgh, where they are then able to trace Proteus. They race to MacTaggart's office in downtown, where they find that Proteus has taken over the form of Joe MacTaggart and is bending reality all over the city. Banshee spots the location where Moira is being held, and he races down to save the woman he loves. Colossus, Cyclops and Jean confront Proteus, but he grabs Moira and holds her hostage, threatening to take her form if they come closer.

(continued in XMEN #128)

--synopsis and panel images by Gormuu