Jack Silver, the new Black King, carefully looked over each item on his desk. Expense reports, profit and loss statements, long term projections....these were items he was accustomed to and comfortable with. He quickly scanned the information and made the decisions that had to be made concerning them. He then turned to the other console on his desk. His touch activated the work pad and it whirred into electric life. He carefully reviewed the computer files on petitions, and motions, and secret intrigues that the former Black King's ring of spies brought to him. He couldn't help but wonder if they were still loyal to Gregor, who was now a member of the Reds, or if their fealty remained with the Black Court. Perhaps he should recruit new spies....but what did he know of spies?...he was a business man ...plain and simple. This day was definitely not starting off well, and now with the sudden departure of Havok, their Black Knight and Glittergirl, the new Page, the BHC appeared more and more unsteady. This was new territory to him. He thumbed through the petitions for the vacant positions and gave out a sigh. He was more than happy in his position as Black Bishop, but with the departure of Gregor, he had been forced into a more dominant role. Suddenly there was a buzz at the console and Avalon's face appeared on the screen.
"Excuse me sir, the latest Cerebro reports are in. Would you like to see them now?" the Black Scribe said in his usual calm voice.
Silver closed his eyes and ran his hands through his silvery grey hair. He had completely forgotten about the Cerebro reports. The BHC's habit of constantly scanning the globe for manifestations of mutant power had become normal operating procedure again when Gomurr had taken the reigns as headmaster. The diminutive mage's search for what he called "the ascended one" seemed all consuming, and as King now, Silver was also responsible for looking over the reports and deciding on what recruiting action if any should be taken. Avalon entered from his office to the left of Silvers and handed the Black King an electronic note pad. Silver looked at the reports. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, a few bestial regressors, a limited psionic, an aquatic capable, and a sonic wave generator. Silver punched in a few commands on the smart pad to send out operatives to investigate and approach the latest finds. Then after a pause, Avalon spoke again.
"My lord," he began.
"Avalon, please," Silver interrupted. "There's no need for titles. I know Gregor bought into this whole royalty riff, but I find it troublesome most of the time and down-right foolish the rest. So please call me Mr. Silver, or Jack even.....You are our Black Scribe after all."
"Yes, my lor.....I mean, Mr. Silver," Avalon finished. "ummmm.....in addition to the readings I've shown you, there were two anomalous findings in this week's sensor sweep."
"And what do these readings indicate," sighed Silver tiring already of this puzzle that Avalon had presented him. "A computer glitch perhaps?" said Silver hopefully.
"No, I'm afraid not," said Avalon quietly taking the pad, and punching in a few strokes on the touch screen. "Here.............off the coast of Florida, Key Trofeo to be exact, there is an alpha level presence, only it's not centered in one location like a normal mutant would indicate. It's as if there is nothing anchoring the power readings to a host. Also the readings are fluctuating wildly as if they are there one moment and gone the next."
"Key Trofeo?" asked Silver quickly, "Doesn't Nemesis have some property there?"
"Actually ALL the property there is hers. She owns the entire key. I can pull up the bills of sale and deeding transactions if you want." said Avalon.
"No, that won't be necessary, son," said Silver in a weary voice. "Do your records indicate what sort of holdings Nemesis has there.
"She has a beach house on the coast of the key," said Avalon quietly. "The rest of the island is completely unsettled, but these readings don't match any bio-patterns that the Black Queen has ever registered."
"I know," said Silver, "but Nem's presence anywhere near something "anomalous" occurring is always a red flag in my book. Have the jet prepared....We are about to take a trip to The Keys my young friend."
"Cool!!!.......a beach.........and Nem........in a bikini. That will be awesome." thought Avalon allowing his youth to shine through despite the weight of his responsibilities.
"Avalon....earth to Avalon," said Silver. "You seemed distracted for a moment, are you alright?"
The blonde haired youth brushed his hair back from his face to cover his blushing cheeks. "I'm fine my lor..I mean Mr. Silver, I'll make the preparations."
Meanwhile, above Cuban airspace and quickly approaching the Florida Keys, the second anomalous reading flew blissfully through the balmy air. Morph's physiology allowed him to shapeshift at will, and this registered on Cerebro's sensitive scanners, but technically he was not a mutant. As a member of the solemn and somber alien race known only as the Changelings, Morph was what would best describe as atypical to say the least. His oftentimes inappropriate sense of humor and zany behavior shocked the people of his homeworld, leading them to encourage him to "take a vacation....see the cosmos......and find himself." Morph, with his normal cavalier attitude had set off to do just that, and ever since his terrelian drive had failed and he had crash landed on this planet, he had been greatly enjoying the beauty and the strange inhabitants of the giant blue marble we like to call home. He looked down on the crystal blue water as he flew, a smile crossed his face and suddenly he was a giant sea gull soaring in the breeze. He flexed his wings and nose-dived towards the water.
"LOOOK OUUUT BELLOOOWWWW!!!!" he screamed as he once again concentrated his abilities and where white feathers once ruffled in the breeze, there were now sleek blue/grey fins and a streamlined torso. Morph, a beautiful bottle nosed dolphin now, entered the water making almost no splash and immediately leapt from it again, somersaulting through the air. He began swimming towards the mainland of what he had learned was called "the United States". He liked the sound of that....UNITED.....he felt the need to unite with someone, he had been alone too long. Only one problem lay in the way of this joyful alien man-child....Key Trofeo...and on it the source of the first anomalous reading.