X-Force #37

Everything you want to know about the Externals. Sam and Tabitha show their feelings for each other.

Synopsis

At the Guthrie Farm, Saul relates to Cannonball and Boomer his story:

• Saul met Apocalypse in Twelfth Century Mongolia and the two traded barbed banter, as Apocalypse attempts to establish himself as the greatest on Earth. Saul believes that Apocalypse could use some perspective and shows him an alien ship, proving that Apocalypse is not at well-rounded as he thought. Enamored with the ship, Apocalypse stabs Saul and leaves him to enter the ship.

Saul explains that the point of his story is that there is always someone more powerful than you. Cannonball is confused as to why the Externals are on his farm and teaching him life lessons. Absalom grows tired of the talking and gets aggressive with Boomer. She blasts him in the face and he grows spikes from his body in retaliation. Gideon steps in and stops Absalom, who admits that his impatience stems from him dying from the Legacy Virus.

Absalom then begins his own story:

• In the Old West, Absalom was a bad man and shot and killed an old legend in cold blood. He was meant to hang for his crimes, but his mutant powers manifested while in the hangman's noose and spikes shot out of his body. The locals panicked and shot Absalom to death. He later awakened in a wood coffin and swore he would do better with his new life.

Saul explains that Absalom learned a new perspective on the day he was reawakened, in that of being self-aware. Cannonball can't believe that he is supposed to think highly of Absolam after hearing that he is a confessed murderer. He isn't even sure that he wants to be associated with the Externals after hearing some of these stories. Gideon asks Cannonball for patience, as the Externals have approached him to get hope.

At Camp Verde, Cable interrupts Domino's bath to ask her to investigate some locations for a new base of operations.

In South Bronx, a bum stumbles upon a crime scene. Detective Hidalgo gets the call and believes that he has finally found something to pin Feral and her sister with in the murder of their family.

Back at the Guthrie Farm, Cannonball seeks some clarification, as he isn't sure how much hope he can give the Externals. Boomer steps in and reminds Gideon of how the Externals kidnapped her and her teammates to force Cannonball to join the Externals. Gideon brushes this off and relates his own story:

• Gideon was a deckhand on the Pinta as it sailed to the Americas with Christopher Columbus. He contracted scurvy and was thrown below deck with the other afflicted people. He died and came back to life and vowed to use any means necessary to rise to financial power. He entered the Americas and watched it take shape while doing some of the shaping on his own.

Cannonball still can't see how he is to offer the Externals hope, as they all seem so self-involved and power-hungry. Absalom states that Burke prophesied before he died at the hands of the Legacy Virus that Cannonball would be instrumental in curing the Legacy Virus. Cannonball sees little hope for the Externals. In his mind, the Lord never meant for anyone to live forever and all the Externals have done with their time on Earth is think of themselves. Absalom in enraged and his tantrum sends his powers into overdrive, contorting his body into an awful shape. Cannonball puts up a blast field to protect everyone from any harm and Absalom's body finally gives out and he collapses to the ground.

Gideon sees that Absalom is still alive and wonders if there may be hope left in the few words Cannonball has said. Gideon asks Cannonball what defining moment has given Cannonball the hope he has. Cannonball explains that he likes to think that he hasn't had that moment yet, which gives him hope for what is to come. The Externals leave with a bit to process.

Finally alone, Cannonball and Boomer confess their love for each other and embrace. They then determine to get back to their friends at Camp Verde.