This short-story is inspired from the human-hunt themed Gary Busey film "Surviving the Game" [1994] and from the X-Men: The Animated Series (Fox TV) episode Reunion [1994].
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Gambit, Mister Fantastic, and Elektra find themselves stranded on a seemingly deserted island after their plane crashes during a jet-combat with Magneto. After they find they are alone on the island, they begin to forage for food and build a shelter and find ways to signal civilization for help. Mister Fantastic starts building a fire-signal plan to hail any passing aircraft in the area, Gambit looks for food, and Elektra starts building a hut on the shore.
Unknown to them, the island is inhabited by Ruckus and Count Vertigo. They intend to disarm the three heroes with their powers of disorientation and then keep them as hostages. Ruckus says to Count Vertigo, "I say we make a devilish game out of this," to which Count Vertigo replies, "You send your shocking sound-waves to send them running towards me, and I will knock them unconscious with this tree-branch trap." The two go ahead and put their scheme in motion.
The hut is built and Mister Fantastic has his campfire signal ready for night-time use. The next day, the three heroes go wandering around the island, just to make sure there are no other inhabitants. They are roaming around when suddenly they see Ruckus running towards them. He sends his devastating vocal-cord screams, and the three heroes begin running away from him. Then, they see Count Vertigo but it's too late --- he uses his gift to trap them in a tree-branch matrix. That night, the three awake to find themselves tied up with some kind of strong layered natural rope made out of tree-threads. Ruckus and Count Vertigo are standing over them.
Count Vertigo says to the three heroes, "We've been stranded on this island now for about six months. We've seen no rescue ships, so we've grown accustomed to the idea that we may never be able to leave. Our powers are weakened here (for some unknown reason), and we can't swim (so forget that escape plan). This means you three can't swim either. Mister Fantastic replies, "Yes, I've noticed diminished powers too. You have no idea why this is happening?" to which Count Vertigo says, "No. Maybe we're in the Bermuda Triangle. In any case, Ruckus and I have decided to continue playing our human hunting game with you. Every morning, we'll chase you around the island. It will pass the time!"
Mister Fantastic says to Ruckus and Count Vertigo, "Don't be deranged. We can't just spend our lives here playing your human hunting game. We have to find a way off this island and we have to find out why our powers are diminished.
Nearby, Dark Phoenix has been watching the five of them. It was she who planned that these five find themselves on this deserted island, and it was she who drained their powers. She now intends to use them in a great ransom scheme with Professor Xavier. She sends a communique to Xavier: "I have five individuals in my custody, with their strength diminished on a deserted island. If you wish to rescue them, you must come here and sacrifice Gambit. He is mine."
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