Hellions #2 (2020)

Police officers and a K9 unit greet the Hellions at the Essex State Home for Foundlings; they are there to supervise the team’s demolition of the former orphanage. Psylocke warns the sheriff that the Hellions are dangerous as Wild Child and the police dog growl at each other. Wild Child determines the handler is the alpha and attacks the officer to establish dominance. Greycrow quickly subdues his feral teammate and the rattled cops let the Hellions go into the building alone. The team finds overturned furniture and debris scattered across the floor inside. Nanny begins to react hysterically to the thought of the children who have suffered there and grabs onto Greycrow’s leg. She screams that she will protect him as Greycrow tries to shake her off. Psylocke realizes Empath is manipulating Nanny’s emotions and orders him to stop. Greycrow wheels on Empath, who is laughing smugly, and shoots him between the eyes. Greycrow tells a shocked Havok that he warned Empath before they left Krakoa, and Psylocke laments that she will have to file a report of Empath’s death. Havok protests that he doesn’t belong with this group, but the psychic Psylocke assures him his mind is just as broken as those of the rest of the Hellions. The team proceeds to the clone farm in the basement of the orphanage. Greycrow begins to set explosive charges, but a steady dripping sound catches everyone’s attention. Havok looks up and sees Sinister’s Marauders hanging from the ceiling just before the clones fall to the floor. When the Marauders stand, it is clear that they have been corrupted and are now only desiccated, ravenous husks of their former selves. A Krakoan memo indicates that the destruction of the clone farm is at least partially intended to clear the deck of the “clones of clones of clones” that currently make up Sinister’s team of Marauders so that they can each fall under Krakoa’s resurrection protocols. Greycrow tries to talk sense into his old teammates, but Arclight points to the redhead walking towards them. Madelyne Pryor steps out of the shadows and Arclight hisses that she is their queen. Havok is stunned to see Madelyne alive and asks her when she came back. Madelyne says she has been alive again for years, and notes bitterly that “no one cared”. She then orders her Marauders to attack. When the dust settles, Madelyne has bewitched Havok and led him away and the corrupted Marauders have captured Greycrow, Nanny, and Orphan-Maker. Psylocke hides and tends to wounds she received from Riptide and his throwing stars. Suddenly Wild Child emerges from the shadows, overtaken by the scent of Kwannon’s blood. Wild Child growls that Psylocke’s injuries make her unfit to be the alpha of his “pack”. He lunges at her, his claws tearing into Kwannon’s flesh.