Timeslip led them through a maze of alleyways and buildings. They never saw anyone, but Wolverine could smell people watching them, and Jean could sense them. Soon enough they came to a crumbling four story building which Timeslip entered. It was grey and drab, like all the rest. They followed her up the hazordous stairway that crumbled beneath their feet up to the fourth floor. Like most of the buildings they had seen, this one had no roof. Timeslip climbed up a pile of haphazordly stacked boxes in the corner and on to the top of the wall. She ran across the edge of the wall, not even looking back to see if they followed. When she reached the north corner of the wall, she turned around and smiled. Then she walked straight out and stood on air. "Stay close," she warned. "Don't try flying either," she added after a second. When Scott stepped out into what looked like thin air, he found that he was standing on an invisible beam a little less than a foot wide. About a meter out into the air, Timeslip disappeared. Wolverine who was following behind her disappeared when he reached the same spot. *An invisible hideout. I'm impressed* came Jean's telephatic observation. Once they were all inside they could see that they were inside a sophisticated room. They could see the world outside through the empty door sized space they had come through. Timeslip pushed a bunch of buttons on a console by the door and it closed quietly. "Don't try opening the door to leave without someone to activate the invisible walkway," said Timeslip informatively. "Oui, only Wolverine is likely to survive a drop like dat." She just smiled and led them to an elevator. It was a large suspended platform on which they all fitted comfortably. The platform went up a few floors and then started going sideways at a high speed. When it stopped, the X-Men stepped into a large high-ceilinged chamber. The walls shone metalicly, and were covered with many maps. *Look how much the world has changed* On the maps ypu could see that the continents the X-Men knew were shapped somewhat differently. Florida no longer existed. Neither did the Scandinavian peninsula. The other continents looked weathered by time, capes and what were once distinguishing characteristics had faded or often disappeared completely. Antartica was colored green instead of white, giving the impression that it must be lush and green in this century. "The world sure has changed a lot," said Rogue quietly.

"It is quite impressive when yah think about it," came a familiar, yet very diferent voice. Striding in from a door in the back of the room was a tall muscular man. He had blonde hair cut short in the back, and hanging down long into his face. He walked with the confidence of many years of experience. When he got closer they could make out his face. He hadn't aged much. His face had taken on a look of maturity that belied his seeming youth. His features bore slight indications of a man run haggard, but there was also a fierce determination there. His eyes were eyes that had seen many tragedies and felt a lot of pain. He was a man now. He had been for a long time now. He smiled at his younger self who scanned his face intently. "Time brings much change, X-Men. Three centuries an many filled with war torn yeahs can make things change even faster." "Three centuries?" said Cannonball in surprise. "Timeslip didn't tell yah?" The girl shrugged innocently. "She failed to explain many things, but we figured time was of the essence," said Cyclops. "Yah may hav' figured this out already Cyclops, but in case she forgot tah tell yah, any time yah spend in this century is time yah lose back in yoahs. Timeslip can't bring yah back to the moment she left with yah. Paradox forces won't allow it." "What're a few days when you're gonna save the world?" said Meltdown glibbly. Sam looked at her, seeing her for the first time. A look of hope and pain flashed quickly on his face. Jean didn't really think anyone caught it except herself. "Yeah, well this mission is important. Ah'll give ya a brief glimpse of how ouh world is befoah detailing the mission." He glanced at Timeslip and she looked away, abashed. "In this world, the United States is all pretty much like what yah saw outside, as well as Canada. The current world power is actually Australia, and theah workin' on weapons of destruction to threaten the other surviving nations inta submission. The Alliance of America is the power in South America and what used tah be Mexico. Theah pacifists on the outside, but have a hidden agenda. Every country left is actually locked in a dominence fight with everyone else. The US and Canada are actually united under mah campaign. The remnants of the country are in no way organized though, yet. I have groups spread out tryin' to offer protection and livelyhood to those few that still wanna make a life foah themselves, but mostly the country is full of derelicts and troublemakers. The good thing is that no one feels threatened by us 'cause of this lack of organization. They worry 'bout me and mah followers, but are unfraid of a war coming from us because we have no scientist or resources to build missiles. The people won't follow any rule mostly, 'cause they believe that goverment led to the destruction of the country in tha first place. This don't mean that they're is no aggresion against us. They want to eliminate mah faction, and often try to increase their territory by taking land in tha south." "The reason Ah need yoah help is the Clustic Corporation. Theah a group of Australian rebels callin themselves nationals who want the world foah themselves. By going back to yoah time they intend to slowly destroy both the United States and the Australian goverments. They also want tah get rid of tha mutant element. A century or so aftah you all die Australia incorporates mutants inta theah goverment and uses theah powers to dominate everyone else who up until then were trying to kill mutants. The grab foah power causes foah the other goverments to use mutants as their tools and soldiers in a new world war. That war hasn't really ended since then. Clustic whishes to keep that war from happening. Half o' this time's people are mutants. In many countries they are tools and slaves, but they are alive. Clustic wants to make the world into a giant garden of Eden, which sounds nice, but they mean to pick an' chose who lives an who dies." "Why can't we ever hear of a happy future?" grumbled Meltdown. "That's what we fight foah. It doesn't matter if that future is 10 or a hundred centuries from now, we will keep fighting," said the High Lord. Cyclops smiled. "That's what the X-Men are about. It's nice to see the dream still lives so long after we die," he said. "We'll fight your battle, Cornball," said Wolverine. The High Lord smiled at him. "Thank you my friends." "So how do ya want us to go about this, sugah?" "We'll the Clustic Corp. has theah time machine set up in the wilds of what was once Alaska. It's a dangerous site because of all the mutant animals resulted from the wars, but they also serve to help them in defense. Alaska is still freezing, unlike Antartica, where the worlds food supplies come from, so we'll need winter gear..." The planning and explaining continued for some time, before they finally had everything ironed out. "So how are we getting there?" asked Gambit when they had finished. "This HQ is a ship. We are already en route. It's still a few hours, so yah may wanna rest. Time slipping is exhausting, especially if yah go really far." A man dressed in black military fatigues came in. "Take them to rooms to rest, or the arena to warm up if they wish," said the High Lord. The man smiled. "It would be interesting to test our mettle against your heroes." "You can't abandon your positions to train, Xeltec. With the team gone..." He shrugged. "Maybe a little one on one then."

The X-Men followed the grinning man out of the room. The High Lord watched Meltdown leaving so intently he didn't notice that his past self didn't follow the others out. He turned to Timeslip as soon as Meltdown was out of sight. "Why?" She glared at him. "What did you want me to do? I couldn't insist that the love of your life stay behind. First, because she wouldn't allow it and you didn't want me to leave without her either. You loved her as much then as you do know, remember?" "Don't be pettish with me. Yah can't know how much it hurts ta see her again. Damnit! Ah've told yah about how she died! Seing her again justs rips open mah old wound..." "Oh yeah. I'm inconsiderate. I know nothing of pain or love, right? Don't go there. You have no business getting mad at me anyway. You know that traveling back so far is pushing my limit quite a bit. I almost couldn't get them all here! And now when I'm drained you're going to yell at me. Gee thanks. All this for you and you're still not satisfied." She turned away from him, angry and sad. His face hardened. "You're right. Ah'm sorry. A good leader wouldn' do this ta yah. But seing mah Tabitha again is like going back centuries, ta when Ah was an optimistic kid." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Yah did great Timeslip. Go get some rest so yah can fight with us." She jerked away. "Thanks a lot, leader. That's all I'll ever get from you right? A pat on my head for being a good little puppy." She glared at Cannonball. "I'm outta here. You seem to want to talk to yourself." She turned and calmly walked away, although it took a visible effort to do so.

The High Lord noticed Cannonball then. A smile quirked around the edges of his lips as he looked himself up and down. "Ah haven't thought of mahself as 'Cannonball' in years," he said. "Ah imagine yah have hundreds of questions flyin around in yoah head. Like, what evah happened ta Cable and the whole Apocalypse thing? An thanks to that conversation yah weren't even supposed tah heah ya probably want tah know all about what happened ta Tabitha, and yoah family." He stared of at the maps hanging on the walls. "Tha world has changed so much, Sammy. But it still has it's good times, and bad. It's also something yah have ta experience. That's why Ah didn't tell you or any of the X-Men any details about what directly concerns you all." "Ah don't want yah ta answer any questions. I just want tah see yah. Ah still have a hard time believin that I'm gonna live foahevah baring serious injuries an stuff. It's mind-boggling." The High Lord laughed. "Ah guess Ah don't really remembah what I was like at that age. At least it's nice that Ah like mahself." He smiled and exited the map room, to prepare himself for the battle, leaving his past self to his own devices. It was nice to know for sure that he wouldn't get into any trouble.