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Astonishing X-Men #2 (of 68)

Gifted, Part 2
August 1st, 2004
Publisher:
Number:
2 (of 68)
Name:
Gifted, Part 2
Aliases:
Cover date:
August 1st, 2004
Store date:
June 23rd, 2004
cover

At her press conference, Doctor Kavita Rao shows the footage taken by a cameraman following two police officers to the scene of a disturbance, where a young girl named Tildie Soames has manifested her mutant power and unknowingly killed her parents and one of the officers. She is the example of a life ruined by an unwanted mutation, which can be fixed by Rao’s so-called “cure.”

Meanwhile, the X-Men arrive at the hostage situation and make short work of the gunmen. However, their leader, a possible mutant claiming to be called Ord, of the Breakworld, easily defeats the X-Men in turn. Ord is forced to retreat, however, when Lockheed arrives and uses his flame breath, against which Ord is unprepared.

At the press conference afterward, the team learns of the claims of Doctor Rao of having discovered a cure for mutants. They continue the discussion back at the mansion but table the issue for the next day. After the meeting, Emma tries to bury the animosity between Kitty and herself, only to realize that it is much deeper than she ever thought.

Shortly thereafter, the Beast manages to sneak past security and break into the company sponsoring Doctor Rao’s research, Benetech, only to be discovered by Doctor Rao herself. Their conversation begins to turn into an argument, until the Beast admits that he’s not there to discuss the ethics of the situation but to know if the cure works for his own reasons.

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