BIOGRAPHY - PAGE 4
When it was learned that Mercury had been kidnapped by the Facility, the organization that had created her, Laura vowed to retrieve her… and do so alone. Julian, however, would not take no for an answer and, u
sing his telekinesis to blast his way through the rooftop of the Institute, Julian evaded the security of the Office of National Emergency once again. As Julian and Laura began a search for Mercury, they encountered some operatives of the Facility. However, when the operatives claimed they did not know the location of the Facility's East Coast division, Laura shot the lead operative with a gun. Julian was shocked by this and told Laura that there would be no more killing.
Their quest took them to other associates of the Facility and, once again, they learned nothing new. Laura threw one of the operatives from a building but Julian caught him in a telekinetic field. When he reminded Laura that he told her there was to be no more killing, she pointed out that he wasn't dead. Julian suggested they return to the Institute, but Laura had one more person they could visit in the hope of locating
the Facility's current location. This was the criminal known as the Owl. However, when the Owl proved less than cooperative, Julian flew him up in the air until the rogue revealed the location of the Facility. En route, Julian began to realize that he didn't actually know anything about Laura. Despite being warned by Emma not to proceed with his mission, Julian carried on to the Facility, crashing into it with Laura. They were confronted by fifty soldiers and immediately held their own against them, until Laura's former handler, Kimura, arrived. Kimura used a sonic disruptor against Hellion, distracting him from using his telekinesis until Kimura stabbed Laura. Incensed, Julian lashed out at Kimura and slammed her upside down into a wall, where Laura asked Julian to kill her by putting a telekinetic bubble into her brain or heart. Julian was conflicted but, when Kimura told him that she can't be hurt and that Julian wouldn't have the courage to kill her, he blasted her out of the Facility. Afterward, he told Laura that they must be better than people like her.
With Kimura dealt with, Julian and Laura located Mercury, who had been experimented on by the Facility, who were extracting her liquid metal skin to bond it to savage beasts known as Predator X. After encountering the deadly Predator X, Julian helped Mercury to escape the Facility, and protected Laura when two of the Predator X creatures attacked her. Julian was injured in the escape but, nevertheless, the three young mutants made it out alive. Julian continued to show the caring side of his nature when he spent time with Mercury afterwards as she struggled to cope with what happened to her. [New X-Men (2nd series) #34-37]
Julian found himself in trouble with Surge, who was not happy that Julian went off with Laura to find Mercury without involving her, as team leader. The two of them were outside the Institute when Belasco launched an attack, believing that the New X-Men knew where his precious Illyana Rasputin was. The entire Institute and dozens of students were transported to Limbo, leaving Julian and Surge trapped on Earth. With the assistance of the maligned Office of National Emergency, Julian and Surge located Amanda Sefton, who had recently been exiled from the dimension called Limbo. Julian and Surge were teleported to Limbo by Amanda and were immediately set upon by a horde of demons. Ultimately, their rescue efforts were not required, as the mysterious Darkchylde teleported all of the X-Men Students back to Earth, although this did provide Julian and Surge a chance to work cooperatively. [New X-Men (2nd series) #38-41]
As if still struggling to control lifting small objects wasn't bad enough, Julian was one of the last remaining telekinetics on Earth. Apparently, he was invited to train with the Avengers: Initiative program but wasn't impressed
with “some guy called Justice.” Julian's personal life was no easier to navigate at present either, for during a gathering of all of the students, seemingly out of nowhere, Surge grabbed Julian and kissed him in front of Prodigy. This did not go unnoticed by Laura, who ran away from the gathering. Struggling with the loss of Tag, the absence of Wind Dancer, his feelings for Laura and now Surge kissing him, Julian found Surge arguing with Prodigy. When he thought Surge was in danger, he shunted Prodigy away from her, only to learn that Prodigy had gained access to some of his memories and abilities that he lost when he was depowered. Julian thought he was helping Surge, who had kissed him to try to keep Prodigy away from her, as she was scared he would die. However, the only outcome that this had was Prodigy breaking up with Surge, and Julian finding his relationship with Surge even more strained. [New X-Men (2nd series) #42-43]
During a time when many of the X-Men and their allies were involved in a dire mission to protect the first mutant baby born since M-Day, the N
ew X-Men and other students were essentially sidelined for their own protection. Wanting to help find the missing mutant baby and get revenge on their old foes the Purifiers for murdering so many of their friends, the New X-Men firstly invaded the Purifiers base, and then Reverend Stryker's church, where they were ambushed by another group of villains involved in the current war, the Reavers. Tragically for Julian, he was skewered through the chest by Lady Deathstrike. Julian was immediately protected by Laura and, following a brief skirmish between the New X-Men and the Reavers, the young mutants were blindly teleported away by one of their own. When the Blackbird collected the wounded Julian, Mercury tended to his injuries en route back to the Institute. Once safely placed in the infirmary, the full extent of his injuries became known – a shredded diaphragm, severed rib and his spleen had to be removed. As Julian lay connected to life support, Emma visited him and admitted to Surge, who was feeling guilty for Julian's injuries, that Julian was her favorite student. When a lone Predator X attacked the Institute and made its way to the infirmary, Julian was teleported to safety by Nightcrawler. [Messiah Complex crossover]