Lemme get this straight... I mess with the head o' the world's greatest telepath... I use an' abuse a junior X-Man... I massage Braddock's innards with my claws... an' still you dweebs think I'm some kinda reclamation project. Heh. Who's in denial, McCoy? 
Appearing in "In the Red Zone"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- X-Men
- Phoenix (Jean Grey)
- Archangel (Warren Worthington III)
- Cyclops (Scott Summers)
- Iceman (Bobby Drake)
- ⏴ Beast (Hank McCoy) ⏵
- Professor X (Charles Xavier)
- Bishop (Appears on screen)
- Storm (Ororo Munroe) (Appears on screen)
- Caliban
- Cannonball (Sam Guthrie) (Appears on screen)
- Valerie Cooper
- Lieutenant Marcus Stone
Other Characters:
- NYPD Officers
- Lieutenant Blackwell
- Gambit (Remy LeBeau) (Only in recap)
- Wolverine (Logan) (Only in recap)
- X-Force (Referenced)
- Cable (Nathan Summers) (Referenced)
- Boomer (Tabitha Smith) (Mentioned)
- Psylocke (Betsy Braddock) (Mentioned)
- Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) (Mentioned)
- Avengers (Mentioned)
- Birdy (Referenced)
- Generation X (Mentioned)
- Jubilee (Jubilation Lee) (Mentioned)
- Rogue (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York State
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Union Square Park
- 42nd Street
- Park Avenue (Mentioned)
- 23rd Street (Mentioned)
- Madison Avenue (Mentioned)
- Lexington Avenue (Mentioned)
- LaGuardia Airport (Mentioned)
- JFK (Mentioned)
- Manhattan
- Westchester County
- New York City
- Massachusetts (Mentioned)
- Boston (Mentioned)
- Massachusetts Academy (Mentioned)
- New York State
- United States of America
- North America
Items:
Synopsis for "In the Red Zone"
Sabretooth has escaped from captivity at the Xavier Institute after several months of confinement. He quickly realizes that the X-Men are hot on his trail as he navigates the Morlock tunnels. Sabretooth's senses detect a familiar presence nearby, and he challenges his pursuer to confront him. It turns out to be Caliban, the formidable mutant tracker of the X-Force team living at the mansion. A brutal battle ensues, with Caliban attempting to exact revenge for Sabretooth's earlier actions, including harming Psylocke and Boomer. Also, Caliban has a deep hatred for Creed as he was part of the Marauders who perpetrated the "Mutant Massacre". In a moment of miscalculation, Caliban provides an opening for the cunning Sabretooth, so Creed uses a live cable to lift himself from the water, temporarily incapacitating Caliban.
Above ground, Jean Grey, utilizing her telepathic abilities, senses Caliban's defeat but struggles to locate Sabretooth. The X-Men, including Archangel, Iceman, Cyclops, and Beast, coordinate their efforts to track down the elusive mutant. Jean communicates telepathically with Professor X who admits his frustration as Sabretooth manages to evade their telepathic probes, a skill he acquired due to changes in his psychology caused by a head wound inflicted by Wolverine.
Dr. Valerie Cooper, the government's liaison for mutant affairs, updates Xavier on their efforts, including involving the NYPD and the Avengers.
Meanwhile, Cyclops and his team investigate Sabretooth's apartment, where they find evidence of his recent presence, including train schedules and flight times. Jean continues to sense the imminent danger posed by Sabretooth, amplifying their urgency to find him. She conveys her concerns about the innocent people who may cross paths with Sabretooth, emphasizing the need to locate him quickly.
As Sabretooth's trail leads to Grand Central Station, the X-Men piece together his plan to catch a train to Boston - his goal may be to kill the young mutants known as Generation X. They close in on him, and a climactic battle unfolds on a rooftop. Ultimately, Sabretooth's reckless actions and refusal to accept help lead to his demise as he is shot and seemingly killed by Val Cooper's agents. The X-Men grapple with the irony that they had initially sought to rehabilitate Sabretooth but were ultimately unable to save him from his own destructive nature.
Notes
- This issue takes place after Uncanny X-Men #328.