Timothy Fitzgerald is introduced to a group of drifters and mutants in Las Vegas who take him into their desert compound. Many have a semi-religious devotion to the Desert Ghost (Xi'an Chi Xan), a mutant with the ability to heal with one hand and destroy with the other. Elsewhere, the mutant Bloodhawk narrowly escapes being killed by some of the same X-Men who have taken in Fitzgerald. Xan confronts billionaire industrialist Noah Synge, warning him to leave the mutants alone to live their lives. Synge shows up dead later, and Xan is assumed to be the killer. When a sniper attempts to kill Xan at the Nuevo Sol Arcology compound, Fitzgerald narrowly saves Xan's life but he is still struck by the bullet and his fellow mutants run for safety. VF/NM I am NOT a professional grader, but I have been in the business for over 25 years.
