Cole Cash (Grifter) is broken out of prison by Nick Fury to help investigate what seems to be an alien invasion involving Brood–Daemonite hybrids. Meanwhile, Jean Grey is en route to Australia and finds herself attacked psychically by those same hybrids. As events unfold, Cash and Jean join forces to infiltrate a cruise ship where hybrids have captured passengers as part of a scheme. The X-Men arrive to assist, they defeat the hybrids, free Zealot (a missing S.H.I.E.L.D. operative), and thwart the larger plot.