Synopsis by Niki. Thanks!:
From Mont Saint Francis in France, Douglock has taken Rahne, Sam and Forge to the Italian Alps where he says that the Phalanx's "secret headquarters" is located. He is referring to the Babel Spire, the beacon that Shinar is going to send to the stars to reach their deep-space collective. Venturing forth, the four, using Forge's image inducers, hides themselves from commoners. Unknown to them, the village through which they thread on the way to their destination is actually a Phalanx-infested area just masquerading themselves as a normal village. Douglock can sense it, though, because he used to be part of the Phalanx and can still hear buzzing drones of the collective intelligence. In Mont Saint Francis, Dr. Moira MacTaggert runs painful tests on Rictor and Shadowcat to find remnants of the Transmode Virus which they could use to locate any Phalanx infestation. At the same time, Professor X is trying to locate Douglock and his three captives telepathically. He finds them and contacts Forge, who seems impressed by the Phalanx and is beginning to feel that they are something better. Douglock infects Forge with the T.M. virus in order for him to merge with him so that Charles would be able to read his thoughts as well. Charles then reads of the Phalanx's plan: they not only plan to destroy mutants by assimilating them but also the entire planet and possibly the entire universe. He then learns of the beacon being created by the Phalanx. He's also alarmed at why Forge, even if he knows too well what threat the Phalanx pose, is not afraid. The threat is also growing much worse by the second: while before the earth-based Phalanx needed carbon-based lifeforms as host bodies, they have evolved to the point where they can procreate. Charles is shunted out of the astral plane by this shocking discovery. He briefs the rest about what he learned and prepares a strike-team consisting of Polaris, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Daytripper, Siryn, Rictor and Boomer to go straight into that beacon, destroy it and help save the others. The remaining mutants are support back-up. Douglock leads Forge, Sam and Rahne to the beacon, where they allow him to infect them with the T.M. virus in order to get past guards and attack the beacon undetected.