US Airdate : 5 October 2002
UK Airdate : 14 October 2002

The evil mutant Gabrielle Ashlocke (Michael Easton) backs billionaire Neal Varadi (Marcus Tavillo) into a corner and demands that he hand over his ancient urn. When the terrified Varadi opens the wall safe, Ashlocke immediately snatches the urn and kills Varadi with a blast of energy. Suddenly, the window shatters to reveal Shalimar (Victoria Pratt), who lunges at Ashlocke, but is stopped by a force field he’s created. Brennan (Victor Webster) appears and shoots an electrical arc that sends Ashlocke flying. When Ashlocke recovers, he is overcome with dizziness and stumbles off with the urn. Returning to Sanctuary, Brennan and Shalimar tell Adam (John Shea) that Ashlocke may be sick, given the way he almost fainted. Adam insists that if this is true, he has to find a cure for the ailing mutant.

That night, Dr. Aziza Deparis (Soo Garay) examines Ashlocke at his home, which is known as The Strand. Meanwhile, Shalimar awakens to find Ashlocke in her room. Just as he vanishes, Emma enters and tells her that what she’s seen is all in her mind. Back at the Strand, Aziza shakes Ashlocke out of a trance to inform him that his tests reveal he is dying as a result of his accelerated metabolism and the rapid mutation of his genes. He becomes furious when she tells him there is no cure. The next morning, Adam asks Jesse (Forbes March) and Emma to get a sample of Ashlocke’s DNA. As they set off on their mission, an emotional Shalimar berates Adam for wanting to save Ashlocke. Meanwhile, Jesse and Emma phase through the wall of The Strand and Emma stands guard as Jesse enters Ashlocke’s sanctum. When Emma is ambushed by Valerie (Melanie Marden), one of Ashlocke’s devout followers, who are collectively known as Links, Emma hits her with a psionic blast. Moments later, Jesse returns with one of Ashlocke’s used tissues.

Back at The Strand, Ashlocke leads Aziza to the lab where he shows her a hologram of the beautiful ancient alchemist, Avaris. He then turns to the alchemist’s mummified body, which lies inside a water-filled tank and tells Aziza that he’s planning to bring Avaris back to life, confident that she’ll use her powers to save him. Meanwhile, tracking Ashlocke’s Links to Manhattan, Jesse and Brennan phase through the wall of the Gallery of Games just as Valerie and two Links are about to make off with a 3,000-year-old Ouija board. A brutal fight ensues and two of the Links flee with a crystal from the Ouija board, leaving Valerie behind. When she suddenly begins convulsing, Jesse and Brennan rush her to Sanctuary where Adam examines her. As they research the ancient Ouija board, Valerie’s life support system’s alarm suddenly sounds and she dies. Holding Valerie’s hand, Emma is struck by a telempathic vision of Ashlocke dying.

Later at Sanctuary, Adam tells an irrational Shalimar that if Ashlocke is dying, he’s even more dangerous because he’s got nothing left to lose. Brennan then informs Adam that the Ouija board belonged to the ancient alchemist Avaris, that there are actually two crystals, and that the one that Ashlocke has is useless without the other. Realizing that Ashlocke is trying to save his own life with the formula inscribed on the crystals, Adam concludes that the Ouija board is the map that will lead them to the other half. Arriving in Alexandria, Egypt, Emma and Shalimar enter the Anthushi tomb and search for the panel that matches the pictograph from the Ouija board. The two finally find the panel and when Shalimar kicks the ancient wall, it crumbles revealing the other crystal. But just as Shalimar reaches for it, an image of Ashlocke appears and tries unsuccessfully to grab it from her hand

Back at Sanctuary, Adam tells Shalimar that choosing to save Ashlocke’s life is the most difficult decision he’s ever made. Meanwhile, at The Strand, Aziza informs Ashlocke that she adjusted Avaris’ DNA and all they have to do is supply a human host in order for her to come back to life. After a passionate kiss, Ashlocke suddenly shoves Aziza into the tank. When the reborn Avaris (Lisa Marcos) emerges, she asks Ashlocke for her crystals. Learning he has only one of them, she insists that he must retrieve the other before she’ll agree to save his life. When Adam suddenly enters with a mysterious device and tells the evil mutant he’s come to save him, Ashlocke shoots the object out of his hand. Adam reveals his half of the crystal just as Emma bursts in and overpowers Avaris with a psionic blast. Fleeing the room, Adam enters the lab where Brennan and Shalimar are fighting off Ashlocke’s Links. Using her feral senses, Shalimar finds Ashlocke’s half of the crystal and they join the two pieces. As Adam reads the hieroglyphics the crystal pyramid is projecting, Ashlocke and Avaris appear. Ignoring Avaris’ protests, Adam begins reciting specific ancient Egyptian words, which cause the alchemist to explode. The Mutant X team escapes in the nick of time as the entire lab blows up. That night, Adam and Shalimar have a heart-to-heart. Adam explains that he wants to keep Ashlocke alive so he can study him and learn how to save the members of the Mutant X team as they experience rapid mutations. Shalimar understands, but asks for Adam’s help in keeping the evil Ashlocke from invading her mind.