#7: Flying Down To Rio !

Karma is missing in action! The New Mutants are invited on an expedition by Sunspot's mother to cheer up, but after she is kidnapped by the Hellfire Club, it is up to the team to save her!

Sunspot stood on the rocky seashore recalling the events of the last few days. Immediately after the explosion of Viper's headquarters he had used his mutant super strength to destroy falling debris. He saved himself & Cannonball, but he was unable to save Karma. The other three New Mutants met him and asked him to rejoin them back on drier land. As they walked they discussed the possibility of finding Karma, or whether she truly was dead. When they reached Professor Xavier and three of his X-Men the conversation continued with little success.

The Professor then surprised Sunspot with a visit from his mother. Mrs. DaCosta invited the New Mutants to accompany her on her latest archaeological dig in the Amazon. Sunspot grew angry at the Professor who suggested that they should leave. He wanted to stay and search for Karma, but the other New Mutants convinced him to leave the search for the Professor. Meanwhile the Professor admitted to Colossus, Storm & Nightcrawler that he believed that Karma was alive and in the hands of a malevolent being.

In Rio De Janeiro the New Mutants were invited into the DaCosta family home. However, the butler was a snob and Sunspot's parents began to quarrel at the dinner table. Later Mrs. DaCosta chaperoned the New Mutants during a street carnival and a pretty girl suddenly kissed Cannonball. After some teasing they all went to try on carnival costumes, but the fun soon ended when Mrs. DaCosta was kidnapped by Hellfire Club goons. The kids gave chase but where thwarted by Mr. T look-a-like, Axe. Wolfsbane ran off to track the kidnappers' car and used her psi-link with Psyche to bring the others to her location.

At night the New Mutants regrouped and planned their attack on the old haunted mansion that Mrs. DaCosta was being held in. Wolfsbane's pained howl combined with psychic nightmares courtesy of Psyche scared the Hellfire Club's hired henchman enough for the girls to knock them out. Cannonball then flew Mrs. DaCosta out of harms way while Sunspot fought Axe. Heavy blows were exchanged until Sunspot stood victorious.

The next day the New Mutants discussed the possibility that there might be other attempts on Mrs. DaCosta's life. They boarded the private jet and began their journey to the Amazon. Meanwhile both Mr. DaCosta and Sebastian Shaw observed the plane's take-off as they discussed Emmanuel DaCosta's plans to prevent his wife from reaching the dig in the Madeira in order for his latest business opportunity.