U.S. president Ashton is in Salamanca, Spain to announce plans for a major global summit on terrorism. As he stands behind the podium in front of a loudly cheering crowd, he is shot twice. This is followed minutes later by a small explosion and then a massive blast. Secret Service agents Barnes, Taylor, and Holden immediately jump into action, trying to find the terrorists responsible amid all the chaos. First, the events are seen through the eyes...

Bob Lee Swagger is a master marksman who has retreated from his duty as an off-the-books hired gun for the military. He has become disillusioned with his government, but finds that the government needs Bob Lee to scope out the location of a rumored attempt on the life of the president. A shadowy government operative begs Bob Lee to use his sniper's skills to out-fox the assassin. Ultimately he is double-crossed and framed for the attempted assassination....

An assassination attempt is made on the life of the president by a teleporting mutant. This act upsets the entire world and entices the president to begin the mutant-human war as predicted by Charles Xavier earlier. In an effort to get to the bottom of the attack and prevent world-wide war, Xavier sends out Storm and Dr. Jean Grey to search for the teleporting mutant and discover the truth behind the assassination attempt.