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[Assistant]
Clear Waters Remembered
The White House, Washington DC, someone alerts the President to the fact that despite their best efforts to conceal the Dire Wraith threat from the public, panic is starting to spread.
One such panic is occurring at a mercy hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, a crowd has gathered around an exit to the hospital and are watching in horror as body by body people are carried from the hospital and the hospital manager orders the men carrying them to hurry, as there are more bodies inside. Someone asks what the bodies are of, to which another person tells him to be quiet unless he wants to start a panic. A cameraman has climbed onto the roof of an ambulance and is filming what he says as the crowd starts to riot, someone declaring that their husband is a patient, another man exclaims that his wife is in there and someone else tells the manager that he cannot sensor the press.
Walking from the hospital, Rick Jones turns to the commander of the Wraithhunter Rangers, General Locklin and asks him the question the crowd has been shouting – ‘What are you trying to hide, general?’ adding that the entire city can tell he is trying to hide something that happened at the hospital. Locklin tells Rick Jones that the public thinks it is the spread of some new, unknown, infectious disease. Through the window bodies can be seen all over the floor- bodies that were once human, but now represent unearthly creatures. Locklin tells Rick Jones that he would rather have the public scared of something they can at least comprehend than the truth – that their loved ones and friends were turned into howling horrors by Wraith-tainted blood infusions.
Rick Jones looks around at the crowd and asks Locklin how the government can expect to keep all the death and destruction from the people for long, for the public has to find out. Jones believes that when they do, there will not only be a nationwide panic, but recriminations and reaction against the authorities that could topple the government itself. Locklin tells Rick that he is a soldier, not a policy maker and that he just carries the orders out. He declares that if it were up to him then he would announce the news of the Wraith infiltration of Earth from every rooftop and arm the citizens to hunt down the scum of space.
Locklin declares that he does not like hiding the truth any more than Rick does, but when a sheet falls off the body that two men are carrying out of the hospital he tells them to get it back on quickly. But his cry comes too late, and the corpse is revealed to the crowd, who gasp collectively. Rick and Locklin turn away from the crowd and Locklin asks Rick to tell him how any government can reveal to its people that they have been invaded by aliens they cannot see to fight – an unearthly enemy capable of turning friends and family into the enemy. He continues, saying that no social order could survive that kind of shock they would fall apart and the Wraiths would take over. Locklin believes that their only hope is to convey to the public some small sense of what is happening and that the authorities are dealing with it. Even though it may be a lie, at least it is less prone to causing a worldwide panic than the truth. Rick Jones tells Locklin that he is wrong, for the world’s only hope now lies with – Rom the Spaceknight!
At that moment, Rom the Spaceknight stands on a cliff side with his lover, Starshine, and together they overlook Beaverkill Valley in Northern Ontario. Beaverkill Valley was once a picture-postcard, blessed with blue skies rising from blue waters, a place of which any Canadian Province could be proud. That was half a century ago, and a lot can change in fifty years. Starshine asks Rom why they have come to this place, leaving their battle with the Dire Wraiths to stand and ponder this man-made Hell on Earth. Starshine’s description of Beaverkill Valley echoes the thoughts of those who live within the small community, where nothing lives by choice that lives at all.
Brandy tells Rom to answer her and reminds him again that they are sworn to eradicate Wraith-kind and that even as they speak S.H.I.E.L.D’s esper unit seeks signs of the Wraith’s alien activity on Earth. Rom tells Brandy Clark that indications have been found in this town, Beaver Falls, a town that while never prosperous was once more than it is now, back in the days when coal was on great demand and the Beaver Lake mining company pulled the ebony ore from the valley’s hills. Beaver Falls is now a prime importer of public assistance and a prime exporter of unemployment.
Rom tells Starshine that the town chokes under the black shroud of coal dust that hides not only its inhabitants misery, but whatever evil their enemies, the Dire Wraiths would work in this bleak valley also. Brandy declares that if the space-scum are indeed here, slinking in the shadows, her lighteyes will surely seek them out, and strike them down as they have struck down everyone she has ever loved. Rom looks at his girlfriend and remembers that she has suffered a lot during the war with the Wraiths. He recalls to himself that Brandy lost her friends and loved ones in a Wraith assault on a small community like the one they see below them – but Brandy lost her humanity as well.
Brandy became a cold cyborg-killing machine as he is, so that she may get revenge on the Wraiths. Rom wonders how much indeed they both will lose if Brandy does not regain some measure of the humanity she bargained away for the power to slay the Wraiths. Rom’s thoughts are echoed in Starshine’s words, as she remembers how Clairton was a living town once, where they both lived and fell in love. Brandy declares that that was a lifetime ago, a dream now destroyed, she raises her voice and curses the Wraithkind. Rom calls her “Brandy” and asks her to calm down, but Starshine tells him not to call her by that name, as Brandy Clark was who she was, and who she was is dead. Starshine folds her arms across her chest and calmly tells Rom that for a moment the memory of her former happiness blinded her to the mission, but her bloodlust will not be relieved until either the Wraiths – or she – lie destroyed in the dust. Rom is saddened by the anger in Brandy’s voice.
The murky black waters of Beaver Lake spill over the company created damn in a cascade from which the locals took the town name, Beaver Falls. An unusual looking young woman dives beneath the dark lake, even her super keen eyes struggle in this darkness as she searches for…something. She is has gills that extract oxygen from her even these foul waters as she is completely amphibious, able to live on both land and below the waves, which is what she prefers. She is known as Marrina one of the new members of Alpha Flight, and the deeper she dives, the more she feels that she is about to be sick. To Marrina, the lake waters seem thick with suspended solids, black particles filtering all light so that the depths are darker than the darkest night. She dives deeper and deeper, wondering if life could survive in such waters, but believes not – until she finds something which cancels that doubt, but heightens her fears. She picks up in her webbed hands what she has found, knowing the others will know more about it than she and swims back towards the surface.
Spiraling out of the water, Marrina calls to “the others” who are her teammates from Canada’s premiere super heroes, Alpha Flight. She tells Dr. Walter Langkowski, a.k.a. Sasquatch and Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen, a.k.a. Shaman, to take what she has found from her as she feels she is about to be sick. Shaman asks Marrina if it was that bad beneath the waters, to which Walt asks him how it could be anything other than “bad” as Marrina must have felt as if she were swimming through tar. Marrina puts what she has found into test tubes as the senior Alphans gather around her. She informs the men that they are probably salmon eggs – which are far from any known spawning ground. Walter looks at the fish eggs, amazed that any life could survive in waters polluted such as they as Shaman notes that the coal slurry, the refuse from the process of washing the coal mined from these hills decades ago, has been seeping into the waters of Beaver Lake since the mines shut down, polluting the waters and eliminating them of life, but not all life it seems.
Marrina tells Twoyoungmen that she feels as if something is wrong down beneath the water, something that has been wrong for a very long time at that. Still examining the eggs, Walt exclaims that he has never seen fish eggs glow the way that these ones do, which suggests to him that they were right to come and investigate at Beaver Lake. Marrina, somewhat upset, asks if the only reason they came was to study the valley’s polluted waters, to which Shaman tells her that they have come because someone high up in the government asked Guardian to send Alpha Flight over here, even though as far as the Canadian authorities are concerned, Alpha Flight no longer exists. Walt agrees, remembering how their funding was cut, which is why they have only been meeting informally, and why the whole team is not present. Walt declares that they answered the call nevertheless, because to the members, Alpha Flight still exists.
Marrina motions to the sky, where another Alphan is flying over the center of Beaver Falls. Her name is Snowbird, a.k.a. Narya, she is a goddess, and as the dirty water affected Marrina, the foul sky affects Narya, the unsettled dust strikes at her senses, which are attuned to nature. Shaman reminds Walt and Marrina that Snowbird is attuned to nature, and together they both sense that something more deadly than pollution disturbs Beaverkill Valley. With that announcement, the three heroes leap into action, Walt transforms from man to monster, while Shaman rips off his suit to reveal his costume beneath it, and Marrina dives back into the water, all racing to catch up wit Snowbird as they seek the disturbance in the area.
However, nearby, evil eyes watch the Canadian super-heroes, one of the Dire Wraiths declares that they had expected their sorcery to draw to this isolated community so that they could teach their Spaceknight enemy the horror to expect n daring to defy the Dire Wraiths. The Wraith adds that humanities champions are to be taught that lesson also, and in his hand a clutch of salmon eggs begins to glow – and hatch horrors similar to those which are already invading the tiny town of Beaver Falls.
Snowbird descends gracefully over the center of the town, thinking to herself that had the government not asked them to investigate she and Shaman at least would have, as they both sensed an assault on the mystic fields. However neither of them was prepared for what she sees below – coal-black creatures, which appear to be evolved fish-creatures, evolved from the fish eggs and the Wraith’s evil magic rampage through the town, chasing the inhabitants through the town center. Snowbird sees more climbing from the waters, which spill beyond the dam – and they appear intent on killing anyone in their path!
A woman falls to the ground as a creature reaches into her pram where she has her baby. She calls for someone to save her baby and acting swiftly, Snowbird transforms into an ookpik and the bird flies towards the giant fish creature, screeching, she cuts into it with her sharp claws. Back into her usual self, she takes the baby from the pram and hands it to the woman, ordering her to flee from this nightmare. The woman thanks Snowbird before asking her she is, and what she can do against the creatures other than turn into an owl. Snowbird declares that her powers far exceed what she has displayed, and that she is not alone.
At that moment, the woman stares in wonder as Sasquatch and Shaman arrive, and they instantly attack the creatures. Sasquatch tells Narya that she certainly is not alone, and Shaman apologizes for their delay, Sasquatch informing the goddess that the creatures are rising up from everywhere that the black water flows. Snowbird takes to the air realizing that the Earth itself seems to spawn the horrid creatures, before correcting herself, as the Earth suffers as much as the poor humans do. Snowbird wonders who it is then that endangers the Earth and the humans, and supposes it may be the Great Beasts, her ancestors’ deadly enemies.
Shaman tells Narya that he thinks that whatever assaults the mystical barriers is alien in nature, to which Narya asks him what he means by “alien”, and he replies that he means alien as in not of this Earth! He announces that the mystic forces at work are otherworldly in origin, as Snowbird transforms herself into a polar bear she drops down to the ground beside Sasquatch, suggesting that the focus is the black waters, Shaman adds that it is at the waters they must discover and destroy them. Snowbird and Sasquatch use their incredible strength to rip through the fish-creatures.
Suddenly, a huge water funnel spirals from the black water, Marrina “flies” high into the air, with many of the fish-creatures trapped in the spiral and she screams. Sasquatch alerts Snowbird and Shaman to what Marrina is doing and asks why she is screaming. Shaman tells his friends to look at the revulsion in Marrina’s face, reminding Walt that Marrina said the waters sickened her, she has swum through the polluted waters so long that they appear to have driven her insane! The Alphans stop watching Marrina and resume fighting the creatures as Sasquatch tells Shaman that pollution raises his environmentalist hackles too, but that it has never been known to give birth to horrors such as these. Shaman tells Sasquatch that he obviously forgets what he said before, that there are magicks at work upon the pollution man has caused.
A voice from above causes Snowbird, Sasquatch and Shaman to turn, as the voice says these mystical forces mean to bring about the total destruction of all mankind! It is the voice of Rom Spaceknight, and together with Starshine they engage battle with the foul creatures. Starshine uses her lighteyes to fry their flesh and bones, as Rom asks her to curb her bloodlust, and try to disable the creatures in stead of destroying them, at least until they discover what exactly the creatures are.
Sasquatch tells Rom that he doesn’t know who he is, but that it seems to him as if his girlfriend has the right idea about how to deal with the creatures, especially as they have maimed a dozen people since rising from the depths. Rom wonders what it is that motivates the creatures to kill so, to which Starshine asks him if he would as that question of his executioner or try to wrest the blade from his hands. Meanwhile, Marrina rises from the water and her momentary madness is gone when she stares intently at Rom and Starshine, recognizing within Starshine’s ruthlessness a similarity to her own moments of savagery, and she wishes she could be more like the calm Rom.
Rom informs Alpha Flight that these creatures exist because of the Dire Wraith magic, that there can be no doubt about, but adds that the Wraiths cannot create such creatures out of “whole cloth” as they need already existing animal life to work their spells upon. Rom gets ready his energy analyzer announcing that the Wraiths, in their infinite evil take a creature that it already suffering some cellular abnormality because of the pollutants mankind has introduced into its aquatic environments. The Wraiths then strengthen those abnormalities using their evil sorcery and breed the horrors from…the energy analyzer reveals that the creatures were spawned from fish.
Sasquatch and Starshine looks rather unimpressed while Shaman remembers that the salmon eggs that Marrina found at the bottom of the black lake were glowing, and guesses they were glowing for a reason. Using a levitation spell to carry him to the water’s edge, Shaman believes that if magic is responsible for the evil evolution, perhaps magic can be its undoing. Starshine asks Sasquatch what Shaman intends to do, to which the founding Alphan replies that if he knows Shaman as well as he thinks he does, he will probably reach into his pouch and cast some sort of spell over the waters. Which is exactly what Shaman does. Being a Sarcee sorcerer he carries with him mystic herbs capable of calming the black waters, and those that dwell beneath them. Shaman scatters a powder across the water and the powder filters down into the depths, reaching the creatures in the water.
In the water, Marrina is the first to be soothed by Shaman’s spell, but she has discovered that with every passing second even more monsters are spawned beneath the waves. Marrina declares that Shaman’s nature must be made to mix more quickly with the lake waters. She starts to spin, churning the black lake into a maelstrom. Rom tells Starshine that whatever it was Shaman sprinkled upon the waters is now being spread the length of the vast lake. Sasquatch declares that it is starting to affect the amphibians, and slowly the creatures return to their normal form – fish. Shaman’s spell had accomplished its task, the fish are made fish again, but further horror awaits – all the fish have floated to the top of the waters. Shaman exclaims that it should not have happened, as he counteracted the spell that made them into monsters. Sasquatch holds onto Marrina who clings to him, distraught at seeing the fish all dead.
Rom uses the energy analyzer on the dead fish and reveals that they did not die because of the spell that turned them into the amphibious nightmares, but because as eggs they were introduced to the polluted water, which as monsters they were able to survive but in which as fish they stood no chance. Marrina continues to cry as Sasquatch declares that man may have made Beaver Lake unfit for life, but asks who was it that brought life back to it, only to turn it into man-killing monsters. Rom exclaims that it is those that he and Starshine have come to exterminate – the Dire Wraiths!
Everyone instinctively turns to the dam over which the deadly black water flows over, and everyone arrives at the same conclusion simultaneously. Sasquatch declares that the Wraiths are probably hiding out in the mines, to which Rom agrees, as the Wraiths do seek out deep, dark places to work their evil. Starshine comments on how weak and easy to overcome this spell was, to which Rom agrees, and worries about.
Meanwhile, from the depths of an ancient mine, an unearthly chant arises, a sound like nothing else heard anywhere on this threatened planet. It is like an unholy drone as dark as the pit from whence it comes and as dark as the demonic creatures from whose throats it utters. One Wraith calls to its sisters, declaring that it is now time to act, another adding that their minor spell kept Rom and Alpha Flight engaged in a diversion. Another explains while the heroes were unaware that their aim was not to transform fish into fiends, a final Wraith finishes the story, declaring that their plan was to magically alter the very chemistry of the waters themselves.
In Wraith hands the black lake waters seem to bubble and boil! The pollutants are introduced by unthinking mankind into the once fresh waters have already altered its molecular structure for the worse. Therefore, these foul waters are susceptible to Wraith magic that alters the waters even more. This makes the water toxic and poisonous to all Earthly life that comes in contact with them – but unlike any other toxin that mankind has ever encountered. The Wraiths release their vile liquid into the waters of the lake itself, swiftly it spreads, and altering the chemical balance of every water molecule it touches.
Back in town, Snowbird asks what threat it is that the Dire Wraiths now pose, and Rom replies that the Wraiths mean to work some evil involving the polluted waters for sure, yet he does not know how they hope to have any more than a local effect before his senses alert him to a sound. Two sounds coupled together to be precise, the first sound being the unearthly laughter of the Wraiths from deep within the dark cave, while the second sound is a greater sound – one threatening to drown out not all other sounds, but to overwhelm the entire Earth itself. The dam has burst, the six heroes stand in horror as the black Wraith-tainted waters washing in toxic waves across the face of the poisoned Earth.


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[Assistant]
Truth or Consequences!!
Eagle Plaza, Dallas, Texas, home of the mutant inventor Forge currently in a videoconference with General Merriwether Locklin. Forge announces that Locklin and the United States government can both stop wasting his time. Locklin coldly reminds him of who he is and what he stands for. He is commander of a special task force called the Wraith-Hunters Rangers, commissioned by the president himself to battle an alien menace that’s infiltrated Earth. He is talking about the Dire Wraiths.
Forge interrupts him, announcing that he knows all about the Dire Wraiths. Although the government had done its best to cover up their existence and the fact that Earth is at war with them the truth had to be revealed to him, for he was the only human capable of creating a weapon powerful enough to deal with them. Despite that shroud of secrecy, somehow the Wraiths learned of Forge’s efforts and tried to stop him. Luckily, when they attacked, he was neither without defenses… nor friends, he remarks.
Locklin impatiently points out that this should be all the more reason why Forge should apply his inventive genius to combating the Wraith menace, by arming soldiers of Earth with duplicates of Rom’s Neutralizer.
Something like this? Forge asks as he reveals the latest version of his power neutralizer. Locklin exclaims in wonder. How could Forge keep that to himself? Forge explains that this is a fifth generation advance over the prototype he made. The one that was taken from him by one government agent and used by another not against Wraith-kind.
Forge recalls how Valerie Cooper demanded the weapon be used against his express wishes and how Agent Gyrich accidentally shot and de-powered the X-Man Storm with the weapon.
Forge just tells Locklin that an innocent was maimed for life as a result. Eyes downcast, he adds that the injured person was his friend. The government breached more than a contract with him. They breached a sacred trust. He has realized that enormous power placed into unworthy hands can be turned against friend as well as foe and he will not lend his skills to such betrayers. Find yourself another genius, he concludes as he terminates the conversation with Locklin, who calls him a traitor.
The words have some effect, as Forge wonders whether he is a traitor. After all, he betrayed Storm when he created the weapon that stripped her of her elemental powers. Unlike Rom’s Neutralizer, his doesn’t only affect Wraiths but all super-beings. Being a mutant himself, he knows how humans hate them. But what to do about the Dire Wraiths?
Forge stares at the sky, the sun seemingly having a hole growing in it as a result of the Wraith worldmerge spell. He wrestles with his moral quandary.
Elsewhere, Rom stands guard over the sleeping form of his beloved Brandy Clark. He recalls how he originally met her, saved her, how she joined him in his battle as she merged with Spaceknight armor of Starshine, and how that power recently was torn from her by the mutant Hybrid. He fantasizes briefly about being human once more as well, about having a chance to love her, but the dream is disrupted as Brandy finally awakes.
Dimly, she realizes that she is alive. She recalls being hurt in battle and how her light eyes couldn’t save her. She realizes Rom must have beaten Hybrid. However, as she sees her human reflection in Rom’s armor her joy turns to horror.
Rom tells her that she is human once more and that he loves her. What good is being human when there is a war going on? she shouts. She helplessly pounds her pillow as she cries that being human didn’t save her fiancé or friends or family. Being human is to be helpless, to be as good as dead! She informs him that she’d like to be alone for a while.
Rom complies, walking outside the trailer into the Wraithhunter camp. While everyone is busy, nobody yet knows how to stop the Wraith worldmerge spell. Rom notices something unusual, somebody singing. The singer is Rick Jones, the child picking flowers by his side is Cindy Adams. Rick is dying of a cancer incurred when he exposed himself to gamma rays in a misguided effort to become a second Hulk. Cindy is no more fortunate. She saw her parents slain and her childhood destroyed when a Dire Wraith died inside her mind. And yet they find comfort in each other. Watching those two doomed companions, Rom wonders how Brandy can say it is better to be dead than human. He would give his soul to be human again and as happy as they.
But Rom’s illusions regarding human happiness are quickly dispelled as the child ventures too near the edge of the stream. Reflected in the water, she sees the face of a Wraith. Horrified, she searches refuge in Rick’s arms. Rick promises to be always there for her, but breaks down in agony moments later. He explains that the cancer is gnawing away at his insides. Sometimes the pain is too strong.
Angrily, Cyndi shouts that he’s lied to her then. How can he help her hold off the horror inside her when he can’t even help himself? Ricka admits that he doesn’t know.
From some distance, Rom still observes them, musing on human frailty, which he forsook to become a spaceknight, something Brandy fears and he desires most of all. Yet he understand his beloved’s despair he thinks as he looks at the sun and the black spot on it. How can a human help stop the Wraithemrge? Yet despite all the power of this spaceknight armor, how can he?
Rom walks back into the camp towards General Merriwether Locklin’s camper. The general is in an argument with Special Agent Gyrich, who reminds the general that he had predicted Forge’s refusal. Locklin retorts that this makes him suspect Gyrich had dealing with Forge before. Forge spoke of a government agent who has betrayed his trust. That information is classified, Gyrich cuts him off.
Swearing, Locklin informs him that he is sick of fighting a secret war where all his efforts are hamstrung by civilians. If Gyrich hadn’t antagonized Forge, he’d probably be turning out Neutralizers by the dozens for them now. Gyrich unhelpfully suggests they bring Forge up on a charge of treason and Locklin points out how much this will not help. They don’t have time and their only hope is Forge. Then they have no hope, Gyrich bluntly replies. Forge won’t deal with them. Then perhaps, Rom suggests, Forge will deal with him?
In less than an hour, Rom’s rocket pods carry him from the eastern seaboard to Texas and in that time the Wraith’s sorcerous stain on the sun has grown bigger. Rom does not know how much time Earth has left before the sun goes dark and Wraithworld is mystically pulled across the trackless void of space to take Earth’s place in the solar system. He only knows that their sole hope lies with Forge.
The Dire Wraiths determine Rom’s destination. Both Rom and Forge have defeated them before. Together they might succeed in exterminating the Wraiths before the world merge takes effect, they fear. In spite of their current diminished powers, they dare let them join force. Vile incantations and sorcerous spells fill the dank air of the Wraiths’ lair and subsequently the alien being and animals they’ve mystically bred shift and change form. Then in a flood of evil unleashed the Dire Wraiths sweep forth from their subterranean retreat to do battle with Rom spaceknight before he can avert the advent of doomsday.
Meanwhile in Dallas, Forge is still pondering his quandary aloud, wondering if he has the right to withhold his genius with the Earth in such grave danger. Had the children of Galador refused to sacrifice their humanity, his world would be a Wraith colony now, comes the voice of Rom.
After Rom introduces himself, Forge demands to know he o he got past his skyscrapers automatic security systems. Rom manifests his energy analyzer. It detected the flow of energy through the building, so that his neutralizer could negate that flow and shut down Forge’s weapons before they could do him harm. Forge observes that Rom’s devices appear out of nowhere. They are stored in subspace, Rom explains.
Forge muses that he based his prototypes on what the government knew of Rom’s weapon, but it’s clear that Rom’s weapons are so much more powerful than Forge’s. In the wrong hands, they can hurt so many… Both his weapons and he are dedicated to one goal only, the complete banishment of Wraithkind, Rom ventures. And yet, if his weapons were equal to the task, they wouldn’t need him, the inventor points out. Rom admits that he is but one warrior and there are many Wraiths on Earth. But the enemy is desperate. Their latest ploy indicates that they know the end is near. Soon, the Earth will be theirs or they will be banished from this world forever. At this point, the battle could turn either way. Humanity could emerge triumphant or go down to extinction before the evil of the Dire Wraiths. It is Forge’s world. Will he not fight for it?
For his world, yes, replies Forge, but not for its governments, who’d like nothing better than to get their hands on his weapons and turn them on mutants like himself. He built Earth a neutralizer. Maybe it can’t banish Wraiths like Rom’s but it can negate their magic. Unfortunately, he adds, it can also be used to strip every super-being on the face of the planet of their power. He cannot take that chance.
Agitated, he adds that while his mutation is passive his genius at invention is still a superhuman ability. He’d be destroyed too! That’s why he can’t create Neutralizers for Earth. He doesn’t trust his non-powered brethren to use them solely against the Wraiths when they’ve already shown themselves all too willing to use them on people like himself. He doesn’t want the genocide of Homo superior on his hands.
Rom is shocked at the very idea that a power created to fight evil could be used for evil. It’s inconceivable. That’s what a man named Oppenheimer said about the atomic bomb, Forge remarks sadly. He does not intend to repeat Oppenheimer’s mistake. People in power are human, he continues and being human and liking power they hate and fear those who possess more power.
Having witnessed human fear, fragility and futility that day, Rom wonders why he longs so to become human again. He reminds Forge that humanity is nevertheless something to be cherished. He urges the mutant to take the risk, hoping that humans will learn and triumph. Sinking down on a stairway, Forge admits that he doesn’t share Rom’s faith in the inherent goodness of all men.
Their discussion is interrupted by a scream of terror from the street. As the screams grow louder, Forge grabs a pair of binoculars and leads Rom to the observation deck. On the streets below them, they see a mass panic, as Wraiths openly attack the people below in a clear attempt to draw Forge and Rom out.
The sheer terror in the people’s eyes is enough to convince the mutant. He decides to get down - Rom holds him back, reminding him this is what the Wraiths want and what about his refusal to help people. He’s never refused to aid human beings in trouble, Forge clarifies. Rom reminds him that all of Earth is in danger and Forge alone possesses the power to serve as its savior. Yet to do so, he must share his genius with mankind. Forge gives in. The Wraith have convinced him. Earth would be a lousy neighborhood if all he had to share it with were Dire Wraiths. Together, they decide to attack the Wraiths below.


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[Assistant]
Space Race!
The flames consuming Dallas, Texas rise even to the skyscraper home of the mutant inventor Forge, as the Dire Wraiths attack the people under the skyscraper to draw him out. Rom and Forge, with a jetpack on his back, attack the aliens and Rom points out that Forge is worried that humankind may misuse the weaponry Forge is capable of producing. Yet, unless he arms humanity, the Wraiths may see to it that mankind ceases to exist. Forge admits that he is convinced.
During battle, Forge notes that, while Rom’s Neutralizer transports the Wraiths to Limbo, his facsimile Neutralizers aren’t nearly as powerful as Rom’s. His weapon merely negates Wraith magic. As he fires the gun at the Hellhounds, they revert to their original form of harmless Dobermann pinschers.
Anxious, the Wraiths see Forge’s weapon in action and it is too powerful for their liking. They attempt to kill Forge. However, as Forge blasts them, they lose their deathwing guise and return to their original shape, allowing Rom to banish them. Rom warns Forge of another Wraith nearing behind him and Forge hurts it with the backwash from his rocket-pod. Noting to himself to file that stunt away for future reference, he sees some dark shape in front of him as a Wraith morphs into its sinister deathwing form. But that too can be stopped by Forge’s Neutralizer. Bereft of their powers, the Wraiths fall and Rom has no trouble banishing them to Limbo.
The rest of the Wraiths decide to flee, comforting themselves with the thought that it will take time for Forge to arm humanity against them and humanity has no time. The black hole in the heart of the sun grows larger, drawing Wraithworld to Earth. When the worldmerge is completed, no weapon forged on Earth or Galador will avail them against the Wraiths.
Forge announces that they beat the Wraiths. Did they? Rom asks and suggests Forge look at the sun. The worldmerge spell continues. And it will continue as long as a single Wraith remains on Earth. He cannot eradicate them alone. So he wants him to arm Earth with thousand Neutralizers? Forge muses. He can’t do that. He already gave the government one and they used it to cripple a friend. But there’s another way…
With all of Earth in a state of emergency, it takes less than 24 hours to get the construction of a giant neutralizer in space underway. The work crew toil feverishly, while Forge in a hover chair and Rom watch proceedings. He never would have imagined the nations of Earth capable of setting aside their differences so swiftly, Rom marvels. Forge agrees but apparently the threat of extinction spurs international cooperation. He just hopes it hasn’t come too late.
Rom worries that, where each mystical black tentacle from the “hole” in the sun touches Earth, another disaster is unleashed on the poor planet. That’s not their problem now, Forge insists. Rom worries about the many who will die. Everyone will die if the Wraiths succeeds, Forge reminds him. Their job is to prevent that.
Rom admires the wisdom of Forge’s scheme. Instead of building a multitude of neutralizers not under his control, Forge is instead building a neo-neutralizer in orbit directed at Earth to be powered by Rom’s weapon, meant to eradicate every Wraith upon the planet at the same moment.
Forge agrees that it was the only way. He can’t trust individual members of mankind with his Neutralizer after Agent Gyrich used his prototype to depower Stom. His weapon in their hands would enable them to bring down every superbeing to their level. Even if he weren’t a mutant himself, he still wouldn’t entrust men like Gyrich with that kind of power.
Not too far away, Gyrich interrupts that Forge just oversees the building of the space cannon and they’ll handle the delegation of power. It will be the governments of Earth who determine how and against whom it will be used. That’s exactly what Forge is afraid of. He figures that he’ll have to think of something to insure that it’s never used again anyone residing on Earth. Rom reminds Forge that it will still be his weapon that powers Forge’s and he has his word as spaceknight that his weapon will only be turned against Wraithkind, but can the weapon be finished before the worldmerge? Barring trouble and treachery it can, the inventor replies.
Another spaceshuttle arrives, bringing the weapon’s power-core. Unbeknownst to the heroes, the crew of the approaching shuttle has been killed and replaced by Wraiths, who plan to destroy the neutralizer.
Back on Earth in a dream, Brandy Clark is fleeing for her life from Wraiths. In her terror, Brandy once again seems to summon the power she has lost as Stashine. But the moment passes and the Wraith kills her.
Brandy awakes from her nightmare with a scream. She looks into a mirror and realizes once again that she no longer has the power of Starshine. She remembers how Hybrid stripped her of her powers. In despair, she sinks down on her bed, moaning that without that power she will die just like she dreamt.
Crying, she doesn’t hear the door open as Cyndi Adams steps inside. The little girl wants to offer some help, as the Wraith hurt Brandy almost as much as herself but her thoughts turn to killing her as the Wraith inside her head momentarily takes over. Get out of my mind! she cries and Brandi recognizes her as the child she and Rom saved from the train when she was Starshine. With tears in her eyes, Cyndi admits she wishes they hadn’t saved her. She can’t stand living like this. The Wraith that killed her parents died while trying to steal her mind. It’s always inside her thoughts. She can’t escape it. Brandy’ thoughts turn from her own plight to comforting Cindy.
Meanwhile in orbit, Forge alert Rom to something wrong. His wrist-Analyzer is detecting the presence of Wraiths. Rom realizes that they must be in the approaching shuttle. In some way, the Wraiths must have commandeered it. Rom materializes his own Analyzer from subspace and scans the astronauts accompanying the shuttle. It confirms Forge’s fears. Spells coruscate forth from the Wraith’s fingertips, attempting to destroy the neo-neutralizer, spells which swirl around the spaceknight and bind him.
With Rom helpless, the Wraiths turn toward Forge, intent on killing him with laser-wielding torches. Touching a knob on the arm of his flight-chair, Forge thrusts away from the oncoming Wraiths with a burst of compressed nitrogen gas. Rom, in the meantime with a supreme effort, shatters the sorcerous shackles.
Another incantation and the Wraiths summon meteorites from the heavens to drive Rom back and keep him busy while their sisters deal with Forge. Luckily, the inventor equipped his flightchair with one of his Neutralizers, which keeps the Wraiths from using their magic against him. But there are so many things besides sorcery which can kill a man in space…
Inside another shuttle, Gyrich observes the ongoings. With Forge lost so will be the Neo-Neutralizer and Gyrich’s plan to neutralize Earth’s superpowered beings. He orders the shuttle’s pilot to bring the shuttle into position. They’re going to save that stinking mutant! And so the shuttle slowly shifts towards the floating combatants.
A Wraith, in the meantime, attacks Forge with a welding torch, intending to burn a hole into his spacesuit. Forge sends an electrical charge though the flight chair into the Wraith, frying it. But another one is coming and he’s only got enough juice to sustain life-support systems. However, even as the Wraith grabs hold of Forge, the shuttle’s grapple-arm grabs the Wraith’s human-shaped head and squeezes hard.
Not bad for a mere human, eh mutant? Gyrich asks Forge, who has no chance to comment for the remaining Wraith come at him again. With some compressed nitrogen left, he steers his flight chair in another position and blasts the Wraith with all the unspent fuel in his retro rockets. The maneuver leaves Forge’s flight chair helplessly drifting, while Rom is still pursued by the comet dispatched by the Wraiths, which follows him no matter where he flies. Perhaps he can use this against the Wraiths, he figures, and flies right through the shuttle with the Wraiths aboard. Moments later, the comet hits them, destroying the shuttle.
Rom flies toward Forge. It seems they both survived, he states. May Earth fare as well? It will, Forge replies, if they can finish the orbiting Neutralizer in time… for it would appear that Earth’s final hour is upon them.


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[Assistant]
Worldmerge!
There’s panic on the streets, as the Wraiths’ worldmerge reaches a new high and Wraithworld is drawn into our solar system. All across the Earth, cataclysms and conflagrations erupt, triggering devastating climatic change. Seasons reverse themselves and nature herself goes mad, as the sudden manifestation of another world in orbit about the sun disrupts the pull of gravity upon out planet. All across the Earth, the governments of man react to the threat of an alien enemy the existence of which they had hidden from their populations for fear of causing a worldwide panic and issue a desperate call or calm. But all across the Earth, the call for calm comes too late to be anything but ignored. And the panic authorities sought to avoid takes hold.
Meanwhile, up in space, a team led by Rom and the mutant inventor Forge try their best to construct a Neoneutralizer meant to save Earth. Rom announces that Wraithworld has completed its mystic transport through space. The Dire Wraiths have drawn their distant world to this solar system. Is there still hope for mankind or have they labored in vain?
Forge replies that they had hoped to use his Neoneutralizer powered by Rom’s weapon to banish all Wraiths from Earth, but he was leery of training the weapon on Earth anyway. True, it would neutralize the Wraiths’ mysticism, but it might also negate the super-powers of those special beings possessed of them. He cannot allow the governments of Earth to strip superbeings of their power, simply to foster their own sense of security.
Inside the space shuttle, Agent Gyrich observes the two of them discussing matters, wondering what they are talking about. But he cannot eavesdrop as Forge is somehow jamming their ability to monitor his flightchair. He is convinced the “lousy mutant” is up to something. He doesn’t trust him… or Rom.
Forge is aware of Gyrich’s scrutiny and doesn’t trust the agent any more than the other way around. But the Neoneutralizer is almost completed and Forge will allow it to be aimed only at the targets he chooses.
Rom tells him to keep on working on its completion while he seeks to alleviate the suffering of Forge’s fellow men. Forge just asks him to return in time. The Neoneutralizer needs Rom’s Neutralizer to work. Forge returns to work, wondering if Gyrich sees the irony of the situation, that the fate of mankind hinges upon the labors of a mutant and a man from another world.
Rom flies downward, seeing a plane in trouble due to gale-force winds caused by the worldmerge. Inside the cockpit, the crew is helpless while the passengers stay calm, resigned to their fate. The turbulences send the plane plunging downward, but suddenly they stop falling. What seems to be a miracle is actually the work of Rom, who buffeted its fall.
Rom gently lands the plane on a destroyed airfield. Passengers come from the plane, believing him to be some kind of robot. Who programmed him to come to their aid? they ask. Rom introduces himself. Once he was human like them, until the same threat that imperils their planet cast its shadow over his. He has fought to preserve their world from the wounds the diabolical Dire Wraiths would inflict on it and, though doom closes fast upon Earth, he prays to the gods of Galador to give him strength to prevail. With those words, he soars skywards and soon reaches the encampment of General Merriwether Locklin and his elite commando of Wraith hunter-rangers.
Rom informs the general that Forge’s neoneutralizer nears completion. Can his device raise the dead or undo all the destruction the worldmerge has so far caused? the general asks rhetorically. No, but Forge hopes to fend off Earth’s ultimate destruction, Rom replies. How, Locklin wonders. He could understand when he hoped to neutralize the Wraiths’ magic before the worldmerge had commenced but now there’s another world hanging in the sky. The idea is that by destroying the Wraiths they will negate their plans, Rom explains. And if that plan should fail? Locklin wonders. If they destroy the Wraiths, but their world continues be drawn nearer to Earth, what then? Then, Rom replies, Earth is doomed.
Not far away. Climbing up a Cliffside Bandy Clark and Rick Jones are looking for Cyndi Adams. She was depressed, feeling responsible for the worldmerge. They find her atop the cliff side, ready to kill herself to get rid of the Wraith mind within her. The outcropping she kneels on begins to crack beneath her. Rick Jones reaches out and catches her at the last moment. However, wrecked by a spasm of his own illness, he himself begins to go over the edge when Brandy suddenly reaches for him. For a moment, Brandy seems to glow like he sun and display the strength of Starshine as she drags them safely back up. Relived, the two of them hug Cyndi, who realizes she’s loved and decides that she doesn’t want to die after all.
Unaware of their proximity, Rom soars forth to face further planetary perils. His friends though see him and Brandy cries helplessly at her inability to aid him. There have to be other ways for humans to fight in the defense of their world, Rick decides and they’ll find those ways… together.
Already miles distant, Rom rockets towards a rising column of smoke on the Atlantic seaboard. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire… a conflagration consuming a condemned city. Horrified, Rom walks through the ruins, looking at the corpses. Then, he hears the sound of churchbells. In the ruins of a church he finds a group of survivors, a congregation singing hymns. Then the singing stops as the survivors spy the silver spaceknight and ask who he is. Not wishing to add to their fear, Rom feels compelled to explain.
Rom’s narration:
Once he lived on Galador, a far-off paradise world. But an invasion from the Dark Nebula compelled men of peace to volunteer for the defense of their world. They were surgical grafted into immensely powerful nearly invincible armor and then sent forth as Spaceknights to drive back the eldritch power of the demonic Dire Wraiths. The battle was hard and long. Though many of his fellow spaceknights died, in the end Galador prevailed, but the beaten Wraiths fled to other star systems, other world and preyed upon alien races with their malevolent magics. It became the continuing duty of the spaceknights to hunt the Wraiths down and destroy them on whatever worlds they be, among them Earth.
Present:
He says he came to save them, the priest remarks. Just look around at the death and destruction around them. Is this his salvation?
Rom is at a loss. Then, he materializes his Neutralizer, explaining that had he not come Wraithkind would have enslaved them long ago. He shall save Earth with Galador’s greatest weapon. The congregation begins to look greedy as the priest identifies the weapon as Rom’s Neutralizer. They know of it? It has been the bane of their existence, comes the reply as the men and women turn to Wraiths, with their spells quickly trapping him and rendering him unable to help himself. Immobilized, he stands as the Wraiths triumph.
In space, the mutant Forge grows increasingly concerned as there is no sign of Rom to power the finished Neo-Neutralizer. While in what remains of the Wraith-hunter ranger encampment Rick has summoned all the heroes he can. They are probably already helping, he tells Brandy, but once they realize that the final battle against the Wraiths will be fought where Rom is, he’s sure they’ll hasten to his aid.


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[Assistant]
Doomsday!
Rom stands helplessly frozen by a Wraithspell, while there is chaos in the streets and the Worldmerge is almost upon them. He can only watch helplessly, blaming himself for having failed this world and the ones he loves.
Beyond Earth’s atmosphere, an international team of astronauts led by the  mutant inventor Forge wait for Rom, for only he can power the Neoneutralizer meant to save Earth. If Rom is not back soon, it may well be too late to reverse the onslaught of the Worldmerge, he states nervously. Agent Gyrich accuses Forge of being up to something with Rom, but he won’t get away with it. He’s going to make sure that the Neoneutralizer is used to banish every Wraith on Earth and then make Earth safe by banishing every superbeing! Forge gets more nervous, realizing he’s stuck here with a madman, doomsday is fast approaching and Rom still hasn’t returned.
Rom is ashamed at his failure and around him Dire Wraiths gather to taunt him with his shame. The Wraiths mock that it cost them all that remained of their magic after triggering the Worldmerge to bind him, but now he is helpless to save either himself or the planet he is pledged to protect. He will die and Earth will die with him!
Desperate, Rom thinks that it can’t end like that. Surely the cataclysms of Worldmerge have made the champions of Earths aware that now is the moment to make the ultimate sacrifice. Surely the heroes will succeed where he failed.
The Wraiths taunt that he should have no hope. He is alone and abandoned. Whichever heroes Earth might have marshaled in her defense have either been overwhelmed by the cataclysms accompanying Worldmerge or crouch cowering in fear, awaiting the end.
That’s where they are wrong! comes a powerful voice and the Wraiths stand aghast as they are attacked by a horde of heroes: Led by Captain America, there are the Avengers East and West, Beta Ray Bill, the X-Men, the Defenders, the Soviet Super-Soldiers and from all corners of the glove heroes like Peregrine, Shamrock, Captain Britain, the Arabian Knight and more.
But it’s not only the superhumans that fight for the future of Earth. They are joined by the Wraith-Hunter Rangers as well as Rick Jones, Brandy Clark and Cindy Adams all armed with energy guns. The three push through the swath cut in the Wraiths’ ranks to stand at the side of the immobilized Rom.
Cindy, joined with the Wraith conscious, explains that they bound him with magic. How can they break the spell? Rick wonders. They haven’t any special powers, Brandy muses, but perhaps they don’t need them. All Wraith magic is conceived in evil – hate. Perhaps they can reverse their spells with… As Brandy embraces the space knight and kisses him Rick feels a pang of jealousy, realizing he’s begun to fall in love with Brandy.
Whether it is Brandy ‘s kiss and her love or the weakening of the Wraiths’ spell as they fight the heroes none can say but the mystic ties that bound Rom melt away and he stands ready to join the fray.
His rocket pods lift him above the battlefield and Rom turns and aims Galador’s greatest weapon down at the alien enemy he has fought for over 200 years, banishing them to Limbo.
Surrounded by the ranks of the Wraiths, Rom and the heroes battle bravely in defense of the imperiled planet. Yet the true danger of the imminent Woldmerge has been forgotten in the clamor of combat. But Cyndi Adam’s Wraith-touched mind is privy to the Wraiths’ plan and she realizes that this battle is merely a delaying tactic. The Wraiths seek to hold Rom here, while the true victory can only be won in space! Cindy cries out loudly and the cry reaches the spaceknight who realizes she is right.
He flies off towards space where Forge and Gyrich are waiting on the Neo-Neutralizer platform. Forge points the battle out to Gyrich, telling him that these heroes fighting valiantly for Earth are the Gyrich whose powers Gyrich wants to destroy.
They’re fighting for their own survival! is Gyrich’s conviction and Forge despairs at the other man’s stubborness. Gyrich intends to seize the Neo-neutralizer to destroy both Wraith and heroes. Forge tosses him off the platform.
Rom catches Gyrich and greets Forge. With Gyrich tied up and believing they are scheming something, Rom powers the Neo-neutralizer with his neutralizer and then they turn the weapon…at Wraithworld.
Gyrich shouts at them they are traitors to Earth. They have betrayed nobody, Rom explains, save Gyrich’s expectations that they would train the Neo-neutralizer on Earth, destroying both Wraiths and depowering the superhumans. So instead, they decided to eradicate the Wraiths’ evil at the source of their sorcerous might – Wraithworld.
Wherever the Neo-neutralizer beam touches the oncoming planet, baleful black magic gives way to beauty. The harsh horror of its surface softens… and flowers begin to bloom.
Forge tells Rom they are still in trouble. Rom agrees. Whether Wraithworld is a purgatory or paradise, its closeness to Earth will still cause massive destruction. For no two worlds can occupy the same position in space at the same time.
As they pour on the energy, the world begins to dwindle and disappear, for without its magic, it can no longer exist and, with the planet gone, the Wraiths have ceased to be a menace.
And with the sun shining again on Earth, the heroes cheer.


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[Assistant]
True Believers
(Los Angeles, California, 9:17pm)
Victor Mancha and his friend, Jorge, are in Victor’s bedroom, discussing which super hero they would be if they could. Victor replies Spider-Man, no question. Jorge informs him that the correct answer is Mr. Fantastic. You could stretch yourself out to eight feet and get a fat NBA contract. Besides, he adds, Spidey ain’t even a hero. He’s just another banger. Victor says the only people who think that are Fox News and the Daily Bugle; and the Bugle is like the least respected paper in New York City.
Jorge is admiring Victor’s collection of super hero toys, including the Thing, Spider-Man, the Hulk, the Invisible Woman and the Scarlet Witch. He asks Victor what he knows about New York City. He’s barely been outside L.A. before. “Your mom won’t even let you go to band camp without…”
The crackle of a radio nearby cuts him off. It’s a police scanner, and dispatch is informing all units of a 10-39 in progress at East First and South San Pedro. Victor becomes a little excited. Jorge asks what a 10-39 is. Naked chicks on parade? Victor replies that it’s a masked felony. That’s cop talk for super-villains.
Jorge suggests they get outta there and check ‘em out. Victor sticks his hands in his pockets, and says that he can’t. It’s a school night and his curfew is 8:30. Jorge reminds him that it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. They never get costumes in L.A., except Wonder Man, and he doesn’t count. Victor apologizes, but it’s his mom’s house and her rules. What’s he supposed to do? Run away? Jorge replies that it’s like his pop says. When you’re an old man, you don’t regret the stuff you did; you regret the stuff you didn’t.
(downtown, 9:19pm)
Police sirens approach the Third Bank of California, which is the scene of a bank robbery. The perps are known as the Wrecking Crew, and they have been joined by a newbie called Excavator. Standing in the vault, with a shovel resting on his shoulder, the teenage villain seems pleased with their work. “Scrilla fo’rilla! This haul is gonna be taut.” Holding two large bags of cash, Thunderball looks at Excavator, and informs his cohorts that if he continues affecting that manner of speech, he’s going to smash him in the face with his own enchanted shovel. Piledriver asks him to settle down, assuring him that’s just the way teenagers talk these days.
Bulldozer is uncertain about his presence. He still thinks that Piledriver dragging his kid along for this score was a dumb play. “This ain’t the Wrecking Crew and Son.” Wrecker feels it’s bad enough that he had to split his power with them; now he’s got to share it with one of their long-lost brats.
Piledriver reminds Wrecker that he’s the one who’s always saying they need to start thinking about their future. Well, he’s just training up the next generation. Besides, he adds, it’s not like there’s gonna be any annoying heroes around to interfere with the li’l digger’s first heist like back in New York - except Wonder Man, and he doesn’t count.
The five criminals saunter casually through a large hole in the wall of the bank and into the street. Excavator asks why they didn’t jump coasts sooner if this town is ripe for the picking. Bulldozer tells him that L.A. used to be run by a dozen stone-cold psychos called The Pride. This was their turf, and any mask who tried to make a play for it would be sent back to the big apple… piece by piece.
Excavator asks if they’re in the ‘stir’ now. Wrecker is annoyed at the questions, but gives in and explains that the Pride is dead. They were betrayed by their spoiled children, in what should have been a valuable lesson to every hood who’s got an ‘accident’ or two out there. Piledriver puts his arm around his kid’s shoulder, and assures Wrecker that he’s got nothing to worry about. Excavator is a chip off the old block.
“Hey Village People!” shouts a voice from nearby. The Crew sees four girls standing in the middle of the street. They are the Runaways, minus the sole male member of the team, Talkback. Arsenic orders them to step away from the minor, and Bruiser tries to be clever, adding, “Or else you’re in for some major... uh, you know, bad stuff.”
Thunderball wonders who the hell they are, and Bulldozer wittily adds that he doesn’t know, but he’ll take a box of thin mints. Sister Grimm informs them that they don’t care about whatever money they stole. They know the bank’s insured. They just want the kid, and they can be on their way. Lucy in the Sky asks Excavator; or Ricky, as she refers to him, if he’s seen the news. His grandparents are worried sick about him. Ricky replies that those stank old fogies can choke on their dentures for all he cares. He’s running with his dad now. His dad appears pleased that he has four ladies fighting for him already. “Told you he takes after his old man,” he grins.
Nico can see no future in using this tact, and asks Karolina to go ahead. Karolina pours a stream of energy at the Wrecking Crew, sending Piledriver tumbling. Wrecker realizes the girls are ‘muties,’ and orders his team to light ‘em up. Karolina informs them that she’s an extraterrestrial, and proud of it. Besides, adds Molly, the word mutie is really offensive to people like her - “You freakin’ racists.”
Excavator rushes Molly with his enchanted shovel, but as he brings it crashing down on her skull, it shatters into a hundred pieces. Molly’s eyes light up. “Too bad. Our club coulda used another boy.” With that, she punches Excavator, sending him flying down the street. Nico asks her to sit on him or something; they’ll finish off the grown ups. Wrecker tells her that she’s just earned herself a taste of the big stick. Nico replies that she bets hers is bigger than his.
“When blood is shed… let the Staff of One emerge!” The staff appears from inside her chest. Wrecker can’t believe it. He hates witches. Holding the staff, Nico simply says, “Deconstruct,” and Wrecker’s body transforms into slices of human flesh, scattered over the street. She assures Karolina that it’s all right. He’ll come together in an hour or two… probably. Karolina is surprised, because she thought Nico could only cast spells after she bled. “And he never even…” Nico gives her the look, and Karolina realizes that it’s Nico’s time of the month.
Thunderball orders them to stop what they’re doing, or he’ll pulverize their friend. Gert is leaning against a tree, but doesn’t appear unduly concerned with her imminent fate. She tells Thunderball that what he’s doing is a bad idea. She has the power to make grown men lose control of their bowels. “Seriously?” he replies. Suddenly, Old Lace’s head appears from the greenery and clamps its velociraptor teeth around Thunderball’s head. Gert wishes her ‘rents had given her Old Lace for her Bat Mitzvah. A telepathic velociraptor from the 87th century would have made middle school a lot more tolerable.
From nowhere, Bulldozer punches Gert in the side of the face, knocking her to the ground. Her glasses are thrown off, and she looks up to see Bulldozer standing over her. He’s figured out that they’re the Pride’s children. Gert replies that maybe his head isn’t as dense as it looks… which is too bad, considering what’s about to land on top of it. Bulldozer raises his head and looks up, just in time to see it about to be landed on by Chase, piloting the Leapfrog.
Chase gets on the radio, and apologizes for being late. He forgot to gas up the Leapfrog last night, and had to ‘borrow’ ninety gallons of unleaded from the Circle A. Nico picks up her glasses. “We are the worst good guys of all time,” she whispers to herself. Molly calls his name, and asks if he saw who they beat up tonight. Their costumes were really pretty. Chase ushers her aboard the Leapfrog, and reminds her of what they talked about. “Costumes are gay.” Karolina warns him not to misuse that word one more time or she’ll… Gert asks her to save it. If they’re not gone in thirty seconds, the pigs are gonna send them back to foster care.
Nico looks over at the unconscious Excavator. She asks if they’re really going to let him get hauled off to juvie. He’s in the same boat as them. Gert replies that she thinks he went overboard the second he saw his father as someone to look up to. No offense to her dearly departed boyfriend, but the last thing they need is another Alex to stab them in the back. “Face it,” she adds, “Some kids are a lost cause.
(Holy Trinity Church, shortly after 9.30pm)
In the basement of the church, a meeting is talking place for a group calling itself Excelsior. The meeting is being co-hosted by Michiko Musashi, who asks everyone to just call her Mickey. She explains that she moved to California three months ago after she got a job with the Los Angeles Times, thanks to a recommendation from her good pal, Phil Urich. Her co-host says howdy. He informs the group that he and Mickey have been talking about starting this group for a while now. He appreciates them coming out for their first meeting. He adds that they don’t exactly have a budget or anything, but they hope to expand Excelsior into a nationwide outreach program someday soon.
Mickey says that, like everyone there tonight, she and Phil are former teenage superheroes. From the time she was a sophomore in college up until a few months ago, she lived a double life as the New Warriors’ Turbo. Late last year, she was fighting some z-lister when she had what she calls an epiphany. She realized she could do more with her education than she ever could with a hi-tech costume. That’s why she decided to return to investigative journalism.
She appreciates she’s not the only one with a story, so she asks the first group member to keep it going. He introduces himself as Chris Powell, and he used to go by the name Darkhawk. He found this amulet when he was in high school and it changed him into this… this thing. They know the drill. He rubs his forehead with his fingers, and adds that he used the powers it gave him to act as a vigilante for a couple of years, which was cool, but he started having nightmares; really intense ones. He was in New York when some pretty bad stuff went down, and just had to get away. Chris doesn’t think he’s cut out for seeing all this stuff; he doesn’t think anyone his age is - but he’s not a coward.
Phil assures Chris that he’s a brave guy; always has been. Mickey asks Julie to take the floor. She stands up, wearing turned up jeans, a small yellow sleeveless top and a flat cap. She introduces herself as Julie Power; and before they ask, that is her real name. She’s actually used a lot of names over the years such as Lightspeed, Starstreak and Molecula: Mistress of Density. When she was younger, her brothers and sister met someone from really far away and in short, they became Power Pack.
She continues to say that, when she and her siblings were fighting crime, she thought it was all fun and games. She had no idea she was actually being robbed of a normal childhood. With the help of a lot of therapy, she’s trying to get some of that innocence back. She adds that she’s always loved fantasy and drama, so she’s living in Hollywood now, just taking auditions and looking for an agent. So… if anyone wants to network after this…
Mickey thanks her, and asks Johnny if he wants to share. Johnny looks like the grungiest of the group. He feels a little outclassed in this company, and feels they probably haven’t even heard of him. His team, the Slingers, were a bunch of Spider-Man wannabes, and he used to go by the name Ricochet.
When his powers first materialized, he thought full-time heroing was gonna be his life. For a while, it was, and it was awesome. However, he continues, before it was over, he’d even look for crimes, but before he got there, somebody like Iron Fist or Moon Knight was already taking care of it. He wasn’t a super hero! He was superfluous. Thing is, he really loved the spotlight. What kid wouldn’t? But, when you get so much so young, so fast, nobody tells you how to deal with it when the spotlight shuts off.
Mickey tells the group they founded Excelsior to help with every stage of their transition into adulthood and a healthy civilian life. Phil agrees. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy his time as the Green Goblin, but he knows what a dangerous message people like them were sending to impressionable young people. The last member of the group is already on his feet, and he removes his scarf to reveal a burst of glowing energy emanating from his chest. It’s Chamber, and he asks them to hold the bleedin’ phone. “This kid’s the Green Goblin?” Phil assures him he wasn’t the evil Green Goblin. He just found one of his suits and used it to protect people. Chamber finds the idea of a good Green Goblin hard to swallow.
Mickey steps in and tries to calm Jono down, asking him to introduce himself to the others. Jono does as he is asked and replaces the scarf. He tells them he is Jono, or Chamber - whichever strikes. He’s a mutant, and did some time as a soldier with the X-Men after he blew half his face off. A ‘group of sods’ called Weapon X patched him up, but he went and ripped himself a new hole when some drunk in Fresno made him mad. Anyway, he adds, he’s just enduring this sob-fest for the free pizza he read about in the e-mail. Julie hopes she isn’t being insensitive; but he doesn’t even have a mouth. Johnny is impressed he was in the X-Men.
They wouldn’t even return his calls. Mickey’s cell phone rings, and she excuses herself. On the other end is an unknown voice, which lets her know that her little group’s a cool idea; very well executed. She asks who it is, and how they got her number. The stranger replies that it isn’t important right now. What is important, is that there are other people out there who need Excelsior’s help. Not former heroes, but underage kids who are putting their necks on the line even as we speak.
Mickey replies that she didn’t start wearing a mask yesterday. If they think she’s gonna start running errands for some mystery benefactor, they can kiss her… The stranger cuts in, and asks her to find five runaways. In exchange, they’ll give her organization one million dollars - enough to reach out to every cape and cowl who’s ever lived the life. “Keep talking,” she replies.
Meanwhile, beneath the La Brea Tar Pits Museum, the runaways have returned to what is the replacement for the Hostel. Molly wishes they’d put their hideout under an In-N-Out Burger. She’s sick of eating whatever her mom pickled before she passed away. Chase is just pleased to have somewhere. If they hadn’t found their parents’ old lair, the five of them would still be cloaked on Venice Beach, sleeping in the same smelly ship.
Chase adds that, with all the evil fruit loops to beat down, they’re practically living inside the ‘Frog anyway. He mentions a couple of villains they’ve taken down recently, including Flag-Smasher and Batroc the Loser. Nico acknowledges that this is their fault. They created this power vacuum. Chase chuckles, and suggests that power vacuum should be Gert’s new nickname. “You’re disgusting,” she replies. Molly wishes they’d go back to hating each other. It’d make her barf in her mouth less.
Nico adds that she’s serious. Them taking down the Pride was like the U.S. taking down Saddam. They got rid of a monster, but they didn’t plan for what happened next. Their parents may have been awful, but at least they maintained some kind of order.
Chase points at the time machine sitting nearby, and tells her that if she wants her mommy and daddy back so bad, she could use it to rescue ‘em from the past. Karolina says she doesn’t want them back. She was just saying that they have a responsibility to clean up their mess. Besides, for the son of two mad scientists, he sure has a hard time comprehending the fact that Gert’s parents’ time machine has been broken ever since… Her sentence is disrupted when the broken time machine suddenly begins to rumble. Steam gushes out from underneath, and a female form appears inside it.
The woman is in a poor state. Her clothes are tattered and torn, and she struggles to clamber out of the machine. She asks them to tell her what year this is. Before anyone can respond, she looks up and sees Karolina, and deduces that as she’s still there, it must be 2005. Gert warns her not to make another move, or the dinosaur will end her. The woman looks up. “I highly doubt that, Gertrude. Seeing how I’m you.”
Nico is shocked, but Gert says she’s lying. She’d never be caught dead in that get up. The woman says that’s a funny choice of words, and she’ll realize how much things can change in about twenty years, when she starts leading the Avengers. “Gert’s gonna be a super hero?” remarks Molly. The woman says that as funny as it sounds, she’s going to be betrayed by someone she’s stupid enough to put on her team. She barely escaped with her life. He just slaughtered her Avengers, and used her files to kill others. Hisako and her X-Men, Daredevil, the Fantastic Fourteen; he murdered all of them - every hero on the planet.
The woman struggles to catch her breath, as Chase kneels down and asks who did this. She replies that he was a supposed ‘champion’ named Victorious. He’s the most powerful man on the planet. Please, she begs, they’re the future’s only hope. Iron Woman sacrificed her life to help power this one last trip, because she needed them to stop him.
Karolina asks how they’re supposed to stop him if the grown-up them can’t. The woman informs them that they have to find Victorious when he was a boy, before he becomes too strong. She produces an old photograph, and tells them his name is Victor Mancha. He grew up there, in Los Angeles. She warns them not to trust him. He’s not who he says he is. She knew they would understand. His father is a villain from this time; the greatest evil in the universe. She puts her head back, and takes a look at Chase. “Sweet Chase… In all those years I never told you… how much I loved…”
Old Lace purrs, not quite able to understand what’s going on. The woman dies from her injuries in Chase’s arms, and Karolina struggles to hold back her emotions. Molly tells Gert that she’s really sorry, but Gert is adamant that the woman isn’t her. It’s probably just another… another lie from their parents. One last mind-freak from the grave. Karolina points out that Old Lace seems pretty convinced it’s her.
Nico asks them to think about this for a second. What if this woman was telling the truth? Even if there is someone out there who’s gonna kill every hero on the planet, what do they do about it? Chase says they find him - and with tears streaming down his cheeks, adds they will then rip his heart out.


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True Believers - chapter two
Mickey Musashi shows the recently formed Excelsior a slide show, which she uses to introduce them to the runaways. Nico Minoru is the daughter of two alleged ‘dark wizards.’ Gertrude Yorkes is pictured with her pet velociraptor, which is believed to have been stolen from another era by her time-traveling mom and dad. The tabloids always said that Karolina Dean’s movie star parents were aliens. The girls’ powers suggest that they may have been right. Finally, Molly Hayes, pictured carrying a defeated foe above her head, is the preternaturally strong child of evil mutants; not that all mutants are evil, she adds, but… you know.
She adds that she couldn’t find any footage of Chase Stein, the girl’s getaway man, but seeing how he’s the son of two mad scientists, they’re guessing that he’s the brains behind the operation. Phil Urich continues to inform the group that, according to the records he dug up through work, the kids are the children of The Pride. They were an underworld syndicate that most of them learned about on the news last summer. He explains that details are sketchy, but after running away from these villains, the kids apparently destroyed their parents. Since then, they’ve disappeared from their foster homes, eventually resurfacing with Los Angeles’ most recent crime wave.
Julie Power remarks that she can’t imagine how Power Pack would’ve turned out if her folks had been evil. Johnny Gallo suggests maybe the kids are fighting crime now, to make up for the bad stuff their moms and dads did. Chris Powell suggests the alternative theory that they could just be eliminating their competition, so they can pick up where The Pride left off.
Mickey then informs the group that, either way, an anonymous donor promised to give them one million dollars if they get the kids safely off the streets. Phil didn’t believe it, but they’ve already received a $10,000 cashier’s check in advance. Chamber is annoyed by this. He thought they were pro bono. He doesn’t miss Gen X, but at least they never heroed for dollars. Johnny agrees, and he asks Phil how they know their mystery benefactor isn’t some old friend of The Pride, looking to get payback on their kids?
Mickey assures them that he didn’t ask them to murder the kids. By all accounts, this is just a Good Samaritan who wants to help kids like them get into healthy, stable environments. Phil adds that all the money will go into opening new branches of Excelsior. This would make it a national network helping recovering teens all across the country; not a third-rate support group that has to meet in his cousin’s garage.
Johnny wonders what they’ll do if and when they finally track down the runaways. They ran once, and probably won’t surrender without a fight. Phil says his old Green Goblin armor is toast, but Johnny still has his Ricochet gear, Chris has his Darkhawk amulet and Mickey can use her… Chris cuts in and asks him to back up there. He thought the whole point of this outfit was to help them adjust to not being vigilantes anymore. Mickey replies absolutely - but she thinks the end justifies the means here.
Phil tells them that, if they don their costumes one last time, they can help ensure that no minor will ever wear one again. The team reluctantly agrees to their proposal. Phil will coordinate their movements from his office while they spread out and start canvassing. Their runaways are probably operating underground but, sooner or later, they’ll have to come up for air.
(The La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles)
Underneath the exhibit, the kids are standing around the deceased body of Gertrude Yorkes’ older self. Gert thinks they should bury her. Whoever she was, she’s gone now. Chase looks up at her, and reminds her that they saw her step out of her parents’ Back to the Future machine. “This is you! Look at her!” Gert still doesn’t believe the whole story, wondering if it might be a trap their parents left for them before they died. It could be a clone, or a magic trick, or a… She’s clutching at straws.
Chase turns to Nico and asks her to use a spell and bring her back to life. Nico replies that she can’t. She already tried a resurrection enchantment. Karolina asks when? Who? Nico’s posture becomes all defensive, as she replies that it was right after they defeated The Pride. She tried to save Alex. Chase can’t believe it. She wasted something like that on the kid who betrayed them? Nico creates a glowing red image of Alex in the palm of her hand. She says he was terrible to them, but he didn’t deserve death. She doesn’t really want to go into her reasoning, and the image fades as she tells them it doesn’t matter now. The spell didn’t work. Even the Staff of One has its limits.
Molly asks if she can at least tell them where the older Gert came from. Nico doesn’t really know, but she’ll give it a try. She kneels beside the deceased Gert, and covers her eyes with her fingers. She holds the Staff of One above her, and says “flashback.”
(flashback)
Amongst the ruins of a building, with fallen masonry lying all around her, Gert cries, “Avengers Assemble.” She looks over at her colleagues, but no one responds to her call. There are four Avengers visible amongst the ruins. A blonde wearing white lies face down, whilst another with two large horns extending from the forehead remains trapped under a block of concrete. The Scorpion and Captain America, still holding a sword, remain motionless. She calls for them again, but Hisako appears behind her and tells her, “I’m sorry Heroine. For what it’s worth, you led them well. Your team lasted longer than my X-Men did.”
Gert can’t believe it. She trusted Victor; she loved him. Hisako replies that they all did. Now, they get to die for their mistake. He’s on his way back now, and her armor won’t withstand another… Gert sits up, and tells her, no; there’s still a chance. Hisako says she’s dreaming. They can’t stop Victorious. Their traitorous opponent appears above them, blue energy crackling from each hand. No, he agrees; but won’t it be fun to try?
(present)
Nico comes back to reality with a start. Gert asks what she saw, and Nico replies that she’s seen the truth. She wasn’t lying. This really is Gert - in a couple of decades, anyway. She was attacked by someone called Victorious. He… He was horrible.
Chase looks at the photograph of Victor Mancha. It looks like they have to waste him before he offs Gert. Gert replies by asking when. Twenty years from now? Even if this kid is going to be evil, that doesn’t mean he’s evil today. Karolina reminds them that Gert’s older self did say that Victor’s father was a villain; the greatest evil in the universe. Nico says their parents weren’t exactly saints, and they turned out all right – most of them anyway.
Molly wonders if his dad could be Voldemort. Chase points out that he isn’t real. This psycho’s probably the son of the devil, or Dracula. Whatever, he adds; he thinks they should find the kid and play a few rounds of ‘who’s your daddy’ with his face. Nico brings some reason back to the conversation. She tells them that violence just causes more violence. If they’re not careful, they could end up creating the monster they’re trying to destroy.
(East Angeles High School)
It’s a sunny day, and football practice is in full swing. Victor and his friend, Jorge, are relaxing on the benches, with Jorge reeling from Victor’s latest news. Victor’s mom thinks the place is too dangerous and wants to move. Jorge asks if it’s just because the school is going to install metal detectors. Victor replies that she’s been that way ever since what happened to his old man when he was little. She just doesn’t want to lose another one of her guys.
Jorge asks who’s gonna try out for the archery team with him if he leaves. Victor asks since when was he into bows and arrows? Since forever, he replies. Hawkeye was always his favorite Avenger. Victor thinks he’s jumping on the bandwagon. He didn’t like start liking the guy ‘til he died. He did the same thing with Tupac. Jorge asks what? Can’t he give respect to the big H? Sure, replies Victor, but he was no Captain America. Hawkeye was a bad guy before he joined the Avengers. He thinks he probably did some good in his time, but doubts he ever stepped down from being a hood. It’s like his mom says. People never really change that much. “When you grow up, you usually stay…”
Jorge interjects, and calls for him to look. They both arch their necks skywards, and see the Leapfrog descending at speed. As it lands, Gert gets on the P.A system and calls for the jock’s attention. They’re looking for one of their classmates named Victor Mancha. If they tell them where he is, they can return to their meaningless ball game.
Jorge says they’re talking about him. The mothership’s come to take him home. Victor says for the last time, he isn’t an… alien? He is surprised by the appearance of Karolina, standing before him with her body running through the whole spectrum of colors. She asks him not to freak out, but they tracked him using an old yearbook photo. “We just want to talk to you about…” Without warning, Victor screams, “Get away from me!” Blue energy crackles from his mouth as he speaks and, subconsciously, he bends the benches they were sitting on and creates a hand, around twenty feet across. With this, he swats Karolina like a bug. Jorge is astonished, and asks how he did that. Victor honestly doesn’t have a clue, and looks at his hands.
(The Los Angeles Times)
Meanwhile, Phil Urich is sat at his desk, and speaking with Excelsior’s mystery benefactor. Gert’s face is on his computer monitor. He informs Phil that his group’s name is just another word for woodchip shavings. Phil thinks his voice is kinda familiar, and asks if they’ve talked before. The stranger doesn’t remember that happening, but says he’s run into a few of his kind in his day. He calls for Phil to get his crew on the horn and tell ‘em he has a lead on their young charges’ whereabouts. Phil is about to ask why he doesn’t deal with it himself, but the stranger says that this is the problem with his generation. They’re all talk and no action.
(East Angeles High School)
As Karolina flies through the air, the other runaways emerge from the ‘Frog. Victor doesn’t know what’s going on, but tells Jorge to get to safety. If anything happens to him, he should tell his mom… he’s sorry. Jorge is about to argue, but Victor just tells him to go.
Chase is up for some action, but Nico tells him that if he wants to help, he should go check on Karolina. Molly reckons they have enough girl power to handle this loser. Victor puts his hands in the air, and says he gives up. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He wonders who they are, and asks if they’re the Young Avengers he’s been reading about. Gert doesn’t appreciate the accusation. “Ick. I should make Old Lace rip out your liver for that!” She informs him they’re not superheroes. Victor is just trying to get over the fact she has a dinosaur with her named Old Lace. Gert tells him it used to make sense… sort of.
Nico asks him to stay calm, and everything will be fine. Victor hasn’t a clue what this is all about, and asks them if he’s a mutant. “You wish,” replies Molly. Victor asks her to step back; he can’t control himself. Without thinking, he summons power into his right hand and hurls Molly towards the goalposts. Nico counters with the Staff of One, and shouts, “Rockstars!”
Unfortunately, her attack doesn’t affect Victor as he leaps clear of danger. Instead, it strikes Old Lace, who roars. Gert, who feels the pain her dinosaur feels, screams and covers her ears. Victor lands, and asks if they saw how high he jumped. Nico says yeah, and asks if he saw how high her stilettos are. Before he can answer, she uses her staff to swing towards him, connecting with his jaw and knocking him unconscious.
The kids are fine, despite Molly’s hair standing on end due the static shock she received from Victor. Nico asks Chase to fire up the Leapfrog, while she figures out what to do with the boy. A voice suddenly comes from nowhere. “What you’re going to do is keep your hands to yourself, sister…” She turns to see Excelsior waiting to confront them. “And start acting your age,” adds Turbo.


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True Believers - chapter three
With the newly formed Excelsior face to face with the Runaways, Mickey Musashi knows that a confrontation should be avoided at all costs. She informs them that their organization was founded to help kids like them. Gert checks out their costumes, and asks if they’re a Christian glam band. “Like Stryper?” adds Nico. Victor Mancha recognizes them, and introduces them to the Runaways; all except for Ricochet, who he fails to pin down. “Aw, that is cold, dude,” replies Ricochet.
Mickey asks why Nico doesn’t let the charmingly boyish civilian go, so they can work this out for themselves. Nico replies that he’s not a civilian. The kid has powers, and he’s a murderer. Victor says that’s a lie, but Karolina reminds him that he hasn’t killed anyone yet - but he will. Mickey tells the Runaways that they have no interest in fighting them, and instead asks for lines of communication to be opened. She wants to find out what they need to do to make them feel more comfortable. Without warning, she is struck down with a green laser blast from above.
Suddenly, the Leapfrog arrives, piloted as always by Chase Stein. Excelsior is wiped out in one foul swoop. Chase gets on the P.A., like an excited schoolboy “Check it! Did you guys know the Leapfrog had lasers? It’s got lasers! Nico ushers Victor inside the ‘Frog, figuring they have no choice but to take him with them. Karolina reminds her that last time they brought a boy back to the hostel, he tried to eat them. Victor perks up at the thought, but Nico warns him not to get any ideas.
Gert tells Chase that they’re ready to go, but Chase is still amazed that the machine has lasers. Off they go, jumping high into the air, leaving behind five dejected superheroes that just got schooled by a bunch of freshmen. Turbo wants to follow them, but Chamber informs them that, unless they’re taking the bus, they can count him out. Mickey says she needs him, but Jono points out that their group has only got three fliers. That means one of them will have to carry him around by his stinking pits. It happens in super-teams all the time, he explains, and guys like him always end up looking like complete gits. He wants to refuse, but soon gives in and acknowledges that it’s something he must do, but he adds that if Darkhawk touches him, he’s breaking his arm.
The Leapfrog travels over a residential district, causing a minor car crash below. It isn’t cloaked, and Chase thinks the invisibility doojammer is all crunked out. He guesses he accidentally transferred the last of their juice to the weapons systems. Nico points out that it’s the middle of the afternoon. How are they supposed to get back to their hideout without everyone seeing them? “Lasers…?” replies Chase, meekly.
Victor informs them that, if they are looking for ransom money, they nabbed the wrong guy. His mom is a single parent working three jobs. She barely scrapes by. Gert tells him that it was a nice try, but they know his father is a super-villain. Victor asks what that’s supposed to mean. His father is dead! “Whoops,” says Molly. Karolina tells her that their parents are dead, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t super-villains.
Victor becomes a little agitated. Small emissions of energy spark from his mouth as he tells the Runaways that his dad was a hero who died defending their country. Gert asks him to take it easy, or they’ll be picking him out of tomorrow’s raptor droppings. Victor replies that Old Lace is not a Velociraptor. Gert takes a sideways glance at her companion. “She’s not?” Victor reckons she’s way too big. She looks more like a Deinonychus with a pedicure. Hasn’t she ever been to a science museum before? Gert whispers to Old Lace that at least she’s gonna get killed by her equal.
Victor’s mom is rightly concerned for his safety and whereabouts. She asks a detective at East Angeles High School where he is, and the hapless detective tells her that being hysterical isn’t going to help Victor right now. They’ve notified the police and Homeland Security, who are doing all they can. Victor’s friend, Jorge, appears, and Mrs. Mancha asks him what happened. He informs her that it was crazy. These freaks showed up and started throwing down on Vic, but he gave as good as he got in return. She asks him what he’s talking about. Jorge explains that Victor was super fast and super strong, and he just waved his hand to make the bleachers curl up like a giant fist. “It was a miracle.” Mrs. Mancha holds a gold cross hanging around her neck between her fingers.
Excelsior is airborne, and in pursuit of the clearly visible Leapfrog. Chamber isn’t a happy bunny. Phil Urich contacts Turbo through a speaker in her helmet, and tells her that wire services report an unidentified craft headed over Studio City. She can see ‘em already, and she asks Phil to tell their anonymous benefactor that they plan to follow the kids back to their home base, and complete their assignment. Before she finishes her sentence, Darkhawk unexpectedly attacks the Leapfrog, zapping its roof. Mickey asks him what on Earth he’s doing - “They’re children!” Chris replies that so was every little psycho who ever brought a gun to school. He’s done pulling punches.
Chase struggles to maintain control of the ‘Frog. He tells the Runaways to hang on. They’re going down hard. In a studio below them, a director is going through a scene with his actors. They’re filming a sci-fi adventure and, as they stand before a green screen, he asks them to look at tennis balls held by people wearing green, and try to look scared. They’ll add the spaceships later. Before he can say action, the Leapfrog comes crashing through the roof forcing the crew to run for their lives. They look scared all right.
The craft lands with a thump, but everyone is safe. A little guy in a droid costume narrowly avoids being crushed to death beneath the ‘Frog’s legs. Unfortunately, Chase points out that the crash appears to have knocked the ‘Frog offline. Nico tells him she’ll try and deal with the ‘truancy cops’ and asks him to keep an eye on their prisoner. Chase stands and tells her that their psycho killer ain’t going anywhere. Victor asks what his power is. Chase produces a flick-knife and sniks it open. “A poor upbringing,” he replies.
Excelsior has followed the ‘Frog through the gaping hole in the studio roof. Nico doesn’t plan on allowing them any time to formulate a plan, and holds her Staff of One out in front of her. The staff glows as she says, “You suck.” Turbo’s wrist turbines turn in on themselves, and begin to suck in everything around them. She has no time to turn them off before they explode, shocking her almost into unconsciousness. Darkhawk puts his arm around her shoulder and takes command, ordering Chamber to secure Molly, Ricochet to handle dino girl and Lightspeed to tackle Karolina. “The goth chick is mine!”
Ricochet is quick, and is on Gert in no time. As he approaches, he asks if she hasn’t seen The Lost World? Raptors officially stopped being scary after that stupid kid used gymnastics to take one down. Gert replies that she isn’t a Raptor, but before she finishes her sentence, she is caught by one of Ricochet’s discs square in the jaw. Sitting on top of Old Lace, it doesn’t take him too long to take care of her too.
Chamber approaches the much smaller Molly, and asks her not to be scared. He’s got a pretty strict policy against harming helpless little birds like her. Molly points at him, and asks who he thinks he’s fooling with his fakey accent. Jono isn’t impressed with her attitude and prepares to let her have it. Lightspeed and Karolina come face to face, but before Julie can finish her initial warning, Karolina throws her completely by telling her she looks really really pretty. Julie stops and thanks her for the compliment, saying Karolina is pretty too. “I like the way her hair glows and…”
Before they can even think back to what they’re supposed to be doing, Chamber comes crashing between them, knocking them both off balance. Karolina admonishes Molly for interrupting their chat and Molly apologizes, but adds that the flaming trenchcoat guy was trying to burn her with his face.
Not far away, the more aggressive Darkhawk approaches Nico, and calls her ‘the Wicked Witch with her black clothes and her dark arts.’ Nico warns the ‘tin man’ not to take another stop or she’ll unleash a lot worse than flying monkeys. Darkhawk asks if she thinks this is all harmless fun before grabbing her firmly around the throat and lifting her off the ground. Johnny asks him to ease up. They’ve got things under control. He sits on the helpless Old Lace, whose mouth he’s tied up with his bolas.
Chris replies that she has to learn that everything has a cost. The things you do when you’re young always catch up with you. He adds that what she’s playing with now will eat away at her soul until there’s nothing. Turbo’s had enough, and informs Chris that he’s way out of line. She orders him to stand down, and Chris duly releases his grip. He replies that Nico could have killed her, and asks what else they’re going to let her get away with.
Michiko responds to that by delivering a right cross which surprises Chris. She tells him to snap out of it. They’re here to protect the next generation, not obliterate it. Chris straightens his helmet. “Don’t you ever… lay a finger… on me! He delivers a blast of energy from his chest plate which catches Mickey full on, sending her flying backwards. Molly looks on at the infighting, and wonders, “These guys are heroes?” Karolina replies no; they’re adults. She asks her to grab Gert and Old Lace while she helps Nico.
Inside the Leapfrog, Chase tells Victor Mancha that much as he wants to slice him open, if they want to get out of there alive, he’s gonna need his mutant mojo. Victor replies that he’s only had his powers for, like, fifteen minutes, and besides, why should he help him? Chase replies that if he doesn’t, they’ll leave him behind with them. Victor looks outside to see Turbo and Darkhawk going at it hammer and tongs as Ricochet tries in vain to stop them. Chase has a point.
The Runaways board their craft, as Ricochet calls for a time out. One more punch from either of his comrades and he drops a blackout disc on both of them. Turbo and Darkhawk cease hostilities, and Chris apologizes. He doesn’t know what happened. He saw so much of Nico in himself that he just lost it. Mickey says it’s her fault. He had said he wasn’t ready for this, and she should never have asked him to suit up again.
Elsewhere, Chamber helps Julie recover, whilst pleased to see that ‘mom and dad’ have finally stopped knocking the tar out of each other. But, he adds, did someone forget to keep an eye on the rugrats? Amongst the ruins of the studio, with the diminutive actor still lying there inside the droid costume, there is a gaping space where the Leapfrog used to be.
As the evening draws in, the now cloaked Leapfrog bounds across Los Angeles. Nico congratulates Chase on his good work, and Chase readily acknowledges that he’s a genius. He forced ‘static cling lad’ to zap the console and he shocked the motherboard thingee back to life. Victor sits besides Gert who has an ice pack pushed against her forehead where Ricochet’s disc hit. He asks if they’re even, and if they can let him go. “Not quite yet, Man of La Mancha,” replies Gert, “Let’s talk about your future.”
At the home of Marianella Mancha, she sits in her room, chatting on the phone. She asks the person on the other end for help. “I told you never to contact me,” he replies. Marianella tells him it’s Victor. He’s gone. The stranger is surprised, and asks how. Marianella tells him that something terrible has happened; something that triggered his… She is told not to say another word. He’s on his way to her now. She asks if he’s coming to Los Angeles, and if that’s the best thing for Victor. Of course he’s sure, he answers; Father knows best.