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Portals of Power, part 3: Doorway to Doom
‘How do I get myself into these situations!’ Chris Powell a.k.a. the armored hero, Darkhawk, thinks to himself as he struggles to hold up a very large billboard that has been dropped towards him, while civilians below - in danger of being crushed - rush about in a panic. ‘The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants escape, and they take the guy I came to find - Portal - with them - and leave me with an armful of billboard to contend with!’ Chris recalls, hoping that he can just give it one good push over the side and away from the gawkers below before it falls on them. Thankfully, Darkhawk manages to do so, but now before the ledge he is standing on collapses, and Chris starts to fall towards the people below, so he uses his cable-claw, extending it, it latches onto a nearby rooftop, and he lowers himself safely to the ground.
The billboard slams to the ground an instant later, but Darkhawk sees that they are all safe, as if he. ‘Can’t say the same about that Sleepwalker character - not after he cut out on me when I needed him most’ Chris thinks to himself, deciding that next time he sees Sleepwalker, he will learn that that Darkhawk doesn’t forget - or forgive.
Elsewhere, ‘It worked! I have found the hideout of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants by following them through the dimensional door that Portal opened for their escape’ Sleepwalker thinks to himself as he stands behind a corner so that the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants - Toad, Blob, Phantazia, Pyro and Sauron - don’t see him.
 ‘A fat load of good your mind control powers are, Sauron!’ Pyro snaps, shaking his fist at the dinosaur-like mutant. Sauron was supposed to order Portal to teleport them to a government weapons factory in Washington state where they could have stolen enough firepower to make all the X-teams a bloody memory. ‘Instead, Portal planted us in the middle of Manhattan! You screwed up!’ Pyro exclaims.
The hideous Blob agrees, and declares that Pyro is right - Portal couldn’t have picked a better spot for attracting super heroes than Time Square, which is the last thing they wanted to do. ‘Let’s waste the sucker’ Blob suggests. Sauron points out that Portal did get rid of Spider-Man, as he commanded. Sauron adds that they can’t afford to give up on Portal so soon, as he is potentially too valuable an asset.
‘And with his dimension-travelling powers Portal may be my only hope for returning to my home dimension, the Mindscape!’ Sleepwalker thinks to himself, deciding that he must save Portal. Suddenly the Blob shouts, ‘He may be valuable to you - to me he’s an armor-plated punching bag!’ as he punches Portal over.
As Portal gets up, he looks towards Sleepwalker, who is crouched around the corner. Sleepwalker worries that Portal has seen him, but Portal turns and walks back to the Brotherhood, as if Sleepwalker wasn’t there. However, Sleepwalker supposes that under mind control, all of Portal’s actions must be dictated by Sauron. ‘Keep your fleshy fists off him or I’ll slice you up and serve you on toast, mammal!’ Sauron threatens as he lashes out at the Blob, much to the delight of Toad and Pyro, who grin wickedly. But eventually, Toad tells them that is enough, and suggests they run more tests on Portal before they decide whether to try another dimensional jump - or kill him.
Suddenly, Sleepwalker begins to fade away, and he realizing that his human host, Rick, must be waking, so he is being pulled back into Rick’s mind. Indeed, Rick sits up in bed as his clock flashes that it is seven AM. He switches the alarm off and tells himself that he could have used another hour. At the same time, the enigmatic Phantazia notices a wisp of smoke where Sleepwalker was hiding. Toad tells the only female member of the team that it is a mere atmospheric aberration, and that she need only concern herself with the matter at hand and nothing else.
Meanwhile, in another dimension, Peter Parker the Amazing / Spectacular / Sensational Spider-Man finds himself attacked by strange beings. He narrowly dodges energy blasted by one being, while exclaiming that he doesn’t know where Portal sent him, but that this sure isn’t Disneyland. ‘You fellas sure know how to make a stranger in these parts feel unwelcome!’ Spider-Man calls out, while jokingly asking them if they aren’t worried they will lose the tourist biz? As another beam is blasted at him, Peter tells himself that he can’t keep avoiding their eye-beams forever, so he needs to find a way out of here, or hope that Sleepwalker and Darkhawk find one for him.
That day, in a Brooklyn tenement on planet Earth: ‘I’ll have that bannister repaired in no time, Mr Epstein’ Rick Sheridan calls out as he sits on the tenement’s internal staircase with his toolkit. ‘Don’t forget to check the boiler next’ grumpy Mr Epstein mutters. ‘No problem’ Rick replies, before turning to his dog, Rambo, and asking him if he thinks he has changed Mr Epstein’s mind about him. Rambo the dog just growls. ‘Maybe yes, maybe no, eh? I hope so’ Rick remarks, reminding his dog that he needs this job as super of Epstein’s building and the free apartment that comes with it. Suddenly, ‘Excuse me’ a voice calls out, and Rick turns around, and falls off the stairs. Standing over him is a woman wearing only a bikini top and jean shorts, she asks ‘Can I help you up…or would you prefer to worship at my feet?’
‘Nothing against your feet, I’m sure they’re very nice - but I’d rather know your name’ Rick replies, as he introduces himself. The woman introduces herself as Janine and explains that she has just moved in. Rick gets up and points out that he is the super, so he should have known if an apartment was available and someone was moving in. ‘I bet there’s a lot you don’t know’ Janine replies. ‘What?’ Rick asks. ‘I mean about me’ Janine tells him. Rick suggests that they could try to change that, and as she opens the copy of the Daily Bugle newspaper she is holding, Janine explains that she was on her way to the park to look at the want ads, but she decides that can wait.
However, as Rick sees the front page article which states that Spider-Man has disappeared and Sleepwalker and Darkhawk are suspects, Rick changes his mind and tells Janine that he is busy, with work to do. Janine tells Rick that she understands, and starts off down the street. ‘But…how’s tomorrow afternoon?’ Rick calls out. Janine tells him that she will be here at four tomorrow and will see him then. ‘Whew! I almost blew it! But I gotta find out what’s going on between Sleepy and Spidey before I do anything else’ Rick decides.
Minutes later, in his room, Rick takes off his shoes, and asks his dog if he thinks Janine is hiding something. The dog barks, and Rick mutters ‘That obvious, huh’, but he knows he can’t worry about that now, as he has to doze off and get Sleepy out here. He lays back on his bed, hands behind his head, he hopes that the relaxation techniques he has been practicing pay off.  And, soon, Sleepwalker emerges, deciding that this is a most unusual time for Rick to fall asleep. Sleepwalker sees that Rick has left a message, that says “turn on machine”, and pressing the answer machine on, Sleepwalker receives a message from Rick - ‘I heard about the trouble Spider-Man is in, Sleepy. If there’s anything you can do to help him, then do it! And hurry - I’m not real tired and could wake up any moment!’
Later, at a radio station where Chris Powell works, Traci Lords tells Chris that he has been here since the crack of dawn, so he should go home and get some rest. As he looks into the sound booth where an announcer is speaking, Chris claims that he is working on a school project. ‘But it’s summer -’ Traci points out, as Chris listens to the announcer report that the mysterious Sleepwalker has been spotted floating above Times Square. ‘That’s the kinda news I’ve been waiting to hear!’ Chris decides, before ducking into a nearby alley, he then grasps a glowing amulet, and transforms into the intrepid Darkhawk.
At Times Square, ‘Okay, Sleepwalker, you have got a lot of explaining to do!’ Darkhawk exclaims as he appears overhead, a crowd of civilians, and Police officers, gathering below. ‘No one pulls the kind of stunt you pulled on me and gets away with it!’ Darkhawk calls out. ‘Not even a big, green alien like you!’ Darkhawk adds. Sleepwalker sees the young hero, and dodges his lunge. ‘I did not come here to fight you! I just wanted to get your attention!’ Sleepwalker calls out. ‘Huh?’ Darkhawk asks. Sleepwalker explains that he had complete confidence that Darkhawk could handle the falling billboard on his own, which is why he left him and went in pursuit of Portal. ‘You did handle it, did you not?’ Sleepwalker asks. ‘Well, yes, but -’ Darkhawk begins. ‘As I expected. Now. On to the matter at hand’ Sleepwalker declares.
He projects beams from his eye, which display an image from his memory - the view from the hideout where the Brotherhood is hiding Portal. Sleepwalker explains that he was hoping Darkhawk would recognize the view, as he does not. Darkhawk announces that it looks like it is along the Hudson River, near the West Side Highway. Sleepwalker starts to warp the air and create a wind funnel, so they can proceed there without delay. Pushed along by the wind funnel, Darkhawk tells Sleepwalker that he sure knows how to travel in style.
Elsewhere, ‘Patience, Blob! My tests on Portal are almost finished!’ the Toad exclaims, when suddenly, ‘And so are you, Toad!’ Darkhawk exclaims as he and Sleepwalker crash through the window of the Brotherhood’s hideout. Sleepwalker suggests that the Brotherhood surrenders Portal to them, or else suffer the consequences. ‘You’ll be the only ones doing any suffering around here, mate!’ Pyro exclaims has he casts flame towards Darkhawk, who easily blocks the flame with his shield, and tells Pyro that the flames can’t get through his shield. ‘But they can sure get around them!’ Pyro boasts, as he manuevers the flame around Darkhawk’s shield. The young hero screams in pain, realizing that Pyro must have anticipated the shield, that he must have learned from the last time they fought.
‘You are a fool, Sleepwalker! Humans hate you even more than they hate us mutants…yet you fight on their side!’ Toad exclaims as he lunges at Sleepwalker and latches his hands onto his face. ‘It is evil I fight against!’ Sleepwalker calls out. ‘A fatal mistake!’ Toad tells him, as he starts to release a gunk from his hands. ‘My face - it grows numb!’ Sleepwalker realizes, as Toad explains that it is merely the effect of his paralysing secretions, and that soon the rest of his body will grow still as well. ‘How will he know the pain of my claws ripping the flesh from his skull, Toad, if he cannot feel it?’ Sauron asks as he flies towards them, as Darkhawk calls out ‘That’s no longer your concern, Sauron!’ as he moves down and grabs Pyro’s hand, aiming the flame right at Sauron, who cries out in agony. ‘No! You redirected my flame!’ Pyro exclaims, as Sauron thrashes about - and rakes Toad’s back with his claws.
Toad keels over, ‘My back! Sauron, you idiot!’ Toad gasps, before Sleepwalker manages to throw Toad off of him, and into Pyro, suggesting that they discuss their problems together. ‘Don’tcha know nothing, Pyro? When you fight a guy who’s a walking tin can - you gotta use a can opener!’ Blob laughs as he punches Darkhawk backwards, then picks up a large metal beam, ready to use it on Darkhawk, until Sleepwalker clings to it, telling the Blob that he will not be on his feet long enough to get the chance. ‘Ha ha! You trying to move me?’ Blob asks, unimpressed, before boasting that he is immovable, Blob flings the metal beam downwards, causing Sleepwalker to crash into the floorboards. Phantazia announces that she has Sleepwalker in sight, and uses her power to disrupt his flight capabilities. The Blob exclaims that Phantazia is a disruptive li’l gal, to which Darkhawk declares ‘Not after she gets a dose of Darkhawk blast!’ and he fires energies at Phantazia, knocking her back.
The Blob declares that he and Darkhawk have some unfinished business and he tries to attack him with the beam, but Sleepwalker uses his powers on it, and the beam suddenly wraps around the Blob, trapping the behemoth. Sauron flits about and orders Portal to get them out of here, to teleport them to back-up base 2B, and to hurry. With a thought, the mesmerized mutant rips a hole in the air, and the beaten Brotherhood plunges through it. ‘I don’t care where you guys are going…as long as you go…and don’t take Portal with you!’ Darkhawk exclaims as he extends his claw-cable, which latches onto Portal, and pulls him away from the Brotherhood, as the warp closes. Sleepwalker then slams his fist into Portal’s face and announces that he will not be going anywhere.
Soon, at the laboratory of Dr Charles Warren Fong, Sleepwalkers points out that the doctor’s expertise is in optics, and explains they are hoping they can use his knowledge to overcome the mind control that Portal has been subjected to. Dr Fong replies that he has never attempted anything like this before, but that theoretically it is possible. Bright lights dance about, and a moment later, Portal utters ‘What happened?’, to which Dr Fong reports that the treatment seems to have worked. Portal thanks Dr Fong, and starts to leave, but Darkhawk asks him where he thinks he is going. ‘Away from here - and you two!’ Portal replies. ‘Some gratitude - if it wasn’t for Sleepwalker, you’d still be the Brotherhood’s personal chauffeur!’ Darkhawk remarks.
Portal explains that he resisted them the best he could, and that when he was ordered to take them to a weapons factory, he took them to Times Square instead, hoping to attract the attention of some super heroes. ‘It worked, didn’t it?’ Portal points out. ‘That maybe so, but you still needed our help to free you’ Darkhawk reminds him. Since Sleepwalker arranged to de-control Portal, he offers to grant them one favor, but then he is outta here. ‘You wanted me to send you back to the Mindscape, right?’ Portal asks. ‘Yes’ Sleepwalker confirms, but adds that was before Portal banished Spider-Man, and now he wants Portal to return the hero to them.
Minutes later, atop of a building, Portal begins to open a warp, and reports that he tossed Spider-Man into a nasty place known as the Dark Dimension. ‘No guarantee there’s anything left of him to bring back’ Portal adds. ‘For your sake, pray there is’ Sleepwalker warns Portal, when suddenly, ‘What trickery is this? Who are these creatures, Portal?’ Sleepwalker asks, as several strange beings appear, beams blasting from their eyes. Portal reveals that they are Mindless Ones - murderous brutes who roam the Dark Dimension, destroying all in their path. ‘This is one path that’s closed!’ Darkhawk declares as he punches one of them in the face, suggesting to Sleepwalker that they knock them back where they came from. The heroes attack the Mindless Ones, with Sleepwalker shouting ‘Begone, monsters! There is no place on this world for evil such as yours!’
One of the Mindless Ones is not blasting any eye-beams, but as Darkhawk and Sleepwalker try to apprehend the monster, it mumbles something at them. Sleepwalker points out that this one is much more difficult to handle than the others, so they need to render him unconscious. He manages to grab the creature by its ankle, when suddenly, ‘Who you talking about rendering, bug-eyes?’ Spider-Man asks, as he emerges from the webbing that he had wrapped around himself, giving him the monstrous appearance. ‘Spider-Man! We did not know it was you!’ Sleepwalker calls out. Spider-Man explains that he covered himself with webbing to help shield himself from his playmates’ blasts, not to be attacked by the two of them. He then kicks one of the Mindless Ones back through the warp. ‘Remember to write!’ he jokes, before reporting that that was the last of them, and telling Portal to close the warp. Before he does, Portal leaps into the warp. ‘Where’re you going?’ Spider-Man asks. Portal points out that he has fulfilled his part of the bargain and that he has no desire to deal with them, the so-called “heroes” any loner, before bidding them farewell.
‘We can’t let him leave like that! I thought he was going to help you figure out where your armor came from, Darkhawk!’ Spider-Man exclaims Darkhawk explains that Portal had a deal with Sleepwalker, and that he did his part. ‘What was that? Giving Handsome a one-way ticket back to the Mindscape?’ Spider-Man asks. Darkhawk explains that that would have been the deal, if Sleepwalker hadn’t asked for Portal to return him here instead. ‘Oh’ Spider-Man mumbles, embarrassed, before swinging away on some webbing, he declares that he has to go, as there is a big webbed foot that needs removing from his mouth!
Darkhawk thanks Sleepwalker, who points out that even humans like Spider-Man find it difficult to trust him. ‘I’m sure if he got to know you better…he’d trust you just fine’ Darkhawk replies, before telling Sleepwalker that he hopes he gets home someday. ‘And I hope you learn the secret of your armor’ Sleepwalker replies, before they go their separate ways.
Early evening, the next day in Chinatown, Rick and Janine walk down the street, arm around each other, Rick asks Janine what she thought about the Wok Around the Clock noodle shop. ‘What do you think I think, Rick? I ate enough for two!’ Janine replies. ‘I think you liked it’ Rick smiles. ‘As much as the company?’ Janine asks. ‘One way to find out…’ Rick tells her, as they lean in to kiss each other. They kiss, and then Rick notices something out of the corner of his eye - several thugs have approached them. ‘Stay where you are!’ one of them shouts, while another declares that they are not looking to hurt anyone. Rick tells Janine to keep cool, and assures her that he will get them out of this. ‘It’s too early to call it a night’ Rick points out, when suddenly, as the thugs surround him, Janine tells Rick that he is wrong, and that it is later than he thinks….


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Rest in Peace
A dead-end alley in New York City’s Chinatown…
Surrounded by the intimidating, rough-looking members of a Chinese street gang, Rick Sheridan wonders what these people want. Addressing him as Mr. Sheridan, Janine Epstein, Rick’s date and apparent mastermind of this scheme, explains to him it’s very simple: they want Rick to come with them! Rick is dumbfounded: he thought they were on a first name basis – after all, she is his date for the evening. He guesses there’s a lot about her he got wrong.
Rick shouts he declines the offer and uses his elbow to give one of the men a poke in the face. One of the men retorts that Rick is making this unnecessarily difficult and tries to grab him. Rick suggests they let him simplify things, then! As Rick avoids several of the attacks launched against him by his assailants, Janine believes he delays the inevitable: they don’t have time for this! In an instant, she punches him in the face and Rick collapses, semi-unconscious. Janine orders the men to bring him along.
Minutes later, in a nearby basement room…
Rick, now fully conscious, is led into the room by two of the men. Janine welcomes him to the headquarters of the Green Dragons. Rick remarks that Janine is full of surprises tonight. He would never have guessed she was the leader of a Chinese street gang! Janine denies this allegation but teases him she has another surprise. “You’re responsible for decorating this dump?” Rick sneers. Janine retorts that his resistance does not make this any easier. Rick encourages her to tell him; he’s full of ears; he loves surprises.
“It is not Janine who is now speaking,” she explains. She reveals that Janine is in a trance. In disbelief, Rick quips she has a pretty good left hook for someone in a trance. The individuals in possession of Janine Epstein’s body explain they animate the woman’s unconscious body and speak through her voice by mental projection. In fact, they’ve been controlling the Green Dragons, too. “What are you talking about?! They’re…” Rick protests and easily slips out of the men’s grasp, only to realize they’re frozen like statues! Janine’s possessors explain that their function was to bring Rick here, and they have fulfilled it… so they pulled out the men’s minds. The men are as they should be – in a trance. Now it’s his turn.
Perplexed, Rick wonders what they’re talking about. The persons hijacking Janine’s body clarify that they’ve been propping Rick up, too. They are withdrawing their support. Rick, too, will lapse into a trance. Only in this way can the Sleepwalker be released from his mind! Rick fiercely insists he won’t let them. Still, he quickly falls into unconsciousness and Sleepwalker, a being of unearthly power materializes, released from Rick’s body.
One of the people in control of Janine realizes that the sudden removal of their telepathic supports caused Rick to collapse. Another mind-possessor retorts there’s no evil: he’ll recover. Sleepwalker angrily hisses that this answer is unsatisfactory and demands “Janine” explain herself! “Janine” decides it’s time to shed their disguise…
Four astral forms appear before him, emanating from the entranced Janine’s body: Professor X, Jean Grey, Moondragon and Psylocke. Moondragon explains they are amongst the most powerful telepaths in the galaxy. Professor X clarifies that it is through mental projection they appear to him now. Psylocke further explains that they had used their powers to take control of this woman, as well as the street gang, as a means of making contact with Sleepwalker. Sleepwalker understandably wonders what makes him worthy of so great an effort.
A glowering Professor X explains that, as the four of them speak, they sit in a spaceship hundreds of light years away. Along with many of the greatest heroes of Earth, they are locked in mortal combat with the Magus, a being of unspeakable evil who seeks to conquer the universe. Using science and magic, he attacks Earth even as they speak sending evil doubles – doppelgangers – of Earth’s heroes to their world.
Jean Grey reveals that the Magus has plunged the people of Earth into a trance. If they allow the trance to fully take hold, humanity will be lost to them forever! Xavier, however, believes that Sleepwalker is uniquely qualified to fight the Magus. As the creature of the mental plane, he is the ideal channel for their mental energies. Within Sleepwalker, they can focus their thoughts and project them to all the people on Earth. They can help them resist the trance – but first, Sleepwalker must agree to open his mind freely to them… without fear or doubt.
Sleepwalker realizes that’s why they didn’t have these youths knock Rick out as soon as they confronted him… they did not want to anger Sleepwalker. Still, Sleepwalker rejects their plea. Too often have humans sought to manipulate him for their own sinister ends. He will have no more of it! Distraught, Xavier stresses that Sleepwalker might be humanity’s last chance. Sleepwalker retorts that perhaps they are in league with this evil they describe… what proof does he have to the contrary? He decides he will discover the truth for himself and flies outside the building, soaring above the streets of New York.
Sleepwalker quickly realizes that all the people on the streets are petrified like statues. He finds this remarkably strange. It would seem that every soul on this planet has been entranced, presumably to facilitate a dreadful and all-encompassing takeover – as he who claimed to be Professor X stated. Looking up to the sky, where two moons now loom, he sees no way even a Sleepwalker like him can thwart this dark scheme.
Elsewhere, three of Magus’ monstrous doppelgangers – hideous versions of Beast, Daredevil and Firestar – patrol the entire city, moving from one rooftop to the next. Firestar’s double relishes in the realization that the whole world is theirs for the taking! The ersatz Daredevil reminds her of their present mission: to make sure no one resists the trance. Beast’s doppelganger flashes a nasty smile: it would be so much fun if some of them did; he’d love to bite the head off a few resisters! ‘Daredevil’ advises him to keep those teeth sharp and ready. He senses someone is awake not too far away.
Beast’s doppelganger reveals he senses something too… but it’s coming from ‘Firestar’! “You’re hot for my bod, ain’tcha, babe?!” ‘Beast’ boasts and squeezes her against his chest. “In your dreams, hairball!” ‘Firestar’ snarls and pushes him off of her, slightly frying him with her blasts. “That hurt. I like it,” ‘Beast’ bemoans. ‘Daredevil’ intervenes and binds them both together with his thorny rope. Pleasure before business, he reminds them, stressing that someone out there needs killing.
Minutes later, the three doppelgangers reach Chinatown. Beast’s doppelganger remarks there’s a lot of good eating around here! ‘Daredevil’ senses their prey is in this area, too. ‘Beast’ angrily snaps that the prey can wait; he’s hungry now! At once, he breaks through a butcher’s shop window and grasps a raw chicken! ‘Daredevil’ quips that a little snack wouldn’t hurt anyone… except perhaps the waiters! The three monsters quickly storm into a restaurant. Seeing ‘Beast’ devouring the chicken, ‘Firestar’ exclaims he is such a savage; didn’t he even bother to cook that chicken before he ate it? ‘Beast’, on the other hand, wonders why he should treat it any different than he would a person!
Simultaneously, soaring above the city, Sleepwalker discerns smoke coming from somewhere nearby – the restaurant. He finds this a sure sign of trouble – which means his services are required.
In the restaurant, the three beasts are dining, amidst a crowd of entranced customers and staff. Still devouring his chicken, the fake Beast asks ‘Firestar’ to pass him the soy sauce! ‘Firestar’ wonders: didn’t he put enough on that drumstick already? ‘Beast’ clarifies he wants it for the babe sitting next to him – an entranced woman, sitting around a table.
“Incoming!” the Daredevil doppelganger shouts as his radar forewarns him of an imminent danger. Sleepwalker crashes the party and punches ‘Daredevil’, proclaiming that their savagery ends now! “But we haven’t even finished our dinner, stranger!” the Beast doppelganger protests. Sleepwalker corrects him: his name is Sleepwalker! ‘Firestar’ believes Sleepwalker should be taught some manners! ‘Daredevil’, however, doubts their visitor will live long enough to learn much of anything! He senses Sleepwalker doesn’t appear to be of this world – all the greater pity he should die defending it!
Avoiding ‘Firestar’s’ blasts and ‘Daredevil’s’ rope, Sleepwalker finds himself attacked by the grotesque Beast. ‘Beast’ confesses he always admired the way Chinese chefs handled their knives. “Think I have a future there, Sleepwalker?” he asks him – and then snatches dozens of knives with his dexterous toes and rapidly flings them away towards Sleepwalker. Fortunately, Sleepwalker grabs a table and uses it as a shield. Tossing the table aside, Sleepwalker realizes there are too many innocent, helpless people here who would get hurt.
Suddenly, ‘Firestar’ sneaks up on him. She taunts him; does he find the soft caress of a beautiful woman offensive? As she has a grip on him, ‘Daredevil’ asks her to hold him… there’s a point he wants to make! With this, he moves his skewer against Sleepwalker’s chest. Sleepwalker contemplates he must time this just right… And then, ‘Daredevil’ pierces through his chest, leaving Sleepwalker uttering a scream and collapsing to the floor. Enough with these games, the ersatz Daredevil proclaims – he senses another register nearby. ‘Beast’ argues he’s still hungry! ‘Daredevil’ assures him he can eat after they kill their prey!
After the three doppelgangers depart, Sleepwalker opens his eyes; he thought they would never leave. But at least his trick worked: they thought they had killed him when actually he had warp-beamed the skewer around his chest. It was the only way he could get them to think the battle was over and get them away from all these helpless people. He decides to put the flames on the restaurant out before he pursues the doppelgangers. As he does that, he contemplates that, so far, the evidence seems to support the telepaths’ theory; evil doubles of Earth’s heroes do seem to be roaming the world. Despite their savage appearance, he recognizes those doppelgangers from news reports he has seen of their human equivalents. Still, the telepaths could be setting him up for a trap. He has to find out more. And some pork rib bones may allow him the means to do so.
Meanwhile, a debate rages inside the entranced Janine’s mind – a debate among the telepaths. Moondragon insists they must find a way of convincing that arrogant alien to help them. Psylocke agrees. Every moment they inhabit this woman’s mind further endangers them. The forces of the Magus are bound to detect her! Xavier admits that perhaps she’s right. “Perhaps?!” Jean Grey gasps, surprised by Xavier’s hesitation. She protests they can’t shield the woman much longer; the psychic strain is too much! Moondragon reminds him they are at war. They must use their combined mental power to force Sleepwalker to cooperate. Xavier retorts that the situation requires patience, not force. At the moment, they’re unable to affect Sleepwalker. They must trust others to convince him on their behalf. But they must first drop their mental shields. Shocked by this suggestion, Jean alerts him that the forces of the Magus will find the girl. They would be exposing her to incredible risk. Xavier stresses that, as Moondragon noted, they are at war and until it’s over, they are all at risk.
Meanwhile, ‘Daredevil’ suddenly stops on a rooftop. ‘Firestar’ asks him why. A delighted ‘Daredevil’ informs them that the interference is dissipating; he can now pinpoint the register’s location! “’Bout time!” the Beast doppelganger growls. ‘Daredevil’ shows them the way.
Suddenly, the three monstrosities stumble onto a strange wall and wonder where it’s coming from. The wall appears to be stirring with life, as it suddenly slams them on the face! “I bet that really stung!” a monstrous version of Sleepwalker snickers as her appears before them. “You threw up that wall?” the fake Firestar asks him. The high-strung ‘Beast’ swears that no one pulls a trick like that on him and gets away with it! The hideous-looking Sleepwalker – complete with several spikes protruding from his skull – taunts “Beastie-Boy” and asks him what he’s going to do about it: kill him… or invite him to join?
“Ha! He’s one of us!” the Firestar doppelganger concludes in excitement. Equally excited, the Beast doppelganger deduces he must be Sleep-Corpse’s double! ‘Daredevil’ invites him to come along: they have a mission to carry out! Relieved that so far his disguise is working – posing as his own monstrous double – Sleepwalker joins the pack, realizing they don’t suspect a thing.
Soon, the company breaks into a warehouse. Sleepwalker realizes this is where he left Rick and confronted the telepaths. “There she is!” the monstrous Firestar excitedly howls, pointing at Janine, who is standing on her feet but is unresponsive. ‘Beast’ promises he’ll take care of her! “Not here, Beast!” Daredevil’s double reprimands him – they must take her to the appropriate place. ‘Beast’ carries her. Sleepwalker deduces that Janine is one of their own; they have come to retrieve her! He was right to suspect the telepaths!
Soon, atop a nearby bridge, ‘Daredevil’ asks ‘Beast’ to bring Janine here – where, beneath a star-splashed sky, the entire universe can bear witness to the fate of those who dare defy the Magus! “Destroy her!” he gives the signal and the three doppelgangers prepare to attack and eviscerate Janine. Sleepwalker realizes that the telepaths were telling the truth!
Suddenly, Janine lets out a barely audile moan and collapses. ‘Daredevil’ senses that she is now entranced, like all the others on this world. Sleepwalker realizes that the telepaths must have pulled out of her mind. ‘Firestar’ viciously suggests they kill her anyway! ‘Daredevil’ retorts that it hardly seems to worth the effort. ‘Beast’ protests he is still hungry; he bets there’s some good meat on those bones, no matter how skinny she looks! ‘Daredevil’ admits that’s an appetizing thought and permits them to proceed: “Dinner is served!”
“No harm shall befall the female!” Sleepwalker roars and strikes all three doppelgangers at once. ‘Beast’ realizes he is really Sleepwalker; he was hustling them! ‘Firestar’ and ‘Daredevil’ promise that Sleepwalker will die for that – and he’ll die most painfully! The three doppelgangers initiate a relentless attack against him. ‘Beast’ remarks this should be good – he’s never tasted green blood before!
Struggling to avoid their attacks, Sleepwalker thinks what Professor X said: these doppelgangers were created by science and magic, which means they were never truly alive to begin with… which means he does not have to hold back his attack! Realizing this, he fiercely pummels ‘Daredevil’. Quickly making a grip with his legs around Sleepwalker’s neck, ‘Daredevil’ asks him to face the fact he’s waging a losing battle for a world that is already lost. Sleepwalker retorts that nothing is lost as soon as there’s one person fighting back and throws him away and into the way of ‘Firestar’s’ blasts. Sleepwalker realizes they’re too quick for his warp-beam. At this rate, his energy will be exhausted before he hits them!
Coming back to strike him even more, ‘Daredevil’ taunts him that there’s three of them and one of him. He’s willing to live with these odds; is Sleepwalker willing to die for them? Sleepwalker kicks him away and argues that destroying the evil that created them is worth dying for! Still, he realizes that the doppelganger is right: the three of them are wearing him down. He cannot continue much longer like this. He needs an edge of some kind…
The telepaths’ astral forms suddenly appear before him. Xavier urges Sleepwalker to let them help him… open his mind to them! Sleepwalker wonders how they can help. Psylocke pleads him to trust them. Sleepwalker admits that after rejecting them earlier, it’s the least he can do now. Seeing him talking, the Beast doppelganger quips that ‘Daredevil’s’ last punch must have shaken a few loose screws in Sleepy’s head: he’s talking in the air!
After he opens his mind to them, Sleepwalker announces he feels it: beams of energy burrowing into his mind and then pouring out from him in flames! With Sleepwalker acting as a living transmitter, the telepaths’ mental energies wash across the Earth and touch upon the minds of every entranced person in the world, stirring deep within their beings the will the fight the evil that seeks to conquer their souls and giving them the one weapon that the Magus cannot defend against… hope.
Suddenly feeling exquisite pain, the doppelgangers scream. ‘Beast’ wonders what’s happening. ‘Daredevil’ senses that the force that empowers them is being ripped apart! With almost sadistic pleasure, Sleepwalker taunts them by asking them whether they’re suffering. “Y-yes!” Daredevil’s double howls. Sleepwalker vows that suffering will seem like a fond memory before he is finished with them! Saying this, he unleashes his beam on them. The agonizing creatures shriek even louder, struggling to realize what Sleepwalker is doing to them. Sleepwalker explains that he is merely freeing their forms… to match their true nature!
The doppelgangers’ individual features progressively lose cohesion and all three beings are finally reduced to their true, original form: a uniform pile of lifeless tentacles! Sleepwalker decides that he can now revert to his true nature, as well, and be rid of these fangs. Saying this, he contemptuously throws his fake sharp teeth to the lifeless blob.
Sleepwalker carries the entranced Janine back into the warehouse and places her next to the equally entranced Rick. Sleepwalker despairs: despite all his efforts, he has failed; everybody’s still in a trance! The telepaths’ astral forms appear before him. Moondragon tells him he’s wrong. Psylocke explains that his efforts have been successful on a global scale. Jean Grey adds that, thanks to him, the people of Earth are resisting the Magus’ assault on their minds… and as long as they resist, the Magus cannot claim a final victory, Xavier concludes.
Sleepwalker is sure there must be more he can do. Professor X retorts he has already done more than any being – human or otherwise – can be expected to do: he’s given humanity a chance. On behalf of humanity, they thank him. Sleepwalker promises he will do his part then and stand guard over this small outpost of humanity until he can rejoin the fight – or until the war is over!


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[Assistant]
Dear Irene...
“Nathan Summers is one of the worlds mightiest mutants and a soldier.  Once known as Cable, he was on a mission to save the future from the present.  He defeated his archenemy, and at last succeeded in purging himself of his accursed Techno-Organic Virus.  But this purge caused his telekinetic abilities to spin out of control, and Nathan is left unsure of his powers and his place in the world.  With the future he knows gone and his body as his enemy, Nathan battles on to save the present, the future, and himself as Soldier x.”
On a plane back to the states a huge, paranoid woman accuses a man, taking his shoes off, of hiding an explosive in his footwear.  Soon panic ensues, and a fight breaks out.  However, the flight crew just call it “another false shoe alarm” and don’t take it too seriously.  The orange haired air stewardess decides to take care of it, but a bag is flung at her face and she falls on Irene Merryweather’s lap, who is busy doing some work on her laptop.  In the background a fist fight breaks out between the passengers.
At The Daily Bugle offices in New York, news editor Robbie Robertson calls Irene into his office.  He wants to know why she wrote the sloppy article on the copyright conference in Cleveland from internet sources and why she didn’t even attend the conference.  She is about to tell him she got a tip on Cable, but he completes her sentence, guessing she would say that.  He tells her she has the potential to become a good reporter, but her obsession with “that mutant” is bogging her down.  She hasn’t heard from him in two years, not since the explosion in Kazakhstan, and Robbie feels that following a dead lead for that long is not on, and he tells her that Nathan must be dead.  But she won't believe that, and begs Robbie to give her another chance.  Of course he does just that, and sends her to cover a Basho demonstration.  She wonders what Basho is.
Basho is sumo wrestling, much to Irene’s horror.  Her friend Helen loves it though, cheering the fight on with much enjoyment.  Irene starts to become maudlin, thinking that maybe her search for Nathan really is destroying her.  As they chat about Nathan Helen makes comments about how gorgeous Cable is, but she thinks he’s special because he’s so focused on his mission, and very intense.  Soon Helen’s mind wanders back to the Basho, and Irene leaves to go to the bathroom.  She talks to herself in the mirror, wondering whether Nathan will write, when a small, plump man wearing a fedora and a cream suit walks in.  At first she thinks he maybe a pervert, but as she walks out he claims he has a message from a common friend, Nathan.  She demands to know where he is when an orange suited ninja storms in, claiming that the woman is going with him.  The fedora man screams that this ninja is from “the dreaded Orange Ninja clan”, Nathan’s mortal enemies!  He tells Irene to go, as he’ll take care of it; but Irene is not a woman to be messed with, and manages to kickbox the ninja to the floor, where she demands to know what is going on.  The Fedora man says he is Dragonfly, and the ninja is Gilbert Jordan, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Irene laughs at the incompetence of these agents.  Dragonfly claims they are only low ranking agents, and his job was to be her gallant knight and save her from the ninja, then get data on her about Nathan Summers.  Irene learns that Nathan has supposedly killed a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in Kazakhstan two years ago, and they almost caught him in Moscow.  They realise that she hasn’t seen him in a while too, and Irene says they should know, as they sweep her apartment every week!  Then three street punks barge in, saying they want the girl.  But as Dragonfly points out, they are not one of theirs.  As they prepare to start shooting, a huge green haired transvestite sumo wrestler barges in, knocking the punks heads together.  He/she is revealed to be Sailor Sagittarius from the Zodiac Squadron anime.  As the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents pick up the punk for questioning Sailor slips Irene a disc, saying it has the Zodiac Squadron theme on it.  Then she whispers into Irene’s ear “It’s from Nathan.”  As Irene returns home, and tells Helen to e-mail her some pointers on the Basho so she can write her story, she loads the CD.
Cable explains that he hasn’t written to her for two years, and that he hasn’t killed a man in that long either.  He had received an anonymous letter, telling him to meet someone by the entrance of the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt; Nathan assumed it was from Irene, as she has a fondness for all things Egyptian.  He waited inside, looking at ancient hieroglyphs. Thinking she wouldn’t turn up he goes to leave when a man tells him that he’s on the hieroglyphs, pointing to one of the charioteers.  Nathan asks whether he called him here, but he didn’t.  The man asks what era Nathan comes from.  Nathan is perplexed until the man asks about his armor, and wonders whether he’s from the future.  The man asks whether there is war in the future too.  Nathan says there is.  Meanwhile, outside, a man called Kazimierz is raging around drunk on a camel, singing.  The man tells Nathan that they are both soldiers from four hundred years ago.  Two locals are fighting over a gun.  Nathan spits a bolt of steel, breaking the gun.  Nathan says that his armor is dissolving, and it’s less painful to eject it through this end!  The man says his armor looks useful, and Nathan wishes that he had control over it.  Just then Kazimierz falls off his camel and swears at Nafer, Nathan’s new friend.  Nafer tells him that Nathan is displaced in time just like they are.
The trio hide inside the temple from the men who Nathan fired a spit bullet at, and  who are after Kazimierz.  Nafer thinks his friend was trying to get himself killed, but Kazimierz says he can’t , as he’s seen his grave, so he must die when he gets back home.  They all agree that home is on a soldier’s mind.  Nathan wonders whether his home exists anymore, as the events that created that timeline have been cut off.  He also wonders where his mentor, Blaquesmith, has vanished to.  Kazimierz and Nafer explain how they ended up here; a time draft that hurled them from the war they were fighting to another war in the future.  They decide it’s time to go, and they leave.  As Cable hacks up another piece of his armour Blaquesmith appears, the anonymous letter writer.  Nathan is overjoyed at seeing him.  Nathan tells Irene, in the letter on the CD, that he hopes she would forgive his long silence, and listen to his story.


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[Assistant]
Podmoskóvnie Vecherá (Moscow Nights)
A tired Irene Merryweather, up all night reading the diary of Nathan Summers, gives us a quick recap of what’s gone on previously. She sums it up very quickly as the following: “Nathan’s TK powers are out of control, his body armour is dissolving, and he has trouble finding a purpose in life, at Abu Simbel he met his old mentor, the irritating Yoda-wannabe, Blaquesmith.” She goes on to say that those two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Jordan and Dragonfly would love to get their hands on the diary, then asks the reader to keep schtum.
At S.H.I.E.L.D.’s underground archives in Bethesda their two most inept agents enter; Jordan and Dragonfly. Dragonfly wonders if the stooges they arrested at the basho tournament where they met Irene knows where Summers is. Jordan has phoned Tommy the Torturer though, who has told him they’re just stooges. Dragonfly tells him off for cheating, but Jordan just tells him they have to use the old fashioned methods. Then they enter the Crypt, the S.H.I.E.L.D. archives, and Dragonfly is despondent, as all the dust is bad for his bronchi. He wants to know where the paperless office everyone talks about has gone to, but Jordan tells him that with mutants like Magneto around computer files could be easily wiped. Later, as Dragonfly hefts a huge pile of Cable’s files back to the office, he offers a suggestion; why not rename the Summers files; leave all the Cable stuff to rot; give the new stuff a new name, something cool, like with an X in the title. Jordan wants his partner to be serious, as they are trying to find out where Cable has been for the past two years; but then Dragonfly comes up with the perfect file name. Soldier X!
In Moscow, Nathan explains in his diary that his joy at meeting Blaquesmith again was short lived, as he’s just remembered how annoying he was. As the two time travellers eat Caviar in a posh restaurant Nathan isn’t too happy, and his mentor wonders whether he would rather eat at O’ Reilly’s burgers across the street instead. O’ Reilly’s burgers explodes across the street behind them as Blaquesmith tells Nathan to enjoy the finer things in life. Nathan asks if that was why he was here, to stop a terrorist attack. Blaquesmith berates him for thinking that everything has to be about a mission for him. A busty Russian woman approaches Nathan, telling him she loves American men. He tells her he’s from the future; she wants to know where Future is. “It is in America?” she asks stupidly. Nathan demands to know why Blaquesmith wanted to meet him. The irritating Yoda-wannabe (as Irene puts it) shows him a picture of a blonde haired young girl with a red cross on the right side of her face. He needs Nathan to find her. The Russian woman thinks Nathan must like his women young. When Nathan asks why he has to find her Blaquesmith complains that he wants burgers when he has caviar, and now he gets a mission he wants to know why. “Just find her. The last known address is on the back,” he tells Nathan. Nathan wants to know whether they should keep in contact through their psi-link. Blaquesmith, fearing the way his powers have been playing up, hands him a cell phone to use instead. Suddenly the blonde woman’s jealous boyfriend, Anatoly, storms up, but Nathan punches him unconscious and walks off, very annoyed with his comrade from the future. The woman stands over her fallen boyfriend when Blaquesmith announces that he’s from America too. “I love American men,” she tells him, as he takes some money out of his wallet with a smirk.
Nathan has traced the girl’s street, but not the apartment. He wonders where to look next; but suddenly his prayers are answered. He spots a man being dangled over a high balcony, screaming. The man, Oleg, has been running a “lucrative business” and hasn’t been giving the two men threatening him a cut of it. Oleg claims it was his wife doing the selling; that she has all the money. Arto and Karo, the men holding him, decide to drop him when Nathan pushes the two over and grabs hold of their legs, giving them an ultimatum. “Drop him. I’ll drop you.”
Of course they agree, and as they scuttle off, the rescued Oleg starts to kiss Nathan’s feet, thanking him, and goes to pour them both a drink. Oleg thinks Heaven sent him to save him from the Armenian Mafia. Nathan shows him a picture of the girl; Oleg recognises her as his daughter, Magdelena. Oleg wants to know why they can’t leave them alone, and will Nathan dangle him from the window if he refuses to cooperate too? She is not there, however, Oleg explains sadly. Her mother has taken her to her village, Krasnaya Polyana. He sighs, figuring he should have known this would happen, especially when it all started. “What started?” Nathan asks. Cable hears a story of when Magdelena’s dog, Zoya, was knocked down and was on the verge of death, but the girl somehow brought her back to life, and the crowds watching proclaimed it a miracle. After that everyone from the terminally ill to people hardly even sick came to be cured by Magdelena. Oleg isn’t too pleased, as the only reason he did it was to was to bring in money to buy food and vodka, which he seems to be quite fond of. They hear an explosion from somewhere close by, and it knocks the vodka glass from Oleg’s hand. They run to the balcony to see the woman next door, who was out beating her dusty rug in the fresh air. The rug is on fire, due to the incompetent efforts of the two Armenian gangsters and their associate, Durak. Cable tries to drag Oleg away from his precious bottle of vodka; and just in time too, as Durak gets the right apartment this time, blowing it up. As the two rush down the stairs Nathan guns down gangsters that try to stop them escaping. He kills some more as they emerge from the lift. As they exit the building Durak fires his rocket launcher directly at Nathan, knowing he can’t possibly miss; but Nathan uses his TK powers to deflect the missile back at the gangster’s car, blowing it up and killing them in the process.
Meanwhile, Blaquesmith is in bed with the lovely Russian woman he met at the restaurant when Nathan phones, telling him that the girl is in Krasnaya Polyana. Nathan suggests he follow her there; Blaquesmith agrees, and will explain everything when he gets back. When he turns off the phone his female companion tells him that she grew up in Krasnaya Polyana, and feels sorry for anyone who goes there.


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[Assistant]
The Virgin of Krasnaya Polyana.
Blaquesmith, in bed with his ditzy Russian girlfriend, receives a phone call from someone who demands to know what's been going on.  So he gives a quick recap of events so far; He's sent Nathan on a mission to find a 13 year old mutant girl called Magdalena, who has a healing gift which has gotten her into trouble with the Armenian Mafia and a never ending procession of the infirm.  Blaquesmith won’t say why he sent him because he's mysterious.  Anyway, Nathan and the girl's father, Oleg, have followed her trail to the village of Krasnaya Polyana.  Blaquesmith, before hanging up, reminds the caller, called Andrew, that Moscow is 7 hours behind New York.
Fourteen hours train from Moscow Oleg and Nathan are stood on a train platform.  Oleg wants to know what he's doing here.  Nathan reminds him they are here to find his daughter, whose mother took her to Krasnaya Polyana against her will.  Oleg thinks he must've been mad to come, and decides he's going back.  Nathan is angry, telling him it's his daughter they are talking about; a poor girl whose healing gift is being exploited by his own wife!  Oleg tells him that it's just the same as what happens to everybody, that everyone gets exploited sooner or later.  As Cable isn't Russian Oleg thinks he can't understand, that he has hope.  "You told me you loved her!" Nathan screams, angry.  "I must've been drunk," he says, and wanders off, hoping to escape the clutches of the Armenian mafia.  In his diary entries Nathan explains to Irene (While stealing a bike) that "what is..." is a credo of his Askani faith.  To hear that phrase reduced to an excuse for despair he cannot stand.  He realises that what the world needs is to be taught the way of Askani.  It needs hope.  It needs him.
At the train station Oleg is sat down on a bench, wasting away his misery in a bottle of vodka.  A Russian man finds his bike stolen and is very upset.  He sits down next to Oleg and notices his vodka.  Oleg wants to know whether he wants any, so the two share the bottle of alcohol, to drown their sorrows together.  "I lost a daughter," Oleg cries, despondent.  The man goes on to complain that daughters are no good; all they do is eat you out of house and home and then you have to pay someone to marry them!  He thinks the Chinese have the right idea; they chuck their daughters into the sewers.  Oleg bursts into tears.  The man with the stolen bike assures him that he can make another daughter.  He, however, can't make another bike...
"It's easy to say that the world needs me," Nathan tells Irene in his diary.  "Easier even to believe it."  He is riding down a path where a lengthy line of people are waiting in a long queue.  Suddenly an old man sticks out his cane into the spokes on the wheel of Nathan's bike, tripping him over.  The man is angry that he is pushing in line and asks for his crutch back.  Nathan levitates them both high into the air, where the man wants to know what he wants from the Virgin.  He eventually lets him back down, where watching people proclaim him a flying miracle.  Nathan runs off as a crippled woman whacks the man for stealing her crutch.  As this goes on Nathan tells Irene of when he met Jackie Singapore and how he almost killed him...he was a man so confident that God put him in the planet's driver's seat.  He had so much nerve.  Nathan remembers being just like him.  He wonders when he stopped being young, and what to do as a soldier who has outlived his war.  Does the world really need him, he thinks.  What do I do?
At S.H.I.E.L.D.'s underground complex in Bethesda, today.  Dragonfly is heading down the stairs, a cup of coffee in each hand, when he passes  S.H.I.E.L.D. combat operative Charlene, worn out and dishevelled after a mission.   He calls her hot, and she takes offence, saying that doesn't sound very PC.  "You know me, baby--I'm strictly a Mac kinda guy!" he says.  He hears Jordan shouting for him, saying he's late.  He hands Gilbert his coffee, joking "It's pronounced latte!"  Well, Dragonfly finds it funny anyway.  Jordan accuses him of not taking this investigation seriously.  Dragonfly sits down, thinks about that grave accusation for a minute, then agrees.  Dragonfly says if this were a proper case he would take it seriously, but seen as it's just all about Jordan's little vendetta because Joy got herself killed in Kazakhstan...Gilbert says she was murdered by Nathan Summers and that he will answer for it.  Dragonfly states that they don't know he did it, and that Joy wasn't only just his girlfriend.  Jordan becomes very angry and grabs Dragonfly by his shirt tie, demanding to know what he meant.  Dragonfly mumbles that Joy was a beautiful young lady, and that she met exciting men all over the world.  "You didn't seriously expect her to stay true to you?" Dragonfly asks.  "Yes," Jordan replies.  Dragonfly then retracts his statement, saying that Joy only had eyes for him and that she even turned down Colonel Fury!  Jordan wants to know why he said all those things about her; Dragonfly claims it was all a joke, and that he was a little jealous.  He orders him not to joke about Joy anymore.  They get back on track with their work.  The last thing they have on Summers was a witness report placing him near the Moscow O'Reilly burger joint which got blown up.  He's not sure if he did it, but..."He did it," Jordan states flatly.  The two of them were in Moscow at the time, and because of a few strings Jordan pulled at the time they were put on the "Nathan Summers Detail."  They also have a tape.  Dragonfly doesn't want to watch it though; he's seen a thousand times and it disturbs him.  "Your jokes disturb me," says Jordan as he puts the tape in the video recorder.  The picture on the video flickers, and slowly it clears...
In a church in Krasnaya Polyana Magdalena's mother, Vera, is working the video camera.  Dimitri, some kind of monk and Vera's brother, asks whether her daughter should rest a little.  Vera says no, and tells Dimitri to open the door.  She calls Magdalena, telling her the sick are ready to be healed.  A miserable Magdalena, curled up on the floor, tired, replies with "Yes mother."  She stands up and goes to her first patient; she heals an old woman of blindness.  The woman is overjoyed at regaining her sight back.  After her comes one sick person after another; a man with cancer; a man who can't walk; a woman with a sick  baby son.  Then comes an obese man with gross red welts all over his belly and chest; the small mutant healer is visibly sickened at the sight.  Dimitri tells this man to leave, calling him a revolting sinner.  The man thinks he has the right to a miracle too, and slyly tries to blackmail Dimitri by threatening to reveal the existence of his niece to the patriarch.  Vera tells Dimitri that Magdalena has received her gift from God, and it is not their will to interfere, and orders her frightened daughter to help this man.  Dimitri knows this man and seems to be disgusted by him.  Vera tells him that they all deserve grace.  Magdalena kisses the obese man's belly to begin the healing process, but pulls back before the healing is fully done so she can be sick.  "Is she ready to continue?" Vera asks, not seeming to care her daughter is upset.  Dimitri vehemently says no, asking her why she is sacrificing her daughter, but Vera counters with the knowledge that God sacrificed his son.  "But you are not God!" Dimitri screams.  But Magdalena declares she is ready, and goes over to heal this disgusting man.  Before she can do anything the vaulted ceiling caves in, and Nathan crashes down, looking like an angel descending from Heaven.  Magdalena smiles, holding her hands together in prayer.  The obese man attacks Nathan, but he just punches him unconscious.  Magdalena asks him whether he is an angel.  "Da," Nathan answers.  He picks up the girl in his arms and proceeds to take her away from this place.  "Nathan Summers?" asks a voice in front of him.  This mystery man punches him to the floor.  He tells Irene in his diary that at that point he still had no idea why Blaquesmith wanted the girl, and he didn't care, as he gladly accepted the mission to release his pent up frustrations.  But if he'd stopped to think that morning he would've found his thoughts tremendously funny.  The world needs hope, but they don't need him.
"What kind of message do I represent when I can't even attain inner peace within myself or with others?  A never ending struggle?  Those words do not represent hope.  Who, then, would want to believe in me...when I could not.  When I would not."
The tape picture fuzzes and goes blank.


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[Assistant]
Geo-Logic
S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Dragonfly, lounging by a bar at the company vacation resort, offers a recap of what went on previously. To cut it short (so he can get back to his holiday) Nathan is in the Russian village of Krasnaya Polyana, searching for a mutant girl with healing gifts called Magdalena. Only Blaquesmith knows why. A small army of Armenian mobsters is on Nathan's trail, who after getting to Magdalena, got knocked out by a strong, mysterious guy with a metal arm.
At a train station in the middle of the Russian nowhere Peklar is teaching his younger brother Papken to shoot birds out of the sky when their boss, Arpoun, tells them to stop, as one of them, another Armenian mobster, is currently torturing a mail man by yanking teeth out of his mouth. Peklar insists he was only showing his brother how to torture properly. Tied up in the background, gagged, and with a gun pointed at his head, is Oleg, Magdalena's father. Arpoun tells his brother Kapriel to continue with the torture, telling that his victim is only a means to an end, a vessel containing the answer, and the vessel's only important while they need the answer. "Where is the man with the metal arm?" Kapriel demands. The mail man doesn't know, so has another tooth pulled out of him, and he screams in agony.
Oleg mumbles something, and Arpoun removes his gag. Oleg tells him the man with the metal arm is in Krasnaya Polyana. Arpoun replies that he knows. "Then why..." Oleg trembles. Arpoun reveals that he only wanted his brother to practice the art of torture, and also he wanted to teach Oleg a lesson for keeping his special daughter a secret and taking all the profits. Oleg tells him that the mail man doesn't know anything. Arpoun reveals that this is the lesson he wanted to show him; if he could order such horrors done to a man who has done him no harm, what would he do to a man who really did him some harm? The gag is again moved over Oleg’s mouth and they continue with the torture of the mail man.
Nathan has been knocked out by a powerful punch, executed by a small, ugly man with a metal arm, who accuses Nathan of treading on his turf. "What? Who?" Nathan mumbles, dazed, reflecting in his diary entries to Irene that his body can spit out bullets and patch up holes, yet a blow to the chin and he's knocked out cold. The small man introduces himself as Geo and throws Nathan against a bookcase, proclaiming him "Badly minced, mint-flavored dog food!" The soldier also known as Cable demands to know why, and Geo tells him it's because the Armenian Mafia are after a man with a metal arm, and the only one they know of is Geo, so they're after him instead!
Nathan considers releasing his full power, but there are too many innocents around. However, when Geo punches him with his metal arm, Nathan grabs it and increases the vibration of atoms in his arm, heating the metal. Geo falls to the floor, in pain, as Nathan increases the heat on his arm. If Geo promises not to attack him he'll stop. Geo agrees, and is let go. "Sucker!" Geo shouts, punching Nathan so he goes crashing through the front doors of the church, landing in the courtyard. Geo jumps out, shouting the war-cry "Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull!" He considers it better than saying "Geronimo" as people use that all the time. As the two continue to fight Nathan explains in his diary to Irene that maybe women don't get the kind of thrill men do from fights. For them it's primal; it gives them an enemy. They hear adrenaline beating a blood dance in their eardrums, and everything is all right with the world. Live or die, they are home.
As Nathan is about to snap off Geo's metal arm there is a gunshot. It is Arpoun, who tells Nathan that he has need of that man in the mud. Arpoun asks Geo why he didn't stick to blowing up McDonalds and Benettons instead of killing his people. "You blew that O'Reilly restaurant in Moscow?" Nathan asks him. "One?" exclaims Geo. "I blew up fifteen of them, and I'm far from through!" Geo goes on to preach that O'Reilly is the enemy; a world unified in blandness, taking the taste out of food and the zest out of travel, and they need to be destroyed! Not like the Armenian Mafia, he tells them. They are ferocious, hungry, loyal, with strong family values, and in time they'll build a better Russia the way the Mob built America. Arpoun thinks it nice to be appreciated, then demands Geo tell him what he did with the girl. "What girl?" Geo wonders, puzzled.
Inside the church the villagers realize they want Magdalena. Father Dimitri tells them that the girl will heal them, just not now; she needs rest. The obese man tries to punch Dimitri, saying there is no time, and the masses grab Magdalena from her mother Vera's hands, pulling her away. Outside Oleg hears his daughter's cries, but Arpoun trips him up into a puddle as he tries to go to her aid.
Arpoun orders his men to go in the church but they hesitate, it’s church after all. Arpoun tells his men that it’s not one of their churches and the three men proceed, until three large stakes fly into their necks and chests, killing them. Arpoun sees Nathan there, and realizes it was him who killed his men in Moscow too. Arpoun never really believed a lose like Geo could have done it, and asks Nathan what it would take for him to come and work with them! "You don't have what I need," Nathan tells him, heading for the church. Geo punches Arpoun in the face with his metal arm, saying "Who are you calling a loser?" He grabs him around the neck, threatening to snap it if anyone comes closer. "Nobody calls me a loser!" he screams.
Nathan storms into the church, firing a machine gun at the ceiling to scare the mob away from Magdalena, who lies on the floor. Her heart has stopped. The mob drained the life out of her through repeated healings. Vera sees this as her daughter being a martyr for her faith; what better faith can anyone seek? "I don't know what God you believe in," Dimitri tells her," but I certainly hope he is not the same as mine!"
Nathan picks up Magdalena in his arms, telling Irene in his diary that a soldier thinks of death as no more than a merchant of his wares. They acquire it cheaply, and sell it dearly. They have to not, under any terms, get attached to the people who cross their paths. Doing so would be fatal. In his arms Magdalena breathes, coming back to life. Dimitri is overjoyed; the girl's mother less so. The people proclaim Nathan an angel, and as he tries to escape they try to touch him, hoping they will be healed too. He tells Irene he doesn't know how this miracle happened; maybe the girl found a way to drink the life out of him? Nathan is happy that he's done some good at last; it exhilarated him, it scared him, and made him think at the same time. Dimitri opens a back door, telling them to come this way.
Outside Geo is still holding Arpoun in a neck hold, angry that the Armenian Mafia are not the progressive force he believed in his battle against complacency, and that they were just laughing at him behind his back. Unnoticed by anyone, Oleg grabs a gun from one of the fallen Mafia henchmen and holds it against Arpoun's neck. He tries to fire a shot, but the safety is still on. Oleg fumbles with the gun, wondering where the safety on it is while the Mafia wonder what to do next. Kapriel decides to blast everyone, including his brother Arpoun, with their machine gun. As he starts shouting he tells his brother to be proud of him. The bullets however miss their targets. Geo grabs both Oleg and Arpoun and runs away with them. Being dragged away, Oleg yells at his brother that he’ll only be proud of him when he learns to keep his eyes open while shooting.
Dimitri has Nathan and Magdalena in an old truck, and as they drive off Vera bands on the car door, telling them to stop. Before they manage to drive off Geo throws Oleg and Arpoun onto the back of the truck and just manages to climb on himself. The Armenians fire their guns at them, but they escape, out of Krasnaya Polyana. "Where are we going?" Nathan asks. "One safe place around," Dimitri answers," Saint Lenin!"


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The Siege of Saint Lenin
In Russia, Father Dimitri has lead Nathan and the other fugitives to the Saint Lenin sanctuary, which is in reality an old factory where a mad artist used to work on blending Orthodox and Communist iconography. At the moment Magdalena is sitting on top of a huge statue of Lenin which has wings, watching the world. Nathan tells her to get down; in the open like that she'll be a sure target for Armenian snipers. Magdalena ignores him and instead tells him about her dog, Zoya. In the past she'd already brought the dog back to life, but when the dog was killed by an angry mob, proclaiming it hell spawn, Magdalena's mother refused to allow her to resurrect it again, telling her to save her gift for those who deserve it. The girl points to her mother outside the factory. She is being tortured. She wonders whether he mother deserves help.
When Nathan grabs her arm, Magdalena sucks some life energy from him. She knows now, that when he saved her, he didn't give her this new power on purpose. She's still grateful anyway; that he taught her how to take from others instead of having it taken from her. Then she kicks him off the statue. "It's so much easier to be a taker!" she tells him cruelly. It's then that Nathan realizes that the girl he brought back isn't the same one who died.
Outside the compound, the Armenian, Peklar, thinks that he shot the man with the metal arm off the statue. Papken isn't so sure, then tells him that Kapriel gave explicit orders not to capture the metal armed man alive. Papken winds up his friend something rotten before revealing he was just having him on.
As Nathan falls from the statue he thinks that his every accomplishment started to crumble into dust the moment he hoped for success. As he hits the ground the girl's father, Oleg, asks Nathan if she is alright. He tells him to check himself. Oleg can't though; he's afraid of heights. Nathan tries calling Blaquesmith on his mobile, but there's no signal.
"What's up hero?" Geo asks. Nathan has no time for him, but he goes on regardless about how Nathan has always been a hero and how he has such good lucks and how he didn't have to work to become a hero. Geo then goes on about how his own bionic arm was made for gorillas in the Seventies when the Russians were considering an intervention in Africa and how Nathan's arm is so much better. "You have no idea how good you have got it!" Geo tells him. Nathan has no mind for this self pity. He needs to get Magdalena to safety, but Geo isn't having any of that. He starts to become angry because Nathan doesn't appreciate all he's got and all he's worried about is his phone not working. So Geo attacks him, and Nathan pushes him back. Nathan wants to know what he wants of him. Geo explains-"I don't want to be reduced to a codename and a password and a PIN! I don't want to be a number for computers to crunch and palmtops to process! I don't want French movies looking as if they were written in Hollywood and made in Hong Kong! I don't want to be judged by the name of the shirt I'm wearing! I want to eat Borscht and Burek and Baklava, not those blasted burgers all the time! I want the right to be a hero without looking like one! I want a world where I could be without being the same! But most of all-I want to smash your pretty face into pulp! Then I'll watch it heal and I'll smash it again!" A fight starts.
Inside the factory a chained up Arpoun asks Father Dimitri "Are they fighting again?" Arpoun taunts the Father, telling him that his charity wont earn his mercy in return. Dimitri doesn't understand, as his people, the Armenians, have suffered so much in recent history, and thus should make him sympathetic to the suffering of others. Arpoun laughs this off. His people, all good Christians, believed in a merciful God. "And what did this merciful God do during that time?" Arpoun asks. His God did nothing. So his people now have only one choice; to take care of themselves and be the oppressors, not the oppressed. To not be killed, they have to kill. "God loves the strong, Father. He abhors the meek!" says Arpoun. Dimitri sighs. "Perhaps...we need a new god, then..." he wonders.
Outside Nathan has quickly won the fight with Geo, wrapping him up in steel girders using his TK abilities. Poor Geo is screaming with fake injuries, begging to be let go, when he realizes something; he's never seen the hero smile. Nathan tells him to shut up, angry, as he clutches the cell phone. This makes Geo happy, giving him an excuse to go on about how heroes never took orders in his day. "Are you a waiter or a hero?" Geo teases, laughing. Nathan is really riled up now, demanding to know what Geo wants, what he knows. Geo tell him what he knows; a long list of things, the last of which is that he knows what he wants. "Do you hero?" Geo asks him. This sets Cable thinking; does he want to be a soldier? A hero? A priest? “Who am I ?“ he wonders, as the phone crumples to dust in his hand.
An agonized scream rips through the air. Nathan and Geo; Dimitri and Arpoun; Oleg. They all hear it with horror. Magdalena hears it too, watching as the Armenians brutally torture her mother. Magdalena is not appalled at this sight though; she finds it amusing.
Vera, strapped to the huge wheels of a truck, is begging to God, telling him that she can't be his martyr; that job is surely for her daughter? She begs God to take Magdalena instead, and in return she will testify his glory to everyone! Meanwhile Kapriel has dislocated his shoulder and is having it bandaged; an injury sustained while flogging his victim. A casket of hot coals is brought to him with searing pliers burning on top of them. Kapriel grabs one of the pliers handles and burns his hand. His subordinates makes veiled hints to each other that their boss might be a few sandwiches short of a picnic, but refrain from making a direct comment. Kapriel orders gloves be brought for this next stage of gruesome torture. With a glove and torture weapon in hand he turns to Vera. He gives her one more chance to end this; he tells her to call her daughter. As he places the hot pliers on her back she scream, in agony, "MAGDALENA!"
Still sitting on top of the huge statue, Magdalena watches, enjoying every moment of her mother's pain. Oleg, however, can't put up with his wife's torture any longer; he grabs a gun to go and rescue her. Geo tells him to rescue him instead and that his wife is not worth it. Oleg disagrees; Vera was a good woman once, and a kind mother, and she smiled a lot. She was the only woman that ever smiled at him. Nathan takes the gun out of his hand and agrees to get her for him. Meanwhile Geo is escaping his metal bonds and wants to help him, saying they can be like Butch and Sundance! Geo is angry, as he wants to help kill the Armenians as well. But Nathan isn't going to kill them. As he walks outside the compound he uses his powers to crumple the gun in his hands to dust.
 He later describes his thoughts in that moment in a letter to Irene :
I picked up a gun and remembered how easy it is to murder. Then I remembered how much better it felt to save a life. With the first step out of the gates I felt the air around me bristle. My TK shield was up. Thus, my gift acted on its own, intent on protecting itself by protecting me. This, I decided, would not do. I attacked. I could almost hear my gift's angry squeals, but I persisted. I switched the shield off.
An Armenian's bullet rips open his ear, but Nathan walks onwards.
For, if I was to go on--if I was to find myself--it could be neither in fear, nor servitude. It would be on my terms. Or not at all.
The whole Armenian Mafia prepare to open fire...


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The Askani Way
(present)
In her apartment, Irene is reading Nathan's diary on her computer, as it reads-"Thus my gift acted on its own, intent on protecting itself by protecting me." Irene thinks he is sounding really schizo, when suddenly the phone rings. The answer machine gets it; it is Robbie Robertson at The Daily Bugle, the paper where Irene works. He wants to know where her sumo wrestling story is, and her job is waiting for her when she finishes it. Irene gets pretty angry, blaming it all on Nathan; but the allure of what happens next in his diary is too hard to resist. She reads on.
(in the past)
Nathan is walking into the hail of bullets sent by the Armenian mafia. He keeps his telekinetic shield down, only using it to heal his wounds. He wants to prove he is the master of his abilities and not its slave. It works, although maybe better than he thought. The Armenians fire bullet after bullet, but he manages to close every wound with his powers. Nathan wonders if his telekinesis would be enough to heal 100 gaping wounds? As the Armenians reload Nathan gives them a angry look and, and finally a frightened Kapriel, leader of the Armenians, demands to know what he wants. "The woman," he answers. Kapriel wont give her up as she is his prisoner, and attacks him with the red hot poker he was torturing his victim with. Nathan swats him aside like an insect, and Kapriel reluctantly gives him the woman.
With Vera in his arms, Nathan turns around and walks away, feeling very weak. But the pilgrims begin to tighten around him, seeing him alive after being shot so many times as a sign that he is an angel and can heal them too. It all becomes too much; too overwhelming for Nathan, and for the first time in his life he feels helpless. Defenseless. Exposed to the elements and random, unprovoked brutality...When the pilgrims touch him and realize that he hasn't healed them, they turn violent, thinking Nathan considers them unworthy of his healing touch. The pilgrim  hit him with metal bars and kick him to the floor, and that's when Nathan realizes that he feels human; and that he needs help.
Nathan is saved when Geo comes to his aid, knocking out some of the pilgrims to get to him. He orders Nathan to stand up and get the woman to safety, while he faces the rampaging hordes of more angry pilgrims. Nathan hesitates at first, but Geo wont let him steal his own heroic moment in the sun, and jumps in to the battle.
And suddenly, dear Irene, I knew what I wanted. I knew who I was.
Nathan carries Vera into the sanctuary, where Oleg opens him the door. He begs Nathan to heal Vera like he did with Magdalena, but Nathan explains that it was Magdalena's who sucked the life energy out of him. Only she might save her now. Magdalena enters, telling them that she will not save her mother, the one who watched her be sucked dry of life and did nothing to stop it. Vera is dying, and looking as wretched and miserable as she could be. But Magdalena still wont relent; she refuses to die for her mother and take her place in hell. Vera explains her reason for what she did; she only wanted to be the mother of a saint and be remembered after she died. Magdalena is touched by this explanation. Now all she wants is to die knowing that she has her daughter's pardon. Magdalena forgives her. Vera wants one kiss off her, to know she'll be forgiven. Magdalene backs away, she informs her mother that her kiss now kills, not heals. Vera knows this, it doesn’t matter to her. Oleg tries to stop her, but Nathan intervenes and let’s mother and daughter do as they wish. Magdalena kisses her mother, and she dies.
Sitting by Vera’s body, Oleg wonder what they should do next. He tries to hug his daughter, but Madgalena reminds him that her power is now accurse, she can’t be touched. Magdalena vows to try and turn her curse into a gift. "And I will," she tells her father. Witnessing all this, Nathan thinks to himself.
Now I know I am neither a soldier, nor a priest, nor a hero. I am a man who has been in too many a war not to dream of peace. I am a man who saw too many leaders not to follow his heart. I am a man who knows there is no real hope for the world, but who hopes all the same. In a word, dear Irene, I am a madman. A madman whose gift is limited only by his imagination.
Nathan tells Oleg and Magdalene to take the truck, while he will make sure that nobody stops them on their way out. He goes to the door and sees that outside, the pilgrims have killed Geo. One of them holds up his ripped off metallic arm to show it to the world.
Askani, the name of my tribe, means "outsider," but also, in another dialect, "those who think for themselves." Our enemies used the word "Askani" to deride those who would not fit in. For them "Askani" meant "lunatic." A "madman." Another madman taught me a lesson that day, near Krasnaya Polyana, dear Irene. I learned that, once more, that there is no greater sin than not being who you are. And if this makes me a madman to the world, so be it.
Nathan seems to grow giant like. He begins to scare away the pilgrims and Armenians. The pilgrims drop Geo's arm as they flee, and Nathan picks it up. Papken orders the Armenians to flee, but Kapriel takes offence at his underling giving order, and calls him a traitor and holds a gun in his face. Only Peklar shoots Kapriel dead instead, before he can act.
"What is...is," the Askani way. It is a tenet of acceptance that precedes a change. A doctrine of the insanely intense belief in the power of one man, any man, to derail destiny.
Ending the telepathic illusion, Nathan shrinks back to his regular size. He gives Father Dimitri Geo's arm to keep safe, and then takes into the air, flying away.
I have the power of a god. It is madness. I love it. What is...is. What I am, dear Irene...I am.
(present)
In a S.H.I.E.L.D. archive complex in Bethesda, after reading hundreds of eyewitness reports Agent Dragonfly concludes that Nathan Summers was torn to pieces by an angry mob, and his remains scattered by a giant like ghost of himself. Agent Jordan doesn't believe that. Dragonfly, however, has seen the evidence with his own eyes; Nathan Summers' metal arm at the Saint Lenin Sanctuary. He knows Summers is definitely dead. Jordan gets angry, smashing up the TV set. He is positive that Summers is alive, and that he will pay for Joy's death.
Dragonfly tries to calm his colleague by assuring him that, one day, someone will ring with information on Summers' present whereabouts. "I have information on Summers' whereabouts," says Irene, barging in. "I forgot to phone first, though."
Meanwhile, Arpoun is still tied up in the Saint Lenin Sanctuary's basement, forgotten by his captors and his friends alike.


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The Low Budget Action Movie
Somewhere over Kashmir flies a military plane. Someone inside, speaking in Punjabi, thinks they are almost at the target area. The locals are firing at them from the snowy mountains, but the plane is well out of their firing range. One of them, Firdaus, head into the cargo hold to check on Aamir, who is watching over the cargo; a group of frightened, tied up children. Aamir wonders whether they are really going to go through with what they're here for. Firdaus answers this by opening a door and throwing out one of the children, a little boy. The children panic, and Firdaus orders Aamir to throw one out of the plane; particularly the girl who he'd grabbed to stop her kicking and screaming. He can't so it. "It's her or the both of you, Amir!" Firdaus screams, pointing a gun at him. "The General has no need for traitors!"
Suddenly the plane jolts. Firdaus runs into the cockpit and asks the pilot, Bazid, what happened. The plane has just stopped in mid-air. Firdaus figures one of the kids must be doing this; they've found the child that the General was looking for. Firdaus tells the children he'll keep throwing them out, one by one, until one of them confesses or floats. Then Aamir spots something amazing outside the plane, and the other comes to the still open hatch to look.
"My name is Nathan Summers," says the man floating by the plane, the thrown child in his arms. "I've come for the children." Nathan asks the children to come to him; that they have nothing to fear. They walk to him over the air, Nathan using his telekinesis to keep them afloat. When all the children have come to him he asks their captors if they want to come too. Only Aamir takes up the offer as Firdaus calls him a traitor. As Nathan flies away Bazid rushes past Firdaus, a parachute strapped to his back. He wonders what he's doing until Bazid reminds him that the plane can't restart in mid-air like helicopters can. He jumps out of the plane, asking him wether he brought a parachute too. Firdaud's screams of "NO!" echo around the mountains.
Nathan lands in the mountains with the children and Aamir. Aamir thanks Nathan for saving his life. Nathan asks him to take the children home, and he agrees. Then a stone hits him on the back of the head, thrown by one of the children. More of them start to throw stones, shouting "He tried to kill us!" But Nathan saved their lives, and he asks they grant Aamir's life in return. "I ask you this of all of you! Promise me that you will not hurt this man or any other!" Nathan asks of them. They inquire whether he is a madman. Nathan thinks he isn't sane anymore, but that a little girl showed him it was never too late to believe in someone. He explains he is Askani by faith, and believers in his religion have always been called madmen. "If they promise not to hurt you, will you take them home?" Nathan asks Aamir. He agrees, and Aamir and the children set off. But one boy stays behind, telling Nathan that a week ago a stranger came to his village, and the only word he would say was "Askani." "Will you take me to your village?" Nathan asks. "It's a long trip, " replies the boy. "Will you carry me on your back?"
Nathan is traversing the mountain, the boy Rafi on his back. Rafi wonders why they do not just fly to his village. Nathan tells him that just because you are able to do something does not mean you must necessarily do it. "We are able to do so many things, so few of them are right," he explains. "Life is a search for those few." Rafi confirms the children's earlier suspicion; Nathan is a madman. Rafi spots his village, and he gets excited. The village is a ramshackle old place, but seems deserted. Rafi thinks they must be hiding because they are afraid of them. He calls for his mother. His mother cries out for him, but somebody whacks her over the head with a gun.
The two of them round a corner and find the people of the village kneeling on the floor, a dozen men with guns trained on them. "Ah, you must be the man who walks on air!" declares one of them in Punjabi. "My man told me which direction you went before his plane crashed... Translate, Mostafa!" His aide Mostafa translates for his General as he talks to Nathan. Mostafa introduces his great, powerful General. Nathan tells him he can wipe out his army in the blink of an eye. Mostafa translates this as Nathan begging for forgiveness. The General tells Nathan to work for him; that he is the all-powerful weapon they've been waiting for. Mostafa translates this to Nathan as asking him to be the lowliest of his servants. Nathan wonders whether he has to throw children out of planes. Mostafa translates this as Nathan wanting to throw children out of planes. The General finds this pastime quite amusing, but there is no need now that they have found the true prophet. Mostafa translates this as the General telling Nathan he can only throw children out of planes at his orders. "That's a relief," Nathan mutters.
The General requests that Nathan teach him to fly. Nathan is about to comply when he changes his mind; he wants him to teach Mostafa how to fly. Mostafa is terrified, begging the General, claiming he is not worthy. Suddenly Mostafa collapses in pain as his body contorts. He grows huge, leathery wings; his feet turn into bird like claws. His General orders him to fly. He wont. So the General fires a gun at his feet, and the translator has no choice but to obey. The General finds this highly amusing, proclaiming that Nathan is a god and can do anything.
So he asks him to make him an atom bomb. Nathan says yes. When General Daid-Khan takes off his gloves he realizes that his hands are made of enriched uranium. He only has to clap them to reach critical mass. The General doesn't believe him, and decides to test out whether he can really detonate himself. But before he can clap some of his men gun him down, dead. His men wonder if they can cut off his hands and sell them. Nathan walks away, snapping his fingers; the soldiers vanish into thin air.
Rafi wants to know what would have happened if he had clapped his hands. Nathan smiles; "I was bluffing. That was no uranium, just some cave fungi luminescence I turned his epidermis into." The boy is definitely sure he is mad this time. Nathan assures him again that he isn't; he's just not stupid.
"You could've fooled me," Blaquesmith mutters, entering the picture. Nathan greets his master, knowing he was the one who was dropping the word "Askani" around. But he has a confession to make. He's not Blaquesmith, he's actually Nigel Novotny, a teacher embittered by his profession because he received no respect from his students. He was hired by Jackie Singapore and turned into Blaquesmith, thinking Nathan would trust that form, and to convince Nathan to follow their agenda. An agenda to turn Nathan into a religion; to make him into the messiah of the new millennium through the medium of movies. Nathan actually thinks this is a good idea, as people take their entertainment more seriously than their lives anyway. It might even help his cause. Nigel wants him to help him; the reason he was such a lousy teacher was because he never learned to be a good student. "Teach you to fly?" Nathan asks. "Teach me to walk," Nigel answers.
As Nathan and Nigel set off across the terrain he inquires of the blonde woman that Nigel had met. He explains that she left him to marry Father Dimitri while tracking him. She thinks there could be a lot of money to be made from the cult that formed after Nathan was there. Nigel is suddenly angered; he realized that they haven't done the recap page again! He asks Nathan whether he can make it so no one will notice; he does have the power of a god now after all. Nathan can't do that, but assures him he can make it so people will return next issue for a glimpse of what they'll do in the future...