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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Building Blocks part one: Loyalty
A cold night in British Columbia just got hot. As Wolverine slices a rifle in half, he tells himself that his claws are just for show - this time - but that doesn’t mean the mounties he is fighting have to know that. Logan knows that if the mounties are scared, then it will be easier for him - though up until now it couldn’t have been any easier. As the handsome X-Man punches a mountie he thinks back to how he smuggled into Point Roberts on a merchant logging ship, and while he thought he would be able to sniff out any RCMP checking for any contraband - but he thought wrong.
Logan tells himself that he has been thinking wrong a lot lately - but one thing he knows for sure is that these clowns are not going to slow him down one bit. There is nothing they can do against a mutant with the speed, strength and senses of an animal. ‘Nothing they can do against a Wolverine’.
Wolverine’s hands drip with blood as he stands over the unmoving RCMP’s. He decides to make his way through Vancouver and head East, somewhere along the way he can find out where “she” is - people like she and him have a way of making there presence sort of noticed. The blood doesn’t belong to the officers, it is Wolverine. He is tired and sweating cold bullets. He knows his hands don’t heal as quick as they used to when he pops his claws and wonders why he is pushing himself like this.
He knows why - it is because he has ties to this land and loyalties to people he has ignored for too long. He lights a cigarette, deciding he has to settle some “accounts” and cash some “chips” in. He decides that if he is going to die then he wants to do it the way he came in - on a clean slate.
Meanwhile, at Roxxon Oil in Denver Colorado, the Facility Coordinator Samuel Higgins enters another Facility Status Report. He begins with one thing to say - ‘We have once again sent out “last hope” in’. The Super Human Division had remanded employee Colin Ashworth Hume, a.k.a. “Windshear” to their services. His mutant powers consist of hard-air molecule creation, projection and propulsion, and as Higgins notes, he attacks their current dilemma with his well-documented zeal and gusto.
Flying through the sub-basement while Higgins and other officials are watching him, Windshear thinks that this stinks big time, as the whole sub-basement has become some sort of mechanized monstrosity and he is expected to stop it. He is dowsed in some liquid as he thinks to himself ‘Americans. If only we’d won the bloody war to begin with!’
Seeing some sort of cannon, he wonders ‘now what?’ and realizes that it is made out of spare parts. Flying towards it, he decides to earn his pay check - but as he is ready to blast it, he is zapped and shot to the ground. ‘Sod this,’ he thinks to himself. Samuel Higgins notes that this is Hume’s third attempt to pierce the ever-growing mechanical construct and that he has failed again.
Higgins decides that the employee’s attempts were hardly worth the expense of flying him in from their United Kingdom branch, as Windshear mutters that he better be getting “time and a half” for this, and asking Higgins if he believes him now. Higgins asks Windshear how much Roxxon spent on his program-funding anyway, to which Hume replies ‘More than they should have and less than this is worth’.
Colin reminds Higgins that he has told him he needs help here, to which Higgins tells Colin that his accent gets heavier when he is excited. Higgins agrees to letting Windshear have some help, cryptically saying that they need a machine to fight a machine, and he knows just the man, and is quite sure the Canadian government wont mind.
Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Heather McNeil Hudson a.k.a. Vindicator thinks to herself that after three days in Ottawa, enduring everlasting government proceedings, and on the first chance Alpha and Gamma Flights get to move in to action, she is missing most of her team, Alpha Flight, and now the rest of them are chasing one of their own. The acclaimed leader tells Northstar, Silver and Auric to fly ahead as they are the fastest, and warns them not to lose their chase in the crowds.
Vindicator then tells the three young girls who were once members of the long-disbanded Beta Flight - Kara “Persuasion” Kilgrave and sisters Goblyn and Laura Dean - to be careful and stay behind her. Towards the back of the group, Gamma Flight’s mysterious leader thinks to herself that Vindicator is always taking charge - which makes her appropriately Nemesis in name and thought. ’Some days, its just not worth it to put on an electromagnetic union suit and save the world’ Heather mutters.
In the air, siblings Jimon “Silver” and Zhao “Auric” Kwan tell Northstar that they will double around in a different direction. ’Whatever’ the handsome Jean-Paul Beaubier thinks to himself, before spying his quarry in the Sparks Street Mall, understanding that it is an obvious place for the enemy to be, as it is better for him to inflict his demented brand of pleasure. ’Speed, agility, healing factor or not…I’m coming for you - Wildchild!’
As Jean-Paul streaks towards the savage member of Gamma Flight, he warns him that his mindless rage has come to an end. But Kyle “Wildchild” Gibney lashes back at Northstar, telling him to shut up he calls him a ’Stupid prattling beef’ who doesn’t understand.
Silver and Auric arrive on scene and Jimon tells her brother to hit Wildchild now, as between her ice blasts and his heat rays the will…’Miss him completely?’ suggests Vindicator as she arrives at the site and strikes Wildchild with a blast of electromagnetic energy.
Wildchild is in pain, but gets to his feet as the mute Goblyn approaches him. Calling Goblyn his “twisted reflection”, Wildchild bids her closer, before declaring that the only thing better than receiving pain - is to give it in kind, and spits at the young mutant before digging his claws into her and tossing her aside. As Goblyn lands hard on the ground, he tells the “dear wounded creature” to allow him to end her misery, to the fear of Goblyn’s sister.
‘Don’t hurt my sister!’ shouts Laura, realizing that she has to open an inter-dimensional portal so she can send Goblyn away so she cannot be hurt, Laura successfully opens one, saving Goblyn - but the worst is yet to come, as Wildchild lunges at Laura, ’Saved your sister, have you, little Laura Dean?’ ’Excuse me, Nemesis’ he adds, shoving Nemesis aside as she tries to intervene, before Wildchild strikes Laura, asking her how Goblyn can save her now.
As Vindicator and Persuasion tend to Laura, Wildchild starts singing: “And then I saw blood. Now I’m a believer not a trace of red on my hands”. Vindicator sees that Laura is seriously hurt as Wildchild moves towards a crowd of onlookers. Silver calls out to Persuasion for her to do something, as Kara, furious that she wasn’t here in time to help her best friend, tells Wildchild that she is not going to let him hurt anyone else.
Persuasion uses her mutant powers of mind control and tells Wildchild to stop. Wildchild growls - then leaps up at the surprised Silver. ‘How could the Purple Girl not control me with her little mutant voice you ask?’ Kyle says before tossing Jimon at Kara and declaring that perhaps he is more animal than man. Making his way into the crowd, Wildchild declares that perhaps he does not possess enough of a mind to possess. He begins laughing and muttering ‘perhaps’ over and over again.
In his native French, Northstar calls after Wildchild, calling him an animal, until Vindicator tells him to forget about Wildchild, reminding him that Laura Dean has been critically wounded, she points out that he is the only one fast enough to get her to the hospital in time. ‘What about Wildchild?’ Jean-Paul asks. ‘What about your teammates?’ Heather points out, asking the founding Alphan where his loyalties lie - to his own angers, or to those who need him? Northstar asks what of the innocents that Wildchild threatens - do they not need him too?
Vindicator exclaims that it is her responsibility and orders Northstar to go. Carrying Laura as he flies to the nearest hospital, Jean-Paul thinks that Heather has quite a burden to bear, while realizing that he has made enough mistakes in his short life to never want to make such choices again. Vindicator turns to those remaining - Persuasion, Nemesis, Silver and Auric - and realizes that she has only pieces of Gamma Flight, Kara who is ineffective and herself. ‘Wonderful. How could I have let it come to this?’
Heather thinks back to the Sorcerer Affair, and ever since it, Alpha Flight has been kept in a very polite state of incarceration. They had to wait weeks for the government to convene a parliamentary panel on their status. When the government finally did - three days ago - it was all the city of Ottawa - probably the whole country - could talk about it. “Super Heroes on Trial?” read one newspaper headline. And who could blame them? After long periods of indecisions, recriminations, false accusations, magical manipulations and outright stupidities, Canada was about to settle her super-human affairs.
After two days of preliminary hearings though, Heather found her team had suffered attrition….
(Flashback)
Heather and those sitting with her are behind a bench, while the parliamentary select committee sit around a large table in the middle of the grand room, and onlookers watch the proceedings from the sidelines. Heather apologizes to Prime Minister Mulroney for the absence of several members of the group, but reminds him they had previously discussed that certain members needed permission to be excused from the proceedings.
Vindicator informs the members of the select committee who are unaware about this, that their resident mystics Shaman and Talisman as well as Sasquatch and Aurora set out this morning in pursuit of long-missing comrade Puck. Heather adds that General Clarke has granted them temporary operating clearance and she has been permitted to speak for them at this hearing. Prime Minister Mulroney tells Vindicator that he sees no need for any of this fuss himself, and exclaims that they have come to the realization that the conscious will of the people of Canada had been severely compromised during the Sorcerer’s prolonged attack.
Clarke mumbles to himself at that comment, as Mulroney declares that it is quite apparent that Canada owes Alpha Flight an incalculable debt of gratitude for their heroic efforts during these trying times. With Northstar, Nemesis, Silver, Auric, Wildchild, and the Beta Flight girls sitting beside her, Heather stands up and thanks the Prime Minister, agreeing that she also questions the necessity of these hearings, reminding him that Alpha Flight has been hounded, harassed and humiliated over the last year. Vindicator calmly informs the select committee and the Prime Minister that speaking for the entirety of Alpha Flight, they are prepared to put it all behind them - with certain conditions.
‘Conditions you say?’ asks General Clarke as he asks Heather if she thinks she is in a position to dictate conditions to them. Never one to back down, Heather firmly replies that she does, and out rightly declares that one of these conditions is simple, and is something granted to every other citizen of the land - ‘We wish to be free of governmental intrusions’. As the hearing goes on, no one notices as Wildchild seems to be quite agitated, head hung low, or pulling at his hair.
General Clarke asks Heather what kind of “intrusions” she is talking about - like such intrusions as letting her teammates to leave of their own free will, before trying to jibe Heather, sarcastically remarking that his hearing isn’t as good as it used to be, he asks if Madison Jeffries and Diamond Lil went with the others, as she didn’t mention them. Vindicator hesitates for a moment, before replying that the mission did include Box and Lil, while thinking to herself that she is going to kill Madison for making her lie - but not before she kills Lil.
Mulroney tries to calm Heather and Clarke, telling them that this isn’t the Spanish Inquisition, that they are all simply here to make some much-needed decisions. Mulroney states that they are herby rescinding all sanctions against the fighting unit called Alpha Flight and recognizing their tight to act as operatives of peace, but adds that it doesn’t mean Alpha Flight have been given carte blanche. Mulroney tells Heather that before deciding their future though, they must determine exactly what it is that Alpha Flight wants.
‘Whatever is best for Canada, Sir’ replies Heather, to which the crowd reacts to with a loud applause. ‘Smooth Ms. Hudson’ Mulroney thinks to himself, before saying ‘Very well’ and calling for order. Mulroney smiles as he tells Heather that their decision is that a new Department H will be established as a fully-funded organization serving as a support function to Alpha Flight’s activities. Mulroney pauses before informing everyone that they are recommending the disbanding of Gamma Flight and their reassignment to a training role under Alpha’s supervision.
‘Excuse me?’ asks the angry Nemesis, before Wildchild suddenly growls and pushes his way through his teammates and running towards Mulroney, ‘You will not throw us into the streets!’ he cries, and slashes at the RCMP who get in his way. Hands dripping in blood, Wildchild looms over Mulroney, telling him he will not turn Wildchild away, that he is not an animal to be discarded…’pup…little stray pup…’
Suddenly Vindicator blasts Kyle with plasma, telling him to stop where he is, but it only causes him to run towards a window, ‘Will not be a stray pup dog in the streets never again’ he cries, and as Heather asks Mulroney if he is all right, Wildchild smashes his way through the window. Mulroney is fine, and the officer who protected him would live.
Vindicator and the others however had just been party to a splendid example of why people fear their kind as much as they do. As Wildchild makes his way through crowds of civilians, Heather organizes her group in their pursuit - and they can hear people whispering behind them. Words of fear, envy and admiration. Like always, uncertainty about them.
Ironic, was Heather McNeil Hudson says ‘It’s why we’ll always have someone watching over us’, indeed someone is - her dear friend Wolverine, who watches the chase from a nearby rooftop. As Vindicator and the others follow Wildchild, Heather begins to understand the necessity behind an ever-present watch-dog. Regular people must be given some sense of security and protection against super beings - especially when it seems when they cannot even control each other.
Vindicator claims that it is time for that to change, starting now, starting with Wildchild - he is not going to escape.
(Present)
Meanwhile, at the Ottawa General hospital, four hours earlier. Michael “Shaman” Twoyoungmen, Walter “Sasquatch” Langkowski, Jeanne-Marie “Aurora” Beaubier and Elizabeth “Talisman” Twoyoungmen stand at the reception. For the third time, Shaman explains who he is and informs the reception staff that he was recently a patient here, along with an associate of his, Eugene Judd. Twoyoungmen declares that he would like to know what became of Judd.
The hospital staff tells Shaman that they already told him last time - Judd was released. Twoyoungmen points out that Judd was gravely ill, before revealing that he was a practising surgeon and therefore knows what he was talking about - and Judd should not have been allowed to leave. ‘Nevertheless, he was’ points out the receptionist.
Shaman turns to fellow founding Alphan Walter and as this is getting them no where, asks him what he thinks. The handsome Walt replies that it may be time to put a little pressure on these gentlemen. Shaman sighs, ‘It always comes down to this, doesn’t it?’ ‘It would seem so’ replies Jeanne-Marie unimpressed. As Walt transforms into his alter-ego of Sasquatch, he tells them to lighten up, as Elizabeth mutters she hates it when he does that. Walt tells Talisman that it is worth the headache he gets changing into Sasquatch just to get a reaction out of her, before turning to the receptionist.
Picking one of them up, Walt informs the frightened man that he is in the grasp of a gamma-irradiated super-strong bundle of testosterone - ‘So you would be ill-advised to make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry’. Teeth barred, Sasquatch asks which room Judd was in, and the frightened man reveals he was in room thirteen.
After one quick and cramped elevator ride, the heroes step out, and Elizabeth casts a magical spell of temporal alignment - past to the present - and senses that Judd hasn’t been here recently. Elizabeth turns to her father, who tells her that, as usual, the role of father he must set aside, as Shaman is necessary, and after pulling the Jewel of Actualization from his pouch, Twoyoungmen explains that it should work in conjunction with Talisman’s spell, and show them the events of the past as if they were happening now.
The heroes see Judd lying in a bed with several men around him and can tell he is in great pain, confusion and emotions raw. Shaman learns that it has been weeks since Judd was taken away, and that he did not leave of his own free will. As the Alphan leave the room, Sasquatch grabs the two men from reception who followed them and declares that as they were stupid enough to follow them up here, they might as well reveal where they took him - or he will give them a headache like they would not believe.
Back at Roxxon in Denver, Higgins puts into his record that the Canadian Army arrives with their special guest. Higgins hopes that their guest can do something now that their situation has deteriorated. Windshear stands by Higgins and asks him who the “leather lady” is that just got out of the helicopter. Higgins asks the woman who she is, and Lillian Crawley replies that she is Diamond Lil - as in rock-hard and beautiful, before revealing that Madison is inside the chopper.
Phasing into his Box armor, Madison Jeffries mutters that he is here and not happy about it. Windshear introduces himself once Box leaves the chopper and asks him if he has been briefed. Jeffries replies that he has, asking if Roxxon has some kind of mechanical experiment gone haywire. Jeffries boasts that since he can control all kinds of machinery, he is the right man for the job. Motioning to all the machinery around her, Lil mutters that she feels like she is taking a walk through Stephen King’s vacuum cleaner.
Jeffries tells Lil it is her choice and reminds her she didn’t have to come, before telling her that he knows she wouldn’t have come if she didn’t blackmail Clarke into letting her. Lillian snidely remarks that when Clarke said he didn’t want Jeffries’ precious little Heather knowing about this, she knew she wanted to come.
Looking around the complex, Jeffries replies that what is done is done, but that he doesn’t like lying to Heather, even though they have a job to do. He tells Windshear that it is an interesting experiment, ‘your bosses working on the mother of all VCRs or are they just hell-bent on taking over the world?’ he asks jokingly, to no reply. Without further ado, Box decides to get started, and flies down towards the same cannon that shot Windshear.
On their radio transmitters, Box asks Windshear if he can hear him, ‘Check’ replies Hume. Madison explains that he has some kind of weapon forming in front of him, and it looks like it is just itching to…’fire?’ suggests Windshear. Indeed it does fire, and though he is knocked back somewhat, Box manages to deflect it with a mirrored lens ‘lets see how it handles a taste of its own, eh?’ Windshear asks Box if he got it, but as tentacles come up and grab Box, he guesses not.
Suddenly, the mechanical construct starts to plug into Box. Windshear asks him if he needs help, but Jeffries just replies that there is something  - someone - trying to communicate with him. He decides to talk to it - him - and goes into the cybernetic systems of the machine - the creature. Windshear calls to Jeffries and asks him if he is okay with this, but Jeffries is already in the system - falling - he can’t hear the man trying to talk to him. He asks him who he is and what happened to him - suddenly, he cuts off.
Later, Higgins has made an addendum to his entry, explaining that the machine just spit Jeffries out like a grape seed, and it has been three hours since Jeffries started mumbling to himself. Windshear and Higgins stand nearby as Lil sits with the de-armored Jeffries, asking him to snap out of it. She reminds everyone that he screamed so loud every intercom in this complex broadcasted it. Higgins remembers - it was some gibberish about ten thousand years of anger. Higgins is crunching down aspirins like candy.
Higgins points out that the broadcast was also accessed by computer systems across the Western States, Manitoba and Roxxon Worldwide. Windshear and Lil are surprised, and Higgins explains that this thing has infiltrated electronic networks everywhere - and has quite possible completely compromised Roxxon’s security. Lil looks down at Madison and asks him to tell them what they are dealing with. Jeffries sees Lil and snaps out of it, sitting up he exclaims that there was a man in the middle of that mechanical nightmare - a very angry man.
Back in Canada, at Gatineau Park, Wolverine recalls that he used to like coming here in his old days with Department H, just to get away from it all - which would explain why Wildchild feels the same way. Kyle Gibney leans up against a tree and sniffs - then growls. Before he can act, Wolverine punches him over, telling him it is too old of a trick for him to fall for. What Logan did was let Wildchild get a smell of him, before rubbing dirt and grass all over him to mask his scent, then by the time Wildchild picked up on him he had already swung around the other side.
Standing over Gibney, Wolverine looks at him, scared like a cornered animal - it reminds Wolverine of himself at one time and he doesn’t like it. Logan unsheathes his claws, telling him it is time to get him to some people who may not be as nice to him as he has been.
Elsewhere, Vindicator circles the skies, she has been searching for hours and found nothing. She managed to get a hold of Jean-Paul at the hospital and learned that Laura Dean is in a critical condition - the doctors don’t know if she is going to make it, so she sent him to Etobicoke to get Persuasion’s mother. Of course he wasn’t happy about that, big surprise.
Heather wonders if this is what the job amounts to - a little girl dying, a petulant man questioning her every move? She decides that it is not worth it, and wonders why Mac had to die. She wonders why he had to leave her alone, and she cannot even trust Madison now…she can’t seem to do much of anything right - except keep Alpha going…but only it seems, if she sells out to the government. ‘It’s been one lousy century hasn’t it?’
Vindicator sees Nemesis, Persuasion and Witchfire and lands nearby at the same time Silver and Auric do. Jimon asks Heather if she found anything, to which Heather replies she hasn’t and assumes they didn’t find him at the Point Chaudiere Promenade either, before turning to Witchfire and asking her where she has been. ‘Communing’ replies Anya, ‘you wouldn’t understand, its complicated’. ‘I’ll bet’ mutters Heather before pointing out to the Gamma Flight members that Wildchild is their teammate, and asks them what they want to do next.
‘These dweebs don’t know squat, Heather’ complains Persuasion. Heather tries to keep Kara quiet, but the furious Nemesis exclaims ‘Shut up little girl! It’s not our fault! He’s as much animal as man, he could be anywhere!’ Witchfire suggests that they need someone who is as much man as animal, when suddenly Wildchild is tossed in amongst them.
‘And where would you find someone like that, kid?’ asks a voice from within the forest. ‘No!’ exclaims Heather upon recognizing the voice. ‘This pile of trash what you’ve been looking for folks? Hello Heather. Long time no see’. says Wolverine as he leaps out of the forest before them.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Building Blocks, part two: Trust
‘Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blow your head off!’ Heather “Vindicator” McNeil Hudson asks her dear friend Wolverine a.k.a. Logan, current member of the X-Men and former member of Alpha Flight. ‘Don’t think I can, darlin`’ Logan replies calmly. Kara “Persuasion” Kilgrave asks Heather to calm down, ‘I mean, Wolverine is your friend isn’t he?’ Heather doesn’t know the answer to Kara’s question. Silver, Auric and Witchfire of Gamma Flight stare at Heather uncomfortably, while their leader Nemesis tends to Wildchild.
Heather is allied with people she hardly even knows - and is facing a man she thought was dead. Heather asks Logan how he could still be alive and not tell her - ‘How could you have done that to me, Logan?’ Lighting a cigarette, Logan replies that it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Heather is about to say something when Kara Kilgrave asks her what they are going to do about Wildchild - ‘I mean he’s a killer, right, and he smells awful!’
Heather replies that they will turn him over to the proper authorities, that is her duty as leader of Alpha Flight, before pointing out that Kyle “Wildchild” Gibney wouldn’t have been released from custody in the first place if the Sorcerer hadn’t been influencing the Canadian government. Logan asks Heather if the two of them can find a place to talk, and Heather replies they can once they unload Wildchild. Holding onto Wildchild, Nemesis thinks to herself ‘Do as you will, Vindicator, but you’ll get him over my dead body…or even better, your dead body’.
Meanwhile, a frantic search for a missing friend has led four Alphans to a hallowed and sacred land - which Sasquatch, Shaman, Aurora and Talisman enter in their own inimitable fashion. Arriving by teleportation, Walter Langkowski a.k.a. Sasquatch asks if this is the place. His close friend and fellow-founding Alphan Michael “Shaman” Twoyoungmen reminds everyone that the doctor at Ottawa General Hospital said that Puck had been brought to the secret lair for “indoctrinization”…whatever that means.
Shaman explains that although they were unable to pierce the telepathic blocks placed on the doctor’s mind, he did at least reveal a location via mental imaging. Shaman uses his powers to close the teleportation gate, as Sasquatch asks where the “magical mystery tour” took them. Shaman’s daughter Elizabeth a.k.a. the phenomenal Talisman reveals they are in South Dakota, the Black Hills to be precise. Jeanne-Marie Beaubier a.k.a. Aurora, sporting a new costume complete with a hood asks Shaman if he senses Judd’s presence.
Shaman replies that he doesn’t, but is sure that once he and Elizabeth conduct a mystical inspection they will. Sasquatch tells everyone that Heather would have puppies if she knew they had crossed into the States. Shaman declares that they will do what they must to save their friend, as man-made boundaries aren’t forged in anything quite so strong as the bonds of friendship and trust, of which Puck has with them. Walt agrees, and suggests they find whoever has taken Judd and bust their heads in.
But as a group of deformed naked men leap out at them, Walt jokes ‘Of course having them find us expedites matters quite nicely’. Aurora declares that the poor creatures are hideous, as Shaman warns his teammates that the beings may be under the control of someone else, he is knocked down, ‘Well, they just lost my sympathy vote’ jokes Walt, punching at the creatures. Aurora warns her ex-lover not to strike the creatures in anger, as he may be too strong for them.
As Elizabeth is shoved to the ground, she asks Aurora if holding back is such a good idea. Calmly, Aurora replies that she is sure, and reveals that violence is no longer her way, and that she would prefer it not to be theirs either. Creating a blinding light which holds the enemy back, Aurora explains that her mutant powers will allow the creatures to see themselves in a new light - the Light of Truth.
With the creatures blinded, Sasquatch congratulates Aurora and leaps back into battle, claiming they will be easy pickings now. Shaman tells Sasquatch that he doubts it is what Aurora had in mind, before pointing out that her powers are evolving, and nevertheless whether they mean to be or not, the creatures to pose a threat to their mission. Pulling a staff from his medicine pouch, Shaman offers to end this quickly.
Sasquatch lunges at one of the creatures and declares that this is more fun than tackling Larry Csonka. Shaman taps the Staff of Sisiutl on the ground and explains that it will cast a spell of natural alignment across the entire area - meaning beings of an unnatural nature will feel a physical and spiritual disassociation. Sasquatch suddenly struggles with his opponent and reminds Shaman that he is part of the pantheon of Great Beasts - so his spell is working on him too! However, regaining his composure, Sasquatch tosses the creature off him, guessing that the spell is not working on him as badly as it is their strange enemies.
Aurora’s opponent thrashes about in his blindness and pain, and hopes that a burst of light will bring the wretched man a sense of inner peace. The creature falls to the ground, as Aurora points out, it could not stand up to the light of innocence and truth, and she did not help to heal it - she only hurt it. Standing over her fallen opponent, Jeanne-Marie wonders if her decision to work with Alpha will always conflict with her sacred trust to bring spiritual healing to this world.
Hovering in the air, Elizabeth tells Aurora that she has to work within the grey areas, as everyone must, before congratulating everyone on their good work. Talisman explains that she is entering a meditative state to concentrate on the creature Aurora defeated. Talisman exclaims that the creature is fighting her on a telepathic level, before asking him who he is, who he was, and why he is here. ‘Master? You have a master? Are you his slave?’ Elizabeth asks. Elizabeth tries to calm the creature by telling him he is not betraying his master’s trust, and asks him to talk to her.
Talisman tells the creature that he didn’t betray his master, and to look at himself, look at what has been done to him. She seems to have calmed the creature down somewhat as she learns that his master’s lair is in the hills within the woods. Elizabeth returns to reality, exclaiming that what she went through was like a roller-coaster ride through molasses, before informing everyone that she believes they are confronting The Master himself.
‘That loser again?’ mutters Sasquatch, as Shaman points out that anyone who would do this to other humans is a dangerous threat, before Aurora asks if he is hiding in the woods, but Talisman replies that he is hiding in the hills - that his lair is inside the earth itself!
Meanwhile, at Roxxon Oil in Denver, the Facility Coordinator, Samuel Higgins, updates his log. Currently, he is in a meeting room the size of Rhode Island and is remembering a time when the situation that is going on at Roxxon was under control. Higgins, the corporate council and Jaxon - may the worms eat his soul - knew about it to begin to with, but now they have two-year old mechanical nightmare growing out of all conceivable proportions in their sub-basement and now both the U.S. and Canadian governments are sticking their noses into it.
Higgins explains that since this involves super human activity, the National Security Council has been brought in, and Higgins is now sitting here sweating in front of the chairman - er, chairperson - right now. Doctor Valerie Cooper appears before everyone in the room via a large computer monitor, and Higgins decides that between her frosty demeanor and the knuckleheads from Alpha Flight Box and Diamond Lil, he should consider an early retirement.
Val tells Higgins that she wants to go over this one more time, because frankly she is having trouble believing it. It is Val’s understanding that Roxxon has a mechanical experiment which has gone out of control and neither Roxxon’s para-operative Windshear, who can control, propel and repel hard-air molecules, nor the Alphan Madison “Box” Jeffries, a mutant whose very powers are to manipulate all inorganic materials, could stop it.
Higgins tells the high-ranking government official that when she puts it that way it makes them sound kind of lame. Higgins is about to say something else when Val interrupts, reminding him that the government has billions invested in many of Roxxon’s research programs. Val is interrupted this time, by the polite Jeffries, who asks Val if they can forget about the money for a minute and concentrate on the real problem. ‘Which is, Mr. Jeffries?’ asks Val.
Madison explains to Val that there is a man inside mechanical nightmare, a very angry man. Jeffries declares that he doesn’t know how or why, but he does know that the man is manipulating the system with computer speed. Jeffries explains that he can only control machinery as fast as a man, ‘I ain’t no gigabyte computer - and he is!’
Valerie asks Jeffries if what he is saying is that he needs someone who can create, design and implement changes into the Box systems quickly as the creature can. ‘Yup,’ replies Madison, explaining that if they can hook him into a design program that is as fast as the mystery man is, then he can fight square, if not fair. Colin Ashworth Hume a.k.a. Windshear stands up from his seat and asks where they are going to find that. Valerie informs everyone that she knows just such a man, a mutant gifted with cognitive invention - Forge!
Back in Canada, Vindicator decides that the Ottawa pub scene on a weekday afternoon is the perfect place for a little privacy - more than anything, Heather McNeil Hudson needs an hour to drink a beer and figure out where her life is taking her. She may be leader of Alpha Flight, but she never asked for this job, and never wanted it. Heather took the job because everyone else trusted her - they had the faith that she would continue her husband’s dream. Heather recalls that she never really believed in herself the way the Wolverine and Shaman and Snowbird and Puck did.
Heather takes her seat beside Wolverine and mutters that she is still having trouble believing this. Logan declares that you have to trust your senses, before asking what the deal with Wildchild is. Heather informs Logan that Wildchild is in a maximum security holding cell, and they aren’t sure if they are going to charge him yet. Logan asks about the kid that Wildchild mauled - Laura Dean. Heather replies that Laura is alive… barely, adding that Persuasion went to be with her and Jean-Paul is still there.
Vindicator admits that this is eating her up inside, as Laura is just a little girl. Logan replies that from what he understands, Laura got hurt saving her sister, and tells Heather it is a pretty adult decision for a little girl. Heather sardonically asks if it is all right she got hurt because it was her choice, before angrily telling Logan that she really missed that “easy-to-swallow-hard-to-digest-black-and-white” attitude of his. Adjusting her glasses, Heather asks Logan how he could have done this to her, why didn’t he tell her he was alive. ‘I did what I had to do’ Logan replies.
‘Simple as that?’ asks Heather, telling Logan that she just got over Mac’s death when he ups and dies. Heather asks Logan why he is here - why didn’t you just “stay dead”? ‘Why am I asking - how can I tell you’ll tell me the truth!’ Logan informs Heather that he is here because something big is coming up and he may not be around much longer - so he wanted to wipe the slate clean. Heather notices something different about Logan’s appearance and asks him why and how he looks so sick.
Heather asks if there is something wrong with his healing factor, and offers Alpha Flight’s help - but Logan puts his jacket on and throws some money on the table, telling Heather ‘No’ as he doesn’t want her getting involved. He declares that he came to say “I’m alive, I loved you and goodbye”. Heather turns quickly and tells Logan to wait, suggesting that she might be able to help him help himself. Heather assumes that Wildchild’s immune system is similar to Logan’s, and suggests that a blood transfusion would work.
Wolverine points out that even if it could, which he doubts, Kyle Gibney is in federal lock-up. Wolverine tells Heather that no one in the government can know he is still alive, and explains that if they break him out of jail, it will screw up everything Heather has worked towards - the future of Alpha Flight - all for a man she cannot trust anymore. ‘I know…’ replies Heather.
Back in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Twoyoungmen has sourced the location of the Master’s base, and Sasquatch tells him it is about time, as they have been walking around for hours. ‘I probably got more ticks now…’ Walt mutters. ‘Needle-in-a-haystack, right, Walter?’ says Elizabeth, reminding everyone she told them it would be hard, adding that the Master of the World has not only hidden his base underground, but between dimensional planes. Shaman points out that a window of opportunity has presented itself, to which Sasquatch tells him to ‘do the hocus-pocus thing’.
Talisman’s magicks begin to swirl around, ‘Elizabeth, please-’ begins her father, but Elizabeth tells Shaman that he has always has this tone of voice like it should be easy for her. She exclaims that she is not mad or anything, but he puts pressure on her. Energies flow and ebb around her as Elizabeth finds the location and maintains the integrity between the dimensions. A wormhole appears in the ground, ‘Oh yeah, Liz, that looked real tough for you,’ Sasquatch jokes. Aurora reminds Sasquatch that they cannot even begin to understand the forces that Talisman manipulates.
As the other-dimensional plane opens, Elizabeth creates a spell to mask their presence once they enter…the Master’s complex! Transforming back to his handsome human for to get through the portal, Sasquatch declares that it is certainly quite a complex - it is enormous. As everyone makes their way through, Shaman informs everyone that the ship appears to be an exact replica of his original space-ark.
Walt points out that it will make it easier to get around, as he transforms back into his Sasquatch form. Shaman tells his teammates that they better start being a little more careful from here on in. As the quartet make their way through the ship, Sasquatch tells Twoyoungmen to forgive him if he isn’t too worried about this, as for a guy who was supposed to be their biggest opponent, the Master was always a bit of a wussie.
Shaman hopes that Sasquatch’s definition remains accurate, when suddenly, Walt asks if anyone brought a crow along as he is awfully hungry. Imprisoned before them in some tank, is a very familiar, yet very deformed man. Aurora hopes that it is not Judd, and though he hates to say it, Sasquatch declares that he thinks they have just found Puck.
On the other side of the world, Jeffries has transformed his armor into a jet and as he streaks towards Muir Island, Scotland. It is the place Val Cooper told them they would be able to find the mutant Forge, and that there is a whole mutant research center there. Suddenly, inside the Box jet, Diamond Lil and Windshear are tossed about. Hume asks what is going on, and Box explains that they have hit an electro-magnetic scrambler field - so he cannot maintain jet mode.
Box returns to his default form as Lillian is tossed into the water. Windshear manages to create a air funnel to prevent him from getting in the water. Hume informs Lil that Box is somewhere back in the water, to which Lil, now sopping wet, replies that Madison will be fine - which is more than she can say for the clowns that attacked them, and asks if one of them is Forge.
Standing on the shore of the island are six gold and blue clad people. Forge introduces himself before telling Diamond Lil that he thinks she has a problem with the laws of cause and effect, pointing out that they approached at supersonic speeds with no prior communication. ‘In our book, that means you attacked us!’
Samuel Higgins’ files reveal that some interesting things about Forge’s friends. Doctor Moira MacTaggert runs the place, while Sean “Banshee” Cassidy is a former member of the X-Men. The others are civilians named Tom Corsi, Sharon Friedlander and Amanda Sefton…’who is ahem a witch…Hey, I’m not making this stuff up’.
Windshear approaches Amanda Sefton who tells him that he made a big mistake trying to pierce her mystical barrier, and the powerful sorceress uses her powers to cause Windshear to drop out of the air. Windshear lands along the beach a little, and Sharon asks Tom if he is hurt. ‘Always the nurse at heart?’ Tom replies, despite the weapon that Sharon is holding. Tom reminds Sharon that he is still a cop and tells her that he has Windshear covered, and her protected.
Diamond Lil emerges from the water, drenched, she mutters ‘Yeah, that’s good, a cop and a nurse. Very TV’ before tossing them in the water, ‘You two just can’t be for real’.
Moira MacTaggert stands by Forge, ready with her weapon she tells her friend that she doesn’t know who they are, but they are good - maybe too good. She supposes they could be Reavers or Marauders, or any of the other dozen groups out to get them. Forge supposes they could be, but suggests they might not be also, suddenly, Box appears near them, and informs them that they tried to call first but couldn’t get through, and with his arm transmutated into a weapon, he asks them if they start talking or does he end this now. ‘Real messy like?’
Later, Box shows Forge and the Muir Island X-Men a recording of the strange happenings at Roxxon in Denver. Lil asks Windshear what he thinks of them, and he replies that this is a fancy set-up and that it looks like they have enough equipment to fight a war. When the video finishes, Jeffries sums up that that is what they are up against. Forge asks if they do not know who is up against this mechanical construct and if they need him to counter its moves as it makes them.
Banshee tells Forge that it could be tricky and asks if it is worth the risk. Forge points out that he is the only person who could do it, as Jeffries explains that working to create a cyber-link between the two of them so that Forge reconfigures him at the same rate as the guy they are fighting gives them a chance at least. Forge realizes that they need him, so agrees, but tells them that he doesn’t have much time to spare from his responsibilities here, so they need to work quickly.
Higgins updates his recordings after Windshear calls in to tell him that they are on the way and that Forge is with them. Higgins supposes that if they cannot bail Roxxon out now then he may as well forget about his new office furniture and the 401K-plan.
Inside the Box jet, Windshear tells Forge that he surprised him. When Forge asks how so, Hume replies that the fact he agreed to come is surprising as they could be killed doing this. Windshear explains that he is here because he was paid to, Jeffries and Lil were roped into it, so what is in it for a bloke like Forge? Forge replies that he does things like this because they have to be done, and too many people pass the buck, while he doesn’t. Windshear admits that he never quite looked at it that way.
Back in Ottawa, it took Heather and Wolverine a few hours to tap into the Ottawa Correctional Facility’s security systems to find out where Wildchild was begin held. Getting in wasn’t too difficult, especially not for people like Wolverine and Vindicator who do this in their sleep. ‘Doesn’t say much for our choice of lifestyles does it?’ Creeping down a flight of stairs, Heather points out that there are two guards down the rear of the corridor. Logan tells Heather that they are going the other way, and they make their way to a secure door.
Heather announces that this is the wing for super human prisoners and it has an electronic key code lock. Heather boasts that it is pretty useless against someone who can electromagnetically scramble the entire system, and she does, her powers blowing the door open. Entering the secure area, Heather exclaims that she didn’t mean to blow the lights out too, and leaping down the levels, Wolverine informs her that the guards are going to be on them fast, so they need to move.
Suddenly, there is a torch shining spotlight on them - ‘Who’s there?’ asks a security guard. Wolverine growls and marches over to the guards. ‘Who is it? What is it?’ Oddly for Wolverine he takes them down in one blow each and makes an apology for it. Heather understands why he did it, as he didn’t want the guards recognizing her. Logan tells Heather that they need to get out of here as the place will be crawling with guards.
Heather tells Logan that they are not leaving without Wildchild and asks Logan if he can pick up Kyle’s scent. Logan admits that he doesn’t know, and adds that lately it is like he has been walking around with a stuffed-up head. However he picks up something faint, and leads Heather to a cell. Vindicator uses a low-level plasma pulse to light things up, but what they see before them is an empty cell. Heather says it is no wonder his scent was so faint as he is not here, and asks Wolverine what they are to do next.
Box radios to Roxxon to inform them of their arrival, but on the ground, things are out of control, people are running from the complex. Lil asks Jeffries what is happening, and Madison replies that he isn’t sure, but that electromagnetic readings are off the scale. Suddenly, there is a large quake, and people are thrown about all over the place.
From in the Box jet still, Forge asks Madison what happened, and from what Jeffries can understand, it is as if the whole place just vomited. Forge requests a hook-up access and they are going in. ‘I was afraid he was gonna say that,’ mutters Lil, as Windshear complains that he is not paid enough for this. They dive down into the large hole in the ground.
Looking around the destruction in the complex, Forge tells the others that if they have a weak stomach then it is best not to look. He compares the destruction before him to what he went through in Vietnam, sights and sounds that scar a person forever. He tells everyone that whoever they are up against is a murdering butcher. Box patches up to the facilities monitor systems, and Windshear checks them, exclaiming that it is a miracle they are still working.
Something appears on the monitor, Forge asks him to magnify and clarify it. Windshear’s accent gets thicker as he wonders what is going on, when suddenly the mysterious assailant clears the static on the screen up himself. Forge tells Hume to calm down and asks if what he is saying is that the mystery man is letting them see him.
Box asks Forge to wait, before seeing the man responsible for their current problems in full view. Jeffries calls to Lil, and there is silence. Windshear asks what is going on and why no one will talk to them. Forge asks Jeffries what it is, and the shocked Diamond Lil exclaims ‘It can’t be! He can’t be alive!’ Forge asks who the man is, and Jeffries reveals that it is a man who died over two years ago. The man everyone is looking at is Guardian…James MacDonald Hudson!


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Building Blocks part four: Strength
A cold night in Sault St. Marie…just got hot. Heather McNeil Hudson a.k.a. Vindicator recalls that she and her close friend Wolverine a.k.a. Logan have been following Wildchild’s trail ever since he was sprung from prison in Ottawa. They didn’t expect that those doing the springing were Wildchild’s fellow members of Gamma Flight - losers in the “Official Government Sanctioned Heroes Sweepstakes”.
Vindicator unleashes a blast of plasma from her electromagnetically powered battle suit and knocks down Silver and Auric. Wolverine tells Heather that Wildchild and Nemesis are his and tells her to go after Witchfire. That is fine by Heather as she is in the mood to dance no matter who is on the card. Gamma Flight’s mysterious leader Nemesis lunges at Wolverine, telling him that they didn’t want this fight but they will do it to the death - his or theirs.
Wolverine senses Wildchild coming up behind him and knocks him out, telling him to wait his turn. Wolverine replies to Nemesis and tells her that she better be ready to back up her words, before knocking her back. Turning to Wildchild, Logan tells him that it is now his turn.
Heather hovers above Witchfire, she only knows that she is some kind of sorceress, but doesn’t know how her powers work. Witchfire lets loose some light powers, to which Heather sarcastically remarks ‘Bright lights, I’m scared’. Witchfire tells Heather not to underestimate her. ‘No, wouldn’t want to do that, would we?’ Heather remarks, before placing the electromagnetic stabilizers in the suit at rest with the Earth’s gravitational rotation for a split second.
It is a trick Heather usually reserves for long distance shunting, but it works really nicely in close quarters too, and teleports Heather right behind Witchfire, enabling her to strike the sorceress down. Leaving four down, and one to go.
Wildchild slashes Wolverine across the back, telling him that business is unsettled since they last played the game. Wolverine turns and punches Wildchild over, asking him how many times he has told him it is not a game. Wildchild lunges at Logan again tackling him at the waist. Wolverine just mutters that he never did listen. ‘No I didn’t!’ exclaims Wildchild, his fist ready to strike Logan.
But Logan grabs Wildchild and pushes him back, exclaiming that he will never be able to figure out who is to blame for that fault, either one of them. Tackling Wildchild to the ground, Logan mutters ‘Ah, the heck with it - it’s your fault!’ Wildchild starts to growl, and Wolverine points out that every time the chips are down he goes right back into his animal mode.
Wolverine skewers Wildchild in the stomach, reminding him that a year ago he did the same thing and almost killed Heather. Wolverine reminds Wildchild that he swore they would come full circle and that Wildchild would pay for that. ‘Guess what time it is?’ Wildchild collapses as Heather flies by, ‘Logan! No!’ Logan replies that he knows, and that it is time to put the animal back in the cage.
Meanwhile, at Roxxon in Denver, Samuel Higgins, the facility coordinator updates his files, explaining that James MacDonald Hudson is alive and the facility has been blown to smithereens - but what now? Hudson is in the medi-lab while clean up crews try to make some semblance of order out of the chaos which was, until an hour ago, a prime Roxxon Research Facility. The X-Man Forge is supervising the tests and Hudson’s fellow Alphans Madison “Box” Jeffries and Lillian Crawley a.k.a. Diamond Lil are still shell shocked by the events.
Higgins now watches quietly from the sides, with Roxxon’s own para human operative Colin Ashworth Hume a.k.a. Windshear. Forge stands near Madison as he asks Hudson what happened. Samuel Higgins suddenly feels his Adam’s apple lump in his throat like a cartoon character’s. Hudson reveals that he has been part of the electromagnetic landscape, that he has been asleep in cybernetic dreamland…for ten thousand years!
Madison informs Hudson that when Jerry Jaxon’s robot tried to get revenge on Alpha Flight by impersonating him, it made up a cockamamie story about Hudson getting time-warped into space. Mac reveals that it was accurate information, and explains that when he encountered Omega Flight and Jaxon in New York City, he was able to defeat Jaxon who battled in the original Box armor, but only at the cost of great traumatic damage to Hudson’s biological form and his mechanical suit.
(Flashback,)
As Hudson attempts to facilitate repairs to his overloading battle suit systems, he realizes he would not be able to accomplish the task in sufficient time. The last human voice he remembers hearing was that of his wife, Heather as she rushes into the room, at the same time, Hudson triggers his suits fail-safe system.
Hudson saved both their lives, but in doing so, ignited the suit’s ultimate expression of its electromagnetic gravitational capabilities. His body teleports at faster-than-light speed and is thrust into the space-time continuum.
Mac comes to rest on Ganymede, the largest of Jupiter’s many moons. Unfortunately, he is unable to sustain his system’s functions in the harsh atmosphere and his form collapses into the numbing coldness of impending cessation.
To say the least, Mac is rather surprised when he awakes to find an alien race who call themselves the Qwrlln looking down on him. The Qwrlln work hard to prevent Hudson’s system from disfunctioning and keep him alive as they sought to repair his damages with their advanced technology. Unfortunately, they are not able to conversant in human physiology and they misinterpret his suit’s mechanical equipment with his natural organic matter, creating a working synthesis of the two - essentially, James MacDonald Hudson has become a cyborg!
Hudson learns that his teleportation has not only warped him millions of miles away, but thousands of years into the past as well. The Qwrlln place Mac into a cryogenic stasis chamber so that he will sleep blissfully until such time that he catches up with his future.
When that time finally came, Hudson rose to discover that the Qwrlln had mysteriously vanished, leaving remnants of their civilization, and a spacecraft which would return him to Earth.
The craft, traveling at sub-light speeds required two months to reach Earth, and Hudson sleeps through the whole journey, as he had already done for so long - but upon landing in the Pacific Ocean outside the coastline of British Columbia, Hudson’s stasis chamber malfunctioned and he remains in a comatose state.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, his craft is found by a Roxxon Oil research rig and he is remanded to the company’s custody. They don’t know what to do with him, so they did nothing, just left him as he was.
From there, while he sleeps, he slowly entered - through his medical monitoring systems - into cybernetic communication with the Denver Facility’s computer network. Hudson leans or Samuel Higgins’s two year struggle to have his situation “rectified”, and in time, Hudson comes to fully understand what had happened to him and though the mechanical components of his brain were fully active within the electro field, his organic mind was very much asleep and unconscious of his actions.
Hudson is by now able to control and subvert Roxxon’s cyber web, much to their chagrin. Roxxon panics and asks for help - Box, Lil, Windshear and Forge - and now Hudson is fully conscious thanks to the simple human contact by Madison Jeffries. The damage is done to the facility and the civilians within it occurred as the direct result of Roxxon’s ill-advised attempts to “rectify” Hudson’s status.
(Present)
Forge approaches Higgins and asks him if it is true that while they were inside of Hudson’s mechanical fortress, he was trying to kill him. Higgins replies that they had gotten to the point where they thought they would…’umm…cut our losses…and we sort of tried…umm…unplugging Hudson’. Mac exclaims that he had erected so many unconscious fail-safe security devices that their very actions precipitated the rather extreme destruction of the facility.
Windshear turns to Higgins and asks him if he didn’t care about this facility or the poor people who worked here - that it is all about the bloody corporation and the precious profit line and rep. Higgins stays silent, eyes downcast.
Hudson declares that be that as it may, he believes he is no longer dependant on Roxxon’s hospitality, and pulls of the wires attached to him, allowing himself to turn off the monitoring systems. Mac puts some clothes on and exclaims that with the time he anticipates Roxxon will need to undo the damages they have inflicted upon themselves, they will be far too preoccupied to worry about him.
Hudson tells Higgins that he assumes he is free to leave, ‘Yeah, sure, free as a bird’ replies Higgins. ‘Who had been trapped in a cage not of his making’ exclaims Hudson. Mac turns to Forge and tells him that he understands they must return him to Muir Island before they return to Canada. Forge replies that is correct, before asking Mac how he knew that, as they just met. Hudson doesn’t answer, instead he declares that a parabolic arc in the atmosphere should allow them to complete the task in minutes.
Diamond Lil approaches Mac and somewhat unsure of what she is about to say, and possibly nervous, asks him to listen. Mac obviously senses her hesitation and tells Lil that he knows of her role in Omega Flight’s activities, before revealing that he is also aware of her recent work on behalf of Alpha Flight. He assures her that if they can give her the opportunity to reform, then so can he. Lillian thanks Mac wholeheartedly.
Jeffries gets back into his Box armor and follows Hudson with the others as they begin to leave. Mac declares that this is all and recommends to Higgins that he strives towards “rectifying” the aftermath of this situation in a way far different than was his intention for him. Hudson exclaims that he may have once lived under the philosophy of “Forgive and Forget”, but now his memory bank prevents him from doing the latter and anger is the former.
Mac wishes Windshear luck and tells him that he is inexperienced and rather childish, before reminding him that he controls his own destiny and suggests he choses wisely. Windshear asks Mac to let him come with them, to which Higgins quickly speaks up and reminds Windshear that they have a lot of work to do here. Hume replies that there is no work for him to do here, not for Roxxon, not after he learned about this company. Colin exclaims that there is more to life than cutting a pay check for doing nothing and it is about time he showed some guts and made something of himself. ‘In other words, Sammy, I quit!’
Higgins updates his file after watching them leave, boasting that Hudson will get his cometh upeth eventually. He reminds himself that although Windshear’s powers are his own, the armor isn’t and Roxxon will get it back - and Higgins claims that he will be the one to peel it off, piece by piece. ‘You see boys, I don’t forgive and forget either’. With those ominous words, Samuel Higgins ends his JMH file.
Meanwhile, inside the Black Hills of South Dakota, four Alphans have successfully rescued their missing member from their arch-foe, the self-proclaimed Master of the World - now all they have to do is find their way out in one piece! However, the Master’s Remnant Men are attacking Alpha Flight, making their escape impossible.
Michael “Shaman” Twoyoungmen asks his teammates how they can escape without harming the Master’s innocent pawns. Eugene Milton Judd a.k.a. Puck, the long missing Alphan and reason the others came for him, replies that he doesn’t know, but that if he is going to die than at least he can thank Talisman for conjuring up a costume for him.
Elizabeth Twoyoungmen a.k.a. the phenomenal Talisman replies that it was her pleasure, for it is better than having him fight the Remnant Men in the buff. ‘Yeah, well, your hocus-pocus things done all right by Puck’s panties, but why can’t you help the rest of us?’ asks Walter “Sasquatch” Langkowski. The serene Jeanne-Marie “Aurora” Beaubier points out to her ex-lover that Talisman’s magical resources are not unlimited, and asks him to restrain himself and all her to bring some measure of peace to the tortured beings by bathing them in her internal light.
As Aurora unleashes light upon the Remnant Men, as the Master of the World mocks her: ‘Yes, little Aurora, struggle in vain to bring about a solution in as peaceful a manner as possible’. The Master laughs at all Aurora and her teammates can do to stop themselves from tearing his Remnant Men apart, for as ever, the Master of the World manipulates his inferiors to his heart’s content.
As Elizabeth pushes the Remnant Men away from her, she mutters that this is ridiculous and tells Shaman to throw her his mystic pouch. Shaman begins to ask Talisman why she would need it, when Talisman shouts ‘Don’t question me! This is Talisman telling Shaman, not daughter asking father!’ Shaman accepts this and passes his daughter his medicine pouch. Talisman exclaims that the only way to stop the creatures without hurting them, or their selves, is to return them to their normal human state.
Talisman explains that the only way to do this is to revert the Remnant Men through mystical means, but first she needs to find the appropriate spell in Shaman’s bag and act upon it. Since she does not have the luxury of time to sift through the millions of spells in Shaman’s pouch - she places the bag over her head to sift through all the spells at once! Talisman exclaims that everything is rushing through her at once, millions of worlds she can see them all!
Talisman declares that it is so overwhelming, and her father tries to reach out to her, but the Remnant Men hold him back. Shaman announces that as the pouch has been turned inside out they have barely survived the act and reminds everyone that Smart Alec once looked inside the pouch and was left in a vegetative state. ‘But to use your mind as a filter for energies within it is suicide!’
Sasquatch calls to Shaman and asks him what Talisman is doing, while within the bag Talisman moans. Shaman explains that Elizabeth is defining, collating and absorbing trillions of mystical spells and artifacts in order to find the one which will cure the Remnant Men. The Master of the World stands amongst the confusion, remarking that this is fascinating, for even if Elizabeth finds the appropriate spell, she may destroy herself in the process, while if she fails, the Alphans will be overrun by his crazed bio-morphic creations. Since the Master finds both scenarios visually and viscerally distasteful, he decides it best to depart, and makes a sneaky exit.
Talisman announces that she has found the correct spell, but it is racing through her so quickly that she is starting to lose it! She invokes her father and grandfather, and exclaims ‘Let the spell of bionatural equilibrium be released!’ Bright light shines all around Talisman and the Remnant Men are thrust backwards.
‘Fascinating!’ exclaims the Master as he watches Elizabeth success from a monitor elsewhere in the complex. He decides that his Remnant Men had outlived their usefulness anyway, and between the information he has gained from the biological manipulations of Judd and the other humans, as well as his knowledge of the Plodex which has made him as he is today, he will soon be prepared to create a race of beings suitable for conquest - the ultimate biological warriors at his beck and call. He decides to, for now, retire to a more suitable location from which to monitor the events of this planet, and with that teleports his entire base away.
Alpha Flight find themselves being moved through space-time, Aurora explaining that the Master must be moving his spaceship from its one-dimensional hiding place, and they arrive back in the woods. Motioning to the unmoving Talisman who lies in her father’s arms, Sasquatch asks what has happened to her. Shaman reveals that upon releasing the spell she collapsed, and placing her on the ground he explains that he has probed for some sign of cerebral activity and found nothing! ‘By my ancestors…I think my daughter is dead!’
Back in Sault St. Marie, Logan and Heather ran over Gamma Flight like a truck over a squirrel, but it didn’t give Heather an ounce of satisfaction. Vindicator informs Gamma Flight that it is over and suggests they do something different for once and decide what they are going to do like rational adults. Wrapping her cape around Wildchild’s wounds, Nemesis asks what there is to decide, reminding Heather and Wolverine she told them Gamma Flight will not be taken alive.
Heather tells Nemesis that they are not going to kill her and points out that Witchfire, Silver and Auric do not look too interested in a suicide pact. Zhao “Auric” Kwan suddenly speaks up and announces that he and his sister would prefer to go home to China. Jimon a.k.a. Silver exclaims that they serve the cause of freedom and democracy and could better do that in their homeland than in jail. Heather reminds the siblings that her government gave them asylum for their own purposes, influenced by the Sorcerer, and now their services are no longer needed. She tells them to beat it, but if they ever need help, they no where they can be found.
Witchfire informs Heather that she would like to accept the opportunity to serve as a trainee under Alpha’s tutelage, to which Heather remarks that she can learn quite a lot from Shaman and Talisman, not to mention she will now be able to keep an eye on her. Wolverine turns to Nemesis and declares that it only leaves her and Wildchild. Wolverine reminds Nemesis that the others were following her lead and asks if she is ready to take responsibility for her actions.
Nemesis asks Wolverine if he wants her to accept the blame for helping her friend, to willingly go to jail for that. ‘What right to you have to demand that of us?’ Nemesis reveals that all she wants for Wildchild is what James and Heather Hudson originally gave Wolverine - a chance to live within society, not on its fringes. Wolverine remarks that there is a problem - Wildchild is a killer, plain and simple.
Wolverine points out that he has learned to control himself while Wildchild hasn’t. He informs Nemesis that a year ago Wildchild went on a rampage and he barely managed to stop him from killing Heather. ‘That was you, huh? I should’ve known’ mutters Heather.
Nemesis asks Wolverine if those actions are really so different from his own past ones, and reminds him of Puck who was in jail when Hudson paroled him to be part of Department H, or Diamond Lil, who had a hand in Hudson’s death and now she is part of Alpha Flight. ‘What hypocrites!’ Nemesis screams. Admitting that she broke their precious laws and asks if because they don’t know her or trust Wildchild they have to be brought to justice?
Nemesis asks Heather and Logan who gives them the right to judge like that. ‘Not me!” She reminds them that she said they would not be captured no matter what the cost - ‘And I meant it!’ with that, Nemesis clicks something on her sword and in a blinding flash of light, Nemesis and Wildchild disappear. A pile of ashes lie in front of Heather and Logan. ‘Teleportation or suicide?’ asks Logan.
‘What difference does it make?’ asks Heather, pointing out that they can no longer use Wildchild’s blood transfusion to help cure Logan’s healing factor. Logan replies by telling Heather that he didn’t do this for himself, but for her. Wolverine reminds Heather that she had to prove that she wasn’t selling out to the government if she worked with them, had to prove that she still had the strength of her convictions. Logan tells Heather that her idea to let help him spring Wildchild, then letting Silver, Auric and Witchfire make up their own minds, proves she still has what it takes to make the tough decisions.
Wolverine declares that whether Alpha Flight works with the government or not, Heather should know she can make the right choices. He tells her that she is readier now than ever to carry on with Mac’s dream, to be a guardian to this country. Heather asks Wolverine what he is going to do. ‘What about me?’ Logan mutters. With that, he is gone. Heather thinks that Logan comes and goes like the night, before deciding that she likes the title “Guardian”.
At Ottawa General Hospital, three hours later. Sasquatch, Aurora, Northstar and Puck are sitting in a waiting room with Laura Dean’s parents, Darby and Susan Dean. Walter asks if they are going to just keep sitting around waiting, to which Jean-Paul remarks that if there is one thing he learned between his ill-spent time on Asgard and in this hospital is patience - ‘Now stop pacing, sit down and shut up!’ ‘Ah, Beaubier, how I’d missed that charming style of yours’ Walt remarks.
Puck tells Walt that Northstar does have a point and suggests he relax a little as there is nothing they can do to help by wearing out the rug. ‘How about wearing out the rug in this direction?’ suggests Heather as she enters the waiting room followed by Witchfire. ‘Heather!’ exclaims Puck. ‘Eugene!’ remarks Heather, getting on her knees to hug him, relieved he is all right. Puck replies that he is better than ever, before informing Heather that Elizabeth was hurt.
Shaman makes his presence known as he exclaims they have done all they can to help her, but the rest is up to her now. Shaman informs everyone that Elizabeth has sustained certain neurological damages and is sleeping in intensive care. Shaman adds that they will not know how badly she has been affected until she awakens. Heather gives her condolences to her friend, before asking Doctor Giloski of Laura Dean.
Giloski replies that the blood transfusion provided by Laura’s parents has gotten her out of the critical condition, though she is still in a coma. Heather turns to Darby and Susan Dean and asks them if they are Laura’s natural parents, before telling them that they may have helped their daughter now, but they still have a lot to answer for. Susan replies that they know that.
‘Guess we have a lot to answer for, too, eh, Heather?’ asks Jeffries as he, Lillian and Windshear enter the waiting room. Madison greets Puck, before Heather asks him where he has been. Jeffries informs Heather that they got blackmailed into helping out a Roxxon plant in the States, before introducing Heather to Windshear, informing her that he was working for Roxxon but that he quit them to join up with Alpha Flight.
‘Bad enough you ran out on me - and with her - but to go help out Roxxon?’ Heather asks referring to Diamond Lil. Madison understands because of Mac, and tells Heather that is the funny part, as the problem Roxxon was having that needed their help had a lot to do with that very thing. Heather asks Jeffries what he is talking about - and her eyes go wide with horror as she sees Mac in the doorway. Puck, Aurora, Jean-Paul and Walt are equally surprised to see their former leader. ‘Hello, Heather, long time no see’ remarks Mac. Heather rushes over to Mac and asks him if it is really he. She embraces Mac, ‘Oh, God, it cant be true! You’re alive! Is it really you this time?’ ‘Yes, Heather. I am functional. I am…alive’.
Two very hectic days later: Prime Minister Mulroney heads the parliamentary select committee, announcing that though they cannot neglect the potential problems involved in promoting super-human activity, neither can they ignore its necessity in today’s troubled times. Mulroney explains that what is being decided upon today is the establishment of a super human community which works in conjunction with the needs of the federal and provincial governments as well as with the needs of the Canadian people. He claims that they strenuously believe that they have just such a group with Alpha Flight.
Mulroney declares that as they now officially sanction Alpha Flight to operate within Canadian borders, and through a Unesco decree within the global arena, they are also re-establishing Department H as a fully functioning organization based in a building to be constructed in Toronto. Mulroney explains that the newly formed facility will not only serve as headquarters of Alpha Flight, but also of its support mechanisms - Gamma Flight - a name they hope to redeem - will be the administrative service responsible for super human studies along scientific, medical, technological, preternatural and anthropological disciplines, and Beta Flight, the center for the identification, recruitment and training of tomorrow’s super human’s today.
Smiling, Mulroney declares that they believe under this new operational system, not only will Canada benefit greatly, but so will the rest of the world. Without further ado, Mulroney introduces everyone to the “new” leader of Alpha Flight - Guardian! Heather steps forward and thanks the Prime Minister, before declaring that she would like to take the time to thank the members of the house and the people of Canada for their support and encouragement, as she knows it hasn’t been easy.
Heather exclaims that reaching this point, developing this mutually beneficial relationship has been the result of much emotional and physical toil. She declares that the road getting here has taken and given so much to all of them, that to deny the hardship would be to deny the best in all of them - the ability to endure, to preserve and ultimately, the ability to survive no matter what the cost.
Heather smiles as she explains that the foundation of Alpha Flight, of this country, of this world, has to be built up from the ground with the respect and hope as the cement, she knows they have all learned that recently. Heather declares that as they build this structure called Alpha - called Canada - called Earth - block by block and brick by brick, each new layer adds to the structures it builds through loyalty to each other - trust in each other, faith with each other, strength for each other, and respect and hope for the world.
Heather declares that speaking for herself, Sasquatch, Aurora, Northstar, Windshear, Diamond Lil, Vindicator, Box, Shaman, Puck, Persuasion, Witchfire and Talisman…’Alpha Flight is ready to serve the needs of the world!’ ‘Nice speech, eh’ remarks Puck, ‘But can someone tell me what the heck we are going to do with thirteen Alphans?’
Days later and an ocean away rests the small European country called Latveria. For months, this land has endured political and social turmoil. The time has come for the leader of Latveria to ask the international community for help. Someone informs that very leader that his flights has been arranged and that trade talks will begin at 10.00 A.M. three days from now. ‘How blows the wins of public opinion?’ asks the Latverian leader.
The assistant replies that as always he is being respectfully received and that rumors of terrorist activities planned to interrupt the meetings persist though. ‘Let them! I will not be deterred!’ the boastful leader replies. As his green cloak is donned, he exclaims that his people need what Canada can give and never let it be said that he does not provide for the needs of his people. ‘For it shall ever be so - what Doom wants, he gets!; exclaims the mighty Doctor Doom!