[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
The Roadwork
(Interlude)
On a freeway, a car rides at full speed. Its unseen driver talks to himself: “I sing of the Holy Road, the eternal two-lane, the forever blacktop beneath my wheels… exploding past the horizon into infinity, connecting all points between. I sing of the Divine Engine, forged by lightning, tempered in the storm. The eternal connection of man and machine, transcending the laws of physics in pursuit of symbiotic revelation. I sing of the Sacred Journey that gives purpose to the Midnight Driver, soothing his troubled soul with speed and motion as he roars into the unending night. I sing not of the destination, but of the ride. THE ride. ”
At Zhao’s base, the X-Men are set free. Krystalin and Victor Ten Eagles are back to their normal selves, but can’t remember what happened to them. Shakti explains that they were under the influence of Zhao, the once brilliant leader of the last generation of X-Men. Shakti also mentions the drugs Zhao took that drove him insane. Xi’an, while bending over the fallen Zhao with an evil smile on his face, explains that Zhao’s only mistake was to challenge him. Xi’an sadistically tells Zhao that he should have stayed retired. Xi’an says that the X-Men belong to him. Xi’an votes to leave Zhao to the coyotes outside.
Shakti turns to Zhao, revealing that he is not dead yet, but just in a coma. Shakti doesn’t understand it though: the one moment Zhao was all-powerful and floating over Xi’an, and the next his psychic aura disappeared. Shakti asks Xi’an what he did to Zhao. Xi’an laughs, saying that Zhao wanted to go inside his head, so he gave him the grand tour. Xi’an jokes that some people just don’t like intimacy.
At the back, the other X-Men notice that Xi’an has changed, but don’t know how to tell him that or what to do about it. Ten Eagles says that the X-Men didn’t know the old Xi’an, who was together with him in the Lawless. He did. Victor reveals that Xi’an was ruthless back then, and would hurt someone without thought. Victor thought that Xi’an had changed, but apparently not. Xi’an overhears them and tells Victor that he wasn’t such a good guy either in those days. Victor defends that it took him some time, but now he has finally exorcised his inner demons that fueled his rage.
At the back, Tim whispers to Krys that both Xi’an, Ten Eagles and Junkpile were members of the Lawless. He wonders what sort of a group that must have been. Xi’an mentions that he himself also owns a few inner demons himself. And, when Zhao attacked him, he unleashed them all. Xi’an angrily explains that he knows Zhao expected him to crumble under his psychic attack, but they fought where Xi’an is strongest. And that made Zhao vulnerable to all the hate and anger Xi’an had been carrying. Xi’an wants to make Zhao pay, but Zhao’s X-Men step forward and order Xi’an to step away from their master.
Psycho K hopes that Xi’an knows what he has done, because now he has doomed them all. Xi’an isn’t impressed by the threat, saying that, if they want to challenge him, he’ll gladly accept and kill them as easily as their master. Frostbite wants to accept, but One Eyed Jack holds her back. Jack realizes that they can’t afford to waste their energies, knowing what happened to Monster. Jack fears that the same thing is possibly going to happen to them if they use their powers too much. Jack says that he had hoped to find a way to reverse the process but, with Zhao brain dead now, that is most likely not going to happen. Shakti believes that, if she had access to Zhao’s research, she could possibly slow the process down by using the compound’s medi lab. Meanstreak thinks that he can easily break Zhao’s security codes if necessary.
Victor doesn’t understand why they even bother to help their enemies. Krys says that like they were their “enemies” were under Zhao’s mind control. Victor says he knows that but, unlike them, they didn’t kill anyone. Xi’an gets angry and says that nobody does anything until he says so. Shakti tells Xi’an that these outbursts are not like him. Xi’an gets even angrier, telling Shakti that she doesn’t need to tell him what to do and that he is sick of all of this, and leaves. Meanstreak stops Xi’an, as he doesn’t understand it. Meanstreak tells Xi’an that it was he who lectured him about commitment to the team, and that it was Xi’an’s dream to resurrect the X-Men. Xi’an pushes Meanstreak away, telling him that the dream is over.
Meanstreak believes that Xi’an has lost his mind. Xi’an denies, claiming that he only came to his senses. Xi’an wants to have his piece of the action. He says that they all have powers, and can succeed where others have failed. Victor tells Xi’an that he is living in the past: the Lawless self-destructed. Xi’an leaves, with the final note that Ten Eagles can go back to his artist life if he wants to, and that he doesn’t need anyone.
Meanwhile, Bloodhawk and Liebowitz arrive at the Savage Land and step out of their landing helicopter. Bloodhawk can’t understand how such a land can exist. Liebowitz explains that the Savage Land sits on top of the largest geothermal heating system known to man. The Savage Land created a contained ecosystem that’s supported land and animals life for millions of years. Hawk (in human form), tells Liebowitz that he did not lie when he said that he hasn’t seen anything like this before in his life.
Liebowitz mentions that he has spend a lot of his life there and that he likes the people who life there. But some of the Megacorps are hungry for the wealth of resources that can be found in the Savage Land. They have sent some of their big guns to lean the locals. And Liebowitz wants Bloodhawk to convince the Megacorps that they are wrong about that. Bloodhawk says that he would be glad to help out.
At the same time in Polvadera, New Mexico, a mutated businessman gets attacked and defeated. La Lunática appears, saying that she knows that she is being followed by Circuit-skips for months now. And she intends to send them all back in pieces. The Circuit-skip calls La Lunática crazy if she thinks she can do that. La Lunática touches her foe with a deadly touch, and says that he should tell his masters that not even Brimstone Love himself can convince her to return to the Theatre of Pain.
Back at Zhao’s place, Xi’an takes a bike and wants to leave, but is stopped by Tim. Tim compliments Xi’an on the cool bike, saying that he used to work on them all the time when he was a Grease Monkey in the Synthia Transportool. Tim says that he could rebuild one in the dark. Tim says that Kris and Meanstreak think that Xi’an is acting crazy. Xi’an thinks that they have sent Tim to talk him out and to not leave. Tim, with an evil smile, says that he hasn’t, and wants to join Xi’an on his trip. Xi’an says he won’t stop Tim, but he has to keep up with him as he won’t be waiting for him. Tim finds that okay, and they leave together at full speed.
Inside Zhao’s compound, the remaining X-Men and Ten Eagles try to figure out how Xi’an could have changed so much in such a short time. Shakti reveals that Xi’an confided her that he had been haunted by visions of his former outlaw self. Shakti wonders if Xi’an couldn’t be suffering from some sort of schizophrenia. Victor finds that a little farfetched but Shakti says that she doesn’t know for sure and is only guessing.
Shakti reveals that she is better in solving empirical problems, like finding a solution to the Chosen’s X-Men. Frostbite suggests a “deep freeze.” Shakti isn’t sure about the idea if they don’t have the right equipment, but Frostbite states that she will be the right tool, as she is a walking refrigeration unit, as it were. Psycho K gets a bit scared. But they have to move fast, because One Eyed Jack already gets out of control. And it hurts.
Some time later, Shakti and Meanstreak prepare some containment cells for the Chosen. Shakti says that she can’t guarantee that they will be revived. Frosbite says she has no other choice, that she is dead anyhow, because her body would compensate the cold. Victor doesn’t much care for that and shows it. Frosbite takes that as an insult and they begin to fight. Victor still holds Frostbite and her teammates for the death of his friends. He didn’t have many, but they were some of them. Victor knocks Frosbite down, saying that he never said he exorcised all of his inner demons.
Meanwhile, Joseph Gersh and his unseen prosecutors arrive at a hidden base, where they chain Gersh in a chair and interrogate him. Gersh, with electric sparks floating off his body, still claims that he is not a mutant and begs for his life. It’s no use: Joseph gets killed.
At the same time, Xi’an and Tim arrive at a road house. Xi’an wants to contact an old friend of his, who can help him decipher Mama Hurricane gave him earlier. Tim doesn’t get it, because he thought that Xi’an was through with the X-Men. Xi’an confirms, but claims to have other plans. And those require some muscles. Xi’an leaves. Tim drinks something, but suddenly notices La Lunática in the crowd! She looks at him and Tim chases her outside.
Meanwhile, Xi’an, in a phone booth, calls his friend Lennertz, who is surprised to see him, because Lennertz thought that Xi’an was dead. Xi’an says that he isn’t and wants to see Haiku. Lennertz tells Xi’an that Haiku probably won’t want to see Xi’an after the way he left things.
Elsewhere, Tim catches Luna and attacks her. Luna tells him to back off, but Tim doesn’t want to, fearing that Luna will alter his mind again like the last time. Luna tries to contain herself into punching Tim, who says that he is done with controlling. He transforms into Skullfire and attacks Luna at full force. The female vampire quickly gets up and gets the upper hand in the battle and… kisses Tim!
Tim doesn’t understand. Luna sees Tim liked the kiss, and explains that her touch raised the inner demons within him. Tim confirms. Luna says that she knew when next they would meet; she and Tim would be connected through passion and pain. Luna rubs her finger through some oil, and asks Tim to let those feelings burn for her. Luna rubs the oil through Tim’s face, giving him an evil look, and Tim says that he’s her man.


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Crossed Signals
Holding him, La Lunática asks Tim to say it again. Tim does so, and tells Luna that he is crazy for her, certifiably, psychopathically insane. Luna laughs seeing that how different Tim is after she touched him in the Dark Room. They dance, and Tim doesn’t know if he should kiss or kill her. Tim harshly grabs her, saying that he hasn’t forgotten what she did to him and tells her no to play games again, as he won’t be used once more. Luna pushes Tim away, claiming that everything she said is the truth. Xi’an shows up, telling Tim to tell his date goodbye, as they are moving. Tim introduces Luna to Xi’an, who recognizes the psychic vampire from Tim’s earlier description.
Xi’an tells Tim to move as they have business in El Paso, where they will get one step closer to find the Driver. Luna begs them both to take her with them. Xi’an wouldn’t know why he would do that. Luna explains that, for ten long years, she was a prisoner of the Theatre of Pain. Her touch triggers intense emotional reactions, trauma that the Theatre recorded for the sadistic entertainment for their clients. Luna hoped that she was free when she neutralized Controller Thirteen, but the Theatre has sent trackers after her. Luna says that she doesn’t know how much longer she can run. She begs for help. Xi’an isn’t much interested in her, telling Tim that it’s his decision. Tim agrees to have her tag along.
While she walks to Tim’s bike, Xi’an tells Luna that he doesn’t believe one bit of her story and tells her to better not play any games with him like she is doing with Tim. Luna agrees and whispers to him that, if he ever touches her again, she’ll kill him without doubt. Luna gets on Tim’s bike and they leave. Later, at dawn, Rose (the owner of the road house) is approached by a sheriff who’s looking for Luna. Rose claims to have never seen her before. The sheriff drops his guise and reveals his true identity: Brimstone Love! The scared Rose answers the question and shows Brimstone Love some video camera footage he has of her.
Meanwhile, at Zhao’s ranch, an impatient Meanstreak can’t believe that the dream is over. Shakti doesn’t really know an answer. At the back, Victor doesn’t like this situation one bit. Krystalin realizes that, one by one, the X-Men’s members are leaving on their own. They are being turned inside out. Victor tells Shakti that allowing Frostbite to leave with one of the bikes was a mistake. Shakti tries to explain Victor that, if he wants justice, he should be satisfied with that the genetic stability caused by Zhao’s experiments will eventually kill Frosbite, and most likely so will her teammates, if Shakti can’t find a cure. Victor wants them to die and wants to torch the place, were it up to him. Victor leaves, saying that he is going back to Sante Fe. Krystalin tells him to wait and follows Victor out. Shakti asks Meanstreak if he too is going to leave, but he just doesn’t know yet.
Les Animas County, Colorado…
Frostbite’s bike overheats and she is dehydrating. Frostbite falls down and is ready to die. Suddenly, she hears a loud noise. A man clouded in darkness steps off from his vehicle and tells Patrice Cahill that he is going to be her ride.
El Pablo…
Xi’an, Tim and Luna arrive at a mondoplex, where they stash their bikes for a while. Xi’an makes it clear to the worker that he doesn’t want anything happening to their bikes while they are gone. The man promises nothing will because he runs a respectable parking lot. Tim’s glad to hear it, but demonstrates his not so nice powers to the man just to make sure what’s going to happen to him in case something does happen. Xi’an departs from Tim and Luna, who enter the mall. Luna is bothered by a man who hits on her. Luna isn’t interested and makes it very clear to the guy by pushing him hard away to the back.
Xi’an enters a place that’s for employers only. Once inside, he is attacked by a little guy with a very big gun. They fight and Xi’an destroys the man’s gun. Suddenly, a more computer like voice tells her servant Ulysess to let Xi’an pass. That it’s nice to see another old friend. Meanwhile, Xi’an lets a guy paint his face white, like Luna’s. His face is now a mask that is an osmiotic synthetic, which will allows Tim’s face to breathe while covering it completely. Tim likes it and leaves the place. They don’t notice that they are being watched by a scary familiar face.
Xi’an enters a computer room, and greets Haiku, saying that it’s been a long time. Xi’an also tells her that she looks different. Haiku tells Xi’an that she has nothing to say to him here. Xi’an suggests going somewhere else then, at least, if Haiku can still move now that she’s wrapped up in her neurocircuitry. Haiku doesn’t say anything and gives Xi’an the silent treatment. Ulysess reveals that, ever since the Domino, Haiku conducts business exclusively on the Internet and Xi’an will have to go on-line if he wants to talk to her. Ulysess hands Xi’an special sunglasses (called cybersim shades), which will provide him the needed ways to enter the net.
Xi’an enters the Net. Haiku isn’t pleased with seeing Xi’an and tells him that he has got nerve to come there. But Haiku notices Xi’an’s astonished face by the sight of the weird area, and shifts into a body more human like for Xi’an’s comfort. Xi’an thanks her. Haiku says that they haven’t spoken since the Lawless disbanded and wants to know why Xi’an is there. Xi’an reveals that he needs a favor. Haiku calls him a fool if he thinks she is going to help him. After what Xi’an did to her, Haiku doesn’t want to give Xi’an anything but endless pain.
Meanwhile, the Driver has brought Frostbite to his secret base. He brings Frostbite to the Garage, a place inside the computer databases where she and others like her will be safe. The Driver remembers that he has sworn to protect them all.
Back at the mall, Tim and Luna are kissing. Tim stops, realizing that Luna is holding something from him. Luna replies that everything she told Tim is true, but she has brought him there to meet someone. Tim asks who. “Me,” a voice from behind answers. Tim can’t believe it: it’s Junkpile! Tim powers up and attacks Junkpile, wanting to kill him because he killed Serpentina. Junkpile doesn’t get damaged by Tim’s blasts, however, and fights back. Luna stops them, saying that they shouldn’t be fighting each other, because… they are going to be working together! What?!


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Hit and Run
La Lunática tries to prevent both Tim and Junkpile from killing each other. Junkpile wants to kill Tim for the grief he and the other X-Men gave him in Las Vegas, and Tim wants to make Junkpile pay for the death of Serpentina. Luna commands them both to stop or else she’ll kick their mutant butts.
Suddenly, they are disturbed by the mall security. Various security robots surround them and human guards step forward. One guard points his gun at them, but when he notices the angry faces of Tim, Luna and Junkpile he smartly turns back. Tim wants to know why he can’t kill Junkpile, who wants to know the same thing. Luna tells Junkpile to back off because he owes her. Junkpile remembers but isn’t happy about it.
Luna reveals that she has been a prisoner of the Theatre of Pain for 10 long years. After she finally freed herself from the Controller’s influence, she knew the Theatre wouldn’t let her go and sent trackers after her to bring her back. Once outside the Theatre, Luna hitched a ride on a Synge transport that was headed east. The driver couldn’t keep his eyes on the road but instead on her. Luna didn’t like that and smashed the driver’s head on the dash, causing the truck to fall down and get smashed. Luna survived, but the driver didn’t. But before the driver died, Luna explains that she fed on his last moments of pain and anguish, learning that he was deadly afraid of his cargo.
Curious, Luna opened the transport hold and found Junkpile, drugged and restrained. Luna realized that Desdemona Synge had sold him to an Alchemax Bioshop. Luna knew that Junkpile would be more valuable to her than anyone else. Junkpile confirms and, to thank her, he agreed to protect Luna. Tim doesn’t understand why Luna would need protection, since he saw how she knocked out Bloodhawk. They enter a saloon. Tim wants Luna to answer his question. Luna explains that while Tim and his friends were at the Theatre, they only saw a small fraction of it. Luna reveals that the Theatre reaches out extends across the country and around the world.
Luna continues to explain that the Theatre traffics in human misery, providing twisted entertainment to a decadent clientele. The Theatre’s hierarchy specializes in tortures, vulgar and sublime, from the Grand Guignol Bloodsport of the Norns, to the sadistic machinations of the Controllers. But, Luna says, the Norns and the Controllers pale before the calculated cruelty and white hot fury of the Theatre’s leader: Brimstone Love! Luna reveals that the Theatre sees the rest of the world as chattel to be used and abused at their whim. Luna says that they’ve kept circuit-skips on her heels since she broke free from the Theatre.
Luna is tired of the running and wants them gone. Junkpile realizes that Luna must want them to take care of that. He likes the idea of someone possibly getting hurt. Tim doesn’t trust Junkpile on his side, but keeps that thought to himself.
Meanwhile outside, still in his sheriff guise, Brimstone Love finds the stray he has been following. Brimstone Love thinks to himself that nobody leaves the Theatre of Pain before the final curtain.
In the Cyberverse, Haiku attacks Xi’an. She still can’t believe that he actually got the nerve to come ask her for a favor and request information, after he left her to die! Haiku explains that she survived, but only thanks to the help of Victor Ten Eagles. Haiku reveals that she has heard Xi’an had changed since he left the Lawless, that he had found a heart and soul with his band of X-Men. Apparently, she has been informed wrong.
Xi’an asks Haiku what happened to her, because he remembers a real woman and not some sort of fantasy. Xi’an asks Haiku when she retreated from the real world. Haiku doesn’t buy that Xi’an could actually be concerned about her and just asks what he wants from her. Xi’an explains that he is tracking a purge-era mutant runner who is known as the Driver. Xi’an sees the Driver as the only lead he has to other mutants that survived the Purge. Xi’an shows the disc he has containing specs on the Driver’s underground ruins, and Xi’an says he needs Haiku to crossref the data on the Driver’s current location.
Haiku remembers how Xi’an always wanted to world. She asks what he is going to do if the information proves to lead nowhere. Xi’an just tells Haiku to do what he asks, since nobody is better suited for the job. Haiku promises to do it, but warns Xi’an that what he will find won’t be what he expects. Xi’an asks what she means, but instead of answering his question, Haiku sends them both back to the real world. Xi’an isn’t happy with the warning but is pleased that Haiku is going to help him. Ulysses tells Xi’an that is more than he deserves.
Ulysses orders Xi’an to leave because he isn’t welcome here. Xi’an does so. But before he leaves, he asks Ulysses if it doesn’t drive him crazy to love a woman he can’t touch. As Xi’an is gone, Haiku tells Ulysses not to let himself be bothered by Xi’an’s words. Haiku thinks of Xi’an a fool if he thinks he is going to help him without a prize. Haiku says that nothing comes for free, and says that Xi’an Chi Xan might get what he wants.
Elsewhere, the Driver checks out the equipment he has in his base. The Driver remembers how his times on the roads have stretched from years to decades. Yet, he seems untouched by the passage of time. He remembers little of the life he once led, before he was bonded to the nitroburn and given direction.
The Driver’s mission is to assemble the lost mutant tribe and bring them there to the Garage, where they can be safe. Concealed within the memory of the computer and awaiting resurrection. Suddenly, one of the Driver’s computers reports to him that he has an incoming message. The Driver doesn’t understand, since all his lines are secured. The face of the Broken Haiku appears on the screen, telling the Driver that no system is ever totally secure.
Henrietta, Texas…
Metalhead smashes a locked door open. The building will be the resting place for the Freakshow for the night. Mama Hurricane promises that they will reach the Reservation tomorrow. Breakdown mocks that he could have transformed the lock into glass so that they could break in without destroying the front door. Mama Hurricane tells Breakdown to relax because Eddie was only trying to help. Eddie confirms, saying that he wants to do his share because Mama has been so good to him. Mama Hurricane thanks him, saying that there will be plenty of work along the way.
Mama notices how much her family has grown since she met Breakdown and Rosa in Tempé. Breakdown doesn’t understand why they let a mutant in their group, because he isn’t a degene like the rest of them. Eddie asks Breakdown why him being a mutant bothers him so. Breakdown says that he hates everything about Eddie, because since he has lost his pretty boy looks he only wants to hide with the other “monsters.” Rosa tells Cesar to back off, because he has been on Eddie’s throat ever since they left Iron Horse. And she thinks it’s because of her.
Breakdown tells Rosa to stop it, because she already made one mistake and he won’t let her make another one. Eddie and Rosa wander off from the group. Rosa tells Eddie not to let Breakdown bother him. Cesar thinks that he still needs to look after her like he did in the Bioshop nursery. Eddie replies that some of the things Breakdown said are true: he has been wallowing in self-pity. Eddie recalls how once he had control of his body and could shift his metallomimetic abilities, but now he’s stuck in them.
Rosa tells Eddie that he isn’t the only one going through some changes, because, in four months, she herself is going to be a mother. Eddie asks Rosa if she thinks that Shakti is going to be right, and that her baby is going to be a mutant. Is she worried? Rosa answers that she isn’t worried about her child having special powers in whatever way, only about its safety. It’s a rough world and a lot of bad things can happen to a little child. Rosa knows that herself. Eddie says that Mama Hurricane has promised that her friends at the Reservation are going to give them shelter. Eddie tells Rosa that she is a powerful woman. Rosa says that she has to be. Someone’s life is depending on her.
Cape Norteamericano…
At the saloon, the bartender says that he’ll serve anyone, but wishes that the one table Tim and his “friends” sit on didn’t scare away all the other customers. Behind him, a sheriff says he can see why. Suddenly, the bartender gets it warm and asks if it got hot in here. The sheriff transforms into Brimstone Love and replies “Soon.”
Meanwhile, Junkpile tells Tim he is about to get killed, because Junkpile doesn’t understand why Tim thinks that he can’t be trusted. Tim wants to answer, but Luna holds him. Tim doesn’t obey and tells Luna that he’s got his help if she needs it, but he refuses to work together with Junkpile. As the conversation goes on, none of them notice Brimstone Love standing behind them, back in his sheriff form. Brimstone Love realizes how easy it would be to just attack them now and ruin their plans completely, but he holds himself back when he notices Xi’an entering the saloon.
Xi’an enters and happily greets Junkpile and hands him over a Genoshan whisky, a drink Junkpile has always liked. Junpile doesn’t understand why Xi’an is so happy with him being there, considering their past. Xi’an claims that the past is over; done is done. Junkpile crossed him, and in return Xi’an shut him down. Xi’an says that if he wanted Junkpile dead, he would be. Junkpile notices how Xi’an sounds like his old self again, before he found religion and wanted to bring life again in Xavier’s dream. Xi’an doesn’t know what to say, so he simply answers that he considered the X-Men to be a dead end. Luna says that she heard that Zhao messed with Xi’an’s head. Xi’an gets angry and shouts that Luna knows nothing about him. Xi’an asks Tim to come with him and leave Luna and Junkpile be for what they are.
Tim agrees and tells Luna that he meant what he said and doesn’t want Junkpile at his side and walks out. Junkpile tries to tell Luna that she’s better off without him, but Luna refuses to let Tim go. The bartender is glad to see the mutants leave. Brimstone Love turns back to himself and, through a comm-link, orders his servant, Charon, to send him information about Xi’an Chi Xan. As Brimstone Love has read the file through, he is happy to find out that Xi’an seems to be unable to burry his dark side. Which is a very good thing for the Theatre.
Sulphur Springs Valley, Arizona
Xi’an, Tim, Luna and Junkpile find a gigantic white box. Everyone believes that Xi’an is crazy and asks him what he expects to find here. Xi’an reveals this is the base of the Driver, or at least his ghost. Tim and Junkpile each try to open the box, but fail. Xi’an decides to use his deadly touch and opens the box. Xi’an concludes that despite appearances, he was touching nothing. They discover that the entrance is concealed by a solid particle field projection system and a holographic imager. They enter a garage. Tim doesn’t recognize any of the many types of equipment in there. They walk on unknown territory.
They go deeper and Xi’an realizes that they are being trapped. He is correct, as suddenly they are all caught in a laser grid! The Driver appears, and says that he was expecting them. Xi’an realizes that Haiku has sold him out. The Driver confirms. The Driver continues to say that this is the first time passengers have come to his garage, for this is the final destination. He is the Driver.


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Dead End
Brimstone Love arrives outside the Driver’s garage. He has watched how La Lunática and her new friends were caught and realizes that the entrance must be cloaked by solid field particle projection. Brimstone Love then transforms his hand into pure fire flames and breaks through. He doesn’t let anything stop him and is determined to discover any secret this place may hold.
Meanwhile, deeper inside the complex, Junkpile screams “Let me go!!!” The Driver doesn’t want to release Junkpile from his holding chair. The Driver explains that the ionic field surrounding Junpile has neutralized his mutant abilities, and the restraints around his arms are made of an adamantium alloy. The Driver asks Junpile to stop struggling, as this will be for his own good.
Tim is confused if the guy he is looking at is truly the Driver that Mama Hurricane told Xi’an about. With these actions, the Driver doesn’t make a great first impression. Luna panics a little bit, fearing that they are all going to end up the same way as Junkpile. Xi’an tells Luna that nobody forced her to come with them. Xi’an wants to determine the severity of their present condition.
Xi’an asks the Driver if it’s true what Mama Hurricane told him. That if the Driver truly once was a member of the mutant underground during the Purge. Xi’an wants to know if that rumor is true and, if it is, how the Driver could do a horrible thing like this now. The Driver is startled by hearing Hurricane’s name, since he hasn’t heard it in years. Not since before the accident. The Driver isn’t too surprised to hear that Hurricane is still alive, as she always had the fire in her to do that. The Driver corrects Xi’an to see his actions as hostile.
The Driver claims that they are far from it. He reveals that, years ago, he has worked with Hurricane to keep mutants out of the Zero camps. And now he continues the fight to protect the scattered human tribe. The Driver says that, in the past decades, he has sought hundreds of mutants and has given them sanctuary. Tim and Xi’an both don’t believe the story, because they don’t see any other mutants then them. The Driver explains that the genetic codes of all his passengers have been recorded in the databanks of the accelerator. He further reveals that the process of transcription destroys the physical body, but when the world outside no longer threatens mutant kind, the Driver promises to initiate the reformation. Luna believes that you can’t revive people from a computer program. Luna says that all you’ll get will be soulless Bioshop knockoffs. Xi’an doesn’t even know if mutant resurrection is possible. The Driver reveals that he knows about rebirth.
The Driver explains that, once, he was of the Mutant Underground Support Engine, nicknamed he MUSE. They were a group of mutants and humans who opposed the genetic hunt that had eliminated so many innocents. The Driver says that the woman known as Hurricane and he ferried fugitive mutants from safe house to safe house. After years of avoiding the Seekers and Nimrods, the government found the Driver. They sabotaged his vehicle, causing the engine to freeze during a chase. The Driver knows that he should have died, but he was rescued by mysterious benefactors. They repaired his body and delivered the Driver’s soul. To this end, the benefactors rewired the Driver’s nervous system so that he was connected with the car they provided him: the Nitroburn. The Driver found himself given a new purpose from his anonymous benefactors: to save mutant kind from extinction by bringing them there to the garage.
Nobody notices Brimstone Love, standing in the shadows at the back. Brimstone Love finds that the Driver puts to much faith in his technology, because Brimstone Love was already able to adjust the Driver’s accelerator to ignore his presence. The Driver continues by saying that, throughout his life, he has seen the cruelty that was laid on the genetically unique. He has watched mutants be abused, vivisected, exploited and even murdered! The Driver believes that mutants are safer there, away from the harsh outside world.
Junkpile can’t believe his ears. He tries to tell the Driver that some Megacorp has sold him a line so that they could collect data on mutants, and the Driver believed them. The Driver explains that he too was once a suspect but, since his accident, his saviors have asked nothing of him. He knows that his cause is right. The Driver reveals that, in the past two months, he has rescued four mutants from oblivion: a megamorph from Juno, a clawed predator from the Louisiana Bayous, a pyrokinetic from Houston and a cryomorph in Colorado. The Driver says that without him, all of these mutants would have died within the year. Xi’an asks what the Driver is going to do to those mutants when it turns out they can’t be saved. Tim says that the Driver would become a killer, even if he doesn’t want to. The Driver explains that he couldn’t have done this unless he believed that it was the only way. The Driver tells his captives that on the day of their reformation, they will also share his vision.
The Driver commands his computer to start the breakdown on Junkpile. The computer does so, but then stops! The Driver turns around to see the person who could have shifted his words: it’s Brimstone Love! Brimstone Love proudly introduces himself to the crowd, explaining that nanotech parasites fed into the Driver’s CPU gave him access to the accelerator. Brimstone Love says that he saw no reason to render these mutants incorporeal, not when they can worth in the present! Luna freaks out when she sees Brimstone Love. Luna hides behind Tim and begs him to protect her. Brimstone Love says that Luna has every reason to fear him but, right now, he is more interested in Xi’an.
The Driver wants to make Brimstone Love pay for entering his garage uninvited and attacks him. But Brimstone Love easily defeats him. As the Driver bangs against a control panel, the holding field around Tim and the others fades away. Brimstone Love tells Xi’an that he has an offer to him. Xi’an is willing to listen. Junkpile gets up from his chair and wants to kill the Driver. Xi’an wants to stop him because there is still so much he doesn’t know about the Driver and his garage. The Driver uses his powers to active the Nitroburn. The fast car drives right through Junkpile and party, destroying his body.
Suddenly, all kinds of metal things float through the air. Xi’an explains that, when Junkpile’s body gets destroyed, his body automatically tries to repair itself by telekinetically grabbing every lose piece of metal nearby. The Driver notices that Junkpile’s healing process dismantles the accelerator and wants to stop him. Xi’an orders the Driver that, if he wants to save the mutants that are stored in his accelerator’s memory, he would best act fast before Junkpile starts to tear apart his computer memory chip by memory chip. The Driver punches Xi’an away and orders everyone to stay away from his accelerator.
The Driver runs towards his computer, who defines system errors. The Driver commands his computer to download files into secondary storage. But the computer has too little power to do that. The Driver tries to make a backup, but even that fails. Now, two hundred thirty seven lives are lost. The Driver can’t handle his defeat and slams his computer.
Xi’an calls for the Driver’s attention and claims that he can stop this, but first he needs information about Avalon. The Driver refuses to give Xi’an the information, because the Driver doesn’t find Xi’an worthy of Xavier’s legacy. Not after the way Xi’an acted like he was a mutant savior. Xi’an tells the Driver that he isn’t so holy himself. The Driver believes that so many lives have been killed today, but they were destroyed the minute the Driver brought them there. The Driver doesn’t believe this and defends himself that those mutants were supposed to be revived. Xi’an calls the Driver a deluded fool. The Driver summons his car to him and steps in. Before the Driver takes off, he gives Xi’an one final warning: Xi’an best reads the signpost carefully, because some roads lead straight to hell itself!
The Driver takes off and leaves the former X-Men behind. Luna says that they had best follow the Driver and is grabbed by Brimstone Love, who wants to bring her back to the Theatre of Pain. Luna desperately cries out to Tim for help. Tim uses the generators of the complex to activate his powers and transforms into Skullfire and attacks Brimstone Love. Brimstone Love notices how much Tim cares for Luna, but doesn’t let that stop him.
Meanwhile, Xi’an walks over to the hurting Junkpile. Xi’an sadistically bows over Junkpile, and says that he hates to see Junkpile so much in pain, even after he sold him out to Lytton Synge. Junkpile begs Xi’an that, if he wants to kill him, he better does it fast. Xi’an says that he won’t: he’ll restore Junkpile’s life, just so that Junkpile will owe him.
The plan works, but Junkpile will need time to fully recover. Meanwhile, Tim loses his powers but doesn’t give up yet. That goes without Xi’an, who knocks Tim down and accepts Brimstone Love’s offer to join the Theatre of Pain. Luna fears the worst. But Brimstone Love tells Luna to relax, because he senses great potential in Xi’an that needs to be explored first. Xi’an agrees and they both teleport away, leaving Tim, Luna and Junkpile behind.
Tim can’t believe that Xi’an actually betrayed him. Luna realizes that Xi’an is a dangerous man, and that the Theatre will make him lethal. Luna worries what to do about Junkpile, now that Xi’an has saved him. Tim says to leave him be, because he has no interest in wasting more mutant blood after so much has been spilled today. Luna asks what Tim plans to do next. Tim says that they best make their way back to Shakti and the others. Tim says that if Xi’an doesn’t want to lead the X-Men, he will! Tim says that they will move along and, when the time comes, they will bring down the Theatre of Pain once and for all.
Prologue:
The Driver drives sadly in his car. The Driver concludes: My roadsong has become a dirge. All that I once believed lies mangled like a wreck on the side of the road. I am without destination or purpose. Even when I push the Nitroburn to its limits, seeking solace in speed, I cannot ignore the emptiness I feel… or the gnawing surety that the road I have chosen… leads nowhere.


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
All That Glitters
Off the broken coast of Southern California, the Santa Catalina Island, house of Danielle Winokur-Ezaki…
Danielle is glad that her boyfriend, Alexi, suggested they leave Tokyo for a while, so that they could escape from all the media attention. Danielle hasn’t felt so free in - she doesn’t know how long. Danielle asks Alexi if he would join her. Alexi, in another room of the gigantic house, puts some clothes on. As he does, his body glitters - literally. Alexi steps out of the room with full confidence and walks over to Danielle. Danielle activates the zero-gravity machine in her room, so that she can spread her wings freely, and so that Alexi can join her in the sky.
Danielle wishes that her wings weren’t only ornamental. She would love to soar through the sky for real. Alexi says that they can. Together. Danielle calls him a charmer, and says that she hasn’t been this happy since Hiromichi died. Danielle asks Alexi if he thinks she looks old, because she was thinking about calling Dr. Kaneko and asking for another facelift. Alexi grabs her tightly, telling Danielle that she looks as beautiful as ever and will be always remembered this way. Danielle tells Alexi that he is hurting her and asks what he is doing. Alexi touches Danielle with his finger, explaining to her that he is giving her exactly what she wanted. Alexi says that he is giving Danielle the chance to really fly.
He explains that the harness he is wearing has a Zero-G field and propulsion unit installed. Alexi admits that they are not as aesthetically striking as Danielle’s wings, but are more functional. Alexi activates the devices and flies through the roof of the house and hangs in mid-air. Alexi asks Danielle if he trusts her. She does. Danielle only now notices how Alexi is glittering, as she first thought it was a mere effect of the light. Alexi explains that he was genetically altered to absorb and process light as energy and sustenance. Alexi asks Danielle if that scares her. It doesn’t, she claims. Alexi says that it should. Alexi sparks at full force, blinding Danielle. Alexi drops Danielle and she falls in the sea; dead. Alexi says that it wasn’t anything personal, but Danielle flew too close to the sun and takes off.
Sangre de Cristo, Zhao’s base…
Meanstreak, Krystalin and Shakti can’t believe their eyes when Tim and La Lunática arrive at the base. Meanstreak becomes upset to see Luna again, after she tried to sell them to the Theatre of Pain. Meanstreak wants to attack them both, but Shakti holds him back and gives Tim a chance to explain himself. Tim explains to his former teammates that Xi’an has joined the Theatre of Pain. The X-Men are startled and ask how it could happen. Tim quickly explains that when he and Xi’an left the X-Men, they went in search of the Driver. They found him, but were attacked by Brimstone Love, who convinced Xi’an to join the Theatre. Meanstreak still can’t believe his ears. Shakti calms him down. Meanstreak asks what she plans to do. Tim says that they will pick up where Xi’an left, and rebuild the X-Men, and then bring down the Theatre of Pain for good.
The Oklahoma Hills of the Keewazi Nation…
Doctor Louise Wingfoot realizes that she isn’t alone anymore. She hasn’t been for over an hour. Louise also knows that her pursuers is the Shadow Dancer and calls out to him, but he doesn’t show up. Jesse Ten Eagles shows up and warns Louise that they’ve got trouble in town. The trouble looks like people who look like the Revival Tent Crowd. Louise asks why Jesse needs her and asks why Smith or Greyhawk can handle this. Jesse says that Louise needs to see these people and, besides, she is a member of the Council. Jesse explains that these people came in across South Fork about an hour ago. As they leave, neither Jesse or Louise notice the Shadow Dancer sitting in a cave.
Louise and Jesse arrive in the town and confront… the Freakshow! Louise knows them, and explains to Jesse that the team is a group of nomads compromised of Bioshop refugees and discards, leaded by a crazy old woman called Mama Hurricane. Louise walks over to Mama Hurricane and happily greets the woman like they are old friends. Hurricane introduces her team to Louise and explains that they have been on the road for some time now, and need some supplies. Hurricane says that, if they are trouble, they’ll leave. But Louise tells Hurricane that they can stay for as long as they want to, and that they will always be welcome here.
Some time later, Louise performs a medical scan on Rosa’s baby. Rosa calls Eddie and shows him her baby and says that it’s a boy. Louise asks Eddie if he is the father, but he blushes and says that he’s just a friend. Rosa explains that the father took off a long time ago, and that’s for the best.
Inside one of Century City’s many MediaCorp Multiplex’s…
Alexi enters the building and confronts his boss, Heinrich Greenstreet, telling him that he completed the Winokur-Ezaki contract. Heinrich is happy about the victory and is confident that nobody will laugh at him ever again. Alexi angry tells his boss that he won’t be played with and, if Heinrich won’t come through for him, Alexi promises to disconnect him permanently. Heinrich tells Alexi that he had to call in some favors for this one. Heinrich explains to Alexi that the girl is in Oklahoma and hands him a disc with her specific location.
Meanwhile, Dominic playfully jumps over the hills of Oklahoma. When he stops to catch his breath, Dominic panics at the horror he sees in front of him and hurries back to the city. The merely 10-year old boy warns Mama Hurricane about what he saw. Louise believes that Dominic ran into the Shadow Dancer. Metalhead asks what that is. Louise explains that according to old Keewazi legends, the Shadow Dancer lives in the hills and plays in the long shadows of twilight. They say that the Dancer runs with wolves in summer and sleeps with bears in the winter. Louise tells everyone not to panic, as the Shadow Dancer is mostly harmless. Mama Hurricane isn’t convinced that the creature actually exists. Dominic says that he did, and so does Louise. Louise explains that she never saw him for long, though, as the Shadow Dancer moves too long, but long enough to know that he’s not a myth.
Louise reveals that her grandmother used to say that the Shadow Dancer was the tribe’s guardian spirit, and only appeared when trouble was brewing. Suddenly, everyone is blinded by bright lights. It’s Glitterspike, and he wants Rosa Navarro. And he won’t let anyone stand in his way! Mama Hurricane explains that this is Rosa’s old boyfriend, who is a selfish, freelance thug. But he is dangerous.
Dominic steps forward and defends Rosa, but Glitterspike doesn’t care about Dominic and just pushes him out of his sight. Rosa can’t believe that Alexi would actually hurt a kid and wants to stop him. Glitterspike tells Rosa to stand back or else he’ll slap her. Alexi gets punched to the back, real hard. Metalhead shows up and attacks Alexi. Rosa warns Eddie to be careful, knowing that Alexi is a hired killer.
Eddie can’t believe that Rosa was actually involved with this creep. Rosa explains that she didn’t know about Alexi’s job when they were in love. But, when she found out that she was pregnant, Alexi began to beat her. Metalhead now really wants to hurt Glitterspike. Alexi says that not even Rosa’s brother Breakdown could stop him, so what chance does a monster like Eddie have?
Alexi uses the maximum force of his light powers to blind Metalhead, and then creates a weapon of pure light and slams Eddie unconscious. Rosa wants to help Eddie, but Mama Hurricane warns her that Eddie’s body is now like a live wire, with Alexi’s light spread on it. Rosa wants to kill Glitterspike for this. Alexi tells Rosa that she’s got it all wrong. He reveals that he isn’t here to fight her, but to take care of her and their baby!


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Shadows and Lights
Mama Hurricane apologizes for the trouble she got Louise and her town into. Lousie says that it’s okay and tries to tend the unconscious Metalhead. Eddie wakes up and remembers what happened to Rosa and asks where she is. Hurricane informs Eddie that Glitterspike took her away to the hills.
Meanwhile, Glitterspike flies through the skies. Rosa tries to harm Alexi by punching on him, but it doesn’t work. Rosa tells Alexi that he’s got no right to kidnap her. But Alexi says that he does, because she is carrying his child. Alexi says that the Freakshow can’t take care of Rosa like he can. Rosa tells Alexi that the Freakshow care more about her than he ever did, and she isn’t the confused girl she was anymore.
Rosa realizes that she doesn’t have advanced equipment like Alexi, but still has her static interference powers. Rosa uses them on Glitterspike, making him lose control over his flight. Both Rosa and Glitterspike both fall on the hard ground. Rosa hopes that her baby is still okay, but she doesn’t want to let him fall into the hands of this maniac. Rosa notices that Glitterspike is unconscious and tries to run away. But, she is too injured and also loses conscious. From out of the shadows, a creature steps out of his cave and growls.
At the same time, Metalhead, Mama Hurricane and Louise have taken a car and are searching for Rosa. Louise asks Hurricane why Glitterspike took Rosa. Hurricane explains that Glitterspike is a cybernetic hitman, who is genetically bred to process light into energy. Rosa got mixed up with him while she was still a Bioshop guinea pig. When Rosa left him, he went berserk.
An impatient Eddie tells Hurricane to move faster. As Eddie touches the car, he absorbs its metallic properties. Something he hasn’t been able to do since Contagion made him ill.
Meanwhile, Rosa and Glitterspike wake up in a dark cave. They argue about what Rosa has done, but their attention goes elsewhere when a creature growls. Alexi makes some light and it appears that they have been found by the Shadow Dancer! Rosa hopes that it’s harmless, like Louise told her. Alexi doesn’t believe that and attacks the Dancer. The Shadow Dancer vanishes and materializes behind Alexi and punches him. Rosa makes advantage of the fight and tries to escape.
Zhao’s ranch…
Tim enters the lab where Shakti observes the healing process of Zhao’s X-Men. Tim tells Shakti that he noticed that she is avoiding him. Shakti changes the subject and shows that up until now she has been failing to save Zhao’s X-Men. Tim says that he doesn’t care about them, and that he needs Shakti on his side. Tim says that he knows that Shakti is trying to pretend that she doesn’t care about Xi’an’s change, and doesn’t want to believe that he actually joined the Theatre of Pain. But he did. Tim says that he won’t let the dream die to give mutants a better chance in life and begs Shakti to not abandon the X-Men. Shakti tells Tim that he has changed a lot since he was first brought into the X-Men: his fear has been replaced by passion and resolve. “Who would have thought?” Tim laughs. “Xi’an,” Shakti answers. Shakti agrees to stay, but tells Tim that he’ll have to work hard to confident the others of his leadership. Tim is certain that they will come around.
Elswhere in the base, Meanstreak finds Krystalin crying. He asks what’s wrong. Krystalin shows an astral message from her brother, who informs her that her father has died. The man was great, and Krys’ brother wants that his work continues. The funeral will be held on Friday the 16th and, despite their differences, Krys’ brother wants her to be there. Krystalin says that she will go to Oakland and take goodbye from her dad. Meanstreak tells her that if there’s anything he can do, she’ll just have to say it. Krystalin says that there is nothing anyone can do right now.
Meanwhile, Louise says that she has activated a tracking device, installed on Rosa’s nervous system. Metalhead finds a hidden entrance, leading towards a dark cave. Surprised, they also find stairways leading below. Louise believes that her ancestors must have built them and they go down. Deeper inside the cave, Rosa still tries to find a way out of the cave. She enters a huge place, where a broken air cruiser lies. Rosa wonders how it could fly in here. Or maybe it didn’t, and the ship only materialized inside?
Suddenly, Rosa hears footsteps coming closer. It’s Metalhead, Rosa and Louise. Rosa is happy to see them. Rosa thinks that the ship as a Stark/Fujikawa prototype. Eddie doesn’t think so, especially not when they all notice a dead alien sitting in the ship.
The Shadow Dancer shows up, and both Mama Hurricane and Metalhead want to defeat it, but Louise holds them back. Mama Hurricane asks for an explanation. Louise reveals that, for many years, her tribe has told many stories of the Shadow Dancer, a creature that lives in these hills. Some of them have felt the Dancer following them, seen the Dancer out of the corner of their eyes, only to watch him vanish as they turned to look directly at them. Louise knows that this is the Shadow Dancer. Louise asks the Shadow Dancer if she recognizes them from the times they played together when she was a kid. The Shadow Dancer calms down and walks towards the ship, to the alien that was supposedly once his partner. Mama Hurricane believes that they must have stranded here centuries ago.
Glitterspike shows up and attacks the Shadow Dancer, wanting to use it to earn a lot of money. As they fight, the Shadow Dancer vanishes again. Metalhead attacks Glitterspike, absorbing the metal of the alien ship. Eddie slams Alexi down, who runs out of light. Metalhead notices this and defeats Glitterspike.
Later, the mutants exit the cave. Metalhead pushes the rock back before the once hidden entrance. Eddie wonders if the Shadow Dancer would be able to push the rock away again, if he wants to. Mama Hurricane says that she doesn’t believe the alien needs to, seeing how he can vanish like it does. Eddie understands. Afterwards, Louise does another check-up on Rosa’s baby and concludes that it’s okay. Eddie jokes that Rosa has a lousy taste in men. Rosa says that she’s getting better at that…
Epilogue…
Glitterspike tries to find a way out of the cave. He is determined to kill Eddie once he’s out. Suddenly, a growl is heard. Alexi faces the Shadow Dancer once more, who opens his mouth and attacks Glitterspike…


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Scary Monsters
In Las Vegas, a rich looking man flirts with a blond haired woman. They sit on a high balcony of a hotel. Neither of them realizes that they are being watched by snipers. Suddenly, they are shot at! The man pushes the woman, Felicity, into safety. He himself jumps from the balcony. The snipers think that the man jumped into his own death, but are quickly proved wrong: the man shape-shifts into a falcon!
Mr. Entertainment and the Suicide King quickly run to their sky cycle and chase the man/bird. Mr. Entertainment tells the King to use the neural shattershot gun. The Suicide King follows the command and, after missing a few times, the King hits the bird. It falls down into the water and loses consciousness. As they land, the “bird” has transformed into his true form. That of… Loki!
Oakland, the funeral of Andre Ogada…
The priest reads: “Today, the entire city mourns the loss of Minister Andre Daniel Ogada, a great teacher and a great warrior. As one of the founding soldiers of the Panther, he helped rescue our community from the violence of the seventies, and, as a Council Minister, he worked passionately for the spiritual and economic reclamation of our city. As was sad a century ago of the Wakadan Panther, King T’Challa, we can say about of Andre Ogada: he fought righteously and selflessly for his people, believing justice and equality be not simply philosophical abstracts but genuine possibilities.”
Miko, a servant of Zak, warns him that his sister has arrived. Krystalin enters and apologizes that they haven’t gotten the chance to reunite under better circumstances. Krys and Zak argue about that Krys has left the Panthers, and doesn’t want to help her family anymore. That she would rather stay with the X-Men and Meanstreak. Krystalin tries to defend herself that the X-Men are her family too. But Zak doesn’t buy that, and says that Krys is so much like their mother, with no sense for responsibility. Krys tells Zak to stop talking. They won’t have that talk here, now. Suddenly, it begins to rain. It feels nice to Krys, who says that she hasn’t had a shower since she left New Mexico.
Everyone hurries back inside. Krys wonders why, because it’s only rain. Suddenly, her vision begins to blur and she feels shaken. Everyone realizes that Krys is new in town and hasn’t built up any defenses. Zak explains to Krys that she had her first taste from what they call “acid rain.” Zak explains that the techno-anarchists in the Berkeley Hills have been seeding the clouds with hallucinogens. They’ve no respect for what the Panthers have build right here in Oakland. Zak swears that one of these days, sooner or later, he’s going to make those anarchists pay for what they have done.
Meanwhile, Desdemona Synge and her two Rat Pack members go into the lower areas of their Las Vegas complex. Desdemona asks who he is. Loki introduces himself, but Desdemona doesn’t believe him at all. Desdemona says that cheating isn’t allowed here in Vegas, and the penalty is death. However, Desdemona has an offer to make: if Loki identifies the other cheaters, he can go. Loki says that he is alone. Desdemona still doesn’t believe him, and installs a bio-electric machine on his head. When she activates it, Loki screams it out from the pain: the charge makes him lose control over himself and affects his nervous system, causing him to hallucinate. Loki suddenly begins to transform into something.
Loki transforms into a literally green monster and goes out of control! The Rat Pack tries to calm Loki down, but Loki is so angry that he frees himself and opens the attack and runs away. Mr. Entertainment follows it and tries to figure out what he’s going to do to calm down the scared gamblers inside the casino, where Loki is most likely going to run to. As Mr. E. makes it to the gambling room, Loki is nowhere to be seen! There’s nothing but happy gamblers.
Meanwhile, Tim and Shakti train together in Zhao’s base. Tim fears that Krystalin won’t return and that the X-Men are outnumbered. Tim also congratulates Shakti on the nice moves she demonstrates. Shakti reveals that, as a runaway in Hong Kong, she learned the necessity of personal defense. It was a hard lesson that almost caused her life, Shakti explains. And unlike Krystalin, Shakti has no reason to see her family again.
Tim says that if Shakti were truly from the street, she would know that her previous kick doesn’t work in real life. Tim powers up and wants Shakti to prove herself. Shakti says that Tim shouldn’t challenge someone who can alter someone’s nervous system. Shakti kicks Tim hard in the stomach. Shakti says that if Tim recovers, they best point their attention on the Theatre of Pain and find a way to destroy it. Shakti fears that a frontal attack won’t work.
Elsewhere, Loki stops his rampage. Loki realizes something and finds a way to take revenge on the people who have hurt him. He begins to transform into another creature and laughs.
At the same time, Meanstreak tests his running abilities outside against some robot foes. Meanstreak runs perfectly at a seven ten split, but is disappointed in himself. La Lunática shows up behind him and asks Meanstreak that he must be bored if he is training.
Meanstreak asks Luna if she’s got a real name. But Luna smartly says to just call her “Luna” if he needs to. Meanstreak tells Luna that she won’t get the chance to change him like she did Tim and runs away, telling Luna that she will never be one of them, no matter what Tim says. Luna gets angry and says that she tried. Suddenly, someone appears behind Luna and knocks her down. The mysterious man says that he has some personal business with Mr. Huang.
Meanwhile, Meanstreak himself hates that he is running away from his problems again, like he always does. He wants to forgive Luna for what she and the Theatre of Pain have done to the group, but can’t. Meanstreak says that Tim will have to choose between him or her. As Meanstreak runs back, he finds Luna unconscious and fears that the Theatre of Pain has come back for her. As Meanstreak tries to take care of Luna, he doesn’t notice a battle robot behind him, transforming into a werewolf.
The werewolf attacks Meanstreak, but he is able run away, just in time. As he runs, Meanstreak finds himself attacked by a bird. Meanstreak wants to take off, but then notices the bird changing into something human. At last Meanstreak thinks that the creature he now sees is human. After Meanstreak asks who the newcomer is, the costumed man introduces himself as Halloween Jack, and says that he has great plans for Henri. Meanstreak, however, doesn’t trust Jack and attacks him. But Jack is quicker than Henri and defeats him. Halloween Jack says that he knows more about Meanstreak than he knows about himself, and that’s why Henri needs him.
Meanstreak realizes that he is talking to his former friend Jordan Boone. Henri asks what happened to his Loki guise. Jack reveals that he got tired of using that form, since religion can be so tiresome. Meanstreak thinks that Jack is crazy and asks him what he wants. Halloween Jack explains that he wants to have fun with Meanstreak again, like in the old days, before he exiled himself into this desert with the X-Men. Jack laughs, telling Meanstreak that he wants to take over Las Vegas!


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Strange Daze
Meanstreak and Halloween Jack arrive in Las Vegas. Meanstreak isn’t too happy to be back in the town he hates, but Jack tries to convince him that soon, he’ll see it differently, once they have taken over the entire city! They’ll have everything their hearts desire. Meanstreak tells Jack that he doesn’t want the same things he wants, but Jack doesn’t listen. Meanstreak fears that his old friend Jordan Boone, whom he has known since his Alchemax days, is now completely gone. Meanstreak follows Jack and asks him what he hopes to gain from all of this. “Revenge,” a sadistic Jack replies. “Revenge on the people who turned me into a monster.”
Meanwhile, in her casino, Desdemona creates a holographic image from herself and visits her drugged brother, Lytton, whom she has locked up in a dark room. Lytton tells her not to mock him and just go away. Desdemona explains to her brother that she is just returning her brother the miserable life now he gave her when they were kids. Lytton commands her to go away. Desdemona, while vanishing, tells Lytton not to be so brutal, or else she’ll have to take away his “pharmaceutical allowance too.”
Desdemona returns in her body and enjoys a private swim. To herself, Desdemona hopes that her brother will overdose himself and die, so that she can completely run the casino herself. She is at least glad that the Shriek drug made her brother kill their father. Suddenly, the air in the room turns from hot to cold. Desdemona notices but, before she can do anything, she is attacked by Halloween Jack and Meanstreak!
Desdemona tries to call the security, but Jack has dismantled the room’s voicecom. Desdemona recognizes Meanstreak, but asks Jack who he is. Jack shows Desdemona the face he had as Loki and she realizes. Desdemona asks what he wants and tries carefully to activate her bracelet’s security alarm. Meanstreak notices it and takes it quickly away from her. Jack brutally grabs Desdemona and tells her that he isn’t fooling around.
Meanwhile, Zak brings his sister Krystalin, to his private room that has been prepared by his servant Mr. Chakri. Charki offers his condolences for the death of their father. Zak thanks Chakri for his sympathy and for his support in this time of transition. Krystalin notices how political Zak is talking, and tells him to be careful with that, especially so soon after the funeral. People will talk.
Zak explains that their city, Oakland, has now lost one of its foundations, now that their father has died. Zak believes that unity is now the most important thing for them. Zak doesn’t want to see the house their father built get destroyed by outsiders. Krys asks if Zak means the ones who are responsible for the acid rain from before. Zak confirms, and promises that it won’t be long until they have defeated them all. Zak notices that Krys wears their mother’s Mjolnir around her neck, and asks why. Krys says it’s because it reminds her of her mom. Zak, seemingly getting a little upset, says that he never understood their mother’s infatuation with that “stupid” religion. He doesn’t see the use of a sister of the Panthers believing in European Gods. Krys reveals to her brother that their mom never considered herself a Panther.
Zak doesn’t want to believe that, and finds that their mom should have been at their father’s side when he died. He asks Krys if she remembers how they used to be happy when they were little. Zak believes that it’s all those Thorite lies that drove their mom away from their dad. Krys doesn’t believe that Thor has anything to do with their parents break-up. She doesn’t remember any happiness; just the constant fights. She remembers how their father never understood their mother’s spiritual searching’s, and their mom never understood how their father could appropriate the Wakandan tradition for his street soldiers.
Zak angrily defends that those first soldiers of the Panthers looked to Wakandan history for guidance. He says that, by adopting the Wakandan totem, those soldiers found the strength to liberate Oakland from decades of corruption. Zak says that their father’s first obligation was to the Panthers, and believes that their mom’s should have been the same. Krys disagrees, and says that’s the reason their mom left. But she doesn’t want to talk about this now over dinner. Zak agrees, and tells Krys that her return is a good omen.
He tells Krys that there is so much she can do as one of the Panthers. Krys tells her brother that she isn’t ready to leave her friends yet. Zak can’t understand why Krys believes that she has any obligations to the mutant outlaws, the X-Men. He finds her place to be here, with him in the Panthers.
Suddenly, the conversation gets cut short by an attacking Techno-Anarchist! The Anarchist says that he and the others prefer the term Free Radical. Zak and Krys don’t care and try to defend themselves.
The Radical is stronger and knocks both Krys and Zak out by releasing powerful gas that makes both of them lose consciousness. At the same time in the Casino, the Rat Pack arrives to help their boss. They are surprised when it seems that Desdemona has things already under control, and points a gun against Meanstreak’s head. The Chairman doesn’t understand why Meanstreak doesn’t just run away. Desdemona takes her gun away from Meanstreak and shoots the Chairman! Desdemona releases Meanstreak, who takes the King’s gun away from him and uses it to knock down the Dealer. “Desdemona” transforms into Halloween Jack, who was just impersonating her to fool the Rat Pack. Together, they defeat the rest of the Rat Pack. Desdemona, bound, falls out of a closet and tries to warn her team but is already too late.
Jack tells Desdemona that he doesn’t want to kill her. He grabs her hand, and shifts his own into hers and activates a computer and gains access to all Desdemona’s resources. Jack says that he’ll transfer all the money to his accounts, and then will make Las Vegas fun again!
Meanwhile, Chalda and Liebowitz are arguing about having left Bloodhawk alone in the Savage Land. Just as they want to leave in their helicopter, Bloodhawk makes it to them. Bloodhawk and Liebowitz shake hands and take goodbye. Bloodhawk wants to stay here, but his heart and true home lie in the desert. Liebowitz promises that he’ll never allow the Savage Land to be taken over by the MegaCorps and wishes Bloodhawk good luck.
Krystalin wakes up from the gas. Miko, Zak’s lieutenant, is with her and asks what happened. Zak is gone. The Free Radicals have left a “note” and threaten to kill Zak if Krys doesn’t free Billy the Kid, a political prisoner. Krys wants to help her brother, but Miko tells her not to. Miko tells Krys that she would only be in the way of the true Panthers. Krys doesn’t care and walks out. Since she grew up in East Bay, Krys has got some sources here of her own. She remembers how the Bay Bridge was blown up during the air strike that ended the Neo-Mansonists takeover of Treasure Island. Now, the bottom-feeders, the scavengers who troll the bay for junk, use it to dock their skinners and minisubs.
Krys goes to a boat, and sees someone she knows. She greets Havana, who answers back rather brutally. Krys tells Havana that he used to be a lot friendlier when he was madly in love with her mom. Havana turns around and immediately recognizes Krys and hugs her dearly. He asks Krys what she’s doing here. Krys explains that she needs help. Havana takes her to Telegraph Avenue, which is even worse than Krys remembered.
As they walk over the street, a Thor-fanatic approaches them, telling them some biblical verses. Havana pushes the faker away, angrily, and is certain that Thor will never come back to a “bunch of low-lives” like them. Krys asks Havana where he is taking her. Havana tells Krys that if she wants to know about the Free Radicals, there is only one place she can go to. She has got to talk to the Jerries.
Krys asks what they are. Havana shows her, and explains that the Jerries are a group of virtual casualties who worship a pop band called the Disinterred. Havana says that the band went down in a plane crash in 2035, but one of their fans stole their remains and reanimated them. Now, Havana continues, the band’s fifth generation fans worship the work of the deathloked singer Brendan Jerrie. Krys isn’t convinced that they are going to be able to help her, but Havana tries anyway.
He talks to a girl named Luxuria and asks her where Nurf is. Luxuria says that Nurf is in the library, doing Motor City Five. Nurf himself pretends to be in a rock band, using a computer simulation to make his fantasy come true. The simulation suddenly ends. Nurf angrily asks who did it, but when he sees Havana, he stops yelling and greets him. Havana tells Nurf that his good friend, Krystalin, needs to find the Free Radicals. Nurf panics and doesn’t want to. Krystalin uses her powers and makes a crystal statue of Nurf, as an angel. A now convinced Nurf goes for it, but warns Krys that the Free Radicals are always bad news.
Meanwhile in Zhao’s base, Shakti has fallen asleep in the computer room. Tim wakes her up and tells Shakti to call it a night. Shakti doesn’t want to because she has finally reversed the cellular deterioration killing the three chosen mutants. Shakti is certain that if she can accelerate the regeneration, she can bring Zhao’s X-Men out of suspended animation. Tim tells Shakti to do it tomorrow and go to bed: it’s three in the morning. Shakti knows that Tim’s right and leaves with him and activates the security systems on their way out.
As soon as they are gone, three persons teleport inside the room. They take a good look at the suspended bodies of One-Eyed Jack, Psycho K and Wingspan. The leader of the three says better not to startle and just take them. He tells his friends that the Director plans to thaw them out.


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Free Radical Chic
Krystalin and Nurf locate the headquarters of the Free Radicals, wearing special Niteviz sunglasses to see in the dark. Nurf isn’t happy about being here, especially not since he knows that, after the Negative Zone meltdown at the university lab in 2051, there are supposed to be ghosts around there. Krys isn’t impressed and doesn’t let this stop her from rescuing her brother, the only family she has now left.
Nurf tries to warn her from the powers and danger the Radical form, but Krys still doesn’t listen to him. She pushes him forward. They fall through a trap and find themselves trapped in a wind tunnel. Once landed, Krys and Nurf find themselves imprisoned in a dark room. Krys tries to find a way out, but there is none. Suddenly, colorful gas appears out of the floor and the two begin to faint.
Nurf suddenly sees Krystalin in a true crystal form and calls her truly beautiful. Everything is beautiful to Nurf now. Suddenly, two of the Free Radicals appear and take Nurf and Krystalin away. Rainmaker tries to take Krys’ sunglasses away and calls her “honey.” Krys gets upset by that name and fights Rainmaker. Rainmaker gets up and witnesses how Krystalin creates a crystal bo-staff. Krystalin holds the staff against Rainmaker’s throat and demands to know where they keep her brother. Rainmaker refuses to answers. Krystalin instead points her attention to the other Free Radical, the woman called Instant Karma. They fight, and Karma creates a bo-staff of her own. Instant Karma reveals that she can analyze and create any weapon that is pointed against her, and use it for herself. Instant Karma is stronger and defeats Krystalin and says that she will bring him to their leader now.
Meanwhile at Zhao’s base, the three Theatre of Pain servants teleport Zhao’s three suspended X-Men away, to the Theatre. They continue the search for the comatose Zhao himself and locate him in the lab. Meanwhile, Shakti wakes up and finds out that she isn’t alone. The servants find Zhao, and know that he once tried to kill the X-Men. But they know that the Theatre of Pain wants him, so they prepare to teleport him away. Shakti enters the lab, and can’t believe her eyes, but she knows that she was right: it is him! The leader of the three servants attacks Shakti and easily knocks her out. He removes his mask, and reveals himself to be Xi’an!
Xi’an wished that Shakti wouldn’t have gotten involved. The servants make Xi’an aware to not let his feelings get in the way, as they will render him useless. The servants take Zhao’s body and teleport away, leaving a time bomb behind near the unconscious Shakti.
At the same time, outside of Kingman, Arizona, two workers repair a satellite dish. Suddenly, there’s an earthquake and a giant robotic arm merges from the ground! Krystalin and Nurf have been brought to the leader of the Radicals. The leader introduces himself as Trance, and the remaining member as Daze. Trance introduces themselves as a gathered group of scientists who wage guerrilla war against governmental and corporate oppression. Shakti doesn’t care and just wants to know where her brother is. Nurf calms her down, telling her not to provoke them, because Trance can kill someone just by looking at the person.
The Radicals explain to Krystalin that her brother has unjustly imprisoned the Kid. Krys doesn’t know what they are talking about. The Radicals explain. Billy Zed, aka Billy the Kid, is the Free Radical’s anarchic visionary; the master of machine and prankster supreme. Nurf is impressed that the Panthers were able to apprehend Billy. Trance claims that it was by luck only that the Panthers caught Billy in a raid on an Emeryville tech-forge. Krystalin angrily says that they shouldn’t be surprised that the Kid was caught, after the Radicals released the toxic rain. Trance says that they stand in opposition to the police state the Panthers have created in Oakland. Trance calls Zak forward, and tells Krys to look at him. Trance claims that, by embracing Panther doctrine, he has lost his soul.
Krys hugs her brother, but Zak looks more like a zombie and doesn’t respond back at all. Krys asks the Radicals what they did to him. Trance reveals that Zak is under her spell, mesmerized by the searing intensity of her gaze. Trance says that Zak will remain that way until the Panthers have released the Kid. Daze warns that there’s an incoming message. An astral projection of Miko, Zak’s lieutenant, is shown. She’s got no visual, but tells the Radicals that they won’t negotiate with criminals.
They threaten that if the Radicals don’t release Zak within the day, the Radicals will feel the Panther’s rage. The Radicals aren’t impressed and tells Krystalin that her group has condemned her brother to death. Krys asks the Radicals what they will gain from this, because if Zak dies, another Panther will simply take his place. Trance doesn’t believe so and says that, without the son of a Panther founder, the council will fall apart.
Rainmaker doesn’t feel happy about killing a man, and says that they will be just as guilty as the systems they oppose. Krystalin says that he’s right, and tells the Radicals to find another way to get what they want. Trance agrees, and finds a solution: he tells Krys that she shall free Billy the Kid herself! When Krys says she doesn’t want to, Trance puts another spell on Zak, and tells her that, if she refuses or fails to free Billy, Trance will make Zak kill himself.
Meanwhile, army helicopters arrive in Las Vegas and try to stop Halloween Jack’s take-over. Jack finds out about the army’s presence and shuts down their systems, making the helicopters crash. The soldiers can just in time jump out of the plane into safety.
Desdemona Synge isn’t impressed by all this and asks Jack what he plans to do. Jack doesn’t want to tell yet. He asks his partner, Meanstreak, if everything is online. Meanstreak confirms that he is knee deep in the monetary reserves of their less than hospitable syndicate brethren. Meanstreak suggests calling a board meeting. Meanwhile, the casino owners have all gathered and desperately try to find a way to bring Halloween Jack down. Jack appears in the meeting and tells them that he’s got access to all of their bank accounts. He threatens them that if they don’t want him to take all their money away, they’ll stay out of his way.
Desdemona calls Jack a fool if he thinks he can threaten the Nevada Syndicate. Jack laughs about it. Desdemona tells Jack that the Syndicate will kill him. She explains to him that the Syndicate has standing accounts with the Assassins Guild. Desdemona doesn’t like it and wants to leave. Jack tells her that she can and lets her walk out of the door, but tells her that he will never take her back once he has succeeded. Meanstreak tries to stop Jack and tries to explain to him that he just let a woman who wants him dead just walk away. Jack says that he loves a challenge. Meanstreak wants to leave to. Jack holds him and explains his plan to him: virtual unreality! Jack plans to bring another reality to Las Vegas!
Six hours later, Desdemona goes back to her drugged brother, Lytton. Desdemona tells him that she made Doctor Nixx make a special drug for him. Desdemona injects Lytton with it, and he screams out from the pain, believing that Desdemona poisoned him. Desdemona says that she didn’t, that she merely made Lytton useful for once. Now, Desdemona smiles, she has got something to turn Halloween Jack into dust.


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Co-Dependant Behavior
(Zhao’s base)
Shakti is still unconscious after Xi’an knocked her down earlier. The time bomb next to her continues to go down, and is almost finished. Shakti wakes up and wonders what Xi’an came back for. She notices the time bomb and tries to alert Tim and Luna. They all run out of the base and witness it explode. Tim asks what happened. Shakti now realizes that that the founder of the X-Men didn’t just left them, but instead turned against them.
(Las Vegas)
Desdemona has turned her brother into a grotesque man-like creature. Lytton can’t handle it and wants to kill his sister for it. Desdemona informs Lytton that she also installed a neural spike in his head, so that she will be able to control his every move. Desdemona shows Lytton a neuro-tech transmitter, which will allow her to do that. Lytton asks Desdemona why she did this to him. Desdemona answers that she wants to take revenge on Halloween Jack.
Meanwhile, upstairs at the casino, Halloween Jack himself mocks at the United States soldiers he has captured, and tortures them by hanging them on a thin cord outside the casino window. Meanstreak tries to stop Jack, but he doesn’t want to listen. Jack shows Meanstreak his virtual unreality device, which, once activated, will redefine Vegas in the most phenomenal way. Meanstreak isn’t convinced that it will work and tells Jack to remember what happened to his project at Alchemax. Jack admits that he made some mistake, but claims that was simply because he was Jordan Boone back then. Jack is now confident that he has succeeded in which nobody could have done since Reed Richards: he opened a portal to another dimension.
Meanstreak still isn’t convinced and fears that if Jack fails, there will be nothing left of Vegas but a huge crater. Their conversation get stopped by a scared Suzanne Bruneau, the floor manager. She informs Jack that their security systems have went down. Below, Desdemona makes Lytton destroy the entire casino and scare all the guests away. Lytton tells Desdemona to go out of his head, but she doesn’t want to until they have killed Jack. Meanstreak and Jack show up and are ready to fight Lytton. Meanstreak recognizes something about him, but can’t figure out who Lytton is.
Lytton tells Jack that he shouldn’t have stolen his casino, and with that said, Meanstreak realizes who he is. Lytton also recognizes Meanstreak and remembers how much he hates mutants. He knocks Meanstreak down, but Desdemona commands him to finish Meanstreak off later and point his attention to Jack first. Lytton holds Jack in his might, but finds resistance in the casino security guards. The guards don’t find a safe spot to hit Lytton without harming Jack, so they hold their fire. Jack tries to use his poisonous fingers to stop Lytton, but fails to. Meanstreak goes to the security room and through security cams, Meanstreak finds out about the neural implants and concludes that Desdemona must be behind this.
Meanstreak quickly searches the entire casino for Desdemona and finds her in her room. He crushes the device, which allows Desdemona to control Lytton. Lytton feels dizzy and drops Jack. The guards take their chance and fire on Lytton. Meanstreak goes back to Jack and has Desdemona with him and informs Jack what happened. Desdemona angry tells Jack to giver her casino back. Jack tells Desdemona that it’s her own fault, because if it wouldn’t be for them, there would be no Halloween Jack. Jack tells Desdemona that he’ll drop Desdemona in the desert, together with her brother. Desdemona refuses, because she knows that Lytton will kill her. Jack isn’t interested and walks away.
(The Alameda Bay Correctional Facility and Detention Center)
A “Panther Lieutanant” walks into the facility and tells the guard that she here to interrogate Billy the Kid. The guards checks her I.D. card and finds out that it belongs to a soldier who died three years ago. Krystalin quickly moves and knocks the guard down and uses his computer to gain access to the cell where Billy is held. Krys opens Billy’s cell and tells him to move, but Billy thinks that Krys is a Panther and only tries to fool him and shoot him in the back the second he is out.
Krys informs Billy that they’ve got her brother and that she’ll only get him back from the Radicals once Billy is free. Billy refuses to go unless he has his magic back. Krys and Billy go to the safe where the bag is held. They break it open and want to move, but find resistance in Miko Nishihara, Zak’s lieutenant. Krys and Miko fight and despite Krys’ powers, Miko seems stronger than her. Billy decides to help out and checks his bag and throws a Scorpiot at Miko, which gives her a neuro shock and knocks her down. Billy says that he build the Scorpiot when he was nine, and then he and Krys leave.
(Elsewhere)
A giant robotic creature walks through the desert. It continues its slow walk, with a serious look on its face.


[User]
<image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image><image>
Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Rust Never Sleeps
The Guila Desert, Arizona
Bloodhawk soars through the night sky. He notices how different the sky is here than in the Savage Land. There, it was more humid and not so cold as here. But Bloodhawk is happy to finally be home again. Suddenly, he sees giant footsteps below him on the ground and decides to check it out. Below, a giant robot steps undisturbed through a town and scares all the local people away. The robot is damaged and plans to return to its place of origin and, thanks to his programming, has to destroy everything that stands in its way.
The robot destroys a farmer's truck, his beloved "Maybelline," causing a huge explosion. Luckily, nobody gets hurt. Bloodhawk flies quickly towards the robot, carrying several grenades on his back. He wanted to bring his omni-cannon as well, but that could have slowed him down. And, with an enemy this big, Bloodhawk thought that speed was of essence. The smoke from the explosion clears up and Bloodhawk is finally able to see the robot better. But army helicopters arrive, making Bloodhawk wonder why the soldiers would try to risk their lives. The robot grabs the helicopter and slams it on the ground.
While fighting the robot, Bloodhawk recalls that once, nuclear-powered Colossi were used during the Dakota Range Wars, but he also knows that most of them were destroyed decades ago. Bloodhawk throws a grenade at the robot, but it brings no harm to it. The robot notices Bloodhawk and punches him away.
Fifty feet underneath the hills of Berkeley, California.
Krystalin is back at the Free Radicals base. But unfortunately, she and her brother Zak are both tied up. Zak is brought back to normal, but isn’t happy with Krystalin’s attempt to rescue him and broke the law. Krystalin defends that she only tried to help Zak, but he doesn’t care. Krys says that she didn’t have much of a choice and thought that the Radicals would have kept their word. She asks Rainmaker why he broke it. Rainmaker says that they simply changed their minds. Daze says that would things have been otherwise, Zak would have gladly imprisoned all of them.
But the Radicals at least appreciate Krystalin’s successful effort to rescue their machinist, Billy the Kid. Billy says that everyone at the Radicals owed him, since he not only upgraded their equipment, but also taught them that, in order to fight a group like the Panthers, you have to use every weapon imaginable. Or, in Billy’s case, his magic bag. Billy takes a power tool out of his bag and works on a satellite he built. Zak asks Billy if he plans to release more toxic rains on another city, like he did to Oakland. Billy denies and explains that the Satellite of Love delivers an electro-magnetic pulse that will blanket half the state.
Zak tries to tell Billy about all the lives he will ruin, but Billy isn’t interested. He only wants freedom. And the means to achieve that goal, to Billy, is anarchy. Billy gets tired of Zak and summons Trance and commands her to put Zak in a trance again. She does as told. Krys tries to tell her brother not to look in Trance’s eyes.
Arizona…
Bloodhawk harshly falls down on the ground and gets approached by a woman, wearing a strange suit. She recognizes Bloodhawk from the Newsnet special on mutants, and introduces herself as Jade Ryuteki. Jade says that she is part of a group called the Vanishing Point. Jade says that she was flying the helicopter the robot smacked down, but survived. Bloodhawk asks what the robot is. Jade says that the robot is actually a retrofitted Trask Range Warrior 750. Jane has nicknamed the robot as Monstrorobot when she was five years old. She says that you could say that the robot belongs to her.
Jade begins to explain. Jade reveals that, technically, she inherited the robot, but never fully wanted it. Still, the robot has some sentimental value to her. Jade explains that her father owned Joruri Robotics. Jade’s father made a fortune designing compact domestic drones, but his real love was for antique range war Colossi. Jade continues and says that her father hauled the robot that is now attacking out of a Fargo metal yard and began to rebuild it. When Stark/Fujikawa launched a hostile takeover on Joruri, Jade’s father buried the robot in the desert to prevent it from getting taken away from him. When Jade found out that the robot dug itself out of the ground a few days ago, she set off an alarm that her father had installed. And now that Jade’s father isn’t around anymore to handle things, the duty fell upon her.
Bloodhawk says that the nuclear battery in the robot is poisoning the land. Jade says that her father meant to remove it, but had grown forgetful in his old day. But Jade promises that she can contain the radiation leaks if she can get the auto-repair program on-line. Bloodhawk takes Jade up and flies away and asks Jade how she plans to do that. Jade explains that the Brand models have a small control bridge located in their heads. If she can get inside, Jade can shut it down. Bloodhawk knows that the radiation impact will be huge, but Jade says that’s what her radiation suit is for. Bloodhawk throws several grenades at the robot, hereby distracting it and allowing Jade to go inside. Jade tells Bloodhawk to go out of arm’s length, or else he’ll get destroyed like her helicopter. Bloodhawk does and tells the girl to be careful.
The robot begins to notice Jade and tries to shake her off. Bloodhawk notices and continues to distract the robot so that Jade can move further. Jade tries to unplug the robot, but she doesn’t have the patience for it. Jade instead finds a way to override the robot’s system. Jade climbs out and informs Bloodhawk, who was grabbed by the robot, that the leaks are being sealed and coolant is diluting the radiation-soaked hardware. Bloodhawk frees himself and brings Jade safely to the ground. Bloodhawk says that they’ll still have to get rid of the robot itself, but Jade promises that she already has that covered.
As they land, a car stops. Two lawyers step out and introduce themselves as representatives of the legal department of the Stark/Fujikawa Corporation. They claim that the robot has to belong to them now. Bloodhawk wants to attack the lawyers, but Jade holds him back. She gladly signs the paper and is happy to be rid of all the responsibilities. Suddenly, the robot flies up. The surprised lawyers ask what’s going on. Jade says that she should have done what her father should have done ten years ago. She makes the robot fly out of the atmosphere, and then self-destruct.
California…
After bringing Zak under another spell, Trance also tries the same with Krystalin. Krys desperately tries not to look in Trance’s eyes and tries to concentrate her powers. She crystallizes her hands and is now strong enough to free herself. Krys bravely fights the other Radicals. She has a plan, and decides to simply destroy the Radical’s Satellite. As the Satellite explodes, a bright light appears, blinding almost everyone. Krys protects her brother and frees him. Zak activates the homing chip on his clothes, knowing that hereby the Panthers will arrive soon. The Radicals realize that they have been defeated and teleport away. Zak tries to follow them, but fails to. He tells Krys that it’s all her fault, but she just laughs about that.
Suddenly, she stops. When Zak asks what’s wrong, Krys tells him to come take a look at the holomonitor. A “D”-like symbol appears on it, and the man calls Doom begins to speak. Doom says that he has interrupted all North American bandwidths to speak to the citizens of the United States. Doom continues and says that as of today, he claims presidency of all the states as his own!