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2nd story: The Chosen, part 3: Pearl Harbor A.D. 2011
2nd Story:
'Okay. This is bad' one of the five young heroes aboad an old World War Two battleship flying over Honolulu declares as the old ship opens fire at the beach below. Civilians run for their lives, while Anya Corazon a.k.a. Spider-Girl tells the others that this thing is on a collision course with Waikiki Beach, and they have to stop it. 'No kidding, Spider-Girl! We're gonna be reduced to a pasty mist when it hits!' Kevin Masterson a.k.a. Thunderstrike adds, while Spider-Girl tells him that she was thinking about all of those innocent people down below. 'What helps us helps them!' Thunderstrike declares, before spider-Girl turns to Amadeus Cho and reminds him that he has been planning one step ahead the whole time. 'You want to be in charge so badly, tell us how to proceed!' she exclaims. Amadeus announces that he has done his best to study every ancient text, every crackpot theory web site he could find on the legendary “Hell-Carrier”, and they claim that it is powered by “Vril” energy, a kind of anti-life force that dates back millennia.
Touching the ship with his hand, Victor Alvarez a.k.a. Power Man announces that he can feel it with his chi-absorbing power, and informs the others that it is directly beneath their feet. He points out that none of them can fly, and asks how they are supposed to get down there. Laura Kinney a.k.a. X-23 pops her claws and tells him to stand aside. 'I will get there' X-23 announces as she starts to slice away at the ship. Amadeus tells the others that X-23 has the right idea, but that they need to speed her up if this is going to work. He points out that Power Man can cause his chi to explode out, through his punches, and asks him if he has ever used it to power someone else up. 'First time for everything...' Power Man replies as his chi energy radiates around him, he declares that the Vril stuff is pure evil, the essence of this “Dark King” dude. He adds that he isn't sure what it will do to him, or X-23. 'True, but we're running out of options!' Amadeus replies. 'Okay, girl...' Power Man calls out as he moves towards X-23. 'Laura' she corrects him. 'Huh?' Power Man asks. 'The name they give me. It is Laura' X-23 tells him. 'Nice to meet you, Laura. I'm Victor' Power Man replies.
Power Man puts a hand on Laura's shoulder, green chi energies flow about, and he tells her that he isn't going to lie – he has no idea what this is going to do. They both scream, but the power surge enables X-23 to slice away quicker through the ship, and Power Man is pulled downwards with her. 'That... didn't sound to good' Spider-Girl points out as she and the others watch from the hole in the deck. 'Who cares? It got the job done! Look at her go!' Amadeus declares, while Thunderstrike asks what they are supposed to do up here – just sweat it out? 'Nah, we'll need to defend them from the Shark Men who are about to come around the bend in three, two, one...' Amadeus replies, as some growing Shark Men move towards them. 'How do you do that?' Thunderstrike asks as he, Amadeus and Spider-Girl turn to the Shark Men. 'I keep telling you. I'm the smart kid' Amadeus replies. 'Bet your report cards were pretty stellar. Mine usually said...lacks umpulse control' Thunderstrike replies as he hurls his hammer at the Shark Men, knocking several of them over.
'Then you're with the right bunch! Let's take these guys!' Spider-Girl calls out as she engages the Shark Men in combat. 'That's the spirit, Spider-Chica!' Amadeus agrees as he comes between two Shark Men, forcing one of them to stab the other with a large sword. Amadeus reveals that he picked this team of major hero archetypes because he calculated all their skill sets and backgrounds would mesh perfectly together. 'That why when you discovered shark-week-in-the-sky was gonna rise, you decided to keep this info to yourself?' Spider-Girl asks him. 'So you could teleport us all into the middle of their “first adventure”?' 'Sort of' Amadeus replies, claiming that there is a much better reason.
'How you holding up there, Laura?' Power Man asks X-23 as they come to the chamber where the Shark Men are being powered by the Vril energy. 'I do not know, Victor. I can feel presences all around me' Laura replies. Power Man tells her that he can, too, almost as if the anti-life force all around them was powered by actual lives. He suggests she just stay focussed, and assures her that he won't let anything happen to her. 'HERE!' Victor declares as he slams his fist into part of the Vril energy. It explodes outwards, and a hole in the hull is formed. 'Victor! Look!' Laura calls out as they both hang on for dear life. 'I see it!' Victor calls back.
Back on the deck:
'Too many! I can't -' Spider-Girl calls out as she, Thunderstrike and Amadeus are surrounded by Shark Men, while, on the beach below, a young couple hold onto each other as the shadow of the old ship looms over them. 'Help us! This is it! This is the end!' voices calls out. 'Tell me – before we go – I know why you chose us – but why did you choose here?' Spider-Girl asks Amadeus. 'It was – it was because -' Amadeus begins, while below them, Power Man wonders if he can unload all his remaining chi into the Vril energy. The young couple on the beach look up, as the green energy darts about the war vessel, and an instant later, it explodes, its remains dropping into the water around the beach. 'WAAAAHOOOOO!' Thunderstrike shouts as he, Spider-Girl and Amadeus are safe in an energy field created by Amadeus's mace. 'Gotcha!' Amadeus calls out to Power Man and X-23, catching them in another energy field before they hit the water.
Shortly, reporters and camera crews gather around Amadeus on the beach. 'That was amazing! What's your team name?' one of them calls out. 'Why, look at this, guys – we just happened to land in the middle of a media scrum. We wouldn't want any other super-types hogging all our glory!' Amadeus remarks to the others. He tells his companions that they scored a major PR victory here, as the people want them to stay together. 'Will you autograph my Hooters shirt?' someone asks. 'So what do you say, guys?' Amadeus asks. Power Man, Spider-Girl and Thunderstrike all look at each other, rather unimpressed, while X-23 marches over to Amadeus and kicks him in a rather delicate area. 'NNNGGG!' the wide-eyed Amadeus utters, dropping to his knees while the others walk away, he decides to take that as a strong “maybe”, while thanking X-23 for not using her claws.


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2nd story: The Chosen, part 2: The Stars are Right 3rd story: A Moment with... Dust
2nd story:'The emanations from this place – filled with eldritch whispers – these – things – the Japanese called them Samebito – Shark Men!' cries Victor Alvarez a.k.a. Power Man as chi energies radiate around him. Images flash by Power Man, who tells the others that in the world's first epochs, they sensed the power of an ancient old one beyond time and space. He explains that they actually evolved so they could worship this creature, this dark king, and the Atlanteans became their ancient enemies. Power Man reveals that during the last World War, they allied with something called the Thule Society, supported by the Japanese in the Pacific, but they were defeated by the Atlanteans' Prince, and driven down under the waves, where they have awaited in their sunken city for their dark god to return.
'What the what? You got that just by fluttering your eyelids and feeling this place's fung shoo-ey? And you expect us to believe it?' Kevin Masterson a.k.a. Thunderstrike asks as he slams his hammer into one of the armored Shark Men. Along with Laura Kinney a.k.a. X-23, Anya Corazon a.k.a. Spider-Girl and Amadeus Cho, they fight the savage Shark Men aboard a ship that is rising out of the water in the Pacific Ocean. X-23's claws connect with one of the Shark Men, while Spider-Girl flips herself over another of them.
'No – I expect you to use your freaking eyes!' Power Man tells Thunderstrike as he kicks one of the Shark Men back. 'They're about to completely surround us – we can't let them – we've got to toll up their left flank!' Amadeus tells the others as he raises his own mace and tells Thunderstrike 'Your mace – Odin enchanted it to fire mystical blasts, right? I need you to fire one – right here!' Amadeus orders, but Thunderstrike ignores him: 'I've got my own problems, Cho! Who died and made you Captain America?'
'You, in six-point-eight seconds, if my calculations are right -' Amadeus replies. 'Well, when you put it that way' Thunderstrike mocks as he releases the mystical blast, knocking back several savage Shark Men in spectacular display. Amadeus announces that only a few are left standing, and explains that they need to get X-23 over there to take them out. 'I've got her, Cho!' Spider-Girl calls out as she binds some webbing around an unimpressed X-23. 'I would really prefer you did not “get” me -' Laura mutters, before she is surprised, as Spider-Girl uses the webbing to hurl her through the air towards the remaining Shark Men. 'Ah. You mean this' X-23 calls out as she releases her claws and drops down amongst the Shark Men, where she slashes at their throats with her claws, and pops a claw from one of her boots, kicking another of the creatures as they scream, while blood spurts all over them. 'What now, Amadeus Cho?' X-23 asks as she stands atop the bloody mess of Shark Men.
Amadeus defers to Power Man: 'You're reading the chi of this place, Power Man – quick, which way should we go?' he asks. Power Man announces that every way is a bad way. 'But there does seem to be a lessening of evil – that way!' he tells the others, leading them on. 'Dude. That was...' Thunderstrike starts to say to X-23. 'Impressive. No argument from me' Spider-Girl interrupts Thunderstrike, who concludes 'I was gonna say “hot”'.
'Ugh' Spider-Girl mutters, when suddenly, another group of Shark Men rush towards the young heroes. 'We could still use some breathing room' Spider-Girl points out, firing some webbing towards the Shark Men, who trip over it.
Suddenly, the ship moves onto a lean. 'Whoa!' Spider-Girl calls out. 'Careful' X-23 tells everyone. They hold their ground, as Spider-Girl asks if it is just her, or if this thing is picking up speed. 'It's not just you. There's no way off this thing!' Thunderstrike replies as the ship is now hovering in the air, completely out of the water. X-23 agrees, and points out that a drop from this height into the water would be the same as if they fell into dry land. 'I could recover, with my healing factor...but not before I drowned' X-23 remarks. Power Man tells the others that he doesn't believe this, and, and wonders where they are going. 'I should be back home in Spanish Harlem. My Mom and my family could use my help' he adds. Spider-Girl remarks that she lost touch with her roommate, Rocky, who was working near Union Square when the first attack started. Thunderstrike adds that his Mom and stepdad are probably worried sick about him, when suddenly, Amadeus shouts at them, and tells them that they are so densen. 'Nobody sees this but me? Look at each other! At the big picture!' he exclaims.
The other four stand together as Amadeus asks them if they see how awesomely they just kicked Shark Man butt back there. 'That wasn't just beginner's luck!' Amadeus  declares, announcing that his calculations show each one of them is the latest manifestation of an eternal archetype – Wolverine, Thor, Spider-Man and Iron Fist. 'Forget your “families” we were meant to be together – as a team!' Amadeus exclaims. He smiles and boasts that they are humanity's next – and best – line of defense, and that they can prove it, too, on the biggest stage ever. He continues, stating that his research has uncovered this helicarrier is trying to complete its final mission of World War Two – and only they are around to stop it. 'All we need to do is work together, and, uh...' Amadeus's voice trails off as the other four all frown at him and look very unimpressed.  '...um...am I speaking too fast? Hercules always said I had a problem with that...' he adds quietly, before the other four all shout: 'YOU DID THIS!' and lunge at him. Power Man and Spider-Girl grab Amadeus, while Thunderstrike holds his hammer ready, and X-23 bares her claws.
'How did you bring us here?' X-23 asks. 'Why did you do that, Cho? To prove how smart you are? To give us some half-baked self-help lesson?' Spider-Girl enquires. 'Why you little – of all the irresponsible -' Power Man begins, while Thunderstrike reminds Amadeus that his Mom and stepdad are stuck in New York, surrounded by giant Nazi robots, and without him to protect them, they could be dead. Amadeus tells everyone to settle down, that he can explain. He admits that he did bring them here, because all of this “Dark King” stuff is just the beginning of the end – an end only they can stop. 'We're the “Stars” that have to align to save the world!' Amadeus declares, as the ship speeds towards an island. Amadeus tells the others that the ship is on a collision course to finish the job it started in World War Two. Down below, on the island beach, civilians start to run in fear, as the ship loom towards them. 'It's going to destroy everyone in Honolulu if we can't stop it!' Amadeus shouts....
3rd story:The young mutant called Sooraya Qadir a.k.a. Dust materializes inside a demolished house of worship. She sees a man huddled in a corner with two younger men. She thinks to herself that even before this apocalypse of terror, the world has always embraced fear before faith. She thanks God for her own faith, and for the faith of others who share her conviction – if not her God. She looks over at the older man, who looks somewhat hesitantly at her. Sooraya knows that there are those who would shun these people for their faith, it is that very faith which makes their rescue her responsibility.
Her teammate Rockslide bursts into the crumbling building, and she points at him as if to make a safe exit for these people. She knows that these people's God insists a salvation must take place before the sun sets, and she leads them to safety, alongside Rockslide, Sooraya tells herself that despite this epidemic of fear, the great truth for all of them, is that faith without works is dead.


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Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead, chapter one
Somewhere. Sweat pours down the face of a man. His eyes are covered with a piece of cloth, tied around his head. But just because his eyes cannot be seen, the fear still shows.
At an airport, a man wearing a heavy trench coat enters a busy ticket counter area, then rips his trench coat revealing an assortment of bombs. ‘PURIFY!’ he shouts. A woman tries to shield her daughter. Fear can be seen in the eyes of the girl, and an instant later, the bombs explode, and the airport is in ruin.
‘I got a joke for ya…man walks into an airport. He shouts “Purify!”Hey…I never said it was funny’ Wade “Deadpool” Wilson remarks as he sits at a desk. ‘Sorry. I got a problem with humor. I’m wired wrong. Black humor, I can do though’ Wade remarks, explaining that when you have a face like his and you are in an outfit like X-Force, black humor is kind of a staple. ‘I mean, we do the dirty work so the “all-ages” X-guys and gals don’t have to’ Deadpool adds. He clasps his hands together and blathers that when he says “dirty work”, he doesn’t mean giving the Blob his biannual bed bath. ‘Yeesh, never again. But I was a young mercenary and I needed the money, y’know’ Wade claims, before asking if that can be off the record, as he doesn’t want that getting out in the interview. ‘I’ve got an image to uphold, y’know. Action figures to sell’.
Deadpool gets back on track, and remarks that when he says “dirty work”, he means going stabby stabby on the really nasty bad guys, and doing it in a covert, sneaky, top-secret kind of way. ‘Because no one can ever know X-Force exists. That’s kind of our mission statement. Make sure you write that down’ Wade exclaims. Suddenly, ‘Wade? Who ya talking to?’ Wolverine a.k.a. Logan asks as he and Warren “Archangel” Worthington III appear behind Deadpool. Deadpool motions across the table to where a stuffed bear and a Bamf doll are seated. ‘Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein here. They tracked me here and demanded I reveal all about the existence of X-Force’ Wade tells his teammates.
Deadpool adds that it is a feature about the declining ethics of the modern super hero and what that says about 21st Century American society. ‘For People Magazine’ Deadpool claims. Warren and Logan carry on past Deadpool, and Warren tells Logan that he likes knowing that in a combat situation, a complete madman has got his back. ‘You hired him to hunt down Apocalypse’ Wolverine reminds Warren. ‘The fourth estate will not be denied!’ Deadpool shouts out to them. ‘Guilty’ Warren replies, while Wolverine remarks that Wade is crazier than a bag of snakes. ‘But considering what’s going on in the world right now…crazy’s the way to go’ Logan declares as he and Warren stand inside a communications chamber, and switch on a monitor.
Various images of utter chaos are displayed - with the servants of Sin doing the bidding of their mistress. ‘People are freaking out’ Warren remarks. Logan tells him that they are right to. ‘Fear sells. Makes us do strange things. Extreme things’ Logan declares. Archangel explains that is the reason why he called him here, and akss Logan if he has seen the security footage of the airport bombing. An image of the Purifier appears on a screen, and Warren explains that the tech is nasty and advanced. ‘He called out “Purify!” before going off, apparently’ Warren points out, before asking ‘The Purifiers? Although no records of mutants being present, so doesn’t fit their genocidal MO’ Warren states. ‘Yeah, that’s what I thought’ Logan agrees.
Warren switches the screen, which now shows a man tied up and blindfolded. Warren announces that it has become big news on the internet, and that people think it is going to be an online, public execution - some unknown new superhuman tied up like a hostage. Wolverine tells Warren to saddle the team up and declares that just because the world is coming to an end, doesn’t mean they don’t have a job to do.
Meantime, in New York City, on a rooftop balcony, several well dressed men and women are enjoying a party under the darkening sky, lit up by the lights of the surrounding buildings. EVA hovers in the air above, while X-Force’s Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock and Fantomex walk across the rooftop. ‘Erm…do you think people will notice my flying saucer parked there?’ Fantomex jokes. Entering a glass room on the rooftop, Betsy tells Fantomex that her telepathic suggestion to look elsewhere helps, but that with people this self-absorbed she is not sure they need it. ‘An end-of-the-world party for Manhattan’s elite. Eat, drink and play with what you can while you can. Very decadent’ Betsy declares.
Betsy sees a man and points him out to Fantomex. ‘Benedict Ryan. Popular TV news pundit, author and millionaire businessman. Secretly a Purifier, according to Logan’s government contacts. Raises secret corporate funding for them. Speaks at underground rallies. Hate monger’s his hobby’. Betsy and Fantomex move towards Benedict Ryan, who sees them, and backs out of the glass room. ‘You…you’re some of them, aren’t you? Mutants’ he snarls. ‘Happy to disgust you’ Betsy replies. ‘Please, by all means say something racist’ Fantomex tells him. Benedict climbs onto the barrier of the rooftop, asking them what it is they want. ‘Some healing mutant to mutant-hater dialogue’ Betsy replies. ‘And more Almas caviar. It’s delightful’ Fantomex declares. Betsy tells Benedict that he is going to tell them what the Purifiers are up to, and where they have that super hero boy tied up.
‘No…you’ll never take me, mutie scum! You will not touch this holy body. I’d rather die!’ Benedict exclaims as he lunges from the rooftop, plummeting towards the street below. Fantomex and Betsy lean over the edge of the rooftop, and Fantomex remarks that he did not see that coming. ‘Dammit’ Betsy mutters, while Fantomex announces that they have to give Benedict Ryan his dues - for there is a man who is firmly committed to his belief system. ‘There’s also a man who was our one and only lead to the Purifiers’ Betsy points out. ‘Fantomex…’ Betsy calls out. ‘You know, one of my brains really wants to see what happens to that holy body when it hits the pavement’ Fantomex replies. ‘The greater good’ Betsy tells him.
‘One-and-a-half of my brains…’ Fantomex mutters. ‘NOW!’ Betsy shouts. ‘Oh, alright then. Spoilsport’ Fantomex replies, as EVA appears overhead, and soars down towards Benedict Ryan, who shouts ‘No! Don’t touch me! Unclean!’ - but that doesn’t stop EVA, who swallows him. ‘Admit it. You’re impressed’ Fantomex tells Betsy, who remains silent.
Soon. ‘You hate mutants, right. That’s your small-minded prerogative, I guess. First amendment and all’ Wolverine says to Benedict Ryan, whom they have strapped down to a table. Benedict looks up at the team of mutants, as Wolverine tells him that he starts murdering people, blowing up innocents and putting a young kid on show so everyone can see how terrified he is. ‘That’s different’ Logan mutters. Wolverine’s claws are ready and Betsy has a psi-knife charged, while Deadpool has his hands on his swords, ready to use them. Wolverine tells Benedict that he is forcing them to make some ethically questionable choices. ‘Some really painful decisions for you. What are the Purifiers up to, Ryan? Where’s that boy being held prisoner?’ Wolverine demands.
‘Stabby stabby imminence!’ Deadpool exclaims, swords still at the ready. Benedict Ryan stares up at X-Force and declares ‘Look at you…are you meant to be “super heroes”? You threaten torture. You are plainly monsters. Demons. The world burns around us. The Devil is here and it is your sort who have brought his wrath…’, Wolverine cuts the Purifier off before he can continue: ‘Yeah, yeah. Words hurt but adamantium claws hurt more’. Logan tells him, looming over Benedict’s face. ‘Spill the beans or spill yer lower intestines’ Wolverine suggests. ‘No…never’ Benedict replies, so Wolverine tells Betsy that he is all hers now. ‘What…is that?’ Benedict asks as Betsy holds up her psi-knife. Wolverine tells Benedict that it is a psychic blade and that it will stab right through his mind - and it will hurt. Betsy holds the psi-knife over Benedict’s head and exclaims ‘All those nasty little secrets. All the insecure reasons why you ended up being the hateful pig you are…I’ll see them all’ she tells him. Benedict looks scared, and tells her ‘Don’t. I’ll talk. I’ll tell you what I know. I will not allow you to contaminate my mind!’ he declares, before announcing that their leader’s name is Standish.
Elsewhere, a man in a suit sits in a room. ‘I am Jonathan Standish. And I am terrified’ he thinks to himself. Jonathan long believed in the noble work of the Purifiers. A war to protect humanity from the children of the Devil (for he now sees that the Devil is real) - mutants. ‘A war to save the souls of humanity’ Standish thinks to himself. He is watching the attack on the planet, and thinks that he now knows that he has failed. ‘The seventh seal opens before our very eyes. My epiphany…the Devil himself is here. Come to steal the souls of man before they can ascend to Heaven’.
Standish sees now that the Purifiers were wrong, that it was never just mutants - it was all of them. The super folk. Ungodly idols who kept meddling with unearthly forces. ‘They brought this upon us’ he tells himself, deciding that the Devil is here. Standish holds a gun in his hand and wonders what an ordinary man can do to save humanity at a time like this. ‘Lord. I so wish to join you in Heaven. Here. Now’ Standish thinks to himself as he raises the gun to his head. ‘But I know you still have work for me’ Standish tells himself as he pulls the gun away and enters another room, where several high-tech Purifiers are waiting. ‘You have work…for us’ Standish thinks, before turning to where the young mutant is being held captive. A camera stands on a tripod before the mutant, who wears a black spandex costume with bright blue accents. ‘Soon…we will give the world out sign’ Standish decides.
Meantime, Fort Carroll, Baltimore, an abandoned military base. Several Purifiers stand on the shore of the base, and look out to the water. ‘Huh?’ one of them utters. ‘What the hell is that?’ another asks as something begins to rise from the water. An instant later, each of the Purifiers is struck and taken down from behind - by X-Force. ‘A misdirection’ Fantomex tells one of the Purifiers. Down below, several Purifiers are concerned when their comrades no longer answer any calls from above. ‘Everything okay up there?’ one of them calls out. ‘Not for you. No’ Archangel declares as he appears overhead, followed by the rest of X-Force.
Betsy announces that Benedict Ryan had no knowledge of the boy’s kidnapping, but that he was sure this is where the Purifiers would be keeping him. ‘Man, you guys bring guns to church?’ Deadpool asks as he approaches the Purifiers. ‘That’s my kind of church’ Wade exclaims, before telling the Purifiers that he is actually sorry that they have to kill all of them. Wolverine tells Betsy to shut the door and lock it, to which Betsy asks him if he is sure, pointing out that they will not be able to get out. ‘Ain’t us I’m worried about, darling’ Wolverine replies as he lunges at the Purifiers. The rest of X-Force follow. They are all skilled fighters, and take down the mutant-haters with ease.
Shortly, Fantomex announces that he is afraid he is the bearer of some disappointing news. ‘There’s no sign of the boy’ he states. ‘Dance off winnah!’ Deadpool exclaims. Wolverine has his two outer claws against the neck of one of the Purifiers, and asks him where the kid is that they have tied up on the internet. ‘I…I…’ the Purifier stutters. ‘TAKL!’ Logan shouts. The Purifier replies that he doesn’t know, as it is now them. ‘It’s Standish’s people. A splinter group’ he reveals. Wolverine slowly releases his middle claw, as the Purifier exclaims ‘They think superhumans have brought the end of the world!’ Despite this claim, Wolverine’s middle claw stabs through the Purifier.
‘Children of God…look out your windows. You see what I see. Armageddon is come to planet Earth!’ Standish declares as the camera records him standing beside the mutant. Standish claims that the super-people have brought it down upon them. ‘Brought “them” upon us’ he claims. ‘The Devil’s minions are here. They have many names, but only one purpose. They will take out souls if we allow it. They will prevent us from reaching Heaven…if we allow it’.
Standish continues, telling the viewers that they must not allow it. ‘We must deny them their victory!’ he exclaims. ‘If we take our own lives now we can ascend before he can intervene. This sacrifice will be a sign!’ Standish proclaims, before begging to his viewers, wherever they are and for their own sake, for the sake of their immortal souls, to take their own lives now. ‘Take the lives of those you love now. Save them! Save yourselves! I promise…you don’t have to be afraid anymore…’ Standish announces, as he puts the gun to the head of the fearful mutant. Everything goes black, and there is a lout BANG!


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead, chapter two
Cavern-X, where Warren Worthington III a.k.a. Archangel soars across a brightly-lit sky in his Angel form. Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock and Wolverine a.k.a. Logan watch him, and Betsy remarks that he looks at peace up there. ‘We ain’t got that luxury. Drag him down’ Wolverine tells his friend. The duo enters a console room, where Fantomex and Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool are monitoring a dire situation. ‘Well, Captain Barnacles had to move the Octopod and the Vegimals were all being thrown around which gave them tummy aches and then Kwazi Kitten -’ Wade exclaims.  Wolverine tells him to stop using the computer system for children’s TV. ‘I’ve warned ya’ Wolverine reminds Wade. ‘Spoilsport’ Wade mutters.
Fantomex motions to a screen where emergency services are carrying a body on a stretcher. Fantomex explains that the young super hero’s body was found, his name was Daniel Chilton of Madison Wisconsin, and that he was 19 years old. Daniels parents said he could create light holograms and that he wanted to be an Avenger. He adds that they are still correlating the final numbers of the dead, and that some families and people who live alone will not yet have been discovered. Betsy then asks how many people have killed themselves as a result of Standish’s internet broadcast. Fantomex replies ‘Almost 3,000 dead in the US alone. But it was a global broadcast. 102 in the UK. 130 in France. A lot of international numbers aren’t in yet’ he reveals.
‘Turns out there’s a lot of crazy people out there’ Deadpool remarks. Betsy and Wolverine both frown at him, before Betsy announces that she cannot believe people are that scared. Angel enters the room, and passes into the next where the Purifier called Benedict Ryan is strapped to a table, imprisoned. ‘What are you scared of, Ryan?’ Angel asks. ‘Ah…an angel…has…my time come…to enter Heaven?’ Benedict asks. ‘No. That’s not where you’re heading’ Angel replies, as he transforms into Archangel. He spreads his razor-sharp wings outwards, extending them towards Benedict’s horrified face, demanding he divulge everything he knows about Jonathan Standish. Wide-eyed, Benedict replies that Jonathan Standish is a surgeon.
Meantime, Jonathan Standish leans over a table where a man has countless wires plugged into his body. Standish holds a scalpel towards the man’s head, and tells himself that the human brain generates 25 watts of power when you are awake, enough to illuminate a household light bulb. An ordinary, mundane, practical light bulb. He thinks that yet, all memories, knowledge, personalities and souls are, somehow, contained within the brain. He thinks that is extraordinary that the gateway to Heaven is somehow hidden within these neurons, dendrites and axons.
It was this thought that drove Standish towards becoming a neurosurgeon, and despite his spiritual beliefs, he never saw science as being the enemy. The scalpel draws blood as it slices across the man’s brain. Standish simply believes that some answers are yet to be found by science, and that it was his responsibility, as chosen by God, to look for them. To seek the keys to the divine. To reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. All within those 25 watts. Standish attaches another cable to his “patient’s” brain, when a doctor nearby, monitoring a computer, announces ‘Cardiac arrest. He’s in V tach!’ The doctor rushes over to Standish and tells him that he has to step away. ‘We can use the defib panels to save this man’ he points out. But Standish replies that there is no time. ‘Jonathan!’ the doctor exclaims. ‘There’s no time!’ Standish shouts as he turns the scalpel on the doctor.
The doctor backs away, and in a raised voice, Standish exclaims ‘Don’t you understand? We didn’t save enough! Our message was insufficient!’ He declares that too few answered their call in a world populated by billions - just a few thousand is failure. ‘The Devil is here! The super-powered have summoned him!’ he shouts. Turning to go into another room, Standish declares that the Devil has come for their souls, all humanity’s souls. ‘We asked the people to sacrifice their lives willingly but the majority refused’. Entering the next room, where a camera is set up, Standish remarks ‘Now it’s up to us to save them. To take them to Heaven before the Devil knows they are dead’.
Standish looks at a monitor depicting a Purifier holding several explosives, and tells himself that he thought Garrity was a selfish fool to disobey his orders and act alone when he detonated that airport ‘He took the lives of the non-powered, which at the time, I did not understand’. Standish boasts that he sees now that Garrity’s actions were a sign - humanity’s time as simply run out. ‘We must save as many as possible. We must send a message that will be heard across this country. And then across the world’, he tells himself.
Meanwhile, EVA soars high above the Earth, transporting X-Force. ‘Hover in Earth orbit and just…wait for Standish’s men to hit somewhere’ Warren states, declaring that he has possibly been involved in more complex plans. Wolverine replies that Standish’s latest video clip said a message is coming “in the next few hours” and that “many souls will be saved”. Logan points out that they have no idea where they will hit, but can guarantee it will be one major American city or other. Fantomex adds that from here, EVA can be ground level anywhere in the US in seconds. ‘Won’t that be fun’ Warren mutters, adding that it is hard to believe that things are that bad down on Earth. ‘When you look at it from up here…from the Heavens…’ his voice trails off.
‘Getting spiritual on us, Warren?’ Wolverine asks. Warren points out that people are so scared that they are willing to kill themselves to avoid what’s coming. ‘Can what’s coming be that…horrible?’ he asks. ‘If it is, it is. We deal with it when it arrives’ Logan tells him. Betsy points out that Standish believes that super-people will bring about the end of the world, that they have brought the Devil himself to Earth. ‘How many times have we all saved the day at the last minute from one abomination or other? We can’t win every time. Stands to reason that sooner or later…’ Betsy’s voice trails off, and Wolverine asks her if she has a point here. ‘What if Standish is right? What if we have brought the end of the world down on humanity? What if the world would’ve been a far better, more peaceful place without super heroes?’ Betsy suggests.
‘How many lives have we saved over the years, Bets? I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost count’ Archangel retorts. ‘How many genocidal lunatics have we stopped? We’re the good guys, remember’ he tells her. ‘Ermmm…excuse me! I could’ve sworn we were a kill crew’ Deadpool declares, adding that is one of the reasons he joined up. ‘That and the promise of a plethora of covert ops groupies. Which I have to tell you, I am gravely disappointed at the subsequent lack thereof’ Wade adds, before remarking that the Uncanny X-Force fan club newsletter has not gone out yet. ‘Justin Bieber’s people are tight with that kinda #$%& and that’s our competition, people!’ Deadpool declares.
‘It’s as though Bertrand Russell himself were in the room. While I’m loath to interrupt such erudite musings, I think Standish is making his move’ Fantomex announces, telling his teammates that EVA’s picking up myriad emergency signals. ‘Which city?’ Wolverine asks. ‘It’s not a city’ Fantomex tells him.
At that moment, civilians are going about their daily business. Shopping, loading goods from a truck, spending time with friends, when a heavily-armed Purifier appears on the street. They all stare at the Purifier, who releases his weapons at them.
Fantomex announces that he currently has eight reported incidents in small towns spread right across America, from Louisiana up to Portland. ‘Single Purifier soldiers opening fire randomly. Mine reported incidents. Ten!’ Fantomex declares. ‘%$#&! We can’t get to all of them!’ Wolverine replies. Betsy announces that she needs one alive, that is all, then she can retrieve Standish’s location and they can end this. Wolverine orders Fantomex to get them down to the nearest target, now.
‘I obey’ Fantomex replies as EVA speeds towards Earth in a burst of flame. Wolverine asks if there are other targets nearby, to which Fantomex replies that they are hitting Texas in twelve seconds, and that targets are also in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. As EVA gets closer to landing, Archangel soars from the transport, and Wolverine tells him to get to Texas, while asking Betsy to psychically hone in on him. Wolverine tells Fantoemx to bring them in low as he can over Arkansas on the way up to Oklahoma and Missouri. Wolverine orders Fantomex not to break speed, as there is no time. He tells Wade that he is going to Oklahoma while Betsy and Fantomex have Missouri. ‘We take one of these *$%&# alive. The rest? Open season. Gimme a door’ Wolverine declares as they approach Arkansas.
Down below, ‘PURITY!’ the Purifier shouts as it carries on down the street, shooting at anything and everything. ‘Pur…’ his voice trails off, as Wolverine leaps from EVA. ‘…it…’ the Purifier continues. ‘…y’ he concludes as he raises his weapon towards Wolverine, too late though, as Wolverine slices the Purifier in half as he is hurled towards his opponent. ‘Damn. That looks like fun! Me next!’ Deadpool declares, as EVA opens up at Oklahoma. He sings ‘Ooooooohhhkahoma! Something troubling’s keeping up Dean Cain’, before staring ‘Just let that greatly underrated actor sleep, y’all. The Purifier looks up and readies his weapons, as Deadpool leaps down towards him, just like Wolverine - only Deadpool doesn’t strike the Purifier, he lands in a heap behind his opponent instead.
‘You are unclean!’ the Purifier shouts as he starts firing at Deadpool. ‘I just travelled 200 yards along an Oklahoma street on my face, pal! If I’m unclean don’t blame me, blame the town council!’ Wade shouts as he leaps back towards the Purifier, knocking him to the ground. ‘I kinda dig your fetching body enhancements. MTV do that? “Pimp my Racist”?’ Deadpool asks, before remarking that Wolverine says to take one of them alive, and that he is the one who managed it. ‘Who’d a thunk…it’ Deadpool declares, before wondering why the Purifier’s chest has suddenly turned a deeply troubling warning red. The Purifier was armed with explosives, and sets a bomb off, blasting Deadpool backwards.
Psylocke and Fantomex have arrived in Missouri, and Betsy remarks that for all the ethical questions inherent in X-Force’s continued existence, she doesn’t know if she has ever wanted to kill another “human being” so much in her life. ‘Stay…stay back!’ the Purifier warns her as she strides towards him. ‘Yet I need to keep you alive. I find that pretty ironic’ Betsy declares. The Purifier presses down on an explosives timer, but Betsy extends her sword and slices the detonator off the Purifier’s chest. ‘You don’t get out of this that easily!’ Betsy screams. ‘What are you doing?’ Fantomex asks her as Betsy kicks the Purifier to the ground, she replies that she is keeping him alive. Fantomex tells her that the bomb will go off any second, and points out that unlike the rest of X-Force, Betsy doesn’t have a healing factor. ‘Then run’ Betsy tells him, pulling at the wires attached to the bomb, she declares that she will not allow any more innocents to die because of this insanity. ‘I’m going to save this man and then I will burgle his brain and he will tell me where Jonathan Standish is’ Betsy states. She looks at the wires, and announces that she will then put this walking horror show out of his misery. She yanks at one of the wires, then the Purifier explodes, blasting Betsy and Fantomex backwards.
‘Is this on?’ Jonathan Standish calls out. ‘Yes’ a voice replies. ‘Really? Are you sure?’ Standish asks as he stands over eight Purifiers, hooked up to a very large bomb. Standish states that he needs to show the Devil what 25 watts can do….


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Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead, chapter three
‘Is…is this really…Heaven?’ a Purifier asks as he stands before a glowing gateway. Clouds are all around him. Suddenly, Deadpool with the wings of an angel steps forward and informs the Purifier that this is Lady Gaga’s crushingly subtle Bevery Hills home. ‘Of course it’s Heaven. Not the smartest genocidal fundamentalist on the block, are you?’ Deadpool declares. The Purifier smiles and thanks God. ‘I doubted…never doubted…when the bomb went off I knew I was taking the lives of the two mutants and I prayed that my holy sacrifice would be rewarded’ the Purifier exclaims. ‘Yeah. Nice job with that’ Deadpool replies, adding that he has known the God of Love a long time now and that there is nothing he digs more than people who blow themselves up in his name.
Holding a long scroll in his hand, Deadpool checks the list, assuring the Purifier that it is a done deal, before he shouts ‘Disaster! Debacle! Nay, spiritual calamity of biblical proportions!’ and tells the Purifier that he is not going to believe this, but that he is not 100% in yet. ‘Seems the Big Man needs a final show of faith to prove your worth’ Deadpool tells him. ‘Anything!’ the Purifier exclaims. ‘Okay. He’s got one question for ya. And I suggest, for your sake, you answer it truthfully’. Deadpool remarks. ‘Yes! Of course!’ the Purifier pleads. Motioning to the gates to Heaven, Deadpool tells the Purifier that for the big prize, eternity in the glory of His heavenly kingdom, plus the sports car - where, exactly, can they find Jonathan Standish and his Purifiers and what are his forthcoming plans.
‘Got it!’ Betsy “Psylocke” Braddock exclaims as she sits on the Purifier, plucking through the wires attached to the bomb on the Purifier’s chest. ‘What, pray tell, is going on?’ Fantomex asks his teammate. Betsy gets up from the Purifier and reminds Fantomex that he misdirected him into believing that his bomb exploded killing him and them. ‘Then I went into his mind and gave him his own little Faustian pact. Betrayal of secrets for that which he most desired’ Betsy explains, announcing that the Purifier did not hesitate to sell out Standish. ‘It’s good to see a man stand up for what he believes in’ Betsy remarks as she walks away. The Purifier steps up and remarks that this is not Heaven. ‘No, it’s Missouri’ Fantomex tells him, before wondering if killing the Purifier will weigh heavily on his conscience. Fantomex then turns his weapon on the Purifier, before noticing several civilians gathering nearby.
‘Uh…there is nothing to be afraid of. The danger is over. We’re here to -’ Fantomex begins, when one of them woman raises her hands and exclaims ‘Please…don’t hurt us’. Fantomex was going to say “save you”, but he realizes these people do not see heroes, they see only killers. Of course, they are correct in this, for it is X-Force’s raison d’etre. But he sees the fear in their eyes, and realizes that the fear cannot tell X-Force apart from those whom they hunt. Their fear marks X-Force as monsters, and even though Psylocke’s telepathy ensures that the civilians won’t actually remember X-Force being here, Fantomex cannot help but think Standish would feel validated by this.
A short time later, X-Force have regrouped, and are now inside EVA. Warren Worthington III a.k.a. Archangel and Wade “Deadpool” Wilson look at Betsy as she reveals that Standish’s splinter group of Purifiers were based in an abandoned air force base in Nebraska, but that they were flying out in a C-130 when the Missouri Purifier left. ‘If I lived in Nebraska I’d move out, too’ Deadpool remarks, while Betsy declares that Standish knows time is running out, and he wants to save as many souls as he can in one event. Betsy informs her teammates that Standish was a top neurosurgeon who has created a bomb that emits a specific electromagnetic pulse, and he believes that this will shut down the human brain, sending souls to Heaven before the “Devil” can get his hands on them.
Wolverine a.k.a. Logan is looking at a monitor depicting Jonathan Standish, and Betsy remarks that it is Standish’s farewell video broadcast to the world. She adds that the blast will have a radius of 25 square miles and will ostensibly take millions to Heaven. ‘The Devils is here for our souls…the super folk have brought Armageddon down upon us…we “ordinary people” are just pawns in the wars…etc…etc…’ Betsy’s voice trails off. Looking through the Holy Bible, Deadpool remarks that there doesn’t seem to be any mention of a city-wide neurologically engineered brain bomb in it. ‘Maybe it’s in the appendices’ he supposes. Betsy adds that Asgardian monsters ripping this world apart isn’t in the Bible either, and wonders if that would be happening now if Thor hadn’t joined the Avengers.
Wolverine tells Betsy that “ordinary people” are pretty damn good at ripping the world apart. ‘Trust someone who saw World War II firsthand’ he declares. Logan adds that even if Standish has a point, he is responsible for the deaths of thousands and now he wants to add some more. ‘He wants to send a message to the world by taking out super-people? Then it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out where he’s heading’ Logan points out.
New York, where several jets filled with Purifiers streak towards the city. ‘Keep them back! Get the bomb to the heart of the city and all will be saved!’ a Purifier exclaims as they open fire at EVA who flies after them. Inside the cargo hold, Standish kneels beside his bomb. He tells himself that all he ever wanted was an ordinary life, and that he became a surgeon because he wanted to help normal people, so he trained for years to gain the skills needed to save them. ‘But, do you have any idea how many would come into my hospital as a result of the actions of superhumans?’ he asks himself. ‘Do you know how much human blood I wore as a result of these “marvels”?’ he asks, deciding that the more heroes that rose up, the greater the human suffering.
The more powerful the heroes became, the more powerful the monsters they brought to this world. ‘We, the ordinary people, just want a life of peace. The superhumans took that from us. And in the end, they took our world away from us. I just want to save people’ he tells himself, while nearby, a military jet fires a missile towards Standish’s vessel. ‘They’re going to shoot it down before it hits Manhattan!’ Fantomex announces. ‘They don’t know about the bomb. If Standish is right and it will affect everyone within 25 square miles…’ Betsy remarks. Wolverine shouts at Fantomex, ordering him to intercept the missile. ‘With what?’ Fantomex shouts back. ‘With you!’ Wolverine orders. ‘I truly hate you’ Fantomex mutters as he moves EVA into the line of the missile, and the two collide an instant later.
The resulting explosion sends shockwaves to Standish’s plane, knocking some Purifiers out of the cargo dock. ‘The bomb!’ Standish calls out as he is jolted about. EVA begins to fall downwards, and Fantomex shouts out in annoyance, while Archangel points out that EVA is falling apart. He then sees Betsy fall from her seat, while Wolverine tells Archangel to stop Standish’s plane from crashing, or else everyone will die. ‘But Betsy -’ Warren calls out as he watches Wolverine, also fallen from his chair, grab on to Betsy. ‘Go!’ Wolverine orders Archangel, who speeds towards Standish’s plane.
Wolverine tells Betsy to close her eyes, as she has an adamantium skeleton protecting her (referring to himself, of course). ‘I bet you say that to all the girls’ Deadpool mutters as he, too, falls nearby. ‘Look on the bright side. At least we’ve got the tops of these buildings to cushion our - OW! OW! OW!’ Deadpool shouts as he lands on top of one of the buildings, but he skids along it, and falls off the edge - though he manages to reach out and grab on to the edge of the rooftop. He sighs, and mutters ‘It’s a living’. Betsy looks horrified as she and Wolverine prepare to crash into another rooftop. Betsy tells Wolverine that they cannot survive this. ‘Guess we’ll find out’ Wolverine replies as he lands first, and Betsy on top of him.
‘The French, of course…have a famous saying related to exactly this kind of predicament’ Fantomex declares as he controls EVA down towards the ground. He remarks that it is extremely difficult to land a wounded flying saucer in the middle of midtown Manhattan without causing considerable consternation to many. Up above, Archangel arrives at Standish’s plane, and releases several razor-sharp “wing-knives” at the plane. Standish knows Archangel is near, and thinks to himself ‘And in the skies above Manhattan. The home of “heroes”. A dark Angel cuts ordinary people to pieces with razor sharp blades from its wings. Angry gods…but they are not my God’ he tells himself. ‘Less shooting, more flying!’ Warren tells the pilots as he bursts through the front of the plane, slashing through the pilots with his wings, Warren takes control of the plane.
‘The world is ending. Time is running out’ Standish tells himself, while one of the wings of the plane explodes. The plane falls towards a busy street below. ‘No good’ Warren tells himself as he bursts upwards, through the roof of the plane. ‘Only chance is to get everything that could explode away from that bomb’ Warren declares as he slices the wings off of the plane with his wings - the plane the nose-dives into the street below, causing cars and cabs to toss about. Standish tells himself that when the fuselage hits he is convinced he is going to die, and he feels a fear like he has never known. Standish boasts that he is not afraid for himself, but he is afraid for others. ‘I’m a doctor. I save people. And I fear I may not be able to save the good souls of this city. I believe in humanity’ Standish tells himself.
‘I believe in the goodness of the soul. Please, Lord, let me alive to save your people’ Standish pleads, before emerging from the wreckage of the plane. ‘Alive…and the bomb intact. Impossible. I am the only one left…alive…oh Lord!’ Standish declares as he looks up and sees a cathedral, sprawling over him. ‘If I ever harbored doubt…I see that you have saved me for a purpose’ Standish remarks when suddenly, several wing-knives are thrown his way, some of which pierce his arm. He cries out in pain, while Warren declares ‘You’re the only one I can see here acting with purpose’. Warren steps towards Standish and tells him that he knows what evil looks like. ‘I’m looking at it right now’ Warren adds. ‘MONSTER!’ Standish shouts. ‘Don’t you see the damage you do?’ he asks, before firing a weapon which strikes Warren in the side.
Warren falls to his knees, and Standish declares ‘You and yours have opened doors that should have remained closed. You brought Armageddon down on us! We didn’t ask for any of this!’ Standish walks closer to the fallen Archangel, weapon still in his hand. ‘You are not heroes! You are horrors!’ Standish shouts. He turns from Archangel and exclaims that the good people of this world would have been so much safer if super-heroes had never emerged. ‘Endless battles. For every one of you “heroes” that emerges, a greater villain rises to face them. All you do is create suffering!’ Standish shouts as he re-enters the cargo dock of the plane.
‘We could’ve told our own stories. Instead, you have pulled us down to Hell. And I will send us to Heaven. We are coming to your Kingdom, Lord!’ Standish shouts as he accesses the bomb. His index finger is very close to the detonator button, and he shouts ‘YOUR WIL BE DONE!’ - but before he can press the button, a sword is brought down, and slices his hand off, sending blood flying everywhere. ‘Lemme ask you something. And I’ve never claimed to be a theological scholar with the answers to all the great questions…but if that bomb going off is God’s will…then how come, despite fighter hets shooting missiles at it, the impossible plane crash through skyscrapers, the fire-fight with killer mutants and all…the %$&#&% thing still hasn’t gone off?’ Deadpool asks as he holds a sword close to Standish’s neck. v
Standish sits clutching his wounded arm, blood pouring down. Betsy, Wolverine, Fantomex and Archangel approach Standish, and Fantomex calls out to Deadpool, telling him that he is an erudite and heroic philosopher of rare and learned wisdom. ‘Word’ Deadpool replies. ‘I just want…I need to save…’ Standish utters. ‘You wanna save people? Remember that terrified super hero boy you shot in the head? He wanted to save people, too’ Wolverine snarls as he leans in close to Standish. ‘You can’t tell me this world’s not a better, safer place without you in it’ Logan declares, before he decapitates Jonathan Standish. X-Force look up at the cathedral, and Wolverine comments that it is a beautiful building.


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Fear Itself: Wolverine, part 1
A top-secret US military hangar, somewhere in the Sondran Desert: Two soldiers enter the hangar, ‘Well, rookie, this is it, the USS Prometheus. The crown jewel in Norman Osborn’s HAMMER fleet, or at least, it would have been’ one of the soldiers announces to the other. ‘Would have been?’ the rookie asks.
Standing in the huge abandoned hangar, several smaller jets to one side, the huge Prometheus battleship is dark, silent and overwhelming. ‘Never got off the ground’ the older soldier reveals, adding that all hell broke loose in Broxton and Osborn went cuckoo for coco-puffs before it took its maiden voyage. He explains that it is officially decommissioned, but it is booby trapped, so they have guys working around the clock trying to access the computer systems so they can disarm all the ugly stuff Osborn loaded it up with.
‘Ugly stuff?’ the younger soldier repeats. As they walk up a ramp onto the Prometheus, the older soldier explains that Osborn had it equipped with a bunch of non-sanctioned munitions, chemical ordinance, biological weapons and God only knows what else. He adds that the techs taking it apart don’t really talk much, and he doesn’t ask. ‘Guess we’re lucky we never found out what he was planning to do with it’ the older soldier remarks. ‘Never did trust that guy. I think it was the hair. That was not the hairstyle of a sane man’ the rookie opines. The older soldier touches a panel on console and replies ‘Hell. Yeah, well, you’re about to see just how crazy the dude was. This thing was designed to end the world, near as I can tell’ he smiles.
Suddenly, a door to the Prometheus opens, and four people wearing black and orange clothing appear. They are armed with weapons. ‘Good evening, lads. Welcome to the party’ an older man announces. A blue-skinned man readies his weapon, while another man and a woman stand with them. The blue skinned man fires his weapon, and two darts are shot. They land in the soldiers, who fall to the ground. The older man addresses the blue-skinned man as Brom and tells him to grab the soldiers and put them with the others. ‘Let’s move, people, we’re off the ground in T-minus five!’ he announces, before, via communicator, contacts someone called Bexley and asks him how it is going up there. ‘This bird ready to fly?’ he asks. ‘Almost, Sir. The access codes were on the money. I’m firing up the main engines now’ Bexley replies as he stands over a console.
An instant later, the Prometheus rises up out of the hangar. Inside the control room now, the older man stands with his arms extended and declares ‘Ah, the sweet sound of victory! Good work, mates! You have my deepest gratitude, and more than that, STRIKE owes you a great debt this day’ he adds. The blond man leans against a console and replies ‘Hopefully that means we can come out of the rock we’ve been hiding under for the past five years’. The older man smiles and announces that today is the day STRIKE begins to rebuild in earnest, and, calling the blond man Croydon, adds that after today, they are done hiding and living in the shadows. The Prometheus rises fully out of the hangar and the older man boats that after this STRIKE is going to make them all very, very rich. ‘Bless you Norman Osborn, you bloody lunatic!’ he mutters as the Prometheus takes off across the sky.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Wolverine a.k.a. Logan is the best there is at what he does. And right now, that is dealing to the chaos in the middle of the city. Crows fly overhead. Civilians run in fear. Cars are overturned. Water bursts from a hydrant. Flames pour from one building. Suddenly, a pitchfork is thrown towards Wolverine. It embeds itself in his back, and sticks through his chest. Logan falls to the ground, then reaches behind himself and yanks the pitchfork out of his body. ‘All right, looney-tunes. Playtime’s over’ Logan snarls and turns to his attacker, who lumbers towards him through the crows who are pecking at fallen civilians. ‘You can’t beat me, little man! No one can! I am the new King of Fear! I am the death-bringer, the leviathan, nyarhostep risen!’ the man with a sack over his head boasts.
Crows swarm around him, and he grins from under his sack, ‘You have no idea how powerful I have become! I am a god!’ the lanky man boasts. More crows fly around him, ‘I am the death of hope!’ he shouts, as Logan draws blood, his claws slashing into as many of the crows as possible that dive-bomb him. His jagged teeth can be seen under the sack over his face. One eye is wide, the other glows small. His unkempt hands drawn into a claw-like position, the villain boasts that he is the lullaby for stillborn children, and the bone-dry rattle of a dying breath. ‘Let the streets run red in honor of my coronation! Let all who -’ he begins, before Logan lunges towards him, ‘You talk too much, Scarecrow!’ Logan snarls as he slashes his claws against the Scarecrow’s back.
The Scarecrow collapses to the ground, laughing uncontrollably. Near him is a motionless NYPD officer, who holds a tear-gas canister. ‘Mind if I borrow this, officer?’ Logan asks as he reaches down and picks it up, while opening it, he then grabs the Scarecrow by his sack and tells him to ‘Laugh this off, jackass’ as he shoves the tear-gas canister inside the sack, and the Scarecrow starts coughing. Logan holds his foe by the neck, as a voice calls his name and the X-Man turns to see his girlfriend, Melita Garner approaching him. Police officers move in and take the Scarecrow away, while rescue workers turn their attention to civilians who were attacked by the crows. ‘Hey, darling. Thought you were still back at the Tower’ Logan tells Melita as they hold hands. ‘And miss this show? Not a chance!’ Melita replies, adding that a reporter has to go where the action is, even if she is a currently unemployed reporter.
Logan tells Melita that with the Raft busted open and hammers falling from the sky, he doesn’t guess there is a real shortage of action right now. They walk down the street as Melita reveals that the stuff she has been posting online has blown up, that there aren’t a lot of on-the-ground reporters with the access that she has. Melita informs Logan that she is getting more attention as a freelancer than she ever did when she was a staff reporter, and she is up to over half a million followers on Twitter. ‘I have no idea what that means, but I’ll assume it’s a good thing’ Logan smiles. ‘With all that’s happened, it’s a very good thing’ Melita tells him, before pointing out that people are scared. ‘This is big, isn’t it? Fire and brimstone, the sky-is-falling, end-of-the-world big’ Melita asks. ‘It’s big, not sure just how big yet, but yeah… big’ Logan admits.
Melita remarks that it feels weird being out of town with everything that is going on, like she should be there in case something happens. ‘Maybe I picked a bad time to visit you in New York, or maybe this is just one of those times where it’s hard to be your girlfriend and a reporter’ Melita explains. Logan tells her that he thought about that as well. Logan puts a hand on Melita’s shoulder and pulls her close. He informs her that he can get her a lift home, if she wants. ‘I mean, I’m not trying to get rid of you or anything…fact is, you being nearby makes me worry about you a little less’ Logan admits. Melita tells Logan that if she is being honest, she feels a bit better knowing that he is close - not for her safety, but to know that he is okay. Logan puts a hand on Melita’s face as Melita tells Logan that she is going to have to get used to this part of it, he out saving the world from gods and monsters.
‘As much as you can. Don’t suppose I’ve ever really gotten used to it myself’ Logan replies, before Melita’s phone suddenly rings. She tells Logan that she better take this, and answers. ‘Hello? Yes. Umm…yeah, he’s here’, before she hands her mobile phone to Logan, ‘It’s for you. It’s Captain America. Steve Rogers. I mean…or whatever you call him’ Melita tells him. Logan frowns and puts the phone to his ear. ‘Yeah. Yeah okay. I’ll handle it’ Logan remarks. He hands the mobile phone back to Melita and informs her that some yahoos called STRIKE have hijacked a Helicarrier, that they are headed this way and he is the only Avenger in the immediate area who isn’t otherwise occupied. ‘STRIKE?’ Melita asks. Logan puts his mask back on and informs Melita that they used to be British counter-terrorism, then got taken over by a bad guy before disappearing. ‘Ya know, standard op. And now they’ve apparently reappeared’.
Melita smiles and asks Logan to let her go with him. ‘Honey, with all due respect, no way’ Logan replies. ‘You think I can’t handle myself?’ Melita asks. Logan tells her that he knows she can, but that this is not what it is about. ‘Then what is it about?’ Melita enquires, pointing out that whatever is going on, this STRIKE thing could be a part of it, and people need to know what is going on. ‘Do they?’ Logan replies. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Melita asks. Logan tells her that it means ‘Do you think knowing the world is going to hell is going to make things any better? Is it going to make folks any safer? Or is it just going to make them more likely to panic and do something stupid?’ But, Melita declares that information doesn’t breed fear, ignorance does, so keeping people in the dark about this stuff is dangerous and irresponsible. ‘Dammit, Logan, this is my job. You know that’.
Logan tells Melita that he has a job today to do, too, and it only gets harder when people start to panic. ‘There are riots all over the world. Thor has disappeared, and now every wacko with an agenda is coming outta the woodwork’. ‘So do your job, but don’t tell me how to do mine’ Melita replies. Logan throws his arms into the air and tells Melita ‘Fair enough’, and assures her that he didn’t mean to get her fur up, he just doesn’t like to see media folk poking a hornet’s nest and leaving somebody else to deal with getting stung. Melita tells Logan that he knows her better than that, as she is accountable for every word that she writes. Logan gives Melita his access card to Avengers Tower and tells her to go back there to see what she can dig up on STRIKE and get her story. Melita thanks Logan and tells him that she takes back all the awful things she was just about to call him. They embrace and kiss, before Melita tells Logan to be careful and to come back in one piece. ‘You too, darling’ Logan replies.
Meantime, aboard the Prometheus, on the bridge, Brom returns and joins the leader, Bexley, Croydon and the woman. He reports that the prisoners are secured, thirty-six in all, including the two guards they too out. He adds that they are mostly tech guys, and perhaps a dozen soldiers. ‘Well done, Brom’ the older STRIKE operative replies, before asking Mr Bexley how much farther until their destination. Sitting at a console, Bexley announces that they are two hundred kilometers outside New York right now. Brom enquires as to why they are going to New York, and the STRIKE commander reveals that there is a slight chance of plans, as their employers have asked them to take advantage of the unique “opportunity” that has presented itself. ‘How’s that?’ Brom asks. The commanding officer looks out the large windows and declares that STRIKE would like them to perform one additional task as long as they are stateside.
Brom points out that there is extra risk going to New York, world in crisis or not, as Avengers HQ is there. The commander replies that STRIKE is aware and they have offered additional compensation. ‘I’m buying a villa in France. And a Lamborghini Aventador. And a girlfriend. And a yacht. And another Lamborghini’ Bexley remarks. The commander tells him that he can buy all of that and more, and states that their esteemed leaders at STRIKE will take this ship and re-establish themselves as players in the big game. ‘We’ll be their top dogs, as well. No more crawling through third-world sewers and knocking down tinpot dictators’. The woman tells her commander that it all sounds well and good, but she wouldn’t mind getting out of this while she is still young. ‘I mean, you guys are my mates, but I wouldn’t mind collecting my check and retiring’ she reveals
‘You don’t think STRIKE would want to be reimbursed for all those enhancements you got?’ Croydon asks. Brom remarks that he doesn’t like deviating from the plan. He tells the commander that they have what they came for, and flying this thing into super hero central seems stupid. ‘Plans change, soldier. All you need to know right now’ he announces as he touches a button on a console. ‘Ah, there you are, my lovely’ he remarks quietly, before telling Bexley to give him one hour, then he can bring them down where the city can see them. ‘I’ve got a few surprises to prepare first’.
One hour later, the Prometheus looms over the city of New York. Some civilians see it, floating through the clouds, above the sprawling skyscrapers, and point up to it. A reporter announces that there is no word why the craft is ere, and that it has hovered motionless above since it descended from the clouds. The reporter explains that it appears to be a “Helicarrier” commonly used by SHIELD and more recently by HAMMER, and hopes that, with the recent outbreak of violence around the world and in New York, it is here as a precautionary measure. At the same moment, Logan runs across one of the rooftops that reaches near to where the Prometheus hovers. He is no longer worried that getting on board might prove difficult, instead he is now hoping he is too small to be noticed. He leaps off the rooftop and extends his claws upwards, realizing that if he misses, he will need a month to recover.
Logan just latches onto the edge of the Prometheus which suddenly lowers itself in between the buildings. People rush to the windows of their offices and apartments, and as Logan climbs aboard, the bodies of the prisoners are dropped from the Prometheus, hanging by ropes around their necks.
Arriving at Avengers Tower, Melita places Logan’s access card in the slot, ‘Hope this works’ she remarks, before the doors open and a computer voice welcomes her, ‘I will assume Logan provided you wit that access card’ the computer adds. ‘Ummm…thanks?’ Melita replies, looking around, before the computer tells her to let it know if it can be of any assistance. Entering a room with several consoles and screens, Melita tells the computer that it can start by showing her everything it has on STRIKE, especially any mention of activity since they were officially disbanded. Reports appear on one of the screens, and Melita smiles. ‘Wow. Not much, but it’s more than I expected’ she remarks, adding that for a defunct organization, their name sure pops up a lot.
The computer informs Melita that most of these files are restricted, but it has access to information not readily available to most. ‘An arrogant computer. Tony Stark really does have it all’ Melita remarks to herself, before glancing over the files and deciding that there is nothing concrete here, but a lot of blood getting spilled in connection with the name. She supposes that you are pretty far under the radar when the Avengers have barely any intel on you, but decides that there is some info, so STRIKE hasn’t been completely invisible.
Meantime, Wolverine slices his way into the Prometheus, deciding that it wasn’t so bad, and now all he has to do is take these guys out before this gets any worse. He realizes that if these guys really are STRIKE, then this is bad news. He didn’t want to spook Melita, but he has heard a few things about these guys - rumblings, mostly, second-hand stuff passed down the back alleys of the espionage community. He tells himself that STRIKE was involved in black bag jobs that no one else would take - high-risk, low-reward stuff, done in the name of a phantom organization. The rumor was that there was old British money backing them, older than dirt - knights in shining armor old - secret societies and weird rituals - the kinda folks that make the Freemasons look welcoming. He shoves his claws into a control panel when he comes to a door, and it opens for him.
Logan tells himself that he has to get this situation under control and fast, for as bad as these guys may be, there is bigger fish to fry. ‘The world’s gone so far to hell right now, terrorist ghosts with a Helicarrier poised to vaporize NYC barely qualifies as news’ Logan thinks to himself. Entering the next part of the ship, he knows that it would help if he knew the layout. He walks past a poster on the wall of Norman Osborn with the American flag and thinks ‘Osborn. Even buried deep in prison that nut job is still giving us grief’. Making his way further into the Prometheus, Logan picks up the scent of sweat, gun oil and cheery cough drops.
Suddenly, a door opens, and Croydon stands there, large weapon aimed at Logan. ‘FREEZE!’ he shouts. Claws barred, Logan suggests that he put his weapon down before someone gets hurt. ‘Somebody, in this instance, being you’ he adds. ‘I doubt that, friend’ Croydon replies. ‘you know who I am. You know that gun ain’t gonna do much but piss me off’ Wolverine points out. But, Croydon replies that this gun doesn’t have to do much - just distract him a big. ‘Ah, hell’ Logan mutters, as Brom appears behind him and shoves a blue energy sword through Logan’s stomach. Logan drops to his knees. ‘Wow. They sent the Wolverine. They must be taking us seriously’ Brom points out. ‘Put him down, Brom. Quickly’ Croydon orders. Brom holds the sword in Wolverine and declares ‘Pretty sure this won’t kill you But I’m betting it’s really gonna hurt’.
Meanwhile, back at Avengers Tower, Melita concentrates as she continues to examine the files, and wonders why a covert black ops squad that hasn’t pulled a big job in years chooses something this high profile. ‘Why this ship?’ she asks, when suddenly, the blueprints of the Prometheus are displayed on the monitor before her, detailing that the ship has a nuclear warhead. Wide-eyed, Melita utters ‘Oh no…’


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

[Assistant]
Fear Itself: Wolverine, part 2
The Prometheus battleship, above New York City, where inside the sprawling aircraft, Wolverine a.k.a. Logan has been attacked by two agents of STRIKE. ‘Put the dog out of his misery, Brom’ the blond man, Croxley calls out to his blue-skinned teammate, who holds a gun and an energy-sword to Wolverine’s neck. ‘Thought this’d be tougher. We sure this is Wolverine and not his dopey kid?’ Brom replies. Wolverine just growls, before Brom tells him that he is a disappointment and that he expected a fight. ‘Careful what you wish for, bub’ Logan replies as he suddenly kicks backwards, and knocks Brom off his feet, although Brom fires his weapon, it narrowly misses Wolverine’s head. Wolverine gets to his feet and suggests to Brom that he drop his gun, ‘See if I can live up to your expectations’ he remarks. Croydon calls out to his teammate, telling him not to, ‘Ah, hell…’ he mutters as Brom drops the weapon to the ground.
Brom holds his energy-sword higher, and Wolverine realizes that his foe has blue skin, so asks if he is Kree. ‘Nah, not entirely’ Brom replies, adding that he has a little of their DNA kicking around inside him, though. ‘I’m a bit of a dog’s breakfast, genetically speaking’ he explains, while Croydon, standing further down the corridor, calls out to him, suggesting that he get out of the way so he can just shoot him. ‘Sutton didn’t ask for posturing’ he reminds Brom. ‘No way, Crodyon’ Brom replies, claiming that he has been waiting his whole life for a test like this, and adds that bullets aren’t going to do much beside make Wolverine mad. ‘I’m looking to do something a bit more permanent!’ he boasts. Wolverine growls as he lunges forward, claws outstretched, but Brom strikes his leg, ‘Sloppy, and too slow by half, midget’ Brom mutters.
‘You sure about that, bub?’ Logan asks as he turns around, blood dripping from his wound. Brom suddenly clutches his stomach, through his armor, three claw marks across it. ‘Heh’ he grins, before both men growl as they move towards each other. Adamantium claws clash against the energy-sword, then break away from each other, before clashing again. ‘Just getting warmed up’ Brom calls out as he and Wolverine step away from each other. ‘You and me both, kid’ Wolverine replies.
Meanwhile, at Avenger Tower, Melita Garner is researching STRIKE on the Avengers computer files, and sees an image of a bald man who shows up a lot, but she can’t find mention of his name. She decides that he is a tough-looking old bastard, with pictures of himself with everyone from Tony Blair to the Queen. She learns that the last shot of him is about five years old. Melita asks the computer if there is a British division of the Avengers. The computer informs Melita that the British superhuman task force is known as MI-13. ‘Current members include Captain Britain, Pete -’ the computer stops when Melita interrupts it, instructing it to path her through to their headquarters, or secret hideout, or whatever it is called. ‘The current headquarters of MI-13 is -’ the computer begins, but Melita interrupts it once more, ‘Awesome. Put me through’ she tells it.
An instant later, Pete Wisdom appears on the monitor, ‘Pete Wisdom here. Oh come on, another new Avenger? Do they not turn anyone down over there?’ he asks, before Melita smiles and explains that she is not an Avenger. She introduces herself and explains that she is Wolverine’s friend, and a reporter who needs his help. ‘Wolverine’s… friend? Yes, luv, I’m sure you are’. Wisdom smiles, before asking Ms Garner how exactly he can help her, and suggests she make it quick, as he isn’t sure she has noticed, but the entire world has gone a bit haywire and panicked citizens aren’t going to save themselves. Melita shows Wisdom one of the photos of the bald man and tells Wisdom that she needs to know who he is. Wisdom tells Melita that he recognizes the nutter, and that his name is Sutton, but thinks iti s just a call sign, he doesn’t know what his real name is, or much about him at all.
Wisdom continues, informing Melita that Sutton is a nasty character, that he ran some black-ops for STRIKE, then sort of fell apart when they disbanded. ‘He pops up now and again, usually somewhere messy and unpleasant’. Wisdom informs Melita that Sutton is probably doing mercenary work now, if he isn’t dead, and adds that lots of ex-STRIKE guys took up contract work, but Sutton was a real bastard with a taste for blood and heavy drama. ‘You think he’d have any interest in a Helicarrier?’ Melita asks. ‘A what now?’ Wisdom replies. ‘Never mind’ Melita remarks, before asking Wisdom if there is anything he can send her intel wise? Wisdom states that he is sending her Sutton’s STRIKE folder and profile now, though he is not sure what good it will be for her, as it is outdated. Wisdom pauses and glances to one side. ‘What?’ Melita asks.
Wisdom reports that it says Sutton was a test subject during “Project Blackbox”. Melita asks what that is. Wisdom tells her that it was a bloody horror show, to put it bluntly. Images are sent to the monitors Melita watches and Wisdom explains that Blackbox was an experiment carried out by government spooks in an effort to build better soldiers, that it was designed to push men to their breaking points, and it got out of hand. He adds that the bastards behind it all wound up in jail, so he supposes that Sutton was one of the lucky ones who got out in one piece. ‘You’re a reporter, you say? That seems a bit tame for Logan. You sure you’re not a mysterious assassin with a shadowy past?’ Wisdom asks. ‘Well, I appreciate the help, Mr Wisdom, but I’ve got to -’ Melita begins, before Wisdom interrupts, ‘An alien princess, maybe?’  ‘Okay, well, like I said -’ Melita begins, avoiding Wisdom’s questions. ‘Maybe you were brainwashed -’ Wisdom suggests, before Melita severs the connection.
Back aboard the Prometheus, Wolverine and Brom prepare to confront each other again, as Wolverine tells Brom and Croydon that if they want to do this, it is going to end badly, it always does. ‘So let’s save ourselves some time and skip this song and dance’ he suggests, adding. ‘I mean, I gotta kick the blue guy’s ass on principle. But the rest of you can still give up quietly’. Suddenly a telepathic voice reaches out to Logan, ‘Oh for Heaven’s sake, where do you guys get all this macho badass garbage from, television?’, as Croydon moves forward, and using his psychic powers, forces Wolverine to the ground. ‘Too many single mothers, I think. A whole generation of spandex-wrapped juiceheads with daddy issues. You X-Men don’t have a monopoly on telepaths, you know’ Croydon declares, before suggesting he gets a peek inside Wolverine’s head.
Everything around Croydon appears red, he believes he is inside Wolverine’s mind, and sees Wolverine at the end of the corridor, rushing forward, scratching his claws down either side of the corridor. ‘What the bloody -’ Croydon begins, before Logan roars at him, and shoves his claws through Croydon’s stomach, gutting him, sending blood splashing everywhere. Croydon falls to the ground and looks up, Wolverine really is standing over him, ‘Could have told your buddy that wasn’t any place to go messing around’ he snarls, while Croydon’s face is wide-eyed, mouth open, and Brom strands nearby, sword ready, Wolverine tells him that he hates to run, but they will finish this latter, as he has to ground this ship. ‘I’ll be back for you. Count on it’ Wolverine tells Brom as he rushes down the corridor, and passes through a door, shoving his claws into the controls, the door closes before Brom can follow Logan down another corridor, as Wolverine sees a sign pointing to the communications room.
There, Sutton is with his two other STRIKE members, and informs them that he wants to tell them why they are doing this, why now, and this exact moment. He states that he is a firm believer in fate, addressing the male with glasses as Bexley, he tells him that this plan is perfect, and that it has to be launched now, as they stand on the threshold of something momentous. ‘I dreamt of a hammer’ he explains. ‘A hammer?’ Bexley asks. ‘Yes, a hammer so large only God himself could lift it’ Sutton replies. The woman frowns and gives Bexley the thumbs-up, while Sutton continues, remarking that then God let it fall, and it broke the world in half. ‘You mean it’s fate because this ship was built by HAMMER?’ Bexley asks. ‘Ha! No, but that’s certainly no coincidence! No, the dream portended something much more literal’ Sutton smiles. ‘I’m talking about this’ he explains, motioning to several monitors, which depict villains and heroes, with increased power and holding hammers.
Sutton reveals that twenty-four hours ago, these hammers began to Earth - eight of them, to be precise, and so he took this as a sign. ‘This is what my dream was trying to tell me. To act now, to activate our plan, and write our names in history!’ he declares. Bexley and the woman look at the images in awe, as Bexley replies ‘Yeah, but you mean “what STRIKE command was trying to tell you”, right?’ Sutton asks, while the female STRIKE officer enquires ‘We didn’t steal this thing because you had a dream. You had direct orders from your superiors, didn’t you?’ ‘Orders? Of course, of course. After all, we’re good little soldiers, aren’t we? Following orders, no matter the cost, no matter what is asked of us’. Sutton continues, ‘Machines made out of meat and bone, built to destroy, to kill, to annihilate! And when it gets to be too much, well, then…but I’m getting ahead of myself’. Sutton tells them to look at it, history unfolding before their eyes, while the woman storms off, announcing that she is going to check on Brom and Croydon.
Back in the city below, Melita is using social media to report on what is transpiring. Her instant-following system user name is M3LITAG, and her first post says that a good reporter goes where the story is, and right now, that means getting close to the United Nations. She walks down the street, observing her surroundings and thinks to herself that this chaos, with the Raft breakout, the riots, looting, and whatever that was that hit Yancy Street, she is getting jumpy, but is excited to be getting out and on a story, however, she feels that something doesn’t feel right. Her next post advises her readers to stay indoors at al costs, and informs them that she will be uploading pics at her website, melitagarner.com. She sees civilians out on the street, and rioters as well. She thinks that half of them look out of it, or on something, and given what Logan said, she is guessing this has origins outside the realms of what is “natural”.
Melita’s third post reporters that the Red Cross is setting up tents at Bryant Park, and that the Avengers, Fantastic Four and other are on the job. Melita knows that people are scared, and no one is sure what is going on. She stops beside a little girl who is crying and seems to be lost. A police officer goes over to Melita and takes the little girl, while Melita posts that she has it on good authority that the Helicarrier over the UN building is being handled by one of the best. She hopes that she can get Pete Wisdom’s information to Logan somehow, but she can’t reach him on his communicator. She tells herself that if she can get closer to the Helicarrier, she might be able to get through to him. Melita sees a rioter standing on an overturned police car, throwing a make-shift bomb at a billboard advertising Star Industries.
Her next post to her followers tells them that no matter what anyone says, Spider-Man, Captain America and all of the other heroes are working hard to help them in this time of crisis, and asks her followers to send updates to her website. She wonders what the hell has gotten into people, and why she feels like she is walking into a hornet’s nest. Her subsequent post urges her NYC to keep it together, and to keep DC in their prayers, as Captain America is there now, fighting the good fight. She knows this is not isolated to the US, as there are reports all over the globe of giant “monsters” wreaking havoc. She supposes that something, or someone, is launching an all-out war, and that this is all tied together by whatever fell out of the sky yesterday.
Observing the situation around her, Melita tells herself that it is good to see not everyone has lost their head. ‘Say what you want about New Yorkers, they know how to come together in a crisis’ she thinks to herself, before informing her followers that there is a video of the Scarecrow incident and the Raft cleanup efforts uploaded at melitagarner.com. She hopes that she doesn’t have to use the weapon that Logan gave her, but she promised him she would keep it handy. ‘I bet he gives all his girlfriends neural disruptor rays’ Melita remarks as she reaches into her backpack and pulls the weapon out. ‘Such a sweetie’ she smiles, looking at the weapon, when she notices some looters breaking into a delicatessen. ‘Damn it. So much for keeping our cool’ she thinks to herself, deciding that she best end this quick, she encourages herself to channel her “inner Eastwood”, before firing the neural disruptor ray upwards, green energy lights up the air, and everyone turns to Melita as she shouts ‘Go home! Now. Stay inside till I come and let you out. Jackasses!’
Melita’s next post informs everyone not to use this situation as an excuse to loot and go crazy, for if she sees them do that she will put her foot in their asses. Her following post points out that they are all scared right now, but that they will get through this, as a community. She helps a man off the street, feeling like she has ice in her stomach, like that time she went sky diving in college - primal, almost like panic. ‘Get a grip, Melita. You’ve got a job to do’ she thinks to herself, before she starts to film the man who shows her his ransacked store. Her following post tells her fans to check her site for interview with Jason Suh, a young store owner who tried to hold off looters. Carrying on through the city, Melita looks up and sees the Prometheus looming above the city. ‘Hang on, Logan. I’m coming, baby’ she thinks to herself.
Logan reaches the communications room of the Prometheus, and finds it in disarray. ‘What the hell?’ he remarks, deciding ‘So much for getting a hold of anyone on the ground. Place is smashed to pieces - but who would -’ he thinks to himself, before he hears three sets of footsteps coming up fast. ‘Looks like they brought a friend’ Logan tells himself, as Brom and Croydon appear, with their female teammate, and they rush towards him.
Back on the bridge: ‘So, we got some new orders, eh, Chief?’ Bexley asks Sutton, who tells him that there is a slight change of plans, that is all, explaining that this ship has some unique capabilities that puts them in a position of great power - a position that STRIKE wants them to take full advantage of. Bexley taps something into a console, but the screen informs him that communications are disabled, that no transmissions have been sent or received. ‘I don’t suppose you could expand on that a bit, could you?’ Bexley asks. Wide-eyed, Sutton asks Bexley what he is most afraid of. ‘Afraid of? Not sure I follow, sir’ Bexley responds. Still wide-eyed, almost trance-like, Sutton states that they must not let their fears rule them. ‘We must control them’.
In the communications room, Wolverine dodges the attacks from the three STRIKE agents, but they are wearing him down, keeping him moving. They keep their distance and use their numbers to their advantage. Logan dodges Brom’s energy-sword when it is thrown at him, before the woman fires some sort of cable or whip, but he grabs it, ‘C’mere, darling!’ he tells her, pulling on it, he slams the woman to the floor. Brom lunges at Logan, grabbing him by his wrists. Brom is stronger, but Logan knows that he is afraid, that fear is coming off him in waves, like a sickness, a fever. He can smell it on all of them. He wonders what is going on here. Brom pulls Logan’s arms back, and Croydon goes over, shoving a large gun against Logan, he announces that they should do this the old-fashioned way this time, before slamming the weapon against Logan’s face, drawing blood.
Brom then kicks Wolverine in the back, sending him towards the woman, who cracks her whip again, and this time it strikes Logan, sending energy charging through him. He falls face-first to the floor, before he blacks out.
When Logan comes to, he feels like he just went ten rounds with the Thing, and is unable to move. He sees Sutton looking up at him, ‘Ah, I see you’ve come back to us, Wolverine’ he remarks, adding that he was beginning to think that his people had done too good a job and that the reports of his famous healing factor had been a big exacerbated. Logan’s vision is a bit blurry, and he can’t see exactly where he is hanging from, but knows that he is bound right. Sutton tells him that he is going to witness history. ‘You see, Wolverine, I’ve been given a sign’. Logan suggests to Sutton that he untie him, then he will give him a sign. ‘I’m afraid not, Wolverine. I’ve got something special planned for you’ Sutton replies. Brom and the woman glance at each other nervously.
Sutton grins and boasts that he is going to make the dream a reality, and is going to share it with the world. ‘The Prometheus is going to live up to its name, and deliver fire to the great city of New York’ he explains. Croydon, Brom and the woman look up at Wolverine, as he realizes that he is chained to the front of one of the nuclear warheads, and Sutton tells him ‘And you’re going to have the best seat in the house’….