Beneath the streets of Montreal, the mysterious assassin known only as Wyre stands over the unmoving body of the Alpha Flight member known as Weapon Omega, a.k.a. Kyle and formerly Wild Child. Wyre declares that Wild Child was the best - the realization of someone’s sick and twisted dreams. ‘I looked at you, Wild Child…and I saw myself’. Wyre wonders how he could not, for in essence, Wild Child was his son.
Wyre recalls that his employers were pleased - he could almost see the predatory smiles broaden behind their cowls - for he had given them exactly what they wanted - killers without conscience. But Wyre knew even before then, before “it” happened, that he had helped create abominations, erred against God.
He reveals that one by one, he sought to undo what he had done and wash the blood from his hands. He tracked them down, all the breed - the wild things - all the children of Wyre, one by one - and now he thinks - it ends, here, beneath the streets of Montreal. ‘It ends…with the death of Wild Child!’
The bulky man wonders if now he will be able to shut his eyes and not see the blood - the broken, twisted limbs. Perhaps now the screaming will stop.
Suddenly, Weapon Omega sits up - ‘Shot. I was…dead?’ Staring up at Wyre, Kyle asks what happened, to which Wyre explains that it was a mercy bullet - but that the next one isn’t going to be. Angrily, Weapon Omega asks him why he bothers, for if he wanted him dead so much, why use tranquillizer darts…’Unless this is the way you get your kicks!’ Kyle accuses.
‘NO!’ shouts Wyre as he claims that each death - each creature he consigns to oblivion cuts a piece from his heart, adding that he seeks only to end Wild Child’s torment, to free him of the madness that must ultimately consume him and others.
Slightly groggy, Kyle thinks to himself that he needs more time, for he doesn’t quite have Wolverine’s healing factor, but he can feel some strength coming back to him, and decides that he has to keep Wyre talking about himself - and about him.
Nearby, Garrison Kane, a.k.a. Weapon X, emerges from a pile of rubble deep underground, and curses himself an amateur, he recalls the moments that passed shortly before - where he stood in awe like the rookie he once was, while the man he is supposed to be tracking - Wyre - puts a bullet through Weapon Omega, and then blasts the ceiling, bringing the tunnel down on him. He tells himself that he should have known - that he should have anticipated, but was so busy trying to keep Omega alive, to stop the fanatical Wyre from beheading him….
‘No. That’s not I,t’ Kane admits, realizing as he walks along the chamber that it was seeing Wyre in the flesh that made him hesitate. Kane recalls that he first saw an image of Wyre twelve years ago, but suddenly it felt like yesterday. So many times had he stared at that frozen image on the Department’s video log - the blood, the torn bodies - that look, its soul stripped to its core - agony / hate / self-loathing / anger…and purpose.
Kane doesn’t see the Ebon blade lying in the water as he walks past it, while he tells himself that it is a false war Wyre is fighting, he knows because he has seen it before - destructive obsession cloaked in noble purpose. He decides that Wyre can destroy himself if he must, but he isn’t going to allow him to take others down - not this time. And since Wyre went to the trouble of grabbing Weapon Omega rather than simply burying him, he supposes that it isn’t too late to stop him! Several feet away from the sword now, Kane doesn’t notice someone picking it up out of the water.
Meanwhile, not quite nearby - but getting there - a chopper flies towards Montreal, inside it sit the current members of Alpha Flight - Canada’s premiere super heroes. Right now, Heather McNeil Hudson a.k.a. Guardian, Alpha Flight’s leader, is very angry. With a stern look in her eyes, Heather tells her teammate Doctor Walter Langkowski a.k.a. Sasquatch to tell her that Mac wasn’t wrong to trust him, that he hasn’t made a mockery of all Mac stood for, lived for - and died for.
Heather asks Walt to tell her that he didn’t bury the psych reports on Wild Child - reports that without a doubt would have meant he’d never have been admitted into Department H in a million years. ‘At least tell me why, given our current situation, you didn’t think it prudent to say the least…to share some knowledge with us now!?’ Sitting in his little-worn team uniform, Walt hangs his head as he replies he isn’t proud of what he did, but points out it was way back then, and a decision made, and many times since regretted. He claims that he didn’t see how raking up the past could help, as Weapon Omega is sane, cured - no longer Wild Child.
Eugene “Puck” Judd tells Walt that he is wrong, and remarks that Weapon Omega is becoming progressively unstable, more like his old self. He suggests that whatever Walt’s reasons for originally suppressing the data…now is the time to tell all! Walt begins to protests once more, until Heather throws her arms up in the air in fury, so Walt mutters, before explaining that when doing the psych test on Wild Child many years ago he found two distinct personalities, a veneer of modern “civilization” covering something much more ancient. He explains that someone had tampered with Kyle’s brain system, tapping his storehouse of mankind’s earliest instincts and memories…from when mankind was little more than wild animals.
‘So basically, if he reverts to form…we can start counting the bodies?’ asks Heather, annoyed. Walt tells Heather that he was giving Kyle a chance the same way that she and Mac gave Logan a chance, when suddenly, Colin “Windshear” Hume who is piloting the chopper announces that he is getting a local police band message, and as it seems, a big hole has just opened up in Old Montreal with bodies sighted. He adds that Omega’s checkout destination was the Old town.
Colin reminds his teammates of the way the press felt about Alpha Flight after the melee over Manikin at the hospital and points out that if there is another incident, then the media will crucify Alpha. Heather mutters that she isn’t sure she’d blame them, before ordering Hume to punch in the location.
Back beneath Old Montreal, Wyre reveals that he destroyed everything - equipment, project notes and entire bases - but it wasn’t enough, for the taint ran too deep to be purged by flame alone. ‘Blood had been spilled. Angry gods demanded a trade: corpse for corpse - do you see, Wild Child?’ he asks, ‘Do you see why you must die?’ Kyle grits his teeth as he reminds Wyre, for the last time, that he is not Wild Child.
Kyle moves forward with his foot coming into contact with Wyre, kicking him hard, before punching him in the nose, two textbook strategies. But what follows however, is pure animal - but leaping towards Wyre, Kyle discovers too late that it is what Wyre wanted, for the muscular man turns swiftly and grabs Weapon Omega’s throat - then holds him high over his own body.
Elsewhere, newspapers with headlines like Who Protects Us?; Suspect; Super Disease; Alpha Flight Contagion Threat are spread over a large table, of which several men sit around. ‘Gentlemen…opinions’ asks the Canadian Prime Minister. An overweight man remarks that it is what Bill Hagon has been waiting for, and suspects that they can expect Hagon to push for an emergency reading of his new bill. He adds that with public opinion now firmly behind Hagon, it is going to be hard to resist - and retain any credibility with voters.
A handsome blond man exclaims that it isn’t acceptable, for what Hagon proposes is a little short of a police state. ‘We give the bill its hearing, make the right noises and then stall, lose it in red tape’ he suggests. Another man declares that he doesn’t think it will work, for though Hagon is ostensibly a progressive conservative, he has the support of some of the more radical parties, so right now, he is good copy - if they don’t back him then the media will make a celebrity out of him…and his cause.
The Prime Minister thanks the man, Larry, before turning to the bald General Clarke for his thoughts. Clarke reports that “Project Omega” is a failure, for both man and the situation grow more unstable by the day, and if it all hit’s the fan, then it would be advisable, Clarke suggests, to have already initiated some counter-measure. ‘Hagon’s bill may just save our necks’. The Prime Minister thanks everyone, ominously remarking that it appears they have no choice in the matter at all….
Back in Montreal, the six Alphans trudge around beneath the streets, and Windshear reports that they are arriving at the collapsed area, and begins scanning for life signs. Windshear pulls some rubble away from a large Albino man who is more-or-less muttering ‘Wild Child I will kill you’, though he is rather incomprehensible. Windshear turns to Jean-Paul “Northstar” Beaubier and remarks that although he is not fluent in gibberish, he thinks he is talking about Weapon Omega.
‘Please, Hume - as I would not presume to tell you how to balance a budget or compile a press release, do not attempt to tell me my job’ snaps Northstar, before adding that if Omega is down here, then he will find him. With that, the super fast mutant speeds down the tunnel. Aurora asks Hume to forgive her brother, exclaiming that if rudeness were ever considered an art form, then Jean-Paul would be a maestro. Hume tells Aurora to forget it, ‘My hides so tough sometimes I consider ditching the armor altogether’. Suddenly, Judd swings around, informing everyone that they have got company.
Elsewhere in the underground maze, Weapon X has discovered Wyre and Weapon Omega - and recalls that reason was tried on Wyre - people tried to make him see what he had been. The hate, the guilt - he had just become a husk . When they came to him for help, he was ready - he had been ready for years. ‘Forgive me old man…I wish there were another way’. Gun pointed at Wyre who is still strangling Weapon Omega, Kane fires - and misses - for Northstar speeds up to him and moves his arm, changing his direction.
‘What? Something moved my arm?!’ exclaims Kane. ‘Not something, mon ami - someone!’ Northstar drops Kane in the water then speeds back around, ‘If you know anything of me at all, you will no doubt wish to surrender’. Jean-Paul suggests to Kane, who points one of his fingers, fitted with special devices, and reveals that for starters, he knows that for all of Jean-Paul’s skill and speed - he isn’t insulated.
Northstar falls over into the water with a mighty splash, as Kane claims to know all about Northstar - including one or two things that he is sure Jean-Paul would rather never came to light. Kane then turns back to Wyre and Weapon Omega, only to see that this time, Weapon Omega has the upper hand, and smacks Wyre hard in the face with a powerful kick.
Suddenly, Nemesis slams into Kane, kicking him in the back. ‘There is a reckoning to be had here…for both men!’ she exclaims, telling Kane that Weapon Omega and Wyre must find death or peace and not at his hands. Kane blasts Nemesis who dodges him with ease. ‘Concern for an ex-colleague? That’s a first’ he remarks, about to remind Nemesis of a so-called teammate she once let - he doesn’t get to say anymore, for Nemesis shouts ‘Silence!’ and continuing to dodge his blasts, she remarks that a circle many years in the making closes, before claiming that she is fates angel, and that she will see its will done - even if it means killing all those who interfere.
Nearby, Alpha Flight are engaged in battle with the Children of the Night. ‘Kids! They’ve got us fighting kids now!’ mutters Sasquatch, to which Windshear jokes that they may be kids - but they aren’t exactly ones he would care to bounce on his knee. Puck remarks that there is no shortage of them, and notices Aurora standing on a ledge, not helping in the battle. He asks her if she would care to lend a hand, to which the sultry French-Canadian reveals that she is Jeanne-Marie, before pointing out that by the way the children stay away from her, she believes that all they need to do is shed a little light on the situation.
With that, Jeanne-Marie unleashes dazzling and blinding lights into the darkened tunnels, causing all of the children to stand in a daze. ‘Oooh, nice one…I think’ mumbles Judd as he tries to get rid of the effect Jeanne-Marie’s power had on him. Jeanne-Marie continues to shine a beam of light on the children, commenting that it appears the poor things have lived their whole lives down here in the dark. Walt remarks that he is beginning to feel that way himself. He urges everyone to find Omega, so they can get the hell out of here.
Nearby, Omega blocks Wyre’s punch, thinking that this is wrong - for the anger, fury and savage freedom, all the things Wyre associates with Wild Child - are at the forefront, and yet - he is in complete control, planning, executing, thinking - like a man! Omega flips Wyre over into the water and holds him under, declaring that he won’t fight him, at least not when he is perceived as a wild animal - a savage uncontrollable beast. He remarks that each time it happens, the beast is roused and it just makes him fight harder to bring back the man.
‘NO!’ shouts Wyre as he leaps out of the water, his tendrils attaching to Weapon Omega as he declares that Kyle is an animal, there is no humanity in him. ‘It was taken away by them…but me!’ he reveals. Omega understands now why Wyre doubted after all the killing and bloodshed - which is why he didn’t kill him when he first had the chance. Kyle realizes that Wyre had to be sure the beast could not be tamed - that the animal would always be dominant because if he was wrong….
Kyle remarks that he always assumed that he was a beast altered to think like a man - but now he knows he was a man made to think and act like an animal. Wyre replies ‘Yes’ and reveals that he watched as Kyle was taken many years ago, he watched as Kyle and others like him, anonymous and faceless people from the streets. He watched as his own genetically altered DNA was used to turn them into monsters - their innocence taken and corrupted. ‘Watched…and did nothing. God help me…I did nothing!’
Watching from across the tunnel, Nemesis announces that the circle is almost closed and tells Kane that he may do what he must, before asking him whether he is a soldier following orders or a man whose cause has become a vendetta. Nemesis uses her sword to pick Kane’s weapon out of the water, and hands it to him. Alpha Flight arrive on scene, and Guardian is shocked to see Nemesis. Nemesis tells Kane to go, so he does, as Jeanne-Marie tends to her brother, Heather asks her former antagonist what is going on, and who that man is that is leaving. Nemesis tells Heather to shush - to ask no questions, to simply observe, and everyone turns their attention to where Weapon Omega and Wyre are kneeled before each other across the tunnel.
Weapon Omega tells Wyre that he must let go of the anger and the rage that he knows only too well - for the path leads only to self-destruction. Wyre replies that it is difficult, for he sought to wash the blood from his hands with more blood - so much suffering, so much pain, ‘How can I ever forgive myself?’ he asks. Kyle tells him that there si blood on both their hands, and admits that he also wonders if he shall ever forgive himself for the pain and suffering he has caused.
He explains that as part of Alpha Flight, he tries to balance the scale, and tells Wyre that there is hope for him, for both of them. ‘You helped take my humanity, tried to kill me…but I forgive you!’ Kyle asks if in the end, isn’t that what separates the man from the beast? With that, Wyre begins to cry.
