Deadpool: The Circle Chase #3

Issue Date: 
October 1993
Story Title: 
The Circle Chase - round 3: And Quacks Like a Duck
Staff: 

Fabian Nicieza (writer); Joe Madureira (pencils); Harry Candelario (inker); Chris Eliopoulos (letterer); Glynis Oliver (colorist); Suzanne Gaffney (editor); Bob Harras (group editor); Tom DeFalco (editor in chief)

Brief Description: 

Deadpool is tracked down by the Executive Elite, as per their contract with Nyko, and all war breaks loose to bring the “merc with a mouth” down. After a tense battle, the members of the Executive emerge triumphant, and by use of Commcast’s technology prepare to use scan Deadpool’s mind to discover the location of Tolliver’s will. After strapping him to the machine, the Executive view some scene’s from DP’s past, but before they can get anything useful, Weasel makes with an eleventh hour rescue and frees DP, who then proceeds to take down the Executive one by one. After the fight, Weasel adds the information the Executive received from Nyko to the disk they stole back from Black Tom and Juggernaut to learn the location of Tolliver’s stash. Elsewhere, Vanessa coerces Jacob Gavin Jr. into giving her the information he had exchanged with the Executive Elite about the Tolliver will. Vanessa then learns the location of Tolliver’s will as well, but upon her arrival she runs into Slayback.

Full Summary: 

Somewhere, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Deadpool is being tracked, as he makes his way through the dark alleys of the bombed out city. He is aware that someone is following him, and is even able to dodge a bullet that was aimed at his head. Within moments, Deadpool is on the roof, jumping down upon the sniper who had taken the shot at him. They are Makeshift and Rive, and as the former jumps back, as the later takes front and center, shooting three blades from a device on the back of her arm. The blades imbed themselves through Deadpool’s leg and peg him to the wall, while at the same time Makesshift fires a taser electrode onto Deadpool’s neck, which is then connected to a pole that Makeshift plants into the ground. After communicating to Commcast that they are ready, Commcast sends transmission to the pole which pumps Deadpool with enough voltage to knock him out. As Deadpool’s smoking body slumps to the floor, Makeshift complains that Commcast has yet to arrive to gather their quarry.

She wouldn’t have to wait long, but as it is pointed out to her as Commcast arrives, she may have infinite patience for mechanics, she lacks the same with people. Later, Deadpool comes to slowly and finds himself moved to the Executive’s transport, quaintly named the Edsel. When Deadpool asks them who they are, Commcast obliges with an answer, as well as informs DP that they are seeking anything he can tell them about the Tolliver will. When DP states that torture isn’t going to work on him, Commcast smiles and picks up a device, while asking, “whoever said anything about torture?”

Washington, D.C.:

Vanessa Carlysle, no longer hiding her true bluish features behind a false identity, calmly walks into the headquarters of International Infonet Inc, which is headed by Jacob Gavin and sons. Vanessa walks up to the secretary and asks to see Jacob Gavin Jr, and is promptly sent to his office. Upon her arrival, and with a fake smile, he states that it has been two years since they last saw each other, and if she remembers that evening as much as he does. Vanessa simply answers by placing a gun to Jacob’s face, while telling him that she knows about the contract between Nyko Halfghanaghan and the Executive Elite, and she also knows that Jacob was smart enough to copy the disk that was used as payment for their services. Jacob, however, seems unconcerned by Vanessa’s threat, asking why, despite the gun to his face, he should tell her anything? Vanessa answers by placing a series of pictures on the desk, which depict the same man with several different women. Vanessa explains that Jacob’s mother sill owns sixty percent of the company, and that his father “has a lot more stamina than I would expect from a man his age.” Jacob admires Vanessa’s spunk, and with a smile he says that they must talk.

Sarajevo:

With Commcast’s device strapped to Deadpool’s head, the Executive Elite are now monitoring Wade Wilson’s memories, including a scene which depicts the day that Wade had left Vanessa years ago in order join the Weapon X program. Deadpool warns them to get out of his head, but the Executive Elite, of course, don’t listen. Commcast apologizes for the discomfort DP is feeling and that he has not yet perfect the synaptic neural scanner. As Rive mocks Vanessa’s feelings for Wade, another memory flashes across the screen. This time of Garrison Kane, on the day he received his first mechanical limb. The image shows Kane in a wheelchair, with both legs and one arm still missing, but he is admiring his new mechanical right arm. Kane states that if the Weapon X group can find a way for him get back his limbs, they can definitely do something to cure him. Wade then explains that he has been to chemo twice and radiation three time with no change in his condition, and that what he has can’t be replaced by spare parts.
Commcast manages to deduce Kane’s identity, but can’t understand how Department K could have found a cure for cancer and then not reveal it to the world. Rive, however, couldn’t care less, stating that all she wants is the location of the Tolliver will, so they can then turn him over to Nyko.

Deadpool offers Commcast twice the amount that was promised them if they were to release him, but Commcast knows better. Commcast informs DP that if he were to do so, he would just turn around and kill them; however what they received was far better than money. After showing Deadpool the disk they received from Nyko, Deadpool recognizes it as being virtually the same as the one he recovered from Cairo. But Commcast is already aware of the second disk, because one disc is only good if the owner has both discs to put together. Now Commcast wants both discs, to complete the puzzle.
Rive threatens DP with her wrist blade, and then uses it to rip DP’s mask off his face, revealing from behind a very scarred and scabbed over head. As they are horrified by the sight, DP explains that they just discovered why the Department never released the cure, because the side effects are far worse than the disease.
Before the others can recover, the “Edsel” comes under fire, and the explosions send the mercenaries sprawling to the ground. Weasel enters the transport and launches a magnetic scrambler device onto the machine DP is strapped to. Weasel warns DP to shut his eyes, and suddenly the entire transport is filled with sparks and smoke. Unable to see his comrades, Commcast struggles to make out the figure coming towards him. It is Deadpool, and with Rive already down, he isn’t happy.

Geneva, Switzerland:

Vanessa is escorted into a computer room by a portly gentleman, who states that he is surprised that Mr. Gavin would give her access to the files. After being left alone, Vanessa starts working at the computer, using the information she had received from Jacob, and from Mr. Foley before she started working for Tolliver, she was able to narrow down the list of Tolliver Land holdings. However, upon accessing the system she discovers that someone else has opened the file four days before. Vanessa bursts out of the computer room and grabs the gentleman who has shown her into the computer room, demanding to know who he had let into the files. The man protests, saying that no one has been there for quite a while. Vanessa argues that with Tolliver dead as well as Foley, only someone with exceptional hacking skills would be able to access the system, and now also knows where the Tolliver will treasure is located.

Sarajevo:

All hell has broken loose, as Deadpool continues his rampage, blowing away everything he comes across. Commcast, manages to slip away back to the Edsel, however Weasel has already beaten him to the punch. Now he is holding a gun to Commcast, and has his hands on the other disc. Commcast asks why they can’t discuss this like gentlemen, and Weasel answers, “Because you’re wearing a colander with antennae on your head,” and proceeds to blow him away.
Weasel steps out from the Edsel and yells out to Deadpool that it is time to go; while DP answers that he needs to clean up first. When Rive attempts to attack DP from behind, she is eviscerated with his sword and then thrown at her partner Makeshift. Makeshift attempts to grab one of her fallen devices, but DP steps on her hand and grabs her by the throat. Wondering what the device does, he places it on Makeshift’s head and activates it, and she is immediately fried by her own weapon.
After the battle is finished, DP and Weasel go back to the safe house and with both discs in hand, they manage to discover the location of the Tolliver Will, a monastery in Nepal, as well as a schematic for something called a Zero Unit. When Weasel says they should go and check it out, DP brings a knife to Weasel’s throat and asks him what he means by “we”. Weasel, not very worried by the threat, calmly points out that DP doesn’t speak Nepali.

Nepal:

At the monastery, Vanessa has finally arrived, pondering the meaning of the monastery’s name – which translated means “the palace of tomorrow’s hope”. Using a grappling line, Vanessa scales the side of the monastery and climbs through a darkened window. However, before she can get any further, she is grabbed from behind by Slayback.

Characters Involved: 

Deadpool

Weasel

Copycat

Courier (Jacob Gavin Jr.)

Commcast, Makeshift, Rive (as the Executive Elite)
Slayback

in Deadpool’s memory

Garrison Kane

on screen

Zero

Story Notes: 

Wade Wilson’s break up with Vanessa is seen in more detail in the Deadpool (2nd series) #minus 1.

Kane’s near death and the disbanding of the Six Pack was revealed in Cable: Blood & Metal #1-2.
Though both of his colleagues are killed in this encounter with Deadpool, Commcast somehow survived and makes an appearance in X-Men Unlimited (1st series) #3.

The Zero Unit is none other than the Zero we all know as the silent servant of Stryfe. Somehow, Tolliver (or Tyler if you prefer) gained control over the device after Stryfe’s downfall.

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