Weapon X (2nd series) #6

Issue Date: 
April 2003
Story Title: 
The Underground - prelude
Staff: 

Frank Tieri (writer), Keron Grant and Pop Mahn (penciler), Norm Rapmund (inker), Tom Chu's Color Dojo (colors), Paul Tutrone (letters), Mike Raicht and Nova Ren Suma (assistant editors), Mike Marts (editor), Joe Quesada (editor in chief), Bill Jemas (president)

Brief Description: 

Thanks to the Director’s full financial and emotional support, Aurora has almost fully recovered from her injuries. Unlike before she now has real feelings for him and wishes to express her gratitude, but the Director tells her that it is not appropriate. Their conversation is interrupted by the Director’s pager, alerting him to his ex-wife is getting remarried. He summons for Sabretooth and the two set off on a secret mission. Arriving at Kathleen Colcord’s house, they make their way up the stairs to find a man with a shotgun who warns them to leave. Upon order, Sabretooth pounces on the frightened man sending him crashing through the door leading into the bedroom.
There the Director confronts his ex-wife who is shocked to see him. The Director pulls a gun to kill her, but hesitates when he sees that she kept a picture of them when they were still happy. Just then his two small children walk in and the young boy calls for his daddy. His daughter Suzie approaches him but the Director doesn't want her to see him since he has been disfigured. Suzie doesn't care and even touches his scarred face. After consoling his children, the director decides not to hurt their mother, though he forbids her to ever be with another man. She reluctantly concedes to his request as the Director orders Sabretooth to detain Kathleen's fiancé and bring him to the jet. Back at the Weapon X compound, the Director contemplates the unfolding events. He decides that his work is for a greater good as mutants are indeed a superior race, so they need to be hunted down if baseline humans like his children want to have a future. Then, no longer able to deny another urge, he heads to the Aurora's bedroom. He takes her hand in his and kisses her. Meanwhile a special program is running in the United Theater in Detroit in front of a carefully picked audience. The screen displays images of the brutality of war and informs the viewers about the Weapon X program and the Director. It even mentions the concentration camp for mutants. Nathan Summers is the man responsible for the program and at the end all of the viewers agree with his cause – Weapon X needs to be stopped.

Full Summary: 

(8:00 p.m.)

In Detroit, Michigan, a young man is walking down the street. He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a slip of paper which states to meet at the old United Theater at 8 p.m. The man looks up at the theater and knocks on the door and says “Live free or die“. He calls out to see if anyone is there while an infrared light shines on his wrist revealing the letter R in the center of a circle. The door glides open and the man walks into the theater. The theater has occupants scattered through out the room, all seated and watching some sort of film depicting the severity of war. Soldiers are locked into a fight to the death on screen as the man sits next to another man and asks what he has missed. The other man tells him that it has just started. A young woman shushes him and informs him that this isn't something to be taken lightly, but the young man remarks that he doubts anyone that has showed up to the theater is taking the presentation lightly.

The film continues and tells the audience that war has to be more than hell if you want to wage war properly. It also tells them to embrace the fact that sometimes war is a necessity because a greater good can sometimes arise. The film states that the times has come for a greater good to make itself heard once more due to the fact that a great evil is upon them once again. The evil is the Director of the Weapon X program.

(8:30 p.m.)

At the Weapon X compound, the Director walks into a room with a tray full of food and informs Aurora that he hopes he isn't intruding because he has brought her dinner. Aurora is lying in bed recuperating from her injuries sustained at the hands of Sabretooth. She disregards the notion of being interrupted by the Director and she tells him that he is spoiling her. The Director scoffs at the remark and says that a girl has to keep her strength up. Aurora accepts the tray of food and tells the Director that she can not possibly repay him for everything he has done for her through out her rehabilitation and all the surgeries and treatments she has undergone over the past few weeks. The Director replies that she has nothing to repay to him. After all, he knows what she is going through in suffering the butchery that Sabretooth had caused her, which was not unlike his own experience. Aurora recalls that he is talking about his own deformity and reaches out to take the Director's hand in hers and remarks that he can deny it all he'd like but he has only shown her tenderness in the entire ordeal, and she would like to show her appreciation towards him.

Malcolm breaks her grasp and reminds her that they have talked about this before. Aurora tells him that their talk was before she started developing real feelings for him. Malcolm cuts her off and adds that it was inappropriate then and it still is now. The Director is cut off in mid sentence at the sound of his pager beeping. He reaches down and reads the message which informs him that his wife is getting remarried. He stands there a moment in disbelief until Aurora asks what is wrong. He calmly tells her that it is nothing but he must go and that she should get some rest. The Director walks down the hall way, passing a guard, and enters his office. He angrily yells and scatters the contents of his desk in anger. He then slumps down in his chair for a moment before requesting Sabretooth.

(9:00 p.m.)

At the United Theater, the program continues its propaganda and tells the audience that the man disfigured in a mutant attack is Malcolm Colcord, the Director of the most dangerous military project to grace the Earth - the Weapon X program. It goes on to tell how it was not enough for the program to simply exploit mutants for weapons. However, mutants are now being secretly taken from their homes in the name of homo superior terrorism and whisked away to an undisclosed location codenamed Neverland. Not one of these mutants has been heard from since.

(11:00 p.m.)

In the skies over New England, the Director and Sabretooth are aboard a flight to their destination. Sabretooth questions the Director on where they are going only to have the Director tell him that he will find out when they get there and to not address him again. Sabretooth arrogantly defies him and tells the Director how it is funny that even though the Director can't stomach to look at him he has still chosen him over his other agents for the mission at hand. Sabretooth then asks if it is something suited for his special talents and then withdraws the question because this is going to be one surprise that he is going to like. The jet sets down and the two step off the plane and stand in front of a house.

Sabretooth informs the Director that he can't do anything until he says the magic words. With a simple "wax on" from the mouth of the Director, Sabretooth unleashes in fury as he begins to rip through the door of the house. He tells the Director that it is a nice house and questions him as to whose house it is. The Director tells him that it is the house of his ex-wife. As they make their way to the top of the stairs a man greets them with a shotgun and nervously tells them that it is his house and to stop. The Director calmly calls for Sabretooth and the agent quickly leaps onto the frightened man, crashing both of them through the doorway. The Director enters a bedroom to find a woman in bed and mentions that the man has truly forgotten whose house this is. He says hello to the lady in bed, Kathleen, who is shocked to see her ex-husband. He tells her not pay them any mind since they are just there to pay their regards to the couple. Kathleen is surprised to find out that he knew about their wedding. Malcolm tells her that she could never keep things from him and that even after she ran off with the kids and deserted him after his accident that he always knew where to find them. She pleads with Malcolm to stop but he cuts her off and tells her not to insult him.

Sabretooth asks the Director what he is waiting for and let him do what he was brought there to do and let him kill her. Malcolm refuses and informs them he has decided for a more personal touch. He pulls out a pistol form his coat as Kathleen begs for him to stop and tells him that he can't. Malcolm scoffs at the notion and puts the pistol to her when he suddenly stops as he notices a picture at bedside. The picture is of a happily family at an amusement park. This has taken Malcolm by total surprise as he questions the fact that she has kept the picture of them from Magic Gardens. Sabretooth is upset at the unfolding events and tells the Director not to wimp out because all she has is a picture. She was the one who had abandoned him in his time of need. He grabs Kathleen's fiancé and yells that now she is going to marry this guy and the big bad Director of the Weapon X program is going to idly stand by and let it happen.

A voice calls out “Daddy ?“. A young girl and an even younger boy are standing in the doorway. The boy asks if he is his daddy and to please not hurt mommy. The Director shakily tells his son that he won't hurt her. The girl happily calls to her father and begins to run to him when he yells at her to stop. Malcolm doesn't want her to come any closer because he does not want his daughter to see him. The girl, Suzie, ignores his request and runs into his arms. She gently reaches up and touches his face and says that she doesn't care what he looks like. His son, Jimmy, asks how come he doesn't come around anymore and Malcolm tells him that it is complicated, but he will make it all better now.

Malcolm regains his composure and tells Kathleen that she is the mother of his children and regardless of whether they live together or not they are still married as far as he is concerned. He continues by stating that “till death do us part“ is what they said and that is how it will be and informs her that there will be no others after him. He asks her is she understands and after a moment to soak in the surroundings and all the damage she wearily says yes. Malcolm is pleased with her response and orders Sabretooth to take the man to the airship, much to the delight of Sabretooth. Jimmy asks his father where Darren is going. Malcolm tells him that Darren is going away and for the kids to give him a hug and to always remember that no matter what, Daddy loves them.

(the next morning)

Back at the Weapon X compound, the Director is sitting in his office and thinking of the events that had occurred. He thinks of the future, not only his but the future of his family as well. But most of all he thinks about the future of his Weapon X program and how his position will affect both. He fears that history may look no further than vengeance for the creation of Neverland and if it is the case then the big picture would sadly be overlooked. While his disfigurement did play a part it is not how one might suspect. It has helped him see how dangerous mutantkind is and that mutants are the next step and they are the betters of humans. How can he let his children grow up in a world where they will be inferior and never advance in life beyond a certain stage. He can not allow this to happen. He will hunt the mutants to extinction to ensure that his children are not part of a dying race being supplanted, wouldn't any father do the same.

He then thinks of the other matter that has been heavily weighing on his mind. He leaves his office and makes his way down a corridor until he enters a bedroom to see a woman asleep in bed. He calls out to Aurora who is startled to see that the Director is there. He sits on her bed and quiets her down. He then takes her hand in his and kisses Aurora.

At the United Theater, the program has apparently run all night. The voice says that it is not comfortable with the fact that more mutants go missing everyday and they need to know what is happening to these people. They want to know if Weapon X is up to something more sinister than there mere violation of mutant rights. They want to know what is going in at Neverland and that is why they are all here. They will act as they eyes and ears and they will be everywhere that Weapon X is. If they realize that the Weapon X program is truly the danger than they will help take them down. The voice welcomes them to the Revolution and introduces himself as Nathan Dayspring Summers, and that they are either with him or against him and to make their choice. He then ends the transmission to the delight of the patrons at the theater who all yell “Live free or die.“ Ending the transmission, Summers mentions that he thinks it went well and then asks his companions if they would all agree.

Characters Involved: 

The Director / Malcolm Colcord

Aurora, Sabretooth (both Weapon X)

various guards and soldiers

Kathleen Colcord, the Director's estranged wife

Suzie and Jimmy Colcord, the Director’s children

Darren, Kathleen's fiancé

Cable

Unnamed supporters of the Revolution

On a video screen:

Kane, Marrow, Sauron, Washout (all Weapon X)

Story Notes: 

This issue establishes the Director’s last name as Colcord.

The Director was once an employee of the original Weapon X program. His face was disfigured when Experiment X (aka Wolverine) escaped from the compound in a berserker rage.

Neverland is the brain child of the Director but actually created by the brainwashed Madison Jeffries, formerly known as Alpha Flight’s Box.

Sabretooth is under the control of the Director thanks to the work of Mesmero.

Issue Information: 

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