(the future)
Logan and Hawkeye are in a Northern California desert, heading for New Babylon on the far side of the country. Many other travelers, using various types of transport, mill around as Hawkeye drives past slowly leaving a cloud of dust behind him. Logan doesn’t like the fact that they’re not exactly keeping a low profile, but Clint laughs it off. He reckons the Spider-Buggy loves the attention, and besides, with Wolverine as his wing man, who’s gonna mess with him? Logan reiterates that he ain’t that guy no more, but Clint thinks that he isn’t as harmless as people believe. He reckons he can still smell the animal inside him.
The car races into the desert, and Logan’s eyes open wide as he notices a huge drop in front of them. He warns Clint that they’re heading for a cliff, but Clint smiles and asks him to relax. The Spider-Buggy rockets into the air and Clint’s mouth erupts into a broad grin. Logan looks terrified, but the car lands several meters below safely. Clint turns to Logan and informs him that the Spider-Buggy can take her share of knocks.
Before long, they arrive in what remains of the once glorious San Francisco. It’s night time and the place is derelict. Logan asks Clint exactly what the cargo is that they’re taking to New Babylon. Clint asks him not to enquire about those kinds of things. He doesn’t need reminding how far he’s fallen.
Logan glances at the dashboard and gasps. Clint asks what the problem is. Logan replies that, according to the sat-nav, they’re already in San Francisco, but strangely there is nothing around for miles. Clint reckons it’s not the first thing in the car not to work, but Logan says it’s working fine. They’re right in the heart of Union Square and facing Market Street. “What the hell’s going on?
The headlights reveal the answer. Digging around in the dirt is a group of Moloids. Clint informs Logan that they’re the underground race that the Mole Man found. The little yellow guys go blind in the light, and some folks reckon they’re the planet’s immune system. They were resting down there for millions of years, but the moment the human population numbered eight billion people, the planet released the Moloids to thin them out. He heard that they’d been feeding in Europe and Asia. This is the first he’s seen of an American attack. “They can sink entire cities?” asks Logan. Clint informs him that they can take them right beneath the ground.
Logan takes a snap light and uses it to illuminate the inside of an empty building. Clint asks what he’s doing. Logan replies that he’s just checking to see whether there are any survivors. There must have been a whole lotta people living there before this. “Smell anything?” asks Clint. Logan tells him that they’re all dead. Clint reckons this is just what they need; more stuff to worry about. Thank God he’s got his big bad Wolverine for protection. “The name’s Logan, Hawkeye,” Logan reiterates. Clint turns to him and replies that he forgot. He’s just a simple farmer helping him out for some rent money, right? He reminds Logan that his wife and kids are back in Sacramento. He doesn’t have to pretend anymore.
Before Logan can get annoyed at Clint’s topic of conversation, Logan spots a gang of Ghost Riders approaching. They ride bikes with flaming wheels and swing chains with nasty looking hooks on the end. Each sports a Punisher jacket. One kicks Hawkeye as he rides past, and Clint tells Logan to keep them away from the Buggy. They can’t touch his cargo. Logan sprints towards the Spider-Buggy, but one of the Riders lasso’s him with his chain. It wraps itself around Logan’s knees and brings him crashing into the dirt.
The Rider walks over to him and asks him what the matter is. “Stand up!” He hooks Logan’s coat and another slashes the back of his neck with a two-pronged claw. The first Rider asks what the hell’s wrong with him. Logan raises his eyes up to meet the Rider’s own and states defiantly that he will never hurt another living soul. He can do what he wants, but he refuses to strike back. The second guy smashes him over the head with a spiked mace and another downs him with a spear. They start to rifle through the buggy’s trunk, hoping that it contains the drugs that the blind courier is shipping east.
As one speaks, an arrow hits him on the back of the head and comes out through his nostril. “That’s right, bitches,” says Hawkeye. “Just keep making noises.” Several more arrows find their targets and the gang is wiped out in seconds. Logan asks him what he’s done. Clint asks him not to start. He’s pissed with him as it is. He can’t believe Logan has become a pacifist. Logan stands up and replies that he’s been trying to tell him this since Sacramento. Clint knows that perfectly well, but he didn’t think he meant it. “What the hell did they do to you, man?”
(flashback)
Wolverine is being attacked by Apocalypse, Mister Sinister and Wild Child, with Omega Red’s tentacle wrapped around his throat for good measure.
(present)
“They broke me, bub,” replies Logan. “Only reason I’m still alive.”
(later)
The Spider-Buggy rolls up in Hammer Falls, Nevada, the city formerly known as Las Vegas. They are still talking about the old times. Clint says that sometimes he feels insulted that they didn’t kill him - like he was insignificant. Thor and Cap and Tony Stark were all targeted and taken down inside the first few hours, but the bad guys basically ignored him. He wonders if he’s because he used to be one of them, or because they thought him some kind of joke. Logan saw how much butt he can still kick, even with the glaucoma.
Logan calls him a regular badass. He wonders where all the crowds came from. The place is buzzing. Clint informs him that Hammer Falls is just up ahead. It’s the place where the Absorbing Man and Magneto finished off their great white hope. Has he never been this far before? Logan replies that he hasn’t been here in fifty years.
Clint informs him that this is where people come to pray that the super heroes will return, like in the old days where they’d rise from the dead in some cool new costume. Logan knows that ain’t gonna happen, and Clint knows this too, but there’s no point telling them. The human spirit dies without a hope in their coffee.
Logan asks who’s in charge of the place. Is it still under Banner’s jurisdiction? Clint tells him that the Kingpin is in charge here. The Hulk’s just got California. Logan looks around and notices trinkets and dolls everywhere. He asks what the deal is. Clint says that the Kingpin turns a blind eye when there’s money to be made. Hammer Falls is the number one tourist attraction in America. They drive around a corner and Logan sees what the fuss is all about. There, surrounded by a crowd of genuflecting worshippers, lies Thor’s enchanted hammer, Mjolnir.
A robot approaches their vehicle. It’s Ultron Eight, and it is pleased to see Clint. It asks if he got the message from Tonya. Clint replies that they’re just passing through. He and his friend are heading for New Babylon. They’ve only stopped for a coke and some fries. Ultron can’t believe its luck. It informs Clint that Tonya’s over in the garage. Logan asks Clint who Tonya is. He replies that it’s his ex-wife number three. Did he never tell him about this one? She’s Peter Parker’s youngest daughter… really great sense of humor.
(moments later, Tonya’s garage)
The trio enter the garage and are greeted by Tonya. She dispenses with the formalities and gets straight to the point. She tells Clint that it was only a matter of time; him filling her head with all that nonsense. “Excuse me?” he replies, not knowing what she’s talking about. Tonya informs him that Ashley and her friends formed a super-team. They said they didn’t like the way the Kingpin ran the place and they were heading north to take the big man down. Ultron adds that they were all captured, and word is that he plans to execute them in the morning.
Tonya asks him why he couldn’t tell her drug-dealer stories. At least that way she’d be earning a living. Logan doesn’t understand, and he asks Clint who they’re talking about here. Clint replies that they’re talking about Ashley… their daughter.
