Exiles #21

Publisher
Marvel
Year
2003
Month
3
LastChanged
1/17/2024 9:23:20 PM
Legacy

Summary

  In the Mainframe tower, T-O Forge rules the Vi-Locks, with Hulk at his right hand. He has bonded with the Vi-Locks who encountered the Exiles (last iss.) and knows they'll come to him.

  Pym tells the Avengers and Exiles that to get into Mainframe, he'll have to infect them with Warlock's virus, just enough so they won't be detected. Kevin thinks that's nuts, even if he's immune, but Clarice says they'll do it. The teams have time to socialize; Power Fist hits on T.J., and Spider-Woman befriends Mariko; Kevin asks Rachel use her psi-powers to try an idea he had on the Skrull world.

  In their room, Clarice yells at Calvin for being glum all month. He says he wants to go home; she says they all do. He says he's not as tough as the rest, which is why he wanted Clarice to be leader (iss. 3). Now he doesn't know who the good guys are, and on this world all his friends are dead or T-O'd, and he doesn't understand. When Clarice hugs him and asks how she can help, he just wants her to tolerate him and be his friend; she says she thought they were more than that.

  All having been infected, the teams teleport into Mainframe. Beast leads Beta team. He makes a call to base, alerting the Vi-Locks, who quickly attack. They won't win, but they're providing distraction while Clarice's Alpha team follows the Tallus's directions to a room full of Vi-Locks in eggs and search for Cypher. Forge realizes something's wrong and goes to stop them. He is one with the complex and attacks Havok, T.J., and Spider-woman at once, and then infects Clarice and accesses her memories, learning their plan. He says he should have destroyed Cypher long ago, and now he blows him up. Clarice, weakened, teleports everyone away, while Forge gloats.

  The teams aren't sure what happened, and then they see Clarice, half-transformed already. The Tallus tells her they've failed, and their only choice now is to destroy the earth.