Bump in the Night

• Writer - Tony Bedard
• Penciler - James Calafiore
• Inker - Mark McKenna
• Colorist - JC
• Lettering - Dave Sharpe
• Ass't Editor - Sean Ryan
• Ass't Editor - Stephannie Moore
• Editor - Mike Marts
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  13 years ago, Heather and Wendy set up a research station in the Arctic. Heather wanted to cure cancer by exposing tumors to "natural" radiation, capturing ambient gamma rays under an ozone hole. They didn't know the hole was really a window to the Subtle Realms, where Nelvana imprisoned the Great Beasts (cf. Alpha Flight I:24). Tanaraq burst through; the blast left Heather near death, and Tanaraq made a deal: he'd heal her wounds, and she could use his power for good and have a happy life, till called in the marker. Then he'd remind her she entered the bargain freely.

  Now: Wendigo screams his own name, and Heather, disoriented, thinks he's Wendy. Morbius tells Wendigo to hurry up and eat, and he grabs Heather and Beak, who can't convince her to transform to Sasquatch. Just in time, Magik thrusts her Soulsword, which removes the magic from Wendigo, and he becomes a man. Both he and Morbius are confused; Beak smashes Morbius in the head with his baseball bat.

  Kulan Gath wakes Clarice, so they can both watch Zarathos battle Russell. Zarathos says Russell gave the world to their greatest enemy; Russell says they're all his enemies and shatters Zarathos' jaw with one punch. Zarathos says, "Captain Russell, you are fired!" and charbroils him. He turns to Gath, asking why he didn't intervene; "I never come between a dog and his bone." He's invincible with the amulet, anyway.

  Morbius congratulates Beak for drawing blood and offers to return the favor. Beak pleads for Heather to transform, but she insists it's too dangerous. Magik holds her sword aloft; Morbius throws the now magic-less Wendigo onto it, grabs her, and bites down on her neck.

  Heather weeps; Morbius thinks it's because he killed Magic, but it's because she has no choice but to surrender. Not to Morbius; to Tanaraq, and once she lets it out in this magic environment, there'll be nothing left of her. She transforms to the giant, orange form of a sasquatch.

  Beak runs to find Clarice, saying everything's gone wrong, and Tanaraq crashes through the wall after him. He squishes Morbius in his hand and confronts Gath, who's annoyed by yet another monster drawn to his spell. Zarathos tries to fry him, but he has the power of god, of mythology incarnate, and he smashes the demon.

  Clarice blinks away with Beak and is surprised to see her team with Selene, "one more monster in the mix." They see Tanaraq isn't on their side, and he grabs Gath by the legs and holds him upside down. To fulfill the Tallus's mission, he puts Gath back on his throne, smashing him into it and through the wall. He has no interest in this world and will stay with the Exiles till he can return to his own. He'll let them live if they obey him.

  He tosses the amulet to Selene, who reverses Gath's spell: she's lived through the Dark Ages once already, and she much prefers modern life (turns out their in MSG). She'd invite them back to visit, but she doubts they'll survive their new partner. They teleport away.