Full Story:

Flash back to one year ago; the Siege of Metropolis. It was hero versus villain in a knock down, drag out bloodbath; and at times it was villain versus villain. Dr. Psycho, feeling betrayed by the Hangmen who wanted to loot the city rather than fight the gathered hero forces, used his mind control powers to enslave members of the fleeing populace. Psycho’s new puppets literally tear the Hangmen apart while Psycho himself sat back and gloated. “Never piss off a little person,” he said as the Hangmen met their end.

We focus in on one civilian in particular, a Ms. Cotturo, who is giving her testimony from the witness stand at Psycho’s trial. After she finishes her story, it’s Kate Spencer, Psycho’s defense attorney, who takes center stage, bringing Ms. Cotturo’s history of mental health into question, and possibly undermining her credibility in the eyes of the jury. Needless to say, Kate feels like crap because of it.

Following the court’s adjournment for the day, Kate gets on the horn with D.E.O. director Bones to update him about their little plot. Bones asks Kate if Dr. Psycho is starting to trust her. She replies that she thinks so, or “he’s invisioning using my skull as a soup tureen.”

The lair of Dylan Battles; weapon smith to the Manhunter. Dylan’s on the phone with his “buddy,” D.E.O. agent Cameron Chase, setting up their next “meeting.” As he teases her about always using his place as a meeting place, the face of the tabloid reporter Dylan teleported away a year ago flashes n his computer screens. Dylan is understandably confused.

In Runyon Canyon at sunset we find a male jogger and a pair of female jogger. The ladies ask the gent if he’s an actor, he replies that he’s not. The ladies, obviously smitten with his physical appearance, tell him that with his looks it’s only a matter of time. As the guy runs off, he’s jumped by a dog. After the guy sees that the name on the dog’s tag is “Thor,” Thor runs off. As he’s about to follow the dog, he gets a tranq dart in the neck and passes out.

At a seedy motel after nightfall, a couple is having an illicit liason. As the couple discuss where the gentleman learned his “techniques,” they are interrupted by the metahuman with the straight razor busting down the door. He punches right through the man and, brandishing his weapon of choice, closes in on his next intended victim.

The next day in court, Dr. Mid-Nite is on the stand explaining the differences between the brain scan of a person under the influence of mind control, and the scan of a person who isn’t. During Kate’s cross examination she asks if the scans in question prove it was Dr. Psycho who manipulated the crowd to kill; if it couldn’t have been a different villain, or even a hero. She asks if psychics leave a mental fingerprint on their victims. He answers in the negative. And with that, court is adjourned.

Following court Kate follows Dr. Mid-Nite to his JSA aircraft. He tells her that it’s unethical to talk about the case out of court. “Who said I’m here to talk about that? Can you tell me if I have a fever?” Mid-Nite puts his hand on her forehead and tells her she’s fine. “Good,” she replies. “And now we have doctor/patient confidentiality.”

Aboard Mid-Nite’s plane Kate proceeds to tell Mid-Nite about her birth father’s claims of parentage. Mid-Nite voices his doubts, saying that Al and Mary Pratt only had one son, and his birth was “non-traditional.” Mid-Nite does, however, take a blood sample from Kate to compare against DNA the JSA has on file of past and current members. As he’s taking her blood, he comments “You seem to have some pretty tough epidermis.” Kate says that she’s heard that before. Mid-Nite tells Kate...





"I can't promise you anything, but perhaps...




...This will answer more questions that ir raises."




To be continued

Characters:

Kate Spencer/Manhunter
Various heroes in the flashback scene

Dr. Psycho
The Hangmen

Ms. Cotturo
Unnamed Prosecutor
Unnamed Judge

Doctor Pieter Cross/Dr. Mid-Nite
Director Bones (on the phone)
Dylan Battles
Cameron Chase (on the phone)

Mark Shaw
Unnamed female jogger #1
Unnamed female jogger #2
Thor the dog
Villain in shadows

Unnamed man in motel
Unnamed woman in motel
Straight razor killer (Sweeney Todd - Named in issue 22)

Issue summary written by: phoenix_dragon (Chad Peterman)