Hardcase #19

With Hardcase disappearing immediately after defeating NM-E, to the surprise of everyone, Prime tries to assess the situation he's now placed in. The Alternate, also at the scene, tries to figure a way to steal NM-E from under Prime's attention. Shape-shifting into the likeness of Mantra, a superheroine that Prime has an attraction to, The Alternate is able to take NM-E's robotic parts and then disappear with them. Prime tries to give chase, but soon loses her. Rex Mundi, the creator of NM-E, gets frustrated when he sees his arch-nemesis steal his greatest creation stolen. He arrives on Earth to gather his 'bugs', things he created to spy on Hardcase. Meanwhile, the Operator, one of Rex Mundi's associates, is a powerful woman on the West Coast that keeps observation on several operations. She gathers a meeting with her crew when she reveals that she knows one of them are betraying her. She then introduces her group to Trauma, a new ultra that has helped reveal the subterfuge.