Shadow Riders #3

The team prepares to invade and liberate another world that suffers under the oppression of Mys-Tech.

Synopsis

Matthew Ryan flees the shadows of his new home. Despite his escape, he runs headlong into the Shadow Riders. They are cutting up a cadaver and explain to him that he, too, needs to die to join their cause. He accuses them of being as bad as MyS-Tech before he is awakened from the nightmare by Roadie. The rest of the Shadow Riders enter his room and Roadie explains that Matthew is not too keen on helping the team breach MyS-Tech. Vorin doesn't care, however, as Matthew's powers have given Vorin the means to finally return to his home world.

As the group leaves Matthew's quarters, Boot can't help but wonder if finding Matthew was too serendipitous. The last mission got them Matthew and information on a wormhole to Vorin's world; things shouldn't be that easy when Vorin has been trying to get vengeance for 600 years. Boot is convinced that MyS-Tech has planned some sort of elaborate trap. Grunt and the Stranger agree. Vorin can't pass up this chance. He's been patient these many years so as not to jump the gun and cause a time paradox worthy of universal destruction. In sum, the time is now to act.

Just then, a Warheads group arrives on Vorin's home world. They are training group and are led by Che. The land is barren. The troop is suddenly attacked by the Harpies - now dubbed the Slauter-House Six. The team is instantly ripped to pieces. Che is oddly taken captive, spared to greet Porlock to the alien world. Porlock laments the loss of Warhead troops killed but explains that he really didn't care about getting new hires for the Warhead program. The drill was simply a test for the Slaughter-House Six. He expects a greater opponent will be arriving soon and he wants team ready.

Back at his base, Cable has the Professor cross reference some data to help him pinpoint the energy readings that first led him to MyS-Tech. He is to be notified when the readings are found and prepped for a jump to confront the source.

Boot arrives at Vorin's home and enters the secret basement. As he enters the basement, Roadie and Matthew have a relatively deep and melodramatic conversation about being runaways. They vow that they will look after each other. Vorin gets the group's attention and announces that the time is almost near for them to depart to the entrance of the wormhole. He sets out to alter the Transit Drive to match Matthew's powers. Matthew agrees to help voluntarily. Boot, however, is not so sure about the plan. After an hour of tinkering the group is ready to go. Matthew surges his power to start the machine. Just then, the Professor alerts Cable to the energy readings. He bodyslides in just as the Shadow Riders teleport, taking Cable along for the ride.

The team lands in MyS-Tech's portal station in India and jumps through the wormhole to Vorin's world. Porlock smiles, as his plan is going smoothly. Vorin's world is lifeless. Cable gets a quick recap of what they are doing there and Vorin wonders how such destruction could have happened. Boot explains that Warheads had visited times before and given the world the tools to destroy themselves. Vorin is livid and tries to kill Boot. He's stopped by a member of the Slaughter-House Six in a sneak attack. Vorin goes down and Cable takes over. Grunt tries to fight without the team and gets wasted. The Stranger takes a guess and phases through one of the Slaughter-House Six. The being is hurt and the Stranger informs everyone to put their weapons on the widest electromagnetic setting to affect the attackers. It works. The group begins working over the Slaughter-House Six.

The danger isn't gone, however. Porlock arrives and shoots Roadie. She's fine. Porlock moves towards Matthew and releases his true potential by uttering the word "Abadon." Matthew instantly releases energy that takes the Shadow Riders out of commission. Upon awaking, they hear Porlock giving orders to Che. Che, a "friend" of Cable's, vows to himself to look for a way to help the Shadow Riders. Porlock then turns his attention to the Shadow Riders. He tells them that Matthew is nothing more than a tool to get at Vorin. Matthew is actually Abadon and Porlock intends to use him to rid MyS-Tech of the Shadow Rider problem.

Note: The top left panel erroneously puts the speech bubble on Roadie instead of Matthew.