Shadow Riders #2

The Shadow Riders attack the evil group known as Mys-Tech and free the abused mutant Matthew Ryan. Or so it seems.

Synopsis

With defense systems down at MyS-Tech, the Shadow Riders move out to capture whatever is spiking energy readings within its walls. Boot leads the Stranger, Roadie, and new initiate Grunt on a ride and awaits Vorin's calculations to teleport the team within MyS-Tech's center of operations. Vorin eventually gets the right readings and teleports the team into the heart of MyS-Tech experimentation.

Porlock, who has just ordered another round of intensified experimentation on a man named Matthew, demands more security be sent to the lab. The Shadow Riders begin shooting everything and everyone while the Stranger slinks off to do some reconnaissance. He takes on the form of Porlock and moves through the base unhindered, though he does receive some unsure looks, especially from Che, a man under a huge amount of scrutiny for his part in a botched mission some months earlier. The Shadow Riders free the MyS-Tech captive responsible for the power surges. Unleashed, the man (Matthew) dispenses energy probes that cross dimensions. One of the probes flies through Latveria and disturbs (and angers) Dr. Doom. This probe ends in New York and consumes Ghost Rider. The effect of these probes is that whatever they touch is teleported to the MyS-Tech experimentation chamber. Ghost Rider arrives amidst a host of inter-dimensional demons. He begins fighting alongside the Shadow Riders.

Seeing the demons arriving, Porlock calls for more security, to which the Stranger, mimicking Porlock, redirects to the roof. He begins snooping in the MyS-Tech files and finds information on permanent wormholes. He also seems to find information on a good friend of the Shadow Riders, Goodfellow. He is then discovered but phases out to escape.

Back in the lab, the demons are getting the best of the Shadow Riders. Things begin looking especially grim for Roadie when Matthew freaks out and blasts all the enemies back to their dimensions. The Stranger arrives and informs the group that he's weakened the defenses. Vorin takes the cue and teleports the team and Ghost Rider back to headquarters. In the aftermath, the other heads of MyS-Tech question Porlock's motives. He tries to sooth their fears by stating that everything is actually going according to some elaborate plan.

At the Shadow Rider base, Vorin thanks Ghost Rider for his services and quickly teleports him back to New York. After a while, Vorin learns from the Stranger's absconded files that there may be some information on how to get back to his destroyed homeworld. In the meantime, he makes sure Matthew is taken care of.

Back at MyS-Tech, the board members meet with Porlock to discuss his plan. He walks them through their ancient trophies and explains that the Shadow Riders have been MyS-Tech's enemies for a very long time, though they could never get a decent read on the situation. He points out video footage of Vorin and Boot on the MyS-Tech roof and a couple board members recall the faces, especially Vorin's, as he has seemed to have caused them trouble in one form or another throughout the centuries. The board members see that Porlock's plan isn't so bad if they can catch Vorin, a man that seems to have corrupted their machinations for years. Porlock then reintroduces the Harpies, a race that has gone through many transformations to become an nearly unstoppable force. Their next target: The Shadow Riders.

Note: The teaser at the end of the issue says that Dr. Doom fights the Shadow Riders in the next issue. This does not happen. Dr. Doom never appears in this book again.