As usual, Mr. Gentry was fuming, angry at one particular member of Alpha Flight. In this case it was Northstar and the allegation of a Canadian reporter that he, Northstar, attacked an Iranian terrorist HQ and nearly caused an international incident. The entire team was assembled in the meeting hall as Gentry chewed him out. This is what follows.

"How do you explain this, Jean-Paul?" Gentry asked, as he thrust the front page of the Canadian Times in the Alphan's face.

Ever since the AIM affair began with the attack of the Kane robot several weeks ago,* Alpha Flight had suffered a string of failures to rid themselves of the Scientist Supreme and his plans to rid the world of Alpha Flight.

(* Way back in M2K's Alpha Flight #1 -- Russ)

Northstar could have possibly caused this incident in an attempt to prove that he still held merit in the group and as a former Separatiste terrorist. This is what Gentry and the team believed that Jean-Paul still held doubts.

"You can't honestly believe," Northstar said, "that I committed this crime? I was here the whole time fighting the Faux Alpha Flight and Pestilence. Maybe AIM used a duplicate of me to commit the crime. Did you ever consider that?"

"I did for a split second but then, I realized that Jeffries deactivated all the Faux in the surrounding area and we have them in the lab for safekeeping. That means you have no alibi and we have to bring you up on charges of disobeying a direct order."

"So where does this leave me? To be accused of a crime I didn't commit?"

"No, but for the time being, you will be put on probation and under surveillance. You are dismissed."

Northstar left the meeting hall, mumbling something in French under his breath. But before he had a chance to properly leave, Persuasion, who had just arrived to join the B-team again, entered the meeting hall with urgency prevalent on her face.

"What is it, Persuasion?" Mr. Gentry asked her.

"Mr. Gentry, it just happened. Someone or something took that Brainwave guy and the Faux Alpha Flight robots. They-they're gone!"

"AIM must want their pets back too quickly," Gentry said. "Hudson, I want you to have a conference with Kamikaze about what we're up against and a training session manned by Madison Jeffries with Kamikaze at the helm training the Flight for our next attack against AIM. I want this AIM business over and done with. Got that, Hudson?"

"Affirmative, sir. Alpha Attack!"

Alpha Flight raised their arms in welcome celebration of the coming battle.

"Okay, Kamikaze," Madison Jeffries said, as he was seated behind the plexiglass shield in the Combat Room, along with Shaman, Snowbird, Puck, and Talisman, "Let's see how well you fare against all of the Core Alpha Flight team, with Diamond Lil at your side. You may need her help to save your life in battle one of these days. This should prove interesting..."

"I would be honored, Jeffries-san," Kamikaze said, as he pulled his mask over his face and head and prepared for the coming battle. "Ready, Lillian?"

"You know I hate it when you call me that," Lil said. She was already clothed in her super hero costume and mask. "Let's cut the talking and get to it, don't you think?"

"Hai. Let's."

"Then, get to it," Jeffries said, as he used his transmutating powers over metal to attack them with no respite.

Madison gestured through the shield and metal tentacles rose from the ground, as the room erupted in an earthquake type motion.

"Don't worry, Kamikaze," Lil confided in him. "My husband would never intentionally hurt me. I'm his wife."

"I'm sorry, Lil," Madison said to her through the shield, as one tentacle wrapped around her lithe body and flung her to the other side of the room, "But I wouldn't bet on that l'il score."

"That can't be a healthy marriage," Kamikaze said.

"Now, it's your turn, Kamikaze," Madison said, as he gestured some more, but this time he used his flair for the dramatic, instead of direct force. Madison created a laser gun from thin air, it seemed to Alpha, and it fired directly at Kamikaze's ninja costume. Kamikaze danced a macabre dance and he easily evaded the lasers that were aimed directly at his waiting form.

"Very good, Kamikaze, very good," Madison replied. "With you fighting by our side, I am slowly getting more confident that we can win this thing with AIM. I may not like you all that much but it is getting easier to know and get used to you."

"Domo arigato," Kamikaze replied, in his native tongue. 'Thank you' was all he needed to say. "You may be a gaijin, Madison Jeffries, but I respect you as a true warrior, just like Lillian Crawley."

"That's nice and all," Madison said, "but how can you fare against the entire Alpha Flight team all at once?"

Suddenly, surrounding Kamikaze and Crawley, who had just returned from defeating the tentacle, stood Guardian, Vindicator, Sasquatch, Aurora, and Northstar. Jean-Paul was released from probation since Persuasion's announcement earlier.

"Ready, Lillian?" Kamikaze asked of Crawley.

"I have only one thing to say to these people. And that is... HIIIYAHHH!!!" Diamond Lil vaulted herself into the air and thrust her feet towards Guardian's head. But before she could connect with his cranium, he blasted her with two bolts of electromagnetic energy that hurled her backwards against the back wall. She slammed against it back first and she fell onto the ground.

"Let's see how you fare against Vindicator, sweetie," Heather asked Kamikaze, as she used her geo-thermal pulses to heat the floor around Kamikaze's feet. He simply hurled himself into the air and kicked her in the face, thrusting her backwards against her husband's body. They were down for the count.

"Let's try this number again," Sasquatch said, as he growled some more, approaching Kamikaze.

"Be careful, Waltair," Aurora warned.

"I'm sure Langkowski can handle himself," Northstar replied. "But it would be fun to see his butt being whupped."

"Jean-Paul!" Aurora chided. "That is no way to talk to my Waltair."

Kamikaze ran towards Sasquatch, embracing him in a little bear hug, and hurled him in the air. Then, he twirled him in the air, like Box did when Omega Flight first attacked him.*

(* In Marvel's Alpha Flight #12 -- Gregg)

"You won't get me like that a second time," Sasquatch said. "I learn from my lessons and my mistakes."

Then, Sasquatch grabbed Kamikaze by his arms and threw him against a wall. There was a loud THUD! as the connection was made. Kamikaze groaned awake. How he could survive a blow like that was beyond them all.

"Cover your eyes, Alpha!" Northstar and Aurora said as they linked hands. Then, emanating from their bodies drew forth a bright brilliant light that flooded Kamikaze and the room he was in.

When the light display was over, Sasquatch laughed, "Kamikaze, it looks like you're losing your touch."

Kamikaze grinned underneath his mask. "We'll see how tough you are when we go up against AIM."

A cool breeze whooshed through the night air in London, Canada as a sleek Omnijet put itself in a hovering position in front of a halfway finished AIM factory. This would have been a simple get-and-go mission but there were several heavily armed AIM agents outside the factory. Easy as pie, thought Kamikaze, as he led the assault. Guardian allowed this since Kamikaze was a former member of the AIM strikeforce.

"Look, intruders!" an agent yelled as all of them, brandishing weapons, opened fire.

"Remember our mission," Guardian warned, as he flew around the agents. "To get Snowbird's children and waste these beekeepers. Erase their files on us and capture the Faux Alpha flight."

"Gotcha, hubbie o'mine," Vindicator said, as she fired geothermal pulses at them, scattering them to the four corners of the factory.

Each Alphan, including Kamikaze, downed every AIM agent, as the Canadian security police department, equipped with super powered technology, being a member of Department H, scooped up the fallen agents.

Then, there was a terrible explosion and there amid the rubble to the entrance of the factory stood the Faux Alpha Flight, ready for the kill. The real Alpha Flight was, also, to end this once and for all.

"Surrender in the name of AIM," the Faux Gaurdian said, his hands glowing with electromagnetic energy. "Or die!!"

"I could fight you to the end of time, Guardian," the real James Macdonald Hudson said, blasting his foe to the entrance wall. "Shaman, deal with them."

"It would be my pleasure," Shaman said, as he reached into his medicine pouch and vines and plant life exuded out of it and entrapped all of the Faux Alpha Flight. They were imprisoned when Department H carted them away.

"Sasquatch, you're next."

"Gotcha, boss-man," Sasquatch said, as he vaulted into the air, evading the machine gunfire that the other AIM agents fired at them. He landed near the main computer terminals. He knocked several agents unconscious.

Changing into Walter Langkowski, he feverishly typed a series of encryption codes that he'd practiced and learned over the weeks since he last encountered this group. It worked. Doing his duty to erase the files that the group had on them, he changed back into Sasquatch and joined the fray again.

Seeing the leader of AIM waiting patiently by a containment sphere, Kamikaze vaulted into the air with Diamond Lil right behind him and attacked him feet first. The Scientist Supreme reached for his gun and fired blindly but the ninja easily evaded the bullets, kicking him in the face, downing him. The gun flew to the other side of the room.

"This is the last time that you are going to use me for your evil machinations," Kamikaze said. "I have new friends now and I won't let you destroy them again."

"Hah. They are no friends of yours. They would as soon kill you for what you have done to Diamond Lil and Madison Jeffries in that apartment than take you in as one of their own. Anyway, I have other plans for them now." Blood and spittle escaped his lips from the wound that Kamikaze inflicted on him.

"Your plans end now, Scientist Supreme," Diamond Lil said. "Over the weeks that you have been waiting to plan your next move, we have been thinking about what you could have wanted with us and Snowbird and mass-producing her children. It was simple, really. You just wanted to rule the world as you always did but you wanted to have the upper hand, this time. You wanted something that would give you an edge. Alpha flight gave you that edge. So, you resurrected Snowbird by cell regeneration and hoped to use her mystical powers to give you a power base over the nations of Europe and the United States and the super powered agencies like the Avengers and SHIELD who would have stopped you before.

"But you didn't stop there. You figured that if you had an entire army of mystical beings, produced by Narya's very own cell tissues then you could be the unbeatable foe. That worked, only partly so. So you kidnapped Alpha Flight. Twice. We were a thorn in your side. So you wanted our costumes and powers to have an Alpha Flight all your own. The Faux Alpha Flight to do your dirty work for you and we would get blamed for it instead. Nice but doomed for failure. You didn't count that your operative, Kamikaze, would betray you in the end. Good, but not good enough."

"Very good, very good indeed, Miss Crawley," the Scientist Supreme said, as he struggled to stand up. "You may have figured out our plans but you will not defeat AIM. We are known for being survivors."

"Maybe, we'll see about that. Persuasion, if you please..."

"Stop!" Persuasion shouted and every AIM agent, including the Scientist Supreme and the Faux Alpha Flight, turned purple and froze in their tracks. Then, the security guards from Department H carted them away to a security prison elsewhere in Canada.

"Hey, where's Brainwave?" Guardian asked.

"He seems to have disappeared. I never did see him here," Vindicator said, as Alpha Flight took their leave of the factory. Snowbird took her children out of the containment sphere. She held them close to her thin, lithe body and carried them in her arms as she flew away to the Omnijet. They looked like they needed to be fed and cared for as only a mother could.

Alpha Flight was whole and a team, once more.

Note: This story takes place before "Inside A Broken Mirror" in Defenders.

The Eye of the World...

Shaman, Talisman, Snowbird, and Dr. Strange stood amid the Eye of the World, waiting for the Sorcerer to arrive. He was expected but he hadn't come yet. Talisman had prophesized that Llan the Sorcerer would come here but for what she hadn't known. Only time would tell.

The wind breezed through all of their hair. "I came as soon as I got the summons that Llan and the Dream Queen were freed from their prison,"* Dr. Strange said, bringing his Cloak of Levitation closer to his body, to warm himself. "I just wish that Llan would make his move soon so we wouldn't be standing out here in the cold for God knows how long."

(* See M2K's Alpha Flight #11 -- Russ)

"Don't worry, Dr. Strange," Talisman said. "I have fought this being before like you did when I sent Northstar and Aurora to fetch you to aid us in our fight. It seems that I inadvertently freed him from the Gateway of Day. I wouldn't have thought such a thing was possible but then, I remembered that I was under Brainwave's psychic spell."

"No one can blame you, Miss Twoyoungmen," Strange offered. "I would have done the same if I were in your position. But I think our job here is to find the Sorcerer's MO."

"Always the professional, eh, Stephen?" Shaman said. "I guess we never get out of that mode, do we?"

"I guess not, Shaman. Your daughter has grown to be quite the super-heroine, even one of mystical means. I am proud to call her friend and ally."

The group walked closer to the center of the eye when they saw a lone figure descend from the skies above to where they were situated. It was unmistakably the Sorcerer. When he landed, they all could see that his eyes were afire and his head ablaze. His body irradiated with mystical might.

"There he is," Shaman said, pointing to the evil one. "I don't think that he's going to go the same route as before."

"Let's hope not," Strange retorted.

"Alphans, on my word, attack!!" This order was uttered by Shaman as he led the team along with Dr. Strange into battle. "We must stop whatever he is trying to do!"

"Ah, scattered members of Alpha Flight," the Sorcerer mused, as he turned to his new foes. "Plus a very familiar, strange ally! If you think that you will stop me from accomplishing what I am here to do, you are all sadly mistaken."

"Though mistaken we may be," Strange said, as he gestured his fingers to cast light spells to again entrap him. Sadly, it had no effect, since they were on a stomping ground for old, ancient evil. "You will not vanquish us!"

"Really, Dr. Strange?" Llan asked, as he became a fifty foot giant with immense power. His hands glowed with energy as he released energy beams from them, blasting the Alphans and the Defender aside. "Your attempts at defeating me are so puny. I will always triumph and defeat you in turn."

Llan concentrated, gestured wildly with his hands, and then energy bands encased Dr. Strange in a ball. Llan then sent him backwards to another part of the Eye.

"By the Hosts of Hoggoth and the Crimson Bands of Cyttorrak, you shall be undone," Dr. Strange said, as he tried to erect a spell to free himself.

Meanwhile, Llan the Sorcerer let his magic go wild as he opened the Eye of the World and out spewed forth the Great Beasts, including Tundra, Ranak, Somon, Kariooq, Tolamaq, and Kolomaq.

Talisman knew that the Sorcerer was gathering the mystical forces that Alpha Flight fought in the past and having them kill the members of Alpha Flight one by one.

"This does not bode well," Talisman said, as she flew under her own power to the other side of the Eye of the World to rescue Dr. Strange. He was still trapped in that ball, trying to erect spells to counter it to no avail. Talisman believed that though Llan was one of the oldest mystical beings that the world has ever known, he was trying to elevate himself to godhood. He had announced several times that he was a god. He said that he was something between god and man, but she believed he was indeed a god. An evil god, at that.

She finally reached Dr. Strange. He looked to be in dire straits. She and Strange were the only ones who could entrap Llan and the ones under his command to their eternal prison, but he seemed to be more powerful than ever before. She didn't know how she was to defeat him with the Great Beasts, and God knows how many other mystical and non-mystical beings, at his command.

"Don't worry, I'll have you out in a wee bit," Talisman said to Dr. Strange. She gestured, casting a spell over the ball, and suddenly, it popped open. Dr. Strange was covered with some kind of gelatinous goo. It disgusted them both. Talisman cast another spell to send the rest of the goo that tried to affix itself to his body to the other dimension that Llan had brought it from.

"There, that should be okay," Talisman said, as she offered Dr. Strange a hand up. "Now, we should not tarry long. We have urgent matters that need our attention."

"I agree," Dr. Strange said, standing up and taking to flight. "We must find a way to put Llan and the Great Beasts away for good."

"For the love of Canada!"

Dr. Strange and Talisman flew silently to the center of the Eye.

Meanwhile, not far away, exactly in the center of the Eye of the World, Shaman and Snowbird were busy dealing with Llan the Sorcerer and the remaining Great Beasts that threatened to devour them all to infinity. Though she had never fought him before, Snowbird decided to deal with the Sorcerer, by shapeshifting into Sasquatch and using her superior strength and agility to try to reduce him to a more normal size. Llan wasn't so easily taken.

"Foolish, demi-goddess, your powers mean nothing to me and my Beasts!" Llan shouted as he swatted her away like a common housefly. The Snowbird-Sasquatch fell down to what passed for the ground in the Eye of the World. "You should know who are your betters and you should next time deal with your equals and inferiors, not me and my Beasts!"

"Never! I will fight for the world, for Canada, and for possession of the Eye of the World!" Snowbird changed her form from Sasquatch, before the bloodlust overcame her, and into an artic owl. She flew into his direct line of vision, trying to distract him from blasting Shaman to kingdom come.

Llan wasn't so easily amused. He found it to be a common annoyance and flicked her away with a pluck of his fingers.

"Then, I will have to try something new!" Snowbird shouted this utterance as she changed back into Snowbird and as a rocket, flew to Llan's face again, punching him this way and that, trying to distract him from attacking Shaman and the arriving Talisman and Dr. Strange.

"Fear not, Narya, we'll deal with the Sorcerer," Talisman said, as she and Strange flew to renew the attack. They both flew under their own power.

Upon seeing the Great Beasts trying to undo the magic that Shaman hurled at them from his Spirit Staff and his pouch, Snowbird redirected her energies towards them as the old angers and fights began.

"Oh, my old enemies again, how I love to return to battle!" Snowbird shouted, as she entered the fray of old beasts.

"This sorcerer, Llan, freed me of the prison you buried me in and transported me here, Narya," Kolomaq said, as he faced Snowbird. "You shall be vanquished now and forever!"

"By Hodiak and Blessed Nelvanna, you have such arrogance," Snowbird shouted as she turned to Kolomaq. "I have faced many trials and tribulations in my short lifetime, the death of my child and husband, my very own life-death, but your threat is nothing more than a breeze. Feel my wrath, ancient beast!"

Kolomaq hurled snow and blizzard blasts at Snowbird but she flew away from it and renewed her attack. She changed into Sasquatch and this time welcomed the blood lust to kill this beast. They fought, fist for fist.

Kolomaq punched Sasquatch-Snowbird in the mouth, downing her and forcing her to change back into her human form.

"This battle is done," a voice that sounded vaguely like Llan sounded and with a snap of his fingers, he and the Great Beasts were gone.

Talisman looked around at the empty battlefield. "It looks like it's over for now. I guess Llan has bigger plans than fiddling with Alpha Flight."

"Yes, daughter," Shaman said. "I think you may be right. I'm sorry, Dr. Strange. I really thought that we could defeat him this time. But then, I should have known that defeating Llan the Sorcerer was something that wouldn't be easy."

"If that is all, I'll be on my way," Dr. Strange said, taking to flight. "I have to return to the Defenders now."

"Godspeed and good luck to you," Shaman said, as he soared away.

"I have never faced Llan before, what exactly are we facing here?" Snowbird asked.

"Only the most powerful sorcerer this side of Dr. Strange," Shaman retorted. "We shall have to be on our guard."

"I think he is gathering mystical forces to rule the magic world," Talisman said.

"It looks like we have been given a respite for the time being," Snowbird said, turning her back away from the other two and feeling the cold, night wind brush her hair and body. "When we return to the Alpha Complex, I am going to have a long talk with Mac and Mr. Gentry about re-establishing my secret identity of Anne Mackensie of the RCMP. I may be a goddess but I think it is time for me to be human, as well."

"Amen to that."

"What is that silver ball you have in the palm of your hand?" the Dream Queen asked as she, Pestilence (with his new host body), and Llan the Sorcerer were holed up in a skyscraper penthouse somewhere in Toronto, Canada.

"Why, simple, my dear Dream Queen," the Sorcerer answered, behind his wooden desk. "This is the prison in which Shaman placed a being of immense power called Ranark, the Ravager. Just like I am unto a god, so is he a god unto himself."

"And you plan to free, I guess, to ravage Alpha Flight, our hated enemies," she asked.

"No, to ravage Canada itself."

"Oh, how quaint. And what becomes of us in the meantime? We do reside in Canada, in case you haven't noticed. I don't know what your plan is with Alpha Flight. Gathering the Great Beasts is fine but what hope do we have against Alpha Flight? They do now have three mystical beings in their membership, Talisman included, who placed the two of us for what she thought was ten thousand years."

"Dream Queen, we did escape eventually, didn't we? Ranark will survive also to fight another day."

"Need I remind you that we only escaped due to the intervention of that Brainwave mutant telepath who first freed Pestilence and then possessed Talisman so she could free us?"*

(* Confused yet? See M2K's Alpha Flight #8-11 for the whole story -- Russ)

"Dream Queen, trust me on this little score. I know what I'm doing. I am a god after all."

The Dream Queen nodded. The Sorcerer placed the silver ball on the desk and gestured with his hands, as energy exuded out of his fingers. The energy blasts encased the ball and the ball grew in size and intensity until it took on human form. The form of an ancient Indian shaman.

"Ranark lives. Let all who behold my image bow in respect." Ranark was a near naked man, except for a loincloth and a pair of animal skin boots and a headband. He was taller than all three of them but that didn't scare them one bit. They didn't bow.

"What an ego trip," Pestilence said, as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Who are you people and what do you want from me?" Ranark asked.

Llan stepped forward, bringing Ranark to his side of the office. "I am an ancient being who has slept for millenia, ten thousand years to be exact, and I have only recently been reawakened twice. I wish to gain your aid and your respect in certain aspects."

"If you want my respect, you will kneel as good slaves do," Ranark said, frowning.

"He doesn't bow," the Dream Queen said. "Neither do I. Nor Pestilence, even."

Ranark smiled and punched Llan upside the head.

Now, it was Llan's turn to smile because he knew no one, absolutely no one, could truly harm him beside that accursed Gateway of Day. He was damned if he was going to let that happen again. Concentrating, Llan snapped his fingers and huge metal hands encased Ranark. He was imprisoned for the time being.

"You humans have great humor in the state of magic," Ranark said, as he struggled with his bonds. In a second, he was free, using his ability to bend the natural elements to his will. In certain respects, Llan sensed that Ranark was just as powerful as himself.

"You humans also bore me to death," he said, as he flew out the window to the waiting arms of Canada's protectors, Alpha Flight.

"He'll be back," Llan the Sorcerer said.

The Dream Queen and Pestilence couldn't agree more.

138A Laurier Drive...

"Here's to you, James Macdonald Hudson."

"And to you, also, Heather Macneil Hudson."

The husband and wife team clinked champagne glasses in the privacy of the newly-furnished home that they recently moved back into. They had much to celebrate because they'd gained a nice respite from that whole AIM mess. They were a team again, whole and complete, and most importantly, they were on their way to being husband and wife again. But the thing was that they never really got divorced, since Mac died and came back to life just as suddenly and frequently.

When they were done sipping their wine, they set the glasses down on the tabletop and embraced one another for a long, lingering kiss that enveloped them both. This was a kiss that brought them together and for a brief time, they forgot their problems and Alpha Flight.

"Have I told you that I love you lately, Heather?" Mac asked, releasing his hold on her and relaxing on the expanse of the couch.

"Not for the last hour. But yes, I love you, too. Just think for the briefest of times, no Alpha, no AIM."

"No, AIM is over and done with for the time being. They're all in a security prison, minus Brainwave but we'll find him soon enough."

"And let's hope they stay there."

"And they will as long as we get a quick update on that weird Brainwave character."

"How do you suggest we do that?" Heather asked.

"I talked to Kamikaze about that. He's going on a solo mission to try to keep an eye on Brainwave. If he can defeat all of our most powerful members with comparative ease, then he should have no problem incapacitating Brainwave, even with his telepathic powers."

"I talked to Madison and he said that Kamikaze was losing his touch, so to speak, as is evident by his latest run in the Combat Room."

"Oh, he was probably holding back because he didn't want us to look bad."

"Why, that's a horrible thing to say."

Just then, Mac's cell phone rang and he answered. "Excuse me, Heather, this won't take long." He paused. "Hello?"

"Hudson, this is Gentry. Ranark is free!"

"Great Scott," Mac said, as he and Heather both changed into their costumes and streaked off towards greater Toronto.

Mac and Heather made their appropriate calls to the rest of Alpha Flight but in another section of Canada, outside of Calgary, Alberta, at the Sarcee Reserve Hospital, Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen finished up his work on a very young patient. This was a teenager of the reservation who had broken his arm when he got into a fight with another teen from a nearby reservation.

"That should be all, young man," Michael said, after he applied the cast and set the bones straight. "Just try not to use the arm too much for the next couple of weeks and you should be as good as new."

"Thank you, Dr. Twyoungmen," the boy said, greeting his mother and father. "You're the best."

"You can pay the receptionist on the way out," Michael said to the parents as he closed the door behind the family.

Once he was alone in his office, he was alone with his thoughts. The power that the Great Beasts generated and how Llan had casually resurrected them troubled the man who was also known as the Alphan Shaman. He would have to talk to Snowbird about this. She was the resident expert on the Great Beasts. She knew how to defeat them and put them back into the Eye of the World. But until it was discovered where Llan put them for his army of darkness, Shaman would have to wait until they made the first move.

At the moment, though, Snowbird was busy readjusting in her career as a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman. She was glad to be a half-human being again, as well as also being a demi-goddess. Her children, Douglas and Victoria Mackensie, were with a sitter at the Alpha Complex. Despite his faults, Mr. Gentry seemed to like the children.

Just then, Michael's door opened and in walked his daughter, Elizabeth Twoyoungmen, who was also known as the mystical powerhouse, Talisman. Behind her walked his secretary.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Twoyoungmen, but she wouldn't stop when I told her to," she said.

"It's all right. This is my daughter. You may be excused. I'll talk to her in private."

The secretary closed the door behind her.

"What is it, daughter?" Michael asked. "I assume it's Alpha Flight business."

"You couldn't be more right. It's Ranark. He's free!"

Michael Twoyoungmen changed into Shaman and they were off.

Toronto, Canada...

"Bow before me, people of Canada! I am Ranark, the Ravager, the most powerful shaman this side of the world, and you will worship me as your master!!" Ranark screamed at the top of his lungs, proclaiming his mastery of this world.

"Think again, Ranark," Shaman said, as he and the rest of Alpha Flight, minus Kamikaze, arrived on the scene of battle. "Hear me, o evil Ranark. My name is Shaman and I believe the title of most powerful shaman belongs to me. Cease and desist at once!"

Ranark laughed at this comment. "I'd much sooner destroy this world and all who inhabit it than listen to your ridiculous prattle! Feel my power and tremble, O Shaman!"

From his outstretched arms flew a burst of flame that rivaled the Human Torch's own flame powers. But this wasn't a being of cosmic rays but a god itself. Ranark smiled as Alpha Flight scattered to avoid the flame jet.

"Sasquatch, deal with this guy," Guardian said, as the rest of the team regained their strength from Ranark's attack.

"Sure, boss-man. This should not be a problem at all." Sasquatch approached Ranark and put him in a severe chokehold that staggered him to his knees. It's nice to see you kneel, Sasquatch thought, as he applied pressure to Ranark.

"Never have I been so humbled," Ranark said. "And never will I be again!" The man-god stomped his feet on the ground, causing a severe earthquake, separating Sasquatch from his weakened form.

"On my command, now!!" Guardian said, as both he and his wife Vindicator blasted Ranark with electromagnetic and geo-thermal pulses, respectively. Sasquatch, by this time, had let go of his quarry and was clear of the twin blasts of energy. Ranark fell backwards, ever so slightly, until finally, he fell on his back, but did not lose consciousness.

"You are fools if you think that you can defeat me," Ranark said.

"He couldn't be more right," a new voice sounded, originating from the area between Ranark and the Alphans. The Alphans saw that it was none other than Llan the Sorcerer, glowing with energy and ready for battle.

"O feared one," Snowbird answered. "Hear the voice of Narya, the one called Snowbird, the child of the gods and mortal. You are the ancient one who is talked about in legends and you may be more powerful than the Great Beasts but I shall defeat you here and now!" She flew into the fray under her own power.

"You are nothing more than a child, " Llan offered, "Why I am as you said, an 'ancient one'. You shall be undone." Llan grabbed her by a tuft of her hair and threw her backwards into the waiting arms of Shaman and Talisman.

"What do you want, Llan?" Guardian asked.

"Only that you will be defeated when I deem it necessary. This being, this 'Ranark, the Ravager' is mine to do with as I please. You will confront him again but when I say so. Fare you well, Alphans. We shall meet again." With a burst of radiant energy, Llan and Ranark were gone.

Talisman knew this was only the beginning of the end.

In a federal penitentiary in Communist China, the on-again, off-again Alphan called Dei Guan, the Jade Dragon, sat on his cot, contemplating life. For the past few years, he had spent his time in this exact prison cell because he was charged with deserting his country in a time of war. He hated communism but there was no other type of government in China right at this very moment. What he wanted was to be reunited with the Canadian super team, Alpha Flight, because if he were to escape China he could be offered asylum there.

"Oh, look at the poor boy,"* one Chinese guard said, passing his cell. "He looks so deep in thought. Perhaps he is contemplating escape but that is impossible because there is no one who would grant him a safe passage to America."

(* Translated from the Chinese -- Gregg)

"Taunts and mockery, is that what I have been reduced to?" Dei Guan asked in English.

"Look, he doesn't know his native tongue. Speak in Chinese like this, Jade Dragon. Not in that pitiful English. Their grammar is so confusing and confounding."

"Don't you have the courage to leave me alone?" he said this time in his native tongue. "I have done nothing to you. In fact, I have done nothing to this country to merit such punishment."

"Shut up, you fool of a fool. You do not know what you speak of. China has given you solace. You should be glad we haven't executed you first off."

The guard left, leaving Dei Guan to his thoughts again and something more.

Once he was alone again, a ghostly image of a beautiful woman with pale chalk-white skin and green hair appeared within his cell and Dei Guan gasped for his life. It must have been a demon, he thought.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he whispered.

"Why, I am the Dream Queen and I wish to offer you the deal of a lifetime."

He crossed his arms across his chest and turned his back to her. "Not interested."

"Really? Even when it involves Alpha Flight?"

He slowly turned to face her, his curiosity piqued. "Alpha Flight? They are my friends. What do you want with them?"

"I want nothing from them," she lied. "But you might. You might want revenge on them for the evil they have done you."

"What evil? I do not want revenge on them. They are my friends."

"Not true, not true. They have betrayed you. Hear me out, Dei Guan. If it wasn't for the evil of Alpha Flight, you wouldn't be arrested for deserting your country in their time of need. They caused that dimensional warp you fell into."*

(* See Marvel's Alpha Flight #59-60 -- Gregg)

"No, they didn't. It was an accident." He was nearly frantic now.

"Yes, they did, Dei Guan. I can prove it to you." With a wave of her arms, she encased Dei Guan in a merging of her mind and his as she showed him false images of Alpha Flight doing the horrible deeds that she said they were capable of. Soon, he was under her spell. "You are free to attack them now."

"Yes, yes, I must attack Alpha Flight." Then, Dei Guan transformed into the Jade Dragon and used his fiery breath to break himself out of the prison and he fell towards Canada.

This was only the beginning, the Dream Queen thought.

Walter Langkowski walked through the streets of Toronto with his girlfriend, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier. They were both wearing casual clothing and enjoying the afternoon together. The sun was shining above them and there was not a cloud in the sky. The weather was beautiful and perfect.

"Nice day, eh?" Walter asked, as they both stopped to sit on a park bench. "I can't believe that we finally got a break. I thought it would never stop between AIM and Ranark."

"Ranark will be back, don't you think, cher Waltair?" Jeanne-Marie said, smiling at her lover. "I thought he was forever imprisoned but then someone, maybe the Sorcerer freed him. He probably did that when Pestilence had Shaman's pouch. Talisman says that Llan is gathering our past enemies and preparing for a great war between Alpha Flight and our greatest foes."

"Yeh, it looks like it will be a hell of a fight. Me, I can't wait for it. I love to fight. It really makes me let off steam. How about you?"

Jeanne-Marie smiled. "Oui. Fighting doesn't do anyone, any super hero, Canadian or otherwise, good. But what if we fail?"

"Don't go there," Walter said, holding Jeanne-Marie's hand in his. "Why don't I change the subject? Namely to what is most important. Jeanne-Marie, Aurora," he said, getting down on one knee, "Will you marry me?"

There was silence for several seconds because Jeanne-Marie was speechless at the proposal.

Walter had been holding out an engagement ring.

This didn't faze Jeanne-Marie when she simply said, "No."

"What do you mean, no? You love me and I love you. WE spend most our time together anyway. It only makes sense for us to be married."

"Yes, oui. It is true. WE are both in love with one another but I am not ready for marriage. I can't be tied down to one man."

"Are you saying you're cheating on me?"

She kissed him lightly on the lips and embraced him. "No, that is foolish. I am not cheating on you by any stretch of the imagination. It's just-"

It was then that Walter saw the Jade Dragon flying overhead and arcing towards them particularly. He soared down toward their waiting forms and Walter somehow suspected that there would be a fight on their hands, as he said before.

"You better fly towards the Alpha Complex," Walter instructed Jeanne-Marie. "I don't think he's in a friendly mood."

"I don't understand, cher Walter. Alphanex says that Dei Guan is our friend and ally."

"Just call it a hunch. Now, go."

"Yes, Waltair." Jeanne-Marie Beaubier changed into Aurora instantly and flew towards where Walter told her to.

It looks like I may get a fight out of this yet, Walter thought, as he shed his clothing and became Sasquatch. The Jade Dragon landed mere feet from the man-beast and fired his flame breath at the Alphan.

"What is it you want, Dei Guan?" Sasquatch asked. "What do you want from me?"

"Your death!"

Sasquatch evaded the flame jet and leapt towards the Jade Dragon. He tackled the mutant and tried to bring him to the ground or at least, make him change back into Dei Guan for the time being. Sasquatch was stymied as to what had made the Jade Dragon attack him. Or perhaps "who" was more appropriate. The last time that Alpha had encountered him, they were in the midst of battling the Dream Queen. Maybe she was the root of their recent trouble.

Engines hummed and revved overhead and Sasquatch saw that an omnijet was in a hovering position. It looks like the cavalry had arrived, he thought, as he steeled himself from another attack by the Dragon.

Madison Jeffries flew in a jetpack and encircled the Jade Dragon. He then used his transmutating powers to make metal, plastic, and glass that was in the surrounding area entrap Dei Guan in an unbreakable vise. He was trapped.

"You may have trapped me for the moment," Dei Guan said, still in his dragon form, "But you won't hold me for long. You can't protect me from your lies any more. I've seen through them. She showed me."

"Who showed you?" Vindicator asked, as she approached the Dragon, her force field up to protect her should he escape.

"I don't know but she was beautiful." He was thoroughly confused. "She told me everything about you, how you forced me to defect."

"No one is forcing you to stay in that country. We offered you asylum. We offered you a safe haven in this country and we still offer you that. We would like to help you to become a member of the team. God knows we need the help against Llan the Sorcerer and the Dream-wait, was it the Dream Queen who forced you to do this?"

"Yes, it was. But that's beside the point. I want you to die!!"

Sasquatch punched him upside the head. The Jade Dragon changed back into Dei Guan and he easily fell out of the trap that Jeffries put him into.

"It's all right, Dei. We're here to protect you. I'm here." Vindicator embraced him, held him like a child. "We will take you to our headquarters and try to find out why the Dream Queen was doing this to you. And try to stop her from ever doing it again."

And then, the Dream Queen's hold on Dei Guan was released.

"Well, that was a nice failure," Llan the Sorcerer addressed the Dream Queen.

"Not a failure. Just a setback. In time, we will destroy Dei Guan and his friends in Alpha Flight."

"So you say." Llan left the room to return to the Eye of the World and then, the Dream Queen was left to talk with the Rabbit of China Force.

"We could go after Dragon and reclaim him to our ranks," Rabbit said.

"Remember the last time you tried to get Dei Guan. That failed almost as much as my last attempt to attack Alpha. Llan has big plans for them and us."

"China Force is whole once again. With our own members and the brainwashing of those defectors Horse, Monkey, and the Dog. We are more powerful than ever."

"Your time will come, Rabbit. Just be patient."

Then, it was the Dream Queen's turn to leave the room with a very impatient Rabbit, leader of China Force.