Lanzhou, China...

Blood.

Sweat.

Death.

These are the only things present in this small suburb of Lanzhou. Cable has managed to fend off these Zealots Of The Ahm-Zuin, but now even he is about to succumb to their evil massacre.

["What are you waiting for?! Cut off his head!!"] Chai Shi, the head Zealot, yells.

The samurai-clad Zealot raises his jade sword and prepares to strike the neck of the Askani'Son...

*ZZZPPP*

*KLANG*

Sparks fly as the blade hit nothing but the cobblestone walkway that covers the land.

["He...he...disappeared! What sorcery is this?"]

Chai Shi rubs his chin and smiles. ["He has retreated. We have won...for now. We must unleash the Ahm-Zuin."]

New York

"Beautiful!" Jameson says as he holds the Daily Bugle in front of him, smacking it. His cigar twirls upward as his mouth curls into a smile. He reads the headline aloud, "Slain Hellfire Club Secret Society Revealed To Be Criminals. I love it, Merryweather. Love it."

Irene sheepishly smiles, "Thanks."

"Now, what are you doing to follow up on this?" Jameson asks.

Irene pauses for a moment. "I'm sorry?"

"You are planning a follow-up, aren't you?"

"Well, there weren't and...aren't many witnesses to the murders--"

"What about the woman they have in custody?"

"Madelyne Pryor?"

"Yeah, her."

"What about her?"

"Merryweather? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes--"

"--WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT ABOUT HER?! Conduct an interview!" Jameson shouts. His cigar has been flung from his own mouth. "You're one of my best now, up there with Urich. She's there in a maximum security prison in Washington, go interview her."

"She's a mutant telepath-telekinetic...she could..."

"She could what? They slapped some power-dampeners on her. The US isn't dumb. What are you worried about?"

Oh, I don't know, JJ...the fact Madelyne knows me?! That she knows I know she shouldn't be locked up?! "Nothing. When should I leave for DC?"

"Tonight," Jameson says. He picks up a phone. "Betty? Jameson. Get a one-way ticket for Merryweather to the Capitol from JFK International...What? Not Albany, Washington -- as in DC. Alright. Okay. Good." He hangs up the phone. "Should take a couple minutes. We'll let you know when you have to leave."

"Okay, sounds good. I'm out to lunch," Irene says as she exits the office.

Greymalkin II

Cable slowly opens his eyes to find an android dabbing his forehead with an epidermal-regenerating chemical. "Ungh...," he grunts as he sits himself up.

{{How are you feeling?}} Prosh asks.

"Great."

{{Splendid.}}

"That was sarcasm."

{{Oh...}}

Cable gets off the examining table and shoves the android out of his way, "I don't need that. I'm not a baby. They're just cuts."

Cable rubs his left arm, which stings more than usual. "Find out what the hell the Ahm-Zuin is?"

{{No. I've cross-referenced with every ancient text I could find. I fear the various time-fluxes I have experienced have tampered with my memory banks.}}

"Well, what do you know about magic?"

{{Why, she is the sister of Piotr Rasputin, also known as--}}

"I meant magic as in sorcery...dumbass."

{{Oh...well, all mystics seem to draw from an extra-dimensional source of energy by unlocking a portion of the brain normally reserved for extrasensory perception.}}

"By that theory, I, or any other mutant telepath, could use magic."

{{It is more complex than that, I am afraid. Manipulating this force takes years of training. I am sorry, comprehending the mystical is very difficult by my standards...which is a lot considering I am millions of years old.}}

"Well, I can draw from an extra-dimensional force, just like those Zealots."

{{Are you suggesting the Fifth Force and the powers of mystics are linked?}}

"Possibly..."

Cable walks up towards the viewing screen which is still showing a map of China. "They damaged my last psimatar..."

{{With all due respect, I have fashioned new weapons for you...}}

A hatch opens in front of Cable and a cylindrical case rises from it. The case opens, revealing an array of weapons. Two guns in the middle stand out from the others. Cable takes the guns in his hands.

{{They are psimatars...fashioned into guns. As long as you're holding them, your telekinesis will fuel the energy needed to fire a blast -- whether to stun or even kill.}}

"Hmm...psi-blasters. Innovative. I'm going back there."

{{Back? You'll be pulverized. At least alert the X-Men or Avengers--}}

"They don't want this kind of heat. I'm going alone."

*ZZZPPP*

{{*sigh* Why is it no one ever considers the criticism of a sentient computer...?}}

The Zealots extract an orb glowing green from a demolished temple. Chai Shi hovers over to examine his prize. Inside the orb contains the evil energies of the Ahm-Zuin.

There is a flash of white light as Cable reappears. ["I'm back,"] Cable says in Cantonese. He brandishes his psi-blasters. Before Cable knows it, he is dogpiled by hundreds of Zealots, punching, slicing, and kicking.

Unleashing his power, Cable concentrates on every mind pattern in the vicinity and takes everyone's astral self onto the Astral Plane. Disoriented by the jaunt, some of the Zealots fall over, unconscious.

Cable struggles to keep every mind he can on the Astral Plane while fighting them off at the same time. Mercilessly, Cable offs every Zealot he can like a kid with a stomping-frenzy over an ant hill. He can see strange auras around the astral forms of the Zealots. Everytime a Zealot is "killed," they fade away.

After ten minutes, Cable is too exhausted to keep this astral battle afloat. He returns to his body to find Chai Shi's jade sword at his throat. His psi-blasters have been crushed under Shi's heels.

"Son of a -- I just got those!" Cable exclaims as he telekinetically blasts a force equivalent to a punch in the gut to Shi. More Zealots appear on the scene with their eyes glowing an eerie red and their jade swords glowing as well.

Shi backs up, heaving, ["Unleash the Ahm-Zuin...NOW!"]

The Zealots holding the green orb raise it towards the sky, which is becoming darker now; the sun is about to set.

["I don't think so!"] a feminine voice yells as Cable flinches with the gruesome sound of flesh against blade. The warriors holding the orb grab their abdomens and slump to the ground. Now holding the orb is a beautiful Asian woman, dressed in a similar fashion as the Zealots, but a more traditional look.

Shi growls, ["Shan! Liu Shan! I should have known! Your wretched family has done nothing to further our cause!"]

Liu smiles slightly, ["And unleashing this evil upon China will help us...how? We have enough problems as it is."]

Shi smiles, ["I will be empowered by the Ahm-Zuin and will rule China..."]

Liu counters, ["No, the Ahm-Zuin will rule your soul and cause chaos everywhere! Are your eyes so blind?"]

Shi growls, firing a blast of emerald energy from his sword. Liu reveals her sword and deflects the blast. Liu looks over at Cable and shouts, ["Get out of here, Westerner. This isn't your fight."]

["Excuse me? I beg to differ, young lady,"] Cable says as he flips himself up.

["You know Cantonese...impressive...accent's a little strong,"] Liu comments.

Liu and Shi begin to engage in a sword fight for the orb. Cable begins to run towards Shi, but is stopped by a barrage of the Zealots' blasts.

"Prosh, how many Zealots are left? I've telepathically confirmed about 40 of 'em," Cable calls out to his A.I. companion.

{{I have exactly 43 counted in your vicinity, Nathan. Not counting the girl or the lead Zealot.}}

"Forty-three to one...I like those odds," Cable mutters to himself. "I need some guns, Prosh."

{{Guns?}}

"Guns."

{{How big?}}

"Big."

*ZZZPPP*

A large capsule appears, opening up and shooting out various random shots into the pursuing Zealots. Cable reaches into the capsule and pulls out two energy rifles, unloading any and every shot he can. Twenty down.

Cable tosses the empty weapons to the side and telekinetically grabs a grenade launcher. The resulting blast takes out nine more.

Meanwhile, Shi and Liu continue their duel. Shi delivers a monstrous kick to Liu's jaw, causing her to flip completely over onto her stomach. She wipes blood from her lip, instantly rolling away to avoid the sword of her opponent.

["You are fast, Shan...,"] Shi says as he pants.

["If you say 'but not fast enough,' I'll cut out your tongue, pig."]

Shi growls, slashing at Liu's thigh. Liu is able to block it, however. ["My ancestors dedicated their lives to imprison the Ahm-Zuin. I will not let you make that honor insignificant!"] Liu shouts.

["Your ancestors were pagan-witches!"]

["Yours were infidels and criminals...so who's are worse?"]

Cable takes an ion cannon, which latches around his right bicep for support. He takes aim as multiple blasts are fired at once, taking out the rest of the Zealots. Attracting a jade sword to his hand, he dumps the cannon and jumps in to join Liu, who's standing off with Shi.

Liu looks to her side slightly, while still keeping her eyes on Shi. ["I told you this isn't your fight, Westerner."]

["Where I'm from...originally, there are no international borders. I'm here to help,"] Cable responds.

["Help by getting out of here, the Ahm-Zuin must not fall into the wrong hands! Especially yours!"] Liu shouts, taking a swipe with her mystic sword, slicing Cable's arm. She then engages in another fierce sword battle with Chai Shi.

Cable's hand rushes to the wound, but finds that he is unharmed. "What--?"

Shi generates a blast from his eyes, knocking the glowing orb from Liu's grasp. ["NO!"] she shouts.

Cable reaches his hand out, telekinetically suspending the orb in midair. ["I've got it, take care of Shi!"]

Seeing that Cable was unharmed by her sword, Liu continues her battle with Shi. ["You have lost, Shi. Your Zealots are defeated and your sword skills are poor. Surrender gracefully and I will give you a swift death, demon!"]

["I will never go down that easily, witch!"] Shi shouts as he flings his sword at Liu. She sidesteps and delivers a roundhouse to Shi's jaw, plunging her sword into his heart. With his final breath, a mist seems to leave his body.

Cable approaches Liu, with the orb in hand. ["Why didn't your blade cut me?"]

She quickly takes the orb, ["My blade does not harm those that do good. You are a mutant, yes?"]

["How'd you guess?"]

["I sense no mystical influence within you, yet you are able to move things with your mind. I do, however, sense a great swell of energy in you. I feel pain within you, as well...such sadness..."]

["Are you a sorceress, Liu?"]

["Nowhere near the skill of the Sorcerer Supreme, however my ancestors were. They were the first to encounter the Ahm-Zuin, a force of evil. They imprisoned it in this orb. My family has been dedicated to ensure that the Ahm-Zuin would never be released again."]

["And let me guess, the Zealots wanted just the opposite?"]

["Exactly. They believed they could harness the force to their own means...it does not work that way...at least according to the legend..."]

["Wait...you're not sure what this thing does?"]

["I know that it is evil...I just do not know where it came from or what it wants."]

["Is it alive?"]

["Viruses are only considered to be alive once they infect a host...I believe the Ahm-Zuin works the same way."]

Cable looks at his techno-organic left arm. ["Interesting. What can you tell me about mystical powers? Can every regular Joe have these powers?"]

["Regular Joe? I'm not sure I understand your dialogue."]

["Sorry, that's the American influence talking."]

["I see. Anyway, most clerics believe that there is a realm which harbors all mystic energy. Otherworld, I believe it's called. A select few mortals were taught by Otherworld natives how to use the forces to warp the physics of our universe in ancient times. Most mystic art forms have been lost through the years, but some have survived to modern times."]

["How does one learn to manipulate this...magic?"]

["It takes a great deal of concentration of the frontal lobe to gain access to Otherworld. Years of training is also needed...that, or the assistance of a mystical object."]

["Where did these Zealots learn?"]

["I believe the Zealots Of The Ahm-Zuin were merely puppets, possessed by demons and other evil entities that wanted to unleash the evil force upon our universe."]

Cable sighs and turns his back to Liu, looking at the starry sky. Liu walks up to him. ["Sorry,"] Cable begins, ["I'm just not particularly open to the possibility of ancient myths being real. In my time...I mean....aw hell, you wouldn't understand."]

Liu places a gentle hand on his shoulder, ["I could learn. What troubles you, friend? I'm sorry, I don't even know your name..."]

["Cable. But my friends call me Nathan."]

["I will listen to what you have to say, Nathan. Believe me, nothing is too outrageous."]

["Well, from your perspective, I was born a few years ago. I was raised in the far future and came back as an adult to prevent that hellish era from occurring."]

["No UFO's were involved?"] Liu asks with a smile.

Cable cracks a smile, ["Actually, there was...in a way."]

{{I am not a UFO,}} Prosh blares in Cable's mind.

Liu smiles, ["I never got a chance to thank you. If you weren't here...I don't know if I could have taken on the Zealots on my own."]

["Just doing my job."] Cable suddenly becomes more serious in his mood as he surveys the dead bodies around the village. ["I haven't seen anything like this in a long time."]

Suddenly, there is a flash of light as the land is incinerated by a large explosion. Cable instinctively grabs Liu at the same time erecting a telekinetic shield around them. The orb is flung from Liu's grasp.

["The orb!"]

The green sphere clinks on the ground until it rolls under the "foot" of a lanky metallic robot. A slender hand picks the orb up and places it in a compartment within its own mechanical structure. Before Cable or Liu can try to retrieve it, there is a rain of fire by other robots. Cable is forced to protect Liu from the crossfire.

Soon, the blasts stop as the robots are jet-propelled into the night sky. "Damn it...Prosh, can you estimate where those robots are headed?"

{{They are heading eastward, towards Beijing.}}

A man sits in a large chair. His name is Drake Lee. Once, he was the renowned CEO and owner of Lee Cybernetics. After being killed by the rogue god, Deathglare, and later brought back by Aéulgo *, his company had went bankrupt. Lee was forced to return to his native country of China to try and jump-start his criminal empire...

(* See Cable #5 and 2001 Annual -- Brad)

{{We have the orb, sir,}} one of the lanky robots says.

"Let me see it," Drake commands, wheeling around in his chair to face the android.

The robot reaches into its compartment and pulls out the glowing sphere. Drake takes it in his hand and compares it with an ancient parchment laying on his desk. He smiles. After reading aloud the ancient text, a wave of emerald energy engulfs the man.

As the smoke clears, Drake Lee emerges a transformed being. Reptilian eyes glow with a crimson tint. His normally tan skin has been replaced by pale green scales and an increased bulk. His teeth are elongated and sharp. His tongue has branched off into two tips, capable of smelling the air. Bat-like wings protrude from his back. Drake laughs hysterically.

{{What is so funny, Mr. Lee?}}

The creature cracks a smile.

"I am Ahm-Zuin. I am death. Fear me."

{{Death is irrelevant for an android.}}

The Ahm-Zuin inhales through its current vessel and exhales with pure, intensified flame. All that are left of the lanky androids is ash and scrap metal.

"...Fear me."

NEXT ISSUE: Aw Jeez! The Ahm-Zuin is unleashed! Looks like Cable and his new companion, Liu Shan, have some work to do!