MARVEL 2000 PRESENTS...

THE STRANGE DEATH OF DANIEL KETCH
Part Three

Written by Barry Reese

What Has Come Before: Dan Ketch has suffered terribly, being transformed into a flesh-seeking zombie. Bonded to the spirit of his ancestor Noble Kale, Dan is still one half of the Ghost Rider, but his madness has begun to infect the Spirit of Vengeance, driving the Rider to killing extremes. Meanwhile, John Blaze has found his marriage strained by the presence of a demonic infant left in his care by the mysterious Witch Woman. In hopes of finding answers, Blaze has gone to visit Dr. Stephen Strange, only to find both Seer and the Caretaker are all ready there.

The Ghost Rider whipped his mystic chain through the air, allowing its steel grip to wrap around the neck of Blackout. The pseudo vampire tried to scream but could not, all the air trapped within his lungs. Ghost Rider pulled him closer, sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight.

Blackout had died not long ago -- really and truly*. But he'd been given a new lease on life by Mephisto, in exchange for his immortal soul. It had seemed like a good deal at the time, as Blackout was used to serving others. He'd done it for Lilith and numerous paying employers in his career... but now he wondered if he'd made a tragic mistake. Had he come back to the world of the living just so a crazed Ghost Rider could send him back to hell?

(*See issues 26 and 27 of M2K's Thunderbolts series)

Deep within the recesses of the Ghost Rider's mind, Noble Kale strained with all his might to restrain the horrible monstrosity that had taken hold of the form he shared with Dan Ketch. He tried to prevent what was about to happen but failed to make even a moment's hesitation in the Rider's actions. Ghost Rider leaned in close and bit down hard on Blackout's neck, pulling away chunks of flesh and crimson fluid. As the vampire flailed about in horror, Ghost Rider punched him hard in the stomach, his supernaturally hard fist tearing into the killer's stomach and coming away with a loop of entrails tied around one gloved hand.

Blackout battered Ghost Rider repeatedly, finally managing to knock the Spirit of Vengeance away with a powerful blow to the side of the Rider's head.  Blackout staggered away, guts trailing on the ground. Mephisto! he screamed in his head. Help me! Please!

A cold, malicious laughter came in reply. I am busy with other affairs*, my vampire pet. Whatever happens to you is your own concern!

(*See issues 20 and 21 of M2K's Daredevil series)

Blackout cursed, looking over his should to see Ghost Rider stalking him once more. He held out a hand, as if to ward him off, but Blackout could see that Ghost Rider would not stop until he was dead.

The Ghost Rider hesitated, however. The flames atop the Rider's skull flickered wildly and seemed in danger of extinguishing. Noble Kale wrestled with the demonic force that had taken up residence alongside his and Daniel's souls... and managed to turn the Rider away from Blackout, though he still did not regain total control.

"Vengeance must be served," the possessed Rider whispered. He sat back down upon his motorcycle and revved its engine, finally rocketing off towards the city. Blood dripped from his skeletal mouth. Something was calling to him, asking him to come.

He would do so. And the guilty would be punished.

And eaten.

John Blaze felt strangely protective as Dr. Strange poked and prodded the infant that had been left in his care. Caretaker and Seer hovered nearby, each saying nothing as the frightful looking child wailed away in hunger.

"You say that Linda Littletrees is the mother?" Strange asked, the Eye of Agamotto shining a golden light down upon the child.

"Yeah. You know her?"

"I am somewhat familiar with her. Recent gossip in the occult world says that she fell into a downward spiral of insanity after her last imprisonment. She ended up back in the hands of a devil worshipping cult, who bred her with one of the many false Satans in existence. This is the product of their union."

Blaze shifted uneasily. "Can he be cured?"

"Of what?" Strange asked, closing the Eye. "There is nothing wrong with the child. This is merely its nature."

"Can you find Linda then? I can't keep raising this kid!"

Caretaker spat into the fireplace, sending up sparks. "That ain't gonna happen, Johnny. She's the cause of what's wrong with Dan."

"What do you mean?"

"After she left that baby with you, her mind continued to snap. The demon's seed was still within her. Part of it grew into this baby but the rest burrowed its way into her soul, messing her up something bad. She came to Cypress Hills looking for you, wanting you to help her and give her back her baby. She was so far gone that she didn't even realize this Ghost Rider wasn't you."

Strange nodded, soothing the baby with a small sleep spell. "Yes. I believe you're right. The demonic forces that swirl around this child are rich with undead energies. No doubt she struck out at the Rider, infecting his host with something that has caused him to become a killer."

"And Linda? Where's she now?" Johnny took the baby back into his arms, holding it close.

"The Rider's first victim," Seer whispered. "Caretaker showed me her body. The Rider... he ate her."

"Jesus," Blaze whispered, patting the baby on the back. "We gotta stop him."

"He is on his way," Strange replied, nodding gratefully as his servant Wong entered the room bearing a tray of tea.

"How do you figure that?"

"Because I have sent out a mystic beacon. A summons. He will not be able to resist."

"How long do you think it'll be before he gets here?"

Caretaker chuckled. "I'd say he'll be here right about.... Now."

The front doors of Strange's domicile shattered inwards, their normally strong protective wards momentarily set aside by Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. He wanted the Rider inside the house, where Strange was certain that no innocents would be harmed. "My friends," Strange said, hearing the heavy footsteps of the Rider as he approached the study. "The time has come for action."

The Ghost Rider's mind was in a state of extreme agitation. A part of him retained some semblance of both Dan Ketch and Noble Kale but there was another presence there as well, one that craved the warm flesh of the living.

A summons continued to lead him further into the Greenwich Village home, like the offering of fresh meat to a starving dog. His heavy chain drug on the floor at his side, tearing chunks out of the wood and carpeting.

"Hey there, little brother."

Ghost Rider came to a stop, staring at John Blaze as the man stepped into view. He held a shotgun in one hand, Caretaker and Seer moving up behind him. "Blaze. Stand aside... or die." Noble Kale's voice came from the Ghost Rider in starts and stops, obvious signs of the difficulty he had in restraining the Spirit of Vengeance. "I cannot promise you will not come to harm otherwise."

"I appreciate that, Noble. But I've got to hold you exactly where you are until Strange can come up with a way to fix what's wrong with you. What's wrong with Dan."

The wail of a child from the other room made Ghost Rider start. "A child is here... but not an innocent. The stink of the devil is strong upon him!"

"An accident of birth," Blaze replied. "Just stay there. In a minute, Strange will take of things."

Ghost Rider began to shudder and shake as the tension within him built to a boiling point. No longer able to resist the hungers within him, the Rider sprang into action. He struck with his chain, catching Seer on the side of the head and leaving behind a bloody gash.

John Blaze opened fire, wishing that he still had his old Hellfire gun. This one had shotgun shells that bounced off the Rider's skeletal frame, embedding themselves in the walls.  He hated to attack the Rider, knowing full well that his brother lay within the creature. But the only way to stop the madness was to hold the Rider at bay.

The Caretaker moved around Blaze, blocking the Rider's path. "Stand down," he warned.

The Ghost Rider roared like an animal, backhanding the immortal so hard that Blaze heard the snapping of the man's neck. A member of the Blood, Caretaker couldn't be killed in the conventional sense but it was obvious that he was down for the duration.

Blaze could sense the madness from the Ghost Rider and he barely avoided having his own head taking off as the Rider's fists swept through the air and his teeth clamped down repeatedly. "Dan, we're gonna help you through this buddy. I promise."

"Brains," the Rider hissed and Blaze felt a chill go down his spine. Was there enough of Dan to bother saving?

"Let the Azure Blades of the Volthoom begin their work!" Strange shouted, floating into view. His entire body glowed with a blue tint and large blades, forged of eldritch power, shot forth from his hands, cleaving through the Ghost Rider's form. The spell forced apart Dan Ketch and the Noble Kale Ghost Rider, leaving the zombie Ketch to writhe about wildly. Kale looked as if his sanity had been restored and he reached for Ketch but found his path blocked by the magic.

"We must help him!" Kale barked.

"Easier said than done," Strange replied. "I have contained the evil spirit inside Daniel's body but it will be a long, laborious process to cleanse his spirit. Until then, he must be placed into the void, where no one may be harmed by him!"

Before Kale or Blaze could say anything more, Strange had banished Ketch to another plane of reality.

"I cannot exist without a host," Kale whispered, staring at his hands, which were already beginning to take on a translucent quality.

"And I'm too charged up with hellfire to host Noble," John said, pointing out the fact that had kept him free of that particular curse over the years.

"Not quite true," Strange replied. "I scanned your body before I cast the binding spell -- you're no longer too saturated to play host."

Blaze stared at him, wondering at what he should do next. Roxanne had sent him here to find something to do with the demon baby... not come back as the Ghost Rider once more.

"The bonding will be different than it was with Daniel," Strange said, looking at Noble. "It will take time for you to find your strength again. Until then, the Ghost Rider entity will be controlled almost entirely by John."

"What happens if I say no?" Blaze asked.

"Noble's spirit will be trapped in the void... possibly forever."

"Damn." Blaze clenched a fist. "What about the baby? Are you going to help him?"

"I will do all that is in my power to find a welcoming home for him."

"Then do it. Before I change my mind."

The Ghost Rider sped through the darkened streets of New York, raindrops evaporating as they hit his flaming skull. John Blaze would never admit it but a part of him reveled in the renewed power... the sense of purpose.

Innocent blood had been spilled.

God save the guilty.

In Ghost Rider # 04: Who knows?

Author's Notes

And that wraps up our storyline. I had high hopes for a lengthy run on this series but things have gone in a different direction for me and I'll be stepping away with this issue. I am pleased to have reinstated the John Blaze Ghost Rider in a way that leaves Dan Ketch's legacy intact and I hope that future authors at M2K find the 'new' Ghost Rider one that they can enjoy using.

Continuity mavens wondering how Doc Strange can be both here and in Daredevil at the same time, take note: when Mephisto says he's busy with other affairs in this issue, that places these events immediately prior to DD 20. So as soon as Doc finishes in this issue, he's answering DD's call for help in DD 20. Boy, Doc gets around, eh?

Keep in touch,

-Barry Reese