issue summaries

Cable 85 Undertow Writer: Robert Weinberg Penciler: Michael Ryan Inkers: Massengil and Andrew Pepoy Colorist: Liquid! Colors Letterer: RS & Comicraft's Saida Temofonte Editor: Mark Powers Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras Date: November 2000

Journalist Irene Merryweather, who is now working for Cable chronicaling his adventures, is awoken by strange woman floating in her room. The woman calls herself Alecto and tells Irene that her in the future, her writings about Cable will be read by millions. But she is there to tell Irene the truth.

With Apocalypse defeated, Alecto asks Irene what Cable's purpose in life is now. Irene doesn't know, since Cable has spent his whole life fighting Apocalypse. Alecto tells her that perhaps that what is next for Cable is the start of his true destiny.

Alecto asks how much Irene really knows about Blaquesmith and his past with Clan Askani. Alecto explains how Blaquesmith rescued Nathan when he was a teenager and brought him to the remains of Clan Askani. She explains how Rachel Summers arrived in the Askani future and a young Blaquesmith was her first Acolyte. Alecto asked whether Rachel and Blaquesmith's meeting was a coincidence.

Irene wonders what Alecto is getting at. But Alecto cannot stay much longer. She tells Irene to uncover the truth before it is too late.

While walking down the street a few blocks from his safehouse, Cable notices a martial arts school he hasn�t noticed before and a sign that seems like a challenge to him.

He enters and meets a mysterious woman inside named Shin who challenges him to a fight. They spar and are evenly matched. Shin stops the match to have tea. She tells him he would make an adequate apprentice and to return in a week. Cable is shocked, but before he can get an explanation the building disappears and he finds himself standing in an alley. Elsewhere, a very large guy with a sword tells his ninja-like minions to hunt down Shin's new apprentice.

At his safehouse, Nathan prepares for his next mission - finding Rachel. As he gets dressed in what looks like a spacesuit, Irene tries to make sense of what is going on.

Nathan explains that Rachel ended up 2000 years in the future when she tried to rescue Captain Britain who was trapped in the timestream. She founded the Askani (which means Outsiders) who fought against Apocalypse. But when Apocalypse was defeated by The Twelve, that future was erased.

Nate tells her he doesn't have much family left after Scott's death. He only has Jean. Rachel is his sister and he never thought he would see her again. She sacrificed herself for him and he will do whatever it takes to save her.

He explains about strange visions he has been having the past week, and believes they are telepathic messages from Rachel and that she is being held by a madman in the distant future.

Irene interrupts, asking about Blaquesmith and where he was while Nathan was growing up. Nathan doesn't know and continues on about his mission.

He tells her that he hasn't told Jean or any of Rachel's friends from Excalibur about this mission, since he doesn't want to give them any false hope. But if he doesn't return, he wants Irene to explain to them what happened.

Irene sarcastically thanks him for the wonderful assignment and asks if there is anything else he wants her to do. He asks her to investigate the odd martial arts school he found earlier.

Nathan says that he and Rachel have a bond that goes beyond being siblings. She gave up everything to save others and he won't come back without her.

Blaquesmith shows up and tells Nathan he is attempting the impossible. He explains to Nathan about the timestream and the suit he has designed to help Nate navigate it. If Rachel is truly out there, Nate can hook onto her thoughts and follow them to her. And if some how his insane mission does work, Nate can find his way back by using Blaquesmith's thoughts as an anchor.

Irene asks how long it will take. Blaquesmith estimates that Nathan can travel ten thousand years per second, but it will take at least 25 hours to reach Rachel.

Cable is ready to go. Blaquesmith activates the suit, while Irene wonders why Cable is so heavily armed. Blaquesmith explains that he likes to be prepared.

Cable finds himself speeding through the timestream in the undertow. He follows the undertow to the far distant future where he eventually is drawn to a mansion set in a barren wasteland.

He lands and is greeted by the madman he has seen before in his vision. Rachel is beside him, tied to a chair. Cable tells him he has come for his sister and he is not leaving without her.

The villain replies that the dampening field that imprison him in this place will severely weaken Cable's mental powers and his weapons will not function her. But they have all the time in the world to talk.

The villain - Gaunt - invites Cable inside for dinner. Gaunt has Rachel "subdued" with a collar around her neck so she will cooperate. He wanted to use her to lure him that, and she quite strongly objected.

Cable asks what Gaunt wants with him. Gaunt replies that he wants to understand heroes and perhaps become a hero himself (which Rachel highly doubts). She interjects that Gaunt is the most evil man in the universe.

Gaunt says that Rachel possess a powerful mind and his conditioning must be wearing off. With a wave of his hand, he demonstrates the control he has over Rachel by making her play the piano, while she tells him she's going to make him pay,

Cable gets back to his question - what does Gaunt want with him? Gaunt tells him he won't like the answer, since Rachel didn't. But Cable insists.

Gaunt explains his back-story. He was a great warlord who conquered the universe and would do anything to accomplish his goal - killing trillions and crushing planets. But he lost. Death was too kind for him, so he was imprisoned at the end of time, alone with only subhuman creatures as servants, where he was destined to remain forever.

Then Rachel, traveling through the timestream, became trapped by the dampeners that imprisoned Gaunt. But he found her poor company. Having been imprisoned for tens of thousands of years, Gaunt thirsted for battle. He probed Rachel's mind for the most powerful warrior of her time and decided that Cable would be the best possible opponent for him. So he lured him there.

Cable wants to know why. For a fight, Gaunt explains. He knows Cable wants his sister back and Gaunt wants to be entertained.

Rachel tells Cable that it is a trap and to not believe anything Gaunt says.

Gaunt sets the terms of the fight - tomorrow they will face each other in hand-to-hand combat with no rules. The last man standing wins. If Cable wins, he and Rachel are free to go. If Gaunt wins, they will remain there until the end of time. Cable accepts the fight and says he does not intend on losing.