Nomad (vol. 2) #7
Airport Insecurity
This story takes place during the events of Infinity War #3…
Security at Los Angeles International Airport is in high alert after a lone passenger has commandeered a plane coming in from New York. After killing the passengers and crew, the maniac goes onto the radio to taunt the authorities. He speaks with FBI Agent Vernon Hatchway, who orders his men to surround the plane as it lands on the runway.
However, the killer — who is an evil doppelganger of the X-Men’s Gambit — leaps out of the plane and tosses a kinetically charged ring at them.[1] The blast allows the evil Gambit to take one of the cops as a hostage. Rather than surrendering, the evil Gambit rips out the woman’s heart, charges it with energy and throws it. When the heart explodes, it gives the monster the chance to slip past the authoriites.
Vernon Hatchway and his men run back into the hospital just as Jack Monroe, aka Nomad, is arriving home from his trip to Las Vegas.[2] At first, they mistake him for their perp since Jack is wearing a trench coat just like “Gambit”, however they realize their mistake and let him go. Nomad tries to convince himself not to get involved with whatever it is that is going on, but he can’t resist the urge to investigate himself. Jack goes into the cargo area where he discovers an FBI agent has been murdered by whoever they are looking for. Not far away, “Gambit” is indiscriminately killing anyone who happens to come upon. When Nomad finds him, he quickly learns that his opponent is far deadlier than he looks as he is able to charge anything he touches with explosive kinetic energy.
Meanwhile, under the piers of Santa Monica, Rockport — a member of the Undergrounders — has been captured by someone who ties him to one of the pier supports just as the tide is coming in. His captor also threatens him with a gun, demanding to know if Rockport was part of an Undergrounders heist in Venice. Rockport denies being involved, but his captor decides to use him as an example to those who want to mess with the Pipeline and shoots him in the face.[3]
Buried under debris from an explosion, Nomad manages to dig himself out. He also manages to find an earpiece that the FBI is using to communicate with one another. Jack makes his presence known and begins coordinating with the feds to help zero in on the man attacking the airport. Vernon takes an immediate liking to Nomad and explains that their perp ended up in Los Angeles after hijacking a plane in New York, confusing LA for the state of Louisiana since both places use the same abbreviation. The two agree to lure the evil Gambit back onto the plane, but Nomad needs to keep him distracted while Vernon takes control of the cockpit. When Hatchway gives the go ahead, Jack lures his opponent aboard the plane. Vernon quickly initiates a take off and take them high into the air.
Trapped high up in the sky, Vernon tells Jack and “Gambit” that he is going to crash the plane, willing to sacrifice his life since he’s been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has less than two months to live. He tells Jack to save his own life by using one of the parachutes to safely jump off the plane. Instead, “Gambit” uses his powers to blow a hole in the wall, causing explosive depressurization in the plane cabin. This allows him to nab the parachute and take it for himself. However, this is all according to Vernon’s plan as he rigged the parachute with explosives and detonates the bomb, killing their assailant by blowing him to bits.
Nomad heads to the cockpit and comments Vernon for the gamble he just pulled off. As it turned out, the whole cancer speech was made up. As the two head back to the airport, Hatchway reveals that he knows exactly who Jack is, but will pretend to forget once they get back onto the ground.
Recurring Characters
Nomad, Bucky, Vernon Hatchway, Undergrounders, Ebbtide
Continuity Notes
This evil Gambit is one of many doppelgangers of Earth’s heroes created by the Magus in the Dimension of Manifestation, giving him an army of solders to defend his attempt to regain the Infinity Gems. Many of these evil duplicates were sent to Earth to try and replace the heroes they were based on, or create other distractions and diversions. See Infinity War #1. This story takes place during the events of Infinity War #3.
Jack was in Nevada on a mission to eliminate the Slug on behalf of SHIELD. Thing’s didn’t got exactly as planned. See Daredevil #307-309, Punisher War Journal #45-47, and Nomad (vol. 2) #4-6.
This mystery killer is identified in issue #9 as Ebbtide, a member of the Pipeline a group that rivals with the Undergrounders.
Topical References
When learning that the evil version of Gambit was trying to get to Louisiana, Nomad quips “Isn’t that where David Duke is from?” Duke is a notorious white supremacist. At the time this story was published he was actually a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. So next time someone says racism is over in America remind them that a fucking Klansman was a state representative in the last 40 years. Anyway, references to this racist piece of shit should be considered topical.
Infinity War Reading Order
Infinity War #1, Alpha Flight #109, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #7, Fantastic Four #366, Spider-Man #24, Captain America #408, Deathlok (vol. 2) #16, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #42, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #67, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #43, Infinity War #2, Fantastic Four #367, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #68-69, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #44, Guardians of the Galaxy #27, Quasar #37, Infinity War #3, Marvel Comics Presents #108-111, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #8, Fantastic Four #368, Alpha Flight #110, New Warriors #27, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #4, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #41-42, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #13, Nomad (vol. 2) #7, Quasar #38, Daredevil #310, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #45, Infinity War #4, Alpha Flight #111, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #5, Guardians of the Galaxy #28-29, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #9, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #14, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #43, Quasar #39, Infinity War #5, Sleepwalker #18, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #46-47, Fantastic Four #369, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #10, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #15, Infinity War #6, Fantastic Four #370, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #44, Alpha Flight #112, Quasar #40