X-Factor#34(1988)

continued from last issue... Having been searching for his former lover Candy Southern, Warren Worthington the former Horseman of Apocalypse known as Death smashes into the Chicago headquarters of the anti-mutant group known as the Right. Little does Warren know that deep below the complex, Cameron Hodge -- in the audience of Demons from Limbo, have her prisoner where for months Hodge has been experimenting and torturing her and intends to kill her as a final revenge against the man that he's hated for so many years. The Demons, sent to Hodge by N'astirh are loyal to him and do not understand how Hodge could hate a being that is as evil as they. Hodge explains that Worthington is a mutant and deserves to be destroyed as such and sends the demons to attack him. In Hong Kong, Nanny sends Orphan Maker to collect more children who are latent mutants. However after the operation is complete she tells Orphan Maker that she has intercepted information from the Right as they exchanged the location of other mutant children to the demon N'astirh and she decides to go to that location and rescue them. Back in Boston, as Angel continues to fight through the Right's legion of Smiley Face warriors N'astirh appears before Cameron Hodge and tells him that each location of infant mutants have netted no finds as the children have already been taken. When N'astirh believes that Hodge is backing out on their deal, he tells him that he had nothing to do with the children vanishing. He tells them to check out the orphanage in Nebraska, as his detectors picked up the location of a particularly powerful mutant infant in the basement levels. Satisfied, N'astirh leaves Hodge to continue his efforts to kill Worthington, promising him that if the child is there Hodge will be granted immortality as promised. With N'astirh's departure, the demons also leave to assist their master leaving Warren to face Hodge alone, however Hodge is ready for him. While out in the Atlantic ocean, Marvel Girl returns to X-Factor's ship and is informed that their former wards have been sent to private school and that Beast is away assisting the Avengers. She also learns that Cyclops has determined a lead to Destiny's visions of the future and is going to the orphanage he grew up in Nebraska to look for his son. Jean stops him before he can leave by himself, and convinces him to allow her to join him. In Boston, Warren bursts into the chamber where Cameron Hodge and Candy's body are located. Using his razor sharp feathers, Warren strips away the cloak and mask and confirms that his one time friend and now hated foe is alive and well. As he and Hodge battle it out, Hodge tells Warren how much he resented him and mutants his entire life and mocks him for not seeing this side of him when he was hired as X-Factor's publicist. Warren demands to know why he would go out of his way to capture and torture Candy, and Hodge explains that it is because she had the nerve to love a mutant and that her death was the price. He explains that he enjoyed torturing her. Enraged, Warren battles on as Hodge tells him that he made a deal with N'astirh and the demons, pointing them to mutant children they wished to sacrifice in exchange for immortality. In the struggle, Hodge pulls the wires from the device keeping Candy alive. Horrified, Warren uses his wings to decapitate Hodge and rushes to Candy's side, finding that he is too late and that she is dead. As he cradles Candy's lifeless body in his arms, more Smiley Face soldiers enter the room prepared to eliminate him. Angrier than ever before, Warren stands up and dares them to attack and they will learn why he is called Death. This story is continued next issue...