Doctor Strange #39 (1980)

Continued from last issue... Cardinal Alfeo Spinosa has come to see Dr. Strange at his Sanctum Sanctorum with evidence that shows that Baron Morodo has robbed the San Gabriel Archives at the Vatican. Rushing to the room where Mordo had been kept since he went insane, Strange realizes that Mordo has long since left, leaving a mystical construct in his place. After finally discovering the ruse, Strange feels like he has been taken for a fool. While reflecting on the recent events, Strange wonders if they have all been connected. After getting some comfort from Clea, Stephen decides to postpone his investigation of the murder of Douglas Royce for the more pressing matter of dealing with Baron Mordo, and leaves Clea behind to search for Wong who has disappeared. Clea's search brings her to Chinatown where she finds that nobody wants to tell her where to find Sung, the man Wong went to meet. After she finally finds Mr. Sung, he denies knowing Wong and then sends some of his men after her. Her search is further interrupted by the arrival of Dormammu's Wraiths that begin to follow her. Clea flees from them and runs straight into Sara Wolfe who cannot see the wraiths but assumes that Clea was running from Sung's men. Sara hails a taxi, enabling she and Clea to escape back to Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum. Meanwhile, Dr. Strange and Alfeo have travelled to France to seek out Lord Julian Phyffe because the mystic had shown unusual interest in Mordo in the past. After entering Phyffe's home in Paris, Alfeo seemingly crumbles to dust and Strange is knocked out. Back in the States, Clea uses the Orb of Agamotto to confirm that Wong is alive but a prisoner in a small aircraft. Clea wishes to investigate further but cannot do so with the demon-wraiths following her. With Sara's co-operation, Clea casts a spell that makes her appear as Sara and vice-versa so that Clea can leave the Sanctum and fool the wraiths into thinking it is Sara that is leaving the house instead. Back in France, Strange revives and finds himself strapped to an operating table surrounded by spectres of patients who died because they couldn't afford to pay him and who are about to operate on him. Strange uses his Eye of Agamotto to stun them and free himself but is then attacked by a being that appears to be Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician. Strange tries to fight off his attacker but finds himself transported seemingly back in time to the point in his life prior to meeting the Ancient One when he was a drunk derelict after the injury that took away his steady hands and his career as a successful surgeon. Stumbling out of the bar, Strange is confronted by aberrations of Clea and Mordo who scoff at him and mockingly toss him money to buy another drink. Suddenly, the scene shifts and Strange finds himself in an operating room, his back pocket stuffed with money, and he is being asked to perform an operation, however his hand is far from steady. When he pulls the sheet back from the face of his intended patient, he finds that it is his old lover, Madeleine St. Germaine. After using a spell to cancel out the illusion, the Sorcerer Supreme realizes that he was almost tricked into performing a blood sacrifice on his old love, and fights off the cultists who are now trying to kill him more directly. A brazier knocked over by the cultists sets Phyffe's home ablaze. Strange manages to use his Cape of Levitation to escape from the collapsing mansion with Madeleine who revives and is shocked to see her old amour after such a long time. On the grounds, Madeleine and Strange find Alfeo's dead body, whole but shot through the heart by the cultists. Madeleine tells Strange that the cultists served Lord Phyffe who is now working for Baron Mordo, and that Mordo himself intends to cast a spell to open the Seven Gates of Chaos and thereby destroy the Earth. This story is continued next issue....