Doc Samson and Dee Dee “Geiger” Dearborn are searching the city for Patchwork by
tracing his gamma signature but so far they haven’t had any luck. Geiger
explains that she was a shy physics student who was exposed to a sudden surge
at the University’s particle accelerator and then she started having dreams
that she was the Patchwork Killer; Samson ponders how she then “became” the
killer and now she is copying many of Doc’s superhero mannerisms. Geiger then
detects a scream from Patchwork’s new victim and they head in that direction,
Samson trying to keep her safely behind….
Detective
Trina Sharp visits the medical examiner to see the two latest victims. One is
the horribly mutilated corpse of the young woman whose green contact lenses made
her useless for Patchwork’s purposes and the other is the weak but still alive
Jen Walters, drained of her She-Hulk powers by the enemy….
Samson
and Geiger track the villain’s gamma signature down through the subway where
they discover loose body parts and the intact living jogger. It turns out to be
a trap and they are attacked by Patchwork. Samson warns Geiger to stay back as
she may turn into his double again….
At
the hospital, Sharp tries to gain information from the comatose Jen; Sharp tell
Jen that Doc Samson is on the case. Jen warns her that the killer can drain
Samson’s gamma powers and is the worst person to battle this villain….
Samson
invokes a post-hypnotic suggestion he had earlier implanted in Geiger to keep
her safe. He attacks Patchwork but the villain is much more powerful, having
gained She-Hulk’s strength. Doc bashes his foe in the head with a ripped-up
piece of track and panics when he believes he may have killed him, visions of
the deaths of the Punisher and Crazy Eight flashing through his head, deaths he
feels responsible for. But the villain was faking and he grabs Samson and
drains some of his power, leaving him weak. Patchwork then picks up the
green-eyed jogger and slashes her throat, departing with the body….
Geiger
reports back to Detective Sharp that Patchwork has claimed another victim and
Doc Samson has quit, heading for home. As Doc is on his way to the airport, a
tire of the cab is shot out. Doc, ready for action, leaps for the cab and spots
the Punisher on a nearby roof. Samson jumps up to confront him and Punisher
opens fire on him; Doc leaps for cover, realizing that a) Frank Castle is still
alive, and b) he is really angry at Doc Samson. Punisher is there to remind
Samson that he promised to catch the killer and reminds him that he (Doc) is
the perfect weapon against Patchwork. Doc’s phone rungs and it is Kyle Barker,
the young man whom Doc saved from killing himself (issue #1); he learned from
the news that Doc Samson was quitting the case and he advises Doc not to give
up; Doc decides to stay until the killer is caught and thanks Kyle for his
concern. And then we learn that Kyle Barker is Patchwork….