Back at the
clinic, James-Michael Starling and nurse Ruth Hart look at the Daily Bugle’s
coverage of the Hulk/Omega battle, featuring photos by Amber Grant. JMS is
summoned by Dr. Thomas Barrow. Baffled by the test results offering no clue to
James-Michael’s ongoing attacks, Barrow again tries to get the boy to open up
and talk to him but James-Michael is still reticent. Barrow tells him he is to
start school that day….
Omega the Unknown
awakens to find himself a prisoner of Electro in a subway understation,
electrified cuffs sapping his strength. The villain wants Omega to restore the
damaged assassin robot to working order. Omega strikes him and Electro falls
back, knocking the robot onto the electrified tracks, reviving it. Electro is
pleased….
James-Michael
starts at a Hell’s Kitchen public school. He enters his first classroom where
the teacher is unable to restore order to unruly students. He taps the teacher
who, thinking a student is sneaking up on him, turns and slaps James-Michael’s
face. James-Michael, unfazed, introduces himself and takes a seat. After class,
a girl named Dian Wilkins offers to help him find his way around. She
introduces him to the nerdy John Nedly but the tough kid, Nick Delbello, horns
in, taking offense at James-Michael’s manner and challenging him to a fight
after school….
Electro gives
the reanimated robot its assignment, promising that when it is through it can
have Omega to do with as it likes. While they are gone, Omega breaks his
bonds….
James-Michael
goes through the rest of his day but on leaving he finds his way blocked by
Nick and his pals. James-Michael, not seeing why Nick would have any reason to
fight him, tries to leave and the bully demands money to let him by. JM is
confused, even moreso after Nick hits him and runs off. Amber picks him up,
shrugs off the problem and suggests hitting back next time. At home, they turn
on the television and see that a telethon to help disabled children has been
taken over by Electro and the robot, with the villain demanding a huge payout
or he will harm Freddie, the charity’s poster boy. Omega enters the studio,
picks up the robot and hurls it into a television camera, destroying both
machines. Electro and Omega have a standoff, each firing his preferred energy
blasts at one another. Freddie, tired of being an object of pity praised for
his assumed courage, swipes at Electro’s leg with his crutch, causing the
villain to falter and be blasted by Omega. The show’s host immediately jumps
in, hailing Freddie as the hero and asking Omega for a comment—but the hero
cannot speak. At home, Amber is mad that Omega didn’t call her in advance so
she could show up with her camera. James-Michael senses a change in the voices
in his head, a new clarity….