Cable & Deadpool #4

Issue Date: 
August 2004
Story Title: 
If Looks Could Kill - part 4: Nothing a little make-up couldn’t fix.
Staff: 

Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick Zercher (penciller), Rob Ross and Alan Tam (inks) Shane Law and Kevin Yan (Colour) VC’s Rus Wooton (letterers), Erik Ko (Udon Chief), Nicole Wiley & Andy Schmidt (assistant-editors), Tom Brevoort (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief), Dan Buckley (publisher), Rob Liefeld (cover-art)

Cable created by Rob Liefeld and Louise Simonson
Deadpool created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza

Brief Description: 

Weakened by his techno-organic virus and without his telepathy or telekinesis, Cable has to fight Deadpool. During the fight Cable manages to get Kruch to tell him about any cure, but Kruch replies that there isn’t one. Meanwhile, Deadpool notices that his healing factor is less effective due to the Façade Virus. Cable’s techno-organic infection becomes worse and Deadpool keeps coming back with heavier weapons, so in the end Cable has to resort to heavy weaponry as well. Kruch tries to escape, but his accounts have been raided by Hammer, Cable’s hacker ally. Finally, Cable falls down, taken over by the virus and at Deadpool’s mercy. He tries to convince Deadpool that what Kruch wants to do is wrong, but Deadpool turns around.
The Façade Virus turns out to be flawed, though, and Deadpool starts to melt. Both men incapable of moving, Cable tells Deadpool that their only chance is each other’s blood.

Full Summary: 

Deadpool attacks Cable, whose techno-organic virus has almost completely taken him over. Cable is able to block his attack and breaks Deadpool’s nose. While Deadpool recovers, Cable asks Kruch how he used the Façade virus to eliminate his powers. Kruch replies that it just disallows him from using his powers, the powers are still there. Deadpool uses this opportunity to attack Cable again.

Their fight takes them outside the church’s building. Kruch tries to escape, but Cable throws his sword between Kruch’s legs, pinning his robes to a tree. Cable kicks Deadpool away and walks to Kruch, threatening to castrate him if he doesn’t tell him how to stop the virus. Deadpool kicks Cable away again.

The two continue to fight and Cable asks Deadpool if he really believes in the One World Church. Deadpool admits that he doesn’t, but that it does sound nice. Cable says that he knows that Deadpool hates the world too much to know that it won’t ever work. Deadpool denies that, but then starts to list the things he does hate about the world. Cable uses the opportunity and throws Deadpool through a window. Wade notes that his healing factor is not as effective due to the Façade Virus but, on the upside, he landed in his own room.

Cable moves back to Kruch, still pinned to the tree. A monk trying to free him, sees Cable and flees. Kruch tells him that he didn’t know about the techno-organic virus and that there is no cure for the Façade virus. Deadpool who has returned to his original costume and brought some weapons then shoots Cable. Nathan runs away, getting hit by some bullets, while Deadpool keeps taunting him. Cable falls over the edge and crashes through the roof of a building below.

Meanwhile in New York, Irene Merryweather tries to find out more about the Façade Virus and contacts Sunic, the company that made it. Sunic denies everything. Irene scribbles something on a notepad and hangs up. The notepad shows Nathan’s face with a heart around it, the name Gogo (who was also infected by the Façade Virus, but cured by Cable) and the prison where she’s held and Cable’s advice to think five moves ahead.

At the Sunic Company, the board of directors discusses Irene’s phone call. One of them notes that the stolen batch of Façade was flawed and they decide that the Singapore Facility should be protected. An unnamed superhuman appears and tells the board of directors not to worry. He already is protecting the Singapore Facility; that’s what they hired him for.

Back in France, Kruch has managed to free himself and walks up to Deadpool with a group of monks. He asks Wade where Cable is and he replies that Cable fell through the roof in the building below. Kruch’s eyes widen and he tells Deadpool that that’s the armory. Inside the armory, Cable gets up.

Seconds later, the door is blown up and a really angry Cable appears, carrying several weapons. He tells them that he tried the hard way out by listening to them, but now he’s going for the easy way and starts shooting. Kruch escapes to his car, Deadpool dives for cover. Cable wants to know where the scientists are.

Inside the car, Kruch tells his driver to go to the airport. He tries to use the computer to book a flight, but fails because his account has been hacked by Hammer. At home, Hammer decides how to spend the 14 million between his favourite charities (including 3 million for his mother). His mother shouts from another room that she wants 4 million this time. The driver wonders whether Kruch can pay him now, but Kruch tells him just to drive.

Cable tries to get the scientists to tell him how the machine that infected him worked. Deadpool attacks him again and blows up the machine in the process. By now, the virus has almost completely taken over Cable. Deadpool tells Cable that he thinks that Cable wanted to use the machine to take over the world and that he never bought Cable’s recent pacifism. He tells Cable that his recent godlike powers have taken his edge. Cable replies that it’s the virus paralysing him and eating him alive. Deadpool stops fighting and thinks of the cancer that once infected him.

Cable tells Deadpool that the Façade Virus is flawed, but Deadpool trusts on his healing factor. Nathan thinks it’s just slowing the process down. Deadpool walks off to find Kruch. Cable tries to convince Deadpool that Kruch’s plans would take away Deadpool’s most valuable possession. Deadpool worries about his porn collection, but Cable says that he meant his opinions. Deadpool tells him that he doesn’t have any real opinions. Cable asks Deadpool for his healing factor, hoping that can cure him. Wade tries to turn around but falls down, because his leg has started to melt.
Both men lie on the ground and Cable tells Deadpool that the only thing that can save each of them is the other’s blood.

Characters Involved: 

Deadpool/Wade Wilson

Cable/Nathan Christopher Summers

Irene Merryweather (reporter at the Daily Bugle and friend of Cable)

Eugene Hammer (former ally of Cable, technological genius)

Anton Kruch / Prime Minister of the One World Church
Unnamed superhuman, identified in issue #5 as Lightmaster, with a new costume.

Story Notes: 

Irene’s drawing of Cable is rather odd, as their relationship has never been romantic.

Issue Information: 

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