The full moon’s gentle light washes the rooftops like silver rain, silhouetting a lone figure against London’s glittering skyline. He has traveled the cosmos, helped save the universe and seen things others can only dream of. He s more than a man, he is a hero…
Standing on a rooftop, Captain Britain muses how hard it is to believe that things are so peaceful now. Six months ago, he felt he was being driven mad – Slaymaster, Saturnyne, the Special Executive, Jaspers… and the Fury. So much has happened in one short year. But now it all seems a lifetime away. Everything has returned to normal, just as Roma predicted. The natural order of things would not tolerate the Jaspers Warp. Reality is repairing itself. Everyone has forgotten the nightmare. It’s like an epidemic of amnesia.
Well, almost everyone, he amends. Hs sister, Betsy, remembers. And she still hasn’t fully recovered from the psychic shock she felt as her lover, Tom Lennox, died. And then there’s Captain UK. He hasn’t heard from her since they arrived back on Earth. She must be as busy organizing her life as he is.
Fortunately, the cavern computer has recovered from the Fury’s psionic drain. He’ll need its help to get the estate in order. Betsy and Alison will want to stay there after their retreat with Victoria Bentley. But how is he going to explain the Manor’s reappearance when he drops the holographic defense field? And what shall he do about Emma Collins? A char lady who lost seven years of her life serving an invisible computerized house. It’s no good. He tried to get away from all this, but there’s not getting away from it. He has got problems.
Passing the building, Captain Britain is standing on is another man. Problems. Sidney Crumb has problems. “Persistent absenteeism” his redundancy notice declared. “Chronic alcoholism,” his divorce decree claimed. “Anti-social habits” the hostel warden bellowed, as he tossed him into the street. He had a friend once, Mrs. McGeary. But even she left without a word. Now even his own kind can bear his presence. Sidney Crumb is a solitary man.
He begins to mutter defensively that it is just a bit of rash. He is no smelly diseased fleabag. It’s just the wind’s hard on his old skin. Damn the hostel for throwing him out as soon as it gets a bit warm. He ain’t up to sleeping rough no more. He shouts out in anger, as he sees that the “bleedin’ sniffers” messed up his stuff again. It’s always the same, no respect. Angrily, he lies down and begins to drink. He drinks to forget, because there is nothing he wants to remember. But no amount of drink will make him forget this night. Suddenly, a wolflike creatures with batwings, red eyes and long claws is jumping at him.
Hearing Sidney’s scream, Captain Britain plummets down without hesitation eager to use his power to feel the thrill he’s longed for throughout these idle months. He throws caution to the winds and is tossed aside by a snarling tornado that evaporates in the spectral gloom.
With the creature gone, Cap asks Sidney if he is hurt. The other man rudely tells him to get off. He just needs a drink to steady his nerves. It was one of those sniffer kids. That stuff turns them into maniacs. Nearly scared him to death. Tried to kill him, clawing and biting like a bleeding animal.
Cap observes that whatever attacked Sid wasn’t human. It was too fast, too strong, it almost broke his ribs – not even a crazed human is that strong. Sid begins to turn aggressive towards his rescuer, asking and just what he believes he is. A superhero or something? Cap coolly suggests Sid leave and find somewhere to spend the night. He is going after it. Sid angrily mutters that he is always being told to clear off.
Cap enters the warehouse, sensing a presence. He shouts out that he wants to talk. He doesn’t see her crouching in the scaffolding above. The moon clouds her memory. Otherwise, she might recall another time, a different place, an alternate reality.
(flashback)
Meggan and her cellmate, Sue, are prisoners in Jaspers’ internment camp. Crouching around a small source of light, Megan informs the other girl that Daddy Williams said he’d seen the Captain once, when he battled that villain in the comic shop. He fought like a wild man. He’s a real hero. Does Meggan really think he will come and free them? Sue asks. There’s no one else, Meggan replies. Something weird’s going on, she adds. They’ve been there for three months and there’s been no full moon. It’s crazy. Why does she look forward to the full moon so? Sue asks. She doesn’t! Meggan shouts. She dreads it!
(present)
She hurts. Trying to remember hurts. Trying to think hurts. There is only the moon. The moon and the pain. The pain and the rage. With a howl, she jumps at Captain Britain and tears at him with her claws. As she sees his face properly, she realizes dimly through the searing scarlet haze that this is her hero she is fighting. Horrified, she flies off, back into the shadows. Captain Britain keeps on looking, wondering why she ran, why she seemed terrified. He can still sense her presence nearby. But it’s not as if she is preparing to attack. She’s just watching.
Cap hears a noise and at once grabs the person it comes from. It turns out to be a teenage boy accompanied by a girl. They introduce themselves as Micky and Josie. The girl explains that they look after Meggan. She’s been living there for months. They bring her things and try to keep her calm when the moon is full. Is she a werewolf? Captain Britain asks. Josie tells him not to be silly. Meggan says she is a mutant like they have in America. But the full moon makes her go a bit crazy. She’s nice really but, the tramp, she said he stank like a dead animal. She couldn’t help it; she just went wild.
Meggan watches them through the searing pain. She sees the Captain, but it looks as though he is hurting her friends. Confused, she flies at him to attack over Josie’s protest - She can no longer hear. She has succumbed to the pain that is clouding her senses. They wildly trade punches in the air, until some of the scaffolding comes loose falling on Micky. Meggan flies off in horror. Captain Britain clears the body of the debris, but at that point it is already too late. Micky Scott is already dead.
