Exiles (Exiles #3)

"A Glimmer and Gone"

Timothy Halloran has now transformed into Mastodon because of the mRNA process given to him by Malcolm Kort and his scientist Doctor Wendell. Mastodon leaps out of Kort's laboratory in anger to find the Exiles outside. They immediately get into a quick battle due to a quick confusion. Mastodon is able to hold his own against the combined might of the Exiles, with the battle flowing into other areas of the city, most notably a wax museum. Meanwhile, Hot Rox exits Kort's building to find Tinsel and Ghoul hurt on the group, so she captures them and brings them to her boss. Malcolm Kort decides to place Ghoul in with the biological wastes and to leave Tinsel in the placement of Bloodbath.

Meanwhile, the other Exiles continue to try to stop Mastodon before he hurts himself or others. Back at the Stronghold, Amber Hunt is determined to undergo the mRNA process to save her life regardless if Doctor Deming is there or not. Doctor Deming's assistant tells Amber not to attempt the process because it is too dangerous. Amber Hunt's argument is that the Theta virus will kill her if she doesn't undergo the process.

Ghoul finds himself in the biological wastes compartment and speaks to the souls of Supreme Soviet and others. Before too long, the room is set ablaze and Ghoul is incinerated. Mastodon is able to escape the Exiles and transforms back to him human self, though he is tracked by one of Malcolm Kort's cybernoids. Tinsel awakes in the bedroom of Bloodbath, who is in the middle of undress. He attempts to rape her when she blinds him with her light-based power. Being blind herself, she awkwardly tries to escape but Bloodbath shoots her down, killing her. Ghoul reforms his body, thanks to his ultra ability, and escapes the biological waste department to find Tinsel's dead body. He vows he will avenge her death and he asks her soul who the killer is.

In a back-up story, Rune's origin is revealed.