Fifth Story
Warren Worthington III, the high-flying Angel, is out flying one day. He is relieved to have some time to himself, because of his busy life now that he has rejoined the X-Men. Angel is enjoying himself and his thoughts are wandering. Instinctively, Angel senses danger and uses his old Danger Room training to dodge a small flying craft that nearly shears off his wings. Angel watches as the craft turns around and begins to pursue him.
In an effort to elude his mysterious pursuer, Angel flies toward a nearby skyscraper that is under construction. Angel is hoping to evade his unknown attacker by flying a weaving pattern between the girders. Angel screams ahead to the construction workers to warn them to look out, because he is coming through. The craft miraculously follows Angel through the super structure maze, while narrowly missing the fleeing construction workers. The craft actually even managers to close the distance and gain on Angel.
Angel pauses to look behind him and sees the craft even closer than before. Angel exclaims that the crafts agility and speed are impossible. The pilot gloats over a loud speaker that the reason that the craft is so agile is because it was designed to kill Angel. The pilot reveals himself as Carl Shanken and explains that Warren’s father had hounded his aircraft out of business ten years ago.
The problem arose for Carl when Warren’s father was murdered. Carl then shifted the focus of his hatred to Angel and designed the craft to kill him. A large lance then appears from the nose of the craft as it gets dangerously close to Angel.
Angel evades the spear and flees back into the skyscrapers frame. Angel spots a lone construction worker that had remained behind. The worker is clutching a rivet gun. Angel snatches the rivet gun from the construction worker, and realizes that he is getting very tired so he chooses to go on the offensive.
Angel flies up beneath Carl’s craft and emerges in front of him. Angel then turns and begins to fly directly toward Carl in a game of “aerial chicken.” Carl speeds the craft up, and exclaims that Angel is making his revenge easy. Carl believes that his craft will easily kill Angel as it rams into him.
Angel, armed with the rivet gun, flies directly toward Carl, and dares Carl to come closer.
Carl panics at the last moment, as he fears Angel intends to kill them both. Carl takes evasive action, steering his craft out of Angel’s path. Carl’s actions are not fast enough, however, and Angel destroys the tail and engine of the craft with the rivet gun.
Angel hovers in the air above the construction site and watches, as Shanken’s craft spirals to the ground. Angel is amazed that Shanken had turned his craft at the last instant, rather than commit suicide to kill him. Angel flutters to the ground behind Carl Shanken.
Carl has emerged from his craft, coughing and hurt. Carl is distraught at his demolished craft and his failure to kill angel. He exclaims in despair that he is ruined.
Angel walks up behind Carl and says his name as he taps him on the shoulder. Carl turns around and Angel punches him as hard as he can. Carl falls to the ground unconscious. Angel stands over the fallen Carl Shanken and says, “That one’s for Dad.”
