The team moves from Roger's lab in Vancouver to Walter's isolated estate (see iss. 21) off the coast of British Colombia, which has been refitted with sophisticated technology by the Canadian government, complete with Omnijet, Alphanex computer, and indoor pool. Michael has given up his power and goes off on a pilgrimage. Heather demands absolute independence from government control, contemplates her place as team leader, comes across Roger and Jeffries reinventing the Dark Guardian's suit (see iss. 26), and flies to Montreal to investigate Jeffries's brother Lionel. Turns out he's in a padded cell in a hospital. Lionel transmutes flesh (like his brother transmutes metal), and in Vietnam lost his mind when trying to piece together a blown-apart squadron. Heather accidentally frees him, and Alpha Flight arrives in time to battle the monstrously transformed hospital staff. Madison confronts Lionel and forces him to reconstruct his own demented brain, restoring him to sanity. Lionel restores all the people he had transformed. Unnoticed, the reassembled body of Deadly Ernest comes to life in the morgue.