Nick Roche really had a blast doing the art for this one!
The recap page reminds us that Gideon tracked the video feed from the nanotech inside the sacrificed Madrox dupe and has now launched a counterattack. Gideon has indeed hacked the X-Corps system and is in control of the hidden island. He says in seconds the firewalls will be embers and in minutes he'll have access to their every secret. He'll then cast the island into the rocks below.
Dani says Betsy is already on the psychic hunt for Gideon but it'll be difficult to find him. If she does she and Shatterstar will hit him hard. Dani is rushing through a corridor following Wiz-Kid and Trinary as Taki says there's isn't enough time but they do have other options. They lead Dani to a room she's unaware of and inside are suits they have constructed. They remind her that Taki can technoform machines and Trinary can telepathically control technology.
This is so freakin' cool!
They lower down and into the main network of the island (? I don't understand technology in general lol) and ask Dani to stay topside in case more Externals show up. They're now inside X-Corps Island's digital network and the art is awesome.
They find the malware in the form of Gideon's floating head in digi-red and his ponytail looking like network cables. Floating head Gideon tells them that seven of the world's most elite hacking farms are disassembling their code from the inside out. He owns the hacking farms, of course.
Gideon fires orbs at Taki and Trinary that turn into the likeness of Cannonball. LOL! Trinary is like why and Taki says Gideon is trying to dunk on them because Sam once thought he was an External, the External of hope. Turned out Sam was wrong and hope is not part of their philosophy, Taki says. He starts firing at the Sam-orbs with his tech tank as Trinary slashes at Gideon's cables in an attempt to disconnect him. Taki mentions that though he doesn't know Sam very well he's sure he wouldn't take kindly to this likeness abuse. He says what they do have in common though is that they had the same teacher in Cable, as Taki's tank pops out over a dozen guns. He takes out the rest of the Sam-orbs as Trinary cuts the last of Gideon's cables.
She tells Taki to take out Gideon's viral core before he can generate more and Taki now how this ridiculously huge gun that his tank has turned into. It's hilarious. He fires it and Gideon's head explodes. They return to the surface sweaty but happy, announcing to Dani who is waiting for them that they were successful in getting rid of Gideon.