Avengers, The (1963 series) #381

At the foot of Mount Wundagore, the ailing Bova grows concerned for Quicksilver and Crystal, supposedly on an errand to the village. A suddenly sinister Fydor assures her the two Avengers can take care of themselves….

Crystal and Pietro awaken in the presence of the High Evolutionary and his brutish New Men. High E orders Pietro to tell him why he has come and High E has no reason to trust any who carry the blood of Magneto. Pietro angrily responds that he has little in common with his sire as his mother died on that very mountain, trying to escape him. The Avengers and the New Men trade threats and challenges so High E shows them why he considers their sudden appearance suspicious. An energy beam from the sky had cut through the roof of his citadel, accompanied by a recorded message by Scanner of the Acolytes, announcing that they consider Mount Wundagore a sacred place and High E’s attempts to control evolution an offense to mutantdom so High E is told to abandon his citadel and his heinous research and leave. High E confronts Pietro and Crystal with his suspicions. Pietro responds that Exodus (leader of the Acolytes) is his enemy and he and Crys have only come seeking help for Bova. The mention of Bova strikes a chord in High E’s psyche…

…so soon, the High Evolutionary and New Men companions descend from the citadel to reach her cottage. He mentions his fondness for Bova, his first creation and only survivor of his early experiments. But it is Crystal’s turn to be suspicious, with Bova’s illness, their arrival, and the Acolytes’ threat coming at the same time. At the cabin, Bova expresses gratitude for Fydor’s care for her during this illness. Then the High Evolutionary enters and she is stunned that her Creator has come to see her….

In New York, Taylor Madison and her new roommate Augustine Jones chat, getting acquainted. Taylor explains how she and Hercules have dated but she is not well and doesn’t want to start a relationship that would not have a chance to grow. The telephone rings and Taylor leaves the room, asking Augustine to answer it and if it is Hercules, to tell him she can’t see him. Augustine answers the phone and it is Hercules so she tells him that Taylor will meet him for dinner at a classy restaurant uptown….

High Evolutionary examines Bova and discovers that her illness isn’t organic but she has been systematically poisoned over a period of time. Then Exodus of the Acolytes appears via transmission to reveal that it was part of his ploy to bring High Evolutionary and Quicksilver to this spot to destroy them. And so his agent, Fydor, transforms into a huge monster called Rakkus, and the cabin explodes….