Omega the Unknown
stands brooding near the docks of New York when he sees a woman falling
from a bridge. By instinct he flies out and catches her, both of them falling
into the water. Swimming to shore, he builds a fire to warn her, igniting
driftwood with his hand. She thanks him but he can only ask why…
At home, Amber Grant
and Ruth Hart debate whether to send James-Michael Starling back to
public school, Amber’s incessant mockery beginning to provoke James-Michael. At
school he meets his friends Dian Wilkins and John Nedley; Dian offers him a
copy of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. They also encounter Nick
Delbello and his gang, demanding money. JM reasons with him and Nick responds
with threats. Dian says they are harmless—unless they catch you alone. JM
doesn’t know how long he can tolerate this method of instruction….
Back at Gramps’
pawnshop, the woman rescued by Omega panics at the sight of a cat. She tells
them her name is Teresa Mendez and cursed. The local brujo (warlock), El Gato,
was responsible for Teresa’s mother’s death, seeking to profit from selling her
magic items when she needed a heart doctor. Teresa refused to pay El Gato the
money he is owed and so she has been tormented by nightmares, minor troubles,
and major—her fiancé being killed in a traffic accident and the floor of her
apartment collapsing….
In chemistry
class, Nick switches two bottles on the lab table; when James-Michael warns the
teacher, Mr. Lucien, that he has the wrong bottle, Lucien accuses him of
playing some kind of prank. Nedley grabs the beaker and throws it out the
window where it explodes. Lucien takes the two boys to the Principal, accusing
them of having sabotaged the experiment to make him look like a fool. The
Principal, familiar with Lucien’s reputation for obstinacy, sends the boys to
their next class. As James-Michael heads to class, Nedley goes into the rest
room, where he is seized by Nick and his gang who accuse him of informing on them
to the Principal and give him a brutal beating….
Gramps calls
for help to Omega who stops a limousine as it pulls away from the curb. The car
belongs to El Gato, who is taking Teresa away with him. Omega hits him but
there is no reaction; El Gato, however, knocks Omega down with a punch. The
hero hurls a garbage can at the villain, who calls down a clowder of cats to
attack Omega. Gramps opens a fire hydrant and the spray of water scatters the
nasty cats. El Gato allows Omega and Gramps to speak with Teresa and the young
woman, obviously under hypnosis, insists she is going with the brujo under her
own will. They drive off,
leaving Omega and Gramps helpless, with a little mockery from some nearby
kids….