Synopsis
This issue's flashback interview is with the team's PR woman Kate Kildare, interviewed by Pepper Potts. She's pushy and abrasive, but plays down her brilliance. Henry Hellrung recommended her for the job. They dated when he was a TV star, but he was too busy being a playboy to take it further. When he was fired for being an alcoholic she helped him professionally to get his life back on track.
Top of Kate's to-do list now is to deal with the sex-tape that an ex-boyfriend of Becky Ryan is threatening to sell.
In San Bernardino County a tortoise gets angry when a car nearly hits it. It sheds its shell and turns into a monster which trashes the car. Mullholland and Supernaut are sent to investigate. Milo Fields doesn't want to believe the report of a giant lizard, but Mulholland Black mentions a Hopi legend of underground lizard people. And Supernaut's only other explanation is that the car spontaneously fell apart.
Meanwhile Tony Stark takes Henry Hellrung to view a potential new HQ for the Order, since the City Council is evicting them from the Bradbury Building. Henry doesn't like the Demeter because it's too far out in Hollywood Hills. But Tony buys the place anyway.
In #2 the body of ex-member Avona was discovered. Last issue Holly used her psychic power to learn that the other fired members had something to do with her death. Calamity and Veda are now waiting to meet 1 of them Corona/Carlos Carvalho outside his home in Boyle Heights. Corona is late so Calamity breaks in to his apartment to find him held prisoner and being tortured by a gang of 5 super-powered females called the Black Dahlias. Each of them has a tattoo symbolising this.
Their leader, a swordswoman labelled Cut, tells bruiser Diesel to deal with James Wa. She throws him out through the wall. Cut's sword is intelligent (like Avona's was), and it identifies Calamity and Veda of the Order. Cut orders an attack.
Back at the Bradbury Kate tells Hera/Pepper Potts she's found a solution to the Becky Ryan problem, but it won't be exactly legal. She's heard that Becky's father lied about her age to get her into beauty/talent competitions she wasn't eligible for. She's 1 year younger than claimed, so the sex tape was illegal when it was made. Kate doesn't care that this information will also ruin Becky's exploitative father. Hera reluctantly gives her OK before returning to managing the Black Dahlia situation.
Calamity is being chased by the Dahlia's own speedster. But Drang also has a kinetokinesis ability which allows her to mentally hurl a barrage of small objects at Wa's retreating back, bringing him down. Carrie is attacking Veda's golems with electricity and Cut is chopping away at them when Maggie sees another Dahlia Lisa aiming a pistol at James. But Hera has called in reinforcements from the desert. Supernaut blocks the path of the bullet and Mulholland launches an attack with her energy mallet.
But Holly and Cut recognise each other. And the shock makes Mullholland abort her attck and crash to the ground. The Dahlia's gather round Drang who gives them a high-speed exit.
Documentary evidence about Aralune's age is given to the media. Becky is unhappy about what this means for her father and her career. Kildare says she'll have to relinquish some of her titles, but her career in the Order and in showbiz will survive - much better than if the sex tape had been publicly aired. It is now illegal to show it.
Supernaut prepares to take the wounded Calamity back to base. Veda shouts at Mulholland for screwing up again. But Holly reveals a Black Dahlia tattoo on her breast - she used to be a member of that gang.