Strange Tales #5 (V2)

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The issue begins with two men working for the New York City Department of Health examining a massive rat infestation in an alleyway. They begin spraying a green gas that sends the rats fleeing. The two men talk about how the citizens in the area have raised an issue in court, claiming that the gases used to kill the rats also have an impact on humans. As they continue to spray and move, a humanoid sized rat can be seen; then speaks to itself about how the humans will pay for what they’re doing.

The scene shifts to Cloak and Dagger in the Holy Ghost Church; and Dagger tries to get Cloak’s attention that people have entered their church. But Cloak, as Tyrone is in a waking sleep state, as he visits the darkness and speaks to the prisoner within him, about being able to stay awake. The prisoner within explains that his power is limited while shackled, and that he must get Doctor Stephen Strange to help free him from the shadows of his cloak. The prisoner is none other than the being known as Nightmare (in disguise) who discovered that his Nightmare Dimension borders the Darkforce Dimension that is inside of Cloak’s darkness.

Inside the church, a man from the Department of Health assures the citizens gathered at this impromptu meeting that there is no reason to be concerned. One of the citizens asks why the men who spray – are covered in an outfit that prevents them from inhaling the poison; and that it’s only sprayed at night, when there’s less chance of an incident with someone who sees them (and less people on the street to inhale the toxins). Just then a woman runs in shouting that their children are being stolen.

Not far, inside one of the rooms, Tyrone is awakened from his slumber by Cloak, who changes into his Cloak form and teleports inside the main area of the church and warns people to leave, for this is his church. The people immediately flee; but Dagger scolds Cloak, saying that the people had gathered at the Church because they were afraid, and that they’re the very people they’re sworn to protect. Cloak and Dagger teleport out to seek out clues to the woman’s accusation that something is stealing children.

Not far, three young kids walk and talk about how they should have taken the bus. When they cut through an alleyway, they’re suddenly attacked by hundreds of rats who bite, rend, and tear into their skin, drawing blood. One of the kids screams and draws the attention of Cloak and Dagger. They get there and there’s only one child; who explains that the other two were forced and pulled down the nearby drain pipe.

Inside the drain pipe, the two children are captured by the humanoid rat, calling himself the Vermin. He shackles them up to a wall, where there are three other children who have been abducted in the same manner. He explains the irony that the gas used to kill the rats is the very same gas that turned him into The Vermin. Cloak and Dagger arrive, and Dagger stuns the rat minions, while Cloak debates the situation; how the Vermin had only used the rats he controlled to keep trespassers away; and that he, like Cloak and Dagger, was changed by a man-made experiment. Cloak sweeps Vermin into the shadows of his Cloak; but only finds that Vermin’s worse fear is his compassion for his rats, and that they’re all dead. Cloak immediately releases him back into the sewer, because he believes Vermin is a victim and not a villain. Vermin reacts by opening the water-valves, which immediately begin flooding the room. Cloak grabs Dagger and the kids (who all hold hands and hold Dagger’s hand, protecting them from the darkness), but Vermin is swept down the drain pipe further, and vanishes in the tides of the water. The kids emerge from the drain pipe, free thanks to Cloak and Dagger.