Grayson #7

Issue Details

Synopsis

SIN BY SILENCE Despite readings of an incoming aircraft to Jordanian airspace, the Royal Airforce pilots are unable to see it, as Matron sneaks right past them at three hundred knots. She is on edge, though, as the Fist of Cain terrorist group plans to attack Tel-Aviv, and her partner, Agent 37 has gone missing. Mister Minos warns that her priority should be retrieving the Paragon's brain from the Fist of Cain without alerting the local authorities. In the meantime, Dr. Netz and Dr. Ashemore will look for Dick. Dr. Ashemore, in fact, manages to hack into Dick's Hypnos implant, and uploads visual files from its memory to Helena. From these, she learns that Dick is being held prisoner somewhere by Midnighter - who has put Dick's implant into his own head.   As Dick tries to convince Midnighter of the value in his cause - preventing the madness bomb from going off in Tel-Aviv, the Gardener appears in the cell with him, warning that Midnighter can't hear him. In his mind, Dick represents lies and treachery, while she represents care and affection. Midnighter would not trust Dick even if he could hear him through the glass.   Helena lands in Tel-Aviv, where she and Dr. Ashemore use her Hypnos to create an interrogation uplink with Dick's in Midnighter's head. His mind is instantly flooded with the understanding of what is about to happen in Israel, even as the Gardener warns Dick that the attack will be a necessary sacrifice to serve as an example for humanity. Dick responds that he knows she's not a cold and heartless machine as she was made to be. She has compassion, and she can prevent herself from blaming the world for the evils of a few. From the other side of the glass, Midnighter shouts that Gardener has to let him go to Tel-Aviv to help. He believes Dick is telling the truth.   The attack is to happen at a concert in Raben Square by a band called Sin by Silence, and Helena wanders through the crowd, nursing a headache from the uplink. As the lead singer addresses the crowd, his words clue Helena in to the fact that the band is a front for the Fist of Cain. She collapses, under psychic attack that begins affecting the crowd, bringing out their base and violent tendencies. Fortunately, Dick and Midnighter both arrive on the scene and Dick insists on going after the Paragon's brain while Midnighter works crowd control. When he spots Helena near the front of the crowd, he attempts to collect her, but her Hypnos has failed to protect her, and she has succumbed to the violence as well. He gets her a safe distance from other people, and she explains that the nearer she is to the Paragon's brain, the less she can do to prevent the psychic influence. He, on the other hand, should be okay, since he's such a good person. She kisses him, clearing her head, and sends him back after the brain alone.   Midnighter, meanwhile, stops a falafel chef from killing his brother, and takes the knife for himself. Its heft appeals to him, and he ignores Dick's warnings, hurling the weapon at the leader of Sin by Silence. Dick manages to leap onto the stage and deflect the knife, attempting to disable the band members and collect the brain.   Helena stops a young man from beating an elderly man and attempts to help the gentleman up, only to discover that she has rescued Fleischer; the leader of the Fist of Cain. This attack was his plan. He wraps his fingers around her neck, squeezing, but suddenly falls backward as he takes a bullet to the head, thanks to Mister Minos - who is inexplicably in Tel-Aviv instead of at Headquarters.   After collecting the brain, Dick is filled with the same hatred as everyone else, and nearly smashes it on the stage. He realizes, though, that doing so would only feed the violence of the people gathered there. He would have to change his attitude. He thinks of everything that matters to him - his family - and changed the brain's mind.   Later, Dick reports these events back to Batman before being debriefed by Mister Minos. Despite his saving Helena's life, he behaves as though he was never in Tel-Aviv, calling the mission a complete success. However, with the Fist of Cain out of the picture, they will have to focus their attentions elsewhere - likely to Checkmate. Afterwards, Dick walks Helena back to her room at St. Hadrian's, as she explains that her memory has gaps in it, thanks to the psychic attack. Dick learns with disappointment that she has forgotten the passionate kiss they shared.   Meanwhile, on the God Garden, Midnighter warns that he can't work for someone whose agenda trumps the lives of innocents. While he doesn't intend to destroy her today, he is leaving.