Devil-Slayer is lured by Ian Fate when the villain threatens to kill his estranged wife, as revenge for when he killed Fate's wife and child so long ago. Things take an odd turn and an important life is lost in the crossfires…
Devil-Slayer confronts Ira Gross, a drug addict he took an interest in some time ago. He has been trying to cure him with his telepathy, but Gross still has his cravings. A demon suddenly appears at the door and gives Payne a ransom note for his estranged wife, Cory. Devil-Slayer recalls his origin, in which he started as a soldier in Viet-Nam, and came home with PTSD. He and Cory broke up. He became a hit man for the mob, until he unwittingly killed the family of a reporter, Ian Fate. Fate has since become a sorcerer and wants revenge.
Devil-Slayer leaves Gross, but Gross picks up the ransom note and brings it to Dr. Strange.
Meanwhile, Daimon Hellstrom wanders through the desert. He is being tested by his father, Satan, who wants Daimon to join him as a true doer of evil.
Strange is having a conversation with Beast, who needs help on another matter, when Gross shows up. The two heroes get Simon Williams as a back-up, and go to help Payne.
Devil-Slayer meets Fate, who has Cory at the point of some mystical knives, with some demons at his side. They battle, and Cory is stabbed by the knives--but she is revealed as an illusion, simply to torture Devil-Slayer. Fate then shows that he actually has her in a cage in another dimension, which Payne will never find before she is killed by its native demons.
Nighthawk, Hellcat, Gargoyle, Valkyrie, and Daredevil are celebrating the end of Kyle's problems with the IRS when some men break in, claiming to be from the CIB, a government spy agency Kyle had difficulties with in the past. However, Daredevil can tell they're lying. Before they can fight, the men gas them all, and kidnap all the heroes except Murdock.
Strange, Beast, and Power Man find Devil-Slayer, and use Strange's abilities to find Cory. They travel there, and start to battle their way through a horde of demons to get to her. Strange defeats Fate in a magical battle, but one of the demons manages to kill Cory--until she is once again revealed to be an illusion. This time she was really Ira Gross--but he is truly dead. Devil-Slayer wants to kill Fate in return, but Wonder Man stops him, pointing out that he had, after all, killed Fate's family in the first place. Devil-Slayer leaves in self-hatred.
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