[miketime]

Cable: Blood & Metal Limited Series #1 October 1992
"At Last! X-Force's Mysterious Leader In His Own Limited Series!" Page 48
Inks over pencil on Marvel Comics art board
Pencils: John Romita Jr
Inks: Dan Green
Letters: Bill Oakley

The Blood & Metal mini-series takes place between X-Force #'s 15 and 16. The series chronicles why the members of the Six Pack* (formally Wild Pack) have such a grudge against there old leader Cable. This 2 issue series had no advertisements.

*Formerly known as the Wild Pack, Six Pack changed their name after threatened with legal action by Silver Sable and the Symkarian government.

Kane projects a hologram of the footage he has of Stryfe removing his helmet...only to see Cable under it! (This is from X-Force #10) Nathan looks genuinely surprised as Blood & Metal part one comes to an end.

Present day, a Paris France museum's peace has been disturbed by members of the Mutant Liberation Front. They teleport in and immediately take out the guards and begin looking for an artifact for Stryfe. They come upon the piece they need - a sword with likeness to Apocalypse. Sumo grabs it and then is shot in the head. The MLF are stunned; not only because Sumo is dead, but that Cable shot him and he seems to be acting alone. The fight is too quick, as the MLF runs back through Zero's teleportation field before anyone else can become a casualty. Cable retrieves the sword thinking why would Stryfe, be interested in the past when he is always focused on the future?

In Canada, G.W. Bridge meets up with General Clark at a secret facility to see what has become of Garrison Kane. Kane has been upgraded and now uses his cybernetics better than ever. Bridge shows Kane video of the Paris museum attack, clearly showing Cable fighting the MLF, something Kane doesn't understand since he saw Cable leading the MLF. To figure this mess out, the two men decide to get at Cable through their old friends the Wild Pack.

Present. Kane approaches Hammer now in a wheelchair and informs him that they are going after Cable. Hammer lists a bunch of safe-houses that Cable used and states that this information comes with a caveat: Kane needs to put a bullet in Cable's spine.

Cable takes the Paris sword to Egypt where a friend, Benehi takes a look at it. Benehl says that the sword isn't special, but it does bear a resemblance to pieces of art found throughout history. Cable sees that past robberies by the MLF have occurred where these artifacts have been. Benehl tells Cable where the last two artifacts remain. One in Japan and the other in Egypt.

Cable waits three days in Egypt before the MLF show up. He's able to wound a few, but they scamper back to Stryfe before he can get anyone in custody to talk.

Seven years in the past: Tolliver's go-between informs the Wild Pack that they do have another mission, but that they must change their name first - someone else has the rights. Kane, in looking for some beer, unintentionally renames the team when he finds a six pack. The Six Pack rolls out. Their mark is an opium route in Afghanistan. They find it odd that such large weaponry would be used to protect a simple drug trafficking route. Upon further investigation, Domino finds a hidden hatch. They enter and find a very high tech bunker. They meet resistance and quickly take the opposition out. The rest of the team is concerned about breaking their contract with Tolliver. Cable, however, wants to press forward. As they do, Stryfe appears.

The present: Kane marches up snowy slope in Switzerland. Cable is inside a cabin trying to figure out the riddle of the artifacts that Stryfe is after. Before any conclusions can be made, Kane bursts into the cabin and begins a battle with his former team leader. Kane rockets Cable from the cabin but the snow masks any body heat tracing capabilities of Kane's hardware. Too bad, because Kane gets rocked by a tree and sent tumbling over a cliff. Clinging to the side, he grabs a hold of Cable. Cable threatens to cut Kane loose unless he tells him why he's come after him. Kane shows a holographic video image of Stryfe. Cable stares in shock as the villain removes his mask to reveal Cable's face.