Is Alpha Flight about ends justifying any means now? Am I supposed to melt the flesh off of all my opponents in the field, or just the ones that have been my friends for years? 
Appearing in "The Weapon X Files"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Wolverine Synthoids.
Other Characters:
- Wolverine (Logan)- (Appears on screen)
- James Hudson- (Appears on screen)
- Heather McNeil- (Appears on screen)
- Michael Twoyoungmen- (Appears on screen)
- Madison Jeffries- (Appears on screen)
- Manbot (Mentioned)
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "The Weapon X Files"
The issue opens with Vindicator in Combat Central who refuses to take part in a combat exercise. A Wolverine Synthoid unsheaths his claws and prepares to attack her anyway. As they begin to fight, "Wolverine" tells Heather that she is beautiful when she is angry. Heather finds the comment to be sexist. The scene expands to include the rest of the room. Heather's opponent is one of 5 Wolverine Synthoids fighting with Alpha Flight. All have metal claws, and all except one are wearing various versions of Wolverine's Suit.
The Guardian is facing his own version of Wolverine, who challenges him to try his luck. Radius is facing the third Wolverine Synthoid. His opponent tries to sound threatening, but Jared finds Wolvie's speaking lines to be very stupid and asks him to shut up. Puck faces the fourth Wolverine Synthoid, who compliments his fighting style but calls him "short stuff". Flex and Murmur have teamed up against the fifth Wolverine Synthoid. They are holding on to his body, but their opponent jumps all the way to the ceiling and manages to transport their weight with no apparent problems. They are quite surprised with how is he able to do this. Wolvie replies that he is the best there is at what he does.
The exercise is observed by General Jeremy Clarke and Chief Engineer Su, who discuss their observations. Clarke is quite impressed and finds that the combatants are faring far better than expected. Su explains that they are customizing their training regiment based on Manbot's performance recordings. This results is building strong individual skill bases. Su however notes that these high level of effectiveness from the Alphans' are the results of the Synthoids' programming to fight as individuals. The Synthoids have not been programmed to fight as a team and to use collective attack strategies, things that would increase their threat level. Clarke does not respond to the observations. He is most impressed with Radius, who shows no fear whatsoever. He thinks it may be time to promote or augment Radius.
Su turns his attention to the Guardian, who appears preoccupied. He thinks that the Guardian may be battling some kind of internal psychic discord. Clarke is more concerned with about Heather, who he finds to be downright uncooperative. He thinks Heather is posing serious problems for them. He suggests that they should supplement her conditioning program to get her in line. Or else she has no future with the team. Clarke then wishes to end the prolonged exercise in order to start prepping Alpha Flight for their next mission. He is using a strategy of gradual revelations to the team, and wants to start the next stage of the process. Su informs Alpha Flight that the termination of the training session is pending. He instructs them to advance to using "kill or be killed" scenarios against the Synthoids.
Radius rejoices at the chance to do some permanent damage to his opponent. He was already using martial arts moves on "Wolverine" and smashed the face of his opponent on the floor. He then tries using his force field in an offensive way, using a move that he calls a "nutcracker special". He concentrates and extends his force field outwards, putting pressure into the Synthoid. The increased pressure crashes the Synthoid, with its body cracking and metallic parts flying out. The move is apparently deadly.
Puck informs his own "Wolverine" that so far they had only been play-fighting so far. He flips the Synthoid over and uses his legs to send it flying. It lands right on Murmur's opponent who was preparing for a killing move. The landing apparently damages both Synthoids and takes them out of the fight. Meanwhile, the Guardian informs his own "Weapon X" that his error was coming here and that this error the Guardian can easily correct. He uses a series of powerful electromagnetic blasts to destroy the Synthoid. Vindicator observes the finishing move of Mac and is quite concerned with his behavior. She observes that he is talking as if he does not even know Logan. He does not seem to remember that Logan is their oldest friend, and destroying this false Logan has no apparent effect on him.
Heather's own opponent is the last Synthoid standing and uses her distraction to go on the offensive. He taunts that maybe the "Little Lady" wants Mac to watch her die before his eyes for a change. He is referring tauntingly to her painful memories of watching her husband die. Heather gets angry and uses her geothermal abilities to destroy the Synthoid. She then accuses Clarke of using her most painful memories as training fodder and that this really sick. Clarke points that it apparently worked, since he has never seen Heather so committed to a training scenario.
Heather accuses Clarke that Alpha Flight under his control has come to serve the ideology of the ends justifying any means. She asks whether he expects her to melt the flesh of all her field opponents or just the ones (like Wolverine) who have been her friends for years. She also takes offense with the very premise of this exercise. In her view this is not training, just a waste of taxpayer dollars, since it teaches the team nothing about defeating the real Logan. Su takes offense at this comment and argues that the Weapon X synthoids are highly representative of Logan. Great lengths were taken to ensure that their individual combat personalities would match all available data on the original Weapon X. Heather accuses Su of not being very bright. He is trying to emulate Wolverine's powers and fighting skills, but they are not what makes him dangerous. It is Wolverine's mind that makes him dangerous.
The angry Heather then gets distracted by a more personal matter. Murmur has noticed that the Guardian is bleeding from his fight with "Wolverine". She acts as being very concerned and caresses him, though Mac claims it is just a little cut from a single claw. A frustrated (and jealous) Heather declares that she has had enough of all of this. She wants nothing to do with the team's next mission. If they want to capture "Weapon X" (Wolverine), they will have to do it without her. She storms out of the room. Outside in the corridors, Heather's angry thoughts are preoccupied with Arlette. She can not believe that this "little hussy" rubs up against Mac, just after Heather and Mac started patching up their strained relationship. She also blames Mac for standing there blank-faced and taking Arlette's treatment. Mac has recently proclaimed his love for Heather, but now seems to be playing the field with Arlette.