Where do the dead belong in the world of the living? For this newest Spawn, moments of peace never come. Winter. Memories of his life as Al Simmons continue to haunt Spawn as more and more realizations about who he was and what he did come into view. Of the most painful is the realization that Al Simmons was murdered and burned by his partner, a fellow mercenary known as Chapel. This realization is one that Clown takes great joy in as he persists in taunting, haunting and tormenting the anguished Hellspawn, trying to push him over the edge.

Meanwhile, Jason Wynn continues his climb for more and more power as he sells his illegal arms to both sides of civil wars, and plots his next sinister move. Among his many concerns are the stolen weapons that were taken by Spawn. The weapons are a loose end that are traceable to Wynn, an oversight he cannot afford to let slip through the cracks. To insure the guns safe return, Chapel is sent to track down the thief, return the arsenal and kill th

Spawn is tortured, and tormented by relentless dreams of Terry sleeping with Wanda. Nightmares where the two of them are happy to be rid of Al Simmons, happy that he's dead. They are the distorted fever dreams of a Hellspawn twisted by the ugly hand of Clown and his boss, Malebolgia. Clown tries to get Spawn to blame Terry for stealing his wife, and ruining his life. Clown will do anything to prod the Hellspawn and turn him into the evil leader of the damned that he was born to be. Meanwhile, Terry is being framed by Jason Wynn because of the private investigation that Terry has been running in order to expose Wynn for selling illegal arms to outlaw countries. The frame-job is clever and air-tight. Terry is in deep trouble. To make matters worse, Wynn sends MERRICK, a company assassin to kill Fitzgerald. Spawn is there every step of the way, tracking Terry, and putting down the hit-men as he goes. He doesn't want anybody else to kill Fitzgerald, because Spawn wants him for himself.

D

Wynn's search for the missing Terry Fitzgerald continues. He sits and meets with Wanda, while outside Merrick and a team of killers waits to ambush Terry when he arrives home. Terry tries to call his wife, but hears Jason is there and hangs up. Confused, panicked, and on the run, Terry wanders not knowing what his next move will be. Back in the alley, drug dealers have invaded and are terrorizing the Spawn protects. Burke and Twitch try to roust the dealers, but have little. It is only after the dealers brutally murder one of the residence of the alley that the Spawn, reluctant to be a hero, becomes involved. One by one the Hellspawn eliminates the dealers until only the leader is left. In a final act of poetic justice, Spawn leaves the lead dealer to the mercy of the inhabitants of Rat City.

Has this Hellspawn found some scrap of humanity within himself? Or is this the act of a predator whose territory has been invaded? Has his basic instinct to kill taken hold of him? He knows he h

A sick and twisted killer who answers to the master, Malebolgia is on a mission of death. The killer is stalking the city in search of minorities and murdering them in the name of cleansing. Little does Spawn know, but this and other evil men are in his mist. They are drawn to the alley because of him. Drawn to the sound of Malebolgia'a whisper. Drawn to the evil that lurks in the shadows. Meanwhile, Wynn is relentlessly pursuing Terry Fitzgerald and keeping a close eye on Wanda in case the traitor shows up to see her. Merrick is convinced that Wanda knows where he is and demands that she be allowed to get the truth out of her. Wynn will not allow it. Instead, he plans to get close to Wanda, have dinner with her, and gain her trust. Maybe then she will let Wynn know where Terry is hiding.

After Wanda contacts Terry, Wynn gets suspicious and sends men to follow her. Spawn has been watching the whole time and when the agents try to attack Wanda, the Hellspawn acts. Spawn takes out the

Jason Wynn is spooked. Some outside force is tampering with his business. He tells Merrick to hire agents outside the agency to track Terry Fitzgerald. Merrick wants to do it herself, but Wynn refuses. Things are getting too close for comfort. He wants to keep the dirty work separate. Merrick begrudgingly agrees to follow the bosses orders. Washington Post reporter LISA WU has stumbled onto story of her life, maybe the story of the decade when she began investing the death of two reporters murdered in Rat City. Her investigation leads her to Senator McMillian, Billy Kincaid and then, strangely to Wanda Blake and her daughter Cyan, Billy's last victim who was rescued. Is there a connection between all of these parties? Lisa intends to find out and she will start with Wanda Blake, and the alley. She manages to bribe some of the inhabitants of the alley and discovers Spawn's hidden weapons, and gets a hot tip on someone named Al.

The police are in an uproar. Too many bodies are showing