Three Into One

In a Maximum, Inc. experiment gone awry, the minds of three people are united, unleashing a tremendous destructive force.

Kit, Sagan and Sparks make an outing to Vanity Faire- a virtual theme park. Passing over the park in a HyperCruiser is Lynn Wu, a police officer whom Sagan knew at the academy, and a criminal she arrested, Zoner. When the Cruiser nears Val Deckert, a woman attending the theme park, a tremendous force is generated. The three are put in a trancelike state, and glow with an eerie blue light. They break through theme park security, and go on a crime rampage. When the Phantom returns to his Lair, Mr. Cairo appears to him and makes an incredible announcement- the Metropian police force needs the Phantom's help to stop this lawlessness.

Sagan and the Phantom are given a debriefing by Mr. Cairo who indicates that another robbery is in progress. The Phantom and Sagan rush to the scene of the crime. There, Sagan recognizes Lynn as her former academy mate. Lynn states that she no longer exists- she has been absorbed into a collective force with the other two (a force called Triad). We learn that Maximum, Inc., twenty years earlier had experimented with "psionic" powers- the collective energy of multiple brains merged as one. The sum of these minds is greater than that of the parts, yet the results are unpredictable.

The Phantom and Sagan return to Vanity Faire, where they suspect Triad has taken refuge. Lynn, Val and Zoner are working in a basement studio, attempting to construct other Triads. Sagan makes contact with Lynn, who breaks out of her collective mind and recognizes her, before slipping back into her trance again. When Assault Biots arrive and attempt to terminate Sagan, Lynn jumps in the way, sacrificing herself for Sagan. Triad -and the potential to create others- is eliminated.

Sparks, Vain Gloria, Sagan Cruz, Kit Walker, Jr./24th Phantom, Mr. Cairo