Sleeper (Volume 2) #9 is an issue of the series Sleeper (Volume 2) with a cover date of April, 2005. It was published on February 23, 2005.
Synopsis for "Déjà Vu All Over Again"
Cole Cash (aka Grifter) is medically examined by I.O. at the behest of Marc Slayton. Cole is hired by Slayton on a specific task. After Grifter left from I.O.'s New York facility, Holden, Pit Bull and Blackwolf are observing him and are tasked in capturing Cole.
Holden narrates that Tao wants to break Grifter's will again by brainwashing him into shooting John Lynch just as before. But this time, Tao wants to kill Lynch. Holden has decided to stopping this.
Yesterday, Holden tried to talk Tao out of manipulating Grifter and pointed out his mental training could block out Tao's abilities, which could endanger Tao's life once he is alone with Grifter. Tao, however, has this planned out as he kept the gun that shot Lynch, with Grifter's fingerprints on it. And if Grifter remembers everything and touches Tao his own ego will stop him from killing Tao. So forth that if he touches Tao, he will be manipulated into shooting Lynch.
In the present, Holden and the Hounds have lost track of Cole in an alley. The trio prepares to fight but are then shot at by Cole. After the three are subdued, Grifter approaches Holden and demands answers but he is then shocked into unconsciousness by Holden's powers.
Cole awakens in a dark interrogation room and finds him face to face with Tao. His mind is easily controlled by Tao, who asks Cole about his meeting with I.O. The Prodigals observe the interrogation in another room, where Holden needs to derail Tao's plans. He has Miss Misery for his "back-up" and excuses himself in supposedly getting drinks. Holden intends to steal the gun that shot Lynch and let it fall into Lynch's hand before Grifter walks into I.O. under Tao's control, thus ruining the assassination. By doing so, Holden has Misery release the lock to the vault where the gun is kept and making sure Tao's security is off guard and distracted.
Later, Holden, disguised as a taxi driver, drops off an unwitting Cole. Hours later, Lynch receives a package containing the gun with a note from Holden to examine the gun's ballistics and fingerprints.
Meanwhile, Tao is watching over and over the recordings of Holden's theft in bed with Miss Misery, who in fact secretly betrayed Holden. Tao then tells Misery that Holden has to be dealt with much sooner than he had planned.
Appearing in "Déjà Vu All Over Again"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- John Lynch
- Deathblow (Flashback only)
- WildC.A.T.s (Flashback only)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles: