I never wanted to be ordinary, y'know? Some clock-punching joke who gets pushed around, has to claw and scrape and beg just to pay the bills, and gets no respect from anyone. Now here I am, forty, and what am I? A fat, balding joke who gets pushed around, has to claw and scrape and beg, and gets no respect. I'm my dad in tights. 
Stormwatch: Post Human Division #2 is an issue of the series Stormwatch: Post Human Division (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 2007.
Synopsis for "Ghosts"
Stormwatch P.H.D. is assigned on their first mission in capturing Russian mob boss, Grigori Tataryn aka The Walking Ghost, who possesses the powers to change density and can become intangible. Tataryn, a Seedling, earned his powers when he was a fireman during the Chernobyl disaster in which the radiation possibly activated his powers. He was among the superpowered criminals who participated in the Battle of First Avenue and escaped after battling against Fahrenheit and Hellstrike.
After sending the rest of P.H.D. to their duties, John Doran privately speaks to Gorgeous and the Machinist. John knows that Gorgeous is the lover of the Ghost and Dino being known to deal with criminals, in which he assigns them to infiltrate Tataryn's mob. This earns protests from the two, which Doran reassures them that their public identities on television were only broadcast to VIPs and other dignitaries until they are released to the public proven that they accomplish a good deed to justice, and as well earning John's trust in them. Gorgeous then immediately realizes that Jackson King organized this plan which she protested to him behind a one-way mirror.
That night, King shares this to his wife Christine Trelane and reveals that Gorgeous' 'hypervigilance' abilities were developed during her childhood while being raised by her abusive parents. Christine reminds Jackson, despite being P.H.D.'s micro-manager, is undermining Doran's authority and as well neglecting his duties in Stormwatch Prime. Jackson replies that Stormwatch is more experienced than the P.H.D. and has other decision-makers which includes his wife.
At the Machinist's home in Astoria, Queens, Dino returns home to his mother and works in his basement workshop. He reflects from his discovery from Doran that Gorgeous is being paid, given that P.H.D. has no grounds in forcing her to work for the P.H.D. as she carefully stayed away from illegal activities. In contrast Dino serves the opposite of Gorgeous' situation in which he is vouched from being imprisoned and only receives room and board. He then receives a phone call from Johnny Too Bad who offers him a chance to meet the Walking Ghost.
Dino is held at shotgun point by the Ghost, who tells him that he is a spy. Dino, nervously, pleadingly explains to Tataryn that ever since fleeing from First Avenue he needs the mob boss' protection from his former employer Slaughterhouse Smith, who despises people who run out on him like Dino, and is willing to work for him by providing him with advanced technology. After hearing from Johnny Too Bad and Gorgeous, Tataryn concedes to hiring Dino's service.
At the 18th Precinct, Paris trains with Fahrenheit in physical combat. Lauren complains to Paris that ever since losing her powers, she also lost her career and friends from Stormwatch Prime. Paris then cuts her rant short in which he helpfully suggests to her to find a counselor who can talk to. But Lauren declines Paris' advice and resumes their training.
Dino participates in a heist with John Too Bad and the Ghost's post-human adjutant Dirty Bomb, who has the power to make explosions. While fighting off Spartan robots, Dirty Bomb shows his admiration to Dino and explains that his past as the Machinist inspired him into becoming a scientist, which in turn led him experiencing a radioactive spill that gave him his powers. Following the heist, Dino presents Tataryn A.I. chips that can be installed in any Spartan robots and making them to fall under his control. Tataryn is impressed with Dino's handiwork and has earned his trust.
The entire P.H.D. team lay out what they know about the Ghost's underlings. John is still certain that the P.H.D. is inexperienced to stand up against Tataryn's forces in which he suggests needing Stormwatch Prime's intervention. However, Gorgeous tells him that the Ghost will be leaving for Russia sooner than Stormwatch Prime's return from their mission in Afghanistan. This convinces John to lead the P.H.D. to take down the Ghost themselves.
At the Foxxxy Lady nightclub, P.H.D. take action in which Dino sprays Dirty Bomb with a specialize retardant foam, Gorgeous tricks the Ghost to suffocate from carbon monoxide, and Paris and Fahrenheit easily subdue Johnny Too Bad. Just as Doran and police officers stormed the nightclub, Tataryn quickly regains conscious and helps free Dirty Bomb, allowing him to create an explosion before everyone inside escape.
John later reports to Jackson of P.H.D.'s actions in which no one was seriously injured at the scene. Despite Tataryn and Dirty Bomb's escape, Jackson tells John that he is impressed with P.H.D.'s action and that the operation was not an entire lost as the Ghost's mob is in shambles, Johnny Too Bad is in custody, and Tataryn is forced on the run. Furthermore, Jackson's superiors are convinced to fund a second P.H.D. unit in Las Vegas, in which Jackson offers John and his team to train the new unit.
Appearing in "Ghosts"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Walking Ghost (Grigori Tataryn) (Flashback and main story)
- Johnny Too Bad
- Dirty Bomb (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Hellstrike (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Earth-50
- New York City, New York
- NYPD 18th Precinct
- Astoria, Queens
- New York City, New York
Items:
- Spartan robots
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Stormwatch: Post Human Division series
- Images from Stormwatch: Post Human Division Vol 1 2