The Authority (Volume 2) with a cover date of October, 2003. It was published on August 6, 2003.
Synopsis for "High Stakes: Episode One"
This story is reprinted from Stormwatch: Team Achilles #9.
The Authority has just defeated a group of men known as Dice-Men for attacking a city. Apollo interrogates a lone surviving Dice-Man for the reason they had attacked by burning his testicles. With the given information, the Authority travels through the Bleed and enters Alternate 66 to dock at a world-size space casino known as Viceworld. The team confronts the mastermind of the attack, Madorra Chance the owner of Viceworld. She tells the Authority that the attack was a high stakes "game" bet by her bidders from across the multiverse, as accustomed to her station's extreme form of gambling, and the Authority are part of the game. Furthermore, the game is still being played in which Chance has already sent an assault force ten times the size of the previous attack that was launched on Earth. The Authority are forced to return to Earth and Midnighter swears to Chance and the rest of the bidders that they will be dead once he and his team deal with the assault force.
Appearing in "High Stakes: Episode One"
Antagonists:
- Madorra Chance (First appearance)
Locations:
- Alternate 66
- Viceworld
- The Bleed
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "High Stakes: Episode Two"
This story is reprinted from Sleeper #3.
In response to Madorra Chance's "game", the Authority fights her Viceworld army in Las Vegas. The team are successful in fighting the invaders as Madorra Chance observes. She is not concern of the Authority's overwhelming progress as she has a trump card that could even the odds with a bomb known as a Shatterstar.
The Engineer coordinates her team to one of the downed Viceworld ships and acknowledges it possesses a Shatterstar Warhead, a bomb capable of destroying half a continent and is already initiating its detonation sequence. She attempts to infiltrate the warhead's system to deactivate it, but is repelled by its security system. The warhead then ominously radiates, preparing to explode.
Appearing in "High Stakes: Episode Two"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Madorra Chance
Locations:
- Las Vegas
- Viceworld
Items:
- Shatterstar Warhead
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "High Stakes: Episode Three"
This story is reprinted from Wildcats Version 3.0 #8.
At the moment of the detonation of the Shatterstar Warhead, the Authority quickly disposes of it by teleporting it into a section of Viceworld, destroying that section which is the heart of Viceworld's military machine, ending Madorra Chance from making further wars on Earth. The Authority confronts Chance and have the Engineer and the Doctor neutralize Chance's defenses. They begin making short work on Viceworld's forces and Chance is then killed by Midnighter. Thereafter, Jack Hawksmoor makes an announcement to Viceworld's residents and guests into leaving the station as his team have primed several warheads to explode throughout Viceworld. Hawksmoor then finishes his announcement by forewarning the fleeing denizens of Viceworld that the Authority "plays to win."
Appearing in "High Stakes: Episode Three"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Madorra Chance (Dies)
Locations:
- Alternate 66
- Viceworld
Items:
- Shatterstar Bomb
Vehicles:
See Also