Written by Warren Ellis and Mark Millar; Art by Bryan Hitch, Frank Quietly, Paul Neary and Trevor Scott

In this second collection of Authority stories, the team faces its greatest challenge when a godlike invader returns to Earth after eons of banishment. Fueled by a fury for revenge and destruction, the alien is only narrowly defeated by the Authority. But in victory, the team pays the ultimate price as their leader Jenny Sparks is killed during the battle. With no time to regroup, the leaderless Authority then must take on a super genius and his legion of paranormal soldiers as they attempt to kidnap the infant Spirit of the Twenty First Century.