Synopsis
Most of the current team have been captured by Norman Osborn's alliance of AIM, HAMMER, Hand and Hydra. We follow some of them here in their captivity.
Captain America is the prisoner of Madame Hydra, who tells him that Osborn's forces are now going after the New Avengers too, and then they'll try recruiting from the Avengers Academy. She continues Osborn's claim that it is the Avengers who are evil and power-mad.
She also tries to tempt Spider-Woman back to her old role as an agent of Hydra. During her interactions with the heroes her insanity shows through.
Iron Man is trapped in a zero-point energy bubble by AIM, their Supreme Scientist Monica Rappaccini, and renegade SHIELD scientist Carolina Washington. They are attempting to extract his armour, which these days is bonded to him. There's obvious friction between Rappaccini and Washington.
Some miniaturised Hydra agents, working with Rappaccini and AIM, attempt to extract a sample from inside the comatose Red Hulk, but they're beaten back by his antibodies. (And he may not be as comatose as they think.)
There are only 2 members of the Avengers team still on the loose.
Quake has tracked down the man who planted Osborn's holographic projector at the Avengers press conference in #19-20 and 'persuades' him to lead her to Osborn.
Vision returns to Avengers Mansion, where there is a crowd protesting against the Avengers, in direct contrast to the scene in #19-20. Osborn is there again, this time apparently the real deal. He turns Vision solidly immovable (presumably using the info on superheroes Washington brought with her).
Meanwhile the President and his cabinet are discussing Osborn's claim in #20 that the current Avengers deposed him from his legally-sanctioned position as head of the Avengers and SHIELD/HAMMER, and that he has since then been illegally held without trial. They have to admit that this is all technically true. And that Osborn has a power base and a lot of popular support. The President prepares to make a deal with him.