Having resigned as Captain America
(last issue), Sam Wilson is living in anonymity in the Northwest. By
means of his mental connection to birds, he is aware of Hydra's
takeover of the USA, led by his former friend Steve Rogers. He is
disgusted by the support for Hydra he hears around him so when he
comes upon a gang of bullies harassing a woman with an Inhuman
daughter, he instinctively fights them off. The woman recognizes him
and appeals to him for help (“If Captain America won't help us, who
will?”). Sam recognizes his new mission. He calls in a bitter Misty
Knight, who arrives with D-Man, and they set up a secret hotline so
they can help fugitive Inhumans escape across the Canadian border.
When Scott Lang arrives asking Sam's help in getting his daughter
Cassie out of the country, Sam tells him that he has no intention of
going back to join Hawkeye's resistance and swears Scott to secrecy
about his new mission...
...and then Scott turns up with
Mockingbird and the Tony Stark AI, asking for a favor....