1945: Despondent over the failure of
Hydra to control the Nazis, Steve Rogers is brought by Elisa Sinclair
to The Keep, the Hydra training school he attended as a youth. There,
he learns that his mother is still alive and he is reunited with her,
Elisa explaining that they lied to him for his own good....
In Bagalia, Maria Hill hacks into
Taskmaster's computer, finding the secret he was trying to sell her
before he disappeared: that Steve Rogers—Captain America—is a
Hydra agents. Hydra hitmen show up and pursue her. The only person
she can think of able to warn the world that Captain America is Hydra
is super-hacker Rick Jones....
Meanwhile, the Cosmic Cube having been
shattered into fragments, Baron Zemo has Eric Solveig and the Fixer
working to reconstitute it. Solveig wants to restore the Cube to its
form as the little girl Kobik. Zemo berates him for his
sentimentality and leaves. When the missing fragment of the Cube is
reported found, Solveig shoots Fixer and transports his precious
Kobik far far away....
Baron Zemo heads to where he has the
captive Bucky Barnes tied to a drone plane of the type that killed
his father in 1945 (issue #13). Zemo then plays for Bucky a tape
Steve made, revealing his allegiance to Hydra and bidding him
farewell. Zemo then hits the launch button....
1945: Elisa Sinclair explains to Steve
how the Allies will use the new Cosmic Cube to alter the outcome of
World War 2 and subsequent reality: she tells Steve that only he will
remain aware of the “true” history—wherein Steve is Hydra and
all that, biding his time until the time is ripe for Hydra to
return...
...and that time is now. Cap's plan
moves ahead: Dr Faustus captures the SHIELD Helicarrier Crescent by
mind-controlling the crew. Maria Hill reaches Rick with Cap's secret,
but he checks with Cap first and is easily persuaded that Hill is
lying and he sends Cap the access codes for the new Planetary Defense Shield—then he is
assaulted by Black Ant. Cap is upset that they have lost the Cosmic Cube but Madame
Hydra (Elisa Sinclair) assures him that their plans can move forward.
Eric Solveig kills himself. A Hydra suicide bomber destroys the
Defense Shield's main station, shutting down the Shield. The rocket
carrying Bucky Barnes explodes. The Chitauri forces approach Earth.
Supervillians invade downtown Manhattan. And Cap, his identity
obscured, addresses Hydra Agents worldwide, telling them that their
hour is at hand....