1940: Young Steve Rogers has been
inducted into Project Rebirth by Dr. Abraham Erskine, to try to make
a super-soldier of him....
Now: At the funeral of Jack Flag, Cathy
“Free Spirit” Webster breaks down and has to be comforted by
Sharon Carter, Rick Jones congratulates Steve on being named new
Director of SHIELD. Steve stops Peter Quill to talk....
1940: Erskine has Steve over to his
home for dinner and when the professor returns from the kitchen he
finds himself staring into the barrel of a pistol wielded by his test
subject....
Now: Steve asks Quill if he has tried
to dissuade Carol Danvers—Captain Marvel—from her new course of
action. Carol's plan is unveiled the next day: the Planetary Defense
Shield to protect Earth from alien menaces—a device turned over to
her by the fugitive Maria Hill....
1940: Erskine tries to convince Steve
that he is no killer and to put the gun down. Steve wavers, then
Erskine is fatally shot—but the bullet came from the gun of Helmut
Zemo, Steve's friend and handler, knowing that with Erskine dead,
they will have to put into his place a Hydra scientist—Arnim
Zola....
Now: Captain America relates their
entire history to the captive Baron Zemo, trying to overcome the
latter's brainwashing which has long convinced him that he and
Captain America have always been enemies. Cap finally demonstrates
his trust in his old friend by releasing him from his cell. The two
men embrace and Zemo asks, “Where do we begin?”....
In Sokovia, the Red Skull surveys the
devastation caused by SHIELD bombers and tells Crossbones that they
are winning....
Avril (new Quasar) Kincaid, out with her girlfriend
Joy, has a sudden seizure: a vision crashing through her mind reveals
the location of the Thunderbolts—and Kobik....
Bagalia: Taskmaster watches the
security footage from the air cruiser that crashed in issue #2 of
this series; he sees Captain America say “Hail Hydra” and his
buddy Black Ant sees opportunity for riches....
1940: Steve Rogers continues in Project
Rebirth under the supervision of Arnim Zola who tells Steve that the
allied super-soldier will be Hydra's greatest spy....