While Captain America and the Falcon assist the Army in the mopping up operation at the Royalist complex, they are disappointed to find no trace of the "Big Daddy" Madbomb. General Fist gives the heroes another lead to pursue: missing electronics expert Mason Harding has been located hiding on the East Coast; SHIELD suspects he is involved in the Madbomb conspiracy, and would like the heroes there when he is arrested. Harding may even be the creator of the Madbombs….
Meanwhile, at a seaside estate on the East Coast, Mason Harding is visiting his gravely ill daughter until his minders hustle him away. That night, as Carol Harding broods on her approaching death, Captain America enters her darkened bedroom and is startled to find her there. The lonely young woman is attracted to him and engages her mysterious visitor in conversation; Cap, moved at the thought of such a sweet girl living in a hideout of thugs, arranges to meet her on the beach the next day. Cap leaves and meets with the Falcon, telling him of Carol and his plans to keep her out of harm’s way by arranging for her to meet him while the authorities assault the house.
The next day, Carol arrives at the beach to see Steve come riding on horseback to carry her off. Two of the villains spot her but Falcon quickly takes them out of the picture and then leads the SHIELD attack on the house. Elsewhere on the beach, Steve confesses that with Carol he feels a contentment he hasn’t had in years…until they are harassed by local bullies. Steve stands up to them and chases them off—and Carol reveals that she knows he is Captain America, having finally recognized the costume she saw in the darkened room the previous evening. As Steve confesses his growing feelings for her, she responds with another revelation: she is dying….