Steve Rogers accompanies Rebecca Quan to a gallery for a show by artist Paige Rand. The show turns out to be a skewering of superheroes with a major piece being a grotesque mannequin of Captain America, wrapped in the flag and barbed wire, hung from a wall. Rebecca mocks the Rand’s pretentiousness and penchant for cheap shots. The artist overhears this and lambastes Rebecca who responds in kind. She and Steve make their exit. On their way home Steve tells her he has to pack for a trip the next day and she startles him by knowing he is going to serve on a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay (having heard it on NPR).
The next day, Captain America arrives at Camp Hasmat in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is taken to see the Muslim prisoners at prayer, on order from the camp commander. In the mess hall, Cap meets General Barron and is introduced to the camp’s CO Colonel John D. Boyle and the other two members of the tribunal Generals Tony MacPherson and Martin Oliver. On learning Cap was in New York at the time of the 9-11 attacks, MacPherson complains that American retaliation was not aggressive enough. Cap is told that former Senator Lester Paley has volunteered to serve as attorney for Fernand Hedayat, the Iranian-born citizen accused of treason.
Outside Cap has a private meeting with Col. Boyle, explaining his orders don’t include intimidating enemy prisoners. When Boyle responds rudely to Cap, the hero tosses him into the bay. Senator Paley comes over and introduces himself and Cap neatly sidesteps an attack from the angry Boyle, hurling him back into the drink. Discussing matters with Cap, Paley points out that many of the prisoners are hardened killers but entitled to due process and reveals that General Oliver, through veiled threats, has been trying to get him to resign. Suddenly Boyle arrives with guards and order Cap placed under arrest. At this tense moment, Cap’s cell phone rings: it’s Rebecca. Steve takes the call and she tells him that Paige Rand learned who Steve was and wants to invite them to dinner; Steve pretends he is talking to a high-ranking official on a matter of national security and hangs up. The situation temporarily defused, Paley and Cap talk about Rebecca and the Senator’s late wife when the sound of alarms and a helicopter pierce the night. Cap and several soldiers rush to investigate a security breach and discover the tortured body of General Oliver, wrapped in barbed wire and hanging from a cactus….