On the Hydra flying island, Queen Hydra and Baron Zemo make their plans, with the Queen revealing she has a special scheme for overcoming Captain America….
Meanwhile, Captain America is in combat with Batroc the Leaper, and is losing. Suddenly, he is facing a multitude of Batrocs—and he has lost his powers, shrinking into the weakling he once was. As he is crushed under the press of enemies…
…he wakes up. Sharon Carter suggests he see someone about these recurring nightmares he has been having since he fought Codename: Bravo. So Steve goes to his Avengers buddies and consults Tony "Iron Man" Stark, who runs several tests, planning to study the report on the last time Steve lost his powers (seen in STEVE ROGERS, SUPER-SOLDIER). Hawkeye figures Steve is just stressed over Bucky’s death (Clint does not know that Bucky survived his injuries in FEAR ITSELF 3 as outlined in FEAR ITSELF 7.1) and the whole battle with the Worthy. He suggests some adventuring to clear the cobwebs out of Steve’s head. Soon, Cap and Hawkeye are battling clown-masked robbers, whose high-tech weaponry points to the Tinkerer. While on the trail of the criminal inventor, Cap receives a call from Sharon notifying him of a riot downtown. He and Hawkeye head over to try to protect the police from the crazed mob. Examining one of the rioters Cap sees something he recognizes in the man’s eyes and heads for the bar where the riot began. Bursting in, Cap discovers a Madbomb, which is sending waves of madness though the area. Suddenly Cap collapses and, as happened in his dream, shrinks into the powerless Steve. Hawkeye is taken out by an electric blast as the new Serpent Squad—Cobra, Eel, and a new, male Viper—show themselves. They destroy the Madbomb to prevent anyone from studying it and proceed to give the emaciated Captain America a beating….