Synopsis / Summary / Plot
While in Japan rescuing Maya Lopez from the Hand the New Avengers killed their leader Elektra and discovered she was a Skrull replacement. Flying back to the US in Danny Rand (Iron Fist)'s corporate jet they began to wonder if any of *them* was a Skrull, but an EMP caused their plane to crash near Chicago and against the others' wishes Spider-Woman took the Skrull body for Iron Man of the 'enemy' Mighty Avengers to study.
Now the others are in a Chicago hotel room shielded from casual observers by a spell from Dr Strange. Danny asks Clint Barton (ex-Hawkeye, currently the martial arts Ronin) where he learned to fight like he did against the Hand. Clint remembers how Captain America taught all the Kooky Quartet plus 2 how to fight without relying on their powers/skills. They learn on the TV News that the MAv (in their #2-6) have been fighting Ultron again (this time in a female body created from Iron Man!). The robot was destroyed by the EMP that brought down their plane.
Luke Cage now renews his suspicion that at least 1 of them is also a Skrull, focusing now on Spider-Man who he reminds them was a staunch support of Iron Man and Superpower Registration during Civil War (and last issue there was some consensus that Tony Stark was therefore a Skrull). Spidey offers to leave but Clint and Danny try to calm the pair down. Danny says that Spider-Woman was obviously a Skrull because she took the body, but Wolverine points out that if she wanted to destroy the evidence she would have had to kill them too. Cage is still after SM and tells the others not to let him leave, but DrS shuts him up with a spell. Maya answers a knock on the door to let room service wheel in a huge trolley of food despite the fact that she seems to be the only occupant because Strange's spell keeps the others invisible. Luke has his voice back and they start to tuck in. But tensions are still high.
Meanwhile over in a warehouse in Hell's Kitchen in New York Leland Owlsley (the Owl) has called together Crimson Cowl, Jonas Harrow, Madame Masque and the Wizard who are all suspiciously pointing guns at him. He tells them he has something 1 of them might want to buy. But as insurance he has taken out assassination contracts on them which will come into force if he doesn't cancel them within 24 hours. He shows them a Deathlok cyborg in a containment tube and clicks a switch to prove with a growl that he's alive. Whoever buys him could use him as a weapon or dissect him to decipher his technology.
But suddenly the meeting is interrupted by a man who tells them that this auction hasn't been authorised. From now on all criminal activity will answer to his boss. Owl replies that he never answered to Kingpin or Hammerhead and he's not going to start now. But then a voice whispers in his ear that he will be made an example of. And a man in a red hooded cloak appears in midair firing 2 guns that kill Owlsley. The other 4 villains fire wildly but the hooded man has gone. His emissary remains to assure them that Owl didn't have any contracts out on them because he has no money or gang. He got out of jail 3 days ago, killed 4 SHIELD Agents to get the cyborg, rented a truck and unloaded it here himself.
At the same time in Stephen Strange's Greenwich village Sanctum (currently disguised as a dilapidated building awaiting demolition) Luke Cage's wife Jessica Jones and baby child Danielle are anxiously waiting with Wong for the others to return. And they arrive via a spell from the Sorcerer Supreme. Luke introduces Jessica and Maya to each other. Clint asks Maya if she wants her Ronin outfit back but she says he can keep it because she doesn't need it anymore (she'd been infiltrating the Japanese underworld for the Avengers).
Jessica asks where Spider-Woman is and there's an awkward silence. Iron Fist, Ronin, Spider-Man and Wolverine signal their intention to leave. Luke still won't tell his wife what happened, but Logan says they can't trust each other. Strange reminds them that (in #30) before they left for Japan Luke was already suspicious that there might be a traitor amongst them so he cast a spell that would have caused anyone deceiving them to have an allergic reaction (at the time they didn't notice Spider-Woman grimace). But he admits he can't guarantee it would have affected a Skrull. However he offers the use of his house as their meeting room, and anyone who wants to stay here can. Cage advises them to take a day to clear their heads and meet here again tomorrow evening. The 4 leave.
Luke, Jess and the baby are already staying in the Sanctum. In their private room Jessica demands again to know what's going on. Luke points out how much she's changed recently:- She gave up being a PI, had a baby, stopped drinking and married him. (And we know from last issue that Luke is suspicious about anybody who's changed a lot because they might be a Skrull replacement.)
Wolverine wanders into a bar he frequents. The owner Hank isn't glad to see him because it cost a lot to repair the claw marks from his last visit. Logan tries to pump him for information but Hank says it's more than his life's worth. Logan points out the bar's empty of eavesdroppers and Hank lets slip there's someone in the back room. Logan threatens to scrape the bartop and Hank says it's Parker Robbins, the Hood, who Wolvie's never heard of.
Logan heads for back and hears 2 men discussing programming Deathlok to attack the (Mighty) Avengers in Avengers Tower. The Sentry might just fly the cyborg to the Sun but Hood can ensure that the underworld knows it was him behind it. Then Wolverine kicks the door off its hinges and enters with claws extended. Hood goes invisible so Logan threatens his accomplice and warns the invisible other that he can still smell him. So Hood becomes visible and attacks.