New Tian, the mutant homeland in Northern California, granted to the mutants under King Xorn by Steve Rogers, Supreme Hydra: mutants Sunfire, Random, and Frenzy stage a violent attack on a Hydra checkpoint at the border, while loudly denouncing Hydra. Superior Octopus arrives and easily takes out Sunfire, allowing the other two to escape back into their city.... At the chambers of the Hydra High Council, Arnim Zola and Dr Faustus call for violent reprisal against New Tian. Steve Rogers instead orders stronger security and decides to allow Sunfire's public trial to play out, which will meet their objectives. Zola disagrees....
In the throne room of New Tian, Xorn's advisers, Beast, Archangel, and Sebastian Shaw, do not know what to make of Sunfire's rash and pointless attack as Frenzy and Random are still missing. Xorn orders Shaw to assemble a team of expendable mutants and rescue Sunfire from the Hydra prison. Magik, Boom Boom, Marrow, and Strong Guy, turned invisible by Magik enter the Hydra prison—where they are quickly discovered. There is a battle with Scarlet Witch, Vision, Taskmaster, and Deadpool which, surprisingly, the mutants win and escape with Sunfire.....
As a response to this new incursion, Rogers, in full Captain America outfit, arranges a face-to-face meeting with Xorn. Once they are alone, we learn that Xorn is only a puppet controlled by Emma Frost. The two had made a deal that Rogers would allow the mutants their reservation if Frost could keep them in line—and now this attack calls that arrangement into question. But she reveals what she discovered from Sunfire's mind—he had been hypnotized by Dr Faustus as part of a scheme to create conflict between Hydra and the mutants. Cap leaves (and we learn that Emma Frost cannot be trusted) and returns to Washington in a blaze of glory for resolving the crisis peaceably. He meets with the High Council and issues a veiled threat against anyone who does not serve Hydra faithfully....