Hydra now controls the United States of
America. Young Jason McAllister goes to school and learns the “new”
history of the world, where Hydra won WW2 but the allies used a
Cosmic Cube to create the “Great Illusion” that they had won and
now Captain America has put history right again. Meanwhile, his
brother Brian is arrested for being an unregistered Inhuman (he
vomits up a Captain America lunchbox for his brother—the weirdest
moment in the book)....
Captain Marvel, trapped in space with
her allies by the Planetary Defense Shield and vulnerable to the
Chitauri invaders, issues a desperate call to Earth for aid....
In Las Vegas, Rayshaun Lucas is pursued
by the authorities as he tries to link up with the Resistance; once
the heroes are sure he is for real, Hulk (A. Cho) and Spider-Man (M.
Morales) help him flee the Hydra Dreadnoughts and escape via a
borrowed Fantasti-car....
In Denver, a giant monster threatens
the city. Captain America faces it alone and he tells the beast to
leave or face his wrath. The monster laughs so Cap assembles the
Avengers, led by Thor (Odinson) and the Scarlet Witch and they make
short work of the creature. This victory is celebrated over the
airwaves along with accounts of how Hydra is suppressing crime,
boosting the economy, and negotiating lucrative trade deals with
foreign nations. Meanwhile, the Hydra Council is discussing the real
issues, mind control, keeping the Inhumans at bay in their own little
republic, expanding detention facilities—and the viral video of the
Resistance heroes' flight from the Dreadnoughts. Cap is pressured to
make a show of strength to counter rebellion and disloyalty but Cap
doesn't want to be the head of a prison state...
Rayshaun is brought to the Resistance
HQ hidden in the Nevada desert. The leaders, Hawkeye and Black Widow, are suspicious of their new visitor until he mentions that he is
bringing a flash drive full of vital information given to him by Rick
Jones....
Cap goes to dinner with the bitter
Sharon Carter and while he tries to convince her that Hydra has only
the nation's best interests at heart she cannot forgive his betrayal
of her and their friends. She appeals to him to spare Rick Jones. Cap
visits Rick in prison where he appeals to his old friend to come over
to Hydra so he can be rehabilitated instead of executed. Rick
refuses, sardonically reminding Cap that he has always been Rick's
hero....
In Nevada, Rayshaun is brought to the
Tony Stark AI who is so discouraged and distracted by the weight of
all of the Resistance's tech needs and the impossibility of their
mission that he tosses the flash drive into a bin and gets back to
trying to fix the building's air conditioning. Nearby Hawkeye is
equally discouraged and Black Widow builds him up with reassurance
and kisses....
Cap visits Madame Hydra who is working
on keeping Dr. Strange locked in the Dark Dimension with the rest of
New York. Steve himself is a bit discouraged with Arnim Zola and Dr
Faustus plotting against him. She advises him to make a great show of
strength....
Cap goes on the air and addresses the
nation about the challenges facing Hydra—meanwhile, Rick Jones is
executed by firing squad and Nevada sees the arrival of the tentacled
Hydra Helicarriers....
RobFJ - These are tie-ins that belong with this issue:-
Occupy Avengers #8
Hawkeye has left his team to join the Underground, but they continue without him rallying people to oppose Hydra.
Occupy Avengers #9
It's the last issue but the team, without Hawkeye, go down fighting against the overwhelming odds of Hydra.
Ultimates2 #7
The team are trapped outside Earth's defence shield along with many other heroes. The Chitauri can't get through the shield but the heroes have to defend Alpha Flight space station. Captain Marvel fails to find a way to negate the shield. America Chavez finds Galactus but he's too weak to help.
Secret Warriors #1
Quake recruits Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur and Ms Marvel to rescue Inferno and Karnak from a concentration camp for Inhumans. A flashback shows how Hydra-Cap arranged the death of her previous team, composed of some survivors from the 1st Secret Warriors series.
Secret Warriors #2
Karnak wants the team to find someone important who he believes is with the X-Men. But along the way Hydra sends the monster Howling Commandos after them.
SE: Brave New World #2 (Patriot story)
Rayshaun Lucas becomes the new Patriot with help from AI Tony Stark and a Black Widow AI. (Before his role in Champions #11.)
Deadpool #32
DP is working for Hydra because he trusts Steve Rogers and his daughter gets a good life. He hunts down resistors, in this issue specially Speedball. But when he finds the Resistance base in the Mount he lies to Hydra about it. (The app of Quicksilver suggests this is before Pietro leaves on the Cosmic Cube hunt at the end of SE#2 or after he returns in SE#5 - but Hydra knows about the Mount in that issue.)
Deadpool #33
DP can't decide to quit Hydra.