Synopsis
Silver Surfer came back to Earth for Rick Jones' wedding (Hulk #417-418). Last issue he visited the Fantastic Four to inform Johnny Storm of the death (in #75) of his former love Frankie Raye (Nova). There he learned that Reed Richards was (Marvel) dead (FF#381) and his scientist place on the team taken by Ant-Man (Scott Lang) while new leader Susan Richards was convinced Reed was still alive somewhere but she wasn't around at the moment. And Thing's face had been scarred by Wolverine (in FF#374). At the end of the issue AM announced he'd detected some dangerous seismic event and the 3+1 set off for Monster Island as convenient for subterranean access.
Now they approach in the Fantasti-Car with SS of course riding his cosmic surfboard. They understand the Mole Man has given the surface of the island for the use of Warlock's Infinity Watch, but they're not that sure Adam Warlock will be any easier to deal with than Harvey Elder. But they're attacked by 2 large monsters. The biggest 1 plucks Surfer off his board while a flying lizard causes Thing to fall out of the Car and land in front of a smaller reptiloid, and pilot AM to crashland.
We learn that the attackers are controlled by Mole Man who has accepted Warlock's gang onto his island but won't tolerate his hated enemies the FF. While Surfer, Human Torch and Thing battle respectively the giant monster, the flying lizard and the reptiloid, MM's Moloids take unconscious Scott from the Fantasti-Car. The heroes are losing but suddenly the monsters and Moloids stop what they're doing and leave.
Adam Warlock, with Drax The Destroyer by his side, has told Elder to call them off and apologise to the others. He reminds Harvey that under their agreement he and the Watch would defend the surface. MM points out that recently they have allowed the island to be invaded by UN troops (W&IW#14,22) and the Avengers (W&IW#26-27), and he walks off in a huff.
Revived Ant-Man explains their quest to Warlock who agrees for them to descend into the caverns (which I think Mole Man *would* object to), but claims that he and the Infinity Watch are too busy to help them. But while the others gather their gear from the crashed Car, Adam takes Norrin Radd aside for a chat.
Adam reminds him of how they shared souls (in Soul World in Infinity Gauntlet #6). Norrin deeply regrets having been exposed to such an emotionless soul as Adam's, but Warlock claims that it is Surfer's soul that is at risk here. He mentions Norrin's nobility, guilt, responsibility, his longing for Shalla-Bal and his grief over the death of Nova. But he also senses a looming danger to his soul. To learn more they must merge minds again. SS reluctantly agrees. Warlock then foresees pain, and temptation in the form of power, greed and lust. But he cannot tell who the powerful enemy is behind it all.
Surfer then rejoins the FF 3 as Gamora asks Adam if he's *sure* he can't help SS. Our heroes descend into the Earth. And we see something mechanical killing subsurface dwellers.