On Halloween night, Captain America
returns to Skull House, the sinister mansion where he fought his last fight
with his archenemy the Red Skull (issue #300). He is there to investigate
reports of lights seen in the deserted house. As he explores he is suddenly
greeted by the ghost of the Red Skull, inviting him to the rathskeller. There,
in the replica of a cabaret, the Skull’s ghost taunts Cap for having corrupted himself
by the murder of an enemy and reveals that Cap can only redeem himself by
committing suicide. Next appears the ghosts of the ULTIMATUM agent Cap shot in
issue #321, the Porcupine (died in issue #315), MODOK (killed in #313) and Scourge
of the Underworld (died #320). These villains, who all died in Cap’s arms, open fire
on him. There follows a chaotic struggle with Cap taking on four enemies, one
of whom is a giant head, while they try to entice him to kill himself. Cap
eventually brings the ceiling down on them, worried that he will be killing
even more enemies. The villains vanquished, Cap sees Bucky Barnes, his late
partner, with Sharon Carter and Steve’s parents, all of his deceased loved ones—and
they begin imploring him to kill himself to atone for his murder of the enemy
agent. Cap realizes he is being manipulated and violently rejects the option of
suicide. At this we see the real enemy: Doctor Faustus; his scheme having
failed, he shuts off the hallucinogenic gas which has made it possible for him
to manipulate Cap’s perceptions and he tries to make his getaway. Faustus is
stopped by the real ghost of the Red Skull, outraged that he would use the
Skull’s home as a trap for Cap. As Cap searches for the exit, he finds Faustus
in a state of shock, with Cap wondering how he got those claw marks in his
neck….