Synopsis
Tony Stark discovers the sole link between all the SHIELD agents who have gone missing is that they had psychiatric consultations with Dr Benjamin. Investigators discover Benjamin dead in a freezer in his basement and he’s been there a long time—but as yet have no idea that he had been impersonated by Dr. Faustus. At the Kronas Building, Winter Soldier easily beats Crossbones and Sin. As the Red Skull taunts him, he threatens to kill the Nazi criminal but villain utters the word “Sputnik,” an old shutdown code from his Soviet handler, rendering Bucky helpless. The next morning, as Sam (The Falcon) Wilson heals from the wounds he received during his assault on the A.I.M. lab the night before, he has a visit from the Black Widow, who tells him she is looking for Bucky just as Falcon and Sharon Carter are. At that time, Sharon discovers she is pregnant, and sinks into despair. At his office Tony Stark broods over the last letter from Captain America, then begins and intense study of the films of his assassination. Elsewhere a captive Bucky is also being shown the same films by Dr. Faustus in an attempt to break his mind to the Red Skull’s will. Tony deduces that Sharon is the only one who could have shot Captain America and tries desperately to contact the Black Widow…as Falcon and the Widow drop by Sharon’s apartment. Another Faustus-placed hypnotic command takes over Sharon’s mind and she shoots down her friends with an electric weapon. Tony, his message to Black Widow interrupted, suits up as Iron Man and orders SHIELD agents to use GPS to find the Widow’s position. “Damn it, Steve…it’s all falling apart without you here.” In the final panel we see the end of Steve’s letter to Tony...advising him to create a new Captain America.