In New York City, Aleksandr Lukin, wielding the Cosmic Cube and aided by the mysterious assassin, plots a hostile takeover of Roxxon Oil….
Nick Fury asks Captain America to investigate a top-secret matter in Washington. While he’s occupied, Fury takes the opportunity to discuss a sensitive matter with Sharon Carter: the rifle used to kill the Red Skull (issue #1) has been found and it bears the fingerprints of Jack Monroe, 1950s Bucky and later Nomad. Though the suspect some sort of trap, Fury assigns Sharon to hunt for Monroe by means of the GPS implanted in his shoulder….
Cap arrives at Arlington Cemetery to discover that the graves of William Naslund and Jeffrey Mace have been vandalized. He explains to his military liaison who they were: his successors as Captain America after he was missing in action in 1945. Since their identities were secret, this must be an attack on Cap. As he heads back to the city, he is distracted by another flashback to his captivity by Baron Zemo, when he is jerked back to reality by Crossbones, who had set up an ambush in the road. These false memories keep Cap from focusing on the fight, allowing his enemy to beat him mercilessly. When Cap accuses Crossbones of defacing the graves, the villain pleads ignorance; he is merely out for revenge for the Red Skull’s murder, and was tipped off by phone call from a Russian. Disgusted with his easy victory, Crossbones walks away, leaving the battered Cap in the middle of the highway….
Sharon Carter has tracked Jack Monroe to Philadelphia by means of his GPS implant. The darkened building has an unlocked door, an obvious set-up. She cautiously enters and opens a hall door and Monroe’s body falls out. The mysterious killer sneaks up behind her and knocks her unconscious with the blow of a metallic hand….