Bucky Barnes (the new Captain America) and Sam Wilson (the Falcon) are playing cards in a cheap motel room, keeping an eye on their quarry, the 1950s Captain America. They spot an A.I.M. tactical squad surrounding the diner he’s in. Bucky feels guilty about using "Cap" to get to the Red Skull, rather than helping him escape but as the A.I.M. thugs capture "Cap" they follow. Arnim Zola is pleased to receive the report of "Cap’s" recapture and promises the Red Skull, who is starting to suffer from the effects of sharing Aleksander Lukin’s brain, that he will soon be able to separate them, as well as unlocking the secrets of Doctor Doom’s mysterious "device" (obtained by the Skull in issue #23). Realizing their scheme is failing, Dr Faustus goes to Sharon Carter and tells her she suffered a miscarriage. Impressed with her abilities, he gives her two gifts: her SHIELD GPS transmitter—and the hypnotic command to forget she was pregnant.
Pursuing Redwing’s lead, Captain America and the Falcon head toward the enemy base near Albany. On the way, they are met by the Black Widow and SHIELD agents who are tracking Sharon’s GPS to the same spot. Turns out something else is happening in Albany that night: a debate among the three Presidential candidates.
At the debate, Sin is under orders to assassinate Senator Wright’s opponents, and make Wright look like a hero. Meanwhile at their base, as Zola starts up Doctor Doom’s time machine and the Red Skull calls for Sharon to play her part in it, they are informed that Dr. Faustus is missing. [Faustus, having disguised himself by shaving off his massive beard, is making his getaway.] Suddenly the enemy base is rocked by an explosion, the first signal of an assault by SHIELD agents led by Black Widow and Falcon. At the debate, Sin, bitter over her treatment by her evil father, instead aims her rifle directly at Wright; as she fires, a shield suddenly flashes in front of the man’s face, deflecting the bullet—and Captain America leaps into action!