Journey into Mystery (1996 series) #518

Black Widow broke into the compound of the urban terrorist group FreedomsLight, beating up all of the guards until a bazooka was fired at her, exploding. The terrorist leader, Ebon Flame, warned her people not to underestimate her.

Thus continues elderly Lottie Hederman’s account to FBI Agent Carter Tenko at the Portland, Maine, hospital where she is recuperating from a heart incident. Tenko says he will have to place her under arrest. She continues, noting that after Black Widow left her home, members of FreedomsLight took her to the secret compound, where she hoped to see her son Herve but instead met the Ebon Flame. It was then that Black Widow assaulted the base and afterward they found no trace of her. Ebon Flame told Lottie she loves her son, as it was his writings that brought her into the FreedomsLight fold. Lottie explains how she came to see Ebon Flame as a person, and to respect her passion while Agent Tenko stresses that America is a democracy and that we can bring about social change without bloodshed. Lottie continues:

The next evening at the seaport, FreedomsLight attacked a building guarded by SHIELD agents. Ebon Flame ordered her followers not to kill anyone (while Tenko again wonders why Lottie describes the situation as though she were present). Ebon Flame and her gang find Black Widow holding the trigger device they have come for. The tried to kill her but she defeated the soldiers, leaving her face-to-face with the Ebon Flame. The two women spar while trading barbs about revolutions and the people. After the sound of gunfire stopped, Lottie came to investigate and found Ebon Flame alone with the trigger device. She admits she was having the time of her life…

…but now Tenko is again questioning the truth of Lottie’s statements when she suddenly has a seizure and is rushed into an operating room, Tenko pleading that she not die before he learns the truth….