Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Last issue Nick Fury and the Howling Commandos Private Military Company raided the Dock where HAMMER keep (the?) 3 ex-SHIELD helicarriers in order to 'liberate' them for their own use. But Hydra had been forewarned of the operation and turned up to throw a spanner in the works. They had Fury's troops on the ropes and Baron Strucker was about to kill Nick when the Secret Warriors teleported in.
Now we go back an hour. The team are in Inside Straight, NF's secret base #22. (At last Bendis & Hickman are using the number they gave it in #1 - the last 2 issues have called it #8.) New recruit (last issue) Eden Fesi is admiring his new uniform when Daisy Johnson (Quake) runs in to tell then she's just had a panic alert from Fury. She's taking them into action even though Nick said last issue they weren't ready. JT James (Hellfire), Alex Aaron (Phobos) and Sebastian Druid are there. Daisy goes to collect Jerry Sledge (Stonewall).
Jerry is watching over comatose Yo-Yo Rodriguez (Slingshot) who had her hands chopped off by Gorgon in #4. The LMD doctors of this replication base are looking after her. Daisy says she can offer him some payback. And Eden Fesi teleports all the active members to the source of the panic alert.
Now they're up to their necks in trouble. Hellfire uses his burning chain on Hive to keep him away from Druid and young Phobos. But Hive grabs the chain to whirl JT around and drag him onto his fist. Stonewall goes after Gorgon but the foe's blade cuts across his chest. In response Jerry absorbs the quality of stone and becomes a stone giant. Gorgon just relishes the challenge.
Druid helps Fury up from where Strucker and Kraken have left him. Nick calls up Dum Dum Dugan to ask if the helicarriers are ready to fly. Dum Dum and his troop have taken the control room of 1 of them. He uses override command "Dugan Libra Zodiac" and the carrier is up and away. Once in the air he sends drones to attack Hydra's airborne troop carrier.
Meanwhile Madame Hydra and Viper are carrying out their secret mission in Tokyo at the HQ of Clan Yashida. They have the families of the board members hostage, so the board has agreed to hand control of their factories to Hydra via their Typhon Group company. And another part of the deal is to hand over a certain ancient casket. Silver Samurai brings it in, but they warn the women that no-one who opens the box ever survives. As they leave with box the Samurai asks Viper if her affair with him has always been just for this end. She tells him it's best he believes that.
Back at the Dock Hydra are losing so Strucker orders a retreat. Gorgon as usual wants to stay and fight, but the Baron figures Fury knew they were coming and they have a traitor to suss out. Their teleportation field engulfs even the furious Gorgon.
But now Fury and the Warriors are surrounded by HAMMER troops demanding their surrender. Nick faces them down and the enemy lower *their* weapons. As he knew these are all ex-SHIELD Agents who transferred to Hydra after the government disbanded SHIELD. And now they all accept his invitation to come work for *him*.
Later everyone celebrates. Gabe Jones admits that Nick was right last issue - they've now gained 3000 men. But Fury tells Dum Dum they're going to need even more for the war with Hydra. HCPMC has Olivia Hook, an ex-SHIELD psi-agent, who can vet new recruits. Fury gives Dum Dum a month to build his army. Dum Dum asks if Nick can afford all this, and Nick says it isn't *him* who's going to be paying. And they all fly off into the sunset on the 3 helicarriers.
Next day in Inside Straight Daisy has some pointed questions for Nick. How come he's got a private army? And who are the other Secret Warriors groups that Gateway mentioned (in #4)? And also she nearly got her team killed responding to his panic button. Fury says he never sent the alarm. But he refuses to tell her who did, or answer her other questions. There are things she will never get answers to. And Quake has to leave it at that.
When she's gone Nick gets a call from Val de Fontaine. And *we* see that she's wearing the Madame Hydra outfit and has opened the mysterious box.