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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Ambush!
A jail cell somewhere in Georgia, where the imprisoned Captain America a.k.a. John Walker sits on a bench inside the cell. Back straight, hands on his thighs, his stares blankly ahead. Outside the cell, his partner Lemar “Battlestar” Hoskins notes that his friend and partner is acting like a zombie, while the local sheriff calls out to Captain America, announcing that he has some visitors. ‘Captain?’ Adrian Sammish of the Commission on Superhuman Activity calls out, before asking the sheriff what he has done with Captain America, as he looks drugged. The sheriff replies that he hasn’t done a thing except patch up Captain America’s wounds.
The cell opens and Battlestar rushes over to Captain America, his uniform tattered and bandages wrapped around various parts of his body. ‘Cappy - Cappy, it’s me, Battlestar!’ Lemar calls out, before asking Johnny if he is all right. ‘What happened? We heard that your parents…’ Lemar’s voice drifts off, as Johnny’s eyes look down, before he looks back up and announces that the Watchdogs took his parents hostage so they could get him to surrender, as they wanted to make him pay for busting up their radical moral crusade. The images of his parents being shot by the Watchdogs flood through Walker’s mind, and he explains that he surrendered himself to the Watchdogs like they wanted, and he waited for his chance to rescue his folks - but as soon as he did, the Watchdogs opened fire and gunned his Ma and Pa down in cold blood.
Walker reveals that he tore into the Watchdogs, that he really let loose and made them pay for what they did - but of course, that didn’t bring his Ma and Pa back. ‘Tore inta them is right! Left nine dead, three in critical condition and thirteen wounded!’ the sheriff reports. ‘Good Lord! How is he ever going to live this down?’ Sammish mutters, wiping his brow. Battlestar tells Walker that he should have been there with him, then none of this might have happened. ‘There’s nothing you could’ve done, Lemar. Don’t sweat it’ Walker replies, before Battlestar helps his friend to his feet, and explains that he tried covering for Walker to the Commission, but that this was too big. ‘I know you did your best’ Walker replies, while Sammish tells Captain America to come along and they will see about getting him out of here.
At the reception desk, Adrian Sammish fills out the necessary paperwork, while the sheriff declares that he isn’t one to tell the Feds how to run their business, but suggests that he thinks this new guy they hired to be Captain America is a little too wild for the job. Adrian turns to the sheriff and assures him that the Captain will be fully censured for his actions, as well as stand criminal charges if any are filed. ‘In the meantime, I can do without your opinions!’ Adrian snaps. As Battlestar, Captain America and Sammish leave the police station, Adrian tells Walker that he has really gone and done it this time. Walker just stares blankly ahead.
Meanwhile, to the North, at Fort George S Meade, Head Commissioner of the Commission on Superhuman Activity, Douglas Rockwell, leads the glamorous Dr Valerie Cooper down one of the many corridors. ‘I was not aware that there were holding facilities here at the Special Powers Compound’ Valerie tells Douglas. ‘What with the nature of some of the personnel we house here -’ Valerie begins, but Rockwell interrupts, remarking that it seemed prudent to prepare for every contingency. ‘Lieutenant, the door!’ Rockwell barks. ‘Yes sir!’ the officer replies immediately. The door opens, and sitting in the cell is Dennis Dunphy a.k.a. Demolition Man - or “D-Man”. ‘You guys again?’ D-Man mutters. ‘Interrogation time, Mr Dunphy’ Rockwell replies.
Dennis announces that he doesn’t know anything he hasn’t said yesterday or the day before or the day before that. He gets to his feet and announces that holding him here without charging him with anything violates his constitutional rights. ‘I demand to see a lawyer! I demand -’ he begins, but Rockwell just tells him to sit back down. Two officers hold their guns up to Dennis, who backs off. ‘You don’t know what you’re charged with? I can correct that oversight’ Rockwell announces and tells Dennis that he is charged with aiding and abetting a traitor to the United States in several acts of sedition. ‘Traitor? What are you talking about?’ Dennis asks. ‘You know full well I’m talking about Steve Rogers!’ Rockwell replies. ‘Oh, great’ Dennis thinks to himself, realizing that his fellow prisoner, Vagabond, must have revealed their connection with the original Captain America.
Meantime, in the Colorado Rockies, thirty miles from the federal penitentiary for super-human offenders known as the Vault. A secure transport drives down the deserted road, while up above, four mutants clad in yellow costumes with a large “R” on their chest ride on a rocky slab through the air, courtesy of Meteorite. ‘My wall of flame’s slowed ‘em down!’ Crucible exclaims as he releases a burst of flame which surrounds the truck. ‘Good!’ Meteorite exclaims, before telling his teammates Quill and Mist Mistress to be ready to move out. ‘I’m taking us in!’ Meteorite announces as he lowers the rock. ‘I hear ya!’ Quill mutters. ‘Okay!’ Mist Mistress exclaims.
‘Ha! That’s one way to stop a runaway truck!’ one of the Resistants laughs as the vehicle crashes into the nearby cliff-face. Crucible alerts everyone to the Guardsmen who have emerged from the transport, ‘Go to it, woman!’ Meteorite orders Mist Mistress, who leaps onto the roof of the vehicle. As the Guardsmen try to fire their guns, but are knocked back by a barrage of needles, courtesy of Quill. The needles penetrate their armor, and one of the Guardsmen declares that he knew these suits were not as good as the ones Iron Man wrecked. Atop the truck, Mist Mistress releases her power and tells herself that it shouldn’t take more than a minute for her acid-gas to burn through the truck. An instant later, she announces that she did it. Inside the truck, she sees the prisoner with a mask over his face, and a Guardsman standing over him. ‘Uh, hi! I’m - well, never mind!’ Mist Mistress exclaims, before asking the Guardsman to drop his weapon, otherwise she will have to melt his metal suit.
When the Guardsman doesn’t drop his weapon, Mist Mistress uses her power on him. ‘Sorry, I warned you’ she tells him, and the Guardsman begins to cough as the mist overwhelms him, before Mist Mistress pulls the prisoner from the vehicle. Unable to see what is going on, the prisoner demands to know what is happening. Addressing him as Mr Flumm, Mist Mistress tells him to relax, and reveals that they have come to liberate him. ‘You mean, I’m not going to the Vault?’ Flumm asks. ‘Not if we can help it!’ Mist Mistress exclaims. One of the other Guardsmen lies unmoving on the ground, while Crucible’s flame has engulfed the other. Quill tells Crucible to chill those flames, as there is gas leaking from the truck. ‘Never mind’ Quill mutters when the truck suddenly explodes. Meteorite controls the slab of rock, and with Flumm liberated, the Resistants fly away. ‘Who are you? Why are you doing this?’ Flumm calls out. One of the Resistants explains that they are a militant group violently opposed to the Mutant Registration Act, and that they wish to recruit a mutant of his talents.
Later, in the Washington DC office of the Head of the Commission, John Walker stands with his arms at his side, and stares ahead, while Rockwell waves his arms about in a flurry, demanding to know what got into Walker, reminding him that he was ordered not to interfere with Watchdog business. ‘But you did it anyway!’ he shouts. ‘You went in, lost your head. And now over a dozen people are dead or critically injured’. Rockwell moves close to Walker, and spit comes out of his mouth as he shouts that they got rid of the original Captain America because of his inability to obey orders. ‘Now you pull something like this…do you think we’re going to be able to cover up? Do you expect us to let you go on being Captain America after the damage you’ve done to the franchise?’ Rockwell demands.
‘Well?’ Rockwell asks, barely giving Walker a chance to respond. ‘I don’t know, Sir’ is all John can muster as a reply. ‘Go on! Get out of here!’ Rockwell shouts, ordering Captain America out of his office, and to turn in his shield and uniform to ordnance, announcing that he is suspended until further notice. ‘Dismissed!’ Rockwell shouts. Walker leaves and closes the door behind him, while Rockwell sits down at his desk, and scratches his nose, wondering what now. ‘Do we try to sweep this mess under the rug? Do we get ourselves another man to play Captain America?’ he wonders, before deciding to report to his superior. Rockwell unlocks a locked panel on his desk, and presses a button, deciding he best see what his superior wants him to do.
A panel on the wall behind Douglas Rockwell’s desk rises up, revealing as hidden monitor behind it. With a cordless phone pressed to his ear, Rockwell is greeted by a figure in a suit, smoking a cigarette, but hidden in shadows, a red haze covering him. ‘It’s Rockwell, Sir! Sorry to bother you, but something’s come up. The new man we got to be Captain America has really screwed up!’ Rockwell exclaims. The other man replies that he knows, to which Rockwell is surprised. ‘You do? Oh! Well then, I was wondering how you suggest we handle the situation? I was beginning to think we should just junk the whole concept of Captain America!’ Rockwell proclaims.
The man hidden in the red haze tells Rockwell that the concept of Captain America is important to the American people - to the world - and to him. The mysterious man tells Rockwell that he can discipline John Walker however he likes, but that he wants Walker kept on as Captain America at all costs. ‘Furthermore, send him back into action as soon as possible!’ the man orders. Rockwell is very surprised, and tells his superior that Walker is a loose cannon and that he may go off at any time. ‘Sorry, Sir - whatever you say’ Rockwell mutters, before asking about the Watchdog incident, and the deaths. ‘Cover it up as best you can’ the superior orders. ‘Yes, Sir’ Rockwell replies, before the man in shadows tells Rockwell that he wants him to arrange for the Taskmaster to escape from the detention center. ‘Without him, good labor is hard to come by’ the mysterious man remarks, before telling Rockwell to keep him posted. ‘Yes, Sir’ Rockwell replies as the transmission ends and the panel slides down to cover the monitor. Scratching his face again, Rockwell decides that his superior was of no help.
Later, at Fort Meade, in his quarters, Walker removes his shirt, while Battlestar exclaims ‘He told you to pack it in? I can’t believe it! One little mistake, and they hang you out to dry!’ Lemar tells Walker that really stinks, and that he is going to give them a piece of his mind. ‘They sack you, I’m outta here, too!’ Lemar declares. But Walker stops Lemar as he leaves the room, telling him not to throw his career away on account of him. Lemar turns back to Walker and tells him that the last time he checked, it is still a free country, and that he won’t threaten to quit or anything, but he is going to get the head jerk on the phone and give him a piece of his mind. ‘Check you later’ Lemar tells his friend as he leaves Walker’s quarters.
Battlestar strides down the corridor, deciding that he will go to Val Cooper’s office, as she has a direct line to the Head Commissioner’s desk. ‘Man, I can’t believe this bureaucratic bull -’ Lemar thinks to himself, when suddenly, a voice booms over the intercom system, ordering Lemar to report to the briefing room at once. ‘Aww, shoot!’ Lemar mutters to himself. The announcement comes again, and Battlestar shouts ‘I heard you already, for crying out loud!’
Shortly, Battlestar arrives in the briefing room, where he finds Valerie Cooper and Adrian Samish seated at the front of the room, behind a desk, and gathered before them are Freedom Force - Mystique, Blob, Avalanche, Pyro, Destiny, Spiral, Stonewall, Super Sabre and Crimson Commando. ‘Ah, Buc -’ Adrian begins, almost going to call Lemar “Bucky”, before correcting himself, and telling Battlestar to be seated. ‘Hey, hey, hey everybody - look who’s here! Battle Scar!’ the obese Blob laughs as he sits on the floor, too fat to sit on one of the chairs in the room. Pyro tells the Blob that he is a riot, while Lemar thinks to himself ‘Oh, great. Those Freedom Force feebs are here, too! Don’t tell me they’re gonna make me team up with them!’
Valerie stands up and calls for everyone’s attention as she motions to a monitor, which depicts a member of the Resistants. Valerie explains that they are an organization of super human beings, presumably mutants, who are trying to subvert the Mutant Registration Act. Valerie reveals that the Resistants have been quite active in the past month, responsible for the liberation of six unregistered mutants in the country. Val adds that they don’t know yet how many Resistants there are, and that reports indicate as many as seven of them. Sammish informs Freedom Force and Battlestar that they want those radicals stopped, and quickly, too, before they do any more damage, and adds that the plan is to stage a trial for a known mutant in order to lure the Resistants out into the open.
‘Then we get to pulp ‘em, right?’ the Blob grins. ‘No, Blob, then we allow them to liberate the defendant’ Sammish explains. ‘Huh?’ the Blob asks, confusion spreading across his face. Sammish states that with any luck, the Resistants will take the mutant to their headquarters, where she will signal them, and then they can launch a full scale attack on the Resistants’ assembled ranks. Arms folded across his chest, Battlestar tells himself that this is not very original, as that is just what the Commission had he and John do on their mission infiltrating the Watchdogs. Sammish almost calls Battlestar “Bucky” once again, and points out that he is the only one who has encountered the Resistants. ‘Yeah, and got yer butt trashed!’ Pyro laughs.
Sammish asks if Battlestar has anything to add, to which Lemar asks: ‘Just a question. What about Captain America?’, to which the Blob laughs. Sammish frowns and announces that Captain America will not be working with Battlestar for the foreseeable future. Lemar frowns back, while Avalanche raises his hand and asks what mutant they are going to get to stand trial. ‘Quicksilver’ Valerie Cooper replies. ‘Quicksilver?’ Pyro asks. ‘Mystique, if you would?’ Valerie calls out, and so the blue-skinned, shape-shifter transforms into the mutant speedster, Quicksilver. ‘Oh, I get it!’ Avalanche calls out.
Elsewhere, Douglas Rockwell enters Captain America’s quarters, where Walker is lying back on his bed, hands behind his head. ‘Walker?’ the Head Commissioner calls out as he enters the room. ‘Yes, Sir?’ Walker asks, sitting up. Rockwell informs Walker that the Commission has discussed his situation at length and reached a decision. Rockwell notices that Walker is hard to read as he is so impassive at the moment, before he informs Walker that they have decided they have too much invested in him at this point to discard him after such a short period of service. Rockwell frowns as he announces that the bottom line is there may be some repercussions from the Watchdog affair that they cannot shield him from, but that in the meantime, they are going to give him once more chance to redeem himself.
Rockwell warns Walker that if he disobeys the slightest order, steps out of line in any way whatsoever, then he is gone. ‘Do you understand me?’ Rockwell asks. ‘Yes’ Walker replies. Opening a box, Rockwell tells Walker to get dressed, revealing the Captain America uniform, all packaged up. Rockwell informs Walker that they are going to have him back up Freedom Force for a while. ‘Whatever you say, Sir’ Walker replies as he stares down at the costume.
Meanwhile, somewhere beneath the arid sands of Death Valley, California. Tents are situated around a large campfire, as the members of the Resistants gather together. ‘Marvin Flumm, welcome to the stronghold of the Resistants!’ Meteorite calls out. Flumm tells Meteorite that it is an interesting set up they have here. ‘Tents pitched among high-tech squalor. What is…or was this place?’ Meteorite tells Flumm that they are not certain who built it, but that it was last employed by their fellow mutant, Mesmero, only this fortress was all but destroyed in a battle within the original X-Men. ‘We hope to restore it to its former grandeur’ he explains.
Flumm asks the Resistants why they insist on calling him by his real name, explaining that he is much more comfortable with his nom de guerre - Mentallo. A short mutant with large round eyes steps forward and explains that many of them are known mutants, just like Flumm, so they have been obliged to discard their old aliases and assume new ones in order to regain their anonymity. Meteorite adds that Occult is right, and that the two of them, as well as Paralyzer and Crucible even worked as the Government’s special Mutant Force, until the committee that organized them lost its funding and the so-called Freedom Force took their place. ‘But you know all this from reading my mind, Mr Flumm…you’re a telepath!’ Meteorite exclaims.
‘So, Mr Flumm, no more shall you call yourself Mentallo. Would you like us to help you come up with -’ Meteorite begins as Flumm is handed his helmet. Flumm smiles, and tells Mr Lanthrop a.k.a. Lifter and now known as Meteorite that from now on, he will be known as Think-Tank. Meteorite tells Think-Tank that they had been hoping to add a mutant of his abilities to their ranks for some time now. ‘I know’ Think-Tank replies as he follows Meteorite as he offers to take Think-Tank and show him how they track down their own kind.
And, in a courtroom outside Carson City, Nevada, the mock trial of Quicksilver nears the end of its fourth day. Blob sits in the judge’s seat, while Mystique, posing as Quicksilver, has taken the stand. Two Guardsmen stand behind her, while Pyro, dressed in a blue suit, acting as the prosecution, has the floor. Stonewall, wearing a black suit, is at the defense’s bench, while Destiny, Spiral and the other members of Freedom Force comprise some of the jury members. ‘And furthermore, Judge Blob, I contend that the defendant, Pietro Quicksilver, whatever his last name is, can’t be considered an evil mutant just because he once belonged to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
‘Objection, your honor!’ Stonewall exclaims. Pyro turns to him and asks him what he is objecting to. ‘Huh? Well, on L.A. Law -’ Stonewall begins, before slamming the table over and pointing out that this is a fake trial, so he can object to whatever he wants to. Pyro tells his teammate to simmer down, while the Blob bangs the gavel and cries for order. ‘You guys keep acting up and I’ll sit on ya!’ he threatens.
At that moment, outside, Captain America crouches on the rooftop of a building opposite the courthouse. He looks through binoculars and frowns, when suddenly, he notices something approaching overhead. Meteorite controls two slabs of rock on which he, Mist Mistress, Paralyzer, Occult, Crucible and Think-Tank, who now has a strange contraption around his lower body, and tentacle-like extremities extending from it. ‘I see it, Paralyzer! The courthouse!’ Occult, formerly known as Peepers, exclaims. ‘Brag, brag, brag’ Paralyzer mutters, while Mist Mistress thinks to herself that she doesn’t know why Meteorite keeps choosing her for these combat missions, as she is a book keeper.
Think-Tank informs Meteorite that he has tapped their minds, and that this is a trap, as Quicksilver is not there, they are all government agents - Freedom Force. ‘Is that so? Well it’s fortunate we recruited you when we did, Think-Tank!’ Meteorite exclaims, adding that as much as he hates to war against his fellow mutants, they must destroy Freedom Force, or Freedom Force will surely destroy them. Meteorite uses his power to move Paralyzer, Occult and Crucible onto the same slab of rock as the others, which Think-Tank decides is a good plan. Meteorite announces that he has a better plan for the rock the others were perched on, and down below, Walker watches as the rock is hurled forward.
Back in the courthouse, ‘Stop! Stop this farce!’ Destiny exclaims, standing up in the juror seats. Spiral stands up, and struggles to free her many arms from the garment she is wearing, wanting to weave a protective spell. ‘Density - what?’ Mystique calls out, while Destiny urges everyone out of the courthouse, revealing that she has had a precognitive flash, a meteorite falling on them.
At that moment, civilians outside the courthouse see the falling meteorite and rush for cover, and an instant later, the large slab of rock crashes into the courthouse. ‘Son - of - a -’ Walker mutters, frowning, while Meteorite and the others approach the courthouse, , and Occult announces that he detects thoughts beneath the rubble, that some of them are still alive. Meteorite announces that they will have to finish them off, and warns his teammates to prepare to disembark. Suddenly, ‘Disembark THIS!’ Captain America shouts as he hurls his shield towards the Resistants, where it hits Paralyzer in the back. ‘It’s Captain America!’ Occult utters, while Meteorite orders the others to waste Captain America. Occult and Cruicible both use their power to attack Captain America, but he ducks, before leaping back up and knocking the two of them out.
Crucible falls from the rock, and calls out to Meteorite for help. Mist Mistress alerts Meteorite to Crucible’s trouble, but Meteorite snaps at Mist Mistress, telling her that he knows, and that she should be silent, as it is hard enough to concentrate as it is. ‘Got him!’ Meteorite shouts as he manages to levitate Crucible just before he hit’s the ground. ‘Wheeoo! Not too close!’ a nearby civilian gasps. ‘Patriotic clown! You may be able to distract my teammates, but you can’t outwit a man who knows your every thought - can anticipate your every move!’ Think-Tank shouts as he fires the weapons attacked to his tank at Captain America. Occult joins in the attack, and Think-Tank tells him that he cannot fend off an assault from two directions at once. Meteorite orders Mist Mistress to help them, as Captain America is just one man.
With one of his feet trapped, held down by Think-Tank’s tentacles, Walker maneuvers himself into the way of Occult’s blast, and the blast frees his foot. Think-Tank is shocked, he hadn’t figured it possible - that Captain America fights like a fiend, and moves without thinking. Captain America kicks Occult backwards, breaking his helmet, and he smacks his shield into Think-Tank’s face, while rushing towards the concerned Mist Mistress. Paralyzer has regained consciousness, and leaps up in front of Mist Mistress, and shouts ‘Think you’re king of the mountain, huh, A-Head? Well, a hundred megavolt of juice stopped you last time! And I’m willing to wager it’s gonna do it again!’ he shouts as he sticks his paralyzng weapons to Captain America’s chest.
Captain America appears to be in pain, before revelling in the danger, and grins back at Paralyzer, before smacking him off the rock, and into the wall of a nearby building. ‘He’s wild - unstoppable!’ Occult thinks to himself, before Captain America lifts the small mutant up by his throat, which causes Mist Mistress to lash out at Captain America, telling him to put Occult down. ‘Make it lethal, woman!’ Meteorite orders. The mist envelops Captain America, causing him to drop Occult. Captain America falls down on the rock, while Meteorite uses his power to steady the terrified Occult, who covers his eyes as he plunges head-first to the ground, only for Meteorite to levitate him in place. ‘I never doubted you!’ Occult utters.
‘I can’t believe it! I did what you guys couldn’t! I felled the great -’ Mist Mistress begins as she stands over Captain America. ‘Mist! Wait! He’s not!’ Think-Tank begins, but it’s too late, as Captain America heaves his shield at Mist Mistress, knocking her off the rock. Meteorite pulls Occult onto the rock, while Think-Tank rolls over to Captain America: ‘You’ve thrown away your shield! Now let’s see you dodge my fusillade!’ Think-Tank boasts, before he opens fire on Captain America, who quickly drops back off the meteor. ‘He dove off, but - I don’t see where’ Occult calls out as he peers over the edge of the rock. ‘Ulp!’ Occult utters when he sees Captain America clinging to the underside of the rock. Captain America then grabs Occult and throws him off the rock once again, where the mutant lands in some power-lines, and is electrocuted.
‘What happened? Occult was -’ Meteorite begins, but Think-Tank alerts him to Captain America who has just flipped up onto the meteor. ‘This time - die, you unthinking fighting machine!’ Think-Tank shouts as he unleashes a barrage of weapons fire at Captain America, who flips backwards, and throws Meteorite into the line of fire. ‘Hey! What?’ Meteorite calls out, before many bullets strike him down in a gory display. As he falls from the rock, Meteorite loses control, and the rock slams into a nearby building. Think-Tank falls from his tank, and Walker tackles him to the ground: ‘No one gets away, mutant!’ Captain America exclaims as he sits on Think-Tank and begins pummelling him hard in the face.
Suddenly, ‘John!’ a voice calls out - It’s Battlestar, dressed up as a Guardsman from the mock court trial. ‘Cool it, pal. You won. He’s out. They all are’ Lemar assures him, pulling Walker up off Think-Tank. Blob and Stonewall emerge from the rubble, while Mystique, returned to her default form, tends to Destiny. ‘Why is it I always gotta do the heave stuff?’ Blob asks as he pulls rubble away from around them. ‘Quit your griping’ Stonewall tells him. Pyro rushes over to Captain America and calls him an idiot. ‘You knocked ‘em all out! That wasn’t the plan! They were supposed to get away so we could follow ‘em back to their headquarters!’ Pyro points out.
‘Man, you are going to get reamed for this!’ Pyro declares. Captain America replies that he did what he had to do. ‘If that’s not good enough for anyone, you can all go -’ he begins, before Battlestar tells him to chill out, as that he did fine, and that the Commission will commend him. Walker turns from his friend, so Lemar asks him what the matter is. Frowning, Walker reveals that his parents’ funeral was today. ‘I missed it so I could do this’….


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Vengeance
Park Ridge, Illinois, an outer suburb of Chicago. It’s the dead of night, and a doorbell rings at a quaint two-story home. There is no answer, despite a light being on in the living room. The doorbell rings once more, and an elderly woman looks up from her sofa. She stubs her cigarette out into an ashtray while watching an episode of a game show on the television. ‘Now who in the world -’ the old woman mutters, before turning to her dog and asking him if they are expecting company tonight. ‘Think it could be Publisher’s Clearing House - telling us we’ve won a million dollars?’ the old woman asks. The dog begins to bark as it accompanies the old woman to the door.
The elderly woman tells her dog to settle down, as they get precious few visitors as it is. ‘You don’t want to go scaring them away especially if it is those sweepstakes people’ she points out. But as she opens the door, a look of horror spreads across the old woman’s face: ‘Oh - my - gawd!’ she calls out - as standing before her, is Captain America. ‘Mrs Lennox?’ the hero calls out. ‘Tell your son, Hector, that the next time I se him he’s a dead man’ Captain America, real name John Walker, warns her. The old woman falls backwards a little, and the dog rushes into the kitchen.
Mrs Lennox leans against the doorframe, ‘M heart!’ she calls out, before wondering where her nitro-glycerine pills are. She makes her way back into the kitchen and exclaims ‘That man was dressed up like Captain America! Could it have been the real guy? Here in Park Ridge?’ she wonders what he could possibly want with Hector and decides she best call her son and tell him what “that man” said.
Meantime, at Gleason’s Gym, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hector Lennox a.k.a. Left-Winger is sparring in the boxing ring with his partner, Jerome Johnson a.k.a. Right-Winger. ‘Left yourself wide open, pal! So I’m closing in!’ Hector exclaims as he punches Jerome hard in the face, knocking his mouth-guard out. ‘Looking good, Lefty! Can barely tell you pulled it!’ their manager, Ethan Thurm, exclaims, when suddenly, the phone rings. Ethan answers the phone, introducing himself as “manager, promoter and entrepreneur extraordinaire”. When the caller identifies themselves, Ethan calls out to Hector, who somersaults out of the ring and tells Jerome to take a breather as he has to talk to his old lady.
Hector takes the phone from Ethan, who tells him to make it quick, as he is expecting some important calls. Hector pulls his mask up and smiles, asking ‘Hey, Ma! How’s it - WHAAAT?’ he bellows as his mother relays her terrifying event to him. ‘Blast it!’ Hector shouts as he slams the phone down, shattering it. ‘Aww, man! Now how am I gonna call my bookie?’ Jerome thinks to himself. ‘Uh, Hector? Bad news?’ Ethan enquires. Hector smashes his fist through the whole phone box, and shouts ‘He threatened my mother, that swine! My mother! With her heart condition! I’ll kill him for that!’
Jerome goes over to his friend and asks ‘Who, Hec? Who threatened your Ma?’, to which Hector exclaims ‘Walker did! John Walker! Ex-buddy turned Captain Creepo America’. ‘Him? He threatened your Ma?’ Jerome asks. Hector explains that it was he who Walker threatened, but seeing as his mother doesn’t know he is super strong, she is scared out of her wits for him. Ethan tells Jerome and Hector that he wouldn’t put threatening their folks past Walker - especially after what happened to his folks on account of their actions. ‘After all, if you hadn’t stormed the stage in Washington and revealed the new Cap’s identity on national teevee - those redneck Watchdogs wouldn’t have known enough to kidnap Johnny’s parents and they wouldn’t have gotten themselves blown away’ Ethan points out.
Hector puts his mask back on and Jerome tells Ethan not to pin that rap on them, as they didn’t know the Watchdogs would kill Walker’s parents. Jerome reminds Ethan that it was his idea to get revenge on Walker for ditching them - his best friends - when he and Lemar got that stupid government gig. Ethan replies that he wasn’t counting on John-boy being so stupid that he couldn’t look after his own Mom and Pop. Hector declares that putting the scare into his sixty year-old mother is going too far. ‘We’re going to have to do more than just publicly humiliate Walker now - we gotta stop him for good!’
Washington DC, the meeting room of the Commission on Superhuman Activity. Nine of the ten members of the Commission are present, seated around the board room table. ‘We should just cut Walker loose! Disavow all of his actions and let him hang out to dry. He’s unsalvageable!’ Henry Peter Gyrich declares. But Adrian Sammish tells him that Walker is a trifle overzealous, but still a good soldier, pointing out that the way he beat the Resistants single-handedly is proof of his usefulness.
At the head of the table, the glamorous Doctor Valerie Cooper remarks that Walker almost blew that for them, as they wanted some of the Resistants to escape so they would lead them back to their stronghold. ‘Fortunately, operative Mystique was able to salvage the situation’ Val reveals. Sammish announces that the Resistants business won’t mean a thing when the news leaks out, and he is certain it will, that their new boy is responsible for the deaths of a dozen of those Watchdogs. Avengers’ Liaison Raymond Sikorsky suggests they just own up to their mistake and recommission the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, now that he is in their custody, they may be able to cut a deal with him.
However, General Haywerth declares that Rogers is twice the maverick Walker is, so is useless to them. Henry Gyrich declares that neither of them is suitable for so important a role as Captain America, and that all of these renegade super-types must be taught they cannot act outside of society’s law. While Orville Sanderson, Wesley Werner and Martin Farrow remain silent, George Mathers checks his watch and wonders what is keeping Head Commissioner Rockwell, as they cannot decide anything until he gets here.
At that moment, Head Commissioner Douglas Rockwell stands before the cell that is housing Steve Rogers, now known as the Captain, and is halfway through a sentence: ‘-until you tell us what we need to know!’ he declares. Steve replies that his lawyer has not yet been to see him, and that unless their nation’s laws have changed in the week that he has been holed up here, he has the right to counsel. ‘You’re in no position to make demands, Rogers. I told you your lawyer would be here all in due time!’ Rockwell barks. Steve points out that there have been so many irregularities since he turned himself into the Commission, that he is beginning to think the Commission is acting without official sanction. ‘Are you making accusations?’ Rockwell asks, to which Steve declares that there is something personal about this, but that as far as he knows, he never met Rockwell before the day he turned in his original shield and uniform. ‘But for some reason, you, or whoever you work for, has something personal against me’ Steve declares.
‘Paranoid, aren’t we?’ Rockwell sniggers, before turning and walking away, announcing that he is late for a meeting. ‘But don’t worry, I’ll be back!’ he calls out. Steve sits down on the cot in the cell and wonders if he made a mistake opposing the Commission from the start. He recalls that it wasn’t that he thought the government had the moral right to strip him of being Cap, but he did think they had the legal right. Steve reminds himself that he believed the president condoned the action taken against him, thus fighting the Commission would be the same as waging war against the government itself, in his view. Steve stands up and goes over to the bars, clutching them, he tells himself that most of his friends - Falcon, Nomad and Bernie, tried to tell him something stank about the situation the Commission forced him into, but he refused to listen. Steve wonders why - and whether he secretly wanted to stop being Captain America? Was he too tired to fight? Did he now know how to fight this one? He wonders if he is being treated unfairly, illegally, what can he do about it at this late stage?
East Philadelphia, Captain America - John Walker - stands in the corridor of a very run down apartment block, and tells a doughy woman in a nightgown with a baby in her arms and a young child clutching at her knees that the next time she sees her son Jerome to tell him that he is a dead man. ‘What? You mean that little snot ain’t dead yet? Look Mr Tights, why’nt you go tell his good-for nothing father! He may give a flying fig for Jerry - but I sure as heck don’t!’ the woman screeches as she slams the door in Walker’s face. A very unimpressed Walker turns and strides purposefully down the ruined corridor.
Meanwhile, in Alexandria, Virginia, Lemar Hoskins a.k.a. Battlestar wonders what Johnny is doing tonight. He is worried about his friend, as he thought his victory against the Resistants would pep him up - but it didn’t, he just hasn’t been himself since his folks passed away. Chewing on a pencil, head against his other hand, Lemar realizes that his thoughts are wandering again. He ells himself that he has to concentrate, or he is never going to make it out of here. He turns his attention back to the paper in front of him. ‘Let’s see…’ he begins as he reads out the questions to himself, such as what year the United States declared its independence. He knows that is easy - July 4, 1776.
The next question relates to the number of amendments to the Constitution, but he is unsure as to whether there are twenty-one or twenty-two. “Which of the following men were never president? Thomas Jefferson, Calvin Coolidge or Ben Franklin?” is the next question, and Lemar decides the answer is Ben Franklin. Lemar is a little puzzled at the next question, which asks what country sold the United States the Louisiana purchase. Suddenly, the teacher calls out to the class of adult students and tells them to put their pencils down and pas their papers forward. ‘Oh, man, I hope I pass this final. If I do, a high school diploma will be mine!’ Lemar thinks to himself.
Later, ten thousand feet over Nevada, inside a plane, Ethan Thurm sits between Hector and Jerome, who stares out the window, while Hector tells Ethan that he didn’t have to tag along, as they are big boys and can handle themselves. ‘Nonsense, Hector! You two are my most valued clients!’ Ethan exclaims. ‘Where you go, I go! That’s what a manger’s for!’ he adds. ‘Only ones, too’ Jerome thinks to himself, while Hector adds that if Johnny does threaten his pop like they think he is going to, then they will haveto make sure it is the last thing the slime ball ever does. ‘You do mean that figurativel, don’t you Hec?’ Ethan asks, concerned. He adds that he can post their bail for disrupting the peace now and then, but murder charges are different. ‘Relax, chubbs! All we want to do is stop him from threatening our folks!’ Hector declares, adding that if Walker gets uppity and forces them to kill him, it will be a simple matter of self-defense.
Meanwhile, in a federal prison in Northern Algeria, prison guards do their best to stop an army of soldiers storm the prison, searching the cells for someone in particular. ‘Stop them!’ one shouts as bullets fly in all directions. ‘Fuchs - check out C-Block. The soldier races along, and blasts the lock off one of the cells, where, inside, dressed in prison jumpsuit, rats on the floor, is an older man who shouts ‘What is all the commotion? Who are you? Speak or I’ll kill -’, but the soldier announces ‘Rescue party, sir!’, to which the old man declares that it is about time, as he has been rotting in this cell for months. The soldiers continue to fire at the guards, as the old man is led from his cell, his eyes unaccustomed to the light. He picks up a gun from one of the dead officers, and declares ‘This swine won’t be needed this’, while one of the soldiers reports that the chopper is on its way.
The prison officers follow the soldiers out of the prison, and shout ‘Stop them! Malik must not get away!’ As the chopper lands, the soldiers tell Malik to run for it while they hold the devils back. ‘Yes…yes…you do that, men!’ Albert Malik declares. One of the soldiers helps Malik into the chopper, but he shouts ‘Unhand me, you idiot! I am not some invalid!’. Another soldier is shot down, while the one who helped Malik into the chopper tells him that he meant no disrespect, as he climbs into the chopper, only forMalik to kick him out: ‘Your weight will only slow us down, mercenary dog!’ he shouts. The soldier falls and is struck down as he lands. The chopper takes off into the air, and the guards continue to fire at it, ‘Aim for the gas tank!’ one of them declares.
Inside the chopper, Malik smiles, and declares ‘We made it! I’m free again! Ha-ha! There’s not a prison in the world that can hold me!’ and he boasts that he is too cunning, too ingenious, too well prepared for the likes of his opposition. Calling out to the pilot, Malik asks where his mask it. The pilot motions to a box on the floor of the chopper, and Malik opens it, placing his mask on, he tells himself that the American archer and his insipid cronies thought they had put him away for good, but they are just arrogant fools, and it was only a set back. With his mask in place, Albert Malik, alias the Red Skull, boasts that unlike the preening Nazi who originated the role, it is he who has the last laugh on his enemies. ‘While he scurried about launching one ridiculous master plan after another, I toiled in anonymity, establishing one of Europe’s largest criminal empires!’
Malik is paying no attention to the pilot as he crows that when he learned that the original Skull had died, he decided to resume his identity, and recalls that he first assumed the identity in the 1950’s when the original was in hiding. The pilot suddenly calls out to Malik, informing him that he has something else for him. Malik, with his grinning mask in place, spins around - and calls the pilot a cretin and declares ‘You will henceforth address me as -’, but he quickly realizes that a shotgun is being pointed at him. An instant later, the pilot fires, and blasts Malik out of the chopper, causing his mask to fall off in the process. ‘Justice is served!’ the pilot - a Scourge of the Underworld - shouts.
Meantime, in Washington DC, in the office of Head Commissioner Rockwell, Rockwell speaks via communications monitor to his mysterious contact who is hidden in the red shadows of his location. ‘That I’m under a lot of pressure here, sir. The other Commission members are getting suspicious…’ Rockwell utters. ‘Oh? About what, Douglas?’ the mysterious contact Rockwell looks very uncomfortable as he replies ‘About Steve Rogers, sir. I’ve been holding him for over a week now and the Commission wants to know what we’re going to do with him’. Rockwell asks his superior to just tell him what the ultimate plan is, he would happily go about expediting it.
‘I told you before, Douglas - I will disclose that to you when I want to you to know it, and not a moment before’ the mysterious man in the red shadows replies, before excusing himself, announcing that he has a call on another line. ‘B-but, sir!’ Rockwell utters, but the call ends. Taking his other call, he exclaims ‘Yes…ahhh… “Scourge”… I was expecting your call. You’ve eliminated him? Excellent. Carry on’ he declares, before puffing away at his cigarette, and laughing wickedly.
Outside Dallas, Texas, construction workers stop in their tracks as Captain America strides through the worksite. ‘Whoo-ee! Its that Captain America guy! What’s he doing here?’ one of them wonders, deciding that Captain America is bigger than he would have thought. A man in a green shirt hasn’t noticed Walker’s arrival, and tells his worker ‘Go up and tell them that I need -’, before realizing that his worker is not paying attention. ‘I ain’t messing with him!’ another construction worker decides as he runs away. Walker goes over to the man in green and asks ‘Are you Jack Johnson?’, to which the man replies ‘Uh…yeah. That’s me’. ‘Tell your son that the next time I see him, he’s a dead man’ Walker announces. ‘Huh? Uh…sure, I’ll tell him’ Jack replies.
Suddenly, ‘Got a message for me, Little Boy Blue - give it to me yourself!’ a voice calls out. Captain America turns to the direction of the voice, only for a massive chunk of metal to be thrown at him. Walker manages to somersault to safety, and gets up, while Left-Winger and Right-Winger rush towards him. ‘Awww, I’m sorry, Captain Johnny - did that miss you?’ Jerome asks. ‘We ain’t gonna!’ Hector exclaims as they lunge towards their former ally. Eyes wide, spit dripping from his mouth, Walker tells them that he was hoping they would drop by, before he punches them both hard in the face, causing them to coil backwards, blood dripping from their mouths. Walker holds Hector high over his head, and throws him into a stack of metal barrels. ‘Next?’ Walker exclaims, only to be smacked in the face with a very large pole, courtesy of Right-Winger. ‘Next I’m taking you apart, “pal of mine”!’ Jerome exclaims.
Captain America skids along the ground, but he isn’t bothered by the attack, he just grins and looks up, blood dripping from his mouth, he tells Hector that wasn’t bad, and that he almost felt it. ‘You ain’t gonna be able to feel nothing when I’m through with you, Johnny!’ Jerome exclaims as he tries to smack Walker again, only Walker holds his shield up to block the attack, which recoils down through the pole. Walker then grabs the other end of the pole, and using his incredible strength, pulls the pole upwards, flipping Right-Winger up into the air. ‘How strong are these dudes?’ one of the construction workers wonders.
Suddenly, Johnny is knocked forward as Hector throws a barrel into him, striking him in the back. It doesn’t take long for Walker to get to his feet, but by that time, Left-Winger is racing towards him, telling him that he is not going to win this one. ‘There’s two of us and only one of you!’ he exclaims. ‘You knock one of us down, we just get back up again. And while one of us is recovering, the other one of us is wailing on you!’ Hector declares, as he punches Walker hard in the face, drawing more blood. ‘Like so!’ he shouts. Hector punches Walker in the stomach, and tells hi that Jerome would be willing to stop this, out of respect for their past friendship, only he would just have to lay off harassing their folks. ‘But me - uh uh! I want you mangled and bleeding!’ Hector exclaims as he hits Walker in the back of the head, forcing him to the ground.
But Walker flips upwards and traps Hector’s head between his feet, flipping him over, and forcing him to land hard on his face. ‘You always did talk a great fight, Hector!’ Walker exclaims as he kicks Hector hard across the construction yard, when suddenly, ‘Wanna play chicken, Cappo?’ Jerome calls out from inside a large tanker, which he drives straight towards Johnny. Johnny just replies ‘Sure’ and stands his ground. Jerome quickly realizes that Walker isn’t moving, as the tanker continues to speed towards him. At the last second, Johnny drops to the ground, between the wheels, so the tanker drives over him.
However, Jerome wasn’t paying attention to where he was going, and the flammable tanker crashes into a large piece of machinery, and begins leaking oil. Johnny rushes over and tells Jerome not to panic, assuring him that he will get him out. ‘Nnooo, John, gimme a -’ Jerome pleads as Walker picks up Jerome by his hair, then punches him hard across the face. John follows Jerome over to where he lands, and begins pummelling him a close range. ‘A break? Were you going to ask me to give you a break? I am!’ Walker declares, while Hector comes up behind him. ‘Crazy buzzard! What’s keeping him going?’ he wonders, as he grabs his flame-torch from his pouch on his hip, and lighting it up, strikes Walker in the back.
Walker cries out in pain, but only briefly, before grinning wickedly and turning to Hector, grabbing him by his wrist, warns him to drop the torch or he will break his wrist. A frightened Hector drops the torch, only for Walker to punch him hard in the face. Johnny holds Hector down and declares ‘Because of you two, my Ma and Pa died! killing you is not going to bring them back - but I’m going to anyway!’ he exclaims. Hector tells Johnny that they didn’t mean for his parents to die. ‘Show a little -’ he pleads. ‘MERCY?’ Johnny shouts. ‘Yes. I will show you mercy’ he decides.
And soon, Hector and Jerome are died up together, hanging by their ankles from a pipe, rope wrapped around then. One of the flaming torches is underneath them, lying near a trickle of oil from the tanker, and Johnny brings over the other one and puts it in Hector‘s hand. ‘With any luck you’ll be able to burn your way through that able - before the other torch ignites this oil tank’ he tells his former friends. ‘He’s gone total psycho’ Jerome exclaims as Johnny turns and walks away, leaving them tied to a large oil tank. Hector gets one of his arms free, and reaches down for the torch lying near the oil spill. ‘I think I can reach the -’ he exclaims, only there is a massive explosion a second later. Johnny’s face changes from stern and somber, to neutral, almost a smile, before he frowns again, and the fire continues to blaze behind him.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Out of Commission
Late summer, fifteen miles from the North Pole, the anarchist known as the Flag-Smasher zooms above the snow-covered terrain on his rocket-skis, while being pursued by two of his own agents, who begin shooting at him from their own rocket-skis. ‘Surrender, Flag-Smasher! Surrender, or we’ll have no choice but to kill you!’ one of the agents warns Flag-Smasher. Dodging the weapons fire, Flag-Smasher shouts ‘You fools! I am the leader - the founder - of ULTIMATUM! You have no authority to pursue me like this! Turn back at once!’, but his order goes unheeded. ‘You’re no longer our leader Flag-Smasher - not after what you tried to do!’ one of the agents replies as both fire their weapons at the same time. Flag-Smasher still manages to dodge their attack, ‘I can explain that - if you’ll just -’ he begins, before carrying on through the air, deciding that they will never understand, not if he has pegged the identity of ULTIMATUM’s true founder and financial backer correctly.
Flag-Smasher reaches back and fires his pistol, but it is primitive compared to the agents’ plasma-blasters. One of the agents sees Flag-Smasher duck down behind an ledge of snow, and alerts the other who exclaims ‘Not for long!’ as he fires his plasma-blaster at the other side of the ledge, hoping to strike Flag-Smasher when he emerges - but he misses. Flag-Smasher moves himself back upwards to wards the agents, deciding that he must manuever between them, for then they won’t be able to fire at him for fear of hitting one another. As he makes his way between them, Flag-Smasher realizes that they are still firing at him. He knows that he has three minutes before the plasma-blaster cools down, and decides that it is time for some fancy air-skiing.
Flag-Smasher flips backwards, and one of the agents wonders what he is doing, realizing that Flag-Smasher is trying to get behind him. ‘We’ll see about that’ the agent exclaims as he fires his weapon - but Flag-Smasher it already out of range, and the plasma blast strikes the other agent, hitting his fuel supply. ‘Krantz! You stupid -’ the other agent shouts, but an instant later, the fuel, supply explodes. ‘Oh, no - I -’ Krantz gasps, before deciding to blame the other agent’s death on Flag-Smasher, but looking around, he cannot see Flag-Smasher anywhere, until suddenly, ‘Looking for me?’ Flag-Smasher asks as he drops down and fires at Krantz, close range, causing him to lose balance from his skis and fall to the snow below.
Flag-Smasher lands down beside the fallen agent and knowing that he has a long journey ahead of him, takes the agent’s snow-gear, fuel tank and blaster. When he removes the armor, Flag-Smasher sees that it was Vladimir Krantz who was sent after him, and recalls that he was a good agent. Flag-Smasher puts the armor on, deciding that there is no time for sentimentality, not if he hopes to escape. He turns his attention north, and takes to the sky once more on his skis, recalling that there is a scientific outpost about twenty-five kilometers south west of here, and that he might be able to make it there before nightfall if ULTIMATUM has given up its pursuit of him. ‘And if not, I will simply have to deal with them as I have the first two. I cannot allow anything to stop me. It’s not only a matter of world security - but also of my honor as an anti-patriot!’ Flag Smasher thinks to himself.
Meantime, in Washington DC, in the dimly-lit assembly chambers of the governmental Commission on Superhuman Activity. The members of the Commission are seated at their respective places around the horse-show table, while a spotlight pours down on the center of the floor before them, where John Walker a.k.a. Captain America stands. Douglas Rockwell, the Head Commissioner, addresses Walker, telling him that when they appointed him the new Captain America, they had every confidence in him. ‘But from the time you underwent basic training - you’ve shown certain lapses in judgment. We kept hoping the problem would clear itself up, but it has only gotten worse’ Rockwell states.
Rockwell adds that the dust has barely settled from the Watchdogs incident in Georgia, an affair that Walker should not have been involved with in the first place. He declares that now they have reason to believe Walker was in a fracas on a Texas oil field that resulted in an explosion that left two men critically injured to say nothing of the property damage incurred. ‘Well, what do you have to say for yourself?’ Rockwell asks. Walker confirms that he was present, and explains that those two men are old enemies of his, and that matters got out of hand. Adrian Sammish reminds everyone that they replaced the original Captain America because he couldn’t obey orders. ‘When we hired you we thought you could’ he states, before pointing out that now half the time Walker is running wild, and the Commission is forced to cover up for his excesses.
Raymond Sikorsky suggests that they get to the point, and informs Walker that the opinion of the Commission is that he is just too wild to be of any use to them anymore. Rockwell grimaces and informs Walker that they took a vote, and that the majority of them voted to suspend him, permanently, and explains that this time he will be under detention pending an investigation of possible criminal acts. ‘Kindly turn yourself into the Guardsmen waiting outside’ Rockwell barks. But when Walker offers no response, Rockwell shouts ‘Are you following all this, Mr Walker?’, to which Johnny frowns and replies ‘Yes’.
Just then, ‘Helloooo!’ a voice calls out, as the President of the United States enters the chamber. Captain America turns to him, while some of the Commission get up from their seats. ‘Mr President…this is…unexpected’ Rockwell remarks. The President explains that seeing how he is going to be stepping down in January, he thought he would take the opportunity to drop by and meet the new Captain America while he still has the chance. The President smiles as he shakes Captain America’s hand, telling him that he is pleased to meet him, and that he knows it is a hard job he has to do. The Commission gather on the floor, and the President turns to Rockwell, telling him that there is something he has been meaning to ask him and his fellow appointees. ‘Uh…yes?’ Rockwell asks, before the President enquires as to why he was not informed about the replacement of the original Cap.
Rockwell hesitates, before informing the President that when he granted the Commission its discretionary powers he thought that he did not want to be burdened with the details of their functions. The President frowns and replies ‘Don’t you think that something as noteworthy as the substitution of our nation’s premier super hero warranted my attention?’, adding that Rockwell would not believe the mail the White House has received since the change in appointment was announced. ‘Half the people wish the new man well, the other demands to know more about what happened to the original!’ the President reveals, before asking what did happen to Steve Rogers.
‘We had to fire him, Sir’ Rockwell replies, explaining that in the judgment of the Commission, Rogers could not longer do the job required of him. ‘I see. So where is he now?’ the President enquires. Sikorsky announces ’Actually, Sir, he’s currently being held for questioning in connection with the assault on you’. The President smiles and asks ’You mean the night of the snake riot?’, before explaining that his memory of that night is a little vague, but the one thing he does recall is that a masked man saved his life. ’If that was Steve Rogers, he should be given a medal - not imprisonment!’ he adds, before asking what he can do to expedite his release.
The members of the Commission smile, and Sikorsky announces that they will take it from here. ‘Good, good. I hate to see an old soldier like him being treated shoddily. Carry on, gentlemen’ the President declares as he turns to leave. On his way out, he stops to talk to Walker, telling him that he expects to hear great things from him., ‘It is a proud tradition you are upholding’ he adds. ‘I know, Sir’ Walker replies. The President leaves the chamber, and the Commission fall silent. ‘Now what?’ Dr Valerie Cooper asks her fellow Commissioners. Sammish declares that one thing is for certain, that they had better release Rogers. George Mathers then asks ‘What about Walker? If we cut him loose now, we’ll have a lot of explaining to do’ he points out. Sikorsky suggests that they keep him on ice until January, at that time there will be a new administration. ‘They can tell us whether or not to indict him’ Sikorsky adds. Frowning, Rockwell announces that he will inform Walker.
Back in the Arctic, Flag-Smasher approaches a research station, and using the plasma-blaster, creates an entrance way, confident that he slid under the station’s radar, but still does not care to give the opportunity to prepare for his arrival. And soon, further in the station, Flag-Smasher confronts some of the station workers, announcing that he has commandeered this facility. He orders the workers to direct him to the communications room, ‘Or else I will remove your comrade’s head as easily as I removed your door’ Flag-Smasher warns them. ‘That way…’ one of them utters, pointing towards the communications room. Entering it, Flag-Smasher holds his mace to the face of one of the officers, ordering him to transmit a message to the United States at once. ‘Make it read: “Captain America. I need your help…”!’ Flag-Smasher states.
Some time later, in Washington, Rockwell is in his private office, and sitting at his desk, speaks over the phone to a man hidden in shadows on a monitor. ‘Good news and bad news to report, Sir’ Rockwell announces. ‘Are you playing games with me, Rockwell?’ comes the reply. ‘No, Sir!’ Rockwell exclaims, adding that it was the President, that he walked into today’s meeting unannounced, and more or less overturned the majority decision to drop Walker as Captain America. ‘Good’ Rockwell’s mysterious superior replies, adding that it is important that Walker be free to besmirch the image of Captain America. ‘I take it that is the good news’ he adds, before asking what is the bad.
Rockwell rubs his sweating forehead with a cloth and announces that the President strongly urged them to drop their investigation of Steve Rogers and release him as soon as possible. ‘And have you?’ asks the man shrouded in red. ‘Not yet, Sir. But I don’t know of any way not to comply without my fellow Commissioners getting suspicious of me’ he explains. The mysterious man orders Rockwell to release Steve Rogers, but to plant a bug on him so that they know his whereabouts at all times. ‘Then you don’t want him killed?’ Rockwell asks, confused. ‘Of course not! The dead are of little use to -’ he begins to reply, when suddenly there is a knock at Rockwell’s door. Rockwell urgently tells his superior that he has company and will call him back, before hanging up and pressing a button to hide the monitor.
Valerie Cooper enters Rockwell’s office as Rockwell stands up. ‘What’s -’ he begins, to which Val informs him that they have just received a dispatch from an Arctic scientific outpost. She announces that it has been occupied by the anarchist who calls himself Flag-Smasher. The glamorous Valerie informs Rockwell that Flag-Smasher demands to see Captain America personally in exchange for the release of the thirteen scientists stationed there. ‘What should we do? Who do we send?’ Valerie asks, deferring to the Head Commissioner. ‘Who else do we have but Walker?’ Rockwell asks, muttering that maybe if they are lucky, Walker will get himself killed and save them a whole lot of trouble.
Elsewhere, Steve Rogers a.k.a. the Captain lies in  cell, the shadows of the cell bars reflecting over him. Arms behind his head, Rogers tells himself that he doesn’t understand himself sometimes. ‘How did I let myself get into this predicament?’ he wonders. Steve tells himself that he as always been a fighter so why was he quick to back down from the Commission over his right to be Captain America? He supposes that with a lawyer, a few character witnesses, public sentiment and maybe even the President on his sid,e he could have easily won. He wonders if he backed down from that simply because it is not his kind of fight, and realizes that it is now mighty clear to him that the Commission is violating his constitutional rights holding him here without charging him with anything or letting him see an attorney. ‘Maybe what they’ve been doing to me has been illegal from the start as certain of my friends have suggested’ Steve tells himself.
Frowning, thoughts continue to flow through Steve’s head, wondering why he didn’t try to determine who were his enemies in the government were, and why did he just walk away without a fight? He wonders if it could be that he subconsciously wanted to break from his responsibilities from being Cap, but reminds himself that he is no shirker. ‘Or maybe subconsciously I needed a challenge - maybe I wanted to test myself’ Steve decides, adding that ever since his bout with the Super-Patriot ended in a draw, he has been concerned that he has been losing his edge.
Suddenly, there is a loud BOOM, and the Captain leaps up from the bed where he lies. ‘That noise in the distance - an explosion? What could it -?’ he wonders, when suddenly the lights go out and he is plunged into darkness, deciding that the power must have been affected. He pulls his mask down over his face and tells himself that he has had it with this inactivity, with this illegal incarceration. ‘If throwing obstacles in my own way has indeed been my subconscious way of toughening myself up, trying to regain my edge - enough’s enough’ he decides. ‘This situation has gotten tiresome! It’s time for this old soldier to fight!’.
But the Captain knows that in order to fight, he has to first get out of his cell - only when he grabs the cell door, he discovers that it is open. ‘A convenient power outage or a trap? A set-up?’ Steve wonders, before realizing that it doesn’t matter as he will take it any way it comes. He leaves the cell and decides that his first job is to see if his friend D-Man is locked up here as he was led to believe, but as he walks past the cells, he finds them all empty, as if no one else has been here - but when he comes across his shield lying nearby, Steve knows that this is a set-up.
Later, aboard a US Air Force jet, Walker and his fighting partner, Lemar Hoskins a.k.a. Battlestar are reviewing files. ‘So this Flag-Smasher was an enemy of the old guy, huh?’ Battlestar remarks, before wondering if Flag-Smasher knows that Walker replaced the original Cap. ‘Anyway, let’s see what his dossier says’ Lemar tells Johnny, who just sits with his arms folded and offers no response. Lemar reads that Flag-Smasher is the head of the terrorist group ULTIMATUM that is trying to promote world unity by attacking all governments. ‘Sounds like a total nutcase, huh?’ Lemar remarks, informing Walker that Flag-Smasher and his gang hijacked a plane a while back and held the passengers hostage until the old Cap got there. ‘Wow, that old duff actually had to use a gun to free the hostages’ Battlestar remarks, surprised.
Lemar continues reading through the file, informing Walker that the old Cap caught up with Flag-Smasher in the Alps and took him into custody, where Flag-Smasher’s agents broke Flag-Smasher out of SHIELD a few months back. ‘SHIELD’s that worldwide spy group, right?’ Lemar asks, before holding up a photo of Flag-Smasher holding his mace. ‘Ha! Looks like he doesn’t like having his picture taken’ Lemar remarks. ‘In that outfit, I can’t blame him’ LKemar jokes. ‘Nice cape. Don’t think this bozo will be much trouble! How about you, Johnny? Johnny?’ Lemar calls out to his friend, but he gets no response. Lemar frowns and realizes that Johnny is in rough shape. ‘I thought he’d get over his folks deaths, but he’s just getting worse. He wouldn’t even tell me what went down in the meeting he had with the Commission!’ Lemar thinks to himself, worried for his friend, only he knows there doesn’t seem to be anything John will let him to do help.
Elsewhere, with his shield in hand, the Captain strides through the darkness, deciding that nothing seems to be amiss with his shield, but in this darkness he cannot tell for certain, although he is confident that it won’t explode on him. He makes his way up a flight of steps, with still no sign of D-Man or anyone else. ‘If the Commission is holding him, it’s apparently not here’ Steve tells himself, adding that, for a trap, it is about as exciting as melting ice. Opening a door, Steve finds himself outside, adding that if it is not a trap, but what it seems to be, is a power outage caused by whatever that explosion he hard - then what? What’s his next move.
Seeing that it is night time, Steve realizes that he lost track of precisely how long he had been held. ‘My luck - if luck it is - is holding’ he decides, before carefully making his way in between a series of parked military vehicles. He moves swiftly, while realizing that he didn’t see too much of this place when the armoured truck brought him here, but that he had it pegged as a military facility. Steve tells himself that the question is where this facility is, knowing that it took about two hours to get here from the Commission’s Washington DC offices. Steve wonders if it is Fort George M Meade in Maryland, and if so, knows that he has some hike ahead of him getting out of here.
The Arctic, where the military jet has arrived over the ice station. A pilot informs the ice station that they have arrived and are awaiting further instruction. ‘Air Force Seven, this is Flag-Smasher. I have you on radar. Do not land within ten kilcks from here. Have Captain America ‘chute down. Do you copy? Over’ Flag-Smasher replies through the radio communications system. Battlestar adjusts the parachute bag on Johnny’s back. ‘You go down there like the man wants. I’ll follow as soon as we’re where he won’t be able to detect another ‘chute’ Lemar tells Walker. ‘Go get him, partner!’ Battlestar adds, but Walker offers no response as he leaps from the jet, which continues flying away from the ice station. Walker lands some distance from the station, and after ditching the parachute, rushes towards the facility.
In silence, he finds the make-shift entrance that Flag-Smasher earlier created, and enters the facility. Making his way down a corridor, he comes to where Flag-Smasher is holding one of the scientists hostage. ‘Captain! Good to see you again. Now drop your weapon or I will use this snivelling scientist’s brains for pain!’ Flag-Smasher exclaims, his gun held to the man’s head. ‘No’ Captain America replies sternly. ‘No? What do you mean no? You know from previous encounters that I’m not above sacrificing a life to further the cause!’ Flag-Smasher remarks, adding that he knows that Captain America has an inflated regard for the value of every single human life. ‘So drop your shield at once’ Flag-Smasher orders. ‘Go ahead and kill him. You’ll join him in seconds’ Walker declares.
Flag-Smasher looks shocked, and he suddenly realizes that this is not Captain America. ‘You’re an impostor!’ he exclaims. The scientist looks even more concerned, but Flag-Smasher tosses him to one side, where he lands on the floor. Mace in hand, the anarchist marches towards Walker, declaring that he cannot believe the United States dared send an impostor. ‘Stinking government’s - can’t trust a one of them!’ he shouts, before asking Captain America ‘Who are you, impostor? What kind of trick does your insipid government think it is playing at?’ But John Walker replies that he is Captain America and that there is only one. Detaching his cape, Flag-Smasher lunges towards Walker, ‘Lying cretin!’ he shouts. ‘I do not have time for such foolishness! All of civilization is at stake!’ he boasts, before warning Captain America to prepare to die, and he leaps into the air, bringing his mace down hard - but Walker deflects it with his shield.
‘I…am…not…a…fake!’ Walker shouts, punching Flag-Smasher hard in the face. ‘You hit harder than the real Captain America, I’ll give you that’ Flag-Smasher remarks as he raises his knee, shoving it into Walker’s chin. This causes Walker to keel forward, and Flag-Smasher raises his mace overhead, demanding an answer. ‘Why did your government send a stand-in? Did they think I would not be able to tell?’ he asks. ‘Do they not take me seriously? Answer me, impostor, before I smash your skull open!’ Flag-Smasher warns Walker, only Walker suddenly moves upwards, ‘Shut! Up!’ he exclaims as he smashes his shield into Flag-Smasher’s face.
With Flag-Smasher stunned, Walker flips him over onto his back, slamming him hard into the ground. ‘Whoever this man is, he is a ferocious fighter - much less predictable than the original Captain. His strength appears to be many times that of his predecessor as well’ Flag-Smasher tells himself, before pushing upwards and hurling Walker overhead, where he slams into the wall. ‘No matter, my fighting style is superior to his - and his strength can simply be used against him’ Flag-Smasher tells himself. ‘Say your prayers, scum!’ Walker shouts as he gets up, and pushes forward, forcing himself and Flag-Smasher through the wall.
Flag-Smasher falls to the floor, and Walker begins to pummel his face. ‘I’ve a riddle for you, Flag-Smasher - what’s black and white - and red all over?’ Walker asks him, while Flag-Smasher tries to reach up to Walker’s arms, and grabs his triceps. ‘Give up?’ Walker asks when he gets no response from Flag-Smasher, only to realize that his opponent is doing something to him. ‘Over-confident fool! I let you pin me on purpose! All the better to let me energy-absorbing exoskeleton sap you of your strength!’ Flag-Smasher explains, as he uses Walker’s own strength, punching the hero backwards to the snow covered ground. Flag-Smasher gets to his feet and picks up his mace, boasting that he will use his newfound strength and the mace against Walker. ‘Savor the pain while it lasts. It is the last thing on this Earth you’ll ever feel!’ the anarchist calls out.
Suddenly, ‘Holy! That dude downed Johnny!’ Battlestar thinks to himself as he rushes towards Flag-Smasher. ‘Someone clad in red, white and blue? This clown’s partner?’ Flag-Smasher wonders as he sees Battlestar appear behind him. ‘Blast! Saw me before I could jump him!’ Lemar tells himself. Flag-Smasher leans down and holds the pistol to Walker’s head, shouting ‘One step closer and this man loses what little brain he had. Go ahead, see if I am joking’ he calls out. Battlestar passes, telling Flag-Smasher that it is his move. ‘So not only did Washington send and impostor, but a lackey, as well!’ Flag-Smasher declares.
The anarchist suggests to Battlestar that he tell his superiors to bring him the real Captain America, or else everyone at this facility, including the impostor, will be killed. ‘Hurry - there is not much time left! In 48 hours the world will be plunged into chaos, and it’s all because you stupid Americans could not deal straight with me. Now go!’ Flag-Smasher declares. Battlestar frowns and wonders what he should do, as he cannot rush Flag-Smasher without getting Johnny shot in the head. He supposes that he could pretend to go, then circle back and try to fake Flag-Smasher out, but decides that this mace-swinging madman is probably too cagey to let him get away with that, and wonders how he defeated Johnny anyway. ‘And what’s all this about world chaos?’ Battlestar asks himself, confused, deciding that he ought to do as Flag-Smasher says - go back to the US and get the original Cap.
The next morning, in Washington DC, Rockwell sits at his desk and observes a monitor which lights up with a homing signal. ‘Perfect, perfect, perfect! The homing transmitter we hid in the strap-rivet in Roger’s shield is working perfectly’ the old man thinks to himself, knowing that even though he is at large, they can monitor his whereabouts at all times. Suddenly, his phone rings. He presses the speaker-phone button, ‘Yes?’ he calls out, while someone informs hi that they have just received radio dispatch from Battlestar, who has told them that Walker has been captured and that Flag-Smasher will kill him if they don’t send the original Cap. Rockwell grins with delight and replies ‘Tell Battlestar he’s out of luck! Steve Rogers has flown the coop and there’s no telling where he is!’
But elsewhere in Washington, Steve is in a phone booth, and places the receiver of the phone into a computer in his briefcase, thankful that his portable hotline terminal was exactly where he hit it before he surrendered himself to the Commission, but regrets that he is not having much luck using it to determine if D-Man left word to his whereabouts. Examining the monitor, all Steve reads is incomprehensible gibberish. He frowns and decides that there is nothing wrong with this end of the system, and supposes that the fault must lie back in the main computer in Brooklyn Heights. Steve is at a loss without his data network, and knows that if there is some malfunction he had better attend to it at once, before wondering what the cheapest and least conspicuous way to get to Brooklyn Heights!?