Writer: Fabian Nicieza
On Earth, the team of Thunderbolts who were not transported to Counter-Earth (one of the original Thunderbolts, Songbird, and four apparently reformed members of the latest incarnation of the Masters of Evil, Man-Killer, now known as Amazon, Gypsy-Moth, now known as Skein, Cardinal, now known as Harrier and Cyclone) face off against "Dum Dum" Dugan and the Elite Agents of SHIELD for custody of the apparently deceased Blackheath (the villain formerly known as Plant-Man). Songbird uses her Carapace to project a protective field of solid sound around Blackheath. Amazon knocks a hole into the wall creating an exit and she, Harrier and Cyclone immediately flee and Skein tells Songbird that she can't drag Blackheath's body as it would slow her down and she'd be unavailable to avoid the Elite Agent of SHIELD. Songbird tells her to flee.
Whilst fleeing from the Crimson Cowl's headquarters, Harrier and Cyclone are hit by E.M Pulse arrows fired by Hawkeye who has only just made his way back to the woods surrounding the Crimson Cowl's Headquarters (Harrier dropped him in the river back in issue 67), the E.M Pulse arrows short circuit Harrier's and Cyclone's equipment which forces them to come crushing down from the sky unable to flee any further. A little further into the woods surrounding the Crimson Cowl's headquarters, Hawk finds Amazon tied up to a tree by her own clothes and Skein explains she wanted to go back and help Songbird but Amazon refused and Skein was working on changing her mind.
Inside the Crimson Cowl's headquarters, Songbird and "Dum Dum" Dugan debate over w2ho should have Blackheath's body whilst, in the woods outside the Crimson Cowl's headquarters, Skein, Amazon, Harrier and Cyclone explain what Hawkeye has missed and Hawk tells them that they made the wrong decision by abandoning Songbird and they must now make the right decision and go back.
At that moment, Skul, the field leader of the Elite Agents of SHIELD, fires his weapon from the cover of the woods and Hawk fires off four of his arrows. Hawkeye gets lucky and knocks him out of commission, he then orders his team to separate and take out the remaining Elite Agents of Shield. Harrier and Cyclone are left behind and captured by one of the Elite Agents of SHIELD (who remains nameless) but they are rescued by Amazon who shows that she has reformed by refusing to untie Harrier and Cyclone fearing that they would flee. Meanwhile, Hawkeye battles and defeats the member of the Elite Agents of SHIELD known as M-80 whilst Skein, with a little help from Amazon defeats the one remaining Elite Agent of SHIELD, Silicon. Hawkeye then frees Harrier and Cyclone and his team of Thunderbolts goes back to the Crimson Cowl's headquarters.
Inside the Cowl's headquarters, Black Heath comes back to life after using the moisture he absorbs from Hydro Man, one of the Masters of Evil. Angry at being used, Blackheath threatens to release the toxin killing everyone on earth but Songbird and Hawkeye are able to persuade Blackheath not to release the toxin and Hawkeye informs "Dum Dum Dugan that he and his team are leaving and that SHIELD should have better things to do then go after the "good guys". The issue ends with a mysterious figure appearing just off panel (all that can be seen of him is his hand in a purple fingerless glove) who asks for the Thunderbolts help to save the world.
Issue Synopsis by: James Hunter
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.