Writer: Kurt Busiek & Fabian Nicieza
In the settlement of Zeulniz, the Holy Roman Empire, 1480, Harbin Zemo is outnumbered by a large group of armoured men. Harbin Zemo is the first in the line of Zemo's and defeats his opponents to protect the town's people and land for the good cause of justice.
In Present day Baron Zemo, along with Moonstone are trying to get the nation of Carnelia to give up information and stop development on the experimental fusion reactor or the nation will be exposed to the world. The prime minister doesn't like Zemo's terms or his past deeds and decides to have him killed. Moonstone disarms the prime ministers men before they can do any harm. The prime ministers actions have consequences as in a news broadcast the Thunderbolts (Baron Zemo, Vantage, Songbird, Blackheath, Atlas, Moonstone, and the Fixer) reveal the fusion factor facility to the world. A clip of a press conference is shown that questions Zemo about the Thunderbolts activities and the legality in which they carry them out.
At Avengers mansion the Avengers are watching the news about the Thunderbolts actions. Hawkeye is proud of the Thunderbolts while Captain America is uncertain about them. They begin discussing the Thunderbolts before the Vision interrupts them about the Cobalt Man attacking a research lab outside of Topeka. The Avengers (Captain America, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, Vision, Yellow Jacket, and Iron Man) leave to go stop him.
Erik, Dallas, and Melissa exit a pub in Aberdeen, Scotland. A news broadcast relays that the Avengers stopped the Cobalt Man's attack but he escaped with something. Walking along the street Melissa and Dallas reveal that they don't trust Zemo but so far things haven't messed up.
Black Heath watches the three his thoughts a mystery as he suddenly appears out of the bush surprising Erik.
A crowd of people looks on, as Moonstone appears asking if the three of them have acquired the Monofilament the Fixer needs. They were just about too as Blackheath has completed his task of gathering sixty pounds of fertilizer. Moonstone says she's been covering for them from Zemo as they felt they needed time to relax. So Erik, Dallas, and Melissa go to obtain the Monofilament.
Blackheath delivers the Ammonium Nitrate to the Thunderbolts headquarters in the North Sea for the liberator project. Moonstone has also returned. She has a shower, takes a look at Hawkeye's battle with Cobalt Man on a small handheld display before going to see Zemo and check on the liberator project.
The Fixer can't get the machine to work properly. Moonstone phases through the wall to meet them when Zemo states they have plenty of good will from the public now and they can't waste their window of opportunity. Moonstone interrupts Zemo asking if that would force them to "Impose our good will instead of earning it?" Zemo denies it saying the Liberator is not an evil plan. Moonstone was the one who came out with the Liberator.
Zemo touts the goodness of the plan since people are always fighting and this will "open the door to new possibilities".
Fixer suggests like he has before that they need a nuclear engineer to get things going. Moonstone uses her background in psychology to predict they have three weeks to take advantage of their popularity.
An alert comes on as Moonstone heads outside to see that the reminder of the Carnelian Air Force is going to attack the headquarters. Using her powers she stops the helicopters in the air before they can attack as Erik, Dallas, and Melissa return.
The Fixer connects Zemo with the Carnelian prime minister who he has a chat with through TV screens. The prime minister threatens Zemo after hearing from him by saying he will go the UN and get support to go against him. Zemo responds by saying that the prime minister will just have to accept that he lost an energy source that could have been disastrous. On top of that Zemo plays a video of the prime minister with the wives of his senior army officers who are now displeased with their prime minister. Dallas questions Zemo's tactics but Zemo defends them saying there was no loss of life and that's what heroes try to prevent.
Four weeks earlier, Captain America and Wasp visit at minimum-security jail in Illinois. Warbird leads them to a particular jail cell that holds Abe Jenkins. Captain America asks Abe about the Thunderbolts and the information the Songbird's been getting to him. It all doesn't add up, even Songbird doesn't know what exactly Zemo's plans are. They don't have any evidence but want his help. Abe isn't happy about the situation he's put in but eventually tells the two Avengers that "Project: Liberator. The Thunderbolts are going to use it to save the world. And the Avengers are going to have to stop them…"
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.