Skyjacked!

As Steve Rogers wakes up from a nightmare he is unaware of the fact that his bedroom has been bugged by the terrorist organization known as Hydra. Observing Captain America from his monitor, the Supreme Hydra gloats over their latest scheme to hijack a SHIELD carrier plane and kill the Star-Spangled Avenger. This is all part of a scheme to overthrow the United States government, a plan that Hydra has been working on since going into hiding and setting up a secret underground headquarters in Nevada.[1]

At that moment, Steve gets a call from SHIELD and races to their headquarters as Captain America. Also getting the call is Sharon Carter, who leaps into action as well. Soon, at SHIELD headquarters, the all-female Femme Force team has mobilized at the command of Nick Fury and Dum Dum Dugan. Fury, however, is not happy that their leader Sharon Carter is not front and center. When Sharon does arrive, she blames he tardiness on her second in command, Countess Valentina de la Fontaine. Fontaine intentionally held up the elevator as she has aspirations to replace Sharon as leader of Femme Force. Fury calls the women to attention as Captain America finally arrives. Fury informs them that they have located Hydra’s secret base in Las Vegas and is dispatching Cap and Femme Force to take them down. Little do they know is the Supreme Hydra is listening to this conversation as well and the intel was leaked to SHIELD by one of their spies.

As Captain America and Femme Force are deployed in a SHIELD aircraft, a Hydra ship is sent to intercept it in mid-air. Onboard the SHIELD plane, Captain America and Sharon discuss the hard work she has put into training Femme Force. They are interrupted by the Countess who begins openly flirting with Cap, much to the ire of Sharon. As the Hydra ship prepares for intercept, the Supreme Hydra orders his minions to take Captain America and Sharon Cater alive. As they prepare to strike, Captain America becomes suspicious of one of the members of Femme Force who is hovering next to the door to the plane.

When Hydra boards the plane a battle breaks out and when Sharon is injured by an enemy blast, Captain America begins fighting like a man possessed. With Sharon down, the Countess takes command and in the ensuing fracas, Carter recovers and rejoins the battle. Although the first round is won, the Hydra agents regroup. Some of their number get into the cockpit where they knock out Eric Koenig, the pilot and set the plane to crash.

As Cap and the others fight to regain control of the SHIELD transport, Sam Wilson wakes up from a nightmare. He fears that Captain America may be in trouble and finds himself conflict over going to the aid of his former partner, and his devotion to fighting crime in Harlem. He then gets a call from SHIELD asking him to meet with Nick Fury. Despite his misgivings over being ordered around, Sam changes into the Falcon and heads out with his pet, Redwing, to see what Nick Fury wants.

While back aboard the SHIELD aircraft, Sharon is blasted a second time and falls lifelessly to the floor. Assuming that his lover has been killed, Captain America becomes so enraged that he vows to make Hydra pay for slaying Sharon.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Falcon, Hydra, SHIELD (Nick Fury, Dum-Dum Dugan, Eric Koenig, Sharon Carter, Countess de la Fontaine),

Continuity Notes

1. Hydra was last seen in Incredible Hulk #132 when the organization was dismantled by the Hulk. It’s reformation here is explored in more detail in Captain America #147.

Topical References

• The jet that Femme Force and Cap take to Nevada is depicted as a Boeing 707. These aircraft were primarily used between 1956 and 1978. Most of these crafts were retired and the few that are still in operation aren’t used for passenger transport.