Panic on Park Avenue!

Steve Rogers is out for a walk deep in thought about his current woes as Captain America. Particularly, how he is currently on the outs with SHIELD director Nick Fury. This has thrown Steve’s relationship with Sharon Carter , a SHIELD agent, into question. His thoughts are interrupted when he is ambushed by both the Scorpion and Mister Hyde. For some reason, the pair want revenge against SHIELD and are targeting Steve for his connection to Sharon. Although his attackers have super-human powers, Rogers manages to fight free and flees since he can’t expose his secret identity. Surprised by their targets fighting skills, Hyde suggests they forget about Rogers and go after Carter instead.

Meanwhile, in Harlem, the Falcon is on patrol and answers the call of some of his fans. Among them is local activist Rafe Michel who tells the children not to idolize the Falcon because he’s working for the establishment. The ensuing argument becomes heated and the Falcon has to control himself before they come to blows. As he leaves, Leila — someone who the Falcon has trying to romance in his civilian identity — calls out to him. However, she only takes this opportunity to insult him and question his motivations as well.[1] Frustrated, Falcon returns to his apartment to find Captain America waiting for him. Steve tells Sam about his recent clash with the Scorpion and Mister Hyde and how this is impossible since there were reports that both men had died during a recent clash with Daredevil.[2]

At that same moment, the two villains in question have retreated to the sewers where they contemplate what had happened to them recently. The Scorpion recounts how he was kidnapped from his jail cell by a strange glowing orb. when he woke up, he found himself in a glass case filled with knock out gas. Smashing his way free, the Scorpion then found Mister Hyde and freed him as well. Since escaping their prison, the pair had been trying to figure out who kidnapped them and why. Unaware that they were pawns of the mysterious Mister Klein, they have come to the conclusion that SHIELD was responsible for their imprisonment, hence why they have been targeting the organization.

By this time, Captain America and the Falcon have correctly deduced that Sharon Carter will become a target of their foes. When they arrive at the SHIELD housing facility, Captain America’s entry code is rejected because he is currently a person non-grata with the spy agency. That’s when the Scorpion and Mister Hyde emerge from the sewers. A fight breaks out in front of the building. Looking out the window and seeing Cap in danger prompts Sharon to rush outside to his aid. Unfortunately, this allows Mister Hyde to grab the woman and use her for a hostage. The Falcon’s temper gets the better of himself when the Scorpion calls him a coward and he is spoiling for a fight until Cap orders him to stand down in order to ensure Sharon’s aid.

After the two villains flee with their hostage, Nick Fury arrives and blames Captain America for the kidnapping of one of his agents. Angered by Fury’s negative attitude toward him recently, Cap punches the SHIELD director in the face and tells Nick to stay out of his life. As Captain America walks away, the Falcon tells Fury that he made the biggest mistake of his career.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Falcon, Mister Hyde, Scorpion, SHIELD (Nick Fury, Sharon Carter), Leila Taylor, Rafe Michel, Juan Santiago

Continuity Notes

1. Leila’s full name is not given here. Captain America #188 reveals that her last name is Taylor.

2. These were actually life like robots created by Mister Kline a robot from the future who was trying to alter the course of destiny for Daredevil by manipulating him into a partnership with the Black Widow for — reasons? His motivations are never fully explained. Also he went after Iron Man for some reason as well. See Daredevil #77-84 and Iron Man #41-45. The whole robot Scorpion and Mister Hyde happened in issues #82-83 of Daredevil.

Topical References

• This story has both Rafe and Leila using disparaging terms toward the Falcon. One being “Uncle Tom” a derogatory term derived by the old-timey racist story Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It’s used to describe an African-American who is compliant toward their white oppressors. The other is “yellow back” a variation of an insult wherein someone is called “yellow” because they are perceived to be a coward.

• This story states that all of the female SHIELD agents live in an all-women dorm together. This was a standard practice with government agencies that were affiliated with law enforcement or the military. This is kind of a dated concept. While still practiced by the military, the idea that a spy agency having gender specific housing is kind of silly.