Fighting Chance Book 8: Baron Ground

Searching for a group of missing American children, Captain America and Diamondback have tracked them down to Mexico where they have been brainwashed into being loyal to Baron Zemo and his new wife Heike. Pulling guns, the children announce that they hate Captain America. Luckily, these aren’t real guns. When Cap insists on taking the children back home to their families, he quickly learns that all of the abducted children were taken from abusive homes and that none of them want to go back. Zemo insists that he will provide a loving environment for them. Despite this, Steve insists that this is wrong and gets dumped down a trap door, something he cannot avoid in his weakened condition.[1] Diamondback retreats go and find him and ends up running into one of Zemo’s plastoid minions instead.

Meanwhile, Cathy Webster is on the trail of Doctor Wentworth, to get answers regarding the experimental process she underwent. Learning that Wentworth flew to Malpaso, Mexico, Cathy is forced to hitchhike to go after her since she is short on cash.

Back at Castle Zemo, the Baron checks the security footage to check on Captain America and is annoyed when he doesn’t appear to be in the pit that he fell into. Sending his plastoid minions to go check, they are ambushed by Captain America who has been clinging to the ceiling with a grappling wire in order to stay out of sight. Despite his weakening body, he is able to defeat his attackers and escape thanks to the devices contained in his new battle harness.

Meanwhile, Diamondback is stuck in the body of one of the plastoids, who is taking her down to the dungeon. In order to get out, she tries using one of his explosive diamonds to get free. Although she manages to blow off the creature’s leg, all this does is cause it to topple over.

Later, Cathy Webster’s trail to Doctor Wentworth has led her to Baron Zemo’s castle. Before going in, she changes into her Free Spirit costume.

Inside, Wentworth — actually the super-villain known as Superia — has come to meet with Zemo’s wife, Heike, to talk business. Having heard how Heike previously claimed to be the reincarnation of the Baron’s father, Heinrich Zemo, Heike admits that it was something she made up to confuse her enemies.[2] This pleases Superia who explains that her new process is only intend for strong women of body and mind.

As the two women get down to business, Captain America runs into more of the plastoid guards. This time however, his lack of attention allows one to ambush him from above and take him prisoner. At the same time, Baron Zemo is checking the security cameras and happens upon Heiki’s meeting with Superia. Someone has jammed the audio and decides to spy on her to find out what she is talking about. Elsewhere in the castle, Free Spirit climbs in through a window and frees Diamondback and the two agree to work together to achieve their individual goals.

Meanwhile, Baron Zemo overhears Heike plan to betray him and he is deeply hurt by this. Genuinely loving his new wife, this apparent betrayal causes him to cry. Leaving the library unseen, Zemo then discovers that his plastoids have captured Captain America and orders them to dump his body into a vat of Adhesive X, a fitting end to his greatest enemy.[3] As Free Spirit and Diamondback find Superia and the Baroness, Zemo goes down to the classroom where he is brainwashing his adopted children. When one of the children points out that there is something wrong with his face, Zemo realizes that his tears are causing the life-like mask that he is wearing to melt. He tells them to never mind that and tells them all that their “mother” will be going away on a trip for a long time. This makes the children afraid that they are going to be abandoned, but Zemo assures them that he’ll always be there for his children.

At that same time, Captain America manages to break free from the plastoid holding him prisoner. However, as he tries to escape the vat of Adhesive X with his grappling hook, the group of creature merge together to form a much larger creature to try and subdue him once more. Trying to climb to safety, Cap is suddenly struck by another one of his debilitating muscle craps.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Baron Zemo, Baroness Zemo, Superia, Diamondback, Free Spirit

Continuity Notes

1. As revealed in Captain America #425, the Super-Soldier Serum in Steve’s body is breaking him down. This is slowing him down and causing muscle craps that threaten to leave him completely disabled. He will suffer this condition until he is cured in issue #445.

2. Heike made the claim that she was the reincarnation of Heinrich Zemo in Spider-Man: Fear Itself #1. Heinrich had died many years prior in Avengers #15.

3. The reason why Zemo wants Cap to be dumped in a vat of Adhesive X is because that’s exactly what happened to him when he first clashed with the hero back in Captain America #168. The process left his face horribly scarred.

Topical References

• Cathy Webster likens her detective skills to those of Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew was the title character in a series of children’s detective stories of the same name that began publication in 1930. The franchise endures to this day. This wouldn’t necessary be considered a topical reference as the name has become synonymous with “girl detective”.