Diamondback is about to face off against several of her former allies (Anaconda, Asp, Coachwhip, Puff Adder, and Black Mamba), and she mentally recaps the story for the late-comers* [ * - But y'all can go back and read them - Not-Recapping Dave ].
Coachwhip, Puff Adder, and Anaconda come forward to attack...and are surprised when Asp casts an electric bolt at Puff Adder's back, and Black Mamba attacks Coachwhip with her illusions. Anaconda and Diamondback tussle, and Anaconda is surprised to find that Diamondback has gotten much stronger (having a dose of the Super-Soldier formula in your blood helps!). Coachwhip is distracted by the illusions long enough for Mamba to take her down, but Asp's blasts can't seem to hurt Puff Adder enough before he knocks her unconscious.
Meanwhile....Cap is dodging a co-ordinated attack by Cottonmouth and Bushmaster. Cap slams his shield into Cottonmouth's lower midsection very hard, and then leaps low and forward, just as Bushmaster lunges forward with his arm-spikes. Bushmaster accidentally impales Cottonmouth with one of his envenomed weapons, and Cottonmouth calls them both nasty names as he becomes paralyzed. Bushmaster says "Quincy, you're such a wimp! It won't kill you....just hurt for awhile."
"How can you work with these losers?" Cap comments as he avoids becoming entangled "They're not only criminals, but bigots!"
"This is about power, not race" answers Bushmaster, just before he gets a combination of fist strikes to his head and abdomen. "It is now," Cap corrects as he pummels him with his shield, "but afterwards...what then?"
Bushmaster pulls himself away from Cap, trying to escape. "Then I'll kill them....just as I'm killing you!" He stabs his forearm fang into one of the nerve toxin gas cannisters. Cap trys to hold his breath, but Bushmaster encircles him and begins constricting. He is crushing Cap, forcing him to breathe...and succeeds: Cap breaths in the lethal gas. "Maybe," pants Cap "but you won't be around to see it!" and forces Bushmaster near the wall, slamming his head into some metal machinery. Bushmaster relaxes his coils as he loses consciousness. Cap drags both his opponents outside of the lab area, and begins to destroy the cannisters of the toxin, while thinking The automated emergency air filtration system here is set to handle and neutralize the agent in case of leaks, and render it harmless...all I have to do is destroy all of the cannisters! Cap releases all of the gas supply, and disconnects all of the lab computer network connections, hoping that he can thereby isolate access to the lab notes until SHIELD can get here. Once the lab is secure, he contacts SHIELD, and reports the lab secure. One of the SHIELD assault officers informs Cap that they are 'stalled', that Diamondback and Free Spirit have continued deeper into the complex, and that they have additional forces en route, and a secure team will be there to take his foes into custody and secure the lab. Cap signs off, and heads towards where he thinks Diamondback and Free Spirit might be.
Meanwhile...Sons Of The Serpent thugs open fire at Free Spirit, who moves forward. She swiftly proves that she is more adept at combat than the average SotS thug, and Viper leaps herself into the fray, attempting to use her fangs. Free Spirit breaks free, and they circle each other. They fight a bit more, and ultimately Free Spirit brings Viper to bay. Viper pulls a self-destruct device from her belt, but a thrown shield knocks it from her hand, and an explosive-tipped diamond-dart blows it to pieces in mid-air.
Viper is cornered and surrounded, but isn't out of tricks...her voice changes to another, more masculine mechanical voice. "You have won this round, Captain, but you have yet to win the war!". Viper bursts into flame, and and as the flames burn through the clothing and the fake skin, Viper is revealed to have been an LMD. Things start going off with mini-explosions, and Cap orders everyone to evacuate NOW! Diamondback, Free Spirit, and Cap begin to run.
"We're not going to make it, are we" comments Free Spirit as they run.
"Nothing is ever hopeless or impossible," Cap comments on the run. "Keep going!"
The explosions behind and to the side of them are getting worse, and it gets to be clear to everyone that they are doomed...just before Sidewinder pops into the corridor besides them, and begins to pop them out, Diamondback first. Just before he takes Free Spirit, Cap reminds her: "Nothing is ever impossible!"
Next Issue - "Cut Off A Head..."