Hawkeye figures that the best place to track Natasha down would be her former home, so he enters and begins calling her name. From the shadows, out comes the Black Widow, who says to Hawkeye "I have been waiting for you." Hawkeye melts in her presence, but senses that she seems remote, distant. Black Widow says there will time for love later, but for now, she invites him to join her with the Swordsman and Power Man- her other recruit- to fight the Avengers. The Swordsman laughs at Hawkeye, as he has finally realized the true identity of Hawkeye is his former protege, Clint Barton. Hawkeye refuses, realizing that Natasha has indeed been brainwashed. He fires his arrows at the Swordsman and Power Man, knowing that he is in sudden danger. But he is outmanned and outmatched, and the Swordsman knocks him out.

The Wasp has witnessed all this action, and begins to rush back to get the rest of the Avengers to save him, but on her way, she is attacked by a sparrow who tries to eat her! She evades the bird until she is able to come to rest on the branch of a tree, but when she turns back to normal size, the branch breaks and she falls, going unconscious as she hits the ground. The next phase of the Black Widow's plan is to send her two compatriots to attack Captain America at the mansion. They surprise him, but not enough to catch him totally unawares- he launches a swift counter-attack with his shield, but Power Man eventually grabs him in a bear hug and puts him down for the count. Imprisoned, he is able to communicate with his teammates through a secret radio wire in his glove, telling Wanda and Pietro to come save him.

Janet Van Dyne finally makes her way back to the Avengers HQ, but nobody is around. She sends an urgent message out to Hank, hoping he will hear and respond to her pleas for help. When Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch arrive at the Black Widow's compound, they are unfortunately taken hostage by Power Man and the Swordsman. The Black Widow's next command is to brainwash the collected Avengers and turn them against "the free world." Her minions question what she means by that phrase, but she demurs, telling them she'll explain later. But suddenly, Goliath bashes the solid oak door down, and in a frenzy starts beating his opponents to a pulp. The Black Widow stealthily moves to her electro-wave gun to help take him out, but the Wasp stings her. Janet turns into full size and pushes a button that releases her teammates from their cells. The combined forces of the Avengers are too much for Power Man and the Swordsman, with Goliath tossing Erik Josten's limp body into the Swordsman, knocking them down.

The Black Widow has snuck down a secret hallway and beckons her fellow villains to join her in escape. Hawkeye has them sized up with a blast arrow, but he cannot let it fly, for fears it will hurt the woman he loves. Instead of lashing out at him after the villains escape, Captain America says he understands how Hawkeye feels, making Clint Barton feel really bad about treating Cap the way he has over time.

As for Goliath, even with the battle won, he sulks away, moping that he is nothing more than a ten-foot freak of nature.

--synopsis by Gormuu