Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Don Heck
Inker: Frank Ray
Letterer: Art Simek
Plot Summary
Picking up from the last issue, Hawkeye is sitting in the Subliminal Recall Inducer in order to remember the special code so that he can access the message his teammates left for him. As the machine performs it’s intended task, Hawkeye becomes aware of the mysterious presence spying on him. When the stranger attacks, Hawkeye is prepared and is able to avoid the sneak attack. With his attacker revealed, Hawkeye counterattacks, and then seals himself in the room with the messaging equipment. Hawkeye is able to read the message before his unknown attacker manages to break into the room, just as the message disappears. Hawkeye is finally able to escape by wrapping up his foe in a bolo arrow and leaving him to be dealt with later.
As Hawkeye is battling with his mysterious assailant, Captain America, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch struggle for their lives against Attuma. Due to Scarlet Witch’s hex powers, the combat chamber in which the heroes were fighting Attuma begins to rapidly fill with water. Even as Cap makes plans to defeat Attuma, he is taken by the barbarian from behind and disabled. Things begin to look worse as Attuma’s superior underwater skills make fast work of the team and only a well timed hex from Scarlet Witch allows the team to escape when the window of the observation deck is shattered. In the ensuing chaos, Quicksilver makes his escape in what appears to be an empty tunnel. Little does he know that it is in fact an ejector tube, and Quicksilver is jettisoned into the ocean and left for dead.
Fortunately for the speedster, he is saved in the nick of time by Hawkeye who, having just departed New York, has arrived on scene in an aero-sub borrowed from the Fantastic Four. On his way to their location, Hawkeye notices how violent the tides have become, an indication that the Tidal Expander is having it’s desired effect. Reunited with one of his teammates, Quicksilver takes control of the aero-sub and begins to search for Attuma’s submarine.
Although Attuma’s ship is not where they expect to find it, the duo are quickly intercepted by a patrol sub that Attuma left behind. As the ship gives chase, it is joined by a second and only Quicksilvers super human speed allows the aero-sub to escape. The patrol subs, operated by individuals lacking Quicksilvers reflexes are captured by a massive octopus.
Back on Attuma’s ship, Captain America takes advantage of Attuma’s hubris and taunts him in to revealing the location of his control room.
Having located their quarry, Hawkeye and Quicksilver make their entrance by crashing through one of the giant glass walls in Attuma’s ship. Fortunately for them, the wall quickly seals behind them, preventing the ship from flooding. Now onboard, Quicksilver wastes no time getting to work and quickly taking out several of Attuma’s guards. He works so quickly and efficiently that Hawkeye is left with almost nothing to do. Elsewhere, Cap and Scarlet Witch take advantage of the confusion generated by their teammates’ sudden arrival and manage to free themselves from captivity. Their timing could not be better as by this point Quicksilver and Hawkeye have been pinned down by the overwhelming numbers that Attuma has at his command. Even as the pair prepare to go down fighting, Scarlet Witch directs a Y-ray tank at their attackers, causing them to scatter in fear for their lives. Even Attuma is unable to stand against such a powerful weapon. With their enemy dispearsed, the Avengers make their escape. Attuma, however, isn’t finished and he attempts to use his Tidal Expander to destroy the fleeing Avengers. Unbeknownst to Attuma, while Scarlet Witch was attacking in the tank, Captain America snuck into Attuma’s control room and reversed the Tidal Expander’s controls. When Attuma attempts to destroy the Avengers with it, the Tidal Expander instead destroys Attuma’s ship.
As the Avengers arrive back at Avengers Mansion, they discover that Hawkeye’s mysterious attacker has escaped and what’s more, there is a surprising transmission waiting from them.
Avengers
Captain America
Hawkeye
Quicksilver
Scarlet Witch
Some Assembly Required 