Captain America #30

The best-selling Captain America series continues its most shocking story ever! It's the Winter Soldier versus everyone in this senses-shattering conclusion to the first arc of the EPIC "Death of Captain America" storyline. Winter Soldier versus Crossbones - the man who sniped Cap! Winter Soldier versus S.H.I.E.L.D. and Tony Stark's hand-picked Mighty Avengers operative! Winter Soldier versus the Red Skull! And finally - the Winter Soldier versus himself! You'll have to be there to see it!

Tony Stark is trying to figure out how they were infiltrated. It's figured out that the agents that dropped off the grid have had psychiatric evaluations with Dr. Benjamin (Dr. Faustus in disguise). There is a report of something in the basement when Tony gets a call from the Black Widow. It turns out that Dr. Benjamin is dead in a freezer. He appears to have been there for some time.

In Aleksander Lukin's office, the Winter Soldier is taking pounches from Crossbones and Sin. Lukin puts on the Red Skull mask as the Skull finally reveals himself. He asks Bucky if the Lukin he knew would willingly work with the Red Skull. Getting his bearings, the Winter Soldier quickly puts down Crossbones and Sin. He walks up to Crossbones saying, "You...you shot my friend." He grabs him by the throat and lifts him up. Crossbones is beginning to choke as the Red Skull comments how Steve Rogers wouldn't resort to murder as an option in dealing with an enemy. Bucky tosses Crossbones aside yelling at the Skull to stop using his name. Bucky pins him against the window and the Skull utters a single word, "Sputnik." It turns out it was a one-time shutdown code from his old Soviet handlers. Crossbones ask why he waited so long before he used it. He could have killed him. Red Skull says he wanted to see if Bucky would kill Crossbones.

In the Falcon's apartment, Sam prepares to prep his spare costume after his current one got burned. Black Widow casually enters through the window. She tells Sam that she's looking for the Winter Soldier just like he and Sharon (Agent 13) are.

At Sharon's apartment, she is in the bathroom in tears. She wants to believe that this must be another trick of the Skull's. Looking down at a pregnancy test, it reveals that she is, in fact, pregnant.

Tony looks at an old picture of Cap, Bucky, Nick Fury, and Dum Dum. He holds the letter delivered to him from Steve. He curses Steve for making him want a drink. He calls up images from when Steve was shot.

Elsewhere, Winer Soldier is being tortured by Faust. Images of Cap getting shot are all around on screens. Faust is happy that he's finally come to. He says that he's heard so much about him over the years that he feels as if he already knows him.

Sharon sits in the shower playing over Steve's last few days. Recalling his last words, she realizes that Steve must have known that it was her that shot him.

Tony is frustrated that there were over one hundred cameras and news crews yet no one was able to get a clear view of whoever shot Steve. Satellite footage had been diverted and Tony figures Nick must have been behind it. He figures Nick must have had some plan to free Steve and didn't want anyone to see it put in motion. He thinks about Sharon being right by Steve and the fact that she didn't see anything either. Suddenly, he calls down to get a list of all agents that had been evaluated by "Dr. Benjamin."

Sharon dresses to go out. Grabbing her gun, she looks in the mirror. Standing next to her is the image of Dr. Faustus. He "tells" her it's time to work again. The Falcon and Black Widow arrive at her apartment. Sam calls out to her. Sharon says she'll be right out as she grabs something out of her safe.

Tony Stark finds Sharon's name on the list of patients. He kicks himself for not having pieced this together before. He dresses in his armor knowing that they now have a big problem. He calls the Black Widow. She begins to tell him that she's with Sam and Sharon. Tony tells here there's been a change in plans. She has to bring in Sharon. Before he can continue, Sharon walks out in a trance. She then shoots the two of them with some sort of energy gun.

As Tony calls his agents to Black Widow's position, Steve's note can be seen. The last lines ask Tony to help Bucky through his time of frustration and anger. He doesn't want Bucky to slip out of his new life. His second request is that Tony not let "Captain America" die. He says it is bigger than just him. Tony can't let the legacy die with him.