Secret Avengers (2010 series) #2

Sharon Carter awakens aboard the Secret Avengers roving HQ angry at having been overpowered so easily. She can’t figure out how the interlopers invaded the ship and sees from the security tapes that they were wearing stealth gear. The stolen Serpent Crown, however, left an energy signature that she can follow, so she heads off in pursuit of the enemy….

The Secret Avengers led by Steve Rogers arrive at the Roxxon mining base on Mars and explore the domed building in search of the missing Nova. They discover evidence that someone was there very recently. They also find an amazingly large hole and a number of skeletons in an old cave. Armored guards appear and open fire on them. A melee breaks out and the soldiers seem to be moving as though in a trance. The last two standing kill each other. Examination shows their eyes are completely blank, under control from an outside source. Leaving the domed building, the team splits up: War Machine and Ant-Man to fly over the desert, Black Widow, Moon Knight and Valkyrie to head for the mountains, and Steve and Beast will continue to search for Nova….

On Earth, Nick Fury is informed by one of his Shadow Council minions that the third Crown has been activated. He orders an immediate flight to see the Board of Directors….

On Mars, War Machine and Ant-Man discover a deserted base. During a search Ant-Man examines an opening in a machine and is sucked into a vortex and disappears….

Steve and Beast reach the ancient temple and discover Nova’s discarded helmet. A sudden upheaval reveals a massive armored figure who demands to know what they have done with the Crown….

From a high vantage point in the mountains, Black Widow’s team has found Nova. Wearing the Serpent Crown, the Cosmic Avenger is controlling the minds of an army of workers, forcing them to dig for something under the planet’s surface, though he seems to be under another’s power himself. Then Nova spots his former teammates—and zooms in to attack….

Max Fury