Avengers (2012) #39

Reed Richards sits in his makeshift lab in the Illuminati’s safehouse in Cadiz, Spain, reflecting on the note Sue gave him from Valeria: “You can’t win. Time to start figuring out how not to lose.” Reed records a message of his own to his daughter in his personal log. He tells her that he doesn’t know what the future holds, but that he wants to do his best to continue her education. The first lesson: using game theory to successfully make and execute a plan. He tells her that a perfect plan should be precise, but flexible to respond to changing variables - optimized by a combination of intellect and instinct - and that it’s essential to maintain one’s composure during the plan’s execution. And finally, Reed tells his daughter that the most effective strategies change the fundamental nature of the scenario - for instance, bringing in a third party when your opponent has only prepared for you.

Reed sets his own plan into motion. He translocates a chess piece six inches from its starting point, then homes in on the signal S.H.I.E.L.D. has been using to track the Illuminati’s movements. He tells Beast, Black Panther, and Doc Green that they’re now on the clock. Panther says they’re ready to give S.H.I.E.L.D. a show.

Agents on the Archangel helicarrier pick up the translocator signal, and Steve Rogers orders all forces to Cadiz. Maria Hill reports that a null field has been set up to block any additional translocations. Rogers and Captain America both agree that it was too easy to find the Illuminati this time - this is almost certainly a trap. Elsewhere on the ship, Jim Rhodes hooks himself into the War Machine control system. Captain Marvel wants to make sure Rhodey isn’t overexerting himself piloting more than a handful of drones, but he reassures her he can handle it. After Carol reassures Rhodey in turn that she’ll handle the Hulk, the Archangel gets in range of Cadiz and launches dozens of War Machine drones.

The drones land and scan the area. They find nothing, but suddenly the ground beneath them begins to crack. Hulk bursts through the street and takes out several drones, then Captain Britain and Black Panther join the fray as well. As Excalibur and vibranium daggers shred drone after drone, Rhodey calls for backup. Commander Rogers sends Captain Marvel and Hawkeye in. Carol jackhammers into the Hulk and pounds him with punch after cosmically-powered punch, but he just smiles up at her. A second later, Carol slams through the helicarrier and careens into the atmosphere.

On the ground, Beast and Mr. Fantastic recalibrate their comms to compensate for the null field blocking the signal. Arrows suddenly strike both of them, but Beast is able to get a message through. Hawkeye puts the two Illuminati members back in his sights and warns Rogers and Maria Hill that they’re running out of War Machine drones. Just as Steve is about to send in reinforcements, a massive ship appears above the Archangel helicarrier, revealing the recipient of Beast’s message: Sunspot. Accompanied by his Avengers team, Roberto broadcasts from the bridge of his ship and orders the S.H.I.E.L.D. Avengers to stand down.