3-D Man is seeing everyone but Crusader, as Skrulls. The only reason is because Crusader used the Freedom Ring to alter his perception. 3-D Man takes the Quinjet to warn the Avengers, getting out of Crusader's line of sight. But as soon as he makes his way over New Mexico, the Skrull virus activates, causing the Quinjet to crash.

Back at Camp Hammond, the virus is also drained power from War Machine. However, Baron von Blitzschlag uses his powers to recharge him. He tells War Machine that ironically, in World War II, Isaiah Bradley nearly killed him. If he had, then Blitzschlag would not have been able to save him.

Upstairs, Gauntlet gathers the Initiative heroes. However, Crusader is confused over whether to tell everyone that Yellowjacket is a Skrull. As they move out, Crusader remembers his past. His real name was Z'Reg, a Skrull soldier who was assigned to Earth to spy on the Avengers. But when he arrived, the Avengers has already disbanded. Since his cover was well established, he couldn't inform anyone of his findings. Nonetheless, he decided to learn as much as he could about his assignment... by any means necessary. He walked into a rental store, where he befriends the female store clerk who was a huge Avengers fan and rents any films on the Avengers. He later learned that one of his neighbors was a hero named Freedom Ring, whose ring was forged of the reality-warping Cosmic Cube. He revealed himself to Freedom Ring, explaining that he had renounced his people. He began training Freedom Ring in his own way. But he was too gentle with his protegee, who was killed by Iron Maniac. He then took up the ring and became a superhero. At first, he didn't think humanity was strong but when Captain America shook his hand and registering, he changed his views.

In the present, Crusader is with the Initiative and Young Avengers fighting the Skrulls in New York. He soon comes face-to-face with K'Rtem, his friend from back during their training days, the one who gave him the scar across his right eye. Fearing that K'Rtem would reveal his true identity, he tries disable him by growing Wolverine's claws, only to mortally injure him. He attempts to use his rings to save him, but K'Rtem didn't want to be saved. As he lays dying, he acknowledges to his old friend that he " no long love Him." Shapeshifting the scar off his eye, Crusader decides in his mind to fight for Earth.

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