After their brownstone was destroyed in their battle against the Secret Empire’s robots, the Defenders move into Angel’s Aerie in New Mexico’s Rocky Mountains. The team is dejected after being defeated and failing to stop the Secret Empire from capturing Cloud, until Moondragon informs them that she was able to pick up the location of the Empire’s headquarters from Cloud’s thoughts. There, the Empire’s new leader, Professor Power, tries to convince Cloud that he is her friend, but she remembers how the Secret Empire killed her parents while Seraph took her away. The Defenders head for Power’s castle when their Quinjet is shot down. They are attacked by Power’s soldiers, as well as Mad Dog and the Mutant Force. They are able to get past them all but are taken suddenly, by Leviathan. Professor Power tells the captive Defenders that he intends to get revenge on Professor Xavier by placing them under control and having Xavier’s original students kill his current students, the New Mutants.

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