While Vision distracts Taurus, Wanda casts a spell that destroys the Star-Slayer, saving Mantis. The Avengers, joined briefly by Captain America, battle Zodiac. Aries tosses Mantis off the rooftop. Vision saves her, but damages the building in the process. The Avengers abandon their battle in order to save the structure, and Zodiac escapes. Later, at Avengers Mansion, Mantis enters a self-induced trance to recuperate, and the recovering Swordsman reveals his past with Mantis. Panther arrives and he, Thor and Iron Man depart to search for Zodiac. Meanwhile, at Zodiac’s headquarters, Aries conspires with Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Aquarius and Leo to overthrow Taurus’ leadership, while Libra remains neutral. Aries arranges a meeting with Cornelius van Lunt, Zodiac’s financier. Early the next morning, Thor spots the Star-Slayer ship landing in the New Jersey marshlands, and summons his fellow Avengers. They observe a meeting in a warehouse between van Lunt and Aries’ faction; Aries asks van Lunt for weapons and funding. The Avengers attack, and van Lunt slips away during the battle. Suddenly steel plates slam shut over the exits and van Lunt appears on a monitor, revealing himself as Taurus. He pushes a button and launches the warehouse, which is actually a rocket ship, into space.