The Avengers hunt for the missing Hawkeye, recently spotted with the fugitive Thunderbolts. Reunited with his brother Wonder Man, Vision insists he has no problem with his ex-wife Scarlet Witch’s new romance, but the Witch senses something amiss. Giant-Man gives Firestar a modified costume to solve her powers’ health problems, and tracking computers locate Hawkeye at alien Arcane menace Dominus’ former base, which Hawkeye wants to use as Thunderbolts headquarters. Believing in the Thunderbolts’ potential for redemption and eager to command again, Hawkeye has become their leader. Unaware of this, and fearing Hawkeye is a hostage, the Avengers charge into the base and the two teams fight until Hawkeye stops them. When he explains himself, the Avengers are skeptical, but the debate ends when the giant robot Dominex, woken by the battle, bursts out of the base. Programmed to destroy any world that resisted Arcane conquest, Dominex stuns the heroes and heads for the Pacific Ocean, intent on triggering a worldwide seismic disaster from the Murray Fracture Zone. Waking first and hoping to prove themselves, the Thunderbolts pursue. Local heroine and inactive Avenger Firebird, responding to news reports, revives the Avengers, who head after the robot with her. During their flight, Vision admits to Scarlet Witch he has regained his full memories and emotional capacity, but pushed her away, feeling she was better off without him. By the time the Avengers reach Dominex, the Thunderbolts have already penetrated the robot’s interior. Despite being wary, the Avengers join forces with them to deactivate Dominex. The Avengers let the Thunderbolts go free, and Hawkeye promises his new group will be a force for good, but resigns from the Avengers to ensure his new project won’t get them into any legal trouble.