Cap had followed the trail of the monsters using high-tech devices that picked up on the mutagenic particles the monsters gave off. He was now only a mile away from the source of the monsters. He was going to get a cure and after that he was going to settle things down for a bit and help Sharon Carter with her cancer problems. He felt horrible because he believed he had neglected her. After traveling about 3 yards he saw a woman holding a vial in her hand. She was dressed in a green leotard, with silky black hair falling down over one side of her face. He recognized her as Meiko Ko,* but what on Earth was she doing here?

(* Meiko Ko orchestrated HYDRA's attempted Gamma bombing of Japan in M2K's Iron Man #1-4. Iron Man obviously filled Cap in on the details since then - Russ)

"Dear sweet Captain America. I heard you are suffering from a mutagenic virus. I am here to provide you a cure, but at a cost," Mieko Ko smiled. Steve being curious asked what the cost was. "Cap my dear you must destroy Nick Fury in return for me giving you this cure,"

"Then you know where you can shove that cure," Captain America said walking away from Mieko Ko.

"Cap don't you wonder how I learned of your situation?" Mieko Ko said.

"No I really don't wonder," Cap said as he kept walking from Mieko Ko.

"Your lovely Sharon Carter told me. She is a traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D... and to think you probably would have never suspected her," Mieko Ko said laughing an evil, smug laugh.

"Why you! Sharon would never betray S.H.I.E.L.D. to the likes of you!" Cap said as he lunged at Mieko Ko.

Mieko dodged away from Cap and punched him in the stomach. "Cap you are a self-righteous patriot. Your kind are an old bunch that should be put to rest,"

"Your kind are vicious cowards who use others to do the deeds they are too weak to do themselves," Cap shot back as he spun around and kicked Mieko Ko in the head.

The woman fell to the ground. She was hurt, but not unconscious. She was about to pull out a gun on Cap when a rumbling started making the ground quake. What on Earth is going on?! Mieko Ko thought to herself.

"Hello Madame Hydra and Captain America. Never did I believe I would meet such powerful people, and at the same time," the animal-human hybrid said.

"Who are you?" Cap asked.

"I am Khimera and I am the creator the animal monsters that you fought recently," Khimera said.

"You are truly a sick creature," Mieko Ko said. Khimera had the skin of a python, the beak of a falcon, the head of a tiger, the lower body of a rattlesnake, the upper body of a cheetah and bat wings.

"You have no idea how sick, Mieko Ko," Khimera cackled. Almost instantaneously genetic beasts rose up out of the ground.

Cap didn't even have to ask what was going to happen next. He threw his shield knocking out four monsters and he kicked his feet into the back of one monster, breaking his spine. Meanwhile Mieko Ko pulled out a gun and started firing. Monsters were falling left and right because of her gun. Eventually a tiger monster got a swipe on the back of Meiko Ko's head knocking her out. Cap, while trying to come to her aid, was taken out by a boar monster.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier

"Where is Captain America at?" Sharon asked, coming into Brian Vesso's office.

"He is in Australia," Brian said as he was working out the kinks in one of his devices.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Sharon asked.

"He didn't tell you because...."

"Because you told him about my cancer! Didn't you! I can't believe you, Vesso!" Sharon yelled violently.

"Sharon, he had to know. He thought you were going insane," Brian said. Sharon just walked out of the room without saying a word.

Meiko Ko, I swear if you hurt Steve I will put your heart on a pike! Cap why did you have to be so stubborn? I was trying to protect you for your own sake! I have to go and help Steve.

Sharon made her way to the Helicarrier cargo bay and took off in one of their mini-jets. She flew over the Atlantic Ocean in a few minutes and was passing over Africa when her controls starting scrambling.

"Did you see that?" the African boy said to his friend.

"Yeah that streak in the sky just disappeared," the other African said his mouth gaping open.