In a lab on a Caribbean isle, Morbius is painfully confined within Dr. Andrea Janson's experimental equipment. Exhibiting a cockier manner than she had before, she is revealed to be in league with the terrorist group Hydra when her lover, the mutated Crown, arrives. They have plans for Morbius. In the Daily Bugle offices, meanwhile, Betty Brant, investigating an old murder case, is reassigned by J. Jonah Jameson to a new story in Latveria.
The next morning, Spider-Man swings through New York City. Still suffering from Morbius' attack, his balance is thrown off, and he falls, but is rescued by SHOC. At the same time, Crown and Dr. Janson arrive at the heavily-guarded Staten Island estate of crime boss Don Fortunato, with a captive Morbius in tow. Fortunato orders Janson to continue experimenting on the vampire, and commands Crown to capture the son of a Dr. Fields.
Later, at Empire State University, Peter Parker meets with Mary Jane, Betty, Neal Akin (an assistant to the research team Pete is on), and Paul Stacy (Jill Stacy's brother and Pete's tutor). Paul leaves, warning Peter to catch up with his studies or lose his place on the research team.
Later, the four go their separate ways after lunch. Peter again suffers from dizziness just as a strange black substance begins to fall from the sky. The matter coalesces into Hydra agents who accost Pete. Neal returns to aid Peter, revealing that he is SHOC. He quickly subdues the thugs, but when Crown arrives and threatens Peter's life, Neal (Dr. Fields' son and Crown's target) drops his SHOC powers and surrenders. All the combatants are then transported, via the black substance, to Staten Island, where Pete wakes to find himself in a cell with a hungry Morbius.
