The night was completely clear, and full of stars in the arctic night. Everything was peaceful, not a sound in the night... Until a low rumble started, and in an instant a large purple flash appeared in the sky, and a quick bolt of lighting hitting the ice. In the large piece of melted ice was a man. He wore a gray Nazi outfit, a symbol of a red skull with six octopus arms slithering around. The man was blood red, balding, and his face incredibly thin. His eyes were dark, and full of anger, and confusion. He looked down to see a small glowing cube next to him. He then remembered. Rogers... He picked up the cube, glancing around. This must have been where he was when he was brought into the Cosmic Cube... It didn't matter to him anymore. All that mattered now was finding his base, his army, and finishing what he started... and to bring the death of Captain Steve Rogers with him. The Red Skull climbed out of the crater, and started walking towards the horizon that shinned very thinly of light.
"Can I ask a question?"
"Just one?"
"Why me?"
"I suppose that's the only question that matters....This is from Augsburg, my city. So many people forget that the first country the Nazis invaded was their own. You know, after the last war, they... My people struggled. They... they felt weak... they felt small. Then Hitler comes along with the marching, and the big show, and the flags, and the, and the... and he... he hears of me, and my work, and he finds me, and he says "You." He says "You will make us strong." Well, I am not interested. So he sends the head of Hydra, his research division, a brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt. Now Schmidt is a member of the inner circle and he is ambitious. He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers, but for Schmidt, it is not fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the earth, left here by the gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man."
"Did it make him stronger?"
"Yeah, but... there were other... effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because the strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows... compassion."
"Thanks... I think...."
"Get it, get it. Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man."
"We will ask you one more time, Captain... Surrender, or die."
Captain Steve Rogers snapped back into reality. He was in a dense mountain forest, but in a patch of just grass. The sounds of the wild were silent as the large squad of men surrounded Rogers, all pointing guns at him. Rogers wore his uniform. An armored suit that was dark blue, with blue stripes and a star on his chest. He had gun holsters on his thighs, and hips. He wore his iconic helmet with the large white "A" painted on the front, and through the trees, the shine shone brightly on his vibranium shield.
"We were told you would be harder to capture... I guess time has gotten the best of you." The man said, walking towards Rogers, gun still pointed. Rogers looked around one last time. He had to think fast. He was excellent at that. And he knew exactly what to do. As the leader got close enough, Rogers lifted up his shield and slammed it down on the man's forearm with lightning speed. In the scream of pain, Rogers then grabbed him, and fell to the ground, using his shield to block the fire, He crouched while holding the man on his back, to block the fire coming from front and back. As the squad closed in on him, he then smacked a soldier in the waist, making him crumble. They were all out of ammo in their clip, so Rogers tossed the leader aside as he hit a man in the face. In a fluid motion he kicked one man, twirled, then punched another. After a few minutes in hand-to-hand, everyone was on the ground except Rogers himself.
A loud buzzer went off, and the men got up groaning, all covered in paintball splatters. The leader of them glared at Rogers, and walking very carefully, his suit absolutely covered in paint. A man laughed a clapped, walking up to Rogers. "That'll teach them! Great job, Captain! Alright, everyone take a lap around the track for losing!" The man called out. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents groaned and started to jog out of the simulation room. Rogers took off his helmet to show his neat, trimmed blonde hair. "You should go a bit easier on them, Sir." He said, strapping his shield onto his back.
"Well maybe next time they will know that you aren't someone to joke around with... While you were teaching our guys, I got word from Fury. They want you back in the Big Apple." He said. "Another mission?" Steve asked. The man just shrugged. "don't know. But it's urgent..." He said, looking at him. "We got a chopper out waiting for you. Have a safe flight."
Steve gave an nod, and made his way outside... He couldn't help but think about what had happened during he simulation. Their leader was being something that he hated more than anything... a bully. That's why he did what he did. That's why he can't let people like Loki, or Hitler, or Schmidt take control. He climbed onto the helicopter, nodding at the pilot and giving a smile. "Captain Rogers. An honor! Agent Baker!" He said. "Honor is mine, sir. How's the weather today?"
"Perfect time for flying." He responded with a smile. "Fury packed you some clothes to change in to for ya. It'll be a little bit before we get there. Make yourself at home."
"Can I ask a question?"
"Just one?"
"Why me?"
"I suppose that's the only question that matters....This is from Augsburg, my city. So many people forget that the first country the Nazis invaded was their own. You know, after the last war, they... My people struggled. They... they felt weak... they felt small. Then Hitler comes along with the marching, and the big show, and the flags, and the, and the... and he... he hears of me, and my work, and he finds me, and he says "You." He says "You will make us strong." Well, I am not interested. So he sends the head of Hydra, his research division, a brilliant scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt. Now Schmidt is a member of the inner circle and he is ambitious. He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. Hitler uses his fantasies to inspire his followers, but for Schmidt, it is not fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the earth, left here by the gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man."
"Did it make him stronger?"
"Yeah, but... there were other... effects. The serum was not ready. But more important, the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because the strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows... compassion."
"Thanks... I think...."
"Get it, get it. Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are, not a perfect soldier, but a good man."
"We will ask you one more time, Captain... Surrender, or die."
Captain Steve Rogers snapped back into reality. He was in a dense mountain forest, but in a patch of just grass. The sounds of the wild were silent as the large squad of men surrounded Rogers, all pointing guns at him. Rogers wore his uniform. An armored suit that was dark blue, with blue stripes and a star on his chest. He had gun holsters on his thighs, and hips. He wore his iconic helmet with the large white "A" painted on the front, and through the trees, the shine shone brightly on his vibranium shield.
"We were told you would be harder to capture... I guess time has gotten the best of you." The man said, walking towards Rogers, gun still pointed. Rogers looked around one last time. He had to think fast. He was excellent at that. And he knew exactly what to do. As the leader got close enough, Rogers lifted up his shield and slammed it down on the man's forearm with lightning speed. In the scream of pain, Rogers then grabbed him, and fell to the ground, using his shield to block the fire, He crouched while holding the man on his back, to block the fire coming from front and back. As the squad closed in on him, he then smacked a soldier in the waist, making him crumble. They were all out of ammo in their clip, so Rogers tossed the leader aside as he hit a man in the face. In a fluid motion he kicked one man, twirled, then punched another. After a few minutes in hand-to-hand, everyone was on the ground except Rogers himself.
A loud buzzer went off, and the men got up groaning, all covered in paintball splatters. The leader of them glared at Rogers, and walking very carefully, his suit absolutely covered in paint. A man laughed a clapped, walking up to Rogers. "That'll teach them! Great job, Captain! Alright, everyone take a lap around the track for losing!" The man called out. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents groaned and started to jog out of the simulation room. Rogers took off his helmet to show his neat, trimmed blonde hair. "You should go a bit easier on them, Sir." He said, strapping his shield onto his back.
"Well maybe next time they will know that you aren't someone to joke around with... While you were teaching our guys, I got word from Fury. They want you back in the Big Apple." He said. "Another mission?" Steve asked. The man just shrugged. "don't know. But it's urgent..." He said, looking at him. "We got a chopper out waiting for you. Have a safe flight."
Steve gave an nod, and made his way outside... He couldn't help but think about what had happened during he simulation. Their leader was being something that he hated more than anything... a bully. That's why he did what he did. That's why he can't let people like Loki, or Hitler, or Schmidt take control. He climbed onto the helicopter, nodding at the pilot and giving a smile. "Captain Rogers. An honor! Agent Baker!" He said. "Honor is mine, sir. How's the weather today?"
"Perfect time for flying." He responded with a smile. "Fury packed you some clothes to change in to for ya. It'll be a little bit before we get there. Make yourself at home."
