by Alex Irvine
That was when Howard Stark finally showed up. Apparently he’d overheard some of the conversation, because he said, “Fondue’s just cheese and bread, my friend.”
“Really? I didn’t think…”
“Nor should you, pal,” Stark said. “The minute you think you know what’s going on in a woman’s head, your goose is well and truly cooked. Me, I concentrate on work. Which, at the moment, is about making sure you and your men do not get killed.”
After giving Private Lorraine a grin, he led Steve down to his lab, where technicians were busy unwrapping various pieces of equipment. Others were installing futuristic machines like those Steve had seen back at the World Exhibition of Tomorrow. Peggy stood to one side, her arms crossed.
Ignoring everyone else, Stark walked over to a slightly-less-cluttered section of the lab. Lying on a table was what looked like a bodysuit. Steve cocked his head. What on earth was it?
“Steel micromesh for the sleeves,” Stark explained, pointing to the suit’s arms. “Titanium panels for your more vulnerable parts. Chest plates… and such.”
Steve’s eyes grew wide as Stark moved down the table and picked up a gray-colored material. He was getting his very own, state-of-the-art combat suit. “Carbon polymer,” Stark went on. “It’s flexible, insulated, fire-resistant, and ought to hold its own against your average German bayonet. Although Hydra’s not going to attack you with a pocketknife.”
And that’s when Stark guided Steve over to another table and presented him with the biggest surprise of all. “I hear you’re, uh… kind of attached,” he said, pointing.
On the table was an array of shields, in various stages of construction. Some of them had gadgets on them, one had lights, and another looked like it had been painted with camouflage.
“It’s handier than you might think,” Steve said.
“I took the liberty of coming up with some options,” Stark said, and started pointing out different features of different shields. Steve’s attention, however, went immediately to a plain silver one lying at the end of the table partially covered with a tarp.
It didn’t have any gadgets or lights or hidden compartments. Instead, it was lightweight, balanced, and almost indestructible. It was the perfect offensive and defensive symbol of the United States of America, and it would become Captain America’s most trusted and well-known weapon. Cautiously, Steve reached out and ran a hand across the shield’s smooth surface. Then he gave it a tap, and it rang like a bell.
“What about this one?” he asked.
“No, that’s just a prototype.”
“What’s it made of?”
“Vibranium,” Stark informed them. “A hundred times stronger than steel and one-third the weight.” Picking it up, Steve slid the shield onto his arm as Stark continued. “It’s completely vibration absorbent. Should make a bullet feel like a cotton ball.”
Steve smiled. This was the best thing he’d ever seen, if it was true. “Then how come it’s not standard issue?”
“That’s the rarest metal on Earth. What you’re holding there, that’s all we’ve got.”
“Are you quite finished, Mr. Stark?” Peggy asked. “I’m sure the captain has some unfinished business.”
Steve hefted the shield. He was already loving how light and strong it felt. He turned to Peggy and asked, “What do you think?”
In answer, she picked up a gun from a nearby lab table. She leveled it at him and fired four times. Steve ducked behind the shield, bracing himself for the impact of the bullets—but one after another, they hit the shield and plunked harmlessly to the ground. He barely felt the impacts.
“Yes, I think it works,” she said. Then she stalked out of the room.
Steve gulped. He had some serious explaining to do. Howard Stark tried to hide a grin.
But it would have to wait. Right now, he had to go after Hydra. Lucky for him, he seemed to have an excellent new shield to make the mission a little easier. He prodded the four flattened slugs on the lab floor. This vibranium was pretty amazing. Steve looked over at Stark, who just shrugged.
Steve hoped that Peggy would forgive him by the time he came back.
CHAPTER 11
For the next few months, Captain America and his ragtag unit of Howling Commandos traveled all over Europe, chasing down and destroying as many Hydra bases as they could find.
First, they headed to France. This was one of the weaker Hydra stations, and in no time, the team took it over. Back at their headquarters, Peggy replaced one of the x’s with an SSR flag.
Then they headed to Poland, where Bucky took out the guard at the front gate so the team could enter. As the others streamed past them, he and Steve traded knowing smiles. It was just like being back in Brooklyn—only slightly more dangerous. Another SSR flag was pinned on the map.
Next up was a base in Czechoslovakia. Signaling for the others to wait, Captain America made his way inside by himself. Ducking and weaving past the Hydra troopers, he found the collection of bombs. He quickly placed a detonator among them and then grabbed one of the trooper’s bikes, jumped on it, and raced away. He barely managed to crash through a factory window before the place exploded behind him. Another base destroyed.
The rest of the team was having fun taking revenge against the organization that had held them prisoner. In Greece, Dernier set another explosive charge and—BOOM!—the place blew to bits. Pinned down in Germany, Morita shouted coordinates to Jones over a handheld radio. Jones quickly fired his weapon while at the same time Falsworth threw a grenade. The base exploded. Another Hydra camp down.
The team’s wave of destruction did not go unnoticed. Johann Schmidt had taken refuge in a secret Greek camp, one of the few remaining Hydra strongholds. Standing in front of his troop leaders, Schmidt, now known to his followers as the Red Skull, raged on. “We are close to an offensive that will shake the planet,” he said angrily. “Yet we are continually delayed because you can’t outwit a clown dressed in a flag!”
This was unacceptable. Captain America and his Howling Commandos needed to be taken out. Fast. For the first time since the attacks began, the Red Skull’s evil smile returned. He had come up with a good idea. An idea that would take care of Captain America—once and for all.
Unaware of the Red Skull’s plans, Cap, Bucky, and the rest of the team gathered on a plateau high above a Russian valley. The sun was not up yet, and the wind was cold as it whipped around them.
Steve was nervous. There had been no base in this area marked on the map. Which meant it was either a trap or a huge find. Using one of the Hydra code transceivers they’d stolen from a captured base, they had intercepted a transmission claiming that a large Hydra train was on the move through a nearby Alpine pass and that Hydra’s top scientist was on board. Steve had made the decision to act. It was risky to go into unknown territory, but this might be the chance they needed to finish off Hydra once and for all.
As Jones listened to another transmission, Dugan and Falsworth kept a lookout on the valley below. Meanwhile, Cap, Bucky, and Dernier moved closer to the edge.
“The train engineer just radioed ahead,” Jones called out. “Hydra gave him permission to open the throttle. Wherever their base is, he’s trying to make it there by dawn.” He paused and then added, “With their biggest shipment yet.”
Just then, a train whistle blew, piercing the silence of the night. Looking through his binoculars, Dugan saw a large, futuristic-looking train racing down the tracks. Turning, he nodded at Steve. It was time.
“Remember when I made you ride the Cyclone on Coney Island?” Bucky asked Steve.
“Yeah, and I threw up.”
“This isn’t payback, is it?”
“Now why would I do that?”
Jones called out again. “Dr. Zola is on this train. Wherever he’s going, they must need him bad.”
“We’ve only got about a ten-second window,” Steve said. “You miss that window… we’re bugs on a windshield.”
; Quickly, Dernier helped Cap, Bucky, and Jones strap into harnesses. Then he snapped three hooks onto a long cable that stretched out over the pass. This was how they were going to get on the train. But they had to time it just right. If they didn’t, they’d either be crushed by the train—or by the opposite wall of the valley.
The train whistle blew again and Captain America nodded at his men. “Mind the gap,” Falsworth said.
Now! Together, they pushed off, zipping down toward the oncoming train. For a moment, it looked as if they were going to miss, but then with a THUD! they landed on the slick roof. Unhooking themselves, they let the cable fly away. They didn’t want to leave any evidence of their presence.
As planned, Jones headed toward the engine of the train. His mission was to somehow stop the train so the rest of the team would have enough time to get down there. Steve and Bucky, meanwhile, were going after the explosives.
Jumping down into the train, the squad found themselves in the first car. It was empty. Moving into the next car, they exchanged looks. It was empty, too. This didn’t seem right. Cautiously, they entered the next car. Unlike the others, this car was pitch-dark. And eerily quiet. Steve couldn’t even hear the sound of the rushing wind outside. Then, WHAM! Behind them, a steel plate dropped down, blocking the back door.
A moment later, the lights flickered on. It was a trap! Standing in front of them was the largest Hydra trooper Steve had ever seen. The monster of a man was easily over six and a half feet tall, and instead of arms, he had two huge, robotic cannons attached to his shoulders. It was the perfect plan. The Red Skull had lured Captain America here so that this thing could kill him.
Steve shook his head in revolt. He and his men had come too far to let that happen. Pulling out his gun, Cap opened fire, but the bullets just zinged harmlessly off the trooper’s armor. Then, as Steve watched in horror, the trooper raised one of his cannon “arms,” aimed, and fired. BLAM! A blue energy pulse sent Steve flying into the sidewall of the train, knocking the breath out of him.
He recovered and used the ceiling racks to swing the length of the train car in a single motion, driving both feet into the Hydra trooper and knocking him down. Then a blow from Steve’s shield kept him down.
But Bucky was trapped in the other car, pinned down by another Hydra soldier. He was out of ammunition. Steve rushed to the door and caught Bucky’s eye through the window. He opened the door and tossed Bucky his own pistol, then dove into the car so his shield provided cover for Bucky to return fire. Bucky put the Hydra trooper down.
They looked at each other. “I had him on the ropes,” Bucky said.
Steve nodded. “I know you did.”
Then another burst of blue energy seared through the car, blasting a huge hole in one wall. Air rushed by and they could see down to the distant floor of the icy canyon. The trooper with the cannons was back! Steve dropped his shield as he dove out of the way. Bucky picked it up and advanced as the trooper recharged. He aimed at Bucky. Another burst came from the cannon and blasted Bucky out through the hole! He dropped the shield and caught onto one rung of a ladder on the outside of the car. The valley walls rushed by as the train continued to speed on. Struggling to his feet, Captain America held up his shield and started to advance on the giant trooper. Once again, the Hydra agent held up one of his cannon arms. The weapon hummed as the blue energy filled it and the trooper leveled it out—aiming right for the star on Steve’s chest.
The blue energy burst out of the cannon in a steady stream. But Cap lifted his shield just in the nick of time, and the energy hit it instead of him. With determined steps, Captain America pushed against the stream of energy, getting closer and closer to the trooper. Then, with one last mighty shove, he pushed the shield out in front of him, sending all the blue energy right back at the Hydra agent, blasting him through into the other car. This time he was down for good.
There was no time to celebrate. Steve clambered out through the hole. “Bucky!” he screamed over the roaring wind. “Hang on!”
But the ladder was giving way, and Steve was too far to reach! Steve tried to get closer. “Grab my hand!” he shouted, and reached…
And the rung broke free. “No!” Steve cried out, lunging for his friend, but he couldn’t save him. Bucky fell, disappearing into the windswept depths of the canyon.
Steve clung to the outside of the car, watching, unable to believe what he’d seen. Bucky, his oldest friend… the one he’d always looked up to…
He was gone.
Steve pulled himself back inside the car. The rest of the Howling Commandos had finished their sweep, and Jones was there, prodding Arnim Zola in front of him with the barrel of his gun. They had captured Hydra’s main scientific mind, and Hydra’s plan to trap and destroy Captain America and his Howling Commandos had failed.
The mission was a success… but with Bucky gone, it didn’t feel that way.
CHAPTER 12
Captain America and his team made their way back to London headquarters. Phillips had ordered them to bring the scientist Zola right to him. It was time to get answers.
It didn’t take long to break the weaselly man. He wanted to talk because all crazy people wanted to talk. Colonel Phillips brought him a good meal, which in his experience usually got people talking. Zola refused the steak because he was a vegetarian. So Phillips ate while he asked questions. Eventually they got down to business, when Phillips handed Zola an encrypted note he’d sent to Washington. “‘Given the valuable information he has provided, and in exchange for his full cooperation, Dr. Zola is being remanded to Switzerland,’” Zola read.
“Of course it was encoded. You guys haven’t broken those codes, have you? That would be awkward.”
“He will know this is a lie,” Zola said.
“He’s going to kill you anyway, Doc. You’re a liability. You know more about Schmidt than anyone. And the last guy you cost us was Captain Rogers’s closest friend. So I wouldn’t count on the very best of protection. It’s you… or Schmidt.”
He watched Zola process this and understand he had no other option than to give Phillips what he wanted.
“Schmidt believes he walks in the footsteps of gods,” Zola said. “Only the entire world will satisfy him.”
“You do realize that’s nuts, don’t you?”
“Of course. The sanity of the plan is of no consequence.”
“And why is that?”
“Because he can do it,” Zola said.
Phillips thought about this while he finished the steak. It was hard to get a good steak in these parts. He set down his knife and fork. Schmidt was nuts, that much they knew. But the entire world? What did Zola mean by that? Phillips needed some more specific answers. “What’s his target?” the colonel asked.
“Everywhere,” Zola said. He had a funny little smile on his face.
After a few more hours of interrogation, Phillips had all the information he was going to get. He met with Peggy and ran through what he had learned. Then he called the others into the conference room. When everyone was settled, he began. “Johann Schmidt belongs in the bughouse,” he said. “He thinks he’s a god, and he’s going to blow up half the world to prove it.”
Peggy stood up and walked over to a map of the world. “Starting with the United States.” The room grew silent as everyone processed the news. Peggy went on. “Schmidt’s working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he’ll wipe out the entire Eastern Seaboard in an hour.” As she spoke, she looked directly at Steve. Since he had returned from his latest mission, he had been withdrawn and quiet. They did not have the opportunity to talk about what had happened with Private Lorraine, and now it seemed they might never have the chance. A shiver of fear ran through her as she thought about what this latest intel meant for Steve—and for her.
As Peggy spoke, everyone in the room turned and looked at the map, their eyes focusing on New York City. They were each thinking the same thing. The United States was completely
defenseless against an attack of that magnitude. The majority of soldiers had been deployed to Europe or the Pacific. Schmidt was heading across the Atlantic—they had to act fast.
“How much time have we got?” Dernier asked.
Phillips looked grave. “According to my new best friend, twenty-four hours.”
No one said anything for a moment. They had just returned from fighting Hydra and were tired, having been pushed to their limits. But they couldn’t sit around and do nothing.
“Where is the Red Skull now?” Steve asked, standing up.
“Hydra’s last base is here, in the Alps,” Phillips said, pointing to the map. Then he traced his finger down as he added, “Five hundred feet below the surface.”
Steve nodded. This wasn’t going to be easy. But they could do it. They had to do it. Looking at the rest of his team, he saw that they had the same determination in their eyes that he probably did.
Captain America and the Howling Commandos were heading to the Alps.
CHAPTER 13
Cap and his team worked quickly to prepare for their next—and hopefully last—mission. Stark outfitted them with equipment capable of taking out Hydra’s defenses and of protecting them from enemy fire. While Steve gave the rest of the team a few hours off to relax and recharge, Peggy and Phillips briefed him on the layout of the base and the surrounding landscape. He would be taking the lead in the attack. The others would follow him once he was in, providing backup and, if necessary, an escape route. The part of the base that was aboveground would be well guarded, but it would still be easy for Captain America to sneak in. The tricky part would be finding the Red Skull amid the labyrinthine corridors and rooms deep below the surface. The SSR didn’t have specific information on where the Hydra leader would be holing up inside. Steve would be going in blind.
But he wasn’t worried. In fact, he had a plan that he hadn’t shared with Peggy or Phillips. If everything went as he suspected it would, the Red Skull would come to him.…