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Issue #17 by Steve Crosby
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DEDICATED IN THE MEMORY OF JASON EBERLY...
The fire at Captain America’s back didn’t compare with the fire in his soul. Screaming his resolve, Captain America rushed at the HYDRA agents, his shield absorbing their laser fire. It was faster than any normal man that Captain America punched and kicked his way through the enemy, rendering them all unconscious.
The raid on this HYDRA base was a SHIELD operation, Captain America’s participation being only at his request. Director Nicholas Fury had only granted it on the condition that Agent 13, otherwise known as Sharon Carter, stayed at Captain America’s side throughout. But as would happen in the chaos of battle, Captain America and his one-time lover had gotten separated, and when he spotted a squad of HYDRA scum try to escape through a hidden pathway he rushed to follow.
Captain America ran quickly past the incapacitated terrorists. A short distance ahead, he could see the outline of a fleeing man. Another explosion, triggered by the firefight taking place outside the underground facility, caused the man to stumble against the wall. Captain America threw his shield and it struck home just as the man had recovered. He fell to the ground with a cry, and in seconds Captain America had reached him, shield back in hand.
“Don’t even think about it,” said Captain America. He pressed the shield’s edge against the HYDRA agent’s throat and removed the man’s weapon from its holster. “None of you are escaping justice today.”
“Aaahh! Please don’t hurt me!” Behind the criminal’s mask, his eyes were wide with terror. The problem was, Captain America noticed, those eyes weren’t focused on him.
Moments before the ceiling caved in, Captain America saved his life by turning around and raising the shield. Metal, stone and dirt pressed against the shield, forcing Captain America down on top of his prisoner. Unfortunately, Captain America was already unconscious by that point, because he’d been a second too slow and a chunk of rock had collided with his skull.
The raid on this HYDRA base was a SHIELD operation, Captain America’s participation being only at his request. Director Nicholas Fury had only granted it on the condition that Agent 13, otherwise known as Sharon Carter, stayed at Captain America’s side throughout. But as would happen in the chaos of battle, Captain America and his one-time lover had gotten separated, and when he spotted a squad of HYDRA scum try to escape through a hidden pathway he rushed to follow.
Captain America ran quickly past the incapacitated terrorists. A short distance ahead, he could see the outline of a fleeing man. Another explosion, triggered by the firefight taking place outside the underground facility, caused the man to stumble against the wall. Captain America threw his shield and it struck home just as the man had recovered. He fell to the ground with a cry, and in seconds Captain America had reached him, shield back in hand.
“Don’t even think about it,” said Captain America. He pressed the shield’s edge against the HYDRA agent’s throat and removed the man’s weapon from its holster. “None of you are escaping justice today.”
“Aaahh! Please don’t hurt me!” Behind the criminal’s mask, his eyes were wide with terror. The problem was, Captain America noticed, those eyes weren’t focused on him.
Moments before the ceiling caved in, Captain America saved his life by turning around and raising the shield. Metal, stone and dirt pressed against the shield, forcing Captain America down on top of his prisoner. Unfortunately, Captain America was already unconscious by that point, because he’d been a second too slow and a chunk of rock had collided with his skull.
“ONE SIMPLE TASK”
It was the voice that Captain America was first aware of. Half a conversation penetrated through the blackness of his mind, stirring his consciousness to emerge. Immediately taking stock of his surroundings, Captain America learned that his hands were chained behind his back to a load-bearing post in the center of a basement. Nearby and out of reach lay his shield, and his mask. Whoever bound Captain America had unmasked him.
The man was standing only a few feet away, in his HYDRA uniform and mask. The way he carried himself however told Captain America this was the same man he'd tried to apprehend. He was speaking on the phone, very agitated, a gun in his hand.
One wrong word and Captain America could get himself shot. "Hi!"
The man whipped around to face Captain America, gun raised and ready to shoot. Behind the lenses of that HYDRA mask, Captain America could see fear in those brown eyes. This wasn’t a man in control.
While the gun hand was shaking, the HYDRA agent’s phone hand was steady as he spoke. “Just get here fast. This is important.”
After hanging up the phone, he attempted to put it away in one of the many hidden pockets of his HYDRA uniform. Unable to find a pocket after several uncomfortable seconds however, he placed it on a nearby shelf. “My buddy’s going to be here soon.”
“One of your HYDRA friends?”
“My cell’s gone. Your friends saw to that. But my pal from AIM can get me in touch with the right people. Giving them the real identity of Captain America, I’ll be able to write my own ticket.
There was a brief pause before Captain America asked his question. “What is my name?”
The HYDRA agent’s pause was longer. “I...don’t know that.” He gestured the gun toward his phone. “But I took your picture. Once my buddy runs it through the database, we should find a match.”
“You will,” Captain America conceded. “To a video from several months ago, when I unmasked and gave out my real name on television. It’s Steve Rogers, by the way.”
That may have been the closest Captain America ever came to dying.
The HYDRA fool closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and finally stopped the gun in his hand from shaking. “I didn’t catch that story, but whatever. I still have you, gift-wrapped for my superiors, once I find them. And then I’ll be handsomely rewarded!”
What followed was an attempt at a maniacal laugh that was all the more awkward for Captain America being there. After he trailed off, the silence hanged in the air like a spoiled carcass. Finally, the pawn of HYDRA lowered his gun, turned and almost ran for the basement door. Before leaving though, he paused a said a phrase that Captain America barely heard.
“And my name is Bob.”
# # # # #
SHIELD agents were still digging through the rubble when Director Nick Fury arrived. Among them was Sharon Carter, code-named Agent 13. Noticeably absent was Captain America, which Director Fury took as a bad sign.
“Any of our people unaccounted for?” he asked the senior agent in charge.
“No sir,” said the agent with a salute. “And thankfully, all our people are alive. However, there’s still one member of the HYDRA cell we haven’t accounted for. Everyone else is either in custody or on ice.”
Agent 13 stepped into the conversation. “There’s one other man we’re missing. Captain America got separated from us, and he’s almost certainly under that cave-in.”
Directed Fury looked over the mess of metal, plastic and rock. Any man caught in that was either dead or near to it, with little hope of rescue reaching him in time. “Blast through it,” he ordered.
“Sir, if Captain America is alive in there-”
“If Captain America hasn’t dug himself out by now, he’s either dead or gone. The faster we find an escape tunnel, the faster we can track down everyone who got out. And if we come across any bodies in the meantime, better you accept the truth sooner rather than later.”
As Director Fury walked away from the operation, Sharon Carter gave one last glance at the cave-in. Fury was right in that searching for survivors would be a waste of time, but she always wasn’t going to wait around for any sign of an escape tunnel. Agents began to set the explosives and Sharon walked away, dialing a number on her phone.
“Hi, I could use your help,” Sharon said into the phone. “Captain America got himself in some trouble. Yeah, they can come help too.”
# # # # #
Faint voices told Captain America that two people were upstairs. Most likely it was Bob, Lackey of HYDRA and whomever he’d called. Additional captors worked in Captain America’s favor. He could work them against each other, at the least keep them arguing until SHIELD could find them.
The conversation went on for a few more minutes. Unfortunately the voices were too soft for Captain America to make out what was being said. Eventually he heard the door at the top of the stairs open, and saw the two men descend. Bob, Agent of HYDRA was still in uniform, and like he’d said his pal was from AIM. That was evident by the yellow uniform he wore, complete with beekeeper helmet.
“-even know if it’s really him,” said the AIM scientist. “For all we know SHIELD likes to dress an agent up for their raids. I’ll need to study the shield, take blood samples…oh, that is Steve Rogers. I recognize him from the news, never mind.”
Obviously he couldn’t see behind the mask, but Captain America had a feeling that Bob, Flunky of HYDRA had turned beet red from embarrassment. “Well, yeah, it’s like I said. So can you help me contact him or not?”
“Yeah, but I’ll need to use your phone. If he sees my number he won’t answer. One too many drunk dials I guess. Where do you have it?” He then caught sight of the cell phone, still on the shelf. “You just left it here? If Captain America had gotten loose he could have used it!”
“Well, he didn’t.” Bob, Agent of HYDRA walked behind Captain America to be sure. “You need to stop worrying so much, Karl.”
Inside the beekeeper helmet, AIM scientist Karl’s eyes bugged out. “Don’t tell him my name! How would you feel if I called you Bob in front of him!”
“I already did. It’s not like he’s going to get away. And even if he did, what could he do with only a first name and no face? Now take my phone and make the call.”
“And then?” asked Captain America.
Hearing the Living Legend of World War II speak caused AIM scientist Karl to leap what had to be two feet in the air. Bob didn’t react much better, smashing his head against the post from his sudden take. The gun was back, aimed at Captain America’s head.
“Wh-what did you say?”
Turning his head so that he faced the gun, Captain America fixed his eyes on Bob’s. “What do you expect is going to happen next, after contacting your connection?”
At hearing such a simple question, Bob relaxed. “Well, I figure HYDRA will take you captive. After torturing information out of you, if you can’t be turned, then, you’ll probably be killed. Sorry.”
“Not to me,” said Captain America. “I mean to you, what would probably happen?”
“Oh, well.” Bob puffed out his chest. “I’ll be rewarded, of course. Probably head of a region’s operations, but I’d settle for running a cell.”
“And that’s your goal in life?” Captain America asked. “To possibly give orders to kill people?”
Bob blinked and took a step back in surprise. Holding the phone he’d just texted with, Karl gaped. “Uh, he’s kind of got a point Bob. Remember when you were ordered to shoot those guard dogs. I had to drive them to the shelter because you were crying so hard.”
“Those were dogs Karl. Even the worst, most vicious terrorists wouldn’t hurt a dog. People are completely different.” Bob pointed the gun back at Captain America. “I could start right now.”
“And then?” Captain America asked.
“Well, I might catch some heat for not interrogating you first-”
As though the gun wasn’t there, Captain America interrupted him. “Not this. You give orders with HYDRA, help them fulfill their goals, and what then? To be honest, I’ve never even been clear about HYDRA’s goals.”
“Oh, well, um.” Bob raised to gun hand to scratch his head. “World domination, of course. And then I’d be part of the new government. Maybe, I don’t know, a cabinet position or…something.”
Before Captain America could ask a follow up, Karl stepped in with one foot. The other he kicked solidly against Captain America’s midsection. “Don’t you make him question his life decisions. They got him to where he is, and that’s pretty darn good.”
Bob returned his gun to the default position of pointed at Captain America’s head. “Yeah, I’ve got this nice house - with a basement! I also just qualified for health insurance. Except for that time with Deadpool,” Bob gave an involuntary shudder, “I’ve had a nice life.”
Karl nodded. “We should go wait upstairs, get away from Captain America trying to brainwash us into socialism.”
As his captors walked up the stairs, Captain America heard Bob say, “I always thought HYDRA was socialist.”
# # # # #
Agent 13 had swapped out her pistol for a stun blaster. Bullets were flying past her head and, because of the company she’d chosen to keep, the SHIELD agent was being careful not to kill any HYDRA agents. Other agents wouldn’t care, even Captain America would understand, but one could never be sure about the morals of some heroes.
Falcon was in the air drawing fire, trusting in his “hard light” wings to absorb the impact of any bullet that clipped him. He had provided visual confirmation of HYDRA’s presence, all the birds in the sky acting as his eyes. Once Agent 13 had that, she’d sent the heavy hitters in.
“Ow, will you stop stinging me!” Jessica Jones was stronger and tougher than most heroes, but years ago she’d given up the codename of Jewel to become a private investigator. It was Jessica that had helped Agent 13 narrow down her leads, giving Falcon only a few places to scout. Now she served as a tank, complaining all the while as she smashed fortifications and took heavy fire.
Jack Flag and Free Spirit weren’t as powerful as Jessica Jones, though still above human in strength. And they’d both been trained by Captain America, which by itself made them more than a match for any HYDRA squad. On either side of Agent 13 they disabled the goons that Jessica scattered, working quickly to clear the large warehouse.
From their positions on suspended walkways, snipers caught Falcon in a crossfire. He was finding it difficult to maneuver, and moving towards one left him vulnerable to the others. "A little help here!"
"Flag, go with a boost from Jewel!" Agent 13 commanded.
Jack Flag rushed at Jessica Jones. Within a few feet, he leaped into the air and Jessica caught him by the foot. All she did was flick her wrist, and Jessica catapulted Jack Flag up over Falcon's position. Displaying the acrobatics he'd learned under Captain America's tutelage, Jack Flag landed feet-first against the face of a HYDRA sniper.
The pressure eased, Falcon moved to deal with the other two snipers. While his trained falcon Redwing distracted one, Falcon swooped down on the other and took him down with a solid right cross. "Two down, one to go."
“Done and done!” Jack Flag hurled one of the batons he carried. It struck the HYDRA henchman and exploded into fireworks. “I haven’t used one of those in a while.”
“Look out,” Jessica Jones cried. “They’ve broken out the big guns!”
A massive crate broke apart, revealing a trio of HYDRA goons operating an enormous laser cannon. Following several seconds of a loud hum, an explosive energy burst larger than Jessica’s head was fired in her direction. She barely leaped to avoid it, and the shockwave nearly sent her flying.
“Must be something they got from AIM.” Agent 13 hurled a grenade at the cannon, destroying it in a fiery explosion. “You’d think they’d learn by now, those beekeepers hold back the best for themselves. That’s the heaviest they’ve got Jewel, so take them down!”
“Don’t call me that again.” Jessica Jones scattered a dozen HYDRA goons with a haymaker punch. Behind her, Free Spirit dealt with a few recovering thugs that still held on to their weapons. “I’m a detective, and right now I detect that cannon was raised up on an elevator. Meaning our way down is right…here!”
With a slam of both fists, Jessica Jones shook the entire building and brought down a section of the reinforced floor. She exposed more HYDRA goons below, and those who weren’t scattering to avoid the debris raised their guns and fired. Free Spirit was the first to leap down through the blasts and lay into the shooters. Jack Flag was next, followed by Agent 13.
While the two star-spangled heroes battled the enemies of freedom, Agent 13 accessed HYDRA’s computers. As she downloaded HYDRA’s files to a portable drive, Agent 13 scanned the screens for any clues about Captain America’s whereabouts. Minutes later, she removed the drive and turned to find Jack Flag and Free Spirit standing over a pile of unconscious HYDRA goons.
“Aw, you left none for me.” Pocketing the drive, Agent 13 sent a signal on her communicator. “SHIELD will send a team to lock these creeps up. You can keep an eye on things until I arrive, or you can go with me after this lead. Either Steve was captured and brought there, or he’s loose and going there alone. One way or another, I’m backing him up.”
# # # # #
The door opened, and down the stairs walked the last man Captain America expected to see. Taskmasters laughed at the sight of the hero, a trussed up hostage of a former pupil.
“Oh, Bob, you sure outdid yourself here. It’s like I teach, success is ninety percent luck, and ten percent what you do with that luck. And in calling me you did exactly the right thing.”
“Thank you sir,” said Bob meekly. “It was actually Karl’s idea, but yeah, you are the master at risk/reward. And you’re connections are top-notch.”
“Well, in my line of work it pays to know where everybody is at all times. Can’t be a proper headhunter otherwise.” Taskmaster leaned in, though he was careful to keep his distance from Captain America. “What do you think Cap, as a man that’s fought more than a few of my recruits?”
“I think you waste your talents,” said Captain America. “I think you look at the independent contractors America employs and you kick yourself everyday you didn’t get in on that racket. I think it’s a shame too, as you legitimately would have done a better job than any of them.”
Taskmaster chuckled and, after a moment, reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, you may be right. But then again, any one of my bad apples is a whole lot worse than anybody they’ve got. Any one of them going rogue would have ruined me anyway, even with my high percentage of basic competence.” Taskmaster indicated the two men behind me. “And FYI, they can throw one hell of a Christmas party.”
Karl appeared genuinely touched by this compliment, while Bob spoke up. “So what do you think we should do, sir? The shield alone, any organization would kill to study it.”
“Yeah, let me see it.” Taskmaster was handed the shield. “Exquisite, and not just the material. Whoever shaped this knew his stuff, to duplicate the balance alone would be a feat of legend. It’s no wonder you can do the things you do.”
“Thank you,” said Captain America. With one hand he was reaching under the glove of the other. “It’s crazy how some folks, like Tony Stark, think they can try to improve it. He once added electronic components so I could control it in flight.”
No sooner had Captain America said it than the shield sprang out of Taskmaster’s head, striking him in the forehead. It ricocheted off the wall, traveling behind Captain America to bounce of that wall, before striking the post and severing his bonds. Freed, Captain America leaped forward.
“I had the components removed,” said Captain America as he punched Taskmaster in the jaw. “They threw off the balance.” Taskmaster struggled to counter, but dazed by the surprise attack he couldn’t make full use of his muscle memory. “I was only the other day I agreed to try the new, miniaturized components.” The exchange only lasted a few moves, as Captain America made full use of his superior strength and reflexes to slam Taskmaster to the ground.
Bob and Karl drew their weapons, but Captain America grabbed the shield off Taskmaster’s back and threw it. It struck true, disarming the agents of HYDRA and AIM, before returning to Captain America. “Great balance, better even than a copy Stark once gave me.”
“You didn’t search him?” Karl asked, incredulous.
“I did!” Bob protested. “I removed all the trackers on him. Why would I think he had something to control the shield?”
“And in your defense a tiny magnetic repulsor would be easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it. Now you two stay put, and be glad I’m too busy to take you into custody.” Picking up Taskmaster with one hand, Captain America again slammed him to the floor. “As for you, let’s talk about where certain people are at this moment.”
# # # # #
It was a clear night on the Black Sea. The tiny artificial island far from any shore appeared quiet, unassuming. Falcon knew from his earlier scouting that this was a facade. Anything that entered the island’s airspace was immediately fired upon.
Agent 13 was confident they could survive any onslaught and successfully storm the island, but for a potential hostage situation she felt stealth was the best approach. The hard-light and propulsion system of Falcon’s costume made for a make-shift submersible. It was on that clear not and undetected that Falcon, Agent 13, Jessica Jones, Free Spirit and Jack Flag emerged from the cold water.
The hard-light didn’t appear to melt into Falcon’s costume as it normally did. “That’s it, the battery’s out of juice. All I have left to offer are my fists and my way with birds.”
“That’s always been more than enough,” said Agent 13. “We’ll need to split up. It’s only a matter of time before SHIELD gets a fix on my location and sends air support, so I need to find and disable the defenses before that happens. And Jewel, I’d like for you to hang back in case one of us needs some heavy back-up.”
“I’m so glad to be your tank,” Jessica said.
“That leaves you three to search for the boy and, hopefully, Cap. If he’s here, we’ll take his lead. If not…” Agent 13 sighed. “Try to save alive until back-up comes.”
With those inspirational words the Avenger, the Congressman, the vigilante and the spy went off in different directions while the P.I. remained behind. Jessica Jones morosely kicked a stone and watched it fly out over the water.
“Okay, Jessica, it’s official. Next time you’re asked to join one of these stupid team-ups, just say no. Because even when it looks like a sneaky espionage adventure where you’re detective skills might actually contribute, they’re still gonna want you as a bullet sponge. The bitch even uses my old code-name, as if I’m only - ow!”
Jessica slapped a hand to her neck. “Damn bugs. If she’d wanted an actual detective, she’d have probably called that other Jessica. The one that actually wants to be a su - a super…”
Jessica Jones was feeling dizzy, and suddenly her legs didn’t want to work. They gave out, and it was Jessica’s flight that kept her off the ground. She caught a glimpse of a man approaching before something in her brain said not to fly and the ground rushed up to meet her.
“…hero…”
# # # # #
Falcon worked best in the air. So while everybody else was going into the compound of the HYDRA island base, he went about climbing. The building wasn’t exactly designed to be a jungle gym, but nor was it meant to keep out a man trained to traverse the New York City skyline. Any flyer worth his salt knew to be prepared in case their wings got clipped, and that including knowing how to swing your body and grab the slightest handholds.
In less than a minute, Falcon was already more than a story up, near what looked to be an opening. Doubtful it led to any sort of detention area, Falcon moved towards it hoping to at least take a HYDRA goon by surprise. A few punches could at least garner information.
But as Falcon neared the opening, he saw a figure inside, shrouded in shadow. A gloved hand reached out, touching the side of the building. Falcon saw the spark, but before he could react electricity coursed through his body. His body briefly refusing to follow commands, Falcon fell, already unconscious before he hit the ground.
# # # # #
Once the locks and alarms were bypassed by Agent 13, Jack Flag separated from the rest to make his own way inside the HYDRA base. Leaving the agent at once junction and Free Spirit at another, Jack ran as quickly and as softly as he could. He didn’t have the slightest idea where to search, and danger lurked around every corner.
Jack still preferred it to the halls of the Capital Building. As bad as things had been when he was an aide, they’d gotten a lot worse. Maybe it was an extreme reaction to the circumstances, but the special elections had, for the most part, brought in politicians that just didn’t want to get anything done. Against the hordes of HYDRA Jack could more than account for himself, but in a session of Congress his was a small voice drowned out in an ocean of argument.
Catching a glimpse of a shadow as he neared a threshold, Jack Flag prepared himself for an ambush. Leaping through in a rolling dive, he discovered nothing there and lightly chided his paranoia. Jack started to his feet, unaware of the shape slithering above him until it had jumped onto his back.
The enemy’s hot breath was on his neck, and try as he might Jack Flag couldn’t break the grip around his arms and chest. A grip so powerful Jack had only felt once before, but he couldn’t have joined with HYDRA. It had to be something mechanical, something Jack could break, and he crashed against a wall hoping to do just that.
But Jack didn’t feel anything break. He felt the strong limbs holding him stretch and give a little, but nothing broke. It was getting hard for Jack to breath, and his vision was going dim. In desperation he thrashed against the wall again, against the floor, all in vain to break an impossible grip.
After a few minutes, one man was standing. It wasn’t Jack Flag.
# # # # #
After splitting off from the others, Free Spirit leaped into the base’s maintenance and ventilation ducts. If there was one thing she’d learned from her time as a hero was that most buildings were built the same, even terrorist bases. Her small frame and peak abilities made it easier to navigate the tight confines, and soon Free Spirit was making her way towards faint voices.
Crouched just inside the vent of a room where several HYDRA thugs were sitting, Free Spirit had the impression it was a break area. Kicking out the vent, Free Spirit jumped into the fray, downing two men with fists and feet before they realized what was happening. A third tried to throw a punch which Free Spirit ducked and responded to with a bone crunching uppercut.
That left one man who attempted to draw a weapon. Free Spirit tackled him to the ground, sending the gun flying. Pinning his body with her own, Free Spirit pressed a hand against his mouth before he could scream.
“If you’re one of those grunts who isn’t told anything, this isn’t your day,” Free Spirit said. She applied pressure to one of his arms, and he knew that at the slightest touch more it would break. “I’m looking for any prisoners that may be here, and I’m not afraid to hurt you until I find them.”
Minutes later, Free Spirit was racing down a corridor with a guarded door at the end of it. One man had the wherewithal to raise his gun and even squeezed off a shot that went wild as Free Spirit slammed into them. This time she couldn’t prevent a noise from being made, but she didn’t care. A few seconds are hard blows later, both men were unconscious and Free Spirit was turning a key into a locked door. If Captain America was locked inside, they could get through anything. If he wasn’t, she’d try her damned best anyway.
Throwing open the door, Free Spirit found herself inside a large and cluttered room. There were monitors, computer banks, medical equipment that included an MRI machine and, Free Spirit realized with a shudder, specimen jars. Inside were things she didn’t want to think about, so she passed them over to search for anything alive. There were empty beds with restraints attached, so things did go on in there, likely experiments. But where were the subjects now.
Free Spirit gave a wide berth to humming machinery affixed with a radiation symbol, walking past shelves of vials labeled as snake venom. In the near distance she glimpsed, over a partition, a heavy chain link fence that went up to the ceiling. Making her way towards it, Free Spirit saw a bed and other objects that showed it was a clearly a lived in area.
Finally reaching the fence, Free Spirit saw a lock that her key certainly wouldn’t fit. But through the links she saw a bed, a shape hidden beneath the blankets. “It’s all right,” Free Sprit said as she searched for a tool. “I’m here to take you home.”
Metal smashed against the lock, with the strength of a woman in peak physical condition behind it. Free Spirit swung the door open and gentle cajoled the shape from beneath the blankets. At the sight of the boy, Free Spirit suspected that she’d been lied to. But he was still a kid in a dangerous situation, so she took him by the hand to lead him out.
They’d only gone a few steps out of the cage when the sound froze Free Spirit. Releasing the child’s hand and taking him by the shoulder, Free Spirit guided him low to the ground and told him to go hide. She then started forward and up, leaping to climb a row of shelves.
The scent of ozone became strong. Free Sprit leaped to just avoid getting fried, as electricity passed over the metal shelves. All the overhead lights, previously dark, went bright for an instant before popping all at once. Even with eyes closed Free Spirit was momentarily blinded, and hot fragments of glass fell into her hair.
Crashing against a bed, Free Spirit rolled into a dive when a man fell against her. An arm grabbed at her leg but missed because of the dive. Taking hold of the one of the restraints on the bed, Free Spirit was ready for the second attempt. Metal clasped tight around the man’s wrist and locked. The wrist pulled back and was freed with little effort.
Though surprised to find a snake within HYDRA, Free Spirit’s experience against them kept her unfazed. The kick was brutal, and she was sure that bones in the face would have broken if she hadn’t felt them move beneath her foot. Recalling the labeled jars, Free Spirit knew what she was facing.
“A new Cobra.” Executing a back-flip to make space, Free Spirit felt ozone against and felt electricity crackle under her. “And Eel, but are you new or the same old mercenary?”
In a flash of light Free Spirit caught a glimpse of the man. Free Spirit had never encountered the second Eel, and anyway the costumed made him impossible to identify. She’d been told about the gloves though.
In one smooth motion, Free Spirit grabbed a medical instrument that had been left out and flung it. It struck true, imbedded in one of Eel’s gloves and causing it to dangerously spark. At the same time the homegrown Cobra leapt atop Free Spirit, but while not as strong as Jack Flag, her reflexes were much faster. Touching Cobra’s limbs so briefly that he didn’t have a chance to get a grip, Free Spirit hurled him at Eel.
The collision was explosive, and two the Serpent Squad were down. By Free Spirit’s math that left a third.
“Is there a Viper up in here?” she called out in a tone that hinted at a taunt. The only Viper she knew terrified her, but this one had to also be someone new. New she could handle. “Call yourself whatever you want, you’re still a HYDRA thug.”
Her ears caught the faint hiss of an air-powered weapon, and Free Spiti just avoided the object that whizzed past her face. A dart, certainly poisoned. The next object wasn’t poisoned, and was much larger. Though she managed to throw her arms up in time to protect her head, Free Spirit was bodily struck by the MRI machine. Fortunately she was knocked away and not pinned by the massive equipment.
Quickly springing to her feet, Free Spirt saw a clearly new and male Viper leaping at her. He slashed with a knife that she just managed to avoid, but then he struck with his open hand and caught her in the face. Dazed, Free Spirit continued to move back, knowing she couldn’t risk getting cut with what was likely a poisoned weapon. Viper kept coming at her, and in avoiding the slashes Free Spirit got tripped up and fell to the floor.
Immediately he was on top her her, the knife plunging toward her chest. Free Spirit grabbed the wrist with both hands and halted the momentum. For a second the knife hanged there, then slowly began to drop. Free Spirit struggled to push it back, but this Viper was strong, had to be superhuman. Gritting her teeth, Free Spirit got ready…
It spun through the air, striking the knife where the blade met the hilt. The blade snapped clean, flying through the air without cutting any flesh, while the disc hit the ground beside Free Spirit’s head and bounced back to hit Viper in the center of his head. The shield then returned to the red gloved hand that had thrown it.
“Get away from her Jack,” said Captain America to the man he’d once known as Nomad.
NEXT ISSUE: At last, Captain America comes face-to-face with Madame HYDRA! Can the American spirit endure against the ultimate nihilist? Witness as Captain America is tested like never before!
The man was standing only a few feet away, in his HYDRA uniform and mask. The way he carried himself however told Captain America this was the same man he'd tried to apprehend. He was speaking on the phone, very agitated, a gun in his hand.
One wrong word and Captain America could get himself shot. "Hi!"
The man whipped around to face Captain America, gun raised and ready to shoot. Behind the lenses of that HYDRA mask, Captain America could see fear in those brown eyes. This wasn’t a man in control.
While the gun hand was shaking, the HYDRA agent’s phone hand was steady as he spoke. “Just get here fast. This is important.”
After hanging up the phone, he attempted to put it away in one of the many hidden pockets of his HYDRA uniform. Unable to find a pocket after several uncomfortable seconds however, he placed it on a nearby shelf. “My buddy’s going to be here soon.”
“One of your HYDRA friends?”
“My cell’s gone. Your friends saw to that. But my pal from AIM can get me in touch with the right people. Giving them the real identity of Captain America, I’ll be able to write my own ticket.
There was a brief pause before Captain America asked his question. “What is my name?”
The HYDRA agent’s pause was longer. “I...don’t know that.” He gestured the gun toward his phone. “But I took your picture. Once my buddy runs it through the database, we should find a match.”
“You will,” Captain America conceded. “To a video from several months ago, when I unmasked and gave out my real name on television. It’s Steve Rogers, by the way.”
That may have been the closest Captain America ever came to dying.
The HYDRA fool closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and finally stopped the gun in his hand from shaking. “I didn’t catch that story, but whatever. I still have you, gift-wrapped for my superiors, once I find them. And then I’ll be handsomely rewarded!”
What followed was an attempt at a maniacal laugh that was all the more awkward for Captain America being there. After he trailed off, the silence hanged in the air like a spoiled carcass. Finally, the pawn of HYDRA lowered his gun, turned and almost ran for the basement door. Before leaving though, he paused a said a phrase that Captain America barely heard.
“And my name is Bob.”
# # # # #
SHIELD agents were still digging through the rubble when Director Nick Fury arrived. Among them was Sharon Carter, code-named Agent 13. Noticeably absent was Captain America, which Director Fury took as a bad sign.
“Any of our people unaccounted for?” he asked the senior agent in charge.
“No sir,” said the agent with a salute. “And thankfully, all our people are alive. However, there’s still one member of the HYDRA cell we haven’t accounted for. Everyone else is either in custody or on ice.”
Agent 13 stepped into the conversation. “There’s one other man we’re missing. Captain America got separated from us, and he’s almost certainly under that cave-in.”
Directed Fury looked over the mess of metal, plastic and rock. Any man caught in that was either dead or near to it, with little hope of rescue reaching him in time. “Blast through it,” he ordered.
“Sir, if Captain America is alive in there-”
“If Captain America hasn’t dug himself out by now, he’s either dead or gone. The faster we find an escape tunnel, the faster we can track down everyone who got out. And if we come across any bodies in the meantime, better you accept the truth sooner rather than later.”
As Director Fury walked away from the operation, Sharon Carter gave one last glance at the cave-in. Fury was right in that searching for survivors would be a waste of time, but she always wasn’t going to wait around for any sign of an escape tunnel. Agents began to set the explosives and Sharon walked away, dialing a number on her phone.
“Hi, I could use your help,” Sharon said into the phone. “Captain America got himself in some trouble. Yeah, they can come help too.”
# # # # #
Faint voices told Captain America that two people were upstairs. Most likely it was Bob, Lackey of HYDRA and whomever he’d called. Additional captors worked in Captain America’s favor. He could work them against each other, at the least keep them arguing until SHIELD could find them.
The conversation went on for a few more minutes. Unfortunately the voices were too soft for Captain America to make out what was being said. Eventually he heard the door at the top of the stairs open, and saw the two men descend. Bob, Agent of HYDRA was still in uniform, and like he’d said his pal was from AIM. That was evident by the yellow uniform he wore, complete with beekeeper helmet.
“-even know if it’s really him,” said the AIM scientist. “For all we know SHIELD likes to dress an agent up for their raids. I’ll need to study the shield, take blood samples…oh, that is Steve Rogers. I recognize him from the news, never mind.”
Obviously he couldn’t see behind the mask, but Captain America had a feeling that Bob, Flunky of HYDRA had turned beet red from embarrassment. “Well, yeah, it’s like I said. So can you help me contact him or not?”
“Yeah, but I’ll need to use your phone. If he sees my number he won’t answer. One too many drunk dials I guess. Where do you have it?” He then caught sight of the cell phone, still on the shelf. “You just left it here? If Captain America had gotten loose he could have used it!”
“Well, he didn’t.” Bob, Agent of HYDRA walked behind Captain America to be sure. “You need to stop worrying so much, Karl.”
Inside the beekeeper helmet, AIM scientist Karl’s eyes bugged out. “Don’t tell him my name! How would you feel if I called you Bob in front of him!”
“I already did. It’s not like he’s going to get away. And even if he did, what could he do with only a first name and no face? Now take my phone and make the call.”
“And then?” asked Captain America.
Hearing the Living Legend of World War II speak caused AIM scientist Karl to leap what had to be two feet in the air. Bob didn’t react much better, smashing his head against the post from his sudden take. The gun was back, aimed at Captain America’s head.
“Wh-what did you say?”
Turning his head so that he faced the gun, Captain America fixed his eyes on Bob’s. “What do you expect is going to happen next, after contacting your connection?”
At hearing such a simple question, Bob relaxed. “Well, I figure HYDRA will take you captive. After torturing information out of you, if you can’t be turned, then, you’ll probably be killed. Sorry.”
“Not to me,” said Captain America. “I mean to you, what would probably happen?”
“Oh, well.” Bob puffed out his chest. “I’ll be rewarded, of course. Probably head of a region’s operations, but I’d settle for running a cell.”
“And that’s your goal in life?” Captain America asked. “To possibly give orders to kill people?”
Bob blinked and took a step back in surprise. Holding the phone he’d just texted with, Karl gaped. “Uh, he’s kind of got a point Bob. Remember when you were ordered to shoot those guard dogs. I had to drive them to the shelter because you were crying so hard.”
“Those were dogs Karl. Even the worst, most vicious terrorists wouldn’t hurt a dog. People are completely different.” Bob pointed the gun back at Captain America. “I could start right now.”
“And then?” Captain America asked.
“Well, I might catch some heat for not interrogating you first-”
As though the gun wasn’t there, Captain America interrupted him. “Not this. You give orders with HYDRA, help them fulfill their goals, and what then? To be honest, I’ve never even been clear about HYDRA’s goals.”
“Oh, well, um.” Bob raised to gun hand to scratch his head. “World domination, of course. And then I’d be part of the new government. Maybe, I don’t know, a cabinet position or…something.”
Before Captain America could ask a follow up, Karl stepped in with one foot. The other he kicked solidly against Captain America’s midsection. “Don’t you make him question his life decisions. They got him to where he is, and that’s pretty darn good.”
Bob returned his gun to the default position of pointed at Captain America’s head. “Yeah, I’ve got this nice house - with a basement! I also just qualified for health insurance. Except for that time with Deadpool,” Bob gave an involuntary shudder, “I’ve had a nice life.”
Karl nodded. “We should go wait upstairs, get away from Captain America trying to brainwash us into socialism.”
As his captors walked up the stairs, Captain America heard Bob say, “I always thought HYDRA was socialist.”
# # # # #
Agent 13 had swapped out her pistol for a stun blaster. Bullets were flying past her head and, because of the company she’d chosen to keep, the SHIELD agent was being careful not to kill any HYDRA agents. Other agents wouldn’t care, even Captain America would understand, but one could never be sure about the morals of some heroes.
Falcon was in the air drawing fire, trusting in his “hard light” wings to absorb the impact of any bullet that clipped him. He had provided visual confirmation of HYDRA’s presence, all the birds in the sky acting as his eyes. Once Agent 13 had that, she’d sent the heavy hitters in.
“Ow, will you stop stinging me!” Jessica Jones was stronger and tougher than most heroes, but years ago she’d given up the codename of Jewel to become a private investigator. It was Jessica that had helped Agent 13 narrow down her leads, giving Falcon only a few places to scout. Now she served as a tank, complaining all the while as she smashed fortifications and took heavy fire.
Jack Flag and Free Spirit weren’t as powerful as Jessica Jones, though still above human in strength. And they’d both been trained by Captain America, which by itself made them more than a match for any HYDRA squad. On either side of Agent 13 they disabled the goons that Jessica scattered, working quickly to clear the large warehouse.
From their positions on suspended walkways, snipers caught Falcon in a crossfire. He was finding it difficult to maneuver, and moving towards one left him vulnerable to the others. "A little help here!"
"Flag, go with a boost from Jewel!" Agent 13 commanded.
Jack Flag rushed at Jessica Jones. Within a few feet, he leaped into the air and Jessica caught him by the foot. All she did was flick her wrist, and Jessica catapulted Jack Flag up over Falcon's position. Displaying the acrobatics he'd learned under Captain America's tutelage, Jack Flag landed feet-first against the face of a HYDRA sniper.
The pressure eased, Falcon moved to deal with the other two snipers. While his trained falcon Redwing distracted one, Falcon swooped down on the other and took him down with a solid right cross. "Two down, one to go."
“Done and done!” Jack Flag hurled one of the batons he carried. It struck the HYDRA henchman and exploded into fireworks. “I haven’t used one of those in a while.”
“Look out,” Jessica Jones cried. “They’ve broken out the big guns!”
A massive crate broke apart, revealing a trio of HYDRA goons operating an enormous laser cannon. Following several seconds of a loud hum, an explosive energy burst larger than Jessica’s head was fired in her direction. She barely leaped to avoid it, and the shockwave nearly sent her flying.
“Must be something they got from AIM.” Agent 13 hurled a grenade at the cannon, destroying it in a fiery explosion. “You’d think they’d learn by now, those beekeepers hold back the best for themselves. That’s the heaviest they’ve got Jewel, so take them down!”
“Don’t call me that again.” Jessica Jones scattered a dozen HYDRA goons with a haymaker punch. Behind her, Free Spirit dealt with a few recovering thugs that still held on to their weapons. “I’m a detective, and right now I detect that cannon was raised up on an elevator. Meaning our way down is right…here!”
With a slam of both fists, Jessica Jones shook the entire building and brought down a section of the reinforced floor. She exposed more HYDRA goons below, and those who weren’t scattering to avoid the debris raised their guns and fired. Free Spirit was the first to leap down through the blasts and lay into the shooters. Jack Flag was next, followed by Agent 13.
While the two star-spangled heroes battled the enemies of freedom, Agent 13 accessed HYDRA’s computers. As she downloaded HYDRA’s files to a portable drive, Agent 13 scanned the screens for any clues about Captain America’s whereabouts. Minutes later, she removed the drive and turned to find Jack Flag and Free Spirit standing over a pile of unconscious HYDRA goons.
“Aw, you left none for me.” Pocketing the drive, Agent 13 sent a signal on her communicator. “SHIELD will send a team to lock these creeps up. You can keep an eye on things until I arrive, or you can go with me after this lead. Either Steve was captured and brought there, or he’s loose and going there alone. One way or another, I’m backing him up.”
# # # # #
The door opened, and down the stairs walked the last man Captain America expected to see. Taskmasters laughed at the sight of the hero, a trussed up hostage of a former pupil.
“Oh, Bob, you sure outdid yourself here. It’s like I teach, success is ninety percent luck, and ten percent what you do with that luck. And in calling me you did exactly the right thing.”
“Thank you sir,” said Bob meekly. “It was actually Karl’s idea, but yeah, you are the master at risk/reward. And you’re connections are top-notch.”
“Well, in my line of work it pays to know where everybody is at all times. Can’t be a proper headhunter otherwise.” Taskmaster leaned in, though he was careful to keep his distance from Captain America. “What do you think Cap, as a man that’s fought more than a few of my recruits?”
“I think you waste your talents,” said Captain America. “I think you look at the independent contractors America employs and you kick yourself everyday you didn’t get in on that racket. I think it’s a shame too, as you legitimately would have done a better job than any of them.”
Taskmaster chuckled and, after a moment, reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, you may be right. But then again, any one of my bad apples is a whole lot worse than anybody they’ve got. Any one of them going rogue would have ruined me anyway, even with my high percentage of basic competence.” Taskmaster indicated the two men behind me. “And FYI, they can throw one hell of a Christmas party.”
Karl appeared genuinely touched by this compliment, while Bob spoke up. “So what do you think we should do, sir? The shield alone, any organization would kill to study it.”
“Yeah, let me see it.” Taskmaster was handed the shield. “Exquisite, and not just the material. Whoever shaped this knew his stuff, to duplicate the balance alone would be a feat of legend. It’s no wonder you can do the things you do.”
“Thank you,” said Captain America. With one hand he was reaching under the glove of the other. “It’s crazy how some folks, like Tony Stark, think they can try to improve it. He once added electronic components so I could control it in flight.”
No sooner had Captain America said it than the shield sprang out of Taskmaster’s head, striking him in the forehead. It ricocheted off the wall, traveling behind Captain America to bounce of that wall, before striking the post and severing his bonds. Freed, Captain America leaped forward.
“I had the components removed,” said Captain America as he punched Taskmaster in the jaw. “They threw off the balance.” Taskmaster struggled to counter, but dazed by the surprise attack he couldn’t make full use of his muscle memory. “I was only the other day I agreed to try the new, miniaturized components.” The exchange only lasted a few moves, as Captain America made full use of his superior strength and reflexes to slam Taskmaster to the ground.
Bob and Karl drew their weapons, but Captain America grabbed the shield off Taskmaster’s back and threw it. It struck true, disarming the agents of HYDRA and AIM, before returning to Captain America. “Great balance, better even than a copy Stark once gave me.”
“You didn’t search him?” Karl asked, incredulous.
“I did!” Bob protested. “I removed all the trackers on him. Why would I think he had something to control the shield?”
“And in your defense a tiny magnetic repulsor would be easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it. Now you two stay put, and be glad I’m too busy to take you into custody.” Picking up Taskmaster with one hand, Captain America again slammed him to the floor. “As for you, let’s talk about where certain people are at this moment.”
# # # # #
It was a clear night on the Black Sea. The tiny artificial island far from any shore appeared quiet, unassuming. Falcon knew from his earlier scouting that this was a facade. Anything that entered the island’s airspace was immediately fired upon.
Agent 13 was confident they could survive any onslaught and successfully storm the island, but for a potential hostage situation she felt stealth was the best approach. The hard-light and propulsion system of Falcon’s costume made for a make-shift submersible. It was on that clear not and undetected that Falcon, Agent 13, Jessica Jones, Free Spirit and Jack Flag emerged from the cold water.
The hard-light didn’t appear to melt into Falcon’s costume as it normally did. “That’s it, the battery’s out of juice. All I have left to offer are my fists and my way with birds.”
“That’s always been more than enough,” said Agent 13. “We’ll need to split up. It’s only a matter of time before SHIELD gets a fix on my location and sends air support, so I need to find and disable the defenses before that happens. And Jewel, I’d like for you to hang back in case one of us needs some heavy back-up.”
“I’m so glad to be your tank,” Jessica said.
“That leaves you three to search for the boy and, hopefully, Cap. If he’s here, we’ll take his lead. If not…” Agent 13 sighed. “Try to save alive until back-up comes.”
With those inspirational words the Avenger, the Congressman, the vigilante and the spy went off in different directions while the P.I. remained behind. Jessica Jones morosely kicked a stone and watched it fly out over the water.
“Okay, Jessica, it’s official. Next time you’re asked to join one of these stupid team-ups, just say no. Because even when it looks like a sneaky espionage adventure where you’re detective skills might actually contribute, they’re still gonna want you as a bullet sponge. The bitch even uses my old code-name, as if I’m only - ow!”
Jessica slapped a hand to her neck. “Damn bugs. If she’d wanted an actual detective, she’d have probably called that other Jessica. The one that actually wants to be a su - a super…”
Jessica Jones was feeling dizzy, and suddenly her legs didn’t want to work. They gave out, and it was Jessica’s flight that kept her off the ground. She caught a glimpse of a man approaching before something in her brain said not to fly and the ground rushed up to meet her.
“…hero…”
# # # # #
Falcon worked best in the air. So while everybody else was going into the compound of the HYDRA island base, he went about climbing. The building wasn’t exactly designed to be a jungle gym, but nor was it meant to keep out a man trained to traverse the New York City skyline. Any flyer worth his salt knew to be prepared in case their wings got clipped, and that including knowing how to swing your body and grab the slightest handholds.
In less than a minute, Falcon was already more than a story up, near what looked to be an opening. Doubtful it led to any sort of detention area, Falcon moved towards it hoping to at least take a HYDRA goon by surprise. A few punches could at least garner information.
But as Falcon neared the opening, he saw a figure inside, shrouded in shadow. A gloved hand reached out, touching the side of the building. Falcon saw the spark, but before he could react electricity coursed through his body. His body briefly refusing to follow commands, Falcon fell, already unconscious before he hit the ground.
# # # # #
Once the locks and alarms were bypassed by Agent 13, Jack Flag separated from the rest to make his own way inside the HYDRA base. Leaving the agent at once junction and Free Spirit at another, Jack ran as quickly and as softly as he could. He didn’t have the slightest idea where to search, and danger lurked around every corner.
Jack still preferred it to the halls of the Capital Building. As bad as things had been when he was an aide, they’d gotten a lot worse. Maybe it was an extreme reaction to the circumstances, but the special elections had, for the most part, brought in politicians that just didn’t want to get anything done. Against the hordes of HYDRA Jack could more than account for himself, but in a session of Congress his was a small voice drowned out in an ocean of argument.
Catching a glimpse of a shadow as he neared a threshold, Jack Flag prepared himself for an ambush. Leaping through in a rolling dive, he discovered nothing there and lightly chided his paranoia. Jack started to his feet, unaware of the shape slithering above him until it had jumped onto his back.
The enemy’s hot breath was on his neck, and try as he might Jack Flag couldn’t break the grip around his arms and chest. A grip so powerful Jack had only felt once before, but he couldn’t have joined with HYDRA. It had to be something mechanical, something Jack could break, and he crashed against a wall hoping to do just that.
But Jack didn’t feel anything break. He felt the strong limbs holding him stretch and give a little, but nothing broke. It was getting hard for Jack to breath, and his vision was going dim. In desperation he thrashed against the wall again, against the floor, all in vain to break an impossible grip.
After a few minutes, one man was standing. It wasn’t Jack Flag.
# # # # #
After splitting off from the others, Free Spirit leaped into the base’s maintenance and ventilation ducts. If there was one thing she’d learned from her time as a hero was that most buildings were built the same, even terrorist bases. Her small frame and peak abilities made it easier to navigate the tight confines, and soon Free Spirit was making her way towards faint voices.
Crouched just inside the vent of a room where several HYDRA thugs were sitting, Free Spirit had the impression it was a break area. Kicking out the vent, Free Spirit jumped into the fray, downing two men with fists and feet before they realized what was happening. A third tried to throw a punch which Free Spirit ducked and responded to with a bone crunching uppercut.
That left one man who attempted to draw a weapon. Free Spirit tackled him to the ground, sending the gun flying. Pinning his body with her own, Free Spirit pressed a hand against his mouth before he could scream.
“If you’re one of those grunts who isn’t told anything, this isn’t your day,” Free Spirit said. She applied pressure to one of his arms, and he knew that at the slightest touch more it would break. “I’m looking for any prisoners that may be here, and I’m not afraid to hurt you until I find them.”
Minutes later, Free Spirit was racing down a corridor with a guarded door at the end of it. One man had the wherewithal to raise his gun and even squeezed off a shot that went wild as Free Spirit slammed into them. This time she couldn’t prevent a noise from being made, but she didn’t care. A few seconds are hard blows later, both men were unconscious and Free Spirit was turning a key into a locked door. If Captain America was locked inside, they could get through anything. If he wasn’t, she’d try her damned best anyway.
Throwing open the door, Free Spirit found herself inside a large and cluttered room. There were monitors, computer banks, medical equipment that included an MRI machine and, Free Spirit realized with a shudder, specimen jars. Inside were things she didn’t want to think about, so she passed them over to search for anything alive. There were empty beds with restraints attached, so things did go on in there, likely experiments. But where were the subjects now.
Free Spirit gave a wide berth to humming machinery affixed with a radiation symbol, walking past shelves of vials labeled as snake venom. In the near distance she glimpsed, over a partition, a heavy chain link fence that went up to the ceiling. Making her way towards it, Free Spirit saw a bed and other objects that showed it was a clearly a lived in area.
Finally reaching the fence, Free Spirit saw a lock that her key certainly wouldn’t fit. But through the links she saw a bed, a shape hidden beneath the blankets. “It’s all right,” Free Sprit said as she searched for a tool. “I’m here to take you home.”
Metal smashed against the lock, with the strength of a woman in peak physical condition behind it. Free Spirit swung the door open and gentle cajoled the shape from beneath the blankets. At the sight of the boy, Free Spirit suspected that she’d been lied to. But he was still a kid in a dangerous situation, so she took him by the hand to lead him out.
They’d only gone a few steps out of the cage when the sound froze Free Spirit. Releasing the child’s hand and taking him by the shoulder, Free Spirit guided him low to the ground and told him to go hide. She then started forward and up, leaping to climb a row of shelves.
The scent of ozone became strong. Free Sprit leaped to just avoid getting fried, as electricity passed over the metal shelves. All the overhead lights, previously dark, went bright for an instant before popping all at once. Even with eyes closed Free Spirit was momentarily blinded, and hot fragments of glass fell into her hair.
Crashing against a bed, Free Spirit rolled into a dive when a man fell against her. An arm grabbed at her leg but missed because of the dive. Taking hold of the one of the restraints on the bed, Free Spirit was ready for the second attempt. Metal clasped tight around the man’s wrist and locked. The wrist pulled back and was freed with little effort.
Though surprised to find a snake within HYDRA, Free Spirit’s experience against them kept her unfazed. The kick was brutal, and she was sure that bones in the face would have broken if she hadn’t felt them move beneath her foot. Recalling the labeled jars, Free Spirit knew what she was facing.
“A new Cobra.” Executing a back-flip to make space, Free Spirit felt ozone against and felt electricity crackle under her. “And Eel, but are you new or the same old mercenary?”
In a flash of light Free Spirit caught a glimpse of the man. Free Spirit had never encountered the second Eel, and anyway the costumed made him impossible to identify. She’d been told about the gloves though.
In one smooth motion, Free Spirit grabbed a medical instrument that had been left out and flung it. It struck true, imbedded in one of Eel’s gloves and causing it to dangerously spark. At the same time the homegrown Cobra leapt atop Free Spirit, but while not as strong as Jack Flag, her reflexes were much faster. Touching Cobra’s limbs so briefly that he didn’t have a chance to get a grip, Free Spirit hurled him at Eel.
The collision was explosive, and two the Serpent Squad were down. By Free Spirit’s math that left a third.
“Is there a Viper up in here?” she called out in a tone that hinted at a taunt. The only Viper she knew terrified her, but this one had to also be someone new. New she could handle. “Call yourself whatever you want, you’re still a HYDRA thug.”
Her ears caught the faint hiss of an air-powered weapon, and Free Spiti just avoided the object that whizzed past her face. A dart, certainly poisoned. The next object wasn’t poisoned, and was much larger. Though she managed to throw her arms up in time to protect her head, Free Spirit was bodily struck by the MRI machine. Fortunately she was knocked away and not pinned by the massive equipment.
Quickly springing to her feet, Free Spirt saw a clearly new and male Viper leaping at her. He slashed with a knife that she just managed to avoid, but then he struck with his open hand and caught her in the face. Dazed, Free Spirit continued to move back, knowing she couldn’t risk getting cut with what was likely a poisoned weapon. Viper kept coming at her, and in avoiding the slashes Free Spirit got tripped up and fell to the floor.
Immediately he was on top her her, the knife plunging toward her chest. Free Spirit grabbed the wrist with both hands and halted the momentum. For a second the knife hanged there, then slowly began to drop. Free Spirit struggled to push it back, but this Viper was strong, had to be superhuman. Gritting her teeth, Free Spirit got ready…
It spun through the air, striking the knife where the blade met the hilt. The blade snapped clean, flying through the air without cutting any flesh, while the disc hit the ground beside Free Spirit’s head and bounced back to hit Viper in the center of his head. The shield then returned to the red gloved hand that had thrown it.
“Get away from her Jack,” said Captain America to the man he’d once known as Nomad.
NEXT ISSUE: At last, Captain America comes face-to-face with Madame HYDRA! Can the American spirit endure against the ultimate nihilist? Witness as Captain America is tested like never before!