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Issue #24 by Steve Crosby
"Fair & Balanced" February 2024 |
“They’re almost ready for you, Mister Rogers.”
Steve Rogers looked up from his notes. “Thank you, Ms. Blake. Is there an update on my friend?”
His recently hired assistant, Eden Blake, nodded. “Mr. Wilson is en route and should be dealing with the matter while you’re on air.”
“Terrific. It’s important that we identify this criticism from where it’s really coming from. You should go now, Ms. Blake. This studio won’t be safe in a few minutes.”
“No sir. I would really like to see this in person.”
“All right. Please be careful. And please help others if you can.”
While his assistant nodded, a producer came to escort Steve Rogers to the interview. The studio was unnecessary busy, with cheap iconography of patriotism. Steve noticed the size difference in the chairs, to ensure the interviewer would be just a little taller.
Plastered on Cole Cooper’s face was a predatory smile. The man wasn’t the first to criticize Captain America, but in recent years he was among the most vocal. The statements and actions that Captain America had been making couldn’t have gone unanswered. Cooper wasn’t even the first that a proper response hadn’t been found for. But once this had been found, Captain America was absolutely going to see it used.
Steve Rogers sat down and looked across the gaudy table at the man he was going to bring to justice.
Production counted down. The broadcast lights came on. The host of the program, Cole Cooper, started his predictable diatribe. Designed to take down whomever he was ordered to take down, the carefully crafted word-salad was meant to counted honest debate, incite viewers and bait outraged response.
Reaching into his pockets, Steve Rogers calmly but forcefully interrupted his host. “You murdered Lance Bannon.”
“I’m talking!” Came the instinctive response, for how could one dare interrupt a god of cable TV. Then the content of his guest’s words registered, and Cole Cooper’s response became a stammer. “I mean…what a ridiculous accusation. I don’t even know who that is.”
“Lance Bannon was your co-worker a photographer for the Daily Bugle,” Steve Rogers continued. Now standing, he was donning the red gloves he’d pulled from his pockets. When Archer Bryce murdered Doctor Thomas Haney and stole the FACADE armor, Lance Bannon took photographs. You murdered Lance Bannon and stole those photographs for Archer Bryce.”
“These baseless attacks will not-” Cole Cooper leapt to his feet. Whatever he hoped to do, Steve Rogers stopped it by punching him in the face.
“Archer Bryce is the owner of his network, and this position was payment for you murdering Lance Bannon.” Every word Steve Rogers spoke dripped with contempt. “My partner is confronting him now.”
--------------------------------------------------------
Falcon, longtime partner of Captain America, flew at the high-rise penthouse that belonged to Archer Bryce. Security was heavy, but Falcon didn’t care about being detected. When the anti-air defenses activated, he didn’t bother to evade the fire. The shield he’d borrowed from Captain America deflected most with little effort. The rest were handled by the vibranium wings, which absorbed kinetic impact.
As Falcon was about to hit the reinforced windows at full speed, he triggered the secondary function his vibranium wings. The stored kinetic energy was redirected, and the windows blew inward. Falcon entered the penthouse unscathed.
“Archer Bryce!” yelled Falcon. “I’m here to take you into custody for the murder of Doctor Thomas Haney.”
A seemingly calm Bryce stood up from the couch. Falcon could see that the woman lying there was drugged, and thankfully the billionaire had only started the process of undressing her.
“That is a baseless lie. I will have you arrested and sued into the-”
Falcon threw Captain America’s mighty shield straight at the creep’s face.
--------------------------------------------------------
“Security!” Cole Cooper cried out. Of course there were protocols for when a guest attacked him. Unfortunately for him, it did not involved cutting the live feed. The host wanted his audience to see what happened to anyone that dared try to silence him.
Paying no mind to the armed security that was hesitating because he is Captain America, Steve Rogers grabbed Cooper by the front of his suit and lifted him into the air.
“Doctor Thomas Haney built a way to remote activate the FACADE armor,” Steve said into the coward’s face. He then smashed his head against his, right on the spot that would activate the Full Acclimation Combat And Defense Explo-skeleton.
Immediately the nanites designed by Morell Pharmaceuticals went into action. The armor exploded out from Cooper’s skeleton to encase him in a second, armored skin. This sent Steve Rogers flying backwards. The skilled fighter managed to land on his feet, ready to face the massive armored figure that had appeared before him.
--------------------------------------------------------
The moment the shield struck him in the forehead, the nanities inside Archer Bryce activated and the explo-skeleton formed. The explosion of air momentarily forced Falcon back, but his wings controlled the motion. And he caught the returning shield with little difficulty.
“Yeah, it looks like those notes were accurate.” Falcon rushed forward.
“After I kill you I’ll erase the footage,” Archer Bryce declared as he moved to meet the hero. From one armored gauntlet came a blast of power from his own bio-electricity magnified a thousand-fold.
“From your cameras maybe.” Falcon deflected the bio-electric blast and easily maneuvered around Bryce. He made sure to stay between the armored predator and his latest victim.
Just outside the penthouse, several birds were perched. Falcon had the power to see through their eyes. And the small cameras on them ensured that everybody could eventually see what they saw.
Bryce saw them, and prepared to unleash his FACADE weapon towards the animals. Falcon moved fast, throwing the shield off the ceiling so it would intercept the blast at point-blank range. The feedback drove Bryce back against Falcon, who had folded his wings in front of himself.
The combination of bio-feedback and kinetic force was too much for the FACADE armor. It fell face-down, the man inside unconscious. Falcon pointedly stepped over him to retrieve the shield and called emergency services.
--------------------------------------------------------
Security was torn between the directed threat of Captain America and the very clear threat of FACADE. Steve Rogers used that, grabbing a taser from one man’s holster. At the same time he kicked his chair so that it was in the way of FACADE’s bio-electric blast. It shattered, and Steve was glad to see his assistant Eden Blake help crew members to avoid debris.
“Stand down,” Steve said with a full military authority that commanded respect. “Turn yourself in for the murder of Lance Bannon.”
“Stop saying his name!” Cole Cooper activated the armor’s boot jets and flew at Steve Rogers. The gauntlets glowed with bio-electricity. He meant to fry the hero with a deadly grasp.
Much to Cooper’s surprise, Steve Rogers rushed to meet him. He grabbed the FACADE gauntlets with his own smaller, gloved hands. The specialized gloves redirected the energy back into FACADE, but not all of it. Anybody less that the epitome of human physicality could very well be killed.
While the armored man fell to the ground, Steve Rogers remained standing. He turned to the cameras and saw they were still broadcasting. Mindful of the security keeping their distance, Steve pressed the taser to the armor. When disabled, a strong electric charge was needed to bypass the armor’s security measures and open it up. Steve pulled the semi-conscious Cole Cooper from the armor and deposited the man back into his chair.
“I’ve been the subject of a lot of criticism,” Steve said for the television audience. “You need to know where this criticism is coming from. Without merit, people luck into a lot of money and power. They use their resources to direct policy to further enrich themselves. With tools like this network, you are told what to hate and fear so that elitists can continue to steal from you.”
Steve Rogers pulled off his gloves and dropped them on Cooper’s face. “Years ago this man murdered Lance Bannon so that a billionaire could give him influence. Others have done less for similar influence, but they use it the same way. It’s to help their wealthy benefactors remain in control.
“For years I have fought to defend the idea of what this country could be. I was naive to think that, left to itself, the system would win out and the United States of America could achieve the goal of equality for all and the freedom of its people to live their lives. You are told by liars that equality means dragging you down, that certain people living their lives is the worst possible thing.
“For these last few years I have worked with a variety of groups to elect and push lawmakers that can help repair our broken system. Every territory, from the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico down through Guam, should be a state. The Electoral College should be abolished in favor of a direct popular vote. The House of Representatives should be expanded, and the Senate’s power should be greatly curtailed if not eliminated entirely.
“But most of all, you the American people need to be informed about what is happening in your communities. While I’ve come to abhor private funding, I learned from World War II that unilateral disarmament is a foolish thing. That’s why my organization is privately funding journalistic endeavors in every zip code. At a minimum dedicated journalists are attending school board meetings, court proceedings, and informing you about decision being made where you live.”
Steve Rogers looked at the unconscious murderer. “I understand disagreement on the merits. I welcome debate, it’s how I’ve come to where I am. But for those acting in bad faith, I will identify your motives and I will confront you over them. You aren’t all murderers, but those who broke the law I will see you brought to justice. That is the promise of Captain America.”
--------------------------------------------------------
Later in the evening Steve Rogers met with Sam Wilson and their investigator. “That was good work Jessica. The notes on the armor were particularly helpful.”
Jessica Jones drank from her flask and flipped off Steve in response to his disapproving look. “It wasn’t hard to find. This information was known. DNA was all over the original FACADE armor when Spider-Man last stopped it. The guy in the suit got away, but it would have been so easy to identify who it was and pick him up. Except for all the bribes and threats. I identified everybody involved and passed it on to Betty Brant. The Daily Bugle will have already published it.”
“Did you know what that creep was doing?” asked Sam.
Jessica fought the urge to vomit, and not from alcohol. “There were stories about that too. I did know he had someone going up there, its why I pushed you to do this so fast. We’re fortunate that nobody was going to turn down a last-minute interview with Captain America.”
“That may change after today,” Steve said.
Sam was visibly upset. “You could have warned me. That was a heavy thing to fly into.”
“How is she?”
“Physically she’s fine. Professionals were talking with her when I left. If she doesn’t want to be mentioned-”
“Of course.” Jessica brushed it off. “I’ll do my best.”
Sam turned to his longtime friend. “So you’ve gone from an unwilling tool, to a vocal pest, and now an active threat. It won’t just be the out-and-proud Nazi’s coming after you this time. You ready for that?”
Steve took a sip of his tea. “I want to say that I always have been, that it was distractions from super-villains that kept me from walking into board rooms. But maybe it was a fear from public blowback that kept me from punching those criminals in the face. No more. I’m looking, and where I see wrongdoing I’m going to act.”
--------------------------------------------------------
In a palatial island estate off the coast of Greece, the story of Captain America’s triumph was observed. Though the man appeared to be of average height and build, the shadow on the wall was massive and had horns jutting from the head. He sipped the coffee, nonplussed. He’d known from the beginning that Captain America was an enemy.
“When do you think he’ll realize he should have been coming for me this whole time?”
The question was directed to a massive isolation tank on one side of the chamber. It was filled with fluid, the figure floating within connected to a breathing apparatus and sensors. He was in hibernation for now. It had been years since the asset had been awakened.
The man who had spoken continued, as though his question had been answered.
“True, he may never. I would like to think it’s because I haven’t used you since his return. Still, one doesn’t actually have to be looking for something in order to find it. Whether it’s at a time of my choosing or some unforeseeable future, Captain America’s eye could fix on me.”
He pressed a hand against the glass. Through the faint reflection, he observed a second, distorted reflection in the metal arm.
“And that is when you kill him.”
Next Issue Blurb: Extremis!
Steve Rogers looked up from his notes. “Thank you, Ms. Blake. Is there an update on my friend?”
His recently hired assistant, Eden Blake, nodded. “Mr. Wilson is en route and should be dealing with the matter while you’re on air.”
“Terrific. It’s important that we identify this criticism from where it’s really coming from. You should go now, Ms. Blake. This studio won’t be safe in a few minutes.”
“No sir. I would really like to see this in person.”
“All right. Please be careful. And please help others if you can.”
While his assistant nodded, a producer came to escort Steve Rogers to the interview. The studio was unnecessary busy, with cheap iconography of patriotism. Steve noticed the size difference in the chairs, to ensure the interviewer would be just a little taller.
Plastered on Cole Cooper’s face was a predatory smile. The man wasn’t the first to criticize Captain America, but in recent years he was among the most vocal. The statements and actions that Captain America had been making couldn’t have gone unanswered. Cooper wasn’t even the first that a proper response hadn’t been found for. But once this had been found, Captain America was absolutely going to see it used.
Steve Rogers sat down and looked across the gaudy table at the man he was going to bring to justice.
Production counted down. The broadcast lights came on. The host of the program, Cole Cooper, started his predictable diatribe. Designed to take down whomever he was ordered to take down, the carefully crafted word-salad was meant to counted honest debate, incite viewers and bait outraged response.
Reaching into his pockets, Steve Rogers calmly but forcefully interrupted his host. “You murdered Lance Bannon.”
“I’m talking!” Came the instinctive response, for how could one dare interrupt a god of cable TV. Then the content of his guest’s words registered, and Cole Cooper’s response became a stammer. “I mean…what a ridiculous accusation. I don’t even know who that is.”
“Lance Bannon was your co-worker a photographer for the Daily Bugle,” Steve Rogers continued. Now standing, he was donning the red gloves he’d pulled from his pockets. When Archer Bryce murdered Doctor Thomas Haney and stole the FACADE armor, Lance Bannon took photographs. You murdered Lance Bannon and stole those photographs for Archer Bryce.”
“These baseless attacks will not-” Cole Cooper leapt to his feet. Whatever he hoped to do, Steve Rogers stopped it by punching him in the face.
“Archer Bryce is the owner of his network, and this position was payment for you murdering Lance Bannon.” Every word Steve Rogers spoke dripped with contempt. “My partner is confronting him now.”
--------------------------------------------------------
Falcon, longtime partner of Captain America, flew at the high-rise penthouse that belonged to Archer Bryce. Security was heavy, but Falcon didn’t care about being detected. When the anti-air defenses activated, he didn’t bother to evade the fire. The shield he’d borrowed from Captain America deflected most with little effort. The rest were handled by the vibranium wings, which absorbed kinetic impact.
As Falcon was about to hit the reinforced windows at full speed, he triggered the secondary function his vibranium wings. The stored kinetic energy was redirected, and the windows blew inward. Falcon entered the penthouse unscathed.
“Archer Bryce!” yelled Falcon. “I’m here to take you into custody for the murder of Doctor Thomas Haney.”
A seemingly calm Bryce stood up from the couch. Falcon could see that the woman lying there was drugged, and thankfully the billionaire had only started the process of undressing her.
“That is a baseless lie. I will have you arrested and sued into the-”
Falcon threw Captain America’s mighty shield straight at the creep’s face.
--------------------------------------------------------
“Security!” Cole Cooper cried out. Of course there were protocols for when a guest attacked him. Unfortunately for him, it did not involved cutting the live feed. The host wanted his audience to see what happened to anyone that dared try to silence him.
Paying no mind to the armed security that was hesitating because he is Captain America, Steve Rogers grabbed Cooper by the front of his suit and lifted him into the air.
“Doctor Thomas Haney built a way to remote activate the FACADE armor,” Steve said into the coward’s face. He then smashed his head against his, right on the spot that would activate the Full Acclimation Combat And Defense Explo-skeleton.
Immediately the nanites designed by Morell Pharmaceuticals went into action. The armor exploded out from Cooper’s skeleton to encase him in a second, armored skin. This sent Steve Rogers flying backwards. The skilled fighter managed to land on his feet, ready to face the massive armored figure that had appeared before him.
--------------------------------------------------------
The moment the shield struck him in the forehead, the nanities inside Archer Bryce activated and the explo-skeleton formed. The explosion of air momentarily forced Falcon back, but his wings controlled the motion. And he caught the returning shield with little difficulty.
“Yeah, it looks like those notes were accurate.” Falcon rushed forward.
“After I kill you I’ll erase the footage,” Archer Bryce declared as he moved to meet the hero. From one armored gauntlet came a blast of power from his own bio-electricity magnified a thousand-fold.
“From your cameras maybe.” Falcon deflected the bio-electric blast and easily maneuvered around Bryce. He made sure to stay between the armored predator and his latest victim.
Just outside the penthouse, several birds were perched. Falcon had the power to see through their eyes. And the small cameras on them ensured that everybody could eventually see what they saw.
Bryce saw them, and prepared to unleash his FACADE weapon towards the animals. Falcon moved fast, throwing the shield off the ceiling so it would intercept the blast at point-blank range. The feedback drove Bryce back against Falcon, who had folded his wings in front of himself.
The combination of bio-feedback and kinetic force was too much for the FACADE armor. It fell face-down, the man inside unconscious. Falcon pointedly stepped over him to retrieve the shield and called emergency services.
--------------------------------------------------------
Security was torn between the directed threat of Captain America and the very clear threat of FACADE. Steve Rogers used that, grabbing a taser from one man’s holster. At the same time he kicked his chair so that it was in the way of FACADE’s bio-electric blast. It shattered, and Steve was glad to see his assistant Eden Blake help crew members to avoid debris.
“Stand down,” Steve said with a full military authority that commanded respect. “Turn yourself in for the murder of Lance Bannon.”
“Stop saying his name!” Cole Cooper activated the armor’s boot jets and flew at Steve Rogers. The gauntlets glowed with bio-electricity. He meant to fry the hero with a deadly grasp.
Much to Cooper’s surprise, Steve Rogers rushed to meet him. He grabbed the FACADE gauntlets with his own smaller, gloved hands. The specialized gloves redirected the energy back into FACADE, but not all of it. Anybody less that the epitome of human physicality could very well be killed.
While the armored man fell to the ground, Steve Rogers remained standing. He turned to the cameras and saw they were still broadcasting. Mindful of the security keeping their distance, Steve pressed the taser to the armor. When disabled, a strong electric charge was needed to bypass the armor’s security measures and open it up. Steve pulled the semi-conscious Cole Cooper from the armor and deposited the man back into his chair.
“I’ve been the subject of a lot of criticism,” Steve said for the television audience. “You need to know where this criticism is coming from. Without merit, people luck into a lot of money and power. They use their resources to direct policy to further enrich themselves. With tools like this network, you are told what to hate and fear so that elitists can continue to steal from you.”
Steve Rogers pulled off his gloves and dropped them on Cooper’s face. “Years ago this man murdered Lance Bannon so that a billionaire could give him influence. Others have done less for similar influence, but they use it the same way. It’s to help their wealthy benefactors remain in control.
“For years I have fought to defend the idea of what this country could be. I was naive to think that, left to itself, the system would win out and the United States of America could achieve the goal of equality for all and the freedom of its people to live their lives. You are told by liars that equality means dragging you down, that certain people living their lives is the worst possible thing.
“For these last few years I have worked with a variety of groups to elect and push lawmakers that can help repair our broken system. Every territory, from the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico down through Guam, should be a state. The Electoral College should be abolished in favor of a direct popular vote. The House of Representatives should be expanded, and the Senate’s power should be greatly curtailed if not eliminated entirely.
“But most of all, you the American people need to be informed about what is happening in your communities. While I’ve come to abhor private funding, I learned from World War II that unilateral disarmament is a foolish thing. That’s why my organization is privately funding journalistic endeavors in every zip code. At a minimum dedicated journalists are attending school board meetings, court proceedings, and informing you about decision being made where you live.”
Steve Rogers looked at the unconscious murderer. “I understand disagreement on the merits. I welcome debate, it’s how I’ve come to where I am. But for those acting in bad faith, I will identify your motives and I will confront you over them. You aren’t all murderers, but those who broke the law I will see you brought to justice. That is the promise of Captain America.”
--------------------------------------------------------
Later in the evening Steve Rogers met with Sam Wilson and their investigator. “That was good work Jessica. The notes on the armor were particularly helpful.”
Jessica Jones drank from her flask and flipped off Steve in response to his disapproving look. “It wasn’t hard to find. This information was known. DNA was all over the original FACADE armor when Spider-Man last stopped it. The guy in the suit got away, but it would have been so easy to identify who it was and pick him up. Except for all the bribes and threats. I identified everybody involved and passed it on to Betty Brant. The Daily Bugle will have already published it.”
“Did you know what that creep was doing?” asked Sam.
Jessica fought the urge to vomit, and not from alcohol. “There were stories about that too. I did know he had someone going up there, its why I pushed you to do this so fast. We’re fortunate that nobody was going to turn down a last-minute interview with Captain America.”
“That may change after today,” Steve said.
Sam was visibly upset. “You could have warned me. That was a heavy thing to fly into.”
“How is she?”
“Physically she’s fine. Professionals were talking with her when I left. If she doesn’t want to be mentioned-”
“Of course.” Jessica brushed it off. “I’ll do my best.”
Sam turned to his longtime friend. “So you’ve gone from an unwilling tool, to a vocal pest, and now an active threat. It won’t just be the out-and-proud Nazi’s coming after you this time. You ready for that?”
Steve took a sip of his tea. “I want to say that I always have been, that it was distractions from super-villains that kept me from walking into board rooms. But maybe it was a fear from public blowback that kept me from punching those criminals in the face. No more. I’m looking, and where I see wrongdoing I’m going to act.”
--------------------------------------------------------
In a palatial island estate off the coast of Greece, the story of Captain America’s triumph was observed. Though the man appeared to be of average height and build, the shadow on the wall was massive and had horns jutting from the head. He sipped the coffee, nonplussed. He’d known from the beginning that Captain America was an enemy.
“When do you think he’ll realize he should have been coming for me this whole time?”
The question was directed to a massive isolation tank on one side of the chamber. It was filled with fluid, the figure floating within connected to a breathing apparatus and sensors. He was in hibernation for now. It had been years since the asset had been awakened.
The man who had spoken continued, as though his question had been answered.
“True, he may never. I would like to think it’s because I haven’t used you since his return. Still, one doesn’t actually have to be looking for something in order to find it. Whether it’s at a time of my choosing or some unforeseeable future, Captain America’s eye could fix on me.”
He pressed a hand against the glass. Through the faint reflection, he observed a second, distorted reflection in the metal arm.
“And that is when you kill him.”
Next Issue Blurb: Extremis!